Stone Sour have released a demo version of "The Travelers, Pt. 2", which is available for streaming below.

Guitarist Josh Rand states: "'The Travelers, Pt. 2': In the second part, the apparent aftermath of the failed compromise, where The Human realizes he is now completely open to destruction."




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Days before the reissue and first-ever vinyl release of their 2013 record, Virulent Rapture, British blackened death metal pioneers Hecate Enthroned have released a brand new video for the song “Plagued By Black Death”. The lyric video, created by Raf Ortega of Ecliptic Visions, can be viewed below.

“’Plagued By Black Death’ was a band favourite off the album and has become a big fan favourite too,” explains bassist Dylan Hughes. “Time has shown it to be a true Hecate classic, a song that still remains in our live set. It sits so well with our earlier and latter material as it encompasses all the elements that makes a Hecate track: epic, powerful, emotive and aggressive! This video captures the essence of the song, not just the lyrical content but the ebb and flow of the music, the timing of the piece building into that final passage which is a huge desolate crescendo. Raf, as always, nails these videos as he truly understands the songs and the band and we couldn’t be happier with how this turned out. Enjoy.”

Digipak CD and limited-edition (300) burnt orange vinyl editions of Virulent Rapture will be released this Friday, September 25, and are available to order here.

Continues Dylan, “Virulent Rapture was our first release after a long studio hiatus, so it was a big album for us. We wanted to give our fans something meaty with depth and range, and the mix of heavy riffs and huge orchestration gave it a big and powerful sound to match the importance of the release. Now that it has a reissue through our current label M-Theory Audio with updated artwork and an incredible vinyl print, metalheads will finally have the chance to complete their Hecate collection. All we can say is enjoy, and play it at 11!”

Virulent Rapture -  which has been out-of-print for several years - features artwork by Nestor Avalos (Bloodbath, Rotting Christ, The Black Dahlia Murder) and guest vocals by Sarah Jezebel Deva (Cradle of Filth, Mortiis, Therion), as well as newly-written liner notes by the band.

Pre-orders on digipak CD and limited-edition (300) burnt orange vinyl are available now here




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Norwegian death metal beasts Insidious Disease, featuring current/former members from Dimmu Borgir, Morgoth, Nile, Susperia and Napalm Death, will release their new album, After Death, on October 30 via Nuclear Blast.

In a new trailer released today, the band discuses the concepts behind their first album in a decade:

Sonically inducing a depraved and morbid condition of the mind, Insidious Disease returns this fall to present their second full length album. Freshly signed to Nuclear Blast Records, the band convenes to create a modern venture into classic death metal. Still in the early stages of existence with only their debut album Shadowcast (2010) preceding, Insidious Disease are ripe with a hellish energy that seeks to sear its way across the universe of heavy metal.

“It’s not supposed to be re-inventing the wheel or anything, it’s just about finding a good groove that we feel comfortable with,” explains guitarist Silenoz.

Pre-order your copy of After Death in the format of your choice here. Pre-save the album on Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer here.

After Death tracklisting:

"Soul Excavation"
"Betrayer"
"Divine Fire"
"Unguided Immortality"
"Invisible War"
"Born Into Bondage"
"Enforcers Of The Plague"
"An End Date For The World"
"Nefarious Atonement"
"Secret Sorcery"

"Betrayer" lyric video:

"Enforcers Of The Plague" visualizer:

Lineup:

Marc Grewe - Vocals
Silenoz - Guitar
Cyrus - Guitar
Shane Embury - Bass
Tony Laureano - Drums




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In a new interview with NME, legendary Judas Priest singer Rob Halford talks about his new autobiography Confess and gives fans an update on the follow-up to 2018’s Firepower.

The Metal God states: “We already have a strong selection of songs – practically a complete album – to go when we’re able to reconvene at some point. But we need to do a lot more work on it before we even get to the full production stage yet.”

Read more at NME.

Rob Halford's warts and all autobiography, Confess, will be released on September 29 via Hachette Books. Amazon pre-orders are available now for North America and The UK.

A description of the book follows...

 Most priests take confessions. This one is giving his.

Rob Halford, front man of global iconic metal band Judas Priest, is a true 'Metal God'. Raised in Britain's hard-working heavy industrial heartland he and his music were forged in the Black Country. Confess, his full autobiography, is an unforgettable rock 'n' roll story - a journey from a Walsall council estate to musical fame via alcoholism, addiction, police cells, ill-starred sexual trysts and bleak personal tragedy, through to rehab, coming out, redemption... and finding love.

Now, he is telling his gospel truth.

Told with Halford's trademark self-deprecating, deadpan Black Country humour, Confess is the story of an extraordinary five decades in the music industry. It is also the tale of unlikely encounters with everybody from Superman to Andy Warhol, Madonna, Jack Nicholson and the Queen. More than anything else, it's a celebration of the fire and power of heavy metal.

Rob Halford has decided to Confess. Because it's good for the soul.

(Rob Halford live photo by James Garvin)

 




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Tom Hunting has completed laying down the drums tracks for EXODUS's long-awaited new album.

The San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' next disc will be the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was their first release since the departure of the group's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

On Friday (September 25), Souza shared an Instagram photo of Hunting behind his kit, and he included the following caption: "The master Mr Tom Hunting standing behind his arsenal that he played on , on this record !!Drums are done !!! Crushing !! Starting vocals tomorrow!!! I'm telling you metalheads !!! This shit is BRUTAL!!"

This past July, Souza told Rock Immortal Productions' "Rock Talk" live interview series about the new EXODUS record: "We're gonna do it up at Lake Almanor. Tom bought a house up in the mountains, and we are actually gonna have all the gear sent up there, I think, the last week of August. And I would say all of the month of September into October, the five of us will be in the mountains putting together — like little doctors, like scientists — making the new EXODUS."

According to Souza, the new EXODUS album will mark the band's first time recording together in many years. "We are all gonna be up there at the same time, which we have not done in a long time," he said. "I think 'Tempo Of The Damned' [2004] was the last album, at least with me, that I remember we were all in close proximity of the recording. 'Cause when I did 'Blood In, Blood Out', Gary was on tour with SLAYER, and Jack [Gibson, bass] was tracking the record. So it was basically him, myself and Lee [Altus, guitar], or him, myself and Tom doing the vocals. This way, we're working with another guy, and everybody's gonna be there. The way Gary explained it was, [once] I've done vocals, Lee will go in the rest of the day, so we're gonna just kind of keep working. 'Cause I guess we'll all be up there at the same time; it's gonna be fun.

"I'm very excited to do it like that. I think that, honestly, when the whole band is there, that's when the best stuff comes out," he explained. "And the three records where the whole band was there, that I can remember, I would say 'Pleasures [Of The Flesh]' [1987], 'Fabulous [Disaster]' [1989] and 'Tempo'. And those three records were the records that I was a part of when the band… 'Impact [Is Imminent]' [1990] and 'Force [Of Habit]' [1992] were kind of done, this guy flew in, this guy flew out, that kind of thing — they were done like that — but 'Pleasures' and 'Fabulous' and 'Tempo', we were all there. And a lot of people think that those are some of the best records with some of the best songs on them, and I agree with that. So hopefully that same magic is gonna happen again."

EXODUS's next studio album 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.

"I have to thank the fans for being so patient," Souza said. "We're fortunate they're being so patient, 'cause they knew what Gary was doing. Especially in the last two years — from January '18, he was locked in to finishing the world tour with SLAYER, and none of us wanted to have him try to jump back and forth doing a new record with EXODUS while he had little breaks with SLAYER. We wanted him to obviously be able to concentrate on the music fully without any distractions, and that's what the writing of this record has been — he's completely written this record with no other distractions. Not meaning that SLAYER was a distraction, but he has no commitment to going on tour or playing or having to do anything; it's just EXODUS now. So I'm way excited. I'm very happy that it's finally coming to that point. I can't wait for everybody to hear it. I know it's gonna be great."

