Finnish metal band BLIND CHANNEL has won "Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu", the country's national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, and will now compete against 40 other acts in the Eurovision finals, due to be held in Rotterdam this May.

Speaking to Eurovision.tv shortly after their victory, BLIND CHANNEL said: "We can't wait to play to hundreds of millions of people, so we can turn them to the dark side too! We're gonna have one night of perfection tonight, because when Monday comes we have to get back to the grind to make sure we deliver the best show in Rotterdam that we can!"

Formed in 2013, BLIND CHANNEL plays heavy rock with fresh pop elements, dual vocals, electrifying energy and a massive crossover potential. The band claims to be inspired by ENTER SHIKARI, 30 SECONDS TO MARS and the early works of LINKIN PARK.

BLIND CHANNEL had its first live appearance in 2013 in its hometown of Oulu. Their career started out with a bang, as they won two big band competitions and impressed audiences all around Europe with their hyperactive live show and scored a recording deal with Ranka Publishing.

Workhorses from the start, the band has already performed on hundreds of club and festival shows all over the globe. They've graced the stages of Wacken Open Air, Sziget and Weekend festival, to list just a few, and garnered new fans on successful tours in Europe with bands like HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD, SIMPLE PLAN, AMARANTHE, SEVENDUST, ALL THAT REMAINS and the band's heroes — ENTER SHIKARI.

BLIND CHANNEL released its debut single, "Save Me" in 2013. In October 2014, a four-track EP, "Foreshadow", followed and the band got already noted by the Finnish nationwide radio station YleX. Preceded by the album's first single "Unforgiving" in June 2015, the band started work on their first album, "Revolutions", in October 2015. The LP dropped in September of 2016 to rave reviews from both audiences and the media.

Preceded by the earworm single "Sharks Love Blood", BLIND CHANNEL's second album, "Blood Brothers" (2018), was produced by the acclaimed Finnish producer Jonas Olsson (AMORPHIS, THE OCEAN). It, too, managed to reap universal praise. The singles "Over My Dead Body", "Timebomb" (feat. Finnish DJ great Alex Mattson) and "Fever" have taken over several prestigious international rock and metal playlists. To cap a monstrously successful album cycle, the band was nominated for the Emma Award (Finnish Grammy equivalent) in the "Rock Album Of The Year" category in 2019.

The band not wanting to mess with a winning formula, BLIND CHANNEL's latest album, "Violent Pop", was produced, again, by Jonas Olsson. Several of the songs were mixed by the man behind the biggest VOLBEAT hits and the AMARANTHE sound, the Danish sound wizard Jacob Hansen. The LP was released in March 2020 via Ranka Kustannus (Finland) and Out Of Line Music (internationally).

The world hasn't seen a metal band win the Eurovision Song Contest since fellow Finns LORDI shocked the audience with their brand of horror metal in 2006, providing the winning song "Hard Rock Hallelujah". In 2008, TERÄSBETONI represented Finland in the Eurivision Song Contest final with the track "Missä Miehet Ratsastaa".

Florida-based vocalist Jakob Sin has teamed up with Atheist members Kelly Shaefer (guitars and bass) and Chris Martin (solo) for a new single, "Dirty Rat", streaming below. The music was written by Shaefer, lyrics by Jakob Sin. The track was engineered and produced by Shaefer and Preston Dicarlo. 

Previously, Jakob Sin worked with Atheist members Kelly Shaefer (guitars), Chris Martin (solo) and Yoav Ruiz Fiengold (bass) on the single "Lambs". The music was written by Shaefer, lyrics by Jakob Sin. The track was engineered and produced by Shaefer and Preston Dicarlo. 

As Jakob Sin continues working on his solo record, he has unveiled the official artwork for it done by Den Yudi Art.

On Saturday, March 6th at 12 pm Eastern, Jakob Sin will host a live Ask Me Anything session via his official Facebook page.

(Photo credit: Teej Buckler - Bambamjack)

 

US rock band, The Mercury Riots, have released a lyric video for their debut single "Save Me A Drink", which is available now on all digital platforms, and can be enjoyed below. 

The Mercury Riots is a healthy combination of loud, fast, jet-fuel powered rock 'n roll and "Save Me A Drink" has all the elements of the classic rock 'n roll songs we all grew up with, but retooled with a modern twist.

The Mercury Riots is a new band formed by members of popular LA bands Warner Drive, The Brave Ones, and the infamous Bullets And Octane, this power-trio “super-band” brings a sense of swagger and prowess to the stage.

With soaring guitars from Felipe Rodrigo, unique and charismatic vocals from the bassist / frontman Zachary Kibbee and a rocksteady pulse from Jonny Udell on drums, The Mercury Riots will definitely be a crowd-pleaser when they inevitably hit the road.

“I’d known Jonny for years around the LA music scene, having seen Warner Drive many times. And Felipe and I had already played together in my project and The Brave Ones,” says Zachary Kibbee, the electric and powerful voice of the band. “So when we played together in Bullets it just clicked really well. So well in fact, that we really wanted to explore more music together, we just couldn’t help ourselves.”

“Our plans are to keep releasing music through 2021 and to get back on the road as soon as the world opens up again.” exclaims Jonny Udell.

 

Italian doom deathsters Tethra has released a new lyric video for the track "Dying Signal", taken from their latest album Empire Of The Void, released via Black Lion Records. The concept around this work focuses on the duality between what is hidden inside the depths of the human soul and the vastness of sidereal space, both empires of the void.

"'Dying Signal'’s lyrics are a metaphor for the progressive deterioration of human relationships in modern society," explains Tethra vocalist Clode. "The models imposed by TV, social media and consumerism brought to excess is taking away the ability to stop and reflect, because nowadays we are all so interconnected that each of us expects almost immediate feedback from the other, and for this, it’s not always easy to be able to argue properly about a personal opinion. Sometimes it is easier to shout your own reasons without listening to the others. This is one of the heavier and 'in-the-face' songs of the new album Empire Of The Void, but it manages to keep our melodic and dark side intact."

Tracklisting:

"Cosmosgenesis"
"Cold Blue Nebula"
"Gravity Pt. I Ascension"
"Gravity Pt. II Aeons Adrift"
"Gravity Pt. III Ultimo Baluardo"
"Empire Of The Void"
"Space Oddity" (David Bowie cover - CD only)
"A Light Year Breath" feat. Gogo Melone
"Dying Signal"
"Ison"

"Cold Blue Nebula":

 

With the release of their single “Georgiana”, the Tennessee quartet Naked Gypsy Queens stake their claim as the new heavyweights of rock & roll’s modern-day renaissance. Rooted in amplified blues, hard-charging grooves, and dual lead guitars, the band builds upon the larger-than-life sound of their heroes from the 1960s and '70s, keeping the flame burning for old-school hard rock while using their own 21st century fuel. Having just been signed to Mascot Records, the band’s forthcoming EP is slated for release in late 2021.

