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

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

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

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

The Epic Apocalypse Tour featuring Epica and Apocalyptica, with support by Helsinki prog metallers Wheel, has been postponed till Spring 2021.

Resheduled tour dates are as follows:

March
1 - Berlin, Germany - Columbiahalle
2 - Leipzig, Germany - Haus Auensee
3 - Hannover, Germany - Capitol0
5 - Zurich, Switzerland - Komplex
6 - Munich, Germany - Tonhalle
7 - Milan, Italy - Fabrique  
8 - Lausanne, Switzerland - Metropole
10 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra
11 - Vienna, Austria - Gasometer
12 - Brno, Czech Republic - Hala Vodova
13 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
14 - Gdansk, Poland - B90
17 - Hamburg, Germany - Docks
18 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Amager Bio
20 - Stockholm, Sweden - Berns
21 - Oslo, Norway - Sentrum

April
1 - Helsinki, Finland - Ice Hall
7 - Lisbon, Portugal - Coliseum
8 - Madrid, Spain - La Riviera
9 - Murcia, Spain - Gamma
11 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz
12 - Toulouse, France - Bikini
13 - Paris, France - Zenith
14 - Brussel, Belgium - Ancienne Belgique
16 - Nottingham, UK - Rock City *NEW*
17 - Glasgow, UK - O2 Academy
18 - Bristol, UK -  O2 Academy
20 - Cologne, Germany - Carlswerk Victoria
21 - Ludwigsburg, Germany - MHP arena
22 - Wiesbaden, Germany - Schlachthof
24 - Luxembourg - Den Atelier
25 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - AFAS Live
27 - London, UK - Roundhouse
28 - Manchester, UK - Academy




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Silent Skies, featuring Tom S. Englund (Evergrey, Redemption) and Vikram Shankar (Redemption, Lux Terminus, Threads Of Fate) are gearing up to release their full length debut album. They have released an official video for new single "Solitude". Check it out below.

Soulfood Music Distribution’s inhouse label Sweet Lemon recently announced the signing of Silent Skies.

Tom S. Englund, vocalist of Swedish band Evergrey, and Vikram Shankar's ways crossed when Englund saw Shankar re-interpret one of his compositions on piano on YouTube. A swift email suggesting a collaboration gave birth to ideas of a musical landscape rooted in cinematic, film score music, driven by Shankar's tender and emotive piano playing, but with the added sound of Englund's unique and charismatic vocals and strong melodic sensibility. The compositions are both bleak and hopeful, setting a sombre tone, and with lyrics that stem from self-reflection and existential contemplation, the atmospheric music of Silent Skies is engrossing and hypnotizing, evoking in the listener visions for the inner eye.

Silent Skies debuted with their single “Horizons”, which includes three different versions of the song. “Horizons” is available now on all streaming services and YouTube. It was recorded and produced in Sweden and USA by Vikram Shankar and Tom S Englund, mixed by Christer-André Cederberg, Cederberg Studios Kristiansand, Norway.

Watch the Silent Skies official Facebook page here for updates.




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The Who - featuring vocalist Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend - have released an official lyric video for their iconic 1971 hit, "Baba O'Riley". The video was uploaded to YouTube on September 18, 2020. 

"Baba O'Riley" is taken from The Who's 1971 album, Who's Next. Townshend originally wrote the song for his Lifehouse project, a rock opera intended as the follow-up to the Who's 1969 opera, Tommy. "Baba O'Riley" was initially 30 minutes in length, but was edited down to the "high points" of the track for Who's Next. The other parts of the song appeared on the third disc of Townshend's Lifehouse Chronicles as "Baba M1 (O'Riley 1st Movement 1971)" and "Baba M2 (2nd Movement Part 1 1971)".

The song is in the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock And Roll.

As part of YouTube’s #StayHome campaign, The Who recently closed a six-week celebration of their incredible live performances, with a two-part digital premiere finale.

The weekly series - “Join Together @ Home” - is on the band’s official YouTube channel. Each featurette (available digitally for the first time) appears as a YouTube Premiere, streaming live and rarely seen footage, mini videos and special screen footage. Culminating over two weekends with 5 and 4 songs respectively from a sensational show at Piazza Grande, Locarno, Switzerland in July 2006, these performances include the band’s first ever live performance of "Greyhound Girl".

Roger Daltrey said, “It’s a very special show, I didn’t even remember this film existed! We were getting together after a 3-year hiatus. The show was in an extraordinary place, in the town square, with people dancing on their balconies. I have very fond memories of it.”

“Join Together @ Home” is in partnership with The Who and Eagle Rock Entertainment and will stream exclusively on YouTube. “Join Together @ Home” is free to view, but fans are encouraged to donate to co-beneficiaries The Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America - directly via the link provided here.

As Patron of both charities, Roger Daltrey has raised much needed awareness and funds to help support young people with cancer, both in the UK and the US. He has been the driving force behind Teenage Cancer Trust’s iconic comedy and music shows, held at the Royal Albert Hall for the last 20 years.

Teenage Cancer Trust has always had incredible support from the music industry and relies on donations but due to Coronavirus, saw essential income generating activity, like the Royal Albert Halls shows, cancelled. With income estimated to drop by as much as half this year; the charity needs to raise £5m to maintain frontline services so events like “Join Together @ Home” are more important than ever.

With Teen Cancer America fundraising events also cancelled, they face a shortfall and need your help more than ever. Your donation can help to continue improving the lives and outcomes of teens and young adults with cancer. Nearly 90,000 adolescents and young adults face a cancer diagnosis every year in America, and every hour another young life is lost. The Coronavirus is not just impacting fundraising, but increasing the risks for immunocompromised cancer patients, and adding to the growing burden of hospitals and caregivers.

As you have faced the inconvenience of isolation these past months, please think of the many teenage cancer patients who are in the fight of their lives. Follow your local guidelines, stay safe, relax and watch The Who, and do one of the most important things you can do today, donate to help teens facing cancer.

Trailer:

(Photo - Rick Guest / NEC Group)




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Denmark’s melodic heavy rockers Meridian have released the fifth video and single (out of six) from their upcoming EP of covers Taking Cover, coming later this year on Mighty Music.

This time the song is a cover of the Van Halen hit, “Why Can't This Be Love”.

Each member of the band picked one song for the EP, and this one is chosen by guitarist Martin J. Andersen who says: “I chose 'Why Can't This Be Love', by Van Halen. I've always loved that song, and I generally think the Sammy Hagar-era of the band is underrated. I think we did a good job!”

Why covers? - Just for the fun of it!

It happens to most bands. It certainly happens a lot in this band. Warming up at rehearsals someone starts playing a cool riff from the good old days. Everybody joins in on the jam and 30 seconds later everybody stops, laugh and someone says “That’s a cool song. We should make a cover of that someday”. Most often, that day never comes, but sometimes it does. Last year when the band finished recording the Margin Of Error album, one of the songs reminded Mighty Music CEO, Michael H. Andersen, of one of the greatest Danish bands from the '80s, Skagarack, - and he suggested the band should do a cover of one of their songs.

The idea stuck for a while, and the band decided that once they gathered in the studio, they could just as well record a couple of songs and make a covers EP - just for the fun of it! Choosing the songs was not easy. Every discussion always ended with over 20 good suggestions. So the band applied some rules. Each member should pick one song, and nobody could argue against it.

So here we are, with six classic rock and pop songs from the '80s, grinded through the Meridian machine, twisted a little bit to suite the Meridian sound and playing style, but still paying respect to the well-known originals.

All six songs are released as digital singles over the summer, and the EP will be available in the autumn of 2020.

Meridian covering “The Sun Always Shines On TV” by A-Ha:

Meridian covering “Hungry For A Game” by Skagarack:




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Century Media Records welcome Dutch futuristic multi-metal eruption, Cryptosis.

A million miles from the old school fury of their previous incarnation, Cryptosis have a sound that defies expectations and limitations with equal intensity. A dizzying blend of visceral extremity, symphonic pomp and wild, progressive invention.

