Cleopatra Records has announced the signing of the legendary industrial band MINISTRY, featuring key members Al Jourgensen and Paul Barker.

Brian Perera, president of Cleopatra Records, shared his excitement about the reunion: "We couldn't be more excited to welcome MINISTRY back home to Cleopatra. We've always taken great care of their classic Wax Trax! recordings, and now, as we reunite with Paul and Al, we're ready to continue honoring and expanding their iconic legacy."

Al says: "Looking forward to how this new and FINAL MINISTRY record comes out. Turns out working with Paul is like riding a bike; you never forget how. Buckle up, this is going to be a good one. It seems that everything has come full circle, with the re-inclusion of Paul for the FINAL record, it's like wrapping a bow on a 40-plus-year career."

Paul adds: "After a couple years apart, these new recording sessions started in our tried-and-true manner: we started going in opposite directions that circled around which inevitably forced us to meet in the middle, much like a particle accelerator!"

MINISTRY's return to Cleopatra Records marks a new chapter for the band and their fans, with their highly anticipated last-ever album due in 2025. This release promises to capture the essence of MINISTRY's groundbreaking sound while delivering fresh, innovative tracks that will resonate with both longtime followers and new listeners alike.

The news follows MINISTRY's whirlwind summer as a featured guest on the "Freaks On Parade" tour headlined by ROB ZOMBIE and ALICE COOPER. MINISTRY has one more concert date left for 2024, with an appearance at California's Aftershock festival on October 10.

MINISTRY's 16th studio album, "Hopiumforthemasses", is also out now via Nuclear Blast Records and streaming on all networks, featuring single "Goddamn White Trash", plus "Just Stop Oil", as well as "B.D.E." and "New Religion".

Joined by MINISTRY's current frontline of musicians — creator and mastermind Al Jourgensen, John Bechdel (keyboards),Monte Pittman and Cesar Soto (guitars),Roy Mayorga (drums) and Paul D'Amour (bass) — "Hopiumforthemasses" also has a slew of special guest contributors including GOGOL BORDELLO's Eugene Hutz, longtime collaborator and LARD companion Jello Biafra and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY frontman Pepper Keenan.

Born in 1981 in Chicago, MINISTRY has been the lifetime passion project of founder Al Jourgensen, considered to be the pioneer of industrial music. In its early days, MINISTRY was identifiable by its heavy synth-pop material in line with the new sounds and technology that were being developed in the 1980s. MINISTRY's output began with four 12-inch singles on Wax Trax! Records in 1981 before the first LP "With Sympathy" in 1983 via Arista Records. As time progressed however, so did MINISTRY, quickly developing a harsher, and more stylized sound that the band soon became infamous for on seminal albums "Twitch" (1986),"The Land Of Rape And Honey" (1988) and "The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste" (1989). With the release of "Psalm 69: The Way To Succeed And The Way To Suck Eggs" (1992),MINISTRY hit an all-time high in the mainstream musical realm and received its first Grammy nomination. In total, MINISTRY has been nominated for a Grammy Award six times. Eight more albums would follow before an indefinite break in 2013, only to be unearthed again in 2018 with "AmeriKKKant", continuing to reflect Jourgensen's views on the frightening state of society and politics. The 2021 album "Moral Hygiene" marked a new creative era of Jourgensen and the band. MINISTRY's 16th studio album, "Hopiumforthemasses", was released March 1, 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Metallica have released more official live video footage from their show at Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, Mexico, on September 22. Check out "Inamorata", as well as the previously posted "Ride The Lightning", below:










Watch "Seek & Destroy" and "King Nothing" from the Mexico City show on September 20:








Metallica have launched the pre-order for the recordings from their September 27 and 29 concerts in Mexico City. It was their second round of shows following the September 20 / 22 No Repeat Weekend.





Says Metallica: "Relive the September 27 & 29 concerts from Estadio GNP Seguros with the ultimate souvenir... an official live audio recording on CD. Both shows are available now for pre-order in the Met Store individually and as a bundle. And in case you missed it, both shows from the previous weekend are available for pre-order, too!


Thanks again for four amazing shows across two incredible weekends in Mexico City. We hope to see you all again soon!"


Live CDs and bundles are available via the official Metallica online shop here.


Expected availability date is November 29.


"We’re kicking off year three of M72 with 21 North American shows across April, May, and June of next year," begins a recent M72 2025 update from Metallica. "This leg will stop in 14 cities with 18 shows in the round, plus two festival stops, seven No Repeat Weekends, and seven one-night-only stops.


