Ozzy Osbourne has released a new animated video for "It's A Raid" from his acclaimed 2020 "Ordinary Man" album. Check it out below.

At a SiriusXM listening party last year to celebrate the release of "Ordinary Man", Ozzy recounted the song's inspiration. While recording BLACK SABBATH's "Vol. 4" in Bel Air, California, Osbourne triggered the home's security alarm and police surrounded the home, which he says had "piles of marijuana and cocaine." Osbourne adds, "I'm shouting, 'IT'S A FUCKIN' RAIIIIID," before hiding the drugs and ingesting cocaine while hiding in one of the home's bathrooms."

In the video, directed by Tomas Lenert, Ozzy and Post Malone team up for a truly wild ride. The clip begins with Osbourne and Malone at the infamous Bel Air, California house (which served as the inspiration for the song) before they lead police through the streets of the city and passing iconic Los Angeles landmarks on their journey.

"A couple of years ago I didn't even know who Post Malone was," Ozzy says. "Since then we've worked together on two studio tracks and have performed together twice. Understandably COVID-19 made it difficult to get together to shoot a music video for 'It's A Raid' so we opted for this wildly imagined animated video for the final single from the 'Ordinary Man' album." Ozzy, who's been in the studio working on a new album with producer Andrew Watt, adds that he "can't wait to for everyone to hear my new music."

This marks Osbourne's second duet with Malone. The two previously teamed on "Take What You Want" from Post's "Hollywood's Bleeding" album (which they also performed at 2019's American Music Awards). The track was produced by Watt, who collaborated with Osbourne for "Ordinary Man" as both producer and co-writer. Watt, who also produced Malone and brought the two artists together, played guitar on Ozzy's latest LP, co-writing and performing the music with GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith.

"It was a lot of fun to do though it's a lot different from my other albums," Ozzy said. "We recorded it quickly, which I haven't done since the first BLACK SABBATH album. This made it a different process, which I actually enjoyed."

Beyond the core band, "Ordinary Man" features a who's-who of Ozzy friends and collaborators including Elton John and Tom Morello.

"It all just came together," Ozzy explains of the guest stars. "Slash is a dear friend of mine, as is Elton. When I was writing 'Ordinary Man', it reminded me of an old Elton song and I said to Sharon, 'I wonder if he would sing on it?' We asked, and lo and behold, he agreed and sings and play piano on the song."

In a new interview with Metal Hammer, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford discussed the photos he recently shared on Instagram of him wearing a tailored sports coat, tie with white skulls, leather gloves, jeans, cowboy hat and fabulous spiked platform heels while carrying a sophisticated dragonhead cane. Asked if that is a regular outfit Chez Halford these days, Rob responded: "Those heels were given to me by the beautiful Lzzy Hale, from HALESTORM. When PRIEST were on tour in New Zealand we worked with HALESTORM and I was chatting to Lzzy backstage and she had those particular heels on her feet. I was going, 'Oh my God, how do you even walk in them?' She said, 'Oh, you know, it's a girl thing...' But they looked so powerful and they scream 'heavy metal!'

"And so I was at the post office about a week ago and there was something for me there in the locker. And it was from Lzzy," he continued. "I hadn't a clue what it was, so I opened it up and there were those spectacular heavy metal heels! She wrote me this really sweet note saying, 'Hey, Rob, hope you're well, lots of love. We talked about these heels in New Zealand and I found a pair for you. Have fun! Love, Lzzy.' And I thought, 'How sweet is that?'

"If you'd have been in my house watching me do that photo, you'd have been roaring," Rob added. "It took me forever and I was blacking out in pain. Those heels fit me, but you're being pitched at this extraordinarily abnormal angle and then you try to keep your balance. I took about five or six pictures and I threw myself on the couch and ripped those shoes off and was massaging my feet, sweating from head to toe. It was absolutely fucking hilarious."

Last month, Rob also shared a couple of photos of him wearing black leather assless chaps. One of the people who reacted to the pictures was Halford's PRIEST bandmate Richie Faulkner, who posted the comment: "Bro! Next tour!! Less is more haha". Rob then replied: "70 this year bro no fucks left!"

After Halford came out in 1998, PRIEST's studs-and-black leather biker outfits — which defined the look of the heavy metal genre for years to come — took on an explicitly gay dimension, with some fans claiming that they were taken by surprise by his revelation.

Halford's autobiography, "Confess", arrived in September via Hachette Books. It was written with Ian Gittins, co-writer of "The Heroin Diaries" by Nikki Sixx. In the book, Halford discusses in detail what it was like becoming the first metal icon to announce he is gay in 1998 during an MTV interview, despite knowing about his sexuality since he was 10.

Last fall, JUDAS PRIEST and Rufus Publications announced the publication of the first-ever official JUDAS PRIEST book documenting the band's extensive history over the last 50 years. Titled "Judas Priest - 50 Heavy Metal Years", the book has been put together by David Silver, Ross Halfin and Jayne Andrews.
























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Incendium and Heavy Metal Entertainment have announced the launch of "Maledictus Athenaeum", a CRADLE OF FILTH comic book anthology series, under all-new music-focused Opus imprint.

In the ruined halls of the Maledictus Athenaeum lie occult histories, sealed records, and cursed artifacts. This unholy archive explores the far corners of CRADLE OF FILTH's musical legacy, a vast universe of Ageless Vampires, Mythical Creatures and Vengeful Gods. The Countess, The Huntress, Lilith, The Manticore, and many more, will be revisited in stories from an all-star roster of comics talent from the pages of Heavy Metal magazine and beyond.

"Maledictus Athenaeum" begins as a five-issue series. The first print edition of each issue will be released as a prestige format limited edition collectible comic book, featuring cardstock covers, specialty foil treatments, glossy pages, and individual numbering. Each first printing will be limited to 2500 copies at $16.66, and available to order from this location. The first issue is available to order now and ships May 2021.

