Teutonic thrash metal legends, Destruction, are ready give the year 2020 one final, well-deserved kick in the butt with their event “Thrash Into 2021 - The Ultimate Live Stream Attack”. The live stream of the show at Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland, will be broadcasted worldwide on New Year's Day via MANDOLIN.

January 1st, 2021 - 8 PM, CET (2 PM, EST/11 AM, PST in the US)

Tickets for the event, as well as more information, can be found here.

Ticket buyers around the globe will be able to watch the show on demand for 48h after its end!

Here's what frontman Schmier has to say: "We are excited to announce, that our MANDOLIN streaming ticket is on sale now. Also Merch Factory has two exclusive event shirts and a merch bundle ready for you. We are all new to this. At the moment an event like this is the only thing that can keep the flame burning, that gives us hope, keeps us busy and entertained and can hopefully help us to survive this crisis that paralyzed our industry and profession.

"The show itself will be filmed at the Z7, the Swiss premier concert temple in Pratteln. We will deliver you an “over the top” concert, a once in a life time event, with extra length, special setlist, some surprises and the full headliner production with top notch picture and sound quality!

"THANK YOU for being a part of this. Your support is the key for any of our future projects, we really appreciate to have such loyal fans all over the world! Hopefully see you all in the near future in person at a real live concert again, cause we all know nothing can beat the tension, the energy, the power and the experience of an attended live gig! UNITED WE STAND!!!

"Enjoy the event and stay healthy and sane!"

Latvian hard rockers, Bloody Heels, have released a "live from the studio" video for "Criminal Masterminds", a track from their new album, Ignite The Sky, out now via Frontiers Music Srl. Watch the clip  below, and order the album here.

Formed in 2012 in Riga, Latvia, Bloody Heels have a musical style that could be best described as a sort of missing link between Crashdïet and Crazy Lixx, with heavier elements like early W.A.S.P. and Kissin’ Dynamite. The band have already made a name for themselves with the EP Summer Nights (2014) and the album Through Mystery (2017). They’ve played shows all around Europe including Sweden, Finland, Norway, Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, and the Baltic States.

Tracklisting:

"Ignite The Sky"
"Criminal Masterminds"
"No Matter"
"Sugar & Spice"
"Farewell To Yesterday"
"Black Swan"
"Stand Your Ground"
"Thin Line"
"Silhouette"
"Healing Waters"
"Streets Of Misery"

"Black Swan" video:

"Farewell To Yesterday" 360° video:

"Ignite The Sky" video:

"Criminal Masterminds" video:

 
Lineup:

Vocals - Valts Berzins (Vicky White)
Guitars - Haralds Avotins (Harry Rivers)
Bass - Gunars Narbuts (Gunn Everett)
Drums - Gustavs Vanags (Gus Hawk)
Cello on track "Silhouette" - Erna Daugaviete
Saxophone on track "Healing Waters" - Dagnis Rozins

Reel Art Press has announced the new book, Led Zeppelin Vinyl: The Essential Collection By Ross Halfin, to be released on April 17. All pre-orders placed before April 17 will be signed by Ross Halfin. Pre-order here.

“Collecting vinyl is an addiction. Nothing beats listening to vinyl and pouring over the cover art and inner sleeve. The first album that I ever bought was Led Zeppelin II when I was 13. I have at least 40 different versions of it now.” - Ross Halfin

Led Zeppelin released only eight studio albums and no singles over the course of their 12-year career, but to date there are more than 1,000 singles and 2,000 LPs in the market.

This definitive volume illustrates in full colour some of the rarest and most interesting vinyl releases, including one-of-a-kind rarities, bizarre regional variations, official albums and historic recordings of legendary concerts, sometimes featuring handmade artwork or colored vinyl. All the vinyl, labels and covers have been documented by photographer Ross Halfin in superb detail and are annotated with details of their release. A labour of love, Led Zeppelin Vinyl is a must-have for fans of the group as well as for any vinyl enthusiast.

Ross Halfin is one of the best-known photographers in the world and has been working in the music industry since 1976. He has a record collection almost as extensive as his photo archive.

- 300+ illustrations
- 180pp; Hardback; 300 x 300 mm / 12 x 12 in.
- ISBN: 978-1-909526-80-8

Eclectic Norwegian hard rock band, White Void, have signed a worldwide deal with Nuclear Blast Records. Their debut album, Anti, is set to be released on March 12.

White Void is the new brain child of Lars Are Nedland (Borknagar, Solefald) who comments as follows: “Life is absurd, which means that sometimes strange coincidences occur. Like the fact that the paths of White Void and Nuclear Blast crossed at the perfect time within the strange year that is 2020. I'm stoked to be working with the world's biggest and most renowned hard rock and metal label on getting White Void into the ears and minds of music lovers all around the globe, and I'm confident that this will be a prolific endeavour for everyone involved. We have some pretty special tricks up our sleeves when it comes to this whole enterprise, so step over the event horizon and get drawn into the Void. You're in for a ride!"

Jens Prueter, Head Of A&R for Nuclear Blast Europe, adds: "Lars Nedland has always surprised me ever since he formed Solefald and joined Borknagar a few years later. A free musical mind with a great sense of songwriting. And I was even more surprised when I heard the first White Void mixes. Haven't expected a modern version of Blue Öyster Cult with a twist of New Model Army - combined with Albert Camus' philosophy of absurdism. In case that sounds a bit too heavy, we could also joke about Douglas Adams' “Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything”: it's 42. Very happy to join Lars and his bandmates on their journey through the void. A void that is perfectly filled with some of the best songs I have heard this year."

Watch a teaser for the upcoming Anti album below:

White Void is the absence of direction and sense in life. It's a description of the fundamental disharmony between the individual's search for meaning and the meaninglessness of the universe.

Eclectic hard rockers White Void are a curious bunch. Forged in the space between the occult rock of the seventies, the no-excuses-hard rock of the eighties and the British New Wave movement, they balance on the event horizon that separate old from new. Aggression from melody. Dream from drive.

Add to that the fact that the band members of White Void have their backgrounds in Norwegian black metal, chiptune electronica, pop music and blues, and you'll see why Anti is an album that's hard to pin down. It's darkly melodic, it's driven, and it's infused with earworms, hooks and licks. Boasting a shameless attitude, though, it comes forth as deeply true to the core of our shared hard rock heritage.

In the center of White Void stands Lars Are Nedland, long time member of Borknagar and Solefald. Leading a team of musicians including Tobias Solbakk of IHSAHN fame, electronica staple Vegard Kummen and blues rock virtuoso Eivind Marum, he navigates the waters of hard rock riffs, new wave harmonies and blues rock solos with determination and elegance.

Still, Anti probably doesn't sound like you think. It's an album riddled with contrasts and references, musically as well as philosophically. The concept is based on Albert Camus' Absurdism and deals with how you cope with an existence that is absurd in its core. Musically it draws on the past while forging towards the future. And the result? Well, enter the Void to find out!

White Void is:

Lars Nedland- Vocals
Tobias Solbakk - Drums
Vegard Kummen - Bass
Eivind Marum - Guitar

(Photo - Jørn Veberg)

In an new interview with Pierre Gutiérrez of Hablas ROCKas, ex-KORN drummer David Silveria, who left the band nearly a decade and a half ago, was asked for his opinion on the KORN albums that were recorded after his departure from the group. He responded (see video below): "I have not listened to a single song full through since I left KORN — honest to God. I'd be pulling up places in my car and on the station there would be KORN, and I would just turn it off. I can't name one KORN song [from the albums I didn't play on]."

He continued: "No offense to KORN — I don't hold any grudges or whatever — but I just haven't listened to any of their music since I've been gone… It wasn't out of spite or anger or anything like that. For some reason, I wasn't interested in what they were doing. I had people tell me and describe their music and all that, but I've never listened to a whole song… And I definitely don't mean that in any kind of insulting way. I just haven't."

Last year, Silveria revealed that he apologized to his former bandmates for the "wrong and mean" things he had said about them since his split from KORN. The drummer was said to be especially upset over the fact that the band welcomed back guitarist Brian "Head" Welch seven years ago but wouldn't do the same for him. Welch left the group in 2005 and continued as a solo artist before rejoining in 2013.

