Tommy Lee has called his friend John Travolta "the sweetest man" he has ever met.

The 58-year-old MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer discussed his friendship with the 66-year-old actor in a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight.

Speaking about how Travolta is coping with the devastating loss of his wife Kelly Preston to breast cancer earlier this year, Lee said: "I just talked to him; he's back in town here. He's doing really well. He has a great team of people around him, his kids are doing wonderful. He's doing everything to make them comfortable, and I think, just personally knowing that it's been happening or coming up, I'm sure it doesn't ease the pain at all of… having something slowly come that you can kind of start to prepare for.

"He's in good spirits. What a lovely man," he added. "He's probably the sweetest man I think I've ever met, honestly."

Last month, Lee spent time with Travolta and John's 20-year-old daughter Ella to celebrate Tommy's wife Brittany Furlan's 34th birthday. The group also included Lee's son Brandon and Furlan's friends, Mikaela Hoover and Daniella Beckerman.

"Lovely lunch today with the Lee's," Travolta captioned the photo. "Happy birthday @brittanyfurlan!"

Travolta's wife of nearly 29 years, Preston died in July following a two-year battle with breast cancer. She was 57 years old.

Lee's latest solo album, "Andro", came out earlier this month.


























View this post on Instagram


































Tres Amigos

A post shared by T?ɱɱ¥ ᒪEE (@tommylee) on Jul 1, 2020 at 12:10am PDT






























View this post on Instagram


































Lovely lunch today with the Lee’s. Happy birthday @brittanyfurlan!

A post shared by John Travolta (@johntravolta) on Sep 5, 2020 at 12:16am PDT

In a new interview with "theFIVE10" podcast, MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson was asked how he stays relevant when the music industry changes so frequently. He responded (hear audio below): "I think you just roll with the punches. I remember when the whole Napster thing was going on, and Lars [Ulrich], in particular, of METALLICA was fighting the good fight, and they were absolutely right. And I remember our manager saying, 'Oh, don't jump into that controversy. You've gotta be careful.' And I said, 'Fuck that. They're wrong. They're stealing our music. They are wrong, and Lars is right.' Unfortunately, it was an unwinnable battle. It's like looting — somebody just opened the front door of Walmart, and everybody ran in and stole everything. So even they [METALLICA] had to just sort of back off and let it take its course.

"Thank God for our pal Steve Jobs who, in my opinion, saved the music business," he continued. "Even though it was self-serving 'cause he wanted to sell iPods — 'Hey, I've got a device. How do I get the music on there?' — but Steve, to his credit, in his time away from Apple, he had made friends with [David] Geffen and [Jeffrey] Katzenberg and all these guys down in Hollywood, and he understood Hollywood. He understood the film business, the music business, so with him being a computer guy, he rallied it together.

"I still buy everything on iTunes," Ellefson added. "I subscribe to Apple [Music] radio. I don't subscribe to Spotify. I don't give them my money, since they don't give me very much of my money. But Apple pays well, so thank you, Apple. And I buy all their products, and I own their stock. So I'm an Apple guy, through and through."

Asked what he thinks the next platform or medium will be for getting music out to the masses, David said: "Well, look, who knows? I mean, all I know is we live one day at a time… So, the future — who knows? I mean, China sneezes on us, and now we're doing Zoom meetings. Who knows? So to predict the future… Again, I think you just kind of take it one day at a time. I think the biggest thing about it is just be resilient. People ask, 'Do you have any advice for musicians?' And it's just learn to play along, learn to play nice, learn to play nice with your bandmates and the world around you, because things change quickly. Someone who was playing behind you last year is now the headliner over you this year, and that's how it goes. So, be resilient."

Two and a half years ago, Ellefson lamented Spotify's meager artist payouts, telling Graspop Metal Meeting: "As great as the digital streaming is as a promotional thing, it's extremely unfair to us. They've built entire massive fortunes on the backs of our music that we don't get paid for. And that, fortunately, is gonna change… Now, as far as the fans, the user? My daughter, my kids, I don't think they hardly bought any music — they always get everything… My daughter, for sure, gets things off Spotify, so I pay attention. And certainly YouTube and all that stuff, so, of course, it's important. Because if we're not on our drums and guitars, we're probably on our phones. So it's important that we pay attention to it, because our fans are a part of it. So if we wanna connect to our fans, we need to be there.

"Thank goodness, again, like I said, the middle is getting connected better as far as the fairness of the royalty and everything, which, of course, makes us feel better, because we feel like we're being compensated for a lot of hard work," he added. "And somebody had to pay to make those records, so it's nice that everybody now starts to get a fair take on that."

METALLICA sued Napster after the band discovered that a leaked demo version of its song "I Disappear" was circulating on the pioneering music file-sharing service before it was released.

In May 2000, Ulrich famously delivered a literal truckload of paper to Napster Inc., listing hundreds of thousands of people who allegedly used the company's software to share unauthorized MP3s of METALLICA's songs.

METALLICA representatives compiled the more than 60,000-page list of 335,435 Napster user IDs over one weekend in response to Napster's promise to terminate the accounts of users who trade material without permission. Real names were not included in the list.

In later years, METALLICA embraced digital music: in December 2012, the band made all of its studio albums, as well as various live material, singles, remixes and collaborations, available on Spotify.

Ellefson's namesake band will release its covers album, "No Cover", on November 20 via earMUSIC (Europe) and Ward Records (Japan). The effort will be made available in conjunction with Ellefson's revived Combat Records, which will issue the album in North America via Amped.

In an October 22 YouTube livestream, MEGADETH guitarist Kiko Loureiro broke down Eddie Van Halen's sound and style. The full 46-minute can be seen below.

When Eddie's death was first announced on October 6, Kiko took to his social media to write: "An unfortunate incident is the passing of Eddie Van Halen. I'm sick at the moment and this hit me so hard. As a guitarist, Eddie always influenced me in music."

Back in 2016, Kiko named VAN HALEN's "Hot For Teacher" one of his favorite guitar solos of all time. He told U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine: "I could have chosen 'Eruption', of course, but I think this song is super-cool. The very American groove, with the whole 'shuffle' thing.

"Eddie Van Halen has done so many great solos — I almost chose his solo in Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'. [Laughs]

"Again, it's not about how difficult the solo is, but how important it is in 'Hot For Teacher'.

"I remember trying to play this song, and watching the music video with him walking on top on the school desks. It was all very impressive for me as a teenager. I was going crazy, thinking, 'I could never play that.' But it made me practice.

"Eddie's such a genius. Only ten years after Jimi Hendrix, he brought something completely fresh, like a guitar acrobat."

Loureiro also told Classic Rock magazine that VAN HALEN's classic 1978 debut was one of his "Five Essential Guitar Albums." He explained: "When I began taking electric guitar lessons at the age of 13, the first thing my teacher got me to do was 'Black Dog' from LED ZEPPELIN. But after that, he taught me what Eddie Van Halen was doing on this album. Now, that was in about 1985, so the album was several years old by then. But it was all new to me. Of course, a lot of guitarists were already aware of the stuff on this album, but for me it was a revelation.

"I went out and bought a copy of the album, and I listened to it all the time, to soak in what was being [done] technically, and I could appreciate why VAN HALEN took the world by storm when it came out.

