Warrior Soul  is releasing a blast of a covers album called Cocaine And Other Good Stuff on Livewire/Cargo Records on November 13th. The album is preceded by the timely release of the single "Elected" on October 9th.

The album is an incendiary compilation of songs that everyone in the band, both current and previous members, had some input choosing, and it shows true honesty in the recordings, making it a fresh take on some very listenable rock jams.

Kory Clarke: "We wanted to make a record that was not about all the crap we are all living in, as it seems like a well worn path for . So, I had to think out of the box."

The album was recorded all over the western world (Edinburgh, Newcastle, Copenhagen, L.A., NYC, Chicago, Detroit, Sheffield, and Torrevieja) in home studios.

Tracklist:

"Good Times Roll" (The Cars)
"Cocaine" (J.J. Cale)
"Crosstown Traffic" (Jimi Hendrix)
"Cold Gin" (KISS)
"D.O.A." (Van Halen)
"Elected" (Alice Cooper)
"Outlaw" (Motörhead)
"Firehouse" (KISS)
"Get Down Tonight" (KC And The Sunshine Band)
"We’re An American Band" (Grand Funk Railroad)
"Living After Midnight" (Judas Priest)

The idea for a covers album started when mainman Kory Clarke  was contacted by legendary rock photographer, Alex Ruffini's brother, enquiring if Warrior Soul would record a cover of a KISS song, which was Alex Ruffini's favourite band, for a tribute in aid of Cancer Research. Warrior Soul recorded "Cold Gin". Once the band started recording, it sounded really positive and they decided to assemble a complete record of covers ranging from Motörhead to KC And The Sunshine Band.

Kory Clarke: "I contacted many of the musicians who have played with Warrior Soul recently and asked if they wanted to be part of it - everyone was very much up for it and ready to go. We called John Dryland at Livewire/Cargo Records, and he said 'Of course, go for it', the irony of recording ‘Good Times Roll’ during a global pandemic really works as you can hear the sneer of sarcasm right through every chorus!"

Warrior Soul are known for recording some electrifying covers previously including songs by Joy Division, Iggy Pop and David Bowie. Kory Clarke has performed on several compilation and tribute albums singing other acts songs but this is the first complete album of its kind from Warrior Soul.

Warrior Soul have taken their straight-ahead, honest, full-on rock n’ roll approach to these songs and encourage you to raise a glass and sterilize your tooter - cause there ain't no vaccine for this jamdemic.

Line Up:

Kory Clarke - Vocals
Dennis 'El Guapo' Post - Guitars
Adam Arling - Guitars
John Hodgson - Guitars
Christian Kimmett - Bass
Kath Edmonds - Drums
Ivan Tambac - Drums
John Besser - Drums
Geoff Yeaton - Horns, Sax




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Canadian progressive sci-fi metal innovators VOIVOD return with a much-overdue new live release. Titled "Lost Machine - Live", the album was recorded in Québec City during the worldwide touring cycle for the band's latest studio album, "The Wake", and will be released on November 27 worldwide via Century Media Records.

"Lost Machine - Live" consists of 13 tracks across 74 packed minutes of playing time by one of the best live acts in this day and age.

"Lost Machine - Live" track listing:

01. Post Society

02. Psychic Vacuum

03. Obsolete Beings

04. The Prow

05. Iconspiracy

06. Into My Hypercube

07. The End Of Dormancy

08. Overreaction

09. Always Moving

10. Fall

11. The Lost Machine

12. Astronomy Domine

13. Voivod

"Lost Machine - Live" will be available as limited CD with O-Card packaging (in its first European pressing), as digital album and as gatefold 2LP on 180-gram vinyl in the following variations and limitations:

* Black vinyl: Unlimited

* Sky Blue vinyl: 100x copies via CM Webshop Europe

* Transparent Magenta vinyl: 200x copies via CM Distro Europe

* Creamy White vinyl: 200x copies via Nuclear Blast

* Deep Blood Red vinyl: 200x copies via Band

* Neon Green vinyl: 200x copies via Band

"Lost Machine - Live" can be pre-ordered in its various editions at this location.

In order to launch the live release's pre-order, you can check out a first single/video for the track "The Lost Machine". The clip features audio recorded in Québec City (July 13, 2019), video filmed in Montréal (June 30, 2019) and material processed in Morgöth (2020). The video was directed and produced by Felipe Belalcazar of Mental Pictures.

VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin commented: "Here it is at last, the first single and video from our upcoming release 'Lost Machine - Live'. The footage used in this clip comes from a hometown show in Montreal in the summer of 2019, and the audio is from a show in Québec City two weeks later, where we recorded the entire live album. We were obviously excited to play in our province of Québec, in front of families and friends, as documented in this rendition of the song 'The Lost Machine'. The video is directed by Felipe Belalcazar, who is also working on a VOIVOD documentary. I did the art on the road across the globe last year, and it was animated by Jaan Silmberg. More to come soon, enjoy!"

The release of “Devil's Spawn Attack” marks the third and last single release before Swedish blackened death metal legends, Necrophobic, drop their new album, Dawn Of The Damned, on October 9 via Century Media Records worldwide.

“Devil's Spawn Attack” comes together with an official music directed by Henrik Hedberg and Necrophobic, which shows the band and their special guest vocalist – Destruction frontman Schmier - performing in the recording studio/s. Check it out below.

Necrophobic comment: "On our upcoming album Dawn Of The Damned we have got a very special guest appearance by Schmier of Destruction. Earlier this year when we were working on the album, we felt that one of the songs would fit this legend just about perfectly and we are grateful he accepted our invitation! He made a fantastic contribution on our song ‘Devil's Spawn Attack’ and here you can see and hear the result in form of a video of our collaboration."

Schmier has the following to add: “What a killer tune this is! I heard the song for the first time when the band asked me to check out the track, I was caught right away by the old school approach and the in your face songwriting! Killer stuff and great fun in the studio, I hope the fans will dig it as much as I did when we recorded my part in Switzerland with my buddy V.O. Pulver!“

Dawn Of The Damned, which was recorded and mixed by Fredrik Folkare (Unleashed, Firespawn, etc.) and which once again comes with artwork by Kristian “Necrolord” Wåhlin, will be available as Ltd. 2CD Mediabook & Patch, Gatefold colored & black LP with LP-Booklet & Poster, Standard CD Jewelcase and Digital album and is ready for pre-order here.

The album’s limited coloured vinyl options are as follows:

- Transp. Magenta vinyl: CM Webshop - 100x copies
- Clear vinyl: CM Distro - 200x copies
- Transp. Petrol Green vinyl: Cudgel - 200x copies
- Transp. Orange vinyl: EMP - 200x copies
- Transp. Blue vinyl: Nuclear Blast - 200x copies
- Transp. Sun Yellow vinyl: Sound Of Records - 200x copies
- Transp. Red vinyl: Band Webshop - 200x copies

Dawn Of The Damned tracklisting:

"Aphelion"
"Darkness Be My Guide"
"Mirror Black"
"Tartarian Winds"
"The Infernal Depths Of Eternity"
"Dawn Of The Damned"
"The Shadows"
"As The Fire Burns"
"The Return Of A Long Lost Soul"
"Devil's Spawn Attack"

“The Infernal Depths Of Eternity” video:

"Mirror Black" video:

Necrophobic lineup:

Anders Strokirk - vocals
Sebastian Ramstedt - lead guitars
Johan Bergebäck - rhythm guitar
Allan Lundholm - bass
Joakim Sterner - drums




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Austin, Texas based hard rock band Unveil The Strength has released their cover of Killswitch Engage's "The End Of Heartache".

The power produced in this version by Unveil The Strength lends itself to an overwhelming emotion that demands you stop whatever it is you are doing and listen. The rich vocals catch your breath; the piano intertwines a melody that pierces the heart. Unveil The Strength empowers "The End Of Heartache" as it has never been heard or experienced before. The delivery captured extends beyond the chords, the notes, and the lyrics. Once again, Unveil The Strength defines hard rock engagement solidly and profoundly. 

