Swedish avant-garde metallers Diablo Swing Orchestra have checked in with the following update on their new album:

"Final mixing day (almost). We have mixed 12 out of 13 tracks and we will need 3 more days to wrap things up. Studio-time will be booked sometime in December.
 
We’ve been living with these songs for a couple of years now and we honestly can’t wait to share this with you all. We really feel that we’ve achieved what we set out to do. 

It’s by far our most ambitious undertaking ever and we know this album will make a mark. Writing-wise, we really threw the rules out of the window and just concentrated on the songs. All genres were welcome and we went out of our way to really explore and understand what we appreciate about a certain style or genre and how we can apply it to our way of writing songs.
 
We don’t have a set release date but we’ll let you know asap. The plan is q1 2021."

The cover artwork for the new album, Swagger & Stroll Down The Rabbit Hole, can be viewed below. It was created by Sebastian Kowoll.




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South African death metal band, The Fallen Prophets, have released their new single "Dead But Still Alive". The song is from their upcoming EP, No End In Sight, which will be released via MMD Records, and features Kris Xenopoulos of Vulvodynia, Technopath and Xavleg.

Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

Tracklisting:

"Dead But Still Alive" (feat. Kriss Xen of Vulvodynia)
"Killing The Last Savior"
"The Beast" (feat. Justen Hosken)
"Believe" (feat. Ivan Meathook of Blood Red Throne)
"No End In Sight" (feat. Oliver Saggerson of Bulletscript)
"Deception" (Bonus Track feat. Warzy)

For further details, visit The Fallen Prophets on Facebook.

 




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"The KISS Asylum Tour began on November 29th, 1985 - 35 years ago," says guitarist Bruce Kulick. "Here’s my recap of the tour, which includes a rare, never-seen-before performance. 'Who' doesn’t like something rare to enjoy from KISSTORY!"

In other news, KISSmas Masquerade is a two day KISS themed event on December 18th and 19th, 2020 in Sarasota, Florida. It will also be live streamed for KISS fans across the globe to enjoy.   

Promoters Neil Davis and Brian Bell created KISSmas for several reasons: "First, it has been a tough year for most of us and we wanted to end 2020 on a high note. Second, we wanted to have an event that gave musicians, artists, production crews, restaurants, small businesses, hotels, etc. an opportunity to do what they do best. The event will include live music, merchants, silent and live auctions, KISS themed activities and most important to enjoy, the friendships that have been forged amongst KISS fans."

Artists appearing at KISSmas Masquerade include: Bruce Kulick & Todd Kerns, Jean Beauvoir, Rick Derringer, The Talismen, Enuff Z'Nuff, Kurt Frohlich, Gary Schutt, and more.

Further details, including how to purchase tickets, can be found at kissmas2020.com.

 




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Iconic rock drummer and composer Carmine Appice has joined forces with one of the most in-demand multi-instrumentalists, Fernando Perdomo to create an infectious remake of the Rod Stewart megahit, “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” The Appice Perdomo redux of the song is driven by a pulsating reggae rhythm and a guitar melody line which makes the track work as an instrumental.

The new version of the song was released this week and can be streamed on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, Pandora, Amazon, Instagram, YouTube, Tidal, iHeartRadio, and other platforms. 

Listen here here.

The icon disco-flavored pop hit hit #1 around the world as the lead track from Rod Stewart’s 1978 album  Blondes Have More Fun, (which was #1 on the Billboard album charts for four weeks). Co-written by Stewart, Appice and Duane Hitchings, the song was originally written as a goof on the disco-era lounge lizards portrayed in films like Saturday Night Fever. Its popularity is credited with further fueling the great sexual revolution of the ‘70s. 

Says Appice: “This version of Sexy reggae was inspired by the days when playing live with Rod we did a reggae thing in ‘Maggie May.’ I love reggae and thought ‘Sexy’ would be great as a reggae vibe.”  

“Who does not love ‘Do You Think I'm Sexy?’” asks Perdomo. “In these crazy times a song like this is much needed to bring back that feeling you get dancing or roller skating to this evergreen masterpiece. I am honored Carmine asked me to help him update this song for today. The melody is magical and it really translated well to the reggae genre. I hope listening to this song is the best five minutes of your day.”

Carmine Appice has been a staple on rock scene since his debut with Vanilla Fudge in 1967.  He has also fronted a number of successful rock acts such as Cactus, Blue Murder, and King Kobra. He formed Beck, Bogert & Appice in 1972 with Jeff Beck and Tim Bogert and was the long time drummer for both Ozzy Osbourne and Rod Stewart, whom he co-wrote “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy,” and “Young Turks” with. Fernando Perdomo is an established west coast session musician and solo recording artist, who has worked with Eric Clapton, Fiona Apple, Beck, Neil Young, Dave Kerzner, and was recently featured on the acclaimed music documentary, Echo In The Canyon.




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Japan's Serenity In Murder recently completed work on their fourth album, entitled Reborn. It is due to be released on February 10th, 2021. They have released a new single, "The Glow Of Embers", which is available for streaming below.

Serenity In Murder issued the following update back in April:

"Please welcome our new vocalist, Ayumu! She is a professional grid girl, working at many major events such as Super GT, FIA GT, Asia World Cup, SEMA Show and The Tokyo Motor Show. She is now bridging the gap from extreme sports to extreme metal and is now part of the Serenity In Murder family. We have finally began the recording process for our long awaited fourth studio album and are expecting to release it later this year."




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Courtesy of Music Mayhem, rare video of Queensrÿche vocalist Todd La Torre behind the drum kit at age 19 can be viewed below. The footage was shot at ML Chasers in Clearwater, FL on June 17th, 1993 by Jill Horstmann.

Saigon Kick guitarist Jason Bieler recently released his new solo single "Apology" featuring La Torre on drums. Bieler comments on the collaboration:

"I asked the amazing Todd La Torre to come by the studio and join me on the track and he kindly agreed. When he showed up, he started doing a few vocal warm-ups when I rudely interrupted him and said I wanted to mix things up. I pointed at the drum set and asked him if he had ever played. He said no... so I directed him to a few YouTube instructional videos and about 30 minutes later he was really a heck of a fine drummer. I think you will be amazed at what he accomplished in a little over an hour including the tracking and obviously learning how to play drums."




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Arnel Pineda, lead singer of Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers JOURNEY, has released "This Christmas - A Beacon Of Hope" to kick off the Christmas season.

Arnel is also a philanthropist whose foundation, Arnel Pineda Foundation, Inc. (APFI), is a non-stock, non-profit, and independent Philippine foundation that provides underprivileged children quality education, health services and medical attention.

For millions of youth in developing countries like the Philippines, education is seemingly beyond reach. Poverty and inadequate government support stifle the future aspirations of Filipino children. Hence, Arnel Pineda Foundation was formed, principally to address their sad plight by preparing them for a brighter future through education.

For Pineda, the story starts the day he set foot on the streets of Manila, trying to survive on his own at the age of 14. Following his beloved mother’s illness that put his family in dire financial straits, Arnel experienced first-hand that survival for a street kid is a persistent — and most often — losing battle.

Today, blessed with the ability to give back, Arnel mobilizes his team to join the battle against poverty and its ensuing havoc on Philippine youth. His ongoing tenure as frontman of the American rock band JOURNEY has allowed many individuals with shared goals to know him and join in helping children rise above their circumstances.

