On January 29, Demon Head will release their new album, Viscera, via Metal Blade Records. For a first preview of the record, a video for the new single, "The Feline Smile", can be viewed below.

Demon Head comments: "Today we give you 'The Feline Smile', the second single from our 4th album Viscera. 12-string guitar and pipe organ initiates the song's many changes. Mellotron arrangements accompany brittle vocal harmonies developing into a climax of cryptic guitar solos. A song of haunting and hidden pleasure; the untamed wild of the feline smile. A cut-up video assemblage by David Thelen reveals artwork from the album."

Viscera can be pre-ordered here in the following formats:

- hardcover digisleeve-CD
- 180g clear deluxe edition vinyl w/ o-card, backpatch, and poster (Kings Road exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- clear ash grey marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 250 copies)
- dark red / black marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 250 copies)
- clear / black dust vinyl (Kings Road exclusive - limited to 100 copies)
- clear brown marbled vinyl (US exclusive)

Demon Head is comprised of five internationally based and widely acclaimed musicians; Mikkel Sander Fuglsang, Birk Gjerlufsen Nielsen, Marcus Ferreira Larsen, Thor Gjerlufsen Nielsen and Jeppe Wittus. Though hesitant to compromise the description of the music they perform through generalizing terms of genre, they've coined the term "diabolic rock" as an appropriate presentation.

Their fourth full-length - Viscera - is a new beginning for Demon Head. Recorded during the first months of 2020 between the legendary Sweet Silence Studios by Flemming Rasmussen (Metallica, Morbid Angel, Rainbow) and a remote country house in Sweden, the album was mixed by Martin 'Konie' Ehrencrona (In Solitude, Tribulation, Nifelheim). The production shows the impeccable qualities of joined forces, where old techniques meet new aesthetics, and major label possibilities meet underground, uncompromising DIY dedication. The resulting 10 songs showcase acoustic instruments, flourishing mellotron strings, brass instruments, tape manipulation and church organ - displayed in equal measure to the sound of the crushing drums of J.W, cryptic guitars of brothers B.G.N and T.G.N, pounding bass lines of M.S.F, and the vocals of M.F.L combined with the eerily captivating falsetto and baryton of B.G.N.

Demon Head comments: "We are now ready to offer You 'Viscera'. It contains more of us than any album we have made before, and we hope that You will welcome it as sincerely as it will welcome You."

Viscera tracklisting:

"Tooth And Nail"
"The Feline Smile"
"Arrows"
"Magical Death"
"The Lupine Choir"
"A Long, Groaning Descent"
"In Adamantine Chains"
"Black Torches"
"Wreath"
"The Triumphal Chariot Of Antimony"

"The Triumphal Chariot Of Antimony" video:

Demon Head will play a release show on January 30 at Pumpehuset in Copenhagen. "A release ceremony will take place in Copenhagen when this year is newly dead. Tokens for the passage are available here."

Demon Head lineup:

Mikkel Sander Fuglsang - bass
Birk Gjerlufsen Nielsen - guitars
Marcus Ferreira Larsen - vocals
Thor Gjerlufsen Nielsen - guitars
Jeppe Wittus - drums

(Photo - Adrian Utzon)

French doomsters Conviction, featuring members of Temple Of Baal, Mourning Dawn, Ataraxie, have announced the release of their self-titled debut album. It drops on January 22, 2021 via Argonauta Records. The upcoming effort, which contains 8 massive tracks, was recorded, mixed and mastered by guitarist Frédéric Patte-Brasseur in the Vault 92 Studio. "Voices Of The Dead" is the first preview track, available for streaming as an official video clip.

Says the band: "We're proud to finally release Conviction's first album, an album made by True Doom Metal fans, for True Doom Metal fans. Recording the whole album on our own in Frederic's Vault 92 studio has been quite an intense experience. Lots of sweat & blood were involved, and we've learnt a lot on ourselves as musicians through the process, channeling all our influences.

"The first single, "Voices Of The Dead", was inspired by long walks in the foggy countryside, forests and old churches of Normandie. Desolate empty places, ancient stones, old statues… Sometimes you feel like being between The Hound of the Baskervilles and a novel from the Brontë's sisters, it can be both freaky and gothic at the same time. We'd like to salute Claudine Kax, who did a remarkable work on the album's visual, directly drawn from a XVIth Century statue inside Gisors' church."


Album tracklist:

01. Prologue Affliction
02. Voices Of The Dead
03. Through The Window
04. Curse Of The Witch
05. Outworn
06. Wrong Life
07. Castles Made Of Shame
08. My Sanctuary

Norwegian old school heavy metallers, The Cult Of Destiny, featuring members of The Carburetors and Chrome Division, have released a video for their cover os the KISS song, "I Was Made For Lovin' You", included as a bonus track on the band's self-titled debut album, available via The Cult Of Destiny Records. Find the new clip below.

The album was recorded by Arslan Qureshi and Jørgen Henriksen at Laidback Studios. Mixed and mastered by Robert Hauge at Badabing Studio.

Tracklisting:

"So It Begins"
"The Armageddon Is Here"
"Suman The Council"
"Into The Armageddon"
"Coming From The North"
"Brother"
"The Cult Of Destiny"
"Stand With Me"
"Set The Demon Free"
"Welcome To The End"
"Exit Armageddon"
"I Was Made For Lovin' You" (Bonus - KISS Cover)

"I Was Made For Lovin' You" video:

The Cult Of Destiny is:

Eddie Guz - Vocals (The Carburetors, Chrome Division)
Chris Marchand - Guitars (The Carburetors, Shot At Dawn)
Mr. Damage Karlsen - Guitars (Chrome Division, Breed)
Mads Mowinkel - Bass (Chrome Division, Breed)
Jon Erik Bokn - Drums (Chrome Division, Breed)

Back in October 2020, progressive rockers The Flower Kings released their new double album, Islands, via InsideOutMusic, just a year after the group’s much celebrated Waiting For Miracles. Today, the band have launched a brand new video for the track "Black Swan".

Roine Stolt comments: “'Black Swan' was a little piano melody I wrote around spring 2019 - I thought of it as 'Polish melancholic' or a ballet piano piece. I did present a demo for the Transatlantic sessions but when it didn't stick there I brought it along to the TFK ‘Islands’ session. Here it found its way in to the album and concept and with a slightly more dry guitar-driven sound and with nods to both The Beatles & Queen it became one of my favourite tracks. Hasse delivers some of his finest vocal on the album here.”

The 92-minutes long Islands features artwork by legend Roger Dean (Yes, Asia, Gentle Giant, Greenslade, Uriah Heep) and all trademark sounds and melodies, the band is renowned for. From vintage keys to epic guitar solos, from odd drum patterns to symphonic elements, The Flower Kings present a dynamic and complex record that is bold, bombastic and beautiful.