"This was a reimagined version of  'The End Of Heartache' originally performed by Killswitch Engage. With everything going on in 2020, performing this song just seemed appropriate. We collaborated with this amazing piano player named Sean Townsend. He actually has a YouTube channel called Chillswitch Engage and does nothing but piano versions of Killswitch songs. This song is different than what you would expect from us but that was the plan. We really wanted to show that we are not a one dimensional band. We hope the version of this song can help anyone in pain heal. No matter what it is, it's been a tough year for us all, so hold fast. If you can't find the light make a F....n blowtorch!" - Mark Wolfe of Unveil The Strength.

 




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Baltimore, Maryland doom outfit Serpents Of Secrecy - formed by members of Sixty Watt Shaman, King Giant, Foghound, Borracho, and more - presents their debut album, Ave Vindicta, confirming it for release this October 31st, Halloween, in homage to the late Rev. Jim Forrester. The band has issued the album's cover art, pre-orders, and more, and the tracks "Warbird's Song" and "The Cheat" are also available for streaming.

Several years in the making, Serpents Of Secrecy has been through overwhelming grief creating the Ave Vindicta album. Following a CD single release in 2017, bassist Rev. Jim Forrester (also of Sixty Watt Shaman, Foghound) was murdered on the streets of Baltimore. The band spread the word to help track down the killers, while dealing with their own personal loss of their dear friend, leaving the record to the side as it was just too painful to hear. Finding solace in the fact that Jim would have wanted the album to see completion and release, the band finally forged their way through and locked into the final stages of creating the record. Having completed the record in recent weeks, the band is now extremely proud of the final product and is ready to present Ave Vindicta. The album will see release on Halloween, Forrester's favorite holiday.

A massive eleven-song recording, Serpents Of Secrecy's Ave Vindicta delivers more than 52 minutes of hard rocking classic doom metal. With Rev. Jim Forrester's bass riding high in the mix, guitarist Todd Ingram (King Giant, Pimmit Hills), drummer Chuck Dukehart III (Foghound, Sixty Watt Shaman), guitarist Steve Fisher (Borracho), and vocalist Mark Lorenzo (Zekiah, Crawler) create an album as inwardly personal as it is thundering to the passing listener. The songs are clearly rooted in and fed by the fertile doom metal their hometown and surrounding area is internationally known for yielding, with an overwhelming bounty of powerful, dynamic, grooves delivered from an intensely soulful core.

Ave Vindicta was engineered by J. Robbins and Matt Redenbo and recorded and mixed by J. Robbins at Magpie Cage Studios Baltimore, Maryland (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Government Issue), with the keyboards engineered and recorded for "The Cheat" and "Dealer's Choice" by Adam Micalczu at Empire Studios in Windsor, Ontario, and mastered by Dan Coutant at Sun Room Audio in New Windsor, New York. The album is completed with cover art by Joe "Joweone" Nasatka, photography by Shane Gardner, and graphics by Bill Kole. Ave Vindicta features guest keyboards on "The Cheat" and "Dealer's Choice" by Mark Calcott and by J. Robbins on "Bleeding Still."

Stream Serpents Of Secrecy's "Warbird's Song" and "The Cheat" now via the Bandcamp audio player below.

Ave Vindicta by Serpents of Secrecy

Serpents Of Secrecy will release Ave Vindicta through their own new Moving The Earth Records on Halloween, Saturday, October 31st on CD and via all digital platforms. Find pre-orders here. Watch for new audio tracks, an official video, and more on the album to be issued in the days ahead. The cover art and tracklisting are as follows:

"Ave Vindicta"
"Heel Turn"
"The Cheat"
"Time Crushes All"
"Lament"
"Warbird's Song"
"Orphan's Dream"
"Dealer's Choice"
"Bleeding Still"
"Broke The Key" 
"In The Lock"

It was two years to the day since their brother and bandmate Rev. Jim Forrester was murdered on the streets of Baltimore, and it was the first time they had been in the same room together for almost as long. They had assembled to finish the album they had started with Jim. Everything just clicked.

"We'd often talked about getting in the jam room to figure out what we wanted to do for this solo or a vocal part or a melodic figure between verses, but it just never happened. Sometimes it was due to schedule conflicts, but I know personally it was often too painful to listen to the songs," says guitarist Todd Ingram. He adds, "I hadn't listened to the album in many, many months. I'd start to and then I just hit the stop button with my eyes welled up. I drove to the studio feeling bad. I felt I'd let my brother down by not spending hours preparing like I would do normally. But that feeling soon disappeared as everything from vocals and guitar parts were getting nailed in just one take."

"We'd look at each other and say, 'Well that's badass. No need to mess with that at all,'" offers vocalist Mark Lorenzo. Inspiration continued as Chuck Dukehart decided to add kettle drums to the instrumental track "Lament." Guitarist Steve Fisher adds, "Ideas were flowing effortlessly. I was listening to playbacks of 'Lament' and I thought, "Yeah, this needs a slide guitar track." "Steve's slide work was perfect. It really brought out the haunting quality in that piece," adds Ingram.

Lorenzo continues, "I had this idea for a preacher like call and response with Steve at the end of 'In The Lock,' and then after listening to the playback, Chuck comes up with the idea for hand claps, foot stomps, and Gospel-like background vocals. Next thing we know all four of us are doing Rev Jim Gospel hour. It was a blast. Sort of a tongue in cheek homage to our brother. We knew he'd be cracking up at the whole scene."

"At the end of that last session we knew we had finished the work in a way that would meet Jim's approval, and we couldn't help but think Jim had guided the parts... It was that effortless," reveals Ingram.

Chuck Dukehart adds, this weekend we're going to shoot a video with Shane Gardner who is also an amazing photographer. The video will encompass the last two tracks on the album, 'Broke The Key' and 'In The Lock,' so look for that to come out around the same time the album drops. We chose Jim's favorite day of the year October 31st. Ultimately this is Jim's album and he'd have wanted it that way."

(Photo by Shane Gardner)

 




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Progressive death metal squad Contrarian will release their new album, Only Time Will Tell, November 20th via Willowtip Records on CD, LP, and Digital format. Check out their second single and lyric video "Scarlet Babylon".

The "new school of old school progressive death metal" is how Contrarian is described; creating death metal that is authentically original with a natural memory and understanding of the old. Rooted in early '90s progressive death metal, but with an unrelenting forward-thinking approach. Spearheaded by guitar player Jim Tasikas, Contrarian is a group of like-minded musicians that coincidentally converged on a vision of what a modern death metal band should sound like. Organic sounding, yet aggressive and melodically complex, Contrarian is packed with snake-like riffage and atmospheric variations that will provide a wholly enticing listen to all those willing to take in its eccentricity.

Contrarian is thinking man's metal, both musically and lyrically. The band uses methods of fantasy and escapism to convey ideas involving philosophy, theology, and science. Contrarian has been on a campaign to promote thinking man’s metal for a long time. Organic and passionate playing, dignified studio recording methods that reflects an understanding of the craft competence, evolution and succession of diverse metal history over decades.

Only Time Will Tell is Contrarian's fourth studio album. Once again, a concept album that deals with the band's familiar topics of philosophy and theology. This time, the band's mascot 'the cloaked contrarian' endeavors on an adventure of time travel for redemption and love.

Tracklisting:

"In A Blink Of An Eye"
"The Final Hour"
"Beat The Clock"
"Case Closed"
"The Mega Metropolis"
"Scarlet Babylon"
"Only Time Will Tell"
"Your Days Are Numbered"

"In A Blink Of An Eye":

For further details, visit Contrarian on Facebook.

