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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LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia has explained the band's decision to take part in an initiative dubbed "L'Ultimo Concerto?" (Last Concert) to highlight the increasingly uncertain future of music venues. Instead of delivering live performances as part of a scheduled free virtual stream on Saturday, February 27, each of around 130 Italian artists was filmed taking the stage at a different venue and then standing there in silence as a way of commemorating the one-year mark since the first Italian venues closed.

Earlier today (Sunday, February 28), LACUNA COIL's social media was updated with a video message from Cristina, in which she said: "I know that a lot of you guys have been connecting to the web site ultimoconcerto.it expecting a live concert that never happened. What you saw was a video of us entering the venue Alcatraz in Milano and standing still on the stage, looking at an empty club. What we did was taking part in an Italian strike, and I'm here explaining it in English because a lot of you guys probably couldn't read what was written on the web site and couldn't figure out that this event was already really strange from the beginning, because more than 120 Italian bands playing from different clubs at the same time was already something very unusual — let alone the fact that we never really promoted it, we never really talked about it, we never reposted some of your posts, and if you think about [LACUNA COIL's September 2020] 'Live From The Apocalypse' [virtual concert], we always did that.

"Of course, we couldn't say anything, because the purpose was to make noise," she continued. "So I absolutely understand your frustration, I absolutely understand your anger, and believe me, all of us [in] LACUNA COIL wanted to be on that stage to play a real concert for you. What you have to understand, though, [is] it is not easy to organize a concert, and there are costs behind [it] that you cannot imagine. So the point of the Italian strike that happened yesterday was to bring attention to the fact that clubs have been closed for a year because of the pandemic, and we don't know when they are gonna be reopening again. So I want to thank you guys, because even with your angry messages, even with your disappointment, you helped us to scream even louder.

"Some of you guys wrote, it is useless to 'attack' or 'use the fans,' which is something that we never did intentionally. Well, think about the fact that the band is followed by a lot of journalists as well, so your angry comments are even more helping the music scene, because people will see this and will see that music without live clubs is missing a huge part.

"So I'm here to thank you guys and to tell you that we're really hurt by some of the comments, but we know that this will be worth it," Scabbia added. "So we want to thank you.

"[We'll] hopefully see you in a real club, in a real show very, very soon. And thank you for the understanding. We] love you guys."

Organized by KeepOn Live, Arci, Assomusica and Live DMA, the "L'Ultimo Concerto?" campaign was announced last month when the venues shared images on social media of their year of foundation and the year 2021 with a question mark, suggesting that their closures due to the coronavirus pandemic could be permanent.

Between March and June 2020, the Italian government imposed a national lockdown by restricting people's movements to contain the pandemic. Thus, museums and cinemas closed and all cultural events were either canceled or rescheduled.

Around 300,000 people working in theaters, music venues, cinemas and cultural spaces in Italy have been rendered jobless since they shut their doors due to the coronavirus crisis.

Earlier on Saturday, Italy announced it was tightening restrictions in five of the country's 20 regions in an effort curb the spread of the coronavirus.

There have been more than 2.9 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 97,500 deaths in Italy since the pandemic began. It is the second-highest death toll in Europe after Britain and the seventh-highest in the world.




‼️ Important message from us ‼️

Please watch.

Thank you

L'Ultimo Concerto Alcatraz - Milano

Posted by Lacuna Coil on Sunday, February 28, 2021

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

"Sucker Punch" appears on The L.A. Maybe's upcoming, freshman album, Dirty Damn Tricks, due out March 26th.

"For our second single, we wanted to showcase a slightly different side of the band. 'Sucker Punch' is a high-energy rocker that comes together when you combine a huge rock anthem chorus with a relentless driving groove, sprinkle in some Southern Carolina heat, and bring it all into the 21st Century. This track is an anthem for those who fly the flag of the New Wave of American Rock. It’s about always being told no, but never accepting defeat. But most of all, it’s a call to arms for rock n’ roll fans everywhere to stand up, get loud, and to never let the music die without a hell of a fight." - The L.A. Maybe

The L.A. Maybe is a six-piece rock n' roll band hailing from the southern heat of the Carolinas. If you’re a fan of Guns N' Roses, The Black Crowes, or Van Halen… you will feel right at home adding LAM to your record collection.

Lead vocalist Alvi Robinson (who was one of only four singers to audition to replace Brian Johnson in AC/DC in 2016) lays down gritty, passionate vocals while the rest of the band back him up with slithering riffs, huge catchy hooks, and ripping guitar solos.

LAM firmly plants its feet at the very forefront of the New Wave of Classic Rock movement and you’re sure to have at least one of their choruses stuck in your head at any given moment.

Drawing influence from nearly every style of music, The L.A. Maybe put on an electrifying live show and stand for everything you love about rock music, old and new.

Check out "Mr. Danger", the first single and video from Dirty Damn Tricks.

"'Mr. Danger' is our ode to living fast and loose. As our debut single, it serves as a call to arms for rock n’ roll fans everywhere to stand up, get loud, and to never let the genre die without a hell of a fight." - The L.A. Maybe

For further details, visit The L.A. Maybe on Facebook.

 




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Frontiers Music Srl announces the upcoming release of the The Treatment's new studio album, Waiting For Good Luck, on April 9. Today, fans can get another taste of the new album in the form of new single and video, "Wrong Way". Watch the clip below, and pre-order/save Waiting For Good Luck here.

Waiting For Good Luck is the fifth full-length album from British hard rockers The Treatment. Showcasing an intense sonic power only hinted at thus far, The Treatment is truly firing on all cylinders now. A first listen will instantly reveal hulking riffs and memorable choruses and further listens reveal more and more as the listener delves into this love letter to hard rock. Waiting For Good Luck truly is a classic album in the making.

Produced by UK rock maestro Laurie Mansworth (Airrace) and mixed by Kevin Shirley (Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Black Country Communion, etc.), Waiting For Good Luck is The Treatment’s second album featuring Tom Rampton on vocals (new bass player Andy Milburn joined after the recording of the album). Rampton's raspy, whisky-soaked vocal style suits the band's driving, hard rock style perfectly and the results of him having toured with and gelled further with the band can really be heard distinctly here.

A magnificent slice of groove-laden, fist-pumping, unapologetic rock 'n roll anthems, which showcase a band hungry for more and showing no signs of slowing down, Waiting For Good Luck is the most realized offering yet from The Treatment.

“We honestly all believe this album is a huge step forward for The Treatment and we can't wait for you to hear it. We will be touring as soon as circumstances will allow us and we look forward to seeing all you Treatment troops at our shows next year,” says the band.

Tracklisting:

"Rat Race"
"Take It Or Leave It"
"Lightning In A Bottle"
"Vampress"
"Eyes On You"
"No Way Home"
"Devil In The Detail"
"Tough Kid"
"Hold Fire"
"Barman"
"Let’s Make Money"
"Wrong Way"

"Rat Race" video:

Lineup:

Tom Rampton - Vocals
Dhani Mansworth - Drums
Tagore Grey - Guitars
Tao Grey - Guitar and Bass




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Nanowar Of Steel, who recently retired from their brand of parody heavy metal but have been lauded with viral songs such as “Valhallelujah” and “Uranus”, reveal their next emotional single.

On "Biancodolce", Nanowar Of Steel pursue their newly found path of Italian pop music. Emotional piano melodies lead into heart-wrenchingly sung verses, evoking goosebumps like classic Eros Ramazotti records. The vocals complement each other in a grand, majestic finale - Nanowar Of Steel prove themselves to be aficionados of Italian pop.

