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

Finnish melodic metal band Evil Drive strikes back again! On their upcoming third album, they present themselves as more powerful, and with major musical and technical improvements. Demons Within will be launched and distributed worldwide on April 2nd, 2021 by Reaper Entertainment Europe. Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

Today, the band presents the second digital single, "We Are One". The song is available on all major streaming platforms now. Check out the official music video below.

The band states: "'We Are One' represents the melodic metal side of the album with small steps to thrash and even black metal territory."

Demons Within artwork and tracklisting:

"Payback"
"Breaking The Chains"
"Demons Within"
"Rising From The Revenge"
"We Are One"
"Too Wild To Live Too Rare To Die"
"Lord Of Chaos"
"Bringer Of Darkness"
"In The End"
"Ghost Dimension"

Evil Drive are:

Viktoria Viren - vocals
J-P Pusa - guitar
Ville Viren - guitar
Antti Tani - drums
Matti Sorsa - bass

For further details, visit Evil Drive on Facebook.

Hard rock band Sainted Sinners have released a music video for their new single "40 Years", taken from their album Unlocked & Reloaded, which was released December 4th, 2020 via El Puerto Records. Check it out below.

After two albums with David Reece on vocals, the new Sainted Sinners record is the first with new singer Iacopo "Jack" Meille (Tygers Of Pan Tang) behind the mic.

Unlocked & Reloaded was mixed by Dick Dropkick at SpitFire Studio and mastered by Harry Hess (Harem Scarem, Danko Jones, Grim Reaper). The cover artwork was designed by Manfred Smietana / MS Art Design.

Tracklisting:

"Same Ol’ Song"
"Standing On Top"
"Early Light Of Day"
"40 Years"
"The Hammer Of The Gods"
"Free To Be"
"I Can’t Wait"
"Stone Cold Sober"
"Call It Love"
"Wall Of Sound"
"Farewell To Kings"

(Photo by Matt Bischof)

Legendary rocker Alice Cooper will release his new studio album, "Detroit Stories", on February 26 via earMUSIC. Named for the city that launched the original Alice Cooper group on the road to success, it follows 2019's "Breadcrumbs" EP as a modern-day homage to the toughest and craziest rock and roll scene there ever was.

Speaking about his inspiration for "Detroit Stories", Alice said (see video below): "Well, I was born in Detroit, and Detroit was the, is the hard rock capital of the United States. Los Angeles had THE DOORS, and they were kind of a sexy rock and roll sound. San Francisco had THE GRATEFUL DEAD. New York had THE YOUNG RASCALS. Detroit had THE STOOGES, the MC5, Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Ted Nugent. We were all hard rock — guitar-driven rock and roll bands. And, for some reason, that just became the home of hard rock. And it was in the same place as Motown, which was interesting. We had, actually, two musical movements going on at the same time — Motown and hard rock — and they both got along very well together.

"So, I said, 'Let's do an album that basically celebrates Detroit, since I was born there and I owe a lot to Detroit," he continued. "But let's not just do that. Let's go in there and record there, write the album there, only use Detroit players, and make it pure Detroit.' So that was a bit of a discipline for us, because we like to use different players and everything. The only one that wasn't from Detroit was Joe Bonamassa; he was our guest in there. But everybody else on the album was Detroit rockers."

"Detroit Stories", which was once again produced by Cooper's longtime collaborator Bob Ezrin, features contributions by such Michigan talent as the MC5's Wayne Kramer, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD's Mark Farner and Johnny "Bee" Badanjek of MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS. They also used the Detroit Horns and Detroit background singers.

"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.

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.

One of Scorpions' best known ballads, "Send Me An Angel", gets a classical crossover version by Aline Happ, singer and songwriter, known for her work as the frontwoman, founder and main songwriter of Lyria (Symphonic Alternative Metal). The rendition features classical and folk elements such as harp, violins, cello and flute and also a keyboard, synthesizers, bass and drums. Aline Happ's voice highlights the ethereal and mystical atmosphere of the song, reinforcing the message of hope. 
 
Aline: "I really like this song. It has a strong meaning, besides being very beautiful and iconic. The lyrics can be interpreted as a cry for help. The speaker wants to get out of sadness and anguish, so I brought images of renewal, images that could bring us feelings of purification."

"Send Me an Angel" was originally released on the album Crazy World (1990), which also features the classic "Wind of Change". Composed by Rudolf Schenker, lyrics by Klaus Meine and production by Keith Olsen and band, the song reached 44th on the Billboard Hot 100, and 8th on the Mainstream Rock Chart.

The Star Wars universe and its stories always inspire the fans. The song of the final credits, originally written by Ludwig Göransson, has gained Aline Happ's epic vocals combined with orchestral arrangements. This is the first time The Mandalorian song gets an epic vocal line.

Aline explains that the idea of vocalizing the Mandalorian song came up while watching the show: “I thought it could be a very interesting version, even without lyrics. The instrumental part is very catchy, so I've decided to recreate it using my voice,” says Happ.

A success among fans of the Star Wars universe, The Mandalorian is also a favorite of the singer: “I am enjoying this show much more than the latest Star Wars movies and my favorite characters are certainly Baby Yoda (Grogu) and the Mandalorian,” admits Aline.

The Mandalorian show was premiered on Disney+ in 2019, and it immediately conquered fans from the Star Wars franchise. Directed by John Favreau, the show tells the story of a space bounty hunter, Din Djarin, a Mandalorian, a "race" known by fans because of Boba Fett, from the original trilogy. The story is about the bounty hunter and his partner Grogu, affectionately nicknamed "Baby Yoda", who needs to return to his place.

Internationally recognized solo artist and songwriter Mike Tramp presents his new compilation record, Everything Is Alright, at a time when the title track - an honest number written directly from the heart - has been announced as the song with which Tramp will take part in the competition to find the Danish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest.

Having won the Danish Song Contest in 1978 with Mabel and represented Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest later that same year, Mike will return just over four decades later on the same stage and in the context that kick-started his career with his message from Denmark and all countries of Europe in these dark times. After all the years and a lifetime of experience, it feels right to be back.

“In 2021, I can be 100% true to myself and not have to put on any mask - I am who I am. All eight songs are there to win, but the moment you deliver and sing a song without compromising on yourself, only at that moment can you leave the stage as winner - no matter what the jury thinks,” says Tramp. The track "Everything Is Alright" has also been released as an official video clip, which can be seen below.

Everything Is Alright will be released on May 21st, in vinyl (black LP), digipak CD and digital formats. Pre-orders can be placed now via Target Records. 