"CRADLE OF FILTH's collaboration with Incendium for the forthcoming comic series and action figures provides an incredible opportunity for fans to indulge and explore the mythologies and murk at the heart of the band's lyrical compositions," says Dani Filth. "As an avid collector of horror figures for decades now — citing the enclosing walls and shelves of my home crammed with toys and memorabilia as an example — I was only too eager to embrace this emphatic union with a company that is as excited about bringing our brand of lascivious gothic darkness to glorious undeath as we are."

Incendium CEO Llexi Leon adds: "Dani has created such a rich mythology across CRADLE OF FILTH's discography and we're thrilled to explore those dark fantasy worlds with our 'Maledictus Athenaeum' anthology, an ever-growing gothic library that's sure enthral readers with an irresistible blend of horror, romance, mystery, and mayhem — featuring incredible visuals to inspire all manner of toys and collectibles across our lines."

The cursed tales of "Maledictus Athenaeum" will extend beyond the printed page into toys and collectibles. Dani Filth and the iconic Succubus of CRADLE OF FILTH's 2001 album "Bitter Suites To Succubi" make up Wave 1 of the CRADLE OF FILTH action figure range, also available to pre-order for $29.95 each from this location, shipping June 2021.

Filth adds: "To begin with are figures of 'yours ghoulie' Dani Filth resplendent in my onstage battle outfit; accompanied to war by the cruel, domineering Succubus from the 'Bitter Suites To Succubi' album cover art, who is explored further in the first of many comic book adaptations to be unleashed in 'Maledictus Athenaeum'. Both figures come delivered with classic action figure aplomb, whilst the comic book art is both visceral and evocative and is totally stunning. Naturally we cannot wait for fans and collectors alike to get their claws on these unique, exquisite treasures and given the depth of CRADLE OF FILTH's extensive discography and with a wealth of dark occultisms to draw upon — having tackled the morbid and sordid tales of Elizabeth Bathory, Gilles de Rais, Lucifer and Lilith as full-blown concept albums already — our collaboration with Incendium promises to be a marriage forged in Hell that prospers for aeons…"

Cyclewear studio Milltag will release their latest in a long line of musical collaborations. This time it is with rock legends MOTÖRHEAD. With songtitles like "Iron Horse", "White Line Fever" and "Keep Us On The Road", Milltag felt it was only right the band made a kit for all things two wheeled. Featuring the famous "War Pig" logo, the collection features a jersey, cap and snood that are more metal than most bikes.

The range is available for pre-order via the Milltag web site for a limited time (ending March 5) for delivery in May. Each collection features a full kit of: cap, jersey, snood.

Milltag opted for its club fit jersey which uses a slightly roomier fit while not being too baggy. Perfect when worn as a full set but still easily identifiable as individual pieces, the cap and snood feature large scale designs of the "War Pig" logo that give anyone wearing an unmistakable look.

Snaggletooth, to give the "War Pig" its proper name, is the snarling, attention-grabbing logo that has been inextricably linked to MOTÖRHEAD since 1975. Designed to be as fierce as the band's musical output, the logo represents everything MOTÖRHEAD is about, from their blues/punk roots to their lyrical content.

Ed Cowburn, Milltag founder and creative director, said: "Milltag has had a tradition of doing collabs with bands pretty much since we started back in 2010. Whilst most of these have hailed from the indie genre, you'll hear plenty of other types of sounds coming from the Milltag studio (when we are allowed to get together, of course), so it's with great excitement that we start 2021 with a collaboration with MOTÖRHEAD that should blow away the cobwebs.

"We hope the collection will reach a wider audience of music loving cyclists who want to wear cycling clothing that means something more to them than just another item of functional clothing."

"Milltag produces excellent, technical cycling apparel and we are incredibly excited to see fans take to the road in this unique collaboration," said Jens Drinkwater, licensing manager, Global Merchandising Services

In a new interview with Wacken Radio, former ACCEPT and current U.D.O. singer Udo Dirkschneider was asked how he keeps his voice in shape after all these years. He responded (hear audio below): "It's very interesting. Some stuff, when I'm singing now, it would be not possible to sing this 15 years or 20 years ago. Especially the lower range is getting much better. And also what Stefan Kaufmann [U.D.O. producer and former ACCEPT drummer] said to me when we did this 'We Are One' album [last year] — he was doing all the recordings — and he said, 'This is crazy.' He said, 'You hit notes that you did on [ACCEPT's] 'Breaker' [1981] record. It's impossible.' I said, 'I don't know. Don't ask me.'"

He continued: "It's a miracle. [Stefan] said to me, 'This is really a miracle.' He said, 'This is unbelievable.' I said, 'Yeah.' Also, I don't have any problems live. We always are doing long shows — like, for two hours. I don't have any problems. I never warm up. I go on stage and start singing — that's it. I don't know. I'm really lucky, I think. I know a lot of singers, they have really problems. They can [play] maybe two shows, three shows; then they have to make a day off, or two days off. They are having problems to sing some stuff.

"I am really lucky," he repeated. "That's the only thing I can say — really lucky."

Earlier in the month, Dirkschneider confirmed to Hardrock Haven that U.D.O.'s new album will be released "after the summer."

Last year, U.D.O. collaborated with Das Musikkorps der Bundeswehr, the military band of the German federal armed forces, on the aforementioned album called "We Are One", which was released in July via AFM Records/Soulfood Music.

U.D.O.'s current lineup includes Udo's son and drummer Sven Dirkschneider, bassist Tilen Hudrap and guitarists Andrey Smirnov and Dee Dammers.

U.D.O.'s latest collection of new songs, "Steelfactory", was released in August 2018 via AFM.

After Canadian thrash metal legends Razor had released their self-financed debut EP Armed And Dangerous in 1984, they were surprised to get the attention of Attic Records, the country’s leading major record company at the time. The band soon inked a deal with the label and was destined to spearhead the company’s new Viper Records division.

