Guitarist Chris Caffery (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) has checked in with some new old music:

"Lost track late night music post! 'Last Time' is a lost track from the Faces recording session! Jeff Plate on drums, David Z on bass. It’s just a rough mix but a pretty cool tune. I forgot all about it! Found it in a folder on an old hard drive tonite when I was looking for another session I couldn’t find!"

Caffery released the his solo debut album, Faces, in 2005. It was later released as a double CD package featuring an albums's worth of "bonus" material.

CD 1
"Alas" 
"Faces" 
"Fade Into The X" 
"Pisses Me Off" 
"Remember" 
"Fall" 
"Music Man" 
"Life Crazy Life" 
"The Mold" 
"Bag O' Bones" 
"Evil Is As Evil Does" 
"Never" 
"So Far Today" 
"Jealousy" 
"Preludio" 
"Abandoned" 

CD 2

"God Damn War" 
"Fool, Fool!" 
"Edge of Darkness"
"Saddamize" 
"I" 
"W.A.R.P.E.D."
"Fright Knights" 
"Amazing Grace"
"Piece Be with You"
"Beat Me, You'll Never Beat Me" 
"Curtains" 

Photo by Bob Carey

Spanish technical death metal masters Wormed are now streaming a brand new playthrough video for the song "Bionic Relic," which is taken from 2019's sci-fi EP, Metaportal.

Wormed comment: "We're not fans of playthroughs, but since this world is changing and we haven't played anywhere for a year (!!!) we thought you would like to enjoy a display of a Metaportal track, 'Bionic Relic' with the full band. This was recorded on different planets. We live light years from each other and it's quite hard to be all together for recording any footage. Become a 'Bionic Relic' with us!"

Metaportal was released on July 19, 2019 and can be streamed, downloaded, and ordered here.

"Cryptoubiquity" lyric video:

"Remote Void":

Lineup:

Phlegeton: vocals
Migueloud: guitars
Guillemoth: bass
V-Kazar: drums

Veteran Arizona thrashers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM are putting the finishing touches on their new album for a tentative late spring/early summer release. Over the weekend, guitarist Michael Gilbert told The Metal Voice about the upcoming follow-up to "The End Of Chaos" (see video below): "It was supposed to come out in January [2021]; that was what the plan was. It's done — everything's done except for the artwork at this point, because we knew we weren't gonna be able to do a January release, and it got pushed back to June. So we stopped doing the white-knuckle recording and just kind of started taking our time with the mixes and stuff like that. It's completed, except for a couple of artwork things that we're gonna do. I think we're gonna be releasing a video here pretty soon — a lyric video for the first single. So, maybe February — look for that in February, or maybe March."

Asked about the musical direction of the new FLOTSAM AND JETSAM material, Gilbert said: "Well, this is the absolute perfect follow-up to 'Chaos'. We couldn't have planned it any better. We all basically put on our work boots, or whatever, and we started writing, and it ended up coming out… It's like 'The End Of Chaos' on steroids, basically. I think you guys are gonna love it, man."

Last November, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM announced Bill Bodily (CONTRARIAN, ex-INHUMATUS, ex-TOXIK) as the band's new bass player. Before joining FLOTSAM AND JETSAM on a permanent basis, Bodily filled in for former bassist Michael Spencer during many shows of the group's "Tour Of Chaos" in 2019.

Commented Bodily: "Joining FLOTSAM AND JETSAM is an honor as well as a huge step up in my musical journey. I've been friends with the guys for many years, and I'm a lifelong FLOTSAM fan. I look forward to the many adventures ahead and getting more acquainted with the legendary Flotzilla fans!"

The band added: "First and foremost, we would like to thank Michael Spencer for his time in FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. He joined us back in 2014, and we have accomplished so much together. We sincerely wish him the best in his future endeavors!

"A new chapter for FLOTSAM AND JETSAM beckons; Bill Bodily embodies a new focus and hunger within FLOTSAM AND JETSAM and we're extremely excited to have him as part of the Flotzilla family. He's not only a brilliant musician who has established himself in the thrash and death metal scene, but also a great human being, which made the decision to have him join the band a very natural one. Bill brings an amazing work ethic and a fervent desire to continue to learn, grow and develop his musical voice. He knows music talent alone isn't enough, and that hard work, perseverance and a sense of humor goes a long way to sustaining a successful musical career. We welcome him with open arms!

"We've been working very hard on the follow‐up for 'The End Of Chaos'. The new material is very heavy, and we've taken the sound and approach that we've had for the last two studio albums and amped up the aggressiveness without toning down any other elements. Everyone has done a superb job in the studio — even more so considering the unprecedented circumstances we are living in at this time. We are very excited about the music, and we hope and believe the new album will live up to everyone's expectations."

"The End Of Chaos" was released in January 2019 via AFM Records.

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen was recently interviewed for "The French Connection: The Music Business And Beyond", the new podcast hosted by TWISTED SISTER guitarist Jay Jay French. You can now listen to the chat below.

Asked to name the best piece of advice he ever got, Collen said: "I get great advice all the time. Ian Hunter… When Mick Ronson died, we had a benefit at Hammersmith Odeon. And it was Roger Taylor from QUEEN, it was a bunch of guys. Mick Jones from THE CLASH — lots of different bands. Me and Joe [Elliott, DEF LEPPARD] had a band called the CYBERNAUTS, which was [David] Bowie's Trevor Bolder, Woody Woodmansey on drums, and we'd done all these Bowie songs. When we did that, I was rehearsing with Ian, and Ian said, 'When you're at 55, you stop caring, you stop worrying about things as a man.' I said, 'What do you mean?' He said, 'You don't worry if you're being judged by a 16- or a 20-year-old, no matter how hip they are. You really don't care.' And I said, 'Oh, really? Okay.' And around 50, or whenever it was, absolutely, you stop worrying about it, and it's such a brilliant thing. I wish I would have known earlier, because you're worried, you're concerned about things that are not really worth worrying about. Obviously, the band's gotta be great, you've gotta keep writing songs, you've gotta keep this level of excellence, but I'm talking about things that put you off, that you'd go, 'I don't feel good about it.' If someone thought it was uncool, fuck them — it really doesn't matter. And I thought it was a great bit of advice."

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", on March 20 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" on May 29. 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.

Oakland-Bay Area based metal/heavy rock outfit DRESS THE DEAD has released "Knives Out", its first single on Blood Blast, a digital subsidiary of Nuclear Blast Records.

DRESS THE DEAD first announced the signing in December, along with a plan to release one new track per month for the first eight months of 2021. After the eight tracks are all released, they will become available in full album format as well.

DRESS THE DEAD said: "We are absolutely thrilled to be part of the Blood Blast family. The time has finally come to release a plethora of new music to the world and we wouldn’t want to do it any other way.

