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."





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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

ut Album To Be Released In January 2025">
Finnish melodic death metallers, Admire The Grim, will release their debut album, Resist, via Inverse Records on January 31st, 2025. The first single Crescent Moon is unleashed today and it's available here. 


The band comments: "'Crescent Moon' was one of the first songs that we wrote for the album. We had a chance to play this song live on many gigs before the actual album recording in the summer of 2024. That way we got to test it out in advance and it was recorded just the way that we’ve been playing it live. While the song was still in its demo phase, it was clear that this song is going to be a single. It has a murderous intro that turns into straight up screaming - which means business. We wrote a lot of catchy hooks and melodies, but managed to keep the song heavy. 'Crescent Moon''s lyrics are a metaphor for chan

Storace, Swiss rock legend Marc Storace’s eponymous band, have released the new single and visualizer, "Live And Let Live", featured on the band's new studio album, Crossfire, set for release on November 22 via Frontiers Music Srl. Find the visualizer below.


Marc Storace expresses his excitement for the new album release: “Tommy Henriksen, in spite of his tight touring schedule with Alice Cooper, The Hollywood Vampires, and his work with his Crossbone Skully, actually 'made time' to produce my Crossfire album! Hell yeah, that’s what I call a good friend! Creating the songs with T felt like magic… And he even got the incredible Olle Romo, Mutt Lange’s very own engineer, to mix the album… Unbelievable! It was like a match made in heaven!! Play It Loud!!”


Pre-order Crossfire here.







Tracklisting:


"Screaming Demon"
"The New Unity"
"Rock This City"
"Adrenaline"
"Love Thing Stealer"
"Let’s Get Nuts"
"Thrill And A Kiss"
"We All Need The Money"
"Hell Yeah"
"Millionaire Blues"
"Sirens"
"Only Love Can Hurt Like This"


"Live And Let Live" visualizer:





"We All Need The Money" video:





"Rock This City" video:





Maltese-born-Swiss musician Marc Storace started his exceptional musical career in 1970, with the Swiss cult progressive band TEA, which became a very successful band and with whom he released 5 LPs. Marc gained attention for his frontmanship and high-pitched raunchy vocal tone.


In 1979, Marc became the voice of Krokus, the most successful hard rock band from Switzerland. After their first album with Marc, Metal Rendez-Vous, Krokus played several world tours, sold over 15 million records, and won many gold and platinum awards.


After the group disbanded, M

Cemetery Skyline have released a visualizer for "When Silence Speak", from their debut album, Nordic Gothic.


Says the band: "Cemeteries aren’t places for the dead. They are meant for the living to mourn, remember and celebrate the people who are no longer with us. It’s where and 'When Silence Speaks' if you listen carefully. And today, we present you our new lyric video for this track! Brendan McGowan captured a couple dancing before the Cemetery Skyline - literally. It is an anthem for the ones suffering through heartbreak, the ones feeling lost and alone – an ode to celebrate life and love in solitary.







Nordic Gothic is available via Century Media Records. Order here.





Tracklisting:


"Torn Away"
"In Darkness"
"Violent Storm"
"Behind The Lie"
"When Silence Speaks"
"The Darkest Night"
"Never Look Back"
"The Coldest Heart"
"Anomalie"
"Together Alone"


"Behind The Lie" video:





"Torn Away" video:





"The Coldest Heart" visualizer:





"In Darkness" video:

The Dead Daisies have released a revamped version of the Light 'Em Up album cut, "I'm Gonna Ride". The band shared the video below, along with the following message:


"Check out the latest video version of ‘I’m Gonna Ride’ as we gear up to return to Europe this November! Featuring some new visuals of the band caught on tour in the UK and some great biker action, the band are on fire and can’t wait to return along with Winger and Whitesnake guitarist Reb Beach for the first time! The tour kicks off on the 1st of November in Enschede in the Netherlands and the anticipation is building already ahead of the tour."







The Dead Daisies' tour dates are listed below. Get tickets here.


November
1 - Metropool - Enschede, Netherlands
2 - De Casino - Sint Niklaas, Belgium
3 - Gruenspan - Hamburg, Germany
5 - Essigfabrik - Cologne, Germany
6 - Technikum - Munich, Germany
8 - Bibelot Poppodium - Dordrecht, Netherlands
9 - RuhrCongress - Bochum, Germany
10 - Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland
11 - Élysée Montmartre - Paris, France
13 - Palac Akropolis - Prague, Czech Republic
15 - Barba Negra - Budapest, Hungary
16 - Simm City - Vienna, Austria
17 - Gibson - Frankfurt, Germany


The Dead Daisies' new album, Light 'Em Up, is out now and available to order here.





L

Mötley Crüe recently returned with Cancelled, the brand new EP featuring the Top 5 radio hit, "Dogs Of War" and new single, a cover of the Beastie Boys classic, "Fight For Your Right", as well as the title track.


According to Forbes, Cancelled brings the band to the Top 10 on one list in the United Kingdom this frame. The three-song project opens at #10 on the Official Vinyl Singles chart, making it a smash success on at least one ranking across the pond.


The newly-released set marks Mötley Crüe’s third Top 10 hit on the Official Vinyl Singles chart in the UK. The band has only pushed half a dozen tracks to the ranking, and half of them have risen into the highest tier. At present, Cancelled is tied as their second-highest-rising appearance, matched with last year’s “Too Young To Fall In Love.”




The same EP nearly matched that performance on another, similar ranking. Cancelled launches at #11 on the Official Physical Singles tally, missing out on entering the highest tier by just one slot.


More at Forbes.com


For their first release with Big Machine Label Group, the Crüe are back to remind fans why they remain “The World's Most Notorious Rock Band," 40+ years into their career.


You can save/order the Cancelled EP here.