Two-time Grammy Award-nominated Pennsylvania quintet AUGUST BURNS RED is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its debut album, "Thrill Seeker", in a major way. The band will perform the 2005-released classic in its entirety during a livestreamed show set for Saturday, November 14 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. The encore will be comprised exclusively of songs from the 2007 follow-up "Messengers". The show will feature the band's biggest stage production to date and will be broadcast from six camera angles.

Tickets and merch bundles are available now at this location.

The "Thrill Seeker" live performance is being recorded, professionally mixed, and mastered for a special vinyl release. It will serve as the first time that there will be a recording of Jake Luhrs (lead vocals) and Dustin Davidson (bass) performing "Thrill Seeker", as both joined the band post-release. The live vinyl is available for pre-order on two different colors with reimagined artwork. A new line of "Thrill Seeker" merchandise will also be available.

Additionally, the "Thrill Seeker" studio recording has been repressed on special 15-year anniversary vinyl, featuring a new album cover and retrospective 15-year anniversary insert. This vinyl is limited to 1,000 copies.

"Being stuck at home for the past six months has given us a lot of time to think and plan what we wanted to do next," JB Brubaker (lead guitar) reveals. "It's been such a strange year and I have never gone this long without playing music with my friends.

"When we realized that this November marks the 15-year anniversary of 'Thrill Seeker', we wanted to do something special for our debut album. We decided to get together and perform the entire thing on the Internet.

"We are going all in on production — from lighting to video to audio. Our goal is to push the envelope on what people have come to expect from a livestream performance. Mark your calendars for November 14. In the meantime, we'll be practicing..."

AUGUST BURNS RED's latest full-length, "Guardians", is out now through Fearless Records. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hard Music Albums chart, the Rock Albums chart, and the Vinyl Albums chart upon release.

Swedish heavy metal band LION'S SHARE has made a new song, "Aim Higher", available on streaming services and digital service providers.

LION'S SHARE singer Nils Patrik Johansson commented: "In these strange days of COVID-19, we feel the time is right to give you a song with a positive touch. This is a song about you deciding your own destiny and that you can achieve whatever you want if you never give up, never take shit and believe in yourself."

In late 2018, LION'S SHARE released a new five-track EP, plus its complete catalog — remastered with new artwork — on streaming services and digital service providers for the first time. The band has since released a few more digital singles, some of which will and some of which won't end up on the forthcoming full-length album.

LION'S SHARE guitarist Lars Chriss says: "We had big plans for 2020, with a new album and everything. We had just done our first couple of live shows in many years this past March in Germany when the COVID-19 put stop to it all."

Both Johansson and Chriss remark that they have always worked very well together, and at this point it feels the most natural to keep LION’S SHARE as a duo, with friends helping out wherever needed.

The LION'S SHARE catalog features appearances by members and ex-members of KISS, MEGADETH, KING DIAMOND, HAMMERFALL, SYMPHONY X, CHIMAIRA, THERION, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, CANDLEMASS, etc. Mixers include top engineers such as Jens Bogren (ARCH ENEMY, OPETH, SYMPHONY X, AMON AMARTH), Niklas Flyckt (one-time Grammy Award winner and four-time nominee) and Ronny Lahti (ROXETTE, EUROPE, Glenn Hughes).

LION'S SHARE has toured with bands like MOTÖRHEAD, MANOWAR, DIO, SAXON, ICED EARTH, NEVERMORE, U.D.O., Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER) and has played many of the major rock and metal festivals.

PRETTY MAIDS singer Ronnie Atkins has taken to social media to inform his fans that his cancer has returned.

The 55-year-old Danish musician was diagnosed back with lung cancer last year and underwent at least 33 radiation and four chemotherapy treatments last fall before being declared cancer-free.

Earlier today, Atkins released the following statement via his Facebook page:

"As promised a little while ago here's an update on my health situation.

"I'm not gonna go into details, but just state that unfortunately I'm still battling cancer!

"After some pain issues and following a scan just before Easter this year I was told that the cancer had spread and I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, which in principle means incurable!

"Now there were two paths I could go by! I could sit down in a corner and feel pity for myself (which I guess I did for a while) or I could try to carry on living and do what I do best and I chose the latter. So with great back up from my family and true friends I decided to keep on writing and recording, plus the fact that I had a lot of ideas/songs that I wanted to get out of my system.

"So that's what I’ve been doing on/off for the last couple of months. That eventually means that some new music is coming from me in the immediate future, but more details on that later.

"All that said, I must state that I feel good these days and have for a while. I still get treatments, mainly immune therapy. I have some permanent pain issues and other sequelaes that I have to deal with! And mentally, I have my good days and my bad days, so be it ! But I feel that I'm in good hands with the doctors and staff who's treating me, so everything considered I'm in good spirits! It is what it is and I can't change that whatsoever, so I simply aim to get the best out of life.

"Finally another huuuuge thank to all of you out there who have been rooting for me and cheering me up through this process ! Means a lot to me".

All of PRETTY MAIDS' previously announced shows were canceled and all of the group's plans were put "on hold" while Ronnie underwent treatment for his cancer last year.

Formed in early 1982 by Atkins and guitarist Ken Hammer, PRETTY MAIDS quickly established itself as a band to be taken seriously. In April 1987, "Future World", the band's third album recorded in the USA, was released to great acclaim and is still today regarded as a "classic."

After the release of the follow-up album "Jump The Gun" (produced by DEEP PURPLE's Roger Glover), PRETTY MAIDS in 1991 were on the verge of a breakup. However, Hammer and Atkins found a new rhythm section and in 1992 released the "Sin - Decade", a record that would reveal that PRETTY MAIDS was still a force to be reckoned with, despite the fact that the metal scene now was overrun by the grunge movement. "Sin - Decade" became a huge success in Japan and gave the band a big radio hit with the single "Please Don't Leave Me", laying the foundation for the band in the East that would last for the next decade.

During the ensuing years, PRETTY MAIDS continued to release albums usually followed by European and Japanese tours.

In a 2013 interview with Myglobalmind, Atkins joked that the secret to keeping his voice in shape was "twenty cigarettes a day and little drink now and then."

PRETTY MAIDS' latest album, "Undress Your Madness", was released in November 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.


As promised a week ago here’s a little update on my current health situation.

I’m not gonna go into details, but just...

