Tim Bogert, bassist and founding member of VANILLA FUDGE, CACTUS and supergroup BECK, BOGERT & APPICE, has died at age 76.

The news of Bogert's passing was confirmed by his longtime bandmate, drummer Carmine Appice, who wrote on Facebook: "My true friend Tim Bogert died today. He was like a brother to me. He was my friend for over 50 years.

"Tim was a one of a kind bass player. He inspired many, many bass players worldwide. He was as masterful at shredding as he was holding down a groove, and Tim introduced a new level of virtuosity into rock bass playing. No one played like Tim. He created bass solos that drove audiences to a frenzy every time he played one. And he played a different solo every night. He was the last of the legendary 60s bass players.

"Tim was a very intelligent person. So intelligent that we would call him 'Spock'. You could ask him anything and he would know something about it.

"I loved Tim like a brother. He will be missed very much in my life. I will miss calling him, cracking jokes together, talking music and remembering the great times we had together, and how we created kick-ass music together.

"Perhaps the only good thing about knowing someone close to you is suffering a serious illness, is you have an opportunity to tell them that you love them, and why you love them. I did that, a lot. I was touched to hear it said back to me. Nothing was left unsaid between us and I’m grateful for that. I highly recommend it.

"Rest in peace, my partner. I love you. See you on the other side."

Bogert played on VANILLA FUDGE's first five albums between 1967 and 1969 — "Vanilla Fudge", "The Beat Goes On", "Renaissance", "Near The Beginning" and "Rock & Roll" — before the group disbanded in 1970. Soon after, Bogert and Appice teamed up with guitarist Jim McCarty and vocalist Rusty Day to form CACTUS. In 1972, CACTUS split, and Bogert and Appice joined forces with guitarist Jeff Beck to form the power trio BECK, BOGERT & APPICE.

In 1999, Bogert was inducted into the Hollywood Rock Walk Of Fame.

Billy Sheehan said in Bass Player magazine that "Tim was my biggest influence. He's also one of the first and best in many categories. The first VANILLA FUDGE album was one of the biggest bass breakthroughs of all time."


My true friend Tim Bogert died today.

He was like a brother to me. He was my friend for over 50 years.

Tim was a one...

Posted by Carmine Appice on Wednesday, January 13, 2021





RIP TIM BOGERT. I first saw Vanilla Fudge on a bill with the Yardbirds with Jimmy Page. Spectacular. I’d never heard 4 people play & sing as one. Tim was mind boggling on all fronts. Also when I saw Beck, Bogert&Appice. A powerhouse. https://t.co/fA1gjE9jgL

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) January 14, 2021








Tim Bogert—Grand Master. I love you, Tim. Thank you for your awesomeness, generosity, and kindness. I hope we meet again, my friend. Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/PopNKwJJ07

— Billy Sheehan (@BillyonBass) January 14, 2021








“I saw the Fudge many times in that era and BB&A and BOC toured together. A great player and a great guy, Rest In Peace Tim Bogert.”

-EB pic.twitter.com/ZxZ1OGpIa8

— Eric Bloom (@ericbloomBOC) January 14, 2021








Rest in Peace to Tim Bogert, one of the world's greatest rock bass players.

— Anvil (@AnvilMetal666) January 14, 2021








So sorry to hear of the passing of bass legend Tim Bogert. One of the true pioneers of the instrument in the late 60’s/early 70’s with his work with Vanilla Fudge, Cactus and Beck Bogert Appice #RIPTimBogert pic.twitter.com/lptVZHnbqN

— Mike Portnoy ? (@MikePortnoy) January 14, 2021








I posted this photo last week in memory of EVH. Just got word that Tim Bogert has passed away. I wore the grooves out to my copy of Beck Bogert & Appice as a teen. Jamming with him and Ed was incredible and surreal. @eddievanhalen @WolfVanHalen @VanHalen pic.twitter.com/cSEtKZ1wv3

— Steve Stevens (@Stevestevens) January 14, 2021








⁦#TimBogert ⁩ R.I.P. You will be missed ???????✌?❤️

⁦@carmineappice1⁩ ⁦ pic.twitter.com/oAouo91kMO

— Paul Shortino ?? (@PaulShortino) January 13, 2021








Rest peacefully Tim Bogert. One of the greats. ???

— Tony Franklin (@FretlessMonster) January 14, 2021








I am deeply saddened by the passing of my first bass hero, Tim Bogert. My condolences to his band mates @carmineappice1 Mark Stein, his family and friends. Rest In Peace, Tim. pic.twitter.com/k9FQI7R7mZ

— Rudy Sarzo (@rudysarzo) January 14, 2021








We lost a true bass pioneer today. He influenced so many including my biggest heroes. He was my teacher and mentor when I first moved to the US. Rest In Peace Tim Bogert and thank you for everything. https://t.co/1ABRO5O3qC

— Bjorn Englen (@BjornEnglen) January 14, 2021








RIP to one of the most innovative and bad ass bassists to walk the planet... Tim Bogert of Vanilla Fudge, Beck/Bogert/Appice and Cactus. Cactus was a band Blitz & Menghi bonded over hence us covering their rendition of “Evil” on our “American Made” record. pic.twitter.com/cpDxJznpeA

— BPMD (@BPMDofficial) January 14, 2021

Ted Nugent says that President Donald Trump did not incite last week's Capitol riot and has blamed the violence on Antifa and Black Lives Matter.

Last Wednesday, Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, vandalized the building and assaulted police officers. One woman was fatally shot by police and three people died of apparent medical emergencies. A Capitol police officer died after responding to the mob.

Many top political figures have accused Trump of personally inciting the attack by repeatedly intimating that his followers should take action in order to demand legislators address his baseless claims of voter fraud. At a rally preceding the riot, Trump gave an inflammatory speech, urging the crowd to go to the Capitol, "show strength" and "fight much harder."

In the wake of the attack, Twitter permanently suspended Trump's account, citing "the risk of further incitement of violence."

Nugent discussed the Capitol riot fallout during yesterday's episode of his Internet show "Spirit Campfire". The outspoken conservative rocker said (see video below): "Donald Trump did not incite violence. I read his speech over and over again. Zero inciting of any violent or criminal behavior. He wanted to make a statement, just like Martin Luther King Jr., that many, many — millions — of Americans would go to our house, the Capitol in Washington, D.C. and make the unified statement [that] we believe in Donald Trump, we believe in the good deeds he has accomplished, and that we are fearful that the tsunami of evidence of a fraudulent, corrupt, manipulated voting orgy that you just can't say there's no evidence of fraud. An election by a guy" — referring to President-elect Joe Biden — "that never campaigned, that did not get more votes than Barack Obama; he did not get more votes than President Trump. The suitcases came out, and the people that were supposed to monitor the votes were thrown out of the room; there's footage of it. [Editor's note: This claim has been debunked.] There's sworn testimony and affidavits by people who were thrown out of the voting precincts, whose job it was to [monitor the vote counting]. I could go on.

"I think everybody knows that every possible deception was applied to the recent election, and Donald Trump wanted Americans who believe that, witnessed that and know that to make a peaceful protest out of the First Amendment," he continued. "And I am convinced equally to those statements I just made that Antifa and Black Lives Matter terrorists infiltrated that peaceful protest, and they are the ones who initiated the violence. [Editor's note: This claim has also been debunked.]

"Did some overzealous Trumpsters get out of hand? I don't believe they hurt anyone; I don't believe they damaged anything. And if they did, and if I see evidence to that end, I will admit it. Nobody's pure; nobody's soul is incapable of mistakes.

"But I believe that the bizarre, maniacal scramble to shut down this president, to shut down me, to shut down [conservative social media figure] Candace Owens is the most un-American manifestation of a culture of deprivation I think I've ever seen," Nugent added.

The presidential race ended with a victory for Biden with 306 electoral votes. Biden had received nearly 81 million votes across America — the most votes cast for any presidential candidate in history — compared to more than 74 million votes for Trump.

Leading up to the 2020 election, Nugent teamed up with Donald Trump Jr. on the campaign trail.

Ted has called Trump "the greatest president in our lifetime," and believes the billionaire real estate mogul represents "the heart and soul of the best American families out there."

SACRED REICH frontman Phil Rind has blasted the scores of Donald Trump supporters who swarmed the U.S. Capitol last Wednesday during a violent insurrection, leaving five people dead and forcing the Senate to evacuate.

Earlier today, Rind, whose band is known for its socially consious and politically aware lyrics, took to SACRED REICH's social media to write: "I can't believe how many people still don't get it. It's like a lot of you have never read our lyrics or understood them.

"We know that our political system is rotten to the core. No news there. But the dumb, racist assholes who invaded the Capitol did it to support the dumb, racist lying President. No other reason.

"They are not trying to save America, they are destroying it for a reality show TV host who will go down as the worst President in history.

"If you are part of the Trump cult feel free to unfollow. We couldn't give a fuck.

"If you can't see the white supremacy that permeates this country I suggest you open your eyes and take a hard look. Read the book 'White Fragility'. But if you dont see it, it's probably because you don't want to. Maybe you should go listen to 'One Nation'."

He added in a follow-up message: "If you can't see the difference between BLACK LIVES MATTER standing up for unarmed black people being shot by police for decades across this country and armed white nationalist domestic terrorists storming the Capitol to stop an election in support of a dumb, racist, lying President then by all means UNFOLLOW, UNLIKE, DON'T SUPPORT...WHATEVER.

"It doesn't matter.

"We stand for the truth. We support BLM, because BLACK LIVES MATTER AS MUCH AS WHITE LIVES.

"We support any and all that stand up to fascism no matter where it rears it's ugly head.

"We support the workers, the unions, the organizers, the activists fighting for working and oppressed people around the globe.

"We stand with the LGBTQ community and all marginalized people who have the right to be and live exactly as they choose.

"We oppose corrupt governments and the politicians who line their pockets at the expense of the people they are supposed to represent.

"Any fucking questions?"

This is not the first time Rind has spoken out against Trump. Last June, he called America's 45th president "a racist, narcissistic, lying conman" whose "act of leadership in our time of need is to run and hide." Five months earlier, he spoke about his disdain for Trump during an interview with Australia's "Scars And Guitars" podcast. He said: "I think he's in over his head. I don't think he's intellectually curious. I don't think he pays attention. He may have some broad ideas as far as just wanting to enrich himself and his friends. But I don't think he's really cut out for it or really knows what it's like to work or to pay attention to people or to listen or to read or any of the skills someone would need to try to do that job efficiently."