Tracklisting:

"Give It All You Got" 
"Trust In Yourself"
"If I Live Tomorrow" 
"Cobblestone Street" 
"Coming Home" 
"Everything Is Alright" 
"Dead End Ride" 
"Take Me Away"
"The Road"
"More To Life Than This" 

"Dead End Ride":

(Photo by Morten Madsen)

 

Hailing from Greece, hard rock metallers Scream Collision have signed a deal for the release of their debut album, Memories, with Wormholedeath.

A statement from the band reads: "We are really happy and honoured to announce that Scream Collision will be joining Wormholedeath Records for the release of our debut album, Memories. The guys (and girls) from Wormholedeath have been great and seem to enjoy the music apart from the business side of things, which is quite refreshing in the current state of the industry. We hope for a long and fruitful cooperation and that Wormholedeath can be the vehicle that lets us share our music with the World. - Rock on, Rock Hard, Stay Safe!"

Check out the Memories album trailer:

Memories is a loose concept album, about a man battling mental turmoil and breakdown, and emerging victorious for a bit of an uplift towards the end. The main concept connects the songs of the album, but every song is a bit different and has its own character.

Tracklisting:

"Mess Inside My Head (Memories)" 
"Nightmares" 
"The Last Straw" 
"Asylum" 
"AWOL" 
"Invincible" 
"Rigged Game"

For further details, visit Scream Collision on Facebook.

 

"Life is hard — be harder." That's the driving ethos behind God's Hate, one of the hardest hardcore bands in all the land.

God's Hate will release its self-titled album on Closed Casket Activities on March 12. Listen to the new song "Be Harder" now:

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."

 

Aussie hard rockers Laced In Lust will be releasing their new album, First Bite, on February 26 via Rockshots Records. With a sound frequently described as a "Sleazy Status Quo" with the image of the "Sunset Strip," Laced In Lust has been turning heads since their first show in 2012. The 14-track debut album, First Bite, is a diverse record with some major sleaze elements to hold true to the genre, but also has some just good ol' Aussie rock n' roll tones with a slice of dirty blues.

Bassist Oopie comments: "This album is full of blood, sweat, tears, and perhaps some other fluids! It's been one hell of a party. With numerous EPs, it was the next logical step. But little did we know, it was writing itself whilst we were giving it all playing live shows all over the world and meeting the most important members - the fans, supporters, our new friends. Which for me is who this album is really for. The events leading up, the love, the loss, the highs and lows, and all the experiences in between is what makes this album something I'm really proud of and ready to share with the rest of the world."

Today, the band is sharing their third single "Hot Tonight" with a new music video:

Torsten Steel - lead vox / guitar explains the story behind the track: "I spent six months as the bass player for Lagerstein in 2018 for their Australian Tour. I actually wrote the song about their lead singer, Captain Gregarrr. At the time he was having a very hard time girl-wise… he might have had a few girlfriends all at the same time and a possible few more on the way haha. He was really drunk one night and crawled up on the couch next to me and we had a two-hour drunk talk about his situation. Two lines were said that night that stayed with me and that was. 'It's not about you, it's about them' and "I want to promise them the world.' He’ll probably kill me after this, but hey, at least you have a song about you now…right! Haha."

First Bite artwork and tracklisting:

"Save Me (L.I.L. Woman)" 
"Hot Tonight" 
"Hard In This Town" 
"Your Name" 
"Firing Lines" 
"Party’s Over" 
"On Parole" 
"I Remember When I Was Young" 
"Fire" 
"Rock You" 
"Lip Service"
"Black Heart Murder" 
"I’m Alone" 
"Sunrise" 

Pre-orders can be placed now at this location. The videos for "Hard In This Town" and "Save Me (L.I.L. Woman)" can be seen below.

 

Glenn Hughes spoke to Kiki Classic Rock about meeting then-nine-year-old future METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich prior to a DEEP PURPLE concert in Denmark. He said (hear audio below): "My first show with DEEP PURPLE in December [1973] was in Copenhagen. And I remember very clearly, at that hotel before the show, there was about 50 fans outside the hotel. And I saw a young boy — he must have been 12 or 13 years old — with his father, and he had his eyes against the window. And I went outside to speak to him, and it was Lars Ulrich. [Laughs] He remembers it. He wrote the foreword to my book. So, Lars is a friend of mine, and we speak about this incident where he was a little boy. And it was a moment I'll never forget, because I do remember that — I do remember — and it's a thing that is remarkable."

Ulrich supplied the foreword to Hughes's book, titled "Deep Purple And Beyond: Scenes From The Life Of A Rock Star", which came out in 2011. He also inducted DEEP PURPLE into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2016 after championing the band's inclusion for years.

At the Rock Hall, Ulrich gave a passionate speech in which he praised the British hard rock legends for achieving fame "the old-fashioned way: They worked hard; constant touring, making an album a year, sometimes two — never giving a shit about image or critical acclaim. And in the golden age of rock and roll debauchery, they were known primarily for their music and in the sex-and-drug sense, they were reportedly gentleman through and through. In fact, if you must dig, the main dirt on DEEP PURPLE was the revolving door on personnel. Ten different band members in the first seven years, fourteen in total."

The drummer went on to single out DEEP PURPLE's musicianship as one of the main reasons for the band's success. He said: "These guys could play. They could improvise. They were in constant and curious cutthroat competition with each other to take the music some place new, some place unknown and never ever the same place twice."

The Danish-born Ulrich also credited DEEP PURPLE for being an early influence on METALLICA while chiding the Rock Hall for taking so long to induct the group. He explained: "With almost no exceptions, every hard rock band in the last 40 years, including mine, traces its lineage directly back to BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPELIN and DEEP PURPLE. And as far as I'm concerned, these three bands should always be considered equals for their songwriting, their recordings and their accomplishments. Where I grew up, and in the rest of the world outside of North America, all were equal in status, stature and influence. So in my heart — and I know I speak for many of my fellow musicians and millions of PURPLE fans when I confess that — I am somewhat bewildered that they are so late in getting in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame."

Lars ended his speech by admitting he owns a picture DEEP PURPLE with his own face Photoshopped on top of Ian Paice and saying: "That's how much DEEP PURPLE still means to me, to the fans here tonight and to the millions of followers. That's right. That's right. To the fans here tonight and to the millions of followers around the world, who look upon DEEP PURPLE as epic, unpredictable, energetic, cool, intense, brilliant, impulsive, spontaneous, mesmerizing, jaw-dropping, otherworldly, relentless, pioneering and ultimately timeless. Ritchie Blackmore, David Coverdale, Rod Evans, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Glenn Hughes, Jon Lord, Ian Paice, they should have been here a long time ago. They are now here where they belong. I always wanted to say this, please welcome to the stage and to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, give it up for DEEP PURPLE."

