Shavo Odadjian (SYSTEM OF A DOWN), Phil Demmel (VIO-LENCE, ex-MACHINE HEAD), Jason Christopher (Corey Taylor, ex-PRONG) and Brandon Pertzborn (HO99O9, Corey Taylor) have joined forces to record a quarantine cover of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' "Dead & Bloated". Check it out below.

Christopher shared a video of the performance on his Instagram and wrote in an accompanying message: "I hope you enjoy watching this as much as we enjoyed making it.

"I would like to thank the homeys: @jayruston For taking time out of his busy schedule to do this sweet mix, @rarebirdlit for the studio, @dirtyern12 for making this rad video, and @ra_diaz for the company. And my brothers in arms: @phildemmel @shavoodadjian @brandonpertzborn . I love you guys so much and thank you for absolutely crushing this!! I hope we did @stpband justice".

Hired gun Christopher has spent his musical career as an unsung hero, playing an important live role for many influential bands and artists who need a bassist or guitarist.

Jason's a left-handed guitarist who plays a regular guitar upside down and back to front. Not being able to afford a left-handed model in his teenage years, it's testament to his tenacity that he made do, "figuring it out for himself." Not only a gifted musician, Jason has turned his hand to writing about his life and experiences of "making it" in the industry. In 2018, he released the first instalment of his engaging work, "The Rogue To Nowhere", part one of a three-part novella series documenting tales of growing up in Woodstock, New York and moving to Los Angeles, California in search of his musical dream.
























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Japan's Unlucky Morpheus recently released a cover album entitled Loud Playing Workshop, which features covers of instrumenals from Steve Vai, Dream Theater, Michael Schenker, Yngwie Malmsteen and more. They have released an official video for their take on Raacer X's classic instrumental "Technical Difficulties". Check it out below.

The track is taken from Racer X's Technical Difficulties album, released in 1999. It was written by guitarist Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big) and drummer Scott Travis (Judas Priest). 

They previously released a cover of Malmsteen's "Far Beyond The Sun", Dream Theater's "The Dance Of Etrnity", and violinist Jill's performance of "Eruption" in tribute to Eddie Van Halen.

Tracklist:

"Far Beyond The Sun" (Yngwie Malmsteen)
"The Dance of Eternity" (Dream Theater)
"Into the Arena" (Michael Schenker)
"Hundreds Of Thousands" (Tony MacAlpine)
"Scarified" (Racer X)
"Eruption" (Eddie Van Halen)
"For the Love of God" (Steve Vai)
"Technical Difficulties" (Racer X)
"17th Century Chicken Pickin'" (Chris Impellitteri)

"Far Beyond The Sun"

"Eruption"

"The Dance Of Eternity"

"Scarified"




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Texas death thrash war bringers Steel Bearing Hand will release their Slay In Hell full-length April 2nd.

Slay In Hell comes adorned in the diabolic cover illustration of Vrugarthdoom and vomits forth six hellish hymns that pay their respects to the masters – namely Celtic Frost, Slayer, and Autopsy – while maintaining a singular unholy vibe.

As a precursor to the record’s release, Steel Bearing Hand offers up opening track “Command Of The Infernal Exarch” for communal devouring. Issues the band, “‘Command Of The Infernal Exarch’ depicts a descent into Hell to become a knight in Lucifer’s force in order to kill God and usurp the throne of Heaven. The process of transformation from Mortal to Demon is described, along with the arsenal at hand and the tactics employed in the war on Heaven, God, all his Earthly servants, and the heavenly host.”

Slay In Hell will be released on CD and vinyl via Carbonized Records, and cassette through Carbonized and Cimmerian Strength Productions. 

Tracklisting:

"Command Of The Infernal Exarch"
"Lich Gate"
"Tombspawn"
"Per Tenebras Ad Lucem"
"'Til Death And Beyond"
"Ensanguined"

For further details, visit Steel Bearing Hand on Facebook.

 




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"Since its release, Holy Ground has been kicking butt from one side of the Planet to the other, thanks to you guys," says The Dead Daisies, in regard to their new studio album - the first to feature vocalist / bassist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath).

"With 'Chosen And Justified' about to blast off, we thought we'd do something a little different... Beam me up Scotty!"

"Space: the Final Frontier. This is the story of the Starship – Chosen And Justified. Its mission: to explore strange new worlds seeking out new planets for mankind to inhabit. To boldly go where no one has gone before!

Don’t ya just love Star Trek…

The Earth has become uninhabitable, due to man’s stupidity of course, the environment and everything on the planet is pretty much cactus so we must find a way to survive. Determined to save the human race from extinction, the band and its fans blast off from Earth to join a fleet of spacecraft, which is led by the flagship Chosen And Justified. Its mission, to search for a new place to hang out. After years of hibernation, the fleet’s computer awakens everyone when a new world that has an atmosphere fit for humans is discovered. They name the new planet Holy Ground; there is no looking back."

 

 




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Brazil-based animator Val Andrade has released his latest Iron Maiden cartoon clip featuring "The Man Who Would Be King" from The Final Frontier, originally released 11 years ago in 2010. Check it out below:

A selection of Andrade's previously released Iron Maiden-based cartoons can be seen below:

 




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Last month, Heart vocalist Ann Wilson released her new solo song, "The Hammer". Now she presents the accompanying lyric video, which can be seen below.

According to Ann, "'The Hammer' talks about that moment when the rubber meets the road, when all dreams, fantasies, and excuses fall by the wayside. The moment of truth. The edge of reality."

"In recording this song, we took everything out that was extra and went for the rock jugular. Tyler Boley’s uber guitar and Dan Walker’s B3 organ give a vintage taste but a timeless feel. We had a great time recording this one, remembering that in reality, there are no rules of engagement where real rock is concerned. The band got just as passionate as the lyrics!"

Wilson recently released a new original song, "Tender Heart", available now at all DSPs and streaming services. Find a new music video for the song below.

“‘Tender Heart’ came out of a personal struggle,” says Wilson, “but quickly evolved into a greater, more universal meaning. We as the human race are coming to realize realities we never dreamed we’d have to face – environmentally, culturally, financially, and health-wise. Humanity is coming to terms with uncomfortable, heartbreaking, terrifying truths. This song is for the soul whose heart is blindsided by reality, but is still soft and innocent. I hope people will identify with this song and feel they are not alone.”

 




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UK thrashers Solitary have revealed their new video "Catharsis", from the album The Truth Behind The Lies, available now on Metalville Records. Following on from the powerful call-to-arms of "Abominate" and the dark defiance of "I Will Not Tolerate", the cold fury of "Catharsis" shines an unflinching spotlight on the plight of the homeless in modern-day Britain. A feast of uncompromising riffs and irresistible hooks, "Catharsis" is yet another highlight from one of the most consistently excellent thrash metal albums of recent years. 