Escape The Fire was originally planned to be the follow-up to Armed And Dangerous, but in the end it did not work out like this. Attic put pressure on the young band and had their own ideas of shaping the future of Razor. The result was Executioner’s Song. Original bassist Mike Campagnolo tells the whole story: “Let’s face it, when any young band is given a shot at a record deal, it usually leans heavily in the label’s favour. Sure, we were inexperienced but they were also treading in unknown waters with the new Viper division, so there was a bit of lost advantage all around. I think we learned a bit from each other but hey, it’s usually the person with the cash making the final decisions. The main problem was that they were trying to cash in on anything we released instead of promoting a newer direction as the metal scene began to get harder and faster. They really didn’t grasp how the scene was changing and progressing and didn’t really get ahead of that wave. They had a pattern of how to deal with artists and stuck to that formula instead of seeing that this genre was here to stay and not just a fad. Attic showed that strategy with Executioner’s Song when they wanted some songs off of Armed And Dangerous and the Escape The Fire demo to create that release.”

The record company people insisted that the band re-recorded “Take This Torch”, “Fast And Loud”, “The End” and “Hot Metal” off Armed And Dangerous and put it on the first Viper Records album (which turned out to be Executioner’s Song). “Sort of yes!,” confirms Mike Campagnolo. “They were really eager to include these songs on the first full-length album. They thought they were strong tracks for sure but the consensus was made and we agreed to the decision. I guess because Armed And Dangerous was such a limited release, they were hoping that these songs would reach a wider audience throughout the world, which I guess sort of worked out. ‘Take This Torch’ and ‘Hot Metal’ are songs we still include in our set today, so I guess they did achieve a sort of lasting power over time.

We never really got an Escape The Fire concept artwork design in play and the artwork and Executioner’s Song concept and cover design were done by the Attic guys. I think we were just happy to have a recording deal and get the material out in some form, so dropped the Escape The Fire concept altogether.”

All in all, there were four songs left from the Escape The Fire session, which did not make it onto Executioner’s Song: “Metal Avenger”, ”Heavy Metal Attack”, “Frost Bite” and “Ready For Action”. Escape The Fire was originally recorded on December 1st 1984 at Future Sound studios in Toronto and was produced by Terry Morostega (who had worked on Armed And Dangerous) along with Dave Carlo. Mike Campagnolo explains in more detail: “Well, we used to play all those songs in our live set and we were eventually planning to release them but by the time we did some tour support for Executioner’s Song, Attic was really pushing us to keep the momentum moving with a new release. They wanted to include those leftovers but Dave had began writing Evil Invaders and the direction of the music was swinging in a more thrash and speed direction and we persuaded them to wait and release all new material, which was what we really wanted to do. ‘Metal Avenger’ was a straight forward metal song with the extended guitar soloing à la Nugent or Lips from Anvil and was really long. ‘Heavy Metal Attack’ was a classic Razor riff, very fast and ripping, I always liked that one. It was a straight ahead ripper! We used to play it live even faster than the recorded version. Not a deep thinker but more of a headbanger. ‘Frostbite’ was also a classic Razor riff and always went over well in the live set and ‘Ready For Action’ was more a fast and heavy rock/metal anthemic type song.”
Said “Metal Avenger” was actually over 7 minutes long, so a pretty long track for the early days of Razor: “Yeah, like I mentioned earlier, it was really a showcase for Dave’s guitar playing and there was a duet with him and Embro in the middle, with just guitar and drums. It was a sort of solo spot for Dave in the live show, where it sort of developed over time. We tried to relay that feel on the recorded version.”

As Mike Campagnolo explains, after Armed And Dangerous Razor were “firing on all cylinders”: “We were trying to hone our live show, so we were playing a lot of those songs at shows already. You can hear the lean towards a faster thrash direction with songs like ‘Escape The Fire’, ‘Gatecrasher’, ‘City Of Damnation’ or ‘March Of Death’. A song like ‘Distant Thunder’ was our attempt at a mainstream metal song and others like ‘Death Race’ and ‘Time Bomb’ were still reminiscent of the Armed And Dangerous sound. It would have been interesting to see how Escape The Fire, if released in its original form, would have been received by metal fans. It would’ve probably pushed some of the Executioner’s Song material onto Evil Invaders and who knows if it would have altered the progression of the band in any way?
Anyway, that history has been written and I hope people listen to this release and take it for what it is: ‘a small piece of history’, a sliver of time in Razor’s over 35 year career!”

Mastered and restored by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in July 2020 and will be released on July 16th.

Water On Mercury, the progressive metal project of guitarist Tim Gavin officially released its long-overdue album, The Clarity Project. Tim stepped up his game in literally every way possible from songwriting to production quality to pretentious song-titling.

As a press release states: “Tim is a family man with a boring day job, but by night he hides in his basement and cranks out pitch-perfect, self-indulgent songs that are actually not that bad to listen to. As an added bonus, if you search Water On Mercury online you can learn some pretty awesome stuff about space and that one time Freddie Mercury went swimming.”

Tim was a key member of the now defunct Dominion from Chicago, which also featured former Otep drummer, Brian Wolff, and current Gemini Syndrome vocalist, Aaron Nordstrom. Dominion was a force to be reckoned with on the Chicago metal scene. Tim brings the same intensity and musical intelligence to his new project. His music has been compared to Scale the Summit, TesseracT, Opeth, and Cloudkicker, and some major influences include Devin Townsend and Gentle Giant.

The Clarity Project is available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Bandcamp, and other services.

Los Angeles metallers Slizard have signed a worldwide deal with Mega Metal Records, a sublabel of Canadian label Maple Metal, to release their self-titled debut album in May.

The band was formed in 2019, and features LA singer Liz on vocals, Pat "Buzz" Belrose on guitars, bass and vocals, and Todd "Toad" Resman on drums.

Pat "Buzz" Belrose has previously played guitar for LA bands Spoiled Rotten and World Jungle who were popular acts, especially on the local LA scene in the ‘90s, but has recorded two albums with Canadian metal band Jade in the mid-‘80s.  Buzz currently also has his own band appropriately named Buzz Za.

Slizard is produced and mixed by Chris Wood, a 3-time Grammy Award nominated L.A. producer, and mix engineer.  Chris Wood has worked with a variety of artists in multiple music genres, but in the rock world most notably with Slash, Lenny Kravitz, and Vivian Campbell.

The album will be mastered by Chris Crerar at Metalworks Studios (Rush, Triumph, Saga, Tom Cochrane) in Mississauga, Canada.