Photo credit: David Pickles

In a February 16 YouTube live chat, Vater Drumsticks artists Abe Cunningham (DEFTONES), Morgan Rose (SEVENDUST) and Roy Mayorga (STONE SOUR) opened up about the physical and mental aspects that drumming at their intense level has had on their bodies, what keeps them motivated to go on, pre-show rituals, life on the road and so on.

"I had a bunch of issues definitely come about in the last 10 years," Mayorga said (see video below). "Some people don't know but I did have a stroke from neck trauma from years of headbanging about 10 years ago. I [had] what they call a dissected artery here in the back of my neck — [the part that controls] all the motor skills. It [happened] from headbanging, from really throwing my head around when I play. It took me a bunch of years to recover from that, but I'm okay now. I think it was probably one of the worst things that's happened to me."

Asked if there was any physical therapy involved in his recovery, Roy said: "Very little. It was more like, 'Take some blood thinners for seven or eight months. Let the artery heal. And then come back to us. In the meantime, do your side step physical therapy.' I didn't drive or walk straight for the first four months, 'cause I couldn't feel my left side. It was all weird. The whole world was on a tilt to me, so I couldn't catch my balance. It was pretty bad. And then, about eight months later, around December [of 2011] or January of 2012, is when I got the green light that everything is okay. I got taken off the blood thinners, put on daily aspirin. And then I went and recorded an album two months later. I was okay."

According to Mayorga, the doctors initially thought he had been in a car accident due to the nature of his injuries. "They did [a few] x-rays, because they said there was a bunch of obstructions," he said. "I go, 'I'm a drummer.' [And they said,] 'How do you play your drums?' And I kind of showed them, [played them] videos, and they were, like, 'No, no, no. You can't be doing that anymore. This is definitely the cause of that.' So it forced me to set up my drums a little bit differently and sit up a little higher. 'Cause I was always tucked in, so that kind of crushed my artery. So now I sit a little higher, which makes me sit a little straighter, so I don't do that… I had to re-learn how to play completely."

Mayorga was the original drummer for SOULFLY from 1997 to 1999. Prior to joining SOULFLY, he also played with New York hardcore band SHELTER in 1996. He also sat behind the kit for for one of the most influential political bands from New York in the late '80s/early '90s, NAUSEA. He was a member of the band MEDICATION from 1999 to 2001, when he left the group to rejoin SOULFLY, with which he recorded three albums. He officially joined STONE SOUR in May 2006 as the replacement for Joel Ekman.

Italy’s Reality Grey has a new album, Beneath This Crown in the works, with an anticipated release date of May 7, 2021, through Blood Blast Distribution, powered by Nuclear Blast.  

Reality Grey has three official music videos out for tracks off of Beneath This Crown, “Daybreakers” (2018), “The Void” (2018), and “The Fury” (2019). These videos are the first glimpse into the current phase of Reality Grey. The album shows a marked evolution in the band’s sound, something that will intrigue current fans and entice new ones. Reality Grey is excited to show off comments on the album:

“The recording process for Beneath This Crown was totally different than with other records. We had the chance to do the pre-production at Divergent Studios, we had as much time as we needed to arrange the album, so we could do more experimentation with our music, with clean vocals, synths, kind of some spacey/soundtrack-like feel, something we wanted to do since 2006, but we didn’t have money/time for that,” says Reality Grey. 

Each one of the 13 tracks is a stand-alone song with a unique vibe, texture, and meaning but the overall result is a consistent, progressive feel.

According to Reality Grey, this is their most innovative and modern record yet, with just the right amount of emotion and technical finesse. Beneath This Crown is recommended for fans of As I Lay Dying, Scar Symmetry, and Lamb Of God.

Tracklisting:

"Legion" (Intro) 
"Fade In Fear" 
"Kings Of Nothing" 
"Preachers Of Hatred" 
"Daybreakers" 
"Powerblast" 
"Multidimensional Hollow" 
"The Fury" 
"Dreaming" (Feat. Milly Florio from End Of Skyline) 
"Reascent" 
"Beneath This Crown" 
"Indelible Stains" 
"The Void" 

Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

"Daybreakers":

"The Void":

"The Fury":

 

Swedish psychedelic doom-riffers Domkraft have released the infectious and pounding first single "Dawn Of Man" from their forthcoming third full-length Seeds, which will hit stores on April 30.

Domkraft comment: "The first single, 'Dawn Of Man' from our forthcoming new album represents the sound of the physical rebuilding of human civilization," writes singer and bass player Martin Wegeland.

"We need new places of worship, cleansed of fear, hate, and everything else that corrodes a society. The idea is a kind of modern pyramids, utopian 'audiodomes,' and this song represents the construction phase of these. We went for a mechanical yet earthy feel, based on this rolling, neck-breaking drum beat that just keeps moving. It should feel like being in the middle of a crowd full of clenched fists wielding sledgehammers, unable to stand still."

"'Seeds' was written specifically to be performed live, with all songs to not only be heard, but also felt. Since that is not really an option right now, we wanted to capture the multi-sensory experience of a live show in the most efficient way. With increased restrictions here in Sweden, we decided to record a practice space performance and then trip it out to channel the sensory overload that an ideal live experience provides. With this video, we wanted to fill the void somehow, but we can hardly wait until we're able to play in front of actual people again."

Seeds artwork and tracklisting:

"Seeds"
"Perpetuator"
"Into Orbit"
"Dawn Of Man"
"Tremors"
"Krank Blekhet"
"Audiodome"

Seeds is available as digisleeve CD, ltd. harcdover artbook (incl. CD and additional bonus track), ltd. edition box set incl. gatefold LP, 3-D glasses, harcdover artbook, and bonus 7" with additional live track on b-side, and as gatefold vinyl LP incl. 3-D glasses.Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

Like a phoenix, Domkraft rise from the ashes of their previous apocalyptic-themed albums with third full-length Seeds. The latest album from the titanic Swedish psychedelic riff-doom trio focuses on the idea of emerging from the ruins to start anew, building something different and better beyond the cataclysm.

In the midst of 2020's summer heatwave, singer and bassist Martin Wegeland, guitarist Martin Widholm and drummer Anders Dahlgren headed west towards the Baltic Sea to Welfare Sounds Studio, which is located in an old wooden house on the outskirts of Gothenburg, Sweden. There, in a great live room with borrowed air conditioning, the Swedes sweated with studio heads Kalle Lilja and Per Stålberg for three days to nail down a new epic that feels raw and alive.

With due credit to the mixing wizardry of Karl Daniel Lidén (Greenleaf, Katatonia, Lowrider), Domkraft's trademark heft is more prominent than ever, and the ambitious lyrical themes add context to the always-massive riffs and hypnotizing flow.

