Take a trip back to the gritty streets of New York City's 1980s hardcore scene with the release of "Agnostic Front With Time: The Roger Miret Archives", with pre-orders for the standard hardcover and deluxe editions on sale now.

Co-authored by Roger Miret and Todd Huber, "With Time" captures never-before-seen photos, flyers, and personal stories that document the rise of AGNOSTIC FRONT, and the band's enduring impact as the undisputed godfathers of hardcore.

Miret said: "I never got into punk! Punk got into me! I was infected with the best virus life could have given me and as I move on into the next phase of life, I feel the urge now more than ever to share my experiences as a young kid on the streets, on the stage and hitting the road and thought, what a better way than giving you a portal into a magical and exhilarating time for hardcore punk taking flight!"

"With Time" chronicles the birth and early years of AGNOSTIC FRONT, from their formation in 1982 through the release of their seminal albums "United Blood", "Victim In Pain" and "Cause For Alarm" (1982-1986). Packed with previously unseen visuals and the complete archive of AGNOSTIC FRONT flyers, photos and art — including their 1985 U.S. tour diary — the book offers a comprehensive, behind-the-scenes look at the band's early years as they shaped the sound and ethos of the New York hardcore scene.

Miret added: "These are some of my personal archives that I have cherished my whole life. A time capsule of an era where life presented the darkest days of my life with light at the other end of the tunnel, and that light was ambient even though it all seemed in black and white there was that one colorful rose rising from the concrete grime of the New York City streets. That colorful rose was my life, my soul growing and reaching my maximum being and my purpose and path in life."

The book is available in two editions:

* Standard Hardcover: 348 pages, full color, 8.5" x 11" - $60

* Limited Deluxe Edition: Includes a hard case, exclusive prints, and poster - $140

Presale for "With Time" runs from October 9 to November 7, 2024, with orders shipping December 7. The book will be distributed through Revelation Records and can be pre-ordered at withtimethebook.com.

Book release and signings:

Dec. 07 - Bridge Nine Records (Boston)
Dec. 08 - Generation Records (NYC)
Dec. 13 - Lethal Amounts presents AF exhibit and book signing at The Monty (Los Angeles)

For more information, visit withtimethebook.com.

In September 2021, Miret revealed that his cancer was in remission.

After Miret was diagnosed with cancer in early 2021, a long road of tests and diagnoses led to a complex initial surgery and lengthy hospital stay. Even though the original surgery was complicated, the results were extremely positive.

Born in Cuba, Miret fled with his family to the U.S. to escape the Castro regime. He joined AGNOSTIC FRONT in 1983, and the seminal New York hardcore group released classics like "United Blood", "Victim In Pain" and "Cause For Alarm" over the next several years.

In 2017, Miret released a memoir, "My Riot: Agnostic Front, Grit, Guts, And Glory", which documented his struggles to adapt to life in the U.S. after his family fled the Castro regime. According to the Phoenix New Times, the book delved into many facets of Miret's life: the grinding poverty of his childhood; living as a teenager squatter; becoming deeply enmeshed in downtown New York’s hardcore scene; and later turning to drug-running to support his family.

In addition to fronting AGNOSTIC FRONT, Miret has also played with ROGER MIRET AND THE DISASTERS and is a member of THE ALLIGATORS.

For the past several years, Roger has resided in Scottsdale, Arizona.

During an appearance on "The Jasta Show", the video podcast hosted by HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta, John 5 was asked if he has been in contact with Rob Zombie since he left Rob's band in the fall of 2022 to join MÖTLEY CRÜE as the replacement for the latter group's co-founding guitarist Mick Mars. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're not on bad terms. And Rob wished me well. And he was, like, 'Go get 'em,' and all that stuff. So we're not on bad terms, but we just have not spoke; we haven't spoken to each other. But he's doing great. He's got a great new band, and he's kicking ass out there. But we just haven't talked. I don't think there's any bad blood or anything. I mean, 17 years and things like that, but it was just time to…"

He continued: "I wanna live my life, and to get an opportunity at this stage is a pretty rare opportunity. So I just want to see so many more things.

"I'm never gonna retire — I guarantee you that; I'll never retire, but I just wanna do so much more."

Asked if he was involved in the decision to being Mike Riggs back to Rob's band after his exit to join MÖTLEY CRÜE, John 5 said: "No. I think what happened was we played [the] Louder Than Life [festival in September 2022], and I told Rob that I was joining MÖTLEY CRÜE. And we had two shows to do — we had Louder Than Life and we had Aftershock [in October 2022]. And so I told Rob, and then we went to go do Louder Than Life, and I saw Riggs kind of standing on the side. And I thought, 'Oh, that's great. I think Riggs would be incredible.' He did great work on the earlier tours, and I just thought it was a wonderful idea. So I even said to Rob, I was, like, 'Rob, if he needs anything, if he wants cabinets, if he needs this or that or anything I can do to help,' I wanted to help in any way. But then Aftershock, I guess Rob didn't want me to play Aftershock. So Riggs played that one.

"What's so strange about it is the public had no idea what was going on," John 5 continued. "And that's what was so strange, is that, all of a sudden, here's Aftershock and then I'm not there. So everyone was, like, 'Well, what's going on?' But I think people figured it out and it was fine and wonderful. It was a weird transition, but that's okay.

"I think Rob, he's doing awesome, and I think the band is awesome," John 5 added. "And I think it's a wonderful band and people are enjoying it. And that's what it's all about. It's all about people having fun and enjoying the music, and that's what's happening."

This past May, MÖTLEY CRÜE's Nikki Sixx spoke to The Mistress Carrie Podcast about his band's decision to hire John 5 as Mars's replacement following the latter's announcement that he would no longer tour with the legendary rock act. Regarding how John 5's addition to CRÜE came about, Nikki said: "John's a great guy. I've known John for a long time. I brought John in on a Meat Loaf song that I wrote, 'The Monster Is Loose'. And then some SIXX:A.M. songs. He wrote a song with me called 'Lies Of The Beautiful People', which was a big hit for SIXX:A.M. And I brought him in to do a project that I did for Netflix called L.A. RATS with Rob Zombie and Tommy Clufetos on drums, a Johnny Cash cover. And I wrote 'The Dirt' [MÖTLEY CRÜE movie soundtrack] songs with him, and he played a lot of the guitar on those tracks. And so when this moment that we weren't expecting happened, Mick's leaving the band, we were in the middle of 'The Stadium Tour'. We were in the middle of a huge tour with us and DEF LEPPARD. A world tour, not just a couple gigs. And we had to ask ourselves, like, 'Do we fold? Do we leave Live Nation in the lurch? Do we bone our partners in DEF LEPPARD?' And we had to dig deep and we were, like, 'We've gotta do what's right for the fans.' And John was the guy. We didn't even talk about anybody else. We knew John. I knew John. We knew what he was as a guitar player. We knew he was a writer. And it just was like taking a situation we didn't expect and turning it into something. And now we have new music and we're having a great time."

He continued: "The thing with creativity is it's a circle. And if there's a break in it, you can't really get all the energy going. And this new moment has reinvigorated the creativity in the band. And I will attribute that to John and also just change in general sometimes happens.

"I played with a lot of different musicians over the years. And every time I play with a new musician, I have a new interpretation of something," Nikki added. "And they bring that. So there's a freshness to having John in the band right now."

Asked by Mistress Carrie if he had to have a Mafia-style sitdown with John 5's longtime bandmate and employer Rob Zombie when he was trying to get John 5 to join MÖTLEY CRÜE, Sixx said: "It was one of those things that I feel bad about. It wasn't my decision. It was John's decision. I had been talking to John as a friend during some of the frustrations with Mick's playing, specifically on the tour. And he was my friend. And when I called him and said, 'Wow, we're faced with a really bad situation.' And we talked. And he wanted to do the next-level thing in his life. He'd been with Rob for a long, long time, and they were kind of coming to an end of a tour. And he talked to Rob, and Rob was not happy but understood. I still feel bad about that. That was never my intention, to go out and steal somebody from another band. That's not what we did. But I have so much respect for Rob. It's one of those things where I'm really happy and at the same time I'm, like… Sometimes this stuff's fucking hard. Like making a decision to move on without an original member. It's not exactly as seamless as people would like it to seem. There's some little bumps along the way, little bumps in the road."

In September 2023, John 5 was asked by "THAT Rocks!"if he had "had dialogue" with Zombie since he joined MÖTLEY CRÜE in the fall of 2022. He said: "I have not had dialogue with Rob. And I wish I would. I miss talking to him. And the [ROB ZOMBIE] band sounds great and the show looks awesome and I really hope to talk to him soon… I miss talking to Rob. And I know he is doing great. But I hope we connect soon."

John 5 touched upon how he came to leave Rob's band for MÖTLEY CRÜE in May 2023 during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". At the time he said: "Well, I've been friends with Nikki and Tommy [Lee, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer] forever — forever and ever and ever. I'm so close to Nikki. We talked, like, probably 80 times a day for a decade. And we've done so much work together. We worked on the Meat Loaf song together, 'The Monster's Loose'; SIXX:A.M., of course; L.A. RATS; 'The Dirt' [soundtrack]. But other than music, we were just always around. I mean, he was the best man at my wedding. And we'd always go to the mall and ride bikes and just do total normal stuff. So when this came about… We were talking to each other on tour, like, 'All right, dude. I'm going on stage.' And he's, like, 'All right, dude. I'm going on stage. I'll talk to you after the show,' and blah blah blah. So we talked pretty much every day when he was on tour and I was on tour at the same time with the [Rob] Zombie thing. We were doing 'Freaks On Parade'. It was great — great shows, packed to the nines, and having a good time and laughing and making music. And the tour ended. We went home. Actually, I went to do some CREATURES shows, my instrumental thing. And MÖTLEY was finished. They were off tour. And I was still doing some shows. And Nikki called and said, 'Listen, Mick is going to retire. And we have these obligations from Live Nation. We have South America booked. We have Europe booked. Would you wanna come on board?' And I was, 'Absolutely.' I mean, it's just like your brother asking you or something like that. But now the hard part was telling Rob [Zombie], because we never had a negative word between us. And he's my buddy and we made great music and great live shows together for 17 years, and we never really had a problem. But I was thinking to myself, I was, like, 'Life is short.' And I'm being completely honest with you — 'Life is short. I wanna experience as much as I can in life.' And I was thinking about myself. And I was, like, 'I wanna do this for me, because I'm 51 years old' at the time, and I was, like, 'I wanna do this. I want to experience this.' How many times do you get a new chapter in your life at this magnitude later in life? And I talked to Rob, and he understood. Rob is a smart, rational person. I mean, he wasn't psyched, but he understood. And I think that was amazing of him. And he was just, like, 'Go get 'em.' He was fine about it. And then they got [Mike] Riggs, who I think is a great addition. That's who he was using when Rob did the early solo records, and I think it's a great addition. And they're kicking ass."

Detailing how he told Rob about his decision to leave his band and join MÖTLEY CRÜE, John 5 said: "I told Rob before it got out in the press. But I agreed to Nikki. And I called Rob and I said, 'This is what's happening.' And we did a show, Louder Than Life, together, and that was my last show [with Rob] in Kentucky. And then they got Riggs and were rehearsing with him and did the Aftershock show. And then it was announced — my time frame is not great, but then I believe it was announced a little bit after that. But it was no bad blood or anything; it wasn't anything bad; it wasn't dramatic or anything. And Rob was super cool. He was, like, 'Hey, I get it.' He was cool about it."