Formed while all four members were still in high school, Naked Gypsy Queens built their audience the blue-collar way: by plugging in, turning up, and playing out. They cut their teeth on the classics — the Rolling Stones, MC5, the Allman Brothers, and Pink Floyd — and funneled those influences into their own songs, creating an original sound that was loud, aggressive, and filled with supersized hooks. After developing a loyal following in their hometown of Franklin, TN, they set their sights on Nashville, quickly becoming one of the city's premiere rock acts before any of the bandmates had turned 20 years old. 

"Our goal was to become the baddest live band around," says frontman Chris Attigliato, who shares guitar duties with Cade Pickering. "We were loud. We were a band you had to see onstage. It started to become a cult thing, with lines forming around the block at some venues. We weren't trying to achieve the highest number of digital streams; we were just doing what we wanted to do, and making the music we wanted to make. As it turned out, we were pushing some buttons, too."

Showcasing the chemistry between Attigliato, Pickering, bassist Bo Howard, and drummer Landon Herring, “Georgiana“ was recorded in Detroit with studio veterans Marlon Young, Al Sutton, and Herschel Boone - the same team that helmed Greta Van Fleet's chart-topping Anthem Of The Peaceful Army. Legends like Alice Cooper and MC5's Wayne Kramer stopped by the studio throughout the tracking process, strengthening the bond between Naked Gypsy Queens and the rock icons who came before them.

"We've got an older sound, mixed with something new," says Howard, who remembers stumbling across Attigliato and Herring in the basement of the boys' Tennessee high school, bashing their way through Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" with beyond-their-years skill. "From the first time I met these guys, I knew I had to play with them. I knew we could make music that drew in other people our age, while still appealing to those who grew up with this kind of music."

“I was already a fan of the Naked Gypsy Queens when I saw them play in Nashville last February,” adds Mascot Label Group US President Ron Burman. “However, after seeing them play live, all I can say is WOW! Their unbridled, raw, youthful energy blew me away and confirmed the fact that we had to sign them! They embody all of the attributes that define rock & roll.  We expect huge things from them in the future!”

With a sound that reaches across generations, Naked Gypsy Queens bridge the divide between the genre's past and future, creating timeless rock & roll for the modern world. Led not only by Chris' soulful howl, but also the sonic punch of a taught rhythm section and the interlocked riffs of two lead guitarists, Naked Gypsy Queens are royalty in the making.

Vocalist Jorn Lande (Avantasia, Masterplan, Allen/Lande) recently released a new single, "Faith Bloody Faith". The song was Jorn's entry into the battle to be Norway’s contribution for the European Song Contest 2021 and took him to the final, which aired on February 20th. He has checked in with the following update:  

"We kept the Faith! We rocked! And we came VERY close! Thank you for all the support, you rock! The best of luck to TIX in the ESC 2021!" 

As of last week, 'Faith Bloody Faith' had over 300K streams, went into Norway's Top 100 and the Viral Top 50 on Spotify.

Check out the official video for "Faith Bloody Faith" below. The song is available via Spotify here.

September 25th, 2020 marked 25 years since Rammstein emerged from Berlin with its debut album, Herzeleid. To celebrate the anniversary, the RammWiki page on YouTube continues to roll out rare audio and video material from the band's career. The clip below is an incomplete bootleg audio recording of the band's December 3rd, 1994 show at Bergschlößchen Schlettwein in Pößneck, Germany. It cuts off at the beginning of the keyboard intro of "Schwarzes Glas".
 
This show is said to be the first time "Herzeleid" and "Laichzeit" were performed live. Both tracks appear on Rammstein's debut album, which was released nine months after this show.

The setlist is as follows:

"Rammstein"
"Tier '94"
"Jeder Lacht"
"Der Meister"
"Heirate Mich"
"Weißes Fleisch"
"Alter Mann"
"Herzeleid"
"Laichzeit"
"Das Alte Leid"
"Du Riechst So Gut"
"Feuerräder"
"Seemann"
"Schwarzes Glas"

To celebrate Rammstein's first indelible impact on global hard rock history, the band and Vertigo/UMe released limited, remastered editions of the band’s groundbreaking debut on December 4, 2020. They released an official trailer for Herzeleid (XXV Anniversary Edition - Remastered) featuring the CD and vinyl LP versions of the album.

Herzeleid (XXV Anniversary Edition - Remastered) features the album’s original tracklist on a single CD, housed in a lavish, cross-shaped digipak with deluxe slipcase, and, for the first time ever, the remastered album with HD sound is available digitally.

In addition, there is a 2LP version with a slipcase containing two 180 gram heavyweight black vinyl discs with blue splatter effect. The creator of the original artwork, Dirk Rudolph, is also responsible for the Anniversary Edition packaging. The booklets also contain the original band portraits shot by Praler. Both the CD and vinyl editions are strictly limited.

Tracklisting:

"Wollt Ihr Das Bett in Flammen Sehen"
"Der Meister"
"Weisses Fleisch"
"Asche zu Asche"
"Seemann"
"Du Riechst So Gut"
"Das Alte Leid"
"Heirate Mich"
"Herzeleid"
"Laichzeit"
"Rammstein"

A Paranormal Evening At The Olympia Paris is included in the Ltd. CD+DVD Digipak and Ltd. CD Box Set edition of Alice Cooper's new studio album Detroit Stories - out February 26. Pre-order here, and check out "Paranoiac Personality", as well as the previously released "Billion Dollar Babies" below.

Named for the city that launched the original Alice Cooper group on the road to success, Detroit Stories follows last year’s Breadcrumbs EP as a modern-day homage to the toughest and craziest Rock n Roll scene there ever was.

In 1970, fledgling producer Bob Ezrin walked into a farmhouse on the outskirts of Detroit to work with the Alice Cooper band. Abandoning flower power Los Angeles, because they were the opposite of the hippie peace and love ideal, Alice had brought his decidedly darker gang back to his birthplace to the legendary rock scene that gave birth to hard rock, garage rock, soul, funk, punk…and more.

Ezrin drilled the band for 10 hours a day to define their signature sound. Whenever they nailed a song, the inmates at the hospital for the criminally insane across the road cheered and thus the classic Alice Cooper sound was born.

“Detroit was Heavy Rock central then,” explains Alice, “You’d play the Eastown and it would be Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, the Stooges and the Who, for $4! The next weekend at the Grande it was MC5, Brownsville Station and Fleetwood Mac, or Savoy Brown or the Small Faces. You couldn’t be a soft-rock band or you’d get your ass kicked.”

“Los Angeles had its sound with The Doors, Love and Buffalo Springfield,” he says, “San Francisco had the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane. New York had The Rascals and The Velvet Underground. But Detroit was the birthplace of angry hard rock. After not fitting in anywhere in the US (musically or image wise) Detroit was the only place that recognized the Alice Cooper guitar driven, hard rock sound and our crazy stage show. Detroit was a haven for the outcasts. And when they found out I was born in East Detroit… we were home.”

