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

Today, the band has revealed a new trailer in which they discuss the album's artwork, created by Dan Seagrave (Entombed, Gorguts). Watch below:

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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German folk rock frontrunners, Schandmaul, have officially signed a worldwide contract with Napalm Records.

Founded in Munich 1998, Schandmaul quickly took the German and international music scenes by storm. Now with seven top 10 long-players (Germany), two nominations for the German Echo Award and millions of streams, they’ve truly manifested their standing at the top of the folk rock scene. Their musical trademark is stamped with bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, flutes and other standard medieval folk instruments. Schandmaul are the leading edge of the spear, with every album in their catalog offering a comprehensive example of their musical expertise.

Schandmaul state: "We are very much looking forward to working with Napalm Records and are bursting with energy! The further discussions have been very motivating - especially in these difficult times for our industry - like a light at the end of the tunnel. We're ready - Folk 'n Roll"

Thomas Caser, Managing Director Napalm Records, states: "Welcome - Schandmaul! We have been following the path of this unique act for a very long time and are incredibly proud to be able to successfully shape the future with Schandmaul. The new album will be another milestone in the band's career and we will spare no effort to ensure its success."

Schandmaul are:

Thomas Lindner - vocals, guitar, piano, accordion
Stefan Brunner - drums
Martin Duckstein - acoustic guitar, e-guitar, cister, banjo
Birgit Muggenthalter - bagpipes, (folk) flutes
Matthias Richter - e-Bass, double bass
Saskia Forkert - violin, hurdy-gurdy, background vocals

(Pictured at top, from left to right: Martin Duckstein, Saskia Forkert, Thomas Lindner, Stefan Brunner, Birgit Muggenthaler, Matthias Richter)




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Enslaved are set to release their 15th studio album, Utgard, on October 2 via Nuclear Blast. In a trailer released today, guitarist Ivar Bjørnson discusses the artwork for Utgard, and what it was like working with Truls Espedal again:

Utgard will be available in these formats:

- CD jewel case (available with signed insert from Recordstore.co.uk)
- Limited Edition Black Vinyl (available with signed insert from Recordstore.co.uk)
- Limited Edition Grey Vinyl (300 copies)
- Limited Edition Blue Vinyl (300 copies)
- Limited Edition UK Exclusive Transparent Green Vinyl (300 copies + available with signed insert from Recordstore.co.uk)

Pre-order here.

Utgard tracklisting:

"Fires In The Dark"
"Jettegryta"
"Sequence"
"Homebound"
"Utgardr"
"Urjotun"
"Flight Of Thought And Memory"
"Storms Of Utgard"
"Distant Seasons"

"Urjotun" video:

"Jettegryta" video:

"Homebound" video:

Enslaved are:

Ivar Bjørnson - guitars
Grutle Kjellson - vocals
Arve 'Ice Dale' Isdal - guitar
Håkon Vinje - Keyboards, Clean Vocals
Iver Sandøy - Drums

(Photo - Roy Bjørg)




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Stone Sour have released a demo version of "My Name Is Allen", which is available for streaming below.

Guitarist Josh Rand states: "'My Name Is Allen': A darker side of The Human that wants to supersede the warring sides completely and plunge the shell into madness and rage- a cryptic hand of a drowsy God."




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Stardust, a Hungarian melodic rock/AOR band, will release their debut full-length, Highway To Heartbreak, on October 9 via Frontiers Music Srl. Today, fans can get their first taste of music from the album with the new single and video, "Runaway". Watch the clip below, and pre-order/save Highway To Heartbreak here.

One of the hottest new AOR bands to come out of the underground European scene, Stardust's independently released self-titled debut EP stirred up quite a buzz in the underground melodic rock scene. The band were put to the attention of Frontiers' staff during one of the Frontiers Rock Festivals. Impressed with the band's melodic rock stylings on their debut EP, Frontiers moved swiftly to sign the band to the roster. Of the band's sound, vocalist Adam Stewart says, "We love Def Leppard, Winger, Journey and all the 80's stuff... So, we took those influences and mixed it in with our own 'Stardust' way of doing things."

Of notable mention is that none other than the mighty Mark Spiro (Bad English, House of Lords, Giant) and Swedish guitar hero Tommy Denander helped the guys with songwriting and production for their debut album.

"One day I got a note from Mark Spiro! He wrote, 'Hey man, I found a good song that you would really love, what do you think?' I immediately listened to the song and it blew my mind! '2nd Hand Love' is a typical Spiro song with a magical atmosphere and a catchy chorus. I jumped right on it and made a new, modern kinda musical arrangement for the song. A riff centered verse, a bluesy chorus and a brand new intro part," explains Stewart of first single, '2nd Hand Love'."

“Our first EP got really good feedback from the fans, not only from Hungary, but from around the world,” says Stewart. “I am certain that our debut album will be enjoyed by even more melodic rock fans thanks to our new cooperation with Frontiers. Stardust plays AOR/Melodic Rock with catchy melodies and lyrics, so Frontiers is truly a perfect home for us!"

Founded by two friends, Adam Stewart (lead vocals) and Tim Keeley (drums) in 2015, the band is rounded out by Facey (lead guitar and vocals), Dave Legrand (keyboard), and Ben Martin (bass and vocals). The group's style is an amalgam of the classic melodic hard rock and AOR genres, with hooky choruses, beautiful keyboards, vocal harmonies, and loud guitars in the style of their favorite mid-80's bands, bringing to life this well beloved music in the 21st century.

Tracklisting:

"Runaway"
"Heartbreaker"
"Bullet To My Heart"
"Perfect Obsession"
"2nd Hand Love"
"Shout It Out"
"Can’t Stop Loving You"
"Eye To Eye"
"Hey Mother"
"Blue Jeans Eyes" (Bonus Track)
"The River Is Rollin’"

"Runaway" video:

"2nd Hand Love" video:

Lineup:

Adam Stewart - Vocals, rhythm guitars
Ben Martin - Bass
Dave Legrand - Keyboards
Facey - Guitars
Tim Keeley - Drums




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On October 2, Anaal Nathrakh will release their 11th full-length, Endarkenment, via Metal Blade Records. For a preview of the album, a lyric video for the new single, "The Age of Starlight Ends", can be seen below. The clip was created by Metal Blade Records' Vince Edwards, based on his interpretation of the lyrics (and approved by the band on that basis).

For a first preview of the album, the title track can be heard below.

The new album can be pre-ordered here in the following formats:

- jewelcase-CD
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
- clear grey / brown marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- red / black marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- bloody pork pink marbled vinyl (EMP exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- clear w/ black, red, & white splatter vinyl (Kings Road exclusive - limited to 100 copies)
- oxblood red / brown marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
- clear sperm / white marbled vinyl (US exclusive)

Extremity has been Anaal Nathrakh's stock in trade for more than two decades, and with Endarkenment, they maintain their legacy of aural devastation. However, for all the furor they stir up, the duo have never been a two-dimensional entity, with a great deal of depth involved in everything that they do, and on many levels the new record is distinguished from its predecessors. "I think in terms of feel, it's brighter, more open and direct than maybe we've been in the past," states vocalist Dave Hunt. "Obviously I don't mean it's happy-go-lucky sounding, or suggestive of a sunny disposition. I mean something more like it burns with light rather than glowers with darkness. It's coruscating." The evolution since 2018's towering A New Kind Of Horror has been personal and profound, and is very much in line with that experienced by many of their listeners. "Personally, I feel more cynical, more bitter, with a greater sense that the world is fucked, and is continually re-fucked by people who have no idea what they are doing. Musically, I think we're more mature - not less frenetic, but better able to channel our energies where they'll be most effective. That's an ongoing process, you never finish growing into what you're doing and being better able to push at the edges of what you can do. But we aren't interested in evolving what we do, only how we do it. We remain unlike the vast majority of other bands in our sound, and we're proud of what we do."

