SLIPKNOT's Jay Weinberg spoke to Vater Drumsticks about how he was influenced and inspired by watching his father Max perform with Bruce Springsteen's E STREET BAND in the early 2000s.

He said (see video below): "I never took a drum lesson in my life. I wanted to find out what I really loved about the drums for myself. 'Cause I had some guitar teachers that made it feel like I was going to school, and I didn't wanna go to school after school, so I really wanted to find out what I loved about drums just by doing it. So I wanted to play along to my RAMONES records and my METALLICA records, and so on and so forth. But what I really learned, and what I feel was completely invaluable, was everything else about music…

"Being a drummer who plays in a band every single night, the music almost feels like that much of it [puts two fingers close together], and the rest of it is all about just tenacity and application and endurance," he explained. "And not just physical endurance through playing the music, but endurance to see an artistic vision through with the people that you're collaborating with. It takes a lot of fortitude to really make all those things fire on all cylinders, and it takes the right combination of people, takes the right combination of attitudes. And so I got to learn that at a really young age by seeing them do it night in and night out."

Jay continued: "The real learning was seeing, to me, the baddest band in the land, the real tenacious E STREET BAND, watching them do what they did for four hours a night. To this day, you don't see bands doing that; they're in a league of their own. So to have that education of seeing that happen every night, it's, like, there's no partying here. It takes so much focus to deliver on your vision and what Bruce and the E STREET BAND have done for decades has been flawlessly executing a certain vision. So that's what I really took away from that experience, and then, of course, now applying that to SLIPKNOT. It's a vision that I've come to understand, and [I] was a fan when I was very young. I knew the band inside and out, knew the songs like the back of my hand, knew the vision of the band and the direction that the band was going. It takes that application and tenacity of just, like, every day you wake up and you've gotta bash down the door. So that was the best lesson that I ever got from Max Weinberg University."

Jay was asked to fill in for his dad as the touring drummer for BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND more than a decade ago. Earlier this year, he described the experience as "completely insane. And I didn't expect for that to happen, but the stars aligned in that way that just like it was one of those 'right places at the right time' kind of things," he said.

Jay discovered SLIPKNOT when he was a pre-teen, through his father. He was hooked immediately and was a huge fan of SLIPKNOT by the time he was invited to Los Angeles to try out as replacement for Joey Jordison in 2014.

SLIPKNOT announced its split with Jordison in December 2013 but did not disclose the reasons for his exit. The drummer subsequently issued a statement saying that he did not quit the group.

SLIPKNOT spent most of last year touring in support of its sixth studio album, "We Are Not Your Kind", which was released in August 2019 via Roadrunner Records.

Guitarists David T. Chastain, Vinnie Moore, Mitch Perry, Michael Angelo, Kurt James, and Joey Tafolla participated in the legendary first Guitar Heroes Tour in Japan in the late '80s. Each guitarist played a set and had an onstage interview. Then all the guitarists joined up on stage for a late night jam session. The video below features David T. Chastain's performance of the track "Spontaneous Combustion" and following onstage interview. 

Leviathan Records - the label owned by Chastain - recently uploaded a new video clip along with the following message:

"Chastain - Leather Leone on vocals, David T. Chastain on guitar, Mike Skimmerhorn on bass, Les Sharp on drums, and special guest Pat O'Brien on guitar - toured the United States in support of their The 7th of Never album. The last night of the tour they played Harpo's in Detroit. Unbeknownst to the band someone was shooting an unsanctioned video of the band. That tape was traded and sold in the metal underground for years. We decided to take that tape, remaster it and put it in HD so it could be officially available for viewing."

Setlist

"Intro / We Must Carry On"
"Ruler Of The Wasteland"
"Paradise"
"The Wicked Are Restless"
"827"
"I Fear No Evil"
"The King Has The Power"
"Living In A Dreamworld"
- Les Sharp drum solo - 
"I Can See Tomorrow"
"Forevermore"
"Fighting To Stay Alive"
"There Will Be Justice"
- David T. Chastain guitar solo - 
"The Black Knight"
"When The Battle's Over"
"The 7th of Never"

Chester Bennington's ex-wife, Samantha Bennington, released her inaugural book, "Falling Love Notes: Memories From A Rock Star Wife", last month through Around The Way Publishing. The book offers readers a refreshingly candid perspective into the personality of a woman who doesn't know the word "no." This brave missive, written by the first wife of the late LINKIN PARK singer, takes readers into Samantha's quest for personal and professional actualization and the many fantastic adventures contained therein.

"I began this project of my memories around eight to nine years ago," Bennington told Billboard. "I had planned for 'Falling Love Notes' to be released in the fall of 2017. Unfortunately, our lives changed dramatically that June. I could not give my project the attention it would take to launch or deserved, as our son, family, and I needed to grieve and work on major healing. Honestly, my project took a major back seat to my life at that time. Now that my ending has changed and I continue to heal. I found a huge amount of purpose and needed to finish what I had started."

Beginning with life-changing events from early childhood, carrying us through joy and pain of significant events before, during and after her marriage to Chester, and bringing us to her present-day life as a mother, life coach and entertainment entrepreneur, "Falling Love Notes" is the story of a fierce emotional journey. Strength and survival manifested through love and gratitude are the central themes of this raw, heart-wrenching and inspirational book as we learn of the many loves and losses of Samantha's life, perhaps most profoundly, the untimely death of her late ex-husband and best friend.

Part autobiography, part conversation, throughout her story, Samantha speaks candidly about the paths she has chosen to be her true self. From her rebellious punk rock teens, early financial independence and eventual quest to answer questions about her unknown past, we learn of the fierce determination contained inside this inquisitive, independent thinker. As she shares of the financial sacrifices and emotional strength required to support the dreams of a loved one, we feel compassion for, and belief in, her dedication to her family.

Finally, Samantha speaks of the unusual combination of heartbreak and rational thinking surrounding the decision to end a marriage, we can identify with the bittersweet memories of love and loss. As the writer speaks of the work, she and her late husband performed to co-parent their child while remaining close after their divorce, it is made clear to us that Samantha Bennington is, first and foremost, a profoundly committed mother. Throughout her story we are continuously reminded of this, a mother's dedication to love, protect and nurture. In the most recent chapter of her life, as a certified theta healer and life coach, we catch glimpses of how her work, throughout the many seasons of her life, has continued along this path.

Samantha and Chester's son, Draven, was born on April 19, 2002.

Chester married Talinda Bennington shortly after his divorce from Samantha, and had three children with her.

It was revealed in October 2017 that Chester left his entire estate to his widow and his six children.

The LINKIN PARK singer, who tragically took his own life in July 2017, left his retirement account to Talinda Bennington and divided the remaining assets among his six kids through the Chester And Talinda Bennington Family Trust. The trust was created in 2007 and amended in 2009, according to the will documents obtained by TMZ.