The album cover art is designed by Jan Yrlund, of Darkgrove Studios, Tampere, FI.

Slizard have written over 50 songs for this project, and here's a potential list of the 14 tracks that'll appear on their debut (but subject to change).

“Monsters”
“Mr. Hyde”
“Gears Of Time”
“Crack The Whip”
“Skinwalker”
“Watch & Listen”
“Vampire Zombies”
“Running Towards The Zombies”
“Madness Of The Queen”
“Neverland”
“Down By The River”
“Spooks In The Trees”
“Broken Dreams”
“Will You Still Be There”

OF MICE & MEN has released the title track of its upcoming EP, "Timeless". The effort will be released on February 26 via the band's new label home, SharpTone Records.

"'Timeless' is a song about becoming increasingly aware of impermanence, written through somewhat of a somber, yet romantic, lens," says singer/bassist Aaron Pauley. "At the beginning of the pandemic, I was watching a lot of black and white movies. One of my favorite movies is 'Casablanca'. I wonder if any original copies exist. You know, although that movie is universally regarded as being timeless, the actual celluloid is so fragile. But I think we find a special kind of vibrance in life when we're aware of our own impermanence."

Regarding how the idea for the EP came about, Pauley says: "There's an old idiom about what you're supposed to do when life gives you lemons. Sadly, to disappoint, this wasn't exactly that. We started writing this EP shortly before the initial lockdowns in spring of 2020, before we knew that our world was about to become a radically different place. A lot of these songs were born from a place of wondering how we'd fit into 2020 and beyond, both as adults in our 30s as well as a band that's a decade into our existence."

On the topic of the previously released single "Obsolete", he says: "It's a song about questioning how future-proof one is in the grand scheme of things, and acknowledging that maybe we aren't at all. I think we all wonder, to a certain extent, whether or not we'll fit into the future, or how we would, or what that would look like. Obsolescence is very prevalent in our lives. We see how quickly old phones become virtually useless, how quickly fads and trends come and go. It's all too easy to ponder about when you'll become a covered wagon, or a flip phone or MySpace."

Signing with SharpTone was the next logical step for OF MICE & MEN as well. "It's pretty exciting to be working with a new label," Pauley shares. "We still have a great relationship with our previous label — it was just time to shake things up, and after conversations and meetings with various labels, we felt that our vision for the future of OF MICE & MEN matched most closely with SharpTone's. Working with Shawn and the team has been incredibly rewarding, and we're all super excited with what's to come!"

"Timeless" EP track listing:

01. Timeless

02. Obsolete

03. Anchor

OF MICE & MEN is:

Aaron Pauley - Bass, Vocals

Valentino Arteaga - Drums

Alan Ashby - Guitar

Phil Manansala - Guitar

With their latest internationally successful outputs, the high priests of heavy metal, Powerwolf, have truly proven that metal is alive and they are at the top of the scene. While heavy metal’s finest are constantly working on Call Of The Wild, the successor to their globally acclaimed full-length, The Sacrament Of Sin, they are also offering a new, very special treasure to their fans.

Their 2015 album Blessed & Possessed, which achieved Gold status for the first time in the Czech Republic and held fast at the top of the German charts for several weeks, will now be re-released in a vinyl edition on April 9th via Napalm Records. 

Once again, Powerwolf prove that they truly deserve their title as one of the most successful metal bands of today. Their latest Best Of album, Best Of The Blessed (which charted on #2 in the German album Charts), highlights their impressive career in glorious style - and the upcoming re-release is just the beginning of a very heavy 2021, including the release of the new studio album Call Of The Wild and the bombastic Wolfsnächte 2021 tour.

Tracklisting:

"Blessed & Possessed"
"Dead Until Dark"
"Army Of The Night"
"Armata Strigoi"
"We Are The Wild"
"Higher Than Heaven"
"Christ & Combat"
"Sanctus Dominus"
"Sacramental Sister"
"All You Can Bleed"
"Let There Be Night"

The Blessed & Possessed vinyl re-issue will be available as: 
- LP Gatefold Marbled White/Black, inclusive exclusive A1 Blessed & Possessed poster (strictly limited to 300 copies) 

Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

In 2021, fans can not only expect brand new heavy metal anthems to be played and chanted along by thousands, but also the biggest and most epic production Powerwolf has brought to the stage thus far, once again cementing their status as one of the most intense live bands. Dates are listed on the official tour poster below.

(Photo - Tim Tronckoe)

 

Last week, Michael Schenker released his new MSG album Immortal via Nuclear Blast, which has now entered the official sales charts worldwide, with Top 10 entries in Japan (#3), Germany (#8), Switzerland (#8) and Sweden (#8). 

"I am completely overwhelmed by all the fantastic reactions and the amazing feedback on our new album. To see that fans have followed my music for 50 years and support our records all over the world, is an incredible feeling. Thanks to everyone, rock on", comments Michael Schenker.

MSG's new album, Immortal, is out now via Nuclear Blast. Order the album here, and watch a video for "In Search Of The Peace Of Mind" below.

Says Michael Schenker: "'In Search Of The Peace Of Mind' had to be my 50th-anniversary celebration song. It means so much to me because it was my very first musical composition I wrote at the age of 15. And it was also the first song I had ever put on a record, also at the age of 15."

"In addition, this song from the original Lonesome Crow Scorpions' album, the very first album the Scorpions had ever recorded, has a solo on it that that was so perfect I would never change a note in 1,000 years. I have no idea where it came from, alongside the other solos on Lonesome Crow, where you can hear that I am an amateur, young and developing as a kid. But this lead break came from somewhere else. I have no idea how it happened."

"I wanted to re-record this song for Immortal, making it an epic, and put an additional long solo at the end of the song, which turned out so amazing. The sound describes my 50-year journey expressed on lead guitar. Again it ended up so amazing, like an inner conversation throughout my life - questions and answers; making choices expressed on lead guitar."

"With Gary Barden, Ronnie Romero, Robin McAuley, and Doogie White making a contribution to my 50th anniversary, it turned out complete. Not to forget the amazing contribution of Simon Phillips on drums, Barry Sparks on bass, as well as Steve Mann on keyboards. Fantastic."

