KATAKLYSM guitarist Jean-François Dagenais says that he is feeling "much better," less than a week after tested positive for COVID-19. The Canadian-born musician, who has lived in Dallas, Texas, for the past decade, exhibited "severe symptoms" of the novel coronavirus before it was confirmed he had COVID-19.

Earlier today, Dagenais released the following statement: "Hey, folks! First, I want to thank everyone for the outpour of support from all our awesome fans and music colleagues around the world. It really gave me a morale boost!

"Last week started like any normal week. I was doing press for KATAKLYSM's new album, 'Unconquered', and on Wednesday morning, I woke up and felt like I got hit by a train; I had a slight fever, body aches, and very low energy. The next day, I went to my doctor after no improvement and they administered the COVID test to be on the safe side. It came back positive, and I was shocked because I'm the extra-careful type of guy. I wear a mask religiously, wash my hands, and barely go out.

"Anyhow, over the weekend I started to feel much better and started feeling like my old self again. Luckily, I am in decent health with no underlying conditions. I will self-quarantine at home with my family (so far they are fine) and will be free of this thing in no time.

"I don't want to make a big thing out of this and overshadow the new album, but wanted to share the news that anyone can get this so be careful out there. It is a nasty bug. The first few days were brutal, but at the end of the day, I'm fine, and I will get over it."

The Dallas County Health Department has reported 68,572 cases of the virus since testing began in March. There have been 855 confirmed deaths attributed in the county to the virus, which is now the third leading cause of death in the county behind diseases of the heart and cancers.

KATAKLYSM will release its 14th full-length studio album, "Unconquered", on September 25 via Nuclear Blast Records. The disc was recorded and engineered by Dagenais at JFD Studio in Dallas.

In 2018, The New Black guitarist Fabian "Fabs" Schwarz took a bold step out of his comfort zone by launching a solo project dubbed Who Brought The Dog in collaboration with BraveWords writer Carl Begai. With two albums under their belt, they have released a new single / video "Little Johnny Sunshine".

Carl: "A few of months ago a fellow Canucklehead by the name of Jeff Waters - he has a little thrash legend band called Annihilator - called out the beachgoing Legion Of Stupid in Florida for gathering in droves in spite of this little global pandemic we have going on. I was inspired by Jeff's rant, and the news footage that went with it, to write about that destructive mentality. All those thoughts in my head created a fucktard I call Little Johnny Sunshine. So it goes that Fabs worked his musical magic for our next Who Brought The Dog single."

The second Who Brought The Dog album, No World Order, features 10 songs that follow a similar path to the debut and expand on the Who Brought The Dog sound. Lyrically based in the world of real people and real situations - and in the case of "Who Brought The Dog", a shameless tribute to the project - the songs are based on a solid rock foundation with Fabs building on it in unexpected directions. Combining jazz-oriented grooves with Bollywood soundbytes ("When The World Stops Turning"), an AOR big band vibe ("Saviour To None"), or dance club beats gone rock ("Dark Side Mary"), these are just a few examples of the "no fear" attitude that makes Who Brought The Dog stand out in a cluttered music scene.

Heading into 2020, Who Brought The Dog will take things to the next level with official videos and more live shows. The songs earmarked to bring the Fabs' new music to the world - "Celebretard", "No World Order" and "The Music Man" - showcase various facets of his musical personality, from quirky fun, to straight ahead rock, to provocatively dark. No matter the respective musical direction of the 10 songs on the album, however, there is never a dull moment.

As cliché as it sounds, it's best to go into No World Order expecting the unexpected, which is what the world needs right now.

Tracklist:

"Who Brought The Dog"
"Choking On Your Halo"
"Dark Side Mary"
"No World Order"
"Celebretard"
"The Music Man"
"Saviour To None"
"Your Careless Spark"
"In Case You Missed It"
"When The World Stops Turning"

"Who Brought The Dog"

"No World Order"




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HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale spoke to GWAR's Internet TV show "Undead From Antarctica" about how she and her bandmates have been dealing with the coronavirus crisis. She said (see video below): "Before all this went down, we were getting together pretty much every day. We were one of the lucky ones. We had already set aside some time — well, not this whole time, but the majority of this time that we're home — anyway to write another record. So before all this went down and every day it was, like, new bad news, new bad news, we were getting together every single day right here in my basement. And then slowly but surely, everyone was just, like, 'Okay, let's stay separate for a while.' We've had some socially distant hangs, like with my bass player and drummer — just outside situations, like, six feet apart, don't hug; that kind of thing. But other than that, I miss it, man. I miss playing live shows and I miss jamming with my band. Yeah, I miss all of that."

"Halestorm Reimagined", a collection of reworked HALESTORM original songs as well as a cover of "I Will Always Love You", the love ballad made famous by Whitney Houston and Dolly Parton, was made available on August 14.

Lzzy said in a recent interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that she is using the downtime during the COVID-19 lockdown to keep working on material for HALESTORM's fifth studio LP.

HALESTORM has been writing and demoing material since January, with Hale saying she can record almost everything except drums in her home studio.

The next HALESTORM album will follow up 2018's "Vicious".

Guitar World has released the new video below, stating: "Dig out the face paint and crank up the gain, for Lance The King Of Black Metal, guitarist of Witch Taint - the greatest black metal band of all time (in his own words...) - joins us in today's episode of Sick Riffs to teach you the verse riff of 'Death To Death Metal'."

See more Witch Taint videos below:




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Reckless Love, the colourful quartet giving a fresh face and sound to the sleaze metal world, have released a new single worldwide via Universal Music Finland. Listen to the track, “Loaded”, here and below.

Produced by former Santa Cruz guitarist Joonas Parkkonen, the song is a taste of what’s to come with Reckless Love’s fifth studio album; the follow-up to 2016’s InVader, this anticipated outing will be available in 2021.

Says frontman Olli Herman: “10 years ago, we released our debut album, Reckless Love - a kickstart to an adventure that took us around the world. This year, we wanted to celebrate that release, so we booked a huge anniversary tour. Well, we all know what happened next - 2020 struck big-time and everything was cancelled. However, we decided not to yield, and instead of touring we hit the studio with a new producer. The result: our come-back single!! A track loaded with hooks, big drums, high screams, a huge chorus, one scorching hot guitar solo and massive riffs! I could not be happier and prouder to present this new track to our fans. One of our dear friends put it perfectly: ‘This song is like a cold beer on a hot day!’”

