SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor, who is preparing to play at The Forum in Los Angeles on Friday (October 2) as part of the "Forum Or Against 'Em" global streaming event, recently discussed his first memory of performing at the iconic venue. He said: "The first time I played the Forum that I remember was 2001 with SLIPKNOT. It was on the 'Pledge Of Allegiance' tour. It was right after 9/11, so it was a crazy, crazy time. It was the first time I got a death threat. Somebody called in to the switchboard and said, 'You have a hero playing there tonight. His name is Corey Taylor, and he's a dead man.' Because legally they have to tell me these things, I played the whole show wondering if there was a laser pointer on me the entire time. And then the fire marshall threatened to shut the show down because it looked like a riot was gonna happen and the barricade was starting to break. So to keep from shutting that show down, I had everybody stop and we had a moment of silence for the people who died in 9/11. And because we did that, everyone stopped, and you could hear a pin drop. And it was at least a minute. They were able to fix the barricades, and the fire marshal was, like, 'I've never seen anything like it.' That's my first memory of the Forum."

Tickets for the "Forum Or Against 'Em" pay-per-view streaming event are on sale now from watch.thecoreytaylor.com. Fans can also purchase ticket bundles that include a t-shirt, hoodie, poster, and access to watch an exclusive Taylor acoustic set. A limited number of one-on-one video chats with Corey are also available with some bundles.

"Forum Or Against 'Em" will be a full arena production complete with a visual feast of pyrotechnics, a stacked set list featuring all tracks from Corey's debut solo album, "CMFT", select fan-favorite cuts from Taylor's SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR catalogs, a handful of covers and an incendiary guest performance from rock n' roll girl-gang dance squad THE CHERRY BOMBS. Special event merch and bundles will be available during the stream. Kicking off the event's festivities will be a special pre-show event hosted by presenter/journalist Beez that will feature exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.

Speaking about his upcoming streaming extravaganza, Taylor said: "I've been saying since the beginning I'd find a way to bring this music and this band to the people. And I'm honored that The Forum let us do just that. It's 'CMFT' in its entirety. It's songs I've shared over the years. It's a celebration, and I'm so stoked to party with all of you."

In the rapidly evolving sphere of streamed events, "Forum Or Against 'Em" is set to be an industry first, as Corey Taylor and his management team at 5B Artists & Media partner with Danny Wimmer Presents, the largest independent festival producer in the United States, to put on this one-of-a-kind, pay-per-view concert experience. In utilizing The Forum for this special steaming event, the team are not only able to put together a world class rock extravaganza with a massive arena production, in total, they are also providing work to approximately 80 event staff.

Speaking on this groundbreaking partnership, 5B Artist & Media founder and CEO Cory Brennan said: "When Corey sent me a text saying 'Forum Or Against 'Em', I knew we had something truly special and unique. The Forum is one of the most iconic venues in the world and I can't think of a better way to celebrate his debut solo album!"

"To do a rock show on this scale, with an icon like Corey Taylor — while putting some of the behind-the-scenes heroes of the concert industry back to work — is an exciting step into the future," says Danny Wimmer, founder of Danny Wimmer Presents. "We believe that pay-per-view is here to stay and we couldn't think of anyone better to help us launch our new digital platform than Corey Taylor. He's a global star, and his music with SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR, as well as our amazing relationship with 5B, has helped to fuel DWP's growth over the past decade. We can't wait to get this show started."

"CMFT" will be released on October 2 via Roadrunner Records. Taylor 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.

SLIPKNOT recently canceled all of its previously announced summer 2020 tour dates, including the "Knotfest Roadshow", Knotfest UK and Knotfest At Sea, due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

ARMORED SAINT singer John Bush has reflected on the passing of QUIET RIOT drummer Frankie Banali. Banali, who joined QUIET RIOT in 1982 and played on its breakthrough album, 1983's "Metal Health", the first heavy metal LP to top Billboard's album chart, died in August after a 16-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Speaking to RadioactiveMike Z, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM radio program "Wired In The Empire", John said about Frankie (hear audio below): "We toured with QUIET RIOT our first tour. That was ARMORED SAINT's first tour, on the road, going out and opening up for QUIET RIOT and WHITESNAKE. QUIET RIOT was [touring in support of] the 'Condition Critical' record, it was, like, their first major release in America, with 'Slide It In'. It was amazing times.

"Frankie battled super hard, and he was given a raw deal by getting this really horrible pancreatic cancer that he had, and he fought it [in a] super noble [way] for years," he continued. "Nobody needs to go out that way. It's just terrible.

"But I did see him not too long ago, at the Ronnie Dio gala. That was one of the last things that my wife and I did to go out [before the pandemic]. And I think it was in February at the Avalon in Hollywood. And Frankie was there. And he was talking — he gave a little speech — and he seemed very together. It was obvious that he was still fighting.

"I have very memories of that tour," Bush added. "QUIET RIOT gave us an opportunity to go out and open for them. We were playing arenas… I mean, those are just amazing times. We [had just released] our debut full-length record, 'March Of The Saint', and we were on the road with QUIET RIOT and WHITESNAKE playing these venues. We were very lucky. We were very fortunate. So I'll always treasure those memories, and I hope Frankie is resting in peace now."

