Platinum-selling recording artist and world class guitarist, Orianthi, will release of her new album, O, on November 6 via Frontiers Music Srl. This will be Orianthi's first new studio album in seven years and her first new music as a solo artist in six years.

During a conversation with Ultimate Guitar's Justin Beckner, Orianthi talked about jamming with Prince but not being able to work with him in the studio. Following is an excerpt from the chat.

UG: I'm from Minnesota, so I've got to bring this up... I had heard that while you were with Alice Cooper, Prince kept trying to "steal" you and that he would call you quite regularly. Is that true?

Orianthi: "Yeah, well, I knew Prince since like 2007. He called me... I don't know how he got my number... the day after he played the Super Bowl. It was a call from a private number and it was Prince and he was like, 'Hi Ori, this is Prince...' I thought it was my friend playing a prank on me so I was about to hang up and he said it really was him. He said he had seen my YouTube videos and he was coming into LA to the Record Plant the next day and he was bringing Sheila E, and wanted to jam with me for a few hours.

So I met him at The Record Plant with Sheila E and we ended up jamming. He played bass, I played guitar, and Sheila played drums. We jammed for like four hours and he wanted to produce my first album but the label said no. So it was kind of a weird situation. It was a whirlwind - I got to hang out with him for four or five days. He went to the Roosevelt Hotel and jammed in the lobby at like 5 AM with all these people... Penelope Cruz was there... it was like a celebrity fest. It was crazy. Honestly, it was such a wild time.

He would randomly call me from a private number two or three times a year, just to check in. I'd be on the tour bus with Alice Cooper and he'd be like, 'Who was that?' and I'd tell him it was Prince and he'd say, 'What!?!' He just had the greatest sense of humor. He was just such an inspirational musician and he always kept this childlike energy and enthusiasm for music and he just never stopped creating. I knew a lot of people who knew him, too, and it's just unfortunate that we've now lost Bowie, we've lost Prince, we've lost so many innovators."

UG: Why did the label say no to Prince producing your record?

Orianthi: "I don't know the answer to that question. I wish I did know. At the time, I was signed to a major label (Geffen) and they didn't want that to happen. I guess when you sign a major deal, you're at the mercy of the label and it was their choice for me to go with someone else. Obviously, Howard Benson is an incredible producer and it was great to work with him, but Prince wanted to do some songs with me and they just didn't think that was the right idea at the time."

Read more here.

Pre-order Orianthi's new album here. Get autographed bundles at the US or EU stores, here.

Orianthi recently dropped the second single and video, for the track "Impulsive" Watch the clip below.

"'Impulsive' is a fun track, I wrote it pretty fast with my friend and producer Marti Frederiksen. The video was was a blast to make at the Dollhouse in Los Angeles with the great director Jim Louvau," says Orianthi.

"The album O is a very inspired album... kept things pretty raw and didn't overthink it. Marti [Frederiksen, producer, mixer, songwriter] and I wanted to create a unique sound and vibe with every track and we experimented a lot with synths and different guitar tones. Lyrically, a lot of this record comes from life experience and other people’s stories. It’s going to be so fun to play these songs live!," says Orianthi.

In addition to her album release with Frontiers this fall, Orianthi also has a signature acoustic guitar being released in partnership with Gibson Guitars with first-of-its-kind engineering that will be revealed later this year.

Tracklisting:

"Contagious"
"Sinners Hymn"
"Rescue Me"
"Blow"
"Sorry"
"Crawling Out Of The Dark"
"Impulsive"
"Streams Of Consciousness"
"Company"
"Moonwalker"

"Sinners Hymn" lyric video:




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BPMD — the new heavy metal juggernaut featuring vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth (OVERKILL), drummer Mike Portnoy (THE WINERY DOGS, SONS OF APOLLO), bassist Mark Menghi (METAL ALLEGIANCE) and guitarist Phil Demmel (VIO-LENCE, ex-MACHINE HEAD) — released its debut full album of '70s rock covers, "American Made", in June via Napalm Records. Since the members of BPMD consider the late Eddie Van Halen to be one of their biggest musical influences, an impassioned cover of VAN HALEN's "D.O.A." was included on the effort. With the recent news of Eddie Van Halen's passing, the band has come together to honor the guitar icon with a heartwarming video of their favorite EVH images, featuring their tribute cover. The video can be viewed below.

In a joint statement of tribute, BPMD offers: "The world lost an icon, innovator, showman, virtuoso, master songwriter and perhaps one of the biggest inspirations ever to learn how to play guitar. This video is meant to be a tribute to Ed, nothing more, and we hope you enjoy. We will always have Eddie in our hearts."

It's evident within the initial seconds of BPMD's "American Made", as Blitz chants the introductory lyrics to Ted Nugent's "Wang Dang Sweet Poontang" in his signature skyscraper-high howl, that he and his equally iconic bandmates are here to have a damn good time. Featuring 10 unforgettable rock classics reimagined as heavy bangers, "American Made" is a party on wax. Tracks such as the raucous "Toys In The Attic" and rager-ready "Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers" (ZZ TOP) prove that BPMD not only manages to capture the essence of each original track on the album, but skillfully transforms each classic into an unforgettable metallic anthem for a new age. The seasoned quartet flex their musical muscles on renowned classics such as "Saturday Night Special" (LYNYRD SKYNYRD), "We're An American Band" (GRAND FUNK RAILROAD) and "Walk Away" (JAMES GANG), and introduce a whole new heavy generation to deeper cuts like "Evil" and "Never In My Life" (MOUNTAIN). Channeling nostalgia while maintaining a fresh attitude, "American Made" is a summer soundtrack for all ages.

Menghi remarked on BPMD's origins: "[In the] summer [of 2019], right after the Fourth of July, I was sitting in my backyard. I was listening to a bunch of '70s stuff and LYNYRD SKYNYRD's 'Saturday Night Special' came on. I said, 'Man, I would love to play that song,' and my eight-year-old son turned to me and said, 'You should do a record of all these songs, Dad.' And I was like, 'Hmmm? Yeah, why not!?!'"

After connecting over their mutual love for the classics and forming their current line-up, the members of BPMD traveled to Portnoy's home studio in Pennsylvania and set up shop. Since the whole concept of the band was born the night Menghi was listening to "Saturday Night Special", BPMD were determined to record the song for the album. Beyond that, each musician picked two '70s rock tracks and everyone had to learn them!

Menghi chose "Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers" in addition to "Saturday Night Special". Blitz's choices were a little more obscure — "Never In My Life" replete with cowbell and a blazing repeated blues lick, and CACTUS's version of "Evil", a fiercely ZEPPELIN-like take on an old Willie Dixon song. For his tracks, Demmel picked "D.O.A." and had a blast channeling his inner Eddie Van Halen, and took a deep dive with "Tattoo Vampire". Recalling the days when Ted Nugent was more of a bad boy than a gunslinger, Portnoy picked "Wang Dang Sweet Poontang", in additon to "Toys In The Attic".

Menghi, who also co-produced "American Made", added: "We didn't go into it trying to make everything metal, we just wanted to play the way we play and this is what you get... we've all been influenced by a wide variety of bands including BLACK SABBATH, JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN and METALLICA. So, of course, we're going to attack the songs a little harder than guys that didn't grow up on heavy music."

Blitz stated: "We made sure we did high-quality versions of these songs and gave them all a little twist. I think there's a place for that in the music world today. There's something really great about nostalgia, especially if it's reimagined."

"American Made" was mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis, also known for his work with METAL ALLEGIANCE (featuring Menghi and Portnoy), as well as artists such as DEVILDRIVER, TRIVIUM, and many others.

RATT will be "ready to go" with a new rhythm guitarist and new music in 2021.

This past July, the veteran California rockers announced that all their previously announced shows in 2020 were being rescheduled for next year.

RATT was slated to hit the road in North America this summer part of "The Big Rock Summer Tour" with CINDERELLA's Tom Keifer, SKID ROW and SLAUGHTER.

On Monday (October 12), RATT's Facebook page was updated with a photo of singer Stephen Pearcy and guitarist Jordan Ziff, along with the following message: "RATT's in the cellar! Founder, lead, singer Stephen Pearcy (pictured) with lead guitarist Jordan Ziff on new music at Pearcy's, while Juan Croucier (bassist vocalist for RATT) has renovated updated his Cellar Studios for the band to go in, rehearse and work on new music. Pearcy and Croucier agree, 'It's time to kick some ass. We'll be ready to go with a rhythm guitarist and new RATT music 2021'. As for getting back to doing concerts? 'We're so eager to get out there and play again'. You've got to Ratt n' Roll with the punches, its nothing new for the relentlessly unyielding quintet."

Guitarist Chris Sanders quit RATT earlier this year. He joined the band in 2018 after the departure of original axeman Warren DeMartini. He spent most of the last two years playing sporadic shows with the group's current lineup, which features Pearcy, Croucier, Ziff and drummer Pete Holmes (BLACK 'N BLUE, RATT'S JUAN CROUCIER).

RATT — featuring Pearcy, Croucier and DeMartini — played a number of shows in 2017 after reforming a year earlier in the midst of a highly publiced legal battle with drummer Bobby Blotzer over the rights to the RATT name. They were joined at the gigs by ex-QUIET RIOT guitarist Carlos Cavazo, who played on RATT's last studio album, 2010's "Infestation", and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, who previously played with Y&T, WHITE LION and MEGADETH, among others.


RATT’s in the cellar! Founder, lead, singer Stephen Pearcy (pictured) with lead guitarist Jordan Ziff on new music at...

Posted by RATT on Monday, October 12, 2020

Sinner’s Blood have released a video for "Remember Me", a track off their debut album, out now via Frontiers Music Srl.

Sinner's Blood is a powerful new melodic metal band from Chile featuring a soon to be household name in James Robledo on lead vocals and producer and multi-instrumentalist Nasson (Chaos Magic) crafting the songs and playing guitar. Their debut album, The Mirror Star, is a must hear for fans of epic, powerful, heavy metal.

Order The Mirror Star here.

The songs on The Mirror Star are a mixture of all of the band’s hard rock favorites with a touch of modern vertigo. Every song Nasson wrote for this album is a different beast and with James’s voice, they are truly brought to life. With lyrics that are honest and emotional and superb production, Nasson has presented some of his most powerful songs via Sinner’s Blood.