EXODUS's next album will be released in 2021 via Nuclear Blast.
























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The master Mr Tom Hunting standing behind his arsenal that he played on , on this record !!Drums are done !!! Crushing !! Starting vocals tomorrow!!! I’m telling you metalheads !!! This shit is BRUTAL!!

A post shared by Steve Zetro Souza (@zetrodus) on Sep 25, 2020 at 6:30pm PDT

VOLUMES have dropped the official video for the new track "Weighted". Check it out below.

"This song is about self-doubt and the shortcomings that come with any type of success," says singer Michael Barr, who returned to the lineup after a five-year absence this past spring. "It's about the ups and the downs in life and the interpersonal and irrational conversation you have about convincing yourself into doing things."

"It's definitely a fun song," says bassist Raad Soudani. "It's a blend of heavy instrumentation with vibrant production with chunky guitar groove on the verse, with a playful vocal melody on top. It's also got an in-your-face, aggressive catchy hook and a bit of a carefree, middle finger attitude to it."

VOLUMES previous shared the videos for new songs "Pixelate" and "Holywater".

These three tracks arrive ahead of the band's next full length for Fearless Records, due out in 2021.

In 2010, VOLUMES burst out of the gate with "The Concept Of Dreaming" EP. "Via" followed in 2011 and "No Sleep" arrived in 2014 and inspired the enthusiasm of a diehard fanbase. After initially parting ways with Barr in 2015, the band maintained its prolific output on "Different Animals" (2017) and the "Coming Clean" EP (2019). Their total stream tally exceeded 40 million.

SMITH & MYERS — the duo comprised of SHINEDOWN members Brent Smith and Zach Myers — has released dual songs from its newly announced full-length album "Smith & Myers Volume 2" out October 23 via Atlantic Records, that will follow the release of "Volume 1" on October 9. Original track "Bad At Love" is a vulnerable and personal song about the difficulties of staying in a romantic relationship when you have a gypsy heart, full of clean guitar coils and finger-snaps, and is accompanied by a brand new video directed by Sanjay Parikh. "Bad At Love" is paired with the release of a grungy, re-imagined version of Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy". "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.

"'Bad At Love' was one of the very first original songs to be written for the project," says Brent. "I think ultimately the song was born from my own romantic relationships. When I love someone, I love them fully, and sometimes the passion can be too much. I always know when it's time to move on. That being said, I am extremely grateful that I am still very good friends with the ladies I have loved, and still love, to this day."

Zach adds: "'Bad At Love' was one of the first original songs we wrote for this album ... Lyrically, Brent was writing about things in his life that maybe we wouldn't really touch on with SHINEDOWN and I think it came out to be an incredibly naked and honest song. And I think 'Bad Guy' turned out very cool — it's a nice bluesy version of the song."

The new songs and the announcement of "Volume 2" comes on the heels of SMITH & MYERS' recent release of their original single "Not Mad Enough", which was written in the immediate aftermath of George Floyd's death, expressing the intense emotions that followed and laying bare a plea for racial justice through direct and urgent lyrics over acoustic guitar. The song was released alongside a poignant version of "Rockin' In The Free World" highlighting Neil Young's timeless lyrics that are just as relevant today over lone piano. These two songs, featured on "Volume 1", share a vision for change and equality and introduced SMITH & MYERS' eloquent songcraft, indelible melodies and glorious vocals created with nothing more than a microphone and an instrument or two.

"Smith & Myers Volume 1" is available for pre-order now and 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.

On October 8, SMITH & MYERS will co-headline "Come Together", a virtual music festival organized by Sound Mind Live in celebration of World Mental Health Day (October 10), with all proceeds supporting mental health resources and programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event, which will also feature performances from Jason Isbell, Kiiara, American Authors, Jade Bird and more, will be streamed live on Thursday, October 8, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT via the Relix YouTube channel in support of the cause. The National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City is a founding partner of this landmark event, and AbbVie is the presenting sponsor. Experts from Mental Health America, MusiCares, and National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City will provide information on virtual mental health resources, support programs, and best practices for self-care as the individuals and families navigate these challenging times. Viewers will have the opportunity to access a live interactive chat and donate in real time, with proceeds benefiting affiliates of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) from around the country and their pandemic-response mental health programs.

Additionally, SMITH & MYERS will bring their powerful live duo show to fans with a string of drive-in shows this October. General on-sale for Chicago IL, Columbus. Ohio and East Swanzey, New Hampshire are available now. For all remaining shows, artist, venue, and radio pre-sale tickets are available now, general on-sale begins September 26 at 10 a.m. local time.

"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

The official music video for a new BLUE ÖYSTER CULT song called "Tainted Blood" can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "The Symbol Remains", which will be released on 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.

It was 25 years ago to the day — September 25, 1995 — that RAMMSTEIN emerged from Berlin with its debut album, "Herzeleid". To celebrate this first indelible impact on global hard rock history, RAMMSTEIN and Vertigo/UMe will release limited, remastered editions of the groundbreaking LP on December 4, 2020.

"Herzeleid (XXV Anniversary Edition - Remastered)" will feature the album's original track listing on a single CD, housed in a lavish, cross-shaped digipak with deluxe slipcase, and, for the first time ever, the remastered album with HD sound will be available digitally. In addition, there will be a 2LP version with a slipcase containing two 180-gram heavyweight black vinyl discs with blue splatter effect. The creator of the original artwork, Dirk Rudolph, is also responsible for the "Anniversary Edition" packaging. The booklets also contain the original band portraits shot by Praler. Both the CD and vinyl editions are strictly limited.

Track listing:

01. Wollt Ihr Das Bett In Flammen Sehen

02. Der Meister

03. Weisses Fleisch

04. Asche Zu Asche

05. Seemann

06. Du Riechst So Gut

07. Das Alte Leid

08. Heirate Mich

09. Herzeleid

10. Laichzeit

11. Rammstein

The limited editions can be pre-ordered here.

RAMMSTEIN's seventh, untitled album came out in May 2019 via UME/Spinefarm in Europe and Caroline Records in the U.S. The band's first studio disc since 2009's "Liebe Ist Für Alle Da" debuted at No. 1 on the album charts in 14 countries and was the band's tenth No. 1 in Germany. The LP was produced by Olsen Involtini with RAMMSTEIN and was mixed at a Santa Monica, California studio with Rich Costey, an American producer who has previously worked with MUSE, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and FRANZ FERDINAND, among others.

In May, RAMMSTEIN postponed its 2020 North American stadium tour due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe. The tour will now begin on August 22, 2021 in Montreal and end on October 1, 2021 in Mexico City. The band also announced the rescheduled dates for its European stadium tour. The new RAMMSTEIN European shows will take place in May, June, July and August 2021, with all tickets purchased for the original concerts valid for the new dates.

Last year, RAMMSTEIN made headlines after guitarists Paul Landers and Richard Kruspe shared an onstage kiss while performing in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium. The move was widely perceived an act of defiance against Russia's anti-LGBTQ law, or "gay propaganda" law, which forbids any public expression of homosexuality or gender non-conformity.

AMAHIRU, the musical collaboration between Frédéric Leclercq (KREATOR, ex-DRAGONFORCE) and Saki (MARY'S BLOOD, NEMOPHILA), will release its self-titled debut album on November 27 via earMUSIC in Europe and the U.S. and and Ward Records in Japan.

