John Cooper, the frontman and bassist for the Grammy-nominated Christian rock band SKILLET, has spoken out against "cancel culture," calling it "very frightening."

Cancel culture is the idea that someone, usually a celebrity or a public figure, whose ideas or comments are considered offensive should be boycotted. These people are ostracized and shunned by former friends, followers and supporters alike, leading to declines in any careers and fanbase the individual may have at any given time.

Addressing the cancel culture issue on his "Cooper Stuff" podcast, Cooper said (see video below): "How does that work when Christians are making art, when Christians are making film? How do you make art in a world that wants to cancel you for, maybe, the art that you would make? Now, SKILLET hasn't been canceled yet, which is wonderful. I hope we don't get canceled. Could that happen? I don't know. I didn't think Dr. Seuss would get canceled," referring to the fact that six Dr. Seuss books will no longer be published because they "portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong," according to the business that preserves the author's legacy.

"I'm of the feeling that we Christians, and we conservatives… I think we need to begin to spend your money on the things that you believe — buy things from people of like mind," Cooper continued. "I'm telling you — I never thought that I would be the one saying it. That makes it sound like we want our own little Christian bubble — Christian candy, Christian chicken, Christian barbecue sauce, Christian shoes, Christian music, Christian books… I could go on and on. I never thought that I wanted to live in that bubble, and I do not wanna live in that bubble. But things are changing.

"A few weeks ago, some people came at me on Twitter and things, and they were, like, 'John's talking about government censorship. This isn't government censorship.' So I tried to make it clear. You're right — it's not government censorship; that's not what I'm talking about. The government doesn't need to censor something if we create a culture where you're not allowed to say certain things. If we create a culture that does that and there's no incentives — if businesses yank your stuff, if book publishers yank your stuff. I even said that as an example a while back. If you've got a publisher that drops you. You've written a book, [and] your publisher drops the book because they don't wanna be associated with you — you've just said hate speech, or whatever you've done. Well, now there's going to be incentive for Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Books-A-Million, whoever, there's gonna be incentive for those companies to also drop your book. So let's just say that I wrote a book, and then my publisher said, 'I'm dropping John Cooper's book,' and they drop the book because it's — I don't know, whatever — hate speech. Well, what if Barnes & Noble says, 'We're not dropping the book.' Well, now Barnes & Noble gets hammered from Twitter, from the social justice warriors, from the hyper-left folks, because they are supporting hate speech. So now Barnes & Noble also has to drop the book, because they have to virtue signal. So if they don't drop the book, then they're not woke anymore. They need those 'woke cookies.' Well, if Barnes & Noble is gonna get woke cookies, then Books-A-Million needs to get woke cookies. And if Books-A-Million gets woke cookies, you know Amazon needs woke cookies. So if you've created a culture where freedom of speech is so disincentivized that you've got publishers, book stores — everybody — who doesn't want anything to do with you. Now Twitter wants to ban you too, 'cause you're hate speech. Then there are no platforms for you to get your stuff out. This is very frightening. The government doesn't even need to do anything. The government doesn't need to crack down on you, because they're, like, 'Why would we crack down when culture is doing it?'"

Back in January, Cooper criticized Twitter for permanently suspending former president Donald Trump's account, suggesting it was a form of censorship, and that it amounted to an attack on freedom of speech.

Cooper's recently released debut book, "Awake & Alive To Truth (Finding Truth In The Chaos Of A Relativistic World)", tackles the reigning philosophies of our day of post-modernism, relativism, and the popular view of the goodness of man-and combats these viewpoints by standing on the absolute truth of the Word of God.

SMITH/KOTZEN, the collaboration between guitarists and vocalists Adrian Smith (IRON MAIDEN) and Richie Kotzen (THE WINERY DOGS), will release its self-titled debut album on March 26 via BMG.

Recorded on the Turks & Caicos Islands in February 2020, produced by Richie and Adrian and mixed by Kevin "Caveman" Shirley, this nine-track opus is a consummate collaboration between these two highly respected musicians who co-wrote all the songs and also share lead vocals and trade off on guitar and bass duties throughout the record.

Exploding with powerful melodies and harmonies, the album embodies the spirited attitude of 1970s classic rock with a melting-pot of influences ranging from blues, hard rock, traditional R&B and more, blending the pair's backgrounds and life experiences to result in a thoroughly contemporary sound.

Speaking to Australia's Subculture Entertainment, Kotzen stated about the songwriting process for the LP (hear audio below): "Both of us come from a point of, 'The song is the most important thing'… So, in other words, different guys have different ideas on how to approach things, but for us, it was all about the song, 'cause without a song, you've got nothing to play. So that was our focus. And that kind of went through every thread of what we were doing. We never got into a thing of worrying about who's gonna play what, or that sort of thing, unless there was a reason for it, as far as, 'Hey, we've got a song that exists. Now let's figure out what we're gonna do with it.' But oftentimes, it would just be dictated by casually saying, 'Hey, I've got an idea. Let me try something.' Or, 'Hey, I've got this idea for a melody for a verse. What do you think?' And then I can remember Adrian wrote a verse for one of the songs, and that led me to an idea for a pre-chorus, playing off of his words. So then I would go with that, and then we'd maybe get stuck somewhere in the middle of the chorus and then throw ideas back and forth and work our way out. So it was almost like a tennis match, like a volley — back and forth, back and forth."

Track listing:

01. Taking My Chances

02. Running

03. Scars

04. Some People

05. Glory Road

06. Solar Fire

07. You Don't Know Me

08. I Wanna Stay

09. 'Til Tomorrow

The record features special guest performances by Adrian's IRON MAIDEN bandmate Nicko McBrain on drums for the track "Solar Fire", and Richie's longstanding friend and touring partner Tal Bergman on drums for "You Don't Know Me", "I Wanna Stay" and "'Til Tomorrow", with Richie picking up the sticks on the other five songs.

The album will be available in these formats:

* Digipack CD

* 12" black vinyl with embossed sleeve

* Digital (streaming and download)

* Limited-edition 12" red-and-black-smoke-effect-colored vinyl

Smith is best known as one of IRON MAIDEN's principal guitarists, having also enjoyed success as a solo artist. Kotzen is the frontman for THE WINERY DOGS as well as having been the guitarist for both MR. BIG and POISON during his long and acclaimed career, which has to date seen him release more than 20 solo albums. Both artists are also prolific songwriters.

CHEVELLE drummer Sam Loeffler has revealed to the FM99 WNOR radio station that the band has secured a bass player for its upcoming shows in support of the recently released "Niratias" (Nothing Is Real And This Is A Simulation) album. "His name is Kemble Walters, and he plays in a band called ÆGES," Sam said (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And he's actually the guitarist-singer in that band, but he plays bass in another band as well. And we just asked him. He's a friend of ours; we've known him for many years and did lots of shows together. And we were, like, 'Hey, man, we love you. We love your hair. Do you wanna come and play some shows?' And he said 'yes.' So we're gonna do that. And we'll see how it goes. He's a rad dude, so I'm sure it'll be great — until he has to go and do his other projects again, or whatever he does. But it's cool. It's casual. And he's great. He's a great musician, and he's a great bass player, and he's a great guitarist. And he can sing. And he's got really tight pants. So, we really like him."