QUIET RIOT announced earlier in the month that it will carry on touring following Frankie's death. The band, which now features drummer Johnny Kelly (DANZIG, TYPE O NEGATIVE), will play a couple of shows in October as well as and a string of dates in 2021.

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

During a December 5-6 Headbangers Con live virtual panel, MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson explained why he and his bandmates have been opening all of their live performances in recent years with "Hangar 18", a classic track from MEGADETH's 1990 album "Rust In Peace". He said (see video below): "For a long time, we used to open the show with 'Holy Wars', and then we started to move that back to an encore. In 2010, we were on tour in Europe with SLAYER — in '10 or '11 — and we were in Russia, Saint Petersburg; our first time there. And Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH mainman] fell ill with a kidney stone. He was starting to have some stones, and it hit him — I don't know — an hour before we were gonna go on stage. We thought we were gonna have to cancel the show. And out of nowhere — Dave's a pretty tough dude, and all of a sudden, he just gets up and goes, 'Okay, we've gotta go do it. We've gotta at least play five songs.' And I went, 'Are you sure?' And he goes, 'Yeah. We've got to.' 'All right.' So I took the setlist, which I think at that time, one of the later songs in the set, we'd come out of 'À Tout Le Monde' into 'Trust' — we'd play 'Trust', 'Symphony [Of Destruction]', 'Peace Sells', 'Holy Wars'; it was some kind of thing. So I folded the setlist, and I said, 'Look, why don't we just start with 'Trust' and we'll just play these five songs?' So that's what we did. And it worked really well. It was kind of fun… So, for the next two years, we opened the set every night with 'Trust' — on a couple of Gigantours."

Ellefson continued: "Fast forward to 2013, we were on a Gigantour with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, HELLYEAH. And Vinnie Paul [Abbott, HELLYEAH and PANTERA drummer], who's been a lifelong MEGADETH fan and a good friend to us, he comes on the bus one day and he goes, [adopts Southern drawl], 'Man, y'all's stage show is amazing, y'all's light show is incredible. Man, y'all gotta be opening with 'Hangar 18'.' We went, 'Really?' Me and Dave kind of looked at each other, and [Vinnie] goes, 'Yeah, man. I'm telling you, man. That's the one, 'Hangar 18', right there.' So, that night, we went on stage and opened with 'Hangar 18', and it was, like, 'Wow!' It really had an excitement about it. So, since then, even to this day, we open with 'Hangar 18', and now kind of almost in honor and memory of Vinnie [who died in 2018]. So we come out rocking, and it's a great song. It's nice, because the front-of-house soundman can sort of get our mix together, 'cause there's no vocals, so it kind of gives him a minute to mix the band. Of course, we do soundcheck, and stuff is digitally stored on the console these days anyway, but still, it kind of gives him a couple of minutes to get the mix of the band together before Dave starts singing the verse."

As previously reported, MEGADETH's North American tour with LAMB OF GOD, TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES has been rescheduled for 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

MEGADETH is currently recording the follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia" album for a tentative 2021 release.

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

In addition to Mustaine and Ellefson, MEGADETH's current lineup includes former SOILWORK drummer Dirk Verbeuren and Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who was previously best known for his work with ANGRA.

TESLA bassist Brian Wheat, who is promoting his just-released autobiography, "Son Of A Milkman: My Crazy Life With Tesla", spoke to Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about how the rise of grunge in the early 1990s forced most hard rock bands off the radio and MTV, with album and tour sales plummeting.

"We never really listened too much to what anyone else was doing; we only kind of did what we did," Brian said. "Where it caught us off guard was that the year before, we were the record company's champions — they loved us, and they had been loving on us for the last four or five years. And when the grunge thing came out, they were, like, 'Well, we might drop you.' And we were, like, 'What? What are you talking about?' Because [1994's] 'Bust A Nut', I think, sold seven hundred thousand copies, and the last record before that had sold over two million, or close to two million. So you have a gold record, and there's word coming around the campfire that the company is gonna drop you, even though you've sold a gold record. So that's where we got caught off guard, and I think that really demoralized us and led us down this path of destruction that we were on in the 'Bust A Nut' time period. It certainly didn't help. It kind of added to the angst and the things that we were going through and the doubts that we may been having. And then we broke up right after that. And the joke I always make is that it shouldn't have been called 'Bust A Nut'; it should have been called 'Busting Up'. Because when I look back upon it now, the whole thing, how it was put together and what was going on, we were really kind of unraveling at the seams."

Wheat went on to clarify that TESLA "didn't break up because of grunge. We broke up because we had been going non-stop for 10 years, and, at that point, maybe the drugs and alcohol kicked in a little too much," he explained. "We really just needed a rest; we didn't really need to break up. But we did, and I'm glad we broke up, because it taught us a lot. It taught us to appreciate the band again. By the time we got back together in 2000, we realized that we had something special, and we let it go, and that we needed to cherish it a bit more. And we do to this day."