The official music video for AMAHIRU's first single, "Hours", can be seen below.

Frédéric and Saki's friendship started in 2015 when MARY'S BLOOD opened for DRAGONFORCE in Hong Kong. They got along very quickly and it didn't take long until they came up with the idea to collaborate on a musical project. Many ideas exchanged between them for the following few years, and finally, the time has come to release their self-titled album.

Some prominent musicians in the metal scene gathered to make this project a real band. Coen Jansen from EPICA, who helped with some keyboard works for the new DRAGONFORCE album, played keyboards on the disc. Then comes Mike Heller, who has been known as a super drummer of FEAR FACTORY and RAVEN. As AMAHIRU's vocalist, Archie Wilson was invited to join the group. This vocalist from the U.K. may be less known than other musicians involved in this band, but obviously he became the key to AMAHIRU's music. Frédéric says: "He has a powerful voice, great sense of rhythm and he is versatile, 'cause he can hit those high notes, sing in a mid register and also be both melodic and aggressive; the perfect match for AMAHIRU." Elize Ryd from AMARANTHE will also participate as a guest vocalist.

AMAHIRU's debut also includes a guest appearance by Sean Reinert from the American progressive rock band CYNIC, who, unfortunately, passed away in January. Moreover, some tracks include a shakuhachi performance played by Kifu Mitsuhashi, known for being awarded the Shiju hosho (the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon) and the Order of the Rising Sun. This is what we call a combination of occident and orient.

"Amahiru" was mixed by Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with DRAGONFORCE, KREATOR and SEPULTURA, among others. Mastering was done by Tony Lindgren, Jens's right-hand person. Cover artwork was created by Travis Smith, known for his collaborations with OPETH and KING DIAMOND.

The Japan edition will have a bonus DVD which includes two music videos, filmed in Japan.

"Amahiru" may sound like a Japanese word, but actually it is not. Oddly enough, it was coined by Frédéric himself, not by Saki. In fact, the word was born in his dream.

"We were trying to find a name and I had a dream in which someone was asking me to sign a contract for this band, AMAHIRU, and the number 13 kept appearing in the contract," Frédéric recalls. "When I woke up, I actually remembered the dream vividly and started to do my little 'thinking process.' I made the name AMAHIRU, so that it would be easier to pronounce for the Japanese people. But I wonder, does it mean anything? I type the name on the Internet, nothing. Then I tried Hamahiru just for different spelling sake, and here is the freaky thing, Hamahiru means 13 in Basquian. And I don't speak Basquian at all!"

Regarding AMAHIRU's musical direction, Leclercq says: "I'm influenced by many artists, pretty much anything I hear I can consider an influence and music should be the reflection of that. With AMAHIRU, I personally wanted to do something groovy and melodic and still metal/hard rock. We didn't want to make 12 songs sounding the same. Saki and I have a lot in common musically and it was really easy to work together in the same direction."

"Amahiru" track listing:

01. Innocent

02. WTTP

03. Hours

04. Way Out

05. Ninja No Tamashii

06. Vanguard

07. Bringing Me Down

08. Lucky Star (feat. Elize Ryd)

09. Waves

10. Samurai

11. Bringing Me Down (alternative version) (feat. Sean Reinert)

12. Zombi (bonus track)

13. Shine (Japanese bonus track)

Lineup:

Frédéric Leclercq - Rhythm, Lead Guitar, Bass Guitar

Saki - Lead Guitar

Archie Wilson - Vocals

Coen Janssen - Keys

Mike Heller - Drums

DEVILDRIVER's music video for the song "Wishing" can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's recently announced double album, "Dealing With Demons". The first volume — titled "Dealing With Demons I" — drops on October 9 via Napalm Records and marks the California metallers' first release of new, original material since 2016's acclaimed "Trust No One". Representing the onset of a final purging of the themes that have long possessed frontman Dez Fafara and DEVILDRIVER's music, each track on "Dealing With Demons I" illustrates a different demon to be dealt with or released.

As "Dealing With Demons I" explores the purging of a different demon per track, "Wishing" illustrates the theme of loss — more specifically, wishing a loved one would return. The clean vocals sung on "Wishing" mark Fafara's first in DEVILDRIVER history, harking back to his goth roots. Influences of BAUHAUS, SISTERS OF MERCY and more can be heard in Dez's brooding vocal delivery on the verses, while a heavy chorus punches with raw emotion as he screams, "wishing you were with me right now!"

The dreamlike official music video for "Wishing" — the band's most surreal visual yet — places each member of DEVILDRIVER in a nightmarish state, trying to physically reach their loved ones just to have them disappear once they've nearly grasped them. Echoing the lyrical themes of the track itself, Dez and his bandmates experience this loss again and again down an eerie rabbit hole, surrounded by faceless beings and distorted imagery.

The footage seen in the "Wishing" video was filmed in separate locations by each band member, with social distancing practiced as a top priority. The finished product was directed by Vicente Cordero of Industrialism Films.

"Dealing With Demons I" showcases the supreme form of the band — Dez, guitarists Mike Spreitzer and Tiemann, drummer Austin D'Amond and bassist Diego Ibarra. This isn't just some of the most vicious DEVILDRIVER material to date, but some of their most lethally memorable too. Co-produced by Steve Evetts and Spreitzer, it's a triumph for teamwork and tenacity.

Fafara said about the band's writing and recording process: "I said to the guys, 'If we just met today, what kind of music would we make? How would we stand the test of time, stand apart from others and stand above the competition? Let's not focus on the past sound. Instead let's kick into the future together.'"

With new milestones like Fafara's eerie verses on "Wishing", "Dealing With Demons I" ferociously delivers the goods while kicking open several new doors for DEVILDRIVER to power through in the future. It's a vital and violent clearing of the emotional decks, but it's also powerful evidence that Dez and his bandmates have given DEVILDRIVER a volatile, visceral kick in the ass. Demons are getting dealt with in the harshest of manners.

Fafara added: "It's time to lay it all out, on two records. I'm never gonna revisit these subjects again. I've been writing about this sort of human nature, disloyalty and dishonesty, love and loss, since the beginning of my career. I am going in a more lyrically woke direction in the future. A lot of people say my music gives them strength. But what they don't realize is that these topics haunt me. Over the course of these last few years we fled from wildfires, my wife battled cancer and now we are going through a pandemic… so it is what it is… let's dump it all on the table and purge. I want to go through different topics in the future, so here we are now. I've laid it all out on a double record for all of you to hear."

This is just the beginning – fans should be prepared for the onslaught of what is to come with the impending second volume of the double album, which promises to go even harder. This is a two-part acceleration into the future — after witnessing "Dealing With Demons I", listeners will be clamoring for the second half.

Dez added about the upcoming remainder of the "Dealing With Demons" saga: "Volume two will get into some very heavy topics as well. You'll see the band progress even further musically as we finish this ode to the purge of all things demonic."

"Dealing With Demons I" track listing:

01. Keep Away From Me

02. Vengeance Is Clear

03. Nest Of Vipers

04. Iona

05. Wishing

06. You Give Me A Reason To Drink (feat. Simon Blade Fafara)

07. Witches

08. Dealing With Demons

09. The Damned Don't Cry

10. Scars Me Forever

Progressive music titans DREAM THEATER have announced the latest live installment in their impressive 31-year catalog of releases. Due on November 27, the band is set to unleash its ninth career live album, "Distant Memories - Live In London". Recorded at their sold-out show at the Apollo Theatre in London, the live release documents the band's popular world tour in support of their latest critically acclaimed studio album "Distance Over Time" and the 20th anniversary of their seminal concept album "Metropolis Part 2 - Scenes From A Memory".