"I was immature, hurt and mad that after Head [rejoined KORN,] they wouldn't let me back in," Silveria wrote in an Instagram post. "Specifically, because the year before Head came back, I personally talked to Head and tried to get him to, along with me, talk to the guys about both of us going back to KORN. At that time, Head said, 'David, you and I are good friends. But don't call me if you are only going to try to get me to go back to KORN. I will never go back.' Then, less than a year later, he goes back to KORN. On our phone call, he said very negative things about KORN, which I won't repeat. The things I said were wrong and mean. I haven't said anything negative about KORN in years now. I have the utmost respect for the guys and an appreciation for every one of those guys."

In June 2019, Silveria, said that he would be willing to mend fences with his former bandmates. "Yeah, I would have no problem with it any way whatsoever," he said during an appearance on the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast. "I have no problem with anybody whatsoever. I just think at some point our comminications broke down so bad that our managers were calling other bandmembers, saying, 'Okay, we talked to Jon [singer Jonathan Davis] about this or that. He wants to do this or that.' And I'm thinking, 'Why isn't Jon talking to us? Why is it happening like this?' And it just got worse and worse, to the point where we weren't even talking at all — nobody was even talking. It was so weird. I don't even know why the hell it ever got like that. It was so many years ago, I couldn't even imagine, at my age, ever having a relationship break down that bad and not just go up and say, 'Hey, we've gotta work this shit out. This is ridiculous.'"

Asked why he couldn't rekindle his relationship with his former bandmates, even if it's just on a friendship level, David said: "I really don't know why. I guess you have to ask those guys."

Silveria, who left KORN in 2006, told "The Ex-Man" podcast that his relationship with his bandmates started deteriorating around the time he suffered a serious back injury in the mid-2000s, which left him with debilitating pain that eventually led to his exit from the KORN.

Silveria sued KORN in February 2015, insisting that his exit from the group was merely a hiatus and that he was rebuffed when he tried to return to the band in 2013. David said he still had ownership interest in KORN and asked a judge to force the band to reveal how much money they've made since he left so that he can get his rightful share. KORN countersued and the two sides reached an agreement in 2016 that called for Silveria to give up his rights to KORN royalties going forward in exchange for a lump sum.

A few years ago, Davis told The Pulse Of Radio that he believed Silveria had lost his passion for playing music, saying, "The first two albums, I think, he really enjoyed playing drums and then after that he just lost his love for playing drums. It happens."

David told fans in 2013 that KORN was not the same since he left, saying, "Until they have the real 'funky drummer' it's just not gonna groove the way it could. I've made it clear that I would come back and restore the groove."

Silveria recently launched a new band called BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE (a.k.a. BI*AS). He is joined in the Orange County, California-based group by bassist Chris Dorame, guitarists Joe Taback and Mike Martin and singer Rich Nguyen.

Last month, BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE released its cover version of FAITH NO MORE's classic song "Midlife Crisis".

Shockfest Film Festival 2020 will present the "Shocker Award" to Rob Zombie at this year's "Shockfest Spookshow" on Friday, December 11. Rob will be a guest of honor for the night's festivities.

Shockfest Film Festival is an annual horror film festival held every year, showcasing shocking and horrifying films from all over the world. This year's event will take place virtually, and is by invite only

Festival organizers said: "Thank you Rob Zombie for being a part of Shockfest Film Festival 2020 during such a tumultuous year for the world and for sharing our poster on your page."

A musician, filmmaker, and author, Rob Zombie has directed eight feature films, including last year's "3 From Hell", 2016's "31" and 2012's "The Lords Of Salem". His other directing credits include the cult favorite "House Of 1000 Corpses" and its companion, "The Devil's Rejects", along with the 2007 re-imagining of John Carpenter's "Halloween", plus its sequel, "Halloween 2". Zombie also developed his own comic book series into an R-rated animated feature, "The Haunted World Of El Superbeasto".

Zombie admitted to The Pulse Of Radio a while back that it's been tough for him to break out of the horror genre. "The movies I've made up to this point have been pretty dark and pretty much in that world because those are the opportunities that were presented," he explained. "You know, the people that put up the money for these things know that if I stick to that sort of thing, it's easily more profitable. So it's a much bigger challenge to break out of it."

Zombie will release his seventh studio album, "The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy", on March 12, 2021 via Nuclear Blast. The LP marks his first new album in nearly five years.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn


Rob Zombie will be awarded the Shocker Award at Shockfest Film Festival 2020 on Dec. 11th.

Posted by Rob Zombie on Thursday, December 3, 2020

Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang, who recently released the first single from his MAMMOTH WVH solo project, says that his father was actually a pretty lame guitar teacher.

"He didn't teach me" how to play guitar," Wolfgang told "The Afternoon Program" on the 102.9 The Hog radio station (hear audio below). "He was a terrible teacher. He only taught me how to do power chords on a guitar, and then I taught myself. [Laughs] I would ask him how to play something, and then he would just be himself, which is be a legendary guitar player. He couldn't really help me connect point A to point B; he would just do it and go, 'Do this,' because it's so easy for him. And I would just laugh and be, like, 'Okay.' [Laughs]

"I guess it's the same thing with [Albert] Einstein," he added, referring to arguably the greatest scientist of all time. "[Einstein] couldn't tie his shoes. There's a saying where it's, like, you're such a genius that it's hard to impart that to others; it's just kind of what you are. [Laughs]"

Wolfgang, who played all the instruments on MAMMOTH WVH's upcoming debut album, went on to say that he picked up guitar when he was just 12 years old, "because I wanted to learn how to play '316', the song [my father] wrote for me, at a talent show at my school. I think it was sixth grade."

At the age of 16, Wolfgang joined his father in VAN HALEN for the band's 2007 reunion tour with singer David Lee Roth, replacing bassist Michael Anthony.

When Wolfgang hits the road in support of MAMMOTH WVH's debut album, he will be accompanied by guitarist Frank Sidoris (SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS), drummer Garrett Whitlock (TREMONTI) and bassist Ronnie Ficarro. Wolfgang will handle lead vocals and guitar at the shows.

Eddie died on October 6 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. The iconic VAN HALEN axeman passed away from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

MAMMOTH WVH's first single, "Distance", was released last month. Wolfgang wrote the song while his late father battled cancer, "imagining what my life would be without him, and how terribly I'd miss him," as Wolfgang explained in a statement.

MAMMOTH WVH is a nod to family history — Eddie and his brother Alex Van Halen called their band MAMMOTH when Roth first joined it in 1974.

In a new interview with BBC Radio 6 Music, SMASHING PUMPKINS frontman Billy Corgan was asked if he ever got a chance to meet Eddie Van Halen and whether the legendary VAN HALEN axeman was an influence on his guitar playing. Billy responded (hear audio below): "Oh my God! For American guitar players, he was the supreme thing. He's the one who pushed us to be better than we probably would have been.

"I was lucky because, around 1997 [or] '98, there was a guitar magazine in America, and I went to them, and I said, 'I'd really like to interview Eddie Van Halen,'" he continued. "And they said, 'Why do you wanna interview Eddie Van Halen?' I said, 'Because I'd really like to introduce him to a generation of alternative guitar players.' To me, he really is an alternative guitar player; I know he gets kind of lumped in the other way. And so they allowed me to basically have a four-hour interview with Eddie at his studio. I got to sit two feet away from Eddie and watch him play, and I'm telling you, it was like a religious experience. I mean, the man was so gifted, so kind."

Corgan added: "I'll tell you a quick story. Towards the end of the interview, I said to him, 'There's all those stories about the amp you used on 'Van Halen I' and tada tada da. I said, 'Do you still have the amp?' He goes, 'Oh, yeah.' He takes me around the corner, kind of near the dustbin, and he's, like, 'There it is.' I go, 'What about all the stories that you did all this special modification?' He goes, 'Oh, it's not true at all.'"

Eddie died on October 6 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California at the age of 65. His wife, Janie, was by his side, along with his son, Wolfgang, and Alex, Eddie's brother and VAN HALEN drummer.