TMZ previously reported that Chester requested his children to visit each other after his death, even dedicating a fund for them to use for trips.

Chester committed suicide at the age of 41. He was buried in a private service nine days later.

Samantha reportedly made a public post on Facebook in August 2017, claiming that she and Draven were not allowed to speak at Chester's funeral, that the service itself resembled a radio festival and that there had been a "lack of respect and honesty" on the part of Talinda. Samantha also claimed that Chester's parents were not at the funeral and not mentioned in the program, which she said looked like a "cheap happy-hour menu."

In support of their December 18th livestream event, Trans-Siberian Orchestra are streaming "Wish Liszt (Toy Shop Madness)" from The Lost Christmas Eve (2004). Listen below:

In August, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) was forced to make the heartbreaking announcement that, for the first time in more than 20 years, the group will not be able to tour during the holiday season, instead bringing fans together from around the globe for its first-ever livestream event, Christmas Eve And Other Stories Live In Concert, on Friday, December 18th. 

BraveWords caught up with legendary guitarist Chris Caffery to talk about the event, the current state of the music industry and much more. He also talks about the ongoing rumours of Savatage being resurrected some day; if you recall TSO had blown the dust off some classics like "Prelude to Madness" (renamed "The Mountain”), “Handful of Rain”, “Believe” and "Chance" during recent tours. Here is an excerpt from our Streaming For Vengeance chat.

BraveWords: I’m really curious since TSO’s late founder, composer, and lyricist Paul O’Neill was deeply rooted in Savatage, there must have been talks about resurrecting that band, especially given the fact that TSO were playing some of the band’s classics which fit the theme perfectly. I have to wonder if his vision with Savatage could have followed the rock opera spectacle that TSO created. Is that a disrespectful thing to ask you about?

Caffery: “No, I don’t think so at all, I think when TSO was able to get off the ground because it was something that Paul had had in his head to do for a very long time, and all of us from Savatage were included in it, he never disconnected the two worlds because he knew how, as you said, underrated or unrecognized Savatage was and I think ultimately that was part of his plan, to get a lot of our music released through that channel. And then getting Streets to broadway and bringing that music alive - things like Dead Winter Dead and stuff like that. I think we were progressing, we were getting to music like ‘Chance’ and ‘Hourglass’ with Savatage on the road, and ‘Gutter Ballet’ when we played Europe. There were a lot of Savatage songs in the second half of the set on one of those Beethoven tours. I think it was always there. The Criss Oliva guitars would pop out of the ground on the screens. There was something really special with Paul and the Olivas, a special relationship, a special creative relationship. Especially the way Paul and John Oliva would write ballads, it was very special the way that stuff would come out. I mean, Paul loved that band. He loved Criss Oliva and his playing and he loved everything that we did. For me, I started working with him at such a young age, I’d never really worked for anyone else before. There was only about a year and a half total when I wasn’t working with John and Doctor Butcher on something, so I didn’t spend a lot of time away from the organization and I watched a lot of really incredible things happen in my life and my career from Paul. I mean, the guy was a genius. I think that happens with anybody you’re really super close with, sometimes you don’t realize just how lucky you are because they’re kind of like air, it’s there all the time, but if you cut my air off right now, I couldn’t breathe. So losing Paul, it was tremendously different for me, and it will be tremendously different without him forever because there are so many things that he would make happen that I couldn’t even dream of imagining, because he would make the impossible possible. That was his whole thing.”

BraveWords: In a hundred years I truly believe people are going to be listening to Savatage, like Mozart. Is there anyone who is going to fill Paul’s shoes?

Caffery: “I mean we’ve been speaking about it for the last 20 years now, since the last record. It’s always able to happen and something else stops it - you’ve got Haley’s Comet coming around once in a while, and every hundred years you have a pandemic, and once every 20 years there’s a Savatage record. It will be 20 years in 2022 so maybe that’s when it will show up. I’m kind of hopeful that it does, I know I’ve done a lot of writing, and Jon has, and Al (Pitrelli - TSO’s Music Director and lead guitarist) always has a lot of music, so we could make a record. Things would never be exactly the same without Paul, but they were never exactly the same without Criss Oliva either, but we still managed to do Dead Winter Dead and Wake Of Magellan and Poets And Madmen. Songs like ‘Chance’ were done after Criss had passed, so we were able to keep things alive. Especially me and Jon, we channel the same spirit that’s always been there, that’s something very unique about Savatage. Somebody who has been a Savatage fan their whole life asked me today; no matter how many bands they interview or how many records they hear, they’ve not really heard anyone who has come along to take up the torch for Savatage. That meant a lot to me because that means we did something that special. I don’t think anyone came along and took the torch for The Beatles - I’m not saying that Savatage is The Beatles - and I don’t think that anybody is going to take over for Freddie Mercury from Queen. It just means we did something special. When you hear that, it means you filled your hole - like Eddie Van Halen did for guitar, there are lots of guitar players, but only one Eddie Van Halen. I definitely think there’s only going to be one Savatage. I think we have our own little spot, and as I watch how our music has grown with people and how it’s developed over the years and how much bigger the band has gotten without us even trying - it’s worldwide - we want to go play because there are so many places just waiting to see it. For a lot of people, it will be the first time because we haven’t played a lot of these places in 20 years. It would be amazing to get out and get the younger kids to see this band. It’s a special band. I don’t necessarily take advantage of it, but I’ve been living it, and I’ve been a part of what’s happened with it. It’s definitely a great band, and there’s a lot of great bands that you can say that about - that there’s only going to be this one band - to me I think that’s special when you can identify a band like that on their own, for being that particularly special.

BraveWords: The last time I witnessed Savatage live was at the Wacken Open Air 2002 and Jeff Waters was on stage with you.

Caffery: “Yeah, the Canadian that lives in England. I love his studio. He’s online so I look at his stuff all the time. That was a fun couple of weeks because here is Jeff Waters - one of my favourite metal guitar players - because we needed somebody to replace Al (Pitrelli) who couldn’t get to Europe for this tour. I remember when I got the phone call from Adam at our management and he’s like ‘What about Jeff Waters?’ ‘Really?’ It was just funny, cuz when you see Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and you watch him when shows up at the restaurant as Abe Froman, the Sausage King Of Chicago. So Waters shows up and he’s just such a goofball. And I was like, ‘You’re Jeff Waters?’ I had met him and saw him, but he was just so funny, and no offence, so Canadian. He has that sense of humour on all the time. It was just so funny. I was just there and he said ‘I’ll play rhythm on anything you need me to do.’ So he was my rhythm guitar player for most of the show. Which was just insane right there. But we played together and it was so much fun to make some music with him because he is such a great player. I was actually really worried about him, because the first show we did was somewhere in Spain and we had to wait because he was playing the next day with Annihilator and he had passed out in the heat on stage. We were afraid that we had almost lost Jeff Waters. But he’s a lot of fun. He’s a great player and he’s a great person and one of my dear friends, so it was a lot of fun to get that time with him.”