 




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In a world where finding true connection with others and meaning within your art has become a rarity, it was no coincidence when four passionate musicians quickly connected by mutual friends and soon composed what they collectively admitted to be their best and most soulful music. Taken back by the beauty of this feeling, Kallias, meaning "beauty" in Greek, was born.

The idea wasn't to start another technical, progressive, or heavy metal band. It became a vision to create a heavy cerebral experience, in listening and visualizing.

Kallias is comprised of players who are masters of their craft. Nicole Papastavrou and Zaki Ali's 8-string guitar work nods to Jeff Loomis, Mikael Akerfeldt, and Frederick Thordendall — with twisting riff progressions, charming cleans, tastefully intricate leads — all heavy with emotion. JP Andrade's undeniably precise percussion serves the music on every level, from jazz-influenced melodic sections to satisfyingly odd rhythms for the eager prog-loving ear. Beautifully woven bass lines by Chris Marrone provide an indomitable structure and embrace for each instrument — never overpowering, yet always highlighting.

For modern day prog and metal fans, Kallias can be compared to bands such as Opeth, Meshuggah, and Decapitated. The quartet holds a musical chemistry that is few and far between and that will keep you in the foreground from the beginning with bone-chilling introductions. This is by no means background music. Kallias creates their own genre for a panoramic audio experience that demands the listener's undivided attention to focus and feel.

On October 30, Kallias will release The Fourth Phase EP, which is their recorded debut. The cover art and tracklisting are as follows.

"Phos"
"Metempsychosis"
"Black Dream"
"The Fourth Phase" (Featuring Rick Graham)

"It is our pleasure to finally showcase these tracks to you all, which we worked tirelessly to compose and record over the last year," says Kallias. "Our goal was to bring an aggressive sound mixed in with progressive elements and we feel we have achieved that with this release."

Check out "The Fourth Phase" (Featuring Rick Graham) now:

The Fourth Phase (Feat. Rick Graham) by Kallias

Kallias are:

Nicole Papastavrou — guitar
Zaki Ali — guitar
John Paul Andrade — drums
Chris Marrone — bass

For further details, visit Kallias on Facebook.

 

 




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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Akkeri”:

"Drýsill":

Album teaser:

(Photo - Gaui H)

 




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Former Runaways vocalist Cherie Currie has released one of her all-time favorite songs with “What The World Needs Now Is Love”.

Watch the video below, featuring Cherie and an all-star band, all filmed separately in quarantine. Pre-save the single here; it will be released Friday, October 2. 

This timeless classic written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and originally recorded by Jackie DeShannon, exudes the hopeful message of spreading love into the world with its signature lyric: “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. No not just for some but for everyone.” A message that couldn’t ring more true in these current times.

Cherie says – “Driving back from my sister Marie’s house in Henderson, NV over July 4th weekend I was listening to the Forrest Gump soundtrack Marie had gifted me. When 'What The World Needs Now Is Love' came on; I put it on repeat to sing along. I was struck with how prevalent this song is, especially today. Right at that moment Dave Schulz called me and I shared my thoughts on the song. 'Let’s do it!' and Dave set off on making this possible. His talent as a producer and player are so obvious as to why he has had the successful career he has. Dave Schulz brought in wonderful players! Even the violinist who worked with Burt Bacharach. The final key was reaching out to my long time friend, vocalist Julie Ragins to complete the chill factor on the end of the song. My dear friend and publicist Ken Phillips was onboard from the start stating this was a timeless song in a time where what we REALLY need is love. Love created this. From our hearts to the world. Love really is the answer!”

The track was produced by keyboardist / vocalist Dave Schulz (Goo Goo Dolls, Berlin, The Sweet,  Wang Chung), who selected a few of his supremely talented A-list musician friends for the occasion. 

“During the lockdown, I have been producing an entertaining and quirky series of 'quarantine style songs / videos for my youtube channel and had randomly said to Cherie, 'Let’s do a duet!' She immediately got excited because she happened to be driving along at that exact moment... and had heard 'What The World Needs Now Is Love' (Jackie DeShannon's version of the Burt Bacharach classic) in her car and thought what a great message that would be for our times. Of course I was ecstatic at the idea. I'm a HUGE Burt Bacharach fan and couldn’t agree with her more. I immediately enlisted a few of my favorite session musicians / friends. It truly was a blast to create and I think it’s great for Cherie, especially, since it’s not something her fans will expect from her. We're so excited about it... we may even do an entire album like this!” – says Dave.

Bass - Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, John Lennon)
Drums - Randy Cooke (Ringo Starr, Dave Stewart, Five For Fighting, Colbie Caillat)
Strings - Eliza James (Burt Bacharach, Paul Anka)
Backing Vocals - Sharlotte Gibson (Nine Inch Nails, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey) and Julie Ragins (Moody Blues, Queen Latifah) 
Strings recorded by Matthew King Ross (David Foster, Barbara Streisand)  
Audio mixed and video edited by Sammy Burke 

 

 




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Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell has earned a posthumous number one single with his cover of Guns N' Roses' "Patience", reports Josh Johnson of ABC News Radio.

The song has taken the top spot on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs chart, making it the first recording from Cornell to hit number one on a Billboard ranking following his death in May 2017.

Cornell's estate released the "Patience" cover this past July, on what would've been his 56th birthday. He'd originally recorded it in 2016.

 




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Alter Bridge's Mark Tremonti played the Louder Stage with his solo band, Tremonti, at the 2018 edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival. Professionally-filmed footage of the show can be seen below.

Setlist:

"Cauterize"
"You Waste Your Time"
"Another Heart"
"My Last Mistake"
"So You're Afraid"
"Catching Fire"
"Flying Monkeys"
"Radical Change"
"Bringer Of War"
"Throw Them To The Lions"
"A Dying Machine"
"Wish You Well"




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Palace, the brainchild of Swedish vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Michael Palace, returns on December 4 with the new melodic rock album, Rock And Roll Radio.

Nostalgia paints everything in brighter colors and Palace delivers 80's AOR/melodic rock exactly the way we remember it. With dreamy keyboards, layers and layers of soaring guitars, big drums and thundering bass, Rock And Roll Radio will put you right in the front seat of a fast Italian sports car, as you cruise down the neon streets of memory lane. Fans can get their first taste of music with the new single and video, "Way Up Here". Watch the clip below.

"This is an uplifting tune that I wrote with Oscar Bromvall that is guaranteed to brighten up your day! The video was shot by Anders Roos at Quality Hotel Globe, who were generous enough to provide this stellar location with a beautiful view of Stockholm city," says Michael.
 
Pre-order/save Rock And Roll Radio here.

Rock And Roll Radio marks the beginning of a new journey for Palace and the new album is a huge milestone in his career as a producer.

"Since the release of Binary Music, I've been putting in hundreds of hours in the studio honing my craft and building up the courage to become a full time music producer. Rock And Roll Radio is the first rock album that I've fully produced, mixed, and mastered and I'm incredibly excited for everyone to hear what that sounds like," explains Michael.

Michael Palace has been featured on many releases in different capacities the past couple of years. Some of his songwriting, guitar playing, and singing can be heard throughout an ever growing selection of rock classics by acts like Angelica, Crazy Lixx, Find Me, Creye, Platforms, Hank Erix, Jim Jidhed, and many more. Michael Palace first began collaborating with Frontiers as a songwriter and guitarist for First Signal, which of course features legendary Harem Scarem vocalist Harry Hess, Cry of Dawn featuring Goran Edman, Kryptonite featuring The Poodles vocalist Jakob Samuel, and Pride Of Lions vocalist Toby Hitchcock. These successful (and musically delightful) collaborations led to a worldwide record deal with Frontiers where Michael was given the opportunity to realize his lifelong dream and make the AOR albums he always dreamed of.

"Working with Frontiers has literally changed my life and I'm so grateful for all the opportunities they keep providing for me to grow as a person and a musician," concludes Palace.