Says the band: “Biancodolce” (white-sweet) is Nanowar Of SteelL's anthem for the most epic Italian Music Festival - the world-renewed Festival Di Sanremo. On our way to becoming the most hated metal band (and the most loved pop one) this song is a step further towards our ultimate plastification and na-na-na-na-na-na-ification. We hope you'll be disappointed one more time!"

Nanowar Of Steel are:

Gatto Panceri 666 - Bass
Potowotominimak - Vocals
Mr. Baffo - Vocals
Abdul - Guitar
Uinona Raider - Drums

(Photo - Valerio Fea)




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Finnish melodic metal stalwarts, Arion, have released a video for "In The Name Of Love" (Feat. Cyan Kicks), featured on the band's new album, Vultures Die Alone, out April 9 via AFM Records. Watch the clip below.

Beautifully balanced, meticulously honed, and streamlined to modern metal perfection, Arion’s third album is an extremely addictive album.

From the fierce opening riffs of “Out of My Life” to the ending salvo of “I Don’t Fear You”, you’ll get gently pummeled to sweet oblivion with a flurry of catchy melodies. You will be breezily battered by a barrage of nimble riffs while Lassi Vääränen’s vocal delivery throws a jab after another until your ears ring with happiness. Guitarist Iivo Kaipainen‘s frenetic fretwork dances like a butterfly and stings like a bee while you can’t but marvel the overall musical aptitude of Arttu Vauhkonen (keys), Georgi Velinov (bass), and Topias Kupiainen (drums). Finally, the two guest appearances – by Battle Beast’s metal goddess Noora Louhimo in the album’s leading single “Bloodline”, and Finland’s newest modern pop metal sensation Cyan Kicks in “In the Name of Love” – are the combo of uppercuts that will have you on the ropes and eventually drops you down for the count that is the soothingly beautiful coda “Until Eternity Ends”.

This triumph was achieved with the assistance of seasoned cornermen. Vultures Die Alone was produced with Matias Kupiainen (Stratovarius) at the helm and expertly mixed by Adam "Nolly" Getgood (Periphery).

Pre-order the album here.

Tracklisting:

"Out Of My Life"
"Break My Chains"
"Bloodline" (Feat. Noora Louhimo)
"I'm Here To Save You"
"In The Name Of Love" (Feat. Cyan Kicks)
"A Vulture Dies Alone"
"I Love To Be Your Enemy"
"Where The Ocean Greets The Sky"
"I Don't Fear You"
"Until Eternity Ends"

"In The Name Of Love" (Feat. Cyan Kicks) video:

"Out Of My Life" video:

"Bloodline" video:

(Photo - Ville Juurikkala)




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Cody Ford from Swedish metal group, Soen, contributed a guitar playthrough of the band's song "Rival" to the Wacken World Wide streaming event in 2020. Watch below:

Soen, featuring founding members Joel Ekelöf (vocals) and Martin Lopez (drums), along with Lars Enok Åhlund (keyboards and guitar), Oleksii “Zlatoyar” Kobel (bass) and Cody Ford (lead guitar), released their fifth album, Imperial, via Silver Lining Music back in January.

Produced by Iñaki Marconi and the band, Imperial was mixed and mastered by Kane Churko, who has worked with the likes of Ozzy Osbourne and Bob Dylan. Eight crisp, sharp, and supremely constructed songs spanning frustration, reflection and hope, Imperial is the most fierce and dynamic release of Soen's journey, which will engage the listener immediately and sustain long after this crazy time has passed, its rich details destined to make it a classic metal album of this era.

Imperial is available as a CD Digipak, Vinyl Album, digital formats and special D2C bundles. Order here.

Imperial tracklisting:

"Lumerian"
"Deceiver"
"Monarch"
"Illusion"
"Antagonist"
"Modesty"
"Dissident"
"Fortune"

"Illusion' video:

"Monarch" video:

"Antagonist" lyric video:




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Alice Cooper's new studio album, Detroit Stories, was released last Friday, February 26, via earMUSIC. Join Alice as he goes behind the scenes into the inspiration and recording of his new record in About Detroit Stories, Part 6: Improvising Shows:

About Detroit Stories - Part 1: Hard Rock Capital:

About Detroit Stories - Part 2: Where's The Party?:

About Detroit Stories, Part 3: The Myth:

About Detroit Stories, Part 4: 2020:

About Detroit Stories, Part 5: Resurgence In Rock:

Detroit Stories is available on CD, CD+DVD Digipak, CD Box Set (including CD, Blu-ray, T-shirt, face mask, torch light and 3 stickers), and 2LP Gatefold.

The DVD and Blu-ray show the incredible live performance “A Paranormal Evening At The Olympia Paris” for the first time on video. With the whole concert culture being shut down due to covid-19, Alice Cooper felt the need to share one of his latest shows with his fans as he cannot wait to get back on the road - better than ever.

Order Detroit Stories here.

Tracklisting:

"Rock ‘N’ Roll"
"Go Man Go" (Album Version)
"Our Love Will Change The World"
"Social Debris"
"$1000 High Heel Shoes"
"Hail Mary"
"Detroit City 2021" (Album Version)
"Drunk And In Love"
"Independence Dave"
"I Hate You"
"Wonderful World"
"Sister Anne" (Album Version)
"Hanging On By A Thread (Don’t Give Up)"
"Shut Up And Rock"
"East Side Story" (Album Version)

Full album preview:

"Social Debris" video:

“Our Love Will Change The World” lyric video:

"Rock 'N' Roll" visualizer:




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Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the signing of Sweden's Seventh Crystal to the label's roster of young, up-and-coming talent. The band's debut album, Delirium will be released on May 14. Fans can get their first taste of this new rock band via their first single and video, "Say What You Need To Say. Watch the clip below, and pre-order/save Delirium on CD/Color LP/Digital, here.

"'Say What You Need To Say' is about fighting those repressed inner conflicts that a lot of us carry inside ourselves and having the strength to acknowledge them. It's about just saying what you need to say. To stop faking that smile and letting it all out," says the band of their first single.

"We recorded the video on two different occasions. The band was filmed by Christofer Carlson outside of Gothenburg in a town called Alingsås (Sweden). We needed a dark room to get all the light and smoke effects. They had what's called a "black box" in one of their facilities and it worked out great. Funny side story...since we used a lot, A LOT of smoke, we were a bit worried about the fire alarm. We discussed the matter with our contact person, who then spoke to the janitor. And it was no problem whatsoever. Well, until there was. The fire alarm went off about 20 times during the video shoot and we had to have one of our helping hands by the plug disabling the alarm every time it went off!" tells the band of the filming of the video.

They continue, "The ballet/dance part of the video was filmed by Max Zachrisson in Bern, Switzerland. We wanted a different flavor, more than just a performance video. Max and the dancers (Marina Sánchez Garrigós, Anthony Ramiandrisoa, and Lisa Horten-Skilbrei) did a fantastic job illustrating the lyrics in a complex and entangling choreography. We couldn't possibly be more happy about the outcome."

"We put everything we've got into making Delirium, the album of our lives, so far. Every note, beat, and harmony has undergone an immense meticulousness whilst not losing that human feeling and soul. We are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished. But, this is just the start. We have only just begun our journey and we've got more coming. Enjoy the album and share it with your friends!," the band says.

Seventh Crystal, a new rock band from the fertile Swedish music scene, was put together by singer Kristian Fyhr. Initially, Kristian wanted to pursue a solo project, but when the songs started to take form, he realized he wanted to involve more musicians. So, he moved to vocals only and brought in Johan Älvsång (Pinstripe Conspiracy, Lamashtu) on keyboards/piano and Olof Gadd (Osukaru) on bass as the first key pieces, and then recruited Anton Roos on drums and Emil Dornerus on guitar to complete the lineup.