In June, the members of TESLA got together — virtually — to jam out a quarantined version of "Breakin' Free" as part of their online series "Home To Home".

The original recording of "Breakin' Free" appeared on TESLA's 2008 album "Forever More".

"Son Of A Milkman: My Crazy Life With Tesla" arrived on December 15 via Post Hill Press. In this 304-page hardcover book, Wheat lifts the lid on living the rock 'n' roll life while struggling with anxiety, depression and other issues seldom discussed by musicians.

"Son Of A Milkman" features a foreword by DEF LEPPARD vocalist Joe Elliott, and was co-written with award-winning journalist and author Chris Epting, whose titles include "Adrenalized" (co-written with DEF LEPPARD's Phil Collen) and "Change Of Seasons" (co-written with John Oates).

Wheat co-founded TESLA, which became one of the biggest bands of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Brian owns a recording studio by the name of J Street Recorders in Sacramento, California. PAPA ROACH, TESLA, PAT TRAVERS, DEFTONES, KODIAK JACK, FLASHFIRES and many others have recorded there.

TESLA spent most of last year touring in support of its latest album, "Shock", which was released in March 2019 via UMe. The follow-up to 2014's "Simplicity" was produced by DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has blasted lawmakers for securing a deal for a coronavirus relief package which will include direct payments of up to $600 to eligible adults, plus $600 per child dependent.

Congressional leaders announced Sunday night that they have secured a deal for a $900 billion rescue package to deliver relief for small businesses, unemployed Americans and health care workers.

Under the new COVID relief package, at the full benefit amount, a family of four could potentially receive $2,400. As such, the adult benefit would be half the size of the stimulus check in the March CARES Act, while the amount earmarked for qualifying dependents was raised by $100. The payments would begin phasing out at incomes exceeding $75,000 ($150,000 for couples filing jointly) up to $99,000 ($198,000 for couples).

"$600 PER PERSON ISN'T 'RELIEF'," Stanley tweeted earlier tonight (Sunday, December 20). "The politicians who held firm to that number aren't ignorant, They're indifferent to the needs of the very people who put them in power. Look at them. Do you think ANY of them worry about THEIR rent or feeding THEIR children?"

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced the details of the agreement on stimulus checks.

Delivery of the second round of checks is expected to begin in early January 2021.




$600 PER PERSON ISN'T "RELIEF" The politicians who held firm to that number aren't ignorant, They're indifferent to the needs of the very people who put them in power. Look at them. Do you think ANY of them worry about THEIR rent or feeding THEIR children? https://t.co/i1fLqhnUQS

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) December 21, 2020

MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee spoke to Finland's Kaaos TV about how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed his everyday routine and affected his working life. He said (see video below): "It's been two things. One thing, like for instance doing this interview with you, typically we would probably be on the phone. It's nice that everybody has sort of resorted to, or figured out, doing these Zoom calls. It's just fucking cool. I get to see you, you get to see me — it's way better than the telephone, so that's a bonus. But other than that, the other side of it has been not very different for me, because I don't really leave home that much. I chill out here, I make music, and I don't leave home that much, so it hasn't changed incredibly. Only maybe a little bit on the social part of things — going out to see people at clubs or dinner or whatever, that kind of stuff. But for the most part, a lot of things are kind of the same."

Lee also talked about the importance of investing in yourself and your goals amid the coronavirus crisis.

"I really hope that everybody is taking the good things from this and do make those changes that are maybe necessary," he said. "I really hope so, because I think there's a lot of good coming from it. But I guess that's up to the individual and how they use it in their life. I think it's gotten a lot of people to slow down and realize a whole lot of things that they maybe overlooked or just not paid that much attention to. So I hope that we do learn. I know I have."

Lee's new solo album, "Andro", is due on October 16. The first two singles from the collection, "Knock Me Down" and "Tops" were released in early June. Lee's third single, "Demon Bitches", was the next step in the theme of "Andro" being the male and female sides of music, equal in power and status. Androgyny is a combination of the essences of male and female genders and the album is the manifestation of the concept.

"It's frustrating to let people hear a song or two at a time," Lee told Alternative Press. "I'm like, "Fuck. I want to see it come out already! There's so much badass shit on the record. It's a killer record. I'm really proud of it."

Other features on the record include a Prince cover from Lukas Rossi (ROCKSTAR SUPERNOVA), Josh Todd (BUCKCHERRY), Mickey Avalon and more.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's "The Stadium Tour" with DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS " was originally scheduled to take place this past summer but ended up being pushed back to 2021 due to the pandemic.

Leslie West, born Leslie Weinstein, passed away on December 23rd. The iconic guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and storyteller has left a legacy that to this day is celebrated by peers and fans across the world. Savatage / Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist Chris Caffery has posted the following tribute to West.

"Our all star band of angels has yet another member.