Speaking about the new video, Solitary frontman Rich Sherrington said, "'Catharsis' deals with the debilitating state of anxiety, but the lyrics lent themselves really well to the homeless crisis that we wanted to highlight in the video. It's an issue we feel passionately about, and people need to see 'the truth behind the lies' - who'd have thought the UK government would misquote and distort the figures to mask the actual reality of the situation?"

As well as highlighting the ongoing problem of homelessness in the video for "Catharsis", Solitary have also contributed a track to the charity compilation album Moshin' The Roof On Vol. 2, organized by the UK Thrashers group and featuring the cream of UK thrash. Find out more here.

The Truth Behind The Lies artwork and tracklisting:

"I Will Not Tolerate"
"The Dark...The Resilient"
"Abominate"
"Homage To The Broken"
"The Truth Behind The Lies"
"Catharsis"
"DTR (Dishonour True Reality)"
"Spawn Of Hate"

"Abominate":

"I Will Not Tolerate":

 




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Toronto's one-man act Malice Divine, created by ex-Astaroth Incarnate guitarist Ric Galvez (also seen as a contestant on Banger TV’s Shredders of Metal Seasons 1 & 2) recently unleashed his debut self-titled album. The record is an excellent example of time spent during the Covid-19 pandemic being put to good use.

The full length showcases nine eclectic tracks of black, death, and thrash metal along with a tinge of classical guitar. For session drums Ric Galvez was joined by Dylan Gowan (Vesperia, Iomair) where they recorded at Monolithic Productions in Oshawa, Ontario with Tyler Williams. After the recording process had concluded, the album was re-amped and mixed by Tyler Williams and then mastered by Lasse Lammert (Demons & Wizards, Alestorm, Gloryhammer) of LSD-Studio in Germany.

The lyrics explored on the self-titled album are actually quite personal and deal with Ric Galvez’s thoughts and feelings regarding his life experiences. They are an outlet for self-expression, while also exploring topics such as spirituality and psychology with an underlying theme of personal empowerment.

Today, Malice Divine shares more insight into the album with the release of the new lyric video for the track "Quantum Manifestation", which can be seen below.

"'Quantum Manifestation' is one of the fastest songs on the album. It's packed full of different elements that are integral to the sound of Malice Divine, such as virtuosic guitar solos, savage blackened death metal riffing, blast beats, epic melodies, and a beautiful classical guitar section," adds Ric Galvez.

Melodic and captivating with a good blend of heavy styles, Malice Divine is recommended for fans of Skeletonwitch, Death, Dissection, and Immortal.

Tracklisting:

“Somnium Lucidus”
“Quantum Manifestation”
“Malicious Divinity”
“Triumphant Return”
“Into Subconscious Depths”
“Ancient Visions”
“In Time”
“Intuitive Realization”
“The Transcendence Of Isolation”

"Triumphant Return":

“In Time”:

“Malicious Divinity”:

(Photo by: Deborah Lawrence) 

 




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Long-running metallers Lord have announced their new covers album, Undercovers Vol. 1 due out April 2nd on Dominus Records. Featuring first single “To The Moon And Back” by Australian pop group Savage Garden.

Bassist Andy explains, “Covers have been a big love of ours since the early days of Dungeon right up to and including now. Over the years in Lord, these tracks have ended up on limited edition releases, bonus tracks in isolated parts of the world and other weird and wonderful places. These songs have been scattered over so many different places that even we struggle ourselves to remember where on earth all of these songs can be found.

While bands around the world continue to navigate these uncertain times, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to release this collection of cover songs, as well as new recordings, to keep the Lord machine moving while we continue to write new music.”

Andy continues, “Undercovers Vol. 1 is the first instalment of amassing this ever growing collection of cover tracks that Lord have recorded over the years whether it be in the studio or on the stage. There will be many you’re familiar with and there will also be a few surprises. Of course, we couldn’t help ourselves and decided to record two new cover songs for this release, Savage Garden’s 'To The Moon And Back' and Judas Priest’s 'Reckless' and we even threw in two covers from LT’s Blackened Angel project. Artwork has been once again created by the talented Tristan Tait and a hand-numbered limited edition CD release will celebrate the highlights from Volume 1 of our Undercover journey.”

Listen to Lord’s single “To The Moon And Back” from the upcoming album, now via the audio player below.

Undercovers Vol.1 by LORD

Undercovers Vol. 1 will be an exclusive 23 track release available on Bandcamp as both a digital release and as various bundle packs that includes a T-shirt, and a CD that is hand-numbered and limited to 500 hand-numbered copies only, worldwide.

Both the CD and streaming platforms will have a limited track listing, with Bandcamp being the exclusive destination to own all 23 tracks, which includes two covers by Lord Tim’s Blackened Angel project, as well as over 2 hours of Andy and LT talking about the stories behind the songs. The entire release clocks in at over 3 hours and 40 minutes. Pre-orders are now open.

Tracklisting:

"To The Moon And Back" (Savage Garden cover)
"Judas Be Yy Guide" (Iron Maiden cover)
"Send Me An Angel" (Real Life cover)
"Of Sins And Shadows" (Symphony X cover)
"Message In A Bottle" (The Police cover)
"Shattered" (Pantera cover)
"Playing To Win" (Little River Band, John Farnham cover)
"Someone’s Crying" (Helloween cover)
"Hard To Live" (Harem Scarem cover)
"Creeping Death" (Live - Metallica cover)
"(I Just) Died In Your Arms" (Cutting Crew cover)
"Reckless" (Judas Priest cover)
"Silent Jealousy" (X Japan cover)
"I Want Out" (Live - Helloween cover)
"The Sun Always Shines On TV" (A-ha cover)
"The Whisper" (Queensryche cover)
"Touch The Fire" (Icehouse cover)
"Wild Child" (Live - W.A.S.P. cover)
"Break The Ice" (John Farnham cover)
"Runaway" (Bon Jovi cover)
"On A Night Like This" (Kylie Minogue cover)
"Madhouse" by Blackened Angel (Anthrax cover)
"Night People" by Blackened Angel (Dio cover)

Lord is essentially a continuation of Dungeon, one of Australia's longest-running heavy metal bands, with over a dozen releases so far. Their last full length album, 2019's Fallen Idols, was Lords’s best selling and best reviewed album to date, reaching #20 in the Australian ARIA charts and #2 on the Australian Independent Labels chart.

 




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Vancouver’s Anarcheon have unveiled a new stand-alone single “Bloody Merry”, which is our first look at the dark path the band is currently exploring. Multiple line-up changes over the past few years have put the band into an experimental phase, in which they are pushing their creative boundaries. One of the things that are setting Anarcheon apart is their bassist taking up main songwriter duties, leading to heavily groovy riffs with a focus on the bassy low end.