Posted by Ronnie Atkins Official on Sunday, October 18, 2020

Gordon Haskell, who played bass and sang for KING CRIMSON nearly five decades ago, has died. He was 74 years old.

Haskell's death was confirmed in a post on his official Facebook page. "It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Gordon, a great musician and a wonderful person who will be sadly missed by so many," the statement read.

A separate statement on KING CRIMSON's official Facebook page read: "Gordon Haskell's Facebook page is reporting that Gordon has died. His time in KC wasn't a particularly happy part of his long career but his work on In The Wake Of Poseidon and in particular, Lizard is much admired in the CRIMSON community."

Haskell made his KING CRIMSON debut on "In The Wake Of Poseidon" (Island, 1970), singing on the song "Cadence And Cascade", and playing bass and singing most of the vocals on follow-up album "Lizard" (Island, 1970).

Haskell has dipped in and out of the music scene for more than 50 years. He has played all over the world as part of very successful groups, then as a solo artist, then as a jobbing drifter, enjoyed Top 2 status and massive radio support.

English by birth, he set up home on the Greek island of Skopelos in 2008 stating that he had "finally given up on England as a lost cause." In 2016, he returned to the U.K. because of the financial crisis in Greece.

Haskell's first record, "Circles", was with the hugely influential FLEUR DE LYS in 1966. He was the bassist and songwriter. His first solo album was with CBS in 1969.

After a brief spell with KING CRIMSON as bassist/vocalist in 1971, he was signed to Atlantic by Ahmet Ertegun. Arif Mardin (of Norah Jones fame) produced his second album, "It Is And It Isn't".

Gordon has made many albums since and all of them, along with his work with FLEUR DE LYS, still attract attention, steadily selling throughout the world. His mainstream breakthrough came in 2001 with the single "How Wonderful You Are" and the album "Harry's Bar" in 2002. Both hit the No 2 spot and continue to sell to this day.

The following album, "Shadows On The Wall", marked a sea change as Gordon took a well-earned break and wrote his autobiography.

Haskell's latest solo LP, "The Cat Who's Got The Cream" (Zoo Records), was released earlier this year. It came after a decade-long recording hiatus following the arrival of "One Day Soon" (Fullfill Records, 2010).


It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Gordon, a great musician and a wonderful person who will be sadly missed by so many.

Posted by Gordon Haskell on Sunday, October 18, 2020



Gordon Haskell's Facebook page is reporting that Gordon has died. His time in KC wasn't a particularly happy part of his...

Posted by King Crimson on Sunday, October 18, 2020

Last week, AC/DC released "Shot In The Dark", the first single from the band'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 reunited lineup of Brian Johnson (vocals), Phil Rudd (drums), Cliff Williams (bass), Angus Young (guitar) and Stevie Young (guitar). Johnson and Williams both left in 2016 for health reasons; and Rudd was sidelined in 2015 with various legal issues.

In a recent interview with Keith Roth, host of SiriusXM's Ozzy's Boneyard, Angus stated about how "Power Up" came together: "Our management people had contacted us around 2018 and ahd said, 'Are you up for making an album?' I had a lot of material together from [late AC/DC rhythm guitarist] Malcolm [Young] and myself, which we had worked on through the years, and we had quite a bit, so I thought, yeah, 'I'll put together a whole heap of these ideas and we'll see who wants to be a part of it and get in the studio.' It was great, because everyone wanted to be on board to do the project — Brian and Cliff and Phil and Stevie and myself. It was all great that we could get back together and do some new rock and roll tunes for the world to hear."

Asked if "Power Up" was originally supposed to arrive earlier in the year before the coronavirus pandemic hit in March, Brian said: "We shot the video in Holland, and then we spent about two and a half weeks — maybe even more — rehearsing with a full backline, the whole bit. We got such a buzz playing together for the album, it was just too good an opportunity to miss. And we all got together and it was like lightning. It was fantastic. And then, straight after that, the album was supposed to get ready to come out and all that, but then, honestly, within the space of about four days of us all leaving, the COVID hit and stopped everybody dead in their tracks. So, out of respect for the disease and all that, they held it back a bit to see what was gonna happen. We thought it was all gonna be over in five to six weeks, but that hasn't been the case."

Regarding which other AC/DC album "Power Up" is most musically similar to, Angus said: "When you hear it, it's AC/DC — you hear it straight away. Most of what we do, that's the thing we've always aimed for. You want people to hear it for the first time and go, 'That's them. There's no one else like [them].'"

Angus also set the record straight about a rumor that Malcolm's guitar playing can actually be heard on "Power Up". He said: "Malcolm's contribution is mainly the song ideas, which he did with me. So that's basically what Malcolm's contribution is to the whole album. He was there in spirit, and you always feel him. He's there, especially with me — he's always part of my thoughts. I'm always thinking of him. As [is] everyone else."

According to Angus, there is no end in sight for AC/DC, and fans can expect a lot more activity from the band going forward.

"I keep doing it," he said. "It's part of me. That's from my perspective. I like making AC/DC music and playing it. And I've been doing it so long now. I think I know that more than anything else. I even think I know that better than what I learned in my shool years."

"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".

"Power Up" will be available in multiple configurations, 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

Photo credit: Josh Cheuse

Malcolm, who co-founded AC/DC with Angus in 1973, died in November 2017 at the age of 64 after suffering from dementia and failing health for several years. His condition forced him to leave the band in 2014, with his nephew Stevie Young stepping into Malcolm's position.

JUDAS PRIEST members Rob Halford (vocals), Scott Travis (drums) and Richie Faulkner (guitar) spoke to Metal Hammer magazine about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to "Firepower" album. Released in March 2018, "Firepower" was the second LP to feature Faulkner, who was selected to fill the void left by founding guitarist K.K. Downing following his exit in 2011.

"We started the year prepping the next JUDAS PRIEST metal masterpiece," Rob said. "We had one massive writing session together and we've got an enormous amount of material stacked up, which is really thrilling after the glorious response we had to 'Firepower'."

"It's gonna be good," added Travis. "Rob's always excited about new music, which is great, because he's such a creative guy and when you are that creative, naturally you never rest on your laurels. You always want to do something new and get it out there."