Islands is available as massive Limited 3LP & 2CD box set with slipcase and 180 gram vinyl housed in two gatefolds, one single sleeve; as Limited Edition 2CD Digipak and Digital Album. Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

Disc One
"Racing With Blinders On"
"From The Ground"
"Black Swan"
"Morning News"
"Broken"
"Goodbye Outrage"
"Journeyman"
"Tangerine"
"Solaris"
"Heart Of The Valley"
"Man In A Two Peace Suit"

Disc Two
"All I Need Is Love"
"A New Species"
"Northern Lights"
"Hidden Angles"
"Serpentine"
"Looking For Answers"
"Telescope"
"Fool’s Gold"
"Between Hope & Fear"
"Islands"

"Morning News" video:

"From The Ground" visualizer:

"Broken" lyric video:

Lineup:

Roine Stolt - Vocal, Ukulele, Guitars, Additional Keyboards
Hasse Fröberg - Vocal & Acoustic Guitar
Jonas Reingold - Bass, Acoustic Guitar
Zach Kamins - Pianos, Organ, Synthesizers, Mellotron, Orchestrations
Mirko DeMaio - Drums, Percussion
Guest: Rob Townsend - Soprano Saxophone

Hell-Born and Odium Records present the second single, "Blakk Metal", from the new album, Natas Liah, which is due to be released on January 26th. Adam "Nergal" Darski of Behemoth fame took a part in this track as a backing vocalist. "Blakk Metal" is a tribute song to the old black / death metal scene. The official lyric video can be viewed below.

Odium Records recently announced that 12 years after the last album, the cult Polish Hell-Born returns with a new one. The band was started in 1996 by Behemoth co-founder Baal and Les, also a former Behemoth musician as well as a member of Damnation . There are IX songs on Natas Liah - old school, black death metal with a bit of melodies typical for the group. There were also some guests during the recording session, including Behomth frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski.

Recordings took place at Creme de la Creme studio, and Haldor Grunberg, known for his collaboration with Behemoth, handled the mixes and mastering. The album will be released by Odium Records as digipack CD and vinyl.

Lineup:

Baal Ravenlock – bass, vocals
Les - guitars
Diabolizer - drums

Follow the band via Facebook here.

Texas-based heavy mongers Thunder Horse announce the release of their new album Chosen One, to be issued on March 12th through Ripple Music, and share their rocking video for "Let Them Bleed".

About their new video, the band comments: "Our debut single 'Let Them Bleed' from our upcoming Ripple Music release, Chosen One, is an anthem for these tumultuous times. Filled with angst, frustration, and bitterness against the entire American political system, regardless of ideology, 'Let Them Bleed' lays it on the table. It us against them, not us against each other! Love your brother and sister… we have to have each others' backs. Things are going to get better if we stick together. Cheers from Texas!"

The sound of San Antonio's Thunder Horse doesn’t quite fit into one box, but they are built thick with doom, psych, occult, and classic rock and blues influences. Close your eyes and imagine the brooding sounds of early Sabbath, the massive wall of guitars made famous by bands like Deep Purple and Mountain, on a sonically mesmerizing Pink Floyd trip, and you will have a taste of the experience that Thunder Horse brings.

Chosen One artwork and tracklisting:

"Let Them Bleed"
"Among The Dead"
"Rise Of The Heathens"
"Chosen One"
"Broken Dreams"
"Song For The Ferryman"
"Texas"
"Halfway To Hell"
"Remembrance"
"Dear Mr. Fantasy" (bonus track)
"Texas" (extended version) 

Thunder Horse is led by vocalist and guitarist Stephen Bishop, a mainstay for many years on the Texas industrial metal scene as the frontman for Pitbull Daycare (Cleopatra Records, MIA Records). Aided and abetted by fellow PD founder, T.C. Connally is the lead guitarist. With each’s playing influenced in no small part by some of the most iconic band members of the late '60s and '70s – Roger Waters, Michael Schenker, Tony Iommi, and Robin Trower – together, Thunder Horse‘s songwriting duties are divvied equally, in line with a passion for all things heavy.

Taking a DIY approach, Thunder Horse released their self-titled debut in 2018. Original lineup intact, the band now returns with their second full-length, Chosen One, once again featuring original artwork by Pig Hands, and mixing done by Caleb Bingham at Nightmare Sound and mastering by Joe Bozzi at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Los Angeles, CA.

Chosen One is a musical journey that expands the band’s catalog by experimenting with different sounds and influences. Metal played slow and low, with an intensity inspired by icons past and present. A wall of amps and an almost tribal rhythmic vibe produces a guttural sound with intensely mind-bending sensations. Imagine if Black Sabbath and Jane’s Addiction melded into one band and had a Pink Floyd influenced stage show with a Quadraphonic PA: that is Thunder Horse. The album was completed in 2020 while socially-distanced during the pandemic, and will see its official release on March 12th, 2021 via Ripple Music.

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich has paid tribute to Megaforce Records co-founder Marsha Zazula, who died on Sunday (January 10) at the age of 68.

Lars took to his Instagram to write: "Thank you Marsha for making it happen... For supporting us, for encouraging us, for advising us, for sheltering us, for feeding us, and most importantly for cheering us on and along with your husband Jonny, believing in the possibilities of how a gang of misfits and outsiders like ourselves could connect with a larger and likeminded audience…"

Marsha co-founded Megaforce in 1983 with her husband Jon (a.k.a. Jonny Z).

Marsha and Jonny's daughter Rikki Zazula confirmed her mother's passing, writing in a Facebook post: "RIP Mom April 21, 1952 -January 10, 2021 Your love, Your strength, Your memory and Your music has changed lives and will continue to FOREVER."

Megaforce is widely credited for launching the career of METALLICA by releasing the band's first two albums, 1983's "Kill 'Em All" and 1984's "Ride The Lightning", before METALLICA landed a major label deal with Elektra. Megaforce's roster has also included such artists as ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT, OVERKILL, Ace Frehley, MINISTRY, KING'S X, STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH and RAVEN.

METALLICA paid tribute to Marsha in an Instagram post, writing: "Rest In Peace, Marsha. Thank you for everything. Much love to @thejonzazula & the Zazula family."

ANTHRAX said: "It's with much sadness that we hear of the passing of Marsha Zazula. A true pioneer along with Jonny Z. Those two were responsible for changing all our lives. Hard to put into words what a world this might be without their belief and dedication to metal and all of us. Our love to her family."

Born in 1952, Jonny began his extraordinary journey as a renegade youth who went from living on the streets of the Bronx in New York City, to later working on Wall Street, and eventually (and unexpectedly) transitioning into the music business and discovering METALLICA, ANTHRAX and others.

After Wall Street, Jonny Z began selling records at a flea market store in 1981 to put food on the table for his family. Dubbed Rock N' Roll Heaven, the store eventually blossomed into a major record store that influenced the heavy metal movement as we know it today. In the winter of 1982, Jonny Z received an unexpected demo tape from unsigned underground band called METALLICA. Eager and determined to have the music heard by the entire world, Jonny and Marsha founded Megaforce the following year and released "Kill 'Em All". Through this release, Megaforce cemented its position as the de-facto music label in America for heavy metal.

Jon's acclaimed autobiography, "Heavy Tales: The Metal. The Music. The Madness. As Lived By Jon Zazula", was released in October 2019. The book tells the story of how the Zazulas ended up signing a band that shaped the sound of heavy metal for decades to come.

