CHEAP TRICK singer Robin Zander says that fans won't have to wait too long to hear new music from the band. "We have an album that's already done and it's ready to go," he tells AXS TV's "At Home And Social With" (see video below). "It's been put on hold because of the virus… We're very excited about it. We signed a deal with BMG. And we'll see what happens."

According to Robin, the new CHEAP TRICK LP will please the band's longtime followers, including those who have supported the group since its inception nearly five decades ago.

"We've made a lot of records, and we just continue making records — for ourselves mostly, but also for our immediate fans that still cling to us," he says. "It's something, I think, that is our lifeblood; it keeps us going… And I believe that we still make quality records. If we didn't, we probably wouldn't do it anymore."

This past September, CHEAP TRICK released a cover version of David Bowie's "Rebel Rebel". The track was engineered and produced by Jack Douglas.

Back in 2018, CHEAP TRICK released a single called "The Summer Looks Good On You" and followed it up with 2019 updates of Harry Nilsson's "Ambush" and John Lennon's "Gimme Some Truth".

The band has released nearly 20 studio records, including three in the past four years: 2016's "Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello" and 2017's "We're All Alright!" and "Christmas Christmas".

In 2018, CHEAP TRICK took part in the "Nothin' But A Good Time Tour" with POISON.

A career highpoint for the quartet was its 2016 induction into the Rock And Roll Of Fame, where it accepted its award before performing three of its hits — "I Want You to Want Me", "Dream Police" and "Surrender".

CHEAP TRICK's current lineup includes three of its original members: Zander, guitarist Rick Nielsen and bassist Tom Petersson. Drummer Bun E. Carlos stopped touring with the band in 2010 and was replaced by Nielsen's son Daxx.

FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares has uploaded a 10-minute video in which a number of other notable musicians and music industry personalities congratulate the band on its 30th anniversary. Among the people featured in the clip are Robb Flynn (MACHINE HEAD), Devin Townsend, Tony Campos (STATIC-X), Mark Hunter (CHIMAIRA), Shaun Glass (REPENTANCE), Hernan "Eddie" Hermida (SUICIDE SILENCE), Monte Conner (Nuclear Blast Records, ex-Roadrunner Records) and Jose Mangin (SiriusXM).

In a message accompanying the YouTube release of the video, Cazares wrote: "Wow can you believe it’s been 30 years of the birth of FEAR FACTORY. Thank you to all the fans that have supported FF for the last 30 years and everyone who's been involved with band.

"In 1990 my roommate Robert Murray came up with the name FEAR FACTORY and he sold it to me for two 2 liters of Pepsi and 5 snicker bars lol....."

This past August, singer Burton C. Bell issued a statement officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY, saying that he "cannot align" himself with someone whom he does not trust or respect.

Bell's exit from FEAR FACTORY came more than two weeks after Cazares launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist him with the production costs associated with the release of FEAR FACTORY's long-awaited new album.

Last month, Dino issued a statement in which he said that the door for Burton to come back to FEAR FACTORY wouldn't "stay open forever." He also explained that Burton "lost his legal rights" to the FEAR FACTORY name "after a long court battle" with former drummer Raymond Herrera and bassist Christian Olde Wolbers. "I had the opportunity to do something right, and I felt that obtaining the name in full was the right thing to do for the both of us, so after nearly four years we can continue as FEAR FACTORY, to make more records and to tour," he said. "That is why it is sad to hear that he decided to quit and, in my opinion, for whatever issues he has it seems like it could've been worked out."

In explaining his reasons for starting a fundraising campaign, Cazares said that all donations will go toward covering newly incurred production costs involved with the making of the new FEAR FACTORY LP, including re-recording the drums, guitars, bass and keyboards, as well as mixing and mastering by Andy Sneap. Burton's original lead vocals, which were recorded in full in 2017, will remain on the new version of the album.

FEAR FACTORY's fundraising campaign marks the first public activity from the band since it completed a 2016 U.S. headlining tour on which it performed its classic second album, "Demanufacture", in its entirety.

If you know your Canadian thrash, then you know the legendary Entropy. The band first hit the metal scene in the late '80s, and 30 years later they're still melting faces with their latest full-length Force Convergence, unleashed this past August.

Today, Entropy guitarist Dan Lauzon is sharing a lesson in shredding with his playthrough for the band's track "Ripzone".

Lauzon comments on the video: "'Ripzone' is a straight-up ripper! This was the first or second tune written for the album. For years, the working title was 'Ripper'! Right from the start, I wanted a less is more approach on this tune for leads; man I wanted to shred all over the middle parts... but knowing this was likely the lead-off track I wanted to melt faces with the crush. Pound it and snap some necks!"

"The throwback to some classic Maiden / Priest style harmonies going on in the two bridges before the lead really sets the table, so when the lead does finally come in, I feel it has way more of an impact. The two guitars layered under the lead make it feel huge. It's the first time I've harmonized a lead since the Ashen Existence album. It just made sense to me to go for it."

"Our tuning is E-flat drop D so the E is C sharp. Have fun with it – warm that right hand up first for maximum jackhammer action!"

Entropy's fourth album, Force Convergence, is a 30-minute metal rip-ride! It is a creative and fun album that flows with power, melody, aggressiveness, and meaning along with it being a story-driven cinematic sci-fi adventure. 

The thrashers share the premise of the concept album: “We wanted to bring metal fans a sci-fi horror experience with the album story. The lyrical inspiration is from bands like Rush, Queensryche, Voivod, Iron Maiden, and also from films like Aliens, Predator, War Of The World’s, Independence Day, Invasion Of The Body Snatchers. There is also a sprinkle of war scene themes throughout the story, like Apocalypse Now, Platoon, and Starship Troopers, mixed in for fun.” 

Force Convergence is available on EntropyMetal.com  (CD), Spotify, and Apple Music.

Tracklisting:

“Everything Falls”
“Ripzone”
“Planetary Impact Extinction”
“Weaponized Storm System”
“Transmigration”
“Force Convergence”

Album stream:

(Photo by: Pamela Ashton – Lauzon)

 




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In celebration of Keith Emerson's 76th birthday, The Keith Emerson Estate and Cherry Red Records announce the long-awaited release of The Official Keith Emerson Tribute Concert on March 11, 2021 (the fifth anniversary of Keith's passing). This official 3-disc set brings you the historical 2016 tribute show in Los Angeles featuring a once-in-a-lifetime lineup of musical luminaries performing music from Emerson, Lake & Palmer, The Nice, Emerson, Lake & Powell, The Keith Emerson Band and the Three Fates Project.

The 2 1/2 - hour concert film features many stellar performances by over two dozen prominent artists in rock, jazz and classical music as well as artist interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, tribute speeches, and a gallery of personal never-before-seen photos from the Emerson estate. The concert will be released on Blu-Ray along with a bonus 2-CD set which features an exclusive audio recording of the show.

Performers include: Brian Auger, Eddie Jobson, Jordan Rudess, Steve Lukather, Steve Porcaro, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Vinnie Colaiuta, Marc Bonilla, Gregg Bissonnette, CJ Vanston, Troy Luccketta, Rachel Flowers, Terje Mikkelsen, Philippe Saisse, Joe Travers, Travis Davis, Ed Roth, Jonathan Sindelman, Mike Wallace, Mick Mahan, Karma Auger, Rick Livingstone, Kae Matsumoto, Aaron Emerson, Dan Lutz, and Michael Fitzpatrick.