James Robledo is a Chilean vocalist who has performed with several bands including Renegade (Chile) and Thabu (Argentina). Always bringing a powerful and emotional performance rooted in the vein of heavy metal singers like Ronnie James Dio, Jorn Lande, and Russell Allen, he now joins Sinner’s Blood, where he showcases the full potential of his voice.

Nasson is a Chilean producer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. With more than 15 years of work in the metal scene collaborating with several world renowned artists, he is one of the most prolific names in the Chilean scene. His most recent collaborations with Caterina Nix on the last two Chaos Magic releases received international acclaim and showcased the breadth of his talents.

Rounding out the line up, is bassist Nicolás Fischer, who has been performing for years as a singer and guitarist for a variety of progressive music acts and Guillermo Pereira, a world-class drummer known in the Chilean scene for his work with extreme metal bands such as Recrucide and VPS and as a session player for various different projects.

Tracklisting:

"The Mirror"
"Phoenix Rise"
"Never Again"
"Remember Me"
"The Path Of Fear"
"Forever"
"Kill Or Die"
"Never Resting Soul"
"Who I Am"
"The Hunting"
"Awakening"

"Remember Me" video:

"The Mirror" video:

"Kill Or Die" video:

Lineup:

James Robledo - Vocals
Nasson - Guitar, vocals, keys
Nicolas Fischer - Bass, vocals
Guillermo Pereira - Drums




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SMITH & MYERS — the duo comprised of SHINEDOWN members Brent Smith and Zach Myers — has released the official music video for the song "Panic!". The track is taken from SMITH & MYERS's full-length album "Smith & Myers Volume 1", which came out on October 9 via Atlantic Records. "Smith & Myers Volume 2" will follow on October 23.

"Smith & Myers Volume 2" is available for pre-order now and features five original tunes and five re-imaginings of fan-submitted songs including OASIS's "Don't Look Back In Anger", Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer", Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell", and R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" (full track listing below). Additionally, both the CD and LP — which collect volumes 1 and 2 in one package — are also available now for pre-order. The double LP is pressed on 180-gram vinyl and available in an exclusive limited edition shiny black vinyl in the SMITH & MYERS store. The vinyl will be released November 13.

"Smith & Myers Volume 1" features five original tunes and five re-imaginings of fan-submitted songs including Post Malone's "Better Now", INXS' "Never Tear Us Apart", Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse's "Valerie", and THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS' "Unchained Melody" (full track listing below).

With two hearts and one truth, lifelong musicians, longstanding friends, and eternal brothers Smith and Myers put forth a body of work encompassing vulnerability, fearlessness, honesty, outrage, love, and understanding. "Smith & Myers Volume 1", produced by Grammy Award winner and longtime collaborator Dave Bassett, is the duo's first full-length album and first original music since releasing a pair of acoustic cover EPs, "Acoustic Sessions, Part 1" and "Acoustic Sessions, Part 2", in 2014 when fans first fell in the love with the magic that is created between Brent and Zach in the studio and on stage, leading to SMITH & MYERS live shows that instantly sold out. With no boundaries on what their songwriting could discuss on the new album, Brent and Zach explore everything from certain personal topics that they have left largely unexplored until now, to commentary on children being ripped from their parents at the border, to the reactive nature of social media, to our national reckoning with racial and systemic injustice– focusing not on politics, but on right and wrong and our connection as human beings.

Smith recently told Andy Hall of the Des Moines, Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3 about SMITH & MYERS: "It just isn't SHINEDOWN acoustic. This is a different project. It sounds different. I think that if people have an idea that it's gonna sound like SHINEDOWN, they're gonna notice very quickly that that's not what it is.

"Before me and Zach decided to go and do this, we talked to Eric [Bass, SHINEDOWN bassist] about this, we talked to Barry [Kerch, SHINEDOWN drummer] about this. They understand that this is an outlet, and it's a different style, and they're very, very much on board with it — they're very supportive of it.

"Look, it's something for the four of us, where we talk to each other, we're very open with one another about what we're doing.

"This is a project that is very, very dear to me and Zach, and it's just a different style, it's a different animal."

Asked if he ever struggles with what might be a better song idea for SHINEDOWN versus what's dedicated to SMITH & MYERS, or if they are really that different, where he knows for sure that's what this is, Smith said: "Well, the thing about SMITH & MYERS is that it was interesting because this is the first time where we wrote 10 original songs. The first installment of SMITH & MYERS back in 2014 was just kind of for fun, and we didn't realize that it actually had the potential to be something outside of SHINEDOWN. So this is kind of the beginning of feeling it out in a lot of ways. With the other element of what we do here is we take songs from other artists that the audiences helped us pick, or kind of nudged us in one direction. But that's another thing, too — the covers on these two volumes that people are gonna be hearing, we've reimagined them in a way of we're really focusing on the lyrics and the story in these songs. And then from the original material, it was the first time that we had done it, so we didn't go into it thinking about, 'This is gonna be a SHINEDOWN song.' We went into it thinking, 'This is gonna be a SMITH & MYERS song, so what does that sound like?' And the very first single out of the gate, 'Not Mad Enough', I think a lot of people, they've already said, 'This is not what we thought it was gonna be, but it's quite intriguing.'"

"Smith & Myers Volume 1" track listing:

01. Not Mad Enough

02. Rockin' In The Free World

03. The Weight of It All

04. Better Now

05. Panic!

06. Never Tear Us Apart

07. Coast To Coast

08. Valerie

09. Since You Were Mine

10. Unchained Melody

"Smith & Myers Volume 2" track listing:

01. Bad At Love

02. Bad Guy

03. New School Shiver

04. Sledgehammer

05. GBL GBD

06. Rebel Yell

07. Like You Never Left

08. Losing My Religion

09. One More Time

10. Don't Look Back In Anger

Photo credit: Paris Visone

Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes has released the official music video for his new single called "Playing With Fire". Check it out below.

Holmes has taken advantage of the period of non-live activity during the COVID-19 pandemic to offer you new projects. The end of 2020 will see the release of a DVD/Blu-ray documentary, to be followed by a new studio album in 2021.

Fans who participate in Holmes's Indiegogo campaign can make a donation in exchange for a consideration such as a CD or guitar picks. You can even acquire Chris's leather jacket with its personalized paint or see your name inscribed in the booklet for the new album. Along with the album, you'll be able to pre-order a collector's collection of gorgeous never-before-seen photos embellished with Chris's thoughts to help you get to know him better. The book will be available in very limited quantities, numbered and signed by Chris himself.

Cleopatra Entertainment recently secured the North American, U.K., Australian, New Zealand and South African distribution rights to the documentary film "Mean Man: The Story Of Chris Holmes".

Written and directed by French filmmakers Antoine De Montremy and Laurent Hart (whose music production career includes televised interviews with SCORPIONS, DEEP PURPLE, SLAYER, GUNS N' ROSES and more), "Mean Man: The Story Of Chris Holmes" was a project that was born in 2014 after they had an opportunity to meet and direct Holmes in a music video for the Holmes-penned song "Let It Roar" in Cannes, France. At that time, the former W.A.S.P. guitarist had more or less disappeared from the music scene, leaving his home in the U.S. to seek a new beginning with his wife Sarah in France. Not content with merely directing a music video for the reborn Holmes, De Montremy pursued his bigger dream of writing and directing a documentary film about this iconic metal guitar legend, and for the next several years shadowed him throughout Europe while filming everything from band rehearsals, to recording sessions to live performances.

By creatively combining archival footage, interviews with past and present band members and musical peers, family members and childhood friends — interspersed with beautifully filmed concert performances of Holmes's current solo band — De Montremy skillfully portrays the story of an iconic guitar player who has lived a life of extreme highs and lows. After losing the publishing rights of his own songs and combatting dangerous addictions, the legendary W.A.S.P. guitarist is shown starting over from scratch while living at his mother-in-law's in Cannes, France as he puts together, with his wife, a brand new band and a brand new musical role as not only the main guitarist, but now as the actual lead singer of this newly born musical project aptly named MEAN MAN.

Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982 and remained with the group until 1990. In 1996, Holmes rejoined W.A.S.P. and stayed with the band until 2001. Holmes has not played with W.A.S.P. since.

"Playing With Fire" credits:

Composer: Chris Holmes

Recording lineup:

Chris Holmes (lead guitar)

Florian Lagoutte (bass)

Patrick Friedrich (drums)

Lead vocals:

Oliver Tindall

Steve Grimmett

Tommy Bolan

Charles-André Lambert

Chorus

Carine Pinto

Amelia Grimmett

Lex Gifford

Stephen Jackson

Christian Kimmett

Christian Pinto

Mel Steel

Mixed by Florian Lagoutte

Pulverising death metal juggernauts Venom Prison have shared the crushing new song “Slayer Of Holofernes” and its accompanying official video.

“Slayer Of Holofernes” is included on new album Primeval, released today via Prosthetic Records, which combines re-recordings of two early EPs, Defy The Tyrant and The Primal Chaos, plus two new tracks.

The band elaborate, "Primeval is a collage of different releases that are interwoven with a reinterpretation of religious imagery and criticism. ‘Slayer Of Holofernes’ follows that theme. The scene from the book of Judith, follows the protagonist’s character and actions as a challenge to the dominant patriarchal narrative within religious writings.

“We wanted to create a connection between this powerful tale and the art that Eliran Kantor has created for 'Primeval' through the use of water, depicting Larissa in an ethereal way and through inflicting pain via various methods of water torture on the male character."

The 11-track album will feature re-recordings of tracks from their early EPs, Defy The Tyrant and Primal Chaos, as well as two brand new tracks. The first track from Primeval is a re-working of "Defy The Tyrant", which is streaming everywhere now, and features an accompanying video which can be viewed below.

Since 2016, Venom Prison have gone from strength to strength; debut full length Animus catapulted them into the consciousness and record collections of discerning death metal fans the world over. Their follow up release, Samsara, solidified them as a serious force to be reckoned with in the world of metal, paving the way for a string of high profile shows and festival slots around the globe. On Primeval, Venom Prison revisit the earliest days of the band, capturing the same intensity and visceral energy they possessed from day one and adding an additional layer of sophistication to their sound by re-recording, re-mixing, and re-mastering those old favourites with producer Tom Dring in late 2019. Artwork is once again handled masterfully by Eliran Kantor.