Reckless Love is:

Olli Herman (vocals)
Pepe (guitar)
Jalle Verne (bass)
Hessu Max (drums)




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Blacklight Media / Metal Blade Records welcome Capra to its worldwide roster.

Capra is a metallic hardcore band roaring out of the depths of southern Louisiana. With high energy delivery and raging rock and roll hooks inspired by Converge and Every Time I Die, this is the band for their time and place.

Capra comments: "We in Capra are beyond excited to announce that we've signed with the legendary Metal Blade Records and Blacklight Media! The four of us are truly grateful for this opportunity, and we are stoked to work with such an incredibly talented team of people. We have a lot coming in the near future, including our debut LP, which we just finished recording."

Fans can look forward to this upcoming debut full-length - which is currently being mixed by Taylor Young (Nails, Twitching Tongues) - in 2021 via Blacklight Media / Metal Blade Records. With their venom spitting frontwoman and hard rocking riffs, it's hard not to be enamored with the lightning charged assault of these Southern hardcore devotees.

For a preview of their captivating live show, a performance video for "Torture Ship" - from their self-titled/self-released single released earlier this year - can be viewed below:

Capra lineup:

Crow Lotus - Vocals
Tyler Harper - Guitar
Jeremy Randazzo - Drums
Ben Paramore - Bass




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Euro melodic metallers, NoN (formerly Now Or Never), have released their new single, "Ordinary World" via Crusader Records. "Ordinary World" is a cover the Duran Duran classic.

Taken from the band's upcoming album III, "Ordinary World" is an exciting glimpse of what's to come from this incredibly talented band. NoN put on a unique Euro melodic metal slant on this legendary song, adding new life and dimension to it.

Watch the official video for "Ordinary World" below:

"Ordinary World" is the follow up to the recently released single, "Until We Say Goodbye".

"'Until We Say Goodbye' talks about the indefectible love and devotion one has with his child. Whatever happens, whatever the child, son, daughter needs to learn in life, we are always there to guide them and heal them. I wrote the song in 2019 and the lyrics were written by Marc Farrano, a Norwegian musician. It’s a melodic hard rock song, with a touch of a heavy rhythm section, paired with delicate vocals." - Ricky Marx.

NoN, formerly Now Or Never, was founded in 2012 by guitarist Ricky Marx (ex-Pretty Maids) and bass player Kenn Jackson (also ex-Pretty Maids). Short after, Now Or Never recorded their self-titled debut album at the Peek Studio in the South of France, co-produced by the band and Pat Liotard.

Their eponymous debut album was released worldwide on the Mausoleum Records Label, early 2014 and got a great response from the hard rock scene and good international reviews by the press.

NoN entered Peek Studio and finished recording their second album II, again co-produced by Pat Liotard. Their latest album II was released worldwide by Mighty Music in February 2016 and in Japan by Bickee Music in March 2016. ​

In February 2018, Now Or Never rebranded the name into NoN and is back now with new members and finished recording the upcoming III album that will hopefully be released in 2020. ​NoN is a band of experienced musicians, both on the road and in studio. Its music epitomizes the evolution of hard rock into modern metal music.

Members:

​Ricky Marx: Is an inventive and experienced guitar player, who was a full-time member of Pretty Maids and recorded two albums with them. He’s also an experienced producer and accomplished songwriter. ​

Claudio Nasuti: Is an Italian / Swiss bass player, he has played bass for decades in several Swiss bands and is better known as the 6 String Bass Guru.

Steph Honde: Is a French singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Honde is most famous for being the front man and songwriter of the American hard rock super group, Hollywood Monsters, which he founded in 2013.

Ranzo: Is a talented drummer who’s been playing in the music business for decades. Founder of the Swiss band Sultan, he also played with several European bands.

NoN Members have played all around the world at the biggest festivals and venues like HellFest, Wacken, Roskilde, Skanderborg, Monsters of Rock in Germany & Spain and toured in most of the European countries, Japan, Eastern Europe and USA as headliner or with major bands like Deep Purple, AC/DC, Alice Cooper, David Lee Roth , TNT, Jorn Lande and many others




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This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of Down's 1995-released, now classic debut, NOLA. Plans for select shows featuring vocalist Philip Anselmo, guitarists Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein, drummer Jimmy Bower, and bassist Pat Bruders performing the record in its entirety were sidelined due to the global pandemic. In its wake, the band announced an exclusive livestream later this month. Watch two new trailers below:

Down are asking fans to please submit videos to be featured in the The Quarter Century Throwdown special event. Please email videos less than :30 (thirty seconds) to: DownNolaTV@McGheeLA.com by August 26. Watch the video below:

Fittingly dubbed The Quarter Century Throwdown, the high production, multi-camera event will take place August 29 at 6 PM, EST using cutting-edge streaming technology to create a one-of-a-kind virtual concert experience. The show will be rebroadcast August 30 at 6 PM, EST until September 1 at 6 PM, EST.

Comments the band, "Down was a simple band started by friends with a love of heavy music and the songs on the NOLA album were magic from the first rehearsal. We're extremely grateful to be celebrating the NOLA record with a live stream that the world can see. Watch the show and plug in through your loudest stereo! We love y'all!"   

Livestream tickets and packages are available here, with additional merch designs available here.

10% of ticket sales will be donated to the United Houma Nation (UHN), a state-recognized tribe of approximately 17,000 members residing within a six-parish (county) service area encompassing 4,570 square miles. The six parishes - Terrebonne, Lafourche, Jefferson, St. Mary, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines - are located along the Southeastern coast of Louisiana. Within this area, distinct tribal communities are situated among the interwoven bayous and canals where Houmas traditionally earned a living. Although by land and road these communities are distant, they were historically very close by water. However, boat travel is no longer a viable option due to the effects of coastal erosion, which has left these waterways either nonexistent or impassable and, in many cases, completely open water that requires larger vessels for safe travel. The tribe today is presented with the unique challenges of preserving and maintaining its culture and way of life when the land is disappearing. The United Houma Nation is committed and dedicated to doing exactly that.

In addition, 10% of proceeds raised from a special, limited Down/United Houma Nation t-shirt will also be donated to the UHN. For preorders, go here.