This highly-anticipated concert captures the essence of what made Keith Emerson a pioneer of prog rock, a treasure among his many fans and friends, and a legendary keyboardist and composer with the iconic supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

“It was a great honor to be asked to play in tribute to not only a friend but a musical giant and hero to us all.  I hope he smiles from heaven knowing the spirit this was done in. So many unreal musicians and thanks to Marc for putting it all together like that! RIP Keith. You are so missed...” - Steve Lukather, 2020

All proceeds go to the charity The Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, which was close to Keith’s heart. Artists, crew and all involved have donated their skills and time gratis for this worthy cause, which afflicts thousands of musicians annually.

Check out the official trailer:

For more information and updates on the Blu-ray release, visit this location.

 




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TŴR​ (pronounced “​Tur” /tʊr/ )​ is a death metal project based in ​Costa Rica​, Central America, created by ​Matthew Wallace​ ​and ​Erick Sanchez​,​ joined soon after by​ ​Roy Zumbado​; all of them coming from different metal bands like ​Volture​, ​Advent of Bedlam​/​Animus Barathrum​ and ​Dry Bones Army​.

TŴR's debut single​, “Black Tower”,​ features death metal veteran studio drummer ​Kevin Talley​ (​Dying Fetus​, ​Six Feet Under​, ​Chimaira​, D​ecrepit Birth​, ​Misery Index​)​ along with solos from long time friend of the band and incredible guitarist ​Federico Valerín​ ​from Costa Rica's metal juggernaut, ​Prockq​.

"Black Tower" is a death metal song about deception, tyranny, enslavement and sorrow, based on the 2001 video game by director Hidemaro Fujibayashi, “Zeruda no densetsu: Fushigi no ki no mi - Jikû no shô” (original title) or “The Legend Of Zelda: Oracle Of Ages” and focusing on the events leading to the burning of “the flame of sorrow” and the horrors inflicted inside the Black Tower.

The song is an omen, the “Black Tower” is used as a symbol for a dystopia; where humanity is being caught in an “endless day”, a cycle of enslavement which fuels the “flame of sorrow”. We are all inside the Black Tower. The name TŴR means Tower, concept which will anchor future music releases through various forms, stay tuned for more.

The single was produced by TŴR, recorded, mixed and mastered by Marcos Monerat at his studio in San José, Costa Rica, drums were recorded by Kevin Talley in San Antonio, Texas. Cover artwork was brought to life by concept artist and illustrator Alexander Chacon. The single is available on all major music streaming platforms, including Bandcamp. Listen below:

TŴR​ started in 2017 with ​Matthew Wallace​ and ​Erick Sanchez​ who came up with the idea of creating head-banging death metal along with unusual lyrical and visual concepts, like The Legend Of Zelda lore and themes as source material for a single. ​(fun fact both Matthew and Erick have tattoos related to Zelda).​ Needing vocals for the project, they reached out to ​Roy Zumbado​, who previously collaborated with Matthew in previous music projects, and a good friend of both. After a couple of meetings they took the initiative of asking ​Federico Valerin,​ a well known guitar teacher in Costa Rica, fellow musician and friend, to add solos and his creative drive to the single. Roy suggested hiring ​Kevin Talley as studio drummer whom he met when both played at a festival in Costa Rica back in 2013, and that's how ​Black Tower ​came to be.




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David Coverdale has expressed his exasperation at DEEP PURPLE for how he and Glenn Hughes were treated by their former band ahead of their Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction in 2016.

The WHITESNAKE frontman made the comments while speaking to Eonmusic about the band's new album, "Love Songs", which will be released on November 6 via Rhino Records.

Coverdale said that initially he was going to decline the invitation to attend the event if founder Ritchie Blackmore was going to turn it down. He explained: "[Ritchie and I] had been talking about it. We'd been nominated before and never got in, and I said, 'Are you going to go?', and he said, 'Nah.' I said, 'Well, I won't go then.' [Laughs]".

He continued: "But what had happened in 2016, literally, once it had been announced that we were officially being inducted into it, the current DEEP PURPLE refused to go if Ritchie Blackmore was going to be there. And this was, like, 72 hours before, when I was ready to fly with my family. And this cost me, like, $75,000 [or] $85,000, because you have to pay for all the tables apart from the one you're on, and I had my daughter fly in from Germany, my son came out of college. It was a family affair."

The singer, who played with DEEP PURPLE along with Hughes from 1973 to 1976, went on: "Suddenly, Glenn Hughes and I were told, 'Well, we don't want you singing with us.' Initially, I'd spoken to Ian [Gillan] about coming up and singing the backgrounds of 'Smoke On The Water', because originally they were going to close the show. So, that suddenly was pulled, the plug. They tried to stop us doing speeches, and my wife was fucking furious, apart from the fact she spent a fortune on posh dresses. [Laughs] And I said, 'Fuck it! Nobody's going to keep us off.' I got in touch with Carole, Ritchie's manager, and I said, 'Tell him to come with me. Nobody's going to fucking touch him. Tell him to come with me,' and he didn't want to do it."

Coverdale added: "The first thing I said when I was up there, was, 'None of us would have been standing here without Ritchie Blackmore,' and I made sure of that point. Steve Morse and Don Airey [current DEEP PURPLE members] were more complimentary to Glenn and I than the other guys. We had a blast; we had a fucking great time. I'm very happy that I am who I am, and I just talked to Glenn the other day about it: 'What the fuck was up their ass?!'

"So we didn't get to jam, which was fine," he said. "We were back doing press while they were performing, just having a good old time like the unrighteous brothers always do."

Making a final point about Blackmore's towering contribution to DEEP PURPLE, David said: "He doesn't give a shit, and he knows he was responsible for the majority of the music there, and it's true — none of us, none of us would have been on that stage without Ritchie Blackmore. None of us."

Read the entire interview, where Coverdale talks about the bucket list guitarists he'd like to work with, and plans for his farewell "gratitude and appreciation tour," at Eonmusic.

Blackmore is a co-founder of DEEP PURPLE and wrote many of their most memorable riffs, including "Smoke On The Water", but he has not played with the group since his 1993 departure.

Morse effectively took over Blackmore's slot in 1994 and has since been in DEEP PURPLE longer than Ritchie.

Despite Blackmore being a no-show at Rock Hall, he was given several shoutouts during the induction speeches of the DEEP PURPLE members in attendance. In addition, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich, who inducted DEEP PURPLE into the institution, praised "Ritchie fucking Blackmore" for one of the most memorable guitar riffs of all time on "Smoke On The Water".

DEEP PURPLE's first three lineups were inducted into the Rock Hall, including Blackmore, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Jon Lord, and various singers and bassists — Rod Evans, Gillan, Roger Glover, Coverdale and Hughes.

DEEP PURPLE's acceptance speeches included turns from Gillan, Glover, Paice, Coverdale and Hughes before the current lineup of DEEP PURPLE — Gillan, Glover, Paice, Morse and Airey — took the stage and played a short set consisting of "Highway Star", "Green Onions" (with an image of Lord behind them), "Hush" and "Smoke On The Water".

JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford says that the heavy metal genre "hasn't been respected enough" by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

The British legends were on the ballot for Rock Hall induction this year, but failed to receive enough votes to make the class of 2020.