With laying out a plan and then executing it not conducive to the kind of energetic, chaotic vigor Hunt and multi-instrumentalist Mick Kenney look for, the band follow ideas where they are taken by them and work spontaneously. Coining the phrase "riding a dragon" when recording - "making music with a sense that all you can do is hang on" - this very much embodies the tumultuous racket thrown up by Endarkenment, with its storms of blastbeat driven violence, frenzied riffing and panoramic choruses that suddenly change the direction of tracks. "We only really know what an album is like after we've finished it. Doing it any other way just wouldn't be right for us." One thing that was very clear to the band was the album's title and how prescient it is in current times, standing as the opposite of the Enlightenment, a movement that went against superstition and ignorance. Writing in the album's liner notes, Hunt says: "There has been, and continues to be, increasingly widespread rejection of Enlightenment-style values such as rationalism, skepticism, the rejection of faith in favour of judgements dependent on empirically verifiable phenomena and so on. There are local versions in many places, but in our native UK, this was summed up by politician/sinister gnome Michael Gove's famous claim that we've 'had enough of experts'. Thus we enter the age of endarkenment." With this as an overarching theme, Hunt, one of the more intellectual lyricists in contemporary metal, penned the lyrics to the record, exploring a diverse range of subject areas and looking in often uncomfortable directions.

The music was tracked entirely in Kenney's studio in southern California while the vocals were laid down in an industrial estate in Birmingham, UK, in a unit just down the corridor from where an S&M porn was being filmed. "It occurred to me not long ago that we haven't recorded together at the same place twice for ten years or more, and I think part of the reason for that is that is that the place itself doesn't really affect us. It changes the experience of actually doing it in terms of being there in person, obviously, but it doesn't really make any difference to the way we work together. Dedicated studios, expensive gear, acoustically isolated live rooms and so on - they're all great, I'm sure, but give us a quiet room with a lightbulb, a laptop and a shitty mic and we'll still do basically the same thing. The music and the atmosphere and the inspiration are in us, not in places or pieces of equipment."

Endarkenment tracklisting:

"Endarkenment"
"Thus, Always, To Tyrants"
"The Age Of Starlight Ends"
"Libidinous (A Pig With Cocks In Its Eyes)"
"Beyond Words"
"Feeding The Death Machine"
"Create Art, Though The World May Perish"
"Singularity"
"Punish Them"
"Requiem"

"Endarkenment":




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On October 30, progressive rockers The Flower Kings will release their new double album, Islands, via InsideOutMusic, just a year after the group’s much celebrated Waiting For Miracles.

Due to the COVID-19-pandemic, the album comes out quite a bit sooner than originally planned as the band’s creative mastermind Roine Stolt explains: “All shows and festivals were cancelled and the future didn’t really ‘unfold’ itself like we had hoped. To sit out the pandemic with no activities was not an option for us! We can’t be stopped by an evil virus! So, with members living in the USA, Italy, Austria and Sweden, the only way to realize this album, was to use the magic of the ‘net’, sending files around the globe and start building what now has become a mammoth-sized double album of 21 songs.”

The 92 minutes long Islands features artwork by legend Roger Dean (Yes, Asia, Gentle Giant, Greenslade, Uriah Heep) and all trademark sounds and melodies, the band is renowned for. From vintage keys to epic guitar solos, from odd drum patterns to symphonic elements, The Flower Kings present a dynamic and complex record that is bold, bombastic and beautiful.

Stolt reveals the following about the concept of the record: “The theme of the album is isolation - so the title ‘Islands’ felt like a most relevant title - as much of it circulates around isolation, loss, and the fear of being disconnected. Having to face this unexpected pandemic will leave marks on each one of us for a very long time and to lose loved ones forces us to soldier on, learning and growing a stronger version of ourselves in this fragile cycle of life.

"Musically; the aim has been to  create a bigger grand epic piece out of 21 songs - so they are all connected with themes that weave in and out - like the way ‘Sgt Peppers’ or ‘The Lamb’ were built on shorter songs,  but yet linked. So view it as one mega song or as 21 separate pieces, it is all  tailored to be listened to as one piece - like a cinematic 90min long ride.”

Islands will be available as massive Limited 3LP & 2CD box set with slipcase and 180 gram vinyl housed in two gatefolds, one single sleeve; as Limited Edition 2CD Digipak and Digital Album. Pre-sales will start September 11.

Tracklisting:

Disc One
"Racing With Blinders On"
"From The Ground"
"Black Swan"
"Morning News"
"Broken"
"Goodbye Outrage"
"Journeyman"
"Tangerine"
"Solaris"
"Heart Of The Valley"
"Man In A Two Peace Suit"

Disc Two
"All I Need Is Love"
"A New Species"
"Northern Lights"
"Hidden Angles"
"Serpentine"
"Looking For Answers"
"Telescope"
"Fool’s Gold"
"Between Hope & Fear"
"Islands"

Lineup:

Roine Stolt - Vocal, Ukulele, Guitars, Additional Keyboards
Hasse Fröberg - Vocal & Acoustic Guitar
Jonas Reingold - Bass, Acoustic Guitar
Zach Kamins - Pianos, Organ, Synthesizers, Mellotron, Orchestrations
Mirko DeMaio - Drums, Percussion
Guest: Rob Townsend - Soprano Saxophone

(Photo - Lilian Forsberg)




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Blue Öyster Cult founding member, Joe Bouchard, recently released his brand new solo album, Strange Legends. Today, he premiers the music video for the song, "Hit And Run". Watch below:

Joe Bouchard is best known as a founding member of Blue Öyster Cult. The original lineup sold millions of albums for Columbia Records, with such classic songs as “Don’t Fear the Reaper” and the #1 hit on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, “Burning For You”. Contributing to songwriting, and lead vocals on some of their greatest songs, such as “Hot Rails To Hell”.

Joe releases his sixth solo album Strange Legends though his and his brother’s (Albert Bouchard) new imprint RockHeart Records / Deko Entertainment (ADA/Warner Music Group).

Also, to celebrate the launch of RockHeart Records and the release of Strange Legends, the Bouchard brothers are offering a limited amount of the official RockHeart Records Cowbell autographed personally by both Joe and Albert.

Albert’s infamous cowbell part in “Don’t Fear The Reaper” was the basis of the classic Will Ferrell skit on SNL, which also starred Christopher Walken. With “The Reaper,” an all-time classic on YouTube and every other digital platform, with zillions of views, the Bouchard brothers are forever cemented in pop culture.

There are limited edition “Cowbell” bundles (while supplies last), which can be ordered here.

Strange Legends tracklisting:

"The African Queen"
"Forget About Love"
"Walk Of Fame"
"Hit And Run"
"Racin' Thru The Desert"
"She's A Legend"
"All Day And All Of The Night"
"Once Upon A Time At The Border"
"Bottom For The Bottomless"
"Strangely In Love"
"Winter"

"The African Queen" video:

“She’s A Legend” video:

"Forget About Love" video:




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Thomas Zwijsen has released the new video below, featuring an acoustic / classical fingerstyle guitar cover of Iron Maiden's 1992 Fear Of The Dark album track, "Be Quick Or Be Dead". He's joined on violin by Wiki Krawczyk. The track is featured on the new Nylon Maiden double album, available for here.

Zwijsen previously released videos for covers of Maiden's "Mother Russia" and “The Duellists”, both included on the new Nylon Maiden album. Watch below:




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Robert Trujillo has told The Oakland Press that he and his METALLICA bandmates are looking forward to doing more stuff together, just days after they broadcast a show to hundreds of drive-in and outdoor theaters across the U.S. and Canada, as part of the "Encore Drive-In Nights" series.