"It's all a blessing when you work hard and you stay smart and you go into the game and then eventually something comes your way and you're ready for it. And you're able to jump upon it and ride it," Jonny told Variety. "We were very fortunate, Marsha and I, that we have them to choose as a band that became the biggest band in the world. Not to mention a bunch of other great bands that made history."
























View this post on Instagram









































A post shared by Lars Ulrich (@larsulrich)

Dave Mustaine has revealed the working title for the next MEGADETH album.

As part of an appearance at this past Saturday's (January 9) Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp masterclass, the guitarist/vocalist said about the follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia" (hear audio below): "The tentative album title we have right now is called 'The Sick, The Dying And The Dead'. We may change that, because there's some other titles, and I usually change the titles four or five times before I settle on anything."

Last month, MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that Mustaine was still laying down his vocal and guitar tracks for the band's new album. "Dirk [Verbeuren, drums] and I did our stuff back in May and June, and then Dave and Kiko [Loureiro, guitar] were laying guitars down, and then over to vocals, and et cetera, et cetera," he said. "So it's moving along well, actually."

Asked if Mustaine has had any issues with singing in the studio following his nearly six-month battle with throat cancer in 2019, Ellefson said: "No, that's not come up. It's interesting. We were on the Megacruise [in October 2019]. Dave was not able to be on that cruise, because his treatments were finished up, and he just needed to rest and obviously not be around a lot of people at that time. But then we turned the corner into 2020, and we went over and we did the FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH / MEGADETH / BAD WOLVES tour, which was a big sports arena tour all across Europe. Dave took it easy at rehearsal in Nashville for the first week, and then we got on the stage up in Helsinki and moved across Europe and the U.K. and did the shows. And every show got a little better, a little stronger as far as his voice and him wanting to be a little more adventurous to trying different songs. And I think that really helped. I think it naturally helped him kind of open his voice up and be comfortable with it. He had to take it easy and not push it too hard."

In October, Mustaine told "The Five Count" radio show that MEGADETH's new LP will "probably" be "one of the most ferocious records we've done since 'Rust In Peace'. David Ellefson, he's a pretty good barometer of things, and when he did his bass parts, he [went], 'Man, my arm is killing me. I can't believe this.'"

In a separate interview with SiriusXM, Mustaine said that the upcoming MEGADETH album will be "up there with 'Countdown [To Extinction]', 'Rust In Peace' and probably 'Peace Sells' and 'Dystopia'."

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

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


☢️⚠️Attention all MEGADETH fans⚠️☢️ Today during a Live Q&A with Dave Mustaine, I managed to get Mr Mustaine to olay a very short tease if the new upcoming Album....Enjoy?? from r/Megadeth

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield has paid tribute to Megaforce Records co-founder Marsha Zazula, who died on Sunday (January 10) at the age of 68.

Hetfield said in a statement (as provided by Q Prime/Adrenaline PR): "Marsha Z is the Metal Matriarch of the East Coast. She was our mother when I had none. She made great sacrifices for METALLICA to grow. Thank you, Marsha. Love and positive energy to the Zazula family."

Marsha co-founded Megaforce in 1983 with her husband Jon (a.k.a. Jonny Z).

Marsha and Jonny's daughter Rikki Zazula confirmed her mother's passing, writing in a Facebook post: "RIP Mom April 21, 1952 -January 10, 2021 Your love, Your strength, Your memory and Your music has changed lives and will continue to FOREVER."

Megaforce is widely credited for launching the career of METALLICA by releasing the band's first two albums, 1983's "Kill 'Em All" and 1984's "Ride The Lightning", before METALLICA landed a major label deal with Elektra. Megaforce's roster has also included such artists as ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT, OVERKILL, Ace Frehley, MINISTRY, KING'S X, STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH and RAVEN.

METALLICA paid tribute to Marsha in an Instagram post, writing: "Rest In Peace, Marsha. Thank you for everything. Much love to @thejonzazula & the Zazula family."

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich took to his Instagram to write: "Thank you Marsha for making it happen... For supporting us, for encouraging us, for advising us, for sheltering us, for feeding us, and most importantly for cheering us on and along with your husband Jonny, believing in the possibilities of how a gang of misfits and outsiders like ourselves could connect with a larger and likeminded audience…"

ANTHRAX said: "It's with much sadness that we hear of the passing of Marsha Zazula. A true pioneer along with Jonny Z. Those two were responsible for changing all our lives. Hard to put into words what a world this might be without their belief and dedication to metal and all of us. Our love to her family."

Born in 1952, Jonny began his extraordinary journey as a renegade youth who went from living on the streets of the Bronx in New York City, to later working on Wall Street, and eventually (and unexpectedly) transitioning into the music business and discovering METALLICA, ANTHRAX and others.

After Wall Street, Jonny Z began selling records at a flea market store in 1981 to put food on the table for his family. Dubbed Rock N' Roll Heaven, the store eventually blossomed into a major record store that influenced the heavy metal movement as we know it today. In the winter of 1982, Jonny Z received an unexpected demo tape from unsigned underground band called METALLICA. Eager and determined to have the music heard by the entire world, Jonny and Marsha founded Megaforce the following year and released "Kill 'Em All". Through this release, Megaforce cemented its position as the de-facto music label in America for heavy metal.

Jon's acclaimed autobiography, "Heavy Tales: The Metal. The Music. The Madness. As Lived By Jon Zazula", was released in October 2019. The book tells the story of how the Zazulas ended up signing a band that shaped the sound of heavy metal for decades to come.

"It's all a blessing when you work hard and you stay smart and you go into the game and then eventually something comes your way and you're ready for it. And you're able to jump upon it and ride it," Jonny told Variety. "We were very fortunate, Marsha and I, that we have them to choose as a band that became the biggest band in the world. Not to mention a bunch of other great bands that made histo

The metal world was shattered with the news that Children Of Bodom / Bodom After Midnight frontman Alexi Laiho passed away some time before New Year. He died in his home in Helsinki, Finland. Laiho had suffered from long-term health issues over the past couple years.

Former Sinergy bandmate / ex-wife Kimberly Goss launched an official Instagram page here to share photos of Laiho with fans as a tribute to his memory. That collection now includes unreleased Sinergy promo photos. Check them out below or via the Instagram link.

Goss: "Here’s some more never before seen Sinergy pics with each line-up. Alexi and myself were the only constant members throughout, but all the guys from each cycle are incredible musicians and have gone on to do bigger things. I know all former Sinergy members are grieving his loss, too. I’ve spoken to some of you, but to the rest, my heart breaks with yours. Much love to you boys, we can all be proud to say we worked with such a treasure."

 

 

 

 



Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ein Beitrag geteilt von Kimberly Goss (@kimvoxrox)

January 7th marked one year since the passing of Rush drum legend Neil Peart. Redemption / Silent Skies keyboardist Vikram Shankar reflected on the loss of Peart and reposted his studio performance of "YYZ", which he originally released shortly after Peart's death.

