Danish Progressive Power Metal group PYRAMAZE has just inked a record deal in order to put out their next full-length studio album called “Epitaph” via AFM Records. The album will be released on November 13th – pre-order starts now.

Both AFM Records and PYRAMAZE are extremely happy about the deal and are looking forward to a strong, professional and hopefully long partnership. This new musical union offers good prospects for both parties – while PYRAMAZE found a partner that has great expertise working with a lot of successful Progressive and Power Metal artist such as Evergrey, Orden Ogan, Redemption, Brothers Of Metal and many more, the band offers a tremendous amount of musical and technical craftmanship and quality to add to the labels roster.

This album being the third one with their current lineup, PYRAMAZE continues to fuse their signature meld of memorable melodies, powerful riffs and soaring catchy vocals to keep listeners coming back for more - pleasing both old and new PYRAMAZE fans alike. This upcoming release will prove to be their most melodic and accessible creation to date, featuring guest appearances by Brittney Slayes of Unleash the Archers, and former PYRAMAZE singers Matt Barlow and Lance King.

The first single to appear very soon, so keep an eye on the band’s and label’s social media channels.

“Epitaph” is available here: https://shop.afm-records.de/pyramaze/

Cover art by Remedy Art Design

"Fear Inoculum", the latest studio album from TOOL, was officially certified gold on August 12 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of half a million copies.

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

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

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

TOOL was set to embark on an extensive spring tour in support of "Fear Inoculum", but postponed the entire outing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This past April, TOOL drummer Danny Carey revealed that he hopes to get together soon with guitarist Adam Jones and bassist Justin Chancellor to begin working on music for a new EP.

It took 13 years for TOOL to complete and release "Fear Inoculum", so a relatively quick turnaround on new music would be a pleasant surprise for the band's devoted followers.

TOOL was honored with a Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards in late January at Staples Center in Los Angeles. TOOL was nominated for "7empest", another track from "Fear Inoculum".

TOOL already had three previous Grammy Awards under its belt: "Best Metal Performance" in 1997 and 2001 for "Ænima" and "Schism", respectively, and "Best Recording Package" in 2006 for "10,000 Days".

TOOL's lineup continues to consist of Jones, Chancellor, Carey and singer Maynard James Keenan.

"Fear Inocolum" came out in August 2019.

A three-and-a-half-minute video in which Adrian Smith, the legendary lead guitarist of IRON MAIDEN, discusses his upcoming memoir, "Monsters Of River & Rock", can be seen below.

Smith is well known in the community as a fisherman, and a former cover star of coarse-fishing bible the Angler's Mail (biggest chub of the season, August 2009). In his first, very personal, riverside memoir, "Monsters Of River & Rock", Smith takes us with him on his incredible journey, through the highs and lows of life on tour, and on the river-bank, as his fishing gear travels with him across the world.

Adrian got hooked on fishing as a child growing up in East London, plundering ponds and bomb craters on the Hackney Marshes for newts and sticklebacks and catching perch from the Grand Union Canal whilst on outings with his father. Things began to get more exotic when the young angling enthusiast grew up to become lead guitarist in one of the most successful rock bands in history, and started travelling the world playing to many millions of fans. But once a fisherman, always a fisherman. The gear went with him, the fish got bigger, the adventures more extreme.

Welcome to the world of Adrian Smith, as he clocks in to his day job furthering the geographical boundaries of hard rock, and clocks off to explore far-flung rivers, seas, waterways, lakes and pools on his fearless quest for fishing nirvana. His adventures range from his first sturgeon, a whopping 100-pounder from Canada's swirling Fraser River that nearly wiped him out mid-Maiden tour, to a close shave with a large shark off the Virgin Islands whilst wading waist-deep for bonefish. Not to mention an enviable list of specimen coarse fish from the U.K.

Charming, funny, and moving in equal measure, "Monsters Of River & Rock" is the ultimate fishing-fantasy armchair read, and is also the story of a rock star in a fast-moving world who seeks peace and tranquillity at the water’s edge — wherever he is.

"Monsters Of River & Rock" will be released on September 3 via Virgin Books.

Smith was born in Hackney, East London, on February 27, 1957. He joined IRON MAIDEN at the end of 1980. Adrian is the bandmember who has collaborated on the most side projects outside of IRON MAIDEN, as well as writing and recording a series of albums in the early '90s, before rejoining the band. IRON MAIDEN has sold 100 million albums, and tour the world playing to millions of fans. Onstage, Adrian uses Jackson and Gibson guitars. Offstage, he is an avid tennis player. However, his main hobby is fishing. He takes his rod and gear out on tour with him wherever he goes. This is his first book.