Arnel says: "The year 2020 has brought many challenges for all of us: Taal volcano eruption in January, typhoon Vamco/Ulysses in November and the ongoing COVID crisis. Every single one of you has played the hero one way or another. Thank you for your commitment and dedication. Thank you for your collaboration, compassion and courage. Thank you for providing exceptional care and - most importantly — thank you for giving us hope during these uncertain times. APFI volunteers and donors have been — and are still — doing what we can with all that we have."

Bob Winegard, president of Imagen Records, which released "This Christmas - A Beacon Of Hope", adds, "I'm really excited to release the song and have Arnel as part of the Imagen family!"

IRON MAIDEN's new double live album, "Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City", has registered the following first-week chart positions in Europe:

Belgium (Flanders): #10

Belgium (Wallonia): #7

The Netherlands: #14

Finland: #6

Germany: #6

Ireland: #29

Italy: #14

Norway: #12

Scotland: #4

Sweden: #5

U.K.: #7

"Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City" was released on November 20 via BMG. Containing over 100 minutes of classic MAIDEN music and available in multiple formats, including a limited-edition Mexican Flag, triple-colored (180g) vinyl and a limited-edition deluxe two-CD book format, "Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City" was recorded during the band's three sold-out arena shows there in September 2019 and is a celebration of their "Legacy Of The Beast" world tour which began in 2018 and will finish next summer in Europe.

"I'm really excited," singer Bruce Dickinson previously said about the effort. "I was at the mix with Steve [Harris, MAIDEN bassist] and had a listen to some of the tracks. Brilliant. 'Sign Of The Cross' — oh, yeah! Nicko's [McBrain] drumming on it is nothing short of earth-shaking. I mean, solid, solid, solid. Really, really, really good. I was blown away. 'For The Greater Good Of God' — nobody has ever heard that on a [live] MAIDEN album before. It's a great thing.

"In this mad world at the moment, the best we can do is give you some new live MAIDEN to listen to," he continued. "And [we] hope you don't drool too much, because when we do get back out on tour, it's gonna be even better. Oh, yes!"

The track listing is:

01. Churchill's Speech

02. Aces High

03. Where Eagles Dare

04. 2 Minutes To Midnight

05. The Clansman

06. The Trooper

07. Revelations

08. For The Greater Good Of God

09. The Wicker Man

10. Sign Of The Cross

11. Flight Of Icarus

12. Fear Of The Dark

13. Iron Maiden

14. The Number Of The Beast

15. The Evil That Men Do

16. Hallowed Be Thy Name

17. Run To The Hills

Harris comments: "When the final leg of our 2020 'Legacy' tour this summer had to be cancelled due to the COVID pandemic, the whole band was very disappointed and deflated and we know our fans felt the same. We'd been really looking forward to bringing the show to even more countries and although we've been able to reschedule most of our European own-shows for 2021, we thought we'd take a listen to the recordings from the tour so far and see if we could create a definitive live album souvenir that everyone, everywhere could enjoy. I'm very pleased with the results, especially as this set list includes songs which have never made it to a live CD before, such as 'For The Greater Good Of God' and other older songs like 'Where Eagles Dare', 'Flight Of Icarus', 'The Clansman' and 'Sign Of The Cross', which haven't been included in our live set releases for many years.

"We've never released a live album from Mexico before and I think this recording does justice to the passion and joy of our Mexican fans who always give us such a fantastic welcome whenever we play there."

MAIDEN manager Rod Smallwood adds: "All the shows on the tour so far have been amazing and our fans have loved the whole 'Legacy' extravaganza with the elaborately themed stages, props and drapes, not to mention the killer setlist!

"When our 2020 tour got cancelled, putting together a live album seemed the obvious thing to do and I think Steve, along with co-producer Tony Newton, has perfectly captured the essence of the 70,000-strong crowd across these three nights in Mexico City.

"The album serves both as a celebration of this tour, which almost two million fans have already seen, and as a taster for, hopefully, next year's final run for anyone who hasn't yet experienced the show."

The album is available in these formats:

* 2-CD digipak

* Limited-edition deluxe 2-CD book format

* Heavyweight 180g triple black vinyl

* Limited-edition heavyweight 180g Mexican flag triple colored vinyl

* Digital (streaming and download).

Last year, it was rumored that IRON MAIDEN had completed work on a new studio album. The group hasn't issued any fresh music since 2015's "The Book Of Souls" LP, which was recorded in late 2014 in Paris, France with longtime producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley.

If the reports of a new MAIDEN album are true, it will mark the band's 17th studio effort and the sixth to be produced by Shirley, who has worked with MAIDEN for the past two decades.

"The Book Of Souls" was the longest MAIDEN album, clocking in at 92 minutes, with lyrics heavily based in the themes of death, reincarnation, the soul and mortality.

Swedish rock band PRINS SVART has just released "Speglar Och Dimma" (English-language translation: "Smoke And Mirrors"), the first single from its upcoming album "Sanning Och Makt" ("Truth And Power"). The song marks the group's first recorded output with its new lead singer, Mats Levén, a veteran of the Swedish hard rock scene who has previously played with CANDLEMASS, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, THERION and SKYBLOOD, among others.

"Mats is Sweden's best singer and we're very proud to welcome him to the band," PRINS SVART said in a statement. "This year has been surreal in many ways. Still we've had the chance to get to know each other both musically and personally on the road and in the studio. What started as a colleague doing us a favor soon turned into four guys becoming close friends and now we aim higher than we've ever done before, starting with the new album in 2021!"

Mats said: "Finally! After more than 30 years in the business, I get to sing in Swedish with three amazing musicians and friends in PRINS SVART! I'm more than excited about the new album and we're working our asses off as we speak to give you something very special in 2021! In the meantime, enjoy the first track 'Speglar Och Dimma'."

Based in Stockholm, PRINS SVART mixes classic rock and heavy metal with Swedish lyrics. The band's unique profile has been shaped by musical experiences from playing with such greats as Michael Schenker, Glenn Hughes and Yngwie Malmsteen, and touring and recording with bands like CANDLEMASS, GRAND MAGUS and TIAMAT. The music is rooted in the 1970s and bands like LED ZEPPELIN, DEEP PURPLE and BLACK SABBATH, but with influences from the early 1980s and bands such as DIO, RAINBOW and OZZY OSBOURNE. The lyrics deal with existential topics such as death, transformation, and love, with production by Dino Medanhodzic (HARDCORE SUPERSTAR, SMASH INTO PIECES, SKYBLOOD).

PRINS SVART has released three full-length albums to date on its own label, Musica Ex Machina. These have received great acclaim from reviewers and listeners alike.

"Sanning Och Makt" is scheduled for release on April 23, 2021.

SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor stars in the Halloween horror anthology "Bad Candy" from production company Digital Thunderdome. The film was written and directed by Scott Hansen and Desiree Connell, and also features Zach Galligan, the star of the "Gremlins" and "Waxwork" franchises.

"Bad Candy" follows local Halloween stories of both myth and lessons learned in the community of New Salem. With its annual Psychotronic FM Halloween show, re-enactment radio DJs Chilly Billy (played by Taylor) and Paul weave the tales of the supernatural of years gone by. In this small town, it's a grimy ending for most, but will a few good souls survive?

In an interview with FirstGlance Film Festivals, Taylor stated about "Bad Candy" (see video below): "It's a pretty cool little horror movie that has a linear story going through it, but it's really kind of made up of different short stories — almost like a 'Creepshow' kind of format, which is pretty cool. It's basically re-enactments of the stories that I'm actually telling on the radio, for the most part. It was a small-budget film done by some people who knew my manager, and who had worked with him before. And they asked if I wanted to be a part of it, and I was, like, 'Yeah, of course. I'm totally down.'"