"Obviously these are crazy times, and it takes a lot to take that first step, and I feel like we've done that," the bassist said. "We have some ideas about how we want to pursue making music together. We're going to put something together and it's going to be exciting musically, and maybe there'll be another performance or two — not exactly sure when or how or what, but there are things in the works.

"We'll get through this stuff now and start figuring out what's our next step towards creativity," he added. "[The possibilities] go on and on and on. That's kind of where we're at."

METALLICA's drive-in concert was shot specially for the "Encore Drive-In Nights" series and was subsequently edited and mixed by the band's award-winning production team to the highest standards possible.

Earlier this month, METALLICA took part in an interview and short performance on "The Howard Stern Show".

In early May, the four members of METALLICA overcame social distancing to record a new version of their song "Blackened", with each member separated in his own home. The split-screen video was posted to the band's social media channels.

METALLICA has been largely out of the public eye since last fall when the band canceled an Australian tour and announced that frontman James Hetfield was returning to rehab for the first time since 2002 to battle his addictions.

In March, METALLICA announced that its South American tour, which was originally planned for April, has been postponed until December. In addition, the band's appearances at five Danny Wimmer Presents-produced festivals in May, September and October have been canceled: Epicenter in Charlotte, Welcome To Rockville in Daytona, Sonic Temple in Columbus, Louder Than Life in Louisville and Aftershock in Sacramento.

In a new interview with Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, SEVENDUST frontman Lajon Witherspoon, who is African American, was asked how his role as a metal singer can best effect positive change in this time of heightened awareness in America. He responded (hear audio below): "I think today we definitely can see that there's been a lack of equality in this world that's being put in the forefront. Luckily, in the industry that I'm in, in the metal community, I feel like that's definitely something that's not tolerated, I would like to say, as far as I've seen. I feel like this community is incredibly welcoming, and I've been very blessed to be in it. I also feel like there's definitely a lot of people that are hiding behind masks that are racist out there. But if there's anything that I can do, I will never not be a leader of bringing peace, love and equality to this industry and to what I do.

"I can say love sees no color, but I do — I believe that people do see color, obviously," he continued. "But I still want to bring everyone together and [have] it not be a problem.

"I feel like in our community, there's not only black — there's white, there's Asian, there's everybody — and that's what this world should [be like]. We should definitely get to that page and to the point, again, to where we don't have that problem. I pray that we get there.

"But me, musically, I feel like, thank you for letting us have our voices and to be able to speak and to bring people together," Lajon added. "And I think that's something that we're able to do as SEVENDUST, as a band. People see us. and they see a bunch of different guys from different backgrounds and different ethnicities. It's something that we've done for 20-something years now — we haven't stopped — and I hope that's something that people will understand and see and learn from."

Earlier this year, SEVENDUST guitarist Clint Lowery addressed his band's past use of the Confederate flag, explaining that it was done "as a spoof."

The Confederate battle emblem has long been decried as a symbol of racism and violence, and it has become a frequent target for protesters following the May 25 death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of police.

When SEVENDUST played Woodstock '99, SEVENDUST's Vince Hornsby played a bass with a Confederate flag on the body.

Asked in an interview with the "Talk Toomey" podcast how he feels about SEVENDUST's past association with such an offensive and divisive symbol, Clint said: "Our thing was funny, because we were doing it as a spoof. We were trying to kinda use it in this cynical way, so it's gonna be completely misunderstood now. We were using it in a smart-ass way… It's confusing.

"We're all being educated — everyone's being educated," he added. "Things we thought were cool before aren't cool anymore, and I understand why they're not cool anymore. And it's, like, okay, yeah, I didn't know enough about what the situation was to even have a… It was just ignorance. You do things as a younger person — you're, like, 'Oh yeah, this is cool. This is against the grain' — and you realize the sensitivities; you learn about it. And that's what I think that I'm trying to do — is, like, okay, that wasn't cool. That wasn't a decision that was something I'm very proud of. You live and learn, you admit when you do wrong and you change. And that's what everyone needs to do. I can't control anybody. I just do what I do, try to be as open and loving as I can. And that's it."

Witherspoon voiced his views on the Confederate flag during a 2018 interviw with Billboard. He said: "Listen, man, I used to wear a belt buckle that had a Confederate flag on it. Just 'cause I flew that flag doesn't mean I was a racist. We're just country boys, and that's a country-boy thing. That's what the cool thing about it was — that Vinnie would have a Confederate flag with me [a black man] standing beside him. At that point, love sees no color at all. But I can't say, 'This guy flies the flag the same as this guy,' because everyone has different values."

In a 2013 interview with Bloody Disgusting, Witherspoon said he hasn't seen racism at SEVENDUST gigs in recent years, but more than a decade ago on tour with SLIPKNOT he saw "a couple of knuckleheads" in the mosh pit give the Hitler salute, oblivious to what it meant.

Asked if he or SEVENDUST are viewed or treated differently because he is black, Lajon said: "No, not at all. You know, if it is, I don't see it. I have no room for ignorance in my life. I think that we've built a relationship and… not a fanbase, but a family base that really doesn't tolerate that. I'm the kind of guy that says, 'If you don't like it, don't come,' you know what I mean? We're not forcing anything on anyone. I know that that's still there, but I don't have time for that ignorance. We just keep on moving because it can never be the way it was before."

Four years ago, Witherspoon told The Salt Lake Tribune he sometimes thinks about whether his race might have slowed the band's rise.

"I've always wondered if I had not been a black man in SEVENDUST, would it have even gotten bigger?" he asked. "At the end of the day, I'm glad that it took this long because we're still here."

Miss the ferocity, groove and aggression of the one and only LAMB OF GOD live? Well, the wait is over.

The mighty LAMB OF GOD will offer fans first-time-ever live performances of the band’s critically acclaimed new album "Lamb Of God" and the landmark 2004 album "Ashes Of The Wake", both performed live in their entirety in the band's hometown of Richmond, Virginia. As standalone ticketed events, these performances will be LAMB OF GOD's only chance to perform these songs for fans this year — and the band are ready to deliver to the highest degree.

The first stream, scheduled for Friday, September 18, will see the band perform songs from its latest self-titled album live for the very first time. For the second stream, on Friday, September 25, the band will perform the ground-breaking RIAA-gold-certified album "Ashes Of The Wake", in its entirety for the first time ever. Both sets will feature encores, including fan favorites as well as songs that haven't been performed in years.

The streams are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. EDT/2 p.m. PDT on their respective days. Livestream tickets will be $15 per show or, for a limited time, $20 for both shows and are on-sale now at this location. Streams will be available to watch video-on-demand through 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday for fans who purchase a ticket. Additionally, the band will be offering ticket and limited-edition merch bundles plus an exclusive merchandise store available only to ticket holders during the stream.

A pre-show is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. PDT before each stream, hosted by Jose Mangin, featuring exclusive interviews with members of the band and opening sets from BLEED FROM WITHIN (September 18) and WHITECHAPEL (September 25). BLEED FROM WITHIN will be airing a brand new full-production 30-minute set and WHITECHAPEL will air their memorable 2014 hometown performance from Knoxville, Tennessee.

For more information including tickets and merch bundles, go to this location.

"Lamb Of God" was released on June 19 via Epic Records in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast Records in Europe. The follow-up to "VII: Sturm Und Drang" marks LAMB OF GOD's first recordings with Art Cruz, who joined the band in July 2019 as the replacement for the group's founding drummer, Chris Adler.

"Lamb Of God" was recorded with longtime producer Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH, GOJIRA, TRIVIUM) and includes special guest appearances by Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) and Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT).