BraveWords: What is the health status of Jon Oliva?

Caffery: “He’s doing much better, because a couple of years ago he had a bit of an incident. So he hit a bump in the road with something inside of him. I see the masked mountain king every day and probably the last four five years he’s looked the best he has to me. A weird thing that Paul (O’Neill) said was that ‘Jon Oliva is going to out-live us all.’ He’s Jon. He’s there and he’s healthy. A lot of people worry about Jon, but he’s doing alright. I get together with him and he starts complaining about everything at home, so I know everything is back to normal. He’s got the normal problems in life like me, he’s making his music, telling jokes and talking about football. That’s the great thing about the Savatage guys; we are so close in that kind of personal way. I see people like Johnny (Lee Middleton) and half the time we are just laughing and being silly. That’s how we always have been. These guys are my family.”

BraveWords: Doctor Butcher was never really a live band, and right now you can’t go on the road. Any new Doctor Butcher material on the horizon?

Caffery: “I could’ve done 20 Doctor Butcher albums by now. These are all the questions you need to ask Jon (laughs). And he’d probably say, ‘You need to ask Chris about that.’ It’s not true. It’s never me. I’m waiting. But I’d love to do another record with Jon. We’ve talked about it and I’ve even written a bunch of songs. I’ve stolen some of my Doctor Butcher songs for myself. When I released that single “I’m Sick Of This Shit” earlier this year, Jon said that could’ve been a Doctor Butcher song. I thought it was a really cool metal song.”

The Swedish-American collaborative project between Tom S. Englund, vocalist of Swedish progressive group Evergrey, and virtuoso classical pianist Vikram Shankar, feels at once lushly cinematic, warmly intimate, darkly melancholic and incandescently beautiful. It’s making is a story of a deep musical kinship between two seemingly divergent talents. Their first album, Satellites, is out now via AFM Records. 

They have checked in with the following update:

"Silent Skies presents their adaptation of the beloved traditional "Ave Maria," as a holiday gift for their fans. We know that this year has been a challenging one in many respects, and we hope this bonus gift, on top of our recently released record, Satellites, can give you strength and joy this holiday season. This track is also a tribute to the great Johann Johannsson, a musical guiding light, departed from us all too soon. Please enjoy our special gift to you, and share it with everyone you know!"

The song is available on digital platforms found here.

"Horizons"
"Endless"
"Dreams"
"Us"
"Solitude"
"Oceans"
"Here Comes The Rain Again"
"Walls"
"Distance"
"1999"

Satellites is available as Digipak and ltd. black/white double Vinyl. Order here.

Finnish cello metallers Apocalyptica continue to dig through their archives. This week they have posted pro-shot video of their "Grace" performance at the Pol'and'Rock Festival 2016.

It is with great regret, but obvious and necessary compliance, that Apocalyptica has had to postpone their upcoming North American tour a second time to August/September 2021 due to the ongoing restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Please note that all tickets bought will remain valid for the rescheduled dates and tickets remain on sale.

Apocalyptica's performances will be comprised of new songs from most recent full-length Cell-0 as well as from the band's rich catalog. Lacuna Coil, who was scheduled to support on all North American dates, remain confirmed for the California, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Illinois, and Canadian shows. Support on the remainder of the tour is yet to be announced.

To keep the band's fans and everyone else involved with the tour safe at this time, the shows have been postponed to the following dates. Additionally, the Toronto show will now take place at Rebel.  

Dates:

August
16 - Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
17 - Plaza - Orlando, FL
19 - House Of Blues - Houston, TX
21 - Emos - Austin, TX
23 - Sunshine - Albuquerque, NM
24 - Van Buren - Phoenix, AZ
25 - Mayan - Los Angeles, CA (with Lacuna Coil)
26 - The Regency - San Francisco, CA (with Lacuna Coil)
27 - Crystal - Portland, OR (with Lacuna Coil)
28 - Showbox Sodo - Seattle, WA (with Lacuna Coil)
29 - Commodore - Vancouver, BC (with Lacuna Coil)
30 - Commodore - Vancouver, BC (with Lacuna Coil)

September
1 - Midway - Edmonton, AB (with Lacuna Coil)
2 - The Palace - Calgary, AB (with Lacuna Coil)
4 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN (with Lacuna Coil)
5 - House Of Blues - Chicago, IL (with Lacuna Coil)
6 - Rebel - Toronto, ON (with Lacuna Coil)
7 - Mtelus - Montreal, QC (with Lacuna Coil)
8 - Big Night Live - Boston, MA
9 - Webster Theatre - Hartford, CT
11 - Webster Hall - New York, NY

New Orleans band Cane Hill have dropped the video for another brand new song titled "Kill Me."

"I think if this year has taught me anything, it's that this dreadful voice of negativity in my head is loudest when my life is quiet," explains singer Elijah Witt about the song's relatable subject matter. "Just like everyone else, my mental health has taken a steep decline this year, and giving life to that horrific voice was the easiest way for me to try and combat it. 'Kill Me' is what I feel in the parts of me I can ignore when life is normal."

About the accompanying video, which is stepped in the traditions and culture of their native city, Witt says, "'Kill Me' adds another chapter to 'Krewe De La Mort' that continues to bring Louisiana folklore to life. Building upon the visual intensity we established with 'P.O.T.H.,' we worked closely with Dreamseeker Productions in further exploring elements of witchcraft and the occult while staying true to these Cajun tales."

Cane Hill recently returned with the brand new song and video "Power Of The High."

Stay tuned for even more from Cane Hill in 2021.

Finnish thrash metallers Demonztrator have released a lyric video for the brand-new track entitled “Murderlust Invitation”. The video was edited and directed by JP Immonen. The track was written by new drummer Seppo Tarvainen, guitarist Jörgen Reinholm and guitarist Timo Ahlström. The lyrics are a study of the dark side of the human mind and were written by vocalist Jari Hurskainen and guitarist Timo Ahlström.

The band had to postpone the start of the recording of the forthcoming album from April to June 2020 due to the ongoing global pandemic. All recording work was done at East Sound Studios, Helsinki, Finland with Pekka Laine acting as a producer. "Murderlust Invitation" will feature on the yet untitled full-length album due in 2021.

Myrkur has returned with the new single, “Dronning Ellisiv”. Recorded during the Folkesange album sessions, “Dronning Ellisiv” sees Amalie Bruun harnessing the very magic that has made her new album so special - from soaring atmospheres to lush instrumentations accompanying Bruun's bold, immense voice, “Dronning Ellisiv” is cinematic in every way. Find listening options here.