Having been eligible for induction since 1999, PRIEST was previously on the ballot for the 2018 class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but was ultimately left out of the inductee list.

Asked in new interview with Word In Your Ear if he is "bothered" by the fact that PRIEST hasn't been inducted into the Rock Hall yet, Halford said (see video below): "Well, let's put it this way. You have all of these institutions here in America — you've got the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for music; you've got the Basketball Hall Of Fame; you've got the Baseball Hall Of Fame; Football — you've got all of these places where, I think essentially, it's just a really nice, cool recognition of what you've done, the work that you've done and the things that you've achieved, the place that you've been put at, and so on and so forth.

"So, am I bothered if we ever get in? Not really. But I think we do deserve to be in there. Because I look at the list of people that are in there, and I feel that we have a place. And it would not only be for JUDAS PRIEST — it would be for British music, particularly British heavy metal music, and that's a beautiful achievement. [BLACK] SABBATH are in there, which is great. But I've always said that as far as what the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame represents, the genre of heavy metal music hasn't really been looked after enough and respected enough.

"So, I'd like to feel that eventually we will get in."

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal bands like PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that group's first year of eligibility.

The Rock Hall didn't induct BLACK SABBATH until 2006, and METALLICA followed three years later.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2016.

After this year's Rock Hall inductees were announced in January, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner said that it made no sense that DEPECHE MODE, Whitney Houston, NINE INCH NAILS and Biggie Smalls were going into the Rock Hall before PRIEST. "Hence why the Rock Hall holds no credibility for me and never has," he tweeted.

A new video message from IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson in which he discusses the band's upcoming double live album, "Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City", can be seen below.

"I'm really excited," Bruce said. "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!"

"Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City" will be 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.

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

The song "Sign Of The Cross", taken from "Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City", can be streamed below.

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 will be 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.

Since the band announced the cancellation of its entire 2020 touring schedule, ALTER BRIDGE has taken time to do what they are known best for — creating. Never a band to take a lot of personal time off, the band reviewed live recordings from their shows in January/February 2020 to pick a few of its live favorites of songs from its latest album, "Walk The Sky". This led bandmembers Myles Kennedy, Mark Tremonti, Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips to begin sharing ideas for a new studio song. Those collective ideas would yield an original track titled "Last Rites" — a track written, recorded and completed entirely during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The final version of "Last Rites", along with live versions of "Wouldn't You Rather", "Pay No Mind", "Native Son", "Godspeed", "In The Deep" and "Dying Light", will form a new seven-song EP, "Walk The Sky 2.0", out November 6 via Napalm Records.

The official lyric video for "Last Rites" can now be seen below.

"Walk The Sky 2.0" track listing:

01. Last Rites

02. Wouldn't You Rather (Live)

03. Pay No Mind (Live)

04. Native Son (Live)

05. Godspeed (Live)

06. In The Deep (Live)

07. Dying Light (Live)

"Walk The Sky 2.0" will be available in the following formats:

* Jewelcase CD

* Jewelcase CD + Shirt (Napalm Records Mailorder only, ex-North America)

* Cream Vinyl LP Gatefold

* Inkspot Yellow/Black Marbled Vinyl LP Gatefold (Napalm Records Mailorder only, limited to 150 copies in North America)

* 2-CD Earbook [+Walk The Sky] (Napalm Records Mailorder only, limited to 300 copies)

* Digital Album [+Walk The Sky]

* Inkspot Yellow/Black Marbled Vinyl LP Gatefold

"Walk The Sky" was released last October via Napalm Records.

ALTER BRIDGE frontman Myles Kennedy recently completed work on his second solo album. The LP was tracked at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with the same team that worked on "Year Of The Tiger", including producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, engineer Jef Moll, as well as drummer Zia Uddin and bassist Tim Tournier.

ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti will enter the studio later this month to make a new album with his TREMONTI solo project.

TREMONTI's next disc will once again be recorded at Studio Barbarosa with Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH, among others.

Photo credit: Dan Sturgess

Season Of Mist has announced the signing of Fuath, the atmospheric black metal offshoot of SAOR’s Andy Marshall.

After starting out as a one-off project and releasing the debut record I (2016), the Scottish musician decided to turn Fuath into a serious project. The second full length, II, is set for release in the first half of 2021 via the Underground Activists imprint label. More news will follow soon.

Andy Marshall comments: "It's an honour working with Season of Mist once again and I can't wait to unleash the new album!"

For a glimpse of what to expect, check out Fuath's debut via Bandcamp.




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PUSCIFER, which released its critically lauded fourth full-length album, "Existential Reckoning", on Friday, has dropped a music video for the song "Theorem".

The clip, which was directed by frontman Maynard James Keenan, offers an update on the search for Pusciverse desert dweller Billy D. The video's arrival follows an eventful weekend for the group that features Keenan, Mat Mitchell, Carina Round, Greg Edwards and Gunnar Olsen, with a wildly successful release day livestream event, "Existential Reckoning: Live At Arcosanti", and saw the 12-song album sitting atop Apple's Rock Album chart since release.

Keenan said: "People ask us 'What is in the Briefcase?' 'Puscifer.' 'And what is Puscifer?' 'What is Puscifer is what Puscifer is.' 'Like a paradox?' 'More than one.' Sigh."

"Existential Reckoning" has also been met with widespread critical praise. Stereogum said the music is "funky" and "darkly playful," Billboard dubbed it "slinky," Consequence Of Sound said the collection is "comparable to early '80s new wavers, as well as modern acts like RADIOHEAD," American Songwriter described "Existential Reckoning" as "seductive," and SPIN said its "infectious enough to make you want to dance the blight away and ponderous enough to make your mind work up a sweat while doing so."

"Existential Reckoning" was produced by Mitchell and PUSCIFER. The album was recorded and mixed by Mitchell at Puscifer Studios in North Hollywood, California.

"Existential Reckoning" track listing:

01. Bread And Circus

02. Apocalyptical

03. The Underwhelming

04. Grey Area 5.1

05. Theorem

06. Upgrade

07. Bullet Train To Iowa

08. Personal Prometheus

09. A Singularity

10. Postulous

11. Fake Affront

12. Bedlamite

Born somewhere in the Arizona desert, PUSCIFER is an electro-rock band, multimedia experience, traveling circus, and alien abduction survivors. The group's catalog consists of three full-length studio albums — "'V' is for Vagina" (2007), "Conditions Of My Parole" (2011) and "Money Shot" (2015) — in addition to a series of EPs and remixes. Beyond the core trio of Keenan, Mitchell and Round, the group's ever-evolving ecosystem encompasses a cast of characters such as Billy D and his wife Hildy Berger, Major Douche, Special Agent Dick Merkin, and many more. Meanwhile, the moniker's origins can be traced to a 1995 episode of the HBO classic "Mr. Show" where Keenan first utilized the name "Puscifer." Entertainment Weekly christened them "exceptionally groovy" and Revolver fittingly described them as "indescribable." Renowned for an immersive live show, the group's performances blur the lines between concert and theater, traversing the dusty American Southwest with Billy D and Hildy or the sweaty squared circle with Luchadores. They've brought this to life everywhere from Coachella to Bonnaroo. On their 2020 debut for Alchemy Recordings/BMG, PUSCIFER track Billy D back to the desert and, just maybe, uncover the truth about aliens once and for all.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

In late September, Fear Factory vocalist Burton C. Bell announced he was leaving the band, stating in part, "The past several years have been profoundly agonizing, with these members bleeding my passion with depraved deceit. As a direct consequence of their greed, these three have dragged me through the unjust, judicial system, resulting in the legal attrition that has financially crippled me...  I cannot align myself with someone whom I do not trust, nor respect."