The new direction that “Bloody Merry” alludes to is also leading towards a new EP, slated for release later this year entitled Scary Tale. Both the single and the EP give off a creepy and groovy vibe, taking the listener through a vampiric journey into the dark side of Anarcheon. They explain further:

“Our single 'Bloody Merry' is about the longing and aching for blood through seduction. Making people succumb to the seduction or be my next meal. Though this is a fairly newer song that we wrote we wanted to release it as a single before our EP came out. The song sets the tone for the EP Scary Tale nicely and prepares you with a little taste of crimson liquor.”

A little spooky, a little melodic, and completely creative, “Bloody Merry” is an excellent starting point for new fans to be enticed by the heavy, horror-themed, passionate metal that Anarcheon flaunts while current fans can enjoy the new, yet familiar direction the band is headed in.

Vampirism, harmonies, and emphasis on the low end are key for Anarcheon, who is recommended for fans of Sepultura, Carcass, and Thy Art Is Murder.

“Bloody Merry” will be available to stream and download as of March 5th on Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music.

 




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Finnish Oulu-based female fronted hard rock band Lost Division is set to release their debut album Cuts And Scars on May 28th via Inverse Records. First single "The Queen" from the album is released today. Check out the official lyric video below.

The band comments: "The first single from Lost Division's debut album Cuts & Scars, which is released in the spring. 'The Queen' musically represents the more calm and melancholic side of the upcoming album. The heavy sound and at times sad atmosphere immerse the listener to dark vibes." 

Lost Division is founded in Oulu, Finland back in 2015. Their first single release "Wish You Were Dead" was released in 2018 by Inverse Records. In 2019 they changed singers and started to compose material for the upcoming debut album, which was recorded in 2020. The album was recorded at Liiteri Sudios and mixed by Mika Lammassaari at Demolition Center Studios. Mastering was handled by Stefan Pommerin at Illusia Productions. 

 
Tracklist:
 
"In Memoriam 2.0"
"Trapped"
"Stay"
"I'd Rather Die"
"No God"
"The Queen"
"The Killer"
"Lovely Day"
"Insanity"
"Mayhem"

Line-up:

Maija Väisänen - Vocals
Antti Ovaska - Rhythm  Guitar
Jaakko Korpi - Lead Guitar
Mikael Luukela - Bass
Juha-Matti Sipola - Drums 




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Alexi Laiho's cause of death has been revealed. According to his former SINERGY bandmate Kimberly Goss, to whom he was still legally married at the time of his passing, the ex-CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman died of "alcohol-induced degeneration of the liver and pancreas connective tissue." Furthermore, Laiho had a cocktail of painkillers, opioids and insomnia medication in his system.

Alexi passed away on December 29, 2020 in his home in Helsinki, Finland. The 41-year-old had reportedly suffered from long-term health issues leading up to his death.

In January, Finnish tabloid Ilta-Sanomat reported that Laiho tied the knot with Goss in February 2002, and the couple never officially divorced.

Although Laiho filed for divorce in November 2002, he quickly withdrew the petition and never filed another.

At the time of his death, Alexi was reportedly married to Australian-born music publicist Kelli Wright. However, according to Finnish law, Laiho and Wright would not have been able to wed, as Laiho and Goss had never terminated their marriage.

In December 2017, Wright shared an Instagram photo of what she called her and Alexi's "wedding day," and described it as "full of love and magic".

In announcing the cause of Alexi's death on Instagram, Kimberly wrote: "The loss of this extraordinarily talented and beautiful soul is a tragedy that was entirely preventable. He had so many good years left in him. Imagine all the amazing music we could still be getting if he had just accepted help.

"I plead with anyone who is struggling with alcoholism or any other substance abuse problem, to please seek support. You do not have to meet this same fate. If people are trying to help you, remember that they are doing it out of love and concern, so please do not push them away. Please do not surround yourself with enablers who promote your addictions. Let this be a cautionary tale that no one is invincible.

"I do not want his death to be in vain. My hope is to eventually start a memorial foundation or charity in his native, Finland to help others struggling with these same demons. This needs to be an open conversation, not a source of shame. We are all human, we all suffer, but help is out there. If his story can save even ONE life, then something good can come out of this horrible loss we have all endured."

In a 2019 interview with Beatroute, Laiho said that the first single from CHILDREN OF BODOM's final album, "Hexed", was written about his dangerous relationship with alcohol.

"'Under Grass And Clover' is about severe alcohol withdrawal, which is something I have definitely written about before, but not in recent years," he said. "I don't really drink like that anymore, but back in the day it was pretty hardcore. [While writing 'Hexed'], I sort of went back in time and started remembering what it felt like to go through withdrawal and go through detox. It was just about remembering those horrible times. I don't even drink on the road anymore. I cut back a ton, so I don't get those feelings. I don't want to fuckin' feel like that ever again. I'd wake up and take a couple shots, not to get drunk, but just to keep an even keel and feel normal. It's just fuckin' sad. But in the beginning I didn't think anything of it — it was normal.”

At the time, Laiho said that he no longer drank on tour and only consumed alcohol socially with friends at home.

"It still takes some willpower," he said. "I know myself well enough to know I have an addictive personality. It doesn't necessarily have to be booze — I can get addicted to walking, which I do a lot. Sometimes I work too hard, stuff like that. With beer, I just need to keep an eye on it.

"I think that's the most important thing: admitting it," he continued. "If you stay in denial, that's not going to take you anywhere good in life. Admit it to yourself, know yourself, and keep an eye on yourself. I've been there, and I've seen people ruin their lives because of alcohol or drugs. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fuckin' saint, and I'm not trying to preach here — people should do whatever the fuck they want. This just worked for me, that's all. It's actually pretty fucking great, not feeling so fuckin' shitty every day."

When Alexi's death was first announced on January 4, Kelli called him "the most loving and magnificent husband and father."

At the time of Alexi's death, Goss was at her current home in Chicago, Illinois, while Wright was in Australia.

Goss moved to Finland in 1999 and stayed in the country for a number of years before moving back to the United States in 2012.

Laiho reportedly spent the last 10 months of his life in Finland.

Alexi and drummer Jaska Raatikainen founded CHILDREN OF BODOM in 1993, and the band was one of the most internationally acclaimed metal acts in Finland up until their very last farewell concert in December of 2019. Last year, Alexi put together BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT, which recorded three songs and shot one music video, to be released in April.

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

BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT made its live debut last October at Rytmikorjaamo in Seinäjoki, Finland. The 17-song show consisted entirely of CHILDREN OF BODOM material.
























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"Frôðr" is the opening song of King Of Asgard's fourth full length album Svartrviðr, which will be released as double LP, Digipak CD and download version on May 28, 2021. It is the first of no less than eight epic tracks which honour the first wave(s) of grim and black Nordic metal, while at the same time refining the massive sound of King Of Asgard. Preorder/presave the album here.