The iconic VAN HALEN axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

HELMET's Page Hamilton has reflected on the passing of Eddie Van Halen, saying VAN HALEN's music was unlike anything he had ever heard before.

Hamilton discussed his appreciation for the innovative VAN HALEN axeman, who died from cancer on October 6 at age 65, during an interview with the "Thunder Underground" podcast.

He said (hear audio below): "'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love', the groove on that, it's like this fucking old-time rock and roll meets modern something, and it stands the test of time.

"It's so funny. When we were working with [producer] Steve Albini over in Chicago, at Chicago Recording Company, where we recorded the demo of [HELMET's] 'In The Meantime', which became the master on the album, 'cause I always thought the demo was better than what we did in New York at the studio… Anyway, we were staying at Steve's, and we were driving to the studio, and I said something about [VAN HALEN's] 'Panama', and Albini goes, 'I don't like bad music.' And I was just, like, 'Excuse me? What?' This kind of attitude of our 'indie world' [of] Touch And Go, AmRep, SST, Homestead, whatever, that because something had some kind of cock-rock attitude to it that it wasn't cool, 'cause David Lee Roth wore fringe pants. I don't know what people's thinking was.

"I always based my love or not love of music on the music," he continued. "I'm a jazz nerd, and I didn't know what they looked like on stage. I drop the needle, I listen to it, and I go 'yay' or 'nay.' As Duke Ellington said, there are two kinds of music — good and bad.

"The first time I heard [VAN HALEN], it was the same thing as AC/DC, where my jaw dropped. It just had this sound — everything; the way the whole thing was put together; bass, drums, guitar, vocals — that was just completely different from anything that I'd ever heard before. And I realized right then and there, I'll never be able to do that.

"It wasn't one of my musical goals to play like Eddie — I have a different thing that's my vocabulary — but I just said, 'Even if I tried for a year and worked at it, I would just never be able to do that,'" Page added. "It's so incredibly fluid — it's like water flowing over moss-covered stones in a river. It's beyond the guitar. It's music that it takes you to this place. You're in a song, and here's this cool groove or whatever, and all of a sudden, this guitar comes in, and it's just like… I would describe it as a pterodactyl, like a prehistoric beast or some kind of a flock of birds or something. Like, what is that? It's not just a guitar. 'Cause it's a magical fucking amazing thing. And I would never disparage something like that because I didn't understand it.

"A friend of mine had sent me 'Hot For Teacher' that night, when [Eddie] passed, and I hadn't seen the video in about a million years. It's maybe the greatest MTV music video ever made. It's such a fucking sick fucking song. I mean, the drum parts, the whole thing — the lyrics. That's something else, man.

"That's a great loss. It's just sad. I never got to see 'em. It's my fault. It's completely my fault. I missed Johnny Cash. I missed Johnny Hooker. I missed VAN HALEN. And it's my fault — completely."

Eddie died at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. His wife, Janie, was by his side, along with his son, Wolfgang, and Alex, Eddie's brother and VAN HALEN drummer.

The iconic VAN HALEN axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

BLACK STONE CHERRY's Ben Wells has reflected on the passing of Eddie Van Halen, saying the VAN HALEN axeman was "an innovator" whose "influence will carry on for eternity."

Wells discussed his appreciation for the groundbreaking musician, who died from cancer on October 6 at age 65, during an interview with RadioactiveMike Z, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM radio program "Wired In The Empire".

He said (hear audio below): "You look at all the different things that guitar players love. A lot of stuff started with Elvis [Presley]. And you look at Eddie Van Halen — the finger tapping, the saturated amps, the 5150 amp; everything started with him. Whether you're a VAN HALEN fan or not, if you play music, especially guitar, you're influenced by him, whether you know it or not. It's just the way it is. He was such an innovator. And I think his influence will carry on for eternity, but I think maybe even more so now. It's crazy to think that, but I think now, more attention has been brought to it, maybe there's some younger players that weren't familiar with him. His influence and legacy will be here for decades to come.

Asked if he has a favorite VAN HALEN song or riff, Wells said: "One of my favorite VAN HALEN songs is probably 'Panama' — I just love that. But 'Right Now' too. It's weird, 'cause I love 'Panama', but I prefer the Sammy Hagar era of VAN HALEN. There's so many classics — it's hard to pick — but I love 'Right Now', and then riff-wise, 'Panama'."

Eddie died at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. His wife, Janie, was by his side, along with his son, Wolfgang, and Alex, Eddie's brother and VAN HALEN drummer.

The iconic VAN HALEN axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

TESLA guitarist Frank Hannon has reflected on the passing of Eddie Van Halen, saying Eddie represented everything he loved about guitar "but taken to a whole other futuristic level." The legendary VAN HALEN axeman died on October 6 at the age of 65 after a long battle with cancer.

Speaking to the "Thunder Underground" podcast, Frank said: "When 'Van Halen I' first came out in 1978, I had been playing guitar for about — I don't know — a year or so. I was 11 years old. And my cousin and I, we were listening to CREEDENCE CLEARWATER [REVIVAL]. The hardest heavy rock that we were listening to would be AEROSMITH and stuff like that, maybe Ted Nugent. But then when 'Van Halen I' came out, I got the record at a store called Tower Records here in Sacramento and brought it home. And it blew my mind. I would try every trick in the book with the turntable to slow it down to try to figure out what the heck he was playing. Especially 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love', the guitar riff to 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love', the intro to that just sounded like a machine. I had never heard a guitar player play with such aggressive conviction and sound like Eddie Van Halen did on 'Van Halen I'."

Asked if hearing VAN HALEN's first album changed the way he played the guitar, Frank said: "Well, I wasn't really that good of a guitar player at 11 years old anyway, so it didn't really change the way I was playing other than it just freaked me out and kind of scared me a little bit, like, 'Wow! How is that even possible?', to create a sound like that, that was so technically perfect but aggressive and bluesy and everything that I loved about guitar from all my other guitar heroes, but taken to a whole other futuristic level.

"So, fast forward to when TESLA, we started making our own music and everything, I was definitely influenced by Eddie Van Halen on TESLA's first album, 'Mechanical Resonance'," he continued. "If you listen to 'Cumin' Atcha Live', doing a guitar solo on an album like that… On our first album, we wanted to do our own version of 'Eruption', and so if you listen to 'Cumin' Atcha Live', that was influenced [by Eddie Van Halen]. A lot of my picking technique, like on 'Modern Day Cowboy' and the hammer-ons that we do were influenced by Eddie Van Halen.

"But, to take it even further than that, I kind of had to choose to try to not be like Eddie Van Halen, because everybody, all the guitar players on the planet — George Lynch, the guy from WHITE LION — everybody in the '80s was trying to play Eddie Van Halen style of guitar. So me personally, I decided, well, I can't really do it anyway. As much as I love it, I may as well just stick to playing a Gibson SG and stay more classic-orientated, if that makes any sense. I had to kind of change my style to try to find an original style.

"Eddie Van Halen definitely influenced me as a guitarist who liked to play keyboards as well," Hannon added. "So, even if you listen to TESLA's first album, 'Changes' and stuff that I was doing on the piano was influenced by the fact that Eddie played both piano and guitar, and that influenced me a lot."

Eddie died at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. His wife, Janie, was by his side, along with his son, Wolfgang, and Alex, Eddie's brother and VAN HALEN drummer.

The iconic VAN HALEN axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

After undergoing hip replacement surgery in 1999 due to a chronic joint problem, Eddie was diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2000 and had to have part of his tongue surgically removed. He later battled throat cancer and reportedly had been receiving radiation treatment in Germany. It is believed that his heavy smoking over the years led to his long battle with cancer.


