The single, a reimagining of a song by the great Harald Foss, tells the tale of the Grand Prince Yaroslav of Novgorod and his daughter Elisiv of Kiev. Elisiv would later marry King Harald of Norway and become Queen Consort of Norway in the 1040's. Immersive and ethereal, the mood of “Dronning Ellisiv” dives into the source material and continues to evoke the sounds of expansive folk music, breathing new life into an old Nordic tale. Nostalgic and timeless, “Dronning Ellisiv” continues to usher in a new era for Bruun and Myrkur.

(Photo by: Shawn Brackbill)

Hard rock band Crown The Empire are closing out 2020 by dropping the futuristic and participatory video for the track "Red Pills," taken from 2019's Sudden Sky.

The Matrix-inspired, visually frenetic video comes equipped with two (!!!) endings. At the 2:10 mark, viewers can choose between the alternate endings — either the "Red Pill" or the "Blue Pill" — just like Neo had to in The Matrix.

"We created an interactive experience where you, the viewer, will be taken down a wormhole to decide your own ending," the band says. "Choose your destiny wisely..."

The song is also currently in rotation on SiriusXM's Octane.

Shark Island was once the house band at the world famous Gazzaris on the Sunset Strip. Signed to Epic Records in 1989 the band released their debut album, Law Of The Order, and also saw the tracks "Dangerous" and "Father Time" featured in the movie Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, as well as the song "My City" from the movie Point Break.

Richard Black would go on to be part of the short lived supergroup Contraband which also featured Michael Schenker (Scorpions, UFO), and members of L.A. Guns, Ratt and Vixen. They released one album in 1991 before disbanding.

As part of the Japanese release of Bloodline 2.020, Shark Island included a live acoustic version of “Paris Calling”, which is now being released digitally worldwide through Deko  Entertainment.

Richard comments on this unique version, “Recorded at a private, and  closed performance, of about 15 people. A reunion of sorts; Spencer and I laid it down.
A song of long lost love.”

Listen to it here, and below:

Bloodline 2.020 is out now and features the unreleased extended version of “Rocks on the Rocks” and the newly recorded “Someday”.

As part of this deluxe 2.020 version, they are making available limited edition Mega-Bundles (while supplies last), which can be ordered here.

This bundle includes the following items:

- One (1) Shark Island Bloodline 2.020 CD
- One (1) Shark Island Fandana
- One (1) Shark Island T-Shirt
- One (1) Shark Island Signed Poster
- One (1) Shark Island Sticker
- One (1) Shark Island Bracelet

Bloodline 2.020 tracklisting:

"Make A Move"
"Fire In the House"
"Policy Of Truth"
"Aktion Is"
"7 Tears"
"Crazy 8’s"
"Rocks On The Rocks"
"Butterfly"
"When She Cries"
"Law Of The Order"
"On And On"
"Someday"
"Rocks On The Rocks" (Producer’s Cut)

"Someday" video:

Acclaimed prog rocker, Neal Morse, recently released a new live set, Jesus Christ The Exorcist (Live At Morsefest 2018). As the title suggests, this new live album and DVD/Blu-ray was captured at the annual Morsefest in 2018, where Neal and band performed his then new album, Jesus Christ The Exorcist, in its entirety.

Watch a performance of "Gather The People" from the set below, and order Jesus Christ The Exorcist (Live At Morsefest 2018) here.

Tracklisting:

CD1
Introduction
"Overture"
"Getaway"
"Gather The People"
"Jesus’ Baptism"
"Jesus’ Temptation"
"There Is A Highway"
"The Woman Of Seven Devils"
"Free At Last"
"The Madman Of The Gadarenes"
"Love Has Called My Name"
"Better Weather"
"The Keys To The Kingdom"
"Get Behind Me Satan"

CD2
"He Must Go To The Cross"
"Jerusalem"
"Hearts Full Of Holes"
"The Last Supper"
"Gethsemane"
"Jesus Before The Council And Peter’s Denial"
"Judas’ Death"
"Jesus Before Pilate And The Crucifixion"
"Mary At The Tomb"
"The Greatest Love Of All"
"Love Has Called My Name" (Reprise)
Morsefest 2018 End Credits

DVD / BR:
Introduction
"Overture"
"Getaway"
"Gather The People"
"Jesus’ Baptism"
"Jesus’ Temptation"
"There Is A Highway"
"The Woman Of Seven Devils"
"Free At Last"
"The Madman Of The Gadarenes"
"Love Has Called My Name"
"Better Weather"
"The Keys To The Kingdom"
"Get Behind Me Satan"
"He Must Go To The Cross"
"Jerusalem"
"Hearts Full Of Holes"
"The Last Supper"
"Gethsemane"
"Jesus Before The Council And Peter’s Denial"
"Judas’ Death"
"Jesus Before Pilate And The Crucifixion"
"Mary At The Tomb"
"The Greatest Love Of All"
"Love Has Called My Name" (Reprise)
Morsefest 2018 End Credits

"Gather The People" video:

The Madman Of The Gadarenes video:

"Love Has Called My Name" video:

MorseFest 2018: Behind The Curtain

Lineup:

Musicians:
Neal Morse: Guitars, keyboards
Paul Bielatowicz: Guitars
Bill Hubauer: Keyboards
Eric Gillette: Drums
Randy George: Bass

Cast:
Ted Leonard: Jesus
Talon David: Mary Magdalene
Nick D’Virgilio: Judas
Rick Florian: The Devil
Matt Smith: John the Baptist
Jake Livgren: Peter
John Schlitt: Caiaphas
Neal Morse: Pilate, Demon 1, Disciple 1
Mark Pogue: Israelite 1, The Madman of the Gadarenes, Pharisee 2
Wil Morse: Israelite 2, Demon 3, Pharisee 1
Gabe Klein: Demon 2, Pharisee 4
Gideon Klein: Demon 4
Julie Harrison: Servant Girl

Additional musicians:
Wil Morse: Percussion, keyboards
Gabriel Klein: Percussion
Violin I: Laura Epling
Violin II: Jake Tudor
Viola: Michael Lucarelli
Cello: Maggie Chafee
Double Bass: Gideon Klein
Horn: Holly Smith
Trombone: David Cooper
Trumpet: Dominique Caster
Sax/Flute: Gabriel Collins

Choir director: Gideon Klein

Background vocals: Amy Pippin, April Zachary, Debbie Bresee and Julie Harrison

Choir: Bill Gilliam, Lisa Gilliam, David Klein, Laurie Klein, Jerry Klein,
Rosie Klein, Robin Hanloh, Martin Wilde, Joanie Howard, Kathy O’Keefe, Brant Pippin, Levi Pippin, Josh Turrentine, Trevor Larkin, Elizabeth Turrentine, Pamela George, Dominic D’Virgilio and Marie-Claire Toussaint

Dutch futuristic multi-metal eruption, Cryptosis, present the video for “Prospect Of Immortality”. Watch below.