"We’re continuing the M72 tradition of unique support acts - a mix of Pantera, Limp Bizkit, Suicidal Tendencies, and Ice Nine Kills - and setlists for each No Repeat Weekend show. The Snake Pit will remain in the center of the stage for all in the round (non-festival) stops. And we’ll be sure to have plenty of extracurricular events planned for the Metallica Family to stay busy around the shows.


"Enhanced Experiences ranging from access to a meet and greet, production and stage tour, food and beverage in the “Black Box” lounge to early entry into the venue and the aforementioned Snake Pit will be available. The I Disappear Ticket is back for the fan who wants to run away with us for all the shows. And new to M72, travel packages, including hotel, ticket, and shuttle options, will be available for most locations.


"North America is not our only stop in 2025, as this year, we will return to Australia and New Zealand after far too long away!!! Stay tuned for the full announcement coming VERY soon."





Tour dates:


April
12 - Las Vegas, NV - Sick New Wor

KITTIE guitarist/vocalist Morgan Lander spoke to Metal Hammer magazine about the musical direction of the Canadian band's upcoming first album in 13 years, titled "Fire" and due later in 2024 via Sumerian Records.

"There's a lot of variety," she said. "I think the kind of variety that you will expect from KITTIE. If you listen to the production of [the LP's recently released first single] 'Eyes Wide Open', that kind of visceral, raw, but very modern sound is prevalent throughout all of the songs. The songwriting is definitely next level."

"Eyes Wide Open", which was released in February, was produced by Nick Raskulinecz.

Last November, it was revealed that KITTIE was working on a new studio LP with Raskulinecz at Nashville's Sienna Studios.

Raskulinecz, who moved to Nashville from Los Angeles around 16 years ago, had previously worked with such acts as RUSH, ALICE IN CHAINS, KORN, RISE AGAINST, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, SKID ROW and the DEFTONES.

Regarding the overwhelmingly positive response to KITTIE's live shows and music since the band's return in 2022, Lander told Metal Hammer: "I just think that the world is ready for us now. A lot of the things that we were doing 25 years ago were still... I don't want to say controversial, but they seemed so new. It definitely has a lot to do with a shift in thinking and acceptance and representation in the years since the very first time that KITTIE came out. Sometimes it just takes the world a bit of time to catch up and appreciate those things."

Last month, Morgan told The MetalSucks Podcast about KITTIE's plans for the rest of 2024: "To be honest with you, this all just feels brand new again. I know that we're veterans of the music industry and whatnot, but we've sort of stepped into a new age and a new era of music releasing and record labels and things like that. So I think the goal is just to just enjoy — for us, for sure — enjoy the process and just — I don't know — put some smiles on people's faces, really. All of the things that come along with releasing new music and an album, like new merch and shows, headlining stuff, album-release stuff, all of that is definitely coming down the pike. But I think ultimately the goal for us is just to sort of enjoy the ride. All of those tangible things will come. It all feels so new and exciting again. So, yeah, we're just here to enjoy the ride."

Asked how she views all the platforms, with social media and music streaming services, now compared to how it was when KITTIE last released new music nearly a decade and a half ago, Morgan said: "Well, I feel like in 2011 [when 'I've Failed You' came out] and 2009 [when 'In The Black' was released], those last two albums, I actually really don't know that Spotify and music and streaming platforms were catching on. And so it was this weird sort of interim period where they may have existed but nobody cared and people were definitely still buying tangible CDs. And, yeah, so now we're in this new era of streaming, and I really feel like music is more accessible than ever and I think more people are listening than ever before, because things are just so easy to find; everything that you need is on a streaming platform. And so I definitely think that it does have its benefits. I mean, as far as being an artist and on the serving-the-artist side of things, it doesn't pay great, but I feel like the audience is greater than ever before. Way back, when we were active, I guess you could say the first time, the industry was definitely a different beast. And this time around, I feel like a lot of people, since we put out our last albums, have discovered the band, a lot of young people as well. And so because streaming [is so widely available], they've had this ability to discover and listen to our old catalog and continue to keep those songs popular and alive. And ultimately, it's that sort of simmering growth that's allowed us to have this opportunity that we have today. So, I don't think that it's a bad thing. I'm excited for the weirdness of the future."