Sam also talked about the departure of longtime CHEVELLE bassist Dean Bernardini, who played his final shows with the band in December 2019. "He did it for 15 years and decided that he needed to be… His kids are now teenagers, and he needed to be home for a while," the drummer said. "So, because of that, we have only rehearsed with [Kemble] once — well, twice, really. So we're putting together setlists, working on that kind of thing, and sending music back and forth.

"It's kind of an interesting time, because with putting out this album, we've been really busy," he continued. "So starting probably next week, we're gonna get back into just playing music again.

"It's fairly depressing to play music knowing that you can't go and do it. It's one thing to go write music and play covers, but to play the music that you're used to playing out in venues for years and years and years, it's a little depressing — to know that you can't do it. So we haven't been doing that as much. Well, now we're getting back into that. We have some shows at the end of June that we're hoping happen — small festivals. So I think those will happen. That'd be good."

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

"Niratias" was released on March 5. The disc was recorded throughout 2019 and 2020 with longtime producer Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE), CHEVELLE. The cover artwork was created by Boris Vallejo. The famed and award-winning artist is responsible for the posters used for films like "Knightriders" and "National Lampoon's Vacation", as well as iconic 1970s and 1980s science fiction novel covers and magazines (such as Heavy Metal).

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

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

Photo credit: Joseph Cultice

Alexi Laiho's CHILDREN OF BODOM and BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT bandmate Daniel Freyberg says that he "definitely" didn't see his death coming.

Laiho passed away on December 29, 2020 in his home in Helsinki, Finland. The 41-year-old had reportedly suffered from long-term health issues leading up to his death.

Freyberg, who played with NAILDOWN and NORTHER before joining CHILDREN OF BODOM in 2016, told Revolver magazine that he had no clue Alexi had only a few months to live while they were working on the first BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT material last year. "He seemed as normal as ever," Daniel said. "Yeah, I definitely didn't see this coming."

Asked what Alexi was like on a personal level, Daniel said: "He was a very humble guy. Never made a fuss about himself, you know? He had an excellent sense of humor — really black, gallows humor. It was awesome. He was a very down-to-earth guy and a private guy outside of the band.

"He was very likable," Freyberg added. "Everybody wanted to be around him and everybody wanted a piece of him. That was exhausting to him — he was always in the spotlight. But he was very loyal and generous towards his friends and always curious about how they were."

Earlier this month, Alexi's cause of death was revealed to be "alcohol-induced degeneration of the liver and pancreas connective tissue." Furthermore, Laiho had a cocktail of painkillers, opioids and insomnia medication in his system at the time of his passing.

Alexi and drummer Jaska Raatikainen founded CHILDREN OF BODOM in 1993, and the band was one of the most internationally acclaimed metal acts in Finland up until their very last farewell concert in December of 2019. Last year, Alexi put together BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT, which recorded three songs and shot one music video, to be released in April.

Besides CHILDREN OF BODOM, Laiho had played in such acts as WARMEN, SINERGY, KYLÄHULLUT and THE LOCAL BAND. Awarded with a Metal Hammer Golden God and several other international prizes, the guitarist was also the main star, leading a group of one hundred guitar players at the Helsinki Festival in 2015 in "100 Guitars From Hel" — a massive concert piece he composed.

BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT made its live debut last October at Rytmikorjaamo in Seinäjoki, Finland. The 17-song show consisted entirely of CHILDREN OF BODOM mater

Alice Cooper has once again dismissed the notion that rock is dead, saying that "rock and roll is just too much fun to let die."

While rock and roll has been king of the music world for decades, in the past few years, it's been unseated by the growing popularity of hip-hop. This has caused many pundits to proclaim the genre "dead" from an industry perspective, noting that it has been eclipsed in all measures by pop, hip-hop, and EDM.

A few years ago, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons told Esquire magazine that "rock did not die of old age. It was murdered. Some brilliance, somewhere, was going to be expressed and now it won't because it's that much harder to earn a living playing and writing songs. No one will pay you to do it."

A number of hard rock and heavy metal musicians have weighed in on the topic in a variety of interviews over the last several years, with some digging a little deeper into Simmons's full remarks and others just glossing over the headline.

Cooper, who is promoting his new album, "Detroit Stories", spoke about rock's supposed diminishing status during a recent interview with the 95 KGGO radio station. Addressing the whole "rock is dead" debate, Alice said (hear audio below): "I think what's gonna happen is you're gonna see a total resurgence of hard rock. There's gonna be a very young bunch of kids out there that are gonna show up, and they're gonna be snotty, and they're gonna be arrogant — just what rock should be — [like] when you saw THE [ROLLING] STONES for the first time or you saw any of those bands. Because every generation rebels against the last generation, and the last generation was very high tech — techno this and techno that.

"Why are teenagers buying records?" he asked thetorically. "They're buying vinyl, and they're buying turntables. I think that's right there an indication that there's kids right now in garages all over the world learning AEROSMITH and Ozzy [Osbourne] and Alice — they're learning those songs. Because rock and roll is just too much fun to let die."

Circling back to Gene's comments, Alice said: "I think what Gene was talking about was financially, rock and roll is not what it used to be. Well, yeah, I agree with that. But maybe rock and roll now is where it should be — outlaws looking in rather than being the apex of the pyramid. Now we're kind of the outcasts, and I think rock and roll kind of lives on that.

"There's bands out there now that are just kind of getting used to the idea of guitars. 'Man, turn these things up. Let's be loud. Let's play music that's gonna irritate people. [Laughs]"

The "rock is dead" argument has popped up again and again throughout the years, including in 2018 after MAROON 5 lead singer Adam Levine told Variety magazine that "rock music is nowhere, really. I don't know where it is," he said. "If it's around, no one's invited me to the party. All of the innovation and the incredible things happening in music are in hip-hop. It's better than everything else. Hip-hop is weird and avant-garde and flawed and real, and that's why people love it."

KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch spoke to Lou Brutus of HardDrive Radio about the band's plans for the coming months. He said (see video below): "I think that we're gonna get creative with getting through the majority of the year, if we can't play shows. KORN's management and the band, we're just throwing things back and forth — 'What if we did this?', 'What if we did that?' — and we're getting pretty close to locking in some cool ideas. So I'm hoping, the crystal ball is showing me that we can have some shows in the fall. I think there's gonna be smaller shows happening. So I don't know if that means that KORN goes out and does a club tour — just to get to the fans and give 'em something, and to give us something to do — or I don't know if it's something where you have to show proof that you got a vaccine.