Immortal album details below.

Tracklisting:

"Drilled To Kill" (feat Ralf Scheepers)
"Don’t Die On Me Now" (feat Joe Lynn Turner)
"Knight Of The Dead" (feat Ronnie Romero)
"After The Rain" (feat Michael Voss)
"Devil’s Daughter" (feat Ralf Scheepers)
"Sail The Darkness" (Feat Ronnie Romero)
"The Queen Of Thorns And Roses" (feat Michael Voss)
"Come On Over" (feat Ronnie Romero)
"Sangria Morte" (feat Joe Lynn Turner)
"In Search Of The Peace Of Mind" (feat Ronnie Romero, Gary Barden, Doogie White, Robin McAuley)

"Sail The Darkness" lyric video:

"After The Rain" (feat. Michael Voss) video:

"Drilled To Kill" lyric video:

 

UK deathcore quintet Bound In Fear have unveiled a new single / video "Left To Drown", taken from their upcoming EP, Eternal, out March 26th via Unique Leader Records.

Since their formation in 2016, UK quintet Bound In Fear have been creating uncompromisingly heavy music and in a short time have crafted a niche for themselves amongst the ungodly heavy. Their first release, Regicide, was received incredibly well by the underground scene, selling out of all pressings. The band spent the release cycle playing shows around the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. The accrued reputation the band gained resulted in a record deal with Unique Leader Records.

The next step in Bound In Fear’s catalogue of monstrously heavy music was the 2019 debut full-length The Hand Of Violence. The lyrical content took a very dark and personal route, while the compositions became more structured, intricate, and menacing. The release propelled Bound In Fear into a new echelon of the extreme music scene, seeing their streaming stats increase heavily and CD, vinyl and merch sales beating all expectations.

Now in 2021, Bound In Fear follow up with the Eternal EP, a collection of five songs crafted with detailed soundscapes, a result of increased collaboration within a refreshed line-up, and a hunger for ever more extreme compositions, sounds, and tones. Eternal will stand as a testament to the new direction of Bound In Fear, without leaving behind their previous works. With Eternal, Bound In Fear are ready to show the extreme metal world that they are here to stay, and here to slay.

Vocalist Ben Mason comments "Bound In Fear to me has always been self-explanatory - it's about things that we go through in life that define us as people. The Eternal EP touches on memories that manifest into nightmares, substance abuse, childhood trauma and everything in between that we don't talk about because we feel ashamed."

"In our music we always try to give an honest experience to show people that they are not alone, but to also help them understand that being angry, sad, upset and confused is okay - not everyone can see what happens behind closed doors. The things that we experience may be Eternal, but they can also be beaten."

Tracklisting:

"Cardinal Sin"
"Left To Drown"
"My Mind, My Prison"
"Everblack"
"The Harrowing"

Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

 

Renowned for their rousing and mesmerizing live performances, The Allman Brothers Band is preparing to officially release another historic show via the Allman Brothers Band Recording Company label. Recorded on September 28, 1971 at the Austin Municipal Auditorium in Austin, TX, Down In Texas '71 will be available through an exclusive pre-sale at merchmountain.com, and beginning March 26 (the band's formation anniversary) at The Big House Museum gift shop and online store, and as a digital release.

The nine-track collection features "Statesboro Blues", "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "Stormy Monday", among others, and as a bonus available only on the physical CD is an exclusive radio interview with band members Berry Oakley and Duane Allman, recorded just a few months ahead of this performance.

Down In Texas '71 captures a special snapshot in time during the pivotal year of 1971 for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group. Coming two months after the release of At Fillmore East in July and occurring one month before the death of Duane Allman in October, the Austin show presents the original ABB line-up--Duane Allman, Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe--at the peak of their creativity. An innovative "You Don't Love Me" and the jazz-inspired "Hot 'Lanta" give hints of where the group may have taken their music if Duane had lived. In addition, Down In Texas '71 features saxophonist Rudolph "Juicy" Carter sitting in on six out of the CD's nine tracks, which is the most extensive guest appearance available with the band's first incarnation. Juicy and Jaimoe had played together with Percy Sledge, and it was Juicy who coined the moniker Jaimoe for the drummer born as Johnny Lee Johnson.

Proceeds from this exclusive release will benefit the Allman Brothers Band Museum. The Big House in Macon, GA is the three-story house where members of The Allman Brothers Band, their roadies, friends, and families lived between 1970-1973. It was the focal point of gathering in those early years when the magic that is the Allman Brothers Band was just taking shape and radiating from this historic Southern town. The Big House is now home to the largest collection of ABB memorabilia in the world. The special pre-sale bundle package for this release is priced at $50, and includes the CD, a limited-edition Down In Texas T-shirt, as well as a one-of-a-kind reflective ABB badge sticker. This offer is available exclusively through the Big House online merch store, or at the museum gift shop. The Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House is located at 2321 Vineville Avenue, in scenic Macon, GA.

Tracklisting:

"Statesboro Blues"
"Trouble No More"
"Don't Keep Me Wonderin'"
"Done Somebody Wrong"
"One Way Out"
"In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed"
"Stormy Monday"
"You Don't Love Me"
"Hot 'Lanta"
"Berry Oakley and Duane Allman 06/06/71 Houston, TX interview"

Canadian alt-metal crossover stars Sumo Cyco are about to transcend into an explosive new era with their upcoming full-length, Initiation, scheduled for release on May 7 via Napalm Records. Interlaced with infectious heavy metal grooves, pop-perfected hooks, electronic undertones and a dose of punk flavor, Initiation breaks all the rules while delivering a cohesive yet purely unbridled sonic adventure.

Sumo Cyco has cemented their name by garnering an impressive legion of fans with their hardworking attitude and storybuilding prowess. With Initiation, Sumo Cyco takes it to a whole new level – demonstrated by their new single, “Bystander”! Crowned by expert, airtight vocal domination from Juno-nominated pop star-turned-rock frontwoman Skye “Sever” Sweetnam, the track features an aggressive, fast-paced attack of low, grooving metal riffage, relentless drums and slinking electronic accents. Its accompanying music video reflects the track’s energetic, chaotic vibe with sharp, vivid visuals. Don’t just be a bystander, check it out now! 