Speaking about the inspiration behind the new single, Morgan said in a statement: "Our first new material in 13 years, 'Eyes Wide Open' is a vision quest for truth. It is a torch lit in the darkness of ignorance to reveal one's true motives. 'Eyes Wide Open' is a lesson in trust, betrayal, and ultimately the ability to see behind the curtain to reveal all. It was one of the first songs we wrote, coming together again after a long time away from creating, and I think you can really hear the fires reigniting in this track."

In a recent interview with Knotfest's "She's With The Band" podcast, KITTIE drummer Mercedes Lander and Morgan spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the long-awaited follow-up to the Canadian metallers' 2011 album "I've Failed You". Mercedes said about the musical direction of the new KITTIE material: "I'm gonna say that we are just really stoked to write 1,200 percent bangers. I think that's just where we're at now. We want people to feel good. We want people to feel what we're feeling. I feel like bangers, that's what we're good at."

Asked by host Tori Kravitz about the possibility of KITTIE combining some of the old-school sound from the band's early days and mixing it up with a fresh approach, Morgan said: "I think marrying some of the ideas, 'cause I don't think we're ever going to put our JNCOs [jeans] on again. But, yeah, the idea of marrying some of those ideas — like who we are now with the ideas of who maybe we used to be and kind of being able to meet somewhere in the middle, but in a way that will just create something brand new again. I'm excited for it to be unleashed upon the world."

At some of its recent shows, KITTIE has been performing a brand new song called "Vultures".

KITTIE played its first concert in five years in September 2022 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.

Joining Morgan and Mercedes in KITTIE's current lineup guitarist Tara McLeod and bassist Ivana "Ivy" Vujic.

Prior to Blue Ridge, KITTIE had not performed since its reunion show at London Music Hall in the band's native London, Ontario in 2017, celebrating the group's documentary "Kittie: Origins/Evolutions".

Vujic joined KITTIE in 2008 and appeared on the band's fifth studio CD, 2009's "In The Black". She also wrote and recorded bass for KITTIE's sixth album, 2011's "I've Failed You".

In January 2022, the original lineup of KITTIE — Morgan, Mercedes, Fallon Bowman (guitar) and Tanya Candler (bass) — reunited for an online chat to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of its gold-certified 2000 debut album, "Spit".

Candler left KITTIE after the release of "Spit" in order to finish high school and was replaced by Talena Atfield.

Bowman exited KITTIE in 2001 and started her own industrial/electronic project, AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT.

After KITTIE completed the touring cycle for "I've Failed You" album, the band entered a long period of inactivity during which Morgan focused on a marketing job for a chain of fitness clubs while Mercedes worked in real estate and more recently at a software company. The group also began work on a career-spanning documentary, "Origins/Evolutions", which finally saw the light of day in 2018 via Lightyear Entertainment in North America.

"I've Failed You" sold 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 178 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Vocalist Dani Filth of British extreme metal titans CRADLE OF FILTH spoke to Australia's Metal Roos about the band's long-awaited collaboration with British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. Regarding how the pairing came about, Dani said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "What happened was, see, he released a record with [the single] 'Bad Habits' on [it], and he was a vampire in [the song's accompanying music video]. And he was on a big, big — I can't remember what it was, some huge interview he did, and they asked him about his growing up, and he said he was into CRADLE and SLIPKNOT. And somehow our managers got in contact and put me in contact with him, 'cause he was an old fan. And then we decided it'd be fun to do a collaboration, which actually got off the ground — a year later, we actually did it. And that was done like a year and a half ago."

On the topic of when CRADLE OF FILTH's collaboration with Sheeran will finally see the light of day, Dani said: "It was going on this [upcoming CRADLE OF FILTH] record, but chances are, because we don't wanna delay our record any longer than it can, it'll probably go on a special edition. And that is because Ed's taking a blackout this year — totally no musical output. And, of course, you can't release it at the same time… His management were just, like, 'You've gotta appreciate, you can't release your single at the same time as one of Ed's singles, because it kind of defeats the purpose of it.' So there's a reasoning behind that, but it's not gonna delay the inevitable. It's a great song anyway. And it just keeps people guessing a little bit longer. But it also shows that we're not using it as a vehicle for the record, which I was very keen to stress that, yeah, he's one of the biggest artists in the world, and yes, we've done a thing with him, [and] yes, everybody's very curious about it, but at the same time, I don't want it to overshadow what we're doing. 'Cause it's not a novelty song, although the ideology behind it is very novelty, and I love the juxtaposition of the marriage of extremes — you know, like, who the hell would do this? Well, us, for a start. So I'm happy with that. And I'm happy with the fact that it gets released under its own stream. I mean, obviously everybody will make a big meal of it because it is what it is, but it kind of takes the onus of us making a meal of it."