Faulkner talked in more detail about PRIEST's songwriting process, saying: "We compile all our ideas and get together and throw them in the pot and see what sticks, then see what lights up the room, see what Rob grabs hold of. It might be a riff that Rob really gets his teeth into that inspires a lyric or an intro, verse or chorus and suddenly you've got the nucleus of a song."

Last month, 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.

"We started on the new record earlier in the year — me, Glenn [Tipton, guitar] and Rob — and we all went home for the summer," Richie said. "We were all gonna reconvene later on. 'Cause we really wanna get back together and do it all together — that's the way the magic happened on 'Firepower' — and we just haven't had the chance to be able to do that. But as soon as we can, and as soon as we get back to some sort of normality, we'll get back in the studio and continue with it."

Halford resides in Phoenix, Faulkner in Nashville and 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.

"Firepower" was recorded by British producer Andy Sneap, the band's longtime collaborator Tom Allom and engineer Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH). The cover artwork for "Firepower" was created by the Chilean/Italian artist Claudio Bergamin.




50 Years Of Judas Priest. The new issue of Metal Hammer: on sale tomorrow ? #JudasPriest #Metal #HeavyMetal #MetalHammer pic.twitter.com/y5AVeHxTci

— metalhammer (@MetalHammer) October 14, 2020

Former FEAR FACTORY singer Burton C. Bell recently spoke to Eonmusic about "Apocrypha", the second album from his long-running project ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.

On "Apocrypha":

Burton: "It's something that I've been working on for literally ten years. ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS, to me, is the most personal and the most representational piece of work I've ever done in my entire career. So, FEAR FACTORY fans can actually get an in depth look into the sounds that were created for FEAR FACTORY. So, there are a lot of similarities, and there are a lot of differences as well."

On working with BLACK SABBATH's Geezer Butler on 1995's "Plastic Planet" album (which is being re-released on October 30 via BMG):

Burton: "Obviously I was a fan of BLACK SABBATH already, and to be working with... It's fucking Geezer Butler, you know what I mean? So he took me up to his studio which was an attic, and it was like a BLACK SABBATH museum, and my heart was just, like, eek! I was looking at everything, trying to hold my jaw up. I saw the 'Sabotage' platinum record on the wall, and I said, "Goddamnit, that was the first record I loved by BLACK SABBATH. It's my favorite record by BLACK SABBATH.' And he looked at me like I was crazy, and he, was, like, 'Really?! That record?!'"

On not being asked back to work on Geezer's "Black Science" album in 1997:

Burton: "I was disappointed that I wasn't used again, but they wanted someone that had more of an open schedule, I guess. 'Demanufacture' did very well right after that, and I was touring that and G/Z/R, so I was busy. But yeah, I'm not really sure why I wasn't on the second record. But regardless, I am very proud of the work that we did on 'Plastic Planet', and I'm just honored to have the opportunity."

On not being able to play FEAR FACTORY's planned "Obsolete" anniversary shows due to legalities:

Burton: "There was things that happened that just kept us from doing that, so yeah, I'm very sad that that never happened, because that would have been really cool.Yeah, I was totally stifled, and it was beyond my control in that FEAR FACTORY camp."

Read the entire interview at Eonmusic.

Late last month, 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 FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist him with the production costs associated with the release of FEAR FACTORY's long-awaited new album.

METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett has collaborated with music director Edwin Outwater two horror-themed instrumentals that were supposed to be played with the Vancouver Symphony next month. Outwater previously worked with METALLICA and the 70-piece San Francisco Symphony on the chart-topping album "Metallica And San Francisco Symphony: S&M²".

Speaking to the METALLICA fan-club magazine So What!, Hammett said: "I recorded those tracks with Edwin, a small chamber orchestra and some other musicians." Adding that the songs "feel like the best fucking things I've ever done," he said: "One of them is called 'High Plains Drifter' and the other one's called 'The Incantation'. They're not done yet. [They are] still in the rough mix stages. I mean, I have to get the rough mixes, but I have four tracks now. And the four tracks are like four different movies, man. They're not movie soundtracks; they're like movies. They tell a story."

"Metallica And San Francisco Symphony: S&M²" documents METALLICA's September 2019 sold-out shows with the San Francisco Symphony. The package was made available in various formats, ranging in price from $17 to $300, in August.

The "S&M²" concerts were historic on multiple levels: They served as the grand opening of San Francisco's Chase Center, reunited the band and Symphony for the first time since the 1999 performances captured on the Grammy-winning "S&M" album, and featured the first-ever symphonic renditions of songs written and released since those original "S&M" shows.

In a recent interview with WaterlooChronicle.ca, Outwater stated about his collaboration with METALLICA: "I'm just so amazed at how METALLICA has cultivated their fan base.

"There are superfans in every genre. The thing that really struck me from this experience is that for people not used to this kind of music, who find it intimidating, violent and negative, the vibe in the concert was so positive and uplifting.

"When you walk in, it's a welcoming environment. You're part of a family."

Regarding his pre-concert strategy sessions with drummer Lars Ulrich and singer James Hetfield, Outwater said: "They're the most lovely people to work with. They were all up for this adventure. My job was translating ideas for classical jargon to metal jargon."

He added: "They're incredibly supportive of each other and comfortable," comparing the founding duo's interactions to "an old married couple."

"They've done all that craziness and reached the point of maturity."

In a new interview with USA Today, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee spoke about the recent passing of legendary VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen. He said: "I'm still in shock about that. Three weeks ago, I was hanging out with [former VAN HALEN singer] Sammy Hagar and he didn't mention anything about it. I assumed he had gotten the cancer taken out, and he was on the up and up. But man, what a sad thing. We literally lost one of the most innovative, incredible guitar players of our time. By far."

Asked if it's true that MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil once bit Eddie, Tommy replied: "Yes. We were all on the 'Monsters Of Rock' tour [in 1984]: AC/DC, VAN HALEN, MÖTLEY CRÜE. We were all partying, and MÖTLEY had this thing we would do if we really loved you: Some people high five, other people hug, we would bite you. Vince went over and just chomped on Eddie and Eddie was so mad. He was, like, 'What the (expletive) is wrong with you?' He wasn't very receptive to it. I bit Malcolm Young [of AC/DC], and he hated it, too. We did that for a couple of years until we were either over it or realized it might be a little dangerous."