50 years later Alice and Ezrin gathered some legendary Detroit musicians in a Detroit studio to record Detroit Stories, Alice Cooper’s new album that celebrates that spirit for a new era. If 2019’s “Breadcrumbs” EP laid down the trail to the city, Detroit Stories drives like a muscle car right down Woodward Ave.

“We recorded with Wayne Kramer (guitarist and writer from the MC5), Johnny “Bee” Badanjek (drums - from the legendary Detroit Wheels), Paul Randolph (legendary Detroit jazz and R&B bassist) as well as the Motor City Horns and other local musicians,” explains Ezrin, “We had musical ideas and encouragement from John Varvatos, the support of the folks at Shinola, and we recorded at Rustbelt Studios in Royal Oak. This was Made In Detroit for Detroit by Detroit denizens!”

Discover Detroit Stories as they were meant to be told.

Detroit Stories will be 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 on February 26th on earMUSIC.

The DVD and Blu-ray will 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.

Pre-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)

"Social Debris" video:

“Our Love Will Change The World” lyric video:

"Rock 'N' Roll" visualizer:

 

Fuzzrd presents “Monster Carnival”, the lead song from the band’s upcoming debut studio album. The track sets the tone, opening innocently enough... and then all hell breaks loose!

“It’s about struggling with debauchery,” says singer and guitarist Brett Petrusek. “You can be a pretty happy-go-lucky dude but sometimes you find yourself in a very dark place, like you’re turning into a werewolf. This song is about finding somebody who recognizes your dark side and embraces you for it.”

Leave it to Fuzzrd to find the bright side of Armageddon. The Minneapolis band has a knack for documenting searing personal experiences, strapping them to turbo-charged guitar riffs, and creating kick-ass rock ‘n’ roll in the process.  The result? Tales of obsession, devotion, and redemption – all sung from the crater of a live volcano.  And there’s room for some humor too. Asked about the band name (pronounced “Fuzz-erd”), lead vocalist / guitarist Brett Petrusek laughs and turns evasive: “It has six letters, just like the six knobs on an old Marshall amp. It’s actually kinda goofy, but we all need some goofy right now.”

The album is in many respects light and dark. There are pulverizing powerful tracks like “Razor”, the anthemic “Life Turned Black”, and “Viral Connection” which features Mark Slaughter providing guest vocals, guitar work and an outro solo. Petrusek offers dryly, “A dark, twisted little snapshot about retrospectively looking back at your first love.” The soul-baring approach reaches a peak on “Demons”, Petrusek’s gut-wrenching account of learning about the father he had never known. “I recently found my brother, who I never knew I had. We talked and in 35 minutes I learned more about my dad than I had ever known before.” You can hear the sheer emotion in Petrusek’s vocal, recorded on the first - and only - take. He offers, “I’ve become a lot more comfortable letting out my personal thoughts and not second-guessing myself. Being my own therapist and putting it into words. Tapping into the stories that already exist – that’s what makes it more real, more genuine.” 

Bassist Robert Berg sums it up a bit differently sharing, “You get these catchy, sing-a-long choruses, but the lyrics are pretty stark and disturbing,” he laughs. “If Black Sabbath and Motörhead took Bon Jovi and Def Leppard, rolled them into a joint and smoked it today, you’d be in a cloud of Fuzzrd.".

Fuzzrd were ready to unleash the beast in 2020, but then COVID-19 intervened. Amid the crucible of 2020, the band was determined not to let a pandemic go to waste. Fuzzrd decided to record their new tracks with producer/engineer Jeremy Tappero, who has made countless records in Minneapolis and is best known for his recent work with Soul Asylum (and a longtime ally and collaborator of Petrusek and Berg from their days in Downtread).

They’re stoked about the work-in-progress. “We’re all having so much fun with it,” says Savage. “I hate to say we’re taking advantage of the pandemic, but the down time has really been important for the band’s chemistry. This is a different way of doing a band. We haven’t even played a show yet! But we’re really loving what we’ve got.”

2021 marks an inflection point for Fuzzrd and all the rest of us. A chance to rip off old bandages, turn the page, and confront what’s really important in life. You might as well find a soundtrack that perfectly captures the moment…and crank it up damn loud.

For further details, visit Fuzzrd on Facebook.

 

Modern progressive metal band, Ivory Tower, has released a video for "One Day", a song from their latest album, Stronger, available via Massacre Records.

Stronger features 12 powerful progressive metal gems, custom written for new vocalist Dirk Meyer. The songs cover the spectrum from traditional to modern, and from ballad as well as instrumental to in-your-face metal, thus leaving nothing to be desired!

Order the album here.

Tracklisting:

"The Offer"
"Loser"
"End Transmission"
"Money"
"In Me"
"Slave"
"Strong"
"Flight Of The Dragon"
"Life Will Fade"
"Passing"
"The Wolves You've Let In"
"One Day"

"End Transmission" video:

"Loser" video:

(Photo - Sebastian Kramer)

 

"As many of you requested - here’s a video with my first electric guitar, the story behind it and some jams," says guitarist Gus G. (Firewind, Dream Evil, Ozzy Osbourne). "Have a nice weekend everybody."

Gus G. has launched a new company, Blackfire Pickups. He has posted a video trailer, found below, introducing the new venture. Go to the official website here.

Gus: "After designing several products with some of the biggest manufacturers in the business for years and releasing successful lines of signature products, I felt it’s time to take it to the next level and start my own company where I’d have total control and freedom over the creation of the products."

Two sets are currently available for pre-order.

- Immortal (passive)
- Proteus (active)

 

In the video below, Black Stone Cherry performs "In Love With The Pain" live for SiriusXM as part of Unleaded on Octane.

"In Love With The Pain" is from Black Stone Cherry's 2020 album, The Human Condition. It was self-produced and tracked in BSC bassist Jon Lawhon's recording facility, Monocle Studios. 

Tracklisting:

“Ringin’ In My Head”
“Again”
“Push Down & Turn”
“When Angels Learn To Fly”
“Live This Way”
“In Love With The Pain”
“The Chain”
“Ride”
“If My Heart Had Wings”
“Don’t Bring Me Down”
“Some Stories”
“The Devil In Your Eyes”
“Keep On Keepin’ On”

"Ringin' In My Head" lyric video:

"In Love With The Pain" video:

"Again" video:

 

The Dead Red from The Dead Daisies is a tasty blend of Cabernet-Merlot-Malbec and a must at any discerning dinner or festive occasion. Created by the Desert Rock Scottsdale Winery in the Napa & Sonoma Valley CA, their wines have been perfected over the course of 16 years in wine making and, proven by their Award Winning Wines.

Order here. Unfortunately this is only available in the US.