Frontwoman Skye “Sever” Sweetnam says about “Bystander” and its video: “‘Bystander’ was inspired by the frustration of our lives turning upside down in this pandemic. I felt like instead of living my life, I was now a slave to a screen, watching the world fall apart right before my eyes, totally helpless. The music video depicts my character trapped in a floating house watching news events taking place on TV, and at the same time, right outside my window. This entire video was produced, filmed and edited by Matt and I in our home studio!”

Initiation invites a mass of new followers into their warped, dystopian-like world of “Cyco City”! As with its predecessors Lost In Cyco City (2014), Opus Mar (2017) and countless singles, Initiation is based in the imaginative conceptual location of “Cyco City.” But unlike most concept albums, the lyrical content is inspired by the band’s real-time environment – featuring timely, personal themes of love, sacrifice, anxiety, empowerment and more that all listeners can relate to.

Sweetnam adds about the album: "The album’s title, Initiation, stems from wanting to invite the audience to be 'initiated' into our world. There are usually two congruent themes to each of our albums – one is real-world inspiration, and the other is 'Cyco City', a comic book-esque alternate universe where all our music videos take place. With Initiation, we introduce four gangs or clubs. Our music videos for Initiation all include a theme of these clubs – whether it’s gang vs. gang, a forbidden love between opposing sides, or the idea of having to choose where you belong."

"Outside of the story, the lyrics relate to the polarization of the world we live in now. We all have a longing to belong, but what makes one feel accepted or ostracized from a group? To be INITIATED, would you be willing to try to understand another point of view? I have always written lyrics about internal struggle, the war within oneself. Throughout the album, we bounce back and forth between struggle and overcoming. It reflects the times, and there are moments that seem a bit dark."

Pre-order Initiation here.

Initiation tracklisting:* 

"Love You Wrong"
"Bystander"
"Vertigo"
"Bad News"
"No Surrender"
"M.I.A."
"Cyclone"
"Run With The Giants"
"Overdrive"
"Power & Control"
"This Dance Is Doomed"
"Awakened" (not available on standard digital version)

*Various new tracks, such as “New Jive” and “We Are The Nation” are available in different groupings on various formats of Initiation (i.e. Die Hard Limited Edition). 

Initiation will be available in North America in the following formats: 
- Digital Album
- CD Digipak
- LP Gatefold Orange Vinyl
- Die Hard Limited Edition: LP Gatefold Purple/Yellow/Pink Inkspot Vinyl + 7” Orange Transparent Vinyl Single w/ Two Bonus Tracks + Signed Photo (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 300 worldwide) 

At the album’s start, Sumo Cyco lights a spark with the seductively hooked track “Love You Wrong”, connecting like a punch and setting the stage for the vigor to come. The blitz continues with standouts like lethal room-mover “Bystander” and electronic-infused, in-your-face rock anthem “Vertigo” – the latter standing tall with its airtight, gritty pop sensibility and featuring the production mastery of Juno Award-winning producer Kane Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, In This Moment, Papa Roach). Swiftly followed by erratic, addictive nod-to-the-times “Bad News” and heavy, creeping success “No Surrender”, Initiation proves not even halfway through that the band’s songwriting ability and the commanding performance prowess frontwoman Skye “Sever” Sweetnam, guitarist Matt “MD13” Drake, bassist Oscar Anesetti and drummer Matt "Trozzi" blend a recipe for greatness. The album continues winding through a mastery of heavy-meets-pop execution before ending with the full-throttle, sugar n’ salt packed album closer “This Dance Is Doomed” (while various editions cap off with sultry, confident “Awakened”).

By the end of Initiation, listeners will wonder just what exactly Sumo Cyco can’t do, proving them as a band on the rise, and that unconventionality always stands out from the pack.

(Photo by Francesca Ludikar)

 

French post black metallers Decline Of The I are set to release a new album entitled Johannes on March 26th via Agonia Records. The band has issued a music video for the first single "A Veil Of Splendid Lies":

Decline Of The I is a combination of multifaceted, post-black metal and exploratory lyrics, that dwell on topics of existential philosophy. Originating from France (Paris, Île-de-France), the band was created by AK, who descends from a rich portfolio of past and on-going acts (including Vorkreist, Merrimack, The Order Of Apollyon, Neo Inferno 262, Malhkebre and Diapsiquir), with Decline Of The I being his most personal endeavor yet.

While the band's first three albums were inspired by the works of French surgeon and neurologist Henri Laborit, the new one - Johannes - pursues a different approach based on the output of Danish philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard, and opens a new trilogy for the band. All music and lyrics were written exclusively by AK, who recorded guitars, keyboards and some of the vocals. He's surrounded by a full line-up of SI (vocals), AD (bass) and SK (drums).

Drums  were recorded at Hybreed Studios (Temple Of Baal, Ritualization, Merrimack) while the rest of the instruments were recorded at a private, home-studio. The album was mixed at Drudenhaus (Alcest, Aluk Todolo, Drastus). Dehn Sora (Deathspell Omega, Blus aus Nord) crafted the cover artwork. David Fitt (Perturbator, Alcest) shot new band photos.

Johannes Vinyl artwork:

Tracklisting:

"A Selfish Star"
"The Veil Of Splendid Lies"
"Act Of Faith"
"Tethering The Transient"
"Diev Vide"

Johannes CD artwork:

Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

 

 

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions are set to release the new epic split album of death / doom madness showcasing Mausoleum and Anatomia. This album is up now for pre-order and will be released March 12th on CD and Digital formats. 

Mausoleum return to HPGD presenting four new tracks showcasing their strongest material to date; rancid, sickening zombiecult death metal that is not for the faint of heart. Anatomia arise from their crypt, returning to Horror Pain Gore Death with three new tracks of dark, decaying doomy death metal that is more vicious and putrid than ever before. A must have split for fans of Asphyx, Autopsy, Cianide, Coffins, Derketa, Divine Eve, Hooded Menace, Grave, Impetigo, Incantation, Undergang and Winter.