Asked if he had spoken with Rob since his announcement that he was joining MÖTLEY CRÜE, John 5 said: "To be honest, I haven't, and I miss talking with him and texting with him. I'm more worried about him not texting me back or not replying. I think that would really break my heart. That's the thing. I think I'd be really bummed out about that. But I haven't. To answer your question, no, I haven't."

Elaborating on his reasons for leaving Zombie's band and joining MÖTLEY CRÜE, John 5 said: "In the 17 years of being with Zombie, I got asked to join a ton of bands — a ton of bands. But, listen, I am so close with the guys, and with Mick too. So close with the guys. Something said, 'You've gotta do it.' It's just something I really wanted to do. Because life is show. I wanna experience everything. I don't wanna be laying in my bed at 126 years old — that's what I plan to live to be — laying in my bed at 126 years old going, 'God, I wish I would have done this, that and the other thing.' But I'll probably say that to myself anyways. But it's been an amazing ride so far."

In April 2023, Sixx spoke with Wyatt of U.K.'s Planet Rock about MÖTLEY CRÜE's decision to hire John 5 to replace Mick, who announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE last October as a result of worsening health issues.

"I've been friends with John forever and I would make jokes, 'As long as you're a 5, I feel good being a Sixx.' Y'know, stupid best buddy jokes. Me and that guy have been either hanging out at each other's houses, writing songs… he plays (guitar) all day long. So, he comes over here and he grabs one of my guitars or brings his own and we just sit around and play and talk about the '70s and how great LYNYRD SKYNYRD and 'Scooby Doo' was."

He continued: "My wife just said that when Mick told us he was leaving the band and I told her I'd talked to Tommy and Vince [Neil, CRÜE singer], and everybody feels that John would be a great fit, and I hadn't called John yet because you had to be sure we were doing everything correctly. My wife said, 'Well, that's great.' I said, 'What do you mean by that?' She goes, 'Well, you'll be going on stage and you'll be on the phone to John.' And they're, like, 'You gotta go on stage!', and he'll be like 'Okay, call me back in an hour and a half.'

"So we're always chatting and jamming and the friendship is so wonderful. Him and Tommy are really close. Vince loves him. He's just a great guy and a great musician and he gives us a great opportunity as a three-piece so to speak to really lock in. He's just such a great guitar player."

Comparing CRÜE 's current musicianship to how it was while Mick was still in the band, Nikki added: "It's nothing against any other musician that you play with, just that when you play with new musicians you play differently. We're still playing the same songs that people wanna hear but it kind of like re-inspires you. And I'm sure the same thing would happen if they got a new bass player. They're like 'oh wow, he's attacking it differently.' So it's never about how bad anybody was.

"It's a nice time [for MÖTLEY CRÜE] and it's kind of inspired us to write a little bit," he added. "We love our history, we're very proud of everything we've done. We've always been really supportive of Mick no matter what Mick was going through. We're just happy with where we're at right now."

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, in April 2023, the now-73-year-old musician filed a lawsuit against CRÜE in Los Angeles County's Superior Court claiming that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting.

Regarding Mick 's lawsuit against MÖTLEY CRÜE, Nikki told Planet Rock: "If a member of a band tells you that they can't tour because of health reasons, you have two choices. You can quit as a band [after] 42 years of work. Or we could look at each other and go 'are we done yet?!' We're really peaking and we understand [Mick's] health issues.

"We wish him the best and we know that he's a little bit confused and being misled by representatives right now. But we still have to stay focused on why we're here."

Mars suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS),a chronic and inflammatory form of arthritis that mainly affects the spine and pelvis. After years of performing through the pain, he informed the other members of MÖTLEY CRÜE in the summer of 2022 that he could no longer tour with them but would still be open to recording new music or performing at residencies that did not require much travel.

In his lawsuit, Mars also alleged that he was the only band member to play 100 percent live on their 2022 stadium tour, claiming Sixx "did not play a single note on bass during the entire U.S. tour."

After Mars filed his lawsuit, Sixx responded on Twitter, writing: "Sad day for us and we don't deserve this considering how many years we've been propping him up. We still wish him the best and hope he find's [sic] lawyers and managers who aren't damaging him. We love you Mick."

Polish black metal icons Patriarkh (formerly Batushka) return with a clear and fresh vision as they unveil their new concept album, ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ (Lat. PROROK ILJA), out on January 3. The Napalm Records debut unveils eight new compositions and immerses the listener in the true story of Eliasz Klimowicz, the titular Prophet Ilja, set in the 1930s and 40s. Following the success of their critically acclaimed album, Hospodi (2019), and relentless touring around the globe, the new band looks towards a bright future! Firmly grounded in Eastern Orthodox traditions and music, Patriarkh blends black and doom metal with haunting, dark religious concepts.


Today, Patriarkh unveils their first single, “ВЕРШАЛИН III” (Lat.  WIERSZALIN III), accompanied by a visually striking official music video, capturing an Orthodox mass. “ВЕРШАЛИН III” showcases the band's signature blend of Orthodox sacredness with melodic folk instruments, infused with towering doom metal elements in which harsh vocals unite with rising choirs (featuring A. Strug & M. Maleńczuk). This crushing, colossal-sounding blend creates an instantly distinctive sonic experience.


Patriarkh on the new single “ВЕРШАЛИН III”: “‘WIERSZALIN III’ is the first single that announces our new release PROROK ILJA (Lat.) and it probably best reflects the diversity and musical multidimensionality of this album. Just as the titular Prophet Ilja built New Jerusalem in Podlasie, we are building our new identity and showing our new musical face. Listen and share your impressions…“




Check out the official music video for “ВЕРШАЛИН III” (Lat.  WIERSZALIN III) below.


ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ details a true story that happened in the band’s home area of Podlasie, in the village of Grzybowszczyzna, in the 1930s and 40s. The album takes the listener into the world of Eliasz Klimowicz, the titular Prophet Ilja, an illiterate peasant who was the leader of the Orthodox Grzybowska Sect, active until the 1960s, cultivating and transmitting the history of the self-proclaimed prophet. Patriarkh spread their gospel by using an arsenal of folk instruments, such as tagelharpa, mandolin, mandocello, hurdy gurdy and stringed dulcimer, and worked with a symphony orchestra and choirs to give their new creations the most organic and vivid feeling possible. As is trademark with Patriarkh’s music, Orthodox sacredness is mixed with black and doom metal, now largely enriched with folk music, neo dark folk, and even film music. The band utilizes the entire palette of Orthodox music, venturing into the areas of Byzantine monody, liturgical chant and Russian polyphony, neatly adapting folk and liturgical melodies to their own style.


Patriarkh on the new album: “With this new release, we are starting a new chapter in our history - not only is our name changing, but our music is also undergoing a natural evolution. The story on the album encouraged us to get out of our comfort zone, we reached for means that we had not used before in our music. Many of you will wonder if this is still black metal? Or is it even metal? Radio play, audiobook, theater, film soundtrack, folk music, performance... All these terms will fit here. Some will hate, others will love...”


The lyrical side of ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ is an interesting mix of theater and pastoralism. Patriarkh uses fragments of texts from the theater play "Prorok Ilja" and draws from the messages contained in the works of Włodzimierz Pawluczuk, combining it with folk and liturgical texts. On ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ, listeners can hear various languages – and Polish for the first time ever! The album was recorded in January and May 2024 at Tall Pine Records (Behemoth, Zalewski, Afromental), Heinrich House (Behemoth, Vesania, Hate), Wem Studio (Kasa Chorych, Lukasyno, Cira) and Radio Białystok studio. Mixing and mastering was handled by Wojciech Wiesławski at Hertz Studio (Vader, Behemoth, Decapitated), and production was helmed by band mastermind and leading vocalist Bartłomiej "Варфоломей" Krysiuk. “ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ is an album full of emotions, sentimentalism and folklore. It’s pastoral, lyrical, epic, multidimensional and multicolored, just like my Podlasie is multicolored,” says Варфоломей. Dive into the deepest of all shadows with this black metal masterpiece and join Patriarkh on this intriguing ride!





ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ will be available in the following formats:


- Wooden Box (Digipak, bonus CD, pendant, flag & patch) - 300 copies (Napalm Records Mailorder and Patriarkh Shop exclusive)
- Deluxe 2LP GATEFOLD GOLD Vinyl (Alternative album cover artwork, bonus vinyl, & 24pp vinyl booklet) - 300 copies (Napalm - Records Mailorder and Patriarkh Shop exclusive)
- 1LP GATEFOLD SILVER Vinyl - 300 copies (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive)
- 1LP GATEFOLD MARBLED ORANGE RED BLACK Vinyl - 300 copies (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive)

Fan-filmed video of MÖTLEY CRÜE's October 13 performance at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California can be seen below.

Earlier this month, MÖTLEY CRÜE released the "Cancelled" EP, which contains the title track, MÖTLEY CRÜE's cover version of the BEASTIE BOYS classic "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)" and "Dogs Of War".

MÖTLEY CRÜE recently announced its upcoming third Las Vegas residency, which will unfold over 11 shows at the Dolby Live at Park MGM theater in March and April 2025. The CRÜE's third Vegas residency is being billed as a "tell-all show [that] will immerse the audience in the band's history, leading all the say through their record-breaking 'Stadium Tour'." They previously set up shop in Vegas in 2012 for "Mötley Crüe Takes On Sin City" and in 2013 for "Evening In Hell".

Tickets for the following 11 shows went on sale to the public Friday, October 11, with shows starting at 8 p.m. and doors opening at 7 p.m.

March 2025: 28, 29
April 2025: 2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 16, 18, 19

MÖTLEY CRÜE also announced that a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales of "The Las Vegas Residency" will be donated to Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, a Las Vegas-based organization that provides the thousands of young people experiencing homelessness in Southern Nevada with wraparound support to help youth move into stable housing, grow, and flourish. The announcement marks another extension of the band's new philanthropic endeavor, the Mötley Crüe Giveback Initiative — a moniker under which the band partners with non-profits close to Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee and John 5's hearts. Fans of the band can currently bid on rare collectible stage-played instruments from MÖTLEY CRÜE's "Höllywood Takeöver" club shows, with proceeds from the auction benefitting Covenant House, a non-profit supporting youth experiencing homelessness, and the inaugural charity to benefit from the Giveback Initiative's endowment.

The Las Vegas residency news follows on the heels of the band's recent announcement of their return to where it all began, the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, with a three-night string of exclusive, intimate club shows at the Troubadour, The Roxy and the Whisky A Go Go.

Produced by Bob Rock, the "Cancelled" EP marks MÖTLEY CRÜE's first release with Big Machine.

Additionally, MÖTLEY CRÜE are celebrating the 35th anniversary of No. 1 Billboard Top 200 and six-times-platinum landmark album "Dr. Feelgood" with a limited-edition box set, available for pre-order and out everywhere on November 22, 2024.
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In a new interview with Los Angeles Times En Español, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford, who famously came out as a gay man during a 1998 chat with MTV, spoke about the fact that many of the band's fans hold different viewpoints on a variety of subjects, including LGBTQ rights. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "It's very, very true that the metal world has a lot of conservative fans. That's just the way that they are. I think it's extraordinary, but I accept it. I don't quite understand it, but then this is the joy of life and free will and choose your music. But the fact that I'm in a band that occasionally will make a provocative statement, plus I'm a gay man in a world-famous heavy metal band, probably the most famous heavy metal person that will have ever, ever live — he says, smiling, slightly tongue in cheek — but wrap all that up, in today's world, the clamor and the clatter of incensed keys, what I've noticed as I've grown and I've lived this long life, it's so difficult now to have a simple disagreement. There's so much hate and there is so much violence between ideas. Two people in the same room that have never met each other that have two separate ideas about a subject, but they both wanna kill each other because they don't agree. [Laughs] It's insane.