"Eddie Van Halen changed the way people thought about the guitar, and even now it still amazes me. Nobody needs to be told this was a crossroads for guitar playing."

The official music video for AC/DC's new single, "Shot In The Dark", can be seen below. Also available is an exclusive conversation with the band and longtime video director David Mallet telling the stories behind your favorite AC/DC videos. The talk was moderated by AC/DC's creative director Josh Cheuse.

"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.

Portuguese metallers MOONSPELL will release their new album in February 2021. The first single from the disc will be made available in November. The effort, which is described as "dark and revolutionary," will consist of "around 10 songs, including two instrumentals," according to the band. In addition, there will be a couple of bonus tracks, among them a cover version of an as-yet-undisclosed song.

MOONSPELL's new LP was recorded with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano, who has previously worked with PARADISE LOST, ULVER and GHOST, among others.

MOONSPELL recently parted ways with original drummer Miguel "Mike" Gaspar and replaced him with Hugo Ribeiro (no relation to MOONSPELL singer Fernando Ribeiro).

MOONSPELL's latest release was the "Lisboa Under The Spell" live DVD/CD, which came out in August 2018 via Napalm Records. The live DVD/Blu-ray/3CD package captured MOONSPELL's performance before 4,000 fans at the sold-out Campo Pequeno arena in their hometown of Lisbon, Portugal on February 4, 2017.

MOONSPELL's fourth album, 1999's "The Butterfly Effect", will be re-released on August 7 via Napalm Records. The reissue will include two new remixes, a completely re-designed cover and layout artwork, as well as an exclusive excerpt from the Butterfly FX chapter of the band's official biography, "Wolves Who Were Men".

MOONSPELL's most recent studio album, "1755", came out in November 2017. The Portuguese-language disc was written about the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, which occurred in the Kingdom of Portugal. In combination with subsequent fires and a tsunami, the earthquake almost totally destroyed Lisbon and adjoining areas.

Photo credit: Rui Vasco


The Dream team ?

From left to right:

Ricardo Amorim: wrote half of the music, played all the guitars, did all second...

Posted by Moonspell on Saturday, October 24, 2020

Grammy-nominated metal band TRIVIUM has uploaded video of "The Deepest Cuts II", the second and final installment in its series of free, single-camera livestream shows that were broadcast from the group's rehearsal room in Orlando, Florida. The performance took place on Saturday, October 24 and was streamed on frontman/guitarist Matt Heafy's ever-popular Twitch channel.

Featured songs:

02:30 Insurrection

07:56 Falling To Grey

16:21 Declaration

24:10 Wake (The End Is Nigh)

34:10 Cease All Your Fire

42:20 The Calamity

49:12 Drowning In The Sound

55:00 Washing Away Me In The Tides

1:00:30 And Sadness Will Sear

1:07:05 Broken One

1:15:00 Drowning In Slow Motion

1:24:00 Incineration: The Broken World

This marked TRIVIUM's third livestream overall. The first was the massively successful global concert event "A Light Or A Distant Mirror", which was followed by the first "The Deepest Cuts" set a month later.

TRIVIUM is taking some time off from full band streams as its new Hangar HQ is built. They will return next year with more high-quality, programmed streaming content dispatched from the new location.

"A Light Or A Distant Mirror" marked the first show TRIVIUM played since the April 2020 release of its new album "What The Dead Men Say". The show featured brand new production and was an arena-style visual show at Full Sail Live, the state-of-the-art event and broadcast arena at Full Sail University in the band's hometown of Orlando. TRIVIUM debuted a new stage show that was cohesive with new album visuals and performed songs from the new album on stage for the first time. A portion of the profits of the show benefitted the music therapy program at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, a non-profit hospital. All told, the show earned into the six figures range with both ticket sales and merch.

During an appearance on the latest episode of "The Ex-Man" podcast hosted by Doc Coyle (BAD WOLVES), original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo was asked if he felt any sadness or if he had any regrets about the fact that he didn't take part in the band's final tour. He responded (hear audio below): "When I was [still] in the band, I knew Tom [Araya, bass/voclals] wanted to retire. I knew he wanted to stop. Actually, Kerry [King, guitar] and I were gonna start a new band after Tom's retirement. And we were actually scouting guitar players. And SLAYER was playing Hellfest [in France], and we said, 'Hey, let's go see EXODUS.' And so Kerry and I walked over to the stage where EXODUS was playing, and we stood on the side of the stage, stage left, and were watching Gary [Holt]. Jeff [Hanneman] was still in [SLAYER at that point], Jeff was still playing, Jeff was fine. And I told [Kerry], I go, 'There's our guy right there,'" referring to Holt. "'That's the guitar player we need.' And it just turns out that, as life went on, we needed to replace Jeff [and Gary stepped in].

"We didn't tell Gary — I don't think we had told Gary that Kerry and I were going to start a new band, but he was the first choice when that moment came [to replace Jeff in SLAYER]," Dave explained. "And I agreed, everybody agreed. And Jeff agreed as well, because he knew — he knew.

"As far as I'm concerned, I played the first show with the original SLAYER, and I played the last show with the original SLAYER, and I'm happy with that," Lombardo added. "It was a brilliant band. We made some history. And I wish them well. But there's nothing, man.

"I'm happy in my world, man. The best way is just to keep moving forward. I look at the future."

Lombardo also talked about the fact that he was left out of the songwriting credits on most of the SLAYER albums he appeared on, despite the fact that his drum patterns enhanced the music greatly.

"Fans really don't understand this one aspect of songwriting," he said. "If you're a drummer, and this is something I didn't learn until way later in my career — if you're a drummer, and you walk into a room and you start writing music, and you start working with a guitar player, and you start working on parts, putting parts together… you basically wrote part of that song. Well, every SLAYER album I've been a part of, I've been in the room with Kerry from the beginning of that song. He may have written two riffs or three riffs and the drum beat is [hums generic fast beat], and then it goes into a double-bass [part]. All right, that's all he knows, but everything in between, he's not telling me to do. So technically, under songwriting copyright law, if you walk into a room with somebody, you walk in with a musician and you guys work on a body of music, you're basically co-writing.

"From day one, [the other members of SLAYER] put into my mind that because I didn't have a stringed instrument, I wasn't a songwriter… When I got into SLAYER and we started writing music, I was 17 years old, 16 years old. I was a kid. I didn't know anything about copyright law. There's a lot of Internet Rambos [who say], 'Oh, he didn't write anything.' You know what? I was there from the beginning on all those songs.

"There are some songs on the two albums I did [before my final departure], 'Christ Illusion' and 'World Painted Blood', I [am getting] publishing across the board on those records. It's good, and that was the one thing I asked when I came back to the band. It ain't much, but hey…"

The 55-year-old musician, who splits most of his time between crossover pioneers SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, horror-punk icons MISFITS and hardcore supergroup DEAD CROSS, was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other bandmembers. He has since been replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001.

Shortly after his dismissal, Lombardo said that he discovered that 90 percent of SLAYER's tour income was being deducted as expenses, including fees to management, costing the band millions and leaving them with about 10 percent to split four ways. While he and Araya hired auditors to figure out what had happened, Lombardo said he was never allowed to see any of the information obtained.

