Blind Guardian recently released Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited, which includes a complete re-recording of this classic as well as a live celebration of 1992’s Somewhere Far Beyond, a landmark record in the history of the band.


The band has shared an official lyric video for "The Quest for Tanelorn", taken from the album.







Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited, which was recorded in 2022 and 2023, is a refreshing and powerful tribute to one of the most influential albums in German metal history. It paved the way for Blind Guardian’s international career that is still going strong today and this re-recording impresses with all the class and quality these pioneers have been known and respected for since forming as Lucifer’s Heritage three decades ago.


Watch a live video for the revisited version of their most popular track, "The Bard's Song - In The Forest":





Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited is out today and can be listened to in full at any streaming service or purchased in physical form. Get it here





Tracklisting:


"Time What is Time" (Revisited)
"Journey Through the Dark" (Revisited)
"Black Chamber" (Revisited)
"Theatre of Pain" (Revisited)
"The Quest for Tanelorn" (Revisited)
"Ashes to Ashes" (Revisited)
"The Bard’s Song – In the Forest" (Revisited)
"The Bard’s Song – The Hobbit" (Revisited)
"The Piper’s Calling" (Revisited)
"Somewhere Far Beyond" (Revisited)


"Ashes To Ashes" live at Hellfest 2022 video:





About Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited:


Right on time with their show at 2024’s edition of Wacken Open Air, Blind Guardian proudly announced the release of Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited on August 2, which includes a complete re-recording of this classic as well as a live celebration of 1992’s Somewhere Far Beyond, a landmark record for Germany’s heavy metal titans. After three albums on No Remorse Records, it was the band’s major label debut via Virgin Records and opened the doors to the Japanese market resulting in a wider availability and presence on the global metal scene. After finding the right balance of speed, heaviness, melodies, drama, and irresistible choruses on 1990’s Tales From The Twilight World, Somewhere Far Beyond honed this approach to perfection, evolving further on a conceptual level and increasing Blind Guardian’s sonic range. On Somewhere Far Beyond the band experimented with keyboards, orchestrations, and folk elements, the latter manifesting in the group’s best-known song and live staple, "The Bard's Song (In The Forest)", whereas other tracks like "Ashes to Ashes", the rapid "Journey Through The Dark" or "The Quest For Tanelorn" connected well with previous mostly fast-paced albums yet offered an additional push in dynamics.


Fast forward 30 years! Prior to releasing the much lauded opus The God Machine in September 2022, Blind Guardian had been performing Somewhere Far Beyond in its entirety at Rock Hard Festival and Hellfest in Summer 2022

Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen has shared a new live video along with the following message:


"I'm excited to share this stripped-down version of "Fire" with you all, performed at VPRO On Stage. It's a song that means a lot to me, and performing it like this feels like sharing a piece of my soul.


Going on tour while pregnant with my second daughter, Lucy, was quite an adventure! And now, I'm looking forward to my theater tour in 2025, where I'll be sharing some very personal stories about my experiences with cancer, pregnancy, and balancing it all with my music career."

Whitechapel performed on the Ronnie James Dio Stage at Bloodstock Open Air 2024 on Saturday, August 10th Check out pro-shot video of their entire set below.


Setlist:


"Let Me Burn"
"Forgiveness is Weakness"
"Brimstone"
"We Are One"
"Black Bear"
"Prostatic Fluid Asphyxiation"
"Possession"
"Ear to Ear"
"This Is Exile"
"A Bloodsoaked Symphony"
"I, Dementia"
"Our Endless War"
"The Saw Is the Law"







Whitechapel are serving as direct support to Lorna Shore on their current North American headlining tour. The journey began on September 19th in Montreal, Quebec, running through October 30th in Wallingford, Connecticut, and includes performances at Louder

Progressive metal legends DREAM THEATER played their first concert with Mike Portnoy in 14 years Sunday night (October 20) at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom.

The drummer co-founded DREAM THEATER in 1985 with guitarist John Petrucci and bassist John Myung. Mike played on 10 DREAM THEATER albums over a 20-year period, from 1989's "When Dream And Day Unite" through 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", before exiting the group in 2010. Portnoy returned to DREAM THEATER in October 2023 after being replaced by Mike Mangini, who played with DREAM THEATER across five studio albums and accompanying world tours.

London marked the kick-off concert of DREAM THEATER's 2024-2025 40th-anniversary tour. The European leg of the trek — presented as "An Evening With Dream Theater" — will run through November 24 in Amsterdam, hitting cities in numerous countries along the way.

The setlist for the show was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

Act I

01. Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle And The Sleeper (first time since 2017)
02. Act I: Scene Two: I. Overture 1928
03. Act I: Scene Two: II. Strange Déjà Vu
04. The Mirror (first time since 2014, with "Lie" outro)
05. Panic Attack (first time since 2015)
06. Barstool Warrior (first time with Mike Portnoy)
07. Hollow Years (first time since 2010; demo version)
08. Constant Motion (first time since 2015)
09. As I Am (first time since 2019)

Act II

10. Night Terror (live debut)
11. This Is The Life (first time since 2012, first time with Mike Portnoy)
12. Under A Glass Moon (first time since 2017)
13. Vacant (first time since 2006)
14. Stream Of Consciousness (first time since 2004)
15. Octavarium (first time in full since 2006)

Encore:

16. Act II: Scene Six: Home
17. Act II: Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On
18. Pull Me Under

In an interview with Chile's Sonar FM, Portnoy was asked if he missed playing with DREAM THEATER during his time away from the group. He responded: "Well, of course, I always missed DREAM THEATER and the music and the guys and the fans. Not all DREAM THEATER fans went on the ride with me with all of my other bands. So, every time I would tour with SONS OF APOLLO or WINERY DOGS or SHATTERED FORTRESS or NEAL MORSE BAND, I would see someDREAM THEATER fans, but there's a big portion of the fanbase that wasn't with me for all those years. So yeah, I missed them and I missed the guys and I missed the music. We were always a family first and foremost."

Regarding the fact that he is once again in charge of coming up with the setlists for DREAM THEATER's live shows, Mike said: "Yeah, it's an area that was always my department and my passion. I always wrote all the setlists for DREAM THEATER, as well as any of my bands or projects. That's an area that's very important to me. And yeah, when I came back to DREAM THEATER, a lot of the things we have to figure out who's gonna be in charge of what. There's a lot of areas that I used to be in charge of, which now John [Petrucci, DREAM THEATER guitarist] may do, or maybe the band makes band decisions. So I have to kind of find my place within the band's chemistry now. But yeah, one of the things that they did give back to me was the setlist and writing the setlist. So yeah, it was something that was a lot of fun and exciting — a great open palette to work with, really. 40 years of music, and I haven't played any of this music with the guys in almost 15 years. So it's all so fresh. Back in 2010, I might have been bored with it, but now in 2024, I'm just as excited to play those songs as any of 'em."