Asked if he thinks Ed Sheeran fans are going to be "a little bit in for a shock" when they hear the song, Dani said: "I think so. I think they're gonna be in for a shock because it's still an extreme song. There's still a blast beat on it. But it does sound like Ed Sheeran; it really does. It sounds like Ed Sheeran singing with us. And he's got some breakdowns in it. He plays acoustic guitar. It's very catchy, but it's very heavy at the same time."

This past January, Dani told Poland's Pełna Kulturka about CRADLE OF FILTH's next studio album: "It's a very heavy record. We just upped the game as a band. We moved one step further toward the future from our previous record. We see everything as an evolution, everything as an evolutionary step, everything as a necessary link in the chain. And this album's gonna be an important record for us — our first for Napalm Records, if you discount, obviously, the live record… But expect the first single probably about September, October time."

Asked if he had heard Sheeran's collaboration with BRING ME THE HORIZON on a new version of the former's "Bad Habits" song, Dani said: "I did hear it, yeah. They decided to do that after we started working [with Ed]. 'Cause we actually did the song with Ed over a year ago now. And before then, the idea happened off the back of 'Bad Habits', the album. So, it's been about two and a half years, and it's probably gonna be three and a half years before anybody actually hears the song. But it is what it is. Obviously, he's one of the biggest artists in the world, and we have to kind of abide by his rules because… He's a lovely guy — don't get me wrong — but his management, obviously, have his vested interest at heart. And I think this year he's taking a complete year off. And obviously we want him in the video, so if that's gonna happen, we have to release that single with him on next year. But that's not gonna affect the rest of the album."

Filth originally broke the news about potentially working with the 33-year-old singer/songwriter, who is one of the most successful musicians on the planet, during an interview with Kerrang! Radio"Breakfast Show" at the 2021 Bloodstock Open Air festival in the U.K. At the time, Dani said: "I've actually been e-mailing with [Ed]… He actually touched base with me. I've been invited up to his place. Well, he said he could come down to mine, but I pointed out to him that I don't own my own bar or village, and it'd be better if I went there.

"He said he'd do anything," he added. "Quite literally. He said he's a massive fan. He seems like a genuinely very nice guy actually."

Filth went on to say the prospect of collaborating with someone like Sheeran is not as far fetched as one might think. "We've always been like that," he explained. 'If someone tells us not to do something, then we'll do it. That's been our prerogative the whole time. I did this rap song with this band called TWIZTID in America. It's actually turned out more like RAMMSTEIN and BEASTIE BOYS than full-on rap. So, in that respect, I think it the Ed Sheeran collaboration would be great fun. I think it'd be great if we did it for charity, because at least it would bring a bit of credibility to it. Because obviously to his public, it'd be, like, Oh my god, he's got this weird comical guy,' and to my public it'd be, like, 'Oh my god, this is a bit weird, isn't it? But I think that sort of thing nowadays works."

In July 2021, Sheeran floated the possibility of exploring a more extreme musical path while speaking to The Sun. He said: "I was really into death metal as a kid. I listened to CRADLE OF FILTH and SLIPKNOT and all that stuff. I'm not saying I could ever step into that world. I learnt all those riffs on guitar as a kid. That's something I've never thought about doing — but something I would not be opposed to creating."

Sheeran had previously dabbled in a variety of genres, including rock, dance, rap and reggae.

After The Sun published Sheeran's comments, Filth posted a screenshot of an article headlined "Ed Sheeran is open to recording a death metal album after spending his youth listening to CRADLE OF FILTH" and wrote in an accompanying caption, "I'll believe it when I see it. Fellow Suffolk lad could come good in the end. 'Dracula's Castle On The Hill' anyone?"

Last May, Dani was asked by BLABBERMOUTH.NET if he envisions the next CRADLE OF FILTH studio album staying in the same vein as "Cryptoriana" or "Existence Is Futile". He responded: "It's not going to be a million miles away from that. I've been working on some of the material today. We're putting the finishing touches on the songs we're going to record, whether all of them make the grade or not. It has a 'Dusk… And Her Embrace' vibe to them. Musically, it plays across 'Dusk' and 'Midian', but lyrically, and the vibe of it, it has a 'Dusk… And Her Embrace' feel to it. I don't know why. History repeats itself. Maybe it's because we wrote 'Dusk' around this particular time of year, but it has that vibe. It sounds great, but I would say that, wouldn't I?"