SACRED REICH's comeback album, "Awakening", arrived in August 2019 via Metal Blade Records. The band's first LP in 23 years marked SACRED REICH's debut release since the return of drummer Dave McClain.




pic.twitter.com/uOeA7gxCww

— Sacred Reich (@SacredReich) January 11, 2021








And finally... pic.twitter.com/mDnA2YiaIH

— Sacred Reich (@SacredReich) January 11, 2021

In a new interview with Australia's Heavy, ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann spoke about where his band fits in within heavy metal's various subgenres. He said (hear audio below): "I don't really ever know what to do with all these labels, to be honest. I don't even know we would be. I think, at this point, what are we? Classic rock? That sounds terrible, doesn't it? That always sounds like pretty boring rock. But I don't know what the hell we are. What are we? Traditional heavy metal?

"All I know is that we were the first metal band in Germany; that's what I would boldly state," he continued. "Because I don't think there was anybody before ACCEPT out of Germany — only Germany, of course — that would call themselves proudly heavy metal. I mean, there was always the SCORPIONS, but they were more like radio rock or hard rock, whatever they were. But they weren't certainly as hard as we were, or as metal. So I would say we were the first out of Germany. And what it is called nowadays with all these different subgenres, I have no idea."

Hoffmann is the sole remaining original member of ACCEPT, which he formed in 1976 in the town of Solingen, Germany with singer Udo Dirkschneider and bassist Peter Baltes.

ACCEPT's new studio album, "Too Mean To Die", will be released on January 29 via Nuclear Blast. The LP will be the group's first without Baltes, who exited ACCEPT in November 2018. He has since been replaced by Martin Motnik. ACCEPT's lineup has also been expanded with the addition of a third guitarist, Philip Shouse, who originally filled in for Uwe Lulis during last year's "Symphonic Terror" tour, before being asked to join the band permanently.

"Too Mean To Die" was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee with British producer Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, MEGADETH), who has been responsible for the magnificent studio sound of ACCEPT since 2010.

ACCEPT's last album, 2017's "The Rise Of Chaos", marked the band's first release with guitarist Uwe Lulis and drummer Christopher Williams, replacing Herman Frank and Stefan Schwarzmann, respectively.

ACCEPT's latest release was "Symphonic Terror - Live At Wacken 2017", featuring the band's performance at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.

Justin Hawkins of British rockers THE DARKNESS has confirmed to Dawn Osborne of TotalRock Radio that he and his bandmates have begun compiling ideas for the follow-up to 2019's "Easter Is Cancelled" album.

"The idea of the next record, for me, is I'm only writing stuff that I really, really am gonna have fun singing and playing," the frontman said (see video below). "So I just want it to be a really uplifting album. I don't want it be like one of these lockdown albums that is all about the situation. THE DARKNESS's job is to provide some kind of relief from the world and something uplifting that doesn't refer to the misery and the uncertainty and the suffering and all that we have had to endure. Our music should be aspirational and it should talk about the world I actually live in, where nothing like that really affects me. The only thing I miss is touring, but then once this is all finished, we'll be back out there and it'll be fine."

Justin, who presently resides in Switzerland, elaborated on his songwriting approach this time around, saying: "I love being emotionally honest at the risk of shooting myself in the foot [laughs] — really exposing the character defects and personality disorders that I have. I can't wait to explore and celebrate those, really.

"Some people think that music is cathartic, and you describe all this darkness that's inside you and then you feel better and your audience feels better because they feel less alienated because they realize that they're not the only people that feel like that. There's a bit of that about us, but at the same time, we've got to celebrate the parts of our personalities that are dysfunctional.

"I totally understand and appreciate the need for a greater emphasis on men's mental health and all that sort of stuff, but for me, without the madness, you can't create anything," he explained. "I think songwriters shouldn't be doing therapy; they should be writing songs.

"The other thing to remember is that when you write a song, if you write it quickly, you're capturing a moment in time. So the way you feel is expressed in the song itself, but then as soon as you've finished writing the song, you might not feel like that anymore. And you don't necessarily need to feel that way to be able to sing it later. As long as it's a great song, it doesn't matter.

"So, for me, when people say, 'Oh, are you happy or are you sad?', I always reject that question because I think the human experience is a whole spectrum of emotions," Justin added. "And it's not determined by events in your life. 'Cause you can feel great about the coffee that you're drinking but terrible about the loss that you've just suffered. Or your dog licks you in the morning and then shits on the carpet later on. You're gonna have anger, contentment, companionship and all these things that make you feel good, and also you're gonna have to deal with some actual shit. That's just an example of it. So you have a spectrum of emotions that you experience — a whole gamut of it. So when you write a song, make sure you're honest about how you feel when you write it, not what you wanna say with the song. Otherwise, it's less effective as a way of propelling or expressing something."

"Easter Is Cancelled" was released in October 2019. It became the band's fourth Top 10 album and topped the Official charts Top 40 Rock And Metal chart and the iTunes Rock chart, while receiving swathes of critical praise as the band continued to prove why they are one of the most beloved U.K. rock bands of our time.

During a recent appearance on the "My Planet Rocks" show on Planet Rock, URIAH HEEP guitarist Mick Box was asked if he plans to keep playing music until he physically can't play anymore. He responded (hear audio below): "I've still got the same passion for what I do — for playing guitar, for writing songs, for being with the band — the same passion I've always had. And I think that's my driving force.

"When you get on a little bit in life [laughs], I think your mantra changes, and my mantra is now 'health is wealth,'" the 73-year-old explained. "And as long as I've got my health, I'll continue to play and record and write songs as long as I can."

URIAH HEEP's latest album, "Living The Dream", was released in September 2018 via Frontiers Music Srl. The disc was helmed by the widely respected Canadian producer Jay Ruston, known for his work with STONE SOUR, ANTHRAX and STEEL PANTHER.

Box is the original guitarist and sole remaining founding member of URIAH HEEP. He, vocalist Bernie Shaw and keyboardist/vocalist Phil Lanzon have formed the nucleus of the band for more than 34 years and released 17 albums together.

URIAH HEEP debuted in 1970 with the release of one of hard rock's milestones, "Very 'Eavy, Very 'Umble", and has since sold in excess of 40 million albums worldwide. They constantly tour the world, playing up to 125 shows a year to more than 500,000 fans. The band's live set features the classic tracks from the '70s and is a musical journey from the band's beginnings to the present day.

URIAH HEEP is:

Mick Box - Lead Guitar/Vocals

Phil Lanzon - Keyboards/Vocals

Bernie Shaw - Lead Vocals

Dave Rimmer - Bass Guitar/Vocals

Russell Gilbrook - Drums, Percussion

After amplifying anticipation for its grand opening via their social channels, legendary British rock 'n' roll icons and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees DEF LEPPARD will officially unlock the "Def Leppard Vault" at LeppardVault.com today. The band has uploaded this innovative living and breathing digital museum with a treasure trove of history, including exclusive never-before-seen photos, products, video, audio commentary, interviews, and more. They will continue to personally curate and regularly update this online destination as a hub for their past, present, and future. It will grow with their career as they consistently add new artifacts and content throughout the next weeks, months, and years.

At the onset of the global pandemic, the quintessential musicians found themselves at home much like everyone else. For DEF LEPPARD, this pause allowed for a moment of individual and collective reflection. Soon, the band members began rummaging through their closets, basements, attics, garages, rehearsal space, storage units, and spare rooms. In the process, they uncovered countless artifacts collected over the course of 44 years since their 1977 formation. These items tell the story of the band from their perspective, so they decided to put them on display in a groundbreaking manner.

Together, DEF LEPPARD built the vault as a way to pull back the curtain behind their monumental, yet intriguing rise to rock superstardom.

About the "Def Leppard Vault", frontman Joe Elliott commented: "After months of digging through our personal rock and roll closets (and warehouses, no less!), we present you our history! Our historic vault will continually be updated with installments you may have seen with some gems I promise you've never heard or seen! It's a true backstage pass for any DEF LEPPARD or rock and roll fan! Please…step inside and walk this way!"

Brad Mindich of Inveniem added: "We are extremely honored to be trusted by the band to help them find, curate, and present their expansive history to fans in this new, digital environment. DEF LEPPARD's stories and artifacts are extraordinary, and their desire to want to create the 'Def Leppard Vault' so they can share their legacy directly with fans reinforces why they have been so impactful on music and culture for more than four decades. And the exciting part is that what fans will see starting today is just the beginning. There is so much more being discovered from the band and fans alike that will be added to the 'Def Leppard Vault' for months and years to come."

Bringing the "Def Leppard Vault" to life, the rockers personally share their stories with some of their most treasured items in exclusive audio and video vignettes as well.

Among its initial collections, "On The Road" spotlights photos, historical instruments, backstage passes, and tour itineraries. Capturing their unmistakable fashion, "Jacket Required" flaunts jackets and stage attire from the band's personal collection. "All I've Got Is a Photograph" presents driven photography and timeless promotional images. Plus, they included a retrospective track-by-track in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their first greatest-hits album "Vault". It boasts audio and video commentary courtesy of all five members.

Engaging fans to the fullest extent, the "Def Leppard Vault" also offers limited-edition reproductions of specific artifacts from the band's history for sale in addition to other exclusive pieces.

The last DEF LEPPARD studio album, a self-titled affair, came out in 2015.

DEF LEPPARD released a box set, "The Early Years 79-81", in March 2020 via UMC/Virgin. "The Early Years 79-81" box set represents the band's first two albums, "On Through The Night" (1980) and "High 'N' Dry" (1981), and was prepared in conjunction with Elliott who acted as executive producer on the set. The mastering was done by the band's long-serving sound engineer Ronan McHugh.

Eagle Rock Entertainment released DEF LEPPARD's "London To Vegas" in May 2020. This limited edition 2Blu-ray+4CD, 2DVD+4CD, DVD/Blu-ray+2CD and digital format release features two concert films: "Hysteria At The O2" and "Hits Vegas, Live At Planet Hollywood".

DEF LEPPARD's latest greatest-hits collection, titled "The Story So Far - The Best Of", was released in November 2018.




Step inside, walk this way... the Leppard Vault is now UNLOCKED! ? Sign up to open & Explore the band's history and artifacts at https://t.co/CL997nLfF2 ? pic.twitter.com/FTwLLk5b0N

— Def Leppard (@DefLeppard) January 13, 2021

KISS has uploaded a 30-second video of "pyro highlights" from the band's New Year's Eve performance in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Check it out below.

As previously reported, KISS's Dubai concert broke Guinness world records for highest flame projection in a music concert and for most flame projections launched simultaneously in a music concert.

"I can reveal that you achieved a grand total of 73," a Guinness representative told the band about the number of projections launched. "You are officially amazing." As for the height of the flame projections, the new benchmark is now "35 meters."