Asked if there was anything in particular that drew him to the project, Corey said: "I've been a horror fan my whole life, and that's reflected in the movies that I've been in, the music that I make, the bands that I've contributed to. So it was just one more thing for me to kind of try and stretch. Any time I get a little bit part like that, I'm always down to try new stuff."

Taylor also talked about what it was like being on the "Bad Candy" set, saying: "I got to work with Zach Galligan, which was really rad. I was a big fan of his work when I was growing up, and getting to work with him and meet him, he's just such a cool dude that it just made it easy. We were there for two full days really kind of mapping out and filming everything. And we just rolled with it, man. We just had as much fun as we could, just making fun of each other."

As previously reported, Taylor also stars in another horror film called "Rucker", which is currently in post-production. It is described as a genre-bending terror film about a serial killer trucker who attempts to salvage family relationships. Olympic College film professor Amy Hesketh serves as the film's director and fellow OC professor Aaron Drane produced the film. Both are credited with co-writing the screenplay.

A longtime fan of horror films, Taylor was featured prominently in the "In Search Of Darkness" documentary, which came out last year.

Corey told Syfy network's "Metal Crush Mondays" how he first got into horror movies: "My mom took me to see the 'Buck Rogers [In The 25th Century]' movie when I was a kid. I must've been four or five, but the trailer before the movie was John Carpenter's 'Halloween'. You've just got these incredible visuals, this sense of it's autumn, it's Halloween and there's just this dude in the background of every shot. I can remember as a five-year-old just being transfixed. Like, I suddenly didn't care about Buck Rogers. I think it was the one moment in my life that really galvanized my taste in what my young mind thought was cool. It was actually a couple years later that I actually got to watch it and to this day it's one of my favorite movies."

In the 50th anniversary year of Lucifer’s Friend, the band’s guitarist, Peter Hesslein, has completed this new studio album of rock instrumentals, entitled Night Drive.

Lucifer’s Friend reformed in 2015 and since then has recorded new studio albums and played concerts and high-profile festivals. This new studio album is Peter Hesslein’s first solo album and will be popular with fans and guitarists alike. The album is released on Lucifer’s Records via Cherry Red.

Speaking about the album, Peter Hesslein said: “I dedicate this album to all artists who work at night, as their normal working hours, but then have to drive home.”

Tracklisting:

"Turn The Radio On"
"Slow Down A Bit"
"Feeling Hungry"
"Looking At The Moon"
"Long Way To Go"
"Blinded By The Lights"
"Winding Road"
"Close To Midnight"
"Getting Tired"
"Time For Coffee"
"A Beautiful Night"
"Exit The Highway"
"Crossing The Bridge"
"Home Again"
"Falling Asleep"

Purchase via the following links:

- Amazon CD
- iTunes
- Spotify
- HDtracks

(Photo - Peter Hesslein Facebook)




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In a new interview with Italy's Poisoned Rock, CELTIC FROST mainman Tom Gabriel Fischer (a.k.a. Tom Warrior) reflected on the band's much-maligned 1988 album "Cold Lake", an effort he entirely regrets making because of its glam-rock tendencies.

"'Cold Lake' is just a complete failure," he said (see video below). "When we formed CELTIC FROST, we wanted to be very experimental, we wanted to be very courageous, we didn't wanna be afraid of taking a chance. On the other hand, that doesn't guarantee to you that you always do something good. And I think 'Cold Lake' is a monumental failure. We tried a different thing, we tried to do something melodic, but I think in the context of the late 1980s, bands really lost their plot, they lost their path, and I think CELTIC FROST was one of those bands. The album no longer sounds like CELTIC FROST, it no longer has the depth and seriousness that CELTIC FROST had. And it didn't have the sound. There was also different people involved, and I think all these things contribute that the album is really the low point of the entire career of CELTIC FROST. It was an experiment, but it was a bad experiment. It was a failed experiment. I think the album is an embarrassment — it's an artistic embarrassment."

CELTIC FROST reformed in 2001 and released its comeback album "Monotheist" via Century Media/Prowling Death in 2006. The band broke up in 2008, with Fischer going on to form TRIPTYKON.

"Monotheist" was CELTIC FROST's first LP to to enter the national Swiss chart. The group's first album in 13 years sold just under 2,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Three and a half years ago, Fischer denounced BMG's reissues of CELTIC FROST's seminal Noise Records catalog. The reissues included four out of five of the band's Noise-era studio albums: "Morbid Tales", "To Mega Therion", "Into The Pandemonium" and "Vanity/Nemesis". The albums were reissued on deluxe hardback CD and 180-gram double album sets, complete with posters and 10-inch spine bound book. All tracks were fully remastered and releases contained previously unreleased and rare tracks.

Former CELTIC FROST bassist Martin Eric Ain died in October 2017 after suffering a heart attack at the age of 50.

Ain handled lead vocals on the song "A Dying God Coming Into Human Flesh" on "Monotheist".

OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni has confirmed to MetalAsylum.net that the band is recording its new album for a tentative early 2021 release via Nuclear Blast. "[The] drums are done," he said (see video below). "[We] just started guitars last week — actually, just a few days ago. We're kind of starting up with that. And we'll probably do that through the rest of the year. We have Colin Richardson, who's gonna mix, which we're pumped about. He did a couple of records for us, and he's great."

As for a possible release date for the new OVERKILL effort, Verni said: "I don't know. We're trying to coordinate it maybe with some touring. We don't really have any touring till next July, I think, our first shows. We have shows [booked] in July, August, September, October. Whether any of them are gonna happen, I don't know, but probably something like that for the new OVERKILL release. So I'll be working on that between now and then."

Richardson previously worked with OVERKILL on 1997's "From The Underground And Below", 2000's "Bloodletting" and 2003's "Killbox 13".

This past June, OVERKILL singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth told A&P Reacts about the musical direction of the band's new songs: "I see it as a natural progression from 'The Grinding Wheel' [2017] and 'The Wings Of War' [2019]. It think when we had done the 'Ironbound' record [2010], it almost became like a trilogy in there — it was kind of like 'Ironbound', 'The Electric Age' [2012] and 'White Devil Armory' [2014], and they seemed to be the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost kind of a thing. I think we kind of broke the mold a little bit with 'The Grinding Wheel', and then I think a little bit more with 'The Wings Of War'. And on this one, I see it way more. And what I mean by that is that we've used other tools from our toolshed in the past, and that's the slow grind that is coupled with that fast gallop. So it feels like a natural progression, but maybe two records ahead of what 'The Wings Of War' is. And that's probably as objective as I can be."

OVERKILL spent most of 2019 and early 2020 touring in support of its 19th studio LP, "The Wings Of War", which was released almost two years ago. The disc was recorded at Gear Recording Studio in New Jersey, SKH Studio in Florida and Jrod Productions with engineering handled by Verni and guitarist Dave Linsk. The album was produced by the band while Chris "Zeuss" Harris took care of the mixing and mastering. Travis Smith (NEVERMORE, OPETH, SOILWORK, DEATH) was again enlisted to create the artwork for the album.

"The Wings Of War" marked OVERKILL's recording debut with drummer Jason Bittner (SHADOWS FALL, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM), who joined the band in 2017.

Looking for a twisted take on the classics this holiday season? Las Vegas-based theatrical rock band PSYCHOSEXUAL is celebrating Black Friday with the surprise release of a brand-new covers EP, "Songs To Stalk You By". It is available across all streaming and digital platforms, and on vinyl, CD and USB via www.psychosexualalbums.com. Tis the season — flash those devil horns and keep the holidays ghoulish and bright!