Leslie West was someone I knew on and off for many years. Mostly through friends. On our second Beethoven’s Last Night tour with TSO he showed up in Mississippi to play 'Mississippi Queen' with us. Al Pitrelli had known Leslie for a long time as well as me. I spent most of that day hanging out with him at the hotel and on our bus. He was literally such a huge influence to so many of us. When I was 16 my club band with my brother called Anti opened for Mountain. This was at a rock club called JB’s Rock 3 in Middletown, New York. That day Leslie spent a lot of time showing me how he had his sounds together. Also one of the multiple times he schooled me on his picking technique. That was one of my most memorable shows with that childhood band. 'Never In My Life' was actually a song that was usually in my band's line set: that night we obviously didn’t play it! Over 35 years ago I first met and shared a stage and a gig with this incredible musician.
 
That day in Mississippi he was asking me again if I worked on that picking technique of his since the last time I saw him. The way a pick could talk and squeal different ways . Priceless knowledge from a true legend. 

He had also taught a good friend of mine for years how to play. Al B Romano. We did that Sun Red Sun record together. Al B was given a Gibson V by Leslie. The white Korina V you just saw in the live stream happens to be that guitar. When Al B was teaching me some of the things his mentors showed him he passed that V onto me! 

Rest In Peace, my friend. You were such an inspiration and a blessing to all of us guitarists. A genuinely kind soul with that priceless smile and incredible sense of humor.  

The Heavens will definitely be smiling and laughing when you walk through that gate!" 

Weinstein was born in New York City, and first emerged in the scene as a member of The Vagrants. A few years later he and Felix Pappalardi formed Mountain, a band that was amongst the first to pioneer the genre later to become known as heavy metal. Hits that include “Mississippi Queen,” “Theme From An Imaginary Western,” and others established an indelible voice and guitar tone that remains legendary to this day. In 1969, West brought his presence to the stage at Woodstock.

As the decade turned, he formed West, Bruce and Laing with his band-mate from Mountain drummer Corky Laing and Cream’s Jack Bruce. In, 1971 West contributed to The Who’s Who’s Next sessions in the city, performances which can be heard on the 1995 and 2003 reissues of that cornerstone album.

Alongside his significant contribution to pop culture as the face of Mountain, West appeared in films that include Family Honor (1973) and The Money Pit (1986).  He was a regular guest on the Howard Stern Show, and over the course of decades remained a periodic visitor alongside enjoying a decades-long friendship with the talk show host.

West was inducted in to the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and appeared on dozens of other recordings from a vast universe of artists. Samples of his performances lived a secondary life on the masters of a who’s who of hip-hop and rap stars.

The guitarist is renowned for helping popularize the Gibson Les Paul Jr. model with P-90 pick-ups to create a tone that is undisputedly his own. More recently, he enjoyed a long relationship with Dean Guitars, releasing several signature models.

Leslie West is survived by his wife Jenni, whom he married on stage after Mountain’s performance at the Woodstock 40th Anniversary concert in Bethel, NY on August 15, 2009. And, brother Larry and nephew Max.

From 1964 through today, few artists have left a more significant mark on music as we know it. Guitarists across the globe together will unite in sadness as the world says goodbye to a true original.

Stay tuned, as tributes to Leslie West are expected to pour in over the coming hours and days. Everyone here at BraveWords offer our sincere condolences to all of Leslie West's family, friends, and fans. R.I.P.

(Photo - Justin Borucki)

During an appearance on a recent episode of "The Ron Keel Podcast", acclaimed hard rock singer Jeff Scott Soto (SONS OF APOLLO, TALISMAN, JOURNEY, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) was asked how he feels about that "fine line" that artists always have to walk between speaking their minds on political issues and entertaining. He responded (hear audio below): "It's kind of in the same context of 'know the gig, keep the gig.' I realized there's too much divisiveness or dividing of thoughts and feelings and emotions. And I'm not one to stop being a friend or stop talking to a family member because their views are different than mine — unless you're talking about pedophilia, unless you're talking about something so extreme, like, 'Well, I believe Charlie Manson was a prophet.' That's where I kind of draw the line. But when it comes to religious, gender, political views, if you're my friend, you're my friend. And you're my friend because I like you as a person, not because you follow the same team, so to speak. And this is what I feel is a big problem."

He continued: "I hate the fact that we can't speak our voice, we can't make our voices heard, because people just want us to just shup up and sing: 'We don't care about your views.' Well, hang on. What makes [you] think I care about your views? You're a fan, you're somebody who buys my music, you're somebody who listens to me. I don't wanna hear your political views either, but I have to, because you seem to throw it at me when I try to make a statement that has nothing to do with politics.

"I posted the other day about my love for the Lakers, and I'm so happy the Lakers brought home the championship, and I got blasted. Because the Lakers and the NBA decided to run on the whole 'Black Lives Matter' platform, that automatically means that I'm a left-wing extremist, because I'm following their platform and I accept it, and if I were on the right wing, I would have told them to take a hike.

"You're going into my head without even knowing who and what I am," Jeff added. "I'm excited and I'm celebrating a moment, and you're crapping on it, because you think I'm trying to make a political statement. So this is why I personally have just backed off from it, because I realize, especially at my level — I'm not at the level of Bono or Eddie Van Halen or Brian May where if I drop even 50 percent of my fanbase, I'm gonna be okay. If I drop 50 percent of my fanbase, I might as well go start working at a gas station."