Taking to Facebook, as reported by Nick Ruskell of Kerrang, Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares responded to a fan’s remark that the band are “Not the same without Burton,” saying, “Im [sic] glad it’s not the same he couldn’t sing live anymore it’s not a secret fans have been complains about his voice for years, go look at YouTube comments, bring on the new voice.”

In another comment, Dino added, “I just wish he would’ve taken care of his voice over the years, like Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle) who screams like crazy and Corey Taylor Slipknot, Stone Sour) and Howard Jones (Killswitch Engage) who both do screams and melodic singing. Those guys prove it can be done.” 

Cazares then went on to allege that the singer had not taken care of his instrument, saying, “If I was a singer I would take care of my voice and not drink hard alcohol, do drugs or smoke. You have to learn how to adapt to your old age. A million singers do it. And million don’t and just have issues.”

The video below looks back at 30 years of Fear Factory:

 




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As a final decision in the highly divisive 2020 election approaches, New York metal quintet Damn Your Eyes is presenting a new lyric video for “Lock And Load,” a nonpartisan observation from opposing sides.

“Damn Your Eyes is not a political band by any means,” the band says. “‘Lock And Load’ is a story of two sides, from their perspective, that focus on the differences they have and not the common ground, which often times leads to conflict. We took all this and put it to a slamming, thrashy, musical soundtrack. Politicians have turned cultural differences into a political issue, a very dangerous road that makes people choose sides. We love all cultures for their unique perspectives and hope for a peaceful solution to the conflicts the extremists on both sides have taken to the streets.”

“This is an old school, Bay Area type thrasher,” says guitarist Artie Alexander. “We dove into our roots and incorporated the type of guitar work, breakdowns and gang vocals that made us metalheads. ‘Lock And Load’ showcases the growth of this band and the path we are headed on. We make no apologies for honoring the music and thought-provoking lyrics that made us.”

The “Lock And Load” single is available here.

Formed in 2015 by Artie Alexander and former drummer James Baldassano, Damn Your Eyes immediately hit the ground running. As respected musicians in their local scene with extensive recording experience, the band quickly recorded an EP, released it to local acclaim, and rapidly returned to the studio to record their upcoming international full-length debut, Kill The Outside in 2019. But as the band was building a following, it seemed to its members that there were some missing pieces to the Damn Your Eyes puzzle. Enter former guitarist Gabriel “Gabby” Abularach, drummer Darren Markoff, 24-year veteran of Long Island metal band Korotory, to complete the puzzle.

Damn Your Eyes entered the studio with this bone-crushing new lineup in July to record several new tracks. The first, “Heavy Is The Head,” debuted in late September. Keep an eye out for more music from Damn Your Eyes in the coming months!

 

 




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One of Sweden’s finest power metal acts, Persuader, is back with their Frontiers Music Srl debut and fifth album overall, Necromancy, on December 4. Pre-order/save Necromancy here, and listen to the song "Scars" below.

"This release will mark the beginning of a new chapter for us and we look forward to working together for many more albums in the future,” says guitarist Emil Norberg. "The new album is probably our most aggressive album to date, without sacrificing melody, as our previous releases prove. It also marks our first album with guitarist Fredrik Mannberg (Nocturnal Rites) and it is safe to say that we are delighted to have his fierce songwriting skills and proven stage presence in our ranks.”

Regarding "The Curse Unbound", Emil continues, "We're ready to descend upon our fans with yet another new album and we thought we'd give them a taste of what's to come with 'The Curse Unbound'. The lyrics are based on a movie and if you think you know which one, send us a message on our Facebook page!"

Originally formed in 1997 in the north of Sweden, Persuader have delivered raw, melodic, and in your face power metal since their inception and their upcoming Frontiers' debut promises absolutely zero compromises in that department.

Thus far, the band has released four albums between 2000 - 2014 and has always presented a dynamic and aggressive slice of power metal. In 2019, the band reconvened in the studio and started working on a new set of songs which eventually became the powerhouse that is their new opus. Titled Necromancy, maybe for their uncanny ability to rise from the dead again and again, the new album features seven new original compositions making up nearly 50 minutes of new music that may arguably be their most ambitious effort to date.

A new chapter begins for Persuader... and the face melting of power metal fans continues on.

Tracklisting:

"The Curse Unbound"
"Scars"
"Raise The Dead"
"Reign Of Darkness"
"Hells Command"
"Gateways"
"The Infernal Fires"

"Scars":

"The Curse Unbound" lyric video:

Lineup:

Jens Carlsson - Vocal
Emil Norberg - Guitar
Fredrik Mannberg - Guitar
Efraim Juntunen - Drums




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Bleed The Sky have released their new single, "The Devil Will See You Now (TDWSYN)", via Art is War Records. Stream/download the track here, and watch a visualizer below.

"The Devil Will See You Now" has been through the wringer. This song was written, scrapped, re-written, scrapped again, put on the shelf for months, then finally revisited, reconstructed, re-recorded and now ready for release! We poured our highest levels of aggressive songwriting into this one, and loved every second of it. Lyrically, this song is a very deliberate stand against anyone who has ever harmed an innocent. There is a special place in hell for anyone who preys on the young, and it especially strikes a nerve with us when predators are people of [faith]" says the band.

Formed in 2003, California's Bleed The Sky are back in full swing after a 10 year absence from the music scene. Following two well received albums released on Nuclear Blast Records, Paradigm In Entropy (2005) and Murder The Dance (2008), the band is once again redefining who they are with the Art Is War Records release This Way Lies Madness (2020).

The new lineup consists of Noah Robinson (vocals), Austin D’Amond (drums), Wayne Miller (guitars), Kevin Garcia (guitars) and David Culbert (bass guitar). While both Robinson and D’Amond were active members on both previous albums, Miller was an active member during the Paradigm In Entropy album cycle and Culbert was an active member during the preproduction of Murder The Dance. With this new all-star lineup rounded out by Kevin Garcia, Bleed The Sky returns with an intensity that is familiar to fans of the previous sound, as well as a new brutality that contends with any modern metal genres.




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Norway's Gaia Epicus, who recently announced the addition of drummer Mike Terrana (Tarja, Rage, Axel Rudi Pell, Vision Divine), have released a home quarantine video for "Invisible Enemy", a track from the band's upcoming new album, Seventh Rising. Watch the clip below:

Seventh Rising is the follow-up to the band’s latest album, Alpha & Omega, which was released in December 2018. The new album is the seventh studio album from Gaia Epicus and it will contain 11 tracks. Release is expected by the end of 2020.