"The first single of our forthcoming album Svartrviðr is called 'Frôðr'. It's a typical King Of Asgard tune in classic epic length and with all our traditional ingredients,” remarks bass player and spokesman Jonas Albrektsson. "The song represents our sonic vision of a sacrificial ritual, a glimpse of an ecstatic trance through a one-eyed point of view. The Old Icelandic word 'frôðr' means a 'sage' or a 'wise' a as noun. We give sound to the myth of the threefold death and self-sacrifice through which the god Óðinn finds the runes while hanging from the world-tree, pierced by his own spear. It is a symbolic suicide to gain knowledge and unlock secrets. In order to visualise the sound of 'Frôðr', we recruited Jimmy Johansson from Super Lino Puro Productions, who provided brilliant images to the lyrics of 'Frôðr' that now flicker in front of your eyes. Enjoy!"

Tracklisting:

“Frôðr”
“Rifna”
“Hæimr”
“Kvikr”
“Ammobiærg”
“Svartrviðr”
“Harmdauðr”
“FæigR”

“Frôðr” lyric video:




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BEHEMOTH frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski has confirmed to Summa Inferno that he and his bandmates are working on material for the follow-up to 2018's "I Loved You At Your Darkest" album. "Things are happening, let's put it that way," he said (see video below). "We're working hard, but we're in no rush, because, for now, there's really no light [at the end of] the tunnel yet. And I don't wanna spoil anything, but I honestly don't think any touring is happening this year. I wish it would, but it's not. That's my guess. I hope I'm wrong. But if I'm right, expect new music in '22. Maybe [the new album from Nergal's folk side project] ME AND THAT MAN will be released later this year, which would make sense, and it's gonna be followed by the next BEHEMOTH album. But we've got some aces up our sleeves. And even if there's no new music, we're celebrating three decades — 30 years — anniversary with BEHEMOTH, and, obviously, we'll celebrating that with some awesome stuff. So, yeah, stay tuned."

The majority of Darski's interview with Summa Inferno focused on his recent conviction for offending religious feelings by a court in Warsaw. The charges stemmed from an image the Polish musician posted on social media showing a foot stamping on a picture of the Virgin Mary.

Darski was ordered to pay a fine of 15,000 złoty (approximately $4,000) and court costs of almost 3,500 zloty (approximately $942). However, since Darski has contested the judgement, the case will now go to trial.

Last month, BEHEMOTH extended and expanded its contract with Nuclear Blast, which will now distribute the group's music worldwide outside of its home country. The band originally signed with Nuclear Blast Europe prior to the release of 2009's "Evangelion", but their next album will be their first to be released by the label outside of the Old Continent.

Formed in 1991 by then-teenage Darski, BEHEMOTH shattered the glass ceiling of the European metal underground thanks to a combination of aggressive worldwide touring, fiery and theatrical live performances, visually captivating music videos and unwaveringly intense music. Albums such as Decibel magazine Hall Of Fame inductee "Demigod" (2005) and 2014's "The Satanist" — hailed by Metal Hammer as the greatest extreme metal album of the 21st Century, and one of two BEHEMOTH records to achieve gold-certified status in Poland — pushed blasphemous blackened death metal to heights previously thought unattainable. Those releases provided the group with no shortage of fierce ammunition to conquer all audiences in its path, whether in support of childhood heroes such as OZZY OSBOURNE, SLAYER and DANZIG; on some of metal's biggest festival stages around the globe; or more recently, in European arenas alongside fellow subversives SLIPKNOT.

"I Loved You At Your Darkest"'s "Wagnerian satanic metal" was praised as "glorious" in a four-star review by The Guardian.

METALLICA celebrated the 35th anniversary of its classic third album, "Master Of Puppets", by performing the song "Battery" on last night's (Wednesday, March 3) episode of "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert".

This is not the first time that METALLICA has appeared on a talk show hosted by Stephen Colbert. In May 2017, METALLICA performed the song "Now That We're Dead" on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert". Prior to that, the band sat down for an interview and performed on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" in September 2013. More recently, METALLICA performed "Enter Sandman" on "A Late Show: Super Bowl Edition", a live special edition of "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert", on February 7.

"Master Of Puppets" was the first album METALLICA recorded after signing a major label deal with Elektra Records.

The set only reached No. 29 on the Billboard album chart but has sold over six million copies in the U.S. since.

It is the last record to feature bassist Cliff Burton, who was killed later that year in a tour bus crash.

Several songs from the album are still staples of METALLICA's live set, including "Battery", "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" and the title track.

Germany’s answer to Swedish old school death metal in the style of Dissection, Necrophobic and Unanimated, Thulcandra, will re-release their three albums - Fallen Angel’s Dominion, Under A Frozen Sun and Ascension Lost - on strictly limited coloured vinyl via Napalm Records on April 23. All three albums have gained classic status within the genre and are currently completely sold out on vinyl.

Thulcandra remark: “The overall feedback to the just announced vinyl re-releases has been overwhelming! The first edition of all three albums totally sold out within three days. Pick up one of the last vinyls in silver, exclusively available through Napalm Records! In the meantime, we worked hard on our upcoming new album and just finished all songwriting duties. More news, updates and hopefully shows coming soon!” 

To celebrate the upcoming releases, Thulcandra have debuted the live video for "Night Eternal", recorded in 2010 in their hometown Munich.

Thulcandra on the re-releases: “With sheer endless patience our fans asked constantly for new vinyl editions of our first three albums. While Thulcandra are working in full swing on the new album, Napalm Records granted our wish to re-release Fallen Angel’s Dominion, Under A Frozen Sun and Ascension Lost as limited editions featuring massive gatefold covers. Since 2010, each record has been ornated and adorned with a grand artwork of Kristian - the Necrolod - Wahlin. To savour each album in its full glory, listen to the music, read through all lyrics and discover each and every detail in those ice cold, freezing and lastly inimitable cover artworks.”

Fallen Angel’s Dominion and Under A Frozen Sun will be available in the following format:

- LP Gatefold Vinyl Silver – strictly limited to 200 (Napalm Records Mailorder only)

Ascension Lost will be available in the following format:

- 2 LP Gatefold Vinyl Silver – strictly limited to 200 (Napalm Records Mailorder only)

All three albums will also be available on bronze vinyl, strictly limited to 100 (Thulcandra Store only).