Jeff went on to reiterate that he can still have a relationship with people who have opposing political views.

"I tell my friends, 'Listen, as long as you don't have a problem with it, I don't,'" he said. "Even when it does come up, we kind of joke and share the laugh of, 'You're an idiot. There's no way you can believe this.' And this is without saying anything about who I'm talking about or what I'm talking about. Forget about the politics. I'm saying in general, you can agree to disagree and still love one another, and that's one thing that I really feel is missing right now in the world."

Last month, KEEL frontman — and "The Ron Keel Podcast" host — Ron Keel defended Donald Trump against accusations that the president's rhetoric is to blame for the divisiveness and unrest in the United States. The singer, who had previously tweeted in support of Trump's policies, took to the social media platform to comment on the fact that there has been more discord between Republicans and Democrats in our time than there has been in generations. He wrote: "And of course, like everything else, this is @realDonaldTrump 's fault. #BS Elections don't divide people. Beliefs don't divide people. WEAKNESS divides people."

Soto's new solo album, "Wide Awake (In My Dreamland)", was released on November 6 via Frontiers Music Srl.

The $900 billion stimulus bill that President Trump finally signed into law on Sunday evening includes funding for independent music venues that have been closed throughout the pandemic. The long-overdue $900 billion stimulus deal bill includes "$15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions," according to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Earlier today, FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave Grohl — whose band played a very special acoustic set this past October in support of the Save Our Stages act — took to the FOO FIGHTERS social media to write: "A huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported the Save Our Stages Act, which passed yesterday as a part of the economic stimulus bill.

"The preservation of America's smaller, independent venues is not only crucial to the millions of concert goers whose lives are bettered by experiencing their favorite artists in the flesh, but to the future of music itself, as it gives the next generation of young musicians a place to cut their teeth, hone their craft, and grow into the voices of tomorrow.

"The absence of live music this year has left us all longing for that communal feeling of connection, one that is best felt when joined in a song. The Save Our Stages Act brings us one step closer to sharing that feeling again, one that I hope we can all experience again very soon. Everyday we're one step closer.

"See you there, Dave".

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

When FOO FIGHTERS played the aforementioned five-song set at Los Angeles's iconic Troubadour, Grohl spoke of the importance of Save Our Stages, saying: "It's crucial that we do everything we can to make sure that these venues survive in order to inspire the next generation of musicians to go on and do beautiful things with their lives like make music. So please donate anything you can, 'cause we're really hoping that we can save these smaller venues."

Grohl also shared memories of his own experiences playing smaller venues, including the Troubadour, saying: "As you've heard from all the stories we've told, each of us has had some pretty amazing experiences in this club, but there are lots of smaller venues like this around the world that need your support right now.

"These memories and experiences that we have here were life-changing and formative experiences that inspired us to play music. I can only imagine there are millions and millions of other people just like us that have done the same and it's made their lives a better place."




Thank You. #SaveOurStages @nivassoc pic.twitter.com/kD95iUmanw

— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) December 28, 2020

ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti spoke to "The Jasta Show" about his plans to make a new album with his TREMONTI solo project.

"I'm gonna record in November and December and then just kind of sit on it until it's ready to go," Mark said (see video below). 'Cause we still have a lot of ALTER BRIDGE touring to do. Hopefully with COVID, we're pretty much just pushing pause when it all started, and we can just push play again and continue to tour the way it needed to be. And then maybe come out with a TREMONTI record late next year."

TREMONTI's next disc will once again be recorded at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH, among others.

Earlier in the month, Tremonti told Myglobalmind that he was "14 songs deep" into the songwriting process for the new TREMONTI LP. "I would get to about 20 songs before deciding which ones will make the final cut," he explained. "It's not a question of which songs are good or bad; it's which work and have a good dynamic range."

Speaking about the musical direction of the new TREMONTI material and how it compares to ALTER BRIDGE, Mark said: "It has heavier elements, and it definitely has some of the moody, atmospheric stuff like ALTER BRIDGE. The TREMONTI band's rhythm section stands apart from ALTER BRIDGE, and any type of speed metal that I bring into TREMONTI might not necessarily fit into ALTER BRIDGE. Our vocal couldn't be any more different. Myles is a seasoned tenor, and I'm almost a baritone. That's the big difference in how the two bands sound different."

TREMONTI is comprised of Mark on vocals/guitars, Eric Friedman on guitars, Ryan Bennett on drums and Tanner Keegan on bass.

The band's fourth album, "A Dying Machine", was released in June 2018 via Napalm Records. The disc was produced by Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who had helmed all previous TREMONTI albums along with ALTER BRIDGE's last five long-players.

TREMONTI's third album, "Dust", was released in April 2016 via Fret 12.

"Dust", which was recorded during same sessions as 2015's "Cauterize", featured Wolfgang Van Halen on bass.

Although Wolfgang Van Halen was part of TREMONTI's touring band in 2013 and played on "Dust" and "Cauterize", he sat out TREMONTI's tour schedule because of commitments with VAN HALEN.