Tracklisting:

“Like A Phoenix”
“Rising”
“Nothing To Lose”
“From Ashes To Fire”
“The Dream”
“Invisible Enemy”
“Dr. Madman”
“Number One”
“Gods Of Metal”
“We Are The Ones”
“Eye Of RA”

“Gods Of Metal”:

Album lineup:

Thomas Chr. Hansen - guitars, bass and vocals
Lukky Sparxx - lead guitars
Mike Terrana - drums

Special guest:

Tim "Ripper" Owens - vocals




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Ravage, the heavy metal band from Boston, today released the band's new EP, "The Worldwide Resistance", in the form of a free streaming, full-length lyric video made available exclusively through the New Wave Of Traditional Heavy Metal Full-Albums Channel on YouTube.

The video was made with fan-contributed artwork and videos centred around the song's lyrics, however when photos of the content were leaked, the band received a significant backlash from angry supporters of US President Donald Trump.

Singer Al Ravage commented, "It's really sad that in this poisoned political climate we are unable to have a discussion about the state of things in a civil way. We can't present a piece of art that expresses our feelings about the times without people going crazy and harassing each other and threatening each other. The lyrics of this songs we've released don't even mention the President, but I've personally had Trump supporters try to contact my place of business to try to have me fired from my day job. Cancel culture is out of control and it's taking place on all sides of the political spectrum.

"As for the songs, this is some of the first new original music we've released in a couple of years and it features the kind of melodic memorable tunes that are our signature with plenty of guitar shredding and a good dose of thrash metal heaviness. I think fans of trad metal and thrash will enjoy it regardless of the message of the lyrics, but have an open mind, take a listen, and whatever you think. It's FREE to stream it and proceeds from the sale of the vinyl version are being donated to the ACLU... get out there and vote tomorrow and let your voice be heard! Don't let people silence you, but try to keep it civil and make America proud."

The new EP features four tracks of melodic heavy metal and thrash and will be made available on an extremely limited ediiton one-sided, engraved vinyl which will be available through the Die With Your Boots On shop here. Proceeds from sales of the vinyl will be donated to the ACLU.

Tracklisting:

"The Worldwide Resistance"
"Know It All"
"Amazon Burning"
"The Derelict City" (2020 remix)

"Amazon Burning" video:




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Nothing have shared a video for "April Ha Ha", taken from their latest album The Great Dismal, released last Friday. The visual, which speaks to the unending feeling of calamity that is life in 2020, is directed by Domenic Palermo who said about the visual: “Life is a joke and everyone in it is too.“

The Great Dismal physical orders are available here and Digital Downloads/Streaming here. Super Deluxe vinyl edition includes a re-sealable mylar bag, 20 page LP sized booklet and custom OBI strip.

Closing in on the band’s ten-year mark, Nothing frontman Domenic Palermo finds himself stringing together songs of misanthropic tales of Philadelphia with a refined and refreshed take on the band’s classic sound.

“The Great Dismal refers to a swamp, a brilliant natural trap where survival is custom fit to its inhabitants,” Palermo states. “The nature of its beautiful, but taxing environment and harsh conditions can’t ever really be shaken or forgotten too easily.”

The ever progressive Nothing keep true to their chaotic outlook on life, keeping a keen eye as to avoid repetition. With a radical cast of talented contributors such as harpist Mary Lattimore, classical musician Shelley Weiss, and singer/songwriter/producer Alex G., The Great Dismal showcases yet another essential side of the band’s trademark sound.

Tracklisting:

"A Fabricated Life"
"Say Less"
"April Ha Ha"
"Catch a Fade"
"Famine Asylum"
"Bernie Sanders"
"In Blueberry"
"Memories"
"Blue Mecca"
"Just a Story"
"Ask The Rust"

"Bernie Sanders" video:

"Say Less" video:

Nothing Is:

Domenic Palermo - Guitar/Vocals
Kyle Kimball - Drums
Aaron Heard - Bass
Doyle Martin - Guitar/Backup Vocals

(Photo - Ben Rayner)




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Behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the official music video for AC/DC's new single, "Shot In The Dark", can be seen below.

"Shot In The Dark" is the first single from AC/DC's long-awaited comeback album, "Power Up", which is due on November 13. The follow-up to 2014's "Rock Or Bust" features AC/DC's 2020 lineup of Brian Johnson (vocals), Phil Rudd (drums), Cliff Williams (bass), Angus Young (guitar) and Stevie Young (guitar).

Angus told Rolling Stone about "Shot In The Dark": "It's got that great AC/DC vibe about it, great swagger, and a good AC/DC rock and roll chant. The title is a little bit cheeky because we all like a little nip [of alcohol] in the night or a few shots in the dark. I was very glad when the record company heard it [that] they felt it was a very strong song and should be the first one that people hear."

"Power Up" was recorded over a six-week period in August and September 2018 at Warehouse Studios in Vancouver with producer Brendan O'Brien, who also worked 2008's "Black Ice" and 2014's "Rock Or Bust".

"What I like about Brendan is that he keeps you working when you're doing a project with him," Angus said. "He's talented himself. He knows his bass and his guitar and a bit of drums. And piano. He covers the spectrum for what we can do musically. It's very good because you’re working with a musician, since he can apply that musical knowledge."

Although AC/DC originally planned on releasing "Power Up" earlier this year, the pandemic forced the band to reconsider.

"We were hoping to get the album out before all this happened," Angus said. "They were getting ideas together for packaging and video promo things. And then that virus thing came along. It kind of put everyone on hold."

"Power Up" will be available in multiple configurations that will excite collectors and die-hard fans alike, including digital, CD, and deluxe versions. The limited edition, one-of-a-kind deluxe "Power Up" box is the ultimate fan package. Hit the button on the side of the box and watch the flashing neon AC/DC logo light up while the opening bars of "Shot In The Dark" blast out of the built-in speaker. Inside the box is the full CD package in a soft-pack with a 20-page booklet that features exclusive photos and USB charging cable allowing the box to remain powered up and on display. The vinyl LP will be pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a gatefold jacket. Limited-edition variants of the LP will be available at select retailers nationwide, as well as the band's online store. The album will be available on all digital platforms.

"Power Up" track listing:

01. Realize

02. Rejection

03. Shot In The Dark

04. Through The Mists Of Time

05. Kick You When You’re Down

06. Witch's Spell

07. Demon Fire

08. Wild Reputation

09. No Man’s Land

10. Systems Down

11. Money Shot

12. Code Red

Ever since AC/DC completed the tour cycle for its 2014 album "Rock Or Bust" four years ago — a turbulent trek that weathered the forced retirement and eventual death of co-founder Malcolm Young, plus the departures of Johnson, Rudd and Williams — fans have wondered whether sole remaining founding member Angus Young would keep the band going or decide it was time for AC/DC to pack it in.

The legendary hard rockers postponed the last ten dates of their North American tour in 2016 after doctors told Johnson he faced a total loss of hearing if he did not stop touring immediately. He was eventually replaced on the road by GUNS N' ROSES vocalist Axl Rose.

Rudd was ousted from AC/DC when he was sentenced to eight months of home detention by a New Zealand court in 2015 after pleading guilty to charges of threatening to kill and drug possession.

Immortal Guardian - the extreme progressive/power metal quartet - has unveiled a lyric video, the day before elections, for “Read Between The Lines”, the first single from their forthcoming concept album, Psychosomatic. The clip can be seen below, and the song itself is available for streaming and purchase on digital music platforms such as Bandcamp, Apple Music and Spotify.