A few years ago, King said that "when Dave was in [SLAYER] this last time, I figured I'd be on the stage with him until one of us fell off the stage, dead. Things change. He got some bad advice and listened to some bad advice, gave us an ultimatum ten days before we went to Australia [to do the Soundwave festival tour]. And I said, 'I can't have this over my head.' And I feel bad for Dave to this day; I really feel bad for him because he shot himself in the foot. Maybe he thought he had the upper hand, but you ain't gonna get me."

SLAYER played its last-ever show on November 30, 2019 at The Forum in Los Angeles.

Former WHITE LION and FREAK OF NATURE singer Mike Tramp has released the official lyric video for his song "Take Me Away". The track is taken from his upcoming best-of album celebrating 25 years as a solo artist, "Trampthology".

This will be a very special treat for all fans of Tramp, with 16 of the biggest hits from his amazing solo career, four brand new songs, and fresh liner notes.

Tramp comments: "The decision to include four brand new tracks on 'Trampthology' and giving the fans something new also made me write songs that would add something fresh and interesting and complete this 20-song double album. 'Take Me Away' is exactly that."

"Trampthology" will be released on 180-gram double gatefold black vinyl and double CD by Target Records on December 18, 2020. It will be exclusively available through Targetshop.dk/miketramp and all pre-orders will be delivered with one exclusive postcard.

Tramp previously stated about the collection: "As I started the process of writing songs for my first solo album, 'Capricorn', in late 1995. I was both apprehensive and curious of what the result would be like. For 20 years, I had been part of three bands and a collective songwriting team. But now I was on my own, and writing just for me, no one else. It became a wonderful journey where I both would discover who I am and where I come from, and also what my true inspirations and goals are. Now 25 years and 11 solo albums later. I feel safe and secure knowing that I am my songs and my songs are me. They are a musical scrapbook of the life I have lived and the life I continue living. They are not about paying the rent or alimony; they are a true and confident representation of the man I am."

Track listing:

01. Give It All You Got

02. If I Live Tomorrow

03. More To Life Than This

04. The Road

05. Ain't Done Yet

06. Dead End Ride

07. Maybe Tomorrow

08. Mr. Death

09. Mother

10. Take Me Away

11. Cobblestone Street

12. Trust In Yourself

13. New Day

14. Bow And Obey

15. Every Time

16. Coming Home

17. Lay Down My Life For You

18. Better Off

19. The Way It Was Before

20. I'll Never Be Young Again

BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT, the new band launched by ex-CHILDREN OF BODOM guitarist/vocalist Alexi Laiho, made its live debut Friday night (October 23) at Rytmikorjaamo in Seinäjoki, Finland. Fan-filmed video footage of the 17-song concert, which consisted entirely of CHILDREN OF BODOM material, can be seen below.

Joining Alexi in the group are drummer Waltteri Väyrynen, guitarist Daniel Freyberg (ex-CHILDREN OF BODOM), bassist Mitja Toivonen (ex-SANTA CRUZ) and touring keyboardist Lauri Salomaa.

Setlist:

01. Needled 24/7

02. Silent Night, Bodom Night

03. Bodom After Midnight

04. Sixpounder

05. Platitudes And Barren Words

06. Living Dead Beat

07. Knuckleduster

08. Angels Don't Kill

09. Hate Me!

10. Deadnight Warrior

11. Hatebreeder

12. Everytime I Die

13. Warheart

14. Downfall

15. Hate Crew Deathroll

16. Are You Dead Yet?

17. In Your Face

BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT is working on material for its debut album, tentatively due in 2021.

Laiho recently said that he will not shy away from performing his former band's songs when he hits the road with BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT. He told Kaaos TV (translated from Finnish): "We will be playing CHILDREN OF BODOM songs as that is what most of the audience want to hear. Those songs are written by me anyway, so I dont see any reason why not to play them. There will be so-called 'basic' songs, but there are also plans to play one or two songs live which CHILDREN OF BODOM has never played so far and some songs which we haven't played live in ages, so the setlist will be a good mix. We try to play as diverse setlist as possible on each show."

Jaska Raatikainen (drums), Henri "Henkka T. Blacksmith" Seppälä (bass) and Janne Wirman (keyboards) announced their departures from CHILDREN OF BODOM last October. Two months later, they confirmed that they were the rightful owners of the CHILDREN OF BODOM brand.

CHILDREN OF BODOM played its final show on December 15, 2019 at the Black Box in Helsinki Ice Hall. A short time later, Finnish music magazine Soundi reported that the rights to the CHILDREN OF BODOM name are held by AA & Sewira Consulting Oy, the company owned by Raatikainen, Seppälä and Wirman. In June 2019, the trio filed an application with the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland, and their application was subsequently granted for a five-year period starting on October 1, 2019. As a result, Laiho, who was CHILDREN OF BODOM's singer, guitarist and main songwriter, isn't authorized to use the band's name without permission from Wirman, Raatikainen and Seppälä.

Last November, Laiho admitted to Helsingin Sanomat that there had been tensions in the BODOM camp for quite some time.

"The original decision [to end the band in its current form] came when the other guys said they just couldn't do it anymore," he said. "There were family reasons for it. I respect their decision. I myself have a wife and stepdaughter in Australia, and my wife understands my lifestyle. I'm pretty much gone [most of the time], but always I come back and I give them my all. Nothing is more important to me."

According to Laiho, things came to a head when CHILDREN OF BODOM performed in Russia in October.

"We fought a lot within the band, and I can honestly admit that those fights were mainly my fault," he said. "They always started with some misunderstanding."

Relations within the band apparently got so bad during the Russian tour that it looked as if CHILDREN OF BODOM would break up right there and then. But cooler heads prevailed, and the group decided that the shows in Finland would be their last with the most recent formation.

CHILDREN OF BODOM's last album, "Hexed", came out in March 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records.














Game on! ? Thank you Seinäjoki for having us and making our first show special ??

?: @beasty.d

#bodomaftermidnight #bodomaftermidnightofficial #shure #intersonic

Posted by Bodom After Midnight on Friday, October 23, 2020

EUROPE has 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, starting October 23 and running for five weeks, special re-recordings of some of the band's greatest songs recorded individually during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

The first performance, a song called "Got To Have Faith" from EUROPE's 2004 album "Start From The Dark", 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).

SEPULTURA has recorded a cover version of the 1980 smash hit "Tainted Love" for the Brazilian TV series "Desalma". The track was produced by Rafael Ramos, who also mixed it with Jorge Guerreiro at Studio Tambor in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The recording was mastered by Justin Shurtz at Sterling Sound Studios in New York.

"Tainted Love" was originally composed by Los Angeles writer and producer Ed Cobb and released in 1965. It was eventually covered by SOFT CELL in 1981 and became a multimillion-seller.

A Globoplay original production, "Desalma" made its debut on Thursday, October 22.

SEPULTURA's version of "Tainted Love" was released via the Som Livre label and can be streamed below.

According to Drama Quarterly, "Desalma" ("Unsoul") is the first TV series from Ana Paula Maia. It is set across two time periods and "combines themes of crime, mystery and the supernatural to create a complex puzzle that aims to keep viewers guessing right until the end."