"Blood Blast is the perfect home for us in these uncertain times in the music industry because we can control the flow of our content. This appeals to us more than the other way around in 2021."

DRESS THE DEAD was formed in 2016 and has been playing live since the end of that year — first with vocalist Peter Dolving (THE HAUNTED), and then with Kayla Dixon fronting the band since 2018.

DRESS THE DEAD features Craig Locicero (FORBIDDEN, MANMADE GOD, SPIRALARMS) on guitar, alongside Mark Hernandez (FORBIDDEN, VIO-LENCE, RE:IGNITION) on drums, Mikey Rowan (INSOLENCE) on guitar, and James Walker (MANMADE GOD) on bass — all seasoned musicians with independent and major label experiences.

Dixon is not only an enigmatic front woman with a powerful presence, she's an accomplished theatrical singer and actor. Her vocal qualities help give DRESS THE DEAD a unique sound that no other band possesses. Together they all complete the musical unit that cannot fall under any one category or genre.

DRESS THE DEAD will make its European live debut at the Dynamo Metal Fest in Eindhoven in the summer of 2021. This will be followed up by a full tour — COVID-19 permitting.

BLACK SABBATH drumming legend, poet and artist Bill Ward will unveil his first art piece in nearly five years, "Lays The Burden, Dead", on January 25.

A gripping and multi-faceted work crafted during an unprecedented year, "Lays The Burden, Dead" is more than a massive offering of visual art. It is a unique and highly limited package that features a complementary poem printed on an archival paper stock complete with the SceneFour chop. All canvases are numbered and individually signed by Ward. Each ships with a certificate of authenticity.

Sign up today for details and to receive pre-release access.

2015's "The Absence Of Corners" art collection was a career first for Bill. Ward was one of the pioneers in bringing the new medium of rhythm-on-canvas to the world. Three years later, he offered a comprehensive look at the collection and expanding on each of the pieces with poetry, both in writing and spoken word.

Following the creation, release, and various exhibitions of the collection, Ward began crafting poetry to bring readers into the work in a much more personal way. The result was 19 works, each associated with his entire fine art debut collection. To add a new dimension to the experience of reading and viewing the art within the book, Ward recorded an album of spoken-word poetry to round out this experience.

Working with SceneFour, Ward utilized a sophisticated formula to create the collection's visuals, using an array of drumsticks and rhythmic accessories that produce light, much like a painter utilizing brushes and oils. The movements featured within the captured rhythms are then studied and developed into abstract artwork that showcases a dimension not normally seen by the human eye.

Based in Los Angeles, SceneFour specializes in working with music visionaries on the creation of fine artwork. SceneFour's previous art collaborations have included releases with including Dave Lombardo (SLAYER), Rick Allen (DEF LEPPARD), Mike Mangini (DREAM THEATER), Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS), Mikkey Dee (MOTÖRHEAD, SCORPIONS, Nick Menza (MEGADETH) and Gene Hoglan (TESTAMENT)..

Ward stated about the project: "When I'm working on new ideas, musically much of what's played is guided by a visual appearance or shape. Since my early childhood, I've played drums in visuals as well as sound. When I write, there's always an image, sometimes a color attached to what's being created... I am delighted with the captured expressions — from my head and my heart. Their arrival onto canvas is beautiful."

Ashmedi, frontman and founder of MELECHESH, received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine 13 days ago in Jerusalem and is scheduled to get the second dose in eight days.

He says: "Due to a preexisting respiratory condition, I was eligible and given the vaccine. I'm now at 50% immunity... After the next one, it will climb to 95%.

"I'd rather get the vaccine than the disease, as I personally know several people who have passed away. I also know many who got COVID-19 and survived. Some suffered; some had very mild symptoms.

"I had no side effects from the vaccine aside the expected sore arm," he continued. "Nurse asked, 'Which arm [do] you use more — leftie or right handed? So we give you the jab on the other hand.' I said, 'I'm a guitar player. I use both simultaneously.'

"I have very close scientist friends biology and chemistry PhDs working in the pharmacological research... And they assured me science is sound. My longtime family physician and his daughter, who is a doctor as well, were there and took it too right before I did.

"Let's hope this will offer some relief to everyone very soon," he added.

As of January 1, more than 10 percent of Israel's population had received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, making the tiny country a world leader in coronavirus vaccinations.

Americans received just over three million initial doses of coronavirus vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech in the 19 days following first shipments. About 14 million doses have been distributed to states, the CDC reports.

According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading member of the Trump administration's Coronavirus Task Force and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the country will need to reach a 80-85% rate immunity to achieve so-called herd immunity.

MELECHESH is working on the follow-up to its latest album, "Enki", which was released in early 2015 via Nuclear Blast

Sebastian Bach has paid tribute to Alexi Laiho, calling the former CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman "an incredible guitar player" who "rocked it hard."

On Monday (January 4), Bach shared a few backstage photos of him and his wife hanging out with members of CHILDREN OF BODOM, including Laiho, and he wrote in an accompanying message: "Another day, another death.

"I just don't understand how somebody can die at the age of 41. I just don't understand how.

"These pictures were taken at our last show in Europe where we shared the stage with CHILDREN OF BODOM at the Barcelona Rock Fest July 7th 2019. Not only did we share the stage but we shared a dressing room with @cobhc on one side and @testamentofficial on the other.

"I've known Alexi for years. One of the first times we ever hung out in Hollywood he went into great detail explaining to me that one of his earliest memories of loving rock n' roll was when his big sister went to see SKID ROW at the arena in Helsinki Finland & he was too young to go. He explained to me how it drove him completely insane that we were playing a show in his hometown and he couldn't go, he begged and pleaded with his parents but they would not let him go to the show. He told me that he decided right there and then what he wanted to do for a living.

"Well I just want to thank Alexi for all the talent what an incredible guitar player. I was lucky enough to jam with Alexi at the House of Blues in Hollywood (RIP) when his band members told me to go tap him on the shoulder in the middle of a guitar solo, he was not amused! But then he turned around and saw it was me and gave me a big hug on stage, right in the middle of the song.

"We had a great time backstage in Spain last year. My very last memory of Alexi is making him laugh, to tears, when I mistakenly called Janne the keyboard player 'Yay-Hoo' . Alexi turned to me and said 'What did you call him??? Yayhoo???' he laughed so f****** hard he was crying, repeating the name Yayhoo over and over again.

"Thank you for the talent and thank you for the laughs Alexi. You are gone way way too soon. My thoughts go out to my co-Manager Kristen Mulderig @sassys8n who loved Alexi and CHILDREN OF BODOM for years, like everybody else who met him. My sincerest condolences go out to the band, and also his new band, and more than anything to his big sister and his family. My heart is with all of you.

"We will all miss you Alexi!!!! You f****** rocked it hard man!!!! Just like you said you would in Finland all those years ago!!!!!!!"