“In today’s digital age, misinformation is spread at a faster rate more than ever. It’s mind-blowing how these social media tools created to connect us are now being used to push all sorts of nonsense at the expense of society’s mental health. I’ve seen so many friends and family stop talking to one another simply because of things that were shared online; which most of the time weren’t true or were exaggerated,” explains guitarist/keyboardist Gabriel Guardian. “We made ‘Read Between The Lines’ because of the firestorm of misinformation and hate on the internet that is influencing people to live or think in a certain way. Gotta dig for the truth within the lies and not believe everything you see just because it is ‘news.’”

Psychosomatic will be released by M-Theory Audio on February 12, with pre-orders on CD and limited-edition purple vinyl available here.

Much like the rest of their new album, the lyric video for “Read Between The Lines” is a product of the extraordinary events of 2020 that have affected millions of people around the world. After winning over new audiences with their acclaimed 2018 debut full-length Age Of Revolution and touring relentlessly alongside fellow shredders such as Marty Friedman, Powerglove and Exmortus, Immortal Guardian gathered in Las Vegas at the beginning of the year to begin recording their second album. As the spread of COVID-19 and the subsequent pandemic began to ensue, each member of the band retreated to their respective hometowns. With shutdowns around the world being enforced, the band completely scrapped the record that they had been working on and were heavily inspired to write and create a new thematic record about their emotions surrounding current events.

The result is a truly multi-national record, with guitarist/keyboardist Gabriel Guardian remaining in Las Vegas, vocalist Carlos Zema recording his vocals from his home in Brazil, new drummer Justin Piedimonte joining the band from his hometown in Montreal, Canada, and new bassist Josh Lopez remaining in Immortal Guardian's native Texas. The video for “Read Between The Lines” - produced and directed by SBLGA - also saw the members of Immortal Guardian contributing remotely from their respective homes, and shows off the continued refinement of their full-frontal assault of anthemic melodies, technical rhythms, furious shred and high-flying vocals.

The group - founded by Gabriel Guardian, whose uncanny ability to play guitar and keyboard simultaneously has been showcased on MTV's “Amazingness” and on his unique dual-instrument covers of classics by the likes of Iron Maiden, Pantera and Guns N' Roses that have garnered hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube - began building their following through multiple self-released EPs before signing with M-Theory Audio for the 2018 release of their first full-length record, Age Of Revolution. The band has also performed live alongside some of the biggest names in metal, including Judas Priest, Dragonforce, Kamelot, Symphony X, Sonata Arctica, Slayer, Metal Church, Soilwork and Steve Vai, and in countries such as Brazil and Russia, and during high-profile performances at ESPN's X Games, South By Southwest and the Fun Fun Fun Fest.

Psychosomatic is the next step in Immortal Guardian’s evolution while still capturing the band’s exhilarating trademark melding of melodic power metal with progressive/shred tendencies. More information about the album will be revealed in the weeks to come.

Immortal Guardian is:

Gabriel Guardian – guitars/keyboards
Carlos Zema – vocals
Justin Piedimonte – drums
Josh Lopez – bass




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Former SEPULTURA and current SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera says that he didn't expect his decision to cut off his trademark mono-dreadlock to "cause such a shitstorm."

The Brazilian-born musician permanently got rid of his dreadlock earlier this month. On October 19, Gloria Cavalera, who also manages Max, took to her Instagram to share a photo of her holding Max's hair, with her newly shorn husband standing next to her. She wrote in an accompanying caption: "It must be snowing in hell today!"

Max discussed the response to his decision to part with the dreadlock during a new interview with Dave "Higgo" Higgins of Australia's MMM Hard N Heavy radio station. He said (hear audio below): "It was kind of crazy. I wasn't expecting that reaction. In fact, when I decided to cut it, it was kind of out of the blue. I woke up one day and I told my wife, 'I think I wanna cut my dreads.' And she was very surprised, 'cause it's been with me for 23 years. She [was, like], 'Really? Seriously?' And I was, like, 'Yeah, it's bugging me. It's very heavy. I kind of feel like I need something new, something fresh in my life.' So we just did it.

"It was a Sunday afternoon at my house," he continued. "We were having a family dinner. I just went in the backyard and she had a pair of scissors, and [I said], 'Cut it off. Just cut it off. Let's not make a big deal.' But she took a picture and posted the picture. And that was a problem. That was where the shit hit the fan. [Laughs]"

Cavalera went on to say that he was taken by surprise by the strong response to his new look.

"I didn't expect that, man," he reiterated. "My son called me. He was, like, 'You're number one on Google News.' I don't even know what that is. I was, like, 'What the fuck is that?'

"I think [Gloria] wants to frame it and put it on the wall in the house and then do something with it eventually in the future. Those are manager things that I don't get involved with, manager decisions. [Laughs]

"I tell you what, man — it feels great not having that thing around," he explained. "It was good, but it had its time. It was time to go; it was time to move on. I feel like I've been liberated from the dread. It was very heavy, man, and it was really long — it was all the way to my ass.

"Everybody was, like, '2020 doesn't get more weird than this. Even Max is cutting his dreads.' Which I didn't even think about it until later, that I did it. I was, like, 'Yeah, it actually is in 2020 that I cut my dreads off.'

"It's just one of those things," Max added. "Like I said, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I just woke up one day, and I was, like, 'I think I'm done with this. I think it's time to cut it off.' And I just did it. And it's finally done. But I didn't know it was gonna cause such a shitstorm. [Laughs]"

The so-called mono-dreadlock has been criticized in some circles, with the Sick Chirpse web site famously describing it in a 2015 article as "solid chunk of bedraggled, matted and minging hair [which] seems to go hand in hand with personal neglect and crushing laziness."

Max discussed his hair in a 2011 interview with MyTicket. Asked what the secret was to having "the most famous dreadlocks in the history of metal," Cavalera said: "Just leave it there, and it grows, and leave it alone. I wash it. It's clean. I did find food one time. I opened one of them up and found some macaroni or cheese or rice. I think my wife was going through the dreads and [she said], 'There's some food in here, right?' A stash from tour.

"But, yeah, I just let it grow," he explained. "I've been growing it since 1997. That's when I started. I never stopped. There's been rumors that I cut it off. Sometimes fans come to me and say, 'Hey, man, let me see your dreads. Oh, they're still there. I heard that you cut it off.'"

Max started growing his dreadlocks a year after SEPULTURA's classic lineup fell apart when the rest of the band split with Gloria as their manager. His brother, drummer Igor Cavalera, stuck around with the group for another 10 years before also leaving SEPULTURA and re-teaming with Max in CAVALERA CONSPIRACY.

JUDAS PRIEST frontman Rob Halford spoke to Andy Hall of the Des Moines, Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3 about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to 2018's "Firepower" album. He said (hear audio below): "We've already started work on it. We had some great writing sessions in the early part of this year until the world came to a stop in late March. I came back here [home] to Phoenix just to chill and relax for a bit and get ready for another writing session. 'Cause that's what we need to do as a band. You make a bunch of work and then you walk away from it and then you go back to it later and re-analyze it and continue the growth of the record. That's what we were doing then, and we're still doing it now — we're still putting bits and pieces together. It's an unusual way of making a record, but we're not the only band that's going through this situation in terms of creativity. You can't let this pandemic stop you; you've gotta try and still get as much out of life as you can."

Released in March 2018, "Firepower" was the second LP to feature guitarist Richie Faulkner, who was selected to fill the void left by founding guitarist K.K. Downing following his exit in 2011.