On the topic of how different it is to play with DREAM THEATER in 2024 compared to how it was 14 years ago, Mike said: "There's two sides to that question. The first I'll say, personally, I think we're just all older and wiser, more mellow. I am not as much of a control freak as I used to be; I'm a lot more easygoing, a lot more mellow. So, yeah, there's the one side of the natural age of everybody just — we're now in our fifties and sixties, and I think we're just more mature and experienced. But the other side to that question is, like I just mentioned, finding my place within this new chemistry and overseeing every area. And then when I left the band, they needed to take some of these areas and divide them up amongst themselves and have different people overseeing different areas. And now that I'm coming back, I have to kind of see what's comfortable. I have to very much respect that they've had 13 years without me and they may do things a certain way differently now. So it's up to me to really be very respectful to that and not try to force myself in any of the areas. So anytime something comes up, whether we're talking about a setlist or the merchandise or how they wanna record in the studio, no matter what the subject is, it's always now, like, 'Okay, well, how do you guys do it now? How do you want me involved? Do you want me to oversee it? Do you want me to stay out of it? That's fine too.' And it's kind of like a learning process to find myself comfortable with the way that the band works now."

Portnoy recently told the "So...You Want To Be A Musician?" podcast about his mindset when rejoining DREAM THEATER: "At our ages, we realized when we decided to reunite and get back together, I'd be lying if I didn't say we didn't start to look in the mirror and look at the clock and say, who knows how much time we have left? The clock is ticking, and we realize we're not gonna be here forever. And we wanna spend whatever time we have left together making music with the people that we grew up with and the people that we love. So, yeah, that's kind of where we're at at this stage."

Portnoy admitted to Mariskal Rock that he "needed to get used to was being the 'new guy'" after rejoining DREAM THEATER, "being the new guy in a band that I helped form when I was a teenager. So it's a bit of a transition for me to go from being a bit of the leader, as I was back when I left the band, now I have to kind of find my way back into the chemistry and I need to respect the fact that they've been doing this for 13 years without me and they have maybe new ways of doing things, new ways of making decisions," he explained. "So … I have had to be very respectful for my role as the new guy and finding my way back into the chemistry of the band."

DREAM THEATER will release its sixteenth studio album, "Parasomnia", on February 7, 2025 via InsideOut Music. The LP marks the band's first release with Portnoy since 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings".

"Parasomnia" was produced by guitarist John Petrucci, engineered by James "Jimmy T" Meslin, and mixed by Andy Sneap. Hugh Syme returns once again to lend his creative vision to the cover art.

The first single, "Night Terror", is a musical thrill ride captured in the just shy of ten minutes listening experience. A music video for the song — directed by Mike Leonard — is now available.

A very special moment in Dream Theater history was made tonight, thank you London! 🇬🇧

📸 WOLFE ELIOT MEDIA

Posted by Dream Theater on Sunday, October 20, 2024

Texas metal titans Ignitor have unleashed a video for "Machine Gun," originally recorded by New Wave of British Heavy Metal legends, Saxon. The cover song is taken from Ignitor's new album, Horns And Hammers.


The track and video features cameos from vocalist Marc Lopes of Metal Church, Let Us Prey and Ross the Boss, as well as Ross the Boss Friedman himself of Manowar and The Dictators.


Ignitor vocalist Jason McMaster explains. "I was in Germany playing a festival with Watchtower, where we were direct support for Metal Church. I met up with Marc and we became fast friends. It was an obvious idea to me to ask him to guest on a track on the new Ignitor record. This great Saxon cover of 'Machine Gun' was perfect. He kicks so much ass on it, I am super proud of it."




Ignitor guitarist, Robert Williams, weighs in on the idea to get Ross the Boss, with whom Marc also works. "Jason called Marc and so it only seemed fitting that I reach out to my friend Ross to throw a ripping guitar solo into the mix. Ross was immediately into the idea and just killed it. They both shine on this rendition of "Machine Gun." We have a ton of respect for both of these guys."


The video concept was created by Marc Lopes himself. Marc has his own digital creative design company called Sonatheria. It was convenient and hands on for Marc, as he created content for the "Machine Gun" video in his own studio. Basic B-roll footage was shot in Texas, and then sent to Marc by the band to incorporate into the editing. 


Jason on the video...." When we finally saw the final edit, we were blown away. Excellent work by Marc at containing the energy for this video. I am stoked to share a song with him and that involvement even goes beyond contribution of his voice. He is one of my favorite singers in metal, and then, his digital video production work truly added to the power of the track.”





“Machine Gun” is available on the U.S. version of the album and the track featuers guest vocalist Marc Lopes (Metal Church, Ross the Boss, Let Us Prey) and guest guitarist Ross“The Boss” Friedman (Manowar, The Dictators, Ross the Boss). The European version of Horns And Hammers features a live performance of Ignitor's 2020 track, “Hell Shall Be Your Home.”


"Machine Gun" is available on all streaming outlets and available for download.


Horns And Hammers is be available on Bandcamp via Metal on Metal Records, and in the United States on Revolt Vinyl Records. Revolt Vinyl Records will make it available on CD and vinyl.


Expect nothing less than a top-notch mix of US power metal with classic heavy metal and NWOBHM influences, with distinct style and arrangements on the same level as, if not higher than on their last album. It's simply a must-hear for all fans of '80s metal, and in particular of bands such as Attacker, Dio, Riot, Saxon, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Accept, Jag Panzer and Raven."


"Robert (Williams, guitars) brought a ton of songs and riff ideas to the table and Billy (Dansfiell, bass) had some great ideas that blossomed into full-blown songs", the band's founder and guitarist Stuart "Batlord" Laurence said. "Once we started jamming with Pat's pummeling backbeat, we knew we had something special."


"As the arrangements started coming together, I found myself completely immersed and inspired to come up with the lyrical themes and characters to carry the songs to completion", Ignitor's vocalist Jason McMaster added. "I'm really proud of the band's individual and collective contributions, and I think we all agree that 'Horns and Hammers' is a triumph by any measure."


"The cover art was painted by Claudio Bergamin and depicts a weathered warrior in a brief moment of repose after a battle. It resembles the plight of true metal warriors like Ignitor, who strive to inject both power and passion into their craft with every performance, keeping the flames of heavy metal stoked and smoldering for the gathered masses."

Sudden Death Records will release "No Escape From What You Are" on October 25 available on black, cherry red, smash and splatter vinyl, as well as CD and digital formats.

Last winter the D.O.A. guys came up with an album concept... "Hey why don't we get a bunch of our punk rock pals to record D.O.A. songs?" So Canada's godfather of punk Joey Shithead Keithley contacted a bunch of his old friends and his favorite bands. As you can see from this sterling lineup, their reaction to covering D.O.A. material was great.

D.O.A. — known as the godfathers of hardcore, with Shithead himself having invented that term — have influenced bands and fans alike since 1978, having played over 4,500 shows in 50 different countries on five different continents.

For a lot of the musicians involved here, D.O.A. was one of the first two or three punk bands they ever saw in their lives. So what you have here are incredible versions 15 great songs that Joey and friends wrote and D.O.A. recorded and performed during the past 47 years.