Fans can check out the live version of "Pale Blue Dot" from "Distant Memories - Live In London" below.

Says guitarist John Petrucci: "Whether you had a chance to see this tour in person and want to relive what was hopefully an awesome concert experience or enjoying the performance on video for the first time, 'Distant Memories - Live In London' very accurately and very beautifully captures the energy and excitement we all felt together at the Apollo this past February."

"Distant Memories - Live In London" is the band's first since 2014's "Breaking The Fourth Wall". The new live release will be available in various configurations including digital only, a 3-CD and 2 DVD multibox, a 3-CD and 2 Blu-Ray digipak with slipcase, a limited deluxe 3-CD + 2 Blu-Ray + 2 DVD Artbook and a limited 4-LP and 3-CD box set. The video components will also feature a behind-the-scenes look at the band as they get ready for the shows. All formats of "Distant Memories - Live In London" are now available for pre-order here.

"Distant Memories - Live In London" track listing:

01. Untethered Angel

02. A Nightmare To Remember

03. Fall Into The Light

04. Barstool Warrior

05. In The Presence Of Enemies – Part 1

06. Pale Blue Dot

07. Scenes Live Intro

08. Scene One: Regression

09. Scene Two: I. Overture 1928

10. Scene Two: Ii. Strange Déjà Vu

11. Scene Three: I. Through My Words

12. Scene Three: Ii. Fatal Tragedy

13. Scene Four: Beyond This Life

14. Scene Five: Through Her Eyes

15. Scene Six: Home

16. Scene Seven: I. The Dance Of Eternity

17. Scene Seven: Ii. One Last Time

18. Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On

19. Scene Nine: Finally Free

20. At Wit's End

21. Paralyzed (bonus track)

Photo credit: Nidhal Marzouk

German thrash metal veterans SODOM have unleashed a lyric video for "Sodom & Gomorrah". The track is taken from the band's brand-new studio album, "Genesis XIX", which is due on November 27 via Entertainment One (eOne) in North America and Steamhammer/SPV in Europe.

"Genesis XIX" — recorded by Siggi Bemm and mastered by Patrick W. Engel — comes shrouded in the cover art of Joe Petagno of MOTÖRHEAD fame. The record will be released as a CD digipak, exclusive 2xLP (on translucent orange with opaque silver swirls — an eOne store exclusive), and digitally.

Altenessen, Germany, a northern borough of the city of Essen and a social melting-pot deep in the heart of the Ruhr Area. From the mid-nineteenth century, the region supplied Europe's industrialization with the required raw materials, mined under back-breaking conditions below ground in coal pits named Carl, Anna, Fritz-Heinrich, Helene and the like. Altenessen is also the musical domicile of Thomas "Angelripper" Such, SODOM's vocalist/bassist, who has met for some years with his band members in a ratty rehearsal room in that part of Essen to produce tough-as-nails thrash music. To other musicians, such information may be of marginal interest; to Tom it is an important component of his recipe for success.

"I want guys from the Ruhr, who share my background, with whom I can work and rehearse consistently," explains SODOM's mastermind, who has implemented his band's philosophy together with guitarists Frank Blackfire and Yorck Segatz as well as new addition, drummer Toni Merkel. It's a philosophy that yields more impressive results in 2020 than ever before.

Following the first relaxation of the lockdown rules stemming from the 2020 pandemic, SODOM immediately returned to working creatively, which is one of the reasons why "Genesis XIX" has turned into precisely what the musicians had in mind.

"This is definitely one of the toughest and most diverse studio recordings that SODOM have ever released," notes Angelripper. "Our riff suppliers, Yorck and Frank, are totally different types of musicians. Yorck is a died-in-the-wool metalhead who grew up with thrash music. Frank, on the other hand, also integrates blues and rock elements into his style, including the occasional Frank Marino or Rory Gallagher quotation, and writes songs that could have featured in the same or a similar way on 'Agent Orange'. These are the diverse influences that make 'Genesis XIX' what it is."

In addition, there's a third level that nobody expected after the — as Angelripper expressly emphasises — amicable split with drummer Husky.

"In Toni we've gained an awesome drummer," Angelripper says. "I'd even go so far as to say he's the best drummer that nobody had on the radar before now." Especially since Merkel also has, along with his furioso style, a number of other important qualities, namely his stints with death metal act SABIENDAS and a number of other black/death metal bands, where he played drums and doubled as a producer. Thus he's been a dab hand at studio technology and recording.

"We were largely autonomous during the production of 'Genesis XIX' and were free not only to concentrate on working on new songs but also to come up with the right sounds. That was important because we use neither digital amps nor plug-ins but played all the guitar parts using proper Marshall tube amps." Following the preproduction, SODOM completed the work at the renowned Woodhouse Studio in Hagen, where sound engineer Siggi Bemm recorded Angelripper's vocals and mixed the album on an analog studio console.

From unadulterated thrash metal tracks "Euthanasia", "Dehumanized" and "Friendly Fire" to off-the-grid numbers such as "Occult Perpetrator", SODOM delivers a wide range of facets of their signature sound. This inventiveness also applies to the lyrics on "Genesis XIX", with Angelripper presenting, as usual, his very own range of subjects: "The Harpooneer" is based on Melville's "Moby Dick" novel featuring the obsessive Captain Ahab, "Glock N' Roll" is the story of a serial killer, "Waldo & Pigpen" is an homage to the same-named U.S. fighter pilots, whose radio traffic during their mission in Vietnam has survived, and "Nicht mehr mein Land" describes the condition of western society. (Tom: "We're the very first to combine real thrash music with German lyrics.") "Naturally, thrash metal stories need to be martial, but we never intend them to be nasty or disrespectful," he stresses, explaining his lyrical approach: "I simply sing about things that weigh on my mind." A thrash metal recipe for success in true SODOM style!

"Genesis XIX" track listing:

01. Blind Superstition (1:02)

02. Sodom & Gomorrah (4:06)

03. Euthanasia (3:54)

04. Genesis XIX (7:09)

05. Nicht Mehr Mein Land (4:29)

06. Glock N' Roll (5:02)

07. The Harponeer (7:10)

08. Dehumanized (3:53)

09. Occult Perpetrator (4:53)

10. Waldo & Pigpen (6:26)

11. Indoctrination (3:10)

12. Friendly Fire (3:36)

Photo by Moritz "Mumpi" Künster

Polish death metallers, Decapitated, performed at the 2012 edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival. Watch professionally-filmed footage of the performance below:

In a recent update on their social media pages, Decapitated revealed that they have begun recording their eighth album, due for release through Nuclear Blast Records. A picture from the studio reads “#itshappening #nuclearblastrecords". The new album will follow 2017's Anticult.




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No rest for one of Britain's most melancholic exports: Just half a year after MY DYING BRIDE returned from its break with its haunting and successful masterpiece "The Ghost Of Orion", the kindred of Yorkshire raise the curtains to the "Macabre Cabaret" — a new MLP that will be released on November 20 via Nuclear Blast. The official lyric video for the disc's first single, "A Secret Kiss", can be seen below.

"Macabre Cabaret" contains three new songs (plus a hidden gem on the physical editions) — dark luscious death doom ear candies that will dive their victim into a sensual world of darkness and temptation and conceal the borders between sweet pain and destructive illusion.

Singer Aaron Stainthorpe states: "'Macabre Cabaret' delves into the shadow empire of dark love and the consequences of unchecked sexuality. The deep passion of physical desire and its all-conquering rage over pure love is written bleakly here. A destructive essence within the soul can't help but rear its ugly head.