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

Danish/American rock and rollers VOLBEAT have announced the latest addition to their acclaimed spirits portfolio this summer.

Following the global success of previous editions, the band is launching Volbeat Rum III — a hand-selected, premium blend sourced in The Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados, Guatemala, and Trinidad. Dark, complex, and aged up to 15 years, it exhibits flavour notes of exotic dried fruits, caramel, and wood. The 43% alcohol by vol. libation is bottled in the Netherlands for Conquer Spirits/AMKA.

The global rum market is estimated to grow by 150 million liters during 2020-2024, according to latest market research by Technavio. Intending to capitalize on this growth, the band have agreed a new, wider distribution partnership with independent, family-run, global success story AMKA. Volbeat Rum III will be commercially available at more stockists than previous editions, including supermarkets and bars, and at a lower price point.

The Danish band previously issued two incredibly successful, limited batch rums in Europe. 2016's Volbeat Rum I was sharp, full-bodied, and carefully crafted to stand apart from all other rums on the market. 2017's Volbeat Rum II was lighter and sweeter but no less delicious. Both are now sold out.

"You will never taste anything like it," says VOLBEAT vocalist/guitarist Michael Poulsen about Volbeat Rum III.

There's a reason for such enthusiasm. Working on their own branded beverages has been a creative boon for the band members. All bands release an array of merchandise that allow fans to wear and display their fandom. However, VOLBEAT wanted to offer their diehard legion of disciples something extra, something that stimulated the members' own creativity and appreciation for each element that goes into producing an alcoholic drink. It also introduced the band to a whole new group of people who weren't VOLBEAT fans, those who just liked distinctive, high-quality rum!

Many celebrities and musicians have entered the wine and whiskey industries in recent years, but ultimately, VOLBEAT approach the art of rum making as they do their main songcraft. They have rolled up their sleeves and immersed themselves in the creative process, rather than merely slapping their logo on the bottle. The band chose to create rum not only out of personal preference for this particular liquor, but because of the process itself.

"If you learn how to mix it right, and do it right, it is something you can drink easily," Poulsen explains. He calls out the careful balance of bold taste and sweetness as the hallmarks of a good rum, and believes this new edition is exactly what fans will want to drink. Additionally, rum tends to be enjoyed by those with a more developed palette. "When you are a youngster, you can't afford to buy good liquor," he states. "You start with crappy beers and just want to get buzzed. As you get older, you discover better beers. We had our own beer for a short while and went through a process to find the right taste. Later on, I got into whiskey. You start with a standard whiskey and think it's the best thing in the world until you discover the higher quality stuff."

Just as the band's music has evolved, so has their pursuit of finding and now creating the perfect drink. While Volbeat Rum I and II were limited batches that mostly graced specialty stores and went on to become collectors items amongst rum connoisseurs, Volbeat Rum III has been blended and produced with the goal of making it widely available and reasonably affordable. However, Poulsen is also quick to note that while the latest edition may be more accessible, the quality and the flavour remain as top line as the previous batches. "The good thing about rum is that it's not always about the price," the singer shares. "You can make a quality product at a decent price. It's about how you blend it and the process."

Ultimately, Volbeat Rum III is a "uni-rum" — a universal rum for everyone, from distinguished rum connoisseurs to a more casual imbiber, and it hopes to make rum aficionados out of those who were not previously. Full stockist details will be announced in due course. For more information, please visit the newly launched web site — volbeatrum.com — and look out for extensive content coming soon, as volbeatrum.com expands to become the premiere rum destination online.

Steve Riley's version of L.A. GUNS recently released three singles, "Crawl", " Well Oiled Machine" and "Renegades", from its first album, also titled "Renegades", which will arrive before the end of the year via Golden Robot Records.

Riley's version of L.A. GUNS is not to be confused with the band led by guitarist Tracii Guns and vocalist Phil Lewis, which issued two well-received albums, "The Missing Peace" and "The Devil You Know", plus the live release "Made In Milan", under the L.A. GUNS name over the last three years.

Riley is joined in his version of the group by Orlando, Florida-based guitarist/vocalist Kurt Frohlich, bassist Kelly Nickels (a member of L.A. GUNS' "classic" incarnation) and guitarist Scott Griffin (who played bass for the band from 2007 until 2009, and then again from 2011 to 2014).

Asked in a new interview with BigMusicGeek.com how he handles, from a business point of view, there being two separate versions of L.A. GUNS, Riley said: "When Tracii quit in 2002, he went on and did a few other bands after that, but Phil and I had kept battling on as L.A. GUNS. I never stopped trying to get classic guys to not quit. I was always there. I was the longest chain and I'm still the longest chain member of L.A. GUNS. I never really quit the band, but everybody else has left the band for some reason or another. When Tracii decided to do a second L.A. GUNS in 2006, that's when all of this started. It's been something I've just had to deal with because the two of us owned the name and the trademark. We're classic members and we're former partners, but there was nothing I could do to stop him. Phil and I just had to deal with it. So, for the last 20 years, I've been dealing with it and it's nothing new. It's not, like, 'Wow, this is a new situation where there's two bands that have the same name.' He'd already been doing it for a while because when he quit, Phil and I went on for 15 years without him."

Riley went on to say that "it's totally frustrating," from a personal and professional point of view, having to deal with there being another version of L.A. GUNS.

"It's something that I don't want to happen and I wish would never have happened," he said. "Like I said, you wouldn't believe how much I tried to talk to the classic members out of not quitting the band. I would tell them, 'We all have a good thing going here. Let's just keep on going.' When Tracii left in 2002, he left Phil and I up in the air, but it was a situation where we were determined to keep pushing forward. Of course, we ended up doing another four or five albums before this all happened again with Phil leaving the band. So it's something that's frustrating, but there's really nothing you can do about it. It's like it is what it is."

This past January, Riley was sued by Guns and Lewis in California District Court. Joining Riley as defendants in the case are the three musicians who perform in his recently launched rival version of L.A. GUNS; that group's manager, booking agent and merchandiser; and Golden Robot Records.

The complaint, which requests a trial by jury, alleges that Riley's version of L.A. GUNS (referred to in the case docket as "the infringing L.A. GUNS") is creating "unfair competition" through its unauthorized usage of the L.A. GUNS trademark. In addition, Guns and Lewis are seeking relief from and/or against false advertising, breach of contract and unauthorized usage of their likenesses.

At its core, Guns and Lewis's complaint calls into question Riley's claim of partial ownership of the L.A. GUNS name and logo and alleges that his usage of both has been unauthorized. In addition, Guns and Lewis claim — as Guns has done publicly in the past — that Riley has embezzled much of the group's publishing proceeds over the past two decades.

Despite leaving the band soon after the release of 2002's "Waking The Dead" to focus on BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION (his short-lived supergroup with MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx), Guns "is the owner of common law trademark righs" for the L.A. GUNS name and logo, the complaint claims. It notes that Guns founded the band in 1983, four years before Riley joined, and that Riley did not perform on the group's 1984 debut EP and contributed to just a single track on their 1987 self-titled full-length debut.

According to the complaint, Guns "has been injured by Defendants' unfair competition," while he and Lewis have "suffered harm including damages and and irreparable injury to their goodwill." It also claims that Riley's L.A. GUNS was formed "with the intent of tricking and confusing consumers into believing that the infringing L.A. GUNS band is the original [Tracii] Guns version" of the group.

In addition to actual and punitive damages, Guns and Lewis are seeking a "permanent injunction" that restrains all of the named defendants from using the L.A. GUNS name, logo and likeness, as well as "a declaration that Guns is the sole owner of the common law trademark rights" for the L.A. GUNS moniker "and any related design marks."