"No Escape From What You Are" track listing:

* RANCID - "Waiting For You"
* CIRCLE JERKS - "The Enemy"
* ADOLESCENTS - "2+2"
* VOIVOD - "World War 3"
* SLIME - "War In the East"
* FEAR - "New Age"
* TOXIC REASONS - "My Old Man's A Bum"
* DUFF MCKAGAN - "The Prisoner"
* DESCENDENTS - "Get Out Of My Life"
* PROPAGANDHI - "Fuck You"
* DUFF MCKAGAN - "Rich Bitch"
* WAR ON WOMEN - "Liar For Hire"
* DEAD KENNEDYS - "Smash the State"
* THE DEFECTS - "Already Dead"
* M.D.C. - "American the Beautiful"

D.O.A. was formed amidst a whirlwind of controversy and upheaval. In 1978, three guys fresh out of high school from the backwaters of Canada's suburbs heard about the punk rock revolution. In February of that same year the band formed and started playing shows. They soon realized that there were no record deals coming in any time soon.

Keithley (a.k.a. Joey Shithead) who was working towards being a civil rights lawyer before he found punk rock, concluded that the band had to take the "do it yourself" approach long before DIY became a popular concept. He formed a fledging record label called Sudden Death Records and the label released D.O.A.'s first snarling slab of vinyl, the "Disco Sucks" 7" EP.

"Disco Sucks" soon became an underground hit and the band started touring from Vancouver to their newly adopted "home base" of California five to six times a year. In 1980, Keithley coined the term "hardcore" and the band soon released their landmark album "Hardcore 81". The album became a hit, the hardcore movement took off, and D.O.A. pushed that expression into common vernacular.

Over the last four decades, D.O.A. have released 18 studio albums, sold over a million albums, and played 4,500 shows on five different continents. The band's albums, shows, and attitude have won over three generations of fans and influenced the likes of GREEN DAY, NIRVANA, THE OFFSPRING, Henry Rollins, Dave Grohl and the RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS, to name a few. Keithley has also written two books: "I Shithead: A Life In Punk" and "Talk - Action = 0".

From day one, D.O.A. has helped organize and lead hundreds of benefit concerts and protests for good and just causes like environmental issues, women's rights, food bank benefits, First Nations rights and they have organized and stood against war, racism and weapons proliferation, amongst others.

Keithley has been called a cultural politician, trying to change the world from outside the system.

Many have compared Joey to a modern-day Woody Guthrie and he is always looking for a way to push "grassroots democracy" and like his idols Woody and Pete Seeger, he and the band won't give up.

D.O.A.'s seminal album "Hardcore 81" was named as one of Canada's all-time great musical accomplishments. "Hardcore 81" was the searing piece of vinyl that influenced generations of musicians and spearheaded the hardcore movement. In November 2019, the CBC Polaris awards named it as one of the best.

Jake E. Lee says that he is "doing surprisingly well" after being shot in Las Vegas.

The 67-year-old former OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist was hit three times in a shooting about 10 miles from the Las Vegas Strip early on Tuesday, October 15. He was later taken to a hospital's intensive care unit, where he is fully conscious and "doing well," Lee's representative confirmed in a statement, adding that he's "expected to fully recover."

Earlier today, former GUNS N' ROSES and SIXX:A.M. guitarist D.J. Ashba, who also lives in Las Vegas, took to his Instagram Stories to share a text exchange between him and Jake. After Ashba wrote to Lee, "Please tell me you're okay??" Jake responded, "Doing surprisingly well. I am one lucky mother fucker. Just make sure your bday bash is wheelchair accessible! Just jestin'" Ashba then replied: "So fn thankful you're ok! Naha! U got it bro!"

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Lee was in his driveway about to walk his dog at about 2:40 a.m. when he was shot in the forearm; in the back, with the bullet breaking a rib; and in the foot. None of the shots hit a vital organ. A neighbor heard the shots, hid his kids, grabbed a gun and called 911. Lee's dog was unharmed.

Lee's management said in a statement that police think the shooting "was completely random and occurred while Lee took his dog out for a walk in the early morning hours."

"No further comments will be forthcoming. Lee and his family appreciate respecting their privacy at this time," his management said.

The Las Vegas Police Department later released a statement in which they said: "Officers responded to a shooting incident in the 11000 block of Alora Street. Officers arrived and located a male victim suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The male was transported to the hospital. No arrests have been made at this time. This is an ongoing investigation."

Lee, who was tapped by Ozzy Osbourne to replace the late Randy Rhoads in the singer's solo band, played on two Ozzy records: 1983's "Bark At The Moon" and 1986's "The Ultimate Sin".

In a statement to TMZ, Ozzy said: "It's been 37 years since I've seen Jake E. Lee, but that still doesn't take away from the shock of hearing what happened to him today. It's just another senseless act of gun violence. I send my thoughts to him and his beautiful daughter, Jade. I just hope he'll be OK."

Bret Michaels of POISON wrote on X (formerly Twitter),"To our friend Jake E. Lee — our thoughts, prayers and concerns go out to you, my friend, after hearing the news of you being shot in Las Vegas today. We are all pulling for you & hoping that you will have a speedy & incredible recovery."

JOURNEY's Neal Schon also took to the social media platform. "Crazy world," he wrote. "take care Jake."

NIGHT RANGER's Brad Gillis, who also played guitar in Osbourne's band in the past, shared his own statement on X regarding the shooting. "I just heard about Jake E Lee. Glad to hear he is doing well," he said. "My thoughts are with ya, buddy!"

After performing with Ozzy, Lee formed the hard rock band BADLANDS. He released the solo albums "Retraced" and "Guitar Warrior" in 2005 and 2007, respectively. After a self-imposed exile from the music industry and the public eye, Lee returned with a new band called RED DRAGON CARTEL, releasing a self-titled album in 2013 followed by "Patina" in 2018.

On Saturday (October 19),Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inducted Ozzy Osbourne as a solo artist, marking the second time the institution recognized the singer, following his induction as a member of BLACK SABBATH in 2006.

Osbourne was inducted into the Rock Hall by actor and TENACIOUS D frontman Jack Black, who called Ozzy "the greatest frontman in the history of rock 'n' roll. He went on to say that the cover of Ozzy's debut solo album, "Blizzard Of Ozz" "was the most metal thing I had ever seen, and I didn't even know what metal was. Then I went back to Ozzy's earlier albums, to BLACK SABBATH. And I was, like, unholy shit, this motherfucker invented heavy metal ... the darkest, heaviest shit the world had ever heard."