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

A few hours after Eddie's death was announced, Tommy took to his Instagram to share a few photos of him with the guitarist, and he included the following caption: "RIP to my friend and man who changed guitar playing forever ...FUCK!!! no words".
























View this post on Instagram


































RIP to my friend and man who changed guitar playing forever ...F?CK!!! no words

A post shared by T?ɱɱ¥ ᒪEE (@tommylee) on Oct 6, 2020 at 2:26pm PDT

MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee has fired back at Ted Nugent after the outspoken conservative rocker called him "a convicted felon, domestic violence heroin addict."

In an interview with Blunt Force Truth, Nugent discussed his recent appearance on Sammy Hagar's AXS TV reality series "Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar". The avid hunter said: "The producers wouldn't let [Sammy] near me, even though he and I go way back; we're dear friends. They thought I was dangerous, that I'd come out with a machine gun or I'd slaughter an innocent fawn on television. This is stupidity! I said, 'So your producers were afraid of me, but they did a show with Tommy Lee, who's a convicted felon, domestic violence heroin addict.' They're okay with this guy, but not with the Ted Nugent 'Kamp For Kids' charity, teaching kids to be clean and sober. I said, 'Sammy, coldcock those sons of bitches and get out and let's do the show.' So, finally, they dangerously acquiesced, and we did the number one Sammy Hagar 'Rock & Roll Road Trip' show."

On Wednesday night (October 14), Lee took to his Twitter to write: "Ted Nugent? ....Is that guy even still alive? ..... I thought he shot himself like 20 yrs ago". Tommy also included two middle finger emojis as well as a crying laughing emoji.

Lee was one of the featured guests in the first season of "Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar", which premiered in 2016.

The "Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar" episode featuring Nugent originally aired this past May.

Nugent is a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, while Lee has repeatedly made his anti-Trump sentiments very clear. The MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer even said in a recent interview that he would leave the United States if Trump wins re-election.

Back in 1998, Lee was arrested for spousal battery and he served six months in jail after pleading no contest to assaulting his then-wife Pamela Anderson.




Ted Nugent? ....Is that guy even still alive? ..... I thought he shot himself like 20 yrs ago?????

— T?mmy L33 (@MrTommyLand) October 15, 2020

In a new interview with Blunt Force Truth, Ted Nugent discussed his recent appearance on Sammy Hagar's AXS TV reality series "Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar". The outspoken conservative rocker, who is also an avid hunter, said (see video below): "Sammy Hagar just came out, and [we shot footage for] his 'Rock & Roll Road Trip' on AXS TV. The producers wouldn't let him near me, even though he and I go way back; we're dear friends. They thought I was dangerous, that I'd come out with a machine gun or I'd slaughter an innocent fawn on television. This is stupidity! I said, 'So your producers were afraid of me, but they did a show with [MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer] Tommy Lee, who's a convicted felon, domestic violence heroin addict.' They're okay with this guy, but not with the Ted Nugent 'Kamp For Kids' charity, teaching kids to be clean and sober. I said, 'Sammy, coldcock those sons of bitches and get out and let's do the show.' So, finally, they dangerously acquiesced, and we did the number one Sammy Hagar 'Rock & Roll Road Trip' show."

He continued: "Sammy's first question to me in the interview was, 'Ted, I've gotta tell you. I know all these rock and rollers. I'm in the industry all my life. And I was in the number one band in the world with VAN HALEN. I do 'Rock & Roll Road Trip's and I get intimate and interview all these people. You're the happiest guy I've ever known. Why are you happy all the time?' And my first response, that he didn't understand at first, my first response is 'I've been clean and sober all my life, Sammy, so I pick up on positives, and I choose to go with positives. And positive, intelligent stuff makes you happy.'

"Now, here's a guy" — referring to Sammy — "who produced the number one tequila on planet earth, and he's hanging around with all the people that indulge — not all, but 99 percent of 'em — and he finally had to admit, live on his program, yeah, there's a buoyancy to what I call life radar, that sensual stimuli appreciation of your surroundings. I talked about the bird songs that I can hear with my hearing aids — the tastebud orgy that gives a happy culinary pursuit."

Nugent added: "Clean and sober is the foundation of the happiest life in the world, 'cause you can make clever choices."

Lee was one of the featured guests in the first season of "Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar", which premiered in 2016.

The "Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar" episode featuring Nugent originally aired this past May.

Two years ago, Nugent defended trophy hunting, caling it "the ultimate discipline and test and sport on Earth." However, he stressed that it is most important that nothing is wasted and that the hunter uses every part of the animal. He also said that hunters get a bad rap thanks to the media. "Trophy hunters don't cut off the head and leave the body there [like] the media and the fake-news punks have perpetuated," Nugent said.

Back in 2015, Nugent drew the ire of animal rights activists after he posted a photo of fellow rocker Kid Rock posing with a cougar he'd presumably killed.

Nugent, a longtime board member of the National Rifle Association, fanned the flames with a comment that both insulted animal welfare supporters ("braindead squawkers") and boasted about their "trophy."

That same year, Ted defended the killing of Cecil the lion by American trophy hunter Walter Palmer, saying people were "stupid" for being outraged about the animal's death. He called lions "a renewable resource."

On Facebook, he commented: "All animals reproduce every year & would run out of room/food to live [without] hunting. The animals have more animals EVERY year!! Where would liars propose they live!!"

To celebrate Friday's reissue of their 2017 debut full-length, The Gravity Of Fall, Pacific Northwestern phenoms Vintersea - whose unique fusion of majestic progressive metal, harsh blackened death and post-metal beauty has received extensive critical acclaim - have unveiled an appropriately ambitious new music video for the album's epic centerpiece, "The Holy Procession". The clip - produced, edited, and directed by bassist Karl Whinnery - can be viewed below.

"'The Holy Procession' is the first song we wrote as a band,” says vocalist Avienne. “We wanted to produce a video that captured the magic in the room when we wrote that song. All the stops were pulled to make this video in terms of dramatism and performance from both the band and actors in the video. We are happy to show how much we have matured in both our performances and video production quality. 'The Holy Procession' has been a band- and fan-favorite, and we are proud to release a music video for it as an accompaniment to the reissue."