"This is a fun little compilation of bands I love," says PSYCHOSEXUAL founder and spiritual leader Jeremy Spencer, whose Devil Daddy persona fronts the fantasy and horror-inspired follow-up to his multi-platinum former band FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. "There is definitely a tongue-in-cheek creepiness to the themes that tie the songs together, and that's what made them so much fun to record. The fact that stalking and social distancing go hand-in-hand is just a happy coincidence."

The EP also reunites Spencer with former FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Jason Hook, who contributes solos on the KISS classic "Watchin' You" and QUEENSRŸCHE's "Gonna Get Close To You". The recordings mark the first time the pair have worked together since both parted ways with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH.

"Songs To Stalk You By" track listing:

01. Watchin' You (KISS)

02. Sex Type Thing (STONE TEMPLE PILOTS)

03. Gonna Get Close To You (QUEENSRŸCHE)

04. Love You To Death (TYPE O NEGATIVE)

05. Love You Till Tuesday (DAVID BOWIE)

06. Every Breath You Take (THE POLICE)

In addition to dropping the EP, PSYCHOSEXUAL has released promotional videos for all six of the tracks. "The opportunity to write, create, produce, shoot videos and release albums on my own label during these uncertain days is an incredible accomplishment under months of lockdown and fear," says Spencer.

PSYCHOSEXUAL released their debut album, "Torch The Faith", on July 31. Like the EP, it was co-produced by Spencer and Shawn McGhee (DROWNING POOL) and released via Spencer's 6eX Records. The debut premiered at No. 150 on the Billboard 200 chart, reaching No. 5 on the Hard Music Albums, No. 12 on Top New Artist Albums and No. 30 on Current Rock Albums.

To celebrate Halloween, the band released an anime-inspired video for "I Want To Be The Blood In Your Cut", which featured a chorus sung by Spencer in Japanese. The album version of the track is all English and features a solo from TYPE O NEGATIVE guitarist Kenny Hickey.

"This year has been uniquely challenging for all of us, to say the least, but releasing 'Torch The Faith' has been a dream come true," says Spencer, who sports a Mephistophelian mask as Devil Daddy, and is joined in the band by guitarist Crucifer, bassist Astaroth and drummer Volac. "I'm a fan of so many types of music — from David Bowie to DEVO to black metal — and PSYCHOSEXUAL is the outlet I've needed to bring all these things together in one big evil stew. I can't wait to finally tour and get out there to meet new fans and old familiar faces."

Jeremy, who co-founded FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH with guitarist Zoltan Bathory, left the band so that he could undergo back surgery in the fall of 2018 that required a significant recovery period.

Spencer's replacement in FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is Charlie "The Engine" Engen. Engen made his recording debut with the band on the "F8" album, which came out in February.

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson spoke to Decibel Geek about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia" album. He said (see video below): "Basic tracks are done. Overdubs now are continuing. I'm sure 2021 will see some new MEGADETH music of some form — hopefully the whole album, because touring will open up and we can drop a record and the tour dates that we have rescheduled will all go forward as planned. That's what we're hoping. That's about all I can say on it — just 'cause it's not done yet, so it's hard to talk about something that's still in motion."

Last month, MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine told "The Five Count" radio show that the band's new LP will "probably" be "one of the most ferocious records we've done since 'Rust In Peace'. David Ellefson, he's a pretty good barometer of things, and when he did his bass parts, he [went], 'Man, my arm is killing me. I can't believe this.'"

In a separate interview with SiriusXM, Mustaine said that the upcoming MEGADETH album will be "up there with 'Countdown [To Extinction]', 'Rust In Peace' and probably 'Peace Sells' and 'Dystopia'."

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

Guitarist Kiko Loureiro made his recording debut with MEGADETH on "Dystopia", whose title track was honored in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 2017 Grammy Awards.

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

A tribute album to legendary singer Ronnie James Dio made by Swedish metal musicians has just been released.

"Legacy - A Tribute To Ronnie James Dio" features the bands MADISON, MEMORY GARDEN, TAD MOROSE, GORMATHON, TRAIL OF MURDER, FRONTBACK, SOULSHINE and SVEN-HOLGER ROSENVINGE plus guest appearances from Mats Levén (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, CANDLEMASS), Mike Wead (KING DIAMOND, HEXENHAUS), Pontus Norgren (HAMMERFALL, THE POODLES), Jonny Lindkvist (NOCTURNAL RITES, GATHERING OF KINGS), Simon Johansson (WOLF, BIBLEBLACK), Tom Björn (NIGHTINGALE, MEMENTO MORI), Anders Modd (WOLF, BLACK INK RIVER), Hans Birger (FATAL SMILE, MINDSPLIT), Martin Knutar (DIVINE SIN, MACABRE DECAY) and Andreas "Bagge" Baglien (DIVINE SIN, WOLVERINE)

Available on all streaming platforms now, this collection was originally intended to be released on CD on the five-year remembrance day of the legendary singer's passing in 2015, but a lot of small and big things got in the way.

Initiative taker Andreas "Bagge" Baglien remembers: "Being out of work at the time, borrowing and begging for money to get this project off the ground coupled with health issues really wore me down. The last straw came when the laptop and back-up drive containing all files and info gathered were stolen while I was on tour. That was the wall I couldn't run through. I had to put it in the closet so as not to lose it completely, and there it's been sitting these five years.

"I'm so happy that this is finally seeing the light of day and that all the artists' hard work and passion for this project gets to be heard, even if it's streaming and not a physical album!"

All proceeds will go to Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund.

Track listing for the album is as follows:

01. FRONTBACK - Long Live Rock N Roll

02. TRAIL OF MURDER (ft. Jonny Lindkvist) - Rainbow In The Dark

03. MEMORY GARDEN - Falling Off The Edge Of The World

04. TAD MOROSE - Straight Through The Heart

05. DIO APPRECIATION SOCIETY SWEDEN - Caught In The Middle

06. MADISON - Children Of The Sea

07. GORMATHON - Jesus, Mary & The Holy Ghost

08. EPHEMERAL PLEASURE - Like The Beat Of A Heart

09. SVEN-HOLGER ROSENVINGE - I

10. SOULSHINE - Hungry For Heaven

The two special all-star projects put together for this release feature as follows.

DIO APPRECIATION SOCIETY SWEDEN is:

* Mats Levén - Vocals

* Mike Wead - Guitar

* Simon Johansson - Guitar

* Anders Modd - Bass

* Tom Björn - Drums

EPHEMERAL PLEASURE is:

* Hans-Birger Andersson - Vocals

* Pontus Norgren - Guitars

* Anders Modd - Bass

* Andreas "Bagge" Baglien - Keyboards

* Martin Knutar – Drums

"Legacy - A Tribute To Ronnie James Dio" is streaming now on Spotify, YouTube Music, iTunes, Tidal, Amazon Music, Shazam, Pandora, Digital, Napster, Deezer, Anghami and others.

Former SEPULTURA and current SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera spoke to the "Scars And Guitars" about his tendency to occasionally address societal and political issues in his music.

"I still enjoy political messages, and some of them are quite strong," he said (hear audio below). "If you look at an album like [SEPULTURA's] 'Chaos A.D.', even though it was done [nearly 30 years] ago, it seems like a lot of those songs fit the world right now perfectly — like a glove — even more than when it was written. Or [Max's 1990s side project] NAILBOMB. NAILBOMB [is] the perfect example. We were doing a tour [where we performed the songs from] NAILBOMB two years ago, and it was fantastic, and kind of creepy, how those songs that were 20 years old, they fit the times now better than they did when we wrote them in the first place.