With a collective resume encompassing Pantera, Corrosion Of Conformity, Crowbar, EyeHateGod, and so many others, Down puffed out its first haze of sonic smoke from the belly of gritty old New Orleans in September of 1995 with the release of NOLA. At that moment, they instinctively summoned something akin to a ritual. The record was largely credited with introducing the sound of underground New Orleans metal - "slow, super-heavy, doomsday guitar riffs stamped with Anselmo's trademark bellow," as described by NOLA.com / The Times-Picayune - to a worldwide audience. By October of 1995, NOLA peaked at number 57 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for six straight weeks. The album spawned four singles: "Stone The Crow," "Lifer," "Temptation's Wings," and "Bury Me in Smoke." "Stone The Crow" would move on to achieve commercial success when it reached number 40 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks charts, becoming Down's first top 40 song. Twenty-five years later, there's still no mistaking those gargantuan riffs, swamp blues leads, crashing drums, and hypnotic howls for absolutely anybody else under the sun.

Watch a video message from Phil Anselmo and Kirk Windstein below:

(Photo - Danin Drahos)




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MindWars have released a teaser video for The Fourth Turning, set for release on September 25 via Dissonance Productions. Find the clip below.

The Fourth Turning features new bassist Rick Zaccaro to hold down the rhythm with Roby Vitari. Danny “Z” Pizzi, moves to guitar to accompany Mike Alvord.

It was previously revealed that the album will include ten skull-crushing new original songs and a tribute to Slayer with a cover of the Reign In Blood classic “Criminally Insane”. With lyrics covering topics of war, civil unrest, disease, and authoritarian governments, this album is truly the soundtrack of 2020.

Tracklisting:

“The Awakening”
“Fall In Line”
“MindWars”
“(Who’ll Stop The) Aryan Race”
“The System”
“Digital Dictatorship”
“Marching Off To War”
“Black Death”
“Blood Red”
“Holy Terror”
“Criminally Insane” (Slayer cover, bonus track)

Teaser:




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Belgian death metal band, Carnation, have released a lyric video for the title track of their upcoming full-length, Where Death Lies, out September 18.

Frontman Simon Duson comments: "Our third single for the upcoming Where Death Lies'album is none other than the title track. If you've been looking for thrashy hooks and groovy beats, look no further! This track is a fast one, but it switches gear right when the punishing chorus hits. It contains what we consider the catchiest chorus on the album, and we simply can't wait to start performing this one live. The lyric video was made by Aimed & Framed, and it showcases the beautiful artwork that master Juanjo Castellano has once again created for us."

Where Death Lies is out on September 18 via Season Of Mist. Pre-order the album in various formats here.

Where Death Lies was recorded from January to April 2020. The drums were recorded by Wojtek & Sławek Wieslawski at the Hertz Recording Studio in Białystok, Poland and the guitars, bass & vocals were recorded by Yarne Heylen at Project Zero Studio in Nijlen, Belgium.

The cover artwork for Where Death Lies, which is again created by the talented Juan Jose Castellano Rosado, can be found below along with the tracklisting.

Tracklisting:

"Iron Discipline"
"Sepulcher Of Alteration"
"Where Death Lies"
"Spirit Excision"
"Napalm Ascension"
"Serpent's Breath"
"Malformed Regrowth"
"Reincarnation"
"In Chasms Abysmal"

"Iron Discipline" video:

"Sepulcher Of Alteration" video:

"Sepulcher Of Alteration" live video:

Lineup:

Simon Duson - Vocals
Jonathan Verstrepen - Guitars
Bert Vervoort - Guitars
Yarne Heylen - Bass
Vincent Verstrepen - Drums




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"Hey Man, Nice Shot" is a smash single by the band Filter, initially released in 1995. This playthrough is a collaboration featuring Royal Tusk's frontman Daniel Carriere, as well as several big names in the rock and metal scene including: Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher, Stone Sour bassist Johnny Chow, In Flames drummer Tanner Wayne, and Dragged Under guitarist Ryan 'Fluff' Bruce. Together, they performing under the pseudonym Bracing For Impact.

Check out the official video for "Hey Man, Nice Shot" from Filter's debut album Short Bus.

 




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Horror Pain Gore Death Productions have signed North Carolina's three piece grindcore terror squad, Crypt Walk. The new Rot Gut Prophecies EP is up now for pre-order and will be released September 25 on CD and digital formats. Below is the official description:

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions welcomes Crypt Walk to the roster with the new EP Rot Gut Prophecies! Hailing from the backwoods of North Carolina, Crypt Walk are a three piece grindcore terror squad that is full of hatred towards a fucked society. Rot Gut Prophecies combines breakneck tempo changes with concussive pummeling blast beats and bowel stomping breakdowns to create a truly barbaric sound. Crypt Walk summon the pained wailing of enraged neanderthals deep in an amphetamine induced psychosis. For fans of Pig Destroyer, Discordance Axis, Nails, Full Of Hell, Assuck, Insect Warfare, Nasum and Wormrot

Listen to the track "Breeding Filth" below.

Tracklisting:

"Breeding Filth"
"Head Cleaner"
"Wide Spread Neurosis"
"Company Man"
"Booze Mask"
"Every Day I Get Worse"
"Trash People"
"Hag Magnet"
"Pig Sticker"

"Breeding Filth":




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Kevin Roentgen has announced his departure from BUCKCHERRY.

The guitarist, who joined the California-based band in 2007, made his exit official in a social media post earlier today.

He wrote: "Struggling a bit with words as I write this.

"Several of you have msg'd me, so I thought I'd just respond here.

"Last month, I stepped away from my position as guitar player in BUCKCHERRY.

"For me, 'I'm leaving the band' announcements can come off as kind of dramatic and self-important. Not my intention here. Instead, I really only want to express my love, gratitude and respect for my friends — Stevie, Josh, Kelly and Francis.

"For the last three years, I've been out there with you guys solid, and literally around the world, playing hundreds and hundreds of shows to a diehard and loyal base. It's one like I've never known. It's an audience the band has worked tirelessly to build over the course of twenty years, and is the envy of many. It's something I have so much respect and admiration for.

"Thank you SO much to all of the band's fans and friends who were kind, open and receiving of 'the new guy' (though, some of you did take a minute ha). Stepping in for a founding member was no short order, but you guys helped me rise to the occasion. I'll forever be grateful for that.

"I want to send a very special thank you to all of the crew, who not only got us to the stage on time and in one piece, but who actually really care about doing a great job — rare in this business, trust me. Dave, Ross, Terry, Frank, 'Timmy', Nate, Brandon, Russell (you and I may have butted heads on occasion, but know that I respect your loyalty to the BC cause), Jeremy, Dan, Brad, Moss and anyone I'm spacing on in this moment (sorry). Shout out to Larry Mazer and Andrew Goodfriend for looking after me, as well. Thank you all for having my back. I love you guys.