In April 2023, CRADLE OF FILTH released its first live album in over 20 years, "Trouble And Their Double Lives", via Napalm Records. The LP was recorded between 2014 and 2019 at different performances in the USA, Europe, Australia and beyond during the band's "Cryptoriana" world tour and dates following. Produced, mixed and mastered by Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studios, with recording captured by Danny B, the effort not only features a slew of fan favorites encompassing the band's discography but also two bonus tracks and two entirely brand new songs, "She Is A Fire" and "Demon Prince Regent".

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German rock legends, Scorpions, have shared pro-shot footage of their entire Hellfest 2015 show, which took place in Clisson, France on June 20th, 2015.


Setlist:


"Going Out with A Bang"
"Make It Real"
"The Zoo"
"Coast To Coast"
"Top Of The Bill / Steamrock Fever / Speedy’s Coming / Catch Your Train"
"We Built This House"
"Delicate Dance"
"Always Somewhere / Eye Of The Storm / Send Me An Angel"
"Wind Of Change"
"Big City Nights"
"Dynamite"
- drum solo -
"Crazy World"
"Blackout"
"Still Loving You"
"Rock You Like A Hurricane"







Scorpions, one of the most iconic and influential hard rock bands of all time, are returning to the Las Vegas Strip in 2025 with exclusive headlining residency show in celebration of the band’s 60th anniversary.


Promoted by Live Nation and Caesars Entertainment, Scorpions – Coming Home To Las Vegas 60th Anniversary Las Vegas Residency kicks off on Thursday, February 27, 2025 at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Scorpions will be joined by special guest Buckcherry. The new show follows the band’s two previous sold-out residencies at the venue – Scorpions - Love At First Sting Las Vegas in 2024, and Sin City Nights in 2022.


“There couldn‘t be a better way than to start 2025 in Las Vegas with another residency at Planet Hollywood… come and celebrate with us our 60th Anniversary and catch a rockin‘ good time… we gonna sting yaaaa!!!” - Klaus Meine


Tickets go on sale Saturday, September 28 at 10 AM, PT. Scorpions Rock Zone fan club members will have exclusive, first access to tickets starting Tuesday, September 24 at 10 AM, PT. For more information and to jo

During an appearance on a recent episode of The Ward Bond Show, former BUTCHER BABIES vocalist Carla Harvey, who works as a grief counselor and an end-of-life specialist, spoke about her decision to leave the band after a 15-year run. Reflecting on BUTCHER BABIES' formation and her eventual departure, she said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's quite interesting because [prior to BUTCHER BABIES] I had come to a point living in L.A., you get opportunities and they're snatched away from you. You make money, then you lose your money. And I was so tired of the entertainment business. And I was, like, 'I don't wanna do this anymore. I don't wanna play music anymore. I don't wanna act anymore. It's too much. Nothing is ever gonna happen with it.' So that's when I went to mortuary school and I was committed to only working in funeral service from then on out. Well, after a couple years of working, I got my dream job at a very big mortuary in L.A. And at the same time, I got an opportunity to start my band and go on tour for the first time in my life. So I had to make a choice in that moment. I've committed myself to this death-care career. Do I drop it all, everything that I've worked so hard for in school, and go on tour with this band and just see what happens one final time, or do I just stick on my path? And I chose music in that moment, and that was 2009 that I really committed back to music, and 2012 we went on our — we were touring non-stop, so there was no way I could work in funeral service anymore. Well, it ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me because our career just exploded, and so I got the best of both worlds. I had gotten my education. I had gotten a taste of working in death care, and then I could still live out my dream, and I am so grateful for that. The last 15 years of my life have been spent on stage, entertaining people in a capacity that I never dreamed I would have, especially after so much disappointment in my early years in L.A. So I got to do that. I got to be a rock star. I got to do all the things. And then 15 years later, my mind kind of changed again. [Laughs]"

Elaborating on her decision to leave BUTCHER BABIES and return to the death-care industry, Carla said: "So there's so much that goes into being in a band, especially as you get older and your life changes, you have relationships, you have a partner. I have a stepdaughter, and the idea, all of a sudden, of being on the road 10, 12 months out of the year became just a lot to handle. And in a band there's five people, and half of those people may feel like they want to be on the road constantly all the time and then some people are, like, 'Maybe it's halftime.' So it doesn't always work out for the greater good of everybody."