After Black's induction speech, Osbourne accepted the award while seated on a throne. He told the crowd: "Well, here we are. You know what? I can't believe I'm here myself. Let me get the thank yous out of the way, because I'm not going to bore you with a long, drawn-out fucking monologue. I'd like to thank whoever voted me into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for my solo work. A great thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

"My fans have been so loyal to me over the years, I cannot thank them enough. I've been fortunate over the years to play with some of the world's greatest guitar players, drummers, bass players, and a few of them are here tonight. But I've got to say one thing for a guy by the name of Randy Rhoads. If I'd hadn't have met Randy Rhoads, I don't think I'd be sitting here now. And moreso more than that, my wife Sharon. Saved my life. And my grandbabies and my babies. I love them all.

"So with all that, I'm gonna get on with the show and hand it back to Jack."

An all-star performance followed, featuring a backing band of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith, METALLICA (and former Ozzy) bassist Robert Trujillo, producer and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Watt and keyboardist Adam Wakeman. They were joined by TOOL frontman Maynard James Keenan and Wolfgang Van Halen for the first song of the set, "Crazy Train", before Zakk Wylde and country star Jelly Roll came up for the next song, "Mama I'm Coming Home". Billy Idol took over on vocals for the third and final song of the set, "No More Tears", with Billy's longtime guitarist Steve Stevens joining in.

Osbourne earned a solo Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction for his nearly six-decade career in music. This honor makes Ozzy one of a handful of artists with multiple inductions into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

On the topic of Black's involvement in the event, Osbourne told Rolling Stone: "Jack invited my family to the 'School Of Rock' movie premiere in 2002. I've always been a big fan of his. Jack is one of the few great actors that is also a genuine rock & roller and not acting the part."

As for the musicians taking part in the performance, Ozzy said: "Billy Idol is a rock icon. His music is timeless. Billy Idol should be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Maynard has been a true family friend since 1997. He is such a creative force. There are few artists who can keep three successful bands going for multiple decades," referring to TOOL, A PERFECT CIRCLE and PUSCIFER.

"Who doesn't love Jelly Roll?" Osbourne added. "His voice is soulful, pure, and dirty. I'm so honored that someone would do this for me who I've never had the pleasure of meeting."

As for Trujillo and Smith, Ozzy said: "The rhythm section is the anchor of the band, and you honestly couldn't get a better rhythm section than Robert Trujillo and Chad Smith."

The induction ceremony was held at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio. It aired live on Disney+. An edited three-hour prime-time special will follow, premiering on New Year's Day on ABC, and become available for streaming the following day on Hulu and Disney+.

Speaking to Billboard, the 75-year-old Osbourne said getting a second induction "feels big. I'm more than honored."

He went on to reflect on his solo career, saying: "With every new music venture there's always a certain amount of surprise that comes when you see the fans embrace it, because no one wants to make a record and have it flop. I feel like I was invited to a party in 1980, and it hasn't stopped. Not bad for a guy who was fired from his last band."

Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne discussed his absence from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a solo artist during an appearance earlier this year on "The Adam Carolla Show". Asked by host Adam Carolla how the nomination process works and whether she has to lobby to get Ozzy in as a solo artist, Sharon said: "There are people on the board, and the people on the board have to go in, and it has to be on their list, and it has to be on more than, I think, half of the votes. More than half."

Sharon went on to say that she doesn't like to "beg" anyone for anything. "I will never beg, and I will never ask for favors," she explained. "I've never asked anyone for a favor. So, my thing is fuck you if you don't realize that somebody really deserves to be here. And you don't recognize that? Then, see ya."

When Adam pressed Sharon about whether she has done "any lobbying" to get Ozzy into the Rock Hall, she said: "We went to a dinner last year for the people who had been inducted in last year. They invited us to the dinner and we went. And people were saying to Ozzy, 'Oh, you've been inducted in,' and we were, like, 'No, actually. We were just invited for the food, so we're here.' That's as near as we've got, but no."

Sharon added: "They know that Ozzy deserves to be there. They know he's been a solo artist. You've gotta be doing it for 25 years. He's been 43 years as a solo artist. He sold nearly a hundred million albums as a solo artist. So where is he? Induct him."

Artists are eligible to be inducted into the Rock Hall after at least 25 years have passed since their first record was released.

In 1999, Ozzy attempted to take BLACK SABBATH's name off the Hall Of Fame's nomination list that year, deeming the institution's nod "meaningless."

In an October 1999 letter to the Hall Of Fame, Osbourne said: "Just take our name off the list. Save the ink. Forget about us. The nomination is meaningless, because it's not voted on by the fans. It's voted on by the supposed elite for the industry and the media, who've never bought an album or concert ticket in their lives, so their vote is irrelevant to me." He added, "Let's face it, BLACK SABBATH has never been media darlings. We're a people's band and that suits us just fine."

Back in 2005, BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi told Launch he was not happy that SABBATH had not yet been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. "I'm pissed off about that," he said. "I think that's... you know, I don't normally go round blowing our own trumpet saying we are this and we are that. I'm not that kind of person but I really think we deserve... you know, to be in that. Because without us that kind of music wouldn't have existed. 'Cause a lot of bands that have sparked off from us wouldn't be around and there probably wouldn't be this king of music."

When BLACK SABBATH finally earned its induction in 2006, the band went in with LYNYRD SKYNYRD, Mike Davis and BLONDIE.

Legendary Ozzy guitarist Randy Rhoads was posthumously inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame during the 2021 ceremony. Rhoads, who played in Ozzy's band more than four decades ago, received the Musical Excellence Award at the October 2021 event.



Ozzy Osbourne speech at Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction

Posted by Rock N Roll Experience on Saturday, October 19, 2024



Ozzy Osbourne Rock & Roll Hall of Fame live set with Zakk Wylde Robert Trujillo. Steve Stevens. Billy Idol

Posted by Rock N Roll Experience on Saturday, October 19, 2024



Jelly Roll sings a soulful rendition of “Mama, I’m Coming Home” to honor 2024 Inductee Ozzy Osbourne during the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Disney+. #RockHall2024

Posted by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, October 19, 2024

Norwegian collective Whispering Void have released and are streaming their debut album At the Sound Of The Heart today, on October 18, 2024.


"Writing music for Whispering Void is not about scales and a certain formula", guitarist Ronny Stavestrand states. "When I wrote these songs, I recorded whatever felt good. It's all about emotions." 


Lindy-Fay Hella continues: "When I think of this record, I think of something that comes from the dark forests on the west coast of Norway", the vocalist muses. "There is something that lies in this nature, and this is not meant in a gloomy way. It is rather a beautiful feeling."




Kristian Espedal has the final word: "Lyrically this album strongly revolves around matters that exist but cannot be touched", the vocalist explains. "Such forces as energies and memories. When we are surrounded by the natural world, we become much more aware of them."





Order here.


It was well known in Nordic traditions that the voice holds magical power. With their debut album At The Sound Of The Heart, a collective of renowned musicians from the west coast of Norway explores and embodies these ancient ways. Guided by music created by guitarist Ronny Stavestrand, each of its members have brought a part of their own background to Whispering Void.