Ted Nugent says that he will refuse to be vaccinated against the new coronavirus.

The outspoken conservative rocker, who has previously railed against pharmaceutical companies and their development of the vaccine, made his feelings known during a December 25 live video on his official Facebook page.

Describing 2020 as a "royal clusterfuck of a year," Nugent stated about the prospect of vaccine requirements, as well as mask mandates: "We don't earmark a safety net during a scamming pandemic. It's not a real pandemic, and that's not a real vaccine. I'm sorry. I ain't taking no vaccine. You come at me with a needle, and I will be in fear of my life, and you know what I'll do if you come at me with a needle. 'Hi, I'm from the government. This needle is good for you.' Fuck you!"

This is not the first time that Nugent has offered his thoughts on a potential coronavirus vaccine. In late November, he shared a meme of what Homer Simpson would look like in "real life" along with the caption: "First person received the new vaccine… He said he feels great." Ted wrote in an accompanying message: "Hey soulless tyranical bureaucrat punkass power abusing assholes come at me with a needle and I will take it out of your hands and shove it up your ass. Any questions? Dial 1-800numbnut and Michael Moore will explain how personal hygiene is overrated. Fuck you and your bullshit vaccine."

This past August, Nugent repeated a narrative pushed by conservative media and disputed by health experts that suggested the official death count from the coronavirus was inflated.

"Here's what the guitar player wants," he said. "I wanna see a list of dead Americans, January, February, March, April, May, June, July of 2017. I wanna see a list of dead Americans, those months, for 2018. Of any deaths — all deaths. 'Cause that's what they're doing. You can get stabbed to death by a paroled murderer, and they'll claim you died of the communist Chinese virus. We've heard it from the doctors. We've heard it from health departments who were told, 'You can't say he died of a heart attack. You've gotta put COVID-19.'

"I wanna the list of dead Americans for the last five years, for the first six months of each year, and compare it to how many are dying this year," he continued. "And I have one big battle cry that resonates across this country: bullshit. They are lying. The CDC? Liars. The FBI? Liars. USDA? Liars. The Bureau Of Land Management? Liars. The USDA? Liars. You cannot trust any of the government's alphabet bureaucracies. They are entrenched in that deep state leftover Democrat, lying, scamming gang. And until Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and Lois Lerner and Susan Rice and Loretta Lynch and Eric Holder are in jail, America will not trust the United States government. You can write that down. You can transcribe what I just said and call me a radical, and you'd be correct. Because I'm radical for justice, and I'm not seeing it."

As of Monday morning, almost 2 million Americans have received the first dose of either Pfizer or Moderna's two-dose COVID-19 vaccine. Nearly 10 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.




Posted by Ted Nugent on Friday, December 25, 2020



Hey soulless tyranical bureaucrat punkass power abusing assholes come at me with a needle and I will take it out of your...

Posted by Ted Nugent on Friday, November 27, 2020

Magnus: Polish Deathrash legends’ cult album “Scarlet Slaughterer” to be released on CD via Awakening Records.

A classic masterpiece of East-European violence, power, and aggression!

Magnus is one of the pioneers of the Death / Thrash wave in Poland. In the 80s, when Death Metal was born, Magnus blazed a trail of an innovative style of fast and heavy play. The first in Poland and one of the first bands in the world highlighting with music a controversial and rare image.

“Scarlet Slaughterer” was Magnus‘ debut album, originally released in 1989. The killer album will be officially reissued on CD by Awakening Records on 25 December 2020.

The reissue will include a lot of band photos, bonus tracks, and even 3 unpublished tracks, as well as the band biography.

This is a real immortal poem that transcends the times. No mercy. No trends. Only hellish voice and twisted riffs. Sharply, directly, brutally, fast, and uncompromisingly!

Tracklist “Scarlet Slaughterer”:
01. Trash Attack
02. Tomb
03. Pharisee
04. Confession
05. Crosses of War (Parts 1&2)
06. Messenger of Hell
07. Scarlet Slaughterer
08. Man Condemned
09. Destruction
10. Leprosy
11. Rabies
12. Achtung Magnus!!!
TRASH – SPEED – BLOOD [BONUS TRACKS]
13. Trash Attack
14. Spowiedź (Confession)
15. Leprosy
16. Skazaniec (Man Condemned)
17. Destrukcja (Destruction)
18. Achtung Magnus!!!
[UNPUBLISHED TRACKS]
19. Tomb (Live)
20. Pharisee (Live)
21. Achtung Magnus!!! (Live)

After releasing remastered versions of its two albums, “An Angel and the Eternal Silence”, and “The Dawn of Understanding”, My Threnody, the Doom Metal project formed by Jefferson Britto (In Apostasia, ex-Silent Cry) is releasing “Falling”, its first single in 13 years, which gives a preview of what is to come on the band’s forthcoming third album.

About the new track Jefferson said:

I am very excited about the release of this single.
It was a long time working on it, and being able to bring to the fans something new after 13 years is like opening new doors for My Threnody.
There are others tracks ready and if all goes well you can expect a new album soon.