Chris Cornell's widow Vicky has shot down rumors that supporters of the "Save The Children" humanitarian organization were responsible for vandalizing the singer's statue at Seattle's Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP).

Late Thursday night (August 20), Seattle station KIRO 7 News posted a photo of the statue of the SOUNDGARDEN frontman after it was painted white. Museum officials later denounced the act, saying in a statement: "We are deeply pained by this act targeting the memory of a beloved artist in Seattle and around the world."

The life-size statue, commissioned and donated to the museum by Vicky Cornell, stands outside MoPOP's south entrance facing Fifth Avenue North. The statue sculpted by artist Nick Marras showcases the rock legend in one of his iconic poses with his signature boots, dog tag, layers and long locks.

Earlier today, Vicky released the following statement via social media: "I know the news of the vandalism was as heartbreaking to many of you as it was to our family. So I wanted to share this with you and clarify the misinformation that continues to be spread online about supposed rioters and 'save the children' protestors being responsible for this senseless based on a image being circulated showing writing on the sidewalk ...

"A few days prior to the vandalism, someone wrote in sidewalk chalk 'Save the Children' in front of the statue. It rained the night before. Consequently, by Thursday AM when the vandalism occurred, much of the chalk writing was gone leaving only the words 'Children.'

"Sadly, the same accounts involved in spreading this false narrative are the very ones who previously 'liked' posts wishing/encouraging that someone would deface Chris' statue. It is heartbreaking to think that anyone would wish for such a senseless act. It is equally upsetting to now see these same people falsely blaming others. We would appreciate it if those accounts would stop spreading misinformation and fomenting discord, as it tarnishes Chris' legacy, masks the truth, and hurts those who Chris loved as well as Chris' true fans".

SOUNDGARDEN's surviving members — Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd — attended the October 2018 unveiling ceremony with Vicky, Chris's three children and other longtime friends and family members from the Seattle community.

Cornell was pronounced dead on May 18, 2017 after being found unresponsive in his Detroit hotel room. SOUNDGARDEN had played a show earlier that evening. The 52-year-old had sedatives and an anxiety drug in his system, but died as a result of hanging himself.
























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I know the news of the vandalism was as heartbreaking to many of you as it was to our family. So I wanted to share this with you and clarify the misinformation that continues to be spread online about supposed rioters and “save the children” protestors being responsible for this senseless based on a image being circulated showing writing on the sidewalk ... A few days prior to the vandalism, someone wrote in sidewalk chalk “Save the Children” in front of the statue. It rained the night before. Consequently, by Thursday AM when the vandalism occurred, much of the chalk writing was gone leaving only the words “Children.” Sadly, the same accounts involved in spreading this false narrative are the very ones who previously “liked” posts wishing/encouraging that someone would deface Chris’ statue. It is heartbreaking to think that anyone would wish for such a senseless act. It is equally upsetting to now see these same people falsely blaming others. We would appreciate it if those accounts would stop spreading misinformation and fomenting discord, as it tarnishes Chris’ legacy, masks the truth, and hurts those who Chris loved as well as Chris’ true fans - @vickycornell #seattlesson #lovealwayswins

A post shared by Chris Cornell (@chriscornellofficial) on Aug 25, 2020 at 10:07am PDT

Michael Sweet of openly Christian rockers STRYPER says that he can't understand why people "feel the need" to ridicule others for their political beliefs.

Sweet made his comments shortly after the Republican National Convention kicked off Monday morning in Charlotte, North Carolina, with a roll call formally nominating Donald Trump to run in the November election.

Sweet took to his social media to write: "Why do you think people feel the need to post political hate? I'm trying to figure it out. Constant disdain for people who don't agree with them. Endless posts about why people should vote for the other party (regardless of what party your affiliated with) and if they don't they're embiciles, they're idiots, they're bad people.

"Why in the world cant people just be left alone and have the right to do what they want to do. Do you like being told what you should or shouldn't eat and if you don't eat what another person thinks you should eat then you're a fool? Or what music you should or shouldn't listen to? Or what clothes you should be wearing? Or what car you should be driving? Think about that. Imagine someone constantly telling you what's right and what's wrong with your choices — all of them! Why is politics any different? Of course there's more at stake regarding politics and I understand that but it's still the individuals choice and we should all respect that. Respect is hard to come by these days.

"I'm already tired of all the people posting constant negative posts about each party and it's only August! It won't change what other people want to do and or who they want to support or vote for.

"It's one thing to do so in love but usually it's done in hate and man it just sucks. Just a thought as I head out to Starbucks;-)

"Stay positive and Make Love Great Again"

Back in November 2016, Sweet drew criticism from some STRYPER fans for posting a picture of Trump and congratulating the real estate mogul for "working his ass off for the presidency of the United States of America."

In early March, Sweet praised Trump's actions that served to ramp up the federal government's response to the COVID-19 epidemic — even after Trump was criticized by some parts of the media for downplaying fears about COVID-19 or actively spreading misinformation about its repercussions.

This past May, Sweet said that he would like to see his band represented by Trump's fourth White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany.

According to The Washington Post, 65 percent of Republicans are white Christians, but white Christians account for only 38 percent of Democrats.

Earlier this month, Trump said that if Joe Biden, the Democrat challenger for the White House, was elected president, he would "hurt God."

"He's following the radical left agenda — take away your guns, destroy your Second Amendment, no religion, no anything, hurt the Bible, hurt God … He's against God," Trump told supporters during a trip to Ohio.


Why do you think people feel the need to post political hate? I’m trying to figure it out. Constant disdain for people...

Posted by Michael Sweet on Monday, August 24, 2020

In a new interview with Terry "Beez" Bezer of Knotfest.com's "Mosh Talks With Beez", BEHEMOTH frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski spoke about how he is dealing with the coronavirus crisis and what the touring circuit might look like post-pandemic. He said (see video below): "I'm an optimist, but I'm also a big realist. I don't think anything happens until mid-2021. I think maybe full-on we're back in business in 2022, which I hope for. But this is what it is now. Deal with it. We've got new circumstances, we've got a new environment. So you can either just sit and whine and cry like a baby, or you can do something with the situation and just fucking bust your balls, bust your creativity and deliver something out of this world. Because this world is somewhere else now. It feels like we're on a different planet. There's so many limitations that we're, like, 'Holy shit! Is this what my life is gonna be from now on?' So, considering this, which is not what we're used to, we can either accommodate or just step aside. So BEHEMOTH, obviously, will accommodate, but on its own terms."

Earlier in the month, BEHEMOTH announced "In Absentia Dei", a groundbreaking immersive livestream spectacular which will broadcast on September 5 from a secret church location in Poland. The event will be streamed in high-definition 4K, with an immersive experience option, allowing viewers to choose from eight different camera angles in the multi-camera shoot or watch the "Director's Cut." Tickets for this theatrical extravaganza are available now at www.behemoth.live. Parts of the performance may offend, so the footage is only recommended for fans 18+.

Special guests at the event will be mysterious black metal avant gardeists IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT, whose set will come from The Slipper Room in New York City.

"In Absentia Dei" will also feature an hour long pre-show (which can be viewed for free at youtube.com/behemothofficial) commencing at 7 p.m. CET / 6 p.m. UK / 1 p.m. EST / 10 a.m. PST, with the full two-hour show beginning at 8 p.m. CET / 7 p.m. UK / 2 p.m. EST / 11 a.m. PST, exclusively at www.behemoth.live.

Ticket holders can watch the event up to 72 hours after the initial broadcast time. There is a 20% Early Bird discount on ticket prices until midnight CET on August 28, and a run of limited-edition event merchandise will also be available until 72 hours post-event, or until stocks last. Ticket and merch bundles are also on sale.