The music video for “The Holy Procession” is a sprawling concept video that matches the artistic ambition of Vintersea, complementing the 10-minute sonic journey through musical twists and turns, all of them showcasing the group's thrilling combination of hooks and heaviness. Portions were shot on location at the Historic Cumberland Church in Albany, Oregon. The music video is part of an ongoing community effort to restore the building, originally constructed in 1892.

“I came into the band after the first album was released and 'The Holy Procession' was my favorite track,” says bassist Karl Whinnery. “This video was tricky. Our initial filming dates were canceled due to the biblical fires that hit Oregon and choked our skies. Some of the outdoor shots were before the air quality went off the rails and everything had a red overtone. We decided to incorporate that into the video as an undercurrent theme. On a more positive note, we were lucky enough to film at a beautiful turn-of-the-century church in Albany, Oregon. A group is working hard to move it to a new location and make it a community, event and music center. You can see their progress and help their mission at albanycumberland.org!"

M-Theory Audio will shine a brighter light on the acclaimed predecessor to Illuminated, 2017's The Gravity Of Fall, with a limited-edition double-LP release that will spread Vintersea's initial full-length blast of sonic power – as well as their debut five-track 2014 EP, Constellations – across four sides of blackened wax. A CD reissue featuring expanded artwork and the Constellations material as downloadable bonus tracks will also be offered. Both formats are available now for preorder here.

Originally self-released in 2017, the album was recorded by Justin Phelps (The Mars Volta, Joe Satriani) and mixed by Evan Sammons (Last Chance To Reason). A taste of the group's nascent sound of the time can be found in the chilling music video for “The Host,” which has received more than 500,000 views on YouTube, and was produced, directed, and edited by Vintersea bassist Karl Whinnery.

Fronted by Malaysian-born singer Avienne, whose vocal range spans from haunting melodies to fierce growls, Vintersea delivers heavy, emotionally powerful and technically intriguing music that is undeniably inspired by the majesty of the Pacific Northwest. The band's compelling combination of progressive metal, black metal and post-metal has been showcased live alongside groups such as Ne Obliviscaris, Jinjer, The Ocean, Sirenia and Arkona. The group – which recently released a “quarantine playthrough video” for the “Illuminated” track “Fiery Tongue” – is currently putting the finishing touches on another new music video, which will be released in the coming weeks.




(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);
})();

Italian symphonic/melodic metallers, Eternal Idol, return with a revamped, re-energized lineup and an exciting new album, Renaissance, on November 6.

Featuring Fabio Lione (Rhapsody, Angra) and Claudia Layline on co-lead vocals, guitarist Nick Savio (Hollow Haze), bassist Andrea Burratto (Secret Sphere, Hell In The Club), and drummer Enrico Fabris, Eternal Idol’s sophomore album is an epic maelstrom of symphonic/melodic metal that will delight fans of the genre who treasure intense songwriting and impeccable vocal performances.

For a sample, watch a lyric video for "Dark Eclipse" below. Pre-order/save the album here.

Fabio Lione took care of most of the lyrics and vocal melodies together with new co-vocalist Claudia Layline, while Nick Savio worked hard on songwriting and arrangements. The album was produced by Nick Savio and Fabio Lione and mixed by Simone Mularoni (DGM, Sunstorm). Renaissance represents a promise and a statement from Eternal Idol: to be one of the absolute best symphonic/melodic metal releases of the year!

"This is the album I have dreamed of making my entire career. We had a vision and made it with no compromise. Claudia and Enrico are the perfect new additions to complete our symphonic/hard/melodic sound that we wanted to achieve. The first video, 'Into The Darkness', is the most epic video of the band thus far….simply fantastic and we love how it turned out. When the time comes, we are ready to hit the stage and share these new songs with all of you," says Nick Savio.

Fabio Lione adds, "This is a new step for the band. Great songs, production, and overall sound make this record really special. Each song is unique and I'm sure people will love it!!!"

"I'm glad to be part of this amazing project and this great band. With my bandmates, it was immediate cohesion, both artistic and musical. We quickly realized that we're going in the same direction and the creative process that led to the new album was very natural and the result is a real bomb! The video for 'Into The Darkness' is majestic, we really put our heart into it and I can't wait to share it with everyone," says Claudia Layline.
 
Eternal Idol is a symphonic/melodic metal band formed by Rhapsody and Angra vocalist Fabio Lione and Italian guitarist Nick Savio of Hollow Haze. Their plan was to create a new and original sound which could catch symphonic metal fans by surprise. In fact, Eternal Idol offers an intriguing mix of classic metal, symphonic rock, and a few progressive metal twists.

The band’s debut, The Unrevealed Secret, was released in December 2016 and received an overall excellent response. The band toured Europe and Italy in support of the release in early 2017. Original co-lead singer Giorgia Colleluori and drummer Camillo Colleluori left the band afterward to pursue different musical projects, but eager to keep Eternal Idol going, Nick and Fabio later regrouped. They brought in new members up-and-coming vocalist Claudia Layline and drummer Enrico Fabris to join themselves and original bassist Andrea Buratto (Secret Sphere, Hell In The Club) to complete the lineup. Re-energized and with a brand new album under their belt, the band is now ready to once again unleash its baroque metal sound on the world!

Tracklisting:

"Into The Darkness"
"Black Star"
"Dark Eclipse"
"Without Fear"
"Away From Heaven"
"Not The Same"
"The Edge"
"Flying Over You"
"Lord Without Soul"
"Renaissance"

"Dark Eclipse" lyric video:

"Into The Darkness" video:

Lineup:

Fabio Lione: Lead Vocals
Claudia Layline: Lead Vocals
Nick Savio: Guitars - Keyboards - Orchestral arrangements
Andrea Buratto: Bass
Enrico Fabris: 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);
})();

Mumbai-based death metal multi-instrumentalist, Sahil Makhija aka Demonstealer, is set to release his next solo EP, titled And This Too Shall Pass, on December 11. The 4-song EP is being self-released with the help of a crowd-funding campaign that Makhija personally set up in July earlier this year. Three years after The Last Reptilian Warrior, it was the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown in the country that provided Makhija with a new perspective and the inspiration to write new music.

And This Too Shall Pass sees Makhija return to his absolute roots. He adds, “I guess this is me at my most vulnerable. It’s just me, no incredible musicians to back me up, just me putting my expression and feelings and thoughts into songs for the world to listen to”.