Elements of blackened death, progressive thrash and grandiose symphonic metal are all present and correct, but Cryptosis have combined them in an exhilarating, unprecedented new form that promises to satisfy on both primal and cerebral levels.

Philipp Schulte, Director Century Media Records Europe comments: “Getting completely surprised by a new band doesn’t happen very often, but Cryptosis really impressed me. What this young band manages to deliver is nothing but a mind-blowing hell ride through the realm of extreme metal. What Cryptosis do is not only for fans of Vektor, Coroner, Sadus or Demolition Hammer, but generally for everyone who is into death and thrash metal played at high speed on the highest level of aggression and technicality. The usual label hyperbole? If you think so, then check out the song. Welcome to Century Media, guys. We couldn’t be happier to have you with us!”

Today Cryptosis release the single “Decypher”. Check out the video below.

The band comments: “In light of recent events we are beyond happy that we are teaming up with Century Media Records to release and promote our debut album. It feels really good to work with such a professional team that understands our artistic vision and gives us a lot of freedom and resources to take everything we do to the next level.”

Cryptosis are:

Laurens Houvast (vocals/guitar)
Frank te Riet (bass/mellotron/backing vocals)
Marco Prij (drums)




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Fifteen years after working together on the Grammy-winning, chart-topping single "Who Says You Can't Go Home", Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers BON JOVI and country music superstar Jennifer Nettles have reunited for a country version of the band's newest song "Do What You Can". The track, being released via BMLG Records, will make its live debut at this year's iHeart Radio music festival on September 19. The official music video for the song — which was shot on the streets of New York City — can be seen below.

Said Jon Bon Jovi: "In 2005, Jennifer helped BON JOVI take 'Who Says you Can't Go Home' to No. 1 on the country charts. It was her powerful and emotion-filled voice that I hope will carry us back onto the country airwaves again to share this uplifting message of unity."

Added Nettles: "Being invited to sing with BON JOVI back in 2005 on 'Who Says You Can't Go Home' was a real blessing as an artist and in my career. I could not be happier to continue that amazing musical story on our new duet 'Do What You Can'. (Or should I say 'Duet What You Can')"

"Do What You Can", written by Jon Bon Jovi in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, quickly became an anthem for the collective experience the world was experiencing. As USA Today said of the storied band’s impact during those historic weeks: "No band has stirred more empathy, articulated the feelings of uncertainty, and comforted fans with reassurance than the Jersey rockers in the first weeks of the outbreak."

BON JOVI's new album, "2020", will arrive on October 2 via Island Records.

Originally set for release on May 15, "2020" was a completed album with a breadth and depth of songwriting, titled for a challenging and pivotal election year. Along with all of America, Jon Bon Jovi found himself unexpectedly experiencing a world-altering coronavirus pandemic, followed quickly by the staggering events of George Floyd's death and the ensuing national movement for racial equality. He knew there was even more to say about 2020. Writing from a home studio, two new songs were born: "American Reckoning" and "Do What You Can" encompass these events and made the album a complete body of work.

Swedish modern metal force AMARANTHE will release its new album "Manifest", on October 2 via Nuclear Blast. The official music video for the disc's third single, "Archangel", can be seen below.

AMARANTHE comments: "Fire and brimstone! Savor the sweet scent of sulfur as AMARANTHE delves deep into Miltonian lore with 'Archangel'!

"An ancient tale of the fall of the angel Lucifer Morningstar was interpreted as a Greek tragedy in John Milton's seminal 'Paradise Lost', and it is from this perspective we tell a brief yet momentous story of greed, betrayal, and overblown pride — an all too familiar and contemporary theme.

"AMARANTHE's first collaboration with Poland's visual grandmasters Grupa13 took us from abandoned and ghastly factory halls in Wrocław to the derelict ruins of Świny Castle among the Polish mountains. Light up your incense, fill your goblet, and delight in a darker shade of AMARANTHE!"

"Manifest" will be available as CD, media book with four bonus tracks, media book bundle with patch (limited to 250 units, mailorder exclusive), gold vinyl (limited to 300 units, mailorder + wholesale exclusive), Blue/black marbled vinyl (limited to 300 units, EMP exclusive), cyan vinyl (NB USA exclusive) as well as six individual band member vinyl (limited to 150 units each, bandshop exclusive).

AMARANTHE comments: "'Manifest' is the latest step in the evolution of AMARANTHE, and across the board it is the boldest statement: We are here to stay, we are utterly passionate about what we do and we will take no prisoners in our strive for musical excellence! An all-out metal rollercoaster, 'Manifest' does not hold back in any regard — from the first second to the last, it is brimful with some of the heaviest AMARANTHE riffs to date, soaring and emotional vocals and unrelenting metallic fury. We hope you will enjoy this album as much as we enjoyed making it!"

"Manifest" track listing:

01. Fearless

02. Make It Better

03. Scream My Name

04. Viral

05. Adrenaline

06. Strong (feat. Noora Louhimo)

07. The Game

08. Crystalline

09. Archangel

10. BOOM!1

11. Wake Up And Die

12. Do Or Die

Bonus Tracks:

13. 82nd All The Way (SABATON cover)

14. Do Or Die (feat. Angela Gossow)

15. Adrenalina (Acoustic)

16. Crystalline (Orchestral)

AMARANTHE has spent the last decade establishing itself as a formidable, positive and fervently melodic force for metallic good. From their explosive self-titled debut in 2011 to the more sophisticated, streamlined likes of 2014's "Massive Addictive" and its immaculate follow-up "Maximalism" (2016), AMARANTHE has masterfully blurred the lines between melodic metal, crushing brutality, cinematic sweep and futuristic sparkle. Led by the endlessly ingenious songwriting of guitarist Olof Mörck and powerhouse vocalist Elize Ryd, their rise to prominence has been a joy to behold.

Widely acclaimed as a dazzling live act, the Swedes reached a new peak of creativity on 2018's hugely successful "Helix": an album that pushed the band's vision to new heights, breadths and depths, while showcasing the brilliance of Elize and her co-vocalists, Henrik Englund Wilhelmsson and recent recruit Nils Molin.

Not just a glorious return but a wholesale upgrade for their exuberant sound, "Manifest" is simply the most daring, dynamic and unforgettable album that AMARANTHE have released to date. The perfect antidote to the nagging anxieties plaguing us all in these troubled times, it's a technicolor celebration of metal's ageless power, blazing with all of life's colors and chaos, but delivered with utmost artistry and skill.

HJELVIK, the solo project of former KVELERTAK frontman Erlend Hjelvik, will release its debut album, "Welcome To Hel", on November 20 via Nuclear Blast Records. The official music video for the disc's first single, "North Tsar", can be seen below.

Hjelvik comments: "It feels great to finally give people the first taste of what's to come with this awesome video for 'North Tsar' that the talented guys at Grupa13 created for me."

Regarding the making of the video, he said: "It was a cool experience. The day corona restrictions lifted, I took the first flight from Norway to Poland and we shot the whole video in one day in a Viking village called Jomsborg. Grupa13 did an excellent job with their team, including well-trained Viking re-enactors, an amazing SFX crew and even brought in wolves and a huge raven. It was an intense and efficient shoot. It felt crazy to be standing in the middle of a Viking battle while performing my song, especially since the village was open to tourists who appeared midway through to stand there, gawk and take selfies… making the experience slightly more bizarre! Nonetheless, I had a great time and I'm extremely pleased with the result!"

"Welcome To Hel", based on Norse mythology and history, includes all the trappings of a lucrative Viking pillage. The album was recorded and mixed at The Hallowed Halls in Portland, Oregon by Justin Phelps (JOE SATRIANI, POISON IDEA, SLOUGH FEG) and finalized by Grammy Award-winning mastering engineer Alan Douches (MASTODON, CONVERGE, BARONESS). Special guest appearances by Matt Pike (SLEEP, HIGH ON FIRE) and Mike Scalzi (SLOUGH FEG) are also included. The legendary Joe Petagno, who created the "Welcome To Hel" album artwork and HJELVIK logo, was responsible for creating the timeless iconic images we all know from bands like MOTÖRHEAD, LED ZEPPELIN and NAZARETH.