"I'm not a political person," Rob clarified. "I enjoy great political debates, which I haven't seen or heard in the longest time. But in terms of debating ideas, philosophical, sociopolitical, anthropological, whatever it might be, I love to see sane, intelligent people having a conversation about an idea or a subject matter that are at odds with each other, but they're civil. They can disagree, but they don't pull a gun out or start punching each other in the face. Unfortunately, that seems to be the world that we live in, to a great extent. Not completely so, because propaganda has never been stronger in America now than I can remember as a kid growing up in the '50s and the '60s. The way that the way that the truth is distorted — this idea that if you tell a lie long enough, people believe it to be the truth — is insane. It's insane.

"I know we're going off the subject, but there are metal fans, conservative metal fans, that have some of those qualities," Halford added. "And I love the fact… I saw a clip of me the other day when I said at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, 'Hi everybody, I'm the gay guy in the group,' and the roof went off. And then I said about inclusivity.

"When I was out on stage last night in Missouri, I look at all these people and I know for a fact there's a complete spectrum of people from all walks of life, all economic walks of life. Some people have got there in a beat-up old truck, some people have driven their Ferrari, but we're all in the room together, we're all banging our heads together, and we're all having the time of our lives together. And this is never lost on me, as I watch the way people react. I just think it's the most profoundly beautiful expressions that any artist can be immersed in, to see the humanity of the evening come together in a unified type of acceptance and celebration of the music that we all love. So that's never lost on me. I'll never lose sight of the power that music has, whether it's to give people the greatest night out of their lives or to start a revolution when you wake up in the morning. You see your favorite artist, and the next day you're gonna make some kind of revolution, whether it's change something in your life, change your job, whatever, go and stand on a box in the corner of a street and start yelling about Israel and Gaza — whatever it is, this is the power of music. I love all of this type of conceptual ability that the show can do can give you.

"But, yeah, that's what I love about the heavy metal community," Rob concluded. "There are differences on all different levels, but for that particular show, we're united as one people for the love that we have for this kind of music."

Halford previously touched upon political polarization in America this past April while speaking to Planet Rock about the lyrical inspiration for the song "Trial By Fire", which appears on PRIEST's latest album, "Invincible Shield". He said: "Thinking of the words, it's a reference to the way that judgment and misconstrued perceptions and ideas can be put on you. And going deep, that's the society that we live with today. People can rush to judgment, people can bring in their own ideas and agendas that tip the balance of truth. We live in a world today now where lies can be pushed so strongly and so forcefully by powerful figures that a lie becomes the truth. And that's a terribly dangerous place to be. So, we're utilizing that type of open forum and discussion and bringing it into this title, 'Trial By Fire'."

When Planet Rock's Mark Jeeves noted that PRIEST has "always been a band with a social conscience", Rob said: "Yes. All the way back to 'Savage', which is about global warming, and that was in 1970-something. A lot of the times we don't make the message truly in the black-and-white sense; we leave it open to interpretation. The songs become their own entities. We let our fans have fun with the messages that we put out. Some of them are very straightforward and obvious — 'Breaking The Law', 'Living After Midnight' — but then in an opportunity like 'Panic Attack' or 'Trial By Fire', we go deeper. We let you find your own way and bring your own conclusions to the idea."

Three years ago, Halford was asked by one of the readers of U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine if politics have a place in metal. He responded: "Absolutely they do and I've been putting my two penn'orth into PRIEST's music for most of my life, but it's concealed by smoke and mirrors. Take a song like 'Evil Never Dies' [from 2018's 'Firepower' album]. I make some digs there and I know what I mean, but here's the thing, especially for a band like PRIEST: music is about escapism.

"If I hear one more thing about Brexit, I don't know what I will do," he added. "To me there's a place for politics and I applaud bands that make it important in what they do, but with me the clues are there if you want to look for them."

Back in 2018, Halford told Newsweek that he was "not a Donald Trump supporter," explaining that the then-U.S. president's policies had turned political divides into chasms and alienated minority groups like the LGBTQ community.

"It's a very shaky time right now," Rob said. "I have so much faith in this country. But it does seem as though the brakes have been slapped on. It's indeed disturbing, and it's such a shame, because throughout the Obama administration, tremendous things were achieved on the basis of human equality. That's the issue here. Treating one bunch of people this way, and treating this bunch that way. You can't do that. You have to give everybody the same rights."

Halford acknowledged that many PRIEST fans won't agree with those views, saying that "there's a ton of metalheads that are supportive of [the Trump] administration." But, he added, "That's great. That's okay. You're not bringing that to the show. We're there to all join together, and that is the beautiful thing about a free, transparent society — which we don't appear to have right now. Some fans are completely opposite to me politically. But we can still be in the same room and have a good time and hopefully have a good discussion while respecting each other's opinions."

Released in March, "Invincible Shield" entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande's "Eternal Sunshine".

Prior to "Invincible Shield"'s arrival, PRIEST's highest U.K. chart achievement was with 1980's "British Steel", which reached No. 4.

PRIEST's 2018 album "Firepower" entered the chart at No. 5.

"Invincible Shield" is JUDAS PRIEST's fifth Top 10 album, after the aforementioned "British Steel" and "Firepower", as well as 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" (No. 6) and the 1979 live album "Unleashed In The East" (No. 10).

"Invincible Shield" landed at No. 1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as No. 5 in France, No. 8 in Italy and No. 16 in Australia.

As confirmed by management, legendary rock guitarist Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE, BADLANDS, RED DRAGON CARTEL) was shot multiple times early this morning (Tuesday, October 15) in a Las Vegas, Nevada street shooting. Lee is fully conscious and doing well in an intensive care unit at a Las Vegas hospital. He is expected to fully recover.

Las Vegas authorities believe the shooting was completely random and occurred while Lee took his dog out for a walk in the early morning hours. As the incident is under police investigation, no further comments will be forthcoming. Lee and his family appreciate respecting their privacy at this time.

Lee, who was tapped by Ozzy Osbourne to replace the late Randy Rhoads in the singer's solo band, played on two Ozzy records: 1983's "Bark At The Moon" and 1986's "The Ultimate Sin".

Earlier this month, Lee was asked in an interview with Tone-Talk if he ended up getting surgery on his hands after it was reported a few months ago that he was suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. He responded: "I did not. I thought I had carpal tunnel. I went to a neurologist, and they poked the needles in me and then zapped me. They said I had carpal tunnel. So then I made an appointment with a wrist surgeon, which took a while. I went there. She asked to see some X-rays, which nobody had ever done. She said, 'Well, before we talk about surgery…' She took X-rays, came back and said, 'You don't have carpal tunnel. You don't have it. If anybody had taken an X-ray of your wrist, they would have seen you don't have carpal tunnel.' And apparently I don't have any cartilage left in [my right] hand. She said I have very little in [my left hand], but [my left one] doesn't bother me. So it's all bone on bone, rubbing against each other, and that's agitating it. So, right now, I'm getting cortisone shots in the wrist — lots of fun — and physical therapy to get the muscles stronger around it, do a lot of stretching. It's about pain management now. It's either that or fuse the bones together, which I think Steve Morse did. And it will change your playing style. If you get this fused, now it's all elbow — maybe fingers, I guess. Then I'll get tennis elbow. So she said she recommends pain management. 'Let's see if we can get you playing without fusing the bones together,' which sounds pretty radical. And it is better. I am playing again."

He continued: "For four or five years, I just really didn't play that much, unless I had a song idea, which always happens when you're falling asleep. And then I pick the guitar up and put the idea down. So I do have a bunch of ideas. I've been playing. It doesn't hurt as much. I feel like everything's getting better, so I'm not gonna get surgery. I'm just not. I'm not, I'll learn how to play more from the elbow. But I still have that option with the wrist and manage the pain. But I am playing again — I have been for about two months maybe — and I wanna go out and do a tour. I wanna finish doing the 'Patina' tour, which got canceled because of COVID. I would like to go out and do that [with] RED DRAGON CARTEL, focus on the 'Patina' record and do some more recording. We'll see where that goes."

"Patina", the second offering from Jake E. Lee's RED DRAGON CARTEL, was released in November 2018. The follow-up to RED DRAGON CARTEL's eponymous 2014 debut, "Patina" marked the group's first release with drummer Phil Varone (SAIGON KICK, SKID ROW) and bassist Anthony Esposito. The band's most recent lineup was rounded out by singer Darren James Smith.

RED DRAGON CARTEL's latest album was mixed by legendary producer Max Norman, who has previously worked with OZZY OSBOURNE, MEGADETH, SAVATAGE and LOUDNESS, among others.

In addition to being the bassist for RED DRAGON CARTEL, Esposito co-produced the album alongside Lee.

"Patina" marked a change of style from the debut RED DRAGON CARTEL album, featuring a more bluesy hard rock direction as opposed to its predecessor's heavier leanings.

Back in September 2015, RED DRAGON CARTEL was rejoined by Darren James Smith after a period of several months during which the band played shows with a number of other vocalists, including former JONES STREET frontman Shawn Crosby, Canadian singer Paul D'Eath (CITIZENS UNITE, MUSHROOM TRAIL),Chas West (Jason Bonham, LYNCH MOB, 3 LEGGED DOGG) and Michael Beck.

In a new interview with the Rebellious Remarks podcast, John Cooper of Christian rockers SKILLET, who regularly speaks about his faith in secular spaces and voices his opinions on hot-button social and political issues, said that he believes people from different ends of the political spectrum can come together for civil dialogue and debate amid increasing polarization. "I think in 2020, no one had the discussions," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "It got worse in 2021. I think we're on the path to it getting better. Now, certainly in the music industry, you have your people. Like for instance, there's a very famous rock DJ that came to our show the other day. We're on tour with four other bands, SEETHER and two other bands, [including] Tim Montana. I was the last band of the night. As I was going in to play, I saw this DJ and I went to give this person a hug and I said, 'I didn't know you were here.' That night, this person posted on their social media page. I don't wanna say whether it's a guy or a girl, so nobody tries to figure out who I'm talking about. This person posted on their social media page pictures with them backstage with every single band except for us, refused to come say hello, refused to meet the band, refused to take a photo with me, even though we've met before. Obviously, I know why. It's because of 2020. It's because of my stances."

He continued: "We're not even worth talking to for some people. Those things are going away. Certainly there are places in the industry that have that. The industry is taking longer to be inclusive than the fans. Fans aren't like that. The bands, for the most part, aren't like that. Of course, you've got people like Sebastian Bach who are freaking out. Apparently, I've not heard this, but somebody told me, he said, 'If you're a Trump supporter, don't even come to my show.' I don't know if that's true or not. Pink telling anybody that's pro life, 'Eff you. I don't want you to listen to my music.' PARAMORE. You do have some bands like that. But in the rock world, everyone I personally know is very inclusive."

When the interviewer opined that those artists who are not inclusive are "going to be left behind soon," Cooper said: "I hope so. I think that that's something we could pray for, because there's no reason [to be like that]. What's ironic is that they are acting like the Christian fundamentalists from 30 years ago. They said, 'I refuse to talk to somebody who has a tattoo.' 'I refuse to talk to somebody who wears black makeup and has purple hair or listens to that loud rock and roll.' 'I refuse to talk to somebody who smokes a cigarette or drinks a beer.' That's the Christian fundamentalists. And now we have secular fundamentalists: 'I refuse to talk to somebody who could ever not get a vaccine from the government.' 'I refuse to talk to somebody who didn't post a black square.' They are being the secular Puritans that they would have hated 20 years ago. So we can only hope that goes away."