Says the band: "'Prospect Of Immortality' is a song in which we used an experimental approach of songwriting. In contrast to other material, this song is a lot more atmospheric and doesn’t make use of a clear verse/chorus structure. The lyrics are written as a suicide note by a person who can no longer cope with the 24/7 surveillance and human experiments that she is being subjected too. The experiments and lost sense of reality has caused her to believe suicide is the only way out. Trapped inside a continuous cycle of endeavours, she is unable to succeed. The song consists of 5 chapters, each representing a different part of her reality."

Check out the previously released video for “Decypher”:

Cryptosis are:

Laurens Houvast (vocals/guitar)
Frank te Riet (bass/mellotron/backing vocals)
Marco Prij (drums)

Amorphis have kicked off the pre-order for their special 30th anniversary vinyl box set, Vinyl Collection 2006 - 2020, that will contain all their albums featuring Tomi Joutsen on vocals since their 2006 classic Eclipse.

The box set will be released on May 21 via Nuclear Blast, and will also contain the exclusive double live album, Live At Helsinki Ice Hall. The concert during which the album was recorded took place on December 7, 2019, and it was also Amorphis' last live performance in Finland before the COVID-19 pandemic. The live album contains 15 tracks in total with a playtime of around 1.5 hours. The live album will also be available digitally and on 2CD.

The box will contain the following albums:

Eclipse - 1LP (2006)     
Silent Waters - 2LP (2007)
Skyforger - 2LP (2009)
Magic And Mayhem - 2LP (2010)
The Beginning Of Times - 2LP (2011)
Circle - 2LP (2013)
Under The Red Cloud - 2LP (2015)                    
Queen Of Time - 2LP (2018)
Live At Helsinki Ice Hall - 2LP (2020)       

Pre-order the box set here.

(Photo - Lars Johnson)

Alta Reign, featuring Trans-Siberian Orchestra/Savatage drummer Jeff Plate, are streaming the new song, "Thin Red Line", from their debut album Mother’s Day, out January 8 via Rat Pak Records. Find a static video for the song below.

Jeff Plate joined forces with TSO keyboardist Jane Mangini, along with Tommy Cook (guitars/lead vocals), Collin Holloway (guitars/lead vocals), Kevin McCarthy (bass, vocals) and Zach Hamilton (keyboards, guitars/vocals) to form the band and record the songs for the debut album.

Mother’s Day is the reflection of dedication as the initial idea spawned 30 years ago and ended in 2020 before locking in the 2021 release date. The album is available for pre-order at RatPakRecords.com and iTunes.

From the album's opening riffs of “Shine”, to the majestic "Mother's Day", the reflective mood of "Always", and the mindful closer “Rise,” Alta Reign has created something very different and original. Drawing from his history, his influences and his heroes, Plate has combined melodic, progressive, hard rock and straight up metal to create a unique landscape for the listener. Other TSO brethren make an appearance on Mother’s Day as guitarist Joel Hoekstra can be heard on the title track and guitarist Chris Caffery shows up on “Rise.” Songs like “Thin Red Line,” the frenetic instrumental “ESC (Escape)” and “Let’s Go! (I’m In Charge Now)” present every indication that the talent of these musicians is limitless.

Mother’s Day tracklisting:

"Shine"
"Witness "
"Thin Red Line"
"Never Say Never"
"Mother's Day" feat. Joel Hoekstra
"ESC (Escape)"
"Come Out and Play"
"Let's Go! (I'm In Charge Now)"
"Always"
"Immortal "
"Passage"
"Rise" feat. Chris Caffery

"Thin Red Line":

“Immortal”:

Alta Reign lineup:

Jeff Plate - Drums and Percussion
Jane Mangini - Keyboards
Tommy Cook - Guitars, Lead Vocals
Kevin McCarthy - Bass, Vocals
Collin Holloway - Guitars, Lead Vocals
Zach Hamilton - Keyboards, Guitars, Vocals

Italian orchestral death metal masters, Fleshgod Apocalypse, have released a new single titled "No", produced by Jacob Hansen (Epica, Volbeat), and an accompanying music video directed by Marina L. McLean (Sanda Movies). The standalone single's cover was created by Travis Smith (Opeth, Katatonia) who also provided the art for the band's recent acoustic rendition of "The Day We'll Be Gone".

Commenting on the single, Fleshgod Apocalypse frontman Francesco Paoli states: "We live in a world where people are searching for easy answers to complex questions. Self-styled gurus, fake news and miracle pills show up on screen as the silver bullet that may cast out all your fears and troubles. If you need shortcuts to dominate the intricate reality we live in, be aware that the outcome might not be what you expect. Will you find a way to save this world on Google? No. Will things change if we don't act? No. Will self-delusions lead us somewhere? No. Can music, and art in general, help us cope with this chaos? Absolutely yes."

Francesco Paoli adds: "This release marks another milestone for our lineup, featuring Veronica, Fabio and Eugene as official band members."

Stream "No" on all digital services, here. Watch the video below:

Loudblast have released a video for "Todestrieb", from their new album, Manifesto, out now via Listenable Records. The video was directed by Brice Hincker, who also directed their previous video for "The Promethean Fire".

Band leader Stéphane Buriez comments: "It is a bitter take on the cynicism of demagogues and the exploitation of the collective, a devastating uncompromising 'deathdrive'."

Loudblast recorded Manifesto at Vamacara Studio in France. Produced by HK Krauss and band leader Stéphane Buriez, Manifesto contains ten new songs (and several more bonuses recorded for limited editions).

The cover art was made by Eliran Kantor who once again achieved a stunning piece of work: "Stéphane told me about the album title, and I came up with the idea for the cover late at night while I was trying to fall asleep: I pictured a book that instead of bringing enlightenment (usually portrayed by rays of light), is emanating shadows. A dark cast revealing the evil nature bubbling in black tar beneath those who read it."

Basic tracklisting (without bonuses -  no specific order):

"Todestrieb"
"Solace In Hell"
"Erasing Reality"
"The Promethean Fire"
"Invoking To Justify"
"Into The Greatest Of Unknowns"
"Infamy Be To You"
"It Hides Until It Feeds"
"Festering Pyre"
"Unit 731"

"The Promethean Fire" video:

Clay Anthony, who played bass for Junkyard from 1987 to 1991, appearing on the albums Junkyard, Sixes, Sevens & Nines, Shut Up - We're Tryin' To Practice!, and Put It On Ten And Pull The Knobs Off!, has succumbed to the injuries he sustained in a car crash in Hawaii.