Influenced by '70s and early '80s rock, The Dead Daisies sound is soulful and accessible – equal parts of Aerosmith, Bad Company and Foreigner: muscular vocals, bluesy riffs, big choruses, powerful melodies and strong hooks. With stellar musicianship and pulverizing live shows, fans across the globe are discovering the band that is bringing back Rock & Roll!

Order The Dead Daisies' new album Holy Ground here.

Tracklisting:

"Holy Ground (Shake The Memory)"
"Like No Other (Bassline)"
"Come Alive"
"Bustle And Flow"
"My Fate"
"Chosen And Justified"
"Saving Grace"
"Unspoken"
"30 Days In The Hole"
"Righteous Days"
"Far Away"

"Holy Ground (Shake The Memory)" video:

“Bustle And Flow” video:

Drummer Tommy Clufetos (who has worked with Rob Zombie, John 5, Ozzy Osbourne, and was behind the kit for Black Sabbath's 2016 - 2017 farewell tour), will rejoin The Dead Daisies when they hit the road in support of their new album, Holy Ground. Clufetos previously toured with The Dead Daisies in 2015.

Drummer Deen Castronovo issued the following official statement: "As some of you may have heard, I have officially left The Dead Daisies. My decision to leave was not an easy one as I have great respect for my former band members and a tremendous amount of love and appreciation for all the fans who supported us. This decision will ultimately give me time to spend with my family after touring extensively and schedule a minor back surgery to ensure that I am able get back on the road playing music and doing what I love! Rest assured I will be back and playing soon! I love you all. Stay healthy, stay safe and look for great things to come in the future! Stay tuned!"

 

Just in time for Poverty's No Crime's 30th anniversary, A Secret to Hide is released, the eighth album by the German constant in prog metal / prog rock. The fact that it took "only five years" this time until the band can present a new album and that new paths had to be taken during the recordings is due, among other things, to the Corona restrictions.

After the successful predecessor Spiral Of Fear in 2016 and the joint tour with Psychotic Waltz, the band was quickly back in work mode. "The band was back in full force," singer/guitarist Volker Walsemann sums up the situation. "That really gave us a boost after being barely active for so long. We took a lot of inspiration from that time. The great response to the album and then being onstage together again were the main motivation for us to tackle this album and put all our energy into it."

The result is a musically multifaceted work that dares to break out of the genre boundaries again and again. It is hard melodic rock music, which is sometimes more "rock" and sometimes goes more clearly in the direction of "metal." The band shapes its own style, takes the freedom to elaborate its songs in detail. Poverty's No Crime show a consistent feeling for catchy melodies, and they always know how to put their instrumental skills in the service of the song. The album impresses with its many details, precisely crafted instrumental passages and coherent, crisp hooklines.

However, the Corona restrictions prevented a classic collaboration on the new material. "We didn't meet once during the creation phase," Volker remembers. The album was recorded in complete isolation at home during the lockdown months of 2020, influenced by the individual realities of the band members' lives, recorded in their bedrooms, kitchens, and living rooms between home schooling and the next Zoom conference.

This way of working opened up new possibilities. Volker says: "We could work out the individual parts and instruments more intensively and try out a lot. There is usually no time for that in the studio. Every minute costs money. No Poverty's No Crime album in the past has taken so much time. We're all music-mad people who always want to go one better. It's been great fun for everyone." And that can be heard clearly on A Secret to Hide!

Mixing and mastering was once again done by DGM guitarist and mastermind Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio in San Marino, who spontaneously got back to the band with a quick "Amazing stuff!" after the first presentation of the new material. That Poverty's No Crime and Mularoni have become a well-rehearsed team in the meantime is shown by the "wall of sound" with which the album impresses: a clearly impressive listening impression that gives space to all instruments, but also has powerful pressure and intensity.

"With this album, we want to give courage and self-confidence to all people in these difficult times," explains Volker, who started writing the lyrics at the beginning of Lockdown 2020 - a time when everyone's life was turned upside down. "Music is not just entertainment for us, but it is intense interaction in one's own thought processes. This is expressed not only musically, but especially in the lyrics. Lyrically, I process what I wouldn't say to anyone else, but can say through the music - my inner attitude to life. A good example of this is the ballad 'Within the Veil' as an ode to life. Or the song 'Flesh And Bone,' which takes up my discussion of the topic of organ donation in my personal environment. In 'Grey to Green,' I describe an individual who has a lifelong commitment to transforming the world into a better place - a green paradise, to create something bigger than oneself."

A Secret To Hide will be released via Metalville on April 30th.

Tracklist:

"Supernatural"
"Hollow Phrases"
"Flesh And Bone"
"Grey To Green"
"Within The Veil"
"The Great Escape"
"Schizophrenic"
"In The Shade"

Danish metalcore four-piece, Ghost Iris, have announced their new studio album, Comatose, which will see a May 7 release via Long Branch Records.

Since the release of their album, Apple Of Discord, the band has made a name for themselves with relentless touring throughout Europe, UK, and Japan - sharing the stage with the likes of Dream Theater, Jinjer, After The Burial, and Soen, along with playing renowned festivals such as Copenhell, Rockstadt Extreme Fest, and Euroblast. Winning over new fans every night with their intense and energetic performance, audiences around the world instantly hunger for the band’s return.

Gearing up for the release of their fourth full-length album, Ghost Iris are building upon the sounds they explored on their previous album. Pulverizing instrumentals, bleak lyrics, catchy and hard-hitting - Comatose is no exception to these descriptors; being their most visceral material yet.

Check out the official visualizer for the album lead-off track "Desert Dread" below.

Ghost Iris about the album title and artwork for Comatose: "Comatose is a title that represents in a plethora of ways. It’s about the fact that many people are asleep, but even from a coma, one can arise. On the surface, it might seem extremely dark, nihilistic, and bearing of a defeatist attitude, but darkness cannot exist where there’s light. We all exist in the age of enlightenment and even though it seems as if we’re all screwed and the earth is almost destroyed, times will surely change. Arise from the coma, no longer comatose, we fight the demons.

"The artwork for Comatose depicts Kali, whose name translates to “she who is death”, as a mere mortal. To serve the title of the album, the majority of mankind are asleep and oblivious as to what is going on around them. Ultimately, we are death. However, there is no darkness without the light - let us all arise from the coma."

Pre-order Comatose here. Stream the first single, "Paper Tiger", here. Watch the video below.

Comatose tracklisting:

"(3815935)"
"Desert Dread" Feat. Mark Hunter
"Paper Tiger"
"Cult"
"Former Self"
"Coda"
"Ebb//Flow"
"Cold Sweat"
"Coma"
"Power Schism"

"Paper Tiger" video:

Lineup:

Jesper Vicencio Gün - Vocals
Nicklas Grønlund Thomsen - Guitar
Daniel Leszkowicz - Guitar
Sebastian Linnet - Drums

Scorpions have uploaded pro-shot video of “Going Out With A Bang” live from Brooklyn in 2015 as part of their Return To Forever Tour.