Of their decision to revisit their earliest tracks, the band explain, “Primeval is a snapshot of the earlier days of Venom Prison, simpler times where we locked ourselves in a room for days on end to create the early incarnation of what would be our first collection of songs.  Our first release/demo Defy The Tyrant was subsequently born, and we never thought this would lead onto being picked up by Prosthetic Records or touring the world. This became a starting gun for touring and festivals in between the studio to write, including what would become The Primal Chaos.  Given the current climate and the global pandemic situation we felt it was appropriate to package together our early material so that it is presented in a form of how it was always intended. This is what you hear now. Our previous EP’s plus two new tracks to give you an idea of what is to come in future.  Our new chapter awaits, the grind must continue.”

Tracklisting:

"Usurper Of The Throne"
"Life Suffer"
"Mortal Abomination"
"Path Of Exile"
"Defy The Tyrant"
"Babylon The Whore"
"Daemon Vulgaris"
"Narcotic"
"The Primal Chaos"
"Defiant To The Will Of God"
"Slayer Of Holofernes"

"Defy The Tyrant" video:




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Apocalyptica have released footage of their performance of Metallica's "Sad But True" at With Full Force Festival 2018. Watch below:

Apocalyptica recently released their new digital single, "Talk To Me" featuring Halestorm's Lzzy Hale. Get it here, and watch a lyric video below.

"After years of friendship we are more than happy to release a song together with the amazing Lzzy of Halestorm! This song has been in our minds for quite some time and we have been waiting for the right moment to finish it, and getting Lzzy to join us and perform in her outstanding way was a dream come true! We want to thank Lzzy and the whole Halestorm team for their great work and friendship." - Eicca Toppinen

“Apocalyptica and I have for years talked about doing something together, and the last time I saw Eicca Toppinen, in Helsinki, Finland during the 2019 Tuska Festival, he brought up the idea that we finally make that talk a reality. I’m so excited for the world to hear this song! Thank you so much to the entire Apocalyptica camp for being a part of our family all these years and for including me in this project!” - Lzzy Hale




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

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

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

Tracklisting:

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

Album stream:




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German thrash outfit Darkness is back with a new record, that will feature brand new songs as well as a live track and a cover version.

Over And Out will be released on November 27th, 2020 and will be available as CD Digipak, limited edition Vinyl LP in different colors, as well as in digital formats. Pre-order it here.

The track list as well as the album's front cover - featuring an illustration by Timon Kokott - is available below. Over And Out was recorded and mixed by Cornelius Rambadt at Rambado Recordings Studio, and mastered by Dennis Koehne at DK Studio.

The first single from the new album will be released on October 14th.

"Every Time You Curse Me"
"Dawn Of The Dumb"
"Over And Out"
"Slave To The Grind" (Skid Row Cover)
"Tinkerbell Must Die" (Live In Osaka, Japan)
"Armageddon"
"Faded Pictures" (Unplugged)

For further details, visit Darkness on Facebook.

 




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Gibson TV has uploaded another video of guitarist Joe Bonamassa in action. Check it out below.

"Joe Bonamassa has once again partnered with Epiphone to lovingly replicate one of his most-prized guitars, his 'Black Beauty' Les Paul Custom. When Bonamassa visited Hauer Music in Centerville, Ohio he walked away with a 1958 Gibson Les Paul Custom in black - otherwise known as the 'Black Beauty', one of the rarest electric guitars made and one of the most coveted." 

 

Bonamassa’s new solo studio album Royal Tea - inspired by his British heroes Jeff Beck, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin and Cream - was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios and will be released on October 23 via J&R Adventures. Bonamassa recently surprised fans with his latest single, “Why Does It Take So Long To Say Goodbye”. Pre-order the new album here.

Bonamassa is known for taking risks and venturing into uncharted territory throughout his wide-ranging career but now he has found a new way to surprise his fans and music lovers. Royal Tea brings Bonamassa full-circle. “This whole adventure,” admits Joe, “was a bucket-list thing for me.” This album reconnects the 43-year-old with the guitar-slinging kid from upstate New York, who stumbled across the best of British blues music in his dad’s vinyl collection - whose influences have shaped him to be the player he is today. “I would have been about twelve years old, and it was the sound I heard in my head. Like, ‘OK, I’m in. That’s what I want to be’.”

These ten original tracks were co-written by Joe and a cast of homegrown notables including former Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden, ex-Cream lyricist Pete Brown and national-treasure piano man Jools Holland. “Writing this record in London has done its job,” reflects Bonamassa. “It really does sound inherently British. Bernie and I, we finish each other’s sentences. We’re cut from the same cloth.” Bonamassa’s long-standing producer Kevin Shirley and regular touring band flew in for the recording sessions, which included Anton Fig (drums), Michael Rhodes (bass) and Reese Wynans (keys).

Alongside the announcement of the Royal Tea album, Bonamassa revealed today that he will perform a special Livestream Concert from the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on September 20. This concert will feature the songs from his new album before the official release. Joe has never performed a full, unreleased album for audiences like this before, giving fans from around the world the opportunity to come together for an unforgettable night of blues-rock music. Along with Royal Tea he’ll perform classic remixes from his 20th anniversary album A New Day Now. The evening will continue with a one hour “After Party” featuring several live performances from an array of some of the hottest rising stars in blues-rock music.

The live stream tickets and packages for “Joe Bonamassa Live in Concert Worldwide” presented by Keeping The Blues Alive are available for purchase here.

There are a variety of pricing levels available for fans worldwide to be a part of this special “audience.” Tickets to the livestream event starts at $20. Fans may also purchase a $35 All-Access Pass which includes access to the livestream event on September 20, the Royal Tea digital album available on October 23, and a 1-year all pass for Bonamassa’s on-demand service which includes 17+ concert releases from Joe Bonamassa, Black Country Communion, and Rock Candy Funk Party - available at any time on most devices.

As part of this unique concert event, fans also have the option to purchase a Commemorative VIP ticket giving them an experience they will never forget. VIP ticket holders will have their photo printed out and placed in a seat at the legendary Ryman Auditorium as part of Joe’s audience for that special night. VIPs will also get a picture of Joe with his “audience” which will be sent to them via email to keep. The VIP ticket holder’s name will also be included in the credits at the end of the live stream event, as well as being included in the upcoming DVD credits for this performance!

This one-of-a-kind concert is presented by Bonamassa’s non-profit, Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation (KTBA). Each ticket purchase will include a $1 donation to Joe’s Fueling Musicians Program, which to date has raised over $295,000 and has supported more than 163 musicians in need due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While much of the applause Bonamassa receives should be credited to his sheer talent, some part of his success needs to be attributed to Joe and his business partner for having the foresight and ability to become some of music’s savviest entrepreneurs. Bonamassa now 43, and his partner Roy Weisman have together devised a 360-degree independent business model that has survived and thrived during one of the music industry’s most uncertain eras, particularly considering the challenges created by the current pandemic.

Bonamassa’s Royal Tea and A New Day Now follow his instrumental side project called The Sleep Eazys, who released their stunning debut album, Easy To Buy, Hard To Sell, earlier this year. The album, which the Associated Press touted as making “instrumental dreams,” was produced by Bonamassa and features some of his frequent collaborators, along with his all-star touring band. The Sleep Eazys project is Joe’s second time in the studio as a producer, after Reese Wynans’ long-awaited debut solo album Sweet Release.

In addition, Joe continues to crank out weekly programming for Sirius XM’s Bluesville channel for his radio show “Different Shades Of Blue.” More recently, he kicked off a new at-home weekly interview series “Live From Nerdville” on his Facebook and YouTube page, featuring episodes with Neal Schon of Journey, John Oates of Hall & Oates, Glenn Hughes, Paul Stanley of KISS, Warren Haynes, Keb’ Mo’, Walter Trout and esteemed singer-songwriter Dion. On June 5, Bonamassa released music icon Dion’s critically-acclaimed new album Blues With Friends on he and his Manager Roy Weisman’s new record label Keeping The Blues Alive Records and Dion’s first single “Blues Comin’ On” also features Bonamassa on slide guitar.

Royal Tea tracklisting:

"When One Door Opens"
"Royal Tea"
"Why Does It Take So Long To Say Goodbye"
"Lookout Man!"
"High Class Girl"
"A Conversation With Alice"
"I Didn't Think She Would Do It"
"Beyond The Silence"
"Lonely Boy"
"Savannah"

"Why Does It Take So Long To Say Goodbye" video:




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Ricardo Falcon, ex-guitarist / bassist of Sinister and ex-session guitarist for Belphegor, is reviving his old project called itSELF, founded in Brazil in 2005 and paused in 2014. The project will feature Steve Di Giorgio (Sadus, Death, Testament) on bass, Carsten Altena (The Monolith Deathcult, Sinister) on orchestration and samples, Estevan Furlan (Tribal Scream) on drums and vocals, and Falcon as guitar player. Terrance Hobbs (Suffocation) will participate as a guest on the album with a solo.
 
Falcon has issued the following update:

"With much better know-how and more mature, we want to finish this year the recording of the new album called The Absence, with the idea of releasing it in the first semester of 2021, and with the possibility of touring in the second semester if COVID let us play live shows by that time.
 
Unfortunately, due to the situation of the COVID-19, I had to sell everything I had, from guitars and amplifiers to headphones, wireless, pedals, etc. adding a loss of at least 10,000 euros and an invaluable emotional loss, which made me very sick and aimless. The truth is that music has become part of my life and that dark time made me reflect on how badly it makes me feel to be away from it. In this I saw a solution to get closer to the music market, giving crowdfunding a chance, since my guitars have been recorded since 2013. Even without any equipment and money at the moment, I hope to finish this honest work, done with heart and soul."

A Kickstarter campaign to support the project will go live on Wednesday, October 14th. Stay tuned for updates.




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ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante got a tattoo of VAN HALEN's iconic "VH" logo in honor of Eddie Van Halen, who died on October 6 after a long cancer battle.