Landmarks Live Presents produced the $10 million spectacular, which was filmed with more than 50 4K cameras and 360-degree views and was held on a massive 250-foot stage at The Royal Beach at Atlantis. The show included "a million dollars' worth of pyro," according to frontman Paul Stanley.

KISS partnered with event company Tixr to beam the "Kiss 2020 Goodbye" show around the world.

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons told The Oakland Press about the band's decision to play the Dubai concert: "We get offers all the time, thank goodness, and we've been saying no to everybody because it's just not safe — for us, for the fans. With this, we happened to be in the right place at the right time, and it all make sense. The folks in Dubai, which is a fascinating place, suggested something crazy and said, 'You can do anything you want here, no restrictions.' And we said, 'Wait a minute. You mean we can put on the biggest pyro show of all time, since Krakatoa and the Big Bang? You mean we're gonna be safe going over there?' They said 'yeah,' so there you are."

Landmarks Live creator, director and executive producer Daniel E. Catullo told KhaleejTimes.com that this wasn't his first time collaborating with the rock legends.

"I worked with KISS back in 2005 and I wanted to have a crack at doing a bigger show with them," he said. "Somehow, I developed a reputation of producing challenging shows, whether doing one with Andrea Bocelli at Palazzo Vecchio, the FOO FIGHTERS at the Acropolis or pulling off the biggest show of the year in the middle of a pandemic. Hosting the KISS show in Dubai was a logical step. The United Arab Emirates is among the world leaders in mitigating the spread of COVID and continues to effectively manage the pandemic given the government’s extraordinary response measures. It [made] sense for us to bring Landmarks Live to the UAE."

Catullo went on to say that working with KISS has been "a dream come true" for him. "To be able to capture them in such an explosive and record-breaking way will certainly be a highlight of my career," he said. "Logistically, this was the largest undertaking I've ever done, and during a pandemic made it all the more challenging. Our crew is comprised of over 400 people, most of whom are based in Dubai. It has been a very complex show to put together: almost five months of planning, hundreds of working crew, coordination with the Dubai government, major coordination with the band; this show will go down in the record books. We're also filming a documentary on how we are pulling this show off. We're doing the biggest production in KISS's history.

"The most arduous task has been developing a safe COVID compliance protocol amid the pandemic to ensure no virus transmission among the crew. The crew will essentially create a bubble for the show setup, particularly the few staffers who will be in direct contact with KISS. American Hospital is conducting daily testing. We have to take beyond-extraordinary measures to keep people safe."

Singer Ronnie James Dio joined BLACK SABBATH in 1979 which resulted in two back-to-back classic albums: "Heaven And Hell" and "Mob Rules". On those memorable albums, Dio's soaring tenor and gothic songwriting were the perfect foil for the band's bone-crushing mix of razor-sharp riffs, intense grooves, and dark imagery.

Rhino salutes the long shadow cast by this short-lived lineup with newly remastered versions of both albums expanded with rare and unreleased music. "Heaven And Hell: Deluxe Edition" and "Mob Rules: Deluxe Edition" will be released separately on March 5. Each album will be available on 2-CDs ($19.98), or a 2-LPs ($31.98). Due to space constraints, both vinyl editions include a selection of bonus material from the CDs. The music will also be available via digital download and streaming services the same day. A rare live version of "Heaven And Hell" and a previously unreleased live version of "The Mob Rules" are both available today as digital singles and can be streamed below.

Dio joined BLACK SABBATH for the first time in 1979 and quickly found kindred spirits in guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward. When "Heaven And Hell" was released in April 1980, the album was met with effusive reviews for the band's return to form on metal masterpieces like "Neon Knights" and the title track. The album reached #9 in the U.K. and #28 in the U.S., where it was also certified platinum.

"Heaven And Hell: Deluxe Edition" adds several bonus tracks that have never been released in North America, including versions of "Children Of The Sea" and "Die Young" recorded live in 1980 in Hartford, Connecticut. The set concludes with live rarities like "E5150" and "Neon Knights" that originally appeared in 2007 on the Rhino Handmade's limited edition collection "Black Sabbath: Live At Hammersmith Odeon".

To follow up "Heaven And Hell", the group returned to the studio in 1981 to begin recording "Mob Rules", with drummer Vinny Appice joining the band for the first time. Released in October 1981 and certified gold, the album was another SABBATH classic, including standouts like "The Sign Of The Southern Cross", "Turn Up The Night" and the title track.

"Mob Rules: Deluxe Edition" boasts an expansive selection of rare and unreleased recordings. Along with additional tracks from "Live At Hammersmith Odeon", the collection also includes a newly mixed version of "The Mob Rules". The cherry on top is an entire concert recorded in 1982 in Portland, Oregon. Highlights include stellar performances of "Neon Knights", "Heaven And Hell" and "Voodoo".

The Dio-fronted lineup disbanded in 1982 but reunited a decade later to record "Dehumanizer" and tour before going on hiatus again. The group came together again in 2006 to record three new songs for Rhino's era-spanning collection "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years". The collaboration led to a highly anticipated world tour in 2007 where the group was billed as HEAVEN & HELL. Their final album of new material, 2009's "The Devil You Know", again demonstrated the musical bond between the band members was unparalleled.

"Heaven And Hell: Deluxe Edition" 2-CD track listing

Disc One: Original Album (2021 Remaster)

01. Neon Knights

02. Children Of The Sea

03. Lady Evil

04. Heaven And Hell

05. Wishing Well

06. Die Young

07. Walk Away

08. Lonely Is The Word

Disc Two: Bonus Tracks

01. Children Of The Sea – Live B-Side Of "Neon Knights" *

02. Heaven And Hell – Live B-Side Of "Die Young" *

03. Lady Evil – 7" Mono Edit (unreleased on CD)

Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT (August 10, 1980)

04. Neon Knights *

05. Children Of The Sea *

06. Heaven And Hell *

07. Die Young *

Hammersmith Odeon, London (Dec 31, 1981- Jan 2, 1982)

08. E5150

09. Neon Knights

10. Children Of The Sea

11. Heaven And Hell

2-LP Track Listing

Side One

01. Neon Knights

02. Children Of The Sea

03. Lady Evil

04. Heaven And Hell

Side Two

01. Wishing Well

02. Die Young

03. Walk Away

04. Lonely Is The Word

Side Three

01. Children Of The Sea – Live B-Side Of "Neon Knights" *

02. Heaven And Hell – Live B-Side Of "Die Young" *

03. Lady Evil – 7" Mono Edit (unreleased on CD)

04. Neon Knights – Live 1980 *

Side Four

01. Children Of The Sea – Live 1980 *

02. Heaven And Hell – Live 1980 *

03. Die Young – Live 1980 *

"Mob Rules: Deluxe Edition" 2-CD track listing

Disc One: Original Album (2021 Remaster)

01. Turn Up The Night

02. Voodoo

03. The Sign Of The Southern Cross

04. E5150

05. The Mob Rules

06. Country Girl

07. Slipping Away

08. Falling Off The Edge Of The World

09. Over And Over

Bonus Tracks

10. The Mob Rules – Heavy Metal Soundtrack Version

11. Die Young – Live B-Side Of "Mob Rules" 7" *

12. The Mob Rules – New 2021 Mix **

Live At The Hammersmith Odeon London (31/12/81 - 2/1/82)

13. Country Girl

14. Slipping Away

15. The Mob Rules

16. Voodoo

Live At Portland Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR, April 22, 1982

17. Intro **

18. Neon Knights **

Disc Two: Bonus Tracks

Live At Portland Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR, April 22, 1982

01. N.I.B. **

02. Children Of The Sea **

03. Voodoo **

04. Black Sabbath **

05. War Pigs **

06. Drum Solo **

07. Iron Man **

08. The Mob Rules **

09. Heaven And Hell **

10. Guitar Solo **

11. Sign Of The Southern Cross/Heaven And Hell – Reprise **

12. Paranoid **

13. Children Of The Grave **

2-LP Track Listing

Side One

01. Turn Up The Night

02. Voodoo

03. The Sign Of The Southern Cross

04. E5150

05. The Mob Rules

Side Two

01. Country Girl

02. Slipping Away

03. Falling Off The Edge Of The World

04. Over And Over

Side Three

01. The Mob Rules – Heavy Metal Soundtrack Version

02. Die Young – Live B-Side Of "Mob Rules" 7" *

03. The Mob Rules – New 2021 Mix **

04. Sign Of The Southern Cross/Heaven And Hell – Reprise **

Side Four

Live At The Hammersmith Odeon London (31/12/81 - 2/1/82)

01. Country Girl

02. Slipping Away

03. The Mob Rules

04. Voodoo

* previously unreleased in North America

** previously unreleased

SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor has released the official music video for his single "Samantha's Gone". This time around, Corey invited his friends to join him on-screen, including Tom Sandoval of Bravo's "Vanderpump Rules", actor Dean Cameron ("Summer School", "Ski School", "Straight Outta Compton"), STEEL PANTHER, plus actor Greg Grunberg, Ace Von Johnson, Travis Miguel and Jonah Nimoy.

About the visual, Taylor told Bravo's "The Daily Dish": "The video for 'Samantha's Gone' served two purposes: making fun of so-called 'indie rock' bands and getting all my friends together to hang out and have a good time. We all went back and forth between having fun and social distancing. Watching the first 'band' was great, then being fired from our OWN song in favor of STEEL PANTHER was the icing on the cake. [I] can't wait for everyone to see it!"

Taylor recently made history as he reached No. 1 at Active Rock Radio with his powerful single "Black Eyes Blue". The achievement put Taylor in a class all his own, making him the first artist in the history of the format to reach No. 1 with three separate projects, following chart-topping efforts from SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR.

"CMFT" made impressive debuts on charts around the world in October, entering at No. 1 on Billboard's Current Hard Rock Albums chart, while claiming No. 2 on Current Rock Albums, No. 6 on Vinyl Albums, and No. 9 on the Top Albums charts. Furthermore, "CMFT" landed Top 10 on the official album charts in Australia, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, with Top 20 debuts in the United Kingdom, Finland and Japan (international chart).

Featured in Rolling Stone's "Fall Album Preview 2020," "CMFT" has been garnering widespread critical applause, with Forbes affirming, "Corey Taylor's singing is undeniably the best it's ever been. From SLIPKNOT's last album to his new solo material, Taylor is easily among the best sounding rock singers alive." Kerrang! raved, "Corey Taylor certainly couldn't have predicted how important a sense of uninhibited joy would be on his debut solo effort, it's just what 2020 needs — and, even more importantly, exactly what he delivers." The Daily Beast attested, "'CMFT' finds the singer broadening his horizons and showing off his considerable versatility," while Stereogum noted, "Corey Taylor's lived several lives in the span that it takes most of us to push through just one, and it's clear that he cherishes every experience he's had so far." New York magazine added that "CMFT" "bridges his vast tastes and influences, dabbling in punk rock, metal, reflective acoustic tunes, plaintive piano ballads, and hip-hop, with Taylor's power-house vocals and introspective lyrics acting as a guide."