Tracklisting:

"Rock And Roll Radio"
"Castaway"
"Way Up Here"
"Cold Ones"
"Eleonora"
"Hot Steel"
"My Gray Cloud"
"Origin Of Love"
"She's So Original"
"Strictly By The Rules"
"When It's Over"
"Fight"

"Way Up Here" video:

Lineup:

Michael Palace - everything
Oscar Bromvall - lead guitar on "Hot Steel"
Jordan Cox - backing vocals on "Castaway"




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In celebration of the group’s 10th anniversary, M-Theory Audio will reissue Woven, the debut full-length by American pagan metal band, Helsott.

Due November 13, the album - which features striking fantasy artwork by Felipe Machado Franco (Iced Earth, Blind Guardian) - has been newly remixed and remastered by J-F Dagenais (Kataklysm, Misery Index).

A limited-edition, 180-gram white wax pressing of 200 hand-numbered copies will mark the album's first-ever vinyl release. The CD, meanwhile, will include the band’s 2012 debut EP Fólkvangr - which has also been remixed and remastered by Dagenais - as bonus tracks.

Both formats of Woven are available now for pre-order here. Digital pre-orders, meanwhile, include an instant download of the song (and newly-released digital single) “Agamemnon”, a music video for which can be seen below:

Since their formation, the California-based Helsott – whose name means “fatal illness” in Old Norse – has paid homage to pagan cultures and mythologies while keeping true to their American influences. The group's unique mix of folk metal, death metal, symphonic metal, thrash, classical and rock first caught the attention of audiences on a large scale during the 2013 Paganfest North American tour, where they performed with Ensiferum, Tyr and Trollfest. That tour set the stage for the 2014 release of Woven, which was supported with tours alongside Arkona and Heidevolk.

"Woven sonically reveals our lives at the time – the ups and downs, thrills and chills,” says drummer Cooper Dustman of the band's formative work. “A dance between beauty and brutality make this a true staple to a sound that represents our journey in metal music."

While the original songs contained on Woven were powerful musical statements in their own rights, the newly remixed and remastered version of the record breathes new life and reinvigorated strength into the band's already-stellar work.

"Woven is a collection of songs written during a dark time in my life,” says guitarist Mark Dow. “It was, at that time, my escape from all of that nonsense. I am very happy to finally present it in the way it's meant to be heard thanks to J-F."

Dagenais also helped provide a new sonic experience for the group's 2012 debut EP Fólkvangr,”available as bonus tracks on the CD reissue of Woven. The same songs will also be offered with the vinyl release as digital bonus tracks accessible via a download code.

“It was a pleasure to re-mix and give a facelift to Helsott’s first album, Woven,” states J-F Dagenais “This record is full of heart and soul from start to finish, definitely worth checking out!”

"Woven is one of my best achievements in my life,” adds vocalist Eric Dow. “With this reissue, we included our 2012 EP Fólkvangr, which has also been remixed and mastered by J-F. Now every song in our catalog has been mixed and mastered by J-F and released by M-Theory Audio. I couldn't be happier about that!"

In the years since the original release of Woven, Helsott has released an EP (2017’s The Healer) and a second full-length (2018’s Slaves And Gods) and logged many touring miles worldwide with artists including Korpiklaani, I Am Morbid, Necrophagia, Tengger Cavalry, Ashes Of Ares, Felix Martin, Arkona, Skyforger and Finsterforst. In addition, the band has performed at major European festivals such as Wacken Open Air and Cernunnos Pagan Fest. The group is currently working on a new album, which they hope to release in 2021.




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Lost Symphony,  the classical-metal ensemble headed up by multi-instrumentalist and producer Benny Goodman with a host of accomplish guest musicians, has released the third single from their upcoming Chapter II album, a track entitled “A Murder Of Crows”, inspired by the memory of late guitarist Oli Herbert, who was an early contributor to Lost Symphony.

During the funeral for the All That Remains guitarist nearly two years ago, a group of crows were said to have collective above the gathering. “It was often thought that a large group of crows decided the outcome of other birds,” Goodman says. “A large gathering is called a murder of crows and was often an omen of bad things to come.”

“A Murder Of Crows” features guest appearances by guitarist Jon Donais (Anthrax, Shadows Fall) and Jimi Bell (Autograph, House Of Lords).

"Working with Lost Symphony was such a blast for me,” says Donais, “It's an honor to play on a project with some of the best heavy metal and rock guitarists out there. This is a must for anyone who loves shred guitar!"

Lost Symphony was set in motion when Benny Goodman invited guitarists Kelly Kereliuk and Conrad Simon to add another dimension to the classical demo he had composed. An early recording of “Leave Well Enough Alone,” which appears on Chapter II, made its way to All That Remains co-founder and guitar hero Oli Herbert, who quickly jumped aboard as a chief collaborator. Upon arrival, Chapter I immediately received widespread critical acclaim.

Chapter II pre-orders are available here.

Chapter II tracklisting:

"The World Is Over" (feat. Marty Friedman & Jeff Loomis)
"Leave Well Enough Alone" (feat. Jason Costa & Conrad Simon)
"Negation Delirium" (feat. Oli Herbert, Joey Concepcion & Jimi Bell)
"No Exit" (feat. David Ellefson, Jeff Loomis & Jimi Bell)
"The Garden Of Earthly Delights" (feat. Oli Herbert, David Abbruzzese, Rusty Cooley, Jimi Bell, Joey Concepcion, Matt LaPierre & Conrad Simon)
"Conflagration" (feat. Oli Herbert, Matt LaPierre & Conrad Simon)
"A Murder Of Crows" (feat. Jon Donias, Matt Bachand & Jimi Bell)
"The Long Wait For The End" (feat. Oli Herbert, Conrad Simon & Matt LaPierre)

"No Exit" video:

"Conflagration":

(Photo - Eric Snyder)




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TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick says it is "more urgent than ever" to vote President Donald Trump out of office in November.

The 51-year-old guitarist expressed his views while sharing a photo of him wearing a shirt promoting NerdsVote, a group of notable nerds linking cosplayers, gamers, pop culture fans, and nerds of all kinds to voter registration opportunities.

Skonlick wrote: "Thank you @nerdsvote for the cool t-shirt!

"If you hate thoughts on politics, please read no further (it's on you if you choose otherwise)

"There's a Presidential election coming up, not sure if you've heard? (I'm kidding. That shouldn't have to be spelled out, but here we are).

"I've been relatively quite considering the fires that are going on (literally & figuratively), doing 90%+ music-related, non-political posts. Yet that's still too much for some, so a warning: A few more such posts may be coming between now & the election.

"A common complaint by characters such as the ever-ranting Don Jr: 'These entertainer types are trying to tell us how to think!!' (Hey @donaldjtrumpjr: Stop being a f-cking snowflake). No one is telling you how to think. It's more like this 'Here's how I feel based on real world thoughts & experiences, not someone yelling on TV. If it's not asking too much may you consider a different point of view?' Let's stop the name calling & accusations that so many do.

"Honest question: Are you 'conservative' and afraid of 'radical' ideas? Well here's the most radical concept there is: Refusing to commit to a peaceful transfer of power in the event of an election loss. That is RADICAL & HATEFUL OF AMERICA. Those who agree with me on this include more conservative/pro-2nd Amendment folks crossing party lines (at least on the top of the ticket, for POTUS) than ever before in history.

"Imagine if things were reversed? Suppose you had this many Democrat-leaning folks running for the hills from the current Dem POTUS, 99.9% of the Dem party in fear of saying anything our Prez might not agree with for fear of an angry tweet storm & riled up constituents?? If that were the case, I promise you I'd be proudly voting Republican this one time. Yet this IS what's happening, only the other way around. Therefore I believe it's more urgent than ever we vote out the one who expresses that view & not vote for anyone who supports him.

"Please don't give me a 'But...' 'What about...' 'It's BOTH sides' No. No no no. Just no If you use an out of context quote to make a point, you have no point. Ok.