Hjelvik describes his music as "blackened Viking heavy metal" with lyrics based on Norse mythology and history.

HJELVIK is:

Erlend Hjelvik - Vocals, Lyrics and Songwriting

Rob Steinway - Lead Guitar

Remi André Nygård - Rhythm Guitar

Alexis Lieu - Bass

Kevin Foley - Drums

Hjelvik left KVELERTAK in July 2018, calling his exit "necessary" and citing the band's differing "individual goals, needs and motivations."

In announcing his departure, Erlend said in a statement: "The experience of building a successful band has been fun and rewarding but has also been equally intense and challenging. Over the years, this has taken its toll. As we've been developing personally and professionally, our individual goals, needs and motivations have changed, leading us in different directions. Though it is a heavy decision to leave a life I've been living and breathing for the last decade, I feel happy and excited to explore new possibilities for the future."

KVELERTAK replaced Hjelvik with Ivar Nikolaisen and released its latest album, "Splid", in February via Rise Records.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Ozzy Osbourne's landmark debut album "Blizzard Of Ozz", fans will be able to celebrate with a new animated video for "Crazy Train", a live Twitter chat, the release of a new HD version of "30 Years After The Blizzard" documentary, a SiriusXM Ozzy's Boneyard radio special, "40 Years Of Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard Of Ozz", a selection of limited-edition "Blizzard Of Ozz" commemorative merchandise, and a black and red vinyl version of the album.

To purchase "Blizzard Of Ozz", click here; for the special black and red swirl vinyl version of "Blizzard" (available exclusively at Best Buy on October 23), pre-order here.

* First up, earlier today, a new animated video by Tiny Concert for "Crazy Train" debuted on YouTube. The clip features Ozzy and his band in an animated live performance. Watch the clip below.

* A newly uprezzed HD version of 2010's documentary "30 Years After The Blizzard" — originally only released as part of the "Blizzard Of Ozz"/"Diary Of a Madman" box set — will debut today at 6:00 p.m. (ET)/3:00 p.m. (PT) and run for seven days on YouTube, with a chat with Ozzy before the premiere.

* Ozzy will discuss "Blizzard Of Ozz" in a special one-hour "40 Years Of Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard Of Ozz" special on his SiriusXM Ozzy's Boneyard channel. Set to debut tonight (Friday, September 18) at 5:00 p.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. PT and airing multiple times throughout next week, the special — which features a conversation between Ozzy and his close friend/musician Billy Morrison — will take listeners track-by-track through Ozzy's first solo album on its 40th anniversary.

* On Sunday, September 20 at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT, Ozzy will host a special "Blizzard Of Ozz" listening party on his Twitter (talking about all the tracks from the album) on its official release date anniversary.

* A selection of commemorative "Blizzard Of Ozz" merchandise (t-shirts, jersey and a track jacket) is available via Ozzy's web site.

Initially released on September 20, 1980 in the U.K., "Blizzard Of Ozz" marked Ozzy's debut studio album, following his departure from BLACK SABBATH. The expanded digital 40th-anniversary edition is set for release September 18 on Sony/Legacy. The new package includes Ozzy hits "Crazy Train", which will hit certified five-times-platinum status to coincide with its September release date; the gold-certified (in four countries) "Mr. Crowley" (both of which feature Randy Rhoads on guitar); along with "Suicide Solution", plus live versions of seven tracks that are currently unavailable digitally. The record was ultimately certified five times platinum and was ranked No. 9 on Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums Of All Time" in the U.S.; platinum (or multi-platinum) in another 12 countries and gold in an additional 13 countries. "Blizzard Of Ozz" was the first of two studio albums recorded with guitarist Randy Rhoads. The album's "Crazy Train" went on to become one of Osbourne's signature tracks; the song has also become one of the most played sports anthems frequently heard at NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL games. It peaked at No. 9 on Billboard's Top Tracks chart upon release — and in 2009, the song achieved a five-times-platinum certification. The live tracks — "I Don't Know", "Crazy Train", "Mr. Crowley", "Revelation (Mother Earth)", "Steal Away (The Night)" and "Suicide Solution" — were recorded on the "Blizzard Of Ozz" tour and were previously found only in the "Blizzard Of Ozz"/"Diary Of A Madman" 30th-anniversary deluxe box set. "You Said It All" (live) was originally found on the 1980 "Mr. Crowley" live EP, recorded in 1980 at the Gaumont Theater, Southampton, U.K. and was also not previously available digitally.

The 40th-anniversary edition of "Blizzard Of Ozz" track listing is as follows:

01. I Don't Know

02. Crazy Train

03. Goodbye To Romance

04. Dee

05. Suicide Solution

06. Mr. Crowley

07. No Bone Movies

08. Revelation (Mother Earth)

09. Steal Away (The Night)

10. You Looking At Me, Looking At You (current bonus track - originally the b-side to "Crazy Train")

11. Goodbye To Romance [2010 Guitar & Vocal Mix] (current bonus track)

12. RR [Outtake from "Blizzard Of Ozz" Sessions] (current bonus track)

New bonus tracks (never before available):

13. I Don't Know (from "Ozzy Live"

14. Crazy Train (from "Ozzy Live"

15. Mr. Crowley (from "Ozzy Live"

16. Revelation (Mother Earth) (from "Ozzy Live"

17. Steal Away (The Night) (from "Ozzy Live"

18. Suicide Solution (from "Ozzy Live")

19. You Said It All (live) (from "Mr. Crowley" EP)

BRAVE THE COLD, the new project led by longtime NAPALM DEATH axeman Mitch Harris, has released the music video for its debut single, the confrontational "Hallmark Of Tyranny". The track is an attack on overreaching governments — highlighting financial superpowers, forced vaccines, targeted false flag operations and frequency harnessing of the masses to achieve a one-world government.

"Although it may sound doom and gloom," Harris says, "it's meant for a positive outcome from creative efforts inspiring change. Inspiration through art is essential in our world, with our need for social interaction, adaptation, individualism and personal transformation. If BRAVE THE COLD doesn't get your attention, what will? It's time to wake the fuck up!"

"Hallmark Of Tyranny" is taken from BRAVE THE COLD's debut album, "Scarcity", which is scheduled for release on October 2 via Mission Two Entertainment.

Fronted by Harris and rounded out by MEGADETH drummer Dirk Verbeuren, BRAVE THE COLD is a two-piece formed in 2018 as the two metal conglomerates focus their energies into a new level of aggression. The culmination is "Scarcity", an eleven-track collection of ferociousness breathing much-needed life into the heavy metal scene of 2020. The disc was produced by the Logan Mader, who has previously worked with GOJIRA, FEAR FACTORY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY and W.A.S.P., among others.

BRAVE THE COLD's glitchy, byzantine death metal doesn't just shift gears — it whips, stutters and jumps sideways into heavyweight dimensions. The entire "Scarcity" theme is a well-researched, scenic debate combining dystopian views ranging from anti-elite, anti-media, anti-division, anti-oppression, end of days philosophies, post-apocalyptic poetry, mind control, economic instability, educational infiltration and global political deceit that compromises our spirituality of one collective voice. This is a global agenda that was a long time coming. It's a reflection on how government can create urgency out of necessity.

Harris has been taking a leave of absence from NAPALM DEATH since late 2014 to focus on his family life.

Puck Hcky, the hockey-themed fashion brand has now forged a relationship with rock-metal icons MÖTLEY CRÜE to deliver a new collection of items.

Matt Marini, CEO of Puck Hcky, said: "For us to be able to launch this awesome Mötley Crüe x Puck Hcky collaboration just as the Stanley Cup finals are about to happen is perfect timing. We had a great time putting these pieces together with the band, which was a dream come true. We think the collection truly captures the spirit of the guys and we are thrilled to bring it to the fans."