"CMFT" is highlighted by the singles "Culture Head", "HWY 666", "CMFT Must Be Stopped" (featuring Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie), and the Active Rock radio hit "Black Eyes Blue". Taylor also hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Songwriters chart following the unprecedented debut of "Black Eyes Blue" and "CMFT Must Be Stopped", the latter of which has racked up more than four million YouTube views for its star-studded music video. Furthermore, Taylor debuted the pummeling "Culture Head" during WWE's NXT broadcast on the USA network, illuminating yet another facet of "CMFT" and showcasing the broad spectrum of this fiery and fearless rock 'n' roll opus, as Taylor touches on lifelong influences ranging from hard rock to classic rock, punk rock to hip-hop. 14-time world champion and EVP of global talent strategy and development at WWE, Triple H, also shared a WWE exclusive performance of Taylor and his band tearing through the MOTÖRHEAD classic "Ace Of Spades".

"CMFT" has been a long time coming for Taylor, with newly written tracks alongside some dating back to his teens. Recorded at The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas with producer Jay Ruston and his band — Christian Martucci (guitar), Zach Throne (guitar), Jason Christopher (bass), and Dustin Schoenhofer (drums) — the album traces a wild and exhilarating roadmap through Taylor's musical psyche.

FX has ordered "Pistol", a six-episode limited series about the legendary SEX PISTOLS guitarist Steve Jones, it was announced today by Nick Grad, president, original programming, FX Entertainment.

Based on Jones's 2018 memoir "Lonely Boy: Tales From A Sex Pistol", the series from Academy Award winner Danny Boyle, who will also serve as executive producer and director, was created by Craig Pearce and written by Pearce and Frank Cottrell Boyce.

Jones, Boyle and Pearce serve as executive producers alongside Gail Lyon, Anita Camarata, Tracey Seaward, Paul Lee, Hope Hartman and Wiip. The series is produced by FX Productions and is set to begin production on March 7.

"It's great to be back in business with Danny Boyle, an exceptional artist responsible for so many great feature films and TV series," said Grad. "Steve Jones was at the center of the storm that shook the rock establishment and we're thrilled to have Danny and the rest of the creative team tell his story as a member of one of music's most notorious bands — the SEX PISTOLS."

"Imagine breaking into the world of 'The Crown' and 'Downton Abbey' with your mates and screaming your songs and your fury at all they represent," said Boyle. "This is the moment that British society and culture changed forever. It is the detonation point for British street culture...where ordinary young people had the stage and vented their fury and their fashion…and everyone had to watch and listen…and everyone feared them or followed them. The SEX PISTOLS. At its center was a young charming illiterate kleptomaniac — a hero for the times — Steve Jones, who became in his own words, the 94th greatest guitarist of all time. This is how he got there."

"The SEX PISTOLS changed music forever and Danny Boyle is the perfect director to tell Steve Jones's story fueled by raw creativity and destruction," said Paul Lee, CEO Wiip. "We're thrilled to be making this with our friends at FX.

Anchored by Jones's memoir, which offers a fascinating new perspective on one of rock's greatest ever stories, "Pistol" moves from West London's council estates, to Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren's notorious Kings Road SEX shop, to the international controversy that came with the release of "Never Mind The Bollocks", which is frequently listed as one of the most influential albums of all time. Their single "God Save The Queen" was banned by the BBC and reached No. 1 on the U.K.'s NME chart, but appeared at No. 2 on the official U.K. singles chart, leading to accusations that the song was purposely kept off the top spot. For the only time in chart history, the track was listed as a blank, to avoid offence to the monarchy.

"Pistol" stars Toby Wallace ("Babyteeth", "Acute Misfortune") as Steve Jones, Anson Boon ("Crawl", "1917", "Blackbird") as John Lydon, Louis Partridge ("Enola Holmes", "Medici") as Sid Vicious, Jacob Slater as Paul Cook, Fabien Frankel ("The Serpent", "NYPD Blue") as Glen Matlock, Dylan Llewellyn ("Derry Girls") as Wally Nightingale, Sydney Chandler ("Don't Worry Darling") as Chrissie Hynde, Emma Appleton ("The Witcher", "Traitors") as Nancy Spungen, and Maisie Williams ("Game Of Thrones") as punk icon Jordan.

FX has ordered "Pistol", a six-episode limited series about the legendary SEX PISTOLS guitarist Steve Jones, it was announced today by Nick Grad, president, original programming, FX Entertainment.

Based on Jones's 2018 memoir "Lonely Boy: Tales From A Sex Pistol", the series from Academy Award winner Danny Boyle, who will also serve as executive producer and director, was created by Craig Pearce and written by Pearce and Frank Cottrell Boyce.

Jones, Boyle and Pearce serve as executive producers alongside Gail Lyon, Anita Camarata, Tracey Seaward, Paul Lee, Hope Hartman and Wiip. The series is produced by FX Productions and is set to begin production on March 7.

"It's great to be back in business with Danny Boyle, an exceptional artist responsible for so many great feature films and TV series," said Grad. "Steve Jones was at the center of the storm that shook the rock establishment and we're thrilled to have Danny and the rest of the creative team tell his story as a member of one of music's most notorious bands — the SEX PISTOLS."

"Imagine breaking into the world of 'The Crown' and 'Downton Abbey' with your mates and screaming your songs and your fury at all they represent," said Boyle. "This is the moment that British society and culture changed forever. It is the detonation point for British street culture...where ordinary young people had the stage and vented their fury and their fashion…and everyone had to watch and listen…and everyone feared them or followed them. The SEX PISTOLS. At its center was a young charming illiterate kleptomaniac — a hero for the times — Steve Jones, who became in his own words, the 94th greatest guitarist of all time. This is how he got there."

"The SEX PISTOLS changed music forever and Danny Boyle is the perfect director to tell Steve Jones's story fueled by raw creativity and destruction," said Paul Lee, CEO Wiip. "We're thrilled to be making this with our friends at FX.

Anchored by Jones's memoir, which offers a fascinating new perspective on one of rock's greatest ever stories, "Pistol" moves from West London's council estates, to Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren's notorious Kings Road SEX shop, to the international controversy that came with the release of "Never Mind The Bollocks", which is frequently listed as one of the most influential albums of all time. Their single "God Save The Queen" was banned by the BBC and reached No. 1 on the U.K.'s NME chart, but appeared at No. 2 on the official U.K. singles chart, leading to accusations that the song was purposely kept off the top spot. For the only time in chart history, the track was listed as a blank, to avoid offence to the monarchy.

"Pistol" stars Toby Wallace ("Babyteeth", "Acute Misfortune") as Steve Jones, Anson Boon ("Crawl", "1917", "Blackbird") as John Lydon, Louis Partridge ("Enola Holmes", "Medici") as Sid Vicious, Jacob Slater as Paul Cook, Fabien Frankel ("The Serpent", "NYPD Blue") as Glen Matlock, Dylan Llewellyn ("Derry Girls") as Wally Nightingale, Sydney Chandler ("Don't Worry Darling") as Chrissie Hynde, Emma Appleton ("The Witcher", "Traitors") as Nancy Spungen, and Maisie Williams ("Game Of Thrones") as punk icon Jordan

During a new appearance on "The Fred Minnick Show", ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian was asked if he thinks heavy metal "got a really bad rap in the mainstream culture" in the 1990s. He responded (see video below): "Yeah. But even more so in the '80s, when you had the PMRC — you know, Tipper Gore and housewives who decided that we were dangerous for the youth of America. That's when Dee Snider and Frank Zappa went to Capitol Hill and testified in front of Congress and all that, because they wanted to put warning stickers on albums — that whole thing. And the best part about it is that at the end of the day, there was some compromise made and the labels decided they would put content warning stickers on records, and that enabled us to sell more albums because every kid wanted the record with the content warning on it. So, thank you, social justice warriors, for enabling us to sell more records to kids that you were trying to protect them from us. They bought more of 'em."

Asked how he feels about the status of hard rock and heavy metal right now, Ian said: "I think it's super healthy — as healthy as it's ever been. You can't judge things anymore by album sales, 'cause people buying physical [product], people buying CDs, vinyl, it isn't what it used to be. And the streaming numbers for hard rock and heavy metal don't come anywhere close to the streaming numbers for pop or rap. But as far as ticket sales go, and going out on tour and all that, and just in general…

"Look, we've been doing this a long time, and the fact that I can still do this now — [2021] will be our 40th year as a band — I can still do this now and make a living at it, all these decades later, at a higher level than we did even in the '80s," he continued. "I can only judge it by the health of my band, where my band is at professionally, and things are really good... So that, to me, is a good barometer for what's going on with hard rock and heavy metal in general. So many new bands in metal have come through in the last 10 years, and then, of course, you've got the grandpas like us and — I was gonna say SLAYER, but they retired — us and MEGADETH and METALLICA. And even bands that I consider to be new bands, like SYSTEM OF A DOWN or LAMB OF GOD — all these guys who have now been around going on 20 [or] 30 years. I think it's really healthy.

"There's always gonna be a new generation of kids that are gonna look for an alternative to what's on the radio or what's on the television, and that's hard rock and heavy metal," Scott added. "It's kind of like the death business — funeral homes are never gonna go out of business; I don't think guitar-based bands are ever gonna go out of business."

ANTHRAX has been writing new material for the band's next release, expected later this year. The new album will follow ANTHRAX's 2016 release "For All Kings", the critically acclaimed 11th studio album that became ANTHRAX's highest-charting effort in two decades when it entered the Billboard 200 at No. 9.

David Ellefson says that MEGADETH "would be happy" to play more shows featuring the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal.

METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX played together for the first time in history on June 16, 2010 in front of 81,000 fans at the Sonisphere festival at Bemowo Airport in Warsaw, Poland and shared a bill again for six more shows as part of the Sonisphere series that same year. They reunited again for several dates in 2011, including the last "Big Four" concert, which was held on September 14, 2011 at Yankee Stadium in New York City. Since then, METALLICA, SLAYER and ANTHRAX have played a number of shows together, including the 2013 Soundwave festival in Australia. They also performed at the 2014 Heavy MTL festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

During a brand new interview with "The New And Improved Super Retro Throwback Reviews: The Audio Files", Ellefson was asked if MEGADETH would be interested in playing more "Big Four" concerts at some point in the future.