Domkraft have built each element of Seeds from a neck-bobbing pulse.  Swirling songs like 'Audiodome', 'Dawn Of Man' and the title track are closed circuits in which titanic instrumental hooks feed lyrical concepts, then circle back to direct the elliptical psychedelia and sky-widening vocals.

With Seeds, Domkraft have drawn a detailed map to a groove-driven heavy rock utopia, where humankind can evolve and unite. Better living through monolithic volume!

(Photo by by Tobias Ohls)

 

The enigmatic Icelanders of Árstíðir are pleased to announce that they have won the "Best Group" category for the song "Þar sem enginn fer" for the 17th annual IAMAs (International Acoustic Music Awards). The song was also nominated in the Best Song in the AAA/Alternative category. A full list of winners can be found here.

Árstíðir comments on the win: "We are extremely happy to announce that we've just won First Prize at the 17th Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards) ! This distinguished award, which promotes excellence in Acoustic Music Performance and Artistry, chose our song 'Þar sem enginn fer' as the winner in the category for Best Group.

"This is a huge honor for us, since for years we've been passionate about creating moving songs and intricate arrangements with the acoustic guitar as the focal point, and we felt pretty good about ourselves when we wrote and arranged 'Þar sem enginn fer'.

"Receiving this award and this recognition from IAMA tells us that we're on the right path and it will inspire us to keep picking away for many more years to come! We are super happy and deeply grateful!" - Daniel, Gunnar & Ragnar

Árstíðir recently streamed their winter concert, which can be seen here.

Lineup:

Daniel Auðunsson: guitar, vocals
Gunnar Már Jakobsson: baritone guitar, vocals
Ragnar Ólafsson: keyboards, vocals

Canadian thrash legends Anonymus unleashed their Gamiq Award-winning and 12th studio album, La Bestia, during June 2020. The album is the band's first Spanish album, following their discography of both French and English releases. Many metalheads asked the most relevant question, why an album in Spanish? The answer... since drummer Carlos Araya is Chilean born, and Oscar (lead vocals and bass) and Dan Souto (guitars and backing vocals) are sons of Spanish immigrants, it was only inevitable to make a record in that language that 3/4 of the band is fluent in.

The tracks on La Bestia were produced mainly by guitarist Jef Fortin as well as Colin Richardson who also produced 1999's Instinct and Jean-Francois Dagenais (Kataklysm) who produced 2006's Chapter Chaos Begins. The album also features the bilingual song “Violencia Versus Violence” with the participation of Carlos Maldos of Lethal Creation, and Arno Dhenain Le Bourhis of Black Bomb A, along with a second bilingual track “Tierra” with Marco Calliari singing in Italian.

Today, Anonymus' drummer Carlos Araya presents his latest playthrough for the track "Violencia Versus Violence".

La Bestia is available for stream and download on Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer. Vinyl copies can be purchased via Amazon.

(Photo credit: Dani Rod)

 

On March 19, Dvne will release their sophomore album, Etemen Ænka, via Metal Blade Records. For a preview of the record, a live video for the new single, "Towers", can be seen below.

Dvne comments: "Live music is something that we are all dearly missing, so it is amazing to be able to share this live session with our fans and introduce them to 'Towers'. It's a track that captures different elements of our music than what people have heard with 'SI-XIV' and it is a particularly fun song to play live. We recorded and filmed this session with our producer Graeme Young at Chamber Studio in a room packed with amps and lights. It was definitely a fun loud session, and we can't wait to do more of these until touring becomes a possibility again... The epic light show was put together by Sam Jones, and while we couldn't work with our usual filming team because of Covid's travel restrictions, we had the pleasure to shoot this one with Calum McMillan who did a terrific job. The video was edited by our own guitarist Daniel Barter."

Dvne are a band of great contrasts, weaving titanic heaviness and intricate gentleness together, complex lyrical ideas with engaging storylines, and this has only been expanded upon and concentrated on second album Etemen Ænka.

"It's an album that has a narrative musically, and we hope that will encourage the listener to explore the universe we've created around it," states guitarist/vocalist Victor Vicart. "It is a very dense and layered album which will reward multiple listens, and while this is becoming a recurring aspect of our music, we feel that we went further with it this time. It's also a very polarizing album, emotionally speaking. The heavy sections are, well, very heavy, while the clean sections are much more intricate and delicate - and in a way wouldn't be out of place in a Studio Ghibli anime soundtrack."

Exploring everything in greater depth in every way, it is a profound step forward from 2017's Asheran, starting an exciting new chapter in the existence of one of the most thrilling and imaginative metal bands active today.

"We knew we wanted to include keys and synths in the equation. We wanted to be able to add new textures and new sounds that weren't on our previous releases, and we felt that this was something that will give us more options creatively. Looking back, that was a great decision because we've used synths for everything, with ambient sounds, heavy subs and actual leads, which really added a new dynamic to this album. We've also kept this balance between down-tuned heavy riffs and clean movements, which were already present in 'Asheran', but we really wanted to make sure we could capture more details and subtleties once recorded," explains Vicart.

Synths are in fact so present, and at times so unapologetically 80s, that they sound like the soundtrack to a classic sci-fi, which may well surprise fans, the band confident in every step they took musically.

Etemen Ænka is also Dvne's second collaboration with producer Graeme Young in Edinburgh's Chamber Studio, having developed a great working relationship with him on Asheran - "he acts like an extra member of the band and really pushes us to do better takes." This made for a smooth and productive recording process, the challenging part coming before they entered the studio.

"The composition was challenging because we second guess every riff that gets written. We want to keep things fresh, and we want to keep the energy high too, so the initial creative stage can become intense. Then, because our tracks are pretty big and dense with ideas and movements, we didn’t finalize each track structure until we started laying down the drums. But I think it's what made the whole recording process so much fun too, because it allowed us to really think about the different options available without committing to a final structure too early in the process."

The record also features guest vocals courtesy of Lissa Robertson, who sings on "Omega Severer" and "Asphodel" and contributes spoken word on "Weighing Of The Heart" - her voice adding yet another depth to the heavily layered collection.

Etemen Ænka can be pre-ordered here in the following formats:

- digisleeve-CD
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- raisin rouge marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 400 copies)
- grey / yellow-green marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- gold / black dust vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- clear / black dust vinyl (Kings Road exclusive - limited to 100 copies)
- dark goldenrod marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
- clear ash gray marbled vinyl (US exclusive)

Etemen Ænka tracklisting:

"Enûma Eliš"
"Towers"
"Court Of The Matriarch"
"Weighing Of The Heart"
"Omega Severer"
"Adræden"
"Sì-XIV"
"Mleccha"
"Asphodel"
"Satuya"

"Sì-XIV" video:

(Photo - Calum McMillan)

Illusory, the heavy metal band from Greece, have announced the date of release of their third album, Crimson Wreath. The Athenians’ third record will hit the market on May 21 via Rockshots Records.