Many different musical strands have been woven into a sonic entity that is both new and greater than the sum of its parts. The distinctive voices of Wardruna vocalist Lindy-Fay Hella and her male counterpart Kristian "Gaahl" Espedal spellbind the listener with an enormous range of techniques and sounds. Ronny Stavestrand and Enslaved drummer Iver Sandøy combine ambient, psychedelic prog, and rock with notes of dark folk and metal on At The Sound Of The Heart into something essentially Nordic but extending beyond already explored dimensions. 


The ancestry of Whispering Void obviously goes back to the Norwegian metal scene that has been highly productive ever since the so-called second wave of black metal began its triumphant victory march around the globe in the early nineties. Over the following decades, this groundbreaking genre saw several bands rising from underground obscurity to headlining positions at festivals.


The creative spark that lit the fire of Whispering Void burning came from a long time of creating new music by Ronny Stavestrand. The guitarist had shared many years in the legendary underground black metal act Trelldom with outstanding vocalist Kristian "Gaahl" Espedal, who rose to fame with Gorgoroth and has meanwhile also established Gaahls Wyrd as a channel for his creativity. Therefore, it was only natural that Stavestrand asked Espedal to contribute to Whispering Void – to which the latter

by Jari Mäenpää released their new album, Time II on August 30 via Nuclear Blast Records. A new lyric video for the 12-minute "Storm" is streaming below:





Jari Mäenpää on Time II: "Time II is an epic journey from light to darkness and back to light, exploring the universe and energy, contrasting dark stormy landscapes to calm and beautiful cherry blossom tree gardens with misty, snowy mountains that will leave you breathless. It has songs with furious speed of drums, guitars, and bass and beautiful melodic slower songs with a magical exotic influence. It has massive orchestrations and choirs spiced with ancient world instruments and glimmering synths. It has Jari's soaring, clean singing contrasted with his aggressive style. It is a highly detailed and complex album where you will find new things with every listen."

In a new interview with The Guardian, hip-hop legend, actor and director Ice-T spoke about "Cop Killer", the controversial protest song he released in 1992 with his metal band BODY COUNT. The track was said to be a violent revenge fantasy in which the narrator has his "12-gauge sawed off" in order to "dust some cops off."

Asked if there was ever a moment during the furor over "Cop Killer" when he was feeling the heat and/or questioning himself over releasing it, Ice-T said: "I never really questioned myself, but the heat came when they started sending bomb threats to Warner Brothers. I threw the rock; that's my heat. But when other people could get hurt, that's nerve-racking. But I got news for people: anybody that thinks controversy is a way to make money, it's not. You get a lot of buzz, but now you need lawyers. So don't just say something stupid and then backpedal. If you're going to say something, stand on it."

Four years ago, Ice-T was asked by the Washington Post if he thinks folks will understand "Cop Killer" now more than they did at the time of the track's original release. Ice-T said: "It was a song about somebody who, during a moment like this, got so mad that they went after the cops. We don't want that guy. But a lot of times you warn people by saying this can happen. I never killed no cop. I've written better songs that are more on point with what I believe today. I was a little more radical back then. 'No Lives Matter' addresses my feelings at this moment. You got to remember, [32]-years-ago Ice is different than [now-66]-year-old Ice."

According to Billboard, "Cop Killer" is not available on any of the streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. It's also not for sale as an iTunes download or a new CD.

"It should be there. It absolutely should be there," Ernie Cunnigan, also known as BODY COUNT's longtime guitarist Ernie C, previously said. "Some of these kids that are out there [protesting], they're 30, 31 — they were newborns when this was going on. What we talked about 30 years ago, we're still talking about."

"Cop Killer" was apparently removed from later versions of BODY COUNT's self-titled album at Ice-T's request after shareholders in Warner Brothers, which released the record, threatened to pull out of the company. The members of BODY COUNT were even threatened with arrest if they played the song live.

At the time, Ice-T said concern for the well-being of the staffs of Warner Bros. Records and Sire Records, who he said had received death threats from police officers as a result of distributing the song, also motivated him to pull "Cop Killer".

As part of the agreement to remove the track, Warner gave Ice-T the masters to "Body Count".

During an appearance on the latest episode of "The Metallica Report", the podcast offering weekly insider updates on all things METALLICA, METALLICA frontman James Hetfield was asked what he is bringing from the experiences of the band's "M72" world tour in 2023 and 2024 to METALLICA's recently announced "M72" shows that will take place in 2025. James responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think that the confidence, the fact that the '72 Seasons' album is well received and some of the songs that we're playing live work and they kind of fit seamlessly in with all the catalog, all the albums we have. We're not afraid of it, but we're not overindulging in it as well. We know people wanna hear the 'best of'. And you've gotta challenge them to listen to some of the new stuff as well, 'cause we certainly don't wanna be a legacy band that just plays their greatest hits and then that's it. It's all a part of it. I think the confidence of us and the stage, being on stage, knowing that, hey, all mistakes are a part of the show. That's part of what we say before we go out: hey, all mistakes are free. And it's not a mistake. Really, that word is kind of ridiculous in a way. It's just a unique way of playing it that night. Everyone gets to enjoy whatever happens right then. And frankly, I think it's a challenge."

He continued: "When a song falls apart, and it could be devastating to other bands, for us, it's just, 'Okay. We fucked it up. Let's start it again.' Or, 'Hey, let's take it from here.' There's been times when I've edited out a whole middle section and then at the end of the song said, 'Oh my God, I forgot to play that part here. Let's just play it for you.' There's a freedom up there that the fans allow, there's a grace that they allow us to be human. So there is a confidence that you can't go wrong. You just can't go wrong. You show up and you do your best and you know it's from the heart."

Last month, METALLICA announced the 2025 leg of its "M72" world tour, consisting of 21 North American shows spanning April, May and June 2025. This time around, Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich and Robert Trujillo are putting on six "No Repeat Weekends" — either Thursday and Saturday or Friday and Sunday shows with different set lists and opening acts — and six "one night only" concerts.

The "M72" tour's 2025 itinerary will include two festival headlining appearances, the first being the opening night of the run on April 12 at Sick New World in Las Vegas. METALLICA will also perform two headline sets at Sonic Temple at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on May 9 and May 11.

Two-night tickets for the newly announced "No Repeat Weekends" and tickets for the single-night engagements went on sale on September 27. PANTERA, LIMP BIZKIT, ICE NINE KILLS and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES will provide support for the 2025 "M72" tour. In the "No Repeat Weekend" tradition, each night of the two-show stands will feature an entirely different setlist and support lineup.

"M72"'s 2025 North American leg is produced by Live Nation and presented by new sponsor inKind.

A portion of proceeds from every ticket sold will go to local charities via METALLICA's All Within My Hands foundation.

HASTE THE DAY, the metalcore band that made a scene splash in the '00s, is back. Their triumphant return comes in the form of the video for the brand new single "Burn". They also appeared at Furnace Fest earlier this month.

"Burn" marks the first new music from HASTE THE DAY in nearly a decade.