"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.

"Anyways, I suppose I'm what they call a 'lifer' in this often absurd and occasionally rewarding business, so you'll no doubt be hearing from me going forward. Thank you to all of those who've supported my other music projects recently — and over the last thirty years for that matter.

"Wishing BC the very best and all the great success they deserve, with love.

"Long live rock and roll."

Roentgen, who had previously played with AMERICAN PEARL and SOUL, 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".


Struggling a bit with words as I write this. Several of you have msg’d me, so I thought I’d just respond here.

Last...

Posted by Kevin Roentgen on Sunday, August 23, 2020

Portland death metal band, Vitriol, have released an official video for "Hive Lungs", a track from their debut full-length album, To Bathe From The Throat Of Cowardice, available via Century Media Records. Find the clip below.

Fronted by the dual vocal assault given from guitarist Kyle Rasmussen and bassist Adam Roethlisberger, driven by the inhuman drummer Scott Walker, Vitriol proved to make a successful strike at the genre's heart with their 2017 EP, Pain Will Define Their Death. Released via Italy's Everlasting Spew, it already provided a shockingly intense glimpse at the whirlwind that is to be unfurled on the much anticipated debut record, To Bathe From The Throat Of Cowardice.

Featuring classy artwork by Joe Petagno (Motörhead, Krisiun, Angelcorpse), the album offers 44 minutes of utmost sincere and vicious music embodying a radicalness and personality rarely heard within the genre.

Tracklisting:

"The Parting Of A Neck"
"Crowned In Retaliation"
"Legacy Of Contempt"
"I Drown Nightly"
"The Rope Calls You Brother"
"A Gentle Gift"
"Violence, A Worthy Truth"
"Victim"
"Hive Lungs"
"Pain Will Define Their Death"

"Hive Lungs" video:

"I Drown Nightly" video:

"Victim" video:

Vitriol are:

Kyle Rasmussen - Guitars and Vocals
Adam Roethlisberger - Bass and Vocals
Scott Walker - Drums




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**UPDATE**: Dee Snider has taken to his Twitter to clarify that the deal for his Funko figure was made with TWISTED SISTER, suggesting that it will be part of a set featuring the entire band.

The original article follows below.

The popular vinyl collectible company Funko — best known for its big-headed Pop! figures — has teamed up with TWISTED SISTER singer Dee Snider for one of its latest artist collaborations.

Snider, who has been publicly campaigning for at least a year to have a Funko figure created in his likeness, tweeted on August 20: "WELL GUESS THE FUCK WHAT!?!? @OriginalFunko is making a Dee Snider figure. Thank you all for your support, pressure and enthusiasm!"

Back in July 2019, Dee retweeted a request from PopVinyls.com to have a Snider Funko figure developed. At the time, he added the following comment: "Are you paying attention @originalfunko? I can't count the amount of times I've been asked if there is a 'Dee Snider Pop Vinyl' available at all of the convention appearances I do!"

Other artists who have gotten the Pop! Rocks treatment in the past include KISS, IRON MAIDEN, METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, DEF LEPPARD, Rob Zombie, SLIPKNOT, SLAYER, GHOST and MOTÖRHEAD.

A Funko vinyl Pop! figure, or popularly known as a "Pop!", is packaged carefully inside a box with a transparent front. The figurine is made out of vinyl and may come as a bobblehead.

Funko reported that these figurines increased its sales by 38 percent in the second quarter of 2019. International sales spiked 65 percent to $68.5 million, while U.S. revenue grew 26 percent to $122.7 million.

Headquartered in Everett, Washington, Funko is a leading pop culture consumer products company. Funko designs, sources and distributes licensed pop culture products across multiple categories, including vinyl figures, action toys, plush, apparel, housewares and accessories for consumers who seek tangible ways to connect with their favorite pop culture brands and characters.




Actually the deal was made with @TwistedSisterNY...

DEE SNIDER Finally Gets His Wish: A 'Pop! Rocks' Figure From FUNKO https://t.co/Ehb71whpm7

— Dee Snider (@deesnider) August 24, 2020








WELL GUESS THE FUCK WHAT!?!? @OriginalFunko is making a Dee Snider figure. Thank you all for your support, pressure and enthusiasm!

— Dee Snider (@deesnider) August 20, 2020








Are you paying attention @originalfunko? I can't count the amount of times I've been asked if there is a "Dee Snider Pop Vinyl" available at all of the convention appearances I do! https://t.co/Fbvt1f6VlM

— Dee Snider (@deesnider) July 4, 2019

Steve Riley's version of L.A. GUNS has released its third single, "Renegades". It is the title track from the band's first album, "Renegades", which will arrive later this 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's version of L.A. GUNS made its live debut in May 2019 at the M3 Rock Festival. The drummer is joined in 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).

During a recent appearance on "The Classic Metal Show", Riley was asked if he was concerned about creating confusion in the marketplace by starting another version of L.A. GUNS with Nickels. He responded: "No, not at all, because I was already tempered to it. If you remember correctly, Tracii quit in 2002 and Phil Lewis and I had carried on the band for, like, 15 years on our own, doing four albums — maybe five; I think it was four — we continued on, and there was Tracii taking out another L.A. GUNS. So, no, I was already used to it. And when two people own the mark and the name, then you can do that, and I never contested Tracii doing that, even though Phil was with me for those 15 years while [Tracii] was out of the band. So I was already tempered to it, and I already knew that when he originally did that back in the 2000s that he created confusion immediately, and I believe that's when Phil went off on him for a number of years in the press, on Eddie Trunk's TV show, he went off on Tracii non-stop; he didn't like him and he didn't like what he was doing by creating the confusion. So it's something I'm already used to.

"I never quit L.A. GUNS," he continued. "I never intended to stop working in L.A. GUNS. It's just a matter of people leaving the band. The confusion thing, it was already there — it was already happening because Tracii started that confusion back in 2006, I believe, [or] 2005, after he did BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION and a couple of other projects. He started his own L.A. GUNS while Phil and I were working and recording with [producer] Andy Johns and doing four albums with Andy Johns and a live album. We just continued working on. So that confusion has already been there."

Riley also talked about the fact that Lewis and Guns are the most recognizable members of L.A. GUNS and how it affects people's perception of the two versions of the band.