Laiho died in his home in Helsinki last week. The 41-year-old had suffered from long-term health issues in the years leading up to his death.

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
























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A post shared by sebastianbach (@sebastianbach)

Steve Vai has paid tribute to Alexi Laiho, calling the former CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman "a fiercely confident and monstrous guitar commander of the highest order."

On Monday (January 4), Vai took to his social media to write: "So sorry to hear of the passing of Alexi Laiho of CHILDREN OF BODOM. With his band he was part of a powerful movement that ushered in hi octane, intense Metal at its most brutal and beautiful. I had the good fortune of meeting him several times and being a part of this Guitar World story with him. He was always respectful, personable, quiet and unassuming, but then you'd hear him play and you realize that embodied in that delicate frame was a fiercely confident and monstrous guitar commander of the highest order. Rock on young brother."

In a 2005 interview with Fourteeng, Laiho said that Vai was "probably like one of my all-time favorite guitar players ever. I mean, he's the reason why I started playing guitar anyway."

Laiho died in his home in Helsinki last week. The 41-year-old had suffered from long-term health issues in the years leading up to his death.

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


So sorry to hear of the passing of Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom. With his band he was part of a powerful movement...

Posted by Steve Vai on Monday, January 4, 2021

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

Former Sinergy bandmate Kimberly Goss has posted the following tribute to Laiho:

"My first true love, my bandmate and my best friend. The silver lining throughout this entire pandemic is that we were given the gift of having so much quality time together. Our marathon FaceTime calls, the endless text messages and phone calls at all hours of the day and night will stay with me forever. I am so comforted by the fact that we were able to reflect on our lives together both on and off the stage and to cherish our continued friendship that has remained in tact for all these years. Allu, my heart is both full and broken at the same time. Not many people are able to have nothing left unsaid with someone whom they had such a long, rich history with. You gave me peace and left me with zero regrets in the months and weeks before your tired body finally gave out. I thank you so very much and I’ll love you forever and always. 

You and Tommi are together again and I can hear the joy and laughter coming from the two of you, as if it were yesterday. You will always remain in the hearts of us who knew and loved you and your legacy will live on forever in the music you blessed the world with. Close your eyes my darling. You’re asleep now and finally at rest."

As expected, fans have taken to social media to express their condolences to Laiho's family and friends. Anyone who would like to see photos Goss has posted along with her written tribute, or offer their condolences, prayers and well-wishes is asked to go to the Instagram page that has been set up specifically for that purpose.

Please direct all messages, public or private, and friend requests to Instagram.com/kimvoxrox.

Alexi Laiho and drummer Jaska Raatikainen founded Children of Bodom in 1993, and the band was one of the most internationally acclaimed metal acts in Finland up until their very last farewell concert in December of 2019. Last year Alexi Laiho put together Bodom After Midnight, who recorded three songs and shot one music video, which will be released later on posthumously.

Besides Children of Bodom, Laiho was known for acts such as Warmen, Sinergy, Kylähullut and The Local Band. Awarded with a Metal Hammer Golden Gods and several other international prizes, the guitarist was also the main star, leading a group of one hundred guitar players at Helsinki Festival in 2015 in 100 Guitars From Hel – a massive concert piece he composed.

"We are crushed by the sudden passing of our dear friend and band member. Words cannot describe this shock and the profound sadness that we feel", Daniel Freyberg, Mitja Toivonen and Waltteri Väyrynen from Bodom After Midnight state.

The talented guitarist and musician relished his roles as stepdad in his patchwork family, and as uncle and godfather. Especially during the last years, the important family ties brought a welcomed balance to his life and the active touring. Laiho was particularly close with his big sister, parents and his sister's daughter. Laiho's sister says:

"We are all absolutely shocked and devastated. We ask for privacy and understanding during these hard times. My little brother's funeral will take place privately."

Alexi Laiho will also be deeply missed by his family in Australia.

"Alexi was the most loving and magnificent husband and father. Our hearts are eternally broken", Kelli Wright-Laiho says.

Laiho recently completed work on the debut album for Bodom After Midnight, the band launched following Children Of Bodom's demise in 2019.

His death comes as a devastating blow to the metal world and the BraveWords family, as some of us knew Alexi personally. Rest in peace, Wild Child.

Alexi Laiho's CHILDREN OF BODOM and BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT bandmate Daniel Freyberg has paid tribute to the late guitarist/vocalist, calling him "a legend who created magic and raised the bar to the next level."

Freyberg, who played with NAILDOWN and NORTHER before joining CHILDREN OF BODOM in 2016, took to his Instagram earlier today (Monday, January 4) to write: "'We'll play together until the grave.' Your words to me not that long ago. I just never thought that the day would come this soon...

"It was an honour to play alongside you Alexi. You were one helluva talent, a legend who created magic and raised the bar to the next level.

"I feel grateful and privileged that our paths crossed and we became friends and eventually ended up playing together. An adventure that gave me so much and will always stay in my memories.

"It's so devastating to write this because every time I try to type something I start crying...

"I know there won't be a single day that goes by where I wouldn't miss you.

"My heart goes out to your family and loved ones.

"Sleep well brother, see you on the other side."

Laiho died in his home in Helsinki last week. The 41-year-old had suffered from long-term health issues in the years leading up to his death.

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
























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A post shared by ??ℕ??? ?ℝ????ℝ? (@danielfreyberg)

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

Annihilator frontman / founder Jeff Waters has posted the following message followed with more thoughts from Waters in the clip below.

"The world lost another lead guitar giant and a good person. So much I could write... he was a friend and was in contact with me often since 2006; often with the same question: 'How did you quit drinking and stay quit?' Many of you know our legendary 70k Tons of Metal cruise karaoke jams... that would be all I need to remember him by! 

But in the last week, I posted a vid of us singing away, then thought of him two days ago, then this morning, I was mixing some stems for a re-release surprise. I sat down this morning to work on the next song... it was Annihilator's 'Downright Dominate' featuring Alexi Laiho and I shredding a trade-off solo thing. Then a facebook message came in saying he passed away.
 
Uggghhhh... please, musicians... take care of your health. Eddie then Alexi? Stop it."

 

SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor has told Kerrang! magazine that he hopes to give up sugar in 2021.

"That's my resolution — to try and get back to zero," he said when asked about his New Year's Resolution. "I'll tell you what: it's been the one thing that's been the hardest for me to really let go of. I've quit smoking, I've quit drinking, I've quit drugs; I've quit all that stuff. But this is the one that's kind of hanging around."

Elaborating on why it's been so difficult for him to give up all things sweet, Corey said: "Maybe it's because I'm surrounded by it because I have kids — it makes it a little tougher. Plus my sweet tooth is also just so ridiculous: I once filled a red Solo cup with peanut butter and a half bag of M&Ms and ate it like it was a bowl of cereal… this is the kind of person you're dealing with. [Laughs] I'm not amateur — I'm a professional fat-ass!"