In a separate interview with Baptist News, Cooper said that he is "always an open book" when it comes to the way he speaks to the media. He said: "We are outspoken about Christ because we're outspoken that he is the only way to heaven, but not just about Christ. We're also outspoken about moral issues. I speak about the abortion stuff all the time. I speak about the transgender theory being taught in schools. I stand for biblical traditional sexuality. We say them proudly, we say them boldly, we say them with compassion toward people who don't agree with us, but we do speak the truth."

This past January, Cooper blasted Demi Lovato's pro-choice song "Swine", calling it "pure evil' and accusing Americans of "cheer[ing] on baby murder" by aborting "eight hundred thousand babies a year."

John has written in depth about his views in the two books he has released so far, "Awake & Alive to Truth", which came out in December 2020, and "Wimpy, Weak, And Woke", which became available in late 2023.

Cooper told Baptist Press about how his faith directs him to speak out on cultural issues: "If Jesus is the truth, then that means He has something to say about culture, politics, abortion and sexuality. The Bible has something to say about these things."

In various interviews over the years, John has said that he "always had faith in God" and that his mother was a "Jesus fanatic." He also claimed that he was willing to put his career on the line to take a stand for Christ.

In April 2021, Cooper told the "Undaunted.Life: A Man's Podcast" that it was perfectly fine for Christians to play rock music. "I would say that music is created not by the Devil; [it is] created by the Lord," he said. "All things were created by God. So instead of thinking that the Devil owns a genre of music, I would say capture that music and bring it back into subjection under the Lordship of Christ."

SKILLET's new album, "Revolution", will arrive on November 1 via the band's Hear It Loud imprint.

Germany’s greatest export Scorpions have shared their full concert from Rock In Rio 1985. Go back in time when the Scorps were on top of the world, touring in support of their hit album Love At First Sting.





1985 was the first edition of the Rock In Rio festival. It was held from January 11-20 and an estimated 1.4 million attended. Scorpions performed on two days of the festival – Tuesday, January 15 and Saturday, January 19.




Individual songs videos from Rock In Rio 1985:


Iconic track "The Zoo", the single earned the most success in the U.K., peaking at #75:





Energetic Blackout tune "Dynamite":

Jazz Sabbath have released the second track from the upcoming album, The 1968 Tapes. Listen to "Electric Funeral" here.


Says the band: "You'll get this track as instant download along with 'Supernaut' with every preorder. If you already have ordered the album (which we appreciate immensely), the track has been added to your library. All preorders also count toward first week sales for the official charts and seeing an album of Sabbath tracks high in the jazz charts makes everyone smile (or at least it should). Whether you order a Vinyl, CD, tape or digital copy from Bandcamp, it all helps, so thank you."


Jazz Sabbath recently announced that a special MONO edition of their upcoming album, The 1968 Tapes, will be released as part of Record Store Day Black Friday, on November 29. This album contains eight new exploratory jazz arrangements based on Black Sabbath tracks from the period 1970-1975.




The trio, helmed by longtime Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne keys and guitar player Adam Wakeman, will release two versions. A Coke Bottle Clear vinyl (US and Canada) and a white vinyl variant (UK only).


The RSD edition also features a bonus track, "Hole In The Sky", and a MONO bonus CD.





Tracklisting:


A1. "Into The Void"
A2. "Electric Funeral" (RSD alternative mix)
A3. "Supernaut"
A4. "Hole In The Sky" (RSD bonus track)


B1. "The Wizard" (RSD alternative mix)
B2. "Spiral Architect" (RSD alternative mix)
B3. "Warning"
B4. "War Pigs"


The regular stereo edition of The 1968 Tapes will be released worldwide on 180g LP, CD and tape on the same day.


Some would say The 1968 Tapes is Jazz Sabbath's third album on which the trio, helmed by longtime Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne keys and guitar player Adam Wakeman, present seven new exploratory jazz arrangements based on Black Sabbath tracks from the period 1970-1973.


You can also choose to believe the album's liner notes:


Although never released until recently, Jazz Sabbath's music has been finding its way to millions for over 50 years. Through a vicious cycle of personal tragedy and plagiarism the songs intended to change the jazz world ended up giving birth to a much darker sound. Now a third recording from the Sixties has resurfaced, perhaps their most important one.


In 1968 Jazz Sabbath were an instant hit on the UK jazz scene. It wasn’t long until they were offered a record deal. This first recording was rejected by the label; the label manager said it was too experimental and had no hit potential. However, just like the tracks from albums that followed, these tracks were also shamelessly presented as 'original songs' by that band from Birmingham a few years later. Their lasting popularity, even in the crude way they were covered, only proves just how monumental these songs were and how record labels are often wrong.


With the truth now finally out there and that Birmingham band exposed as the musical charlatans they are, Jazz Sabbath have finally mastered the 1968 tapes to present their best work to the public.


The 1968 Tapes will be released November 29 via Blacklake Records on Vinyl, CD, Cassette and all streaming/download platforms. The track "Supernaut" is streaming on all digital platforms now. Listen below, and watch a promo video.


The album can be pre-ordered here.

DISTURBED's David Draiman joined NOTHING MORE on stage on Sunday (October 13) at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California to perform the track "Angel Song". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

The studio version of "Angel Song", featuring Draiman, was included on NOTHING MORE's latest album, "Carnal", which came out in June via Better Noise Music.

Draiman has sold over 17 million records worldwide with DISTURBED, receiving 10 billion global audio and video streams, including five RIAA platinum releases; received three Grammy Awards nominations; earned an iHeartRadio Music Award for "Rock Artist Of The Year" in 2017; and notched several No. 1 Mainstream Rock singles.

When "Angel Song" was first released in May, Draiman said in a statement: "The power of the track is undeniable. I've been a fan of the band since the very beginning."

NOTHING MORE frontman Jonny Hawkins added: "'Angel Song' is the haunting sound of our past selves melting into a future that is as bright as it is dark. Our animal nature is getting more and more chewed up by society and our souls swallowed by technology, but there's something in us that wants to fight back. As the song was coming together in the studio, it became immediately clear to us that David Draiman's voice would take it to another level. We're so happy with the result."

Earlier this month, NOTHING MORE was announced as support for the second leg of DISTURBED's 2025 "The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour". The tour celebrates the anniversary of the iconic band's five-times-platinum-certified debut album "The Sickness" which Metal Hammer named as one of the "Best Metal Albums Of 2000". NOTHING MORE will join DISTURBED and Grammy-nominated rock singer-songwriter Chris Daughtry across the U.S. from March 29 to May 17.

"Having David Draiman sing on our new single 'Angel Song' was a dream come true," Hawkins said. "Now we are experiencing what it is like to have a dream within a dream come true…we are supporting DISTURBED on their 25th anniversary tour of 'The Sickness'! This tour is going to crush! If we could go back in time and tell our younger selves this tour would be happening, then we would have prematurely died from excessive levels of excitement."

"Carnal" includes NOTHING MORE's second-ever No. 1 single on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart with the emotionally charged "If It Doesn't Hurt". "Angel Song" has received 1.2 million video views and 10.7 million streams globally. The single is currently in the Top 10 on the Active Rock radio charts and steadily rising.



NOTHING MORE
#DavidDraiman

Posted by David Draiman on Monday, October 14, 2024



My absolute favorite song right now… and to see it live with David Draiman🙏🙏🙏 Aftershock Festival #nothingmore #disturbed

Posted by Tracy Lynn on Sunday, October 13, 2024

Swedish doom metal legends CANDLEMASS are in the studio working on a four-song "jubilee EP" called "Black Star". The EP will contain two new songs plus two covers and will be released in the spring of 2025, when the band celebrates "40 years of heavy doom deliverance".

CANDLEMASS's Jan Lind just finished his drum tracks at Sound Trade studios in Solna, just outside Stockholm, and this week Lars Johansson is doing his guitar overdubs for the puzzle that will become "Black Star", tentatively due in May 2025 via Napalm Records.

CANDLEMASS's latest album, "Sweet Evil Sun", came out in November 2022 via Napalm Records. In the works for 18 months, "Sweet Evil Sun" saw CANDLEMASS bringing back all the grandness of the band's early years, exploring themes of ambition and strife, hope and failure. The LP was recorded at NOX studio in Stockholm.

As the godfathers of epic doom metal, CANDLEMASS defined the genre with releases such as "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" (1986) and "Nightfall" (1987). Through their evil riffs, crushing rhythmic attack and dramatic vocals, they changed the landscape of metal worldwide. Led by founder and bassist Leif Edling, CANDLEMASS reunited with Johan Längqvist in 2018, 32 years after the singer performed on "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus".

"Sweet Evil Sun" was the follow-up to CANDLEMASS's twelfth studio album, "The Door To Doom", which was released in February 2019 via Napalm Records. "The Door To Doom" was CANDLEMASS's first full-length album since "Psalms For The Dead", which featured singer Robert Lowe, who left the band just days before its release. He was replaced by Mats Levén, who fronted the band until Längqvist rejoined in late 2018.

Längqvist originally exited CANDLEMASS after "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" and was replaced by Messiah Marcolin.

CANDLEMASS earned a Grammy nomination for "Astorolus - The Great Octopus", a cut from "The Door To Doom", which featured a guest appearance by BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi.

Photo credit: Linda Akerberg

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British guitar sensation Sophie Lloyd has dropped a music video for "Won't You Come", a collaboration with MARISA AND THE MOTHS frontwoman Marisa Rodriguez.

Taken from last year's debut full-length album "Imposter Syndrome", "Won't You Come" is part of a collection that sees Lloyd teaming up with some of rock's biggest names and her own personal heroes to create a stunning collection of work spanning a variety of genres from the rock and metal world. Released totally independently via her own Autumn Records, the album debuted at No. 3 in the rock charts and 11 in the indie charts, receiving rave reviews in the press.

Sophie comments: "I always love working with Marisa. She's got one of the most incredible voices and she's also so creative and passionate about everything she does. It's very inspiring.

"We decided to do a music video for our song to celebrate the announcement that she'll be joining me as one of the vocalists at my first live show at the Underworld. The chemistry we have together is amazing, we have so much fun performing together and I'm so excited to join forces again! It's definitely going to be a night you don't want to miss."

This week Sophie plays her debut headline show at a sold-out London Underworld. U.K. fans will have another chance to see her live at Cardiff Arena supporting THOSE DAMN CROWS on December 14. Sophie also recently announced a show at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, California on January 16, 2025.

"Imposter Syndrome" features other blazing singles and guest collaborations like "Judge And Jury" (featuring THEORY OF A DEADMAN's Tyler Connolly),"Fall Of Man" (featuring TRIVIUM's Matt Heafy),"Do Or Die" (featuring Nathan James),"Lost" (featuring Cole Rolland),"Runaway" (featuring STEEL PANTHER's Michael Starr),"Hanging On" (featuring Lauren Babic)", "Imposter Syndrome" (featuring HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale) and "Let It Hurt" (featuring BLACK STONE CHERRY's Chris Robertson).

The 28-year-old Lloyd told Guitar World about the LP: "I always said this album was going to be me paying homage to my 15-year-old self. This is an album I wrote for that girl.

"I'm so fortunate to work with all of the amazing singers on the record, and I can honestly say I've been listening to them for years.