Junkyard vocalist David Roach has issued the following tribute to his fallen bandmate:

"After a couple of months making noise on the scene, skateboard legend Tony Alva quit the band, deciding we were destined to be a bar band. Smart man. Nonetheless we carried on. I walked in to rehassle and there’s Clay sitting there with his old black lab Zeke, chain smoking. Clay knew all the songs and didn’t dress funny and we generally didn’t bother about much else concerning auditions, he was in." 

"In those days, as in these, there were a lot of poseurs. There were leagues of guys trying to be Keith (Richards) or Sid (Vicious) or Johnny Thunders, DeeDee Ramone or just trying to be 'hard' or 'street.' GN'R just got signed and we were one of the bands that became the quasi- movement 'sleaze rock.' Now to be certain, we we’re definitely more 'street' than most of the Sunset Strip set, but Clay, he was for real. He gave us real street cred. Lots of people talk about what they’d do in some situation or another and they are full of shit and I’m among them, but Clay was real, always ready to throw down, to defend."

"When we were on the road, he protected the bus like an inmate staking his territory in the yard. If you didn’t respect our boundaries,you dealt with Clay. A couple bouncers in Ohio found that out. Clay’s vices got the best of him eventually, (a fact we could all relate to) and Todd (Muscat) would replace him. It’s hard to have to do that, but we loved him and we’re happy to hear he had cleaned up and was even touring in South America with a band a few years back. He sat in with us recently in OC, like old times."

"Clay was killed in an automobile accident in Hawaii. He was tough, he was funny, he was no bullshit, he was our friend and I’ll miss him. Good luck on your journey brother, it’s a long way home."

BraveWords sends our condolences to Clay's family, friends, fans, and bandmates. R.I.P.

(Photo courtesy of David Roach's Facebook page)

 

 

Toby Knapp took to social media to pay tribute to his former Onward bandmate, Chris Payette, who has passed away at 49 years of age.

Says Toby: "Last weekend the Heavy Metal community lost a true warrior and I lost one of my dearest friends. Chris Payette passed away, he was 49.

"Chris was one of the kindest people I've ever known. It's a loss for so many. My heart goes out to his family and countless friends. He bonded us with his wisdom, humor and compassion.

"Thirty years ago this month I met him and his band, Forced Religion. They played in my hometown, with no lead guitarist, and I convinced him to give me the gig. This was the start of a long lasting collaboration and friendship with him. He played bass in my mid-nineties Black Thrash Metal band, Defiled. A few years later he would join me again in the band, Onward. He relocated us to Las Vegas and fulfilled all the tour dates for our album, Reawaken.

"He was a walking encyclopedia of rock music and I loved conversing with him for hours on everything from the mixing mistakes on early Grand Funk Railroad albums to the various incarnations of Venom. To me, and I'm sure many,  he was the epitome of cool. I could go on forever.

"We will miss you Chris and I will celebrate you for the rest of my days. Thank you my friend. Toby."

Chris Payette, June 14, 1971 - December 12, 2020.

On January 29, Tribulation will release their new album, Where The Gloom Becomes Sound, via Century Media Records (worldwide excluding North America). For a preview of the record, a video for the new single "Hour Of The Wolf" - directed by Gustav Ohman Spjuth / Fanny & Alexander Productions - can be viewed below.

Tribulation commented: "The Hour Of The Wolf is upon us! Feast your eyes on this, the second single of our upcoming album..."

Where The Gloom Becomes Sound is available for pre-order here.

Tribulation entered Linus Björklund's Studio Ryssviken in April and exited (informally) nearly two months later. The group - guitarists Adam Zaars and Jonathan Hultén, Johannes Andersson (vocals/bass), and Oscar Leander (drums) - used the first 10 days of their studio time to rehearse. Once the bone-oil had sufficiently run its course, the group and co-producer Jamie Elton started to hammer into the rudiments of the recording process. Elton, who also serves as Tribulation's soundman and is a long-time friend, took the reins from Martin Ehrencrona, who helmed the 2018 Down Below sessions. Together, they crafted a well-appointed production, one that's luxuriously grim and auricularly inviting. Where The Gloom Becomes Sound”was then given to Grammy-nominated producer Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Rammstein) to mix at Psalm Studios. Once the mixing was finished - Dalgety would send over versions from his studio in Wales - Tribulation re-enlisted Magnus Lindberg at Redmount Studios in Stockholm to master.

The band's resulting fifth full-length indisputably elevates the Swedes to the highest echelons. The source of their glinting darkness: a yawning, bottomless rift deep within. "We immersed ourselves in the world of myth and magic," says Zaars. "With a specific focus on elemental magic, and the elements, in general, from both the Western and Indian esoteric traditions, not the Buddhist four elements but the five elements. Myth and magic are obviously not something new in the world of Tribulation, but it got a bit more specific on this album. We just present it from a slightly different perspective."

Where The Gloom Becomes Sound isn't representative of monumental change, but rather the accrual of ambition over time in conjunction with continued exposure to and profound experiments with crossroads devilry. Being their most expressive and inventive album to-date, where it will take them is only to greatness and with reverence.

Where The Gloom Becomes Sound tracklisting:

"In Remembrance"
"Hour Of The Wolf"
"Leviathans"
"Dirge Of A Dying Soul"
"Lethe"
"Daughter Of The Djinn"
"Elementals"
"Inanna"
"Funeral Pyre"
"The Wilderness"

Bonus tracks:

"The Dhampir, Pt. I" *
"The Dhampir" **
"Månvisan" ***

* Bonus on Ltd. CD Mediabook, First chapter of the song
** Bonus on Ltd. Deluxe LP Artbook, Complete version of the 18-minute song
*** Bonus on Ltd. Deluxe LP Artbook, Instrumental song

"Leviathans" video:

Album teaser:

As previously announced, guitarist Jonathan Hultén has amicably parted ways with Tribulation, and Joseph Tholl has taken his place. This new lineup (Johannes Andersson, Adam Zaars, Joseph Tholl, Oscar Leander) will hit the road in support of Where the Gloom Becomes Sound later next year.

Tribulation lineup (from left to right at top):

Johannes Andersson - vocals, bass
Adam Zaars - guitars
Joseph Tholl - guitars
Oscar Leander - drums

(Photo - Ester Segarra)

Danish death metal band, Baest, announce the release of their new studio album, Necro Sapiens, out on March 5, while dropping the bone-crushing first single “Abattoir”.

The band comments: "Necro Sapiens is ultimately the most Baest-sounding record. The influences are there, but this is by far the record, where we sound the most like ourselves. The best Baest there is!"

About "Abattoir": “Far from earth and out of reach, The Abbatoir lays the foundation of the necro sapiens enslaved existence. A nocturnal breed inhabits this parliament, who has one goal in sight; misanthropic and totalitarian domination.”