"Rant over. So: ARE YOU REGISTERED 2 #VOTE? @nerdsvote can help!"

Skolnick has made no secret of his political views, frequently tweeting against Trump's policies, including the current administration's handling of the outbreak of of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus first observed in China. In March, the guitarist blasted Trump for not being able to "convey a sense of reassurance during a time of emergency."

TESTAMENT's latest album, "Titans Of Creation", was released in April via Nuclear Blast.




Ah! Hadn’t even seen this yet. Here we go. It’s rage-reply, hate-comment time WEEEEEEEEEEEE! ? https://t.co/v0uoE0L8oe

— Alex Skolnick (@AlexSkolnick) September 25, 2020








Sick burn, Bro! So original ? ? https://t.co/YhAotsajeq

— Alex Skolnick (@AlexSkolnick) September 25, 2020








Blabbermouth loves posting headlines that look like the musician just offered up a statement unprompted. Well, I guess that’s one way to get readers.

— Blake Sparkes (@TreeSalmon) September 25, 2020








Blabbershite has always been a tabloid gossip site. Why the fuck people still give it clicks is beyond me.

— Jeff Rankin (@JeffRankinPhoto) September 25, 2020




























View this post on Instagram


































Thank you @nerdsvote for the cool t-shirt! If you hate thoughts on politics, please read no further (it's on you if you choose otherwise) _** There's a Presidential election coming up, not sure if you've heard? (I'm kidding. That shouldn't have to be spelled out, but here we are). I've been relatively quite considering the fires that are going on (literally & figuratively), doing 90%+ music-related, non-political posts. Yet that's still too much for some, so a warning: A few more such posts may be coming between now & the election. A common complaint by characters such as the ever-ranting Don Jr: “These entertainer types are trying to tell us how to think!!” (Hey @donaldjtrumpjr: Stop being a f-cking snowflake).No one is telling you how to think. It's more like this “Here's how I feel based on real world thoughts & experiences, not someone yelling on TV. If it's not asking too much may you consider a different point of view?” Let's stop the name calling & accusations that so many do. Honest question: Are you “conservative” and afraid of “radical” ideas? Well here's the most radical concept there is: Refusing to commit to a peaceful transfer of power in the event of an election loss. That is RADICAL & HATEFUL OF AMERICA. Those who agree with me on this include more conservative/pro-2nd Amendment folks crossing party lines (at least on the top of the ticket, for POTUS) than ever before in history. Imagine if things were reversed? Suppose you had this many Democrat-leaning folks running for the hills from the current Dem POTUS, 99.9% of the Dem party in fear of saying anything our Prez might not agree with for fear of an angry tweet storm & riled up constituents?? If that were the case, I promise you I'd be proudly voting Republican this one time. Yet this IS what's happening, only the other way around. Therefore I believe it's more urgent than ever we vote out the one who expresses that view & not vote for anyone who supports him. Please don't give me a “But...” “What about...” “It's BOTH sides” No. No no no. Just no If you use an out of context quote to make a point, you have no point. Ok. Rant over? So: ARE YOU REGISTERED 2 #VOTE? @nerdsvote can help!

A post shared by Alex Skolnick (@alexskolnick) on Sep 25, 2020 at 9:42am PDT

Napalm Death released their new album, Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism, on September 18 via Century Media Records. The album has landed on the following international sales charts:

Germany: #18
Austria: #37       
Switzerland: #26
Finland: #35
Belgium: #88
Spain: #78
France: #120
UK (Rock Chart): #3

US chart positions:

#5 - Top New Artist Albums
#6 - Current Hard Music Albums
#14 - Current Rock Albums
#41 - Top Current Albums
#48 - Current Digital Albums
#57 - Digital Albums
#58 - Billboard Top Albums

Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism was again recorded with longtime producer Russ Russell and features artwork by Frode Sylthe.

Order the album in various formats here.

Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism tracklisting:

"Fuck The Factoid"
"Backlash Just Because"
"That Curse Of Being In Thrall"
"Contagion"
"Joie De Ne Pas Vivre"
"Invigorating Clutch"
"Zero Gravitas Chamber"
"Fluxing Of The Muscle"
"Amoral"
"Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism"
"Acting In Gouged Faith"
"A Bellyful Of Salt And Spleen"

“A Bellyful Of Salt And Spleen” video:

“Amoral” video:

“Backlash Just Because” lyric video:

Napalm Death lineup:

Shane Embury - Bass reverberations, barks and moans, noise-testing everyday objects
Mark ‘Barney’ Greenway - Bawling, shrieking, intermittent baritone
Danny Herrera - Turbulent beat throes

(Photo - Gobinder Jhitta)




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Joe Satriani has released the new video below, along with the following message:

"My good friend Phil Campbell asked if he could play over 'Littleworth Lane'. I told him what the song was about, what it meant to me, and how happy I was that he picked that track. Major key ballads are the hardest to perform. You’ve got to dig deep and not be afraid to get emotional. All the good stuff comes when your guard is down and you play from the heart."

"At the heart of it is my love for composing unique and moving music for the electric guitar. I love the journey as much as the end result. With this compilation of backing tracks you get to peak behind the curtain a bit and experience that journey as I built the songs in the studio. And, of course, you can play along!" - Joe Satriani

Stripped x Three features full backing tracks from the complete Shapeshifting, Black Swans And Wormhole Wizards and"Is There Love in Space? albums, a special digital compilation booklet with original liner notes and credits and it is all packaged within a replica Joe Satriani Ibanez signature guitar USB stick and custom case. Pre-order here.

Satriani on Stripped x Three: "This collection represents three albums of backing tracks released years apart from each other spanning 16 years: Is There Love In Space? from 2004, Black Swans And Wormhole Wizards from 2010, and 2020's Shapeshifting. Three remarkably different albums recorded and mixed in remarkably different locations. At the heart of it is my love for composing unique and moving music for the electric guitar. Each album project I undertake pushes me to discover new ways to write , play, produce and record. I love the journey as much as the end result. With this compilation of backing tracks you get to peak behind the curtain a bit and experience that journey as I built the songs in the studio. And, of course, you can play along!"




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As the Earth of 2020 continues to revolve in a puzzling singularity, three of the world's most powerful men have harnessed their collective capabilities for nuclear and musical power into a quest for world peace. On October 30, this trio of explosive musicians/personalities will unleash their debut EP, A Clear And Present Rager. The trio took time away from their duties of state to film several music videos, the first of which can be seen below.

It's not fake news, pre-orders are available here.

A Clear And Present Rager was recorded in Denver, Colorado by Dave Otero at Flatline Audio. "Frankly, a lot of power trio recordings are just pathetic. We thought about records we all liked sonically and kept coming back to 'Cattle Decapitation', so it was terrific that Dave had us all out to beautiful Colorado to golf and record," stated Donald.

Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un are certainly uncommon names when discussing potential supergroups, but in keeping on the surreal path of the ever-distorting world, they were destined to come together. The groundwork for several songs emerged from a single session, with cabinet members who heard the demos remarking that after listening they felt immediately more centered and ready to navigate the world. Donald, Vlad, and Kim's efficiency working together spoke volumes to the value of utilizing a musical platform in place of a political one to invoke real change.

When asked about the group's audacious goal of peace through music, Vladimir said, "Everything will probably never be good for people, but we have to try, because I truly believe in the power of music. Do you see my heart?" Vladimir was shirtless, on one of his majestic white horses, tapping a finger to his chest. "I play from here."

Tracklisting:

"A Clear And Present Rager"
"Grab 'Em By The Pyongyang"
"The Fusion Collusion"
"Ukraine In The Membrane"
"Mutually Assured Seduction"

The EP's October release is set immediately before the United States presidential elections, a timely moment to catalyze a bold and conscientious path towards world peace. Our world has seen more than enough conflict. If there's a chance at unity, if there's a chance to turn gnarly riffage into a better society, then it's a chance that must be taken. These three leaders are no strangers to stopping at nothing to get what they want - and they want peace. The unknown future rolls toward us, but we face it, for the first time, with a sense of hope. If these three men, these world leaders of differing views and morals, can learn the value of a peaceful existence on Earth through music, maybe we can too.