Photo credit (below): Nathalie Dufresne-Smith




Photo credit (below): Martin Weller

HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale's cover version of "I Will Always Love You", the love ballad made famous by Whitney Houston and Dolly Parton, can be streamed below. The track is taken from HALESTORM's "Halestorm Reimagined", which is being released today (Friday, August 14. The six-track effort also includes a reimagined version of the HALESTORM song "Break In", featuring a guest appearance by EVANESCENCE's Amy Lee. The new version of the track, which originally appeared on HALESTORM's second album, 2012's "The Strange Case Of..." , was recorded last October at a Nashville studio with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who had previously worked with both bands.

"Halestorm Reimagined" track listing:

01. I Get Off

02. Miss The Misery

03. I Am The Fire

04. Break In (featuring Amy Lee)

05. I Will Always Love You

06. Mz. Hyde

Lzzy and HALESTORM's Joe Hottinger recently told Cryptic Rock that they have been using the coronavirus downtime to work on the follow-up to 2018's "Vicious" album. "Yeah, we have a lot of new music," Joe said. "We had a ton of new music that we had been working on before this thing went down. Now, since we've been stuck [at home in Nashville], Lzzy has written a ton of songs and I've been working on those. It all feels kind of fresh again; topics have deeper, new meanings."

Lzzy added: "There is that dichotomy of, I'm sad that we can't be in a studio right now to make our new record. However, we were one of the lucky ones because we actually slated this time to be able to write a record. Right now we are supposed to be in pre-production in the studio, but we can't do that. The positive is, I think, we are writing better songs right now with everything at a standstill. It has become less of a career move, less of 'We have to do a record and promote it.' It's more looking deeper inward, but also looking at that big picture in all aspects; everything means something different now. I'm trying to take advantage of that as much as I can."

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

Lzzy and her brother Arejay (drums) formed the band in 1998 while in middle school. Hottinger joined the group in 2003, followed by bassist Josh Smith in 2004.

In December 2018, HALESTORM was nominated for a "Best Rock Performance" Grammy Award for its song "Uncomfortable".

In 2012, the band won its first Grammy in the category of "Best Hard Rock/ Metal Performance" for "Love Bites (So Do I)". According to the Grammy web site, Lzzy became the first woman to earn a Grammy in the category.

A teaser trailer for the upcoming documentary on the life and career of Phil Lynott from award-winning Irish filmmaker Emer Reynolds can be seen below. The full trailer will be made available on August 20.

Due to be released to Irish movie theaters in the fall, "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.

"Phil Lynott: Songs For While I'm Away" will include interviews with THIN LIZZY's Eric Bell, Scott Gorham, Darren Wharton, U2's Adam Clayton, Suzi Quatro, Huey Lewis, METALLICA's James Hetfield and ULTRAVOX's Midge Ure.

"Phil Lynott: Songs For While I'm Away" is a feature documentary, 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, 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.

Reynolds said: "We are so delighted that 'Phil Lynott: Songs For While I'm Away' — our film about the legendary Phil Lynott — will soon be coming to the big screen! We can't wait to share it with Irish audiences and to celebrate Philip and his extraordinary life and music."

Lynott's daughters Sarah Lynott and Cathleen Howard-Lynott added: "As always, we are incredibly proud of our Dad and we loved having the opportunity to look at the man behind the music with this film."

Since his untimely death in 1986, Lynott has left a musical legacy that continues to influence and inspire musicians around the globe. Even the legendary Bob Dylan has been quoted singing LIZZY's praises. Over the years, Lynott's songs have been covered by an array of such diverse performers as HENRY ROLLINS, THE CORRS, SMASHING PUMPKINS, RANDY BACHMAN, HUEY LEWIS, METALLICA and THE CURE.

In 2018, RTÉ, Ireland's national television and radio broadcaster, aired "Phil Lynott: Scéalta Ón Old Town", the story behind the making of the late THIN LIZZY singer's promotional video for his song "Old Town", on RTÉ One. The documentary was made exclusively for RTÉ.