"'A Secret Kiss' is the final and lasting mark on the soul any human will feel when the lights have dulled and nothing meaningful remains for them. All religion features a shadow creature who arrives at the point of extinction and the release of the human soul, to either guide them to majesty or allow them do fall eternally into the ether.

"'A Purse Of Gold And Stars' is where we keep our hopes and desires and affection, perhaps in a dreamlike state, unattainable yet we still reach out for them. The trinkets and shiny baubles we call happiness and love are what we try so hard to keep close and protect. But it is never quite like that in real life and is often a struggle tainted with sadness but still, we hold the purse close and in tight cold hands."

The EP was produced mixed and mastered by maestro Mark Mynett and crowned with a beautiful and sinister artwork from Bunker Artworks. It comes as jewelcase CD, digital version, black gatefold LP, black and blue splatter LP (U.S. exclusive; limited to 300 pieces), blue sparkle LP (mailorder exclusive; limited to 300 pieces], white and grey splatter (mailorder and wholesale exclusive; limited to 300 pieces), marigold LP (EMP exclusive; limited to 300 pieces) and white LP (U.S.; Revolver magazine exclusive; limited to 300 pieces).

Original JUDAS PRIEST singer Al Atkins says that he gave the rest of the band his blessing to continue using the PRIEST name after he left the group.

Atkins formed JUDAS PRIEST in 1969 in Birmingham, England, naming it after the Bob Dylan tune "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest". In 1973, Atkins stepped out to land a "real job" to support his family and the band moved forward with Rob Halford.

Asked in a new interview with Crystal Logic how PRIEST ended up keeping the name after his exit from the group, Atkins said: "I left the band in May 1973. I was the only one married and now with a small child to feed, I decided to get a 9-to-5 job and support my family because we just couldn't get that big record deal we so wanted to give us some financial backing, and although we were getting bigger, we had more overheads to go with it. Norman Hood at the agency helped me out sometimes with some cash but it wasn't enough.

"A few months after leaving the band, K.K. [Downing, guitar] and Ian [Hill, bass] came knocking on my door and asked me if they could use the name JUDAS PRIEST and if they could have the songs too, and I said yes and best of luck... They said they had found a new vocalist to take my place, named Robert Halford, who I had never heard of, but his band HIROSHIMA had been on our agency books too. They hit the road pretty soon and toured the U.K. and Europe, and the following year, they added Birmingham guitarist Glenn Tipton from THE FLYING HAT BAND who were also in the same agency and we both played on the same bill together once at the Plaza Ballroom, B'ham. So now JUDAS PRIEST were a five-piece for the first time."

Atkins also talked about how he felt watching Halford perform some of the material he helped write with PRIEST.

"It was strange seeing Rob singing my songs after I had left them, and I didn't like his high-range vocal style at first, but he got older and his voice matured," Atkins said. "He was incredible, especially during the eighties... really wicked.

"I last saw them a few years back at Wolverhampton Civic Hall and they played a great set but I missed K.K. on guitar, although Richie [Faulkner] is a good guitarist.

"I went to see K.K. [and other former PRIEST members] Tim Owens and Les Binks last year at [K.K.'s] new venue The Steel Mill and the band was just amazing. It was great to meet them all backstage later."

Atkins is the co-writer of several PRIEST songs which are included on the band's first two albums, "Rocka Rolla" and "Sad Wings Of Destiny", both of which eventually went gold. Atkins co-penned the heavy metal classic "Victim Of Changes", which was a combination of Halford's song "Red Light Lady" and Atkins's own "Whiskey Woman". He also co-wrote "Winter", "Never Satisfied", "Dreamer Deceiver" and "Caviar And Meths".

Obsidian Kingdom will be releasing Meat Machine tomorrow, Friday, September 25, via Season Of Mist. A full album audio stream can be found below.

The full-length is a harsh sonic journey, abject and stentorian like a love letter from a school shooter. The perverse album is a rough drop into a nightmarish world of forbidden desires, frustrated sexual urges and the dark realms of the subconscious mind. .

Pre-order Meat Machine  here. The cover artwork was created by Ritxi Ostáriz And Elena Gallén.

Tracklisting:

"The Edge"
"The Pump"
"Mr Pan"
"Naked Politics"
"Flesh World"
"Meat Star"
"Spanke"
"Vogue"
"Womb Of Wire"
"A Foe"

Album stream:

"Meat Star" video:

Lineup:

Rider G Omega: Guitars, Vocals
Ojete Mordaza Ii: Drums, Beats
Om Rex Orale: Bass
Viral Vector Lips: Guitars, Vocals
Jade Riot Cul: Keyboards, Synths




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Iron Mask released their brandnew video single “Tree Of The World” from their seventh album “Master Of Masters”, which hit the streets 4th December 2020 (via AFM Records).

The first taste from the new Iron Mask album sees the band return with a real crowd-pleaser. "Tree Of The World" has slight celtic influences, galloping drums and a jaw-dropping solo courtesey of the guitar wizard and main man Dushan Petrossi. A true Metal Anthem!

There’s not only Odin when it comes to mythology and pagans gods, there's also Svarog, God of gods and all slavic people. The world tree carries the earth, hell and heaven and is their old symbol.

“World Foregone” - a song like a wake-up call, embracing the current zeitgeist and relevant themes like climate change and the human way of life. A beautiful and powerful composition that stands as a perfect representation of what the whole album is about musically and lyrically!

PYRAMAZE continues to fuse their signature meld of memorable melodies, powerful riffs and soaring catchy vocals to keep listeners coming back for more - pleasing both old and new PYRAMAZE fans alike. This upcoming release called “Epitaph” (out 13th November 2020 via AFM Records) will prove to be their most melodic and accessible creation to date, featuring guest appearances by Brittney Slayes of Unleash The Archers, and former PYRAMAZE singers Matt Barlow and Lance King.

New Rock sensation OCEAN HILLS, led my forner Ignite vocalist Zoli Teglas, does not slow down. The band’s debut album „Santa Monica“ will drop on November 27th, and today it’s time to unleash the album’s fourth single – the smashing Rock anthem „Bound“.

The track was written and produced by Chris Traynor (guitarist of Bush, Orange 9mm, Helmet) and Kyle Hoffmann (producer for Trent Reznor, Bruce Springsteen, Rob Zombie).
Mixed by Jay Baumgardner and mastered by Howie Weinberg.

The 3D lyric video for "Bound" was created by Frank Grayner.
"Santa Monica" (available as CD, Vinyl, Digipak (incl. 3 bonus tracks) is available for pre-order now.

He has been the voice of melodic hardcore band IGNITE for 25 years, but just left the band to pursue his passions in music and animal rescue. Zoli Téglás has also been the front man for the bands Pennywise and the Misfits. Téglás in addition has a nice resume of acting in Hollywood movies (Terminator: Dark Fate (2019), The Alienist (TV series - 2020), Spectral (2016), Tyrant (TV series - 2015, 2016), Argo 2 (2015) and is known as an activist for animal rights and environmental protection for many years. He has been an activist and board member for such organizations as Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Beagle Freedom Project. Zoli has his own non profit Pelican Rescue Team.

Now Zoli shows another interesting facet of his personality with the launch of his brand new U.S Alternative Rock band, OCEAN HILLS. “These songs come from the heart”, he says. The upcoming album is everything Zoli was hoping to achieve musically. "The songs are great, the musicianship is amazing, the guitar solos are incredible, and the vocals are melodic and hard hitting. Rock anthem stuff!!!"

Joining Zoli in OCEAN HILLS are, Peter Lukacs (lead guitar), Daniel Szebenyi (keyboards and bass) and Reinder Oldenburger (rhythm guitar) – all with integral contributions to the band’s songwriting.