Shankar: "It’s still hard for me to believe it’s been a whole year since Neil Peart’s passing. I would have thought the loss wouldn’t feel quite so raw for me, all this time later, and yet I feel as if I read the news yesterday. I think that’s because of how important Neil was for me, an importance I think I’m only now fully realizing. Because while Neil’s body of work is to some a monument to technical cerebral prowess, to me it’s far more than that. To me, Neil represents progress, the journey of self-improvement that never ceases, even when millions already consider you the greatest at what you do. 

Neil’s constant attempts to view both his professional and personal life through fresh and improved lenses reveals someone who is the ultimate student, someone who always knew that the best version of himself lay somewhere ahead, not in the rear view mirror. And even one cursory listen to 'The Garden' shows that Neil had a deep understanding of what really matters at the end of it all: love, kindness, humility, and respect. I think we could all learn a lot from Neil in these times."

Danish progressive black metal enigma, (0), starts off 2021 with an intense video for their single "Skarntyder", taken from their debut album, SkamHan, released in April 2020 via Napalm Records.

The video leads straight into the pit of a sweaty concert hall, filled with intensity and bursting energy. In front of an electrified crowd, the Danish wrecking machine bursts of dedication and will. It states clear that (0) is more than ready to deliver their colossal and brutish live performances all over the world. There is a lot to expect from this monster, once unleashed!

Brutal riffs and forcing drums, followed by an unmistakably grim guitar solo - “Skarntyder” sets the story of people who as children are branded as difficult and weak, and thus scorned by society, to music. The imaginary Danish word “Skarntyder” describes a person that points out and brands a person that misbehaves or doesn’t fit in. FJ’s dark growls paired with an intense and exhilarating atmosphere round off the song in perfect harmony and pull the listener even farther into their somber void.
 
Watch the energetically bursting official video for “Skarntyder” below.
 
The band states: “In 2020 we released our debut album SkamHan, and we learned that releasing an album during a worldwide pandemic significantly changes your plans. On March 11th 2020 final cut and edit for the Skarntyder video started, and on the same night Denmark was shut down, leaving the video in an unfinished state that we were not willing to release. Today we are thrilled to finally release the video for Skarntyder, the 2nd single from SkamHan. The video was shot by Michael Panduro and Rasmus G. Sejersen. Edit and post production was done by Rasmus G. Sejersen. Skarntyder is a frantic track about a person who is branded as weak or difficult. Someone who doesn't fit in. The track has quickly become a band favorite when playing live, as the energy and desperation from the track really comes to life when performing it live. Playing it feels like running downhill, on the verge of tumbling over. Hopefully we will get to play it live a lot more in 2021 than in 2020. Enjoy!"

SkamHan is available in the following formats:

- CD Digipak
- Gatefold Black Vinyl
- Digital Album

Order here.

SkamHan tracklisting:

"Tyndere End Hud"
"Sjælstjæler"
"Skarntyder"
"Rød Glorie"
"Sortfugl"
"SkamHan"
"Alle Renses"

"Sortfugl” video:

"Skarntyder” lyric video:

"Tyndere End Hud” lyric video:

(0) are:

Vocals: FJ
Guitar: JU
Guitar: MA
Bass: MC
Drums: JJ

ICED EARTH singer Stu Block has clarified a social media post he made last week that suggested he was supporting the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

On January 6, Stu, the Canadian-born vocalist who has fronted ICED EARTH since 2011, appeared to take pleasure in the grim images out of Washington during the pro-Donald Trump riot on Capitol Hill, writing in a since-deleted post on his Facebook page: "Oh it's happening! History in the making. Sending love to my friends in the US and all over the world!" When a follower asked if he was "condemning what happened," Block responded, "And where in my statement would you get that impression?"

In the last few days, as news outlets published more and more videos, photos and testimonials from the riot on Capitol Hill, including a widely circulated photo of ICED EARTH guitarist Jon Schaffer inside the Capitol building, a number of people posted a screenshot of the singer's original post, with some of them accusing Block of secretly backing last week's rioters, mayhem and violence. The situation grew more confusing after Schaffer's ICED EARTH bandmates issued a collective statement on Saturday (January 9) distancing themselves from the violence and destruction of property at the Capitol building.

Earlier today, Block released a personal statement via social media clarifying his position on last week's events and insisting that he "absolutely" does not condone or support "any acts of violence or anything else that any protester or rioter was involved in on January 6."

Block wrote: "First I want to thank everyone for the amazing support you have shown. Unfortunately It has come to my attention in recent days about a screenshot someone made. There were some very obsessive hateful people posting the screenshot that I did have to remove from my social media.

"I do want to extend my apologies for the poor way I worded two Facebook posts on January the 6th. I'm human and I make mistakes. My wording was absolutely misunderstood and not properly thought out on my part and I know people and media can interpret things differently.

"At that moment I saw a historical thing happening that perhaps would cause divide amongst people everywhere so I sent love out to everyone as well. I quickly took the post down after I realized that the post I put up with good intentions to encourage discussion about what was happening at that moment was severely misinterpreted by some. This was all happening before I found out about the horrible line that was crossed that day by protesters. I also carelessly misread a comment someone posted on my official Facebook page and replied incorrectly and for that I am sorry. I was in the heat of the moment. In the post, the commenter said: 'Are you condemning what happened today Stu?' I replied: 'and where in my statement would you get that impression?' In the craziness of responding to so many comments, some very hateful in nature which were also coming at me in rapid fire, I read the word as 'condoning' which I DO NOT!!

"I see that this inaccurate misinterpreted screenshot has been shared on various social media pages and I want to go on record to say this AGAIN:

I absolutely DO NOT condone nor do I support ANY acts of violence or anything else that ANY protester or rioter was involved in on January 6th at the US Capitol building.

"If you follow me, you know I am generally a man of Peace, Kitties and Music. I do believe in peaceful protest and expressing your grievances , I believe in questioning authority when it's appropriate, but I also believe that it should be done in a peaceful, respectful and intellectual manner and within the confines of the law.

"Again I apologize for any confusion. That's it that's all. I have been and will be taking a social media break and this is the only time I will ever address this inaccurate misinterpreted screenshot.

"Much Love and Stay Strong."

A photo of Schaffer storming the Capitol building was posted online and he is now among the "persons of interest" sought for "unrest-related offenses" by the Metropolitan Police in Washington, D.C. In the photo, Schaffer can be seen at the front of a mob, sporting a hat from Oath Keepers, an anti-government militia group, and pointing his finger pointed while yelling at someone out of the frame.

Block — formerly of INTO ETERNITY — made his live debut with ICED EARTH in November 2011.

ICED EARTH's latest album, "Incorruptible", came out in June 2017 via Century Media.




First I want to thank everyone for the amazing support you have shown. Unfortunately It has come to my attention in...

Posted by Stu Block on Monday, January 11, 2021





Lots of people, like Iced Earth, like to act tough but post pictures of red hearts and hashtags of “love”when their cosplay gets them in trouble.

Here’s singer, Stu Block of Iced Earth’s posts before & after the failed white nationalist terrorist siege.

Iced Earth = trash https://t.co/2ACvQl5Sch

— Danko Jones (@dankojones) January 10, 2021

Hungarian avant-garde formation, Thy Catafalque, released their new album Naiv last this year via Season Of Mist. A video for the track "Napút" can be seen below.