On Sunday (October 11), Benante shared two Instagram photos of him getting the ink at Electric Tattoo Parlor in Carpentersville, Illinois, and he included the following caption: "When you wake up with an idea and your friend @billy_raike_tattoos says ' let's do it' @vanhalen #tattoo @electrictattooparlor #bumblebee #eddievanhalen".

When Eddie's death was first announced, Benante wrote on his social media: "so much love for #evh can't believe this fucking year @vanhalen I often said that He was the One that revolutionized guitar playing , after #evh most guitar players started to sound like him. He was so percussive and he made mistakes sound correct ( tho he never made one) Our hero's are all leaving and I hate it!!! #ripevh big [love] to the @vanhalen family".

Back in 2011, Charlie named VAN HALEN's Alex Van Halen as one of his favorite drummers. "I just love Alex Van Halen, always have," he told Revolver. "He just has a signature sound. When I hear it, it's like, well, that's Alex Van Halen, you know?"

Eddie died at the age of 65 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 legendary VAN HALEN axeman passed away from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

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
























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When you wake up with an idea and your friend @billy_raike_tattoos says “ let’s do it” @vanhalen #tattoo @electrictattooparlor #bumblebee #eddievanhalen

A post shared by Charlie Benante (@charbenante) on Oct 11, 2020 at 2:21pm PDT

An official visualizer for "The Rise Of Heresy", the debut EP from THE TROOPS OF DOOM, the new Brazilian band featuring former SEPULTURA guitarist Jairo "Tormentor" Guedz, can be seen below. The effort, which was released on October 9 via Nuclear Blast's digital subsidiary, Blood Blast Distribution, was mastered by Øystein G. Brun (BORKNAGAR) at Crosound Studio in Norway. It contains four new original songs and cover versions of two early SEPULTURA classics, "Bestial Devastation" and "Troops Of Doom".

Guedz comments: "I don't speak only for myself, but on behalf of the band, when I say that this moment of this first EP release is one of the most anticipated of our lives. It's something really special for us and the result of a lot of dedication and sweat, especially when it comes to this critical and unusual moment for the entire world, when THE TROOPS OF DOOM was born. It was something I've dreamed to do for many years and now, and the project is finally a reality, concrete and wonderful, where I can dedicate myself entirely.

"We hope everyone enjoys the record and I can say that this debut EP is just a small sample of what is to come. We are incredibly excited about this work and all the awesome feedback we got, even beyond of what we excepted, with thousands of great reviews and support, that gave us a killer boost. We are already working on new songs for the full-length album, scheduled for the second half of next year 2021. Stay tuned! For now, listen the EP loud and I hope we can see on the road soon!"

THE TROOPS OF DOOM also includes acclaimed graphic artist Marcelo Vasco on guitar, Alex Kafer (ex-NECROMANCER, EXPLICIT HATE, ENTERRO) on vocals/bass and Alexandre Oliveira (SOUTHERN BLACKLIST) on drums. The band's goal is to revisit the essence of 1980s-style death metal, exploring a more primitive sound that takes listeners back to that era, while remaining fresh and genuine.

Guedz previously said about the project: "There's much passion and dedication on this work with THE TROOPS OF DOOM. The whole band and team is beyond fantastic, which drives me to push myself to the edge, putting out this feeling through the music somehow.

"We want to offer a full experience where the listener can feel as though they're in time machine, exploring that primitive and nasty metal sound from the '80s, inspired by my own SEPULTURA years as well as all those iconic bands we love like SLAYER, KREATOR, CELTIC FROST, SODOM, POSSESSED and DEATH, among others. It's a true homage to the old! That's what we're trying to revisit with this debut and I hope the diehard metalheads catch this and enjoy it, playing loud!"

"The Rise Of Heresy" track listing:

01. Whispering Dead Words

02. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

03. The Confessional

04. The Rise Of Heresy

05. Bestial Devastation (SEPULTURA Cover)

06. Troops Of Doom (SEPULTURA Cover)

THE TROOPS OF DOOM is:

Jairo "Tormentor" Guedz - guitar

Alex Kafer - bass, vocals

Marcelo Vasco - guitar

Alexandre Oliveira - drums

SEPULTURA was formed in 1984 in Belo Horizonte, the capital city of Minas Gerais. Jairo joined the group the following year and played on the band's first two releases, 1985's "Bestial Devastation" EP and their 1986 full-length debut, "Morbid Visions". He also participated in the early songwriting sessions for 1987's "Schizophrenia".

In early 1987, Jairo quit SEPULTURA after losing interest in playing death metal and was replaced by São Paulo-based guitarist Andreas Kisser.

"Sound Matters" show episode #100 features Tom Leu's intimate conversations with Mark Kendall from GREAT WHITE and Steve Brown from TRIXTER sharing their exclusive and rare, first-hand, personal accounts and experiences with Eddie Van Halen going all the way back to the early 1970s.

Brown, who also plays with TOKYO MOTOR FIST, stated about the legendary VAN HALEN guitarist (hear audio below): "He was the best. And just to clarify, I was friends with him. It was much different than a lot these guys that you see who maybe met him once or twice. I see a lot of these guys online. I had almost a 30-year relationship with him. And the coolest thing I can only say is that he always said, 'Steve, you're family. You're family.' He would call my house while he was on tour, whether it was on the 'Balance' tour or the '98 tour or 2004, when he was even really in a bad place. But all I can tell you is this: he loved my wife, he loved my friends. P.J. [Farley] from TRIXTER, we hung out with him. Some of the other guys in my band got to meet him and spend time with him. He treated everybody like a normal person, because that's all Ed was, and that's all he ever wanted to be.

"The first time I ever met him, he didn't introduce himself as 'Eddie' or 'Edward.' He goes, 'Hey, man. I'm Ed.' And that's really the most important thing.

"Listen, we can talk all about the music, the gear, his innovations, how he inspired the world to play guitar. But what I can say is I know the guy, and I loved the guy, and he loved me, and he loved his friends, and people that were part of the family, like I told you," he continued. "And that's the greatest thing, because he was that guy. That smile was as real as it gets. He wasn't an act. He was never an act. He got the most joy when he was up on stage playing, and that smile was two hundred percent real. And that is the truth.

"All I can say, above and beyond that, is he was sweet. He was gracious. I had these incredible times when he would call me on the road and he would leave messages on my answering machine. He didn't call my house once or twice — he called my house probably ten or fifteen times. Luckily, now, I did miss the call a bunch of times, and I was able to save those answering machine messages, which someday I might play for some people, but they are cherished memories now. But some of the times when I would be sleeping, or just getting in from a gig, and hear my phone ring at two o'clock in the morning, because Ed didn't work on the same schedule, and when Ed wanted to talk to somebody, he'd call you, whether it was five o'clock in the morning. And I'd see the phone, and I'd see the phone number, and it would say 'Ed Van Halen'. And I'd be, like, 'Well, I've gotta talk to Ed now.' And I'd talk to him. My wife and I would sit there or we'd be laying in bed, 'Oh, Ed's calling. Let's talk to him.'

"The proudest moment of his life was when he became a dad," Steve added. "I was there with him before Wolfgang was born — it was right when I met him. And then afterwards, a year and a half later, I'm at his Malibu beachhouse playing volleyball with [his then-wife] Valerie and a couple of other guys. Wolfgang's walking around in his diapers. And those are the times that I cherish the most — just being a regular with Eddie, and not having to see any bullshit from other bandmembers or deal with managers or tour managers, everybody trying to keep you away.

"One of the other cool things was anytime I would go to a show, Ed would be, like, 'You never have to knock on the dressing room door. You come in.' I would walk in the dressing room, and Ed would be half naked, getting changed to go on stage. I'm, like, 'You want me to leave?' And he'd be, like, 'No, man. Sit down. C'mon. You're family.' And Alex [Van Halen], the same way, man. He treated me like a brother.

"The only regrets I have were that I never took more pictures. But back, especially in the early '90s, that wasn't the thing that we did. But I've got enough memories to last me a lifetime."

Eddie died on Tuesday (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 iconic VAN HALEN axeman passed away from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

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

Listen to "100: Eddie Van Halen Tribute" on Spreaker.
























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God Bless You Ed ...My idol , my pal ???!!!

A post shared by STEVE BROWN (@stevebrownrocks) on Oct 6, 2020 at 1:06pm PDT

PEARL JAM's new song "Get It Back", which was originally released last week as part of the "Good Music To Avert The Collapse Of American Democracy Vol. 2", has now been made available on digital streaming services.

"Good Music To Avert The Collapse Of American Democracy Vol. 2" was one-day-only Bandcamp fundraising compilation featuring 77 songs for the price of $20.20 for the digital version. Also included on the collection was the track "Something Real" from DEAF CHARLIE, which is PEARL JAM bassist Jeff Ament's side project with John Wicks, and the song "Near" by PEARL JAM guitarist Stone Gossard. The compilation was released to benefit the Voting Rights Lab, a nonpartisan organization that works to protect and defend all Americans' voting rights.

"Get It Back" was composed by PEARL JAM drummer Matt Cameron, and marks the band's first new music since the release of the "Gigaton" album in March. Produced by Josh Evans and PEARL JAM, it bowed at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart. Additionally, it landed in the Top 5 of the Billboard 200. Internationally, the album debuted No. 1 in Italy and Austria, Top 5 in Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Germany, Belgium, Norway, Canada, and Finland and Top 10 in the U.K., Ireland, and New Zealand.

Photo credit: Danny Clinch

Slash has recorded a version of the "Love Story" theme song, in honor of film producer Robert Evans, who died last year and was a good friend.

The GUNS N' ROSES guitarist discussed his "Love Story" rendition during an October 6 interview with WGN News while he was in Elk Grove Village, Illinois to promote the new GN'R pinball game he helped design with Jersey Jack Pinball.

Speaking about how he has been spending his downtime during the COVID-19 pandemic, Slash said: "I've just been recording and writing, and doing other assorted odds and ends. But for the most part just writing and recording. It's been a good creative period, I can say that much.

"I'm pretty much a workaholic and a busybody, so [the pandemic] put me in a situation where I've had to be patient and sit and just create without deadlines and stuff," he continued. "I'm usually working on some sort of a time schedule. I usually work pretty quickly, and I'm usually doing a lot all at once. And so this crisis has sort of forced me in a situation to be able to smell the roses and spend a lot of time on whatever I'm working on. And it's been healthy, in that regard.