An extreme music old-timer, Makhija has long been a crucial part of the Indian metal scene; be it founding the country’s biggest extreme metal band (Demonic Resurrection), or starting up an independent record label (with releases by Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir) or setting up a premium recording studio dedicated to extreme metal - Makhija has had an enormous role in shaping the country’s heavy music landscape. After a successful third album, which saw collaborations with Kévin Paradis (Benighted, Svart Crown), Romain Goulon (Necrophagist), Kerim Lechner (Septic Flesh, Decapitated) and David Diepold (Obscura) amongst others, Makhija has resurfaced with a brand new Demonstealer release.

The release was mixed and mastered at the esteemed Hertz Studio (Behemoth, Decapitated, Vader), a first for Makhija who is otherwise known to mix all the Demonstealer releases. The glorious artwork for the EP was provided by Indonesian artist Adi Dechristianize (Embalmer, Disgorge). All music on And This Too Shall Passhas been written, played and recorded by Makhija - making it truly a solo effort - a feat he hasn’t performed since his debut album released in 2008.

Pre-orders for the digital release are now available here. The EP will be available on all streaming services including YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music.

Listen to the And This Shall Too Pass EP sampler below.

Hard rocking Scottish band, Heavy Pettin', will release their Best Of album on November 27 via Burnt Out Wreckords/Cherry Red. Featuring 14 tracks, this is a collection of songs chosen from their three albums re-released in November 2019. The songs reflect Heavy Pettin at their best... including the singles that charted: "Love Times Love", "In And Out Of Love" and "Rock Me". Pre-order here.

The cover is a previously unseen photo by David Plastik, taken at The Louder Sound festival in France in 1984. Other unseen photos of the band have been used to showcase HP at their prime. The Best Of Heavy Pettin album features liner notes from Ross Muir of FabricationsHQ.

Heavy Pettin (named after UFO's 1976 studio album) was formed in Glasgow in 1981 when guitarist Gordon Bonnar, drummer Gary Moat, bassist Brian Waugh, vocalist Steve 'Hamie' Hayman and lead guitarist Punky Mendoza joined forces to give the biggest and best rock bands at the time a serious run for their money.

Heavy Pettin gigged extensively before releasing their debut single, 1982's "Roll The Dice" on Neat Records. This was good enough to catch the eye of Polydor Records who soon extended a major-label deal to the band then, with Queen guitarist Brian May on board as co-producer along with Reinhold Mack, the group recorded their 1983 debut LP, the classic Lettin Loose. Opening slots supporting the likes of KISS, Ozzy Osbourne and Whitesnake followed, leading to the release of the band's second studio release, 1985's Rock Ain't Dead. The group dissolved in early 1988 with their third and final album was issued the following year under the title The Big Bang.

Stone Sour have released a demo version of "Black John", which is available for streaming below.

Guitarist Josh Rand states: "'Black John': An exultant look at The Selfish Side, now feeling lazy and over-confident, not realizing the fight was nowhere near at a conclusion."




(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);
})();

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has confirmed that it officially parted ways with guitarist Jason Hook back in February 2020, during the band's sold-out European arena tour.

After his recovery from emergency gallbladder surgery at the end of last year, Hook had to leave midway from the group's tour of Europe to address further complications.

Jason, who joined FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in 2009, said about his exit from the band: "I have had the pleasure of meeting so many of you in person. Thank you for the endless stories of how our music has touched your heart in some way! But the best part of being on tour the last 12 years, by far, has been playing my guitar and seeing the joy on your faces every night. I will miss that more than anything.

"As far the reason I'm leaving… well, there really isn't just one," he continued. "I've been in bands my entire life and I feel like I've done all the good that I can here. It's time to pass the baton and move on to new challenges."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has released eight studio albums and two greatest-hits compilations in 13 years and toured relentlessly in between records. They are often called the "hardest-working band in the industry," with very little personal time left outside of the group. At Jason's suggestion, all parties came to a mutual agreement that it's best if he steps away from his rigorous band duties altogether. Consequently, Jason handed over the torch to the group's new lead guitarist, renowned British virtuoso Andy James, who is also featured on "Broken World", one of the five previously unreleased tracks on "Decade Of Destruction, Volume 2".

"Jason is an incredible guitar player so we had to find someone on the absolute top of their game," says FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory. "Someone like Andy James who was already a well-known virtuoso and had the chops to step into Jason's shoes. Andy completed our European tour with us back in February so he was already tried by fire. We instantly clicked both musically and personally so he was the obvious choice. We even have the same birthday… Some things are just meant to be."

Adds FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH singer Ivan Moody: "I just congratulated Jason on his recent wedding, and I hope he finds peace and happiness. As for us, I'm really excited to keep working with Andy and I just can't wait for this COVID madness to be over so we can go back out on the road."

The band's most recent eighth studio album, "F8", was released earlier this year and boasts two No. 1 hits to date, "Inside Out" and "A Little Bit Off". "Living The Dream", the latest single from "F8", is already climbing the rock charts with an official video for the song expected to premiere globally Thursday, October 15.

SLIPKNOT's "Unsainted" single was certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) on October 7 for accumulating 500,000 certified units. According to the RIAA, one equivalent song unit is equal to a single digital song sale, or 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams.

"Unsainted" is taken from SLIPKNOT's latest album, "We Are Not Your Kind", which came out in August 2019. The disc sold 118,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Furthermore, the album made an impact worldwide with No. 1 debuts in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, Canada, Japan, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal and Finland, as well as Top 5 debuts in Germany, France, Norway, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and New Zealand.

"We Are Not Your Kind"'s sales in the U.S. were boosted by a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer with SLIPKNOT's summer 2019 tour.

SLIPKNOT guitarist Jim Root told Kerrang! about "Unsainted": "Before we even started writing this record, Clown had been like, 'I want to get a choir.' He was thinking in terms of a children's choir, like a PINK FLOYD 'The Wall' kind of thing, but we ended up getting a regular choir, and they took a version of the melody line from the original guitar line that started the demo song, which is a variation of the chorus riff. The choir did what they did, and to me it turned out to be pretty epic. I heard someone compare it to 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' by THE ROLLING STONES, and I think that's a pretty ambitious comparison, but I'll certainly take it. [Laughs]."