Mastermind Tamás Kátai comments on the stream: "This is a video we shot in my home town, Makó. Many of these locations are the places I grew up in and although nothing fancy is going on, it was nice to get back to where the songs came from. With this one, we close the lid on 'Naiv' and focus on the next album."

Order Naiv here.

Nuclear Blast recently announced the signing of progressive heavy metal vehicle, ​Interloper. Today, the band presents a drum playthroug video for the song, "An Emerald Flame". Watch below.

The group's first collective effort as a band; ​A Revenant Legacy EP, is available now. Stream/download the EP here.

The band comments, "We are pleased to present to you, after much time, our first collective effort as Interloper: A Revenant Legacy. It has been a long time coming, to say the least. This band, as some of you may know, has undergone a variety of changes, the most important of which being the evolution of the music we write. Although the five songs that make up A Revenant Legacy came about over the course of a few years, the majority of them for one reason or another never saw the light of day upon completion. Rather than abandon them in the wake of the full length, we have decided to let them guide the way. The path our listeners would have otherwise taken over time all along, we now offer as one body of work. Please enjoy A Revenant Legacy - the journey traveled in the pursuit of what makes Interloper, Interloper."

A Revenant Legacy was recorded and produced in house at Sewn Shut Sounds by the band themselves, with mixing and production from producer, friend, and honorary ‘4th member’ ​Joey Virrueta. With a full length album completed and set for release in the near future, this EP serves as a stepping stone in the development of Interloper​ as a whole.

Tracklisting:

"An Emerald Flame"
"Silence"
"Wishful Thinking"
"Hand In Hand"
"Glasshouse"

"An Emerald Flame" drum playthrough video:

"Silence" visualizer:

Interloper is:

Miles Dimitri Baker ​| Guitar
Aaron Stechauner ​| Drums
Andrew Virrueta |​ Vocals, Guitar

German metal band, Helltrail, have released their new single, “Constant Resistance”. An official music video for the song can be seen below. The band's debut album, Off A Six Foot Town, was released at the end of 2019. Now they follow up with the new single, another heavy metal grenade.

Nowadays a song title like “Constant Restistance” can be misunderstood quite easily. Therefore, a video statement about Helltrail’s general songwriting and the meaning of the song in particular is available (see below).

Due to the pandemic, Helltrail also had to cancel all planned shows last year, but the quartet didn't spend their time sitting around. As singer/ guitarist Achim Lanzendorf, musical head of the band stated: "We’ve spent a lot of time, finishing every new song in detail. Beside this we build up a new team around the band, ranging from audio to public relations, to give the whole thing another push forward."

The style of the band still follows the traditions of Motörhead, Black Label Society and Psychopunch, furious guitar attacks like early Metallica and Megadeth, up to thrashy uptempo beats in the style of Testament. The already proven heavy grooves, catchy melodies and shout chorus parts of the last album will be completed in 2021 by a new and also more brute force sound.

The release of the 4-track EP Always Shoot Twice is announced for April 16. Three more songs will show the wide variety of the band’s musical spectrum. Additionally, fans can also look forward to another video.

Despite the recently extended lockdown, they are already busy negotiating new live shows in the background. After all, they want to perform their heavy grooves in front of an audience again soon. "We definitely don't create our music just for the studio, but first and foremost for the clubs and stages of this world!"

Lineup:

Achim Lanzendorf - Vocals, Guitars
Kalli Wilms - Bass, Vocals
Alex Leu - Guitars, Vocals
Guido Baumann - Drums

On January 29, Trial (swe) will release a new 2-track EP, Sisters Of The Moon, via Metal Blade Records. For a preview of Sisters Of The Moon, a video teaser can be viewed below.

The EP can be pre-ordered here as a 7" in the following versions:

- black vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 222 copies)
- gold vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 111 copies)

The members of Trial (swe) joined forces in 2007 in Sweden, laying their previous musical endeavors to rest to create something together. Doomed by the restlessness of youth, many songs were written during their humble beginnings, but few withstood the test of time. For two years, Trial (swe) rehearsed, wrote and fought their way through hard times - until finally, in 2009, they found Linus, who was able to unite the band and become the voice of Trial (swe).

From then on, their vision became clear. The group released their first demo in 2010 - without money, proper equipment or label - which lead to a record deal for their first full-length, The Primordial Temple (2011). Determined to develop their brand of heavy metal even further, Trial (swe) wrote and recorded the Malicious Arts EP (2013), which became yet another stepping stone from where the band was to where they wanted to be. "That EP, in many ways, became our first road to liberate us from ourselves," Trial (swe) recalls. "Rising from the ashes of our former selves, we took things further beyond, which ultimately resulted in the album 'Vessel'."

After earning acclaimed reviews for Vessel (2015), Trial (swe)'s popularity continued to grow, and it wasn't long before Metal Blade Records signed the band. With plans to re-invent themselves once again, Trial (swe)'s debut for the label proved to be another step forward in their career. They took the colossus that is Motherless (2017) and headed out on the Roadkill tour together with Metal Blade comrades Ram and Portrait to conquer Europe. After the tour, the cold winds of change were blowing. On the other end of the storm, Arthur W. Andersson (ex-Air Raid) stepped forth as the new front-man of the band. Re-energized and fully focused, they entered their new phase. As the curse of the world grew stronger, they decided to reveal their new singer through their EP, Sisters Of The Moon. Covers of Fleetwood Mac and Black Sabbath were recorded during the black summer of 2020, displaying new levels of Trial (swe) - traditional yet unconventional. "With 'Sisters...', we decided to pay tribute to one of the biggest bands out there, the Mighty Mac. Our version is a different take than the original, filled with blazing guitar duels and piercing vocals. This is a side of Trial (swe) you've never heard before," the band explains. "For our Sabbath cover, it all made sense to record 'Die Young,'" the band continues, "as it is the most outstanding song on 'Heaven and Hell'. This one is more true to the original, and we are happy to share both of the songs with you."

Sisters Of The Moon tracklisting:

"Sisters Of The Moon"
"Die Young"

Teaser:

Trial (swe) lineup:

Arthur W. Andersson - Vocals
Alexander Ellstrom - Guitars
Andreas Johnsson - Guitars
Andreas Olsson - Bass
Martin Svensson - Drums

The industry saw record guitar-playing interest in 2020 but also sadly said goodbye to one of the most innovative and influential players of its time. Eddie Van Halen's singularly inventive style inspired an entire generation of players. He innovated not only in how he played but what he played and what he played through by creating some of the greatest guitars and amps the world has seen and heard. EVH today announced a slate of new product offerings for the first half of 2021 designed to honor and continue the legacy of the late Eddie Van Halen including new models for the 5150 Series, Wolfgang Special and Wolfgang WG Standard.

Engineered for speed, comfort and full-throttle attitude, the reimagined EVH 5150 Series models are an iconic blast from the past that blend both throwback and modernized features, including the all-new addition of a kill switch for high-velocity rock.