Seventh Crystal's music can best be described as arena hard rock with melodic rock influences. The band comments, “We would describe the band’s music and sound as an “intelligent” hard rock, but still very melodic. Our songwriting is very varied. We like to write songs in a pop style and then "beef" them up and make it rock. We're big admirers of everything from Cheiron Studio and Max Martin to Behemoth and Iron Maiden. So our influences come from a lot of different bands and music. But we kind of end up in the modern hard rock and arena rock sound, since that's where we have our common roots. When it comes to the songwriting, it is usually one or two of us who write the basic idea. But then each member adds their own touch and flavour and what comes out is the heavy, intriguing and exciting sound of Seventh Crystal!"

If you love the new wave of Scandinavian hard rock embodied by bands such as One Desire, H.E.A.T., and other bands who bring a huge sense of melody to modern rock, then this band is going to be right up your alley.

Tracklisting:

"Say What You Need To Say"
"When We Were Young"
"Broken Mirror"
"Delirium"
"When I'm Gone"
"Should've Known Better"
"So Beautiful"
"Time To Let It Go"
"Déjà Vu"
"Bright And Clear"
"Hope It Will Be Alright"

"Say What You Need To Say" video:

Lineup:

Kristian Fyhr - Lead Vocals
Johan Älvsång - Keyboard/Backing Vocals
Emil Dornerus - Guitar/Backing Vocals
Olof Gadd - Bass/Backing Vocals
Anton Roos - Drums/Percussion

Additional Musicians:
Hampus Linderholm - Cello
Emelie Alm - Backing Vocals




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Finnish melodic death metal mainstays, Wolfheart, will release their new EP, Skull Soldiers, on March 5 via Napalm Records.

With Skull Soldiers, Wolfheart continues the heroic battle forged on their 2020 full-length, Wolves Of Karelia, with two new, frostbitten Winter War-inspired singles and two special rarities.

Today, following the recent release of the EP's searing title track, “Skull Soldiers” (featuring guest vocals from Petro Solovey of Ukranian band Wolfanger), Wolfheart have revealed another unrelenting new track, entitled "Hereditary", alongside a new band playthrough video. Conjuring a frigid blackened metal landscape, the track explores soaring symphonics and low rhythm guitars backed by massive vocals, while telling the brave tale of Winter War warriors fighting some of the most epic battles in Finnish history.

Wolfheart frontman Tuomas Saukkonen says about “Hereditary”: "Musically, 'Hereditary' is a clear contrast to our previous single 'Skull Soldiers', which was our most death metal oriented song ever written. It's a melodic and almost heroically forward driven song that still carries the dark theme of the war with the timeless fact: When pushed far enough, everybody becomes a killer, and that wrath is buried in each one of us."

Watch the new band playthrough video for “Hereditary”:

The Skull Soldiers EP’s unrelentingly heavy offerings bring to life a sonic aura of freezing winter temperatures and the crushing weight of the Finnish army that was never willing to surrender. In addition to its aforementioned new studio tracks, the EP is also accented by two rarities: the first - an eerie new acoustic version of the Shadow World (2015) track, “Aeon Of Cold”, featuring the airy, chilling clean vocals of bassist Lauri Silvonen, and the second - a flawless live version of the Wolves of Karelia single “Reaper”, recorded during the band’s virtual concert stream performance that aired in 2020. Skull Soldiers is a must-have for diehard and new Wolfheart fans alike, staving off cravings until the band’s next offering!

Saukkonen says about the EP’s concept: "I did a lot of research about the Winter War for the Wolves of Karelia album, but after the album was out, a few reporters gave me some additional details during the interview cycle and it turns out I managed to miss some really cool hidden gems. One of them was a small "elite group", or "Winter War special unit", who called themselves Skull Soldiers - ninja level soldiers who painted skulls and skeletons on their helmets. I really felt that I had to write some kind of a sequel for Wolves of Karelia, and since lockdown brought a lot of free time, we decided to make an EP while waiting for the world to open up again for touring.”

He adds about the EP’s rarity tracks: “The acoustic version of ‘Aeon Of Cold’ is something we have been thinking for a while now. Our bass player, Lauri, has awesome clean voice and we would like to play a full unplugged gig at some point, and based on that idea we have already been arranging some of the songs with acoustic guitars. Since there are no gigs at the moment, we wanted to try out the idea in studio. Same goes with live version of ‘Reaper’. We did a multitrack recording when we did our first streaming gig last April and since we are unable to play live to our fans, this is the second-best thing we could offer."

The Skull Soldiers EP will be available in the following formats:

- 12 inch Vinyl EP in Silver + Patch (Napalm Mailorder - strictly limited)
- 12 inch Vinyl EP in Silver + Patch + Shirt (Napalm Mailorder - strictly limited)
- Digital EP

Pre-order here.

Skull Soldiers EP tracklisting:

"Skull Soldiers"
"Hereditary"
"Aeon Of Cold" (Acoustic)
"Reaper" (Live)

"Skull Soldiers" lyric video:

Wolfheart is:

Tuomas Saukkonen: Guitar, Vocals
Joonas Kauppinen: Drums
Lauri Silvonen: Bass, Backing Vocals
Vagelis Karzis: Session Guitar




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Frost* are returning with their first new studio album in five years on May 14. Day And Age is the band’s fourth record, and features Jem Godfrey once again joined by John Mitchell & Nathan King, as well as three guest drummers: Kaz Rodriguez (Chaka Khan, Josh Groban), Darby Todd (The Darkness, Martin Barre) and Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson, Mister Mister). The album also features actor Jason Isaacs.

Jem Godfrey comments of the new album: “2020 was the year of the studio for obvious reasons. As a result 2021 is going to be a bumper year for new music I think and we’re very happy to be riding that wave too into what I hope will be a better year for everybody.”

Day And Age was recorded over the course of 2019 and 2020, featuring eight tracks and striking cover artwork by Carl Glover of Aleph Studios (Steven Wilson, Marillion, Steve Jansen).

The album will be released on Limited 2CD (including a bonus disc of instrumentals), Gatefold 180g 2LP + CD (with etching on Side D), and as Digital Album. Pre-order starts March 19.

Tracklisting:

"Day And Age"
"Terrestrial"
"Waiting For The Lie"
"The Boy Who Stood Still"
"Island Life"
"Skywards"
"Kill The Orchestra"
"Repeat To Fade"

In September 2019, Godfrey and Mitchell rented a cottage for a week in Helford, Cornwall and set about converting it into a recording studio. Day one saw them write and record “Skywards”, “Island Life” was written on day two. On day three, the duo wrote what was to become the title and defining track of the new album, “Day And Age”.

The following January, the band setup a new temporary studio for a further week in a converted coastguard tower at Dungeness in East Sussex. “We were 30 feet by the sea, next to a nuclear power station and a lighthouse, in midwinter. So there was hardly any daylight and the weather was dreadful”, laughs bassist Nathan King, “We wrote 'Terrestrial' and 'Repeat To Fade' there and you can definitely hear the bleak isolated oppression having an effect on us. The songs we wrote were far darker – the wind howling round the building at night, the power station generating crackles on the audio, a huge lighthouse next door sweeping light into the fog every 30 seconds and John screaming “ENJOY YOURSELVES YOU SCUM” into a microphone. It was absolutely brilliant!”.

In November 2020, Frost* released the career-retrospective collection ‘3 Winters, which featured all their studio albums to date, plus live material, b-sides & last years Others EP, all packaged in a beautiful artbook.