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Thank You Eddie!! “I’ve been reading so many great tributes to Eddie Van Halen since his passing yesterday. Like you all, I’m very sad... Eddie was and is the coolest and greatest! So many people were touched by his fire for music and spirit for innovation of guitar (keyboards too!!) He was a great songwriter who created the sound track of our youth with SO many great songs, making this world a fun place. Thank You Eddie Van Halen for the innovation and inspiration. You definitely influenced TESLA and Me as a guitarist and songwriter in every way with your albums filled with melodic songs, mind blowing riffs, hooks, awesome tone, choruses ...and overall passion pushing boundaries that were never heard before. Thank You Eddie... God bless” - Frank . . . . . #ripeddievanhalen #eddievanhalen #frankhannin #tesla #teslaband #vanhalen

A post shared by TESLA (@teslaband) on Oct 7, 2020 at 3:13pm PDT

In a brand new interview with Poisoned Rock webzine, guitarist Marzi Montazeri of New Orleans-based thrash metal pioneers EXHORDER was asked to comment on his band's alleged influence on PANTERA's decision to move from a power metal act to a more aggressive form of thrash.

"Look, you're asking a question from someone that actually was a part of it," Marzi responded (see video below). "I actually remember the first [PANTERA] show with [singer] Phil [Anselmo] was in Shreveport. I saw that show, and they opened up with [a] VAN HALEN [cover] and they would do Ozzy [Osbourne]. They would do some covers and they would do originals. And then there was a time period where they kind of separated. Dimebag [guitarist Darrell Abbott] went and auditioned for MEGADETH, and he got the job — Dave Mustaine gave him the job — but Darrell said, 'If I go, my brother goes with me.' And Dave said, 'No. We have a drummer.' So Darrell said, 'No, thanks.' That's how dedicated he was to Vinnie [Paul Abbott, PANTERA drummer]. This is not made-up stories, by the way — this is the truth.

"And so, at this time, Philip went and joined EXHORDER for, I think, three days. But then Kyle [Thomas, EXHORDER singer] came back in the band, so they called [Phil] and said, 'Sorry.' And I think Philip really loved EXHORDER and he wanted to be in that band, and since he wasn't gonna be able to, he came back [to PANTERA] and had the EXHORDER demos and kind of said, 'We wanna sound like this,' kind of, sort of.

"That's a vague way to put it, but they adopted that groove kind of mentality," Marzi explained. "Because before that, they were glam rock, and I think they adopted that tone, the guitar tone, and his vocal style and the groove, and they simplified it.

"I've never seen a band work as hard as PANTERA," he continued. "'Cause I was there from the very, very beginning. I was friends with Darrell and Vinnie first, and then, later on, Philip and Rex [Brown, bass] and all that. But I have a lot of love and respect, to this day, for them. And, again, I really didn't see people work that hard. They worked harder than any band — definitely harder than EXHORDER; EXHORDER didn't do shit back then. They worked really hard, and they put themselves where they belong — at the very, very top.

"So, what do I think? I think shit happens. There's similarities," he added.

"I always use this as an example. [Eddie] Van Halen is my God — for me. And then Randy Rhoads is like the son of God. But Eddie is like God. And you really can't explain David Lee Roth. David Lee Roth is an embarrassment now, but when you listen to the VAN HALEN records… When I did, by the way, I didn't speak English, so I didn't even know what he was saying, but just the sound, the tone — everything was just magical. And then when you break that down, and the show, the live show that they had, [Roth] was ripping off Jim Dandy from BLACK OAK ARKANSAS. If you go to YouTube [and seach for] Jim Dandy from 1974 or something concert, you'll go, 'Wow, man. That's David Lee Roth.' David Lee Roth wrote him a letter — it's documented — and he sent it to him, and he said, 'Hey, man, I came to your show with an 8-millimeter camera and taped the whole show and I took the whole show for VAN HALEN' — kind of giving him thanks for it. So, he admitted it.

"You see what I'm saying? The similarities are there, and we don't know where they come from. But they're there. It's just what you do with it. So, PANTERA did great with it."

In the 1990s, Marzi hooked up with SUPERJOINT RITUAL, with Anselmo as lead vocalist, and appeared on the band's first two demos. By March of 2010, Marzi rejoined forces with Anselmo to work on what became Philip's first solo project since PANTERA, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS. Marzi recorded THE ILLEGALS' debut album, "Walk Through Exits Only", and toured with the band before exiting the group in November 2015. Two years later, Marzi joined EXHORDER, which released its first album in 27 years, "Mourn The Southern Skies", in September 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Back in 2013, Anselmo denied that EXHORDER was a major influence on PANTERA's sound, telling Examiner.com: "It's absolutely untrue. EXHORDER was a killer band, don't get me wrong. And for their time in the local scene in New Orleans in 1988, as far as skill level, they really upped the game for everyone. To this day, I'm still really good friends with their singer, who is now the singer for TROUBLE. Kyle and I come from the same school of heavy metal vocals — Rob Halford, Don Doty from DARK ANGEL, and Tom Araya — so there are similarities between us, but musically, I don't hear it at all."

In a 2007 interview with Midwest Metal, Kyle addressed the possibility that EXHORDER inspired PANTERA's more aggressive early 1990s approach, saying: "The thing I hate the most of this topic is just how handcuffed we are to their success. Did they rip us off? Possibly. Was it deliberate? Maybe. Were they influenced by us? Definitely. Did they work a helluva lot harder than we did? Absolutely. Case closed."

Thomas is now the sole remaining founding member of EXHORDER, which parted ways with original guitarist Vinnie LaBella in February.

METALLICA took part in an interview and short performance on "The Howard Stern Show" last Wednesday (August 12).

Recorded live from METALLICA's headquarters in San Rafael, California, the group's set consisted of the following songs:

01. Wherever I May Roam

02. The Unforgiven

03. All Within My Hands

You can now watch video footage of the performance below.

METALLICA announced its appearance on the long-running talk show airing on SiriusXM satellite radio on August 10. The band wrote: "Our great friend, and ever loyal METALLICA supporter, Howard Stern has invited us to pay a virtual visit to his show this Wednesday, August 12. It's going to be yet another first during this very unusual time as we'll be hanging in Northern California at HQ and chatting with Howard while he's camped out in his home studio. Tune in for lots of conversation and some morning metal! Listen on @SiriusXM Channel 100 and in the SiriusXM app."

METALLICA last performed on "The Howard Stern Show" in September 2016, two months before the arrival of the band's latest album, "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct".

On August 10, METALLICA also confirmed its return to the stage for the first time since the September 2019 "S&M²" concerts that opened Chase Center in San Francisco. METALLICA will be the first rock band to be featured in the Encore Drive-In Nights series, with a full set showing August 29 at hundreds of drive-in and outdoor theaters across the United States and Canada. The show will be shot specially for the Encore Drive-In Nights Series at a location near the band's Northern California headquarters and will subsequently be edited and mixed by METALLICA's award-winning production team to the highest standards possible. The concert, the band's first show in nearly a year, will feature material from throughout their near-four-decade career and provide METALLICA fans with an intimate, unique and truly memorable concert experience.

In early May, the four members of METALLICA overcame social distancing to record a new version of their song "Blackened", with each member separated in his own home. The split-screen video was posted to the band's social media channels.

Back in April, drummer Lars Ulrich revealed in an online chat that the band could get together to write and record a new album while in quarantine.

METALLICA has been largely out of the public eye since last fall when the band canceled an Australian tour and announced that frontman James Hetfield was returning to rehab for the first time since 2002 to battle his addictions.

In March, METALLICA announced that its South American tour, which was originally planned for April, has been postponed until December. In addition, the band's appearances at five Danny Wimmer Presents-produced festivals in May, September and October have been canceled: Epicenter in Charlotte, Welcome To Rockville in Daytona, Sonic Temple in Columbus, Louder Than Life in Louisville and Aftershock in Sacramento.

Founded back in 2001 and after being active as a top-notch offering in the genre for almost 20 years, Sirenia serve a new, exquisite pearl of symphonic metal: The four-piece around mastermind Morten Veland releases its tenth studio album, Riddles, Ruins & Revelations, on February 12 via Napalm Records.

On this magical output, the French-Norwegian quartet combines a heavy symphonic sound with modern influences, which their most recent record, Arcane Astral Aeons (2018), is proof of. This time, Sirenia offer an exciting new twist to their songs, spicing them with electronic vibes, but never losing sight of their musical core. Riddles, Ruins & Revelations was produced, mixed and mastered by Morten Veland himself – which marks his first time doing so.