The Mötley Crüe x Puck Hcky collection includes many pro-level quality hockey-themed items like crested hockey jerseys, pullover and zip-up hoodies, flannels, raglan shirts, t-shirts and hats.

The collection has just dropped and is available at the Puck Hcky site.

Long-running Birmingham, U.K.-based extreme metallers BENEDICTION have released a music video for their new songle "Stormcrow". The clip was shot on abandoned wasteland somewhere in the outskirts of Sheffield, in the North of England. It was directed by Dan Hart of Light Engine Films.

"In many cultures, the crow is seen as a harbinger of doom and a bad omen. This song deals with that," singer Dave Ingram comments.

Guitarist Darren Brookes adds: "'Stormcrow' was a particularly difficult but enjoyable video to shoot. As anyone who's done one will know, it's take after take after take, and, as you can see, it was a blisteringly hot day too. We did have passers-by, joggers, dog walkers and they were stopping to check out what was going on and that's the closest we've managed to a live gig this year."

"Stormcrow" is taken from BENEDICTION's upcoming album, "Scriptures", which will be released on October 16 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was produced by Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studio in England and will be released digitally, on CD and in various vinyl formats.

According to a press release, "Scriptures" "sounds 100% like BENEDICTION: they blend death metal with a 'fuck-off punk rock attitude', heavy metal riffing and a groove that hardly any other band can capture. Dave Ingram's signature growl and powerful lyrics enhance the tonal framework that makes their sound so distinctly BENEDICTION. As usual the tracks vary from slow and heavy to fast and intense, from shorter, in your face rippers to crushing monoliths.

"The artwork fits perfectly to BENEDICTION and awakens and will resonate with any devoted old-school death metal fan. It was created by Birmingham artist Simon Harris and is reminiscent of the iconic artwork of their early output. There's no doubt that it will fit in perfectly to every vinyl collection next to 'Subconscious Terror', 'The Grand Leveler' or 'Transcend The Rubicon'. All in all, 'Scriptures' is an album of bare bones death metal, where everything is just as it should be. A jewel in the catalogue of a band that has been present from the very beginning and, in line with one of their most classic songs 'We Bow To None', has always remained true to themselves and their fans."

Track listing:

01. Iterations Of I

02. Scriptures In Scarlet

03. The Crooked Man

04. Stormcrow

05. Progenitors Of A New Paradigm

06. Rabid Carnality

07. In Our Hands, The Scars

08. Tear Off These Wings

09. Embrace The Kill

10. Neverwhen

11. The Blight At The End

12. We Are Legion

This past January, BENEDICTION was forced to postpone its previously announced South American tour as a result of "serious health problems" suffered by Ingram.

Ingram rejoined BENEDICTION in the summer of 2019. His return to BENEDICTION came two months after the departure of the band's previous singer, Dave Hunt. Hunt's schedule had become increasingly congested with his commitments to both BENEDICTION and ANAAL NATHRAKH, as well as his relentless studies for his PhD. Therefore, Dave decided to vacate the role in BENEDICTION he commanded for over 20 years.

Ingram first joined BENEDICTION in 1990, just before the band began writing its second album, "The Grand Leveller", and left in May 1998.

BENEDICTION's latest album, "Killing Music", was released in North America in September 2008 via Locomotive Records.

Mark "Barney" Greenway was the lead vocalist on BENEDICTION's debut album, "Subconscious Terror", which came out in 1990. Shortly after the LP's release, he exited the band to join NAPALM DEATH.

BENEDICTION is:

Darren Brookes - guitar

Peter Rew - guitar

Dave Ingram - vocals

Dan Bate - bass

Giovanni Durst - drums

Ozzy Osbourne has paid tribute to his former drummer Lee Kerslake, who died earlier today (Saturday, September 19) following a battle with cancer. He was 73 years old.

Ozzy took to social media to shared a photo of him and Lee during the "Blizzard Of Ozz" album recording sessions at Ridge Farm Studio in West Sussex in 1980, and he included the following message: "It's been 39 years since I've seen Lee but he lives for ever on the records he played on for me, Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. Lee Kerslake RIP"

Lee was a member of Ozzy's band in 1980 and 1981 during the Randy Rhoads era, performing on the singer's first two solo albums.

In January 2019, Kerslake was inducted into the Hall Of Heavy Metal History in Anaheim, California. During his induction, Kerslake was presented with two platinum discs for his work with the BLACK SABBATH frontman. The presentation was filmed for Kerslake's documentary.

During an interview with The Metal Voice in December 2018, the drummer revealed that after all these years, he just wanted platinum album certifications for both "Blizzard Of Ozz" and "Diary Of A Madman", so he can feel some acknowledgement for his work before he dies.

"I really wrote a nice letter to them and I hope they will come to terms with it and say yes," he told The Metal Voice of his appeal to Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne.

Kerslake had since been granted his wish as Ozzy shared a photo on social media of Lee sitting on a sofa and holding the "Blizzard" and "Madman" platinum discs, a handwritten letter from Ozzy placed on his chest.

"I'm so glad that Lee Kerslake is enjoying his Blizzard and Diary platinum albums," Osbourne wrote in an accompanying caption. "I hope you feel better. Love, Ozzy"

According to the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA), 1980's "Blizzard Of Ozz" has been certified quintuple platinum for shipments in excess of five million copies, while 1981's "Diary Of A Madman" has been certified triple platinum for more three million units sold.

Kerslake and bassist Bob Daisley had been embroiled in a legal battle with the Osbournes for many years, which had taken a massive financial toll on the drummer.

"I went belly-up bankrupt when I lost the case to Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne in the courts," Lee told The Metal Voice. "It cost me hundreds of thousands and I had to sell the house and then started to get ill. I never managed to get back up, but a platinum certification on my wall for these albums would be fantastic and it would say I helped create those albums."

Kerslake and Daisley were fired before "Diary of A Madman" was released and in the process had their names removed from the album. Bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Tommy Aldridge are credited in the album's liner notes and featured in the photo on the inner sleeve. The tracks played by Kerslake and Daisley on both albums were replaced on a reissue (by current METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo and FAITH NO MORE drummer Mike Bordin) after the duo sued Ozzy and Sharon over royalties. Daisley and Kerslake's original performances were restored in the 2011 reissues of the albums.




It’s been 39 years since I’ve seen Lee but he lives for ever on the records he played on for me, Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. Lee Kerslake RIP pic.twitter.com/xWqVR0VJn6

— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) September 19, 2020

PEARL JAM, Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX), Todd La Torre (QUEENSRŸCHE), Alex Skolnick (TESTAMENT), Jay Jay French (TWISTED SISTER) and Vernon Reid (LIVING COLOUR) are among the rockers who have reacted on social media to the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died on Friday due to complications of metastatic pancreas cancer. She was 87.

Ginsburg graduated from Columbia Law School, going on to become a staunch courtroom advocate for the fair treatment of women and working with the ACLU's Women's Rights Project. She was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1980 and appointed to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton in 1993.

The justice, who sat on the bench for 27 years, was the second woman confirmed to the top court.

Supreme Court justices serve for life or until they choose to retire, and supporters have expressed concern that a more conservative judge might replace her while President Donald Trump, a Republican, remains in office.

Earlier today, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that he will hold a vote on Trump's nominee to fill the vacancy left by the passing of Ginsburg on the Supreme Court despite the fact that, in the days before she died, Ginsburg reportedly told her granddaughter that it was her wish that she not be replaced before Inauguration Day.

"My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed," Ginsburg reportedly said.

McConnell blocked former President Obama's Supreme Court pick from receiving a confirmation hearing after Justice Antonin Scalia died in 2016, the year of the last presidential election. At the time, he and other GOP lawmakers maintained that a Supreme Court vacancy should not be filled the same year as a presidential race.