"I probably would do more of that kind of stuff, 'cause I do enjoy having a voice," he continued. "There is the right things and the wrong things out things, and there's a lot of wrong messages being portrayed. The problem, I think, is that you have the Internet and everybody has a platform, and you have all this brainwashing, especially here [in the U.S.]."

Max, who was born and raised in Brazil before relocating to Phoenix, Arizona in the early 1990s, touched upon the rise of right-wing populism around the globe, saying that Donald Trump used the weight of the most powerful office on Earth to give the movement legitimacy.

"What Trump did here was really just taking the mask off and just exposing all the ugliness that was underneath America," Max said. "But now the masks are off. And it's fucking crazy. And my country [Brazil] is not any better. We have [Jair] Bolsonaro, which is a product of the Trump era. This guy is even way worse than Trump. He wants to just kill all the Indians and legalize murder and just make the police go in the favelas [Brazil's slums] and just kill everybody. I mean, this guy is a sick bastard. He's in control in Brazil. Hopefully Brazil wakes up too and makes a change in the future too."

Cavalera remains hopeful that some good will come from the Trump era and the coronavirus crisis, inadvertently or otherwise.

"When we're in times like this, a lot of good music comes out of it," he said. "In the '70s, we had the Vietnam war, so you have all that great music come out — CREEDENCE CLEARWATER [REVIVAL] and the Woodstock [era], all the revolutionary [artists like] Gil Scott-Heron, [and] all that great stuff. In '77, the punk stuff [was in the spotlight when] Margaret Thatcher [came to power in the U.K.], and great music came out of that. In America in the Reagan years, great music came out of that. So now probably is a good time for good shit to come out. Especially with COVID, man, a lot of people are at home writing their brains off. I think we're gonna see a lot of music next year."

Max's side project KILLER BE KILLED has just released its sophomore album, "Reluctant Hero", via Nuclear Blast. He is joined in the supergroup by Troy Sanders (MASTODON), Greg Puciato (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN), and Ben Koller (CONVERGE, ALL PIGS MUST DIE, MUTOID MAN).

This past June, SOULFLY released a new digital EP, "Live Ritual NYC MMXIX". The effort was recorded at The Gramercy in New York City on February 11, 2019 while SOULFLY was on tour in support of its most recent full-length album, "Ritual". The audio for the EP was mixed and mastered by Charles Elliott (ABYSMAL DAWN) from Tastemaker Audio. Cover artwork was comprised of live photos taken by Rodrigo Fredes.

"Ritual" was released in October 2018 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2015's "Archangel" was produced, recorded and mixed by Josh Wilbur (KILLER BE KILLED, LAMB OF GOD, GOJIRA).

ILL NIÑO is mixing its new studio album, to be released in early 2021 via an as-yet-undisclosed record label. The group's current lineup features founding drummer Dave Chavarri and longtime bassist Laz Pina alongside recent recruits, vocalist Marcos Leal (SHATTERED SUN), lead guitarist Jes DeHoyos (SONS OF TEXAS) and rhythm guitarist Sal Dominguez (UPON A BURNING BODY).

ILL NIÑO's new LP will mark the band's first release since the departure of vocalist Cristian Machado, lead guitarist Ahrue "Luster" Ilustre and rhythm guitarist Diego Verduzco. Machado, Ilustre and Verduzco, along with Chavarri and Pina, announced in March that they had "reached a mutual, amicable and binding agreement" that will allow Chavarri and Pina to continue with ILL NIÑO while Machado, Verduzco and Ilustre will move on with new projects. According to a joint statement release by the five musicians, "No party has admitted fault and there has been no court judgment on the merits. The parties entered into a confidential settlement agreement."

During a November 15 Facebook Live chat with The New York Hardcore Chronicles, Chavarri stated about ILL NIÑO's recent lineup changes: "When all this went down, Laz and I had taken the high road and been classy about it and not really spoken out. We think it's weak to go out there and badmouth somebody and spread half-truths and play the victim and try to get attention. That's not what we wanna do. We wanna keep it positive. The band is doing better than ever. We have a full album that's recorded. We're in the process of mixing right now. We're shooting multiple videos from the new album. We're shopping a deal. We have about three to four label deals that our lawyer is actually going through at the moment. We'll announce the signing probably in the next two weeks."

Regarding ILL NIÑO's new members, Dave said: "We were very fortunate to get the best guys in the band. We've got Marcos Leal, who also sings for a band called SHATTERED SUN. A great kid, man. Fucking hungry as fuck to get shit done. But very, very on top of his game. He's a fucking star from beginning to end. But the best part of it all is that he's such an easy guy to work with. He's so into the music, and he's so passionate about the business, and that's half the fucking battle. When you lose your passion… I can't work with people that aren't passionate about what they do anymore, and that was one of the biggest reasons for the lineup change. We've got Jes DeHoyos on lead guitar, who also plays in another band called SONS OF TEXAS, and Sal Dominguez, who used to be in UPON A BURNING BODY. We had the pleasure of hanging out with him on Mayhem festival when we toured with those guys, and it was fucking hilarious. We had a lot of fun with those guys. We love UPON A BURNING BODY — a great fucking band. And we revamped the lineup, man. This is the new lineup."

He continued: "The one thing about this lineup is that we're here to elevate each other. We're not here to put each other down or point fingers. This band elevates each other. Every single member in this band is so important to the puzzle right now, because we all feed off each other. We all speak on a daily basis. I talk to every bandmember practically every single day, and that's something that was missing — the disconnection that I had with the last lineup. It was a disconnection that actually started about seven years ago, and it just got progressively worse.

"Listen, sometimes you have to go through shit like that to be able to step into a positive light and into a better situation," Chavarri added. "And that's the way life is, right? It throws you some fucking fucked up shit along the way so you can come out and blast it off with what you've got going on now."

ILL NIÑO's new album will feature guest appearances by Sonny Sandoval (P.O.D.), Benji Webbe (SKINDRED), Max Georgiev (FALLING IN REVERSE) and AJ Channer (FIRE FROM THE GODS).

Back in January 2019, Chavarri and Pina announced the new version of ILL NIÑO and issued a new single, "Sangre". A day later, Machado, Ilustre and Verduzco dismissed reports that they had left ILL NIÑO and vowed to continue with their own version of the band. Two months later, the trio filed a lawsuit against Chavarri and Pina, accusing the drummer and bassist of failing to pay the band's tour rental company and engineers, slandering Machado by spreading rumors that he has a drug problem, collecting and spending the band's money without consulting in all of the members and refusing the members access to the group's financial records.

Earlier this month, Machado commented on "Sangre" in an interview with Hablas Rockas, saying that "it doesn't sound like" ILL NIÑO's new lineup has found its way yet. "I hope they find their way," he continued. "That's all I can say. And that's not to say that they won't. All it takes is great songwriting talent. That's the first thing that it takes. Well, technically, first you are a musician, and you have to have some kind of understanding of songwriting. If you can understand what connects with you, then you can understand what connects with people. And they might find their way; they might not.

"I wish them luck," Cristian added. "I don't like being resentful. I don't wanna be a person that is, like, 'Oh, I'm uspet because of this.' Did I learn my lesson? Yeah, I learned my lesson. Do I know what to look out for? Yeah, I know what to look out for. Am I ever gonna be involved with people like that? No. But I'm not gonna be resentful. I'm just gonna do my thing. And I really have nothing to really be resentful about, man. I had an amazing career, and the fans really were the thing that was the most powerful for me — was the fans; the people that listen to the music. It wasn't the business element of this or that, or who said this or who said that or any drama; it was just the fans. Luckily, we had a label that was awesome, and that pretty much just opened the door. But as far as going back to what made that name special, I suppose they could reinvent it — reinvent what made the name special. Maybe. I don't know."