Frost* was formed in 2004 by keyboard player and singer Jem Godfrey, Released in 2006 the band’s debut album Milliontown was an instant success and is regarded by many as a classic in the modern prog rock genre featuring John Mitchell on guitar, John Jowitt on bass and Andy Edwards on drums. The band quickly followed it up with Experiments In Mass Appeal in 2008, in many ways the antithesis of Milliontown featuring a much more stripped back sound, more concise songs and a new band member and singer in the form of Dec Burke.

The live album The Philadelphia Experiment followed in 2009 and the a long gap followed before third album Falling Satellites was released in 2016 with a new lineup of Nathan King on bass and Craig Blundell on drums, plus returning guitarist and singer John Mitchell on guitar who also co-wrote much of the album with Jem Godfrey.




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Starting on April 2, concerts in New York state will be allowed to resume at 33 percent capacity, with a limit of 100 people indoors or 200 people outdoors, and a requirement that all attendees wear masks and be socially distanced. According to The New York Times, those limits would be increased — to 150 people indoors or 500 people outdoors — if all attendees test negative before entering.

Because of the state's order that venues require social distancing and mask-wearing, some promoters and venue operators say that reopening simply isn't economically feasible.

"Given that social distancing is still part of the metric, it brings us back down to an approximate 20 percent capacity, which is untenable," Michael Swier, the owner of the New York City rock clubs Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge, told The New York Times.

The New York announcement comes just a day after the governors of Texas and Mississippi said that they were lifting mask mandates and allowing businesses to reopen at full capacity.

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.

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.

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 capac

Late Megadeth drummer Nick Menza's camp has released the new video below, which features Nick performing a playthrough of Megadeth's "Wake Up Dead". The footage was filmed on August 2, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.

The recently announced official Nick Menza documentary film, This Was My Life - The Story of Nick Menza,  is described in a press release as "an unflinching exploration into the life of one of the most successful thrash-metal drummers of all time, authorized by the Menza family. From his childhood all the way through to the end of his life including a true blow-by-blow account of the repeated failed attempts of the classic Rust In Peace lineup."

This Was My Life will feature rare and never-before-seen photos and video footage from Nick's archived VHS tape collection, personally filmed by Menza himself from 1988 through 1991. Included will be exclusive content showcasing Nick working at the studio, personal home movies, casual time and party time with his fellow band members, as well as other well-known artists of the era that Nick toured with.

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

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

Late in the evening on May 21, 2016, Nick collapsed after suffering a heart attack during a concert with Chris Poland and Robertino "Pag" Pagliari in their band OHM: at The Baked Potato in Studio City, California and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said Menza died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

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




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Traditional Nordic folk outfit Wardruna, have released the sixth episode in a documentary series about the band and their recently released new album, Kvitravn. Watch below:

Following the release of their fifth album Kvitravn—which debuted in several worldwide Top 10 charts (listed below)— Wardruna welcomes viewers to join them for a virtual record release show. Seeking to reconnect audiences from around the globe and to reimagine the Wardruna experience in a bold new way, the stream will take place Friday, March 26 at 12 PM, PT / 3 PM, ET from Oslo, NO.

Those joining the event will be able to experience Wardruna’s idiosyncratic, authentic, and extraordinary stage performances that transcend borders, time, language and musical genres with premiere performances of songs taken from Kvitravn alongside their earlier works, all set in a special surrounding arranged specifically for this event. Tickets are on sale, along with additional merch options exclusive to the stream, here.

Out now via By Norse Music and Sony Music/Columbia Records, Kvitravn (“White Raven”) marks a distinct evolution in Wardruna's sound. The album features a broad selection of both traditional and historical instruments and guest appearances by a small group of prominent traditional singers, spearheaded by Kirsten Bråten Berg, one of the most important custodians of Norwegian traditional song. Throughout its eleven songs, Kvitravn illuminates Northern sorcery, spirit-animals, shadows, nature and animism, the wisdom and meanings of certain myths, various Norse spiritual concepts, and the relation between sage and songs.

Kvitravn has made an impressive worldwide debut, charting in several Top 10 Charts across the world.

Tracklisting (with translations):

"Synkverv" (Turn-sight)
"Kvitravn" (White Raven)
"Skugge" (Shadow)
"Grá" (Grey)
"Fylgjutal" (Speech of the Fetch)
"Munin" (Memory)
"Kvit hjort" (White Stag)
"Viseveiding" (Song-hunting)
"Ni" (Nine)
"Vindavlarljod" (Song of the wind-bred)
"Andvevarljod" (Song of the Spirit-weavers)

“Kvitravn” video:

"Grá" video:




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The Sweet Meats Slaughterhouse was founded in 1895 by Wilhelm Schröder. Internationally known for his advances in industrialized butchery, he produced 30% of the meats consumed in the United States. In 1915 tragedy struck the small town he called home when all the livestock took some unexplained fatal disease. The ever resourceful Schröder turned to the only available meat. The townsfolk. When they discovered the terrible truth - they enacted their own form of justice by feeding the once prolific Schröder to his own machines. The Sweet Meats Slaughterhouse remained eerily quiet and vacant until one night horrible noises resembling music emanated from the dank hallways.

Dead Animal Assembly Plant combine elements of rock, metal, industrial, and bring a strong post-apocalyptic / horror influence to our characters and stage show. Shows include: Knotfest 2015, Wasteland Weekend 2018/2019, multiple successful independent tours including a national tour in 2019, Twitch.tv appearances, collaborations with international artists Mothmeister, and direct local support for numerous national touring acts from metal, to horror punk, to industrial.

The fanatical cannibals of Dead Animal Assembly Plant have whipped up their own recipe for the horrors of the modern age: with a touch of rock, dash of metal, pinch of industrial, sprinkle in some electronics and heaping helping of madness. Their highly anticipated new album, titled Bring Out The Dead, will be released on March 26 via Armalyte Industries.

Welcome to the slaughterhouse.

The band premiered their single "A Violent Breed" in May 2020 via BraveWords. Check it out below.

Tracklist:

"Cemetery Slums" 
"A Violent Breed"
"The Ghost of Friedrich Nietzsche" 
"Colors Under Attack" 
"Somewhere Else" 
"Sacred Disgrace" (feat. Lulu Black) 
"Ghost Transmissions" 
"Behold the Righteous Plague" 
"Do the Inferno" 
"The End of You" 

Bonus Tracks:

"Ironface" (2021 version) 
"God's Gonna Cut You Down" featuring Outer Stace (DAAP x NANDO version)

Go to Dead Animal Assembly Plant's official Bandcamp page here.




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Brazilian dark metal band Spleenful have announced their new members, Lucas Ollé (bass) and Drax The Ax (drums), who are currently recording the long awaited band's full-length. The new record, which title will be announced soon, is being record at RKE Studio, in São Leopoldo, under production duties by Eduardo Rabuske.

The album will contain eight unreleased tracks written over the course of the last months, like "Zeitgeist" and "Chaotic Layer Of Metafiction". Singer Tiago Alano comments: "We started the writing process right before the beginning of the isolation, but we were able to carry on considering restrictions we faced. We already got three tracks in an advanced stage of production since we started recording in the RKE Studio and the results are very satisfying for us. The tracks are a lot heavier than what people are used to listen from us and Eduardo Rabuske is wonderfully great capturing this new essence.”

Guitarist Elias Mendes adds: "The new compositions are more technical and brutal, highlighting the use of 7-string guitars with lower tunings."

Spleenful released their first EP in 2013, entitled Bittersweet. In the following years the band had shared the stage with Moonspell and Therion. Their latest release was the "Winter Solstice Dream" single in 2018.




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God's Hate, one of the hardest hardcore bands in all the land, have just shared another song from their upcoming self-titled album, which arrives via Closed Casket Activities on March 12. Listen to the band's self-titled song below:

Co-founded by Colin Young of Twitching Tongues and vocalist / Ring Of Honor professional wrestler Brody King, God's Hate set out to re-establish the mantle of hardness created by East Coast HC titans Merauder, Hatebreed, and the seminal Troy-core scene of the late '80s and early '90s. 