EVILDEAD has released the official lyric video for a new song called "The Descending". The track is taken from the band's upcoming studio album, "United $tate$ Of Anarchy", which will be made available on October 30 via SPV/Steamhammer. The disc was produced by Bill Metoyer and the cover artwork was illustrated by Edward J. Repka.

"United $tate$ Of Anarchy" track listing:

01. The Descending

02. Word Of God

03. Napoleon Complex

04. Greenhouse

05. Without A Cause

06. No Difference

07. Blasphemy Divine

08. A.O.P. / War Dance

09. Seed Of Doubt

10. Planet Claire 2020 (LP/digital bonus track)

EVILDEAD was formed in 1987 with the intention to create heavy music in the thrash metal vein. The EVILDEAD sound was unique, highlighting a blend of speed and thrash metal guitar riffs along with hyper drumming locked in with an over-the-top thundering bass with punk overtones and lyrical themes that explored political, thought-provoking social ideas, mixed with horror and nuclear war themes.

In 1988, EVILDEAD signed a worldwide recording contract with SPV/Steamhammer and released the "Rise Above" EP featuring two original tracks, along with a cover version of the BLACK FLAG anthem "Rise Above". In the summer of 1988, EVILDEAD entered Music Grinder recording studios with producer/engineer Cacey McMakin (NUCLEAR ASSAULT, KREATOR) to record the classic full-length album "Annihilation Of Civilization".

In 1989, the band had some lineup changes along the way before their first successful European tour with co-headliners LAAZ ROCKIT. In 1990, EVILDEAD returned to the recording studio with producer Warren Croyle to track its second studio album titled "The Underworld", released in 1991 to rave reviews. After releasing its follow-up effort, "Live…From The Depths Of The Underworld", EVILDEAD disbanded in 1992, with members pursuing other projects.

In 2019, EVILDEAD secured a new recording deal with SPV/Steamhammer for "United $tate$ Of Anarchy". It will feature nine studio tracks plus a metalized cover version of the B-52'S' "Planet Claire" as a bonus track all produced by Bill Metoyer. Seminal artist Edward J. Repka has once again illustrated the cover of the new album.

EVILDEAD 2020 is:

Albert Gonzales - Rhythm/Lead Guitars

Juan Garcia - Rhythm/Lead Guitars

Rob Alaniz - Drums

Phil Flores - Lead Vocals

Karlos Medina - Bass

Photo credit: Alex Solca

Los Angeles quintet HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD has dropped a new song titled "Coming Home". The emotive track showcases a real diversity when it comes to songwriting and offers a fresh dimension to the band's canon when compared to the hard-hitting, high-octane anthems that have become the HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD calling card.

Speaking on the release, Johnny 3 Tears says: "Coming home is about getting carried away in the tides of life, but knowing even through that solitude that the ones who love us are always waiting for us on the shore."

"Coming Home" is out now via BMG/Dove & Grenade Media. It is the second track to be released from the upcoming Vol. 2 of HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD's two-part opus, "New Empire", produced by Matt Good (ASKING ALEXANDRIA, SLEEPING WITH SIRENS). It follows the previous release of mega-banger "Idol" featuring Tech N9ne which was released back in July and has since clocked up nearly three million streams on Spotify and 1.3 million views on YouTube.

The first part, "New Empire Vol. 1", was released back in February of this year and spawned hits "Already Dead", "Time Bomb", "Heart Of A Champion" and "Nightmare" to great acclaim, with Consequence Of Sound claiming "'New Empire Vol. 1' finds the band in a much heavier setting than usual", Inc. magazine stating, "Fifteen years in, and in an industry where careers are often measured in months, [they're] releasing a killer new album," and Billboard asserting, "HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD shows no signs of slowing down." They hit the road for a mammoth European tour with PAPA ROACH and ICE NINE KILLS in support of "Vol. 1" but it was unfortunately cut short when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Formed in 2005, HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD inched towards mainstream dominance under the radar with unprecedented success for a modern band. Preceding the current playlist-hopping genre-less boom, they defied stylistic boundaries from day one. Integrating rap, rock, and electronic, the seminal 2008 debut "Swan Songs" went platinum. 2011's gold-selling American "Tragedy" bowed at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200 with "Notes From The Underground" soaring to No. 2 in 2013. "Day Of The Dead" (2015) and "Five" (2017) brought the group's total streams past one billion and "New Empire Vol. 1" seeing their combined streams across Spotify and YouTube hit a staggering two billion. Along the way, they sold out tours on four continents and garnered acclaim courtesy of Rolling Stone, Billboard, Consequence Of Sound, Alternative Press, Revolver, and more.

Former OZZY OSBOURNE and URIAH HEEP drummer Lee Kerslake has died after a long battle with cancer. He was 73 years old.

"It's with the heaviest of hearts that I share with you that Lee Kerslake, my friend of 55 years and the best drummer I ever played with, lost his battle with cancer at 03:30 this morning," Kerslake's longtime URIAH HEEP bandmate Ken Hensley wrote on social media. "He died peacefully, praise The Lord, but he will be terribly missed."

URIAH HEEP guitarist Mick Box wrote on Facebook: "Lee was one of the kindest men on earth, as well as being a brother he was an incredible drummer, singer and song writer! He had a passion for life bar none and was much loved by the fans, as well as anyone who crossed his path!"

In January 2019, Kerslake was inducted into the Hall Of Heavy Metal History in Anaheim, California. During his induction, Kerslake was presented with two platinum discs for his work with the BLACK SABBATH frontman. The presentation was filmed for Kerslake's documentary.

Lee was a member of Ozzy's band in 1980 and 1981 during the Randy Rhoads era, performing on the singer's first two solo albums.

During an interview with The Metal Voice in December 2018, the drummer revealed that after all these years, he just wanted platinum album certifications for both "Blizzard Of Ozz" and "Diary Of A Madman", so he can feel some acknowledgement for his work before he dies.

"I really wrote a nice letter to them and I hope they will come to terms with it and say yes," he told The Metal Voice of his appeal to Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne.

Kerslake had since been granted his wish as Ozzy shared a photo on social media of Lee sitting on a sofa and holding the "Blizzard" and "Madman" platinum discs, a handwritten letter from Ozzy placed on his chest.

"I'm so glad that Lee Kerslake is enjoying his Blizzard and Diary platinum albums," Osbourne wrote in an accompanying caption. "I hope you feel better. Love, Ozzy"

According to the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA), 1980's "Blizzard Of Ozz" has been certified quintuple platinum for shipments in excess of five million copies, while 1981's "Diary Of A Madman" has been certified triple platinum for more three million units sold.

Kerslake and bassist Bob Daisley had been embroiled in a legal battle with the Osbournes for many years, which had taken a massive financial toll on the drummer.

"I went belly-up bankrupt when I lost the case to Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne in the courts," Lee told The Metal Voice. "It cost me hundreds of thousands and I had to sell the house and then started to get ill. I never managed to get back up, but a platinum certification on my wall for these albums would be fantastic and it would say I helped create those albums."

Kerslake and Daisley were fired before "Diary of A Madman" was released and in the process had their names removed from the album. Bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Tommy Aldridge are credited in the album's liner notes and featured in the photo on the inner sleeve. The tracks played by Kerslake and Daisley on both albums were replaced on a reissue (by current METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo and FAITH NO MORE drummer Mike Bordin) after the duo sued Ozzy and Sharon over royalties. Daisley and Kerslake's original performances were restored in the 2011 reissues of the albums.

In the December 2018 interview, Kerslake told The Metal Voice that his prostate cancer had spread to the rest of his body. "I have now have bone cancer, which is a nasty one, so the doctor gave me about eight months to live," he said. "But I've been fighting all the way. Five years ago, they gave me four years to live, and so that gives you an idea."

He added that he was remaining positive. "I'm fighting it and there's no telling what can happen," he said. "They might have a new drug come out, and I'll experiment with it if it keeps me alive… All this time I have had this terminal cancer, but I have defied it because the music kept me fighting."