Hellfrost And Fire are proud to announce their signing to Transcending Obscurity Records, who will be releasing their debut album, Fire, Frost And Hell, in early 2021. The lineup consists of Dave Ingram (Benediction, ex-Bolt Thrower, Down Among The Dead Men, Echelon, Ursinne) on vocals, Rick Dennis (Gath) on guitars/bass, Travis Ruvo (Cropsy Maniac, Echelon) on drums, and features solos performed by Scott Fairfax (Memoriam UK, As The World Dies).

Here’s a message from Dave about the project: “Tom G called... he wants his ‘UH!’ back. Well, I suppose that’s one way of describing the Hellfrost And Fire sound. I have been a lifelong fan of Tom’s work and when the opportunity to emulate something that means SO much to me, and influenced me to start working in music... it was something not to be missed.

"The debut HF&F is a lyrical concept album, about a fictional realm called Meridian. Try and imagine Game Of Thrones meets Celtic Frost, with some Hellhammer in there too. We didn’t want a polished production, but something that had the feel of those old tape trading days, but with the necessary clarity. And fear not, Jonny Pettersson did a sterling job in that department. We’re over the moon to be a part of the Transcending Obscurity family, and I personally look forward to working with Kunal and the TOR team once more."

Stay tuned for updates.

Newly formed melodic death metal unit, Hiraes, has signed a worldwide deal with Napalm Records and Napalm Events.

The German-based formation combines the full force of all four instrumentalists from Dawn Of Disease (Lukas Kerk, Oliver Kirchner, Christian Wösten and Mathias Blässe) with the powerful Britta Görtz (Critical Mess, ex-Cripper) on vocal duties to create an exciting new melodic death emergence.

The five-piece established its own remarkable identity built upon a smashing femme vocal attack, intense melodies and charging guitars, led by guitarist Lukas Kerk as main songwriter. After releasing records and touring heavily for years with former projects, every member enhances this promising collaboration with its collective potent experiences.

Currently Hiraes are working on their debut album, which will be a mandatory purchase for fans of Insomnium, At The Gates, Arch Enemy and Amon Amarth. More to be announced soon.

Hiraes on the signing: “We are very happy about the signing with Napalm and are looking forward to future cooperation. With Napalm Records and Napalm Events, we have two strong partners at our side, supporting us to take Hiraes out into the world. Being able to present our music to all the metalheads out there makes us more than proud! At the moment we are working hard on our debut album, which will be released next year. We can't wait to present you the first single and hopefully start touring soon! Stay tuned!“

Hiraes are:

Britta Görtz - vocals
Lukas Kerk - guitars
Oliver Kirchner - guitars
Christian Wösten - bass
Mathias Blässe - drums

(Photo - Lisa Ulferts)

It has been a long time since it was available – now the 2000 Theatre Of Tragedy release with singer Liv Kristine called Musique will be in stores again and for the first time ever on vinyl (including a bonus album in a previously unreleased version with a revamped tracklist and two different tracks). This record will be released on December 4, 2020 via AFM Records.

Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Amaranthe, Pretty Maids) has been bestowed with the remastering of this unique album, in which he outstandingly succeeded: He made the songs sound way more modern and fresh. With Musique, the Norwegian Gothic-metal pioneers have incorporated new industrial elements and brought their songwriting to yet another level.

Get this exceptional record as 2CD Digipak or 2LP in blue color or as white/blue splatter exclusively at the AFM label store  (both including bonus tracks and additionally as previously unreleased album version).

LP tracklisting:

Side A
“Machine”
“City Of Light”
“Fragment”
“Musique”
“Commute”
“Image”

Side B
“Radio”
“Crash/Concrete”
“Retrospect”
“Reverie”
“Space Age”
“Image” (French Version / Bonus Track)

Side C (Bonus Tracks)
“Fragment”
“Machine”
“City Of Light”
“Reverie”
“Radio”

Side D (Bonus Tracks)
“Commute”
“Retrospect”
“Quirk”
“Crash/Concrete”
“The New Man”




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The second instalment of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's greatest-hits collection, "A Decade Of Destruction - Volume 2", will be released on digital and CD formats October 9, with a two-LP set arriving on November 20 via Better Noise Music.

"A Decade Of Destruction - Volume 2" includes four previously unreleased tracks: "Broken World", a Steve Aoki remix of "Bad Company", a Joe Hahn remix of "Wash It All Away", a Felmax remix of "Trouble" and a new acoustic version of "Wrong Side Of Heaven", which can be streamed below.

"A Decade Of Destruction - Volume 2" track listing

01. Blue On Black [taken from "And Justice For None"]

02. The Tragic Truth [taken from "American Capitalist"]

03. Broken World [previously unreleased]**

04. I Refuse [taken from "And Justice For None"]

05. The Pride [taken from "American Capitalist"]

06. Hard To See [taken from "War Is The Answer"]

07. When The Seasons Change [taken from "And Justice For None"]

08. Cradle To The Grave [taken from "The Wrong Side Of Heaven, Vol. 2"]

09. Sham Pain [taken from "And Justice For None"]

10. M.I.N.E. (End This Way) [taken from "The Wrong Side Of Heaven, Vol. 1"]

11. Hell To Pay [taken from "Got Your Six"]

12. Never Enough [taken from "The Way Of The Fist"]

13. Walk Away [taken from "War Is The Answer"]

14. Wrong Side Of Heaven (new acoustic version – original version taken from "Wrong Side Of Heaven, Vol. 1")**

15. Trouble (Felmax Remix) [original version taken from "And Justice For None"]

16. Wash It All Away (Joe Hahn Remix) [original version taken from "Got Your Six")**

17. Bad Company (The Five Finger Dim Mak Steve Aoki Remix) [original version taken from "War Is The Answer"]**

** Previously unavailable

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's latest album, "F8", was released in February. The follow-up to 2018's "And Justice For None" capped a turbulent period for FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in which singer Ivan Moody finally got sober after a near-fatal struggle with addiction, while co-founding drummer Jeremy Spencer bowed out of the band due to physical issues.

Much of "F8"'s lyrical content deals with Moody's battle with addiction, its aftermath and his recovery. The singer celebrated two years of sobriety in March.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's new disc was once again helmed by Kevin Churko, the Canadian record producer/engineer and songwriter who currently lives in Las Vegas, where he works out of his private studio, The Hideout Recording Studio. The drums on the LP were laid down by Charlie "The Engine" Engen, who made his live debut with the group during its fall 2018 tour with BREAKING BENJAMIN.

In an interview with Berlin, Germany's Star FM, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory spoke about the inspiration for the title of "F8". He said: "Originally, we were just gonna call it '8', sort of. We thought it's the eighth record, and if you wanted to be esoteric about it, we figured, well, if you turn the '8' sideways, it's the symbol of infinity. There was some play with the visuals. I do most of the design and the graphics for the merch in the band in general… So, I was playing around with the graphics and I thought it maybe needs a bit more. And we were bouncing around ideas, and we added the letter 'F.' So it was, like, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's eighth record. At the same time, if you want to read it phonetically, it could be 'fate.'"

Bathory told The Pulse Of Radio the band felt a different kind of vibe when it finally got into the studio to make "F8". "After eight records, I don't think we have to say, 'Well, we are here to stay,'" he said. "But there was this image of getting into the studio and 'Let's light this on fire.' This was this different sort of power, this different sort of energy that was driving us."

Releasing their debut album, Luggage Falling Down, this past April, Los Angeles' Lufeh (a band of both Brazilian and American musicians) have been sharing a series of music videos for each individual track from the full-length over the last few months to showcase their blend of progressive rock injected with jazz styles, heavy metal foundations, and rhythmic Brazilian influences.