SEPULTURA's latest album, "Quadra", was made available in February via Nuclear Blast Records. It is a concept effort created at Sweden's Fascination Street Studios with renowned producer Jens Bogren.

SEPULTURA comprises vocalist Derrick Green, guitarist Andreas Kisser, bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr., and drummer Eloy Casagrande.

SEPULTURA was formed in Belo Horizonte by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, who are no longer with the band.

"Quadra" is the follow-up to 2017's "Machine Messiah", which was SEPULTURA's fourteenth studio album and the eighth since Green joined the ranks.

Finnish folk metallers KORPIKLAANI will release their new studio album, "Jylhä", on February 5, 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records.

"Jylhä" — which has no direct meaning, can be described as "majestic" and it can also be described as wild, rugged in a strong beautiful way — will be available as a digital album, CD, black vinyl, and grass green vinyl (limited to 300 pieces).

In celebration of the happy news, the band has released a music video for the first single, "Leväluhta".

KORPIKLAANI is unique. Their blend of Finnish folk music and heavy metal is like no other. Like traditional folk music that tells tales of joy, heartbreak, and stories of old, KORPIKLAANI brings new life to these tales adding the high energy of rock 'n' roll and heavy metal. What you hear on the record is what you hear live; authentic, honest, and a lot of fun. KORPIKLAANI is a natural representation of our journey in this life, bringing music and emotions that can have you dancing all night, to quiet moments of melancholy.

"Jylhä" continues this journey with a collection of tales of folklore, nature, celebration, and three stories of murder, including the infamous Lake Bodom murders.

Singer Jonne states: "'Jylhä' is not just a battering heavy metal record, it's also our most volatile full-length album to date. For example, some of the new songs feature energetic punk rock influences and there are even some audible laid-back reggae-rhythms, like our first single, 'Leväluhta'."

Leväluhta (or Levänluhta) is a spring in Isokyrö. The remains of approximately a hundred Iron Age bodies have been found buried there, and it remains unclear why the deceased were laid to rest in the spring. In the story, the narrator himself is one of the buried, floating in the lap of clear water beyond time and knowledge. The video tells us a fictional story about what may have happened in the mystical Leväluhta...

"Jylhä" track listing:

01. Verikoira

02. Niemi

03. Leväluhta

04. Mylly

05. Tuuleton

06. Sanaton Maa

07. Kiuru

08. Miero

09. Pohja

10. Huolettomat

11. Anolan Aukeat

12. Pidot

13. Juuret

SCOUR — the extreme metal unit featuring Philip H. Anselmo (PANTERA, DOWN, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, SUPERJOINT), John Jarvis (AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED), Derek Engemann (PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, ex-CATTLE DECAPITATION), Mark Kloeppel (MISERY INDEX) and Adam Jarvis (PIG DESTROYER, MISERY INDEX) — will release its long-anticipated "Black" EP (the third in a three-part series) on November 27 (Black Friday) via Housecore Records. A teaser for the effort is available below.

Last November, SCOUR unveiled its scalding cover of BATHORY classic "Massacre". The track was mixed and mastered by Dave Otero at Flatline Audio.

Forged in 2015, SCOUR's debilitating fusion of black metal, grindcore, and thrash made its debut with the ferocious single "Dispatched". The band's debut EP, "Grey", was released the following year via Anselmo's own Housecore label. Just before a crushing performance at Hellfest, which featured a cover of the PANTERA classic "Strength Beyond Strength", the band recorded the "Red" EP at Nodferatu's Lair with Steve Berrigan (DOWN, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, EYEHATEGOD, HAARP, CLASSHOLE) at the helm. The record was mixed and mastered by Dave Otero at Flatline Audio and released in 2017. Reaping critical hails from fans and critics alike, the recording ranked among Revolver's 20 Best Albums Of 2017, with the esteemed publication noting, "ex-PANTERA frontman Phil Anselmo has dabbled in black metal intermittently for over two decades now with side projects like CHRIST INVERSION, VIKING CROWN, EIBON, and now SCOUR, his gnarled crew of battle-tested players from PIG DESTROYER, CATTLE DECAPITATION, and others. A six-track romp through buzzing infernos and sludgy hellscapes, the supergroup's second EP, 'Red', is Anselmo's finest black-metal hour to date — no corpse paint necessary."

earMUSIC, the global independent rock and contemporary music label of Edel Germany GmbH, has announced the worldwide signing of BLACKMORE'S NIGHT. The band was founded in 1997 by legendary hard rock guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night to stage their mutual love for traditional medieval and folk-rock music. Blackmore has shaped the hard rock scene for decades as one of the most influential and notorious guitarists ever, first with DEEP PURPLE and later with RAINBOW.

"Nature's Light", BLACKMORE'S NIGHT's eleventh studio album, will be released in the spring of 2021, followed by a reissue of the band's entire catalog later in the year.

To bridge the time while waiting for "Nature's Light" to be finally released, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT decided to record a new Christmas-themed EP and give their fans something special to celebrate the holy days with. "Here We Come A-Caroling" includes four festive tracks and will become available December 4, 2020 on limited-edition 10-inch translucent green vinyl as well as a limited-edition CD digipak and digital.

"Nature's Light" is an honest declaration of love to the folk music of the Renaissance era, deeply inspired by myths and legends of times that are long gone and driven by the fiery relationship between the two married songwriters.

Max Vaccaro, general manager of earMUSIC, says: "We celebrate the 'homecoming' of a true music legend: BLACKMORE'S NIGHT started its wonderful musical journey with Edel in 1997. Today, decades later, it is a joyful occasion to welcome Ritchie and Candice back and to plan many years of exciting collaboration with them for their new music and a catalog that has reached the heart of millions of fans over the years."

Blackmore and Night add: "On June 2, 1997, we released our first Renaissance folk-rock debut album: 'Shadow Of The Moon'. With devotion and professionalism, our new record label, Edel, brought 'Shadow Of The Moon' to the top of the charts, where it remained for 17 weeks, earning us our first gold record as BLACKMORE'S NIGHT, a project close to our hearts and as untouched territory, a new genre for us to bring to the world.

"Our music is an escape from the stress and pressure of modern times. Journey back through time with us, to a simpler, magical time where music enters your heart and soul.

"We are honored to be 'back home again' with our friends and colleagues of Edel.

"BLACKMORE'S NIGHT has returned with our new CD, fans have been waiting for five years, and we are excited to be able to pair up again with Edel to bring it to them."

"Here We Come A-Caroling" track listing:

01. Here We Come A-Caroling (Vinyl Side A)

02. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear (Vinyl Side A)

03. O Little Town Of Bethlehem (Vinyl Side B)

04. Silent Night (Vinyl Side B)

PERIPHERY will release its first live album, "Live In London", digitally on November 13.

PERIPHERY guitar player Jake Bowen comments: "For years PERIPHERY has wanted to do a live record. We'd always talk about it, what show would we capture? When would we do it? What would we want it to sound like? On November 15, 2019, we figured out the answers to those questions by capturing our entire show in London and we couldn't be more excited to show it to everyone.