Dynazty have released a lyric video for "Paradise Of The Architect", a song from their new album, The Dark Delight, released earlier this year via AFM Records. Order the album here, and watch the new clip below.

Formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 2008, Dynazty has since released six albums in a mere 10 year window. Straying from their early days of ‘80s influenced hard rock, the band has developed and refined their sound into something that merges the modern metal scene with the past, crafting something wholly unique.

Today the band is comprised of highly respected and sought after musicians, active on the metal scene in more than one way. Bassist Jonathan Olsson can also be seen in both Lindemann and Pain, guitarist Love Magnusson and drummer Georg Härnsten Egg frequently tours with rock legends such as Dee Snider and Joe Lynn Turner. Guitarist Mikael Lavér has been featured with both Lindemann and Joe Lynn Turner, while singer Nils Molin can be heard and seen around the globe with the ever rising star of fellow Swedish band Amaranthe.

Singer Nils Molin says about the album: “We pulled out all the stops, pulled no punches and held nothing back on this one. The Dark Delight is the complete vision of what this band has always wanted to be.”

Tracklisting:

"Presence Of Mind"
"Paradise Of The Architect"
"The Black"
"From Sound To Silence" (Feat. GG6)
"Hologram"
"Heartless Madness"
"Waterfall"
"Threading The Needle"
"The Man And The Elements"
"Apex"
"The Road To Redemption"
"The Dark Delight"
"The Shoulder Devil" (Bonus Track)

"Paradise Of The Architect" lyric video:

"Waterfall" video:

"Heartless Madness" lyric video:

"Presence Of Mind" video:

(Photo Tallee Savage)




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In a new interview with Consequence Of Sound, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine discussed the dispute over the songwriting credits to the band's iconic "Rust In Peace" album. In Mustaine's book "Rust In Peace: The Inside Story Of The Megadeth Masterpiece", which details the making of the record, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman and current MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson both take issue with the fact that Mustaine is credited as the sole songwriter for the majority of the LP's tracks, even though they felt they had contributed to the songwriting process.

Dave told Consequence Of Sound (see video below): "The thing that bothered me is in the beginning of my career, these guys came into the group and I would sing solos to them and they would learn 'em and put their spin on it. And I always said, 'We've got three ways we do things: your way, our way and then my way.' We go in and we do a solo, and if I listen to your solo and I don't like it, I'm gonna say, 'I don't like it. I like this part, but I don't like it.' And then we do it our way. And then, if I listen to it and I say, 'You know what? It just isn't working. I want you to do this.' And then that's my way. And I've always tried to do it that way to really include these guys to give them a sense of ownership and tenancy, because I believe it's gonna make them feel stronger about their performance and the music."

In the "Rust In Peace" book, Friedman makes it clear that he felt he should have gotten some credit for helping craft the material for the final album.

"The main way songs were written in MEGADETH was that Dave [Mustaine] would have a riff and he would play it with me, Junior [David Ellefson] and Nick [Menza, drums]," Marty said. "We would be his backup band for this riff, and while he was working out the riffs, he had the luxury of us playing it and adding whatever we did. None of that stuff was written on his own; it wasn't like he came up with a riff, an arrangement, and said here it is, learn it, go record it. It was all being created with all four of us giving his ideas life. To not get writing credit for that, I believed at the time, was unfair because when you are the only name listed as writer on the song, that implies that you came up with the song, you wrote the whole song yourself, and people played it and recorded it the way you wrote it. But that was not the case. He had the luxury of hearing these riffs being born in front of him and changed and worked on and arranged with the three of us around him at all times."

He continued: "But I was happy to be there in the first place and was not going to make waves. I had absolutely nothing to do with the establishment of MEGADETH, the first three albums, all of the work that they did, all of the dues that they paid, all of whatever it took to get to where they got. In a sense, I was reaping the benefits of that without contributing, so I thought that was kind of the trade-off. So I was happy to work with Dave writing these riffs and not get credit for it. But as far as the actual songwriting goes, I feel like a bigger part of the process than what you see with the names."

"Rust In Peace: The Inside Story Of The Megadeth Masterpiece" came out on September 8 via Hachette Books. The book was ritten by Mustaine with veteran rock journalist Joel Selvin.

In a brand new interview with Chris Warburton of BBC Sounds, Rob Halford spoke about his decision to leave JUDAS PRIEST in 1992 before going on to record and tour with the aggressive metal group FIGHT and the industrial project 2WO before his return to traditional metal with the eponymous band HALFORD in 2000 and eventual PRIEST comeback in 2003. Asked how he looks back on that period, Rob said: "I was in a different place there professionally, especially associated with some of the business connections that I had at the time.

"We finished that glorious 'Painkiller' world tour, which was a real slog," he continued. "All of these tours that we do, they're incredibly long and tiring, but we do it because we love to do it; we love to see our fans around the world. But prior to this 'Painkiller' tour, we'd gone through that really, really difficult time with the Reno trial" — referring the infamous 1990 trial in which PRIEST was accused of inserting subliminal messages into its music — "so we had that kind of filtering behind us in the background as we forged ahead with this incredible 'Painkiller' record and tour.

"Hindsight, call it what you will, we should have said, or I should have said, at the end of that 'Painkiller' tour, 'Guys, I'm gonna go off for a couple of years and just chill and maybe do some stuff.' But that's not the way it turned out. We just fell into this terrible miscommunication. Bands are like families — you fall out in your family. It took about 10 years for us to repair that, particularly on my part. But there you go. At least I was able to get out of my system the things that I was searching for as a musician. I had my great times with the FIGHT band, the 2WO project, the HALFORD project. It all led me back to the place where I was destined to be as a musician, which is to be with JUDAS PRIEST."

FIGHT's initial lineup was completed by JUDAS PRIEST/RACER X drummer Scott Travis, Russ Parrish (a.k.a. Satchel of STEEL PANTHER) on guitar, Brian Tilse on guitar and keyboards and Jay Jay on bass.

FIGHT released two studio albums in the early 1990s — 1993's "War Of Words" and 1995's "A Small Deadly Space".

The 2WO project issued the much-maligned "Voyeurs" album in 1998 via Trent Reznor's Nothing Records label and sold poorly before Halford returned to his roots and formed the aforementioned HALFORD.

Although Reznor is given "executive producer" credit for the "Voyeurs" disc, the project is largely the work of Halford and co-writers John 5 and Bob Marlette.

Halford's autobiography, "Confess", will arrive on September 29 via Hachette Books. The book has already been described by the U.K.'s The Telegraph as "one of the most candid and surprising memoirs of the year."

In a new interview with the "Rock & Roll Beer Guy" podcast, STATIC-X bassist Tony Campos reflected on the passing of the band's frontman Wayne Static nearly six years ago. Wayne died after mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, according to the coroner's report. The 48-year-old Static, whose real name was Wayne Richard Wells, was found dead in his Landers, California home on November 1, 2014.

Campos said (see video below): "I don't wanna dwell on that stuff. It was just a really bad time for the band and for myself personally. Long story short, the band fell apart. Wayne got really involved with drugs and he got addicted and, unfortunately, it cost him his life.

"You can't help someone that doesn't wanna be helped. You can do whatever you think will help, but if the person doesn't want help, they're not gonna take it," he continued.

"Unfortunately, Wayne wasn't the first friend I lost because of drug addiction, so it was just like seeing it happen all over again to somebody else that I'm close with. And it sucks every time."

Asked if he is now a strong advocate against drug use as a result of his experiences, Campos said: "No, I'm not. I've always had the position of, 'Do whatever you want, but if it starts getting in the way of what you have to do, then you need to start rethinking your priorities.' I got to a point with alcohol where it was starting to affect my performances on stage, and I had to dial it back. And now I'm just old, and I can't handle hangovers anymore, so I've gotta dial it way back now."