Today, the band shares video of them performing the new album, Luggage Falling Down, in its entirety. The live album performance was recorded at The Rose, Pasadena, CA on January 21st.

Lufeh's debut album was a trying, yet successful first recording for these recently banded musicians who lived together for two weeks throughout the process. Having lost the original singer a month before recording began, the intrepid bunch found hope with Dennis Atlas who fell in step with the rest of the band immediately. This bond between the members can be heard on the new record along with the series of videos that the band has released in support of it.

The band comments on the album: "The album is both melodic and highly energetic and aggressive. With a strong foundation in jazz and classical musicality, the band brings a metal edge to a unique melodic story. These metal warriors have become tycoons of song structure and, throughout the album, display highly refined expertise in making music that is captivating to listen to, addictively technical, and uplifting."

For fans of Dream Theater, Incubus, and Haken, Lufeh is smooth and rhythmic progressive metal; heavy chords followed by light melodies and the occasional crazy guitar solo. Luggage Falling Down is available for stream and download on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music.




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MEGADETH's David Ellefson recently spoke to SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser and bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. as part the weekly "SepulQuarta" Internet series. You can watch the chat below.

Speaking about MEGADETH's approach to making the follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia" LP, Ellefson said: "We were scheduled to be in working on a new MEGADETH album. We've been writing it now for, like, three years — we've been taking our time with it.

"One of the things Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH mainman] said, he goes, 'We just go in. We write. We record it. And then we just put it out, and we're back on tour.' And he said, he goes, 'One of the things I wanna do is just really take the time to sit back and listen to stuff,' like we used to do in the old days.

"Those early MEGADETH songs — 'Peace Sells' maybe being one of the exceptions, where it really kind of wrote itself right away," the bassist continued. "'Symphony Of Destruction', 'Sweating Bullets' — some of these songs wrote themselves… And it's funny, they're some of our biggest hits — you know, they just fall out of the rehearsal room; they just happen. And then there's other ones that there's an idea, and then you put it away, and a week later, you pull it out and you tweak the bridge or you add another riff. And a lot of the MEGADETH stuff is like that.

"To take that same approach with this record, of just having it be something that's more of always a work in progress has been good. And I think the songs are terrific. Dirk [Verbeuren, drums] and I ended up going down to Nashville back in May and early June to record bass and drums. And I've gotta tell you, man — Dirk is just crushing it."

A few days ago, Mustaine told Q104.3 New York's "Out Of The Box With Jonathan Clarke" that MEGADETH was "in the process" of recording guitar solos for the new album. "Kiko Loureiro [guitar] is at the studio with me, and we're done with all the bass and drums and almost done with all of the rhythms," he said. "We've still got little punch-ins we need to do here and there, and then it's off into singing and solo land. And then probably the last thing, which is always my favorite thing, is the ear candy."

Mustaine recently told SiriusXM's Jose Mangin that the upcoming MEGADETH album will be "up there with 'Countdown [To Extinction]', 'Rust In Peace' and probably 'Peace Sells' and 'Dystopia'."

The effort will be MEGADETH's first to feature Verbeuren (ex-SOILWORK), who joined the band four years ago.

The early sessions for the LP took place last year with co-producer Chris Rakestraw, who previously worked on "Dystopia".

Loureiro made his recording debut with MEGADETH on "Dystopia", whose title track was honored in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 2017 Grammy Awards.

As previously reported, MEGADETH's North American tour with LAMB OF GOD, TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES has been rescheduled for 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

JUDAS PRIEST's Rob Halford says that he already knows which songs he would want to perform with Lady Gaga if he was to ever share the stage with the pop superstar.

"I would definitely do 'Born This Way' because that's our anthem," he told People, referring to the LGBTQ community. "As far as PRIEST songs go, I think I'd like to do 'Breaking The Law' with her because it talks about the frustration that we go through, particularly as young people. 'You don't know what it's like, you haven't got a clue. You'd do the same thing too. Breaking the law.'"

Halford told People that he "instantly knew" Lady Gaga "was going to be gigantic as an artist" when he first discovered her music. "I became a big fan of everything that she's done and that's because I love all kinds of music," he said. "She's the best at what she does."

Halford also recalled the time she met Lady Gaga when he showed up — with mutual friend Lady Starlight — to the pop singer's 2014 "ArtRave" tour in San Diego as a surprise.

"When Gaga started her performance, me and Starlight snuck out into the audience," he recalled. "I was clapping and hooting and hollering like fans, and Gaga's making her way out to them and then she sees us, and she literally falls to her knees and crumbles onto the floor. And Starlight's digging me in the ribs going, 'See, I knew she'd be happy that you were here.'"

Rob added: "She's so pure, she's so in touch with herself as a person, and the great, great, great, great things that she's done for the LGBTQ community."

Back in May 2015, Halford revealed to Yahoo! Music that during one of the London gigs on JUDAS PRIEST's "Epitaph" tour, Gaga was planning to appear as a special guest. "Gaga called and said, 'Can I get on the back of Rob's bike when he comes out and we'll do 'Hell Bent For Leather'?" he said. "I was like, 'Oh my God! Diva moment. Please let this happen!' But she couldn't do it. She ended up doing a shoot in Omaha, Nebraska, that took a week." He added: "If that isn't a nice affirmation that someone with extraordinary talent that isn't metal can still gravitate to the metal experience, I don't know what is."

Lady Gaga previously spoke about her love for IRON MAIDEN and BLACK SABBATH, calling the experience of seeing MAIDEN for the first time a "life-changing" event. The singer also appeared in photos with Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Alice Cooper and ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante.

Lady Gaga sang the song "Moth Into Flame" with METALLICA at the 59th annual Grammy Awards in 2017 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

John Dolmayan has expressed in more detail his reasons for voicing his controversial political views that are ideologically opposed to those of SYSTEM OF A DOWN's lead singer, Serj Tankian.

The drummer, who has praised Donald Trump in recent months and has accused Democrats of "demonizing" the president and "blaming him for everything under the sun," discussed his increased outspokenness on political issues during a brand new appearance on the "Deviant Gentlemen" podcast.

Before delving into the motivation behind his inflammatory social media posts, Dolmayan explained that his connection to Tankian goes further than just that of two bandmates. "We're also brother-in-laws," he said (see video below). "We're married to two sisters. He married the older sister, and I married the younger sister. By coincidence, of course — we didn't plan it that way."

According to Dolmayan, his perspective on the political landscape is not as rigid as it sometimes may appear.

"I have a very open mind about things," he claimed. "I don't think it comes off that way always on my Instagram posts, because usually when I'm posting that, it's in the heat of the moment — something has upset me. And at the end of the day, these are my opinions."

As for why he would go out of his way to share things on social media that seem to be directly opposed to the views expressed by Tankian, John said: "One of the reasons why I put up these posts is because SYSTEM OF A DOWN has a legacy of being left-leaning, which isn't always the case. Serj, of course, is responsible for the lyrics, but they didn't always represent the band in the way that we maybe wanted [them] to. There's four individuals in the band. I don't speak for any of the individuals except for myself, and neither does Serj. But because he had that platform of writing lyrics, the perception was out there that that's how the band felt at all times, where I don't even think Serj necessarily felt those ways at all times. You're supposed to have diversity of opinion even within your own mind, and you should judge things based on information that's presented to you.

"A lot of those lyrics I did agree with at that time — for example, reforming the prison system," he continued. "Some things Trump has actually done. I just don't believe it's quite as 'black and white' as we're led to believe it is, that if you don't have an open mind about things and if you don't delve into the reasons things are happening and kind of discover things for yourselves, and you just say 'Okay, I'm a Republican' or 'I'm a Democrat, and that's what I'm gonna be for the rest of my life,' you're doing yourself a disservice.