"London has consistently been one of our favorite places to play, and this show was certainly one we'll never forget, so we present to you our first live album... 'Periphery: Live In London'!"

Check out the first single, "Marigold (Live In London)" , below.

PERIPHERY's latest album, "Periphery IV: Hail Stan", was released in April 2019 via the band's own 3DOT Recordings.

PERIPHERY is Jake Bowen (guitar, programming), Matt Halpern (drums), Mark Holcomb (guitar), Misha Mansoor (guitar, programming) and Sotelo.

"Periphery IV: Hail Stan" marks two significant firsts for the band: the first PERIPHERY release on 3DOT Recordings, as well as a change in the way they approached writing and recording.

"We finally spent a year on a record," explained Bowen. "We've never been able to do that. The quality and pacing of the work show we took our time with this one. That's an important note about this. We really got to do everything we wanted to do in the space we had to do it." Mark added: "I think you can hear the adventurous intent behind much of this material as a result. We're all the happiest we've ever been with a release, and it's no coincidence."

"Periphery IV: Hail Stan" is the first release to follow the band's 2017 Grammy Award nomination in the "Best Metal Performance" category, for "Periphery III: Select Difficulty" album opener "The Price Is Wrong".

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

Ozzy Osbourne sat down with co-host Billy Morrison for another episode of "Ozzy Speaks" on SiriusXM's Ozzy's Boneyard. During the episode, Ozzy and Billy remembered Eddie Van Halen and played some of their favorite VAN HALEN songs.

Speaking about Eddie's guitar-playing skills, Ozzy said: "You think you've seen it all. Then out of the blue, somebody comes out with such a revolutionized way of playing. To watch Eddie play was, like — his hands would turn into a spider. It was remarkable. He always made it look like it was so easy."

Asked if he and Eddie ever had a chance to work together beyond just sharing the stage on various tours and festivals, Ozzy said: "No, no, no. He phoned me up one time and asked me if I wanted to sing in his band — way after Sammy [Hagar had left the band]. I think he was a bit drunk. We've all done one of them — calling at four o'clock in the morning, going, [makes unintelligible sound]."

The "Ozzy Speaks" episode, which premiered on SiriusXM's Ozzy’s Boneyard on Thursday, October 22, is available On Demand on the SiriusXM app and will rebroadcast on Ozzy's Boneyard throughout the weekend.

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

The day after Eddie's death, Ozzy paid tribute to the iconic axeman, telling Rolling Stone: "The last time I spent any serious time with Eddie was on the last official BLACK SABBATH tour I did in '79, when they opened up for us. They were such good guys to be around. We had such fun. Every time I ever saw Eddie Van Halen, it was fun.

"I remember seeing Eddie do that finger-tapping thing, and that was the first time I'd ever seen anyone do that. Just when you think nobody can make guitar playing exciting, somebody like that comes out. He was one of them.

"That thing with finger-tapping in the 80s, with the hair bands, everybody was doing that finger tapping. Once you've seen the master do it, everyone else comes second. Anybody after Eddie Van Halen was in second, as far as I'm concerned."

Osbourne went on to say that the "one thing I loved about Eddie was he always had a big grin on his face, and he looked like he was enjoying every second he was up there. Whether it was showbiz bullshit or not — I don't think it was — he always looked like he was having the best time of his life up there."

Describing the late guitarist "a force to be reckoned with," Ozzy recalled one show they played with VAN HALEN in San Antonio where "they went on and blew the roof off. And we had to follow them. I mean, it was such a hard gig for us. To follow VAN HALEN, you'd go, 'Oh, fuck. No.' And after that tour, they took off."

Osbourne said that he "could sit and watch Eddie Van Halen play guitar all day. He's so entertaining as a guitar player. He made it look like it was not difficult. He made it look like it was a natural thing. Everybody else was trying to be Eddie Van Halen, but there is only one Eddie Van Halen. I thought he was brilliant. God only knows, what you have to do to get that good."

Eddie died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

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

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

British extreme metallers CRADLE OF FILTH have been forced to postpone their livestream concert, originally scheduled for October 30 at St. Mary's Church, Colchester Art Centre, England.

Says the band: "Due to the ongoing Covid crisis and the uncertainty of travel, we unfortunately need to move the date of our live stream event. With band members residing outside of and throughout the UK, there was a real chance of quarantine or travel issues. The new show date is February 20, 2021. All tickets remain valid and everyone who bought one is automatically entered in to win a custom CRADLE OF FILTH Midian guitar worth over $2,000. Sorry for any inconvenience, the show will be an epic event not to be missed!”

Next year's live stream will take place at an as-yet-undisclosed bigger venue, with "twice the production."

CRADLE OF FILTH recently finished recording the follow-up to 2017's "Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness of Decay" album for a 2021 release. Vocalist Dani Filth told Knotfest.com about the effort: "We were very fortunate that Martin ['Marthus' Škaroupka] came in to do drums just before lockdown, and since then, everyone's just been chipping in in bits. I've had the longest, as I live close to the studio, but it means we've been able to revisit songs, amend things, try loads of different ideas. We've probably gone over-budget, but we don't really care about that as it's going to be the best-sounding record we've ever done, and probably the best-written record."

He continued: "It's been quite relaxing oddly being able to take our time with it without that pressure of deadlines, but it does mean with everyone doing things in parts as we were able, we've not all been together since the last show, and haven't been with our new keyboard player as well who contributed to the album but hasn't yet played a show."

On the topic of the musical direction of the new CRADLE OF FILTH material, Dani said: "It's going somewhere entirely different from the previous records. It's not going into space yet, but it's different. I hate describing our albums because I get tongue-tied about them. There is a bit of experimentation in there. It's heavier, faster, slower in parts. It's definitely going to have a unique sound to it where we purposefully took that on board, aiming for a more natural live sound that's more spacious. Like I said, we had that extra time to work on the record given to us this year… before all the leeway was taken back again."

This past February, CRADLE OF FILTH announced the departure of its keyboardist of the past seven years, Lindsay Schoolcraft. A replacement keyboardist has not yet been announced.


“Hi Everyone.

Due to the ongoing covid crisis and the uncertainty of travel, we unfortunately need to move the date...

Posted by Cradle of Filth on Thursday, October 22, 2020

OVERKILL drummer Jason Bittner has told That Metal Interview that fans shouldn't expect to see his band playing any socially distanced or drive-in gigs any time in the near future.

"You won't see us anywhere on a stage or live until we're comfortable enough to step on a stage," he said (hear audio below). "We have a frontman who is immune system compromised — Blitz [OVERKILL singer Bobby Ellsworth] has COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] — so we're not gonna ever put him in a situation that could be potentially, let's say, not well for him and not end positive. So that's why everything is up in the air, man. No one knows what's gonna happen with this."

According to Jason, the last seven months have been particularly difficult for musicians like him who desperately need the ecosystem of live music, which for some is their only source of revenue.

"I'd do anything right now to be back to my regular routine and not dealing with COVID," he said. "This has been a long trying six months. And it's not getting any better — it's gonna probably even get worse through the winter. So you're doing what you're doing to stay sane and to get by and to deal with it. One day at a time — can't make any plans. It sucks not being able to know when we're gonna play shows and see things that either got canceled or we weren't able to do because of COVID, or tours that might happen or might not happen due to COVID. It's tough, especially when it's your source of income. And when you can't do that, what the hell else are you gonna do? I'm not trying to make it out we're all poor, poor musicians. It's everybody around the world. It's not even [just] this country — it's around the world."