Fallen Angel’s Dominion (Pre-order here)

Tracklisting:
"In The Realm Of thousand Deaths"
"Night Eternal"
"Fallen Angel's Dominion"
"Frozen Kingdom"
"Everlasting Fire"
"Spirit Of The Night"
"Legions Of Darkness"
"In Silence We Eternally Sleep"
"The Somberlain"

Under A Frozen Sun (Pre-order here)

Tracklisting:
"In Blood And Fire"
"Black Flags Of Hate"
"Ritual Of Sight"
"Under A Frozen Sun"
"Aeon Of Darkness"
"Echoing Voices (A Cold Breeze Of Death)"
"Gates Of Eden"
"Life Demise"

Ascension Lost (Pre-order here)

Tracklisting:
"The First Rebellion"
"Throne Of Will"
"Deliverance In Sin And Death"
"Demigod Imprisoned"
Interlude
"Exalted Resistance"
"The Second Fall"
"Sorrow Of The One"
"Ascension Lost"
Outro
"Perishness Around Us" (Bonus Track)
"Frozen Kingdom" (Bonus Track)
"Dreaming" (Bonus Track)
"Immortality" (Bonus Track)

Thulcandra are:

Steffen Kummerer - Vocals, Guitars
M.D. - Lead-Guitar
Erebor - Drums




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Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess has posted part of his recent Kronos synth stream for Patreon on YouTube along with the following message:

"Join me on my Patreon to listen to this entire stream as well as lessons, behind the scenes and chats. Next month, Mike Portnoy will be my guest on my Patreon live chat here."

Liquid Tension Experiment, the legendary supergroup comprised of Mike Portnoy (Transatlantic, Sons Of Apollo), John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), and Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel), return with a new album, LTE3, out March 26 via InsideOutMusic, twenty-two years after the bands’ last studio album.

Today, the band are pleased to share the video for the album’s second single, “Beating The Odds”. You can watch the video, created by Christian Rios, below.

“This was a riff that I brought into the sessions that I thought was interesting because it's in an odd time and phrased in a way that is hard to wrap your head around at first until you understand where the groove is. When I first presented it to the guys, their initial reaction was “how are you feeling that?” When the band enters after the opening riff it probably sounds a little “odd” because the time signature is a bit unclear until the song gets going. If LTE ever had a 'prog pop hit' this would be it!” - John Petrucci

“I remember the look of confusion on ALL our faces when JP started playing that opening riff! It’s was seemingly so straight ahead but with a bizarre rhythmic twist! Took a while to internalize that but then we all loved it! One of the great things about LTE is the fact that we just let ourselves loose and have FUN!” - Jordan Rudess

“‘Beating The Odds’ is the 2nd song we wrote in the LTE3 sessions. I jokingly referred to it as “the feel-good song of the Pandemic” in the studio as it has a very upbeat happy feel to it...but also takes a few cool musical twists & turns ranging from the glorious melodic chorus & end vamp to the dark driving solo sections” - Mike Portnoy

“Starts with an off-step riff, kind of like walking upstairs backward, but at the repeat you get it. Then it opens up into “anthem land”. Later there are unison bass lines where both Jordan and John got flangy sounds that work well with the bass. Mike’s unstoppable energy is evident here, and we’ve got more fantastic J&J solos. At only five and a half minutes we start fading out… a short song by our standards. But we’re just getting warmed up.” - Tony Levin

The new album will be available in the following formats:

• Limited deluxe hot pink 3LP+2CD+Blu-ray Box Set (incl. a poster and 4 artcards, Blu-ray includes a 5.1 surround mix with visuals, and full band interview from the studio)
• Limited 2CD+Blu-ray Artbook
• Limited 2CD Digipak
• Gatefold black 2LP+CD
• Digital album (2CD)

Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Hypersonic"
"Beating The Odds"
"Liquid Evolution"
"The Passage Of Time"
"Chris & Kevin’s Amazing Odyssey"
"Rhapsody In Blue"
"Shades Of Hope"
"Key To The Imagination"

Bonus Disc: Includes almost an hour of improvised jams.

“The Passage Of Time” video:

Teaser:

In 1997, Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, and Tony Levin, joined forces to create Liquid Tension Experiment. The foursome would release their iconic, self-titled debut album in 1998 and the dazzling follow-up, LTE2 in 1999, creating a dynamic, frantic, and inventive sound all their own. The incredible creativity between the collective would prompt Petrucci and Portnoy to invite Rudess to join Dream Theater, effectively marking the end of this side project.  However, since that time, there have been few reunions more in demand. Now, with the world in lockdown and calendars unexpectedly aligned, the inconceivable has finally happened… a new Liquid Tension Experiment album.




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AC/DC has partnered with Australian jewelry, accessories and lifestyle brand Heart Of Bone. Almost two years in the making, this incredible collection fuses advanced bio molecular microscopy technology with traditional craftsmanship to create Heart Of Bone x AC/DC — a high-voltage unisex luxury rockware inspired by the band's rock 'n' roll legacy.

There is something for every AC/DC fan including:

* Limited-edition bespoke 9k solid gold tribute collectors' rings

* Bespoke sterling silver tribute rings in three unique styles

* "Ready To Rock" artisan crafted stainless steel jewelry styles

* 100% Australian-made organic cotton limited edition t-shirts made using the latest technology in screen printing practices and inks.

* Exclusive AC/DC cashmere knitwear, limited to 100 units per release which were created in collaboration with the famous Chanel-owned Barrie factory in Scotland. An ode to the Scottish heritage of AC/DC brothers, Angus and Malcolm Young.

This once-in-a-lifetime, first of its kind AC/DC-inspired collection, is a revolution in luxury rockware. There is already a global wait list for these soon-to-be-released collectors' items and hard rock heirlooms.

This is an official partnership with AC/DC with every product in the collection including a certificate of authenticity. Heart Of Bone will begin dropping capsule collection releases regularly over an 18-month period starting April 15.

Heart Of Bone was founded in 2013 by creative director Emma Addams. Heart Of Bone creates authentic and unique badass jewelry with a dark edge and a rock and roll spirit that is coveted across the globe.

Norwegian black metallers SATYRICON are working on their new album for a 2022 release. Last week, SATYRICON frontman Sigurd "Satyr" Wongraven shared an Instagram photo of him in the studio with THORNS guitarist, keyboardist and programmer Snorre Ruch, and he included the following message: "Snorre Ruch and have been sparring musically for over twenty years with THORNS and @satyriconofficial This project is the new SATYRICON album that I'm working on which is close to a musical work in its approach. It is not a collection of songs and it does not have the instrumentation you are used to hearing. Black Metal has unlimited forms of expression as long as it has the feeling that is unique to real Black Metal. You'll like this and I look forward to sharing it with you in about one year from now."

SATYRICON's latest album, "Deep Calleth Upon Deep", was released in September 2017 via Napalm Records. The disc was recorded in Oslo, Norway and Vancouver, Canada, during early 2017 and mixed together with revered studio guru Mike Fraser (who previously worked on SATYRICON's 2006 album, "Now, Diabolical").