According to Tony, it's "so easy" for touring musicians to "get caught up" in drinking and drugging while out on the road.

"When you, as an audience member, go to a show, you may go to a show once, twice, three times a week, maybe, tops," he explained. "For us, as musicians, we're doing this every night, so in every town, there's somebody new going, 'Hey, man. Have a drink. Smoke this. Do a line of this.' And when you do that every day, it catches up to you, man.

"The only thing I ever did was drink and smoke weed," Campos revealed. "I stay away from cocaine, just 'cause I tried crack once when I was 13, and I didn't like it. And that was it. I'm, like, yeah, I'm not gonna do any more coke after that. I guess I got lucky that I avoided that pitfall. And I've seen lots of friends get hooked on that and ruin their lives. It's easy to get caught up in that shit," he repeated.

Static founded STATIC-X in 1994 and achieved commercial success with the band's debut album, "Wisconsin Death Trip", which included the rock radio hit "Push It".

The group issued five more studio albums before disbanding permanently in June 2013. Static had been pursuing a solo career at the time of his death.

STATIC-X's latest album "Project Regeneration Vol. 1", came out in July. The first of two volumes, it features 12 brand new tracks, containing many of the final vocal performances and musical compositions of Static, along with the original "Wisconsin Death Trip" lineup of Campos, drummer Ken Jay, and guitarist Koichi Fukuda. Both volumes are being worked on by longtime STATIC-X producer Ulrich Wild.

Dee Snider says that Donald Trump's praise of despotic and brutal leaders like Kim Jong-un is an "insult" to the TWISTED SISTER singer's father, who was a Korean War vet.

Snider, who found himself in the middle of controversy in 2016 when he asked Trump to stop using the 1984 TWISTED SISTER anthem "We're Not Gonna Take It" in his campaign, spoke about the billionaire real estate mogul while promoting his live set, "For The Love Of Metal Live!", on "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen".

Dee said (hear audio below): "When Donald Trump called me up and said, 'Hey, man, I'm running for president. Can I use your song?', I'm, like, 'Yeah, man. We're friends. Go. Go, go, go, go.' And then he started talking about the things he believed in, which were very different than the things I believed in. Not everything, but some important things. My kids, they're very, very Bernie [Sanders] people, they were, like, 'Dad, you've gotta go to the press. You've gotta stop this.' I said, 'No. The man asked me for permission. I gave it to him. I will call him up as a gentleman and ask him to stop.' And I called him, and I said, 'Look, man, we're not on the same page.' And I said, 'I need you to stop.' And he said, 'Okay.'"

Snider continued: "Traveling the world, I'm not happy with the way we're viewed outside the United States. And also, I'm not happy as my father was a vet. He fought in Korea. A hundred seventy thousand men and women died — mostly men died; my father nearly died — fighting North Korea, and to be friends with [North Korean leader] Kim Jong-un… [My father] was fighting China, Russia and North Korea. They were unified, and those tigers have not changed their stripes, people. Do not think for a second that they have changed their stripes. And it's kind of an insult to my dad to see our president buddying up to these countries — not so much with China; he butts heads with them. But North Korea — disgusting, disgraceful. Sorry. This is the way I feel. I'm very proud of my dad's service, and it's just an insult to him."

Dee, who got to know Trump personally after appearing more than once on "The Celebrity Apprentice", has been an outspoken critic of America's 45th president, tweeting incessantly against Trump's administration and blasting Trump as "a commie-loving traitor" who is prostituting our democracy. He has also engaged in heated Twitter fights with Trump followers, some of whom have taken issue with his colorful delivery and unapologetic tone.

Earlier this year, Snider criticized Trump over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, saying that Trump's response to COVID-19 has been "to politicize it and separate us more and make it about politics instead of about joining together and helping each other. This was an opportunity to really bring the country together over something really important, that rises above all the other B.S. in the world," he said. "And he failed to do that, and we're seeing the results."

Two weeks ago, Snider defended his "aggressive and intense" approach in dealing with "idiot Trump followers" on social media, saying that he is "trying to lead by example."

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS have released two new songs from their new double album, "Cyr", due on November 27 via Sumerian Records. The 20-song follow-up to 2018's "Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun." was produced by singer-songwriter Billy Corgan. Check out "Confessions Of A Dopamine Addict" and "Wrath" below.

"'Cyr' is dystopic folly," Corgan said in a statement, "one soul against the world sort of stuff, set against a backdrop of shifting loyalties and sped up time. To me it stands as both hopeful and dismissive of what is and isn't possible with faith."

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS have also announced "In Ashes", a five-part animated series written by Corgan, featuring new songs from "Cyr". Episodes one and two — "As The Crow Flies" and "Inspirations, Aspirations" — will arrive on September 25.

"Cyr" track listing:

01. The Colour Of Love

02. Confessions Of A Dopamine Addict

03. Cyr

04. Dulcet In E

05. Wrath

06. Ramona

07. Anno Satana

08. Birch Grove

09. Wyttch

10. Starrcraft

11. Purple Blood

12. Save Your Tears

13. Telegenix

14. Black Forest, Black Hills

15. Adrennalynne

16. Haunted

17. The Hidden Sun

18. Schaudenfreud

19. Tyger, Tyger

20. Minerva

"Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun." was SMASHING PUMPKINS' first album in over 18 years to feature founding members Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin and James Iha, along with longtime guitarist Jeff Schroeder.

Earlier this year, Corgan told Tennessean about SMASHING PUMPKINS' upcoming studio album: "When we got back together with James, we went in with Rick Rubin and did eight songs. It was put out as a formal album, but I said at the time — and I did mean it — in my eyes, it wasn't an album. We didn't approach it like we've approached every other album we'd ever done, which is more like making a movie.

"In many ways, this is the first real album [since the reunion] where we've hunkered down and made a classic, 'Let's throw it all at the wall and see what happens' type of PUMPKINS record. I've been working on it for over a year.

"This is the first album since the album that came out in 2000, 'Machina', where me, James and Jimmy worked on something for a very long time," he added. "It's got a greater conceptual base, and it's probably a wider swath of music. The last one was kind of like, 'Let's just jump in, record some stuff real fast, and let it be what it is,' ... so I'm excited about this, because we're kind of back in the lane of taking a risk, and trying to bring something new to the table, as opposed to just aping what we're known for."

MR. BUNGLE's music video for the song "Eracist" can be seen below. The dystopian clip was directed by Derrick Scocchera, with photography by Nicholas Finn Myggen.

"Eracist" is taken from MR. BUNGLE's upcoming album, "The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo", which is due on October 30 via Ipecac Recordings.

As was the case with MR. BUNGLE's live performances this past February, original MR. BUNGLE members Trevor Dunn, Mike Patton and Trey Spruance are joined by Scott Ian (ANTHRAX, S.O.D.) and Dave Lombardo (DEAD CROSS, SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES).

The 11-song release features tracks written by the Eureka, California-born band for their 1986 cassette only demo as well as a reimagined cover of the S.O.D. classic "Hypocrites / Habla Español O Muere" (a.k.a. "Speak English Or Die") and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's "Loss For Words".

The album was produced by MR. BUNGLE, recorded by Husky Höskulds at Studio 606, and mixed by Jay Ruston. Rhea Perlman narrates "Anarchy Up Your Anus".

"Recording this music with these guys was an enormous head-rush of virtuosity and surprises every day in the studio," explains Patton. "Trey's video game-esque solos, Scott's bionic right hand and cyborg-like precision, Dave's caveman-meets-Bobby Brady-like drum fills, Trevor's solid foundation and laser-focus to detail. There is nothing sweeter than getting your ass kicked by true comrades…where everyone has a singular drive and mission."