Machado recently confirmed that he is working with Ilustre and Verduzco on a new project. The as-yet-unnamed group has already completed an album's worth of material for a tentative 2021 release.

Machado's debut solo album, "Hollywood y Sycamore", was released in September on Chesky Records' sub-label Coconut Bay.

Photo credit: Tom Barbee

DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci has confirmed that the band is using the coronavirus downtime to commence the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to last year's "Distance Over Time" album.

"As a band, we did decide to pivot and we entered the studio a couple of weeks ago," he said during an appearance on the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast (hear audio below). "We're working on the new album. Because that's what we do — if we can't play live, let's make music together. That's what we're doing now. We're already off to a great start. It'll be out sometime next year."

In a separate chat with "The Everyman Podcast", DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie revealed that he opted to stay home in Canada during the writing sessions for the group's new LP while his bandmates are working together at a studio in New York.

"I didn't wanna go down to the States — even though I love the States, because it's brought me everything that I have today," James said. "I'm not saying that and trying to be funny; I'm being sincere when I say that. I've made my career because I met these guys from America and because I'm in an American band. And I've had an incredible career because of it. But I said to the guys, I go, 'Guys, I don't wanna come down there. I don't wanna fly. I don't wanna do anything like that. I wanna stay isolated. Because I'm reading horror stories about people losing their voice box when they get this [COVID-19], and their lungs are compromised. And I'm, like, 'I can't do that.' So I'm coming in every day, when we're writing, by Zoom. So they have this great big monitor TV on the wall with my [face] on it, and then those four guys are in the studio. So those four guys are together at the DREAM THEATER headquarters — it's their own studio, warehouse, whatever — and so that's how we communicate every day."

He added: "So we're in the process of writing a new album right now, and I'm always gonna say that, because that's usually the way we always feel, but it's coming together amazing."

"Distance Over Time" marked DREAM THEATER's first album for for Sony Music's progressive imprint InsideOut Music. The group spent the past 25 years recording under various labels in the Warner Music Group system, most recently Roadrunner Records, which released five albums by the band between 2007 and 2016.

DREAM THEATER has just released its ninth career live album, "Distant Memories - Live In London". Recorded at DREAM THEATER's sold-out show at the Apollo Theatre in London, the live release documents the band's popular world tour in support of "Distance Over Time" and the 20th anniversary of their seminal concept album "Metropolis Part 2 - Scenes From A Memory".

Petrucci released his second all-instrumental solo album, "Terminal Velocity", on all digital and streaming platforms on August 28 and made it available on CD and vinyl on October 30 through The Orchard Music on his Sound Mind Music record label.

In a new interview with Heavy New York, former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen was asked if she ever thinks about the impact a song will have on the listener while she is working on new music. She responded (hear audio below): "Not necessarily I'm thinking about when I sit down to write a song how will be the impact of this song. The whole process of writing songs, or my lyrics, they are so personal nowadays that first place they have to mean so much to me, and then I hope, obviously, that they could mean something for another one. But I wouldn't go and even explain my lyrics for somebody. I kind of tend to write them openly so that they could really understand them the way they want. Because that is important. If I understand one certain song in my way, it's my own way and it's my way always and it's gonna always be my way. I don't want that to be stolen away from me.

"But it's amazing to see and hear the impact that music in general has, or art in general, in people," she continued. "Music has saved me. It was the situation when I was writing for my last album, actually. I was super tired. I felt, at the end of last year, that I cannot deliver anymore. Why on earth I have put myself on such deadline that I cannot complete. Then suddenly I find myself writing the lyrics. And when I finished the work, I felt like newborn in a way that I felt very strongly that music saved me again. So I believe all those people telling me that 'you helped so much.' And it's amazing. I feel that's why I'm here, that's why I'm loving music and that's why I'm [doing] what I'm doing."

Tarja's new live album "Christmas Together: Live At Olomouc And Hradec Králové 2019", was released on November 6 via earMUSIC. The LP was produced by Tarja, the American Emmy Award-winning film score composer Jim Dooley and British producer Tim Palmer, known for his work with PEARL JAM, U2, David Bowie and THE CURE, among others, who also mixed the album at '62 Studio in Texas. The album was mastered at Sterling Sound in New York.

Last year, Turunen dismissed Internet chatter about her possible return to NIGHTWISH after her December 2017 onstage reunion with the band's bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala during a "Raskasta Joulua" concert in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

"I know a lot of fans would love to see something happen, but it's a very long distance away," she told Kerrang! magazine. "Personally, I don't see anything happening with me and them, to be perfectly honest. Marco came a little later into the band; he wasn't there since the beginning. He was always a guy I was close to. Me and [NIGHTWISH keyboardist/leader] Tuomas Holopainen, however, haven't seen each other in a long time… but we have been in touch. It's not bad. The past is what it is; we can't change that. We can only change the future."

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important."

Holopainen later called the decision to part ways with Turunen "the most difficult thing I ever had to do." For her part, Tarja said the way she was kicked out of the group proved that her former bandmates were not her friends. "Maybe one day I'll forgive, but I will never forget," she said.

Dutch singer Floor Jansen made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH in October 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon.

Tarja's latest studio album, "In The Raw", was released in August 2019 via earMUSIC.

ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann spoke to France's "213Rock" podcast about the band's upcoming album, "Too Mean To Die", which will be released on January 15, 2021 via Nuclear Blast. You can now listen to the chat below.

Speaking about how the coronavirus pandemic affected the creation of "Too Mean To Die", Wolf said: "We didn't really feel like we wanted to respond to all the craziness and the corona [crisis]. This whole year has been so crazy and sad in a way because people are just locked away in their homes and all that. So we thought we don't wanna contribute any more to that. Why don't we just give 'em an in-your-face heavy metal album and maybe that's gonna lift up everybody's spirit more. So that's why we decided to go full force ahead and nothing else — no compromises."

Hoffmann also discussed ACCEPT's musical approach this time around, in particular for the "Too Mean To Die" title track, which was released as a lyric video earlier this month.

"Like I said, it's an in-your-face heavy metal album, and especially that song is kind of a statement right upfront that kind of sets the tone for the whole album," he explained. "Nowadays, I always try to write songs that really remind you of the '80s but at the same time, they are fresh and new ideas and exciting, with a new sound, but they always sort of have that old-school vibe also. That's what we're going for a lot of times."

The first single from "Too Mean To Die", "The Undertaker", was released in a two-track format, with a previously unreleased live version of "Life's A Bitch" recorded in Oulu/Finland 2019. It is available digitally and as exclusive seven-inch vinyl in three colors, each limited to 300 pieces. Colors for Europe are gold and marble and red for the USA.

"Too Mean To Die" was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee with British producer Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, MEGADETH), who has been responsible for the magnificent studio sound of ACCEPT since 2010. It will be ACCEPT's first LP without bassist Peter Baltes, who exited the group in November 2018. He has since been replaced by Martin Motnik. ACCEPT's lineup has also been expanded with the addition of a third guitarist, Philip Shouse, who originally filled in for Uwe Lulis during last year's "Symphonic Terror" tour, before being asked to join the band permanently.

ACCEPT's previous album, 2017's "The Rise Of Chaos", marked the band's first release with Lulis and drummer Christopher Williams, replacing Herman Frank and Stefan Schwarzmann, respectively.