The 5150 Series models feature a modified Strat-style basswood body with deeper upper body curve, bolt-on quartersawn maple neck carved and rolled to Eddie Van Halen's specifications with hand-rubbed satin urethane back finish and graphite reinforcement, 12"-16" compound radius fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets, heel-mount truss rod adjustment spoke wheel, hockey stick color matched headstock with logo decal, direct mount EVH Wolfgang bridge and neck humbucking pickups, three-way toggle switch on the upper bout, kill switch on the lower bout, volume control (500K EVH Bourns Low Friction Pot) with treble bleed circuit, tone control (250K EVH Bourns High Friction Pot), EVH-branded Gotoh tuning machines and top-mount EVH-branded Floyd Rose bridge with EVH D-Tuna and R3 locking nut. Models include:

* The 5150 Series Deluxe Poplar Burl ($999.99 EST US Street, £899 MSRP, €999 MSRP, $1,999 AUD RRP) stuns with a unique poplar burl top that is wrapped in Aqua Burst or Black Burst. This model also features chrome hardware and an ebony fingerboard with cream dot inlays. Available April 2021.

* The 5150 Series Standard, Ebony ($899.99 EST US Street, £899 MSRP, €999 MSRP, $1,7999 AUD RRP) boasts spotlight-ready style in all-new Ice Blue Metallic or Stealth Black finishes with black hardware. This model features an ebony fingerboard with cream dot inlays. Available February 2021.

* The 5150 Series Standard, Maple ($899.99 EST US Street, £899 MSRP, €999 MSRP, $1,7999 AUD RRP) screams in a Neon Pink finish with chrome hardware. This model features a maple fingerboard with black dot inlays. Available February 2021.

Road-tested in arenas around the world, the EVH Wolfgang Special models are purebred music-making machines, designed with stunning style, giant sound and high-speed playability.

The Wolfgang Special models feature a basswood body, bolt-on quartersawn maple neck carved and rolled to Eddie Van Halen's specifications with hand-rubbed satin urethane back finish and graphite reinforcement, 12"-16" compound radius fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets, heel-mount truss rod adjustment spoke wheel, direct mount EVH Wolfgang Alnico 2 bridge and neck humbucking pickups, three-way toggle switch, EVH volume control (500K EVH Bourns® Low Friction Pot) with treble bleed circuit, tone control (250K EVH Bourns® High Friction Pot) and top-mount EVH-branded Floyd Rose bridge with EVH D-Tuna and R2 locking nut. Models include:

* The Wolfgang Special QM ($1,099.99 EST US Street, £1,259 MSRP, €1,399 MSRP, $2,999 AUD RRP) is spotlight-ready in Charcoal Burst or Chlorine Burst with cream body binding and chrome hardware. This model features a baked maple neck and fingerboard with black dot inlays. Available March 2021.

* The Wolfgang Special ($999.99 EST US Street, £1,259 MSRP, €1,399 MSRP, $2,199 AUD RRP) is offered in an all-new Miami Blue finish with black body binding, color matched headstock and black hardware. This model features a maple neck and ebony fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays. Available February 2021.

Wolfgang WG Standard boasts the same style and massive sound Eddie Van Halen created — at a price the everyday musician can afford.

These instruments feature a basswood body, baked maple neck with graphite reinforcement and hand-rubbed oil back finish, 12"-16" compound radius baked maple fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets and black dot inlays, heel-mount truss rod adjustment spoke wheel, direct mount EVH Wolfgang bridge and neck humbucking pickups, three-way toggle switch, single volume control with treble bleed circuit, single tone control and EVH-branded Floyd Rose Special bridge and R2 locking nut. Models include:

* The Wolfgang WG Standard Exotic Bocote ($699.99 EST US Street, £599 MSRP, €659 MSRP, $1,4999 AUD RRP) is available in a Natural finish with black headstock and black chrome hardware. Features include a bocote top and masked-off natural body binding. Available February 2021.

* The Wolfgang WG Standard Exotic Koa ($699.99 EST US Street, £599 MSRP, €659 MSRP, $1,4999 AUD RRP) comes in a Natural finish with black headstock and black chrome hardware. Features include a koa top and masked-off natural body binding. Available February 2021.

* The Wolfgang WG Standard QM ($699.99 EST US Street, £599 MSRP, €659 MSRP, $1,4999 AUD RRP) is available in an all-new Transparent Green with a black headstock and black chrome hardware. Features include a quilt maple top and masked-off natural body binding. Available February 2021.

* The Wolfgang WG Standard is decked out in head-turning Silver Sparkle ($699.99 EST US Street, £599 MSRP, €659 MSRP, $1,4999 AUD RRP) or Stryker Red ($649.99 EST US Street, £599 MSRP, €659 MSRP, $1,4999 AUD RRP) finishes with black headstocks and black hardware. Available February 2021.

EVH accessories for 2021 include new gig bags, a Frankenstein reflector kit, skateboard, clothing, collectibles and more. For a complete list, visit evhgear.com/accessories.

* The EVH Star/Shark Economy Gig Bag features an EVH logo with external storage compartments and back straps.

* The EVH Wolfgang/Striped Series Economy Gig Bag features an EVH logo with external storage compartments and back straps.

* The EVH Wolfgang/Striped Series Gig Bag features padded ends and sides, an EVH logo, external storage compartments, back straps and side handle.

* The EVH Frankenstein Reflector Kit set includes four round red reflectors, two orange round reflectors and two oval orange reflectors.

For technical specs, additional information on new EVH products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.evhgear.com.

Two of the most important and recognizable names in rock 'n' roll joined forces in 2005 to develop and launch the EVH brand of guitars, amplifiers and musical products. Guitar icon Eddie Van Halen combined his unparalleled instinct and innovation in instrument and amp design with the expertise of the craftsmen and engineers at Fender to create some of the highest-quality, best-sounding and most durable musical instrument products available today. EVH brand products are the embodiment of Eddie Van Halen's legendary sound-crafting abilities created in partnership with Fender, one of the world's leading musical instrument manufacturers, marketers and distributors. Notable products include EVH 5150III amplifiers and cabinets, Frankenstein replica guitar, Striped Series and Wolfgang guitars in addition to high-quality EVH guitar and amp accessor

Offering escapism from everyday life, Vis Mystica transports listeners into a fantastical world of magical powers and epic stories with their Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic inspired power metal. Along with taking great influence from other bands, they possess a style that is unique and holds its own in the power metal landscape. Their 2021 album Celestial Wisdom is a fantastical journey into a world full of mystic powers and sprawling landscapes, with a classic ‘Good vs. Evil’ battle and many memorable locations and detailed stories.

Today, the band shares their single “Whispering Winds Of Fate” off the forthcoming record. The track is a guide for listeners to the main world Tython where the Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic story takes place. Tython is a terrestrial planet located in the galaxy's Deep Core region that is shrouded in myth. The Martyrium of Frozen Tears built by Jedi there and some Jedi scholars made the case that Tython was the site of the Jedi Order's first temple. During the Galactic Civil War, DoctorChelli Lona Aphra led Darth Vader to Tython's Meridional Ice Cap to mislead him as to the location of the Rebel Alliance's main base, which was actually on the Outer Rim planet Hoth.