Tracklist:

Mausoleum 

"Shadows On The Grave"
"Voices From Beyond"
"Shrieks Of Fright"
"The Dark Abysmal"

Anatomia

"Mangled Flesh"
"Rotting Innards"
"In The Crypt"

CD and digital pre-order here.

Thomas Zwijsen has released the new video below, featuring an acoustic classical fingerstyle guitar cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing", from the band's 1981 album, Escape. 

Tabs and a video lesson to learn how to play this can be found at KingOfTheStrings.com.

 

 

Helsinki-based Post Pulse, signed to Inverse Records, have released an aggressive new single, "Fresh Start". The band decided mid-2020 to take a new, “No Fucks Given” approach to their music, and that decision comes across clearly in the new song. Similarly, "Fresh Start" talks about Mother Nature’s no fucks given approach to cleansing humans from the earth.
 
Guitariust Antti Karhu: "Is this song death metal enough? Can we do animated, South Park-like videos? We’re having fun but is it okay if it shows? No. Fucks. Given. Literally, we have absolutely nothing to lose so why not just do whatever feels good. And we do hope that it shows – the fun we’re having. Is metal serious business? Well, at least for us it’s not a business at all so why be serious, right?"

The animated video concept was developed by longtime friend of the band Susanna Heiskanen, and executed by Karhu.

 
You can download "Fresh Start" and every Post Pulse song for free on the band’s official Bandcamp page, found here. 

BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE (a.k.a. BIAS), the hard rock band featuring former KORN drummer David Silveria, has released an explosive new video for its cover of FAITH NO MORE's "Midlife Crisis". Featured on the band’s debut EP "Acronym", the song and accompanying video pay tribute to the seminal '90s alt rockers, who, vocalist Rich Nguyen says, "had a major impact on all of us — David and me, specifically."

To properly pay homage to the original video, the Southern California-based rockers teamed up with director/producer Matt Zane to recreate the iconic FAITH NO MORE classic. Identical live performance shots, color composition and color shift effects, and editing techniques and cuts were used to convey the frenetic, albeit nostalgic, feel of the original — with BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE's signature style woven throughout.

"When we originally decided to cover 'Midlife Crisis', it was supposed to be an Easter egg on our EP, not a single release. But things changed when COVID-19 hit and the world transformed into a 'Black Mirror' episode," says Nguyen. "In the fall of 2020, we sat down to discuss the release with our managers and they encouraged us to release our rendition of the song, as it's familiar, yet different enough to not get lost in the madness of the year. That gave me the idea to do an homage to the original video. Bands do cover songs all the time, but they often don't cover the video, too."

"Acronym" hit digital service providers January 23. Also included on the six-track EP is BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE's debut single "Pity", which reached No. 23 on the Billboard Indicator chart and No. 9 on the Foundations chart upon its initial release.

BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE is rounded out by guitarists Mike Martin and Joe Taback and bassist Chris Dorame.

"Acronym" track listing:

01. Pity

02. Hesitation

03. Change Your Mind

04. Midlife Crisis (FAITH NO MORE cover)

05. Anything But Right

06. Delusional

Silveria, Dorame and Taback previously played together in CORE 10, which "imploded" in 2018 after releasing a couple of singles and playing a number of local shows.

Taback said about BIAS: "We received hundreds of submissions from all over the world and heard a lot of amazingly talented people. Rich came in and we just instantly vibed. The songs flowed without a hitch. We were able to get a lot done with him in a very short span of time."

Added Dorame: "I felt that he immediately connected with what we are trying to portray musically; he fit right in. His style is unique, yet familiar enough to be the perfect voice for our music."

Silveria concurred. "Rich's work ethic drives us all to work harder in the studio; it's amazing," he said.

BIAS made a big splash with "Pity", which came out in January 2019.

"The lyrics that I write are both personal and abstract. Every song I write has two meanings; mine and your interpretation," Nguyen told OC Weekly. "I try to write my lyrics vague enough for people to relate to and form their own opinions. However, if you know me personally, you may be able to figure what I'm talking about, maybe."

"This band doesn't feel like work; it feels like getting together with buddies and just having fun," Silveria added. "This is how it should be."

Dee Snider has completed recording vocals for his upcoming solo album, tentatively due later this year via Napalm Records.

On Tuesday (February 9), the TWISTED SISTER frontman took to his Twitter to write: "FINISHED! Completed vocals on a (brutal) 13th track for my next album today with @jameyjasta at the helm! Due to Covid I'm not sure when @NapalmRecords will be releasing this record, but we are hard at work with overdubs and such and will have it ready in a matter of weeks!"

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

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

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

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




FINISHED! Completed vocals on a (brutal) 13th track for my next album today with @jameyjasta at the helm! Due to Covid I'm not sure when @NapalmRecords will be releasing this record, but we are hard at work with overdubs and such and will have it ready in a matter of weeks!

— Dee Snider?? (@deesnider) February 10, 2021

Norwegian melodic rock queen, Issa, is back with her sixth studio album, Queen Of Broken Hearts, on March 12 via Frontiers Music Srl. Watch a video for the second single, "The Way Out", below. Pre-order/save Queen Of Broken Hearts here.

Explains Issa, "The album's vocals were recorded right here where I live now in beautiful York, England. I really loved using the scenery around us to make the video for 'Angels Calling' too! When recording the album, I found that I enjoyed the more challenging vocal lines where I can use my voice in ways I haven't before, I love playing with vocal sounds and this album had more than enough headroom for that! "Queen Of Broken Hearts" is more symphonic than my previous records and if I can compare it to anything, I think my first album Sign Of Angels would be somewhere near it, except that I have 10 years more knowledge to put into it."

Issa, a truly stunning vocalist, has previously released five albums, all with Frontiers Music Srl and all creatively directed, overseen and nurtured by Serafino Perugino, President and A&R director of Frontiers Records. As with her past releases, the new release is a melodic rock fans dream come true with huge vocals and soaring melodies, but Queen Of Broken Hearts is arguably Issa's most fully realized musical offering yet.