"One of the main reasons and primary reasons I get myself into a lot of trouble and do myself no favors by posting the things I post, because they're not popular views, but one of the reasons I do it is because if you're a SYSTEM fan, and you enjoy the music, you enjoy some of the lyrics… And by the way, only about 12 percent or less of our music is political in origin anyway… There's a lot of lyrics that are social, they're about love interests, they're about your life, they're about calamities that take place, and some of them are just fantasy," he said. "And a lot of that stuff is taken out of context as well. But if you're a SYSTEM fan and you gravitate towards the music, you enjoy the music, but you don't necessarily agree with the perceived message, well, where do you go? If you think that Serj is the mouthpiece of the band, which he is, as far as vocally, but not necessarily for idealogy, then you have nowhere to go. So I wanted to present a different view and to give kids out there who think differently and who are critical thinkers, not necessarily following the norm, that there is a different option, you can think differently, it's okay to have diversity of opinion, as long as it's done peaceably."

Dolmayan went on to reiterate that he supports other people's right to voice their views, even if they are completely different from his own.

"I have no problems with Black Lives Matter and Antifa if they did it peaceably," he explained. "It's the violent component [that I have an issue with]. And also the agenda, I believe, is Marxist.

"As much as I don't like the Marxist agenda and communism and socialism in general, because they don't work, and I love America and I want America to be successful for everybody, to have the ability to succeed in it, I will never oppose their right to voice their opinion, because I believe in the Constitution," he continued. "What I have a problem with is when you have reverse McCarthyism, which is what's taking place right now, with the cancel culture and the talking down to people who think differently or have a different mindset from this morally superior high ground that a lot of the people on the left are coming from these days, I have a problem with that. And that exists in our band to a certain degree.

"Although I think Serj is a very open-minded guy, I think this derangement regarding Trump and this hate of Trump — he's this vilified character for a lot of people — has taken away some of that common decency, has taken away the ability for people to have their listening ears on and just taking things for what they are," Dolmayan added. "The guy's done a lot of good for people. Not every policy he has is good, but he's done a lot of good for this country, and he should be credited with that."

Asked if he has been approached by anybody in the music industry and told to tone down his political rhetoric on social media, John said: "No. My manager, he was just, like, 'Look, maybe you guys are going a little too far' — for both Serj and I. And we did have a private text conversation between me, [our manager] and Serj. And again, I think Serj views himself in a way where he's really doing the right thing. And he really does care about people. And he does a lot for individuals and our nation as well. He's really trying to help people, Serj. I believe he's a good person, inherently. But again, it's that moral high ground that they think they're on — that perceived moral high ground. It kind of blinds them to being open about ideas they might be wrong on."

This past June, Dolmayan blasted "cowards" who criticize those who think they are "coming from a morally superior position," saying that they "can't handle free speech" and "need to be herded along with the rest of the sheep."

He also called Democrats "the true bigots" who "fought to maintain slavery" and were "directly responsible for 70 plus million abortions, a large majority of whom were black."

Dolmayan supports Trump's claim that his administration has done more for the African-American community "than any president since Abraham Lincoln."

In recent months, Tankian has called for Trump to resign and described him as "completely useless" over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

Mexican Ape-Lord, "the raw and epic mountain metal band" featuring Meliah Rage founding guitarist/songwriter Anthony Nichols, The Bags vocalist/bassist Jon Hardy, drummer named Steve Fry (Crotalus, Graveheart) and lead guitarist Dan Dykes (Triphammer), have debuted the first riveting video from their upcoming album, Survival Cannibalism, due out on October 9th via Unable Records. The songs on Survival Cannibalism were inspired by a true story of the Nottingham Galley shipwreck and the cannibalism that took place on Boon Island, Maine in 1710. “I wanted to get inside the heads of these tormented guys, whose suffering drove them to do the unthinkable,” says Hardy. “It’s an grim subject, obviously, but a great one for Tony, Dan, and Steve, because they are masterful at covering the full range, musically - from utter darkness to the thrill of cheating death.”

Watch the stirring "Situation" video clip below:

Friends since high school, Nichols and Hardy found success in different branches of the Boston rock scene in the late eighties. After signing to Epic Records in 1988, Meliah Rage went on to release nine albums and built a loyal following over the course of multiple international tours. The Bags won the Boston Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble in 1989, released six albums, and had their song “Cavemen Rejoice” featured on the PlayStation 2 game Guitar Hero. Playboy described The Bags sound as “Thrilling guitar-bash riffs that pound like the sound of a herd of giant woolly mammoths going over a cliff, with just enough melody rasping though shredded vocal cords.”

“I always had Jon’s voice in the back of my head,” says Nichols. “I like his style and creative sensibilities, and had long thought he would be a great vocalist/lyricist for the way I write music.”

As for making a record during the pandemic, guitarist and background vocalist Dan Dykes points out that there were pros as well as cons. “I used the downtime to record my parts at home, which seemed convenient at first, but sometimes meant pushing through the apocalyptic negativity of the situation to get in the right head space. I think a lot of that fear, anxiety, and dread found its way into the music. I hear an urgency - a doom-like, foreboding quality that I don’t think would be there if not for the crisis. It turned out to be a good time to make a metal record!”




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Brooklyn metal formation, Tombs, will be releasing their new studio album ,Under Sullen Skies, on November 20 via Season Of Mist. A visualizer for the second single, "Bone Furnace", can be found below. Pre-order the new album here.

“The album’s title came during all this and the sort of post-apocalyptic world we’re living in,” frontman Mike Hill explains. “It encapsulates an overall feeling of gloom and depression which is pretty much how we’ve been living for most of this year. The title was the last piece to fall into place. I remember standing on the roof of the building I was living in at the time on a grey day and it was raining – actually, it wasn’t even raining; it was a half-assed attempt at rain! – and depressing and I just thought, ‘What a sullen sky’ and it just stuck with me.”

The album starts with “Bone Collector,” a furious blast of melodic black metal that shifts gears towards an anthemic fist-pumping slog through the Goth rock-thrash metal Venn Diagram. “Void Constellation” takes as many cues from Peaceville Three gloom and doom as it does the death metal stomp of Obituary and Incantation. “Descensum” mines the various well-worn parts of Ride The Lightning for influence before blasting the doors open with some startlingly spacious chromatic single-note atonality. As the album progresses, further textures and moods are employed via acoustic instrumentation and keyboards as well as sampled soundscapes all butting heads with furious second wave black metal and sly to nods to death rock heroes Sisters Of Mercy and Fields Of The Nephilim, all of the band’s motivations and interests being dropped into the chameleonic pair of tracks closing the album, “Sombre Ruin” and the appropriately titled “Plague Years.”

“‘Barren’ stands out as the song that’s most collaborative,” notes Hill. “Justin wrote the bulk of the riffs on that one, that sort of NWOBHM/Scorpions ending part is something I came up with, Matt added a bunch of guitar harmonies over it and Drew’s bass is laid thick underneath. That one is one of the biggest group efforts and one of the strongest songs on the record.

“I explore a lot of the archetypes that are used in folklore on this record, like werewolves and vampires which I’ve always been interested in, and on a song like ‘Secrets of the Black Sun’ I talk about the finite nature of our time on this planet, that nothing is really permanent and being aware of that whether as an individual or as a civilization, which I guess fits in with the pandemic and the changes that are going on. There are all kinds of other people, civilizations and creatures that have come and gone long before us and if you think about it over a long enough time span, everyone’s life expectancy goes down to zero.”

Cover art by Valnoir.

Tracklisting:

“Bone Furnace”
“Void Constellation”
“Barren”
“The Hunger”
“Secrets Of The Black Sun”
“Descensum”
“We Move Like Phantoms”
“Mordum”
“Lex Talionis”
“Angel Of Darkness”
“Sombre Ruin”
“Plague Years”

“Bone Furnace”:

“Barren”:

(Photo by: Dan Higgins)




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