Kerslake had been working on the aforementioned autobiographical documentary as well as a new album called "Eleventeen".


Lee was one of the kindest men on earth, as well as being a brother he was an incredible drummer, singer and song...

Posted by Uriah Heep on Saturday, September 19, 2020





RIP LEE KERSLAKE. Lee was a dynamo of a drummer who drove Uriah Heep through their heyday like a Crazy Train. He propelled Ozzy’s original band the same way. When last in London he came to visit although ill. A lovely man who fought cancer to the end with a smile. Rest My Friend https://t.co/P1sqpxrtp5

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) September 19, 2020

METALLICA's Lars Ulrich joined Howard Stern on his SiriusXM show, "The Howard Stern Show", this week. While on the program, Ulrich was asked to weigh in on whether LED ZEPPELIN's John Bonham or RUSH's Neil Peart is the greatest drummer of all time.

"It's fucking hard," Lars said (see video below). "Listen, I've been asked that question, on and off, for 40 years.

"I would put two additional names on that list. DEEP PURPLE's Ian Paice is an incredibly technically gifted drummer, and Phil Rudd is what gives AC/DC that incredible bounce and swing."

After Howard brought up the "soul" of Bonham's drumming, Lars said: "You mentioned 'When The Levee Breaks'. I mean, that's classic Bonham. The drums are big, thunderous, ambient. He's a little bit behind on the snare. And it's got that groove. He's in the pocket."

As for his opinion of Peart, Ulrich said: "The first time I ever met Neil, it was 1984. Our manager Cliff [Burnstein] signed RUSH, and I had drum questions about gear and this and that. He goes, 'Neil loves to talk to younger drummers.' He goes, 'Call Neil. He wants to hear from you.' And it was, like, 'Huh?!' I was 20 years old with not a pot to piss in. And I called him, and we spoke 30, 45 minutes on the phone and were geeking out on drums. And the whole thing was like a fairy tale. You can't play drums and not love Neil and you can't not be appreciative and respectful."

Pressed to pick his favorite, Lars said: "Between Neil and between John, no disrespect, but I'll have to go with John Bonham."

Back in 2017, Ulrich told Baltimore radio station 98 Rock that he would pick Rudd to take over behind the kit for METALLICA if he was no longer able to play drums in the band. "He's been probably my main, biggest source of inspiration when we did the turn-away from the super-progressive stuff, the crazy stuff after 'Justice', when we got into the 'black album' and the 'Load' stuff, when it got a little more about the bounce and the riffs and the feel and the groove and all that," Lars said. "Phil Rudd, he's the top of that pyramid. Hearing Phil Rudd play behind James [Hetfield], that'd be pretty cool."

"The Howard Stern Show", which airs on SiriusXM channel Howard 100, is broadcast live Mondays through Wednesdays starting at 7:00 a.m. ET. Full show episodes are also available on demand.

JUDAS PRIEST frontman Rob Halford, who celebrated the 34th anniversary of his getting sober this past January, spoke to U.K.'s GQ magazine about how his life has changed in the decades since he kicked the bottle.

"I have a clarity now on everything, especially when it comes to my work," he said. "I'm able to perceive my music more clearly, with a lot less clutter and that's important as a musician, particularly for me, particularly because I love what I do and I love JUDAS PRIEST so much. I like to feel that being clean and sober has made me able to do my work much more efficiently; I look back on some of my lyrics and they are a touchstone. If you look at the lyrics on 'Nostradamus', they are some of the best I've ever written. I'm proudest of that and I doubt very much I'd have achieved those if I had a joint in one hand and a bottle of Jack Daniels in the other."

Asked if he ever misses the wild old days, Halford said: "Absolutely. I was watching something with Thomas [Editor's note: Halford's longtime partner] recently and saying that I just loved those drinking and drugging times. I loved them. Even though the end game was total self-destruction, at the time, yeah, it was great. In your youth that's what you do, isn't it? You have a weird party and do crazy stuff and it's a rite of passage. I have fond memories of those times, even though it got pretty dangerous for me and I don't look back at it all and have regrets. I have never had regrets. I think you learn from your mistakes, but I don't regret anything. It's gone, so utilize it, if it's of any use to you, and move on."

Halford previously credited his belief in a higher power for helping him in his recovery. "When I got clean and sober, that was a major change in my life," he said during an appearance on HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta's official podcast, "The Jasta Show". "And part of my recovery is just having this higher-power belief. And it works. It works, man. It really, really is important."

Halford added: "There probably will be people listening to [this] podcast who don't have anything like that in their life, and that's great; it's all about acceptance. But I always say to people, if you're thinking about it, the simplest thing I do is I pray. I pray quite a bit, actually. And even if you don't believe in prayer, just have a go. Pray for a good day, or just pray for your friend, or whatever it might be. And it's amazing, man, 'cause it absolutely works. I guarantee, it genuinely does work. And now I'm sounding like [American evangelical Christian evangelist] Billy Graham, but I'm just trying to express some of the things that are important to me on a day-to-day basis that make me able to walk out on that stage each night and do my work."

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."

MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine, who went public with his throat cancer diagnosis in June 2019, spoke to Colleen Carew of the 100.7 The Bay radio station about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia" album. He said (hear audio below): "I think we would have been done a long time ago if I hadn't discovered the cancer. I didn't know I had it, and I was just trying to get from point A to point B and didn't really know why my voice was hurting. And then I found out. And now I'm super stoked. I'm actually excited to see how the new record turns out with singing, since they've got that weird antibody, whatever it is, that had invaded my vocal box."

Mustaine was told he was cancer-free last October, five months after receiving his throat cancer diagnosis.

The 59-year-old guitarist/vocalist revealed his cancer battle on social media, saying the doctors had given him a 90 percent chance of beating the illness. He later said that he underwent 51 radiation treatments and nine chemo treatments before being declared cancer-free.

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 drummer Dirk 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".

Brazilian guitarist Kiko 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.

Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum rock band SKILLET delivered what Cryptic Rock called an "epic" deluxe project, "Victorious: The Aftermath" (Atlantic) last week, exciting fans and media alike, with American Songwriter remarking how they "keep rocking harder," and New Release Today remarking how it "helps ease the sting of a rough 2020." The collection features all twelve original tracks from 2019's "Victorious", plus eight additional tracks, including two brand new unreleased songs, and five reimagined songs.

Of the brand new tracks is "Dead Man Walking", a favorite of lead singer John Cooper, and for which the band released a "Marvel-esque" lyric video.

Two orignal "Victorious" tracks are also getting traction as "Legendary" has been tapped once again for the WWE's "Monday Night Raw" theme song this fall, and "Terrify The Dark" is currently impacting Christian CHR/Hot AC radio.

After wrapping their spring "Victorious" tour in March, and, like the rest of the music world, not doing live shows since then, SKILLET is excited to perform for a Billboard Live at Home on September 24, and rock out in Texas and Pennsylvania for their first drive-in concerts. October 2 and October 3 will find them at the Circle Drive-In in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and the Starlite Drive In in Butler, Pennsylvania. The following weekend, they'll do back-to-back shows in the North parking lots of the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas as part of the venue's Tailgate Series on October 9 and October 10. The shows will also feature fellow Atlantic Records artist Colton Dixon.

Still to come this fall is graphic novel "Eden II: The Aftermath", once again pairing Random Shock Studios with Cooper and his "Eden" artist Chris Hunt. Available in both the standard and a limited deluxe edition, SKILLET's return to the post-apocalyptic world of Eden, as established in their 2019 graphic novel debut of the same name, is an exciting one for the band as well as their publisher, Z2 Comics. The original book became their best-selling graphic novel of all time. According to Cooper, "Aftermath" promises "more action, more surprises, more suspense."