"METALLICA are the ones who run the show, so, obviously, we're very thankful they even considered it the first time," Ellefson said (hear audio below). "Obviously, they're a very big band, and we're proud of 'em in our genre, because they sit up there in the echelons of U2 and THE ROLLING STONES — I mean, the biggest of the big — and it's so cool that a thrash metal band would be sitting up in that ivory tower, if you will.

"Look, if they ever wanted to do it again, of course, we would be happy," he continued. "But now we have another issue, which is SLAYER is calling it a day. They've announced their farewell; I don't know when that's gonna end exactly. So I'm certainly glad we captured it when we did, because when METALLICA put that offer out to all of us to get together and do that, that really solidified all of us… they pulled us up to their level, which was really cool. That's kind of the ultimate kind of servanthood mentality — they came down to where we are and lifted us up to where they are.

"METALLICA, they've taken a lot of bullets for the transitions and things that they've done over the years, but, I mean, hey, man, they're still METALLICA and they've been the leader of our genre," Ellefson added. "Obviously, I'm glad Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader] was in the band; we wouldn't have MEGADETH if Dave wasn't in METALLICA. So, on some level, we're all a branch in the family tree of METALLICA."

Mustaine recently said that he would be interested in playing a "Big Four" show where all the bands "got treated fairly" instead of METALLICA performing a longer set and getting more stage space than the other groups on the bill. "I would love to see it done in a way where we all played together, same amount of time, same kind of stage situation, but I don't think that's gonna happen. And it's cool, because SLAYER's gonna down in history, and they don't need the 'Big Four' to make them any more legendary than they already are. Nor do I."

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett said last year that he believed that the "Big Four" idea would be revisited again. He explained: "I see those shows as kind of like a celebration — a real celebration of each other, and a real celebration of the music that we all make, and a real celebration of the audience embracing [what] we've done. And why not have more of that?"

OVERKILL vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth was recently interviewed by "The Classic Metal Show". The full conversation can be streamed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):

On OVERKILL's momentum in recent years, when they've released numerous critically acclaimed albums and delivered strong live performances:

Bobby: "I think that for the 30-plus years that we've been in this mix, we've been always trying to succeed at a high level and accomplish it, but I agree — there seems to be a great chemistry with this lineup, and it seems like we're getting great results. I can't attribute it to anything else but that — it just seems to work under these conditions, so why fuck with it if it's not broken?"

On whether he feels that consistently working rather than taking long breaks between albums has benefited the band:

Bobby: "That's a two-fold reason for that. One of the reasons is that it's a big part of our visibility. We're not on the top of the heap when it comes to this — we're somewhere in the middle still fighting for our space, and there's a lot to be said for fighting for your space. It keeps you honest. Because of that visibility and focus, records seem to fly out of us on kind of a regular schedule, and I think it works for us. I don't know if it helps the process or is directly responsible for the recent string of success or good chemistry, but for sure, it keeps us focused."

On how he's changed over the years:

Bobby: "The person evolves. It doesn't necessarily mean that the goal is any different, but I think the internal workings of myself are quite different. There's something really genuine and charming about youthful chaos when you're trying to get it on tape, but there's also obviously good results this many years later, to use the dirty word of mature and evolution, to say, 'Hey, I can still get that chaos on tape, but we can do it more so methodically as chaos for the sake of chaos.'"

On the group's new DVD, "Live In Overhausen", on which they perform their first and fifth albums, "Feel The Fire" and "Horrorscope", in their entirety:

Bobby: "First and foremost, we were contracted to do a DVD. There was anniversaries of these records, one being 30, one being 25. I remember sitting in a dressing room with D.D. [Verni] in a festival in Belgium, and we were having a drink and talking about this. He said, 'What about one?' I said, 'Well, what about two?' He said, 'Done.' We're real deep thinkers. [Laughs] I mean, the name of the band is OVERKILL — let's double it up. I remember that same day, one of the Nuclear Blast guys came by, and we said, 'Hey, we got this idea for the DVD,' and we presented it that way. His eyes bugged out and he said, 'Two? That's fucking great! Nobody does two!' I said, 'That's kind of the point.' It just seemed like the right thing."

On how it felt to revisit lesser-known material from those two albums:

Bobby: "The songs have come and gone from our set. There's like a classic OVERKILL — I guess it's four or five cuts that are always played throughout our career: 'Fuck You'; 'Elimination'; 'Rotten To The Core'; maybe a couple of others. But other songs drift in and out of the set, so I was familiar with ninety percent of this, as were the other dudes, because they have played songs like 'Blood And Iron' from 'Feel The Fire'. We do 'Nice Day For A Funeral' sometimes from 'Horrorscope'. But I think the hero of the day was Eddy Garcia. Eddy stepped in to do drums for this specifically because Ron Lipnicki, our drummer at the time, said, 'I can't do this. I can't make the trip.' So he was really the focus for all of us, because he had to learn both records. I think that us concentrating on him learning it only brought us up to speed even faster."

On the importance of maintaining a "street-level credibility":

Bobby: "I don't think it's anything that's a business plan. I think it's really just the kind of people we are. We were metalheads before we were OVERKILL, and I think that there's always been something very special about that. I think the longevity of this band or of the scene itself is that it's an undisposable [sic] scene, or undisposable band, or people with a great amount of fortitude, conviction and heart. That goes much beyond the band. I meet a lot of people that are very much like me, and as human beings, we like that — being around people you can identify with. We have a commonality. We like the same shit. We're the same kind of people. It's not overthinking it – it's not, 'We're bigger than the rest,' or 'We have to keep our mystique.'"

On why he thinks former guitarist Bobby Gustafson is so upset by the release:

Bobby: "You know, I don't really think I could speak on it. I'm obviously aware of it, and we've always wished Bobby publicly the best and said that he was instrumental in helping this band get off the ground. That goes without a doubt. But this is not my problem. I can only make this my problem. [Laughs] If it's not my fuckin' problem, then I don't care about it. I like saying this when it comes to certain things that come up that, to a very large degree, to why you and I are talking. It's only really a sidebar to it, and that's that we grew up in New Jersey and the New York area. We're second-generation Americans... and it was real simple, what you learned when you were a kid – work hard, and keep your fuckin' mouth shut. [Laughs] To some degree, it's why OVERKILL — or this version of OVERKILL — has never aired its dirty laundry in public. I'm always willing to deal with issues, but not in the public eye. I just don't think it's the right thing to do. It's been a pure band up to this point; I would rather keep it that way."

On the status of the group's in-progress new album:

Bobby: "We're up to 11 pre-production demos. I think that probably what I'm most excited about for this record is that Jason Bittner is now part of that chemistry. Jason has been a long-standing friend of ours. We've known him from way back when Tim Mallare was in the band. He's cut for this, and always has been cut for this. He's in the top echelon of this stuff. I mean, no slag on Ron Lipnicki — Ron was a great drummer, and I'm not saying that is going to be better, but this is going to be different, and that's one of the things I'm looking forward to. We notice all those differences within the band, all those nuances. I think that probably the biggest surprise for me on this record or the highest excitement of motivation is having a different guy behind the kit, and a guy who's more than qualified to do it who's not just doing it, but wanting to do it. I think that we have something special in the very near future. We're slated for the end of February 2019."

"Live In Overhausen" will be released on May 18 via Nuclear Blast.

In a new appearance on "The Radical With Nick Terzo" podcast, GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Richard Fortus spoke about how difficult it has been adjusting to the different musicians that have come through the band since he joined GN'R back in late 2001 or early 2002,

"I love Robin [Finck, guitar]. I loved his playing. I loved working with him. And, obviously, Tommy [Stinson, bass] is like my brother. We were all very tight. And then there was Bucket [a.k.a. Buckethead, real name Brian Carroll], who was just sort of out on his own. But it was very musical, and it was exciting to be a part of. He's a phenomenal talent. Man, he's pretty out there. And he definitely can be difficult to work with. I enjoyed working with him, 'cause he's very musical.

"It was a difficult dynamic to make three guitars work," Fortus said. "[Buckethead] did an excellent job, because he understood the dynamics of it and how the puzzle pieces have to fit together, and Bucket really understood that. Everything sort of has to have its place.

"When [Buckethead] left and Ron Thal [a.k.a. Bumblefoot] came in, it was a different dynamic, because I think Ron had been used to sort of doing his own thing, with his own band, so he didn't really get how that worked, or how to make it work. So it was difficult at that time."

Asked if it's fair to say that Axl Rose was the "ultimate musical director" or the "band leader" during the initial period after Richard joined GUNS N' ROSES, Fortus said: "A lot of it was Tommy, and he had sort of been somehow put in that role. And then Axl was always the final arbiter."

According to Fortus, it was a smooth musical transition when guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan officially returned to GUNS N' ROSES in 2015.

"I wasn't uncomfortable in any way," he said. "You're cautious at first — you don't wanna step on anybody's toes; everyone's sort of feeling each other out. Duff and I had worked together before and were friends. And it fell together really quickly and very naturally. I think we have so much musical background in common, as far as where we came from and the bands that we sort of grew up listening to and the progression of our musical interests — with the whole background in older music and then punk rock and our love for THE [ROLLING] STONES. As far as with Slash and I, it really came together very naturally and in a really easy way.

Richard went on to call Duff one of his "favorite" people. "[He's] really just a great dude," he said. "Just so much fun to hang out with and talk to. Very smart.

"This is sort of a dream scenario for me in that I'm playing with guys that all take it as seriously as I do and are as committed and dedicated," he added. "And that's really rare and awesome to be a part of."

Fortus admitted that the chemistry between Slash, McKagan and current GUNS N' ROSES drummer Frank Ferrer wasn't as immediate.

"I think that was the toughest fit, when those guys came back," Richard said. "For Duff — well, for both of them — sort of adapting to Frank and trying to get him to adapt to them. It wasn't as natural. But it has ended up working out well."

Fortus got his big break when his band PALE DIVINE opened for THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS. This led to Fortus forming the band LOVE SPIT LOVE with PSYCHEDELIC FURS frontman Richard Butler and Ferrer. In 2000, Fortus and Ferrer became touring members of the reformed PSYCHEDELIC FURS before Fortus hooked up with GUNS N' ROSES. Ferrer himself joined GN'R in 2006.

GUNS N' ROSES is now reportedly working on a new studio album — the first under the GUNS banner since 2008's "Chinese Democracy" and the first to feature Slash, Rose and McKagan since 1993.