BEHEMOTH's latest EP, "A Forest", was released on May 29 via Metal Blade. The EP's title track is a cover of THE CURE classic, and it features a guest appearance by SHINING frontman Niklas Kvarforth. The "A Forest" EP also includes a live version of the title track as well as the two aforementioned songs from the "I Loved You At Your Darkest" sessions.

BEHEMOTH supported SLIPKNOT on an arena tour of Europe in January and February.

KINGDOM COME will take part in a "Monsters Of Rock Cruise" live streaming event on Saturday, September 5 at 2:00 p.m. PDT. General tickets are $10 in advance or $15 on the day of the show. A "VIP Kingdom Experience" ticket is priced at $125 and includes a show ticket, a signed event poster, an exclusive event t-shirt, a custom event button, three chances to win a signed guitar from the band, a behind-the-scenes video and exclusive Zoom meet-and-greet with the members of KINGDOM COME.

KINGDOM COME guitarist Rick Steier discussed the upcoming performance in a new interview with Helena Harris. He said (see video below): "We're performing out of a studio in North Hollywood called Third Encore. And that's a great little setting. A lot of bands are doing what we're doing.

"The VIP package includes a signed poster, some extra merchandise, shirts, blah blah blah, some picks," he continued. "And then we're doing a Zoom meeting with the VIPs. And they can ask questions, talk to the band, tell us how much they love us, or they hate us. Whatever. So it's whatever anybody wants to talk about. It's gonna be good."

As for the setlist for this weekend's show, Rick said: "We're gonna do all our classic hits from the first two albums — the ones that people know and they play on the radio a lot... We might [also] slip in one or two new original songs — maybe. They're pretty interesting. I think everybody out there, our fans, will like 'em. They're in the same vein as the KINGDOM COME-slash-ZEPPELIN vibe. So it's nothing that's too far away from what we've been doing."

Singer Lenny Wolf is not involved with KINGDOM COME's current reunion tour, which recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of the release of the band's self-titled debut album.

KINGDOM COME's 2020 lineup consists of drummer James Kottak alongside guitarists Danny Stag and Rick Steier, bassist Johnny B. Frank and vocalist Keith St. John (formerly of MONTROSE and LYNCH MOB).

In a May 2019 interview with "Talking Metal", Kottak was asked about KINGDOM COME's future plans as it relates to recording. He responded: "Rick has enough music — I'm not kidding — riffs and stuff for, like, 10 albums; he's a songwriting machine."

During the same chat, Steier talked about KINGDOM COME's decision to play without Lenny, saying: "Lenny retired. It's something that he wanted to do. He wasn't into going and performing anymore. So God bless him, and we wish him all the best. But we still have some rocking blood in us. So we wanna get out there."

Back in 2018, Kottak admitted that he and his bandmates were initially concerned about whether people would accept KINGDOM COME without Wolf.

"When we first put the word out to promoters and buyers, at first they were going, 'Oh yeah! KINGDOM COME!'" the drummer recalled to Eonmusic. "Then we had to go back a few weeks later and say, 'Sorry. Unfortunately, there will be no Lenny Wolf.' So, out of the 20 or so offers we had from different buyers, only three actually pulled out. I was surprised; I thought we'd get a little more backlash. But so many bands, especially bands with longevity, they change members; look at THIN LIZZY, how they changed, or name any band that's been around for 25, 30 years, and there's very few that have all the original members."

After its early run of success in the '80s, KINGDOM COME released several albums, with Wolf remaining the only constant member of the band. The group's most recent effort was 2013's "Outlier".

Former BLACK SABBATH singer Tony Martin has set "Thorns" as the title of his long-awaited new solo album, due in the coming months via Battlegod Productions and Dark Star Records. Battlegod will handle distribution in Australia, Asia, Europe and Japan, while Dark Star will handle distribution in all of North and South America, including both physical and streaming.

Among the guest musicians set to appear on the LP are Scott McClellan (who helped write the album), Danny "Danté" Needham (VENOM), Magnus Rosén (HAMMERFALL), Greg Smith (ALICE COOPER, RAINBOW, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT) and Martin's youngest son Joe.

"Thorns" track listing:

01. As The World Burns

02. Black Widow Angel

03. Book Of Shadows

04. Crying Wolf

05. Damned By You

06. No Shame At All

07. No Where To Fly

08. Passion Killer

09. Run Like The Devil

10. This Is Your Damnation

11. Thorns

Tony said in a statement: "This new album is probably the most 'Tony Martin' a Tony Martin album has ever sounded!! It's got several surprises that will lift people's eyebrows, I am sure. Largely but not entirely based around the riffs of Scott McClellan, new to the world scene, he has proved to be a worthy partner in crime for this release... I was able to make some great songs out of the riffs he was coming up with, which is very similar in the writing sense to that which I experienced with Tony Iommi. Different sound and style, but the riffing talent that someone like Scott has is very cool. It is diverse, melodic, powerful, thought-provoking and of a standard high as ever I have worked on. I believe there are stories still to tell, songs still to be sung, and with this album, I feel it's achieved everything I could have wished for.

"Grateful to the people who have given their extra talents in appearances on this recording. It's been a challenge in COVID lockdown, getting everyone's performances from across the world, but in another way, it was a perfect opportunity to get it done."

Martin's last solo album, "Scream", was released in November 2005 via MTM Music.

BLACK SABBATH released six albums with Martin on vocals: "The Eternal Idol" (1987), "Headless Cross" (1989), "Tyr" (1990), "Cross Purposes" (1994), "Cross Purposes Live" (1995) and "Forbidden" (1995). Eventually, Martin and his "Forbidden"-era bandmates were ousted when guitarist Tony Iommi reunited with SABBATH's fellow original members.

In a 2012 interview with Über Röck, Martin said that he was "surprised" to see Iommi criticizing him in the guitarist's "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath" book (referring to the Martin period, especially the touring phase following the release of "Cross Purposes" in 1994, Iommi lambasted his former singer as "unprofessional" and having "no stage presence"). Martin said: "I mean, they never said anything to me. Surely, if you've got a problem, the first person you should say something to is the person that's in the band with you... It sounds like a really stupid thing to say, as they didn't say anything to my face — and, if that's the case, then more fool them for not saying anything, because, you know, we could have fixed it. I said to them, endlessly, that if there was anything they wanted changed, done differently, just to say and we could fix it, but clearly, they didn't, they hadn't got the guts to, obviously, and to write about it in a book afterwards seems a bit daft to me. I'm not bitter about it, but it is surprising... It seems a bit stupid to say that after the event."

Four years ago, Iommi told I Heart Guitar that "it's a shame" that "it took a lot for people to accept" Martin as SABBATH's vocalist. "It's taken all these years later for people to say, 'Oh blimey, that was a good band with good singing.' So it took a long time to get people to really realize how good it was."

In 2018, Iommi spent time in the studio remixing "Forbidden" for a future release. The LP, which features Martin, drummer Cozy Powell and bassist Neil Murray, is often regarded as SABBATH's worst studio recording.

Photo credit: Rob Billingham

BUCKCHERRY has recruited JETBOY's Billy Rowe (pictured) as its new guitarist. He joins the group as the replacement for Kevin Roentgen, who left BUCKCHERRY in July.

Roentgen, who joined the California-based band in 2017, made his exit official in a social media post earlier this week. He wrote: "Bottom line, I made this decision to come off the road and spend more time with my family. The guys understood this, and for that I'm thankful. Though my wife and daughter always one hundred percent supported me in this gig, they are quite happy now to have me home."

Roentgen joined BUCKCHERRY as the replacement for original guitarist Keith Nelson. He can be heard on BUCKCHERRY's latest album, "Warpaint", which was released in March 2019 via Century Media/RED Music. The 12-song record was produced by Mike Plotnikoff, whose previous collaboration with the band was BUCKCHERRY's multi-platinum third album, 2005's "15".