ACCEPT's latest release was "Symphonic Terror - Live At Wacken 2017", featuring the band's performance at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.

ACCEPT 2020 is:

Wolf Hoffmann - Guitar

Mark Tornillo - Vocals

Christopher Williams - Drums

Uwe Lulis - Guitar

Martin Motnik - Bass

Philip Shouse - Guitar

Photo credit: Deaf Music

Canadian rockers Storm Force - featuring Brighton Rock guitarist Greg Fraser, vocalist Patrick Gagliardi (formerly of Surface Tension), drummer Brian Hamilton and bassist Mike Beradelli - reveal the first albums they ever purchased in the clip below.

Storm Force recently launched the new video for the song "Breathe" below. Singer Patrick Gagliardi talks about the song: “When writing ‘Breathe’, I wanted to approach the subject of depression and how having a solid support system ( in this case, a lover) can bring you out of the funk. I also always liked the term ‘Breathe’ as in relax and just breathe. After the lyrics were written, Greg brought up the idea of making it a duet. This idea fit perfectly with the song lyrically. He suggested Serena Pryne (The Mandevilles) and we all agreed. I love the way her and my voice sound similar, and really mesh well together. She was perfect for the song. Can't wait to one day sing it live with her”

Greg Fraser recently spoke with BraveWords scribe Carl Begai about the Storm Force debut album, Age Of Fear. Following is an excerpt from the story.

“It was about three year in the making, just kinda chipping away at it,” Fraser says of Age Of Fear, having been out of the limelight for several years. “Sometime I wondered if it was ever going to be finished because we’ve got different things going on, but once we got the deal (with Escape Music) it put things into overdrive. We wanted the record to be finished before we started shopping around but it didn’t happen that way, which is kind of a good thing because it could have been another year before the record was done.”

“Any kid that’s 20 years-old today, they’re never going to buy a CD in their lifetime,” he adds. “It’s the people in their 30s, 40s, 50s and older that are willing to buy 10 songs all at once. Kids today… one song at a time and that’s all they need. I’m still old school. If I hear a song I like, I wanna know where the rest of the songs are (laughs). The fact I have a label (Escape Music) that’s willing to print CDs is amazing, because that’s the only way you can make any money off of any product. You can’t make anything off of streaming.”

That said, the motivations behind forming Storm Force according to Fraser had little to do with wanting to make big money or needing the spotlight, and far more to do with being hungry to get new music out into the open.

“I’m a songwriter and I always have songs buzzing around in my head; vocal melodies, a drumbeat, a pattern, a guitar riff… it’s a blessing, but sometimes it’s a curse. I’ll have this stuff buzzing in my head, I’ll record the ideas and maybe finish them off, and the songs start to accumulate. It’s like being a painter and having all your paintings scattered everywhere around the house; at some point it would be nice for someone else to look at them. That’s what it’s like. It had been a while since I’d put a record out and I was really digging what I was hearing in all this stuff coming out of me, so I felt it was time to do one.”

Post-Brighton Rock project Fraze Gang (2006 - 2012) was new territory for Fraser in that he was up front as guitarist and vocalist. Storm Force sees him stepping back from the microphone, which he was only too happy to give up to singer Patrick Gagliardi. He explains:

“Being in Brighton Rock and the other bands I was in, I was just the guitar player. I just played, hang back, didn’t have to worry too much. I found that fronting a band when you’re playing guitar leaves you with much bigger shoes to fill. I’m used to finishing a song, grabbing a beer or a towel for my face before the next song starts while the singer raps with the crowd. You can’t have dead air when you finish a song on stage, so it was tough for me fronting Fraze Gang. Remembering the lyrics, singing in key, playing guitar, all of that… I didn’t like it. I was relieved when the show was over, like ‘Thank God we pulled it off.’ I wasn’t having fun with it. I enjoyed writing and recording the Fraze Gang stuff, but I missed having a frontman and a real singer. I don’t consider myself a phenomenal singer by any stretch, and Patrick singing for Storm Force is unbelievable. He always makes my vocal ideas 10 times better than I thought they would be.”

Fraser is the main songwriter in Storm Force, and he maintains that Age Of Fear was written the same way he wrote for Brighton Rock and Fraze Gang. The album shares a vibe reminiscent of Brighton Rock’s third album, Love Machine, but is far and away from the band first two and ultimately more popular records. Asked if he has any idea why Storm Force stands apart from his previous works, Fraser admits he doesn’t have a concrete answer.

“I think maybe I’m too close to this to answer that. If Gerry McGhee sang these songs I’m pretty sure you’d say ‘Yeah, there’s Brighton Rock.’ I really haven’t changed my approach to songwriting. I write the music and the vocal melodies, I’ll have the basic arrangement done, and then I give it to Patrick (Gagliardi) and he goes with my vocal melodies and writes lyrics, maybe changes things up a bit so the melody feels better for him. I plant the seed and the other come in and add to the ideas. As time goes on other music might rub off on me and influence the way I write, I don’t know.”

Read the complete story here.

Storm Force is the explosive new band that fans of classic hard melodic rock have all been waiting for. Led by Canadian rock legends Brighton Rock founder and lead guitarist Greg Fraser and featuring one of today’s most powerful and versatile lead vocalists in Patrick Gagliardi (formerly of Surface Tension), their debut record produced by Darius Szczepaniak (Black Crowes, Sum 41, Big Sugar) combines colossal, crushing melodic rock with hook-laden ballads and massive choruses reminiscent of vintage Cinderella, balanced by classic rock sensibilities of acts like The Who and Van Halen.

The group hails from Niagara Falls, Canada and is rounded out by the blistering one-two punch rhythm section of ex-Panik and Step Echo drummer Brian Hamilton and sought-after session musician and touring bassist Mike Beradelli.

Storm Force’s groundbreaking new record is the result of a rich blend of rock influences spanning Triumph, UFO, Thin Lizzy, Foreigner, and so many more, and will be available on Escape Music worldwide. Order your copy now from The Music Shop.

"Beacuse Of You"

"Dirty Vegas"




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Fifi Larue was the drummer of Dizzy Bitch, a sleazy glam band based in between Los Angeles and Orange County at the beginning of the '80s. In an extended conversation with Argentinean rock journalist Lucas H. Gordon, Larue started from the beginning with heavy ammo by talking about how he met Blackie Lawless at the Troubadour and the origin of the name of the band W.A.S.P.

Larue: "Blackie asked me for a name for his band and I said I've got a good name! 'What's that?' asked Lawless. I've rehearsed at my friend's studio and it's called WASP studio (Buena Park, CA). He looked at me and said 'This is the second time that I heard that name this week. First time that I've heard that name a couple days ago, Rick (Fox) went outside, stepped into something...he was stung by something, and it was a fucking wasp.' He came back and told Blackie, 'I've got the name of the band, WASP.'"

Other stories involved major acts like Guns N' Roses, Stryper, Warrant, and other rock stars from the Sunset Strip.

Fifi Larue released a self-titled album in 2007, where members of Alice Cooper, Guns N' Roses and Slash Snakepit appeared as guests. Larue currently working on a new EP, End Of Times. The release date will be announced soon.

Check out the interview below. It begins at the 27 minute mark.




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In the video below, Megadeth guitarist Kiko Loureiro can be seen performing a playthrough clip for his new song, "Black Ice":

"Black Ice" appears on Kiko Loureiro's new solo album, Open Source. Order your copy here, and find a full audio stream below.