Rare video footage of the Scorpions performing the Lovedrive album track, "Can't Get Enough"", live on the German TV show Rockpop In Concert in December 1983 can be seen below. Footage licensed from ZDF Enterprises.

The German legends had previously released footage from their performance live on the German TV show Rockpop In Concert in December 1983. Check out "Can't Get Enough", "The Zoo", "Make It Real", "Dynamite", "Can't Live Without You", "Holiday", "Always Somewhere", "Blackout", and "Coming Home". Footage licensed from ZDF Enterprises.

Ohio's notorious, boundary-pushing, and bloodsucking death metal outfit Sanguisugabogg have shared another NSFW track. This time, the foursome has dropped "Dick Filet." Sanguisugabogg will release their Century Media Records debut, Tortured Whole, on March 26. It's available for pre-order here. Listen to "Dick Filet" at streaming services located here.

"This song is about a wild innermost desire inside of us and that's slowly killing and torturing pedophiles," says the band's Devin Swank.

Mike Gitter, VP of A&R, shares, "Sanguisugabogg were one of the most unlikely and explosive success stories of 2019. Their acid-addled take on death metal struck a raw nerve with a scant 11 minutes of genre-busting insanity on the Pornographic Seizures EP. In a short space of time, they became the most buzzed-about band in extreme metal. Now, Tortured Whole is a creative step into a more unsettling terrain, probably death metal's answer to PFunk's Maggot Brain. This is your brain on Sanguisugabogg."

Philipp Schulte, Director of Century Media Records, says, "We are very happy having partnered up with Sanguisugabogg, one of the most promising new death metal bands from the United States of America. Even though it might take you a while to get the pronunciation right, every death metal fan on this planet will soon know the name. Sanguisugabogg solidifies Century Media's commitment to releasing extreme music, and we are very much looking forward to the first quarter of 2021, when the band's debut album is going to be unleashed."

Sanguisugabogg craft uncompromising, in-your-face, and not-for-the-weak death metal that siphons inspiration from the '80s and '90s traditions of acts like Cannibal Corpse, Mortician, and GWAR, as well as Dethklok.

Tracklisting:

"Menstrual Envy"
"Gored In The Chest"
"Dragged By A Truck"
"Pornographic"
"Dead As Shit"
"Tortured Whole"
"Interlube"
"Dick Filet"
"Urinary Ichor"
"Posthumous Compersion"
"Felching Filth"

"Menstrual Envy" video:

(Photo - Chongripper)

In 2016, Scarlet Aura released their first album. In 2021, the band celebrates the fifth anniversary of Falling Sky with a re-recording, re-mix and remastering of the album. As the original was produced by Roy Z (Sepultura, Halford, Bruce Dickinson), the anniversary edition is produced by the one who wrote the songs - Scarlet Aura guitarist Mihai “Myke D” Danciulescu. This special treat was recorded at the Silver City Studio by the actual Scarlet Aura members - vocalist Aura Danciulescu, guitarist Mihai Danciulescu, bassist Rares Rene Nistor, and drummer Sorin Ristea. Second single, "Shamanic Eye", is streaming below.

Says the band, “‘Shamanic Eye’ is an incantation of the senses, a dispossession of own self, a luring invitation to open your inner eye, the one without flaws, the eye of truth and of the spiritual depictions. Believe and you shall see with your shamanic eye the unveiled truth that is to our immediate senses hidden and experience its magic!”

To mark this fifth anniversary, Falling Sky will be available digitally on April 16. Preorders can be placed here.

Scarlet Aura delivers this new audio version of the Falling Sky album in between two other releases, those are the Stormbreaker album from 2020, and their third and final album from The Book Of Scarlet trilogy that is coming up next this Autumn.

Mihai states: “Initially I worked on the mix and master for the Falling Sky album with some of my friends, good producers from the music industry. But it never got to the point where I wanted it to be, and I really believe that now it is getting there. This is why I wanted to mark this fifth anniversary with a new production, which also includes our actual band members. To our fans, we send all the love, and this digital release that we made especially for them, because we know how much they appreciate this album and that our dream adventure started with it. Thank you all for the support." 

(Photo credit: Dragos Toader)

After four years of hard work, the new Morrigu album, In Turbulence, will be released on April 23, 2021. With eight strong and varied songs, the record is the implementation of a concept of collaboration between Morrigu and multiple artists. Musically, it is a cross section of all previous albums that the band has released, with Morrigu’s music appealing to fans of Amorphis, Dark Tranquility, and Evergrey.

"In The Shade" is the second video/single from the album. Watch the clip below:

As the band wanted the best quality for their music - and to work with real instruments instead of sampling - they asked musicians from all over the world to work with them, including Adrian Erlandsson (At The Gates, The Haunted) on drums. Together with the experience of Adrian and Jakob Herrmann (who engineered the recordings in his Top Floor Studio) they got the drum sound that they had always dreamed of.

Like with the last album, Jens Bogren (Opeth, Arch Enemy, At The Gates) was commissioned for the mastering. Various artists were also hired for the album artwork, with Niklas Sundin (Dark Tranquility, In Flames, Soilwork) drawing the phoenix on the front cover.

"A Funeral Of Liberty" video:

Morrigu lineup:
Severin Binder - Guitars Acoustic Guitars, Synths
Mirko Binder - Bass
Luca Neukom - Guitars

Additional musicians:
Adrian Erlandsson - Drums (At The Gates, The Haunted)
Ricardo Jorge Borges Rodrigues - Vocals (Clamaty Islet, Forbidden To Fly)

Guest musicians:
Moonchild Shi / Ethnic Vocals

Norway’s black metal rising stars Mork have premiered the new single and lyric video for the track “Svartmalt”.

“My new single is here. ‘Svartmalt’! This is a rocking black metal track! I’m shutting all the doors, boarding up all the windows and painting it all black! That’s pretty much a direct translation from the song’s Norwegian theme. When Nocturno Culto and I got together in the studio to figure out which of the tracks would fit him best, this one struck hard, it’s a primitive and balls out rocker, we knew this was the one - it had to be ‘Svartmalt’. The world seems to have gone to shit, so why not paint it black on top. Ugh!” comments Thomas Eriksen.

Katedralen, the band’s 5th album, is undoubtedly their most accomplished work to date, pushing new creative frontiers with a more dynamic approach to the song composition and an expanded breadth to the riffs and melodies, weaving a new masterpiece, the result, is a true personal work of intense spiritual catharsis from main-man Thomas Eriksen, he explains “The path I have walked from the first album up to this current day has been much needed for me to really find myself and what Mork is. The album has everything I want in an album, grooves, harshness, grandiosity, sadness, beauty and power. No rules, other than to respond to what comes out of my mind and soul while creating.”