Long-running power metallers Drakkar are pleased to announce that they have signed a record deal with Punishment 18 Records. The latter will release the group's long-awaited new studio album in 2021.

A couple words from guitarist/founding member Dario Beretta: "We are very happy to have found a new home at Punishment 18 for Drakkar. I've been very satisfied with their work on the last 2 Crimson Dawn records. I've known Corrado Breno for ages and he's a real professional who is always truthful, and never afraid to speak his mind, which is something I value immensely. He and the rest of the P18 staff have been very supportive of our efforts, and also of the launch of our Patreon page, so it was only natural to ink this new deal with them."

Canadian atmospheric black metal duo Keys Of Orthanc is ready to unleash their fourth studio album, titled Of The Lineage Of Kings. The 8-track music effort will see the light on February 5th, 2021 via Naturmacht Productions.


Track listing:

01. Of The Lineage Of Kings
02. Shards Of Narcil
03. Her Mighty Heart
04. To The Paths Of The Dead
05. The Last Alliance
06. King Of The Reunited Kingdom
07. I've Seen The Dragons Fly
08. Book Of The Fallen (Caladan Brood cover)

On March 26th 2021, Danish black metal horde Solbrud will be releasing Levende I Brønshøj Vandtårn live album worldwide through Eisenwald and Moondrop Records in Denmark. The effort was recorded on November 23rd and 24th (2019) inside Brønshøj Vandtårn, edited and mixed by Marcus Ferreira Larsen, and mastered by Flemming Rasmussen at Sweet Silence Studios. The whole video filming and editing work was done masterfully by Martin Goltermann.

The release will be available on gatefold 180g double LP - black and silver vinyl editions. Also included is the full concert footage on DVD and a 16-page booklet with outstanding live shots by Adriana Zak and Naya Buch. And on a deluxe digipak concert DVD+CD with a 20-page photo booklet.


Tracklist is the following:

01. Øde Lagt [11:28]
02. Skygge [2:25]
03. Menneske [2:19]
04. Sortedøden [11:48]
05. Klippemennesket [13:05]
06. Bortgang [11:56]
07. Sjæleskrig [8:07]
08. Besat Af Mørke [8:22]

awn’s first light begins to unwind its weary fingers through the splayed branches of the naked, sleeping trees.

The winter air is like crystal, numbing your mouth, freezing your throat and riming your lungs in a fragile cage of hoar frost.

The pale sun holds no warmth and your blood becomes sluggish, like an ice choked stream, as you stand at the end of your path – slowly, quietly dying. Your last breath drifts between your lips in a small, soft cloud and a lone, black bird begins to sing an unheard lament for your passing.

As time gently draws a pall of velvet darkness across the closing eyes of this broken year, Nre, the bard of And Now The Owls Are Smiling, emerges from his solitude once more.

He brings with him “Dirges”, a new collection of songs for the heavy-hearted who shield their sorrows from the world like a flickering flame in a storm, to whom the sadness is a treasure, a pathway of memory, a gift never to be relinquished.

“Dirges” is the distilled essence of that deep melancholy, a bleakly beautiful landscape of tears painted in shades of grey. Once again Nre has entwined the sweepingly majestic with agonizing intimacy to create the stunning sound of And Now The Owls Are Smiling and as last year’s powerful offering, “The Comforting Grip Of Misery”, took great strides beyond debut release “Desolation”, so “Dirges” towers over its predecessor in turn.

The entrancing sound of songs like “Dirge VI: Pointlessness” wrap you in an embrace of black thorns, their curved ebony points cruelly puncturing your skin as they comfort you.

This is Black Metal at its most emotionally charged and magically bewitching, steeped in an atmosphere of solitude and sombre reflection. “Dirges” is a landmark release for And Now The Owls Are Smiling, an album that will touch the fractured hearts of the lost and alone.

Clobber Records have once again reached out to Nre and will release “Dirges” into the night on January 29th of 2021, to carry its messages of cold solace to yearning souls, waiting in the darkness.

This album will transport you to moments in time that both frighten and entice you. It will unlock the boxes in your mind where the most beautiful and painful memories reside. The owls are smiling again and it is time to become undone…

Italian Progressive Metallers Oceana, featuring Novembre’s guitarist Massimiliano Pagliuso, will release their new album “The Pattern” on CD, 2LP and Digital formats on January 29th 2021 via Time To Kill Records.

The video of the album’s first single, “You Don’t Know”, is now available here:


“The Pattern” was recorded at Blue Noise Studios by Massimiliano Pagliuso and at The Outer Sound Studios by Giuseppe Orlando. Mixing and mastering were handled by renowned Swedish producer Dan Swanö at Unisound Studios AB. The album evocative artwork is by Travis Smith.

Tracklist “The Pattern”:
01. Hiding Lies
02. Fall To Silence
03. Violet
04. Tragicomic Reality
05. A Friend
06. Carousel
07. A Lament
08. Spoiled
09. Atlantidea Suite Part 1
10. The Unforgiven
11. You Don’t Know

Imagine the great Seattle’s Grunge era meeting the Alternative Metal scene of the 2000’s, place them straight into the Californian desert, and you’ll get the sound and vision of Italy’s Stoner Rock overloads Mars Era.