SLIPKNOT recently canceled all of its previously announced summer 2020 tour dates, including the "Knotfest Roadshow", Knotfest UK and Knotfest At Sea, due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

Portnoy (SONS OF APOLLO, DREAM THEATER) has teamed up with bassist Stu Hamm, guitarist Paulie Z and keyboardist Walter Ino to record a cover version of the RUSH classic "YYZ", filmed while they were in quarantine. The clip was premiered this past Tuesday (July 14) as part of the David Z Foundation's third annual fundraising campaign.

This past January, Mike Portnoy shot down rumors that he will tour with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson as the replacement for late RUSH drummer Neil Peart.

Mike previously discussed the possibility of a collaboration with Lee and Lifeson during a January 2019 interview with Eric Blair of "The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show". At the time, he said: "The reality is, look, those guys are my heroes and Neil as well, obviously. I would do it in a heartbeat if hypothetically it was ever asked. But that being said, in a hypothetical world, if the call ever came, yeah, it would be a dream gig for me. Of course."

When Blair pointed out to Portnoy that a new Lee-Lifeson collaboration would not be called RUSH, making it easier for Mike to just "slip right in there," the drummer said: "Hey, I know the tunes. I've been playing 'em my whole life. In fact, I just did a really cool RUSH tribute. It's a steel drum tribute, with a pan drum orchestra of 50 different steel drummers and myself on drums and guitar and bass, and we recorded a bunch of RUSH songs, but with this 50-piece steel drum orchestra. It was really cool."

In addition to SONS OF APOLLO — whose sophomore album "MMXX" was released in January — Portnoy is currently a member of five other bands — TRANSATLANTIC; THE NEAL MORSE BAND; all-star metal collective METAL ALLEGIANCE; pop/prog supergroup FLYING COLORS; and THE WINERY DOGS.

When Peart's death was first made public on January 10, Lifeson and Lee revealed in a statement that he had been diagnosed with brain cancer three and a half years earlier, just a few months after the band completed its final tour.

Early September will see ZAKK SABBATH, the BLACK SABBATH tribute band featuring guitarist/vocalist Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE), bassist Rob "Blasko" Nicholson (OZZY OSBOURNE, ROB ZOMBIE) and drummer Joey Castillo (DANZIG, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE), release their spectacular tribute to the Birmingham four, a faithful yet supercharged rendition of BLACK SABBATH's first album. Vertigo Records issued the iconic debut album on a Friday the 13th in 1970, and the world was never the same. Legendarily recorded in a single day in October 1969, the earth-moving self-titled set closed the book on hippie optimism with its dark magic and ushered in a brand new genre, setting the metal template for decades to come.

Exactly 50 years later, ZAKK SABBATH celebrate the first chapter in the SABBATH catalog with a reverently rendered tribute, simply titled "Vertigo", which is slated for a release on September 4, 2020, via Magnetic Eye Records. Faithfully recorded in the spirit of the original, live in the studio and with a film crew documenting the process, the session culminated in a new version of a landmark album that celebrates the greatest heavy metal band of all time and the record that started it all.

"We recorded a live EP and were wondering what we could do next as a cover band, so the 50th album anniversary came just at the right time", explains Blasko regarding ZAKK SABBATH's decision to go studio. "Compared to 'Paranoid', which is almost like a best-of record, the bulk of the material on 'Black Sabbath' is deep-cut, really experimental stuff that was never thoroughly explored, so that was a challenge, not to forget that we wanted to meet our own high standards."

Describing the DIY process as "very productive," the three respectfully added their own flair to make for a slightly different flavor, also revisiting various live renditions and "extending a solo here or slowing things down because that's what they tended to do on stage."

ZAKK SABBATH's "Vertigo" won't be available digitally, "to make the release feel authentic to the time when vinyl ruled the earth. It was such a cool time for those of us that grew up during that time. The fan experience with the physical product is irreplaceable with digital and streaming. We wanted to capture that authenticity."

"Vertigo" will be available as a digipak CD, CD/DVD hardcover book with the album behind-the-scenes-interviews and making-of, and as a limited edition yellow vinyl.

Track listing:

01. Black Sabbath

02. The Wizard

03. Wasp / Behind The Wall Of Sleep / N.I.B.

04. Wicked World

05. A Bit of Finger / Sleeping Village / Warning

The first taste of "Vertigo", a rendition of the album's lead track, "Black Sabbath", can be streamed below.

Zakk told Rolling Stone about performing SABBATH's classic material: "Going back to high-school keg parties, we'd be playing songs by RUSH, SABBATH, [Jimi] Hendrix, whatever [in a cover band], and one person would sing the RUSH stuff, someone could do THE DOORS, and I'd end up doing the SABBATH or Ozzy stuff. It's hilarious to me, because we were 17 years old playing keg parties at a friend's house and now I'm 53 years old and I'm still playing 'N.I.B.' and SABBATH songs at keg parties, except there's a couple more people."

New RATT lead guitarist Jordan Ziff — who is also a member of Marty Friedman's backing band — has told "The Official Danko Jones Podcast" that he is finishing up a solo record that he has been "working on for a little while." He explained (hear audio below): "I've been working on it longer than I should have been, but I get busy playing with other people and going and doing gigs and doing the stuff that pays the bills, so I haven't been focused enough on my own stuff. So it's kind of cool I've been able to do that."

Speaking about what fans can expect musically from his debut solo record, Ziff said: "It's gonna be mostly instrumental, with the exception of possibly a few songs that there's singing on. And a couple of covers too, but they're covers that were not originally instrumental, and I turned them into instrumentals."

Jordan said that he is taking his time with his solo album in order to make sure it's exactly how he wants it to come across. "I'll do more of these, but once I get one done, I'm gonna feel better about doing more of them at a quicker pace — not to rush them, but just I'll feel more comfortable with it," he said. "'Cause for me, there's just a lot of instrumental music out there that really bores me, to be perfectly honest, and for me, it's not the same approach I would have as writing a regular song, where it's, like, intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge. I kind of am all over the place with the stuff that I write, but the only thing that's really important to me is if it keeps you interested and if the melodies in it are strong enough to remember after you've listened to the song, or especially listened to the whole album."

Regarding how he plans on making his solo LP while in quarantine, Ziff said: "I'm gonna do probably most of the stuff at my house, and then I'm gonna send it out, have a drummer play on all the tracks. And if some little things need to be changed here and there to make my parts cooler with the drums, I'll do that too. It's not the way that I would personally love to do it — I'd rather write these songs and then be able to get in a room with a drummer, but that's not really happening right now."