Today, the band has unleashed a bewitching new music video for the first single “Addiction No. 1”. As the album opener, it immediately showcases the direction Sirenia are aiming in with their new epos, and is a prime example of how modern melodies chime together with classic symphonic instrumentation. Electronic vibes merge with harsh riffing, while the catchy chorus draws the listener straight into the unique symphonic world of the four-piece, all topped with the outstanding vocals of Emmanuelle Zoldan.

Morten Veland about “Addiction No. 1”: "This is our first single taken from the upcoming album. Musically I feel that this song really shows a modernised and new side of Sirenia. I find the song very catchy, but heavy at the same time. Furthermore we have given the electronic elements a bigger role in this song. We hope you'll enjoy it!"

Watch the official video for "Addiction No. 1" below.

With Riddles, Ruins & Revelations, Sirenia, around mastermind, bandleader, multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter and producer Morten Veland, remains as true to their album title word-play as they do to their dedication to symphonic soundscapes, drawing the listener into a pounding narrative about the darkest aspects of life. All eleven songs accumulate step by step to an integral sound artwork, where the versatile mezzo soprano voice of singer Emmanuelle Zoldan always shines in high-profile. In addition, there are many enchanting, instrumental surprises lurking on the way that absolutely need to be discovered.

"We Come To Ruins" offers a contrast of harshness to the more modern-orientated songs on the record, like “The Timeless Waning”, and skillfully portrays the multi-faceted nature of the band. On "Downwards Spiral", Emmanuelle is supported by the remarkable voice of longtime friend Joakim Næss on clean vocals, who has joined the symphonic metal outfit on previous releases. Sirenia’s tenth full-length ends with a cover of Desireless` 1986 hit “Voyage Voyage”, where the unit again impressively combines symphonic sounds with electronic atmosphere, which doesn’t count only for this final epos, but for Riddles, Ruins & Revelations as a whole.

Morten Veland on the album: "Riddles, Ruins & Revelations is Sirenia's tenth studio album. The album is very diverse, as a Sirenia album should be. There's a lot of material that shows the band from a new side, and there is lots of material that is to be expected from the band musically. All in all the album will take the listeners through a journey that will cover both familiar and unexplored musical landscapes. We hope that you will enjoy the journey.”

Riddles, Ruins & Revelations will be available in North America in the following formats:

- CD Digipack
- Digital Album

Pre-Order Riddles, Ruins & Revelations here.

Riddles, Ruins & Revelations tracklisting:

"Addiction No. 1"
"Towards An Early Grave"
"Into Infinity"
"Passing Seasons"
"We Come To Ruins"
"Downwards Spiral"
"Beneath The Midnight Sun"
"The Timeless Waning"
"December Snow"
"This Curse Of Mine"
"Voyage Voyage"

"Addiction No. 1" video:

Sirenia is:

Morten Veland - guitars, bass, vocals, keyboards, programming
Nils Courbaron - lead guitar
Emmanuelle Zoldan - vocals
Michael Brush - drums

(Photo - Richelle ter Heege)

Grammy Award-winning singer / songwriter, actor, and New York Times Best-Selling Author, Corey Taylor, is celebrating another year around the sun today with the release of a new animated lyric video for his single, “Everybody Dies On My Birthday”.

Speaking earlier this year, Taylor elaborated on the song’s significance stating, “We’re all born, and we all die. It’s those two things we all have in common; it’s everything in between that can be changed.”

“Everybody Dies On My Birthday” is featured on Taylor’s acclaimed first-ever solo album, CMFT, which is available on all streaming platforms.

Furthermore, in celebration of his birthday, Taylor has launched a new limited-edition coffee collaboration: CMFT Private Blend. Taylor collaborated with Menotti’s Coffee in Venice, CA on this unique blend for friends that love darkish roast flavor, with just a hint of excitement peeking around the corner ready to ride a Rainbow in the Dark. Fans can order a 12oz bag now, here

Taylor commented, “We wanted to create something that gave you that same comfortable and cozy feeling you get from a really good cup of diner coffee after you’ve been riding on HWY 666.”

Fans can also visit this location for a brand new “Everybody Dies On My Birthday” t-shirt design released today.

Earlier this year, Taylor made history as he reached #1 at Active Rock Radio with his powerful single “Black Eyes Blue”.  The achievement put Taylor in a class all his own, making him the first artist in the history of the format to reach #1 with three separate projects, following chart-topping efforts from his band’s Slipknot and Stone Sour. “Black Eyes Blue” is featured on Taylor’s acclaimed first-ever solo album, CMFT which is available is available now on all streaming platforms.  

CMFT made impressive debuts on charts around the world this month entering at #1 on Billboard’s Current Hard Rock Albums chart, while claiming #2 on Current Rock Albums, #6 on Vinyl Albums, and #9 on the Top Albums charts.  Furthermore, CMFT landed Top 10 on the official album charts in Australia,  Germany, Switzerland and Austria, with Top 20 debuts in the United Kingdom, Finland and Japan (international chart).  

CMFT has been a long time coming for Taylor, with newly written tracks alongside some dating back to his teens. Recorded at Hideout Studio in Las Vegas, with producer Jay Ruston and his band—Christian Martucci [guitar], Zach Throne [guitar], Jason Christopher [bass], and Dustin Robert [drums]— the album traces a wild and exhilarating roadmap through Taylor’s musical psyche.

Tracklisting:

"HWY 666"
"Black Eyes Blue"
"Samantha’s Gone"
"Meine Lux"
"Halfway Down"
"Silverfish"
"Kansas"
"Culture Head"
"Everybody Dies On My Birthday"
"The Maria Fire"
"Home"
"CMFT Must Be Stopped" (Feat. Tech N9ne & Kid Bookie)
"European Tour Bus Bathroom Song"

"Culture Head" video:

"Black Eyes Blue" video:

"CMFT Must Be Stopped" video:

"HWY 666" lyric video:

Transatlantic - the prog supergroup of Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt & Pete Trewavas - will release their fifth studio album, The Absolute Universe, on February 5. A new video trailer for The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition can be seen below:

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

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

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

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

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

Tracklisting:

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

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

Tracklisting:

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

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

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

Blu-Ray tracklisting:

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

"Overture / Reaching For The Sky" video:

Trailer:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Former KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and current LIGHT THE TORCH singer Howard Jones performed a cover version of LYNYRD SKYNYRD's "Simple Man" for a recent episode of "The Oyster" podcast. Video footage of his rendition can be seen below.

Jones left KILLSWITCH ENGAGE in 2012 and battled manic depression and bipolar disorder before forming a new project, DEVIL YOU KNOW, with guitarist Francesco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH) and drummer John Sankey (DEVOLVED). Along with bassist Ryan Wombacher (BLEEDING THROUGH), they recorded and toured behind two well-received albums, 2014's "The Beauty Of Destruction" and 2015's "They Bleed Red". In 2017, the band changed its name to LIGHT THE TORCH following a bitter dispute with Sankey, a part owner of the name.

Asked what made him get back into music after leaving KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, Howard told Heavy New York: "Honestly, I think it was because I was just kind of tired of doing nothing and I don't do much else other than music. I felt like I needed to venture out because I was basically agoraphobic for three years. It's kind of well known. I went off the grid. I didn't have a cell phone for three years — I was gone. It felt, like, 'Okay, maybe I should dip my toe in. I don't have to do it full time. I don't have to do what I don't want to do.' That's all I was thinking. I started moving, I started doing things. It was definitely a struggle, especially for the first few years. I was, like, 'What am I doing?' There's been few things in my life that has been consistent other than music. I just did it. It just took some time, then all of the sudden, the spark showed up. I fell back in love with what I was doing. I really can't explain it. It just sort of happened."

In a 2014 interview with Fishing World, Jones stated about his musical influences: "Well, just about anything I can listen to. AC/DC and KISS were the first bands that introduced me to heavy music. After that, I just absorbed anything I could get my hands on. Some favourites are FAITH NO MORE, HIM, ALICE IN CHAINS, PORTISHEAD ... My taste is kind of all over the place."

Jones makes an appearance on KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's latest album, "Atonement", contributing guest vocals to the song "The Signal Fire".