"I can't tell you how gratifying it's been — I'd write the songs, and then we'd send them off and hear back from the singers. They were, like, 'Yeah, I really dig this. I'm up for it.' It's all turned out better than I could have imagined."

Regarding the album title, Sophie said: "Well, the imposter syndrome is a thing. It's a phenomenon a lot of people experience in any field; not just music, but you basically feel like you're an imposter. You don't deserve to be where you are, and at any moment people will uncover you for what you are. I feel like I've broken out of that now. I proved to myself, like, 'Yeah, you're here for a reason. You're good enough.'"

Photo credit: Natherson

While answering fan questions in the latest issue of U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King was asked who would play him in a biopic of his life. He responded: "The only one that loosely fits the description is Vin Diesel. If you go down that road, you might also say The Rock [Dwayne Johnson], but I'm not nearly that giant. That would be awesome, though. I'll say The Rock, because I like a lot of the stuff he's in."

Following his recent tour with LAMB OF GOD and MASTODON and his first European headline tour earlier this year, King and his solo band will hit the road for the 28-date North American headline tour in early 2025. With MUNICIPAL WASTE as special guest and ALIEN WEAPONRY supporting, the tour is set to launch in San Francisco on January 15, 2025, and wrap at House of Blues in Las Vegas on February 22.

King's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", was released in May. All material for the LP was written by the 60-year-old SLAYER guitarist. Helming the sessions at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles last year was producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BAD RELIGION, among others.

Joining Kerry in his new band are Mark Osegueda (vocals; DEATH ANGEL),Phil Demmel (guitar; MACHINE HEAD, VIO-LENCE),Kyle Sanders (bass; HELLYEAH) and drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, EXODUS).

In early May, the KERRY KING band performed its first live show at Reggies in Chicago. In the days following, the group went from playing an intimate venue to performing at the huge U.S. festivals Welcome To Rockville (Florida) and Sonic Temple (Ohio).

KERRY KING launched a European tour on June 3 — King's 60th birthday – in Tilburg, The Netherlands. The trek combined headline shows in the U.K., The Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Spain but also festival appearances such as Rock Am Ring, Hellfest, Tuska, Download, Sweden Rock Festival and many more.

The SLAYER guitarist's solo band played its first concert as the support act for LAMB OF GOD and MASTODON on July 19 at the Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie, Texas. The six-week "Ashes Of Leviathan" tour wrapped on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Swedish classic/progressive rock supergroup THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA — featuring members of SOILWORK and ARCH ENEMY — will release its seventh studio album and "most cinematic offering to date", "Give Us The Moon", on January 31, 2025 via Napalm Records.

Founded in 2007, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA has been nominated three times for the Swedish Grammis (Swedish Grammy equivalent) and has garnered millions of streams with its previous releases.

Having won over international live audiences with their incredibly entertaining performances on multiple tours and at enormous festivals such as Wacken Open Air, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA is taking off on a full European tour at the end of January.

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA comments: "How excited can you possibly get from announcing a new album? Well, let us tell you: We are shaking with excitement, hanging from chandeliers, doing butterfly strokes in sparkling wine, making snow angels in icing sugar and climbing Mont Blanc in stilettos. THAT'S how excited we are. Now give us the moon, will ya?"

"Moon Over Europe 2025" tour dates:

Jan. 30 - NL - Tilburg / 13
Jan. 31 - FR - Lyon / O Totem Live
Feb. 01 - UK - London / Garage
Feb. 02 - FR - Paris / Petit Bain
Feb. 04 - ES - Bilbao / Sana27
Feb. 05 - PT - Lisbon / Lisboa Au Vivo
Feb. 07 - ES - Madrid / Mon
Feb. 08 - ES - Barcelona / Wolf
Feb. 11 - IT - Milan / Legend Club
Feb. 13 - HU - Budapest / Durer Kert
Feb. 14 - AT - Vienna / Szene
Feb. 15 - DE - Munich / Backstage
Feb. 16 - CZ - Prague / Futurum
Feb. 18 - CH - Aarau / KIFF
Feb. 19 - DE - Aschaffenburg / Colos Saal
Feb. 20 - DE - Nuremberg / Hirsch
Feb. 21 - DE - Karlsruhe / Substage
Feb. 22 - DE - Berlin / Frannz Club
Feb. 24 - DE - Hamburg / Bahnhof Pauli

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA has steadily upped its game when it comes to paying tribute to a decade that influences all sorts of people and even industries to this day — the 1980s. With hits like "Domino", "Lovers In The Rain", "West Ruth Ave", "Divinyls" and "This Time", the band manages to maintain a variety of vibes and emotions within every album. From hard rockers, poppy digressions to progressive epics, disco-esque songs and almost cheesy yet loveable ballads.

In a 2023 interview with The Rockpit, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA frontman Björn Strid stated about how the band came together: "I wouldn't say that I was growing up on FOREIGNER or BOSTON. I mean, I heard the singles, but BOSTON was not very big in Europe. So that's something that I discovered later. But I definitely grew up on '80s radio. I was born in '78, which is kind of my favorite musical era, which is kind of strange as I wasn't there to experience it, or was too small, I should say. But we discovered so many things, me and David [Andersson, then-SOILWORK guitarist] as well. He was a session player for SOILWORK in 2007 on our North American tour and we instantly hit it off and ended up listening to music in the back lounge, and there were song battles all night long. We discovered so many things, but not just the music, everything around it — the aesthetics of the '70s and '80s, even production — everything. And we felt like there was a void out there that needed to be filled. Because retro-sounding rock bands was not really a new thing, but most of them had that [BLACK] SABBATH, LED ZEPPELIN, early '70s bell-bottom Orange amps feel. Not that there's anything wrong with [that] — we enjoyed that — but we felt that there was this huge hole that needed to be filled with music and a way of producing and a way of writing songs that people hadn't heard for a long time. And that's what we built the bad on – to promote something that we felt was missing, and then also building a concept around it to make it a whole experience."

THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA is:

Björn Strid - Vocals
Sharlee D'Angelo - Bass
Jonas Källsbäck - Drums
Sebastian Forslund - Guitar, Percussions
John Lönnmyr - Keys
Rasmus Ehrnborn - Guitar
Anna Brygard - Backing Vocals
Åsa Lundman - Backing Vocals

Photo credit: Linda Florin / Graphic: Carlos Holmberg

Canadian singer, songwriter and producer Devin Townsend has shared a music video for his new single "Gratitude". The song is taken from his upcoming studio album, "PowerNerd", which is due on October 25 via InsideOut Music.

Devin said: "'Gratitude' is a simple song in the vein of 'Life' or 'Stagnant' (from 'Ocean Machine' and 'Terria', respectively) that acts as a simple way to continue the theme of 'PowerNerd'.

"During the making of this album, there were a lot of hurdles that we went through as a family, and the tendency to look at ones lot in life from the vantage point of being a 'victim' seems to be an easy hole to fall into. I wrote this song during a very difficult time, yet the idea of gratitude is not meant to be ironic in any way.

"I'm grateful for the lessons, I'm grateful for the swings and roundabouts of life, I'm here for it. Retaining equilibrium during challenging times is a job in and of itself, and in a sea of nihilistic thoughts, having ones creative output as a tangible expression of gratitude is in many ways the whole point for me at this stage. In any event: I feel like I'm dumb as a rock, and life is so incredible and absurd that I just feel the urge to say 'thank you' for all of it. If the quality of people who surround me and this work is of any indication, we're pointed in the right direction."

Townsend previously released videos for the "PowerNerd" title track and "Jainism".

In a recent interview with United Rock Nations, Devin stated about the inspiration for "Gratitude": "'Gratitude' is an interesting song for me, because it was such a depressing time while I was making this record, one of the most depressing times of my life. And 'Gratitude' I wrote to try to remind myself that even though it's depressing, even though it's sad, even though it's devastating in many ways, losing people, keeping in mind how fortunate we are to live this life and to have these experiences and to participate in these hard lessons and emotions… I mean, we're here for such a short amount of time, I never wanna lose sight of how grateful I am to be on this ride. It's astounding, just the audacity to believe that we can be here as a human being is so — the chances of it are so infinitesimally small that I try to keep gratitude as my baseline for my life experience now, even through moments of pain. And so that song was written during a period of really, really difficult moments for the family to remind myself that, yeah, it's difficult, but don't forget that it's beautiful."

When the interviewer noted that "Gratitude" sounds "more poppy" than the other songs on the LP, Devin said: "Yeah, well, ever since the beginning, I've written that type of music. 'Life' from 'Ocean Machine', or 'Stagnant' from 'Terria', I mean, that's just a part of my DNA, is that kind of DEF LEPPARD 'Hysteria' [sound]. [Laughs]"

Last month, Devin released a new video in which he explained the inspiration for the "PowerNerd" title. He said: "'PowerNerd' is essentially a manifesto of working through the problems that you face in life. And the definition of it had originally been — there are certain personality traits or proclivities that one may have that perhaps society deems as being a weakness, whether or not that's empathy or hypersensitivity or something. And to people who don't have those sorts of aspects of their personality, certain things can be taken for granted, as it's, like, 'Oh, it's easy to do that,' 'It's easy to go out in public,' 'It's easy to socialize,' whatever. But if these aren't things that are part of your psychological makeup, it's sometimes effort just leaving the house. So a powernerd, in a sense is — the definition that I at least adhere to — you turn those tendencies into a superpower. So if you're hypersensitive, your hypersensitivity becomes your superpower. It's about harnessing it, so it doesn't get imposed on others, of course, but at the same time, to be able to recognize the ways in which you're different and not view that as being a liability, but rather view it as being a strength. That's the definition of 'powernerd'."

Townsend's career is one of many distinct eras. He's been the leader of STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, the lynchpin of the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT and the co-architect of country duo CASUALTIES OF COOL, all while maintaining his prolific and lauded solo project. Now, the polymath's newest era starts with "PowerNerd".

"It was a conscious thing," Devin said of his brand-new album, the music on which he wrote in just 11 days. "I thought, 'I've spent so much time overthinking every aspect of my work — what would happen if I didn't?' Maybe I would have the opportunity to be a bit more direct with what it is that I'm trying to do. I really wanted to see if I could cut through some of the meandering."

A song that embodies that is the album's title track, which features a guest spot from HATEBREED's Jamey Jasta. You can watch the video for that high-speed rampage of a song below.

However, that aggression is far from the only thing to come from "PowerNerd"'s 11 episodic tracks. "Dreams Of Light", by comparison, is an evocative and dynamic four-minute ballad. "Younger Lover" calms down from an explosive opening to lush verses of synths and singing, whereas "Falling Apart" and "Jainism" add texture after texture on top of dulcet, acoustic introductions.

Where "PowerNerd"'s music was written in less than a fortnight, its lyrics were refined over a far longer period of time into a narrative about strength and healing. On "Falling Apart", Devin commands himself to "keep the tension under control." "You've got to believe that things will only get better," subsequent song "Gratitude" powerfully declares. These uplifting messages even play into the record's title.

Devin previously offered as a definition: "I would say that a powernerd would be somebody that has a tendency that society has deemed weak or not valuable, whether that's empathy or being an insular person or an introvert, and turns that into a type of personal power. It's like, 'Okay, yeah, I'm sensitive to this, that and the other thing, but man, I am going to pull through! I am going to do things with that sensitivity that are rooted in strength.'"

"PowerNerd" will be available on several different formats, including a limited 2CD+Blu-ray artbook (featuring the album, bonus tracks and Devin's first-ever Dolby Atmos mix),limited 2CD digipak in O-card, standard CD, gatefold 2LP and digital album.