Formed in 2014 in Florence, the band burst into the Heavy Rock scene with their critically acclaimed debut “Dharmanaut”. Now, Mars Era has announced the release of their sophomore full-length titled “Oniro”, which will be out on February 19th, 2021, via Argonauta Records!

Close before the world went on lockdown, Mars Era started to work on their forthcoming album, which was recorded and mixed by Marco Leggio, and was mastered at the GreenFog Studio in Genoa. While the four-piece collective continues to combine both Heavy and Psychedelic sounds from various influences, with “Oniro” they step forward to create their very own way to express music.

This is Mars Era in a new chapter; full of words, music and emotions. Give ear, as the band just released a first single and video for “Brighter Than the Sun”! Watch the video below.

METALLICA's Lars Ulrich says that it could be a year "at the earliest" before rock bands are allowed to play arena concerts in front of tens of thousands of fans.

Speaking Tuesday (November 10) at CNBC's Evolve Summit, the drummer said: "As we unfortunately have to come to grips with, the last thing that will happen are big concerts, you know 20,000 people in an arena, 50,000 people in a stadium." He went on to say that liive sporting events are much easier to bring back than concerts, given they are "slightly more orderly" than a sold-out rock show tends to be.

"The good news on the live concert front, when METALLICA and other bands like METALLICA play big arena or stadium concerts again, then you can pretty much count on the fact that COVID, as we know it now, is over," he said.

Although METALLICA's drive-in concert, which was pre-recorded and played at more than 300 outdoor theaters in Canada and the U.S. in August, was "a success," Ulrich doesn't see it as something that he and his bandmates can keep doing indefinitely.

"I don't know what kind of legs that kind of experience will have because I think it's more of a one-off event," he said. "I don't think it’s something you could do too often. The burnout factor is too big."

Ulrich said that concerts will return "slowly," possibly once a vaccine has been rolled out to the general public.

"What we know now compared to three months ago, six months ago, is that the wait is unfortunately going to continue to be long," he said. "I would say ... third quarter, fall of next year, at the earliest, is what we're betting on right now."

As previously reported, METALLICA's "Live & Acoustic From HQ: Helping Hands Concert & Auction" will be streamed live from the band's headquarters in San Rafael, California on Saturday, November 14.

In early May, the four members of METALLICA overcame social distancing to record a new version of their song "Blackened", with each member separated in his own home. The split-screen video was posted to the band's social media channels. That same month, Ulrich told Swedish talk show host Fredrik Skavlan that he and his bandmates were "sending ideas to each other via e-mail and via Zoom and [trying to] make music in these unusual situations."

In August, METALLICA broadcast the aforementioned show to hundreds of drive-in and outdoor theaters across the U.S. and Canada, as part of the "Encore Drive-In Nights" series. The concert was filmed nearly three weeks earlier, on August 10, at the Gundlach Bundschu winery, about a 30-minute car ride from the band's headquarters in San Rafael, California, and was subsequently edited and mixed by the band's award-winning production team to the highest standards possible.

Japanese drum prodigy Yoyoka Soma, who has become a YouTube sensation and has attracted the attention of KISS icon Gene Simmons and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, has posted two new covers: the Deep Purple classic "Burn" and Led Zepelin's "Dazed And Confused".

Yoyoka on the "Dazed And Confused" cover:

"Led Zeppelin changed my life. For me, Bonzo's groove is the most natural and comfortable. ‬This song is one of my favorite songs."

Both clips are one-take recordings.

Yoyoka previously teamed up with Paulie Z, bassist Koichi Terasawa (ex-SLY) and guitarist Satsuma3042 to record a lockdown cover of Ozzy Osbourne's "Over The Mountain". Check it out below.

In the clip below, Annihilator frontman / founder Jeff Waters performs his hit new song, "2020 Medical Blues".

Waters: "It's an epic so sit back and get to see what life as a 'Metal Legend' has been like for Jeff in 2020! Don't worry, he's fine now and looking forward to the same thing you are = 2021!"

Waters recently took to social media with a justifiable rant that can be read below.

Waters: "I'm usually oblivious to awards shows and the like, unless I hear that a talented musician or band of talented musicians are playing. but I couldn't possibly ignore this one:

The American Music Awards did not even acknowledge the passing of the greatest guitar player to ever live!  How can they pretend to include the 'Rock' genre and not even nominate rock bands, let alone ignore Ed's passing? Add to this, the SAME NIGHT OF THIS JOKE awards show, AC/DC had the biggest record in North America! WOW!

This is nuts. Wake up, people!

The future generations are going to be stunned at how the masses have acted towards each other, music and the earth! I have faith in humanity, though; stupidity at this unheard of level has to cycle out soon!"

The American Music Awards of 2020 - also known as the 48th American Music Awards - were held on November 22nd at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. According to their press release, the awards show was "recognizing the most popular artists and albums of 2020."

Eddie Van Halen passed away on October 6th following a long battle with cancer, and to this day the tributes to his musical talents and genius continue to pour in from all over the world.