Just in time for the holidays, Grammy-nominated California rock heavyweights BLINK-182 have released "Not Another Christmas Song". The new track comes with an official claymation video by animator Johnny McHone that follows the band through Santa's workshop as chaos ensues. Watch the crafted-from-scratch, stop-motion animated video below.

BLINK-182 is featured on two high-profile collaborations — "P.S. I Hope You're Happy" with THE CHAINSMOKERS and "It's All Fading To Black" with XXXTentacion — both out today..

BLINK-182's latest album, "Nine", is out now on Columbia Records and includes singles "I Really Wish I Hated You", which is approaching Top 10 at Alternative Radio, "Darkside", "Happy Days", "Generational Divide" and "Blame It On My Youth".

Since its humble beginnings in 1992 in San Diego, BLINK-182 has sold over 50 million albums worldwide and rocked audiences around the globe, becoming one of the defining and inspirational rock bands of its generation.

BLINK-182 is Mark Hoppus (vocals/bass), Travis Barker (drums) and Matt Skiba (vocals/guitar). A guitarist and singer with ALKALINE TRIO, Skiba replaced original BLINK-182 singer Tom DeLonge in 2016.

BLINK-182 released its first post-DeLonge album, "California", in 2016.

Ozzy Osbourne has once again announced the rescheduled dates for the European leg of his "No More Tours 2".

Due to the unprecedented and ever-changing situation, the six-week trek previously slated for October 2020 will move to early 2022. The rescheduled 19-date arena tour, with lifelong friends JUDAS PRIEST as special guests, will kick off on January 26, 2022 in Berlin, and includes a brand new date in Hungary, at the Budapest Arena, which will not include the Rob Halford-fronted outfit. Fans should hold on to their tickets as they remain valid for all rescheduled tour dates, and refunds must be sought at point of purchase.

"I really want to thank my fans for their loyalty and for waiting for me," Ozzy said in a statement. "Believe me, I can't wait to see you all again. Please stay safe in these uncertain times. God bless you all! Love Ozzy."

Ozzy Osbourne's 2022 tour dates with JUDAS PRIEST:

Jan. 26 - Germany - Berlin Mercedes-Benz Arena

Jan. 28 - Czech Republic - Prague O2 Arena

Jan. 31 - Switzerland - Zurich Hallenstadion

Feb. 02 - Hungary - Budapest Budapest Arena*

Feb. 05 - Spain - Madrid WiZink Center

Feb. 08 - Italy - Bologna Unipol Arena

Feb. 11 - Germany - Mannheim SAP Arena

Feb. 14 - Germany - Hamburg Barclaycard Arena

Feb. 17 - Finland - Helsinki Hartwall Arena

Feb. 19 - Sweden - Stockholm Friends Arena

Feb. 21 - Germany - Dortmund Westfalenhalle

Feb. 24 - Germany - Munich Olympiahalle

Feb. 27 - UK - Nottingham Motorpoint Arena

Mar. 01 - Ireland - Dublin 3Arena

Mar. 04 - UK - Birmingham Resorts World Arena

Mar. 07 - UK - London The O2

Mar. 09 - UK - Manchester AO Arena

Mar. 12 - UK - Newcastle Utilita Arena

Mar. 14 - UK - Glasgow The SSE Hydro

* New date without JUDAS PRIEST

This past July, Ozzy said that he was still "not back to 100 percent" after suffering from several medical issues last year, including a fall, neck surgery and hospitalization for the flu. Ozzy also said that he was looking forward to performing again once he has regained his health and the coronavirus pandemic has subsided.

When the pandemic struck, Ozzy had just released his first solo album in a decade, "Ordinary Man", which he recorded late last year while recovering from surgery and related illnesses. The BLACK SABBATH singer had previously canceled all his 2019 tour plans, and the rescheduled 2020 shows have also been scrapped.

This past May, Ozzy's son Jack said that his father will "probably" retire "within the next five to ten years." But Ozzy, who turned 71 last December, has repeatedly said that he is not calling it quits, despite the fact that his "No More Tours 2" — whenever it ends up happening — is being billed as his last major global trek.

Ozzy was also forced to cancel an April trip to Switzerland to see a doctor who specializes in treatment of Parkinson's disease. The singer revealed earlier this year that he was diagnosed with the condition.

James "Jamey" Pacheco, drummer for American hard rock band Babylon A.D., has announced the sad news that his brother and former Babylon A.D. drummer/backing vocalist, Eric Pacheco, has passed away at the age of 53.

Jamey's message reads: "On behalf of my family - Diana Elola Pacheco, Julie Pacheco, Renee Pacheco Mowrey - I need to announce that my brother Eric Pacheco tragically passed away on the afternoon of Sunday, December 6, 2020. We are all in shock and heartbroken. We would like to thank all of our friends and family who have sent their condolences and offerings.

"At this time we can not discuss the cause of his death till after the autopsy so please respect our privacy.

"Eric was a wonderful husband, father, son and friend. It was a true honor to have him as my brother for these past 53 years... He was a kind, talented soul, loved and admired by many. Through music our brotherhood thrived. We made records, recorded, toured and had the craziest times together. I’ll never forget that bond we had as a rhythm section for all the projects in which we were involved.

"I’ll write more about his legacy later, but had to get this out. Please keep Eric’s wife and daughter in your thoughts and prayers… Fly up Thunderbird... RIP!"

Jamey also shared the YouTube clip below:

Enslaved are being honoured with an elaborate 12-part television documentary named Heimvegen (The Way Home), which is broadcast every Saturday on Norwegian TV (TV Haugaland) and on YouTube. All episodes are subtitled into English.

The documentary offers a detailed insight into the history of the band, following Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson as they guide us through the journey of Enslaved's formative years.

Five episodes are available to watch online now (see below), with more to follow every Saturday.

Grutle Kjellson commented, "Doing the documentary for TV Haugaland has turned out to be one of the biggest, positive surprises in our career. It pretty much came out of the blue as well; we were asked early in the summer of 2020, and we were like “oh ok, a local tv network wants to have a little chat, why not?”. That it has ended up as a 12 part documentary was far beyond all of us involved could imagine, and such a great surprise!! Director Dag Olav Husås has really outdone a hell of lot of productions made by a lot bigger networks around the globe in my opinion. He has somehow made us re-discover ourselves, our roots, and going down this memory lane had been an utter pleasure. I hope not just our fans, but also new acquaintances will appreciate watching this as much as we did making it."

Episode 1:

Episode 2:

Episode 3:

Episode 4:

Episode 5:

Enslaved recently announced a celebratory Winter Solstice streaming event for Saturday, December 19, which will be followed by a live Q&A with some band members. The event will be repeated the next day, Sunday December 20, on the Enslaved YouTube channel.

The digital event will feature all three parts of Enslaved's recent Cinematic Summer Tour, the revered filmed performances titled Chronicles Of The Northbound, Below The Lights and Utgard The Journey Within.

The performances will be repeated the next day, Sunday, December 20, on the Enslaved YouTube channel. The events are also collaborations with respected European festivals Roadburn, Beyond The Gates and Summer Breeze.

Stream the Winter Solstice event here on Saturday, December 19th at 12 PM, PT / 3 PM, ET / 9 PM, CET.

Tune into the live band Q&A here on Saturday, December 19 at 2:30 PM, PT / 5:30 PM, ET / 11:30 PM, CET.

Watch the Winter Solstice repeat here on Sunday, December 20 at 11 AM, PT / 2 PM, ET / 8 PM, CET.

Sign up to the event Facebook page, here.

(Photo - Roy Bjørg)

Viking metal pioneers, Einherjer, will release their eighth studio album, North Star, on February 26, proving their status as the pioneers of blending Nordic black metal and folk metal genres to pure Norse heavy metal once again. On North Star, the band around singer / guitarist / bassist Frode Glesnes and drummer / keyboarder Gerhard Storesund adds more modern, mass-appealing facets while staying true to their roots.

The album marks the band’s return to Napalm Records after 25 years, and the release of their legendary Dragons Of The North album (1996), which will be re-released as a re-mastered version on February 26 as well. The Norwegian metal outfit remains musically true to themselves and reinforces their exceptional position.