Last year, BUCKCHERRY recruited Francis Ruiz as its new drummer. He joined the group as the replacement for Sean Winchester, who exited BUCKCHERRY after laying down the drum tracks on "Warpaint".

BLUE ÖYSTER CULT has released the official music video for the song "That Was Me". The clip, which was directed by Steve Schenck and Richie Castellano, features a cameo appearance from founding BLUE ÖYSTER CULT member Albert Bouchard, playing and singing the parts as he does on the band's upcoming album, "The Symbol Remains".

"The Symbol Remains" 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.

Denver, CO modern metal band Antisaint (formerly known as Red Tide Rising) has premiered a new visualizer for “The Otherside”.

As for the video, lead vocalist, Matthew Whiteman says, “The concept is relatively simple. I wanted to create a space that seemed never ending with elements of horror. As the song goes on, the space becomes more constrained with the addition of the organic substance, veins, or whatever you would call them. I had gathered inspiration from the upside-down world in Stranger Things. With the concept put in place I only had to figure out how to execute it. My time in the Game Design Industry has introduced me to a lot of creative tools, one being the open source 3D modeling software, Blender.”

Regarding the band’s name change, Whiteman explains, “We decided to change the name for several reasons. The first reason was due to our belief that this next step we’re taking with the band will be our defining moment, and in that moment, we do not want to be mistaken with an already known band by a similar name. There has been a lot of confusion by both people in the industry and fans between the two bands.

“Another reason is the fact that Andrew and I were still in our youth and immature when we founded RTR, resulting in us just picking a name that sounded cool. We didn’t really care about what the name meant, we just wanted to play music. With us being older, our music has evolved, and we want to make a career out of it. We now have this opportunity to come up with something meaningful that both resonates with us on a personal level and within our music.

“Finally, the name was being affiliated with things we do not condone or stand for. Between all of these reasons, the unfortunate pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and an unreleased full-length album that sounds dramatically different from anything else we’ve done, it made perfect sense to rebrand and start from scratch.”




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With touring sidelined due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, guitarist Gilby Clarke (Guns N' Roses, Slash's Snakepit) remotely teamed up with bassist Sean McNabb (Dokken, Lynch Mob) and drummer Matt Starr (Mr. Big, Ace Frehley) to record a live version of his new solo single, "The Gospel Truth".

Out now via Golden Robot Records, "The Gospel Truth" is the second single lifted from Gilby’s forthcoming album of the same title, and is about the concept of truth today. The truth is whatever someone says out loud, no one is accountable and it’s puzzling. Reflecting on an upbringing within the Catholic church, Gilby Clarke reflects on the idea that honesty shouldn’t come from fear, and encourages the listener to be brave, say what you mean, and mean what you say.

His previous single "Rock N’ Roll Is Getting Louder", released back in February, is a true stormer of a track in pure Gilby fashion - rock n’ roll doused in the influences that run through Gilby’s veins.

Order "The Gospel Truth" here. Check out the video for "Rock N' Roll Is Getting Louder" below:




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The Brazilian metal band, Hatefulmurder, has released a tribute to Death's "The Philosopher", the classic from 1993’s Individual Thought Patterns. The video was made in a special model due to the social isolation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The band is a name on the rise, due to the talent and vocal techniques of vocalist Angélica Burns. Currently the band continues to promote the album Reborn, released in late 2019. Reborn is a record that displays every artistic experience acquired over the years. An independent release. Funded by the fans themselves through a crowdfunding campaign. A cohesive, strong, striking album that marks another great moment in the band's career. Made from fan to fan.

Recently, vocalist Angélica Bastos participated in a video with the band Sepultura, alongside vocalist Fernanda Lira (Crypta) and Mayara Puertas (Torture Squad), which aired as a part of their SepulQuadra series.




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Swedish death metal squad Demonical will release a new studio album titled World Domination on October 23 via Agonia Records.

World Domination is a gateway to old and new Demonical. The band's sixth album marks the debut for vocalist Christofer Sätderdal and the return for original drummer Ronnie Bergerstål (2006-2011, 2019-present). There are no major changes to the band's proven formula of brutal, melodic and insolently Swedish death metal. World Domination picks up where 2018's Chaos Manifesto left off, with a touch of extra dynamics and vibrancy that enrich the band's sound.

Demonical commented: "So here we have it, World Domination; our sixth full-length album and the first one to feature new vocalist. Christofer Sätderdal and new-old drummer Ronnie Bergerstål. World Domination continues the same path as our previous Chaos Manifesto slap, in other words, fierce HM-2 driven Swedish death metal, a ravage combination of brutality, melody and darkness. As always on every album, even this time we tried out some new traces and elements we haven’t explored before and have to say that we are stoked about the final outcome. When it comes to the production, this is clearly our most dynamic and vivid album so far. Not only did we use a different way of recording everything, we went also for a much more energetic and breathing sound closer to how albums were produced in the late 80’s and early 90’s. World Domination was recorded at a few different studios around Sweden, then mixed & mastered by Karl Daniel Lidén - a victorious collaboration we started with on our previous album."

World Domination was recorded in June 2020 at Glashuset and Sellnoise studios by Johan Hjelm and Jonas Arnberg, with production by DEMONICAL. Mixing and mastering were handled by award winning producer Karl Daniel Lidén (Bloodbath, Katatonia) at Tri-Lamb Studios. The cover artwork was created by Susan Wicher. New band photos were taken by Jens Ryden.

Formats:
- Slipcase digipak CD
- Black gatefold LP
- Transparent smoked gatefold LP
- Solid red gatefold LP
- "Plate of puke" gatefold LP
- T-shirt + download code
- Black zip hoodie + download code
- Digital

Tracklisting:

“My Kingdom Done”
“Hellfire Rain”
“Aeons Of Death”
“The Thin Darkness”
“We Stand As One”
“Victorious”
“Slipping Apart”
“Calescent Punishment”




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EMN (Every Mother's Nightmare) is set to release a new album this fall via their label HighVolMusic. In addition to the new album, a documentary was also filmed during the recording of the album.

Here's To The Ones is a look at the behind the scene recording process with an in-depth discussion about the album as well as conversation about EMN the band today. 

Prior to the pandemic, EMN began recording their album at Supernova Sound Memphis with producer Dave Cowell and Matt Montgomery. During the recording sessions, the idea of filming a documentary was formulated by label president Bill Chavis.

Bill Chavis explains; "The pandemic proved to be challenging but it also proved to be rewarding in that it gave us the additional time needed to not only complete the album but also film the documentary. I flew down to Memphis, TN ahead of the pandemic in March for a scheduled meeting with the band but also to preview the new material.  I had been toying with the idea of an EMN documentary for some time. When I talked with Dave Cowell and Matt Montgomery about my idea, they were more than accommodating in allowing us to take over the studio. I hired a film crew and it all just came together like it was meant to happen."

Coming this fall, Here's To The Ones is directed by Nick Hein (Station 8 Productions) and Bill Chavis. Album release details plus the new video-single are scheduled for September 18.




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Norwegian high-octane metallers, Fight The Fight, have released an official lyric video for the new track, "Ritual" - the fourth single off their sophomore album Deliverance, to be released on September 18 via Blacklight Media Records (North America) and Indie Recordings (worldwide excluding North America). Listen to "Ritual" here, and watch the new lyric video below.

This heavy-metal anthem comes in like a horde of elephants with its stomping beats. The "Ritual" Fight The Fight are celebrating is a fast and dynamic one, which smashes directly in your face. Punchy like Rammstein, aggressive as Slipknot and catchy as Parkway Drive - this song captivates you with its straight, heavy and "easy-to-follow" approach.