The full track listing for "PowerNerd" is as follows:

01. PowerNerd
02. Falling Apart
03. Knuckledragger
04. Gratitude
05. Dreams Of Light
06. Ubelia
07. Jainism
08. Younger Lover
09. Glacier
10. Goodbye
11. Ruby Quaker

The album's artwork was created by longtime collaborator Travis Smith.

As well as express strength through adversity, "PowerNerd" will open the door to Devin's immediate future. Its positivity and succinctness will soon be contrasted by follow-up "The Moth" — described by Devin as "orchestral, over-the-top, dark and uncomfortable" — and the "alien weirdness" of finale "Axolotl". Both efforts have already been written, and together the trilogy will express the mind-boggling range of this man's musical talent.

"PowerNerd" recording lineup:

Devin Townsend - Vocals, Guitars, Synths, Bass and Computer
Darby Todd - Drums
Diego Tejeida - Keyboards, Synths
Mike Keneally - Additional Keyboards
Jean Savoie - Additional Bass
Aman Khosla - Additional Vocals
Tanya Ghosh - Additional Vocals
Jamey Jasta - Additional Vocals

Legendary hard rock singer Joe Lynn Turner has teamed up with one of the most successful female vocal performers on the contemporary Bulgarian music scene, Maria Ilieva, for a new single, "Forever".

The 73-year-old musician, best known for fronting Ritchie Blackmore's RAINBOW during that band's creative peak in the 1980s and later as the frontman for Yngwie Malmsteen, shared the news of the collaboration in a social media post on Sunday (October 13). He wrote: "Hi Everybody,

"I am excited and proud to announce my collaboration with the amazing Bulgarian vocalist and True Superstar Maria Ilieva!

"I have admired Maria's talents for a very long time and hoped that one day we would work together and finally that day is here!

"We share vocals on a strong and sensitive song entitled 'Forever'. A beautiful video will accompany the performance that compliments the message perfectly.

"I could not have chosen a better partner to spread love and unity in a world that sorely needs it now more than ever!...

"Stay tuned! More information is coming soon!"

More than two years ago, Joe dropped the hairpiece he had worn since the age of 14 after being diagnosed with alopecia at three years old.

The former RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE singer went public with his new look in August 2022 in a series publicity images released to promote his latest solo album, "Belly Of The Beast". In a press release for the LP, Joe said that he started wearing the wig to deal with "emotional and psychological damage from cruel bullying in school."

Joe was the singer of RAINBOW between 1980 and 1984 and he sang on the album "Difficult To Cure", which featured the band's most successful U.K. single, "I Surrender".

During Turner's time with RAINBOW, the band had its first USA chart success and recorded songs that helped define the melodic rock genre.

1990 saw Turner reunited with RAINBOW leader Ritchie Blackmore in a reformed DEEP PURPLE for the "Slaves And Masters" album.

Photo credit: Agata Nigrovskaya

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SCREAMING TREES and MAD SEASON's Barrett Martin, R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, THE BLACK CROWES' Rich Robinson and singer-songwriter Joseph Arthur have joined forces in a new rock supergroup called SILVERLITES. The quartet's first single, "Don't Go, Don't Stay", can be streamed below.

"Don't Go, Don't Stay" will be included on SILVERLITES' upcoming self-titled debut album, which is due on November 15 via Sunyata Records.

Taking to social media to discuss the project, Martin revealed how the album came about: "Hi everyone, I'd like to announce a new recording project called SILVERLITES, which I recorded and produced during the pandemic and is soon to be released.

"It started in a Nashville hotel room in 2019, where I recorded the initial acoustic guitar tracks, and it features some truly exceptional musicians: Joseph Arthur on lead vocals, Peter Buck on acoustic guitars, Rich Robinson on acoustic and electric guitars, and myself on drums, upright bass, vibraphone, and backing vocals.

"The first single, 'Don't Go, Don't Stay' is out now on all digital platforms, and the entire album can be previewed and preordered as well. We hope you like the songs, as we spent the pandemic years doing various recording and mixing sessions, and we used a classic songwriting form, which is often forgotten in this day and age. That is, acoustic guitars (with a little electric guitar in there),with superb lead vocals, catchy backing vocals, and a soulful backbeat in the rhythm section. It's old school songwriting, just like us."

"Silverlites" was mixed in 2021 with Daniel Sanint at Flux Studios in New York City.

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Of The Serpent have announced the release of their debut full-length album, Gallery Of Sin, slated for release on November 29, 2024. This monumental announcement follows the recent drop of their electrifying EP, Gallery Of Sin III, which concludes their ambitious three-part EP series introduced over the past three years.


Emerging from the depths of Germany and the United States, Veil Of The Serpent has captivated audiences worldwide with their unique blend of crushing riffs, haunting melodies, and storytelling prowess. The upcoming album, Gallery Of Sin, promises to deliver a cohesive and immersive horror narrative that fans have been eagerly anticipating.


With 14 meticulously crafted tracks, Gallery Of Sin spans over

AEROSMITH bassist Tom Hamilton's new band CLOSE ENEMIES made its live debut this past Friday night (October 11) at Eastside Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee. Video of the concert can be seen below.

Joining the 72-year-old musician in the new group his bass tech Trace Foster, who plays guitar in CLOSE ENEMIES alongside Peter Stroud, who has been playing with Sheryl Crow for 25 years. CLOSE ENEMIES' drummer is Tony Brock, who had a band called THE BABYS and then played with Rod Stewart for 12 years. Fronting CLOSE ENEMIES is Chasen Hampton, a performer from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with a strong background in the country music scene. CLOSE ENEMIES is also working with "a great lyricist" named Gary Stier.

On September 27, Hamilton took to his account on X (formerly Twitter) to share a photo of a CLOSE ENEMIES rehearsal and he included the following message: "Hey, I need to tell you something about a band I'm playing with called CLOSE ENEMIES. We have a bunch of good songs recorded. We're going to release one soon. Meanwhile, we're doing a show in Nashville on October 11 in Nashville at a place called Eastside Bowl. Please come!!"

In a recent interview with Guitar World, Hamilton said that he has "been keeping busy playing in a band we're calling CLOSE ENEMIES. We've recorded a bunch of killer songs and we're getting closer to deciding how we're going to put it out. Can't wait!"

In a separate interview with AARP, Tom described Hampton as "a gifted singer who really made the songs come to life."

"When I joined, these guys had worked up a bunch of great songs, and I was able to contribute something I had," the bassist continued. "Hopefully, when the time comes, we'll work up some others I've had in my pocket for a while. All of these guys are great musicians, and it's an honor and a challenge to be part of it all. I'm looking forward to seeing how people like it. I think they'll be pleasantly amazed."

The members of AEROSMITH made the announcement that they were retiring from touring on August 2 — nearly one year after singer Steven Tyler fractured his larynx during a September 2023 show.

The "Peace Out" tour came to a halt after what turned out to be a final gig in Elmont, New York on September 9, 2023. That show came just three dates into the trek, which was supposed to last through February 2024. Tyler said in a statement at the time that the injury caused bleeding but that he hoped he and his AEROSMITH bandmates would be back on the road after postponing a few shows.

The rescheduled "Peace Out" tour was due to begin September 20 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with special guests THE BLACK CROWES.

Close Enemies - “Sweet Emotion” Nashville, TN - 10/11/2024

The new band, Close Enemies played their first show last night in Nashville, TN. Great things are coming from these guys. Here is the band performing the Aerosmith classic, “Sweet Emotion” featuring Tom Hamilton on bass. #Aerosmith #classicrock #livemusic #nashville

Posted by The Music Room on Saturday, October 12, 2024



Took our off day over to Nashville on Friday to check out Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith’s new band Close Enemies!

Legendary hangs with Tom & Brad Whitford, the guys that inspired us to form our band and start playing music!

Great meeting Chasen and always good catching up with Trace, Buck, Nobu & the Aero fam out on the road 🤘🏻

———————————————————————

We are down to just 5 shows left on our
‘Road Dogz Tour’!

Spartanburg, SC y’all brought the energy last night! Much love to everyone showing up and rocking with us! 🖤

Cartersville, GA we will see you TONIGHT!

VIP Packages for all remaining shows available at KamenarOfficial.com

10/13 - Cartersville, GA - The Local
10/22 - Lubbock, TX - Jake’s
w/ 10 Years
10/24 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar
w/ #10Years
10/25 - Corpus Christi, TX - Icehouse
w/ #10Years
10/26 - San Antonio, TX - The Rock Box
w/ #10Years

🎥: Natalie Riordan

#Kamenar #Twins #OnTour #CloseEnemies #TomHamilton #BradWhitford #Aerosmith
Sean Kamenar John Kamenar III

Posted by Kamenar on Sunday, October 13, 2024

Close Enemies:
Tom Hamilton - Bass
Tony Brock -Drums
Peter Stroud - Guitar
Trace Foster - Guitar
Chasen Hampton -...

Posted by Close Enemies on Friday, September 13, 2024

Dragonknight has signed a multi-album deal with Scarlet Records.


The band states in a scribe to the Legion:


“Salutations!




“Hailing from the bitter-cold north, Dragonknight, a group composed of five mythical Dra

Finnish female-fronted rock sensations Ginger Evil have shared their new single and accompanying video, “Flames”, out today via Frontiers Music Srl.


Discussing the idea behind the song, Ginger Evil say: “The birth of this song goes back to 2005, when the band started for the first time. Right from the beginning, there were vibes that this song would be something that crosses over genre boundaries. Ella's melody and lyrics often make the song go in a different direction, and that is the beauty of writing songs together. We all hear different things when hearing a riff or a chord pattern.”


“A perfect driving song, from which the main theme of the music video naturally arose. Flames' lyrics are multi-dimensional; it could be about a relationship or how the world around us is changing faster than we realize”, continues the band. “How to get off the grind most of the people are living in? We should just stop every once in a while and think about what is going on. However, the main idea is not to give up hope, even when it seems too late. There's always something we can do about it. We have something so precious and irreplaceable around us that we can't lose it in the blink of an eye.”







Ginger Evil began as Moonshine Inc. in 2005, in a rehearsal room in Helsinki, Finland. After a couple of years of rehearsal and composing, a fruitless search for a singer meant the songs were put on ice.  


Meanwhile, guitarist Tomi Julkunen and bassist Veli Palevaara continued gigging in Finland with The Milestones, including arena shows with Deep Purple and Whitesnake. In the aftermath of their fifth album, those Moonshine Inc. songs from a decade back emerged from hibernation, so the search began again for a vocalist.  


The powerful voice of Ella Tepponen was known to Tomi and Veli from many theatre and music projects, and drummer Toni Mustonen was already familiar to everyone. Jamming together found a shared musical passion, and a group creative process soon flourished. Ginger Evil was born.  


“From Foo Fighters to Fleetwood Mac," is how the band hears their music, with singer Ella bringing a whole new kind of twist to their rock expression. Everything was coming together. Music producer and film director Richard Stanle

ew single, “Sister Suicide”, a gripping track that sheds light on the heavy topics of depression, anxiety, and the battle with suicide.


Inspired by deeply personal experiences, lead singer Guy Hinton, who co-wrote the song, reflects on the significance of mental health awareness, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the signs and symptoms in those we love. “‘Sister Suicide’ is a deeply personal song for me and my family. It’s about real struggles that so many people face, and it hit home for us in ways we never expected,” shares Hinton. “This is a tough road, but we can’t look away.”