She continued: "My dad said something to me once years ago, when we had started the band, and he meant it in jest. He said, 'I saw you singing on the Internet. Don't quit your day job.' And at the time I was, like, 'That's the nastiest thing you could say.' But I'm glad I never quit my day job. In fact, all the while, the last 15 years, while I've been on tour, I've been getting more education and getting more certification so that I could continue on because I always had that need to still be in death care in some aspect. I founded my grief coaching company so that I could still be of service to people who need me in that capacity. It was very important to me. And then last year, I was on this major summer tour. We were playing sheds, the outdoor amphitheaters and it was wonderful and every day you're up on stage singing your heart out, but, man, I saw this post about [innovative solidified remains company] Parting Stone looking for a partner success manager. And I thought, 'Man, I wanna apply for this. I wanna see what happens if I can take this job.'"

Harvey added: "There's just so many moments in life where you really have to assess what's best for you. Life changes. And also another thing about the entertainment industry and the music industry, it's not the same as it was for musicians 20 years ago, 10 years ago. My future husband's [ANTHRAX and PANTERA drummer Charlie Benante] in a legacy band. They never have to worry about having a real job — ever. But bands my size? You're not breaking the bank. You're not really earning a livable wage unless you're on the road 12 months out of the year. You can't support yourself. So I've always had other jobs, whether I'm painting pictures for people or doing my grief coaching on the side. That's a day job that I've been able to maintain throughout my career with music. It was a necessity as well as a passion, because otherwise I'd be couch surfing somewhere. [Laughs] I have nothing. So it's really hard to live passionately and just follow your dreams without something to fall back on or something to assist you. And I tell this to a lot of people, and some people are, like, 'No, man. I don't want a backup plan. This is the only thing I'm ever gonna do.'

"I always thought about, 'Okay, this is awesome right now. What about when I'm 60? What am I gonna do then?'" Carla said. "Because my mom is 72 and she's working all the time still. She loves working. We're not 70-year-olds that are gonna be sitting on a couch or 60-year-olds that aren't gonna be out doing something. Life is different. We're still gonna be working. We have to do something, and I'd rather have that be a career rather than a job that I'm forced to have to sustain myself in the [later] years."

Last month, Carla announced that she was launching a new project called THE VIOLENT HOUR. At least some of the early recording sessions for the project have been overseen by producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER and URIAH HEEP, among many others.

Harvey shared the news of THE VIOLENT HOUR's launch in a social media post on September 21. She wrote: "It's coming. I've put my heart and soul into my new project THE VIOLENT HOUR over the last 6 months. I can't wait for you to hear it. Keep your eyes peeled for updates. This is a slower process than I'd like...but...I'm pumped!"

BUTCHER BABIES announced their split with Harvey in July, saying in a statement that "Carla has been an integral part of our journey, bringing her unique talent, passion, and energy to the band," and wishing "her all the best in her future endeavors."

Carla, who co-founded BUTCHER BABIES in 2010 with fellow vocalist Heidi Shepherd, confirmed her exit from the band in a separate post, saying that she was "super proud" of her work with BUTCHER BABIES and adding that she was "not done making music and performing."

Last fall, BUTCHER BABIES completed a European tour without Carla, who sat out the trek in order to undergo emergency surgery on her left eye.

BUTCHER BABIES recently embarked on a three-week European tour, starting on July 27 at the Stonehenge festival in The Netherlands.

This past January, Harvey and Benante announced that they were officially engaged.

BUTCHER BABIES released a double album "Eye For An Eye..." and "…'Til The World's Blind", in July 2023. The double album celebrated the tenth anniversary of BUTCHER BABIES' critically acclaimed debut, "Goliath", released on July 9, 2013 via Century Media Records.

Smitten with tales of the Sunset Strip, Harvey made the pilgrimage to Los Angeles from her Native Detroit to play a little rock and roll…and instead found herself the entertainment report for a groundbreaking cable TV news program. After hosting two series and acting in a variety of television programs, movies and commercials, Harvey took a break from showbiz to earn her degree in mortuary science. She embarked on a successful career in embalming and funeral directing before going back to her first love: music.