"We wrote 'Burn' to be a metalcore thrasher with harmonized guitar melodies, an epic chorus, a crushing breakdown riff, and lyrics about a broken system of justice focused on retaliation instead of restoration," says HASTE THE DAY singer Stephen Keech. "Being the first song that we've released in nine years, we wanted to put our best foot forward musically but also address an important topic in today's divided world: The more we try to tear others down, the more we destroy ourselves."

In other news, HASTE THE DAY will be playing a co-headline show with OH, SLEEPER at The Factory in Dallas, Texas on December 15.

"Burn" isn't the only new music on the way, as HASTE THE DAY is working on a new album, planned for 2025.

HASTE THE DAY announced its plans to disband in 2011. "We mainly feel as though we have created the best music we can and believe it is now time to move on to the next stage of our lives," bassist Michael Murphy said at the time in a statement on the band's web site.

Formed in 2001, HASTE THE DAY recorded an EP the following year before signing to Solid State/Tooth And Nail. They released six albums on the label, starting with 2004's "Burning Bridges".

In February 2014, it was announced that HASTE THE DAY would reform for one night with its original lineup in May of that year to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the album "Burning Bridges". The band later revealed that it would record a new album, 2015's "Coward", featuring both HASTE THE DAY vocalists — Jimmy Ryan (2002-2005) and Stephen Keech (2006-2011).

HASTE THE DAY 2024 is:

Stephen Keech - Vocals
Scott Whelan - Guitar
Dave Krysl - Guitar
Giuseppe Capolupo - Drums
Michael Murphy - Bass
Brennan Chaulk - Guitar

Photo credit: Dave Pluimer

TESLA will release their new six-song EP, "All About Love", on Friday, November 29.

"All About Love" is now available for pre-order as a special-edition orange vinyl.

The EP includes four versions of "All About Love" (acoustic, electric, hybrid, live); a live version of "Walk Away", a concert favorite from "Reel To Real, Vol. 1"; and another new song, "From The Heart", an instrumental track by guitarist Frank Hannon.

"All About Love" EP track listing:

01. All About Love (Electric Mix)
02. From The Heart
03. All About Love (Acoustic Mix)
04. All About Love (Live)
05. Walk Away (Live)
06. All About Love (Hybrid Mix)

TESLA bassist Brian Wheat said in a statement: "We spent six months on 'All About Love', and I think we got this one right. Honestly, I'm really, really proud of it. It's what I think a TESLA fan would expect from TESLA — right down the middle. Jeff [Keith, TESLA singer] sounds great. Frank's doing classic guitar licks again."

During an October 7 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Wheat said that TESLA has been performing "All About Love" for "probably four or five months, actually, which is kind of reverse to what we used to do in the old days. In the old days, we used to record the song and then go play it live," he explained. "So we played it live and then recorded it."

Asked if the "All About Love" EP will include the "Cold Blue Steel" and "Time To Rock!" standalone singles, which were made available in August 2021 and August 2022, respectively, Brian said: "No. There's two other tracks that aren't 'All About Love'. And I don't wanna give it away, 'cause it takes a little bit of the surprise away, but there'll be four different versions of 'All About Love' and two new tracks. There'll be the live version, the studio version and two kind of other alternate versions… It'll be something real nice for the fans. We worked real hard on it, and I'm excited to put it out there. It'll be cool. It'll be a nice piece for the fans to buy."

This past August, Jeff spoke to Joseph Suto of Rock Show Critique about the band's plans to release new music. He said: "Now, at this point, after COVID and everything, we're just releasing singles 'cause people can download them. And from what I understand — they explained it to me, 'cause I don't go on the Internet, but they explained to me, 'Jeffrey, in today's world, you can release a single for people to download, and it's just like back in the '40s and '50s when people would put a little 45 record with a B-side.' So from what I understand, the last two songs we released was 'Cold Blue Steel' and then 'Time To Rock!' And it's all getting worked up, and I forget what the release date is for a song called 'All About Love'. We've been playing it live, but it's going to be officially released and a limited supply on vinyl."

Wheat and Hannon previously talked about "All About Love" during an appearance on the April 12 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Brian said: "We just recorded [it] a couple weeks ago. And it's done and we're playing it live and this summer we should have it out."

Frank added: "It's actually the first song that J.K. [singer Jeff Keith] and myself wrote after a dry spell of writing songs during the COVID lockdown. And the first lyric of the song is, 'I wanna get back to where I started.' That was influenced by how we were feeling during COVID. So we chipped away. We made a little demo of it, and then we just kind of shelved it for a while, 'cause I always knew that I wanted the band and BDub [Brian] to produce it and make it sound rocking. And the original demo was really chill and almost sounded like AIR SUPPLY. It was mellow. And I knew, and I told Brian, I go, 'I love this song, but it needs to be rocked out TESLA style.' So that's what we did. And we worked on it over the past six months at soundchecks during the gigs, practicing it and really developing it and turning it into a rock song."

Asked if the plan is for TESLA to release a full-length album after issuing "All About Love" as well as the two previously released singles "Cold Blue Steel" and "Time To Rock!", Brian said: "No, not particularly. Because it takes too much time. Here's the thing. It's no secret, we're getting older. Jeff is 65, 66 years old… In order to do an album, it takes so much out of the band — time and energy. And right now, I think we're all on the same page that we'd rather take that time and energy and go around and play while we're still able to play at the level we play at, because we still play very well. Jeff Keith still sings very, very well. And we can address making an album where you can be in a studio and you can do things 26 times and all that thing, if you have to, later. But to sit there and make an album right now… Frank told you, we've been working on this song ['All About Love'] for six months."

Frank added: "It's different now. See, what people don't realize, for a band to make an album that's really great, you have to get locked in a room for about a year and really hash it out and argue and make demos. And then what you're doing is you're fabricating 10 songs, and you'll usually have two great ones and then the other ones are kind of half-assed written unless you spend that time doing it. And that's what we did on the first four albums, or all of our albums that we did up to this point. Now what we're doing is creating singles and touring and playing live and getting them out while they're fresh."

Continued Brian: "Plus there's the whole economic thing about it. We're not a independently multimillionaire wealthy guys. It's a matter of we have to take the time off. We are a working band. Trust me, if we were millionaires, multi-millionaires, and we could afford to take two years off, we maybe would, but we can't. We have to work. We're a working band."

Wheat added: "Look, I would love to go make a record, but like Frank says, I think the songs get compromised because you don't… We spent six months on 'It's All About Love', and I think we got this one right. Honestly, I'm really, really proud of it. It's what I think a TESLA fan would expect from TESLA — right down the middle. Jeff sounds great. Frank's doing classic guitar licks again. But it took six months. We just didn't pull it out of our ass. We worked on it. And to do a 10-song album, even if it's two months a song, that's a year… And quite honestly, you've gotta look at things for supply and demand. Like, how many people want a new TESLA record, a whole new album?

"I'm a statistics guy," Brian said. "And if you wanna get into this, I can go people buying records versus buying tickets. And there are way more people that are buying tickets than are buying records. And they wanna hear all them hits. And then there's the hardcores, which is a much smaller percentage, and you have to go, you have to look at it realistically and go, 'How much gas is left in that tank?'"