Last year, Corey told Rock Feed that he was planning to start a plant-based taco food truck with his wife, dancer Alicia Taylor, but that the venture had been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

"It was basically a [plant-based] taco food truck," he said. "We can't say vegan. 'Cause there will be some dairy in there, some stuff in there. But the main focus was flavor, not just content. 'Cause when people talk about vegan, they can become very pretentious… This was a way for us to combine [our love of food] with a healthier [lifestyle]."

Alicia then explained that they both cut meat out of their diets two summers ago. "A lot of people don't know this, but we went plant-based in August [2019], September-ish, and we saw the benefits immediately," she said. Corey concurred, saying: "My cholesterol dropped, like, 80 points… I was even trying to eat better, and yet my cholesterol wasn't going anywhere. And as soon as I [went plant-based], [the change in my cholesterol level was immediate]. It was pretty rad."

Taylor's debut solo album, "CMFT", was released in October. Corey recorded the effort with his band consisting of Jason Christopher on bass, Dustin Schoenhofer on drums, and Zach Throne and Christian Martucci (STONE SOUR) on guitar. The LP was completed at Kevin Churko's The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas with producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER and STONE SOUR, among others.

In November, Corey told "Good Company" that SLIPKNOT is "thinking about putting another album out maybe [in 2021]. But I don't know," he said. "I don't know what the plan is yet. But I know that we were talking about doing it, 'cause we only have one album left on our contract [with our record labe

David Lee Roth has shared a new piece of original artwork which was inspired by the COVID-19 crisis.

For most of the last year, the VAN HALEN singer has been posting paintings on his Twitter account that reflect the times and channel the mass anxiety around the novel coronavirus. His latest work of art is commentary on the news that COVID-19 vaccines are starting to be given to the public.

"The first of the two vaccines launched in the winter of '21," a message in the painting reads. "We knew two things for sure First: We couldn't stop the virus from coming. Second: We could damn well arrange for it to limp home. Everyone volunteered.."

This is not the first time Roth has shared some of his visual art with the public. Back in 2009, Roth released dozens of his own drawings and artwork, which he called at the time "authentic originals and incompetent imitations." He offered them up as "an official answer to the question 'what do you do in your spare time?'"

According to the Van Halen News Desk, the VAN HALEN frontman always been into art. Throughout his whole life, while touring the world, you could find him doodling on just about anything — setlists, tour riders, female body parts, etc. He was always a major part of the visual side of VAN HALEN, and always tried to make the stage show "look like the music sounds." He designed stage clothes, orchestrated photo shoots, came up with the stage choreography, etc. He also had a hand in designing VAN HALEN's early tourbooks and a few of their t-shirts.

Last March, Roth postponed the final six shows of his Las Vegas residency due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Roth performed as the opening act for the February/March 2020 North American leg of KISS's "End Of The Road" farewell tour.

VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen died of cancer in October at age 65.

Roth, who performed with VAN HALEN for the last time in 2015, tweeted shortly after Eddie's death: "What a long great trip it's been."




#SoggyBottom #DLR #DavidLeeRoth #DiamondDave pic.twitter.com/0IzlMleCp5

— David Lee Roth (@DavidLeeRoth) January 4, 2021

I AM MORBID, the band featuring former MORBID ANGEL members David Vincent (vocals, bass) and Tim Yeung (drums) alongside guitarists Bill Hudson (CIRCLE II CIRCLE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA) and Kelly McLauchlin, will celebrate the 30th anniversary of MORBID ANGEL's second album, "Blessed Are The Sick", with a European tour in September/October. Support on the trek will come from GRAVE, GRUESOME and PYREXIA. A complete list of tour dates can be found in the poster below.

In a May 2019 interview with Jorge Botas of the "Metal Global" radio show, which airs on the Portuguese public TV and radio broadcaster RTP, Vincent said that he had every right to perform MORBID ANGEL's classic songs with I AM MORBID.

"Times come and life works the way that it does," Vincent said. "And there are times when… It's like a marriage — sometimes they don't always work forever. But that doesn't mean that the children that we've had together, that I don't still love my children. Although Trey [Azagthoth, MORBID ANGEL guitarist and sole remaining original member] and I have some irreconcilable differences, that doesn't in any way preclude me from still having the love and the passion for all of my children."

Asked what he has to say to people who insist that he should not play MORBID ANGEL's early material without any other members of the group's classic lineup, David said: "There's examples of this very situation… I mean, when Ozzy [Osbourne] left BLACK SABBATH, that didn't stop him from playing 'Paranoid' every night, even though he didn't write the song. All of the songs that I'm singing I wrote. So I don't really understand that. But different people become attached to different things. And they have their opinion and I have mine. And I don't really consider this kind of negativity. I don't have it in my life."

Vincent also spoke about the mostly negative fan reaction to MORBID ANGEL's controversial 2011 album, "Illud Divinum Insanus", which marked the group's first CD to feature David since "Domination".

"Listen, I'll be the first person to admit and agree with you that there is some very weird stuff on 'Illud'," he said. "But when you are in a band scenario and there's things that are included, then you make the best of them, and that's what I attempted to do. Now, I think there's some fantastic material on that record, but some of the more… well, I guess, 'techno' stuff, that seems to be what some people were most annoyed about. And yeah, it's weird. I agree it's weird. But when a song is presented to me, it's my job to do the best I can with it, and that's what I did.

"I think there's a lot of good stuff on that record, and then, yes, there is some weird stuff on that record, but, well, it is what it is. And on we march," he continued.

"Everybody has the things that they like and don't like, and I'm the same, and you're the same, and everyone's the same when it comes to preferences. We like who we like. Is everything gonna have the same reaction as the last thing? No. Of course not. But, there you go."

In 2019, Vincent released "Something Wicked Marches In", the debut album from his supergroup VLTIMAS, also featuring guitarist Rune Eriksen (formerly of MAYHEM) and CRYPTOPSY drummer Flo Mounier. Two years earlier, Vincent issued his debut country single, "Drinkin' With The Devil".

Vincent left MORBID ANGEL in 2015. He has since been replaced by a returning Steve Tucker, who previously handled bass and vocals on MORBID ANGEL's "Formulas Fatal To The Flesh", "Gateways To Annihilation" and "Heretic" LPs.

2020 has been a difficult year for many, including musicians. Relying heavily on live performances as a source of income, the arrival of COVID-19 meant that performing in person for a live audience was out of the question. In response to the struggle that many musicians are currently facing, the Kyle Pavone Foundation worked with the Battle Creek Community Foundation to establish the Kyle Cares Scholarship in order to help ease the financial burden of COVID-19. Up to $2,000 will be awarded per applicant until scholarship funds are exhausted.