"The big shows are — common sense will tell you that getting ten thousand people into a place doesn't look too promising for this year, but you never know," he continued. "But we'll see. And then Europe could be a different story. So I'm hoping, the crystal ball is telling me that we can at least go over there and do some stuff. So, we'll see, man."

This past January, Welch told U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine that he and his bandmates should have some "exciting news" to announce pretty soon. A month earlier, Welch explained to Knotfest.com why KORN hasn't taken part in any live streams, like so many other artists have during the coronavirus pandemic. "Well, we actually were talking about it, and we were doing this and that with management," he said. "These [other] guys [in KORN] got young kids running around. And what are they gonna do? Just leave their wives with the home school stuff? I'm impressed with my KORN brothers; they're stepping up and doing school with their kids.

"KORN has toured for 25 years," he continued. "I left KORN for eight years and got to chill at home. These guys are taking this time to be family men, to be great fathers. Who's to say we won't do something soon, or early next year? I don't know. But I'm telling you, they are the best fathers, and I'm proud of them. So that's probably the reason — family first."

When Welch left KORN in early 2005, he simultaneously announced that he kicked his addictions to drugs and alcohol by becoming a born-again Christian.

Both Welch and KORN bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu have had highly public, though separate, conversion experiences, ones that have been greeted with a certain amount of skepticism.

In October, KORN and free-to-play video game titan World Of Tanks Blitz launched a special Halloween collaboration, revealing the music video for "Finally Free", a track featured on KORN's latest studio album, "The Nothing". Thee months earlier, KORN released a cover of THE CHARLIE DANIELS BAND classic "The Devil Went Down To Georgia", featuring a guest appearance by rapper YelaWolf, exclusively via Bandcamp. All proceeds from the track were donated to Awakening Youth, a nonprofit organization devoted to young people faced with the loss of a parent due to divorce, addiction, death, being surrendered for adoption, or other reasons.

"The Nothing" was released in September 2019 via Roadrunner/Elektra. The follow-up to 2016's "The Serenity Of Suffering" was once again produced by Nick Raskulinecz.

Michael Sweet, singer, guitarist and primary songwriter of the openly Christian hard rock band STRYPER, says that "it's just a matter of time" before the Bible is "canceled." Earlier today, Sweet took to his Twitter to share a picture of the Holy Bible cover, and he included the following message: "We've been handing out bibles for almost 40 years. For the first time in my life I'm asking myself this question - I wonder how long it will be before this book is cancelled? I know it may seem like a silly thought but it's really not. It's just a matter of time. Frightening!"

Sweet's latest comments appear to be consistent with conservatives' and the right wing's grievance with "cancel culture", believing that those on the left are somehow always infringing on their freedom of speech.

A few days ago, Donald Trump Jr. — son of former U.S. president Donald Trump, whom Sweet publicly supported — tweeted that the Muppets had been "canceled," and warned his followers that there is nothing that "these psychos won't destroy" and that "liberalism is a disease."

Trump Jr. was apparently referring to a decision by Disney+ to include a warning at the beginning of some episodes of "The Muppet Show" — which first aired in 1976 and featured characters like Kermit The Frog interacting with celebrity guests — informing viewers that the show contains some "negative depictions" and "mistreatment of people or cultures." In one episode, for example, Johnny Cash sings in a barn where the Confederate flag is present. A disclaimer now reads: "These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now."

Formed 38 years ago, STRYPER's name comes from Isaiah 53:5, which states: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

STRYPER's albums include "To Hell With The Devil", "Second Coming", "No More Hell To Pay", "Fallen", "God Damn Evil" and the band's latest effort, "Even The Devil Believes".

In a 2018 interview with the Detroit Free Press, Michael said that STRYPER was never fully embraced by the heavy metal and hard rock communities, largely because of the band's Christian lyrics.

"We've never been accepted by either side," he said. "The secular side, the mainstream, they've never accepted us to this day. We're probably that band that everyone's going to go to whenever there's a time to mock. We'll be the band used for that in most cases. Now on the Christian side, we've never really had the full support of the Christian side because we don't fit into their little club. We're not wearing suits and ties and going to every church and preaching."




We’ve been handing out bibles for almost 40 years. For the first time in my life I’m asking myself this question - I wonder how long it will be before this book is cancelled? I know it may seem like a silly thought but it’s really not. It’s just a matter of time. Frightening! pic.twitter.com/ikiDaHfDq5

— MichaelSweet Stryper (@michaelhsweet) March 2, 2021

KREATOR will get the jigsaw puzzle treatment next month.

On April 16, Zee Productions will release "Pleasure To Kill" as a 500-piece jigsaw on its Rock Saws imprint.

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

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

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

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

QUIET RIOT played a socially distanced concert last night (Saturday, March 6) at The Landis theater in Vineland, New Jersey. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

QUIET RIOT's current lineup includes drummer Johnny Kelly (DANZIG, TYPE O NEGATIVE), who replaced Frankie Banali last year.

Banali, who joined QUIET RIOT in 1982 and played on its breakthrough album, 1983's "Metal Health", died in August after a 16-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

The surviving members of QUIET RIOT said it was "Frankie Banali's wish that the band continue and we keep the music and the legacy alive."

Asked in a recent interview with the "Music Mania" podcast how Johnny came to be involved with QUIET RIOT, guitarist Alex Grossi said: "When Frankie got sick, one of the first phone calls he made to me was regarding getting a substitute drummer. And Johnny and I had worked together, and still work together, in that band HOOKERS & BLOW, that cover band we do for fun. And he just made perfect sense on so many levels, because he's not totally intertwined in the L.A. music scene and doesn't really get involved with the gossip and this and that. Because keep in mind, Frankie wasn't public about his cancer until several months after his diagnosis."

He continued: "Johnny, he's family to me, and Frankie and him were friends. And he can definitely fill the role onstage and off; he's a total pro and he's a friend. It worked out great, because the first show that Frankie was gonna miss was in Dallas, Texas, which is when Johnny Kelly lives. So we were able to fly in, do one song for soundcheck, and then trial by fire, do the whole show. He had never played with us before. And Chuck [Wright, bass] and our singer had never even met him. So it was definitely a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-type moment, but Johnny rose to the occasion, and we're thankful he's onboard to help us out."

Speaking about the discussions that Frankie and the other members of QUIET RIOT had about continuing without him, Alex said: "There really wasn't any one specific conversation. It was just, 'Keep it going. Business as usual.' We're not gonna miss any dates. We're not gonna make a thing of it. We're gonna keep the band rolling.

"Frankie put so much of his life into building, helping to build, keeping the band going through good times, through bad — '80s, '90s, 2000s — if you think about it, and that's his baby; that's his legacy. And when the reality is that you're not gonna be around anymore, you still want your baby to grow and your legacy to grow, and that basically was always this unwritten thing. And I'm really glad.