The band is overwhelmed with enthusiasm. Members state, “We strongly believe that our fans are going to love Crimson Wreath, head to toe! It is clearly the next step for us and probably our musical breakthrough."  

The outstanding, totally anti-polemic cover art is crafted by Panagiotis “Hammer” Sfiris, who also made the covers for Illusory's previous two albums.

Crimson Wreath tracklisting:

"Besetting Sins"
"Acedia"
"Crimson Wreath"
"Immortal No"
"All Shall Fade"
"All Blood Red"
"The Voice Inside Me"
"S.T. Forsaken"
"Ashes To Dust"
"A Poem I Couldn’t Rhyme"
  An Opus Of Loss And Sorrow:
  "Pedestal I: Past Forever Last"
  "Pedestal II: The Isle Of Shadows"
  "Pedestal III: Agony’s Last"
"Fortress Of Sadness"

"Besetting Sins" lyric video:

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH drummer Charlie "The Engine" Engen has uploaded a video of him playing through the song "Broken World". The track is taken from the second instalment of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's greatest-hits collection, "A Decade Of Destruction - Volume 2", which was released on digital and CD formats in October, with a two-LP set arriving in November via Better Noise Music.

"A Decade Of Destruction - Volume 2" includes four previously unreleased tracks: "Broken World", a Steve Aoki remix of "Bad Company", a Joe Hahn remix of "Wash It All Away", a Felmax remix of "Trouble" and a new acoustic version of "Wrong Side Of Heaven".'

Engen was named the replacement for FIVE FINGER's original drummer, Jeremy Spencer, in the fall of 2018. Last June, Charlie told the "Rock & Roll Beer Guy" podcast how his life has changed since he joined FIVE FINGER: "Financially, it was amazing, because it was the first time I had any sort of balance in my life. I've always been 'feast or famine' my entire existence, which, on one hand, has been good, because it taught me a lot of different things. And I never gave in to 'The Man' sort of a thing, so I always kept my head on my shoulders. I had corporate jobs and whatnot, but they'd last a year before I'd be, like, 'All right. I can't do this anymore.' So as far as financially, it was just great to get some stability in my life.

"Money-wise, not to beat it to death or get into details with it, at first when I joined them, it was right into a tour, so it was contract based, because they didn't know if they'd keep me around…," he revealed. "So that was contractual. Now we're just word-of-mouth agreement, essentially, because that's the way they like to operate, and I prefer that as well. You don't feel like you're getting treated like a fill-in puzzle piece. They did a great job of making me feel like a bandmember out of the gate, knowing that, obviously, from my angle, coming into a freight train that's moving a thousand miles an hour that's already now established as a premier rock band. And for them, like, 'Hey, we got this new guy on. Have fun.' They were really good about keeping it all cool, and it never felt, like, 'All right, man. Don't screw this up,' or anything like that.'

He added: "Yeah, it started as a contract, and now it's just word of mouth. And it's nice — it feels good. Especially getting a record under the belt now too — it helps. It's a great situation for me."

Spencer, who co-founded FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH with guitarist Zoltan Bathory, underwent back surgery in the fall of 2018 that required a significant recovery period. In announcing his exit from the group, he said: "The rigorous physical wear and tear has worn down my body to the point where I feel I can no longer deliver a performance you great fans deserve and one that brings me satisfaction and joy."

Bathory previously described Charlie as "an unbelievable drummer," adding that: "The funny thing was that Jeremy kind of found him, but I followed him, so when he said who it is, I'm, like, 'Oh, yeah! That kid is fucking amazing.' So I already knew about him. So that was pretty cool. So I guess you can say that Jeremy handed down the torch."

The 36-year-old Engen, who was previously identified only as "a drum prodigy" called "The Engine", played his first show with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in November 2018 in Wichita, Kansas.

The Saint Paul, Minnesota-based Engen had been teaching drums for more than 15 years and offered private and Skype lessons at his home studio, along with playing in the bands SCALE THE SUMMIT and IDEOLOGY.

Engen made his recording debut with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH on the band's latest album, "F8", which came out in February 2020.

Several more QUEEN titles will get the jigsaw puzzle treatment in April.

Zee Productions will release "Live Killers", "Hot Space" and "Jazz" as 500-piece jigsaws on its Rock Saws imprint.

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

Previously released QUEEN jigsaws include "Queen II", "A Day At The Races", "A Night At The Opera" and "News Of The World".

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

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

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

"Alright Alright", the new music video from STILLWELL, the band featuring KORN bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, vocalist/guitarist Anthony "Q-Unique" Quiles and P.O.D. drummer Noah "Wuv" Bernardo, can be seen below. The song is taken from STILLWELL's third album, "Supernatural Miracle", which was released in September.

"Supernatural Miracle" finds STILLWELL reconciling its eclectic and storied musical backgrounds, and highlighting the similarities between each member's celebrated careers.

"With this new album, STILLWELL sounds like one band instead of past albums where it feels like three or four different bands," Bernardo explains. "With Q on guitar, it enabled us to be more cohesive with sound and direction."

"We intentionally made sure to not sound like the other bands we're a part of, out of respect, integrity and just wanting to push ourselves creatively," says Arvizu. "If people want to hear KORN, P.O.D. or the 10 bands Q works with, they can just listen to those, STILLWELL is its own thing. We put together what I think is our best work yet."

Drawing on STILLWELL's past albums — "Raise It Up" (2015) and "Dirtbag" (2011) — "Supernatural Miracle" serves as the culmination of years' worth of finding their voice. With this release, these musical legends are sure to give you a fresh new look at who they are apart from their histories, but together as a collective.

"I feel like this album was a major crossroad for all of us," says Q-Unique. "Wuv and Fieldy gave me the space to step up with the guitar, and then to have the opportunity to write these songs together was extremely surreal for me. It's one of the reasons why we called the album 'Supernatural Miracle'. To make a long story short, everything fell into place, from writing, recording, schedules, videos and artwork. This album has been a smooth journey."

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

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

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

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

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

Single 1: Vinyl, CD, digital:

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

Single 2: Vinyl only

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

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

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

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

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

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

Two video trailers for "Edward Van Halen By Ross Halfin", a 320-page celebration of rock's iconic guitar player, a man who changed the way rock music would be played forever, can be found below.