"My biggest pet peeve in hard music is when a band is afraid to go all the way musically," Colin says. "Don't be a hard band with no hard parts. And you gotta ask yourself why before writing every single song: Why does this song exist? What am I trying to say and what am I trying to do? If it doesn't evoke some kind of emotion, what's the point?"

God’s Hate answered that question with a fist to the throat on the Divine Injustice and Father Inferior seven-inches in 2014 and 2015, respectively, before sawing off their full-length debut, Mass Murder, in 2016. Railing against religion, the government, and airing their grievances against the stupidity of mankind, they employed the strong-arm musical tactics of their forefathers: Beatdown riffs, slamming breakdowns, gang vocals and no bullshit whatsoever. 

Fast-forward to right about now, and it's been five years since the last God's Hate album. During that time, Colin has been touring on and off with Twitching Tongues and King's pro wrestling career has taken off. There have been births, deaths, and major life changes. Factor in the COVID-19 pandemic, and maybe the delay doesn't seem quite so long. 

"Some bands write a record every year, which is crazy," Colin observes. "Other bands write albums with 12 or 13 songs, but you can tell they put everything into five or six of those songs. My goal was to write an album full of songs that could be my favorite song. And yeah - this would've been out a lot sooner had COVID not happened, but I'm sure that's the story for every band on the planet right now."

Which brings us to God's Hate, the band's new self-titled album. Tracked at The Pit in Van Nuys, CA, by Colin's brother Taylor Young (Twitching Tongues, Zous) between August 2019 and the summer of 2020, the record marks a significant lineup shift for God's Hate. This time, Colin, King, and guitarist Anthonie Gonzalez are joined by Twitching Tongues bassist Alec Faber, Taylor Young on lead guitar, and third guitarist Martin Stewart. As if that weren't enough, Colin moved over to drums. 

In the end, God’s Hate is everything the band wanted it to be. "God's Hate was a band born out of friendship and pure love for hardcore music and the desire to provide what we wanted to hear and felt was missing: Unapologetically hard music that holds nothing back musically or lyrically," Colin says. "There's absolutely no room for bullshit, especially in the world we live in now. This record was straight-up therapy for us, and I hope it inspires some people to do the same thing: Create painful, hateful music out of love."




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Acclaimed U.S. metal traditionalists White Wizzard have announced their first release of new music in three years. The group’s new single, “Viral Insanity,” will be released digitally through M-Theory Audio (and in Japan via Trooper Music) on March 24. The song – which sees band founder and bassist Jon Leon joined once again by guitarists James LaRue and Will Wallner – is the first White Wizzard recording to feature new drummer Jonathan Brown, a longtime fan of the band. Vocal duties for this single, meanwhile, were handled by respected heavy metal veteran Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Dio Disciples, Royal Hunt, Ring of Fire).

“As a kid, Yngwie Malmsteen's Trilogy album was my favorite, and I always thought the vocals and songs on that album were some of the best ever in heavy metal,” says Leon. “I wrote a song called 'Viral Insanity' after Covid-19 hit, and one thing led to another and I was put in touch with Mark. I felt the song was perfect for his voice. We all tracked at home, and I sent him my demos and he nailed it. Will and James just kill the leads, and it was a fun quarantine collaboration for us to do with a musical icon and hero of ours. We hope you enjoy it! We have much more to come in 2021 and beyond. Rock on and stay safe.”

White Wizzard have flown the flag high for traditional heavy metal since 2007, generating four full-length albums of melodic metal headbangers that are loaded with fast riffs and catchy choruses. The group's most recent full-length, 2018’s Infernal Overdrive, received positive reviews, with critics recognizing a band that was firing on all cylinders with inspiration from an expanded array of influences such as Rush, Led Zeppelin, and Metallica being seamlessly integrated into their existing blueprint.

The current lineup of White Wizzard was provided an extra injection of guitar greatness by the 2019 return of Wallner – who played on the group's 2013 record “The Devil's Cut” – to the fold, rejoining Leon and fellow guitarist LaRue. “Viral Insanity” also features a standout drumming effort from new member Brown and a vocal performance that reinforces why Boals has been a respected great in the genre for four decades.

More info on White Wizzard's plans for 2021 will be revealed in the weeks to come.




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In December of last year, London, Ontario’s The Blood of Christ released a split album Eastern Beast – Western Wolf with Japan’s Vomit Remnants. Now they have released a lyric video for the track “Apocalyptic Vertigo”.

The track is a unique song that blends black metal and death metal in an abrupt manner. It features really catchy thrash riffs, and a solid down-picking pit riff to end it off, all of which are indicative of Jeff Longo’s guitar style. Lyrically, this track speaks about time travel and loosely takes inspiration from the movie Twelve Monkeys. The Blood Of Christ shares the intention behind their music:

“We hope that our music takes people away to an inner place that makes them feel triumphant like they’re in flight. Hopefully, it inspires the same feelings we got when we were kids just discovering awesome metal music.”

The Blood Of Christ is now fronted by Ontario underground-metal veteran Hank Bielanski on bass and vocals. The release of “Eastern Beast – Western Wolf”, sees the debut of Hank’s beastly craft. This split is the ninth release from the Canadian band, whose discography also boasts three demos, four full-lengths, an EP, and another split. They have toured with the likes of Kataklysm, Incantation, Necronomicon and Killitorous. 

The Blood Of Christ’s brooding, unique and crushing sound has made fans out of underground metal lovers from many genres, creating an appeal that defies genre borders, they are especially recommended for fans of Carcass, Sepultura, and Enslaved.

The split album is available on CDN Records.

(Photo by: Debbie Longo)




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Impure Wilhelmina will be releasing their seventh full-length, Antidote, on May 21 via Season Of Mist. The first new chapter “Gravel” can now be viewed, in the form of a music video below.

Impure Wilhelmina comment on the track: "'Gravel' is a hymn to human pain. It starts in a dark mood, continues with a tortuous verse and ends with a chorus that we can't help but sing along. And this is how one will fulfill one's destiny. Indeed, man's destiny is to sing his sorrow, in the howling wind, as he bends under heavy burdens, his feet in the mud, under the pale glow of sardonic stars. Directed by Steven Blatter, the video transcribes the turmoil induced by this cold fatality, in a sad, mineral and epic atmosphere."

Tracklisting:

“Solitude”
“Midlife Hollow”
“Gravel”
“Dismantling”
“Jasmines”
“Vicious”
“Torrent”
“Unpredicted Sky”
“Antidote”
“Everything Is Vain”

“Gravel”:

(Photo by: Mehdi Benkler)




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Frontiers Music Srl has announced the release of the debut single, “Mad World”, from Crowne, a new Swedish melodic hard rock supergroup whose debut album will be released this summer. The band is comprised of vocalist Alexander Strandell (Art Nation), guitarist/keyboardist/producer Jona Tee (H.E.A.T.), bassist John Levén (Europe), drummer Christian Lundqvist (The Poodles). The album also features Love Magnusson (Dynazty) providing guitar solos. Debut single, “Mad World”, is streaming below.

Crowne is hands-down the most exciting, thrilling supergroup ever created out of the Swedish melodic hard rock scene. This stellar cast of some of the most outstanding musicians from the scene have been gathered together to create this absolute beast of a debut album, the title of which will be revealed in the coming weeks. Crowne's music is the result of these amazing talents coming together and realizing a musical vision under the passionate and watchful guidance of Serafino Perugino, President of Frontiers Records. This is a melodic hard rock barnburner with enormous melodies, delivering rock 'n' roll like there is no tomorrow. Quite simply, this is going to blow you away, so prepare yourself for what's to come with your first taste of the album with the single “Mad World”.