“Whispering Winds Of Fate” is an audio storytelling to describe the sentient world calling out telepathically to beings spread throughout the galaxy to board nine ships and come bask in the planet's knowledge and secrets. The track also features guest vocals from Dragonland's Jonas Heidgert.

Vis Mytica's Connor McCray (Guitar, Bass, Orchestration) comments: "The final song written for the album and in our opinion possibly the best. All parties came together to combine catchy melodies with great vocal lines and a powerhouse effort from Jonas Heidgert."

“Whispering Winds Of Fate” can be heard at Spotify and below:

Vis Mystica was initially formed by Connor McCray, in late 2015 as a creative outlet to pursue his passion for Symphonic Power Metal while he was still a member of a blackened death metal band at the time.

Highly suggested for fans of Blind Guardian, Symphony X and Wintersun, the album Celestial Wisdom will be released in early 2021.

 
(Photo - Cody Bucher)

Terminal Bliss (featuring members of Pg. 99, Mammoth Grinder, Suppression and more) share their 10-track chaotic debut EP, Brute Err/ata. Brute Err/ata is available for physical pre-order via Relapse.com here, and on all streaming services here. Physical pre-orders are out February 26. Listen to the EP here, and below.

Terminal Bliss comment: “We couldn’t be more excited for folks to hear Brute Err/ata. This group of songs came together rather quickly. In part because of our decades long relationship to punk and one another. I think for the four of us, this band was just something we’d all been chomping at the bit to do for awhile. Each of us brings a clear creative vision to the songs and we chisel away at them. We did a lot of meticulous work tweaking the sound and the mix until it was as close to what we were thinking as we could get it. We wanted to make the songs as feral and unhinged as possible. Brute Err/ata is just a snapshot of what we’re trying to do and we are already working on newer material.”

Brute Err/ata tracklisting:

"Clean Bill Of Wealth"
"Anthropodmorbid
"Dystopian Buffet"
"The Ominous Hum"
"Small One Time Fee"
"8 Billion People Reported Missing"
"Tumoresque"
"Discarded Wallet"
"March Of The Grieving Droid"
"Hidden Handed Artificial Harassment Experimental Run Amok"

(Photo - Chris Boarts Larson)

Canada's thrash metal machine Wreck-Defy - featuring guitarist Matt Hanchuck alongside former Annihilator singer Aaron Randall, former Testament bassist Greg Christian, and former Malevolent Creation drummer Alex Marquez - have released the official lyric video for the new single "Scumlord", from the album Powers That Be.

Powers That Be is available now at all digital retailers and providers. Also available on CD via Punishment 18 Records and vinyl via Doc Gator.

Tracklist:

"Beyond H8"
"Powers That Be"
"Skin"
"Drowning In Darkness"
"Space Urchin"
"Scumlord"
"Freedomless Speech"
"Goodbye To Misery"
"I Am The Wolf"
"On The Other Side"

Presented by Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation, Stars To The Rescue XXVIII was held on January 26th at Lesher Center For The Arts in Walnut Creek, California. Among the performers was Machine Head's Robb Flynn, along with some of his musician friends.

Flynn has posted a 10-minute mini-documentary on the event, which can be seen below.

Robb Flynn & Friends (aka: Robb Flynn & The Fabulous Disasters)

Craig Locicero (Dress The Dead, Forbidden) - guitars
Andy Galeon (ex-Death Angel) - drums, percussion, backing vocals
Brad Barth (Spiral Arms) - keyboards, piano
Zack Ohren (producer, Light This City) - bass, vocals
Eric “Bobo, Maverick“ McIntyre (Attitude Adjustment, Sap) - lead vocals
Joe Cabral a.k.a. Fuckin' Joe, Crummy Joe, Drummy Joe, Rummy Joe, Rodeo Joe (Pigs, The Jesus Crisis) - drums, percussions, beer
Harold O (D.R.I.) - bass, vocals
Kayla Dixon (Dress The Dead, Witch Mountain) - lead vocals, backing vocals
Dave "Swampy” Ryle (Fungo Mungo, Dot 3) - saxophone
Mark Russo (Doobie Brothers) - saxophone
Wyatt Flynn (Robb's son) - cello
Philip Brezina (Green Day, Machine Head) - violin
Rebecca Roundman (Oakland Symphony) - cello
Meg Titchener (Oakland Symphony) - viola
Robb Flynn (Machine Head) - lead vocals, guitar




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MSG will release their new album, Immortal, tomorrow (Friday, January 8) via Nuclear Blast. Michael Schenker spoke with Yiannis Dolas of RockPages.gr about the new album, and much more.

Asked if there's any chance that he'd play a show with UFO when they go on their farewell tour, Schenker responds: "Never! Because, I don’t want another can of worms… I don’t want to open up another possibility of turbulence. It’s Phil Mogg. I got 50% of the UFO name and I gave it back to Phil Mogg for free. So, Phil is happy being the owner of UFO and the Scorpions are happy with what they had accomplished, with me opening the doors to America for them with the Lovedrive album and I am happy with what I have done. So, why putting together people that may cause friction? 'In Search Of The Peace Of Mind', that we talked about earlier, is the opposite. So, I am very very careful with opening up doors for being controlled like I was as a 15-year old, when they were already 21 toying with me and taking advantage of my talent making them being credited for my song writing. The same happened with Lovedrive. So, I don’t want to go there again. I don’t want these guys. They all want to be in charge. I don’t want them to be in charge of me. Michael Schenker is in charge of Michael Schenker and he is not following any trend, UFO, or Phil Mogg. He is following trends for commercial success, Scorpions follow trends for commercial success, Michael Schenker does not.

"I go to the inner spring of creativity and there is no stop, it’s like a kaleidoscope. You shake it and it’s like a tropical fish, every fish has a different pattern. I don’t go by the trend. If anything I inject freshness into the track. Otherwise, rock music would have been dead long time ago, because everybody, or many people just take from the trend and want to take a piece of the pie, what sells and makes a lot of money. At some point, if nobody injected a freshness into the rock scene it would have been dead. It’s like a ditch that become stagnant and nobody wants to know about it anymore.

"So, musicians who know what I am doing they take from me and they take their inspiration and they inject that to the trend and keep the trend alive, but in a new way. Michael Staiger, the boss of Nuclear Blast, said to me once that if I wouldn’t have been, he wouldn’t have ever been. Nuclear Blast would never have been and he wouldn’t have started this thrash metal. Thrash metal would have never been, all other kinds of metal never would have been. Another Australian drummer told me “Michael, if you haven’t ever been, thrash metal and all other kinds of metal wouldn’t have existed” and I said “WHAT?”. I found out about this several years later, because I was never interested of what my impact was. I was just having too much fun in the sandbox playing. So, I am very amazed by hearing Slash being a fan and Iron Maiden and Def Leppard and Guns’n’Roses… so many bands that I have found out later in  my life, because that was never my goal, because I never wanted to be famous. It all happened by itself, so simply because I was being Michael Schenker."

Read the complete interview at RockPages.gr.