On September 18th, guitar legend Steve Vai has checked in with the following look back on his career:

"Twenty-four years ago today, I released my album, Fire Garden. I remember the day I returned from the Sex And Religion tour. I had decided to return my focus to the kind of music that resonated most in my heart as my intimate solo music. I went for a run up Bronson Canyon which always helps to clarify a vision. It all came to me on that run. I decided to go back to the studio and record the stripped down Alien Love Secrets, and then work on Fire Garden. I knew Fire Garden was going to take some time and I wanted to get something out quickly that satiated the guitar fans. But the entire mental outlay of Fire Garden was looming prophetically in my mind. It was all there and desperately wanting to come out. It’s hard to believe that was 25 years ago."

In the new video below, Steve Vai plays Joe Satriani's "Teardrops", off of Joe's new backing tracks release Stripped x Three.

The release features full backing tracks from the complete Shapeshifting, Black Swans And Wormhole Wizards and"Is There Love in Space? albums, a special digital compilation booklet with original liner notes and credits and it is all packaged within a replica Joe Satriani Ibanez signature guitar USB stick and custom case. Pre-order here.

Says Vai: "We all love playing to stripped tracks, and now Joe is releasing a gold mine of naked delights. Three of his albums are being released without the melody or solo guitars, and he sent me the gorgeous 'Teardrops' to play a little over. Enjoy!"

Satriani on Stripped x Three: "This collection represents three albums of backing tracks released years apart from each other spanning 16 years: Is There Love In Space? from 2004, Black Swans And Wormhole Wizards from 2010, and 2020's Shapeshifting. Three remarkably different albums recorded and mixed in remarkably different locations. At the heart of it is my love for composing unique and moving music for the electric guitar. Each album project I undertake pushes me to discover new ways to write , play, produce and record. I love the journey as much as the end result. With this compilation of backing tracks you get to peak behind the curtain a bit and experience that journey as I built the songs in the studio. And, of course, you can play along!"




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The official music video for AC/DC's song "Realize" can be seen below. The track is taken from the legendary rockers' long-awaited comeback album, "Power Up", which came out in November. The follow-up to 2014's "Rock Or Bust" features AC/DC's 2020 lineup of Brian Johnson (vocals), Phil Rudd (drums), Cliff Williams (bass), Angus Young (guitar) and Stevie Young (guitar).

Co-directed by Clemens Habicht (TAME IMPALA, LIARS) and Josh Cheuse (AC/DC's creative director), the black and white-hued "Realize" video showcases Angus, Brian, Cliff, Phil and Stevie doing what they do best: rocking out "together." Confronted with the challenge of having the band in five different locations, the co-directors approached the video as a puzzle, calling on Habicht's expertise, and pieced each individual performance together to create a cohesive visual that shows AC/DC like never before.

In a recent interview with France's Heavy1 TV, Angus spoke about "Realize", which is the opening song on "Power Up". He said: "'Realize', I remember working with Mal [late AC/DC rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young], and we worked on that track. We spent a fair bit of time on it. It was another strong idea that he had. For me, I knew how much he really liked it. I remember when we originally were writing it, the effort that he put in and how he built it up. The thing is, I remember we had the music side of it together, how we wanted to do it. And he gave me his hook idea, the chorus, When the gave me the verse idea, of how he wanted the lyric, he sang it to me roughly. And I heard it, and it stuck in my head all day. And I just kind of thought, how clever is he? He just comes up with something. It was one of those things where I kept repeating it and repeating it in my head."

He continued: "Sometimes I used to think, 'I don't know where he pulls these ideas from.' His great gift was… For him, a song wasn't a combination of riffs and hooks and that. For him, he just had a kind of natural gift… Whenever he created a song, the parts would all come together — lyrics, music, and even kind of the dynamic of it… So it was a never a case with the two of us [where we] just settled for the chords you first hit or something; you went through all the different angles with him. And even with a song, a song with us never really… Say you were doing it at that tempo or a different way, sometimes we may even go back to another route and go, 'Okay, try it from another perspective.'

"With this one, though, he had it just so clear, and it stuck with me," Angus added. "He was gonna get a mic and just put his rough voice, 'cause you can do that some time. And I said, 'Mal, if it's for me, you don't need to. I've got it here [points to his head]. [Laughs]"

"Power Up" is a tribute to Malcolm, who died in 2017 from effects of dementia at age 64. Malcolm is credited as a writer on all 12 tracks on "Power Up", along with Angus.

In December 2014, Malcolm revealed he had dementia which forced him to retire from AC/DC. His nephew Stevie Young stepped into Malcolm's position.

Angus later said that he realized during the recording of the band's 2008 album "Black Ice" that his brother's faculties were impaired.

Malcolm died in November 2017 after failing health for several years.

Hundreds of mourners gathered for his funeral in Sydney, Australia, including Angus and other members of the Young family, along with Johnson, AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd and bassist Cliff Williams.

Malcolm was remembered as a "humble man" and "musical mastermind," with friend David Albert saying in his eulogy that Malcolm's impact on the music industry was nothing short of momentous. Young's beloved Gretsch guitar, "The Beast," rested on his coffin during the service.

"Power Up" was recorded over a six-week period in August and September 2018 at Warehouse Studios in Vancouver with producer Brendan O'Brien, who also worked 2008's "Black Ice" and 2014's "Rock Or Bust".

BORSTAL, the brand new U.K. hardcore band featuring Pierre Mendivil (KNUCKLEDUST), Nick Barker (BRUJERIA, ex-CRADLE OF FILTH, DIMMU BORGIR, TESTAMENT) and members of DRIPBACK and KING OF PIGS, has dropped a video for its debut single "Vicious Circles".

BORSTAL will release its debut EP, titled "At Her Majesty's Pleasure", on April 1 via 4Family Records. The EP was recorded, mixed and mastered at Monolith Studios by Charlie "Squid Commander" Wilson in Tottenham (September 2020). The EP also features a cover version of THE LAST RESORT's "King Of The Jungle", featuring a guest appearance by British oi legend Arthur Kitchener, father of Lee Kitchener (BORSTAL guitarist).

Along with the release of "Vicious Circles", BORSTAL has also revealed the cover artwork for "At Her Majesty's Pleasure" created by Gary Ronaldson from Bite Radius Designs.

Originally conceived in late 2019 by Barker and his long time friends Wez4 and Lee Kitchener of DRIPBACK, the three brought in Pierre Mendivil (KNUCKLEDUST, BUN DEM OUT) to the fold, and with the addition of second guitarist Jamie Hunter (MORDHAU, KING OF PIGS) in April 2020, the lineup was complete.

Bringing together an uncompromising blend of punishing New York hardcore-meets-U.K. hardcore/punk/oi, and adding a little Spanish flavor lyrically here and there into the mix (paying homage to Pierre's Peruvian roots), the result is an irresistible short sharp shock of all the best elements of hardcore spread across the six tracks.

Barker comments: "I've wanted to do a New York hardcore-style band for a few years, but nothing ever came to fruition, sadly, until one day I happened to mention it to Wez and Lee (DRIPBACK) who totally jumped on the idea with overwhelming enthusiasm, immediately suggesting Pierre from KNUCKLEDUST!

"My love of hardcore/punk stems way back to my early teens in the mid-'80s when I discovered this style of music from the thrash bands I listened to at the time. Reading the thanks lists on so many vinyl inner sleeves discovering all these new bands and music I'd never heard of before... It changed my life forever!

"Coming from a black/death metal background, this is something new for me and I'm excited to share it with the world."

Pierre said: "During the peak of lockdown in U.K., Lee and Wez mentioned to me they were starting a new band and asked if I'd be interested in singing with them. As my other bands we're not in the position to start writing new music and I needed an outlet for the frustration I felt from dealing with working on the frontline during this pandemic, it didn't take much to get me onboard.

"I've worked with Lee and Wez in the past on DRIPBACK tracks and know they live for this, so I feel very honored to be involved in a band with them and after meeting Nick and Jamie, BORSTAL instantly feels like family."

"At Her Majesty's Pleasure" track listing:

01. Refuse To Lose

02. Karma

03. We Stand As One

04. Vicious Circles

05. Worm Food

06. King Of The Jungle

BORSTAL is:

Pierre Mendivil - Vocals

Lee Kitchener - Guitars

Jamie Hunter - Guitars

Wez4 - Bass

Nick Barker - Drums

The prog rock supergroup PROG COLLECTIVE, spearheaded by much-heralded producer/musician and member of prog royalty YES, Billy Sherwood, returns with a timely and magnificent new studio album, "Worlds On Hold". This is the first release under the PROG COLLECTIVE moniker since 2013's "Epilogue", which was the follow-up album to the massively popular self-titled debut album released in 2012. Just as with those previous efforts, Sherwood has gathered some of the most proficient and prolific artists from all over the globe including Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nominee Todd Rundgren, Rock Hall member Steve Hackett (of GENESIS), founding guitarist of Dutch legends FOCUS Jan Akkerman, former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, electric violinist L. Shankar, renowned keyboardist and former DREAM THEATER member Derek Sherinian, and so many more.

For "Worlds On Hold", producer and band leader Billy Sherwood chose to split the album between new compositions on one side and spectacular versions of familiar classics on the other. The songs covered include Peter Gabriel's "Solsbury Hill", ALAN PARSONS PROJECT's "Eye In The Sky", PROCOL HARUM's "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" and THE MOODY BLUES' "Nights In White Satin". In addition, the set includes three previously released bonus tracks of Billy Sherwood-produced cover versions. It truly is the best of both worlds.

For a taste of what's in store, check out the album's first single "Two Trajectories", featuring founding vocalist for prog metal icons QUEENSRŸCHE, Geoff Tate, which has been released as a digital single. The song is a complex and moving composition that showcases not only Tate's incredible range but also the sleek and stupefying guitar work of superstar shredder Ron Thal.

Sherwood declares: "It was an honor and a pleasure to work with Geoff Tate on the song. He brought so much emotion and character to the vocal. I'm looking forward to people hearing this track along with all the others on the new PROG COLLECTIVE record!"

The feeling is mutual for Tate, who says: "YES was one of my earliest influences and working with Billy was very special to me. I loved singing the track 'Two Trajectories'."

"Worlds On Hold" will be available on digital as well as CD and in a deluxe 2LP gatefold set with colored vinyl starting February 5.

Track listing:

01. Worlds On Hold (feat. Todd Rundgren & L. Shankar)

02. Two Trajectories (feat. Geoff Tate & Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal)

03. Anything But Goodbye (feat. Jon Davison & Patrick Moraz)

04. Meant To Be (feat. Jan Akkerman & Billy Sherwood)

05. Brave New World (feat. Sonja Kristina & Steve Hillage)

06. Glory Days Ahead (feat. Arjen Anthony Lucassen & Steve Hackett)

07. Solsbury Hill (feat. Roine Stolt & Billy Sherwood)

08. A Whiter Shade Of Pale (feat. Graham Bonnet & Derek Sherinian)

09. Eye In The Sky (feat. Joe Lynn Turner & Martin Barre)

10. Nights In White Satin (feat. David Clayton-Thomas & Geoff Downes)

Bonus tracks:

11. Penny Lane (feat. John Wetton)

12. More Than A Feeling (feat. Alan White, Tony Kaye & Billy Sherwood)

13. People Are Strange (feat. David Johansen)

Incendium and Heavy Metal magazine have announced the launch of "Crystal Planet", created by Joe Satriani and Ned Evett, under all-new music-focused Opus imprint.