"I always tell people I wish I could have found a way to fix his ailments, if you will, but, obviously, no one can do that," Grossi added. "But I take a lot of pride in knowing that we pulled it off last year and we're moving forward the way he wanted to and delivering a great show to people. So that I find comfort in. So that's been a positive."

At some of QUIET RIOT's 2019 and 2020 shows, Banali was replaced by Kelly or Mike Dupke (W.A.S.P.), depending on each musician's availability.

QUIET RIOT's shows in 2019 with Kelly and Dupke marked the first time ever that the band performed without any of the members from its classic lineup: Banali, singer Kevin DuBrow, guitarist Carlos Cavazo and bassist Rudy Sarzo.

QUIET RIOT initially featured the late guitar legend Randy Rhoads and went through some early lineup shifts before securing the musicians that recorded "Metal Health".

Wright has been a part of QUIET RIOT, on and off, since 1982, having initially been involved in the "Metal Health" recordings (he played bass on the tracks "Metal Health" and "Don't Wanna Let You Go"). Grossi was in the last version of the band, from 2004 through 2007, before Kevin passed away, and was asked by Banali to return in 2010.

QUIET RIOT went through two vocalists — Mark Huff and Scott Vokoun — before settling on Jizzy Pearl in 2013. Pearl announced his exit from QUIET RIOT in October 2016 and was briefly replaced by Seann Nichols, who played only five shows with the group before the March 2017 arrival of "American Idol" finalist James Durbin. Pearl returned to QUIET RIOT in September 2019.

Japanese avant-garde metallers Dir En Grey have checked in with the following update:

"Dir En Grey is back with an update about their forthcoming single, 'Oboro', to be released on April 28th. Cover artwork, along with the title of the CD live track and the contents of the bonus live footage to be included in the Limited Deluxe Version / First Press Limited Version have been unveiled. 

The artwork for this single was created in collaboration with the “paper doll” artist Maki Hino. The artist, who aims to make 'works shaped as human beings,' was inspired by 'Oboro' for these dolls, resulting in a very unique and memorable artwork. The live track to be featured in all the version of the singles will be 'Keigaku no Yoku'  from the Concert Film Screening (Meguro Rock-May-Kan Gig). 

As for the live footage to be included in the Limited Deluxe Version, it will bring you the latest live clips by the band: 13 songs from Concert Film Screening (Meguro Rock-May-Kan Gig) in an exclusive re-edited version along with a unreleased clip for 'Rasetsukoku' for a total of 14 songs. You can also enjoy a documentary bringing you to the filming set of Meguro Rock-May-Kan and to the recordings of 'Oboro', along with interviews with the Dir En Grey members. The First Press Limited Version will include three of the live clips included in the Limited Deluxe Version, and a digest footage of the documentary." 

 
Disc 1 - CD

"Oboro"
"T.D.F.F."
"Keigaku no Yoku" (live)

Disc 2 - Blu-Ray / DVD: Meguro Rock-May-Kan

"Dead Tree"
"Keigaku no Yoku"
"Ningen wo Kaburu"
"Devote My Life"
"Rubbish Heap"
"Clever Sleazoid"
"Rinraku"
"The World of Mercy"
"Values of Madness"
"Ochita Koto no Aru Sora"
"Karma"
"Utafumi"
"Child Prey"
"Rasetsukoku"
Behind The Scenes of 'Oboro'




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Finnish legendary melodic metal band Dark The Suns have released a new single and music video, "The Secrets Of Time", from their upcoming fourth studio album, Suru Raivosi Sydämeni Pimeydessä, which is set to be released on April 9th via Inverse Records. Watch the video below.

Mikko Ojala comments: "With the lyric video of our song 'The Secrets Of Time' we wanted to exhibit the beautiful wintery nature of Finland, continuing with the theme set with our previous videos. This song is one of our personal favourites among the songs releasing on our new album in April."

Tracklist:

"Spirit In The Dark"
"Everywhere"
"Suru Raivosi Sydämeni Pimeydessä"
"Hope In Our Hands"
"The Secrets Of Time"
"Seeker"
"Storm Of Fire"
"Taivas Itki Tulta"
"Shadows In The Void"
"Enkelsiipi"

Go to the official Dark The Suns Facebook page here.

Photo by Inka Ojala




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L.A. power-packed heavy metal trio Void Vator has unveiled "I Want More", the second video taken from their upcoming new album Great Fear Rising, due out April 23rd on Ripple Music.

About this new video, the band comments: "'I Want More' is a continuation of the story that we started with our previous video 'I Can't Take It'. Rock and roll has been shut down in our town, so Void Vator packs up and drives off to play shows in Arizona where there is more freedom. They say that life imitates art, and in our case art and life happen to be the same thing."

"We've been working on our new record Great Fear Rising since our tour got cut five days in due to the lockdowns last year. Recording and following through all the necessary creative steps for its release has kept Void Vator alive. Great Fear Rising is our best album to date. 'I Want More' represents our attitude on life. We want more, we don't accept being tied down, we won't ask for permission, and we don't wait for an 'OK'. 'We keep doing what we want to do, and continue to find a way to play." 

Fearlessly and relentlessly hammering all speakers, this new metal onslaught from the Los Angeles trio is definitely their hungriest and most assured record to date, with their sun-drenched brand of heavy metal taking absolutely no prisoners, while pulling influence from the likes of Power Trip, Megadeth, Metallica, Van Halen or Turbonegro. Void Vator's new album Great Fear Rising will be released worldwide on April 23rd through Ripple Music.

Tracklisting:

"I Can't Take It"
"I Want More"
"There's Something Wrong With Us"
"Losing Control"
"Great Fear Rising"
"McGyver's Mullet"
"Encounter"
"Poltergeist"
"Infierno" 

"I Can't Take It":

Void Vator have been striking since 2014 and quickly developed a reputation as a take-no-prisoners live act. Positioning themselves as worthy heirs of the New Wave of Traditional American Heavy Metal, they previously collaborated with Grammy-nominated producer Ulrich Wild (Pantera, Deftones, Metalocalypse) on their 2017 debut EP Dehumanized, then with world renowned producer Bill Metoyer (Slayer, DRI, Body Count) on their 2019 EP and Ripple Music debut Stranded. Shortly afterwards, their drummer Moura had to return to his homeland Germany due to visa issues. Fueled by anger and frustration, the band started work on the record immediately after their last tour was abruptly ended just five dates in, when the pandemic effectively put a stop to live music activities in the States for the rest of 2020. 

As the world struggled to adjust to life after Covid, Void Vator went to the studio to record guitars, bass, and vocals with Michael Spreitzer of Devildriver at Audio Vault Studio in Torrance, CA. Louder and faster than their previous records, the songs on Great Fear Rising pull influence from Power Trip, Turbonegro, The Ramones, Megadeth, Sepultura, Metallica, Van Halen, Thin Lizzy and deals with "getting off your ass and going for what you want, climb the highest mountain, and feel like you're in control." The album was mixed and mastered on the East Coast in Milford, CT by Nick Bellmore of Toxic Holocaust / Kingdom Of Sorrow at Dexter’s Lab Recording, and will see an April 23rd, 2021 release on Ripple Music. Pre-orders can be placed now at this location. 