Katedralen was performed, recorded by Eriksen at Likkjelleren Studio and mixed by both him and Freddy Holm at Kleiva Studio, with mastering once more carried out by Jack Control at Enormous Door (Darkthrone). The album also notably includes guest appearances from Nocturno Culto of labelmates Darkthrone, Dolk of fellow countrymen Kampfar, and finally Eero Pöyry of funeral doom masters Skepticism. Preorder here.

Tracklisting:

“Dodsmarsjen”
“Svartmalt”
“Arv”
“Evig Intens Smerte”
“Det siste gode I meg”
“Fodt til a herske”
“Lysbaereren”
“De fortapte sjelers katedral”

“Svartmalt”:

Legendary Dutch progressive rockers Kayak recently announced they will return with their 18th studio album Out Of This World on May 7, 2021. First single and video for “Mystery” is streaming below.

Founding member Ton Scherpenzeel comments: “This song is about the, in my view, unfathomable mystery and wonder that is the world around us. No matter what stunning progress science makes, and whatever religion wants us to believe, the essence will always be that: a mystery. Which doesn’t mean we have to stop trying to figure it all out.”

The album is now also available for preorder, arriving as a Limited CD Digipak, Gatefold 2LP + CD, and as Digital Album. An exclusive blood red vinyl edition is available directly from the band. Preorder here.

Out Of This World, the band’s eighteenth studio album, with 15 new tracks, spanning 70 minutes of energetic and incredibly diverse material- though still very much recognizable as Kayak. It is clear that the new found energy has gained even more momentum since Hans Eijkenaar rejoined the group. Although they were forced to cancel all tours because Ton Scherpenzeel suffered a heart attack at the end of 2019, and immediately after that because of the Covid pandemic, we’re hearing a band that, since the demise of Pim Koopman in 2009, has not sounded more together, balanced and motivated.

Tracklisting:

“Out Of This World”
“Waiting”
“Under A Scar”
“Kaja”
“Mystery”
“Critical Mass”
“As The Crow Flies”
“The Way She Said Goodbye”
“Traitor’s Gate”
“Distance To Your Heart”
“Red Rag To A Bull”
“One By One”
“A Writer’s Tale”
“Cary”
“Ship Of Theseus”

“Mystery” video:

Teaser:

The current lineup of the band is as follows:

Ton Scherpenzeel - Keyboards, lead and backing vocals
Bart Schwertmann - Lead and backing vocals
Marcel Singor - Guitar, lead and backing vocals
Kristoffer Gildenlöw - Bass, lead and backing vocals
Hans Eijkenaar - Drums

Los Angeles-based quintet Budderside conjure high-energy alt-rock anthems which bridge the gap between the sexy swagger of the Sunset Strip and the soulful depths of Seattle on their forthcoming sophomore release Spiritual Violence out March 26 via Motörhead Music/Silver Lining Music. The band have now unveiled a third single from the album with the striking track “Wide Awake” out today, February 19, across all digital platforms. The music video for “Wide Awake” was filmed at the abandoned Old L.A. Zoo in Griffith Park and shares an important story correlated to the single and album’s concept art.

“Every song always has a symbol, a visual story,” explains vocalist/founding member Patrick Stone. “Spiritual Violence lays down ten tarot cards, each representing a song. The story of ‘Wide Awake’ is one of manifesting your dreams, after a journey through Hell to reach them. The Hand Of Fatima is featured on the artwork for ‘Wide Awake’ and is the perfect reflection of this lesson. In the video, the band all pick cards from evil’s deck which reflect pieces of a puzzle that when all are in place reveal a greater destiny they share together.”

Getting to the abandoned location to film was a journey itself as drummer Jeff Dewbray recalls. “I got to take my drums on a f*ckin' hike through an abandoned zoo. And that's just the beginning of the madness in these videos! ‘Wide Awake’ has always been one of my favorite songs in the live set and every damn time I count it in, I know hysteria is bound to break out. I'm forever grateful for everyone involved and couldn't be more excited to show you all this video!”

Spiritual Violence was recorded with legendary producer Jay Baumgardner (Bush, Godsmack, Papa Roach) and mastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer Howie Weinberg (Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage). Its 10 tracks careen through Stone's journey of overcoming addiction, loss and heartbreak to discovering resurrection with patience, perseverance and meditation set over soaring melodies and catchy refrains.

Pre-order Spiritual Violence here.

Tracklisting:

"Wide Awake"
"Zen"
"Amber Alert" (feat. Carla Harvey of Butcher Babies)
"Pardon Me" (feat. Phil Campbell of Motörhead)
"I’m A Man"
"Folsom Prison Blues" (Johnny Cash cover)
"Things We Do" (feat. Musyca Children’s Choir)
"Feels So Good"
"Soul Searches"
"Daygobah"

"Wide Awake" video:

"Pardon Me":

"Zen" video:

WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale spoke to The Outhouse about his hilarious Twitter feed which sees him primarily sharing memes that poke fun at relationships between men and women and play on our everyday contemporary concerns.

"One of the things, I think, that's helped me get through [the pandemic] is the amount of humor that comes through my e-mail or my text box," the singer said (hear audio below). "I have maybe 20 friends [who send me stuff]… I don't post political stuff. I'm very politically involved, but it's so unsavory and divisive right now, it's not welcome on my web site.

"Were you following me when I was doing those acoustic [video] things in the mornings? My wife would be, 'I'm trying to sleep here.' I'm singing quieter and quieter.

"I wrote a song called 'Coronavirus Blues', which my wife was in the kitchen making dinner. And it started this series, 'The Songs From The Dining Room Table'. And it just helped people get through the fucking day — difficult days, dark days."

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

The new compilation delivers a potent mix of hits and deep tracks that originally appeared between 1984 and 2011 on six WHITESNAKE studio albums and Coverdale's solo album, "Into The Light".

"The Blues Album" showcases two of the band's biggest songs: "Slow An' Easy", a Top 20 Mainstream Rock hit in 1984 from WHITESNAKE's double-platinum album "Slide It In", and a brand new guitar-based remix of the smash hit "Give Me All Your Love" from the band's 1987 self-titled album, which was certified multi multi platinum. Other choice tracks from WHITESNAKE are also featured: "Looking For Love" and "Crying In The Rain" and "Steal Your Heart Away", which is available now.

"Restless Heart" (1997), "Good to Be Bad" (2008) and "Forevermore" (2011) are all represented on "The Blues Album" by multiple tracks ("Too Many Tears", "A Fool In Love" and "Steal Your Heart Away"). The collection also includes "If You Want Me", a studio recording released in 2006 as a bonus track on the live album "Live… In The Shadows Of The Blues". Coverdale also taps his 2000 solo album, "Into The Light", for "River Song".

Hot on the heels of their new studio album Renaissance, Italian metal band Eternal Idol have released a new digital covers EP, Rocking With The Idols. Stream or download it here. Listen to the songs below.