"In honor of our son Kyle Pavone, we wanted to do something that would help musicians during this time of great need," said Vince and Caroline Pavone, parents of Kyle Pavone. "Even under normal circumstances, the life of a musician can be a lot to handle, and the current situation we're living in only amplifies that struggle. We thought the best thing we could do, what Kyle would want us to do, is to help musicians who are facing difficult times because of circumstances that are beyond their control."

The scholarship is available to musicians who have encountered a hardship due to COVID-19 and are in need of financial assistance to help with mental/physical health, substance abuse treatment, nutrition/food deficits, or housing. Interested applicants should go here to submit an application. Applicants will be notified within three business weeks.

"Since Kyle's passing, we've always said that the opposite of addiction is connection," the Pavones said. "If we can help even just one musician get through these tough times, stay connected to loved ones and help them continue to pursue their dreams, then we've done something Kyle would be proud of."

Kyle Pavone, former frontman of WE CAME AS ROMANS, passed away tragically in 2018 due to an accidental overdose. His family established the Kyle Pavone Foundation to provide education, awareness, and compassion to those suffering from addiction, and their families. Learn more at kylepavonefoundation.org

Alice Cooper has written a song for Zak Nilsson — son of late singer Harry Nilsson — in an effort to cheer him up, as he battles end-stage colon cancer.

Cooper performed the song on a recent episode of "Coffee Talk With ADIKA Live", a YouTube Live show hosted by bassist Stefan Adika and writer and former Rolling Stone contributor Corey Levitan. According to Rolling Stone, the pair have been friends with Nilsson for years, and invited him on the show to discuss his experiences with cancer, chemotherapy and more. Adika and Leftan also reached out to members of Hollywood Vampires — Harry Nilsson's old drinking club — to see if anyone wanted to send Zak a message after he recently chose to enter hospice instead of continuing treatment. Alice, the founder of the Hollywood Vampires, responded with an original song, surprising Harry during the January 2 "Coffee Talk" episode.

After Cooper's performance, Nilsson joked that Cooper had gotten one part wrong in his lyrics. "He did say there's nothing that I lack," Nilsson said, "and I would argue the only thing I really lack is a functioning gastrointestinal tract. But other than that, spot on."

Alice will release his brand new studio album, "Detroit Stories", on February 26 via earMUSIC. Named for the city that launched the original Alice Cooper group on the road to success, "Detroit Stories" follows 2019's "Breadcrumbs" EP as a modern-day homage to the toughest and craziest rock and roll scene there ever was.

Julia And The Roofers is a rock band from the Genoa area in Italy, and the lineup consists of Julia (vocals, bass), Ranza (guitar, sitar, keyboards), and Necrodeath drummer, Peso.

The debut album, The Will Of Evil, will be available digitally on January 7 via Diamonds Prod. A video for the first single "Sound Of Evil", featuring Necrodeath guitarist Pier Gonella and created by created by Morbid Vision, can be seen below.

Cover artwork inspired by “Ophelia” painting by John Everett Millais.

Tracklisting:

"River"
"Summer (Seems So Easy)"
"Sound Of Evil"
"Come To An End"
"Eros & Thanatos"
"The Rope"
"Gardens"
"Down In The Net"
"Bones"

"Sound Of Evil" video:

Dutch / Brazilian metal act, Phantom Elite, will release their sophomore album, Titanium, on January 22. Watch a visualizer for the song "Deliverance" below, and pre-order the new album here.

Phantom Elite is a relatively new metal band fronted by singer Marina La Torraca (Exit Eden, live vocalist for Avantasia) and features songwriting and production from former After Forever guitarist and producer Sander Gommans. Marina and Sander together with Max van Esch (guitars), and Joeri Warmerdam (drums) are set to unleash an incredible slice of contemporary sounding heavy metal music in their sophomore album Titanium. Sonically, the band is a perfect combination of symphonic, progressive, alternative, and heavy metal.

Marina La Torraca explains, "'Diamonds and Dark' was one of the first songs we worked on for this album. It was one of those cases where everything just magically clicked and we were wowed by it from the very start. Although it probably has more symphonic touches then the other songs, this single is a good showcase of the quality and heaviness level of the whole album. We are really proud of what we achieved in writing, producing, and developing the concept together as a band (with the contribution of some wonderful professionals like Sander Gommans, Amanda Somerville and Hannes Braun)."

Originating six years ago, the seeds of Phantom Elite sprang from Sander Gomman's HDK project. While releasing the HDK album Serenades Of The Netherworld, Gommans brought together a group of young musicians with the intent of playing HDK's songs in a live setting. The natural chemistry among these passionate musicians wound up sparking a wealth of new and exciting musical ideas and thus Phantom Elite was born. The debut album Wasteland (2018), and the accompanying well received tour of Europe, showed that Phantom Elite are ready to take flight.

"With the support of Frontiers and their decades of history in the music business, we are proud to present the release of our second album with them in 2021,” says the band. "Listeners can expect songs where modern meets symphonic and progressive, (very!) heavy riffs meet epic melodies, all overloaded with a wide spectrum of emotions and love for music. For sure, a high note in our careers!”

Tracklisting:

"Conjure Rains"
"The Race"
"Diamonds And Dark"
"Worst Part Of Me"
"Glass Crown"
"Titanium"
"Bravado"
"Silver Lining"
"Haven"
"Deliverance"
"Eyes Wide Open"

"Deliverance" visualizer:

"The Race" lyric video:

"Diamonds And Dark" video:

(Photo - Nat Enemede)

Despite less than ideal circumstances, 2020 was a rather busy year for Hollywood band Society 1, having released numerous music videos, lockdown video performances, collaborations with Darryl “DMC” McDaniels (RUN-DMC), and acoustic tracks.

Now, the band reigns in the new year with a brand new single, “Release And Demise,” available to stream below. Featuring the current band lineup of vocalist and founder Matt “The Lord” Zane, guitarist Johnny Pilz, drummer Zhenya Pro, and Jimmy Minj on bass, the track is the latest outing from Society 1, with the long-awaited Black Level Six album nearing its final release this year.

“Release And Demise” does not appear on the album tracklist revealed in the new 2021 EPK (see below), although the band is currently still deciding the final
songs that will make the final album.

"No better way than to let 2020 go with a track called 'Release And Demise'. Just let it go and wither away, onto something new and better. There is power in the act of releasing. It allows transcendance," said Zane.

Transatlantic - the prog supergroup of Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt & Pete Trewavas - will release their fifth studio album, The Absolute Universe, on February 5. In this new video, Portnoy performs "The World We Used To Know":

Below is a clip from The Making Of The Absolute Universe, available on the Blu-ray and the Ultimate Edition.