Bittner also talked about the progress of the recording sessions for OVERKILL's next studio album. The upcoming disc will be the follow-up to "The Wings Of War", which was released in February 2019.

"Well, first of all, only the drums are done right now," he said. "That's the only thing that's finished so far — drum tracks. Right now, we're in the process of getting all those edited, and D.D. [Verni, bass] and Dave [Linsk, guitar] will start bass and guitars shortly.

"I can't give you an absolute answer on when it's coming out, because that's really all due to COVID," he explained. "So we decided that we're gonna get it done. And hopefully it's coming out in April or May of next year. But if not, it's gonna be coming out October or November of next year. Lord knows what's gonna happen. God forbid it gets worse. It might even be pushed back even longer. But the point is at least we're gonna get it done."

ARMORED SAINT has released a music video for the song "Missile To Gun". The clip was produced by Defiant Digital Productions and directed by Robert Graves.

"Missile To Gun" is taken from ARMORED SAINT's eighth full-length album, "Punching The Sky", which is being released today (Friday, October 23) via Metal Blade Records.

Leaders and stalwarts of the American heavy metal scene since the early 1980s, ARMORED SAINT's "Punching The Sky" sees them returning hard. A diverse, attitude-drenched collection, it's everything the band's faithful have come to expect from them while pushing their signature sound forward.

"The goal is to write really good music. I know I'm stating the obvious here but that's about the size of our agenda," says bassist Joey Vera. "We've been able to shed a lot of expectations that sometimes plague a band like ours that has been around a long time, and we've recently moved into a comfort zone with just being ourselves. We have this kind of freedom now that we didn't really have early in our career, and we can take some chances and make the kind of music that we want to hear. This record is a reflection of where we are at, right now."

Exploding to life with the crunchy, rousing "Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants" and not letting up until the closing ruthless riff of "Never You Fret", the record is possessed of an urgency and vigor which very much places it in the right now, but could only be the work of Vera, guitarists Phil Sandoval and Jeff Duncan, drummer Gonzo Sandoval and vocalist John Bush.

"When you're a band that began four decades ago, you really have to push yourself harder than ever when it comes to making a new record," states Bush. "The last thing you ever want is for it to appear as though you were going through the motions or that you're just putting a product out to do some touring. The records are immortal. They'll be here long after us. Every one needs to count in its own individual way."

With Vera acting as producer, he recruited the same engineering team that worked on "Win Hands Down", with drums recorded by Josh Newell at El Dorado Studios in Burbank, California, guitars tracked by Bill Metoyer at Skullseven studios in North Hollywood, California, and vocals, bass and additional recordings by the bassist at his studio.

"I like working with people that I trust and have a good personal rapport with," Vera says. "That same reason is why I hired Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, AMON AMARTH, STONE SOUR) to mix the record. It's important to be able to work with people who understand what the end goal is."

The process of realizing the album was a lot of hard work, Vera admitting he took on too many of the tasks himself, but he states that overall it was a good experience and everyone brought their A-game to the table and the right attitude for getting things done.

"At the end of the mixing stage, I always have a hard time walking away from the project we've been working on for so long," he says. "It's hard to let it go. The end result is good though. Everyone played and sang their asses off and it shows."

"Punching The Sky" features a few guest musicians further expanding its sonic palette, the whole thing kicking off with the sound of Uilleann Pipes, Vera finding player Patrick D'Arcy in Los Angeles and recruiting him to the cause. GUNS N' ROSES keyboardist Dizzy Reed also contributes, Vera giving both him and D'Arcy some general directions and letting them loose, both of them delivering strong performances. The band's own Gonzo Sandoval plays an American Indian flute on "Never You Fret" — a first for ARMORED SAINT and their drummer. Also Jacob Ayala, the son of a childhood friend who is a drum major in high school, added some marching snare on one of the tracks, which really stands out.

With the band's place in the metal scene firmly re-established with "Punching The Sky", they are staring down their four decade anniversary, which Vera reflects on.

"Part of me feels like I can't believe we've been doing this for that long. It's kind of incredible," Vera says. "So I feel pretty damn lucky really, that we've been able to have the support from fans and our record company for all these years. Without this support, we really couldn't do any of this. So this is the big part of what has kept us going, and when I stop and look around, I am humbled that we've had this opportunity to make music and tour for such a long time. That's what our initial goal was back when we were just 18 years old."

"Punching The Sky" track listing:

01. Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants

02. End Of The Attention Span

03. Bubble

04. My Jurisdiction

05. Do Wrong To None

06. Lone Wolf

07. Missile To Gun

08. Fly In The Ointment

09. Bark, No Bite

10. Unfair

11. Never You Fret

Vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva, who was with Cradle Of Filth for 14 years before leaving the band in 2009, has posted a new update on Facebook looking back on her 2010 solo album, A Sign Of Sublime

"I wrote this in my bedroom when I was very young, in a bad place mentally. It was the first ever song I wrote. When I was recording The Smell Of Rain with Mortiis, I sang it to my friend Suvi, who was also doing choirs on the album, and she put the original piano to the track. I never released the track. However, I got a chance to on A Sign Of Sublime. The 'failure' album I have to call it because someone who I trusted yet again took control and really trashed it sound-wise. Luckily, my awesome mate Dan saved some of it. Really, you can polish a turd sometimes.

Anyway, the phenomenal Martin Powell (My Dying Bride) re-wrote the music with the melody I had set for the track and using Suvi's piano as a guide and turned the track, for me, into something more incredible. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but yet again, it's my honesty and personal experiences that are voiced in this song." 

Following the news, released on October 12th, that she would be returning to music through a new collaboration with Mortiis, former Cradle of Filth backing vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva announced via social media that she and her official Cradle Of Filth replacement Lindsay Schoolcraft - who left the band this year - will be working together.

Sarah: "Lindsay Schoolcraft & I have something up our sleeve for 2021. So stay tuned... and thank you for supporting."

Lindsay confirmed it with the following post:

Stay tuned for updates.




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante has reflected on the passing of Eddie Van Halen, calling him "one of the greatest" guitar players of all time. The legendary VAN HALEN axeman died on October 6 at the age of 65 after a long battle with cancer.

Benante spoke about his admiration for Van Halen during an appearance on the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast. He said (hear audio below): "This is me talking about one of the greatest, if not the greatest guitar player to ever come out of this world: Eddie Van Halen.

"I'm gonna take it back to the early days of me being a huge KISS, LED ZEPPELIN, [BLACK] SABBATH, QUEEN fan. And then I heard this song from my next-door neighboor, and it was fucking 'Jamie's Cryin''. And I just liked the drum sound — I didn't even notice the guitar until later. And there's a solo in it, but it's not like an Eddie Van Halen complete-assault-on-your-senses solo. And then I looked at the album cover, and I just had to have it. And then 'Eruption' came on, and that was it. I couldn't understand what was going on, but I just knew I loved it. And I got a taste of what fucking new excitement sounds like on record. I mean, so many records have excitement on it, but VAN HALEN, I always said, sounded like there was a fucking party going on with their albums, which I love to this day. Those little things, those little ad-libs, those nuances that they put on their records just made it sound like these guys just came in the studio, they took the party to the studio and hit 'record,' and there's a song. And that's the way I always felt about that band.