In addition to writing and recording, Carla has a passion for drawing and penning comic books. Her love affair with the genre started when she discovered the Incredible Hulk at four years old. She spent the majority of her teenage years holed up in her room listening to PANTERA and developing an affinity for drawing her own scantily clad comic book characters. Dubbed a "comic book master-mind" by Hustler magazine, Harvey's first published comic book "Butcher Babies" (a fantasy, horror concept surrounding her now-former band),premiered and sold out at its Comic-Con San Diego debut, leaving fans chomping at the bit for her next comic, "Soul Sucka". Shortly after, she released her first full-length novel, "Death And Other Dances", to rave reviews. Carla's art has been featured in Famous Monsters magazine and has graced the cover of iconic Heavy Metal magazine.

In a new interview with United Rock Nations, OPETH guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt discussed the band's upcoming album, "The Last Will And Testament", which will arrive on November 22 via Reigning Phoenix Music/Moderbolaget. Speaking about his decision to include growling vocals in the recently released first single from the LP, "§1", Åkerfeldt said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I wanted to try it out. I had been thinking, and we had been talking in the band that we should, maybe we could try and see what happens if we write something that's slightly heavier. And I felt I wanted to try and see if I could write music and fit that type of vocals on to new music. And I hadn't done that for many years… It's been a while. So I wrote a few parts and tried the death metal vocals, and it sounded awesome. Besides, it also provided a different voice to this character in the story. It became an asset that I haven't really had the need for, for the last four albums. But now it was an asset that actually could be beneficial for the whole concept, for the whole record. It sounded awesome too. I'm happy."

Last month, Åkerfeldt addressed the fact that OPETH fans have reacted positively to his return to growling vocals on "§1", telling "Coffee With Ola": "I don't have social media. Obviously, the record is not out yet, so I haven't read any reviews, but I'm on YouTube, believe it or not, every now and then, so I've seen some comments and videos, 'Oh, my god, OPETH is back. Mikael's back,' that type of thing. And yeah, there are some screams on there. And it's cool that they appreciate it. It's also slightly annoying."

Elaborating on why he finds it "annoying" that so much of the focus has been on the fact that he is growling on an OPETH album again, Mikael said: "I choose not to get upset. I'm an old guy. I decided I'm just gonna take in, like, 'You love it? You love that I do that stuff? Fine. I'm gonna be happy about it. But it's also, is that all we are? We've done four records in a row without that type of vocals, which people have liked, but it's been… It's so much focus on the screams, I almost feel like I wanna troll, just do a shit record, like really shit, obvious shit, with great screams and see what they think."

He continued: "But I'm really happy with the record. The screams sound really good. They fit this music and the concept of the record. So, all in all, I'm happy."

When host Ola Englund noted that there are "a lot" of growling vocals on "The Last Will And Testament", Mikael concurred. "Yeah, maybe it's 50-50, maybe more. But it was fun doing it again. I hadn't done it on an OPETH record for quite some time. 'Watershed' was the last [album] with that type of vocals. I wrote the songs. I started with the one called 'Paragraph One' ['§1']. So I tried some screams to see if it fit with the music, because I hadn't written music with the intention of having that type of vocal for a long time. So I didn't know if it was gonna work, but it sounded great to me. So I was, like, 'Okay.' Besides, it's a concept record and it gave a voice to that main character in the story. So that felt, like, 'Okay, I'm gonna try.'"

Regarding the concept for the new OPETH album, Mikael said: "People heard that first song, 'Paragraph One'. It starts with footsteps leading up to a door. A door opens and then off we go. And a patriarch, a father has died. He's a rich, conservative, stern old fucker who's passed away and the album starts when his children, his three children, arrive to attend the reading of his last will and testament, basically to see what they're, so to speak, getting. And then throughout the album, through his testament, all the lyrics are written as if they were written like a proper testament, with paragraphs, which explains the titles, or the lack of titles. And throughout the reading, he will reveal secrets about himself mostly, but many of these secrets will immediately affect his children and kind of turn their lives upside down. And then there's a twist to the story as well in the end."

"The Last Will And Testament" was written by Åkerfeldt, with lyrics conferred with Klara Rönnqvist Fors (THE HEARD, ex-CRUCIFIED BARBARA). "The Last Will And Testament" was co-produced by Åkerfeldt and Stefan Boman (GHOST, THE HELLACOPTERS),engineered by Boman, Joe Jones (KILLING JOKE, ROBERT PLANT) and OPETH, with Boman, Åkerfeldt and the rest of OPETH mixing at Atlantis and Hammerthorpe Studios in Stockholm. The strings on "The Last Will And Testament" were arranged by Åkerfeldt and returning prog friend Dave Stewart (EGG, KHAN) and conducted by Stewart at Angel Studios in London. Not one to miss a beat, visual artist Travis Smith returns to the fold, crafting his 11th cover, a haunting "photograph" reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's infamous "Overlook Hotel" photograph. Miles Showell (ABBA, QUEEN) also revisits mastering and vinyl lacquer cutting at Abbey Road Studios in London.