"I've been producing horror movies, so I've been busy with that. But mostly just writing new stuff and recording demos," Slash added. "And I've done some session work with different people. I just did a version of 'Love Story' in honor of Robert Evans, who's a friend of mine who passed away last year. And so we're probably gonna release that online. So I've just been working with different people doing different stuff, on top of the original music for GUNS N' ROSES and for THE CONSPIRATORS, which is my band. So I've kept pretty busy."

Evans headed up production at Paramount Pictures in the late 1960s and early 70s. While there, he was responsible for overseeing hits such as "Rosemary's Baby" (1968), "Love Story" (1970), "The Godfather" (1972) and "Chinatown" (1974).

GUNS N' ROSES is reportedly working on a new studio album — the first under the GUNS banner since 2008's "Chinese Democracy" and the first to feature Slash, singer Axl Rose and bassist Duff McKagan since 1993.




Second Part of “Love Story” Theme ❤️⁣

-⁣

Slash recorded yesterday in his studio this amazing melodic theme !

Thank you @Slash for the magic sound ! And thank you Meegan for sharing this moment!⁣

⁣

?: meeganhodges ⁣( IG ) pic.twitter.com/eKtLd7zOo2

— Slash_Greece (@GreeceSlash) September 19, 2020








This afternoon @slash again in the snakepit studio.... Working on love story ??? #Slash ? thx Meegan pic.twitter.com/ORZMQcvTp6

— Slash Addict (@addict_slash) September 20, 2020

Ex-EXODUS guitarist Rock Hunolt has recorded a guest guitar solo on the band's upcoming album, tentatively due in early 2021 via Nuclear Blast.

Hunolt's appearance on EXODUS's next disc was revealed by EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt, who shared a short video of his former bandmate putting down his track in the studio.

Holt wrote in an accompanying caption: "Rick Hunolt laying down a SICK guest solo on this record! And by the way, MY TRACKS ARE DONE!!!!!"

Longtime EXODUS fans will recall that Hunolt — the other half of the famed EXODUS "H-Team" who is on every studio recording from 1985 through 2004 and co-wrote some of the band's best-known songs such as "A Lesson In Violence" and "Deliver Us To Evil" — left EXODUS after the band's highly acclaimed 2004 reunion album, "Tempo Of The Damned". Following his departure, Hunolt was replaced by HEATHEN guitarist Lee Altus.

Back in April 2019, Hunolt rejoined Holt and other EXODUS members Tom Hunting (drums) and Steve "Zetro" Souza (vocals) to perform several of the group's classic songs during a METAL ALLEGIANCE concert in San Francisco, California.

EXODUS's last album, 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", was notable for featuring a guest appearance by former EXODUS guitarist Kirk Hammett, who left the band in 1983 to join METALLICA.

Three years ago, Hunting was asked by Metal Wani if the next EXODUS disc could include another collaboration with Hammett. He responded: "We'll bring Kirk back, if he wants to come in and do a solo, for sure. And there might be a Rick Hunolt sighting on the new record too; you never know.

"At this point, we feel like it's good to celebrate the history of the band and all the important people that have been in the band along the way," Tom explained.

The original lineup of EXODUS consisted of guitarists Hammett and Tim Agnello, Hunting and vocalist Keith Stewart. Guitarist Gary Holt joined the band in 1981, while Kirk left two years before EXODUS's debut album, "Bonded By Blood", saw the light of day.

Souza is now on his third stint with EXODUS, having previously fronted the band from 1986 to 1993 and 2002 to 2004. A decade following his second departure, Souza returned to the fold in 2014, just in time to appear on "Blood In Blood Out".

EXODUS's new album is being recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California. The LP will be the group's first since the completion of SLAYER's final tour. In 2011, Holt began filling in for Jeff Hanneman at SLAYER live shows, and became the band's full-time co-guitarist as of 2013, while remaining a member of EXODUS.
























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Rick Hunolt laying down a SICK guest solo on this record! And by the way, MY TRACKS ARE DONE!!!!!

A post shared by Gary Holt (@garyholt_official) on Oct 10, 2020 at 6:37pm PDT

Jack White paid tribute to Eddie Van Halen during his "Saturday Night Live" musical appearance.

For a performance of his song "Lazaretto", White used a cobalt blue model guitar designed by the legendary VAN HALEN axeman, who died on Tuesday (October 6) following a long battle with cancer.

Hours before his appearance, White announced that he would be honoring Eddie, writing on social media: "I thought it could be a nice gesture for me to use this blue Eddie Van Halen model guitar for one of the songs tonight on SNL. The guitar was designed by Eddie (with a few customizations I had added). Eddie was very kind to me and saw to it that this guitar was made for me to my specs. I won't even insult the man’s talent by trying to play one of his songs tonight. Thanks again Eddie for this guitar and rest in peace sir."

In 2018, White told Rolling Stone that he made his "Boarding House Reach" album using a Wolfgang Special guitar and a 5150 amp from Eddie Van Halen's signature brand. Jack said it was the result of reading an interview with Van Halen talking about the guitar. "He said, 'I wanted something that doesn't fight me,'" White recalled. "I was, like, 'Those are the magic bad words that I completely disagree with. And that's why I'm picking his guitar.'"

Eddie died at the age of 65 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 passed away from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

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


























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i thought it could be a nice gesture for me to use this blue eddie van halen model guitar for one of the songs tonight on SNL. the guitar was designed by eddie (with a few customizations i had added). eddie was very kind to me and saw to it that this guitar was made for me to my specs. i wont even insult the man’s talent by trying to play one of his songs tonight. thanks again eddie for this guitar and rest in peace sir.

A post shared by Jack White Live (@officialjackwhitelive) on Oct 10, 2020 at 1:03pm PDT

Alex Van Halen has broken his public silence since the passing of his younger brother and VAN HALEN bandmate Eddie Van Halen.

The 67-year-old VAN HALEN drummer sent the following brief message to Van Halen News Desk: "Hey Ed. Love you. See you on the other side. Your brother, Al".

Eddie died on Tuesday (October 6) at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. Alex was by his side, as were Eddie's wife, Janie, and son, Wolfgang.

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

Eddie's final Instagram post was a tribute to Alex. On May 8, the guitarist shared a black-and-white photo of him and his brother to his followers to wish the drummer a happy birthday.

He captioned the picture: "Happy Birthday Al!! Love Ya!! #vanhalen #alexvanhalen #birthday #may #drummer #musician #musicians #family #rock #classicrock #rockband #love".

Eddie and Alex formed VAN HALEN in 1972 in Pasadena, California, with David Lee Roth on lead vocals and Michael Anthony on bass.

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.

After undergoing hip replacement surgery in 1999 due to a chronic joint problem, Eddie was diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2000 and had to have part of his tongue surgically removed. He later battled throat cancer and reportedly had been receiving radiation treatment in Germany. It is believed that his heavy smoking over the years led to his long battle with cancer.




We received this from Alex Van Halen… "Hey Ed. Love you. See you on the other side. Your brother, Al”#EddieVanHalen #EddieVanHalenRIP pic.twitter.com/dunXGiXhkK

— Van Halen News Desk (@VanHalenNews) October 8, 2020




























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Happy Birthday Al!! Love Ya!! #vanhalen #alexvanhalen #birthday #may #drummer #musician #musicians #family #rock #classicrock #rockband #love

A post shared by Eddie Van Halen (@eddievanhalen) on May 8, 2020 at 4:40pm PDT

Founding KISS guitarist Ace Frehley has paid tribute to Eddie Van Halen, who passed away on Tuesday (October 6) at the age of 65.

Frehley wrote on Instagram: "Eddie was a friend of mine...I'm very saddened by his passing away so young in life...my prayers and condolences go out to his family, friends & fans!...A great and innovative guitarist...God Bless Eddie...R.I.P."

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.

Eddie and Alex formed VAN HALEN in 1972 in Pasadena, California, with David Lee Roth on lead vocals and Michael Anthony on bass.

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.

After undergoing hip replacement surgery in 1999 due to a chronic joint problem, Eddie was diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2000 and had to have part of his tongue surgically removed. He later battled throat cancer and reportedly had been receiving radiation treatment in Germany. It is believed that his heavy smoking over the years led to his long battle with cancer.
























View this post on Instagram


































Eddie was a friend of mine...I’m very saddened by his passing away so young in life...my prayers and condolences go out to his family, friends & fans!...A great and innovative guitarist...God Bless Eddie...R.I.P. — Ace

A post shared by Ace Frehley (@acefrehleyofficial) on Oct 7, 2020 at 8:55pm PDT

Former VAN HALEN members Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony have released a new video message, filmed on Wednesday (October 7) at rehearsals for Hagar's annual birthday bash, which was moved to Catalina Island in California due to the coronavirus pandemic. In the clip, Sammy and Michael talk about the passing of their longtime VAN HALEN bandmate Eddie Van Halen, who died on on Tuesday (October 6) at the age of 65 following a long cancer battle.

"For Mike and I, it was just like getting hit by a freaking Mack truck," Sammy said about learning of Eddie's death. "It kind of took the wind out of the sails. I just wanna say that I'm kind of devastated. A VAN HALEN song never felt so hard to sing and play in my life."

Anthony added: "It was hard. It's very surreal right now. It hasn't sunk in yet."

Hagar continued: "What I felt playing especially a song like 'Right Now' that is so timeless, that I felt, 'Wow, thank God for this.' We'll never play it with Eddie again, but thank God for this."

Anthony said: "We have the music, if nothing else."

The video concludes with Anthony, Hagar and the rest of THE CIRCLE playing the first few seconds of "Right Now", preceded by Hagar asking for a moment of silence.

Eddie and Alex formed VAN HALEN in 1972 in Pasadena, California, with David Lee Roth on lead vocals and Anthony on bass.

VAN HALEN and Anthony had not been on good terms for more than a decade, with Anthony not invited to join the reunion with Roth that began in 2007. The subsequent two tours and studio album, "A Different Kind Of Truth", featured Eddie's son Wolfgang on bass.

Anthony took a pay cut and signed away all of his rights to the band name and logo in order to participate in VAN HALEN's 2004 tour, which featured Hagar.