SATYRICON drummer Kjetil-Vidar "Frost" Haraldstad told "The Jasta Show" that "Deep Calleth Upon Deep" is an album that he and his bandmates had worked on "for a long time. It's all about getting the right expression for each and every song," he explained. "It has never been anything that we've discussed in the band, but at least I personally feel that every song has a life of its own, a very strong and unique identity. This album is really about giving life to those eight songs that constitute it. Like with every SATYRICON album, I guess it's very, very diverse, and this is more true than ever with the new one. In particular, when it comes to this identity bit, I feel the songs, even if they fit extremely well together in a compilation of songs, each and every one, it's very, very different from the others — almost like human beings are different from each other."
























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Swedish metallers GHOST have released a new music video for the song "Life Eternal". The black-and-white clip, which can be seen below, features footage filmed at the final show of the band's "Prequelle" tour, which concluded exactly a year ago — on March 3, 2020 — at Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City, Mexico.

Last October, GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge told Sweden Rock Magazine that he was planning to enter the studio in January to begin recording GHOST's fifth album. "The actual recording will last around six weeks and then there's two to three weeks of mixing and mastering," he said. "So sometime in March the record should be finished, but it won't be released until after the summer. As it looks now, knock on wood, we will then go on tour. We won't release an album until we know that we are actually going on tour. The album release will coincide with the start of a tour. Of course, we could announce an album release date and then, for some reason, it might not be possible to tour, but that's a whole other matter."

In March 2020, at the aforementioned GHOST concert in Mexico City, the band introduced the new character who will front the act for its next LP phase: Papa Emeritus IV.

Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of 2018's "Prequelle" album.

In October 2019, Forge confirmed to U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine that there would be a new character fronting GHOST by the time the group's next LP sees the light of day.

"Prequelle" debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and features the chart-topping singles "Rats" and "Dance Macabre".

In December 2018, GHOST nabbed two Grammy nominations, "Best Rock Album" for "Prequelle" and "Best Rock Song" for "Rats".

Five years ago, GHOST became the first Swedish rock band ever to win a Grammy — 2016's "Best Metal Performance" for the song "Cirice".

Tommy Shaw received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday (March 3). The 67-year-old STYX guitarist/vocalist took to his Instagram to share a photo of him getting the shot, and he wrote in an accompanying message: "In honor of what would have been my mother’s 93rd birthday, I asked the nurse to give me my first vaccine by her name on my shoulder! Happy Birthday Mom!"

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll showed almost a third of U.S. adults are undecided on whether they'll get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The poll, released last month, found that 31 percent of adults are going to "wait until it has been available for a while to see how it is working for other people" before receiving the coronavirus vaccine.

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 this week after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave it emergency use authorization last Saturday, 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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PRETTY MAIDS singer Ronnie Atkins, who is battling stage four cancer, offered an update on his condition during a recent interview with Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com. He said (see video below): "My health is really good. Well, the diagnosis is what it is, but I'm feeling good at the time. I've just actually been through some troubled weeks, because there was another cancer scare, but [it's a] long story; I went through a lot of biopsies and stuff. Well, that was no cancer cells in the biopsy, and I was told that on Friday, so I'm super happy.

"I'm going to need these scans every third month, and every time is very nerve-racking for me and my wife and kids," he continued. "You never know what you'll get told, 'cause last time when I had that serious stage four diagnosis when it spread, I didn't actually feel any pain. You never know what awaits you.

"Dealing with this disease is like a mental thing — it's there in the subconscious 24/7. But it's something you've gotta learn to live with. I can't change what it is — it is what it is. So let's get the best out of it."

The 56-year-old Atkins was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2019 and underwent at least 33 radiation and four chemotherapy treatments in the fall of that year before being declared cancer-free. In October 2020, he announced that his cancer had returned.

Atkins's new solo album, "One Shot", will be released on March 12 via Frontiers Music Srl. Ronnie put the songs together with good friend and PRETTY MAIDS bandmate and producer Chris Laney. Chris oversaw production, Jacob Hansen mixed, and musicians/singers appearing on the album include, in addition to Laney, Allan Sørensen, Morten Sandager, Pontus Egberg, Pontus Norgren, Kee Marcello, Olliver Hartmann, John Berg, Anders Ringman, Linnea Vikström Egg and Björn Strid.

In a 2013 interview with Myglobalmind, Atkins joked that the secret to keeping his voice in shape was "twenty cigarettes a day and little drink now and then."

Formed in early 1982 by Atkins and guitarist Ken Hammer, PRETTY MAIDS quickly established itself as a band to be taken seriously. In April 1987, "Future World", the band's third album recorded in the USA, was released to great acclaim and is still today regarded as a "classic."

After the release of the follow-up album "Jump The Gun" (produced by DEEP PURPLE's Roger Glover), PRETTY MAIDS in 1991 were on the verge of a breakup. However, Hammer and Atkins found a new rhythm section and in 1992 released the "Sin - Decade", a record that would reveal that PRETTY MAIDS was still a force to be reckoned with, despite the fact that the metal scene now was overrun by the grunge movement. "Sin - Decade" became a huge success in Japan and gave the band a big radio hit with the single "Please Don't Leave Me", laying the foundation for the band in the East that would last for the next decade.

During the ensuing years, PRETTY MAIDS continued to release albums usually followed by European and Japanese tours.

PRETTY MAIDS' latest album, "Undress Your Madness", was released in November 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Status Global Productions has announced that Swedish guitar legend Yngwie Malmsteen, complete with full band, will perform a best-of live stream concert in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 20th starting at 7:30 PT. Tickets and various packages for the one-night only exclusive can be purchased at this location. 




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The reunited expanded classic lineup of German power metallers HELLOWEEN will release its much-anticipated album in the summer of 2021. The disc's first single, "Skyfall", will arrive on April 2.

A teaser for the "Skyfall" music video is available below.

The "Pumpkins United" lineup features returning singer Michael Kiske and guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen alongside current singer Andi Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel Löble.

Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, the new HELLOWEEN LP was recorded in part at the H.O.M.E. Studios in Hamburg (where everything started in 1984). The same recording console used for such HELLOWEEN albums as "Master Of The Rings", "Time Of The Oath" and "Better Than Raw" was utilized to record the band's new material. The effort was mixed at the Valhalla Studios of Ronald Prent (IRON MAIDEN, DEF LEPPARD, RAMMSTEIN).

HELLOWEEN's new album saw the legendary German power metallers going "back to the roots," with the band recording fully analogue and Löble playing the drum kit previously used by HELLOWEEN's original drummer, the late Ingo Schwichtenberg, on the legendary "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" recordings.

"Skyfall" will be available on CD, digitally and in two different vinyl versions.

Single 1: Vinyl, CD, digital:

"Skyfall" (single edit) + "Skyfall" (exclusive alternative vocals mix). Both are exclusive single versions and will not be on the album. Around 20 minutes playing time.