Stomping drums and gloomy guitar chords paired with ice-cold vocals guide the way to the first single taken off North Star - "Stars" draws the listener into the icy, dark world of Einherjer!

Einherjer on “Stars”: “’Stars’ have many meanings. The night sky is vast and can be overwhelming. Throughout history man has turned to the stars to find answers to all kinds of questions. "Stars" takes you on a musical journey in classic Einherjer style. A timeless journey. Without borders. Limited only by your own imagination. And as usual, no bullshit! Just proper Norse Heavy Metal!”

Watch the official video for “Stars“ below.

North Star was recorded in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic at the in-house Studio Borealis, owned by founding member and mastermind Frode Glesnes. The raw production ties in seamlessly with its predecessor Norrøne Spor and makes North Star probably the most powerful Einherjer album to date! North Star is Einherjer's musical mission towards something bigger - the search for guidance by the North Star in a constantly changing world that is searching for stability.

Einherjer on North Star: ”North Star is our 8th full length album, and follows in the (Norse) tracks of Norrøne Spor. The North Star is a symbol with numerous meanings. It can be guidance, or it can be a personal mission. Something to reach for. It's the Anchor of the Northern Sky. We need something steady in this rapidly shifting world we live in. The North Star album is us reaching for something greater. Developing ourselves through a musical journey in classic Einherjer style – no bullshit, just proper Norse Heavy Metal!”

North Star will be available in the following formats:

- LP Gatefold Vinyl Marble Green transparent with black + Slipmat + Poster - strictly limited to 200 copies (Napalm Records mailorder only)
- LP Gatefold Vinyl Gold – strictly limited to 300 copies (Napalm Records mailorder only)
- LP Gatefold Vinyl Red
- LP Gatefold Vinyl Black
- 1 CD Digipack
- Digital album

Pre-order your copy of North Star here.

North Star tracklisting:

"The Blood And The Iron"
"Stars"
"West Coast Groove"
"Ascension"
"Higher Fire"
"Echoes In Blood"
"Listen To The Graves"
"Chasing The Serpent"

"Stars" video:

Einherjer will re-release their groundbreaking debut album, Dragons Of The North, in the year of its 25th anniversary in a remastered version. The seminal work of Einherjer has stood the test of time and has a legacy that continues to this day. The 1996 classic album Dragons Of The North has paved the genres path for years to come and will now be re-released after its initial release on Napalm Records 25 years ago!

Dragons Of The North will be available in the following formats:

- LP Gatefold Vinyl Inkspot Blue/White & Poster – strictly limited to 300 copies (Napalm Records mailorder only)
- LP Gatefold Vinyl Black & Poster
- 1-CD Jewel Case
- Digital album

Pre-order Dragons Of The North here.

Dragons Of The North tracklisting:

"Dragons Of The North"
"Dreamstorm"
"Forever Empire"
"Conquerer"
"Fimbul Winter"
"Storms Of The Elder"
"Slaget ved Hafrsfjord"
"Ballad Of The Swords"

Einherjer is:

Gerhard Storesund: Drums, Keyboards
Frode Glesnes: Vocals, Guitar &  Bass
Ole Sønstabø: Lead Guitars
Tom Enge: Guitars, Backing Vocals

(Photo - Jørgen Freim)

Wormholedeath introduces Belgian melodic death metallers Mordkaul, featuring experienced musicians coming from bands such as Diablo Blvd, Hell City, Furia, and Leng Tch’e.

Behold "The Widow Black", taken from Mordkaul's forthcoming debut album, Dress Code: Blood, due in early 2021.

"Driven by a mutual passion for Swedish melodic death metal, we have been working on our debut album over the past few years," says Mordkaul. "With the drums recorded by Adrian Erlandsson (At The Gates, The Haunted) and mixing done by Dan Swanö (Edge Of Sanity, Bloodbath), the result is absolutely what we were aiming for."

Back in October, Mordkaul released a video for "A Swarm Of Illusions", also from their upcoming full-length, Dress Code: Blood.

For further details, visit Mordkaul on Facebook.

 

One of the biggest names in Brazilian metal, Claustrofobia, returns with the release of their new single, entitled "Riff Cult". Produced by Adair Daufembach, the single, along with the music video, are an appetizer for the band's next album. 

The video clip was produced by the band itself and edited by drummer Caio D`Angelo during the quarantine and shows the action in the purest commitment to heavy metal. “Quarantine made it impossible for people to leave, so we decided to produce a 'do it yourself ' video. We recorded everything in the garage at Swamp Loco Studio in Las Vegas, where we stored our equipment and rehearsed. Just the three of us playing with a lot of intensity and an edition with a lot of adrenaline. We added images of the tattoo I did on my fingers with Carlos Aguilar (Blackshadows Tattoo) at the High Voltage studio in L.A. that gave the necessary atmosphere,” said vocalist Marcus D`Angelo.

The song is a celebration and homage to guitar riffs, explains Marcus D`Angelo: “We consider it a culture, a cult. It is the hook of all Metal, everything is born from the guitar riff. And Riff by Riff, we are fueling our passion for Metal, fueling our desire to continue the legacy. The Riff is what addicts us in a good way. In this quarantine the love for Metal became more evident, without shows and without contact with the fans, so we decided to pay tribute and celebrate.”

"Riff Cult" is the first single from the new Claustrofobia album, which is being produced by renowned Brazilian producer Adair Daufembach, who has worked with Megadeth, Angra, Kiko Loureiro, Aquiles Priester, Dirk Verbeuren, and Tony MacAlpine. Regarding the new album, Marcus says: "We work a lot on new songs and we can't wait to show them to our old fans and the new fans that we are conquering in this new phase."

(Photography: Courtney Ware)

 

"We are very proud to announce that the new album, titled Coexist, is ready and the release will be announced very soon," says Octavision guitarist Hovak Alaverdyan.

"Here's some info on video about a new record I'm playing on - quite a challenging project," says bassist Billy Sheehan. 

Behold Octavision:

Octavision is:

Vocals: Jeff Scott Soto (Yngwie Malmsteen, Sons Of Apollo)
Guitars: Hovak Alaverdyan
Bass: Victor Wooten
Bass: Billy Sheehan (The Winery Dogs, Sons Of Apollo)
Keyboards: Murzo
Drums: Roman Lomtadze
Blul: Avo Margaryan

For further details, visit Octavision on Facebook.

 

Bark, the metal group from Antwerp, Belgium, presents "Mass Lobotomy", their new official music video. It follows from what will be the band's third studio album, Written In Stone, a work that will be released on December 10.

With this audiovisual material, the band intends to show how easy it is to build a parallel reality with the tools that are, today, available to anyone. "Fake news is something that abounds today, but the worst thing is that we feed on them constantly," says Bark. "This occurs through mobile applications, television channels, newspapers, social networks, and more channels of communication that function as channels of disinformation."

Bark invites us to immerse ourselves in this world, to experience what really happens behind all this parallel reality.

Martín Furia, guitarist and producer of the album, said the following in relation to the launch of the video clip: "We wanted to keep the video as simple as possible, but with a lot of editing work to show that, through the means we all have at our disposal, we become victims of this mass lobotomy."

"Traditional media and social networks are capable of building, through the use of simple and accessible tools, this aforementioned parallel reality in order to generate antagonisms, rivalries and misinform according to their interests."

"Mass Lobotomy" was directed by filmmaker Jeroen de Vriese. The cover of the single was designed by Brazilian artist Alcides Burn, who has worked with such artists as Krisiun, Obituary, Lockup, among others.

The band has recorded their new LP where the limits have been pushed even further, turning it into an album of extremes, in which brutality meets melody in a more than wild way. Produced, mixed and mastered by Martín Furia (Nervosa, Evil Invaders, Destruction, Flotsam And Jetsam) at Trix in Ambers, this LP will set the bar high for the whole.

Written In Stone will be Bark's third studio album and will be available on December 10 on all digital platforms. It will be released in Latin America by the Your Poison Records label. The album cover was also designed by Alcides Burn.