"When you talk about L.A. GUNS and you talk about the singer and guitar player, the fact of it is that the biggest song L.A. GUNS had was written by Kelly Nickels; he wrote 'The Ballad Of Jayne'," Steve said. "And so the deal is that most of our publishing starts off with 'The Ballad Of Jayne'; that's pretty much our big heavyweight in our publishing. He wrote that, and he wrote a number of other songs. He actually wrote 'Crawl' too, the new single. But he's a prolific songwriter; he contributed so much to the songwriting in the early years, as I did too. But the fact of it is he brought the biggest song in that we're recognized for — 'The Ballad Of Jayne'. That's a Kelly Nickels composition.

"So I don't know how you weigh one against the other," he added. "It's something that I've faced off for a number of years. All the guys have quit at one time or another. I just kept L.A. GUNS — the real L.A. GUNS, the original L.A. GUNS I kept going. I've been running the business all of this time, since 1988, and striking up record deals and world tours and what have you, and all kinds of concerts, and the deal is that I never really stopped.

"If Tracii wanted to take out another L.A. GUNS, there's nothing I can do about it; I can't contest it. So it is a problem with a lot of legacy bands, and it's something that you can't avoid... With this band, I pretty much begged everybody from the classic lineup not to quit, at one point or another. And when they wanted to leave, I tried to talk them out of it and say, 'Come on. Hang on. This is a good thing we have. It's something that we can do pretty much forever.' And so I tried to talk everybody out of it, and a lot of times it wasn't successful, and a lot of times I was successful , like in getting Phil back into the band with me, and Tracii. But it doesn't always work out the way you want it, especially in this business."

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."

THE PRETTY RECKLESS performed a quarantine acoustic version of "Death By Rock And Roll", the title track of the band's forthcoming album, during a June 18 iHeartRadio Facebook Live session. The intimate and at-home performance is now available for streaming at all outlets.

The "Death By Rock And Roll" LP will be released in early 2021 via Fearless Records in the U.S. and Century Media Records in the rest of the world.

"In a lot of ways, this new album feels like a rebirth and our first single, 'Death by Rock And Roll', represents that salvation that my favorite music brings me," said vocalist Taylor Momsen. "Rock is freedom and this song is about living life the way you want, and now that belongs to everyone who listens."

Momsen recently confirmed in an interview that RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello guests on "Death By Rock And Roll". Morello appears on a track called "And So It Went".

Morello joins previously announced guests Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron from SOUNDGARDEN. The song with Cameron and Thayil, called "Only Love Can Save Me Now", was recorded at Seattle's legendary London Bridge Studios, where seminal LPs like PEARL JAM's "Ten" and SOUNDGARDEN's "Louder Than Love" were laid down.

According to Momsen, "Death By Rock And Roll" "almost feels like the first record in the sense that we really threw everything that we had at it — we worked so hard on it," she said. "And I'm just excited for it to be out and have people come on this journey with me and see where it took us. I think it took us, in my opinion, to a new level. It's a new and improved PRETTY RECKLESS."

"Death By Rock And Roll" is the fifth No. 1 single of THE PRETTY RECKLESS's career. The band also has the incredible and impressive distinction of being the first female-fronted band to have back-to-back No. 1 singles at the active rock format and the first female-fronted act to have five No. 1 singles on the U.S. Billboard chart.

THE PRETTY RECKLESS is:

Taylor Momsen - Vocals

Ben Phillips - Guitar

Mark Damon - Bass

Jamie Perkins - Drums

Relapse Records continues its Death: Non Analog - On Stage Series with the new instalment, New Rochelle, NY 12-03-1988, capturing the band live during the Leprosy tour. Listen here, or below.

Setlist:

"Leprosy"
"Open Casket"
"Zombie Ritual"
"Pull The Plug"
"Left To Die"
"Forgotten Past"
"Denial Of Life"
"Born Dead"
"Primitive Ways"
"Choke On It"
"Infernal Death"




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US hard rock outfit, Holy Mother, has signed with Massacre Records.

Earlier this year, powerhouse vocalist Mike Tirelli and mind-blowing drummer Jim Harris reunited again, aiming to give Holy Mother a fresh, heavy and modern rock sound! Guitar wizard Greg Giordano joined them as well. Along with a soon-to-be introduced new bassist, the band's lineup is now complete. But wait, there's more.

As of today, Holy Mother's brand new digital single. "Wake Up America". is available for streaming and download. Get it here, listen below.

Holy Mother happily deliver music for fans of modern, hard-driving, bang-your-head rock that will make you raise your fist to the air and chant for more. The band will also release a brand new full-length album soon, so keep your eyes peeled for future updates.

(Photo - Janet Tirelli)




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Toronto-based black metal outfit Astaroth Incarnate have posted a guitar playthrough video for "I Am Fire / I Am Death [Omega]", featuring the band's guitarist Pablo Sagastume. The song is taken from their 2019 EP, Ascendance.

With regards to the song, the band offers the following: "'I Am Fire / I Am Death (Omega)' is the continuation of the first track ('Alpha') that we released, and it continues on with the apocalyptic story concept from where it left of at the end of 'Alpha'. If you paid close attention to 'Alpha', you would've noticed four different characters (who represent the four horsemen of the apocalypse and are color-coded accordingly) intertwined in Death with the primary Astaroth character who represents Life. Therefore, Omega continues the story as representing the Astaroth character as someone who is beyond Death and one who incites the outcome of the eventual demise of a human."

Watch the video below.




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Canadian melodic power metal quartet, Unleash The Archers, just released their fifth full-length album, Abyss, via Napalm Records. In celebration of the album's release, the band has unveiled yet another wild music video, this time for their triumphant new burner, "Faster Than Light". In the tongue-in-cheek video, the band members take part in a competitive footrace, but are met with unexpected twists along the way.

Frontwoman Brittney Slayes says about "Faster Than Light": "Being that this song is about racing off into the far corners of space, we thought it would be a fun idea to actually race each other in the music video to see which one of us was truly 'Faster Than Light'! Of course we had to have some fun with it though, and added a little bit of excitement into the mix. Our director mentioned an older Stephen King novel called The Long Walk as inspiration for a way to spice up the video and we all agreed it would be hilarious! Check out the plot synopsis on Wikipedia if you haven't read it already... This track has turned into a favourite of the band and we knew it had to be a single the moment the finished product was in our hands. It's fast, fun, and is going to be an absolute blast to play live!"

Abyss was engineered, mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen of Hansen Studios in Denmark (Volbeat, Delain, Amaranthe), with production by guitarist Andrew Kingsley. Order Abyss in available formats here.