This extensive photo book features many classic and unseen shots chosen by Ross Halfin from his personal archive together with an exclusive introduction from Edward's friend and fellow player Tony Iommi. Respected journalist Mark Blake provides a career essay on Van Halen's hugely successful career.

Two editions of "Edward Van Halen By Ross Halfin" are available for pre-order from Rufus Publications. The first retails at £275 and features a 3D lenticular cover, a metal guitar-shaped slipcase, includes some photographic prints, and is numbered and signed by Halfin. The regular edition comes with a cloth-bound slipcase and is £89. The book measures 240mm x 345mm and is printed on 170gsm art paper.

"SABBATH were making the 'Cross Purposes' album, and we were doing a song called 'Evil Eye'," Iommi writes in his introduction. "I suggested Eddie have a go. He played it with us and started doing all the guitar parts and solos. I still have a recording of it somewhere, which we may put out at some point in the future."

"Edward Van Halen By Ross Halfin" will ship in June.

Eddie passed away in October at the age of 65. His death was announced by his son.

Eddie died at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Following his death, fans left flowers at his childhood home on Las Lunas Street in Pasadena, California. Additional flowers, candles and fan mementos were placed on Allen Avenue where Eddie and his brother, VAN HALEN drummer Alex, scratched their band's name into the wet cement of a sidewalk when they were teenagers.

In October, a City Council meeting was held in Pasadena, where a memorial honoring Eddie was discussed. City manager Steve Mermell was directed to come up with ideas for how to best honor the musician.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

On March 12, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT will release "Nature's Light", its eleventh studio album and the first in six years, via earMUSIC. Today, the band, founded in 1997 by award-winning vocalist Candice Night and legendary guitar icon Ritchie Blackmore, has revealed the disc's third single, the "Nature's Light" title track. Check out the official music video below.

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

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

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

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

"Nature's Light" track listing:

01. Once Upon December

02. Four Winds

03. Feather In The Wind

04. Darker Shade Of Black (instrumental)

05. The Twisted Oak

06. Nature's Light

07. Der Letzte Musketier (instrumental)

08. Wish You Were Here (2021)

09. Going To The Faire

10. Second Element

WHITESNAKE celebrates the blues sound that helped inspire its multi-platinum career on a new collection that features remixed and remastered versions of the group's best blues-rock songs. "The Blues Album" is 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 Blues Album" is available digitally and on CD and as a double-LP set pressed on 180-gram, blue vinyl. Like "The Rock Album" and "Love Songs", all the tracks on "The Blues Album" have been revisited, remixed, and remastered.

The official music video for a remixed version of the song "Whipping Boy Blues" can be seen below.

Coverdale says the music reflects how blues artists like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and the three Kings (Albert, B.B. and Freddie) continue to inspire him. In the album's liner notes, he writes: "It's hard to find the words to show how profoundly they connected with my soul. But 'blues' to me is a beautiful word that describes emotional expression… feelings, be it feelings of sadness, loneliness, emptiness… but also those that express great joy, celebration and dance, sexiness and love!!!"

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".

"The Blues Album"

CD track listing:

01. Steal Your Heart Away

02. Good To Be Bad

03. Give Me All Your Love

04. Take Me Back Again

05. Slow An' Easy

06. Too Many Tears

07. Lay Down Your Love

08. The River Song

09. Whipping Boy Blues

10. If You Want Me

11. A Fool In Love

12. Woman Trouble Blues

13. Looking For Love

14. Crying In The Rain

LP track listing:

Side One

01. Steal Your Heart Away

02. Good To Be Bad

03. Give Me All Your Love

04. Take Me Back Again

Side Two

01. Slow An' Easy

02. Too Many Tears

03. Lay Down Your Love

Side Three

01. The River Song

02. Whipping Boy Blues

03. If You Want Me

04. A Fool In Love

Side Four

01. Woman Trouble Blues

02. Looking For Love

03. Crying In The Rain

The official lyric video for CHEVELLE's new song "Remember When" can be seen below. The track is taken from CHEVELLE's upcoming follow-up to 2016's "The North Corridor", "Niratias" (Nothing Is Real And This Is A Simulation), which is due on March 5.

"Niratias" (Nothing Is Real And This Is A Simulation) stands out as CHEVELLE's most pummeling and provocative record yet. Teaming with longtime producer Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE), CHEVELLE recorded throughout 2019 and 2020 and pieced together an intriguing and inimitable body of work, with themes that will reveal themselves soon. The album artwork is by Boris Vallejo. The famed and award-winning artist is responsible for the posters used for films like "Knightriders" and "National Lampoon's Vacation", as well as iconic 1970s and 1980s science fiction novel covers and magazines (such as Heavy Metal).

CHEVELLE frontman Pete Loeffler and drummer Sam Loeffler spoke to Lou Brutus or HardDrive Radio about "Niratias". According to Pete, the follow-up to 2016's "The North Corridor" was recorded over a couple of different sessions spread over a 12-month period prior to the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

"We went into the studio in 2019 — in the [spring]," he said. "So, eight songs were recorded in 2019. And then we did a couple of tours, wrote some more music, went back in March of 2020. And we, under a lot of duress — 'cause everything was starting to happen; they were closing down [due to the pandemic] — and we recorded five more tracks, give or take, and completed the album. And then we skedaddled back to Chicagoland March 18th, which was the day that they shut down all the restaurants in L.A., which is where we were. And then we hunkered down for 2020."

Elaborating on the recording process for "Niratias", Sam said: "We did this album with Joe Barresi. It's our fourth album with him, which is great. I think he's tired of us now… But he was great. We did it at his studio [in Pasadena, California]. We would have probably done stuff earlier, but he had this idea for us that he — he had some songs in his head that he wanted us to write. Not literally, but he was just, like, 'I want you to go back and keep writing, and focus on this or that.' And then Pete did. And I remember when he sent in one of the songs, Joe called back, and he's, like, 'You did it. I can't stop playing this song. This is what I was looking for from you. Now just write five more of those.'"

Added Pete: "It was a low point to hear him say, 'I like these eight. I don't like these other eight. Go back. And it was, like, a low point. But then what that did was, once I got the hurt aspect of that, we got back to work, and then the next song we wrote was a song called 'Mother Earth'. And he listened to it three times in a row and called us excited. And that was one of the best feelings I had on the whole process. So I knew we were on to something."

Pete previously told "Loudwire Nights"' about the overall lyrical direction of "Niratias": "It has a lot of space to it, a lot of interstellar travel to it. You've got Elon Musk trying to get to Mars and that was completely fascinating to me so when I write lyrics, it's just kind of made its way in there. As you'll see with the cover, it's sort of space themed as well.