 




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Cincinnati based doom metal quartet, Blessed Black, have shared the video for their single, “La Brea”. This song comes as the band prepares to enter the studio to record their next full-length album, and serves as a preview of the exciting things to come from Blessed Black in 2021. 

Vocalist and guitarist Joshua Murphy says, "We spent the majority of 2020 like most bands: lamenting the loss of live music, and writing a ton of new music. Over the course of the last year or so we have stockpiled a ton of new material, and we found a lot of new growth in our sound that we really feel represents us finally finding our sound. 

With plans to record a new full length album in early spring of 2021. We wanted to record 'La Brea' as a single so we could release something in the interim that would show what we believe represents us finally finding that sound as band. It was recorded at Threshold Studios with engineer Brian 'Bone' Thorburn, who also recorded our first EP, and we are extremely excited for our fans and friends to hear the growth we have undergone in the last year."

Transcending genre barriers and infusing influences from the worlds of traditional heavy metal, post punk, and grunge, while incorporating the best elements of the doom genre, Blessed Black is primed and ready to be the new name in the crowded stoner / doom landscape.

Formed in 2017, what started as a few riffs and a casual hangout in a dirty Cincinnati band space quickly became a project of passion and determination amongst four friends. Frontman and guitarist Joshua Murphy brings a plethora of experience to the table as a member of the accomplished thrash metal band War Curse, complimented by the creativity of fellow guitarist and long time friend Chris Emerson, the seasoned chops of drummer Ray Bates, and powerhouse bassist Brad Bellamy.

Blessed Black unleashed their debut album titled, Beyond The Crimson Throne, in January 2020. The band said of this seven-song offering, "Beyond The Crimson Throne is a representation of the journey we took together as musicians, finding our sound and learning to become a band. The result is better than we could have imagined and we hope you all enjoy it." 

 




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Nürnberg, Germany-based thrashers, Entera, have released a video for their track "Pagar Por Tocar", from the current album Hate Factory. This is the first Entera song with Spanish lyrics. Watch the clip below:

 




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Montreal’s Synastry has been hard at work in the past year; after re-forming early in 2020, they released the Civilization’s Coma EP in November, now they are announcing the release of another EP, Dividing The Double Helix, slated for March 26.

This second EP offers more groove and aggressiveness than the first, and it’s apparent that Synastry aims to give fans more of what they are used to, without rehashing old ideas. Thematically these three new songs are similar to “Civilization’s Coma”, but the delivery takes a different form.

The band shares their thoughts on the EP’s title track and single, “Dividing The Double Helix”: “We are very happy to be able to share this track with listeners everywhere. It’s the kind of song that will hook you right away and has a little something for everyone. As you listen to it more and more, you can hear your cells dividing and your DNA being infiltrated by Synastry’s relentless grooves!”

There is more in store for fans of Synastry, they explain that the lyrical concept for this EP and the rest of the EPs they are planning on releasing are written from the viewpoint of the individual’s view of themselves in relation to society. The hope that the individual can take the responsibility to be ‘better’ for the whole while not compromising their own wants, needs, and beliefs.

Dividing The Double Helix is heavy, modern metal that is easy to get into, but at the same time, interesting enough to not be a flash in the pan. It is recommended for fans of Veil of Maya, Born of Osiris, and Within the Ruins. The lead single and EP title track, “Dividing The Double Helix”, can be heard below.

Dividing The Double Helix will be available in its entirety on March 26 on Synastry.bandcamp.com, Spotify, Apple Music.

Tracklisting:

"Dividing The Double Helix"
"Cryolife"
"Assembly Line Asylum"

"Dividing The Double Helix":

(Photo - Chris Alexis)




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King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his singer wife Toyah Willcox are back with another episode in their "Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch" series. This time they take on the Britney Spears hit "Toxic".

Watch Robert & Toyah's renditions of the Black Sabbath classic “Paranoid”, Metallica's "Enter Sandman", and Alice Cooper's "Poison" below:




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AniMaze X is a project started by the members of best selling D-Metal Stars / AniMetal USA, featuring Michael Vescera (vocals / Obsession, ex-Loudness), John Bruno (guitars / Obsession), Rudy Sarzo (bass / The Guess Who, ex.Ozzy Osbourne, ex-Quiet Riot) and BJ Zampa (drums / House Of Lords). The project focuses on a wider variety of music themes such as superheros,  popular cartoons, Broadway musicals, movie soundtracks, as well as the D-Metal Stars “classics”. 

They have switched things up for their latest release: a cover of The Beatles classic "Strawberry Fields Forever", which is now available via Spotify, Amazon and Apple Music. Check it out below.

Vescera previously covered the song on his Michael Vescera Project's Windows album, released in 1997.

"Strawberry Fields Forever" marked the start of recording for what became The Beatles' 1967 album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was released in February 1967 as the B-side to "Penny Lane".




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Supergroup Halloween Jack, featuring drummer Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction), guitarist Gilby Clarke (ex-Guns N’ Roses), bassist Daniel Shulman (Garbage), and keyboardist Teddy "Zig Zag" Andreadis (ex-Guns N' Roses), has released their video for "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting", a song by English singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer Elton John, recorded for his seventh album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973).

 




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Denmark's Iotunn recently released their new album, Access All Worlds, via Metal Blade Records. Access All Worlds can be ordered here.

The new video below features a discussion and acoustic performance of the song "Safe Across The Endless Night":

Formed in 2015, Iotunn (which is old Norse for "Giant") entered the scene with their acclaimed EP, The Wizard Falls (2016), which was mixed by Flemming Rasmussen (Metallica, Morbid Angel, Blind Guardian, Rainbow) at Sweet Silence Studios. After some line-up changes, the band found their voice and narrator in March 2018: Jón Aldará (Hamferd), plus bassist Eskil Rask (Sunless Dawn) in October 2019. The quintet - completed by Jens Nicolai Gräs (guitars), Jesper Gräs (guitars), Bjørn Wind Andersen (drums) - then began work on their first full-length and Metal Blade Records debut: Access All Worlds.

Mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström (In Flames, At the Gates, Dimmu Borgir) at Fredman Studios, Access All Worlds is seven songs driven by creative curiosity and artistic honesty, that also initiate feelings and reflections. An epic, cosmic and contemplative journey of energetic beauty and ferocity, Access All Worlds reflects on human existence, set in a storyline following daring space travelers. The music is grounded in roaring, colorful drumming and crushing bass, while the sonic horizon is painted with a vast spectrum of guitar-driven expression, all overarched by narration through diverse vocals. "We wanted to make an epic, strong and atmospheric yet rocking record both musically and lyrically. Jón came with the idea based on space travelers trying to find answers to the apocalypse, which reflects many of the impressions, feelings and thoughts human life holds that originates from something vast, mysterious, chaotic and breathtakingly spectacular. Everything just went berserk regarding the album theme. Is everything occurring in the lyrics just a dream? Is the album an allegory for any individual's chapters in life? Where does the album actually start and end? Stuff like that. We find that the album can be interpreted in various ways. For us, the album is a truly exciting journey, and we hope it will be for the listener as well, on his or her own terms", says guitarist Jens Nicolai.