Furthermore, these Norwegians are no band that takes themselves too seriously, commenting about the track: "We present to you 'Ritual' - a straight-up rock/metal song that will make your balls and tits swing!"

Fight The Fight once again delivers well-structured songs and mischievously captivating, irresistible refrains on their new album, Deliverance. Pre-order here.

Deliverance tracklisting:

"Deliverance"
"Ritual"
"Triggerfinger"
"Calling You Back"
"Pacemaker"
"Dying"
"Pitbull"
"Love"
"Turbo Sex"
"Paradigm"

"Dying" video:

"Pacemaker"  video:

"Triggerfinger" video:

(Photo - Therese V. Wangberg)




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DevilDriver recently announced the release of their upcoming double album, Dealing With Demons. The first volume - entitled Dealing With Demons I - drops on October 9 via Napalm Records and marks the band’s first release of new, original material since 2016’s acclaimed Trust No One.

The band have released this solo playthrough video for the single, "Nest Of Vipers". Watch below:

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. Dealing With Demons I showcases the supreme form of the band - Dez, guitarists Mike Spreitzer and Neal Tiemann, drummer Austin D’Amond and bassist Diego "Ashes" Ibarra. This isn’t just some of the most vicious DevilDriver material to date, but some of their most lethally memorable too. Produced and engineered by Steve Evetts with additional engineering from guitarist Mike Spreitzer, it’s a triumph of teamwork and tenacity.

With new milestones like Dez Fafara’s eerie verses on “Wishing” and the frontman’s first co-authored lyric, Dealing With Demons I ferociously delivers the goods while kicking open several new doors for DevilDriver to power through in the future. From the self-explanatory, explosive opener “Keep Away From Me” to the chilling imagery of “Iona”, this album is powerful evidence that Dez and his band mates have given DevilDriver a volatile, visceral kick in the ass. Demons are getting dealt with in the harshest of manners.

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!

Pre-order Dealing With Demons I here.

Album artwork by Johnny Jones at COMA.

Dealing With Demons I tracklisting:

"Keep Away From Me"
"Vengeance Is Clear"
"Nest Of Vipers"
"Iona"
"Wishing"
"You Give Me A Reason To Drink" (feat. Simon Blade Fafara)
"Witches"
"Dealing With Demons"
"The Damned Don't Cry"
"Scars Me Forever"

“Nest Of Vipers” video:

“Iona” video:

"Keep Away From Me" lyric video:

An array of must-have merchandise, bundles and music formats are available via both the Napalm Records and DevilDriver official stores, including CDs, exclusive vinyl in various colors, picture discs, cassette tapes, skateboards, notebooks, clothing and more. Click here for locations to buy formats and merchandise!

Plus, pre-order any format of Dealing With Demons I via the Napalm Records store and you’re automatically entered in a giveaway to win one of two exclusive Dealing With Demons I banners.

DevilDriver is:

Dez Fafara - Vocals
Mike Spreitzer - Guitar
Neal Tiemann - Guitar
Diego Ibarra - Bass
Austin D'Amond - Drums

(Photo Credit: Stephanie Cabral // Illustration: Anne Catherine Swallow)




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Sweden’s Pain Of Salvation have released their new studio album, Panther, via InsideOutMusic. Daniel Gildenlöw checked in with the following message for the band’s supporters about the new release:

“This album is for you, or someone you know. It is for the restless, the shy, the motormouths, the passionate, the ones who go far beyond the point of reason for what you believe in, the outsiders, the diagnosed, the medicated, the hungry, the sad, the ones walking around daily trying to understand how to fit in with this species, with this era. It's for everyone who always had problems sitting still in the class room, or who never really knew how to speak up. The daydreamers, the relentlessly curious, the comedians, the unexplainably angry. This is your album. Because you, my friend, are a panther. And you are a valued member of the Full Throttle Tribe. Ladies and gentlemen, rev your engines, the world is about to get panthered! :) #areyouapanther”

In order to further support the album’s release, the band have released a lyric video created by Thomas Hicks for the song “Unfuture”, which can be seen below.

Gildenlöw states: “This is probably the most typical Pain Of Salvation song of the album, and if you're nervous about the new and unknown, this might be a good track to hold your hand as you venture deeper into the album, or as the Panther sinks its teeth deeper into you.

"It is a dystopian and lead heavy track in the vein of Black Hills, Diffidentia and The Taming of a Beast.

Welcome to the new world
All want, no need
See, the less your heart is in it
The less you'll bleed

"How free are you? Honestly. Right now, where are the limits of your cultural freedom? Where will your social context draw the line? In this modern age, flattering itself with being tolerant, the concept of normality is, ironically, narrowing down every year. And when you've adapted everything you want and own to fit these norms, the only thing left to change, is yourself.

Now we only need a new you
And you'll feel fine”

Panther, the follow-up release to 2017’s In The Passing Light Of Day album, was recorded, mixed and produced by Daniel Gildenlöw with Daniel Bergstrand (In Flames, Meshuggah, Devin Townsend) and comes with a comprehensive artwork-theme with illustrations made by André Meister.

Next to the standard CD and the digital album formats, Panther is also available as limited 2CD Mediabook (Including expanded artwork and the following 4 bonus tracks on a separate disc: "Panther" (demo), “Keen To A Fault" (demo)”, “Fifi Gruffi” and “Unforever”, and as 180g. Gatefold 2LP (Including the 4 bonus tracks on Side D and album on CD as bonus), in the following variations:

- Black vinyl - Unlimited
- Deep blood red vinyl - 100x copies from IOM Webshop Europe
- Transparent blue vinyl - 300x copies from CM Distro
- Transparent green vinyl - 200x copies from EMP
- - Lilac vinyl - 200x copies from JPC
White vinyl - 200x copies from Pain of Salvation
- Transparent yellow vinyl - 100x copies from Pain of Salvation

Order here.

Panther tracklisting:

"Accelerator"
"Unfuture"
"Restless Boy"
"Wait"
"Keen To A Fault"
"Fur"
"Panther"
"Species"
"Icon"

“Panther” video:

"Restless Boy" video:

“Accelerator” video:

Pain of Salvation lineup:

Daniel Gildenlöw - lead vocals and lots of stuff
Johan Hallgren - guitar and vocals
Léo Margarit - drums and vocals
Daniel Karlsson - keyboards, guitars and vocals
Gustaf Hielm - bass and vocals




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Foreigner have released the video for "Say You Will", from their 2019 release, Double Vision: Then And Now, which was released on CD+DVD, Blu-Ray+CD, Limited 2LP+Blu-Ray, and Digital. Order the title here, and watch the video below.

Album tracklisting:

"Cold As Ice"
"Head Games"
"Waiting For A Girl Like You"
"Headknocker"
"The Flame Still Burns"
"Urgent"
"Juke Box Hero"
"Feels Like The First Time"
"Double Vision"
"Blue Morning, Blue Day"
"Long, Long Way From Home"
"Dirty White Boy"
"I Want To Know What Love Is"
"Hot Blooded"

DVD / Blu-Ray tracklisting:

"Cold As Ice"
"Head Games"
"Waiting For A Girl Like You"
"Headknocker"
"Say You Will"
"Urgent"
"Starrider"
"Juke Box Hero"
"Feels Like The First Time"
"Double Vision"
"Blue Morning, Blue Day"
"Long, Long Way From Home"
"Dirty White Boy"
"I Want To Know What Love Is"
"Hot Blooded"

Bonus:
"The Flame Still Burns"
"Fool For You Anyway"

"Say You Will" video:

"Headknocker" video:

"Waiting For A Girl Like You" video:

"Double Vision" video:

"Cold As Ice" video:

"I Want To Know What Love Is" video:




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