As mentioned, the Deluxe Earbook edition of Abyss features two bonus tracks - synthwave and gothic folk-pop versions of “Abyss” and “Soulbound”, respectively. This is something Unleash The Archers has never done before, turning their singles into something completely different!

Abyss tracklisting:

"Waking Dream"
"Abyss"
"Through Stars"
"Legacy"
"Return To Me"
"Soulbound"
"Faster Than Light"
"The Wind That Shapes The Land"
"Carry The Flame" (feat. guitarist Andrew Kingsley on guest vocals)
"Afterlifev (feat. orchestration by Francesco Ferrini)

"Soulbound" video:

"Abyss" video:

Lineup:

Brittney Slayes - Vocals
Scott Buchanan - Drums
Grant Truesdell - Guitar, Vocals
Andrew Kingsley - Guitar, Vocals, Synth




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Foreigner have released the video for "Waiting For A Girl Like You", 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"

"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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German thrash metal veterans SODOM have finished mixing their new album, "Genesis XIX", at Woodhouse Studio in Hagen, Germany with producer Siggi Bemm. The LP is expected later in the year via SPV/Steamhammer.

This past January, SODOM recruited Toni Merkel as its new drummer. He joined the band as the replacement for Stefan "Husky" Hüskens, who announced his departure from SODOM less than two weeks earlier.

In a statement explaining his exit from SODOM, Hüskens said that "some changes" at his full-time job, "as well as a few other matters," were to blame for his decision to leave.

Last November, SODOM released a new EP, "Out Of The Frontline Trench", via SPV/Steamhammer. The effort contained three brand new tracks as well as new recordings (studio and live) of two SODOM classics.

Joining frontman Thomas "Angelripper" Such on the EP were guitarists Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik (also formerly of KREATOR, ASSASSIN) and Yorck Segatz (BEYONDITION) plus Hüskens.

Blackfire previously played with SODOM on the seminal albums "Persecution Mania", "Mortal Way Of Live" and "Agent Orange".

Former SODOM guitarist Bernd "Bernemann" Kost and drummer Markus "Makka" Freiwald released a joint statement in January 2018 claiming that they were fired from the band by Tom via messaging platform WhatsApp even before Tom had a chance to hear any of the material the duo had been working on for the group's next album.
























View this post on Instagram


































Done with the mix at Woodhouse Studio in Hagen with legendary producer Siggi Bemm! ____________ #sodom #thrashmetal #witchingmetal #teutonicthrash #woodhouse #studio #raindirksymphony

A post shared by sodom_official (@sodom_band_official) on Aug 23, 2020 at 2:31pm PDT

Primitive Man are back with the extreme, terrifying, and confrontational new album, Immersion, out now via Relapse Records. A visualizer for the song "Foul",  can be seen below.

True to the band's ethos, every moment of Immersion is overwhelming; from the sonic pummelling of the album opener "The Lifer" to the brooding, unnerving guitars whirring throughout "Entity", Immersion builds and builds. The tension throughout the record is palpable. Hair raising tracks such as "Menacing" push and pull constantly, shifting from passages of harsh doom to an endless corridor of horrid screaming, blast beats, and a formidable low end.

Adding to the album's darkness, a pervasive lyrical anxiety erodes throughout the record. A stark look at a mirror, Immersion's themes tackle sobering views on existential crises, a general distrust among another, and the current state of the world. Frontman Ethan McCarthy elaborates, "Souring your view on your existence and everything you had worked towards... allowing yourself to become possessed by the darkest parts of your mind that you have carried around your entire life and not dealt with."

True to these dark times, Primitive Man's Immersion is an introspective look into ruin and undoing. As McCarthy explains, Immersion dives into the point of no return. "Now you're a grown man and you're fucked."

Immersion tracklisting:

"The Lifer"
"Entity"
"Menacing"
"∞"
"Foul"
"Consumption"

"Consumption" video:

"Menacing" video:

"The Lifer" video:

Primitive Man lineup:

Ethan Lee McCarthy - guitars, vocals
Jonathan Campos - bass
Joe Linden - drums

(Photo - Alvino Salcedo)




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Grindstone Studios producer / engineer Scott Atkins has checked in with an update on the new Cradle Of Filth album, which is currently in the works.

"I had a killer a week with COF bassist Daniel (Firth) last week, his playing has really stepped up this time around. This album is finally coming together. Four days of hard graft and the bass for the new Cradle of Filth album was complete. 

Here’s us looking accomplished as we finally get the final piece of the new COF album recorded - Ashok’s guitars. It’s been a mission but it’s sounding killer, on to the mix next!"

Back in April, Cradle of Filth frontman Dani Filth reached out to the fans asking them to assist in supporting the band's road crew during the COVID-19 pandemic:

"Greetings Fellow Filthlings,

Due to the horrid pandemic roiling all around us, most people have been hit hard financially by the ongoing 'lockdown' scenario and none more close to the collective Cradle family’s hearts than the legendary Crewdle Of Filth, who sit in limbo as the band continue recording their forthcoming new album, with fiends and families of their own to support in these difficult times.

With this in mind, I felt it incumbent upon me to reach out to all of our fans to try and help the crew in any little way possible to survive this crisis. The touring industry is built of self-employed workers, they are with us day-in, day-out making the shows happen and with no concerts or tours happening, well…

I realise it’s a desperate-looking measure, but desperate times clarion-call these demands and therefore I hope, as part of our greater unholy Worldwide alliance, you would consider a small donation to their just and worthy cause. Anything you can muster would be immensely appreciated and thank-you all once again from the turgid depths of our filthy hearts for your understanding.

Click the stink below to contribute if you please!

Bestial wishes in the Era Horrificus..."

To assist the Cradle Of Filth road crew go to this location.




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Ayreon will release a brand-new sprawling and epic studio album, Transitus, on September 25 via Music Theories Recordings. Mastermind Arjen Lucassen has checked in with the following update:

"I’m proud to present you the next sneak peek from the behind the scenes section of the upcoming Transitus DVD: the impressive Hellscore Choir! When their conductor Noa Gruman asked me if I needed a choir, I didn’t have to think twice... and an amazing job they did! Diabolically awesome – goosebumps all over. Thank you, big hugs to each and every one of you!"

Lyric videos for the songs, "Get Out! Now!" (feat. Dee Snider, Tommy Karevik & Joe Satriani), and "Hopelessly Slipping Away" (feat. Tom Baker, Cammie Gilbert & Tommy Karevik), can be found below.