Vocalist Alexander Strandell is known to fans of the genre for fronting Art Nation. Since 2015, Art Nation has released three successful albums in Scandinavia on Gain/Sony Music while staking their claim as up-and-comers in the melodic hard rock scene. 

Jona Tee's name is certainly one that needs no introduction for fans of the Swedish melodic rock scene and melodic hard rock in general. Jona brings not only his trademark production and keyboard skills to the proceedings here, but also provides the main guitars on the album. (Love Magnusson of Dynazty lent his skills to the solos on the album.) 

On bass, a name that surely needs no introduction, from the legendary band Europe, John Levén. John agreed to join the guys and offer his awesome talents for the realization of a killer sound and to be one half of an astounding rhythm section.

The Poodles drummer, Christian “Kicken” Lundqvist, joins the party as the backbone of the rhythm section. The Poodles have been one of the most successful acts in melodic hard rock in Sweden in the 21st century.




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If you're allergic to smiling, be afraid... be very afraid! Napalm Records has announced that New York based cover song reinventors Tragedy have inked a worldwide record deal with the premium Austrian rock and metal label.

Born out of the impenetrable divide of disco and metal, Tragedy takes disco, soft-rock and pop classics, and completely re-imagines them as glorious, red-hot heavy metal. Since the debut album, We Rock Sweet Balls and Can Do No Wrong – a glamorous bunch of Bee Gees-songs redone in heavy metal manner – these fearsome brothers have seamlessly obliterated the line between disco and metal. Their music is sure to get your head banging, your booty shaking, put a smile on your face and your fist in the air. Tragedy’s past releases have charted on the NACC Heavy Top 10, and the band was awarded 2019 Album of the Year by the Necrosexual on Metal Injection.

The six-piece consistently tours North America, the UK & continental Europe, and has headlined festival stages  such as SXSW (USA), CMJ (USA), Musikfest (USA), Bloodstock (UK), Rebellion (UK), Summer Breeze (GER), Foudrock (FR), Motocultor (FR), ParkPop (BE), Glastonbudget (UK), Legends of Rock (UK), Belladrum (UK) and Hammerfest/Hard Rock Hell (UK).

Their first release with Napalm Records will include Tragedy’s unique twist on artists such as ABBA, Donna Summer, Neil Diamond, Adele, The Weather Girls and of course, The Bee Gees. 

Tragedy on the signing: “We're thrilled that Tragedy has signed with Napalm Records! Excited, delighted and fully aroused. It's awesome to be able to give our music a proper worldwide release with a beloved, internationally renowned record label. Thus begins our scheme for world domination - death to false disco-metal!” (Mo'Royce Peterson, Tragedy: All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees & Beyond)

It doesn't matter if you love or hate disco metal - you will unabashedly love Tragedy and their bombastic mixture of both genres, glitter and revelry. To get a heaviness induced disco feeling for what lies ahead, watch the live video for “Hot Stuff”, featuring Alex Skolnick of Testament on lead guitar.

Tragedy is:
Disco Mountain Man - lead vocals, lead keyboards
Mo'Royce Peterson - lead vocals, lead guitar
Andy Gibbous Waning - lead bass, lead vocals
Garry Bibb - lead guitar, lead vocals
The Lord Gibbeth - lead drums

(Band photo by: Michael Blasé)




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METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich was a guest on the latest episode of the "Tanya's Table" podcast hosted by Oakland, California-based celebrity chef, entrepreneur and cookbook author Tanya Holland. The one-hour discussion about music, food and where the two intersect can now be heard below.

Speaking about his Danish upbringing and how it has shaped who he is, Ulrich said: "As the world spins out of control here in many ways, I feel more and more Danish and kind of embrace my Danish roots. I love America; I love living in America. It's been an incredible 30-[plus] years, close to 40 years now [since I moved to the U.S.], but the Danishness in me still flourishes, and I'm very proud and happy about that side.

"People [ask me], 'Oh, you're gonna move back [to Denmark]?' I'm, like, 'I'm very happy,'" he continued. "I'm very happy [living] in San Francisco. I love the Bay Area mentality and the creative energies that flow through all the different things — even tech here, obviously, where people are inventing the future. But I'm really more and more, I think, understanding and appreciative and understand what role my upbringing and the culture and the history and the Danish worldview plays in continuously shaping who I am."

While still living in Denmark as a teenager, Ulrich played tennis professionally and could have gone on to a career as a tennis star, but chose music instead.

METALLICA was formed when Ulrich, who had moved to Los Angeles, placed an ad in a local paper called the Recycler looking for other musicians to play with. The ad was answered by guitarists James Hetfield and Hugh Tanner of the band LEATHER CHARM.

METALLICA officially formed in October 1981 and the band's first recording was "Hit The Lights" for the compilation "Metal Massacre".

Bay Area DJ Ron Quintana came up with the group's name: he was debating between using "Metallica" and "Metal Mania" for the name of his radio show and Ulrich encouraged him to use "Metal Mania" so that he could use "Metallica" for his new band.

METALLICA's first full lineup — featuring Hetfield, Ulrich, guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist Ron McGovney — played its first gig on March 14, 1982 at Radio City in Anaheim, California.


























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During a new appearance on MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn's "No Fuckin' Regrets With Robb Flynn" podcast, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH bassist Chris Kael spoke about his decision to get sober three years ago. He said (see video below): "I was doing blow, but I realized when I went to rehab, I was always the key bump guy. So just keeping the levels up just enough to fight any sort of depression. And then also through that time, Ivan [Moody, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH singer] was very much the focus of the issues [with drugs and alcohol] that he was going through at that point. No surprise and no secrets there — we've all seen the stuff that happened back then. But he was the focal point for everybody. So I was kind of able to hide in the background while he was dealing with his stuff. So I got to slide under the radar most of the time.

"The real decline for me started maybe two months before I cleaned up," he continued. "Just life situations — I was going through a divorce at the time… We got divorced after I got out of rehab, but the process had kind of been started before. And honestly, my goal going into rehab was — I wrote [my then-wife] a note; she may still have it; I'm sure she probably does. It was basically, like, 'Hey, I'm going to get help' and become the guy that she married in the first place and not this person I had become. So I very much wanted to get back and get out of rehab and go back to being married and whatnot. But it changed. And it was real bad probably the last three weeks of it. I didn't get too out of control. [There were] a couple of times here and there where I would really let go and there were indications that things were getting worse for me. But I basically ended up in just like a real depressed period, and I decided, 'Fuck, man. I can't do this anymore.' I called my buddy Greg, and he took me to rehab that day. And it was the weakest I've ever felt in my life, walking into that rehab. But then once I got out of rehab, I was, like, that's the fucking strongest I've ever been, is admitting that I can't deal with this and I need to figure something else out.

According to Chris, "life is a whole lot happier" for him now. "I'm more productive," he said. "I've got more things going on. I'm able to appreciate stuff."

Kael went on to say that things got so bad for him at one point that he didn't always enjoy performing live. "When you're on stage at Wembley, sold-out show, and you're on stage going, 'Ah. Can we just get the fuck off here?', something's fucking wrong with your endorphin levels," he laughed. "My body was just so beat up. I never played fucked up on stage, but I definitely played tired from the night before many times. And that was one of those nights. My body was beat up from the night before. We probably had a day off in London. Me and my bass tech used to daydrink all day long."