This past September, Faulkner told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that the creative process for PRIEST's next LP was halted by the coronavirus outbreak, which disrupted global travel.

Halford resides in Phoenix, Faulkner in Nashville and guitarist Glenn Tipton still calls his native United Kingdom his home.

"Firepower" entered the Billboard 200 chart at position No. 5, making it PRIEST's highest-charting album ever. "Redeemer Of Souls" debuted and peaked at No. 6, while 2008's "Nostradamus" landed at No. 11 and 2005's "Angel Of Retribution" came in at No. 13.

"Firepower" moved 49,000 equivalent album units in first week of release. Of that sum, 48,000 were in traditional album sales, just shy of the 54,000 copies sold by "Angel Of Retribution" in that album's first week. The "Firepower" chart position was bolstered by sales generated from a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer in association with the band's spring 2018 North American tour.

Across the pond, "Firepower" landed at position No. 5 on the U.K. album chart. It marked the band's highest ranking, and first time in the Top 10, since "British Steel" reached No. 4 in 1980. Elsewhere, "Firepower" also became PRIEST's first-ever No. 1 in Sweden.

Canadian metal legends Anvil have issued the following announcement:

"Legal At Last Euro Tour ends at 17 shows due to sudden COVID lockdown... remainder of tour (30 dates) re-scheduled for November / December 2020 is now clearly evident with the on going uncertainty, it is officially cancelled.

Anvil have written the new record during the ongoing live music business lockdown (title and cover art to be revealed fall of 2021). The album is set to be recorded August - September 2021. Select European tour dates September - October 2021, March 2022 release tour to follow Europe in fall 2022.

Fuck COVID-19."




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BMG recently announced the release of IRON MAIDEN's new double live album on November 20 worldwide. 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.

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

The song "Sign Of The Cross", taken from "Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City", can be streamed below.

IRON MAIDEN founder and bass player Steve 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 will be 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.

Florida-based vocalist Jakob Sin has teamed up with Atheist members Kelly Shaefer (guitars), Chris Martin (solo) and Yoav Ruiz Fiengold (bass) for a new single, "Lambs", streaming below. The music was written by Shaefer, lyrics by Jakob Sin. The track was engineered and produced by Shaefer and Preston Dicarlo. 

Shaefer recently  launched a new band, Till The Dirt. Check out a teaser video below, and stay tuned for further details.

Atheist was set to return to Europe and the UK for the first time since 2011 with the Enthralled In Europe Tour in September of 2020. Due to the pandemic the tour has been rescheduled for February/March 2021. The lineup remains as Atheist with support from Cadaver, Svart Crown and From Hell.

Tour dates:

February
16 - TBA
17 - Kassel, Germany - Goldgrube *
18 - Cottbus, Germany - Gladhouse *
19 - Prague, Czech Republic - Nova Chmelnice *
20 - Bratislava, Slovakia - Randall *
21 - Brasov, Romania - Club Rockstadt *
22 - Bucharest, Romania - Quantic Club *
23 - Sofia, Bulgaria - MIxtape 5 *
24 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra *
25 - TBA *
26 - Venice, Italy - Revolver Club +
27 - Rome, Italy - Orion Club +
28 - Milan, Italy - Slaughter Club +

March
1 - Marseille, France - Jas Rod +
2 - Barcelona, Spain - Sala Upload +
3 - Madrid, Spain - Sala Caracol +
4 - Lisbon, Portugal - RCA Club +
5 - Porto, Portugal - Metalpoint +
6 - Zaragoza, Spain - C.C. Valdefierro +
7 - Toulouse, France - L’usine A Musique º
8 - Paris, France - Petit Bain º
9 - Mannheim, Germany - MS Connexion º
10 - Oberhausen, Germany - Kulttempel º
11 - Apeldoorn, Netherlands - Gigant º
12 - TBD º
13 - London, England - Underworld º

* With Critical Mess
º With Typhus
+ Opening act TBA




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EUROPE recently launched a special series of audio-visual delights via the band's YouTube channel and social media sites under the banner "Friday Nights With Europe The Band".

The Swedish hard rockers are broadcasting every Friday special re-recordings of some of the band's greatest songs recorded individually during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

The second performance, a song called "Firebox" from EUROPE's 2012 album "Bag Of Bones", can be seen below.

EUROPE's own film footage was compiled and edited by the band's longtime video director Patric Ullaeus at rEvolver.se, with all audio mixed by famed producer Kevin Shirley. Also featured is a cameo voice-over by Scott Gorham.

EUROPE singer Joey Tempest says: "We wanted to do something special for our fans and rock enthusiasts.

"We have re-recorded and filmed some uplifting songs from our back catalog, done during lockdown and over the summer in our home studios and rehearsal spaces.

"We had a blast just playing together again. Knowing we would start up our 'Friday Nights With Europe The Band' on our social media this autumn made it extra special.

"We hope to keep these exclusive evenings going for our fans for a long time. At the same time, keeping our name out there during this non-touring era by streaming and posting exclusive material."

EUROPE has released six albums since reuniting 17 years ago: "Start From The Dark" (2004), "Secret Society" (2006), "Last Look At Eden" (2009), "Bag Of Bones" (2012), "War Of Kings" (2015) and "Walk The Earth" (2017).

"Walk The Earth" was made available via Hell & Back Recordings (Silver Lining Music). It was recorded at famed Abbey Road Studios in London with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb (RIVAL SONS, Shooter Jennings, Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton).

In a brand new interview with MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn's "No Fuckin' Regrets With Robb Flynn" podcast, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian recalled being present at METALLICA's rehearsal studios in Jamaica, Queens, New York in April 1983 shortly after the James Hetfield fronted-act fired Dave Mustaine just days before METALLICA began recording its debut album.

"They all drank, but Dave drank more than they did," Scott recalled wit ha laugh (see video below). "And the difference with Dave was, from my memory of that time, 'cause we were there all the time — we were hanging out with them all the time — all those other guys would get drunk and it was always fun, and Dave was kind of the not-fun guy when he would get too drunk. I mean, everybody knows one [guy like that]. And I think that was basically the beginning of the end, because now they were living together [at the rehearsal studio], and they were in close quarters all the time together, and I think they realized, they were, like, 'How the hell are we gonna keep doing this and move forward if we're constantly worrying about this?'

"I remember walking in one day and Cliff [Burton, then-METALLICA bassist] was standing outside having a smoke," he continued. "And I [said], 'Hey, man, what's up?' He was, like, 'Not much. We fired Mustaine. He's on a bus, he's on a Greyhound back to the [San Francisco] Bay Area.' [And I was, like], 'Yeah, right.' He was, like, 'No. I'm serious.' And it's Cliff, so he was that total ballbuster wise-ass. And he was just kind of smirking at me. And I'm, like, 'Shut up. You're playing a show week. Who's gonna play guitar?' He was, like, 'We've already got a guy coming.' I said, 'Get the fuck outta here.' He goes, 'Go upstairs. Ask James.' So I go up to the room. They're just kind of dicking around in the room. I don't see Dave. And I'm, like, 'What's going on? Cliff tells me you guys fired Dave.' And Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] was, like, 'We did. Early this morning, we put him on a bus. He's already five hours on the way back to California.' [I was, like], 'What? What?' We had no idea. I [said], 'What are you gonna do?' [They said], 'We've got this guy coming from this band EXODUS that we know. He's getting here tomorrow.'"