Says Arjen Lucassen: "Welcome to the colorful world of... Transitus! Finally the time has come to present you the very first full singles and lyric videos of the new Ayreon album Transitus. Yes... singleS, plural!  This album is incredibly diverse so I really couldn’t choose just one track because I wouldn’t want people to get the wrong impression of the overall mood of the album. So we decided to make a video for both an atmospheric track ‘Hopelessly Slipping Away’ and a rocky track ‘Get out! Now!’

"‘Hopelessly Slipping Away’ features Tommy Karevik (Kamelot) and Cammie Gilbert (Oceans Of Slumber) on vocals. It’s a haunting track with analog synthesizers and violin, and it slowly builds to an epic climax with marching snares. In this video we see the ghost of Daniel (Tommy) hopelessly trying to reach out to his beloved wife Abby (Cammie) who clearly feels his presence but can’t see or hear him.

"The track ‘Get Out! Now!’ is a straightforward and energetic rock track with powerful drums, bass, guitars and Hammond organ. It features the illustrious Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) and Tommy Karevik on vocals, and none other than the legendary Joe Satriani plays a blistering guitar solo. In this story Daniel’s intolerant father (Dee) banishes Daniel (Tommy) from his estate for having a forbidden affair with their servant Abby.

"So here you have it... I hope you enjoy at least one of the two tracks, have fun!"

The album will be available on 2CD, 2LP gatefold red transparent vinyl and a 48-page Earbook which includes 5 discs; 2CD album, 1CD instrumental versions, 1CD guide vocal versions, and a DVD with bonus footage which includes a behind the scenes video, a videoclip, trailer and a 5.1 audio and hi-def stereo mix of the album. The release will be accompanied by a 28-page graphic novel which will be included in the Earbook as well as the 2LP.

Pre-order Transitus here. Watch a video trailer below.

In 2017 Ayreon released The Source, which revisited the Forever/Planet Y saga, but now three years later it is time for something completely different…

“The year is 1884, these are dark, troubled times, fraught with greed, envy and prejudice…” begins our narrator and storyteller, Tom Baker…

Transitus is built around an entirely new story, not connected to the Ayreon universe although as always it does have some subtle links. The sci-fi theme makes way for a gothic ghost story set (partly) in the 19th century with elements of horror and the supernatural. It’s on a dark thunderous night where our story of Abby and Daniel begins.

From the mastermind of Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen Lucassen, Transitus is inspired by supernatural movies such as The Others, The Changeling and Ghost along with the music of soundtrack composers John Carpenter (Halloween), Ennio Morricone (Once upon a Time in the West) and Jerry Goldsmith (Omen). “And of course, I revisited all my favorite rock operas such as JC Superstar, Tommy, War of the Worlds and the Wall,” Lucassen adds.

Transitus is narrated by one of the most iconic and recognizable voices in sci-fi history, most known from his eight-year stint as Doctor Who, Tom Baker. “I was looking for a real storyteller with a mature, deep, warm voice. As a kid, I was a huge Doctor Who fan and my favorite doctor was Tom Baker. I couldn’t believe my luck when he agreed to do it! We went to the UK to record him, and it was one of those unforgettable experiences.”

As with any Ayreon album, it is an explosive and expansive affair and features Tommy Karevik (Kamelot) as Daniel and Cammie Gilbert (Oceans of Slumber) as Abby. The all-star cast also features Simone Simons (Epica), Dee Snider (Twisted Sister), Joe Satriani, Marty Friedman, Johanne James (Threshold), Noa Gruman (Scardust), Marcela Bovio (MaYan), Caroline Westendorp (The Charm the Fury), Paul Manzi (Arena), Michael Mills (Toehider) and Amanda Somerville (Avantasia, Trilium) amongst many others.

“When I started this, I just had no idea that it was going to take me this long! It took about 3 years from start to finish, and it pushed me out of my comfort zone musically and creatively. But I always need that challenge, the harder it is, the more fun for me to work on it!,” comments Lucassen.

Transitus is Lucassen’s most ambitious work yet, "This is without a doubt the most cinematic and outrageous album I’ve ever done," he affirms.

"I always start with finding singers first before I write the vocal parts, because I write the parts specifically for their vocal strengths. Because I was going for a theatrical feel for this album, this time I picked the singers not just because they are amazing singers, but because they had a certain charisma and were able to act."

Transitus is accompanied by an amazing graphic novel drawn by the renowned artist Felix Vega. “Because Ayreon’s music is so visual, I’ve always wanted to do an Ayreon graphic novel/comic book,” he says.

Reflecting on the approach to Transitus he says, “I love my last Ayreon album The Source. I often say that it sounds so much like Ayreon... if someone else would have released it I could have sued them for copyright infringement and won easily! But “our genre” is called progressive, which for me means breaking new ground and experimenting musically. So, in the true prog spirit, I set out to try something entirely different than a “typical Ayreon,” I wanted to do something more theatrical, almost like a musical. “

Tracklisting:

CD1
"Fatum Horrificum"
  A] Graveyard
  B] 1884
  C] Daniel And Abby
  D] Fatum
  E] Why?!
  F] Guilty
"Daniel’s Descent Into Transitus"
"Listen To My Story"
"Two Worlds Now One"
"Talk Of The Town"
"Old Friend"
"Dumb Piece Of Rock"
"Get Out! Now!"
"Seven Days, Seven Nights"

CD2
"Condemned Without A Trial"
"Daniel’s Funeral"
"Hopelessly Slipping Away"
"This Human Equation"
"Henry’s Plot"
"Message From Beyond"
"Daniel’s Vision"
"She Is Innocent"
"Lavinia’s Confession"
"Inferno"
"Your Story Is Over!"
"Abby In Transitus"
"The Great Beyond"

"Get Out! Now!" lyric video:

"Hopelessly Slipping Away" lyric video:

Trailer:




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Thin Lizzy legend Phil Lynott's birthday was on August 20th. He would have turned 71. Toronto rocker Danko Jones checked in on the day with a short tribute to him:

"Happy Birthday, Phil Lynott! When I recorded this I hadn’t heard the news Ron Heathman had passed away and dedicate this to him now. Ron 'Rontrose' Heathman was The Rocker. R.I.P. Phil Lynott. R.I.P. Ron Heathman."

Coming to cinemas in fall 2020, Phil Lynott: Songs For While I’m Away is a feature documentary on the life and music of Phil Lynott, telling the story of how a young black boy from working class 1950's Dublin, became Ireland's greatest rock star.