“Abbatoir” is now available on all digital platforms, here. Watch the visualizer below:

Baest come from Aarhus in Denmark and have successfully established themselves as one of the country’s most promising metal acts in recent years. While deeply rooted in straight-forward classic death metal inspired by genre legends like Dismember, Entombed, Morbid Angel, Death, and Bolt Thrower, the 2015 formed band evolved from a Danish underground phenomenon to an internationally touring act (2018 tour with Abbath, 2019 EU/UK trek with Decapitated). Also, at festivals like Summer Breeze, Copenhell, Ruhrpott Metal Meeting, Roskilde, they left audiences impressed and begging for more. After their already praised debut album, Danse Macabre, the band took it to the next level in 2019 and delivered Venenum where they refined their already steamroller-like signature sound.

With the expectation-bar already set so high for their next record, Baest truly drops their most anticipated and most important album so far. Stay tuned for more info.

Baest will join Philip H. Anselmo & The Illigals on their summer 2021 tour.

The band comments: “Somethings are goddamn awesome, but others are GODDAMN ELECTRIC - Baest are supporting the great southern trendkiller throughout Europe and beyond. 15 shows supporting Anselmo & the Illegals, when they perform a vulgar display of fucking hostile classics! This is what life on the road is about - getcha pull.”

Tour dates:

July
24 - St. Petersburg, Russia - A2 Green Concert
25 - Moscow, Russia - Adrenaline Stadium
29 - Tolmin, Slovenia - Metal Days
30 - Saint maurice de gourdans, France - Sylak Festival
31 - Utrecht, Netherlands - Tivoli

August
1 -   Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle
4 -   Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra
5 -   Belgrade, Serbia - Beogradski Sajam
6 -   Sofia, Bulbaria - Yunak
7 -   Brasov, Romania - Rockstad Extreme Fest
9 -   Vienna, Austria - Simm City
10 - Krakau, Poland - Studio
11 - Jaromer, Czech Republic - Brutal Assault Festival
13 - Derbyshire, UK - Bloodstock Festival
14 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Festival

Baest will set sail for Europe in February 2021.

Baest are:

Simon Olsen - vocals
Svend Karlsson - guitar
Lasse Revsbech - guitar
Mattias Melchiorsen - bass
Sebastian Abildsten - drums

(Photo - Anna Marin)

Virginia-based crossover maniacs, Enforced, open their Century Media account with their blistering new album, Kill Grid. Informed by an incredible cross-section of extremes - from thrash and punk to death metal and hardcore - the emergent outfit drop a nine-song cluster-bomb of thrashing death on apathetic times.

Today, the band are unleashing a first taste of Kill Grid, check out the visualizer clip for “Hemorrhage” that will pay extra detail to the striking artwork by Joe Petagno (Motörhead, Vitriol and many more).

The band comments on the track: “The first half is about the death of innocence, or the death of an innocent person, due to the surge of distrust, outrage, and skepticism of a society”, says Knox Colby (vocals). “While people arrogantly and pompously saber rattle over trivial things, real people are getting hurt and caught in the crossfire.” Guitarist Will Wagstaff further explains: “Musically we wanted to write a song that was driving and pummeling and the original vibe to the beginning was ‘Death Camps’ Cro-Mags inspired. This was one of the first songs written and completed for the album.”

Kill Grid came together over a two-year period while Enforced were marauding halls and dive bars across the East Coast and Canada. Indeed, inspiration came from different directions, but playing live with bands like Sacred Reich, Red Death, Iron Reagan, All Out War, and Integrity shaped what was to come out of the Richmonders. While it was the previous output that attracted the attention of Century Media, it’s Kill Grid, featuring a striking Joe Petagno (Motörhead, Vitriol) cover, that’s going to put Enforced on top-lists of circle pit lunatics around the globe.

Pre-orders will be launched in early 2021.

Formed in Richmond in 2017 out of shreds of disbanded hardcore and punk bands, Enforced quickly found their calling between the undying support of regional punk/hardcore scenes and their respective record collections. Whether it’s Sacred Reich and Integrity or Bolt Thrower and Amebix, “Pure Crossover Death,” as Enforced call their devastating din, devastatingly speared its way through two demos (Demo 2017 and Retaliation) and their no-holds-barred debut, At The Walls.

Lineup:

Knox Colby - vocals
Will Wagstaff - guitar
Zach Monahan - guitar
Ethan Gensurowsky - bass
Alex Bishop - drums

(Photo - Morgan Parrish)

During an appearance on the latest episode of "The Jasta Show", hosted by Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED), former SEPULTURA drummer Igor Cavalera reflected on the band's legendary December 1989 concert at Arena López Mateos in Mexico City during the "Beneath The Remains" tour.

"That's one of the craziest shows we ever played, because there [were] a few things [that happened]," Igor said (see video below). "It was this little place where they had Lucha Libre, which is like the Mexican wrestling style. So it was a little arena — two thousand [people] max. The dressing rooms were shrines for the Mexican fighters, so it was super bizarre being in this thing.

"Another fun fact about this show was that when we were getting ready to start, the promoter comes in and he was, like, 'Guys, the opening band just blew up the P.A.'," he continued. 'And we were, like, 'What?' [He] was, like, 'Yeah, yeah. It's gone.' And we were, like, 'Oh, shit. What should we do now?' I mean, we flew all the way to Mexico. So, we were, like, 'Man, we have to play.' And I remember, all that's happening is with the sound from the stage — there's no P.A. So there's no P.A. at that concert. I think it was either a guitar or a bass cab that Max [Cavalera, then-SEPULTURA guitarist/vocalist] plugged in his microphone, but at one point, kids were singing way louder than Max. We were listening to the kids singing, but not listening what Max was saying.

"And the crazy thing also, I can see in that video, it's the era where some people would still go to the show and just headbang," Igor added. "I remember watching MOTÖRHEAD, like 'Iron Fist', where the front row was just these guys headbanging. And you can see in that gig also, there's a massive pit that's people going crazy, the front, it's all the old-school headbangers, just listening, singing the lyrics and just headbanging. And they don't care. These people were jumping, or they don't wanna go on stage; they just wanna be there receiving that sonic thing."

In 1996, Max exited SEPULTURA after the rest of the band split with Max's wife Gloria as their manager.

Igor left SEPULTURA in June 2006 due to "artistic differences." His departure from the band came five months after he announced that he was taking a break from SEPULTURA's touring activities to spend time with his second wife and their son (who was born in January 2006).

For more than a decade, Igor has been part of the MIXHELL DJ/hip-hop/electro project with his wife Laima Leyton.

Last year, Igor teamed up with Wayne Adams (BIG LAD, DEATH PEDALS, JOHNNY BROKE) to form the PETBRICK project. The band's debut album, "I", was released in October 2019 via Closed Casket Activities in the U.S.

The current SEPULTURA lineup — featuring guitarist Andreas Kisser and bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. alongside Derrick Green on vocals and Eloy Casagrande on drums — released its latest studio album, "Quadra", in February via Nuclear Blast.