Ziff began playing with Friedman for the former MEGADETH and CACOPHONY guitarist's tour in support of his acclaimed 2014 release, "Inferno". He joined RATT in 2018.

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", which can be streamed 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

Last night (October 17th) Sammy Hagar and his band The Circle - featuring former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, drummer Jason Bonham and guitarist Vic Johnson - performed from the shores of Catalina Island in California for a special pay-per-view broadcast available on Nugs.tv in in HD or 4K. Special guests including REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin and Rick Springfield. 

Check out behind-the-scenes footage and the band belting out the Red Rocker classic “There’s Only One Way To Rock” below:




(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);
})();

Kittie drummer Mercedes Lander's other band, The White Swan, sees her singing and playing guitar teamed up with bassist Kira Longeuay and guitarist Shane Jeffers. The trio hit the studio late last year to begin working on new material. They released their new EP, Nocturnal Transmission, on September 18th. Check out the official video for their cover of Tracy Bonham's "Tell It To The Sky" below

Lander previously commented on the track:

"I've always thought that 'Tell It To The Sky' was a fantastically well-written song. I always try to really think outside the box when it comes to choosing covers and I tend to pick songs that you wouldn't expect a band like The White Swan to cover. Tracy Bonham's The Burdens Of Being Upright was released the same year I started playing drums and started my first band and this was my favorite song from that record when it was released. I did my best to capture the soaring vocal melodies and we added some layered EBow for the verses which creates a bit of a darker vibe from the original."

Reprising a long-time creative relationship with producer Siegfried Meier, Lander felt both at home and re-energized by the familiarity and collaborative nature of their work. Recording took just two days, retaining many of the hallmarks of The White Swan's earlier output, but adding a slightly polished sheen to the proceedings. With vocal layering and touches of psychedelic synths adding textural elements to the songs, the result is an enveloping experience of fuzzed out guitars and molasses-like melody. Describing Nocturnal Transmission as a "turning point" for the band, the album art by collage artist Caitlyn Grabenstein reflects the feeling of standing on the precipice, staring into the unknown. Acknowledging that there will always be a constant sound to The White Swan, Lander states that their main intention is to "grow and grow." With an ever-developing sound and a solid combination of creative musicians in their ranks, Nocturnal Transmission is the latest in what is sure to be an ever expanding back catalog of triumphs.

In advance of the release of Nocturnal Transmission, the band released a video for opening track, "In Love And Ritual". Lander comments:

"'In Love And Ritual' is about finding the person that completes you and the journey of realizing how having that person in your life teaches us to become brand new; kind of like a rebirth of feeling and emotional connection. I really wanted to create space with this song, keeping the roller coaster of dynamics in the forefront with a touch of chaos running in the background. Having the lyrics and melody build with the music and really complement each other."

Tracklist:

"In Love And Ritual"
"Nocturnal Transmission"
"Purple"
"Tell It To The Sky" (Tracy Bonham cover)




(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);
})();

Leviathan Records has released the video below, along with the following message:

"Live shred guitar from David T. Chastain and Michael Harris. Their band toured across the United States in 91/92 and recorded numerous shows for a couple of live recordings. This track, a David T. Chastain song, and features Michael's impressive chops! Also in this band is David Harbour who plays an amazing solo afterwards. This video was shot by Neal Turpin."

Check out "Octavian" below, as well as previously posted footage of "In Your Face".




(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);
})();

Iceland rock giants Sólstafir have post an unboxing video for their new album, Endless Twilight Of Codependent Love. Check it out below.

Sólstafir recently unveiled the harrowing official music video for their brand new song, "Her Fall from Grace". The stark video, which chronicles the pain of watching a loved one succumb to addiction and depression, can be seen below.

Vocalist Aðalbjörn Tryggvason comments: "We present to you the next single from our upcoming album Endless Twilight Of Codependent Love entitled, 'Her Fall From Grace'. We hope you enjoy it and take from it what you need."

"Her Fall From Grace" is taken from Sólstafir's seventh studio album, Endless Twilight Of Codependent Love, which is due on November 6 via Season Of Mist. Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

While early Sólstafir lyrics delved into Nordic mythology and critiques of organized religion, more recent songs explore their spiritual connection with nature, and lately, mental disorders ranging from depression to alcoholism and the taboo behind men in particular discussing those things for fear of being perceived weak.

“That’s the real darkness that you can't see, but you can feel it and people around you can feel it,” explains Tryggvason. “Of course, there are serial killers and plagues and whatever through history. But in modern day life, that's the true darkness around you. People kill themselves every day, and often people close to you who have been feeling so bad.”

He says the most personal song on Endless Twilight Of Codependent Love is “Her Fall From Grace,” the lone track in English. It chronicles the pain of watching a loved one succumb to mental illness.

“It's very sad when you love someone and you see them get sick,” muses Tryggvason. “Like Layne Staley said, ‘Slow suicide is no way to go.’ But you’re just watching on the audience bench, preparing for the phone call. ‘Hey man, Johnny's dead.’ ‘All right, I knew Johnny was gonna die. I've been watching him in slow motion.’” He likens the experience to seeing a relative or parent be consumed by Alzheimer’s and turn into a different person than one remembers.

Although the band’s lyrics are predominately in Icelandic, that does not prevent outside listeners from appreciating the emotional power of their music. It has been said that many fans can feel his pain even if they do not overtly understand what he is singing about.

Endless Twilight Of Codependent Love was recorded at the Sundlaugin Studio (Iceland), where Svartir Sandar, Ótta and Berdreyminn were also recorded by producer Birgir Jón Birgisson (Sigur Rós, Alcest, Damien Rice).

The cover artwork and tracklisting are as follows. The painting is a watercolour of the Lady Of The Mountain, which was designed in 1864 by artist Johann Baptist Zwecker.

“Akkeri”
“Drýsill”
“Rökkur”
“Her Fall From Grace”
“Dionysus”
“Til Moldar”
“Alda Syndanna”
“Or”
“Úlfur”
“Hrollkalda Þoka Einmanaleikans”
“Hann For Sjalfur”

“Akkeri”:

"Drýsill":

Album teaser:

(Photo - Gaui H)




(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);
})();