Visually, Access All Worlds is completed by Nicole Kantor (design and layout) and Eliran Kantor (artwork), known for their work with Testament, Atheist, Hatebreed, Soulfly, etc.

Access All Worlds tracklisting:

"Voyage Of The Garganey I"
"Access All Worlds"
"Laihem's Golden Pits"
"Waves Below"
"The Tower Of Cosmic Nihility"
"The Weaver System"
"Safe Across The Endless Night"

"The Tower Of Cosmic Nihility" video:

"Voyage Of The Garganey I" video:

Iotunn lineup:

Jón Aldará - vocals
Jens Nicolai Gräs - guitars
Jesper Gräs - guitars
Eskil Rask - bass
Bjørn Wind Andersen - drums




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Greek metal masters NIGHTFALL are now streaming their brand new opus 'At Night We Prey'. The album can now be streamed via the official Season of Mist YouTube channel HERE.

The album can be ordered in various formats HERE.
Vocalist Efthimis comments on the stream: "This album is made of anger and hope. Anger about all those stereotypes built around serious subjects affecting all, like depression; and hope for things to change for the better. We sing for younger generations to break down old misconceptions about mental disorders. Music in this album is not following a linear pattern, but rather tries to catch the entire spectrum of mood swings one is experiencing, while in this state. It is a blend of fast and slow parts, heavy and heavier passages, in a natural progress from start to end. Enjoy it and let its message root in you."

Polish pagan black metal alchemists, Varmia, have released a video for "ten blask co po nim śmierć", from their upcoming third album (and M-Theory Audio debut) Bal Lada, out this Friday, March 12. Find the clip below.

CD and limited-edition brown-marble double-LP editions of the album are now available for pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"woanie"
"bielmo"
"ruja"
"Upperan"
"nazachód"
"Zari Deiwas"
"O"
"głody"
"ten blask co po nim śmierć"
"koniec"

"ten blask co po nim śmierć" video:

"bielmo" video:

"Upperan" video:

Lineup:

Lasota - guitars, vocals
Alle - bass, backing vocals
Svarrge - drums
Piotr - percussion, tagelharpa, goat horn, wood tuba, krivula, backing vocals




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HELLYEAH's self-titled debut album was officially certified gold on February 25 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of half a million copies.

The RIAA developed its gold and platinum awards program in 1958 to honor artists and create a standard by which to measure the commercial success of a sound recording. The program trademarked the gold record and formalized the industry practice of presenting awards to artists for music sales achievements.

Presently, the RIAA awards a gold honor for 500,000 units sold, a platinum honor for 1 million units sold and a diamond award for more than 10 million units sold.

In the streaming age, each permanent digital album or physical album sale count as 1 unit for certification purposes, 10 permanent track downloads from the album count as 1 unit for certification purposes, and 1,500 on-demand audio and/or video streams from the album count as 1 unit. For songs, 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams count as 1 unit for certification purposes.

HELLYEAH was formed in 2006 by NOTHINGFACE guitarist Tom Maxwell and bassist Jerry Montano, MUDVAYNE singer Chad Gray and guitarist Greg Tribbett, and former PANTERA and DAMAGEPLAN drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott.

Montano left a week after the release of the band's self-titled debut album in 2007 and was replaced by Bob "Zilla" Kakaha, who had played with Abbott in DAMAGEPLAN.

Prior to the recording of HELLYEAH's fourth album, "Blood For Blood", the band parted ways with Tribbett and Kakaha. They were replaced by Kyle Sanders, a former member of BLOODSIMPLE and the brother of MASTODON's Troy Sanders, and Christian Brady, respectively.

HELLYEAH's latest effort, "Welcome Home", was released in September 2019 via Eleven Seven Music. The disc marked HELLYEAH's final effort with Abbott, who passed away nearly three years ago.

STONE SOUR drummer Roy Mayorga stepped in as Vinnie Paul's replacement for the touring activity in support of "Welcome Home"

'70s classic rock legends CACTUS will release their new album, "Tightrope", on April 2 via Cleopatra Records. The effort will be made available on digipak CD, a deluxe 2LP set with a gatefold jacket and colored vinyl, and, of course, digital platforms everywhere.

CACTUS came to be known as "the American LED ZEPPELIN," a moniker they owned by virtue of their explosive blues rock stylings, subdued yet undeniably brilliant musicianship, not to mention their energetic and vivacious stage presence which made them a staple of arena rock venues around the globe. Now the band has returned with a smashing new album called "Tightrope" that strikes a delicate balance between powerful, driving rockers and more complex, heady album tracks. Still led by iconic drummer Carmine Appice alongside longtime members Jimmy Kunes on vocals and Randy Pratt on harmonica, "Tightrope" is, according to Appice, "one of the best CACTUS albums we've ever done. From playing to production and songs, we really took a step up." They are joined by new lead guitarist/vocalist Paul Warren (ex-Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker) and James Caputo on bass. "Tightrope" will also give longtime CACTUS fans a reason to cheer as it includes special guest appearances from original CACTUS guitarist Jim McCarty and singer Phil Naro.

Track listing:

01. Tightrope

02. Papa Was A Rolling Stone

03. All Shook Up

04. Poison In Paradise

05. Third Time Gone

06. Shake That Thing

07. Primitive Touch

08. Preaching Woman Man Blues

09. Elevation

10. Suite 1 & 2: Everlong, All The Madmen

11. Headed For A Fall

12. Wear It Out

CACTUS has had a long and turbulent history. Formed in 1970 from the ashes of VANILLA FUDGE by Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert, the initial lineup also featured McCarty and vocalist Rusty Day. (Appice and Bogert had originally planned a new band with Jeff Beck which was put off until 1973, because of Beck's near-fatal car crash in 1969.) Jim McCarty had come from MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS and was playing with THE BUDDY MILES EXPRESS. Tim and Carmine also found vocalist Day in THE AMBOY DUKES with Ted Nugent. Together, the four musicians formed CACTUS, named after the peyote cactus, which provided a key ingredient in mind-altering drugs.

While CACTUS saw success from the start and soon built a loyal fan base, by early 1973, the band had collapsed mainly due to lack of real support from its label, and the fact that Beck was now ready play with Carmine and Tim. It would not be until 2006, three decades after the tragic death of Rusty Day, that the group reformed with Pratt and Kunes. When Tim Bogert was forced into retirement after a serious motorcycle accident, Pete Bremy jumped in both in CACTUS and VANILLA FUDGE.