Representing the band’s first new music since 2014’s Kaleidoscope, with The Absolute Universe the band have done something unique and created two versions of the record: The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version) & The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version).

Each album will be available on CD, LP & digitally. But there will also be what has been called The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition, which collects both versions together in one lavish package that includes 5LPs, 3CDs & a Blu-ray that contains a 5.1 surround sound mix with visuals & a behind the scenes documentary. All editions have unique artwork created by Thomas Ewerhard featuring the airship by Pavel Zhovba.

As Mike Portnoy explains: “We've got two versions of this album. There is a two CD presentation, which is 90 minutes long, and a single one - that's 60 minutes. However, the single CD is NOT merely an edited version of the double CD. They each contain alternate versions and even in some cases, new recordings. We wrote fresh lyrics and have different people singing on the single CD version tracks as compared to those on the double CD. Some of the song titles have also been changed, while others might remain the same, but compositionally what you'll hear has been altered. You must appreciate that what we have done is unique. We revamped the songs to make the two versions different.” Pete Trewavas adds: “We did write some new music for the single CD, what's more, there are also differences in the instruments used on some of the tracks across the two records.”

The full list of formats is below, and you can pre-order here

The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version):
- Special Edition CD Digipak
- Gatefold 2LP+CD
- Digital Album

Tracklisting:

"Overture"
"Reaching For The Sky"
"Higher Than The Morning"
"The Darkness In The Light"
"Take Now My Soul"
"Looking For The Light"
"Love Made  A Way" (Prelude)
"Owl Howl"
"Solitude"
"Belong"
"Can You Feel It"
"Looking For The Light" (Reprise)
"The Greatest Story Never Ends"
"Love Made A Way"

The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version):
- Special Edition 2CD Digipak
- 3LP+2CD Boxset
- Digital Album

Tracklisting:

Disc 1:
"Overture"
"Heart Like A Whirlwind"
"Higher Than The Morning"
"The Darkness In The Light"
"Swing High, Swing Low"
"Bully"
"Rainbow Sky"
"Looking For The Light"
"The World We Used To Know"

Disc 2:
"The Sun Comes Up Today"
"Love Made A Way" (Prelude)
"Owl Howl"
"Solitude"
"Belong"
"Lonesome Rebel"
"Looking For The Light" (Reprise)
"The Greatest Story Never Ends"
"Love Made A Way"

The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition:
- Limited Deluxe Clear 5LP+3CD+Blu-Ray Box-set – contained within a foil-finished lift-off box with extended 16-page LP booklet & 60x60cm poster

Blu-Ray tracklisting:

"Overture" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Reaching For The Sky" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Higher Than The Morning" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"The Darkness In The Light" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Take Now My Soul" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Bully" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Rainbow Sky" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Looking For The Light" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"The World We Used To Know" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"The Sun Comes Up Today" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Love Made A Way" (Prelude) (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Owl Howl" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Solitude" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Belong" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Lonesome Rebel" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Can You Feel It" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Looking For The Light" (Reprise) (5.1 Surround Mix)
"The Greatest Story Never Ends "(5.1 Surround Mix)
"Love Made A Way" (5.1 Surround Mix)
The Making of The Absolute Universe (Documentary)

"The World We Used To Know" video:

"Overture / Reaching For The Sky" video:

Trailer:

Initial tracking began in September 2019 when the band met up in Sweden to write and arrange the new material. As Portnoy explains: “Over a period of 10-14 days, we mapped out the songs. Then we all went back to our home studios and did the recording. That's the way we always do it. At one point, though, it was suggested that instead of doing what was by that time going to be a double album, we should just be content to do a single CD.”

“What happened was that everything kept expanding and expanding,” recalls Stolt. “Therefore we decided it made sense to make it a double album. It was Pete and Neal who then came out and said they felt this would be too long, and we should reduce it to one…But we were already recording, and it didn't seem feasible to cut it back. There were so many pieces that each of us loved in what we were planning and didn't want to lose. That's when we ended up in discussions over the best way forward.”

This album also marks a return to the concept album for Transatlantic. “Well, the idea of Transatlantic deciding to do a concept record this time around won't shock anyone, right?” laughs Portnoy. “What we have is essentially one giant composition, split into chapters. The storyline is about the struggles facing everyone in society today.” “We didn't start out with the idea of this being conceptual,” admits Stolt. “The way things work with us is that we have a load of ideas, and these are developed spontaneously when we meet up. Everything happens in the moment.”

So, how does this new ground-breaking album compare to Transatlantic's previous four albums?

“I always try not to compare albums as much as possible,” insists Morse. “It’s very difficult when you’re trying to be creative, because your natural instinct is to constantly compare. But in order to create you have to kind of step away from that. Having said that, I would say this would have more in common with 'The Whirlwind' album  (the band's third, from 2009) than others that we’ve created.” For Trewavas, 'The Absolute Universe' is a momentous project.

“I think it is right up there with the very finest albums we've done. As the others have said, it compares very well to 'The Whirlwind', which I believe represents Transatlantic at our best. As on that album, we took our time to write and arrange everything, and that shines through. I am very excited for people to hear it.”

Transatlantic were originally formed in 1999, releasing their debut album SMTPe the following year as well as its follow-up Bridge Across Forever in 2001. Following a 7-year hiatus, the band reconvened to record and release the much-acclaimed epic 77-minute, single-track album The Whirlwind followed by a world tour in 2010 which included an appearance at High Voltage Festival in London where they were joined by legendary Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett. The band’s fourth album Kaleidoscope arrived in 2014, going on to win ‘Album Of The Year’ at the Progressive Music Awards.

Austrian metal duo, CueStack, has revealed a new guitar playthrough for “Through The Night”, the band’s much-talked-about collaboration with TV icon David Hasselhoff. Watch guitar shredder Bernth Brodträger as he takes viewers through the recently released single in a video available below.

“The song was originally written for six-string guitars in E standard, but I chose to replace the original rhythm tracks with a seven-string tuned to A standard,” says the Vienna Music Institute graduate. “That gave the song a bit more bite without changing the arrangement completely. I couldn't go to the extreme with my shredding and progressive influences because we wanted the song to appeal to David's fans as well, but I still added a challenging solo with one of the fastest lines I recorded so far. It was a fun challenge to compose this song and to work with David - an experience I will never forget!”

Fans will recognize Brodträger from his online shred videos, which have amassed over 200,000 subscribers on YouTube and 215,000 followers on Instagram. He has also released online courses such as 10 Steps To Modern Shredding and Sweep Picking Masterclass that teach the next generation of shredders about advanced techniques and music theory.

Born in Wiener Neustadt, Lower Austria, Brodträger began playing guitar at the age of 13. After his first private lessons, he signed up at a local music school to start his career, then started touring with extreme metal bands like Belphegor, playing concerts and festivals around the world.  After a couple of years of only playing metal, he decided to broaden his horizon and to study Jazz guitar and instrumental pedagogics at the Vienna Music Institute. Brodträger finished both programs with honours after four busy years.