Hagar replaced David Lee Roth in VAN HALEN in 1985 and recorded four studio albums with the band — "5150", "OU812", "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" and "Balance" — all of which topped the U.S. chart.

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.

SCANDAL singer Patty Smyth has commented on the passing of Eddie Van Halen. The legendary VAN HALEN guitarist died on Tuesday (October 6) at the age of 65.

Smyth told Radio Forrest (hear audio below): "I literally did not leave my house [on Tuesday]. I just couldn't believe it. I just started looking through the recordings of when he came out on the road with us and played with us. And I put some of those up. I just feel so badly for his son, for his brother, for his wife, his ex-wife. It's just really, really sad. He was awesome."

When VAN HALEN parted with frontman David Lee Roth in 1985, his eventual replacement, Sammy Hagar, was not the band's first choice to fill Roth's shoes. Eddie asked Smyth to join the band first, "which is pretty amazing," Patty told Radio Forrest. "It really says a lot about him — that he was ballsy enough to want a chick to take over. So I think that was great. It just was bad timing for me. I was eight months pregnant and there was a lot of shit going on. It just wasn't the right time. And it's interesting how timing really is everything."

SCANDAL, which had several hits in the '80s, broke up soon after and Smyth went on to record as a solo act.

VAN HALEN eventually recruited Hagar, who sang on four studio albums between 1986 and 1995 before he quit the group in 1996. Hagar rejoined for a 2004 tour but left again after that, paving the way for the most recent reunion with Roth, which began in 2007 with a world tour.

Smyth will release a new album, "It's About Time", on October 9 via BMG. It is Smyth's first set of new material in 28 years, following her self-titled 1992 effort, which featured the Grammy-nominated Don Henley duet "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough".

Photo credit: Melanie Dunea

A remastered version of PANTERA's song "Immortally Insane", taken from the upcoming 20th-anniversary reissue of the band's final opus, "Reinventing The Steel", can be streamed below. The track was originally included on the soundtrack to "Heavy Metal 2000" (the sequel to the 1981 animated cult film).

"Reinventing The Steel" represented a recommitment to everything the band loved about heavy metal. Released in 2000 at the peak of nu-metal's popularity, the album's back-to-basics approach flew in the face of the trend and served as a potent reminder of the enduring power of primal metal. PANTERA's swan song turns 20 this year and Rhino will celebrate with two new versions that feature an unreleased mix of the album by longtime producer Terry Date.

The first is "Reinventing The Steel: 20th Anniversary Edition", a three-CD set that includes a newly remastered version of the original album and a selection of rarities. A major highlight is the new mix by Terry Date, the legendary producer who was behind the console for the band's previous four landmark albums: "Cowboys From Hell" (1990), "Vulgar Display Of Power" (1992), "Far Beyond Driven" (1994) and "The Great Southern Trendkill" (1996). The set will be released on October 30 and will also be available through digital and streaming services.

"Reinventing The Steel: 20th Anniversary Edition" will also be released as a double-LP set on silver vinyl that features the new Terry Date mix on one album, plus eight rare bonus tracks making their vinyl debut on the other. Limited to 5,000 copies, the 180-gram audiophile vinyl collection comes in an embossed, foil jacket and will be available on January 8.

Philip Anselmo, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, Rex Brown and Vinnie Paul Abbott had already earned a No. 1 album and several Grammy nominations by the time PANTERA began recording "Reinventing The Steel" in 1999. The album would prove to be a celebration of the skull-rattling strain of metal the quartet had cultivated through the years with songs like "We'll Grind That Axe For A Long Time", "Goddamn Electric" and "I'll Cast A Shadow". Certified gold and embraced by fans and critics alike, the album would unexpectedly become the band's last.

The three-CD and digital versions open with an unreleased mix of the album by Terry Date, who had been helping PANTERA perfect its piledriving sound since 1990. Date — who likes Sterling Winfield's original mix of the album — says he was initially apprehensive about remixing "Reinventing The Steel" for this reissue. Eventually, he agreed knowing that diehard fans would be curious to hear his take on the album. He says: "I'm just trying to remember what we used to do as I'm going through this stuff. But the riffs and performances are strong. It's just classic PANTERA."

The CD and digital collections also include a newly remastered version of the original album, which was co-produced by Darrell, Vinnie and Winfield. It's joined by radio edits for singles ("Revolution Is My Name", "Goddamn Electric"); covers (BLACK SABBATH's "Electric Funeral" and "Hole In The Sky", Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever"); soundtrack contributions ("Avoid The Light", "Immortally Insane"); and previously unreleased instrumental rough mixes for every album track.

In a 2012 interview with Revolver magazine, Vinnie Paul stated about "Reinventing The Steel": "I felt like things had turned a corner. I felt like Phil [Anselmo, vocals] had discovered some of these demons and maybe had some people around him that wanted to help instead of taking the other direction. We kind of wanted to go back and really grab some of the things that people liked the most about 'Vulgar ['Display Of Power]' and 'Cowboys [From Hell]', and Phil's exact words were that he wanted to make a record that was 'more anthemic,' lyrically. More stuff that people could sing along to. Dime [PANTERA guitarist 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott] spent a lot of time in the studio with Phil working with him on his vocal arrangements and melodies."

Anselmo concurred, telling the magazine: "I had kind of cleaned my act up. I had a new fire lit under my ass. Dimebag and I were very close on this one. I showed up for the jam sessions, and I think they were impressed with how I was. I wasn't all fucked up constantly. It was a breath of fresh air. I guess I was dealing with the pain in a better way at the time, and if I was using, it was minimal and very spotty. But there was a renewed bit of brotherhood. There was a renewed sense of enjoyment with the songwriting. I spent a lot of time at Dimebag's house on the particular run. I remember his mother passed away, when we were doing that record, from cancer. I was a pallbearer at the funeral. So it was a bonding thing as well. Somebody's mother passes and it's a big thing. Especially her. She was a big part of their lives, in my life, and in Rex's life. It was a heavy deal. I was there for it. I love that record."

Rex said that he found it difficult to look back on "Reinventing The Steel" knowing that it marked PANTERA's final studio effort. "This record is the end, so it's hard to talk about," he said. "To me, it's a great last performance. One thing we always said is, 'You're only as good as your last show.' Or your last note, or the last thing you do. Because you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. It could all end. And I'll be goddamned if it didn't."

"Reinventing The Steel: 20th Anniversary Edition" 3CD track listing:

Disc One: New Terry Date Mix

01. Hellbound

02. Goddamn Electric

03. Yesterday Don't Mean Shit

04. You've Got To Belong To It

05. Revolution Is My Name

06. Death Rattle

07. We'll Grind That Axe for a Long Time

08. Uplift

09. It Makes Them Disappear

10. I'll Cast a Shadow

Disc Two: Original Album Remastered

01. Hellbound

02. Goddamn Electric

03. Yesterday Don't Mean Shit

04. You've Got To Belong To It

05. Revolution Is My Name

06. Death Rattle

07. We'll Grind That Axe for a Long Time

08. Uplift

09. It Makes Them Disappear

10. I'll Cast a Shadow

Bonus Tracks

11. Goddamn Electric – Radio Mix

12. Revolution Is My Name – Radio Edit

13. I'll Cast A Shadow – Radio Edit

14. Goddamn Electric – Radio Edit

Disc Three: Bonus Tracks

Non-Album Tracks & Covers

01. Avoid The Light

02. Immortally Insane

03. Cat Scratch Fever

04. Hole in the Sky

05. Electric Funeral

Instrumental Rough Mixes

06. Hellbound *

07. Goddamn Electric *

08. Yesterday Don't Mean Shit *

09. You've Got To Belong To It *

10. Revolution Is My Name *

11. Death Rattle *

12. We'll Grind That Axe for a Long Time *

13. Uplift *

14. It Makes Them Disappear *

15. I'll Cast a Shadow *

"Reinventing The Steel: 20th Anniversary Edition" 2LP track listing:

LP One: New Terry Date Mix

Side One

01. Hellbound

02. Goddamn Electric

03. Yesterday Don't Mean Shit

04. You've Got To Belong To It

05. Revolution Is My Name

Side Two

01. Death Rattle

02. We'll Grind That Axe for a Long Time

03. Uplift

04. It Makes Them Disappear

05. I'll Cast a Shadow

LP Two: Bonus Tracks

Side One

01. Avoid the Light

02. Immortally Insane

03. Cat Scratch Fever

04. Hole In The Sky

Side Two

01. Electric Funeral

02. Goddamn Electric – Radio Mix

03. Revolution Is My Name – Radio Edit

04. I'll Cast a Shadow – Radio Edit

* previously unreleased

ELLEFSON, the solo band of MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson, 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.

ELLEFSON's music video for its cover version of the CHEAP TRICK song "Auf Wiedersehen", taken from "No Cover", is available below. The track will be released on all digital outlets on October 9.

"Auf Wiedersehen" recording lineup:

David Ellefson - Bass

Thom Hazaert - Lead Vocals

Al Jourgensen - Lead Vocals

Andy Martongelli - Guitar

Charlie Benante - Drums

Brandon Yeagley - Additional Vocals

ELLEFSON has cited some unexpected medical situations for pushing back the "No Cover" release date by more than a month. Vocalist/co-producer Thom Hazaert states: "There's no easy way to say it, but in July, right in the middle of recording the album, I had massive heart failure and went into full cardiac arrest. My heart literally stopped for several minutes, and I was revived at the hospital. There was a long recovery, but we managed to finish the record, and secure amazing deals with our friends at earMUSIC and Ward, but obviously we had to revisit our timeline a bit. And literally, maybe a month and a half later we were in Los Angeles, at Al's house, shooting the video for 'Auf Wiedersehen'. I'm just extremely humbled and thankful to be here to be able to, not only, finish this incredible record, but be able to see it released worldwide with incredible label partners, which really almost wasn't the case."

He adds: "Originally we had envisioned 'No Cover' as a smaller, limited-release 'quarantine project' we were doing for fun with a bunch of our friends, really just to not have to release our studio album during the pandemic. But as it neared completion, and we really got to see what it was turning into, we realized it was worthy of so much more. I have a long history and friendship with Max at earMUSIC, and they are an incredible label, and home to some of our favorite artists, and friends — ALICE COOPER, DEF LEPPARD, and more — and we are ecstatic to be able to partner with them for not only this release, but future ELLEFSON releases as well. Ward had already released 'Sleeping Giants' for us last year in Japan, and we had secured a deal with them for our upcoming 2021 studio album, so it was a natural fit when we went to them with the idea of partnering with us on 'No Cover'."