Golden Robot Records recently announced the signing of the legendary VANILLA FUDGE. To celebrate this announcement, VANILLA FUDGE released a remastered version of its cover of LED ZEPPELIN's "Immigrant Song" and accompanying video. Now it's another ZEPPELIN classic, "Rock And Roll", which gets the FUDGE treatment. Check it out below.

"Rock And Roll" is without doubt one of the greatest rock tracks of all time, performed by one of the greatest rock bands of all time. VANILLA FUDGE gives the track its own slant, adding a little soul vibe and some amazing organ interludes. This version definitely has a life and identity of its own.

VANILLA FUDGE was one of the first American groups to infuse psychedelia into heavy rock sound to create "psychedelic symphonic rock," an eclectic genre which would, among its many offshoots, eventually morph into heavy metal.

Although, at first, the band did not record original material, they were best known for their dramatic heavy, slowed-down arrangements of contemporary pop songs which they developed into works of epic proportion.

Originally, VANILLA FUDGE was a blue-eyed soul cover band called THE PIGEONS, formed in New Jersey in 1965 with organist Mark Stein, bassist Tim Bogert, drummer Joey Brennan and guitarist, vocalist and U.S. Navy veteran Vince Martell. They built a following by gigging extensively up and down the East Coast and earned extra money by providing freelance in-concert backing for hit-record girl groups. In early 1966, the group recorded a set of eight demos that were released several years later as "While the World Was Eating Vanilla Fudge".

The East Coast, in particular New York and New Jersey, created a sound all its own. Inspired by groups such as THE RASCALS and THE VAGRANTS (fronted by guitarist Leslie West of MOUNTAIN fame), THE PIGEONS reworked many of their own existing arrangements of covers to reflect their unique interpretation of this "East Coast Sound."

In late 1966, drummer Joey Brennan moved out to the West Coast. THE PIGEONS immediately drafted drummer and vocalist Carmine Appice, a disciple of the renowned Joe Morello (DAVE BRUBECK BAND) and a seasoned veteran of the club scene. In early 1967, THE PIGEONS manager Phil Basile convinced producer George "Shadow" Morton (producer for THE SHANGRI-LAS and Janis Ian), to catch their live act. Impressed by their heavy-rocking, trippy and psychedelic version of THE SUPREMES' "You Keep Me Hangin' On", Morton offered to record the song as a single. This resulted in a deal with the Atlantic subsidiary Atco, which requested a name change. The band settled on VANILLA FUDGE.

VANILLA FUDGE celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017 and is still rocking the world as hard as ever.

Former WHITE LION singer Mike Tramp has failed in his bid to represent Denmark in this year's Eurovision Song Contest.

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

Three songs from the eight competing acts advanced to the "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix" super-final, determined solely by the public viewers through an app or SMS. Tramp came in fifth place, with FYR & FLAMME winning the overall competition with its song "Øve Os På Hinanden".

Due to the pandemic, this year's "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix" was performed without a live audience as it was in 2020, although an orchestra was present. It was the first time since 1999 that "Dansk Melodi Grand Prix" was held in a TV studio.

"In 2021, I can be 100% true to myself and not have to put on any mask — I am who I am," Mike previously said. "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.

"As far back as I remember, my focus have always been to be the best me, and not a bad copy of someone else," he added. "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."

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.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star, the company which creates "beautiful lullaby versions of your favorite artists," has just released "Lullaby Versions Of Black Sabbath" via Roma Music Group.

"Lullaby Versions Of Black Sabbath" track listing:

01. Paranoid

02. Iron Man

03. War Pigs / Luke's Wall

04. Children Of The Grave

05. N.I.B.

06. Planet Caravan

07. Heaven And Hell

08. Changes

09. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

10. Sweet Leaf

The song "Paranoid" can be streamed in the YouTube clip below.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star was born for the parent that wants to pass along their biggest passion to their child, music. Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star transforms popular music into instrumental lullabies perfect for babies, yoga or just relaxation. Now, parents can enjoy the music from LADY GAGA to METALLICA in soothing lullaby style. With over 135 titles to choose from, Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star is the largest line of pop, rock, metal and jamband music lullabies in the world.

These aren't novelty recordings. They are cute, they are soft but these are serious recordings. Roma Music Group, which releases Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star, is run by two music industry veterans who put the fidelity of these recording at the top of the priority list. Let's face it, much like the brand name clothes you buy for your infant, this music is really for you. Whether you are raising a metal baby, rocker or hippie baby, Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star has your music transformed from arena anthems into nursery classics.

Former GUNS N' ROSES drummer Matt Sorum's long-awaited autobiography, "Double Talkin' Jive: True Rock 'N' Roll Stories From The Drummer Of Guns N' Roses, The Cult, And Velvet Revolver", will now arrive on September 7, 2021 via Rare Bird Books after being delayed several times due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In "Double Talkin' Jive", Sorum takes music lovers behind the scenes of a remarkable life in rock. Sorum, whose albums have sold tens of millions of copies around the world, provides an honest, engaging account of the highs and lows of superstardom. Sorum recounts his childhood years idolizing Ringo Starr and surviving an abusive stepfather. After leaving high school, Sorum sold pot to get by. Over time, his drug dealing escalated to smuggling large quantities of cocaine, a career that came to a halt following a dramatic shoot-out. Sorum fled his old life and settled in Hollywood, where he'd enjoy a rapid ascension to rock 'n' roll immortality. He caught his big break drumming for THE CULT, and only a year later was invited to join GUNS N' ROSES, with whom he'd record two of rock's most iconic albums: "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II".

Sorum opens up with forthright honesty, sharing anecdotes from his time touring the globe, battling drug and alcohol addiction, and navigating volatile relationships with Axl Rose, Slash and the rest of the GN'R team. His career with THE CULT, GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER, MOTÖRHEAD, the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES and KINGS OF CHAOS co-stars an ensemble of rock royalty, from Gene Simmons and Billy Idol to Steven Tyler and Alice Cooper.

"Double Talkin' Jive" goes beyond the clichés of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, telling the very human story of what it takes to make it in music, and the toll stardom exacts from those who achieve success. Sorum invites fans to revel in the debauchery of the good times, but also paints a stark portrait of life after the party. Music fans of any generation will find value in the pages of this evocative, thoughtful, and candid autobiography.

Sorum's co-authors Leif Erickson and Martin Svensson previously co-wrote Samantha Fox's "Forever".

During a recent appearance on the "Stop! Drop & Talk" podcast, Sorum stated about "Double Talkin' Jive": "I named it after a GUNS N' ROSES song, 'Double Talkin' Jive'. [Then-GUNS N' ROSES guitarist] Izzy Stradlin wrote that song. We played it together — on the ['Use Your Illusion I'] album, me and Izzy tracked that in one take. And the premise of the lyric was based around the kind of pitfalls of the music business and success. There's this undercurrent that's not pretty. And I talk very truthfully about things that I went through, from my perspective.