Back in April 2018, Kael told the KLAQ radio station that he was "going through about an eight-ball of cocaine a week" at the height of his addiction. "That got to be the biggest problem for me," he revealed. "That and depression, the two things, were not good. I didn't realize it until I got into rehab that I was self-medicating with cocaine to get my dopamine levels up to fight the depression. I never even thought about that. And then when you come off it, you crash hard."

Kael first revealed his battle with addiction in a series of tweets, saying that his then-wife played a "major role" in helping him get clean. "Had she not busted me trying to restock after burning through $1300 in blow in two days in late January [2018], I truly believe that I would not be here today," he wrote.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's eighth album, "F8", was released in February 2020 via Better Noise Music.

Rick Nielsen spoke to Terrie Carr of the Morristown, New Jersey radio station 105.5 WDHA about CHEAP TRICK's upcoming 20th studio album, "In Another World", which is due on April 9 via BMG. Asked how long it took for him and his bandmates to complete the effort, the guitarist said: "It was supposed to have been out a year ago. We finished it, but then, of course, all the crap happened, so [everything] got delayed — our tours got delayed, the record got delayed. So we did it probably a year and a half ago — something like that. I don't think we really put the final touches on it until about a month ago, actually. 'Cause in the meantime, we recorded this, that and the other. We'd done [a cover of David Bowie's] 'Rebel Rebel' with [producer] Jack Douglas. We did [a cover of THE BEATLES'] 'She Said She Said' for Howard Stern [referring to Howard's tribute to the 50th anniversary of THE BEATLES' 'Revolver' album]. We had Joe Perry [of AEROSMITH guesting on it]. We were at Johnny Depp's studio doing that. And then we did a [Harry Nilsson] song for another kind of tribute record. So it just seemed like we just kept recording. So now it's time for this. I mean, we only finished the cover and all that stuff, really, about a month and a half ago."

Nielsen also talked about CHEAP TRICK's longevity and enduring influence, saying: "I don't mean to be extra humble, 'Oh, gee,' but we do what we like, and we're lucky that we had any success, and we're lucky that we had any fans, but we've got a lot of fans, and we like what we do. We're too dumb to quit, and our mistakes are real. And we're just a good band. I don't think we've ever progressed — really. I mean, we never tried to be something that we weren't. We never tried to be, 'All right, now we're gonna do this.' It's just, like, no, that's phony."

"In Another World" was produced by CHEAP TRICK's longtime associate Julian Raymond. The LP marks CHEAP TRICK's first new LP since 2017's double-header of "We're All Alright!" and "Christmas Christmas".

CHEAP TRICK's current lineup includes three of its original members: Nielsen, singer Robin Zander and bassist Tom Petersson. Drummer Bun E. Carlos stopped touring with the band in 2010 and was replaced by Nielsen's son Daxx.

Founded in 1974, CHEAP TRICK is an indisputable American institution, beloved around the globe for its instantly identifiable, hugely influential, brand of pop rock 'n' roll. The bandmembers are true pioneers with an unparalleled streak of certifiably classic tunes, from "He's A Whore", "California Man" and "Dream Police" to "Surrender", "I Want You To Want Me" and the worldwide #1 hit single "The Flame". 2016 saw CHEAP TRICK inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, a long-overdue acknowledgement of a nearly five-decade career that has earned them more than 40 international gold and platinum certifications, myriad awards and industry honors, featured appearances on over 20 movie soundtracks, and total record sales well in excess of 20 million.

Last September, CHEAP TRICK released the aforementioned cover version of "Rebel Rebel". Back in 2018, CHEAP TRICK recorded a single called "The Summer Looks Good On You" and followed it up with 2019 updates of Harry Nilsson's "Ambush" and John Lennon's "Gimme Some Truth".

Former ROUGH CUTT and QUIET RIOT frontman Paul Shortino has told the "Ouch, You're On My Hair" podcast and radio show that he is not concerned about contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. He said (hear audio below): "I'm not really afraid of it. I think [other] people are more afraid of it. I'm such a believer in the law of attraction that if you're not afraid of it, and you put out there that you're not afraid of it, I don't think you're gonna contract it. I know people that have contracted it who were so afraid of getting it. And then they just put it out there."

The singer continued: "Everything begins with a thought, and everything's on a frequency, so if you put out something there, you're gonna get it back. So you should only think about what you want, not what you don't want. [Don't think] 'I don't wanna get this. I don't wanna get the COVID.'

"I know people that have gotten the COVID, and I know people that don't care if they get it or not. And they've had it, and they've lived through it. I know people that have taken the vaccine now and have had some really bad reactions from it. And then someone sent me this whole thing on 'don't even take it at all.' Because there's a whole thing about when the government gave out vaccines for the military, and my dad was in the military — he was a marine during [the war in] Korea. She mentioned World War II, but mainly Korea and Vietnam. Those guys are sickly — they're still sickly. I've got friends that went to Vietnam, and they're very sick — not just from being over there, but from some of the vaccines they gave them. 'Cause they had to give them multiple shots. And this woman talks about it, who's been studying vaccines for over 42 years, and also viruses. And it's interesting that our immune system, the white blood cells in our immune system are the ones that beat up the bad things in our body, with our immune system."

The 67-year-old Shortino, who frequently "likes" tweets that amplify Republican talking points and that are derogatory to Democrats, added: "I just recently found out I have an allergic reaction to flu shots; I get deadly sick. Every time I've taken the flu shot, I've been sick for… [While doing the 'Raiding'] 'The Rock Vault' [Las Vegas show], I was for six to eight weeks, and I had walking pneumonia. My lungs were all filled up. I couldn't believe I could sing. The best part about it is I got probably down to 160 pounds, but I was white as a ghost. I'm performing with walking pneumonia. They're talking about COVID-19, and I'm going, 'I've survived hepatitis, I've survived walking pneumonia' and god knows what else. So I'm just not afraid of it; that's just me. If I get it, I get it."

Paul concluded: "I'm not gonna take that vaccine; I'm just not gonna do it. And if they say you can't travel outside the country if you don't take the vaccine, well, I just won't travel then. I don't trust anybody anymore."

Last month, Shortino made headlines when he criticized Twitter for permanently suspending former U.S. president Donald Trump's account, saying "denying the President and others the right to express opinions is dangerous to the nation." The rocker, who insists that he is neither a Republican nor a Democrat (he calls himself an "independent libertarian"), also claimed that the 2020 presidential was "rigged," with "fraud at its highest level of corruption". He also repeated the debunked claim that there were more votes than voters in the 2020 election, and floated the baseless allegation that "thousands" of "dead people" voted in his home state of Nevada (a claim that was also debunked).

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 earlier in the 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.

QUIET RIOT's fourth album, 1988's "QR", was the band's only LP to feature Shortino. Prior to joining QUIET RIOT, Paul sang on two acclaimed studio albums from ROUGH CUTT, 1985's self-titled effort and 1986's "Wants You!"

Image courtesy of Raiding The Rock Vault

DJ Ashba spoke to Richard Allan, host of "Action Figures" on Amazon Prime, about his exit from GUNS N' ROSES in 2015 after a six-year stint with the legendary rock group.

The guitarist, who joined GUNS N' ROSES in March 2009 following the departure of Robin Finck, issued a statement in July 2015 saying that he was leaving GUNS N' ROSES "to dedicate myself to my band SIXX:A.M., my adoring wife and family, and to the many new adventures that the future holds for me." He later claimed that he was approached about being part of GN'R's "Not In This Lifetime" tour, but that he declined, citing his desire to pursue SIXX:A.M. full time.

Asked if all the people close to him were telling him he was "crazy" for leaving GUNS N' ROSES just before the launch of the band's reunion tour, Ashba said (see video below): "My thing is, it was realy cool to get that call [about staying with GUNS for the 'Not In This Lifetime' tour], but on the other hand, I knew in my heart where I wanna go.