In a new interview with Pete Pardo of Sea Of Tranquility, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford was asked to weigh in on original PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing's new band with ex-PRIEST drummer Les Binks, as well as the reason for Downing's relative absence from Halford's recently released autobiography, "Confess". Rob responded (see video below): "Well, naturally, I've got my thoughts about all of this. And I think it's fatal to go into that arena, only because of the way that I know people's emotions are affected naturally — mine included. And I don't really think it serves any purpose. Opinions can be valuable, but at the end of the day, what's an opinion? It's just your opinion. It's my opinion. It could be totally different to another person's opinion.

"As far as who was mentioned and who was not mentioned in the book, we did not steer of any avoidance, per se," Halford explained. "We just talked about every aspect that we felt was important and useful to the book itself. So there was never, 'Oh, we won't talk about that person.' There was never any kind of dismissiveness for whatever reasons. So I think there's my answer."

Downing, who left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance, was replaced by Richie Faulkner, nearly three decades his junior.

Earlier this year, Downing announced the formation of KK'S PRIEST, in which he is joined by Binks and former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens. The band, which pays homage to Downing's past, is rounded out by guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE) and bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX).

Last year, Halford didn't rule out Downing's reunion with PRIEST, saying "what will happen will happen."

Bassist Ian Hill has said that there are no plans for PRIEST to invite Downing to return to the band.

"Richie took over from Ken," Hill told Riff Magazine. "He's done an absolutely tremendous job, he really has. And he's made Ken's parts his own now. He's got his own angle on the lead breaks. Ken's part's been taken, and there's no plans to have Ken back, really. Hey, listen, never say never. But at the moment, we're going along quite well without Ken, so it could stay like that, I think, at least for the foreseeable future."

In 2018, Downing dismissed as a "load of bollocks" Hill's explanation for why K.K. wasn't invited to rejoin the band after fellow guitarist Glenn Tipton's Parkinson's diagnosis was made public.

"We were like brothers; we went to infant school together and secondary school together, and we lived our career together," Downing said. "But I'm not totally happy about what's being said. Ian seems to be [saying] things like, 'None of the fans are missing K.K.,' and, 'Richie has brought a new energy to the band.' And I'm going, 'Ian, dude, on that last tour, I was the energy. I slowed down because people weren't keeping up with me.'… So I'm thinking, Ian, get a grip with yourself, mate. You've just replaced the energy with some energy. Fine — well, great. But that's not moving forward, Ian."

Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease six years ago — after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier — but announced in February 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of PRIEST's latest album, "Firepower".

Two years ago, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

"Confess" was released in September via Hachette Books. It was written with Ian Gittins, co-writer of "The Heroin Diaries" by Nikki Sixx.

Downing's autobiography, "Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest", arrived in September 2018 via Da Capo Press.

According to Rolling Stone, a new documentary about SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman Serj Tankian, "Truth To Power", will be released on February 19, 2021 via Oscilloscope Laboratories. With unique and exclusive access to the man behind the music, award-winning director/writer/producer Garin Hovannisian ("I Am Not Alone") captures both intimate and historic public moments, including Serj's role in inspiring the massive peaceful protests of 2018's Velvet Revolution in his native Armenia which successfully ousted an oligarchic regime.

"Truth To Power" also includes appearances by SYSTEM OF A DOWN bandmembers John Dolmayan and Shavo Odadjian, the band's manager David "Beno" Benveniste, filmmaker/journalist Carla Garapedian, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Tom Morello, and famed record producer Rick Rubin. The feature documentary is executive-produced by Academy Award nominee Joe Berlinger ("Paradise Lost" trilogy, "Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster"); and Live Nation Productions' Ryan Kroft (Emmy winner for "The T Word"), Michael Rapino ("A Star Is Born", Emmy nominee for "Believer"), Damian Vaca and Vaughn Schoonmaker.

Millions fill stadiums across the world for the sound of Tankian, the Grammy-winning lead singer of SYSTEM OF A DOWN. With exclusive interviews, adventures, and original footage personally filmed by Serj, "Truth To Power" allows audiences backstage access to an international rock star whose faith in music not only revolutionized heavy metal, but also world events. Throughout his life, the musician has pursued social justice, harnessing the power of his songs and celebrity for real political change. Serj's voice is equally likely to take on American corporate greed as lambast the corrupt regime of his homeland. His decades-long campaign for formal U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide was finally approved by Congress last year. Governments hate him. People love him.

Set to the iconic music of SYSTEM OF A DOWN and the propulsions of an original soundtrack composed by Serj, "Truth To Power" is also an artist portrait with a revealing look at the musician as he writes a song from idea to reality and pursues ambitions outside of the band. It includes memories from Rubin on SYSTEM OF A DOWN's early years and its unlikely breakthrough, the bandmates' candid insights about the splinters and highpoints for the group, and stories from Morello on his bond with Serj as social justice advocates and their Axis Of Justice nonprofit. Running time is 79 minutes.

PUDDLE OF MUDD frontman Wes Scantlin spoke to Tucson, Arizona's Rock 102.1 KFMA radio station about how he has been spending his coronavirus downtime. He said (see video below): "I really didn't actually have a problem staying at home. All I can really do is write. I'm bothering the crap out of my freakin' roommates — writing and stuff. Most girlfriends that I actually date or whatever, they totally, just at one point or another, get completely sick of me continuously and constantly writing at whatever hour it is. It doesn't really matter anymore. They're tired me of hearing me freakin' write songs and stuff. It's pretty funny. Last night was hilarious. Me and my friend, we almost got into a big fight and stuff — it was ridiculous. Everything is cool now, but it was fun."

Elaborating on how he gets the inspiration to compose music, Wes said: "It comes in different segments of time. You can't really [say], 'Okay, I'm going to start writing songs at this particular time, from this time to this time. I guess I need to write at these times, so maybe I should actually check people's time sequences in my writing style.' It just kind of comes to me — it comes and goes. I get on the writer boat, and that's when it happens. But not everybody really likes the way it goes down a lot of times — especially women. It happens in those weird windows where you're just getting ready to fall asleep, and you come up with this insane cool idea, and then, all of a sudden, you're pissing everybody off in the house."

PUDDLE OF MUDD was formed in 1991 in Kansas City by Scantlin, the only original member still with the band.

The group's first studio album in ten years, "Welcome To Galvania", was released in September 2019 via Pavement Entertainment.

Wes had almost non-stop problems with the law, alcohol, finances and other issues, before finally getting sober in 2017. After changing his life around and getting the band back in order, Wes and PUDDLE OF MUDD rebuilt a touring base, which paved the way to new music and a new album.

PUDDLE OF MUDD broke into the mainstream with 2001's "Come Clean", which yielded three hits — "Control", "Blurry" and "She Hates Me".