MSG is a legendary name. After two phenomenal records under the guise of Michael Schenker Fest, a true guitar hero is returning to his roots. By forming Michael Schenker Group (MSG) back in 1979, Michael Schenker laid the foundations for one of hard rock’s most glorious solo careers of all times. And while nobody expected anything less from a former guitarist for Scorpions and UFO, it’s close to impossible mentioning everything Michael has built over the past 50 years, or the countless people he influenced or played with. This, truly, is the stuff that hard rocking myths are made of.

“I never looked back,” is how Michael dryly sums up an extraordinary career. Due to this mindset, he only realised much later what a huge impact his playing had made on the world of metal and hard rock. Very few guitarists can be cited as a primary influence for the likes of James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Dave Mustaine, Dimebag Darrell, Slash or Kerry King. However, to understand Michael Schenker means to understand one primary thing: he’s not here to be worshipped or adored, he’s not here to get rich, he’s here to play. And at 65, he’s doing it with the same swagger, verve and dizzying artistry as always. “I’m still 16 in my head,” he laughs.

Right in time for his 40th anniversary as a solo artist and his 50th birthday as a musician, he resurrects the immortal Michael Schenker Group. Immortal is also the name of his new album, recorded by likely the strongest line-up in his long history. Its a lightning bolt of an album that sounds fresh, bloodthirsty and agile. Immortal showcases the gargantuan vocal talents of Chilean hard rock prodigy Ronnie Romero (Rainbow), backed by singers Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear), Joe Lynn Turner (ex-Deep Purple) as well as Schenker’s brother in arms, Michael Voss (Mad Max) who again produced the record alongside Michael Schenker – flawlessly, punchy and at full steam as if their very lives depended on it.

Next to Michael Schenker caressing his iconic black and white Dean Flying V, we hear bass player Barry Sparks (Dokken), keyboard player Steve Mann as well as the three drummers Bodo Schopf, Simon Phillips (ex-Toto) and Brian Tichy (ex-Whitesnake) pumping gallons of fresh blood through the tracks. And that’s not all, keyboard wizard extraordinaire Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Black Country Communion) gives the listener a baptism of fire in the blistering, heavy hitting opener “Drilled To Kill”, powered by Ralf Scheepers’ unbelievable vocal tornado.

Michael Schenker doesn’t live to play, he plays to live, and there’s no better way of summing up his relationship to his music than this – now for half a century and counting. The most emblematic representation of this relationship is the monumental closing track “In Search Of The Peace Of Mind”, a new recording of the very first song he ever wrote. “I composed this track in my mother’s kitchen back when I was 15,” he looks back half a century and smiles broadly: “The solo is just so perfect, I wouldn’t change a single note even today. This is the most important song of the last 50 years for me. It’s what started it all.”

When it finally got released in 1972 on the Scorpions’ debut Lonesome Crow, Schenker had already moved on to UFO. What followed were several decades of pure hard rock ecstasy on and off stage, featuring a rotating cast of stellar players, always pressing the pedal to the metal. Now, in 2020, he reaps what he sowed. Alongside many of his peers, friends and contemporaries, he is celebrating 50 years of hard rock – fittingly with an album that is something like a zeitgeisty reminiscence of everything he’s ever done. The massive midtempo smasher “Don’t Die On Me Now” sees Joe Lynn Turner going all in, Ronnie Romero works his magic in “Knight Of The Dead” while Michael Voss cuts a grand figure before the microphone as well as behind the mixing desk on the furious second single “After The Rain”.

Towering above them all, Michael Schenker and his guitar prove they’re truly and utterly invincible. The celebrated icon pulls out all the stops – including his legendary “howler”, the fabled magnet he’s used on his fingerboard for a while now. And here’s yet another thing that’s just so archetypically Schenker, when bringing up his fiery and dedicated performance on “Immortal” he nonchalantly shrugs it off: “I simply played from the heart, as always.” This, dear Michael, is the understatement of the year – all the more so for a record that is already one of the top contenders for hard rock/metal album of the year.

Pre-order the new album here.

Tracklisting:

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

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

"Drilled To Kill" lyric video:

(Photo - Yiannis Dolas)

On the latest episode of the 80’s Glam Metalcast, Swedish vocalist Göran Edman looks back on working with guitarists Vinnie Vincent and Yngwie Malmsteen. Check it out below.

On working with Vinnie Vincent 

Edman: "Vinnie wanted me to copy Robert Fleischman's voice. I recorded every song on the first album up to the solo. So my demo ended up on the Internet. Someone put it there. I don't know why Robert Fleischman wasn't on board anymore, but Vinnie was looking for a new singer. He wanted me to record these as an audition. I sent the material back and he said he was on board with me and he really loved what he heard."
 
"It was time for to me pack my bags. A few weeks later he called me up and he sounded disappointed. He said the record company had the option on this album with the contract, and they wanted an American singer and not me. He couldn't do anything about it. Chrysalis had the last word. The label wanted Mark Slaughter and Vinnie wanted me. At least that's the version that Vinnie told me. A few years later, like late '88 or '89, he called me again. He asked me to come to L.A. because he had some new songs and he wanted me to audition again. Actually, I think he just wanted me to sing on a demo for free. I was stranded for 14 days in his home studio in Reseda, I never did get to see L.A. I was a slave in his home studio! We did like 9 complete songs. We went to Chrysalis to show them the new material, but he was fired from them. They signed the band but not him...Slaughter. They weren't interested. They were like, 'Don't call us, we'll call you.'" 

"Vinnie was really disappointed. He asked me to promise to wait for him to get a record deal. I waited for almost a year. Then I got a call from Yngwie's manager for an audition. So I ended up signing with Yngwie Malmsteen. Ironically, after that Vinnie called me. He told me he got a record deal and wanted to get me back in the U.S. He picked up on that fact that I was being quiet. I told him I signed with Yngwie. He wasn't mad. He wanted me to give it a second thought, but I decided to stick with my decision. I don't think I ever could have sang all the material, it was too high. I would have ruined my voice. I would have had to squeeze my balls to get up there." 

On his time with Yngwie Malmsteen

Edman: "There were ups and downs. I'm glad I did it. To be on those two albums, it's still getting me work today. As a person, he was kind of tricky. He could be very nice and also be an asshole. The first tour and doing Eclipse (1990) was very nice, Fire And Ice (1992) was hell. I didn't have the inspiration anymore, he just wanted to be in complete control. During the recording of Eclipse he was sloppy. He was never present. He was out drinking and partying. Yngwie would show up to the studio late and we would be all done. The engineer helped out a lot with the producing. In the end, Yngwie thought it had too many harmonies and was overproduced. That's why Fire And Ice is more raw and live sounding. He tried to be more present then and control the situation." 

"I helped a lot on that one with the melodies and the lyrics. I think I had 12 songwriting credits on there. I had to sue him to get the money. It took like 3 years for them to pay me. I have gotten over the bad vibes of the past, but I don't think he would ever call me. His empire is controlled by him and his wife and he distances himself from the rest of his band. He used to say we were like cattle on a bus, and no one would ever notice if we quit the band. Everyone just focuses on him and his guitar playing. He just wanted us to do what we were supposed to do and shut up! He is an exceptional guitar player, but he has such an ego and he's difficult to work with."