Eternal Idol returned with a revamped, re-energized lineup and an exciting new album, Renaissance, this past November. Now they follow it up with a covers EP, paying tribute to their 'idols', Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, and Scorpions.

The band features Fabio Lione (Rhapsody, Angra) and Claudia Layline on co-lead vocals, guitarist Nick Savio (Hollow Haze), bassist Andrea Burratto (Secret Sphere, Hell In The Club), and drummer Enrico Fabris (Raintime, Fake Idols).

Tracklisting:

"A Touch Of Evil" (Judas Priest)
"Alexander The Great" (Iron Maiden)
"Perry Mason" (Ozzy Osbourne)
"Still Loving You" (Scorpions)

Ricky Warwick has released his new studio album, When Life Was Hard And Fast, via Nuclear Blast. Order the album in various formats, including a 2CD digipack which includes the bonus covers album Stairwell Troubadour, here.

To celebrate the release of the new album, Ricky has released a lyric video for the album's closing track, "You're My Rock N Roll"- a bombastic ode to the powerful, majestic and life affirming addiction that is rock 'n' roll.

Ricky comments on the release of his new album “This album is a statement of my intent, a love of rock n roll, songwriting and playing from the heart. The only way I know how. I’m so honored I now have the opportunity to share it with all of you!”

Warwick adds "To celebrate, I will be joined by my good friends Keith Nelson and Robbie Crane for an exclusive Q&A live on my Facebook page on Friday, February 19th, at 7pm GMT / 8pm CET / 11am PT.
Leave your questions in the comments and we’ll see you there."

For the process of recording the album, Ricky was joined by Robert Crane (bass), Xavier Muriel (drums) and Keith Nelson (guitar) as well as a number of special guests including Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, Andy Taylor formerly of Duran Duran, Thunder's Luke Morley, Dizzy Reed of the mighty Guns 'N Roses and even Ricky's daughter Pepper. Keith also produced the new album, having previously worked with Buckcherry, Blackberry Smoke and Alice Cooper.

When Life Was Hard And Fast tracklisting:

"When Life Was Hard And Fast"
"You Don't Love Me"
"I'd Rather Be Hit"
"Gunslinger"
"Never Corner A Rat"
"Time Don't Seem To Matter"
"Fighting Heart"
"I Don't Feel At Home"
"Still Alive"
"Clown Of Misery"
"You're My Rock N Roll"

Stairwell Troubadour tracklisting:

"You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" (Dead Or Alive cover)
"Ooops!...I Did It Again" (Britney Spears cover)
"Summertime Blues" (Eddie Cochran cover)
"1000 Dollar Car" (Bottle Rockets cover)
"Cocaine Blues" (Johnny Cash cover)
"I Don't Want To Grow Up" (Ramones cover)
"I Fought The Law" (The Clash cover)
"Burning Love" (Elvis Presley cover)
"Jesus Loves You...But I Don't" (The Almighty cover)
"Wrathchild" (Iron Maiden cover)

"When Life Was Hard And Fast" video:

"You Don't Love Me" video:

"Fighting Heart" video:

In the two years since Memoriam released Requiem For Mankind, the band haven't rested on their laurels. Their fourth studio album, To The End, is due for release on March 26th via Reaper Entertainment.

Today, the band presents the third album trailer for this upcoming record. Let Frank Healy explain more about the songwriting of the new album:

The second digital single "Failure To Comply" will be released on February 26. You can pre-save the single on Spotify here.

Memoriam recently released the first digital single, "Onwards Into Battle". The song is available on every major streaming platform now. The official lyric video can be viewed below.

Vocalist Karl Willetts comments: "'Onwards Into Battle' is the opening track from the new album, To The End. A powerful introduction that sets the tone of the album and gives the listener a taste of what is to come. Lyrically, the track provides continuity from the previous album, Requiem For Mankind, and is similar in many ways to the track 'Fixed Bayonets'.

The lyrics focus on the start of battle Zero Hour which is appropriate for the start of the album, within the theme of war the lyrics explore the brutally of trench warfare specifically.

The war continues. Let battle commence."

Marking the beginning of a second trilogy of albums, To The End serves as something of a prologue to the first three Memoriam albums. Working backwards and narrating the life story of the leader whose demise was depicted in the first trilogy, the lyrics on the album may play out in a fictional realm, but they incorporate inspiration from real life. A central theme of war is coloured with political fulminations and everyday experiences that combine to create a cohesive and enthralling chronicle.

The four-piece returned to producer, Russ Russell, for the recording of To The End. For the first time, the band demoed the songs and entered the studio with a new level of preparedness. Coupled with their close relationship with Russell, this created an environment that allowed for greater experimentation, as demonstrated by the diverse array of textures and sounds present on the nine tracks on the album.

From the earliest days of the band, they had their eye on the art Dan Seagrave (Benediction, Dismember, Hypocrisy, Suffocation etc) as an accompaniment to their music. Having created the artwork for the first three Memoriam albums, he has also created the cover for To The End.

The band comment:

"We are really chuffed to be collaborating with Dan, his vision and interpretation of ideas are totally unique and its fantastic to be involved in the creative process with him - seeing the ideas that we have transformed into stunning images that we are proud to have as artwork for our albums. His style is second to none, so much so that using any other artist at this point would seem like a compromise; his attention to detail is incredible. To The End is the first album of this trilogy and features the events that led up to the scenes depicted on our first album, For the Fallen. The art shows the king leading his troops into the last battle in which he was killed. It looks bloody killer."

Seagrave elaborates:

"In this moment we’re capturing the dawn of the onslaught of the city; visible from the industrial outskirts, as the forces descend with a pincer movement into the valley, spreading destruction towards their goal. The king character to me at this stage has become something of a creature - beyond human. There is an elemental shift in its DNA and a detachment of its ordinary senses. Held together by earthly materials, I feel its presence brings with it a surrealistic sickness that affects the immediate environment and those who tread within its boundaries.

"My aesthetic look of this was to combine the retro military tech of the early 20th century with the memory of renaissance times art. For example, tanks that have bas relief sculpture, and inventions such as the flying wingsuit - a metallic armoured vehicle contraption worn by the foreground figure. There's less of a literal darkness in the depiction. Here there seems to be a permeating flow of dust particles, like a concocting mist of specular ice and grey concrete. The dawn of a bright day reacting with it, both illuminating and deadly."