Canadian thrash Triskelyon unleashed their third album, Shattered Elysium this past September via Moribund Records to follow Artificial Insanity, (2023) and Downfall (2022). With this lethal third strike, Triskelyon’s band leader Geoff Waye once again drafted some of the finest emissaries of the Canadian Metal scene.


Enlisting the vocal talents of guests Amanda Kiernan (Into Eternity, The Order of Chaos), Eric Forrest (E-Force, ex-VoiVod), Tiina Teal (Détente), Amanda Jackman (Category VI), Armin Kamal (Infrared), Dale Drew (Sea Dogs), Fíochmhar (Artach), and Des Mason & Pete Healey, this album detonates as a pure and true thrash metal masterpiece. It features a unique style and refreshing variations full of thrashing classics! Traditional yet intricate thrash drum duties are exceptionally executed by Raul Marques (Burning Torment), while Dwayne Pike, Keith Jackman (Category VI), Rick White, and Darrin Pope are conscripted on bass.


Today, Triskelyon presents their latest music video "Sealed Hypocrisy", which features vocals from Amanda Kiernan (Into Eternity, The Order of Chaos).




Band founder and guitarist Geoff Waye comments:


"Without being overly specific, this song condemns hypocritical individuals or groups who present themselves as virtuous and morally superior, yet whose actions and true nature are deeply flawed and insincere. It expresses revulsion and anger towards these impostors, using vivid imagery to expose and punish their deceit. The song highlights the emptiness of their grand gestures, moral posturing, and empty virtue signaling, ultimately calling for the downfall of their hypocrisy. The video represents just a fraction of the types of groups and individuals that fit this description."





Shattered Elysium runs the gamut from pure 80’s thrash and speed

In a new interview with Ryan of the 97.7 QLZ radio station, LIFE OF AGONY guitarist Joseph Zampella (a.k.a. Joey Z) was asked if there are any plans for a follow-up to the band's "The Sound Of Scars" album, which came out in 2019. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, this song [the recently released LIFE OF AGONY single 'The Crow (In Memory Of B.L.)'] I feel like gave us a little bit of a boost, which is great. We're a band that we really feel out when that writing magic is happening. We have a lot of plans for 2025, so we'll be together a lot. So I'm sure we'll be talking about some new music or sharing some new music with each other. It happens all the time.'

He continued: "When it comes to a full record, for us it's the timing of our lives that really plays a huge role in that. It's just timing, and we have a lot of plans and some big tours being announced soon that we're gonna be doing in 2025. One I could talk about is we're gonna be doing the 'Ugly' album in its entirety. We're gonna do an 'Ugly' 30th-anniversary tour. We did [an anniversary tour for] 'River Runs Red' [LIFE OF AGONY's debut album] last year, in 2023. 'Ugly' is another fan-favorite record; it was our second record. And we've been asked a whole bunch of times by fans and by industry people if we're gonna do a 30-year tour for that album, because the 'River Runs Red' tour was so successful. And it looks like we're gonna do it. So there's some nice, big plans happening in 2025, so we'll get to spend a lot of time together, which is great. And we also are doing this really cool co-headlining tour that I can't talk about yet. I'm not allowed. And the band is so cool. It's gonna be announced soon, I believe, because the artwork's even being created right now. I saw a couple of drafts going back and forth the other day Alan [Robert], by the way, our bass player is an amazing artist and he does a lot of the art for the band. So he's wrapping up a couple of drafts for that tour right now, and it's gonna be a special tour. That's happening in Europe, and I'm guessing, with the success of it in Europe, that we'll end up doing some shows also in America with this co-headlining, this pair, this matchup that we got going on. So it's exciting. I wish I could talk about it, but I'm not allowed. So, yeah, I gotta button it up. I gotta zip it up. [Laughs]"

"The Crow (In Memory Of B.L.)" was released in late August. The track's accompanying music video, which was directed by Derek Soto/Sinestra Studios, with motion graphics by The Dor Brothers, can be seen below.

LIFE OF AGONY has a long history of paying homage to the films that helped shape their teenage years. Back in 1995, the band covered SIMPLE MINDS' "Don't You (Forget About Me)" on the group's "Ugly" album; the song was made famous by the movie "The Breakfast Club". In 1997, on their album "Soul Searching Sun", a music video for the song "Desire" incorporated visuals reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining". That tradition continues with "The Crow (In Memory Of B.L.)", which pays tribute to the fallen star Brandon Lee, who tragically lost his life during the filming of the cult classic "The Crow", released 30 years ago.

"The Crow (In Memory Of B.L.)" was recorded in New York City at the legendary Sear Sound studio, best known for hit albums by David Bowie and John Lennon, as well as at The Nest Studio in Long Island, New York. The song was recorded, produced, and mixed by Zampella (who also co-produced the group's last album "The Sound Of Scars"). The song was mastered by Grammy Award winner Howie Weinberg (NIRVANA, SMASHING PUMPKINS, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS).

With 2024 marking the 30th anniversary of Brandon Lee's "The Crow" film, and all of the controversy surrounding the new Bill Skarsgård remake, LIFE OF AGONY felt inspired to go back and give respect to the '94 film that made such a huge impact on them during their early years.

"There's something very special about the original 'Crow' that made it timeless, and there's a reason that it resonated with us as kids," explained Robert. "It was an absolute tragedy… Brandon Lee was killed the year we did our first album 'River Runs Red', and by the time 'The Crow' came out in '94, he was already a legend. Brandon completely embodied the role, made it iconic, and lost his life in the process. It was just so incredibly sad and affected us deeply. He was such a charismatic character and in the very beginning stages of his career. Director Alex Proyas captured lightning in a bottle."

Photo credit: Marissa Ann/Scryer

SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET, the genre-defying, alternative metal collective led by Shavo Odadjian (SYSTEM OF A DOWN),made its festival debut at this year's Mayhem festival on October 12 at the Glen Helen Amphitheatre in San Bernardino, California. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below (courtesy of D.A.'s Live Vault and Den Live).

SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET's self-titled debut album was released on October 11 via Sumerian Records and 1336 Records.

Shavo is joined in the group by vocalist Taylor Barber (LEFT TO SUFFER),WINDS OF PLAGUE guitarist Michael Montoya (a.k.a. Morgoth Beatz, a producer and songwriter who has previously collaborated with Travis Barker, JuiceWrld, Lil Xan, Jonathan Davis, ISSUES and many more),guitarist/backing vocalist Alejandro Aranda (a.k.a. Scarypoolparty, "American Idol") and drummer Josh Johnson (WINDS OF PLAGUE).

SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET made its live debut on Monday (October 7) at the SiriusXM Garage in Los Angeles, California.

Shavo recently told RIFF Magazine about how SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET came about: "It was funny. My number's 22, so that's why I have the [cannabis] brand 22Red. So on February 22nd, 2022, we threw a party and the day of the party, I did a live radio show on KROQ here in Los Angeles. And that evening, we were throwing the party for 22Red, but I did that show before and I invited the host to the party. He asked me if he could bring a friend. I said, 'Sure.' He brought his friend. It was Morgoth Beatz who ended up being the producer and now my rhythm guitar player in the band and co-songwriter in some of them songs and stuff. So he and I decided we can write music that day together. So we exchanged numbers and we got together like a month later, wrote a song, and then we did another one a week later. And then it just became this thing where it was gonna be like one song we were going to sell to another artist, 'cause that's what he does; he writes a lot of music and he passes it on. But it became this thing. And he mentioned, he's, like, 'Man, why don't you do a Shavo record? Like something with all of the songs that you wrote instead of just one or two songs. These are coming out great.' And at that point, I wasn't really thinking about doing my own record like that, 'cause I've done so many other projects. And another thing is I've never done heavy music outside of SYSTEM. It's been heavy, but never the same genre. I've always tried to stay against the grain, and I've done EDM, I've done hip-hop, I've done rock-metal shit, but I haven't really just focused on that, which actually is my forte. I close my eyes and it just happens, which is how we did this."

Shavo continued: "So I was at his studio. I have my own studio. I gave him the key. I said, 'Come through. We're gonna start working on this record.' And a year and a half later, we have a full record, plus another half a record for album two. We have a full band. I started my own label and I signed it to Sumerian, who has worldwide distribution to Virgin, which is amazing for me. That's what I kind of wanted with the control. I've been doing this for 30 years, so I kind of knew how I wanted it, and I'm building it. And that's how it started. And that's where we're at right now. It started off as a passion project [and it] became my thing."

Regarding how the songwriting process for SYSTEM OF A DOWN was different from how he approached his previously projects, Shavo said: "Yeah, usually I'll write at home and then I'll bring it to the band. Or my other projects, I've just written at home and then brought it to the rest of the guys. This one, I would just have him play a beat that he made, or even just a 4/4, or even a loop or something, and then I just kind of… I mean, I just started strumming and the music just came out of me. So we just recorded everything I did. And whenever something was amazing, we knew it. I was, like, 'Okay, make that a thing.' So we highlighted that moment. And then afterwards I wrote a part that goes with that, and then kind of arranged it, wrote it all in the studio. So artistically it was really refreshing. There was no boundaries, no law, no rules. I just did it. It just came out so organically. Everything about it has been organic and not planned. And that's what the beauty of SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET."

On the topic of how he came up with the name of the SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET, Shavo said: "He [Morgoth Beatz] wanted to call it SHAV or SHAVO, so people know it's me, and I wrote 95 percent of it. But still, I always like a unit, I like a band. I think it's cooler. And plus he helped me a lot. These guys, they came in and did their part, and it just works perfectly. So I like the collaboration. I've never had the ego, where it's, like, 'me, me, me.' I've never done that. I've never said that. So I like it. It's us. And it became a band. And SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET, the acronym, is S.H.A.V. So that's cool. So they got what they wanted and I got what I wanted. I got a band, the cool name mysterious, but it also has a meaning, but I'm never gonna explain the meaning. It's kind of one of those things. There's many meanings you can think of what 'Violet' is — it could be a female, it could be a thing, the color, an event, it could be anything, and it's kind of cool. So there is some deep meaning to it and maybe one day we'll explain it, but at the moment, I like it where we are."

Regarding the other members of SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET, Shavo said: "My singer, Taylor Barber, he comes from the world of deathcore and the growling. His voice is an instrument, and he's a wonder. He's like the new wonder of the world that no one knows yet that's there. He does have a following and he comes from another band called LEFT TO SUFFER, which is a grindcore band. But he sings like a canary as well. His range is so huge. He's the perfect member. He's the perfect singer that came in and can do all the parts. And then also we got Alejandro Aranda, who, he is just this musical genius who came in. He was the last member, and I didn't even know I needed that member, but, now it's, like, of course I needed him. Of course he fit perfectly. He does side vocals. He sings along with Taylor perfectly. So it's like a two-vocal band now, two-vocalist band. And we got Josh Johnson on the drums, and he's amazing. He hails from a band called WINDS OF PLAGUE; he used to play with them. So he's talented as hell. So, yeah, I'm honored and lucky to have these guys around me and for us to be able to do this music together."

SEVEN HOURS AFTER VIOLET is:

Taylor Barber - Vocals
Morgoth - Guitar, Production
Shavo Odadjian - Bass
Alejandro Aranda - Guitar/Backing Vocals
Josh Johnson - Drums

BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler was honored by Center For A Humane Economy for his lifetime commitment to animal welfare.

Butler was among four game-changing individuals recognized by the Center For A Humane Economy, including its Global Council For Animals, at the event, the first Malibu Sunset Soirée For Animals, which was held on October 5 in Malibu, California.