Single 2: Vinyl only

"Skyfall" (single edit) + "Indestructible" (exclusive album track). This is a strictly limited version of the new single with one exclusive album track.

The epic 12-minute track "Skyfall", written by Hansen, has the long-yearned "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" vibe, but it isn't musically telling the whole story of the album. Lyrically, "Skyfall" tells about an alien landing on earth, and the accompanying music video, produced by Martin Häusler, will be the most elaborate clip in the history of the band, featuring 3D animation and a cinematic look.

A new two-minute video in which Kiske, Hansen and Deris sit down and discuss the idea behind the "exclusive alternative vocals mix" and why there will be three versions of "Skyfall" can be seen below.

The "Pumpkins United" tour marked the first time Kiske had played live with HELLOWEEN since 1993. Hansen, who departed HELLOWEEN in 1988, had been joining the band onstage on various tours and festival appearances throughout the years. The set featured several duets with Kiske and his replacement, Deris, along with many rarely played songs, including "Kids Of The Century", "Rise And Fall" and "Livin' Ain't No Crime". Hansen — who fronted HELLOWEEN until late 1986 — sang a medley of several early HELLOWEEN classics, including "Ride The Sky", "Judas", "Starlight" and "Heavy Metal (Is The Law)".

HELLOWEEN's European "United Alive World Tour Part II", which was originally scheduled to take place in September and October will now take place next year.

The "Pumpkins United" lineup of HELLOWEEN already released one new song — aptly titled "Pumpkins United" — in October 2017.

Texas and Mississippi are both lifting their mask mandates and increasing capacity of all businesses and facilities in the states to 100%. This means that social gatherings, including at sports stadiums, concert halls and other large venues, will be allowed in Texas and Mississippi without any restrictions.

Effective March 10, all businesses in Texas will be allowed to open at full capacity for the first time in nearly a year, Gov. Greg Abbott announced. Businesses may still limit capacity or implement additional safety protocols at their own discretion.

"With the medical advancements of vaccines and antibody therapeutic drugs, Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus," Abbott said after issuing Executive Order GA-34. "We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans by opening Texas 100%.

"Make no mistake, COVID-19 has not disappeared, but it is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations, reduced hospitalizations, and safe practices that Texans are using that state mandates are no longer needed. Today's announcement does not abandon safe practices that Texans have mastered over the past year. Instead, it is a reminder that each person has a role to play in their own personal safety and the safety of others. With this executive order, we are ensuring that all businesses and families in Texas have the freedom to determine their own destiny."

Mississippi on Tuesday issued a separate executive order to lift the state's mask mandates and give all businesses the green light to reopen at full capacity.

"Starting tomorrow, we are lifting all of our county mask mandates and businesses will be able to operate at full capacity without any state-imposed rules," Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves wrote on Twitter. "Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed. It is time!"

More than 3.5 million Texans have so far received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 1.8 million fully vaccinated. In Mississippi, 14.1% of the state's residents have had at least one dose, and 7.6% are fully vaccinated.

Iowa and Montana recently lifted statewide mask mandates, while Massachusetts is completely lifting capacity limits on indoor dining, and allowing concert venues to open at 50 percent capacity.

Late last month, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino said that he was optimistic that large-scale American concerts were closer than ever to returning. He said that "a clear outline to a 75% to 100%” capacity for outdoor U.S. events in 2021 was looking likely to be green-lit."

Rapino added that the prospect capacity re-opening in the largest U.S. markets with over 75% capacity was "within sight." He said: "We are seeing… what we've been talking about: [fans] are excited to get back to the show as soon as we get the green lights in these markets to open up."




NEW: Issuing an executive order to lift the mask mandate and open Texas to 100 percent. pic.twitter.com/P4UywmWeuN

— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) March 2, 2021








Starting tomorrow, we are lifting all of our county mask mandates and businesses will be able to operate at full capacity without any state-imposed rules. Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed. It is time!

— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) March 2, 2021








Executive orders that interfered with peoples’ lives were the worst, but the only possible, intervention for much of the last year. Now, we are putting our focus towards rapid vaccine distribution. We are getting out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do.

— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) March 2, 2021








We’ve been among the 4 or 5 most open states throughout this crisis, and we’ve been rewarded for it with more jobs and economic recovery. That’s not because what we put in place was a light burden. It’s only because the rest of the country was so harsh. That’s good, but...

— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) March 2, 2021








We need to recognize that none of these orders, in any state, are anything short of unprecedented. They have to end at the earliest possible moment. This is that moment for Mississippi.

— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) March 2, 2021

Grammy Award-winning four-piece GRETA VAN FLEET has unveiled a live video for "Heat Above", the latest track from its sophomore LP "The Battle At Garden's Gate", due April 16 via Lava/Republic.

"'Heat Above' is theatrical, eloquent, and exaggerated," explains the group. "This is a dream in the clouds, a moment of peace in the storm. Thematically, we are dead center in the cult of Heaven, surreal, strange, alive and free."

"The Battle At Garden's Gate" reflects heavily on the group's personal and spiritual growth, as well as deepening empathy for the struggles and inequalities others are experiencing.

"We realized that while growing up, we had been shielded by many things," describes drummer Danny Wagner. "As we started to travel a lot, meet new and different people and experience different cultures, our definition of 'normal' changed." Bassist Sam Kiszka adds, "I suppose that everything has changed except what got us here in the first place…our perception of the world, perception of life itself, what it means to be an artist, what it means to be part of a beautiful, gorgeous society. We've gained a larger understanding of why we're all here."

"The Battle At Garden's Gate" was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Greg Kurstin (Paul McCartney, FOO FIGHTERS, Adele). "There was a lot of self-evolution happening during the writing of this album that was prompted by experiences I had, experiences we all had," explains vocalist Josh Kiszka. "It's reflecting a lot of the world that we've seen, and I think that it's reflecting a lot of personal truth," says guitarist Jake Kiszka.

"Certainly after this, we've grown in so many ways," Josh explains. "This album has taught us a lot, about life in general, about ourselves, about all of us, about the world we live in."

Formed in Frankenmuth, Michigan back in 2012, GRETA VAN FLEET consists of three brothers, vocalist Josh Kiszka, guitarist Jake Kiszka, bassist/keyboardist Sam Kiszka, as well as drummer Danny Wagner. Together they have gone on to sell one million concert tickets across multiple continents, perform on "Saturday Night Live" and "The Tonight Show", top the Billboard U.S. Mainstream Rock and Active Rock charts with their debut single "Highway Tune" in 2017, and win the Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album" in 2019 for their debut full length album, "From The Fires".

Photo credit: Alysse Gafkjen

Dee Snider has set "Leave A Scar" as the title of his upcoming solo album, tentatively due in July via Napalm Records.

The TWISTED SISTER singer revealed the name of his new solo record in an interview with New York's Q104.3 radio station. Speaking about the LP's musical direction, he said (see video below): "It is very heavy, but there are some surprises on there that I think people are gonna really be excited about."