During his final years at the Vienna Music Institute, Brodträger started working with the Austrian band Seiler und Speer. They put out three number one records in Austria, four top 10 hits, and played sold-out concerts like the legendary Donauinselfest, where they performed in front of over 111,000 people. During that time, Brodträger also received two gold awards for composing and performing the soundtrack for two seasons of the successful series Horvathslos.

Brodträger was introduced to Hasselhoff by his CueStack partner Martin Kames in 2018. “I was surprised to hear about his interest in rock and metal music,” he says. “He listed Metallica, Iron Maiden, Killswitch Engage, Marilyn Manson and other bands as favorites, and we talked about making a metal song together. I recorded some demos right after this meeting, 'Through The Night' was the first idea I had back then. The song is essentially a fun over-the-top fusion of classic metal elements and David's powerful voice. He is a trained musical singer and I love the dramatic touch he added to the song. It all came together as soon as he entered the studio with us near Vienna. Hearing the song with his vocals for the first time was a surreal moment I will never forget! Our producer Daniel Fellner - who is currently finishing the production of my upcoming solo album 'Elevation' - played a big part in finding the right sound for the collaboration. Of course, we wanted it to have a retro vibe, but it also had to sound modern to fit the CueStack catalog. We achieved that with added electronic elements and experimental drum layering, going for an industrial touch.”

Tabs, guitar pro files and a backing track for “Through the Night” are available on Brodträger’s Patreon, here.

“Through The Night” is available digitally on Spotify, Amazon Music, iTunes Music and Apple Music. Fans of this unique collaboration can also get the extended “Through the Night” Box Set, a Digipak CD featuring a retro synthwave remix by Beartooth singer and mastermind Caleb Shomo, as well as an unplugged version and two additional CueStack songs. The Box Set also contains a unique poster, gym bag, autograph card and baseball cap. “Through the Night” is available for physical purchase at the official CueStack webshop, here.

The collaboration between the Austrian duo and the TV idol started in 2018 and what seemed like an impossible idea slowly turned into a reality. The ultimate goal was to create a metal project with the most-watched man on TV, showing the world his heavy side. Hasselhoff recorded the track with CueStack in 2019 in Vienna, where they also shot this epic music video together. CueStack conjured up a dystopian Sci-Fi world in the music video for “Through The Night”, continuing the cinematic style that was established with this year's first single “Transhuman Generation”.

The first full-length CueStack album, Diagnosis:Human, will be released in 2021.

(Photo - Maximilian Lottmann)

Benediction vocalist Dave Ingram, along with Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Ribspreader, etc.) have announced another new collaboration together.

Stygian Dark: dirty, down-tuned, old school death metal. Coming to befoul, grime and shade in 2021.

Says Ingram: “Right now, an eight track 12-inch vinyl is being recorded for Doc Records (Holland) titled Gorelords Of War with the nine track CD version out on Old Shadows Records (Brazil) plus a two track 7-inch ‘Suffering Of The Sinister'/'Casket Malediction’ planned with Slaughterhouse Records (USA). All three for later this year.”

The full lineup:

Dave Ingram (Benediction) - Vocals
Rogga Johansson (Paganizer) - Guitar
Jon Rudin (Wombbath) - Drums
Alwin Roes (Dead End) - Bass

For future updates, check out the band’s Facebook page here.

The 63rd annual Grammy Awards, originally scheduled for January 31, have been postponed due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19. A new date for the ceremony has not been confirmed, but sources tell Variety the event may be moved to sometime in March.

A combination of health and travel concerns is what ultimately led to the decision to postpone this year's Grammys, with the show's planned location of Los Angeles on the verge of becoming the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. More than 7,600 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 in just Los Angeles County.

IN THIS MOMENT, BODY COUNT, CODE ORANGE and POWER TRIP are among the "Best Metal Performance" nominees at the 2021 Grammy Awards, which are due to be hosted by "The Daily Show"'s Trevor Noah. It will mark his first time hosting the awards show.

Last year, it was announced that the 63rd annual Grammys would not be delayed despite the pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

"The amount of music released has actually increased during the pandemic, so we would not want to delay our date with so much great music coming out," the Recording Academy's interim president and CEO Harvey Mason Jr. told Variety in June. "I also think it's important and helpful to have shows like this, when there's been so much uncertainty and unrest — to have something you know is coming around every year and to know there's a time when we all sit down together and watch great entertainment and art."

In September, Mason teased to Variety, that the upcoming ceremony is "going to be a spectacular show." "Obviously, this is a very unique year. We've been looking at all of the shows really closely and I've been talking with some of the people who put them together — the creative and also the business side," he said. "I think there have been some great examples of how to present music and awards at these shows, and I think there's some other things that we're gonna do pretty differently."

Last year, TOOL was honored with a Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards, which was held on January 26, 2020 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. TOOL was nominated for "7empest", a track from its 2019 album "Fear Inoculum".

In the fall of 2018, Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, Steve Perry, made his long-awaited return with the release of Traces, the legendary musician’s first new album in 25 years. The album’s personal expression of love, inspiration and renewal resonated with both critics and fans around the world, thrilled to have their voice of a generation making new music once again.

Now, on Traces (Alternative Versions & Sketches), available now via Fantasy Records, Perry revisits several of his favourite tracks, stripping away the grand production touches, taking the songs down to their essence. Presented acoustic and raw, (including some in sketch form) tracks like "Sun Shines Gray", "No Erasin’, No More Cryin’", and "Most Of All" take on new and richer meaning. In this setting, Perry’s iconic soulful voice glides out-front vibrant, clear and warm while the lyrics take on greater significance as well, even more intimate than before.

Produced by Perry and his longtime collaborator and friend, Thom Flowers, Traces (Alternative Versions & Sketches) offers a fascinating glimpse into Perry’s creative process and a deeper understanding into an already treasured album.

“When writing these songs, the original inspiration is always my first compass – where the songs should go,” stated Perry. “Alternate Versions & Sketches is exactly that, and I’m very excited to have you hear the original seeds of these songs.”

Brand-new, special edition merchandise is now available exclusively on Perry’s online store. Order Traces (Alternative Versions & Sketches) here.

Listen to "Most Of All" (Radio Mix) from the release below.

Tracklisting:

"Most Of All" (Radio Mix)
"No Erasin’" (Acoustic)
"I Need You" (Acoustic)
"No More Cryin’" (Acoustic)
"Most Of All" (Stripped)
"We’re Still Here" (Acoustic)
"You Belong To Me" (Stripped)
"Sun Shines Gray" (Acoustic)

"Most Of All" (Radio Mix):

"I Need You":

"No Erasin’" (Acoustic):

"Most Of All" (Stripped) visualizer:

"Most Of All" performance video:

(Photo - Myriam Santos)

On January 15, Dread Sovereign will release their third full-length, Alchemical Warfare, via Metal Blade Records. For a preview of the record, a video for the new single, "The Great Beast We Serve", can be found below.