According to Scott, Mustaine was very much the focal point of METALLICA during the band's early live shows. "People don't know that," he said. "James wasn't James yet. When I first met James, he would drink and he would change, but James, he was kind of like a shy, quiet dude. Dave was the mouthpiece. Dave was the guy. He was the frontman — a hundred percent… He was the attitude; he was the personality — it was everything. And I was kind of, like, 'You think this is the right idea?' And [they said], 'We had to. We couldn't deal with it anymore. He was getting us into trouble.'

"Everyone knows the stories, but they just didn't wanna have to deal with that," Ian continued. "It was hard enough living on the floor of a freezing-cold building, I guess, and dealing with your own issues [and then] have to worry about someone else's… I mean, I get it. I understand. It's what had to happen in that moment. I've been there myself, making personnel changes in my band. I understand it. Sometimes it's the most impossible, worst thing in the world to have to do, but in order to take that next step forward, you have to."

In a 2009 interview with Norway's Lydverket, Mustaine said that he was "so hurt" by getting kicked out of METALLICA for allegedly drinking too much. "I said, 'What?! No second chance, no warning? C'mon, we all drink. C'mon.'" he recalled. "And [they were like], 'No, that's it. You're gone.' And I was like, 'All right.'"

Mustaine also went on to claim that an altercation with Hetfield led to his being fired from METALLICA.

"I was selling pot," Dave said. "When I would go play in concert, people knew that my pot was sitting in my apartment just saying, 'Go ahead and keep me company.' So I was broken in on. People stole everything that I had; all my stash. And I figured, screw this. I'm gonna get some dogs to stay in the apartment when I leave. So I got two dogs and I took one of them up to a rehearsal one time and she put her paws up on Ron's [McGovney, METALLICA's then-bassist] car. And James kicked it right in the side. And I was like, 'What did you do?' [And I was like] 'It's a dog, it's what they do. You don't kick animals.' So we went into the house, and we started arguing some more. And I ended up punching him in the face and I think that was the root of why I lost my job."

In a 2009 interview with the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas radio station 97.1 The Eagle Rocks, Hetfield said that it was "so odd" to hear Mustaine still talking about his exit from METALLICA. "It is very Dave, and that's him," James said. "And no matter what band he was in or whatever... I mean, Dave is not in this band for a reason, and this is the reason. It's super-simple. He was in the band for 11 months and it goes on and on and on and on and on. I don't know any other band on this planet that there was a member in the band for a short amount of time and they've still got this big chip on his shoulder. It's insane.... You know what?! He's in love, and that's fine, 'cause we love him back."

Back in 2016, Mustaine's METALLICA replacement, Kirk Hammett, told the "Word Of Wheeler" podcast that he understood Dave's continued resentment toward his former bandmates over the way he was dismissed from the group. "I've always seen Dave as someone who was just really, really sad, really angry, really frustrated about his situation with METALLICA, and he never could let that go," he said. "And, you know, I've always shown a lot of empathy for him, understanding that he was just pissed off. It's the equivalent of the woman of your life leaving you. I mean, really. When your band kicks you out… I've never been kicked out, but I can imagine it's a horrible experience, especially if it's a band that you feel really passionately about. So I can understand Dave's plight over all these years. But I will also say that when we did these 30th-anniversary shows at the Fillmore [in San Francisco], and we invited Dave to play on all those 'Kill 'Em All' songs, man, it felt so good to have him playing on stage. It felt perfectly fine for me to, while Dave was playing the guitar solos, for me to go over to James and play the rhythm parts with James, and it wasn't a big deal at all. And I could see from the look on Dave's face and just from his whole attitude that it was super-cathartic for him. And I could see how it was helping him. And so I just took it all in stride. And it's interesting, because since then, I think, Dave's relationship with us is a little bit better now. I'd like to think that that whole thing just kind of healed some scars that needed to be healed."

After Hammett's comments about Mustaine were reported by BLABBERMOUTH.NET and other music sites, Dave took to his Twitter to respond. He wrote: "I have tremendous respect for @KirkHammett and I appreciate his take on this. he is almost 100% accurate...almost. I wish him the best."

In a September 2011 interview with Artisan News, Mustaine appeared to concur that his onstage reunion with METALLICA went a long way toward healing the wounds from the way his tenure in the band ended. Dave said: "When we [played a cover of DIAMOND HEAD's] 'Helpless' [as part of a 'Big Four' jam] one night, I walked over to say hello to Kirk on the stage and he said, 'Do you wanna take the solo?" and I said, 'Yeah.' [Laughs] But we forgot to tell anybody on the stage or [running] the sound out front that I was gonna do the solo, so the song's playing along and Kirk's playing rhythm full blast, and I'm sitting there going you can't hear what I'm doing. At least we knew what had happened. It was kind of a symbolic passing of the torch back to me and it was a nice gesture. I think that that helped Kirk and my relationship improve a bit."

In a September 2004 interview, Mustaine famously stated, "I really don't care about Kirk — he stole my job, but at least I got to bang his girlfriend before he took my job. How do I taste, Kirk?"

Mustaine did not play on any METALLICA albums and did not attend their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2009.

Ulrich later explained to The Plain Dealer that Mustaine was not included because "you've got to kind of cap it somewhere. Dave Mustaine never played on any METALLICA records. No disrespect to him. But there [were] half a dozen other people that were in the lineup in the early days. We thought . . . the fair thing to do would be to include anybody that played on a METALLICA record." He added: "Dave Mustaine was in the band for 11 months, predominantly in 1982... I'm not trying to play it down. I have nothing but respect and admiration for his accomplishments since."

Mustaine told Lydverket that he never had any intention of attending METALLICA's Rock Hall induction if he wasn't going to be honored along with his former bandmates.

"I think someone would have to be a complete fool to think I was gonna go there and sit in the audience and watch them be inducted into the Hall Of Fame," he said. "It was nice that Lars that invited me, but any of the public that thinks I was gonna go... But what are you — stupid?! I'm proud of them, I wish them well, but what do I have to do?! That's masochism."

Day Of Errors, the trio comprised of original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward, guitarist Joe Amodea, and Kill Devil Hill vocalist Jason "Dewey" Bragg, have reissued their song "Ghost Train" for Halloween 2020.

"Ghost Train" was initially released a year ago, just in time for Halloween 2019.

In the video below, legendary Black Sabbath drummer, Bill Ward, recites another new Halloween poem, entitled "Stepping From Broomsticks":

Watch Bill Ward recite his first Halloween poem, "It's Nearly Time", below:

 




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Blues-infused psychedelic groove rockers Bourbon House have released a brand new song, "6000 Miles".

Forever passionately in love with the classic '60s and '70s hard rock sound of pioneering artists like Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, Bourbon House is on a mission to write songs that are timeless and infectious with riff-driven, blues-infused stompin' grooves. 

As vocalist Lacey Crowe likes to describe their songs, "Straight-up, timeless rock and roll." The band consists of Crowe, Jason Clark on guitar, Ryan Sargent on drums and their newest member Johnny Pries on bass. 

Previously released songs from Bourbon House include "Too High To Care" and "Devil On My Heels":

For further details, visit BourbonHouseRocks.com.

 




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