Punk rock stalwarts RISE AGAINST have released "Broken Dreams, Inc.", their first new song in three years, and the first as part of a new agreement with Loma Vista Recordings. Produced by Bill Stevenson, Jason Livermore, Andrew Berlin and Chris Beeble, the track is angry, fast and furious punk rock, with ruthless drums, pounding bass, blazing guitar and impassioned vocals. Also released is the animated/motion comic video for the song that features art from DC's "Dark Nights: Death Metal" drawn by the series' artist Greg Capullo.

"Broken Dreams, Inc." speaks to today's changing landscape of American society, the opportunities that are available to some but not to others, the people who are able to benefit versus those who get left behind, who suffer and end up as casualties. How do we level the playing field so everyone can have a real chance at attaining the American Dream? Said RISE AGAINST's vocalist/lyricist Tim McIIlrath: "One word, 'disruption.' You have to put power into the hands of the people, not business, you have to value people and community over profit. You can't have a shareholder-run country or a shareholder-run world, a world that values profit above all else, because profit above all else can result in dangerous repercussions for humankind."

"Broken Dreams, Inc." is the lead-off track on "Dark Nights: Death Metal The Original Soundtrack", the companion to DC's recently launched seven-issue comic book series "Dark Nights: Death Metal". Executive produced by composer Tyler Bates ("Guardians Of The Galaxy", the "John Wick" franchise, "Dawn Of The Dead" reboot), who is also penning music for the score, the album's songs were written and performed by some of rock and metal's finest, all inspired by the comic series' storyline.

"Personally, being involved with this soundtrack is really fantastic," said McIlrath. "Growing up, my little brother and I would ride our bikes to the newsstand near our house and spend all our money on the latest comic books, and Batman was a favorite. Also, Zach, our guitarist, is probably the biggest comic book geek in our band. He's talked about how, along with his brother and father, they were all big DC fans — Batman, Robin, Superman, Aquaman, all the comic book series, the TV shows, and feature films. So, yes, we're all very excited about being part of this."

Photo credit: Jason Siegel

JOURNEY singer Arnel Pineda has teamed up with Takahiro "Taka" Moriuchi, the lead vocalist of the Japanese rock band ONE OK ROCK, to record a quarantine version of the JOURNEY's "Open Arms".

Pineda uploaded the video to his YouTube channel, writing in an accompanying message: "GOOD DAY folks..to honor the #legacy of #JOURNEY 's #ESCAPEalbum ,specifically #NealSchon #Jonathan Cain #StevePerry #RossValory #SteveSmith...me and my one of a kind & extra exceptional buddy rocker of the amazing band #OneOkRock #Taka decided to jam this song #OpenArms

"hope you'll enjoy it folks..and thank you in advance if you ever find yourselves listening and watching it for awhile.

"WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF OWNING NOR INFRINGE THE COPYRIGHT OF THIS SONG..

"ROCK ON BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!!"

Born in the Philippines, Pineda has been fronting JOURNEY since 2007 when guitarist Neal Schon discovered him leading a Manila cover band on YouTube. A vocal doppelganger for JOURNEY's longtime vocalist Steve Perry, Arnel has helped put JOURNEY back in arenas once again. But some fans were not happy about the addition of Pineda, complaining about his ethnicity and dismissing his voice as a "copycat" of Perry.

Although Pineda did not get inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with his bandmates in 2017, he did get up and join them at the ceremony, singing "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Lights".

On October 16, Danish thrash metal legends ARTILLERY will release the new song "The Last Journey" — featuring former singers Flemming Rønsdorf and Søren Adamsen — digitally and on vinyl via Metal Blade Records. The B-side is a cover of the METALLICA classic "Trapped Under Ice".

"The Last Journey" is dedicated to the memory of former ARTILLERY guitarist Morten Stützer, who passed away in October 2019.

Comments the band: "When ARTILLERY lost Morten in October last year, we decided to do a song to honor him. The song is called 'The Last Journey' and features former singers Søren Adamsen and Flemming Rønsdorf together with the rest of the band. A very epic song. The B side is also one of Morten's and ARTILLERY's fave songs, a cover of METALLICA's 'Trapped Under Ice', which [METALLICA] put the final touches on in our and MERCYFUL FATE's rehearsal room, which they borrowed just before recording it in Sweet Silence in 1984."

Both songs have been recorded and produced at Medley Studio by Søren Andersen.

Fans can check out a video teaser for "The Last Journey" below.

ARTILLERY will enter Medley Studio again on October 5 to record a studio album with new guitarist Kræn Meier.

ARTILLERY 2020 is:

Michael Bastholm Dahl - vocals

Michael Stützer - guitars

Kræn Meier - guitars

Peter Thorslund - bass

Joshua Madsen - drums

Back in the 1980s, ARTILLERY was one of the biggest European thrash sensations on the scene, characterized by intense, energetic riffing and unique vocals of Rønsdorf. Their debut album, "Fear Of Tomorrow" and the follow-up, "Terror Squad", have gained a legendary status, becoming some of the most thrilling thrash releases of the late '80s period. In 1999, ARTILLERY reformed and released "B.A.C.K.", produced by Andy Sneap, which was hailed immediately as a return to form.

ARTILLERY's most recent album, "The Face Of Fear", came out in 2018.

"The Long And Winding Bier Road", a new song from British extreme metal pioneers CARCASS, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming EP, "Despicable", which will arrive on October 30 via Nuclear Blast.

Commented CARCASS bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker: "Well, the COVID situation has put the release of the new CARCASS album on the backburner for the time being. Given that we said there'd be new music in August, we thought it would be cool to have a stop-gap release and let you hear some of the tracks that never quite made the cut. Don't say we never give you anything. Enjoy."

The track listing for the effort is as follows:

01. The Living Dead At The Manchester Morgue

02. The Long And Winding Bier Road

03. Under The Scalpel Blade (album version)

04. Slaughtered In Soho

CARCASS's new album, "Torn Arteries", was originally scheduled for release on August 7 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

The name of the follow-up to 2013's "Surgical Steel" was revealed by guitarist Bill Steer in an interview with Australia's Heavy.

According to Steer, the title of the new CARCASS LP stems from a demo tape that the band's founding drummer Ken Owen recorded when he was still a teenager. "He had a fictitious band called TORN ARTERIES and he recorded everything himself in his bedroom — guitar, and he'd actually bang on boxes and kind of scream into the mic," Bill explained. "And the whole thing was so distorted, it kind of sounded super heavy, even though essentially you were listening to a guy with a Spanish guitar and a couple of boxes. I think Jeff [Walker, CARCASS bassist/vocalist] appreciates the connection to the past and the fact that it was another Ken Owen classic. So that was his choice, really, and it stuck."

Steer went on to say that the "Torn Arteries" title is an homage of sorts to Owen, who suffered a brain hemorrhage in 1999 and hasn't actively played with CARCASS for more than two decades.

"I can't remember when this came up, but we were doing some press conference at a festival, and I think we all kind of agreed that even though Ken isn't playing in the band as such right now, he's kind of involved in everything we do, stylistically, because when he was so unique — when he was playing drums, his approach was just totally different," Steer said. "Also, the riffs he came up with, they were just really far out there. They were loads of fun to learn. I still think, as a guitar player, some of the stuff was very unorthodox and it was quite a challenge. That kind of influence still runs through what we do today. Just as a friendship thing, we're all still in touch regularly, and it's just been great to see Ken's life stabilizing. Basically, he has a good standard of living and he's a happy guy."

Asked how long it took to record the new CARCASS album, Bill said: "I couldn't really tell you, because it was done in several chunks, and it was the first time we've really done this. In the past, there'd be one session, or maybe a couple of long sessions, whereas this was a week here and a week there. So it did feel like a long time. I [couldn't tell you] exactly how many days or weeks that was. Obviously, quality control is a huge factor with us, 'cause you want the thing to be as good as it can be. And the fact that we don't record with a click track, the whole thing is not on a grid, so you can't copy and paste a verse or a chorus, like some bands might do. And that's a good thing, but it also means you've gotta spend longer [recording everything]."