Adds Ellefson: "It really was a crazy, whirlwind process, not only making such an involved album so fast, but also remotely, during a pandemic, with not only dozens of guests, but the entire band, spread around the globe. And then almost losing our singer in the middle of it. But at the end of the day, it turned out better than any of us had hoped, and really was one of the most fun records I've ever made. It's been great to pull so many great and positive things out of 2020, despite all the challenges."

Produced by Ellefson and Hazaert, with additional production by guitarist Andy Martongelli and Matt LaPlant (NONPOINT, SKINDRED, LIL' JON), mixed by Alessio Garavello, and mastered by Maor Appelbaum (FAITH NO MORE), "No Cover" includes ELLEFSON-ized versions of 19 classic tracks from MOTÖRHEAD, W.A.S.P., DEF LEPPARD, CHEAP TRICK, QUEEN, JUDAS PRIEST, TWISTED SISTER, FASTWAY, FIGHT, DEAD KENNEDYS and more. Featuring cover art by Melody Myers (ALTITUDES AND ATTITUDE, ESCAPE THE FATE), an homage to the legendary DEF LEPPARD debut "On Through The Night", "No Cover" is the second release under the ELLEFSON banner, the follow-up to 2019's "Sleeping Giants", a double-disc compilation combining new tracks, with unreleased Ellefson solo and F5 material.

ELLEFSON, featuring Ellefson on bass, vocalist Thom Hazaert, guitarists Andy Martongelli and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (SONS OF APOLLO, YES, ex-GUNS N' ROSES), and drummer Paolo Caridi, are joined on the album by a who's who of legendary guests including Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX), Eddie Ojeda (TWISTED SISTER), Brandon Yeagley (CROBOT), Dirk Verbeuren (MEGADETH), Frank Hannon and Troy Lucketta (TESLA), Mark Slaughter, Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS, ex-WATCHTOWER, EVIL UNITED), Greg Handevidt (KUBLAI KHAN, ex-MEGADETH), Chuck Behler (ex-MEGADETH), Gus G., John Aquilino (ICON), Doro Pesch, Dave McClain (SACRED REICH, ex-MACHINE HEAD), Dave Alvin (WHITE TRASH), Todd Kerns (SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS, Andrew Freeman (LAST IN LINE), Jacob Bunton (Mick Mars), Al Jourgensen (MINISTRY), Russ Parrish (FIGHT), DEAD BY WEDNESDAY, and more.

Track listing:

Disc one:

01. Freewheel Burning (JUDAS PRIEST) (featuring Jason McMaster, Gus G, Andy James, Dave McClain)

02. Tear It Loose (TWISTED SISTER) (featuring Eddie Ojeda, Dave McClain)

03. Love Me Like A Reptile (MOTÖRHEAD) (featuring Doro Pesch, Greg Handevidt, Chuck Behler)

04. Holiday in Cambodia (DEAD KENNEDYS) (featuring Charlie Benante, Bumblefoot)

05. Rebel Yell (BILLY IDOL) (featuring Paolo Caridi)

06. Wasted (DEF LEPPARD) (featuring Frank Hannon, Jacob Bunton, Dave McClain)

07. Riff Raff (AC/DC) (featuring Jason McMaster, Dave Lombardo, Bumblefoot)

08. Nailed To The Gun (FIGHT) (featuring Andrew Freeman, Russ Parrish, Jimmy DeGrasso)

09. Not Fragile (BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE) (featuring John Aquilino, Paolo Caridi, Bumblefoot)

10. Auf Wiedersehen (CHEAP TRICK) (featuring Al Jourgensen, Brandon Yeagley, Charlie Benante)

Disc two:

01. L.O.V.E. Machine (W.A.S.P.) (featuring Dirk Verbeuren, Dave Alvin, Bumblefoot)

02. Love Hurts (NAZARETH) (featuring Brandon Yeagley, Chuck Behler, Tyson Leslie)

03. Eat The Rich (KROKUS) (featuring Jason McMaster, Dave Sharpe and Opus of DEAD BY WEDNESDAY)

04. Sheer Heart Attack (QUEEN) (featuring Bumblefoot, Doro Pesch, Charlie Benante)

05. Over The Mountain (OZZY OSBOURNE) (featuring Andrew Freeman, Bumblefoot, Jimmy DeGrasso)

06. Sweet FA (SWEET) (featuring Todd Kerns, Bumblefoot, Shani Kimelman)

07. Beth (KISS) (featuring Tyson Leslie, Bumblefoot)

You can pre-order now on CD, LP and cassette, or in a deluxe bundle with an exclusive t-shirt.

Ellefson says: "Before any of us started writing our own songs, we all began playing cover songs by our heroes during our formative years as musicians. So it's fun to go back in time and revisit those songs which helped us to become the artists we are today, especially when, ironically, many of those artists have now become peers and friends.

"During the process of recording some covers for B-sides and bonus tracks for the upcoming ELLEFSON solo LP, Thom and I just said, 'This is a blast. Let's just do a whole album of covers.' Literally, within two weeks, we had the songs recorded, and began calling our friends to join us, many of whom we had just performed with on the Megacruise back in October. From there, the album just fell into place."

He continues: "A lot of our buddies have been playing covers and quarantine jams on the Internet during the pandemic, so this is really just an extension of that, but we took it the next level and actually recorded a full studio album. We've been working remotely anyway, as we're all over the globe, so it was easy to incorporate some guests jumping in with some outstanding performances of their own. It's been a really fun nod to making great music with our friends, who are kick-ass players, and many legends in their own right, which is the whole reason we got into this in the first place."

Says Hazaert: "It's all songs and artists that really mutually influenced both myself and David, especially a lot of early 'metal' and harder classic rock. Some stuff I picked, some stuff he picked, but for the most part is was all artists that we both loved. What's funny, as there's a bit of an age gap, we were sometimes more influenced by different eras of the same bands. But it was really him saying, 'Let's do this song,' and me saying, 'Yes!!! And let's do this song.' And before we knew it, we had over 15 songs. And it's a lot of album tracks, deep cuts, early tracks, stuff people might not expect, which was what was so fun."

He adds: "It was also great that we were able to work in a lot of nods to David's history, getting Chuck Behler to play with us, bringing in original MEGADETH guitarist Greg Handevidt to play on 'Love Me Like A Reptile', a song they used to play in cover bands together before they moved to L.A. (which we wrote about in 'More Life With Deth'), and Randy Burns is going to mix a track or two. As a singer, these are literally bands I've listened to, and covered all my life, and for me, getting to play with Eddie Ojeda, the TESLA guys, Charlie Benante, Jason McMaster, Mark Slaughter, etc, and sing these songs that mean so much to me. I mean, literally, the entire record is my bucket list of people I'd love to play with, and some of my favorite bands. So, it's truly an honor to put together something so fun, and really as effortless as this was. It truly is a love letter to rock n' roll, an homage to what made us, musically, who we are today."

2019 saw the release of Ellefson's "More Life With Deth" memoir, co-written with Hazaert, which led to the pair collaborating on the ELLEFSON compilation release "Sleeping Giants", released as a companion album to the book. Ellefson and Hazaert followed up the release of "Sleeping Giants" with an extensive U.S. and European tour, dubbed "More Live With Deth", with HATCHET guitarist Clayton Cagle, as well as FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's Steve Conley, stepping in on second guitar in the U.S., including several now-legendary shows featuring MEGADETH alumni Chuck Behler and Chris Poland.

The European "More Live With Deth" tour saw the permanent addition of guitarist Andy Martongelli and drummer Paolo Caridi into the recording lineup, as well as the return of Bumblefoot to the fold, and ELLEFSON was born. March 2020 brought the release of the single "Simple Truth", which was premiered on SiriusXM by Eddie Trunk, followed in May by the release of their re-imagined Post Malone cover "Over Now", both of which garnered national airplay.

ELLEFSON is set to tentatively release its debut full-length studio LP in 2021.

The official music video for a new BLUE ÖYSTER CULT song called "The Alchemist" can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's latest album, "The Symbol Remains", which is being released today (Friday, October 9) via Frontiers Music Srl. Coming nearly two decades after the release of the band's last studio LP, "Curse Of The Hidden Mirror", the effort showcases a band which hasn't been slowed by the time passed but is simply unfazed by it. "The Symbol Remains" is said to be one of BLUE ÖYSTER CULT's most spirited, diverse and inspired releases to date.

"The Symbol Remains" track listing:

01. That Was Me

02. Box In My Head

03. Tainted Blood

04. Nightmare Epiphany

05. Edge Of The World

06. The Machine

07. Train True (Lennie's Song)

08. The Return Of St. Cecilia

09. Stand And Fight

10. Florida Man

11. The Alchemist

12. Secret Road

13. There's A Crime

14. Fight

As the saying goes, "good things come to those who wait," and the 14 new songs on display here embody that. Fans will be delighted with an extremely inspired album which ultimately sounds like a band looking back at their storied catalog and giving the fans a bit of everything they've ever loved about BÖC, while simultaneously continuing to evolve.

For over four decades, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT has been thrilling fans of intelligent hard rock worldwide with powerful albums loaded with classic songs. Indeed, the Long Island, New York‐based band is revered within the hard rock and heavy metal scene for its pioneering work. BLUE ÖYSTER CULT occupies a unique place in rock history because it's one of very few hard rock/heavy metal bands to earn both genuine mainstream critical acclaim as well as commercial success. Now they have partnered up with Frontiers Music Srl to continue their amazing journey.

BÖC is often cited as a major influence by other acts such as METALLICA, and BÖC was listed in VH1's countdown of the greatest hard rock bands of all time.