"The first time I saw 'em, my neighbor Nick, his mom took us. She drove us to the Nassau Coliseum [in Uniondale, New York] to see VAN HALEN in 1979," he continued. "And I was only at a few concerts throughout those years, 'cause I was still young. And this was one of the first ones. She dropped us off, we went and had a fucking ball. When they came on, it was just a different level, a different type of excitement for me at shows. There was just so much energy coming off that stage. And just seeing them in person and seeing Eddie do these solos and these jumps — it was just amazing. And Alex [Van Halen] hit his fucking gong on fire. I just couldn't get enough of them. And I never missed them every year after that. So they definitely have a place for me.

"When I think of VAN HALEN, I think of my childhood and just experiencing, like I said, excitement," Benante added. "Every time I saw them, the hair on my arms would stand up, because something would happen that would make me go, 'Woah! Right there.' That's something that I'm gonna take with me forever. And that's what Eddie Van Halen meant to me."

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

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

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

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

Italian orchestral death metal masters, Fleshgod Apocalypse,  have unplugged for a stunning new rendition of their song "The Day We'll Be Gone". The acoustic two-track digital single features an instrumental version and is accompanied by a studio performance video clip directed by Martina Lesley (Sanda Movies).

The artwork was created once again by renowned visionary artist Travis Smith. The original song is found on the band's critically praised fifth album, Veleno.

Stream "The Day We'll Be Gone" (Acoustic) here, and watch the studio performance video below:

The band is also very proud to announce their new official lineup, featuring Veronica Bordacchini (vocals), Fabio Bartoletti (guitar) and Eugene Ryabchenko (drums).

Frontman Francesco Paoli states: "In these uncertain times, we wanted to bare our inner souls and let the music speak for itself. This track pushes us out of our comfort zone as musicians and performer, proving that art in any form can survive the most dreadful circumstances. Given the current situation, it was the right time to do something truly experimental, a once in a lifetime musical exploration for the band.

"Our recent live streaming concert introduced our new band members to a worldwide crowd, but this song really shows how strongly open minded and skilled they are. Me, Francesco and Paolo have been through this journey together for over a decade, but we haven't felt this good for a long time. That's why we're glad to announce them as official band members. Expect much more, sooner than you think."

Francesco adds: "This is the best line-up we could ask for. Eugene is an absolute phenomenon on drums, so I'm really glad to pass the torch to a great successor. Fabio is a true guitar hero, extremely tight and tasteful. Veronica has been with us for 7 years now and even today her incredible talent never ceases to amaze me, so I know she can push her limits further in the future. Now our rehearsal room feels like home again."




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

HammerFall have released a third video, "Any Means Necessary", from their new live album and BluRay, Live! Against The World, available now. Watch the clip below, and order your copy of Live! Against The World here.

Singer Joacim Cans on the album release: “The thing with live releases is, they need to feel authentic, and Live! Against The World captures exactly what a live show with HammerFall is all about.“

Guitarist and founding member Oscar Dronjak on the new video: “’Any Means Necessary’ has been a staple of our repertoire since it came out. This video shows really well why, it’s one of these songs that gets both audience and band going no matter what.”

Recorded on February 15th at the MHP Arena in Ludwigsburg, Germany, Live! Against The World contains songs fresh off their latest album, Dominion, mixed with a ton of band classics and a hand-picked selection of songs that rarely appear on HammerFall's setlists to fulfill the needs of both new and old fans.

Tracklisting:

"Never Forgive, Never Forget"
"One Against The World"
"Heeding The Call"
"The Way Of The Warrior"
"Any Means Necessary"
"Hallowed Be My Name"
"Blood Bound"
"Redemption"
"Hector's Hymn"
"Natural High"
"Second To One"
"Renegade Medley"
"Keep The Flame Burning"
"Dominion"
"The Dragon Lies Bleeding"
"Last Man Standing"
"Let The Hammer Fall"
"Hammer High"
"(We Make) Sweden Rock"
"Hearts On Fire"

“Keep The Flame Burning” video:

"Never Forgive, Never Forget" video:

HammerFall are:

Joacim Cans - Vocals
Oscar Dronjak - Guitar
Pontus Norgren - Guitar
Fredrik Larsson - Bass
David Wallin - Drums




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

MOTIONLESS IN WHITE has released a brand-new standalone single, "Creatures X: To The Grave", available today on all streaming platforms. The track arrives as the band prepares to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its acclaimed debut album, "Creatures", with a special "deadstream performance" on October 28, which will see the band performing the album in its entirety during the event. Tickets for the stream are on sale now at miwmerch.com.

The band's frontman Chris "Motionless" Cerulli comments: "After ten years of the most insane highs and lows that a band can experience, we are so proud to hit such a milestone as a record having its 10th anniversary.

"We wanted to do something special to celebrate, so we decided to throw it back with a very 'Creatures'-inspired track that includes some of the very same keyboard sounds and guitar riff styles that are found on that record, as well as many callback lyrics and themes to the original 'Creatures' song.

"It's been a very interesting year for everyone, but we're happy to have found cool ways to still give fans something to hold on to throughout. Hope everyone enjoys this one. Happy Halloween."

Furthermore, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE has revealed a special 10th anniversary reissue of "Creatures" — available on vinyl, cassette, and digital formats. The vinyl release features newly reimagined artwork, while the deluxe digital release includes three bonus tracks — "Dragula", "Creatures (Celldweller Beauty Remix)" and "Mallevs Maleficarvm (Tim Skold Remix)". The LP comes pressed on yellow, purple, and black-splattered vinyl, and is available on the band's official store alongside a limited edition run of 1,000 cassette copies.

Just last month, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE surprised fans with a cover of THE KILLERS' "Somebody Told Me" which is available on all streaming platforms with an official visualizer streaming on the band's YouTube channel. The cover followed the arrival of MOTIONLESS IN WHITE's "Another Life / Eternally Yours: Motion Picture Collection" EP, which was produced by Justin Deblieck and mixed by Steve Sopchak. For the EP, the acclaimed Scranton, Pennsylvania band reconstructed, reimagined, and reinvigorated two fan-favorite singles: "Another Life" and "Eternally Yours". Additionally, they included brand new cinematic instrumental tracks for both. For this big screen-worthy interpretation of "Another Life", they recruited dark pop Estonian artist Kerli to contribute an emotionally charged vocal. Over a bed of orchestral strings and sparse piano, frontman Chris Motionless locks into a haunting and hypnotic duet with her. The official music video offers a ghostly counterpoint and alternate view of the original as well.

Meanwhile, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE enlisted Australian vocalist Crystal Joilena to join this nocturnal take of "Eternally Yours". Classically inspired piano cuts through swells of strings as the vocals reach heavenly heights on a solemn promise. Punctuated by lasers and galactic vignettes, the accompanying visual complements the song’s otherworldly energy.