Memoriam is:

Karl Willetts - vocals (ex-Bolt Thrower)
Frank Healy - bass (ex-Benediction)
Spike T Smith - drums (Sacrilege, Conflict, Killing Joke, The Damned)
Scott Fairfax - guitars (As The World Dies, ex-Benediction)

In a brand new interview with "Cutter's Rockcast", Corey Taylor decried a lack of originality in modern rock music, saying he hates most young rock artists who are not even trying to come up with anything fresh. The SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman explained (see video below): "I look at some of these bands that sound like this or sound like that or sound like the other guy, and it's just, like, well, they obviously listened to two albums that have been out for a minute. But the ones that really frustrate me are the ones that they take something that's been around forever and then just basically rework it and call it new — even though it's completely derivative. You know the band they're ripping off — they're not even trying to rip off a bunch of bands; they're ripping off one band. But the younger generation picks them up and says, 'This is our blah blah blah,' because they're tired of old people telling them that the music that came before them was better. And I don't know who's right, but I know both are wrong, because we should be encouraging everything."

He continued: "I'm just as bad. I'm the worst old fogey dude shaking his cane ever. And I hate everything. I hate all new rock for the most part. I [hate] the artists who failed in one genre and decided to go rock — and I think he knows who he is. But that's another story. I'm the worst. And I hate everything. And people are used to that with me, though. But I have also encouraged the younger generation to think past the boundaries of what we listen to. Do something that feels fresh; it may not have to sound fresh, but it's gotta feel fresh. If it's dead, then people are gonna treat it as dead, man."

Taylor's debut solo album, "CMFT", was released in October. Corey recorded the effort with his band consisting of Jason Christopher on bass, Dustin Schoenhofer on drums, and Zach Throne and Christian Martucci (STONE SOUR) on guitar. The LP was completed at Kevin Churko's The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas with producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER and STONE SOUR, among others.

Taylor and the rest of SLIPKNOT are expected to return to the road later this year in support of their latest album, "We Are Not Your Kind", which arrived in August 2019 via Roadrunner Records.

According to TMZ, Chris Cornell's widow has sued the surviving members of SOUNDGARDEN over the buyout price for her stake in the band.

In the lawsuit, which was obtained by BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Vicky Cornell says Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd offered her just $300,000 for Chris's share. This amount, she says, is far lower than the real value of the Chris Cornell estate's interests in SOUNDGARDEN, especially considering the fact that the band got an offer of $16 million from an outside investor for SOUNDGARDEN's masters.

The lawsuit reads: "The band members have knowingly offered only an infinitesimal fraction of the true worth of Chris' interest in SOUNDGARDEN and certain related entities by making a ludicrously low offer. And, they know it. Before making their absurd offer, SOUNDGARDEN had previously received an independent third-party offer from a leading music investor for multi-millions more (even though that offer covered only recorded music and did not include any other SOUNDGARDEN assets). Despite having this offer in hand, the band members offered Chris' wife and minor children a pittance. In fact, the band's offer is so low that it even falls shy of the royalties that Vicky received for a single year (2018) from a single revenue source (SOUNDGARDEN's master recordings).

"This is not the first time that the band members have sought to deprive Chris' minor children of the hard-earned fruits of his labor and talent. The band has already been sued once by Vicky for refusing to pay monies that they admit are owed to her and Chris' minor children.1 Now, Vicky, who wanted to avoid this action, has been forced to regrettably file suit based on the band's continuing pattern of unconscionable misconduct.

"In response to Defendants' disingenuous offer, on December 17, 2020, Vicky counter-offered defendants Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, Hunter Benedict Shepherd four million dollars each — a total of twelve-million dollars (U.S. $12,000,000.00) — for their collective interests in SOUNDGARDEN and the SOUNDGARDEN Related Entities.

"On December 29, 2020, Defendants summarily rejected Vicky's twelve-million dollar offer, noting that the Surviving Band Members have no interest in selling their interests in the SOUNDGARDEN Partnership 'because these interests represent their creative life's-work' — a statement that both overreaches (because neither Cameron nor Shepherd were original members of SOUNDGARDEN) and overlooks (because the vast majority of the band's works — over 73% — were authored by Chris and because Chris' interest in the SOUNDGARDEN Partnership also represents Chris' 'creative life's work').

"In a final attempt to resolve this matter without judicial intervention (and without the need for yet another litigation), Vicky offered the Surviving Band Members seven million dollars each — a total of twenty-one million dollars ($21,000,000.00) — for their collective interests in the SOUNDGARDEN Partnership. Moreover, Vicky's offer expressly noted that, if the Surviving Band Members were willing to share the underlying information, her twenty-one million dollar offer may well increase further. The Surviving Band Members rejected the twenty-one million dollar offer and, once more, refused to share the underlying data.

"The Surviving Band Members' rejection of an offer of seven million dollars for each of their individual interests underscores the unreasonableness of Defendants' insulting offer for Chris' interests in the SOUNDGARDEN Partnership."

In response to the lawsuit, a SOUNDGARDEN representative told TMZ: "As requested by the Estate of Chris Cornell and as required by the laws of the State of Washington, the surviving members of SOUNDGARDEN submitted to the Cornell Estate four months ago a buy-out offer of the Estate's interests in SOUNDGARDEN calculated by respected music industry valuation expert Gary Cohen. Since then, the band members have continued to try to settle all disputes with the Cornell Estate and in their several attempts to settle, the band members have elected to offer multiple times more than the amount calculated by Cohen."

The representative added: "This dispute has never been about money for the band. This is their life's work and their legacy."

The Cornell estate's lawyer, Marty Singer, fired back in a statement of his own, saying: "The band's contention that this dispute is somehow not about the money for them is absurd and hypocritical. Of course this is about money and their greed. They received a third party offer to buy just a portion of their interests for 16 million dollars, and yet subsequently offered to buy out Chris' interest for a mere $278,000. And then Vicky offered $21 million for their shares, which they turned down — not because they wanted to preserve their life's work but because they know that they will make even more off of future exploitation of the music that Chris wrote and the legacy that he created (which has lined their pockets for years)."

Cornell was found hanged in his room at the MGM Grand Detroit hotel in May 2017, following a SOUNDGARDEN show at the city's Fox Theatre. His body was found soon after he had spoken with a "slurred" voice to his wife by phone. The death was ruled a suicide.

In December 2019, Vicky filed a lawsuit against the surviving SOUNDGARDEN members, alleging the group owed Cornell's estate hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid royalties and the rights to seven unreleased recordings made before the singer's death in May of 2017.

Responding to Vicky's lawsuit, Thayil, Cameron and Shepherd claimed that they "don't have possession" of their "own creative work," and alleged that "Vicky Cornell has possession of the only existing multi-track recordings of the last SOUNDGARDEN tracks that include Chris Cornell's instrumental parts and vocals. All of the band members jointly worked on these final tracks, Vicky now claims ownership of the final SOUNDGARDEN album."

Thayil, Shepherd and Cameron initially accused Vicky Cornell of misusing funds from the Janaury 2019 "I Am The Highway: A Tribute To Chris Cornell" concert. After being challenged by Cornell's attorneys with the threat of sanctions, SOUNDGARDEN withdrew that portion of its countersuit, while its lawyers wrote at the time that the band believes the claims "remain well-founded."

Photo credit: Andrew Stuart