Tracklisting:

"I'm A Wreck"
"Hitman"
"They Are All Dead"
"Mass Lobotomy" 
"Devil Inside"
"Written In Stone"
"The Count Of Monte Fisto"
"Fistful Of Diamonds"
"The Spirit Of The Streets"
"Chain Reaction"
"It Won't Last Forever"
"Last Breath"
"To The Grave"

"I'm A Wreck":

(Photo by: Christophe Brysse)

 

After being silent for nearly a decade, Montreal's Synastry unleashed their new EP Civilization’s Coma this past November. The band made a name for themselves on the Quebec and Ontario tour circuits in the early 2000s along with their releases Pallets Of My New World (2006) (EP) and Blind Eyes Bleed (2008) (LP). In 2012, the band went dormant, where they remained until 2020 remerging from the shadows.

Today the band is sharing their lyric video for their new EP's title track, which can be viewed below.

Says the band: "The title track of the EP is a dissonant groove fest that gets into you and doesn’t let go. Everything is super heavy yet infectious. Vocals have the longest continuous scream by James Aniston doing a 22 second inhale scream starting at 2:34. The lyrics are about how civilization is on autopilot, consideration, and compassion is out the window for everyone, yet we all share the suffering for it, but choose to do nothing."

Order the EP on Bandcamp. Spotify playlist adds here.

Tracklisting:

“Civilization’s Coma”
“Dead To Me”
“Narcomancy”

Civilization's Coma by SYNASTRY

(Photo - Chris Alexis)

John Dolmayan says that he never wanted SYSTEM OF A DOWN to stop making new music and touring.

The Serj Tankian-fronted outfit has toured intermittently since ending its hiatus in 2011, but has yet to record a full-length follow-up to its "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize" LPs, which came out in 2005.

Dolmayan, who also owns a high-end comic shop called Torpedo Comics in Las Vegas, discussed SYSTEM's inability to make a new album during an interview with Richard Allan, host of "Action Figures" on Amazon Prime.

"I never wanted SYSTEM to take a hiatus," he said (see video below). "I think it was a disastrous move for us, because we never reached our peak. I still feel like we have a lot of music in us. And as big as the band is — we're a massive draw internationally and here in the U.S. — I think we could have been the biggest band in the world. Why not achieve that if you have the potential?

"So I feel like, yes, SYSTEM is a great band. We have a great live show and I'm very proud of what we have achieved. But we got to here [points to a spot on the table]. We could have gotten to here [points to another spot further away]. It doesn't mean we still can't, but it's unlikely, because if you can't put your ego aside — you've gotta take that cloak off, your ego, and put it here — and get in a room and work together, and do what's best for the band. And if everybody isn't thinking of what's best for the band, the band has no choice. The definition of a band is the selflessness. That's what a society is, isn't it? We're all thinking, like, together we make something great. Alone, we might not even survive.

"So, for me, there's a lot of sadness associated with it, because [guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian's solo project] SCARS ON BROADWAY is fine, Serj's solo projects are fine, but they're nothing compared to SYSTEM," he continued. "When we stopped, one more album, you're talking about a different conversation.

"At the end of the day, we achieved quite a bit. So our epitaphs are already written. My kids' kids will be able to say, 'That was my grandfather, and he was in this band. And look what they did.' And they'll be able to listen to that for as long as humanity exists, I guess.

"Anytime you don't reach your potential, it's a sadness," John added. "And by the way, our potential could have been to sell 10 albums. But if that was it, and we reached it, you can walk away saying, 'I did everything I could.' … That way you can spend the rest of your life happy. The worst thing is to be 50 years old, sitting in a room, doing something you're miserable doing, and knowing it's because of you — because you didn't have the balls to pursue it; you didn't have the balls to put everything into it."

A month ago, SYSTEM OF A DOWN released "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz", the band's first new songs in 15 years. The tracks were motivated by the recently erupted conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, the latter aided by Turkey and accountable for the greatest violence the region has endured in 26 years. Produced by Malakian, who also wrote the music and lyrics, both songs are streaming now on all DSPs and are available for purchase on Bandcamp with band royalties earmarked for the Armenia Fund.

In 2018, Malakian publicly accused Tankian of not wanting to record, with Tankian responding that creative and financial issues with Malakian led to the stalemate. In a message on Facebook, Tankian wrote that Malakian wanted to control SYSTEM's creative process, take more of the publishing money and be the only band member to speak to the press.

In a recent interview with Guitar World magazine, Malakian was asked about the chances of more new music from SYSTEM OF A DOWN in the near future. He responded: "Look, I never say never. We didn't even know this was going to happen. I was on my way to releasing these songs with my other band SCARS ON BROADWAY. Then the situation in Armenia happened and put our differences aside. And our differences are only within the band.

"Personally and outside of the band, everybody gets along reasonably well. There is no hate for each other in SYSTEM OF A DOWN. We're like a family. A lot of people think, 'Oh, Serj and Daron don't get along!' and no, that's not true. Serj and Daron get along just fine. But Serj and Daron, or Shavo [Odadjian, bass] and Serj, different people in the band will have a different idea of how they want the band to move forward. That's kinda where our disagreements are at."

Pressed about whether there's a chance new music from SYSTEM OF A DOWN could happen, Daron said: "I never say never, but at the same time, I'm not expecting to do any more with SYSTEM OF A DOWN right away or immediately after this. It really does seem like our fans like these new songs. That's important to me.

"We've added two new songs to the SYSTEM catalog that are on the level with everything else that we've put out and our fans have accepted it that way, which means a lot to me. That's kinda where we're gonna leave it for now. If more happens later on, then we'll talk about that, but for now I will continue doing what I'm doing and everyone else will just continue what they're doing. It's all cool though, I'm really pleased with the response we got."

Wolfgang Van Halen has told The Oakland Press that he has not yet started to look through the famous home-studio vaults of his father, legendary VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen, for unheard material that might be suitable for future release. "That's not gonna happen for a long time," he said. "I have no idea what's in there that would be worth releasing. To a certain extent, my dad released all the good stuff. Even without the intention to release, I want to archive it properly and digitize it, so everything is safe for years to come. It's going to be an incredibly difficult process and a very long process to do properly.

"I think when a very important musician passes, you usually see right away the compilations of unreleased music that maybe should have stayed unreleased, and it just seems like a cash grab to take hold of the moment," he continued. "I've always disagreed with that, so if we're ever gonna do anything with the vault, I want to make sure we do it right and do something that dad would be okay with. So I humbly ask the VAN HALEN fan base to not hold their breath on this, because you'll pass out."

Last month, engineer Brian Kehew told the Sunset Sound Recorders video series that was hired as an independent contractor around 15 years ago to go through the Warner Brothers archive in search of material for potential expanded reissues of VAN HALEN's studio albums, and he came up with four CDs worth of tracks from 1977 to 1984 for the band members to review. Among the VAN HALEN treasures locked up in the record label's vault was an alternate version of "Hot For Teacher", featuring different lyrics and Eddie Van Halen duelling with himself on bass and guitar. Also found in the vaults were various demos that have been making the rounds among VAN HALEN collectors for decades, including "Bring On The Girls", which later became "Beautiful Girls"; "Voodoo Queen", which evolved into "Mean Street"; and a different recording of "Little Dreamer".

"'Hot For Teacher', there's different lyrics all the way through it," Brian explained in the Sunset Sound Recorders video interview. "That is a strange one, because Eddie plays bass on that one. And on the intro, which is that great guitar part, he actually doubled it on the bass. But probably, they couldn't quite play it live, so they didn't keep it on the record. But they did keep [the rest of] Ed's bass track on the actual record."

As for why the material wasn't reissued back then, Kehew said: "At the time, Sammy Hagar was in the group, so it was bad timing to promote anything with Dave [Lee Roth]. When Dave got back in the band [several years later], [their mindset was] 'Now we need a new album, now we need a new live record,' and it was not a time to promote the past and the old stuff. I think down the road somewhere, it will be time."

Back in January 2018, Eddie Van Halen filed a civil injunction to halt the release and sale of footage that was taken by filmmaker Andrew Bennett at the guitarist's 5150 Studios in 2006. The footage reportedly contained clips of Eddie, Wolfgang and Alex Van Halen — without a singer — in the studio, performing a 19-song set. None of the footage has ever been released.