Some fans criticized TESLA for adopting a 1980s-style polished production for its latest album, 2019's "Shock". The follow-up to June 2014's "Simplicity" was helmed by DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen, whose own group is no stranger to slicked-up, glossy-sounding recordings.

In September 2023, TESLA released the official music video for its cover of AEROSMITH's "S.O.S. (Too Bad)". The song is a bonus track on TESLA's live album, "Full Throttle Live!", which arrived in May 2023. The LP includes the band's "Time To Rock!" single, plus other songs, all recorded in August 2022 at Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, South Dakota.

In September 2021, original TESLA drummer Troy Luccketta announced that he would "take a little time from the road" to spend with family and friends. He has since been replaced at TESLA's gigs by Steve Brown, the younger brother of former DOKKEN drummer Mick Brown.

TESLA's debut album, 1986's "Mechanical Resonance", went platinum on the strength of the hits "Modern Day Cowboy" and "Little Suzi". The 1989 follow-up album, "The Great Radio Controversy", produced five hits, including "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)" and "Love Song", which hit the pop Top Ten.

Slash has spread the love to more than just fans who attended one of the 23 "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival shows. Following the conclusion of the iconic GUNS N' ROSES guitarist's brief trek this summer, he has announced that the U.S. tour raised more than $125,000 for five nonprofit organizations handpicked by Slash that benefit mental health, and socio-economic equality and justice nonprofits, uplifting the lives of underserved Americans.

The "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival, which stands for Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N' Tolerance, was created by Slash with maximum social impact in mind. Slash chose five nonprofit organizations to benefit from touring proceeds lifting marginalized communities and supporting mental health initiatives.

The "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival is proud to donate the full $125,0000 raised equally across National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in honor of Lucy-Bleu Knight, The Greenlining Institute, War Child, The Equal Justice Initiative and Know Your Rights Camp. Plus1.org helped the "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival organize and distribute all of the proceeds.

For the inaugural "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival, Slash handpicked the all-star blues lineup with WARREN HAYNES BAND, Keb' Mo', Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Robert Randolph, Samantha Fish, Eric Gales, ZZ Ward, Jackie Venson and Larkin Poe. Slash and his Blues Ball Band — Johnny Griparic (bass),Teddy "ZigZag" Andreadis (keys/vocals),Michael Jerome (drums) and Tash Neal (vocals/guitars) — also performed on all "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." dates.

Slash says: "The goal of the 'S.E.R.P.E.N.T.' festival is to bring music fans together in these divisive times to celebrate the spirit of the blues with other artists who share a love of the blues like I do and to raise awareness and funds for a handful of charities that I have supported over the years. Thank you to WARREN HAYNES BAND, Keb' Mo', Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, Robert Randolph, Samantha Fish, Eric Gales, ZZ Ward, Jackie Venson and Larkin Poe who performed with us this year."

Jessica Edwards, chief development officer at NAMI, says: "This donation will help NAMI continue to meet the mental health needs of our nation, advocate for systems level change, and serve youth and young adults on their mental health and wellness journeys. Thank you for joining NAMI in this important work to create a world where all people affected by mental illness live healthy, fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares."

Debra Gore-Mann, president and CEO of The Greenlining Institute, adds: "The Greenlining Institute appreciates the support of the 'S.E.R.P.E.N.T.' festival and musicians like Slash that participate in giving back. At Greenlining, we work towards a future where communities of color can build wealth, live in healthy places filled with economic opportunity, and are ready to meet the challenges posed by climate change. We partner with communities of color to understand the barriers they face and establish equity-driven policy solutions that will fundamentally transform our systems to create a just and equitable future for all. Contributions from the 'S.E.R.P.E.N.T.' festival will ensure we can continue to drive this essential work at a time when communities of color continue to face deeply rooted inequities and uncertainty in our rapidly changing world."

Dr. Samantha Nutt, founder and president of War Child USA and War Child Canada, says: "We are immensely grateful to Slash for his generous support. For over twenty-five years, War Child has delivered long-term solutions to help war-affected children recover from the devastating impacts of conflict. The funds raised from the 'S.E.R.P.E.N.T.' festival will support locally led programs that provide education, uphold children’s rights, and enhance food security and economic development, helping children and families recover and rebuild their communities."

Kerem Ozguz, senior director at Know Your Rights Camp, states: "The funds will support Know Your Rights Camp's mission to advance the liberation and well-being of black and brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders."

Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director at the Equal Justice Initiative, states: "With such important work ahead, we are energized by this support, which will greatly aid our efforts to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, challenge racial and economic injustice, and protect basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society."

The inaugural "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival also celebrated the release of Slash's blues solo album "Orgy Of The Damned". Released in May, Slash's critically acclaimed sixth solo album — produced by Mike Clink — is available worldwide on Gibson Records. A first for Slash, "Orgy Of The Damned" spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Album chart in the U.S. The new album also debuted as the No. 1 Blues Album in the U.S and the U.K., No. 2 on the U.S. Rock Albums Chart, as well as achieving Top 10 Chart positions in seven countries around the world.

Hailed a beautifully tailored love letter to the blues, on "Orgy Of The Damned" Slash revitalizes blues classics with the album's handpicked diverse guest vocalists, which include Brian Johnson (AC/DC),Chris Stapleton, Iggy Pop, Gary Clark Jr., Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ TOP),Chris Robinson (THE BLACK CROWES),Dorothy, Paul Rodgers (FREE, BAD COMPANY),Demi Lovato, Tash Neal and Beth Hart. Slash selected standard blues songs made famous by Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, and tracks from blues rock bands like Peter Green's FLEETWOOD MAC and STEPPENWOLF. He even strays from the blues for the Motown tracks from THE TEMPTATIONS and Stevie Wonder, showcasing the inherent blues underlying all great music from the 1960s and 1970s. The legendary guitarist reunited with two of his bandmates from his Blues Ball Band outfit in the 1990s, Johnny Griparic (bass),and Teddy "ZigZag" Andreadis (keys),and brought on drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal who round out his blues band in the studio and on the road.

On "Orgy Of The Damned", Slash goes back to what has always been at the heart of his playing: the blues.

Although he grew up in England, Slash's American grandmother turned him on to the blues early on and he was immediately taken with B.B. King. At the same time, his parents raised him on a healthy diet of '60s British rock 'n' roll, from THE WHO to THE KINKS. Once he moved to Laurel Canyon, Slash found himself surrounded by rock and folk singers like Joni Mitchell, CROSBY, STILLS & NASH and Neil Young — all of whom eventually inspired his playing and songwriting. It wasn't until he began playing guitar himself that Slash realized all of his favorite musicians had been influenced by the same B.B. King blues records he'd listened to as a young kid.