He added: "I love the idea of the cosmos and I love Carl Sagan and Elon Musk and Neil deGrasse Tyson and all these people that look beyond and look to the future. Getting off this planet is part of that future if we can do it. It's funny when you started to delve into it how difficult that really is. How are you gonna deal with radiation out in a spaceship for nine months or longer than that? It's fascinating. It just made its way into the music."

"The North Corridor" debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 album chart and produced a No. 1 Mainstream Rock single, "Joyride (Omen)".

The band's album of rarities from 2002-2016, "12 Bloody Spies: B-Sides And Rarities", was released in October 2018 via Epic.

In September 2019, CHEVELLE bassist Dean Bernardini announced that he would "take a break from the road" after completing that year's shows with his bandmates. He added that he would "continue to work" in music in some form or another while also putting time into his art and furniture business at home.

Bernardini had been with CHEVELLE since 2005, even though 2007's "Vena Sera" marked his first studio recording with the band.

"Niratias" track listing:

01. Verruckt

02. So Long, Mother Earth

03. Mars Simula

04. Sleep The Deep

05. Self Destructor

06. Piistol Star (Gravity Heals)

07. Vvurmhole

08. Peach

09. Test Test...Enough

10. Endlessly

11. Remember When

12. Ghost And Razor

13. Lost In Digital Woods

Photo credit: Joseph Cultice

New Orleans disciples of hardcore, blues-based, post-amplified audio wreckage EYEHATEGOD have released "Circle Of Nerves", the latest single from their first new full-length album in seven years, "A History Of Nomadic Behavior", due on March 12 via Century Media Records.

Singer Mike IX Williams said: "'Circle Of Nerves' is the last single before the release of our new album, 'A History Of Nomadic Behavior'. This track is a prime example of the lowest form of abstract crossover trash to crawl out of the methadone clinic basement. We can't wait to play these songs live in filthy venues, where the real noise comes to life."

"A History Of Nomadic Behavior" was produced by EYEHATEGOD, Sanford Parker (YOB, VOIVOD) and James Whitten (THOU, HIGH ON FIRE), with mixing by Whitten. The band recorded at HighTower Recording and Hypercube studios. The artwork for the LP was created by Gary Mader and Mike IX Williams.

Williams said of the songs on the album: "We're not a political band, but it was hard not to be affected by the news from the past year. During this recording, I thought a lot about how stupid humanity has become and how America is now completely divided with these people who don't believe in science and blindly follow liars and nonsensical ideologies. Some of those feelings may have found their way into these songs, but it is mostly subliminal."

"A History Of Nomadic Behavior" follows a period that saw EYEHATEGOD on the road for three years, preceded by Williams suffering liver failure and a transplant. "We toured our asses off for three years and that's where 'A History Of Nomadic Behavior' basically comes from," Williams said before touching on his health challenge: "Death is a part of life; it's a roll of the dice. Sometimes you take life as it comes, other times you fight to stay alive."

"A History Of Nomadic Behavior" track listing:

01. Built Beneath The Lies

02. The Outer Banks

03. Fake What's Yours

04. Three Black Eyes

05. Current Situation

06. High Risk Trigger

07. Anemic Robotic

08. The Day Felt Wrong

09. The Trial Of Johnny Cancer

10. Smoker's Place

11. Circle Of Nerves

12. Every Thing, Every Day

EYEHATEGOD's last album, a self-titled affair, came out in 2014. It arrived a decade and a half after its predecessor, 2000's "Confederacy Of Ruined Lives".

EYEHATEGOD's 1990 "In The Name Of Suffering" and 1993 "Take As Needed For Pain" studio albums are considered their seminal works and are often cited as pillars of the American sludge sound alongside ACID BATH, BUZZOV*EN and CROWBAR.

Photo credit: Robb Duchemin

KISS co-founder and frontman, best-selling author and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Paul Stanley will release the debut album from his SOUL STATION project on March 19 (postponed from previously announced March 5) via Universal Music Enterprises. A collection of nine classic soul covers and five original tracks, "Now And Then" will feature the band's acclaimed version of THE FIVE STAIRSTEPS' "O-o-h Child" as well as SOUL STATION's take on THE SPINNERS' "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love".

The third single from the album, "I, Oh I", can be streamed below.

Stanley has spent the last few years developing this project close to his heart. SOUL STATION is a band gathering some of today's leading musicians to pay tribute to the greatest artists and songs from the R&B and soul catalog to keep this vital music current. While a surprise to many, Stanley's early pivotal roots in this music has quietly turned this passion into a celebrated touring and recording band. Stanley's 15-piece ensemble group has toured the U.S. and Japan, and recently recorded an album of nine classic soul songs and five new original songs.

Speaking about the new music, Stanley said: "Between us doing some great SOUL STATION shows and starting the album, I started to think that neither the band or the music we love should depend only on the past so I started writing with the goal of seamlessly taking songs into the present. From what a lot of people I respect have told me, that mission was accomplished."

When Stanley conceived SOUL STATION, the group excelled in the live venue setting, playing smaller, intimate clubs — a setting where Paul Stanley would reflect on those classic hits that were his early inspiration, playing the songs with a reverence and respect for how he and the band believe they should be performed and heard.

"Long before I ever heard the great British bands, I grew up listening to Philly Soul, Motown and so much more," he said. "I was lucky to see Otis Redding and Solomon Burke among others. That music and its storytelling gave me strength and hope even in some tough days. The great classics of that era are magical medicine for most and I felt myself drawn back to that era for some sorcery I think we could all use."

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

The band is augmented by three string players and two horn players of the same stature enabling SOUL STATION's wall of sound to be firmly rooted in the past while staking claim to both the present and future.

"Now And Then" track listing:

01. Could It Be I'm Falling In Love

02. I Do

03. I, Oh I

04. Ooo Baby Baby

05. O-o-h Child

06. Save Me (From You)

07. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)

08. Whenever You're Ready (I'm Here)

09. The Tracks Of My Tears

10. Let's Stay Together

11. La-La – Means I Love You

12. Lorelei

13. You Are Everything

14. Baby I Need Your Loving

Speaking about how the idea for SOUL STATION came about, Paul told Scott Lipps: "I was really lucky, because, before I ever saw [LED] ZEPPELIN or any of the British bands that I grew to love, or the blues bands that I saw, I saw Otis Redding as a kid, I saw Solomon Burke and THE TEMPTATIONS. So that really is the core of what I do. It's not all that I do, but it's in there, and it always has been. SMOKEY [ROBINSON] AND THE MIRACLES; early Stevie Wonder; Philly soul; Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, all the things that they produced — Thom Bell. So you have THE DELFONICS, STYLISTICS, BLUE MAGIC, THE TEMPS, FOUR TOPS, and on and on. So, for me, that music, unfortunately, has been relegated to becoming samples in somebody's rap songs. Those songs deserve so much more, not only respect, but to be listened to, because when we play those songs live, everybody's faces light up, because they're just great, great songs.