"I've never fooled myself," he continued. "When I was in GUNS, people would be, like, 'Oh, you're in GUNS N' ROSES.' I've never been that guy that's 'formerly of' and try to cling on to an old band name that, really, I shouldn't be taking credit for — I've never been like that. If you go to any of my socials, you don't even see 'guitarist of SIXX:A.M.', because I never wanna live in the past. I'm so focused on where I'm going. There's a lot of people that do that, and there's nothing wrong with it — it's a legit credit I'll die with, but at the same time, I don't wanna live off of it. I wanna keep building. And I'm just getting started.

"That was a chapter in my life, and I'm starting a new chapter," DJ added. "So, to me, it's one of those things where I just wanna focus on where I'm going, and that makes me excited."

Ashba previously discussed his departure from GUNS N' ROSES in a November 2016 interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He stated at the time: "Well, there [were] multiple reasons [why I left GN'R] — a couple that I won't go into — but the biggest reason was I needed to get back to my roots, back to what I really truly believed in, and that was playing songs I helped write with [SIXX:A.M. bandmates] James [Michael] and Nikki [Sixx]. We [SIXX:A.M.] have five albums out [and] we have a ten-year career together. So we did a tour, 'Modern Vintage' tour, where it was, like, nineteen shows, and that tour really changed my life and put my career back into perspective — you know, being out on the stage and connecting with the fanbase."

Ashba also once again claimed that he was asked to stay in GN'R for the "Not In This Lifetime" tour, but that he decided against it, preferring instead to pursue his own career path.

"Axl called me and he really wanted me a part of the reunion, and I turned it down," Ashba said. "I felt if Slash is coming back, that's great — that's what the fans want, and I can go off and do what I really wanna do now… And we left [off on good terms]; everything is good. And I couldn't be happier for the fans out there. I'm a fan. Half of the band reunited, which excites me, but at the same time, it's the best of both worlds — I get to do what I really love to do, and that's play in SIXX:A.M."

Only Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan from GN'R's "Appetite For Destruction"-era lineup are taking part in the band's current reunion. They are being joined by keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist Richard Fortus and drummer Frank Ferrer. Also appearing with them is second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

Four years ago, former GUNS N' ROSES bassist Tommy Stinson said that he found it "funny" that Ashba "made such a big deal about" quitting the band at a time when "there wasn't really anything going on" with the group. Stinson, who was in GUNS N' ROSES from 1998 until 2014, told HardrockHaven.net: "[DJ] called me up on the phone and told me that he was gonna quit, you know, and this that and the other thing… [It] seemed like it was kind of inevitable that there was going to be a reunion happening, so I think he… I don't know if he [laughs] tried to get in front of the curve to, you know, drum up some extra fucking press for himself. I don't really know what the deal was, but I thought it odd. I thought it an odd time to make a big stink about quitting, you know?"

Last fall, Ashba released a couple of singles from his ASHBA project, which mixes his rock guitar with electronic music in what he previously described as the "perfect blend of rock and EDM."

Alice Cooper says that his next studio album will be the first to feature the current lineup of his solo band.

The legendary rocker spoke about his future plans just one day after the release of his latest LP. The Arizona resident's first full-fledged tribute to the city that helped shape him, "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.

During an appearance on the February 27 "After-School's Out Special" episode of the "In The Trenches With Ryan Roxie" video podcast, hosted by Cooper guitarist Ryan Roxie, Alice revealed that he is already plotting his next move.

"['Detroit Stories' is] out now," he said (see video below). "So now we've gotta think what's next. And what's next to me is showing off this band. And I think that the only way to do that is to take it on the road, write songs now but rehearse them during soundcheck on the road, and, at some point, on the road, record the whole album live in one of the venues that we're doing.

"With this band, the whole idea is to show off how tight the band really is," he explained. "So if we write the songs, rehearse them on the road, record it on the road, and call the album 'The Road' or just 'Road', really, that would be the concept for the whole album. And stories about the road."

Cooper was joined on "In The Trenches With Ryan Roxie" by his wife Sheryl, plus all the members of his current solo band: Tommy Henriksen (guitar), Nita Strauss (guitar), Ryan Roxie (guitar), Chuck Garric (bass) and Glen Sobel (drums). Also making a special guest appearance was Ezrin.

"Detroit Stories" is the follow-up to 2017's "Paranormal", which marked Alice's first studio album in six years. Also produced by Ezrin, it featured collaborations with iconic guests such as ZZ TOP's Billy Gibbons, U2's Larry Mullen, Jr. and DEEP PURPLE's Roger Glover, as well Neal Smith, Dennis Dunaway and Michael Bruce — the three original Alice Cooper band members. A year later, Cooper issued "A Paranormal Evening At The Olympia Paris", a recording of his December 7, 2017 concert at the world-renowned Olympia venue in France. The effort captured Cooper and his current bandmates performing a choice selection of classic Cooper hits, in addition to some highlights from "Paranormal".

Alice later said that he wanted to release a document of his band's onstage prowess because they "deserved a live album."

THE OFFSPRING singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland and guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman spoke to Matt Pinfield of KLOS's "New & Approved" series about the band's upcoming tenth studio album, "Let The Bad Times Roll", which will arrive on April 16 via Concord Records. The follow-up to 2012's "Days Go By" was produced by Bob Rock, who also worked on the band's last two LPs.

Asked what it's like working with Rock again, Noodles said: "Bob's the best. He's like a member of the family now. This is studio where we recorded the record. Bob will fly out from wherever he's at in the world and spend a few weeks with us here. We show up in the morning, have some coffee, talk about, 'Hey, how's your family? Can you believe what's going on in the world?' We do that for 15, 20 minutes, and then we get in here and we start tracking, start going over whatever we're going over that day. It's just a blast working with him. He pushes us, but he does it in a way that doesn't feel like he's mad at us or anything, or dissing us. He pushes us in ways that are just absolutely positive."

According to Dexter, working with a producer who is also a musician and knows the craft is an invaluable asset when making an album. "For sure, because sometimes you have to get into the nuts and bolts of why doesn't this work," he explained. "Is it because the guitar sounds different? Or you need a different kind of strings on a guitar, or a different model of guitar — something like that. And [Bob] really speaks that language. He knows more about guitars and guitar sounds than anybody I know — way more than us. So it's really great to be able to work with him as a musician. And also, you just feel a different kind of kinship like that, because you know that he's been where you are — he's been the guy in the band, and he wants it to succeed in the way that you do."

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

In December, THE OFFSPRING released the official music video for its Rock-produced cover version of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)", a rock song originally sung by Darlene Love and included on the 1963 seasonal compilation album "A Christmas Gift For You" from Phil Spector.

Last April, THE OFFSPRING jumped on the "Tiger King" bandwagon by recording a cover version of THE CLINTON JOHNSON BAND's "Here Kitty Kitty", a song made popular by Joe Schreibvogel — better known as Joe Exotic, the "Tiger King" — through the Netflix docuseries.

Two years ago, bassist Gregory "Greg K." Kriesel, who hasn't performed with THE OFFSPRING since 2018, filed a federal lawsuit against Noodles and Dexter alleging trademark infringement and breach of partnership agreement over the rights to THE OFFSPRING name. In response, Holland and Wasserman filed a cross-complaint, denying basically everything Kriesel alleged and asking the court to appoint "three disinterested appraisers to appraise the fair value" of Kriesel's shares of THE OFFSPRING.

THE OFFSPRING has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, won countless awards, and has toured consistently, playing more than 500 shows in the last decade alone. Their music has had a lasting impact across film, television, and video games.

Photo credit:: Daveed Benito