Other individuals honored for advancing animal welfare in the state and across the country were:

* Alison Eastwood, acclaimed director and actress, for her leadership in her work for companion animals, including her animal-care facility in Agoura Hills.

* Laurie McGrath, philanthropist, for her unwavering commitment in helping secure major gains for animals, including Proposition 2 (farm animal welfare) in California and end to the use of chimpanzees nationwide in invasive experiments.

* Gary Michelson, MD, scientist and philanthropist, for his pioneering work in animal welfare and his work to pass the FDA Modernization Act 2.0

Wayne Pacelle, president of the Center For A Humane Economy and its sister organization, Animal Wellness Action, remarked: "The honorees exemplify the compassion and commitment needed to drive real change for animals within California but also on the national stage. It is no exaggeration to say that millions of animals will be spared torment and cruelty because of their selfless dedication to the well-being of animals."

On Saturday (October 12),Butler shared a few photos and a short video from the first Malibu Sunset Soirée For Animals, and he included the following message: "I'm not sure what was more shocking; me getting an award for something that @gloriadeebutler kept as a surprise or that #talronnen actually left @crossroadskitchen to present it to me. Cheers, Tal. Cheers to the #globalcouncilforanimals & #centerforhumaneeconomy".

The event also highlighted recent successes in California that have stirred national action, including:

* Passing Prop 12, prohibiting the sale of animal products from animals raised in extreme confinement — with the Supreme Court of the United States last year upholding the landmark law as a proper exercise of state authority.

* Banning the trade of kangaroo parts and protecting native wildlife, with new national legislation introduced modeled after the California law.

* Outlawing trophy hunting of mountain lions and bobcats, with Colorado citizens now having an opportunity in this fall’s election to replicate that policy in the Rocky Mountain State.

* Halting the use of toxic lead ammunition in hunting, which has triggered a national campaign to halt the massive use of the toxic element in sport hunting.

* Ending horse slaughter for human consumption, with the Congress poised at some point soon to enact a ban on live exports of horses for slaughter for consumption.

The event was organized by a host committee of Gloria Butler (Geezer's wife and manager),Stacey Kivowitz and Bobi Leonard, with sponsorship from The Schuman Family Foundation, Casey Gordon Real Estate and Fairfield Farm.

Center For A Humane Economy is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) whose mission is to help animals by helping forge a more humane economic order. The first organization of its kind in the animal protection movement, the Center encourages businesses to honor their social responsibilities in a culture where consumers, investors, and other key stakeholders abhor cruelty and the degradation of the environment and embrace innovation as a means of eliminating both. The Center believes helping animals helps us all.

Animal Wellness Action is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) whose mission is to help animals by promoting laws and regulations at federal, state and local levels that forbid cruelty to all animals. The group also works to enforce existing anti-cruelty and wildlife protection laws.

The Global Council For Animals is a dedicated group of volunteers working to advance animal protection efforts worldwide. In collaboration with the Center For A Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action, the Council supports legislative and corporate reforms to improve the lives of animals.

In a 2023 interview with Dave Lawrence, Geezer spoke about how he became vegan virtually overnight more than six decades ago. The now-75-year-old British-born musician said: "Well, I've always loved animals, and we always had animals in the house. We always had a dog around the house and various cats. I found a tortoise one day, so I had a tortoise. There was goldfish and all kinds of stuff in the house. And this one day… I never really liked eating meat, but my mom used to always put it on my plate; it was always, like, the last piece… She to feed seven kids and my dad, so I always got the smallest piece of meat. And this one day I cut it up and then blood came out of it. And I didn't know what meat was. And I said to my mom, 'There's blood coming out of this thing that you've given me.' 'Yeah, it's meat from a cow.' And I went, 'What? From an animal?' And that was it. I was about eight years old at the time. And that was it. I've never eaten meat since."

Butler went on to say that he was "lucky" that his mother "didn't pressurize" him into eating meat. "She understood where I was coming from, so she always gave me vegetables," he explained.

Back in 2009, Butler teamed up with peta2 — the world's largest youth animal rights organization — to shoot a pro-vegetarian ad featuring Geezer as he picked at his bass next to the tagline "I'm Geezer Butler, and I'm a vegan." At the time, he told peta2 that he enjoyed having friends over for dinner, serving them faux meat, and waiting for the compliments to start rolling in before telling his guests that they just ate a delicious vegan meal. And his compassion for animals goes beyond the dinner table. Butler and his wife are very involved in the battle against puppy mills and the cat and dog overpopulation crisis.

"There are so many dogs and cats and all kinds of animals [who] need homes," he said. "You know, there's no reason to go out and buy them from a pet shop when you can just get them from your local shelter."

In 2016, Butler told Devils Gate Media about his involvement with peta2: "I've grown up with animals in the house, I have three brothers and three sisters, and all of us had cats, dogs, mice, chickens, frogs, tortoises, so they've always been a big part of my life. My dog, Scamp, was my best friend when I was growing up, and he was just as much a brother to me as my human brothers. Someone threw acid on him, and he almost died, but my parents spent their life savings having him treated. It appalled me that people could be so cruel, and ever since I have stuck up for animals. It is something I can be active in, unlike trying to figure out the appalling things humans do to each other."

Butler spent much of the last year and a half promoting his autobiography, "Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath – And Beyond", which was released in June 2023 in North America via HarperCollins imprint Dey Street Books.

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In a new interview with The Whatever, Buddy?! Podcast, ex- THUNDERMOTHER singer Guernica Mancini spoke about the formation of her current band THE GEMS. The latter group came together in February 2023 when it was announced that Mancini, Emlee Johansson (drums) and Mona Lindgren (bass) were exiting THUNDERMOTHER after a six-year run. At the same time, guitarist Filippa Nässil revealed that she would continue with a new THUNDERMOTHER lineup featuring singer Linnéa Vikström (THERION, AT THE MOVIES) and returning bassist Majsan Lindberg. Filippa has also since recruited Joan Massing (HONEY CREEK) as THUNDERMOTHER's new drummer.

Mancini said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "THE GEMS started in January 2023, and it was a result of me getting fired from THUNDERMOTHER and the rest of the band quitting because of me getting fired."

Asked why she got fired from THUNDERMOTHER, Guernica said: "Oh, there's a million reasons, but I would say number one would be the guitar player hates me [laughs] and we're polar opposite people. And I've always kind of stood up to her like; I didn't take her shit, and it was like a constant wave of just abuse."

She continued: "Honestly, I don't feel ashamed of anything, and I've been quite honest from day one because I have nothing to be ashamed of. I'm even proud of the fact that I got fired because I feel like that's almost like a badge of honor. That means that I'm a really good person because I'm not the first one that that happened to. [We were] the sixth lineup that got fired. And now we're actually friends with all the former bandmates, former 'Thundermothers'… [We have] our own little community of survivors, and we're open when the new lineup, when it's time to change them out again, we're here with open arms waiting for them and knowing exactly what they've gone through."

Regarding how THE GEMS, which sees Lindgren returning to her original instrument, the guitar, managed to release its first song, "Like A Phoenix", just four months after Mancini, Johansson and Lindgren exited THUNDERMOTHER, Guernica said: "The thing is we have worked so hard on building up THUNDERMOTHER, the three people that left the band, we were the ones that were really driving THUNDERMOTHER ahead. We really wanted to do the big stages. We had all these huge dreams and ambitions. And we did the SCORPIONS tour — in the fall of 2022, we did a North American tour supporting SCORPIONS as THUNDERMOTHER. I'm really proud of that. And they loved us. So they wanted us to do the entire European tour. That was because we did a great job, the fans really enjoyed what we were doing and we were respectful. We impressed them enough to then they wanting us to do the whole European tour. So we had all these really cool things lined up that we had worked our asses off to get. And so when she [Filippa] then went crazy and just changed everything, we just felt that it was almost our duty to take advantage of our own momentum that we had built. Even though we were a brand new band name, we felt like those fans are our fans. We built up those fans. The biggest songs that that band has ever had are the songs that we wrote together. All these are factual things that anyone can look up. So, yeah, we just felt it was super important to make sure people understood that we have no intention in quitting music. This is something a crazy person decided and we're not gonna allow that to ruin our dreams and what we wanna accomplish."

Asked how she felt when Emlee and Mona both voluntarily left THUNDERMOTHER, once they found out Mancini was being kicked out of the group, Guernica said: "I love them. I love them so much, and I'm forever grateful for that. And I just feel like I have two really amazing people on my side. Because, yeah, if they didn't do that, I would probably be in a huge dark hole of depression. I don't know. It would be harder to pick myself up, because we would be crying, writing songs, going through the hurt of a breakup or whatever. We used all that as fuel in the writing, and you can hear it pretty clearly on the debut [THE GEMS] album, 'Phoenix'. And, yeah, we just decided that we would work really fast. So basically the same week as everything happened, we booked a writing session. And we wanted our first single to come out even quicker, but then we got signed within three months."

In the summer of 2023, Filippa opened up about the latest THUNDERMOTHER lineup changes in an interview with Bloodstream TV, saying: "Well, we were together seven years — and that is Guernica, the singer, and Emlee, the drummer. And it [was] amazing; we did so much together. But in the end, we couldn't communicate. 'Cause you travel and you live together all the time. Not even when you say 'hi' to each other. I cannot live a rock and roll lifestyle like this. So I tried to solve it for a long time — like, 'This doesn't work. We have to communicate and be respectful,' and whatever. And it didn't work out. One person didn't come to the meeting, so we had to move forward. Because this is a business as well, and a rock and roll band, and it's supposed to be fun and good and loving also, because we need to support each other. And when that's not the case… Well, I fired [Guernica] — that's the first time I'm saying that now, actually — because she didn't come to the meetings I set up to mediate. We need to talk and be able to work together. Because it's more and more business, and then you can't work and then you can't do your shows. Because it's e-mails and everything — it's a lot of stuff."

Nässil continued: "So friendship — okay, I can buy that; you don't have to be friends. But I think it's much better now anyway. And I'm very happy with… 'Cause I took the old singer… Not the old singer, but a singer that I really loved and admired for a long time called Linnéa Vikström. I actually asked her for the job in THUNDERMOTHER seven years ago, but she wasn't available. She had too much to do, 'cause she sang with THERION, a big metal band, around the world. And [she has] a lot of experience, but we're also good friends. So it's been hard for her to sort of take over something, but it's been fantastic. And everyone says it's really good."

THE GEMS' debut album, "Phoenix", arrived in January 2024 via Napalm Records.

THE GEMS made their live debut on March 22, 2023 at Pustervik in Gothenburg, Sweden as the support act for THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA.

In early March 2023, Nässil shared a six-minute video in which she addressed some of the questions surrounding the departures of Mancini, Johansson and Lindgren as well as her decision to carry on with a new lineup. She said in part: "Some stuff you read online and even now in some magazines is true and some stuff has more to it," she explained. "I mean, there's a depth to what happened and it's impossible to read in a few lines or a quote from someone. And I wanna assure you and tell you guys that I did my absolute best to work everything out between the old members. I think we should be conscious in what we're saying and trust that I have done my absolute best for peace, love and rock and roll and I did everything in my power to work it out with the previous bandmembers. I would never throw anybody under the bridge. I think that's another private matter. What happened has been behind the curtain, so to speak, so it's not everything that people need to know about or should know about because it's just unnecessary to throw stuff at each other, I think."

Photo credit: Gustaf Sandholm Andersson (courtesy of Napalm Records)