A vivid space odyssey where Satchel Walker, a man out of time, finds himself caught between desperate factions as they battle for resources in the perilous orbit of a dying star. In a bold and brutal saga of sentient storms and Wingsuit armies, it's music, and more importantly the power and emotion that music can conjure, which could bring an end to the conflict, restore harmony to the timestream, and reveal Walker's true place in the universe.

"Crystal Planet" begins as a five-issue series. The first print edition of each issue will be released as a prestige format limited edition collectible comic book, featuring cardstock covers, specialty foil treatments, glossy pages, and individual numbering. Each first printing will be limited to 1998 copies at $19.98, and available to order here. The first issue is available to order now and ships March 2021.

"Funny how things get their start," says Satriani. "July 1994 I'm on tour with DEEP PURPLE and I'm warming up with my guitar backstage in a bull's isolation cell at the Plaza de Toros in Gjion, Spain. Then and there, I start writing the opening riff to a song that will become 'Crystal Planet', and a few years later, it's the title track for my '98 album release." He continues "Fast forward to 2013, friend and fellow guitarist Ned Evett makes an animated sci-fi video for my song 'Lies And Truths' using artwork from my 'Joe's Art 2013' book. We projected that video on a 30-foot screen every night of the 'Unstoppable Momentum' tour. It was a hit with the fans which got us thinking we could expand the clip into a 'Crystal Planet' sci-fi epic. Ned and I formed Satchtoons, a company focused on creating animated content, and we got to work on scripts and demos for the 'Crystal Planet' pilot. Seven years later, thanks to Llexi Leon and Heavy Metal, here we are with our first comic book series! Llexi and I had worked together on his awesome 'Eternal Descent' comics, and by coincidence we met again when Heavy Metal published a short excerpt of 'Crystal Planet' adapted by Brendon Small for the magazine's 2019 music issue. Both Ned and I love working with Llexi and the Incendium creative team; they bring so much artistry and expertise to our time-traveling adventure. I am thrilled to finally offer our fans the first full issue of what will ultimately be a three-novel trilogy."

Llexi Leon says: "'Crystal Planet' is a thrilling rollercoaster through space and time, it's Mad Max vs. Tron — with guitars! This has been an incredibly rewarding project to bring to fruition, digging deep into the lore behind one of the greatest instrumental rock records. Working with Joe has always been a pleasure, having collaborated in comics with Eternal Descent years ago his love of the medium is well known. There was a treasure trove of concepts and character exploration compiled over decades by Joe and his writing partner Ned that formed the basis of this project, with the ultimate goal to take fans on a journey to 'Crystal Planet' for the first time. Tony, Richard, Carlos, and Jacob have done a tremendous job realizing an incredible world and telling it's story. It's fitting that our publishing venture with Heavy Metal would begin with a space faring time travel adventure!"

The world of "Crystal Planet" will extend beyond the printed page into toys and collectibles. A Joe Satriani "Crystal Planet" action figure is also available to pre-order now for $29.95, featuring Joe in a Tri-Diver suit from the comics with his signature "Crystal Planet" Ibanez guitar. Shipping May 2021.

Jeff Pilson has responded to Don Dokken's recent criticism of "Heavy Hitters", the bassist's recently released collaboration with George Lynch on a collection of studio recordings that turn pop music classics into metal anthems. Issued on December 18, the LP includes cover versions of such tracks as Carole King's "I Feel The Earth Move", Prince's "Kiss", OASIS's "Champagne Supernova", Madonna's "Music" and R.E.M.'s "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)".

Dokken discussed the LP during a December 2020 appearance on "The Classic Metal Show". After co-host Chris Akin named some of the songs which were reimagined by Pilson and Lynch, Don said: "But those are not heavy hitters. No offense, they are good songs, but those are vanilla tunes. [Sings 'It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)'] Did they rock 'em up or put some shredding guitar solos [in them]?

"They must be really bored," Dokken continued. "But, you know, everybody's got their mantra; everybody's got their financial things, I guess. If a record company is willing to give you money to put out pablum, then put out the pablum. But I hope my standards as a songwriter are a little higher than that. If I'm gonna do a remake, I'm gonna do something that was super cool, like 'Paint It Black' by THE [ROLLING] STONES or 'Revolution' by THE BEATLES or something that's awesome and do something like that. I'm not gonna do Carole King.

"I don't get it. I don't know what's going on with those guys," Don added. "I don't really talk to them much. Lynch and I, we talk once in a while, 'cause he always wanted to move to Santa Fe; that's his dream. He's always wanted to come to New Mexico. And I said, 'Hey, you're welcome to come on up and stay in the casita' — as they call 'em up here, a casita, the guest house — 'and if you wanna go hike'… He hikes; he's a hiker. So, I've got 13 acres. He can get lost very easily. I'm not going looking for him."

Earlier this week, Pilson was asked to respond to Dokken's comments during an interview with the "Rock 'N' Roll Icons With Bode James" podcast. He said (see video below): "First, let me give Don his due here. I'm sure he didn't hear it, and honestly, I'm not really concerned if he does or doesn't. But having not heard it, if I saw that list of tunes, I would say, yeah, there's some vanilla tunes in there. So that critique of his is true. The whole idea was to take tunes like that and make them cool, which I believe we did.

"I don't wanna go into Don's mind right now," he contined. "Yeah, I know him really well, and, yeah, I have an opinion of his modus operandi and what he's thinking. Let's put it this way: I wouldn't expect Don to say something nice about somebody he views as competition. I don't view him as competition. We're all musicians trying to do our thing. So I'm not gonna second-guess Don or try and get into his mind, 'cause I still love the guy — I really do. But he's always been like that; he will always critique things. That's his thing. That's fine. I wasn't so flattering of some of his DOKKEN records that he's done in the last [couple of decades]."

He added: "I still love Don, but I'm not doing this to please Don. [Laughs]"

DOKKEN's classic lineup — Pilson, Dokken, Lynch and drummer "Wild" Mick Brown — reunited for a short Japanese tour in the fall of 2016. The trek marked the first time in 21 years the four musicians had hit the road together.

Since completing the Japanese reunion dates, DOKKEN has continued to perform with the group's current lineup — including bassist Chris McCarvill, guitarist Jon Levin and drummer BJ Zampa (HOUSE OF LORDS).

A DOKKEN concert DVD focusing on the band's reunion tour, "Return To The East Live (2016)", was made available in 2018.

Speaking about the reunion tour and whether the door is open for another renewed collaboration with Don, Pilson told the "Rock 'N' Roll Icons With Bode James" podcast: "We had a very good time. I think musically, we weren't at our best. We could have been better. But when we did the new song [that was featured on 'Return To The East Live (2016)'], it felt like DOKKEN. And it certainly made us all realize, wow, the chemistry didn't die with X amount of years; we still do what we can do. So, the door that's open is for making a record.

"Would we ever go on the road as DOKKEN again? I don't know," he said. "I kind of doubt it, but you never know. I personally would love to make a final record that was really strong and that we felt really good about. I would be really happy about that. So hopefully we can. And hopefully we'll get that chance one of these days. And if and when that happens, that would be great. But with time and scheduling and everything else… We tried. Before we did THE END MACHINE record" — referring to Pilson, Lynch and Brown's 2019 collaboration with singer Robert Mason — "the first couple of songs we wrote we sent to Don and we said, 'Hey, what do you think? This is much closer to the DOKKEN direction. How do you feel?' And he wanted to do it, and then he realized his obligations with his current DOKKEN meant he couldn't release a record anytime soon. So we shelved that. But the communication is there. So maybe someday."

DOKKEN is currently working on material on a new studio album, tentatively due in 2021 via Silver Lining Music, the label owned by Thomas Jensen, one of the founders of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival. It will mark the group's first disc since 2012's "Broken Bones".

OF MICE & MEN has released an animated video for its new single "Obsolete". The clip is inspired by the cover artwork that was drawn by iconic artist Derek Hess. The song will appear on OF MICE & MEN's upcoming EP, "Timeless", which will be released on February 26 via the band's new label home, SharpTone Records.

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

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

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

OF MICE & MEN is:

Aaron Pauley - Bass, Vocals

Valentino Arteaga - Drums

Alan Ashby - Guitar

Phil Manansala - Guitar

Vintersea – whose unique fusion of majestic progressive metal, harsh blackened death and post-metal beauty draws inspiration from the darkened skies of their Pacific Northwest home – has unveiled a music video for their song “Crack Of Light.” The epic vision conceived by director/bassist Karl Whinnery is the latest clip from the group's critically acclaimed 2019 album Illuminated.

"Since the release of Illuminated, our fans have been asking us about a music video for the central epic of the album, 'Crack Of Light,'” says guitarist Riley Nix. “We've secretly been toiling away on it for nearly a year now, building sets, costumes and prop pieces on a scale we've never attempted before. We traveled to every corner of our state to capture unique and appropriate scenery for this song, which is a collective band favorite. We are so excited to share the results, which represent hard work and dedication by not only our band, but also by a ton of our friends and family who put their blood, sweat and tears into this video."

The ambition of the band and the effort put into the production of “Crack Of Light” are evident in the video's props and sets. The band and their friends built a 20-foot boat specifically for its filming, and the boat itself took four people to load onto a flatbed trailer for the band's journey to location shooting in the Alvord Desert in rural Oregon. Additional shooting was done in a secluded cave with a natural sunlight shaft that only allows two hours of sunlight per day, as well as a set that was built by the band to resemble “The Void” from the Netflix series “Stranger Things,” including a 40' x 40' pool for the boat to float in for one segment of the video.

“While we want every video to be special, the pandemic gave us more time to work on the video for 'Crack Of Light'”, says Whinnery. “I had big dreams for 'Crack of Light' – the song has an oceanic vibe, but everyone knows filming in the ocean is horrible. Still, the song screamed for a boat, so I dug deep in my brain and came back with a pretty crazy idea that I managed to sell to the band – build a boat and then take it to the desert.”

Fronted by Malaysian-born singer Avienne, whose vocal range spans from haunting melodies to fierce growls, Vintersea delivers heavy, emotionally powerful and technically intriguing music that is undeniably inspired by the majesty of the Pacific Northwest. “Crack Of Light” is the latest music video from their 2019 release, Illuminated. The album shows off the band's riveting mix of prog, black, death and post-metal that has earned comparisons to forward-thinking acts such as Agalloch and Enslaved.