"SOUL STATION is 15 people, and everybody's played with everyone from Smokey to Stevie Wonder to Natalie Cole to TEMPTATIONS, Whitney Houston, and on and on and on," Stanley continued. "And it really is like a family. We hang out at my house and have a great time. But what really bonded us together was this love of that music and wanting to recreate it accurately, respectfully. Even some of those bands, when they wound up playing live, did these uptempo, kind of soulless versions of their own songs. And we're playing those songs the way they're supposed to be, and it's glorious.

"Look, I started doing it selfishly, 'cause I love that music, and to have it surrounding me, and to get to sing those songs, is crazy. And then to also write some new tunes that really marry so well to the old tunes is like writing another page.

"Will it surprise some people? Yeah," Paul added. "But, honestly, I'm not… Somebody said, 'Oh, you're reinventing yourself.' I'm not the champion of blues rock or hard rock or metal or this. I did 'Phantom Of The Opera'. I'm a singer, and I choose to sing whatever I choose to sing at any given time. So, really, honestly, it's as natural for me to sing Philly soul as it is to sing rock. It's just I haven't done it publicly."

Last May, Stanley released a cover version of Smokey Robinson's classic song "Ooo Baby Baby", recorded by SOUL STATION. In a statement accompanying the clip, Stanley said: "These are challenging times. Long before I ever heard the great British bands, I grew up listening to Philly Soul, Motown and so much more. I was lucky to see Otis Redding and Solomon Burke among others. That music and its storytelling gave me strength and hope even in some tough days. The great classics of that era are magical medicine for most and I felt myself drawn back to that era for some sorcery I think we could all use."

He added: "While it's hard to connect physically, some of SOUL STATION decided to reach out and make a virtual and emotional connection on a great Motown and Smokey Robinson classic, Ooo Baby Baby."

In 2019, Stanley told the Real Radio 104.1 radio station that he wanted to wait for the right time to release the SOUL STATION LP. "It really deserves full attention and my full commitment," he explained. "So until we can do great live performances — the band is amazing live — and until we can promote it the way we should, it's just going to simmer."

Asked if he gets any hate from KISS fans for making an album that is stylistically far removed from the music his main band is best known for producing, Stanley said: "I'm sure there are some people who'd rather me doing a KISS album or something like that, but when you sign on with me, you understand that we're both in this together, and sometimes I have to do what I need to do. And that's part of the joy and the reward for me. So I would rather do a great SOUL STATION album right now than tamper with KISS or the KISS legacy and do something that I'm really not feeling at the moment."

LAMB OF GOD will issue a three-disc deluxe edition of last year's critically acclaimed self-titled album featuring the full record with two bonus tracks and a live version of the album, along with a DVD performance of "Lamb Of God" on March 26 via Epic Records.

The official music video for the disc's single "Ghost Shaped People" can be seen below. Directed by Truman Kewley and Eddie Perez, it hauntingly shows a man's journey into the afterlife juxtaposed with a crushing live performance.

"This album, and in particular this deluxe edition, is something I'm incredibly proud of," says guitarist Willie Adler. "Throughout the process of writing, recording and the subsequent filming of the live stream, I knew we were creating much more than a collection of songs. Much more than a simple streamed performance. This was focused energy. Energy that, to me, is very tangible. And now, more than ever, in an era where human interaction is so limited, art.... be it music, visual or otherwise, is a human connection point. And we need as much of that as possible! I hope everyone enjoys this deluxe edition as much as we enjoyed creating it. Thank you."

Pre-orders for the set are available now, along with "Ghost Shaped People". The live CD and DVD portion of the deluxe edition features the first of LAMB OF GOD's two ultra-successful live stream events from September 2020, in which the band performed their critically acclaimed, self-titled album "Lamb Of God" in full, plus an encore of four songs, including "Ruin", "Contractor", "512" and the debut live performance of "The Death Of Us", a new song the band wrote and recorded in quarantine for the "Bill & Ted Face The Music" movie and soundtrack. The DVD includes a new director's cut with bonus material.

Originally, released June 19 of last year, LAMB OF GOD's first new album in five years was met with universal acclaim — not only among major rock journalists, but with all strata of metal fans around the world.

But critics, media and the industry aside, perhaps the most telling statistic is the year-end U.S. metal radio chart, where the new album dominated at #1 by a massive margin (over 2,000 more spins than the album at #2). "Lamb Of God" spent nine weeks in the #1 spot and never left the top 10 since debuting on the chart in February. Metal radio is the lifeblood of the U.S. metal world, largely staffed by college students and regional tastemakers, playing the music that they know their local metal fans want to hear. At iTunes, "Lamb Of God" landed at No. 1 on the overall Rock and Metal album chart upon release.

"Lamb Of God" deluxe edition track listing:

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

01. Memento Mori

02. Checkmate

03. Gears

04. Reality Bath

05. New Colossal Hate

06. Resurrection Man

07. Poison Dream (feat. Jamey Jasta)

08. Routes (feat. Chuck Billy)

09. Bloodshot Eyes

10. On The Hook

11. Ghost Shaped People

12. Hyperthermic/Accelerate

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

01. Memento Mori (Live)

02. Checkmate (Live)

03. Gears (Live)

04. Reality Bath (Live)

05. New Colossal Hate (Live)

06. Resurrection Man (Live)

07. Poison Dream (Live)

08. Routes (Live)

09. Bloodshot Eyes (Live)

10. On The Hook (Live)

11. Contractor (Live)

12. Ruin (Live)

13. The Death Of Us (Live)

14. 512

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

01. Memento Mori

02. Checkmate

03. Gears

04. Reality Bath

05. New Colossal Hate

06. Resurrection Man

07. Poison Dream

08. Routes

09. Bloodshot Eyes

10. On The Hook

11. Contractor

12. Ruin

13. The Death of Us

14. 512

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

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

Side 1

01. Memento Mori

02. Checkmate

03. Gears

04. Reality Bath

05. New Colossal Hate

Side 2

01. Resurrection Man

02. Poison Dream

03. Routes

04. Bloodshot Eyes

05. On The Hook

LAMB OF GOD eagerly awaits its return to the road to support "Lamb Of God". Their North American co-headline tour with MEGADETH and support from TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES has been rescheduled to begin in July 2021, and their headline tour in the U.K. and co-headline tour with KREATOR in the rest of Europe will take place in November and December 2021.