Once again, she was partnered with Alessandro Del Vecchio to work on her new album and - as with the successful Run With the Pack - an all-star team of musicians appears on this new album. Featuring Simone Mularoni (DGM) on guitar, Andrea ToWer Torricini (Vision Divine) on bass, Marco Di Salvia (Hardline) on drums, and Del Vecchio on keys.

Issa’s musical growth over the years has been tremendous to hear and watch and fans will reap the rewards with Queen Of Broken Hearts, quite simply her best album yet. And that’s not just ‘hype’, but the fact of the matter.  

Tracklisting:

"Angels Calling"
"The Way Out"
"The Night It Rained Forever"
"I'm Here To Stay"
"Blue"
"Queen Of Broken Hearts"
"Derive"
"Without Love"
"Wait For Love"
"After The Rain"
"Die For A Life With You"

"The Way Out" video:

"Angels Calling" video:

Lineup:

Issa Oversveen - Vocals
Simone Mularoni - Guitars
Andrea Torricini, bass
Alessandro Del Vecchio - Keyboards
Marco Di Salvia – Drums

Internationally recognized solo artist and songwriter Mike Tramp has released his brand new single "Everything Is Alright" — an honest number written directly from the heart — and announced that he will take part in the competition to find the Danish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest.

"Everything Is Alright" will battle seven other songs in Denmark's national final "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix" on March 6, with the winner going forward to represent Denmark in the Eurovision finals, due to be held in Rotterdam this May.

The winner of "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix" will be decided solely by televote this year. Due to the pandemic, the contest will be performed without a live audience as it was in 2020, although an orchestra will be present. It will be the first time since 1999 that "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix" will be held in a TV studio.

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 for 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," Mike says. "All eight songs are there to win, but the moment you deliver and sing a song without compromising on yourself, only in that moment can you leave the stage as a winner — no matter what the jury thinks."

Songs and lyrics continue to pour out of Mike under lockdown and the release of this brand new previously unreleased track continues the tradition of two decades of heartfelt and personal work which also reaches out and connects on a human level with others. These troubled times have caused everyone to look both at the world and inwards to assess where we have come to and who we are.

"As far back as I remember, my focus have always been to be the best me, and not a bad copy of someone else," Mike says. "With each song I write, each album I record and the many shows I play. I come closer and closer to that goal, and today I feel I can honestly say, I have arrived. 'Everything Is Alright' confirms that in every way."

Following in the footsteps of artists like Bob Dylan, THE BEATLES and Tom Petty, Mike deeply cares about the message of his songs and allowing his true voice to be heard. An acoustic folk rock troubadour, Mike is unafraid to tackle the difficult subjects in life including loss, betrayal, death, family difficulties and responsibilities and relationship problems. Recognizing the importance of the human condition and, that he has, himself, learned more through suffering that joy, Mike creates albums and songs that explore human emotions and life situations and seeks to make sense of man’s existence with old-fashioned values refusing to be seduced or suffocated by superficial considerations. With the recent troubles caused by the pandemic which has affected so many on a global scale causing humans to look both at the world and at themselves with a critical eye and to appreciate the real things that matter, no time more like the present has been more suited to appreciate Mike's work which has always questioned the world and personal existence and sought to make the world a better place.

Tramp shot to worldwide fame in the 1980s as the singer of WHITE LION, one of the only bands to tackle important issues in songs like "When The Children Cry" and "Little Fighter" (about the Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior).

The "Everything Is Alright" single has been released via Target. It heralds the issue of a new best-of compilation album of the same name, which will follow on May 21.

In 1978, Tramp's then-group MABEL placed 16th in a field of 20 at the Eurovision Song Contest final in Paris.

Dave Mustaine has returned to the studio to resume laying down vocals on the new MEGADETH album.

Earlier today, Dave's son Justis shared an Instagram photo of his father in a vocal booth, and he included the following message: "Vocals are being laid down and they sound KILLER! Quiet when recording please... #MEGADETH".

Last month, MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson told the "Rock 'N' Roll Icons With Bode James" podcast the recently announced working title for the band's upcoming album, "The Sick, The Dying And The Dead", will likely end up getting changed before the LP is released. "Like Dave said when he announced it, he goes, 'We usually end up changing the title four or five times before it [is released],'" he said. "We had a saying back in the old days: 'Nothing's final until it's on vinyl.' So everything can change. Probably short of the name of the band, everything can change. It's all just a work in progress, and I think that's the beauty of the creative world. People wanna know answers, like, 'What does it sound like? Does it sound like this album? Does it sound like that album?' And it's, like, 'Hey, man, I can't really tell you.' It's a work in progress until it's done. And then once it's done, you'll hear it, and then we'll all have a little talk about it."

Ellefson also addressed Mustaine's claim that the upcoming MEGADETH album will be "up there with 'Countdown [To Extinction]', 'Rust In Peace' and probably 'Peace Sells' and 'Dystopia'." "I would very much agree," Ellefson said. "Look, MEGADETH has done a lot of stuff over the years. Some fans go, 'Oh, dude, make it thrash, thrash.' And we do — 'Dystopia' proved that. But you can't just be a one-trick pony. We've never been a one-trick pony. Even on the earlier records — 'Killing Is My Business' started with a piano. 'Peace Sells' had a song on it called 'Good Mourning', which went into 'Black Friday'; it was basically kind of an acoustic guitar bit. We've done a lot of different stuff over the years. So with MEGADETH, you get a lot of diversity. And the musicians that are in the group, I think we challenge each other; we raise the bar for each other. And it inspires us to keep creating next-level stuff. So I think that's kind of the beauty of what you get with MEGADETH — is you get a lot. You get a pretty big bang for your buck, I think."

The early sessions for the LP took place in 2019 with co-producer Chris Rakestraw, who previously worked on "Dystopia".

"Dystopia", whose title track was honored in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 2017 Grammy Awards, marked Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro's recording debut with MEGADETH.

MEGADETH's current lineup is rounded out by 46-year-old Belgian-born-and-now-Los-Angeles-based drummer Dirk Verbeuren, who had played with SOILWORK for more than a decade before joining MEGADETH.
























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