The first of many Immortal Guardian collaboration covers, this is the band's version of the classic song "Into The Pit" by Rob Halford's band Fight. For the cover video, Immortal Guardian collaborated with Metal Mike Chlasciak (Halford, Sebastian Bach, Testament, Pain Museum) and Leandro Caçoilo (Viper, Eterna, Seventh Seal, HardShine, Dirty Dogs, Caravellus).

"This is the first of many covers, so let us know what you would like to hear next and who you would want us to collaborate next!"

The band urges fans to visit their online shop to pre-order their new album, Psychosomatic, which will be released on February 12 via M-Theory Audio. 

Immortal Guardian previously unveiled a music video for “Lockdown”, the second single from their forthcoming concept album, Psychosomatic. The clip, which showcases the group cleverly adapting to the same stay-at-home conditions that are affecting millions of people around the world at this moment can be viewed below.

"Rich or poor, it doesn't matter, every human this year experienced some kind of lockdown/isolation during this insane year,” says guitarist / keyboardist Gabriel Guardian. “We couldn't even just meet up because our borders were on lockdown for international travel. Thank god for the internet, as we were able to still create music and keep each other company online even with thousands of miles between each member. 'Lockdown' talks about all of the same questions we all have been asking ourselves since the start of the pandemic. Where did this all come from? Who's to blame? Is the lockdown saving more lives than it's destroying? We can only keep making music through these crazy times and hope for a better tomorrow."

Tracklisting:

"Psychosomatic"
"Read Between The Lines"
"Lockdown"
"Phobia"
"Clocks"
"Self-Isolation"
"Goodbye To Farewells"
"Candlelight"
"Find The Reason"
"New Day Rising"

After winning over new audiences with their acclaimed 2018 debut full-length Age of Revolution and touring relentlessly alongside fellow shredders such as Marty Friedman, Powerglove, and Exmortus, Immortal Guardian gathered in Las Vegas earlier this year to begin recording their second album. As the spread of COVID-19 and the subsequent pandemic began to ensue, each member of the band retreated to their respective hometowns. With shutdowns around the world being enforced, the band completely scrapped the record that they had been working on and were heavily inspired to write and create a new thematic record about their emotions surrounding current events.

The video for “Read Between The Lines” - produced and directed by SBLGA - also saw the members of Immortal Guardian contributing remotely from their respective homes, and shows off the continued refinement of their full-frontal assault of anthemic melodies, technical rhythms, furious shred and high-flying vocals.

Psychosomatic is the next step in Immortal Guardian’s evolution while still capturing the band’s exhilarating trademark melding of melodic power metal with progressive / shred tendencies.

Immortal Guardian is:

Gabriel Guardian – guitars / keyboards
Carlos Zema – vocals
Justin Piedimonte – drums
Josh Lopez – bass

Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the release of Kreek’s self-titled debut album on February 12. Kreek is a hot new British band fronted by ex-Bigfoot frontman Antony Ellis, which sees Ellis keeping his foot firmly planted in the fertile UK hard rock scene from which he emerged. Fans can get a first taste of the band's debut album with the song "You're On Your Own". Listen to the song below, and pre-order/save the new album here.

Kreek offers up kick ass rock 'n' roll with strong melodies, hooks, and lyrics and is Antony’s next evolutionary step after Bigfoot. "I had a blast with my former band, but as I had personal goals and growth in my songwriting skills, I realised this new outlet was very necessary,” tells Antony. "With Kreek, I am very much the driving force behind the music and the band members are guys I handpicked so I could truly flex my musical muscles."

Kreek was first formed in the summer of 2019 after Ellis’ had parted ways with Bigfoot, who would eventually disband. Impressed with Ellis’ vocal ability from their time working with his previous band, Frontiers reached out to Ellis about continuing to work together. Ellis had already been thinking about putting something new together and was keen to create a great new hard rock band. He soon found a group of musicians in Nick Clarke (guitar), Lee Andrews (bass), Seb Sweet (drums), and later on Dan Collict (guitar), who were ready to join him and thus Kreek was born.

"Me and Nick first began jamming nearly 18 months ago and in reality we are the roots of the band that is Kreek,” continues Antony. Lee and Seb also joined the band fairly quickly after Antony started the search for the right musicians. The last find was Dan Collict. "I even contemplated just keeping it as a four piece. As time went on my gut told me that I needed the second guitar player to make the songs come alive. When Dan plugged away at the songs and sent me clips of his progress, I could see that he was gonna fit in just fine. We got in the room together to jam and it rocked!” says Antony.

Produced by Dan Rossall (Passion, Revolution Saints), Kreek’s self-titled debut is now ready to be unleashed this coming February. Fans of the fruitful British hard rock scene will find much to enjoy within Kreek.

Tracklisting:

"At The Bottom Of Hell"
"Missiles"
"Meet Your Maker"
"Million Dollar Man"
"One Voice"
"Man On My Shoulder"
"Stand Together"
"Down 'N Dirty"
"Get Up"
"You're On Your Own"

"You're On Your Own":

"Million Dollar Man" video:

Lineup:

Antony Ellis - Vocals
Nick Clarke - Guitar
Dan Collict - Lead and rhythm guitar
Seb Sweet - Drums
Lee Andrews – Bass

Longstanding California punk band NOFX will release its 14th full-length album, titled "Single Album", on Friday, February 26 via Fat Mike's label Fat Wreck Chords.

Boasting 12 new tracks and recorded at Motor Studios in San Francisco with Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore (RISE AGAINST, ALKALINE TRIO, TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET), the follow-up to 2016's "First Ditch Effort" is NOFX's most personal effort to date.

Originally intended to be a double record, "Single Album" was scaled down after the coronavirus pandemic changed NOFX's plans.

The official music video for the disc's first single, "Linewleum", featuring AVENGED SEVENFOLD, can be seen below.

"I have no idea why 'Linoleum' [released in 1994] is the NOFX song that is covered by so many bands while other NOFX songs get hardly any attention," Fat Mike said in a statement. "'Linoleum' wasn't a single, it had no video, it got no radio play, and most importantly, it didn't even have a chorus!!! All popular songs have choruses! WTF!

"So, one night I stayed up till 4:00 a.m. checking out all the different versions on YouTube. Watching hundreds of bands from over 28 countries (mostly Indonesia) doing 'Linoleum' was a humbling experience for me. So I decided to write a song that was a shout-out to all those people that learned those four chords and remembered the non-rhyming lyrics."

Mike went on to describe "Linewleum" as "a song about not playing a song that's not a hit song with a video about other bands covering the song!", adding: "This is why I love punk rock writing punk songs. Rules out the door!"

Mike said that he "asked the biggest of all the bands" — AVENGED SEVENFOLD — "to play some leads on the song. Then [AVENGED singer] M. Shadows suggested we do a video together. Then I figured I should put all of the bands in the video. Well, I couldn't fit all the bands, but I picked a bunch of cool ones."

"Single Album" track listing:

01. The Big Drag

02. I Love You More Than I Hate Me

03. Fuck Euphemism

04. Fish In A Gun Barrel

05. Birmingham

06. Linewleum

07. My Bro Cancervive Cancer

08. Grieve Soto

09. Doors And Fours

10. Your Last Resort

Former Delain guitarist Merel Bechtold, who left the band in June 2019, has launched Dear Mother with vocalist David Pear and drummer Joey Marin de Boer. They have released their first single, "12 Years In Exile" and the official video is available below. A second single will be released soon and Dear Mother debut album will be released some time in 2021.

Check out Bechtold's guitar playthrough video for "12 Years In Exile" below.

Delain issued the following band statement when Bechtold announced her departure from the band:

"Today we are sharing the news with you that Merel has decided to leave Delain and focus on different musical ambitions. Merel’s performance with us at Graspop will be her last show as a permanent band member of Delain. We are aware this is very short notice, and this we regret for those of you who wanted to catch a last show with her as a part of the team. However, this is a friendly departure, and we are respecting Merel’s wishes in doing so. We had an amazing ride sharing the stage with this fireball and we are excited to see the results of her new endeavours."

"Although we will miss Merel on the road with us, we realize that our busy schedules require loads of time and commitment, and we understand and respect her decision to focus on her own path. We will continue performing live as a five-piece as before, and look forward to finishing the work for our upcoming studio album, the upcoming festival season, our US tour with Amorphis and Anneke van Giersbergen and our European Masters Of Destiny Tour. We hope to see you all soon! Thank you Merel, we wish you nothing but the best!"

Bechtold issued the following statement on he decision to leave Delain:

"After almost five amazing years the time has come for me to focus on my own dreams. Because of my previous band commitments my attention diverged from my own music and the path I want to follow, and I feel I need to give myself the time and opportunity to explore my musical ambitions. This is probably the hardest decision of my life, but in the end it’s important to follow your heart and be happy. I want to thank my bandmates and crew, I will miss you dearly! Also huge thanks to all the amazing people I’ve met on the road. And most importantly I want to thank YOU for all those amazing and warm memories! It’s been a pleasure."

Dr. Anthony Fauci says that theaters and other live entertainment venues could reopen "some time in the fall of 2021."

The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases gave an update on when he thinks the performing arts will be able to reopen during a virtual conference held by the Association of Performing Arts Professionals.

According to The New York Times, Fauci said that the country will have to reach an effective level of herd immunity, which requires vaccinating from 70 percent to 85 percent of the population, before theaters and other venues will be able to reopen.

"If everything goes right, this is will occur some time in the fall of 2021," Fauci said, "so that by the time we get to the early to mid-fall, you can have people feeling safe performing onstage as well as people in the audience."

Fauci went on to say that if vaccine distribution succeeded, theaters with good ventilation and proper air filters might not need to place many restrictions for performances by the fall — except asking their audience members to wear masks, which he suggested could continue to be a norm for the foreseeable future.

Small live music and entertainment venues have been hard-hit during the coronavirus pandemic, with 90 percent of venue owners, promoters, and bookers previously reporting they were at risk of closing without additional financial assistance and an estimated $9 billion in losses.

Last month, congessional leaders announced a new COVID-19 relief bill that will include funding for independent music venues that have been closed throughout the pandemic.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer issued a statement saying the long-overdue $900 billion stimulus deal bill includes "$15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions."

Also in December, concert trade publication Pollstar released its year-end report in which it said that the total lost revenue for the live events industry in 2020 was more than $30 billion. This figure includes "unreported events, ancillary revenues, including sponsorships, ticketing, concessions, merch, transportation, restaurants, hotels, and other economic activity tied to the live even