"I didn't wanna come off jaded," Matt continued. "I have to tell the story the way it went for me, and I hope that people don't take it as I sound jaded or something. I just wanted to be as truthful and honest as possible, from my perspective, if that makes sense.

"I think there's a misconception that maybe, as musicians, we're a bit elitist or privileged, or things are handed to us, and we just automatically appear, and now, all of a sudden, we're famous. So I just look at it, I'm, like, well, yeah, I have a great job. I've got a great life. I'm super grateful for all the things I've been able to do. But in the book, you can see that it was a lot of hard work. It was a lot of bruises along the way. And then, as the career goes and you get successful, stuff happens. There's, of course, the famous drug-and-alcohol shit that is kind of like 'Behind The Music' VH1 — I mean, that all happened to me. You know, the pitfalls of rock and roll stardom and all that shit.

"For me, when I was doing it," referring to the rock-star lifestyle, "and when I was at the height [of GUNS N' ROSES' success], I'm, like, 'If I don't do this now, I'll regret it later.' So I just tried to live my life as I thought I would wanna live it as a kid dreaming to be in a rock and roll band."

Sorum, who replaced Steven Adler in GUNS N' ROSES, recorded "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" (both 1991) and "The Spaghetti Incident" (1994). He also supported the group on the "Use Your Illusion" tour and can be heard on GUNS N' ROSES' "Live Era: '87-'93" (1999) and "Greatest Hits" (2004).

Photo credit: Michael Segal

SWEET, featuring original guitarist Andy Scott, has released its new single, "Set Me Free". The song is taken from the band's current album, "Isolation Boulevard".

"Isolation Boulevard" features all the SWEET's classic hit singles and was recorded with the new lineup during lockdowns between September and October 2020. It's a reworking of SWEET's 1975 album multi-million-selling "Desolation Boulevard".

The latest single, "Set Me Free", is taken from the album, and although it is one of the most covered songs in the band's repertoire, this marks the first time SWEET has released it as an official single.

Over the years, the song has been covered by many rock artists, including Vince Neil (MÖTLEY CRÜE), Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL) and SAXON.

"Recording an album separately in different locations throws up a myriad of technical problems," says Andy Scott. "It's impossible for everyone to play at the same time, so all parts are performed the 'old' way and then data transferred back to base camp where the magical digital stuff takes over."

Continues Andy: "SWEET would usually record all together in the studio with a performance rather than individually but the pandemic dictated the ways and means. The result is a mind-blowing set of tracks, all the hits and a barrage of heavy-duty glam rock."

"Isolation Boulevard" track listing

01. Fox On The Run

02. Still Got The Rock

03. Action

04. Love Is Like Oxygen

05. Hell Raiser

06. The Six Teens

07. Blockbuster

08. Set Me Free

09. Teenage Rampage

10. Turn It Down

11. New York Groove

12. Ballroom Blitz

SWEET is a British rock and roll institution with a pedigree of 50 years of hit singles. They've sold 55 million albums and had 34 number No. 1 hit singles. Hailed by many as a national treasure with a loyal fanbase, their dazzling arsenal of rock music stands the test of time. The music is as relevant today as it was 50 years ago when SWEET first stormed the U.K. charts in January 1971.

Andy Scott, the songwriter, and last man standing from the original band, has produced a remarkable album given the challenging circumstances that we face globally today.

SWEET is (left to right in photo above): Lee Small (bass, vocals), Bruce Bisland (drums, vocals), Paul Manzi (lead vocals), Andy Scott (lead guitar, vocals), Steve Mann (guitar, keyboards)

"Two Minutes To Late Night", which bills itself as the world's only heavy metal-themed talk show, has uploaded a cover version of the PANTERA song "Mouth For War" recorded in quarantine by members of HALESTORM, CODE ORANGE, BARONESS and CONVERGE.

Featured musicians:

* Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM)

* Gina Gleason (BARONESS)

* Reba Meyers (CODE ORANGE)

* Madi Watkins (YEAR OF THE KNIFE)

* Ben Koller (MUTOID MAN, CONVERGE, ALL PIGS MUST DIE, KILLER BE KILLED)

* Jordan Olds (a.k.a. Gwarsenio Hall)

Says "Two Minutes To Late Night": "Gina wanted to cover PANTERA so we covered the crap out of PANTERA! All of the artists involved with this video will be donating their payment to Dallas Hope Charities Transitional Living Center.

"This is our 36th bedroom cover made with the support of Patreon. With so many musicians stuck at home with no outlets, we're going to keep producing these style videos and use the Patreon to give some money to everyone who has a part in them. Please support our friends by donating to our newly redone Patreon."

ARCHITECTS have claimed their first No. 1 on the official U.K. albums chart following an exceptionally close race for this week's top spot.

The British metalcore band's ninth album, "For Those That Wish To Exist", finishes the week just 550 chart sales ahead of its closest competition, MAXIMO PARK and its new record, "Nature Always Wins".

For ARCHITECTS, it's not only the band's first chart-topper, but its first Top 10 album too; their previous peak was No. 15 with 2016's "All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us".

Celebrating the news, and paying tribute to his late bandmate Tom Searle, ARCHITECTS singer Sam Carter told OfficialCharts.com: "I cannot begin to tell you how much this means to us. Thank you to every single person who bought this record. We love you so much and we could not have done this without you. To have an album that connects this much, with what we're talking about — trying and pushing for a better world — it's unbelievable. As ever, everything we do is for Tom Searle, our brother."

"For Those That Wish To Exist" is ARCHITECTS' sixth No. 1 on the official Rock & Metal Albums chart, and is the week's best-selling album on vinyl and top seller in independent record shops.

On "For Those That Wish To Exist", ARCHITECTS examine the part we are all playing in the world's slow destruction, and tackle the biggest questions facing the future of our planet. Such concerns that have long been prevalent in the music of a band who have continually championed and shared their platform with causes such as Sea Shepherd, are outspoken critics of barbaric exercises such as fox hunting, and who focus on sustainability in everything from their touring to merch production.

The record's 15 tracks hang in a limbo between energizing positivity that it is not too late to correct our collective course, and a paralyzing negativity of defeatism; where hope and despondency are bed-fellows triggered daily by the simple act of existence. A reflection of human condition, "For Those That Wish To Exist" calls for all of us to rise to challenge established models and strive for a collective betterment.

"This album was me looking at our inability to change to a way of life that would sustain the human race and save the planet," summarized principal songwriter Dan Searle. "I wanted to look in the mirror and ask ourselves the question of what are we going to do, as opposed to trying to point the finger at politicians. Change has to start on a personal level. The world has developed a culture of wanting someone else to deal with it, when we need to take our own responsibility. It has to start there."

ARCHITECTS is vocalist Sam Carter, drummer Dan Searle, bassist Ali Dean and guitarists Josh Middleton and Adam Christianson.

Photo credit: Ed Mason