A recent message from Kiko states: "By definition, 'open source' is related to softwares which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. It brings us a higher sense of community, enhances our creativity and creates new possibilities. So why not take this concept to our art, our music? How much richer a song could be if others had access to its source code? What if the song's original composition wasn't the final product? What if it was just the beginning? Something that could be constantly updated and evolve over time. And as well as a machine, we as humans are also minded to enhancements, being an open source ourselves, constantly moving and growing, through technology, science, spirituality… and art. This is the mindset which I bring now to my fifth solo album, that was named... guess what? OPEN SOURCE!"

Tracklisting:

"Overflow
"EDM (e-Dependent Mind)"
"Imminent Threat"
"Liquid Times"
"Sertão"
"Vital Signs"
"Dreamlike"
"Black Ice"
"In Motion"
"Running With The Bulls"
"Du Monde"

Album stream:

 




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The Agonist vocalist Vicky Psarakis has recorded and shot another cover song. This time it's Korn's "Falling Away From Me", taken from the band's Issues album, released in 1999. Check out the video below.

Check out Vicky's previously released cover of In Flames' "Only For The Week" below.




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Belgium extreme metal trio Serpents Oath have released the official video for "Malediction", the third single from their forthcoming debut album, Nihil. 

Soulseller Records will release Nihil on CD, vinyl and digital formats. Witness the unleashing of the beast on December 4 and prepare to be crushed by their skull-impaling riffs of hate!

A lyric video for the album's first single, "Speaking In Tongues", can be seen below.

Serpents Oath is a new creature comprised of three adepts of Belgium’s extreme metal scene. As soon as they met up and started creating together, they realized they were establishing a very different entity. Hence they decided to leave the past behind and give birth to this new Beast.

Their rebellious debut album Nihil is set to take the world by storm with its relentless and unforgiving version of nihilistic black metal. Expect no remorse from this opus, only crushing riffs, pounding drums and terrorizing screams pushing the limits of a music genre already marked by chaos and death.

Vocalist Tes Re Oth had the following to say: “The vision behind the band is one of transformation. This shines through first and foremost in the lyrics and is carried through in the cover art and other visuals. The transformation is that of an individual striving to become transhuman with the ultimate goal of beating even Death. This is the ultimate rebellion as even Death is not accepted as a given.”

The album was conjured at the renowned Stage One Studio with Andy Classen (Belphegor, Legion Of The Damned) as the master of ceremony.

The black arts for the artwork of Nihil were performed by the hands of Néstor Avalos, known for his work for bands like Dark Funeral and Bloodbath. The artwork shows the UR rebellion, that of Lucifer leading the War in Heaven. Only this time the outcome is different and the rebellion succeeds, visualized by Lucifer casting out the Arch Angel Michael and therefore establishing the ultimate victory of free will.

Tracklisting:

"Vox Mortis"
"Speaking In Tongues"
"Leviathan Speaks"
"Thrice Cursed"
"Malediction"
"Serpents Of Eight"
"Bestia Resurrectus"
"Into The Abyss"
"Mephisto"
"The Beast Reborn"
"The Swords Of Night And Day"
"Beyond The Gates"

For further details, visit Serpents Oath on Facebook.

(Photo credit: Sarina Mannaert)

 




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In celebration of Bon Jovi’s critically acclaimed new album, 2020, and the band’s performance recording in Nashville, SiriusXM is sharing On A Night Like This - Bon Jovi 2020. The special was filmed as they gathered in Nashville to perform 2020 live for the first time together.

Setlist:

0:00 Intro
3:10 "Do What You Can"
8:28 "Lower the Flag"
13:40 "Let It Rain"
19:12 "Story of Love"
25:42 "American Reckoning"
30:28 "Blood in the Water"
37:56 "Brothers in Arms"
42:40 "Unbroken"
47:48 "Beautiful Drug"
52:05 "Limitless"




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Canadian progressive sci-fi metal innovators, Voivod, return with a much overdue live release. Entitled Lost Machine - Live, the album was recorded in Québec City during the worldwide touring cycle for the band’s latest studio album The Wake, and is available today worldwide via Century Media Records.

A new video for the live track “Overreaction” can be seen below. Drummer Michel “Away” Langevin comments: “And last but not least, ‘Overreaction’, the new single/video from our brand new release Lost Machine - Live. This old classic from Killing Technology has been on the setlist since 1987. It really gets the crowd going, and us too! Once again, splendid video direction by Felipe Belalcazar and thanks to Jaan Silmberg for animating my artwork. Enjoy our new live album!!“

Lost Machine - Live consist of 13 tracks across 74 packed minutes of playing time by one of the best live-acts in this day and age. The title can be orderd in its various editions here.

Tracklisting:

"Post Society"
"Psychic Vacuum"
"Obsolete Beings"
"The Prow"
"Iconspiracy"
"Into My Hypercube"
"The End Of Dormancy"
"Overreaction"
"Always Moving"
"Fall"
"The Lost Machine"
"Astronomy Domine"
"Voivod"

"The Lost Machine" video:

“Iconspiracy” video:

Lineup:

Denis “Snake” Belanger - Vocals
Daniel “Chewy” Mongrain - Guitar
Dominic “Rocky” Laroche - Bass
Michel “Away” Langevin - Drums




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In the new video below, Nergal shares his stories and memories of Behemoth's fifth studio album, Thelema.6, released 20 years ago today on November 27, 2000.

Stream Thelema.6 here, and get your Thelema.6 t-shirt here.




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Product Of Hate has unleashed the anthemic title track for the band’s second full-length album, You Brought This War. The new single is available now on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and most digital music services while the companion music video can be seen below.

The single and video arrive alongside full details on the long-awaited follow-up to the band’s debut album, 2016’s Buried In Violence.

You Brought This War will be released on February 5, on digital and CD. Digital pre-orders for the new album begin today via Amazon, iTunes, Bandcamp, and more. Physical bundles go on-sale next month.

The 12-song affair was recorded and engineered by Scott Creekmore (Broken Hope, Lionheart) at Mercenary Digital Studios, with mixing and mastering completed by Chris Collier (Korn, Prong, Whitesnake) of CMC21 Productions. The original intention was to release the album this past spring — plans that were sidelined to the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re extremely proud of this record. We have poured everything we have into it and are beyond excited to have it finally released,” says lead guitarist Geno Rathbone. “We have been through so much as a band in the last couple of years. I feel that we have come out stronger, wiser, and hungrier on the other side of everything and everyone that ever stood in our way.  We are ready to take this record out on the road and share it with the world.”

“It’s been a long time coming and I know a lot of our fans have been asking when the new album would be out,” comments frontman Adam Gilley. “Well, the wait is almost over and we cannot express just how excited we are to release this album. We’ve invested a lot and put our all into this one with hopes that everyone will love it.”

Artist Colin Marks of Rain Song Design, with whom the band collaborated on its debut album, returns to provide cover art for You Brought This War and its accompanying singles.

“You Brought This War really resonates with what’s going on in the world today,” Gilley says. “It’s quite fitting that it’s coming out when it is and we’re very thankful to have some great people backing us on this record to help get it out there.”

Tracklisting:

"Euphoria"
"Rapture"
"You Brought This War"
"Redemption"
"Start The March"
"Helpless"
"Non Omnis Moriar"
"True Chaos"
"Where’s Your God?"
"Destroyers"
"Claw The Walls"
"The End Is Never"

"You Brought This War" video:

Product Of Hate recently returned to its hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin to film two music videos for the new album — a performance video for the title track and a concept piece for an upcoming single. The videos reunite the band with longtime collaborator James Zahn (The Rock Father) as director with Chuck Przybyl of MOST Visual as director of photography and editor.

(Photo - POH Metalworks)




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