Snider's next solo album will be the follow-up to "For The Love Of Metal", which was released in July 2018 via Napalm Records. That effort, which was produced by HATEBREED vocalist Jamey Jasta, featured contributions from Howard Jones (ex-KILLSWITCH ENGAGE), Mark Morton (LAMB OF GOD), Alissa White-Gluz (ARCH ENEMY), Joel Grind and Nick Bellmore (TOXIC HOLOCAUST), and Charlie Bellmore (KINGDOM OF SORROW).

Snider previously spoke about his upcoming solo LP during an October 2020 interview with Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show. At the time, he said: "[I'm] working with the same amazing team — the Bellmore brothers, Charlie [on guitar] and Nickey. Nickey plays drums, but also is the engineer and mixer — an amazing, talented guy. And Jamey Jasta is the producer and curator. He is the gatekeeper, the master. As all ideas are brought in, they're filtered through Jamey, his ears, and have to get a thumbs-up from him before it makes it to the record. But now we no longer have to do that 'Is this gonna work?' thing. And for me, it's, 'Do I trust these guys?' I mean, I trusted them in the sense that they were friends, but when Jamey challenged me to do the metal record, I had my doubts. I don't wanna say it's doubts, but [I thought], 'How is this gonna work?' So there was an initial thing where we were all feeling each other out. Now, after two years of working together, touring with the Bellmore brothers, locking in a band with Nick 'Taz' Petrino on guitar and Russ Pizzuto on bass guitar, we come in and we don't have to waste any time with that. There is trust, we do know our direction, we do know what works for Dee Snider and for this project, and we just go full steam ahead."

Snider's latest release was "For The Love Of Metal Live!", which came out in July 2020 via Napalm Records. The DVD/Blu-ray and accompanying live album (available in various formats) features audio captured from several Snider festival performances worldwide — from the United States to Europe, Australia and beyond. In addition to tracks from Snider's solo catalog, like "I Am The Hurricane" and "For The Love Of Metal", TWISTED SISTER favorites such as "I Wanna Rock" and "We're Not Gonna Take It", and even a cover of AC/DC's "Highway To Hell", the audio portion of "For The Love Of Metal Live!" also features a brand new original studio track, "Prove Me Wrong".

TWISTED SISTER called it quits in 2016 after completing a farewell 40th-anniversary tour.

In June 2020, Temtris released the powerful single and filmclip “Forever” as a taste of what was to come from their sixth studio album, Ritual Warfare, that will be released through Wormholedeath Records. 

Ritual Warfare features the outstanding musicianship and songwriting skills that Temtris deliver on every album. Eight blazing tracks, lasting over 45 minutes, full of catchy riffs and choruses, dynamic and dominant rhythm sections, and powerful vocals set this band apart from any other.

With its Aztec themed artwork by Eko Gruffyanto, Ritual Warfare is the complete heavy metal indulgence and is a must for any music fan of power, thrash and traditional metal.

A band statement reads: "Temtris is thrilled to release Ritual Warfare on Wormholedeath Records in late April 2021. We have worked hard to bring our fans another album of eight powerful and catchy tracks that will leave our fans hungry for the live show experience. We cannot wait to tour this album across the states of Australia and hopefully head back to New Zealand, and if possible tour Japan to support the special Limited Edition Japanese release once the Covid restrictions on overseas travel are reduced. The Temtris crew is very keen to join the festival circuit also and bring our new music to our fans from all around the world. We want to thank our Metal family for their ongoing support and hope to see you all at a show soon."

Ritual Warfare artwork and tracklisting:

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

"Forever":

Album Teaser:

(Photo by MickG Photograpy and ISR Photography)

 




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Finally, there’s a cvlt worth joining! As it often seems modern rock music has lost its sense of palpable danger and mystique, Finnish occult murder pop innovators Cvlt Ov The Svn mark its return in full force with their grim, addictive first full-length, We Are The Dragon! Slated for release on May 7 via Napalm Records, Cvlt Ov The Svn’s debut embodies a reverberating sense of eeriness, danger and fear, enriched with a pinch of gothic romanticism and pitch-black seduction. 

With the unveiling of previously-released goth-boppers like “Twilight”, “The Pit”, “Whore Of Babylon” and “Luna In The Sky Forever”, Cvlt Ov The Svn have already proven how to successfully merge seething heaviness and sweet pop melodies. Now, the mysterious visionary behind the cvlt, who actually started out as a black metal drummer, finally sets free his casket full of morbid horror theatrics. Inspired by movies like The Exorcist and the all devouring darkness itself, he also draws inspiration not only from the heavy rock genre and greats like Type O Negative and Turbonegro, but the nostalgic influences of mainstream artists like Roxette as well.

Today, Cvlt Ov The Svn have shared the new single “My Venom”, a track that will send shivers down your spine! First evoking an eerie horror atmosphere in the verse, the mystical vocal performance of the project’s mysterious frontman leads into a sweet and seductive refrain shortly after. Join the cvlt and watch the brand new clip below:

The anonymous band mastermind states: "‘My Venom’ represents the issues within my soul. I think it's important to go and face your fears, or they will rule you. The video has a dark mood, which is what I always want present in my work. I don’t do the videos with a big crew as I want my own vibe in them. I’m sort of a dictator in that sense. Spread the word!"

Cvlt Ov The Svn’s sound feels dangerously unsettling, lacing its churning heaviness with pop melodies that travel right through your ears to your central nervous system. Conceptually conveying a variety of extreme emotions, each of the album’s twelve tracks cut through the noise of society like a razorblade, leaving a long-lasting impression on the listener that’ll have them clamoring for more! 

“When I wrote these songs, I wanted to push people’s boundaries,” he adds. In addition to the macabre thrills of their music, there’s the character he takes on stage, twisting the dagger of perception even further like your favorite horror flick and making for a combined experience that cuts deep and close to the bone.

The creative cvlt leader continues: “It’s easier to tell those grim stories through another identity, another character. Black cloaks just go with it, obviously. I’m a big fan of suspense and this kind of content is all about the surprises. I find it is an intriguing realm to explore. Whatever lies ahead, Cvlt Ov The Svn will adapt and thrive.”

Tracklisting:

"We Are The Dragon"
"My Venom"
"Don’t Be Tender Love Me Cruel"
"Hellbound"
"Dancing With The Devil"
"Twilight"
"I’m Gonna Find Out"
"Luna In The Sky Forever"
"The Murderer"
"Whore Of Babylon"
"The Pit"
"Another Infinity"

Cvlt Ov The Svn’s We Are The Dragon will be out on May 7 through Napalm Records and available as CD and Digital formats. The album pre-sale just went up at this location.

(Photo - Jukka Hautajärvi)

 




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