Åkerfeldt rolls out the red carpet for storied flautist and JETHRO TULL mainman Ian Anderson. Not only do Anderson's signature notes fly on "§4" and "§7", he narrates on "§1", "§2", "§4", and "§7". Joining Anderson, EUROPE's Joey Tempest lends a backing vocal hand on "§2", while Åkerfeldt's youngest daughter, Mirjam Åkerfeldt, is the disembodied voice in "§1".

"The Last Will And Testament" is a concept album set in the post-World War I era, unfolding the story of a wealthy, conservative patriarch whose last will and testament reveals shocking family secrets. The narrative weaves through the patriarch's confessions, the reactions of his twin children, and the mysterious presence of a polio-ridden girl who the family have taken care of. The album begins with the reading of the father's will in his mansion. Among those in attendance is a young girl, who, despite being an orphan and polio-ridden, has been raised by the family. Her presence at the will reading raises suspicions and questions among the twins.

"The Last Will And Testament" is the darkest and heaviest record OPETH has made in decades, and it is also the band's most fearlessly progressive. A concept album recounting the reading of one recently deceased man's will to an audience of his surviving family members, it brims with haunting melodrama, shocking revelations and some of the wildest and most unpredictable music that Åkerfeldt has ever written.

The follow-up to 2019's widely acclaimed "In Cauda Venenum", "The Last Will And Testament" is set in the shadowy, sepia-stained 1920s. It slowly reveals its secrets like some classic thriller from the distant, cobwebbed past, with each successive song shining more light on the stated machinations of our dead (but definitely not harmless) protagonist. The emotional chaos of the story is perfectly matched by OPETH's vivid but claustrophobic soundtrack, which artfully winds its way towards a crestfallen but sumptuous finale. Masters of their own idiosyncratic musical domain, OPETH have never sounded more unique.

"The Last Will And Testament" is destined to be a milestone in OPETH's illustrious recorded history. The band's first out-and-out concept record, it features guest cameos from JETHRO TULL legend Ian Anderson and Joey Tempest, frontman with Swedish rock gods EUROPE. Only one of the album's eight songs has a title: closing ballad "A Story Never Told". The rest are simply labeled as numbered chapters in this slowly unfolding saga of deceit, recrimination and betrayal. Enigmatic, unsettling and immersive, "The Last Will And Testament" is a turbulent, prog metal tale like no other.

Making his recorded debut alongside OPETH's long-established lineup of Mikael Åkerfeldt, guitarist Fredrik Åkesson, bassist Martin Mendez and keyboard maestro Joakim Svalberg on "The Last Will And Testament" is new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen, who joined the band in 2022.

OPETH will embark on a North American tour this fall. The trek, which will kick off on October 11 in Milwaukee, includes stops in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, New Orleans, Austin, Denver and more.

Photo by Terhi Ylimäinen

L.A. Guns guitarist Tracii Guns took to social media recently with the following update on his band's as yet untitled new album, which will serve as the follow-up to Black Diamonds, issued in 2023 via Frontiers.


"It’s a wrap! The new L.A. Guns record is ready to be mastered and on to manufacturing. It’s stanky like this photo of my studio. No bs cover tunes, no pretending we’re something we’re not, just 100 percent L.A. Guns. Get ready to shake your asses, cry and laugh. Death to false glam rock!"







At the end of May, L.A. Guns announced a new partnership with renowned indie label, Cleopatra Records, for the next chapter of their historic career.


Vocalist Phil Lewis and founder/guitarist Tracii Guns are set to continue the band’s renaissance that began in 2016 and continues to revitalize the band’s massive fanbase as never before.


The highly anticipated new studio album will be the first fruit of the band’s reunion with Cleopatra Records, a label known for its diverse roster and innovative approach to music production. The collaboration comes at a pivotal moment for L.A. Guns, with a mix of classic members and fresh faces, the band is set to deliver an album that both honours their legacy and explores new creative horizons.


“I'm thrilled to have L.A. Guns back home, completing a full circle journey with them. From my early days printing their t-shirts in my parents’ garage