As the lead singer of Thin Lizzy, Phil Lynott was a songwriter, a poet, a dreamer, a wildman. Told extensively through the words of Phil himself and focusing on some of his iconic songs, the film gets to the heart of  Philip, the father, the husband, the friend, the son, the rock icon, the poet and the dreamer.

Phil Lynott: Songs For While I’m Away is produced by Universal Music’s Globe Production with backing from Screen Ireland. It is produced by Alan Maher and John Wallace for Cowtown Pictures and Peter Worsley for Eagle Rock Films.

Watch an official trailer below:




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After three years away, the undisputed kings of Scottish death metal have returned with their third album of unrelenting savagery. Scordatura’s unholy union of old school songwriting and new school intensity has never been more brutally, wickedly effective than on the nine canticles of carnage that together form the mighty Mass Failure.

Scordatura have always pushed hard at the boundaries of extremity, delivering pulverising death metal of the very heaviest kind. From their 2013 debut, Torment Of The Weak, to their second album, Self-Created Abyss, and now with Mass Failure, the band have striven to harness the horrific, the skull shattering and the heart-stoppingly brutal within a framework of finely crafted songs. They have never achieved their goals in such absolute fashion as they have on Mass Failure, with songs like "Skin Trophy" and "Collapse Of Humanity" hacking and carving their way into your brain, sculpting a shrine to their own metallic malevolence into the sacred library of your neocortex. These odes to obliteration, this evensong for the last days of humanity simply will not be forgotten, in all its glorious, frantic violence - balancing precariously between precision delivery and wild attacking power.

Together with their label, Gore House Productions, Scordatura are preparing to bring a scourge of real, ruthless death metal to the world - steeped in the blood and guts of the genre’s pioneers. The assault will begin on September 25th and total victory is the only option. Chaos is about to be unleashed!

Mass Failure artwork and tracklisting:

"Disease Of Mind" 
"Skin Trophy" 
"Nothing But Dust" 
"Contorted Existence" 
"World Devoured" 
"The Flesh That Hates" 
"Mass Failure"
"Immense Atrocity" 
"Collapse Of Humanity" 

Enjoy "Disease Of Mind" now:

For further details, visit Scordatura on Facebook.

(Photo by Alan Swan)




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DarWin's new single, “Nightmare Of My Dreams” from the forthcoming album, DarWin 2: A Frozen War, features a video directed by the legendary Nigel Dick (Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard).

“I started working on this ('Nightmare Of My Dreams') shortly after we finished the first Origin Of Species album. Our drummer Simon Phillips, his home burnt down in a tragic wildfire, and we had been thinking a lot about all the themes of the first album dealing with climate change. Those events actually affected our own lives very directly. I’d been working on some ideas for this song and one night it all seemed to come together. The video was shot in Australia, where we wanted to shoot in an area that had been affected by wildfires and climate change. We really want this song to be a tribute to those dealing with the challenges of wildfires around the world. We hope that people can think about the dangers facing many parts of the world and the challenges of the families who have to get their lives back together after these events.” - DarWin

Of the 400 plus videos Nigel Dick has directed, this is the first video he has directed remotely. The shoots took place in LA, Nashville, Iceland and Australia - with Nigel himself being in Colorado. Nigel provided the Australian crew with a 27-page storyboard to follow for the shoot in the Blue Mountains, Australia, an area that had been ravaged by fire at the end of 2019. Ironically the fire blistered landscape had begun to grow back green shoots when they filmed, so they had to hide those. Nigel also had to use a real family as actors so that they could work around social distancing. And for the final shot the teddy bear had to be flown across the world to be filmed beforehand had to be quarantined before coming out of its box. A curious tale for these curious times…

Once more DarWin has assembled a stunning ensemble of musicians. DarWin II: A Frozen War continues the core collaboration with Simon Phillips, Matt Bissonette and DarWin. Joining them are powerhouse players Billy Sheehan, Guthrie Govan, Greg Howe, Derek Sherinian, and more. 

Darwin 2: A Frozen War was produced by DarWin and Simon Phillips and recorded primarily in Iceland and the USA. The DarWin 2: A Frozen War album will be released later in 2020.

DarWin’s critically acclaimed debut, Origin Of Species, was the first installment in an epic saga that addresses the challenges of mankind in our coming era. It depicts the role of a changing planet, and the potential, as well as limitations, of technology to help solve mankind’s greatest challenges. A complex project that’s eschews the hollow immediacy of much contemporary art. A story that demands attention and imagination. With music sweeping in scope, at times evoking hard rock virtuoso shredding, alongside grand orchestral compositions, warm harmonies and soaring choruses. A project that is even more relevant in the strange times we live in.

(Photo: Andy Earl)

 




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Swedish prog-power band, Tad Morose, led by guitarist Christer Andersson, are back in the studio working on a new album. They have posted a new teaser from the recording sessions. Check it out below.

The band's record company, GMR Music, recently issued the following update:

"On August 21, we are releasing the Tad Morose album Chapter X on a nice Gatefold - 2LP Vinyl. It will also come as a limited edition 100 copies each on two different colours: red and gold / brown. You can pre-order your copy in our webstore here."

Chapter X was released in June 2018 via GMR Music.

The tracklist is as follows:
"Apocalypse"
"Come Morpheus"
"Deprived Of Life"
"I Am Night"
"Leviathan Rise"
"Liar"
"Masquerader"
"Nemesis"
"Salvage My Soul"
"Slaves To the Dying Sun"
"Turn To Dust"
"Vaunt The Cynical"
"Where Stars Align"
"…Yet Still You Preach"

The Bollnas based outfit followed the release of 2015's St. Demonius with a successful European headline tour as well as making the rounds on the festival circuit, before launching into the early stages of writing the material that now comprises Chapter X. Ronny Hemlin reflects, ”This is still fun for us! The past few years - as always with these guys - was filled with lots of touring, playing clubs, both big and small and destroying festivals of various calibers. You could say we spent that time gaining new fans. Or, as we like to call it, 'collecting souls.'"

Feeling no need to rush the recording process, the band entered Studio Claustrophobic, which is owned by Tad Morose frontman Ronny Hemlin and Johan Lofgren, formerly of Steel Attack, working at a comfortable steady pace. Mastering of Chapter X was handled by Jonas Kjellgren at Black Lounge Studios and the band turned to an old friend, Mr. Rainer Kalwitz (A Mended Rhyme) to take care of the album's artwork. The Spring of 2018 then saw the band sign their new deal with GMR.




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