A highlight of the group’s latest album "Disguise", the original "Another Life" ascended to the Top 15 at Active Rock radio, becoming the band's highest-charting single to date. It has notably gathered 11.5 million views on the official music video.

Connecticut hardcore/metal masters HATEBREED will release their new album, "Weight Of The False Self", on November 27 via Nuclear Blast Records. The official Justin Reich-directed music video for the LP's second single, "Instinctive (Slaughterlust)", can be seen below. The cover artwork, which can be seen below, was painted by artist Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, among others.

Singer Jamey Jasta stated about "Instinctive (Slaughterlust)": "In a fight for survival, which a lot of us are right now, we must channel our inner animal and trust our instincts."

"Weight Of The False Self" was produced by frequent HATEBREED collaborator Chris "Zeuss" Harris and it arrives on the heels of the sold-out anniversary shows that HATEBREED embarked upon throughout 2019 and the unprecedented success of 2016's "The Concrete Confessional". Not only did the latter tally over 42 million Spotify streams, but the single "Looking Down The Barrel of Today" also clocked 30 million-plus Spotify streams. The band also covered Revolver and The Guardian bestowed a 4-out-of-5-star rating on the album, proving that over 20 years deep into its career, this Connecticut hardcore metal institution remains as vital as ever.

"When writing lyrics and riffs, I try to be in the moment, getting a mental picture of my current reality in order to convey what I want to say," Jasta aid about the new material. "Sometimes, I think my reality consists of two irreducible elements, expressed by the age-old interior battle of the dualistic self. The angel on one shoulder stands firm, providing reason, wisdom, and compassion while the devil dances angrily on the other, ranting with passion, spite, and dark desire. I often wonder if a truly centered mind is attainable, an effortless and non-dualistic state of equilibrium. Until then, I'll just listen to both sides of my personality and hope I make the right choice. At the end of the day, the listener will choose to hear what they want, but when I am writing, I imagine the voice of the angel to be a lil' louder."

Renowned for their ability to provide an intense and cathartic release for their fans, HATEBREED challenged themselves and their writing style in order to produce material that is exceptionally relatable in a contemporary world flooded with overstimulation, emotional dampening, and lack of social patience.

"'Weight Of The False Self' is a perfect representation of HATEBREED in 2020, a fresh onslaught of soon-to-be classics with all the elements that led you here since day one," explained guitarist Frank Novinec.

Drummer Matt Byrne shared: "There's no shortage of beefy riffs and adrenaline-fueled drums on this record. I'm proud to say that we will consistently provide a soundtrack to which you can mosh in your living room and destroy your apartment."

This past February, HATEBREED released its first new single in four years, "When The Blade Drops". At the time, Jasta described the track as "just a taste of what's to come… The speed, intensity, and brutality that people have come to expect from us is on full display."

"Weight Of The False Self" track listing:

01. Instinctive (Slaughterlust)

02. Let Them All Rot

03. Set It Right (Start With Yourself)

04. Weight Of The False Self

05. Cling To Life

06. A Stroke Of Red

07. Dig Your Way Out

08. This I Earned

09. Wings Of The Vulture

10. The Herd Will Scatter

11. From Gold To Gray

12. Invoking Dominance

THE PRETTY RECKLESS has released a creepy and cool Halloween song called "Broomsticks".

THE PRETTY RECKLESS's upcoming album, "Death By Rock And Roll", is the band's first to be made without longtime producer Kato Khandwala, who died in April 2018 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.

"Death By Rock And Roll" will be released in early 2021 via Fearless Records in the U.S. and Century Media Records in the rest of the world.

THE PRETTY RECKLESS singer Taylor Momsen confirmed that RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello guests on "Death By Rock And Roll". Morello appears on a track called "And So It Went".

Morello joins previously announced guests Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron from SOUNDGARDEN. The song with Cameron and Thayil, called "Only Love Can Save Me Now", was recorded at Seattle's legendary London Bridge Studios, where seminal LPs like PEARL JAM's "Ten" and SOUNDGARDEN's "Louder Than Love" were laid down.

According to Momsen, "Death By Rock And Roll" "almost feels like the first record in the sense that we really threw everything that we had at it — we worked so hard on it," she said. "And I'm just excited for it to be out and have people come on this journey with me and see where it took us. I think it took us, in my opinion, to a new level. It's a new and improved PRETTY RECKLESS."

Former GUNS N' ROSES and current SIXX:A.M. guitarist DJ Ashba introduced his unique version of EDM to the world last summer with his debut single "Hypnotic". Having creatively combined multiple genres with EDM into one unique sound, Ashba continues forging his journey into an exciting new genre with his second single, "Let's Dance", the official music video for which can be seen below. Mixed and mastered by three-time Grammy nominee Luca Pretolesi of Studio DMI (Steve Aoki, Diplo, Lil Jon), the track features James Michael, co-founder and lead singer of SIXX:A.M., which he and DJ formed with Nikki Sixx (MÖTLEY CRÜE).

"On 'Let's Dance', my goal was to create the perfect blend of rock and EDM by laying down the foundation with an infectious hardcore dance beat, melodic guitars and topping it off with one of the best vocalists in rock," said Ashba. "Now the party moves from Las Vegas to Miami, and James Michael is right there with this understated bravado sure to surprise our rock fans and hopefully capture the attention of club-goers around the world. I want to bring them all together for an amazing celebration."

Pretolesi said: "Ashba brings a new dynamic to dance music with his amazing live guitar element married with an electronic foundation that makes his sound incredibly unique."

Michael added: "To hear Ashba's incredible guitar work surrounded by the electronics of EDM showcases not only his skills as an artist but as a producer and writer as well. I was thrilled when he invited me to be a feature on 'Let's Dance'!"

Ashba, signed to Edgeout Records/Universal Music Group/UMe, wrote and produced "Let's Dance". Ashba's unwavering experimental vision and Pretolesi's skillful mixing touch results in a sound that adds yet another new dimension to EDM.

"Ashba's unique version of EDM, immediately caught my attention. And now, the industry is calling his music the new sound coming out of Vegas," says Tony Guanci, Edgeout founder and label head.

Ashba told the Las Vegas Review-Journal about the musicial approach of his new effort: "I would go to a lot of EDM concerts, and their shows are so over the top and, you know, all these young kids just losing their minds, right? And the one thing that I've noticed is … it lacks guitar, you know, and I saw an opportunity, like five years ago, going, 'If I could take what I do and somehow inject it into this world.' A lot of kids are not being exposed to a lot of guitar in that world."

"Hypnotic" and "Let's Dance" will appear on ASHBA's first full-length effort. According to DJ, he will promote the LP by embarking on a tour on which he will be joined only by a VJ.

"The one thing I've noticed is the lack of performance. Now, that excludes a lot of the good ones, like Aoki — there's nobody like him, and Diplo, and Calvin Harris's brilliance is amazing," Ashba told Las Vegas Review-Journal. "But I'm but I'm talking about performances as far people bringing an instrument onstage."

Although Ashba initially started work on the project as a collaboration with Michael — under the band name PYROMANTIC — it has since evolved into an Ashba solo venture, with Michael announcing in 2018 that he was stepping away from the group.

Photo credit: Michael Pool