Dunn adds: "Recording this record felt like we were finally utilizing our Ph.Ds in thrash metal. All we had to do was go back to our original professors for some additional guidance and talk them into joining us. Turns out we were A+ students. We even went for extra credit by revisiting some tunes that we'd given up on back in the day. It was less like a trip of nostalgia and more like the refining of an original, worthy document. We were haunted for 35 years by the fact that this music wasn't given it's due respect. Now we can die."

"The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo" track listing:

01. Grizzly Adams

02. Anarchy Up Your Anus

03. Raping Your Mind

04. Hypocrites / Habla Español O Muere

05. Bungle Grind

06. Methematics

07. Eracist

08. Spreading The Thighs Of Death

09. Loss For Words

10. Glutton For Punishment

11. Sudden Death

MR. BUNGLE was formed in an impoverished lumber and fishing town by a trio of curious, volatile teenagers. Trey Spruance, Mike Patton and Trevor Dunn beget the amorphous "band" in 1985 up in Humboldt County, California, sifting through a variety of members until around 1989 when they settled on a lineup that managed to get signed to Warner Bros. Records. No one really knows how this happened and it remains a complete mystery that even the algorithms of the internet can't decode. Up until 2000, they released three albums ("Mr. Bungle" in 1991, "Disco Volante" in 1995 and "California" in 1999), toured a good portion of the Western hemisphere and avoided any sort of critical acclaim. Some argue that the band subsequently broke up but there is also no proof of this. What is true is that they took 20 years off from performing under said moniker while they pursued various other musics that, in contrast, paid the rent.

Photo credit: Buzz Osborne

LINKIN PARK's debut album, "Hybrid Theory", was officially certified 12 times platinum on September 11 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of 12 million copies.

The RIAA developed its gold and platinum awards program in 1958 to honor artists and create a standard by which to measure the commercial success of a sound recording. The program trademarked the gold record and formalized the industry practice of presenting awards to artists for music sales achievements.

Presently, the RIAA awards a gold honor for 500,000 units sold, a platinum honor for 1 million units sold and a diamond award for more than 10 million units sold.

In the streaming age, each permanent digital album or physical album sale count as 1 unit for certification purposes, 10 permanent track downloads from the album count as 1 unit for certification purposes, and 1,500 on-demand audio and/or video streams from the album count as 1 unit. For songs, 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams count as 1 unit for certification purposes.

A 20th-anniverary reissue of "Hybrid Theory" will be made available on October 9 via Warner Records. The set comes in multiple physical and digital formats, including a super deluxe box set, super deluxe vinyl box set and deluxe CD that all come with the original "Hybrid Theory" as well as the "B-Side Rarities" with 12 previously released tracks from the album era.

"It's incredible to think it's been 20 years since 'Hybrid Theory' was released," says the band. "All gratitude to our fans who made this epic journey we started 20 years ago possible. We dedicate our music to you. We rededicate our 'Hybrid Theory' to you."

The limited-edition super deluxe box set will consist of five CDs, three DVDs, three vinyl records, an 80-page illustrated book featuring previously unseen photos, a replica tour laminate and a poster of late frontman Chester Bennington, and three lithographs of new art by Mike Shinoda, Joe Hahn and "Hybrid Theory" art director and reissue art director Frank Maddocks. The vinyl box set will feature "Hybrid Theory", "Reanimation" and "B-side Rarities" on vinyl.

One of the never-before-heard demos, "She Couldn't", can be streamed below.

Super deluxe box set:

5 CDs

01. Hybrid Theory

02. Reanimation

03. B-Side Rarities

04. LPU Rarities

05. Forgotten Demos

3 DVDs

01. Frat Party At The Pankake Festival

02. Live Projekt Revolution 2002 (never-before-released)

03. Live At The Fillmore 2001 // Live At Rock Am Ring 2001

3 LPs

01. Hybrid Theory

02. Reanimation

03. Hybrid Theory EP

Extras:

* 80-page book featuring contributions from the band and previously unseen photos

* Cassette reproduction of original 2-track street team sampler

* 18x24 Poster of Chester Bennington

* 3 Lithographs featuring new art by Mike Shinoda, Joe Hahn, and Frank Maddocks

* Replica tour laminate

Super deluxe vinyl set:

3 LPs

01. Hybrid Theory

02. Reanimation

03. B-Side Rarities

Side A

01. One Step Closer (Rock Mix)

02. It's Goin' Down

03. Papercut (Live from the BBC)

04. In The End (Live BBC Radio One)

05. Points Of Authority (Live BBC Radio One)

06. High Voltage

Side B

07. Step Up (1999 Demo)

08. My December

09. A Place For My Head (Live at Docklands Arena, London)

10. Points Of Authority (Live at Docklands Arena, London)

11. Papercut (Live at Docklands Arena, London)

12. Buy Myself Remix (Marilyn Manson)

Deluxe CD:

2 CDS

01. Hybrid Theory

02. B-Side Rarities

Digital:

All audio tracks on the album will be available to stream or download.

"Hybrid Theory" — the band's original name before it was changed to LINKIN PARK for legal reasons — was issued in October 2000 and was a breakout success for the group, which had formed in 1996 and had played the Los Angeles club scene for several years. The album yielded four massive hit singles — "One Step Closer", "Crawling", "Papercut" and "In The End" — while going on to sell more than 10 million copies in the U.S. alone.

LINKIN PARK singer Chester Bennington and Shinoda spoke to The Pulse Of Radio a while back about some of the challenges of making their debut album.

"We walked into every song with a fresh, you know, outlook on it and we focused equal amounts of energy on every song," Bennington said. "And that at times was quite interesting, and also difficult at the same time. So we really learned how to push ourselves to new levels, and that was an accomplishment."

"Our biggest obstacle was putting something together that we felt was strong from beginning to end and doing our best to give each song its proper attention," Shinoda added.

Bennington was found dead in his Los Angeles-area home on July 20, 2017 after hanging himself. LINKIN PARK headlined an all-star tribute concert for Bennington in October 2017 in Los Angeles but has not announced any future plans for recording or touring.

EVANESCENCE will hold a virtual concert in October, to be streamed online to fans all over the world. Singer Amy Lee spoke about the performance during an appearance this morning (Wednesday, September 23) on MSNBC's "Way Too Early". She said (see video below): "We have to put that together still, but we're going to find a way to do something.

"This whole year has been all about finding a new way to do what we usually do. It's a challenge, but we've really enjoyed finding a way to get through and connect with people, even though we have to be home and do things differently. So we're gonna make some kind of a virtual performance from home with the whole band from all the world, actually — we have people all over the country, and one bandmember in Germany."

Lee added: "So, yeah, it'll be cool to be able to just do something for people and inspire people, hopefully, through that music."

Last month, EVANESCENCE released a new single, "Use My Voice", which was written to celebrate the power of speaking out in order to promote more justice in the world. The track, featuring contributions from THE PRETTY RECKLESS's Taylor Momsen and HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale, was chosen by HeadCount in the USA to encourage voters to register, check their registration, or find out about their remote voting options amid the COVID-19 pandemic at UseMyVoice.org.

EVANESCENCE's long-awaited new album, "The Bitter Truth", will arrive later this year.

The band's new music is being produced by Nick Raskulinecz, who also worked on 2011's self-titled LP.

EVANESCENCE spent much of the last two years recording and touring in support of 2017's "Synthesis", which contained some of the band's best-loved songs — as well as a couple of new ones — reinvented with full orchestra over a deep electronic landscape.