Upon the release of BÖC's self-titled debut album in 1972, the band was praised for its catchy-yet-heavy music and lyrics that could be provocative, terrifying, funny or ambiguous, often all in the same song. BÖC's canon contains three stone‐cold classic songs that will waft through the cosmos long after the sun has burned out: the truly haunting "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" from 1976's "Agents Of Fortune", the pummeling "Godzilla" from 1977's "Spectres" and the hypnotically melodic "Burnin' for You" from 1981's "Fire Of Unknown Origin". Other notable BÖC songs include "Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll", "Then Came The Last Days Of May", "I Love The Night", "In Thee", "Veteran Of The Psychic Wars", "Dominance And Submission", "Astronomy", "Black Blade" and "Shooting Shark".

The intense creative vision of BÖC's original core duo of vocalist/lead guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Eric Bloom are complemented by Richie Castellano on guitar and keyboards, and the longtime rhythm section of bass guitarist Danny Miranda, and drummer Jules Radino.

In a new interview with Radio.com's Ryan Castle, AC/DC guitarist Angus Young was asked if he and his bandmates would consider playing drive-in concerts or 25% capacity shows or virtual events to promote their upcoming album, "Power Up", before the coronavirus pandemic has subsided. He responded: "I think when you've had that excitement [of playing in front of packed audiences], if you had to kind of go and kind of make-do, a lot of space, I don't think it would have the same vibe. Because, really, when we've done shows, that was always the thing… Even our first time even playing in America, that was always the thing you always the best, and the same all around the world. Playing in front of people, and they were getting excited. So that's what is the best. Hopefully they come up with something quick that helps us get back to normal," he added, referring to a possible COVID-19 vaccine.

In a separate chat with Absolute Radio's Leona Graham, Angus said that the plan is for AC/DC to return to playing concerts once "a good magic cure" for the novel coronavirus has been developed. "I think everyone is waiting for it to get back to normal and then we get to test it all live, our new album," he said.

Singer Brian Johson added: "I cannot wait [to perform live again]. We had a taste of it from our rehearsals and that was enough to whet our appetite, we just started smiling and all that. If you'll excuse the pun, once we were powered up in the rehearsal room, it was just all smiles. It was great that feeling again to be together.

"Obviously, the audience is a big part of playing — it gives you the juice, y'know. It's the sixth member of the band and all of those things. It's just a great feeling."

AC/DC has just released "Shot In The Dark", the first single from "Power Up", which is due on November 13. The follow-up to 2014's "Rock Or Bust" features AC/DC's reunited lineup of Angus, Brian, 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.

Speaking about Brian, Cliff and Phil's return to AC/DC, Angus told Absolute Radio: "It was just a good idea [to come back]. We had a lot of great song ideas that [late AC/DC guitarist] Malcolm [Young] and myself had pooled together over the years. I thought, 'Ah, well, we've got a great heap of material here, so let's see who wants to be involved recording it. I was very glad everyone was happy to be onboard. So that was great."

"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.

Photo credit: Josh Cheuse

As one of the greatest hard rock bands of all time, SCORPIONS are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the first release of "Wind Of Change" by releasing an exclusive box set. "Wind Of Change: The Iconic Song" is dedicated exclusively to the power ballad written by Klaus Meine, which became the soundtrack for the end of the Cold War. Inspired by the experience of playing at the Moscow Music Peace Festival in 1989, "Wind Of Change" embodies the feeling of hope, optimism and the prospect of a better future.

A "Wind Of Change: The Iconic Song" unboxing video can be seen below.

Meine said: "When we came on stage in the Lenin Stadium and started the show with 'Blackout', all the Red Army soldiers, who function as security, threw their hats and jackets in the air, turned to us and became part of the crowd. The world was changing right in front of our eyes ... It was unbelievable."

The box set, which appears in a brick look, contains an 84-page hardcover book written by Dr. Edgar Klüsener, former editor-in-chief of Metal Hammer and close confidant of the band, who interviewed Meine exclusively for this purpose and writes about the genesis and impact of the song. It contains several pages of photographs from the band's photographer Didi Zill and from Meine's private archive, as well as the handwritten lyrics for "Wind Of Change" by Meine.

Next to the book, the box set includes a vocal and piano arrangement of "Wind Of Change" as well as a CD and 12" LP with five versions of the song: the original album version, the Berlin Philharmonic version, the Russian and Spanish and an unreleased demo version by Meine. Heart and centerpiece of the box set is a handcrafted unique piece of the Berlin Wall customized with the red "Wind Of Change" star and a handwritten lyric by Meine.

People not just in Europe but all over the world felt connected to the motif of change and the melancholy of the song. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the hunger for freedom and community was great. The sudden vacuum in Europe left a lot of room for dreams and hopes. "Wind Of Change" captured this indescribable magical mood and became the anthem to the fall of the Berlin Wall. The song continues to influence and is still meaningful now more than ever.

Meine said: "In times of COVID-19 and all the wild conspiracy theories in these extremely trying times, 'Wind of Change' is like a hug, a good friend from a time when the hope for a peaceful world seemed to be fulfilled. The dream of peace lives on in this song."

"The Iconic Song" box is hand-numbered, limited to 2020 copies and was released on the day of the 30th anniversary of German unity, October 3, 2020.

Deluxe box set includes

* 12" LP and CD

* 84-pages hardcover book with story written by Dr. Edgar Klüsener, former editor-in-chief of Metal Hammer and close confidant of the band

* Rare und exclusive photographs by Didi Zill, band photographer during that period

* Interview with Klaus Meine

* Material from Klaus Meine's private archive

* Vocal and piano arrangement

* Handcrafted unique piece of the Berlin Wall customized with the red "Wind Of Change" star and a handwritten lyric by Klaus Meine.

Track listing

CD

01. Wind Of Change (Crazy World Version)

02. Wind Of Change (Scorpions & Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Version)

03. Ветер перемен (Russian Version)

04. Viento De Cambio (Spanish Version)

05. Wind Of Change (Unreleased Demo Version by Klaus Meine)

LP

A

01. Wind Of Change (Crazy World Version)

02. Wind Of Change (Scorpions & Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Version)

B

01. Ветер Перемен (Russian Version)

02. Viento De Cambio (Spanish Version)

03. Wind Of Change (Unreleased Demo Version by Klaus Meine)

A worldwide retail version of the box will be available in an altered form in November 2020, 30 years after the release of the album "Crazy World" with an 84-page book, vocal and piano arrangement and vinyl and CD.

On October 30, THE WHO will release a new version of last year's album "Who" featuring an updated version of "Beads On One String" newly remixed by Pete Townshend and acoustic tracks from the band's only live shows of 2020.

The songs on the deluxe version of "Who" were recorded in Kingston on Valentine's Day this year exactly 50 years to the day since THE WHO's seminal show at Leeds which became the infamous live album "Live At Leeds".

The deluxe version of "Who" is preceded by "Beads On One String (Yaggerdang Remix)". Townshend says of this new version of the song: "The 'Beads On One String' remix was an adventure to try to recapture some of the subtleties of my first solo demo. I love the studio version, but this remix by Myles Clarke and myself returns to the original synthesizer demo shared with me by my co-writer Josh Hunsacker. I also play bass rather than the genius Pino Palladino (I've got some nerve) and we removed the real drums and returned to computer drum tracks programmed by my co-producer Myles Clarke. We also restored Roger's vocal track to its first incarnation which is more heartfelt. This is a gentler version of this song, less demanding perhaps, less bullying about our need to cut each other space, each on our own path. Why does it need to be more gentle than the album version? Because it must stand alone in a period when each of us is tempted to blame someone else for our troubles, maybe even God whoever we take her/him/both to be. I'm hoping it sounds less rock, and more modern indie-pop to new listeners."

"Who" 2020 deluxe CD w/ "Live At Kingston":

Disc 1 ("Who")

01. All This Music Must Fade

02. Ball and Chain

03. I Don't Wanna Get Wise

04. Detour

05. Beads On One String

06. Hero Ground Zero

07. Street Song

08. I'll Be Back

09. Break The News

10. Rockin' In Rage

11. She Rocked My World

12. Beads On One String – Yaggerdang Remix

Disc 2 ("Live At Kingston")

01. Intro

02. Substitute (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)

03. Squeeze Box (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)

04. Tattoo (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)

05. The Kids Are Alright (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)

06. Break The News (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)

07. She Rocked My World (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)

08. Won't Get Fooled Again (Acoustic - Live at Kingston)

Last December, "Who" entered the U.K. chart at position No. 3, becoming the band's highest-charting U.K. LP in 38 years.

"Who" is THE WHO's first set of new material since 2006's "Endless Wire", which debuted at No. 9 in November of that year.

STEEL PANTHER guitarist Satchel has teamed up with members of U.D.O., JADED HEART and BONFIRE to record a cover version of VAN HALEN's "Unchained" as a tribute to Eddie Van Halen, who died on Tuesday (October 6) after a long battle with cancer.

Recording lineup:

* Satchel (STEEL PANTHER) - Lead Guitar

* Dee Dammers (U.D.O., DIRKSCHNEIDER) - Rhythm Guitar

* Michael "Mülli" Müller (JADED HEART) - Bass

* André Hilgers (BONFIRE) - Drums

* Matt Jones (ex-THE TREATMENT) - Vocals

* Patrick Sühl (Victor Smolski's ALMANAC) - Backing Vocals

* Sven Dirkschneider (U.D.O., DIRKSCHNEIDER) - Backing Vocals

Dee said in a statement: "A couple of weeks ago, we started to record 'Unchained' by VAN HALEN. It is with deep sadness that we heard about passing away of Edward Lodewijk 'Eddie' Van Halen on the 6th of October 2020. Our condolences go out to the family."

The song was mixed and mastered by Manuel Cohnen at Parabol Audio.

Last year, Satchel told Music Radar about Eddie Van Halen: "Eddie influenced everybody, but especially guys that are as old as me. Of course when I heard 'Eruption' for the first time, I thought, 'Holy shit, this guy sounds amazing!' but people forget how insane his rhythm playing is. You can see 11-year-old kids playing 'Eruption' — we've had them on stage with us — but they can't play 'I'm The One'… nobody can play it quite the same. Why is that, you wonder? Because it's harder to get that feel. 'Eruption' has less time and rhythm to it.

"Ultimately, Eddie had everything down and best of all he wrote killer songs. What I love about 'Runnin' With The Devil' and a lot of the big hits is the fact they were so simple. 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love' is just an arpeggio, right? But it's such a catchy song."