Steer also confirmed that the new CARCASS song "Under The Scalpel Blade", which was released last December as a digital single, will appear on the group's upcoming seventh LP.

"I think it's one of the more conservative tunes off the album," the guitarist said. "There aren't really many elements in that song that are brand new to CARCASS. If you're gonna pick it apart and analyze it, there's definitely things that remind the listener of things we might have done in the past. For various reasons, it appeared to be the best song to put out there first. It's also one of the safer numbers on the album, I would say."

Steer also talked about the addition of second guitarist Tom Draper (POUNDER, ex-ANGEL WITCH, PRIMITAI), who made his live debut with CARCASS in March 2018 at the Netherlands Deathfest at 013 in Tilburg.

"[Tom] is from Southern England, but for the last few years, he's been living in California," Bill said. "Yeah, he's just been a really great addition to the group. He's incredibly organized and methodical. His attention to detail is very impressive, because it takes a lot of patience and a long attention span to learn this type of stuff and really nail the nuances. But, yeah, that's totally his bag — he's been into that kind of thing. He's just great to have onboard."

Asked if Tom has contributed at all to the songwriting on "Torn Arteries", Bill said: "Nah. To be honest, the bulk of the material was written a very long time ago. Once we were up and running, we added to that. Given the history of the band, the fact that it goes back so far, to the '80s, it's kind of a difficult thing to bring in a new guitar player and expect him to be a contributor. 'Cause live is one thing, but the studio is like a microscope kind of situation where everything, stylistically, becomes very, very noticeable. That was the same thing that happened with 'Surgical'. Some people perhaps didn't see the sleeve notes or read the sleeve notes, but they had the impression that there were two guitarists on the record, but there weren't. It's such a lengthy process recording this type of music, or at least with this band — I assume it's probably the same for other bands in our genre — but it's just one thing that makes things move a little bit quicker, if you've got one guitar player doing as much as possible."

"Surgical Steel" sold around 8,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 41 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Veteran San Francisco Bay Area metallers VICIOUS RUMORS have released the official music video for the title track of their new album, "Celebration Decay". The disc was made available on August 21 via SPV/Steamhammer.

Every new album has its own history, and the latest recording by VICIOUS RUMORS has a pretty unusual one at that. Originally, the band had planned only twenty concerts to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their 1988 classic "Digital Dictator". "The reactions were so enthusiastic that the twenty shows turned into an amazing 108 gigs in the end," remembers band mastermind Geoff Thorpe, still a little awed. "We really hadn't expected that. Of course, this jumbled the original time schedule for our current album a little."

The release date may have suffered a slight delay due to the extended anniversary tour, but at the end of the day, few other VICIOUS RUMORS releases have benefited so much from a prior tour. Because, as Thorpe points out: "On the one hand, the new VICIOUS RUMORS studio lineup had an opportunity to grow into a really tight unit during that long tour, which is one of the reasons why 'Celebration Decay' sounds as dynamic and vibrant as any other of our best recordings in our long career. On the other hand, the 'Digital Dictator' shows ensured that we came into contact with our early influences again and again. Both factors together have resulted in an album that sounds like typical VICIOUS RUMORS and oozes lots of energy and momentum. I must admit, I couldn't be prouder."

It's obvious that 41 years into the band's history, Thorpe is still brim-full of zest and artistic enthusiasm. "Celebration Decay" is a kind of best-of-both-worlds recording, he beams: "There are classic VICIOUS RUMORS numbers such as 'Pulse Of The Dead', 'Arrival Of Desolation', 'Death Eternal' and 'Collision Course Disaster'. And then there's a song like 'Darkness Devine' with a structure that's very unusual for us."

Along with Thorpe and his long-standing drummer Larry Howe, two new discoveries were instrumental in the recording of "Celebration Decay": lead vocalist Nick Courtney and guitarist Gunnar Dügrey, who passed their baptism of fire with distinction during the "Digital Dictator" tour.

Says Thorpe: "Nick delivered some awesome performances during the gigs and was celebrated by our fans. Gunnar is a real virtuoso. I enlisted him as an 18-year-old, straight out of high school. Today he's 21 and already an absolute world-class musician. VICIOUS RUMORS now has a guitar team on caliber with the times of the legendary Mark McGee. Of course, in this context Greg Christian (TESTAMENT, TRAUMA) was a special guest. Greg is a longtime friend; it was a pleasure to work with him. He really contributed to a thundering rhythm section with Larry." Guitarist Cody Green, who contributed two haunting solos on "Long Way Home" and "Any Last Words", also deserve a mention. Green also helped out on bass during the tour.

Says Thorpe: "Cody will always be part of the VICIOUS RUMORS family. Robin Utbult from Sweden will be handling the bass on the 'Celebration Decay' tour."

"Celebration Decay" was recorded and mixed between November 2019 and February 2020 at the Trident Studios in Pacheco, California by Thorpe and Juan Urteaga.

"There's no other VICIOUS RUMORS release that I worked as hard on as I did on 'Celebration Decay'," says Thorpe. "After all, when you get the opportunity to bring out a new album, you really have to give it your best shot. Of course, that's what I did with all other VICIOUS RUMORS cuts, but with a perfectly oiled metal machine like our current lineup, it was even more fun than usual."

Track listing:

01. Celebration Decay

02. Pulse Of The Dead

03. Arrival Of Desolation

04. Any Last Words

05. Asylum Of Blood

06. Darkness Divine

07. Long Way Home

08. Cold Blooded

09. Death Eternal

10. Collision Course Disaster

11. Masquerade Of Good Intentions

German/American metallers ACCEPT will release a new single, "The Undertaker", on October 2 via Nuclear Blast, accompanied by a brilliant video. The track is the first taste of the band's upcoming studio album, the details of which will be announced soon.

The two-song single will also feature a previously unreleased live version of "Life's A Bitch", recorded in 2019 in Oulu, Finland. It will be made available digitally as well as on limited-edition seven-inch vinyl in three colors, each limited to 300 copies. Colors are gold, white-marbled for Europe and red for the U.S.

"The Undertaker" is a catchy mid-tempo number with an eerie build that seeps into your skull, accompanied by stirring vocals from frontman Mark Tornillo. According to guitarist Wolf Hoffmann, the piece is one of the most notable and brilliant pieces on the upcoming album.

The single and album were recorded in Nashville, Tennessee with British producer Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, MEGADETH), who has been responsible for the magnificent studio sound of ACCEPT since 2010.

ACCEPT's latest album, 2017's "The Rise Of Chaos", marked the band's first release with guitarist Uwe Lulis and drummer Christopher Williams, replacing Herman Frank and Stefan Schwarzmann, respectively.

ACCEPT's upcoming LP will be the group's first without bassist Peter Baltes, who exited the group in November 2018. He has since been replaced by Martin Motnik.

ACCEPT's latest release was "Symphonic Terror - Live At Wacken 2017", featuring the band's performance at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.

ACCEPT 2020 is:

Wolf Hoffmann - Guitar

Mark Tornillo - Vocals

Christopher Williams - Drums

Uwe Lulis - Guitar

Martin Motnik - Bass

Philip Shouse - Guitar




ACCEPT ARE BACK! We will release our new single as harbinger to the upcoming studio album on October 2nd, via @NuclearBlastEU @nuclearblastusa

Pre-order Vinyl: https://t.co/HpSPFpvz0r

Digital: https://t.co/atMj0bxegt#HeavyMetal #NewMusic #NewMusicVideo #NewSingle #NewAlbum pic.twitter.com/R53RXhjE3B

— Accept (@accepttheband) September 18, 2020

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS will release their new double album, "Cyr", 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 and includes the previously released singles "Cyr" and "The Colour of Love".

"'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

Regarding the quarantine performance video for "Cyr", director Linda Strawberry said: "This is a goth fever dream of pent up emotion — an artistic visual release attempting to create a momentary escape from the emotional black cloud hanging over all of us this year. A dark seduction filmed in quarantine at a social distance."

"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."