Alchemical Warfare can be pre-ordered here in the following formats:

- digipak-CD
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- slate blue / grey marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- raisin rouge marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 150 copies)
- gold / black dust vinyl (Kings Road exclusive - limited to 100 copies)
- white / black marbled vinyl (US exclusive)

Dread Sovereign was formed in Dublin, Ireland in 2013 by Primordial vocalist Nemtheanga to give praise to filthy cult old doom, black and heavy metal. Their first EP, 2013's Pray To The Devil In Man, came out on Roadburn/Burning World Records to coincide with the band's live debut. Soon after, two full-lengths were released by Van Records: All Hell's Martyrs (2014) and For Doom The Bell Tolls (2017). And now, in early 2021, the band will release their new album, Alchemical Warfare, through Metal Blade Records.

"Our motto when we started was 'The World is Doomed'…and it seems life is imitating art…as we are looking like filthy prophets!" says vocalist/bassist Nemtheanga. "Several years in the making, the new Dread Sovereign is ready for the End of the World, which might be next year in case you didn't know! A bit more reckless and up-tempo than the previous releases, yet the template remains doom, Alchemical Warfare just has a bit more Venom and Motörhead thrown into the mix. If it's the end of days we might as well go out with middle fingers raised right?"

Alchemical Warfare tracklisting:

"A Curse On Men"
"She Wolves Of The Savage Season"
"The Great Beast We Serve"
"Nature Is The Devil's Church"
"Her Master's Voice"
"Viral Tomb"
"Devil's Bane"
"Ruin Upon The Temple Mount"
"You Don't Move Me (I Don't Give A Fuck)" * CD+digital bonus track only

"The Great Beast We Serve" video:

"Nature Is The Devil's Church" video:

Dread Sovereign lineup:

Nemtheanga - vocals/bass
Bones - guitars
JK - drums

Since the pandemic began, Alan/Nemtheanga has also started a podcast, entitled Agitators Anonymous. Well over 30 episodes with almost 75,000 listens, Agitators Anonymous is a mixture of tour stories, politics, the occult, culture, history, travel, black humour, special guests, deep dives into books, events, writers, and characters from the past - and of course, metal.

Fans can listen at the below links and across all podcast platforms:

- Spotify
- shows.acast.com
- YouTube

Finnish melodic metal band, Evil Drive, strikes back again. On their upcoming third album they present themselves more powerful and with major musical and technical improvements.

Evil Drive has published 2 full-length albums so far: The Land of The Dead (2016) and Ragemaker (2018) both receiving excellent feedback from the media and fans alike.  The much awaited third album, Demons Within, will be launched and distributed worldwide on April 2 via Reaper Entertainment Europe.

Evil Drive also revealed the new cover artwork, created by artist Jarkko Vanhalakka.

The band states: "The long wait has ended! We proudly present the cover art for our upcoming album Demons Within, which will be released 2.4.2021 on CD and digital formats worldwide! Hopefully this year we get to play you the new songs live! Stay tuned for more updates!"

Tracklisting:

"Payback"
"Breaking The Chains"
"Demons Within"
"Rising From The Revenge"
"We Are One"
"Too Wild To Live Too Rare To Die"
"Lord Of Chaos"
"Bringer Of Darkness"
"In The End"
"Ghost Dimension"

The first digital single will be released this Friday. Pre-save here.

Evil Drive are:

Viktoria Viren - vocals
J-P Pusa - guitar
Ville Viren - guitar
Antti Tani - drums
Matti Sorsa - bass

HighVolMusic has announced that A Rising Force has signed with the label for the release of their debut, titled Undertow.

A Rising Force is an all original Minnesota rock act featuring Mark Westlund (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Brian Lorenson (Bass, Vocals), Lane Allen (Drums, Vocals, Percussion), and Leni DiMancari (Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards). The band collectively have had multiple albums released, MMA nominations & awards, along with national and international touring backgrounds.

No strangers to the recording industry, guitarist Leni DiMancari (founding member of Hurricane Alice who changed their name to Hericane Alice for Atlantic Records) has recorded with members of Y&T, Le Mans, Cacophony, and Montrose.

Bass player Brian Lorenson and drummer Lane Allen were members of Dare Force. DiMancari, Allen, and Lorenson were all part of the last incarnation of the band prior to A Rising Force.

Their motto is “Old school rock with a new world attitude” and the album definitely shows it on every track of the debut of A Rising Force. The music is guitar-driven commercial hard rock combined with 4-part harmonies, and all fronted by an arena rock lead vocalist. The songs are all real-life experiences and stories about life, love, loss, heartache, and the world around us.

Release date details are forthcoming.

(Photo - Mark Walentiny)

Sacred Oath have announced the “waterfall release plan” for their brand new album, Return Of The Dragon, available on April 2. The band is going to stream five album tracks at regular intervals along with original artwork, lyrics and video content.

The band will release the first single, “Return Of The Dragon”, on January 15 for streaming and download on all digital platforms, including a lyric video. The single features cover artwork by drummer Kenny “Thundarr” Evans, who has previously designed covers for the band, as well as several of the band’s logos.

Subsequently, Sacred Oath will release four more singles on January 29, February 12, February 26, and March 19. Each piece will feature a new and unique cover painted by Evans. Platforms like Spotify and YouTube will also feature each art piece on video and canvas.

Pre-order for both the deluxe CD and double LP editions will begin on January 29 exclusively on the band’s website. These editions will be limited-edition pressings of 500 copies and LPs will be hand-numbered and signed. The CD will contain a 24-page booklet including all 11 original art pieces, lyrics, and photos.

Digital pre-order will begin on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon Music on March 19, with instant delivery of all five singles.

Return Of The Dragon is the first studio album to feature the newly officially added fifth band member - guitar and keyboard phenom Damiano Christian. Christian joined the band during the Twelve Bells At Midnight tour in 2017 and appears on the live album that followed in 2019, Thunder Underground – Live from NYC.

Sacred Oath is best-known for releasing A Crystal Vision in 1988, an album that evolved into a cult-classic of the powerthrash-metal genre. It was followed by six more critically acclaimed studio albums, including fan-favorites World On Fire, Sacred Oath, Darkness Visible, and Ravensong. The single “Counting Zeros” from their eponymous 2009 release was chosen as iTunes “Discovery Download of the Week”, and their first live album Till Death Do Us Part (2008) was listed as a Top Ten Metal Album of the year by Apple Music in its year of release. The band appeared on MTV2 Headbangers Ball in its last televised season with a featured interview.