"Orgy Of The Damned" encompasses a broad range of styles within the blues genre, veering from an upbeat, rowdy take on Robert Johnson's "Crossroads" to a plaintive, twanging rendition of T. Bone Walker's "Stormy Monday". Some of the songs, like STEPPENWOLF's "The Pusher", Charlie Segar's "Key To The Highway" and Albert King's "Born Under A Bad Sign", had been performed by SLASH'S BLUES BALL while others, like Stevie Wonder's "Living For The City", were longtime favorites for Slash. "Hoochie Coochie Man", written by Willie Dixon and made famous by Muddy Waters in 1954, showcases the in-the-moment nature and unrestrained energy of "Orgy Of The Damned", with ZZ TOP's Billy F. Gibbons stepping in on guitar and vocals. The group went into a rehearsal room in North Hollywood and began hashing out soulful, rollicking takes on the classic songs. Everything was played live in the room, with an emphasis on improvisation which resulted in a collection of dynamic, energized songs that are immediate, raw, and distinctly familiar.

As Slash was considering vocalists, he approached his old friend and collaborator Iggy Pop, who had long wanted to record a blues song. Pop suggested Lightnin' Hopkins's 1962 track "Awful Dream", a sparse, drawling number originally laid down on acoustic guitar. The duo decided to recreate that stripped back vibe and recorded their own languid, emotionally-resonate version sitting on two stools in Slash's studio.

Elsewhere on "Orgy Of The Damned", Demi Lovato lends her powerhouse voice to "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone", a fervent, soulful version of the 1972 single by THE TEMPTATIONS that Slash admired as a kid. Although the song veers more towards R&B, the guitarist wanted to give it his own impassioned spin. The album concludes with a soaring original instrumental number, "Metal Chestnut", penned specifically for "Orgy Of The Damned" by Slash.

The first single, "Killing Floor", features Johnson on vocals and Tyler on harmonica.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD is celebrating its 25th anniversary by launching a digital "museum", accessible only through popular multiplayer online gaming phenomenon Fortnite. The band, which has been a pioneer in the digital space in recent years, has announced that the museum will include a fully virtual gallery, experience and escape room displaying art from different eras of the band.

In a message accompanying the museum's announcement video, AVENGED SEVENFOLD wrote: "25 years have absolutely flown by. We wanted to do something to mark the occasion of our vast history by not just looking backwards but also forward. We started throwing around the idea of a gallery or museum of sorts to display art and eras of the band, but it was important to us to reach more people virtually. With 'The Museum', fans are able to control their own narrative as well as unlock hidden meanings, recordings and easter eggs. This project quickly got larger and larger as we worked with our friend Ryan McKinnon over the last year. What we have now is basically a fully virtual gallery, experience and escape room. We hope you enjoy taking a trip down memory lane with us.

"You do not need to be a gamer to enjoy this. This is more casual so that with a little problem solving, you can make your way through the experience. We hope some of you create 'play through guides' — which we will repost.

"Today, 'Nightmare' has also been included on Fortnite Festival. It will join 'Hail To The King'.

"To experience 'The Museum', please download Fortnite on any device. When prompted with the search bar, please enter island code 5592-6865-3961.

"To 25 more…."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD launched the 2024 leg of the "Life Is But A Dream…" North American tour on March 6 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. The band's 2024 run included AVENGED SEVENFOLD's first-ever performances in Manchester, New Hampshire; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Newark. The group performed in Des Moines, Iowa for the first time in 18 years; Cleveland, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the first time in 15 years.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD has been touring in support of its latest album, "Life Is But A Dream…", which sold 36,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 13 on the Billboard 200 chart. Written and recorded over the span of four years, it was produced by Joe Barresi and AVENGED SEVENFOLD in Los Angeles and mixed by Andy Wallace in the Poconos, Pennsylvania. The album is a journey through an existential crisis; a very personal exploration into the meaning, purpose and value of human existence with the anxiety of death always looming.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD made its first festival appearance in five years on May 19, 2023 at Welcome To Rockville at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD's first concert since June 2018 took place on May 12, 2023 at AREA15 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

To date, AVENGED SEVENFOLD has sold over 10 million albums worldwide and earned two consecutive No. 1 albums on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart (2010's "Nightmare" and 2013's "Hail To The King") to go along with over a billion video views and a billion-plus Spotify streams, as well as multiple No. 1 singles on rock radio.

To mark the release of the remixed, remastered and extended Queen 1 boxset, Brian May and Roger Taylor recall the rocky road that led to the recording of their eponymous debut album. In this opening episode, we hear how an opportunity to be a test band for a brand new studio provides the all important breakthrough they had been desperately searching for.





Queen The Greatest Special - The Story of Queen 1 - Part 2 will follow on November 1.




Queen’s groundbreaking 1973 debut album, Queen, remixed, remastered and expanded in a 6CD+1LP box set Queen I Collector’s Edition will be released on October 25. Brian May unboxes the set in the new video below:





The 6CD + 1 LP Queen I box set contains 63 tracks with 43 brand new mixes, comprising the original album with its intended running order restored, intimate fly-on-the-wall audio of Queen in the studio, demos, rare live tracks, and previously unheard recordings from Queen’s first ever live performance in London, August 1970. Absent from the 1973 release, the song “Mad the Swine” has been reinstated to its original place in the running order. A 108-page book containing handwritten lyrics and memorabilia accompanies the release.





“This is not just a remaster,

Canadian rock band, Sierra Pilot, is set to make waves with the release of their latest single, "Horizons", a hard-hitting anthem that delves deep into the emotional journey of overcoming addiction and finding renewed purpose. The single serves as a testament to lead vocalist Taylor Leith’s personal struggles and ultimate triumph in his battle for sobriety. Watch a lyric video below.





With a powerful blend of driving guitar riffs, pounding rhythms, and raw, emotive lyrics, "Horizons" captures the intense turbulence of inner conflict, offering listeners a gripping sonic journey from darkness to clarity. Leith’s vocals soar above the stormy instrumentation, delivering lines like “There’s something inside of me, gonna cut it right out of me” - a declaration of his relentless pursuit to purge negative influences and find freedom. As the song progresses, the chorus “Hate standing in one place, wanting more, I’m chasing horizons” reinforces the anthem's central theme of pushing past limitations and seeking growth, no matter the odds.




"Horizons" is more than a personal story; it’s an anthem of resilience for anyone fighting to reclaim control of their life. Leith reflects, “The song was born out of my own battle with addiction, but it has grown into something much larger. It’s about the fight to move forward and not letting your struggles define you.” The track's relentless energy serves as both a cathartic release and an empowering message for anyone facing their own personal battles.





As if the release of "Horizons" wasn’t enough to stir excitement, Sierra Pilot is gearing up for their first major U.S. tour as direct support for rock heavyweights Pop Evil and Bad Wolves on the highly anticipated “Animal Instincts” tour. This 23-date tour kicks off in Jacksonville, North Carolina on October 30, taking the band across major cities and providing a platform for Sierra Pilot to introduce their explosive sound to a broader audience. For the band, this tour marks a monumental step in their career and the start of what they hope will be a breakout period in t