"For me, everything’s always been about making music and writing songs - but not to be famous. We’re just trying to find ourselves, after all.”  Steve Lee, 2010

How do you honour a legend? Someone, who has become immortal through his songs, his voice, and his nature - and ten years after the tragic accident, is still vivid in the hearts of friends, colleagues, and fans. What do you say about a singer among the world’s finest of his genre, who never lost touch with the real world? It’s only possible with music. For the 10th anniversary of Steve Lee’s passing, Gotthard bow to their frontman with The Eyes Of A Tiger and offer two unreleased tracks - among them the eponymous 'Eye Of The Tiger" in two different takes - as well as eleven stripped-down versions of well-known songs: performed by Gotthard - sung by Steve Lee.

Steve Lee was born in August 1963 in the Swiss town of Horgen and later moved to the Canton of Ticino with his family. Although buying his first drum set at the age of 12 and knowing his whole life would revolve around music, the grounded young man completed a goldsmiths apprenticeship before becoming a drummer.

“When I saw Steve for the first time, he was sitting behind his drums singing ‘Child in Time’, the classic by Deep Purple,” Leo Leoni recalls. “I was impressed by the way he sang the song and knew straight away: This is a voice that can conquer the world.”

Everybody wanted a singer like Steve Lee - his musicality, passion, and integrity could change an entire song and thrilled colleagues, producers, and audiences alike. And this, without ever aiming for the frontman position: Because his first band’s singer had left the group at short notice, he was persuaded to take the mic and was actually shocked to be the lead singer in front of 8000 people. Even later - during his 18 years with Gotthard, including their rise to Switzerland’s most successful band, 14 #1 albums, and global headliner tours as well as tours with Deep Purple, Bon Jovi, or AC/DC- Steve Lee never was too sure of himself.

“He believed in his talent well enough,” Leoni explains, “but he was skeptical as well. I always encouraged him to make the best of his instrument. He had a gift.” - The rest is music history.

On October 5, 2010, from one second to the next, history turned upside down when Steve Lee died in an accident, leaving the rock world gasping for breath, far beyond Switzerland’s borders. The fact that Gotthard survived the unthinkable loss of their singer against all expectations was just short of a miracle - enabled by the deep love for their music, which always connected Steve Lee with Habegger, Leoni, Lynn, and Scherer, as well as the fortune of finding a full-fledged family member in Nic Maeder instead of just a replacement.

With Maeder on backings, Gotthard honors their unforgotten friend with eleven songs, never before presented in this distilled form, as well as two unreleased tracks. Apart from "Tarot Woman", there are two versions of the 1982 Rocky classic "Eye Of The Tiger" - one of Steve Lee’s absolute favourites, which will be released as the album’s advance single in time for his birthday on August 5.

“We had planned a memorial concert for a long time when COVID-19 changed everything. So, we came up with the idea of putting together a tribute album with Steve for our fans and us - as an additional reminder of this singular, unforgettable singer. We want to light a beacon that he still is a part of this band and will be forever!”

When the goosebump recordings emerged from the band’s archives, they proved to be a treasure that had to be shared with the world. With infinite love to detail, a magical album developed - not least because of the nearly transcendental possibility of hearing Steve Lee sing again: “I never thought it would be possible to make an album with his unique voice again. Recording the bass lines was very emotional for me,” shares Marc, and Freddy adds: “Steve’s last recorded session brings back so many memories - of our shows, but also of what a great singer he was.”

With the album Steve Lee - The Eyes Of A Tiger: In Memory Of Our Unforgotten Friend, Gotthard take off on a highly emotional journey through time on October 2 - and they are inviting everyone who has ever been touched by Steve Lee.

A trip that lingers on stages all over the world, and hasn’t ended on the ‘highway to hell’ in Nevada ten years ago. Because in the words of Nic Maeder: “Steve is loved - truly loved. By many people.”

Pre-order the album here. Pre-Add digitally here.

Tracklisting:

"One Life One Soul"
"Let It Be"
"In The Name"
"Lonely People"
"Heaven"
"Need To Believe"
"Lift U Up"
"Hush"
"First Time In A Long Time"
"Tarot Woman"
"And Then Goodbye"
"The Train"
"Eye Of The Tiger"

Bonus track:
"Eye Of The Tiger" (Electric Version)




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Iconic rockers THE CULT have entered the legendary Rockfield Studios in Wales to begin recording their new album. The band's follow-up to 2016's "Hidden City" is being helmed by producer Tom Dalgety, who has previously worked with GHOST and ROYAL BLOOD, among others.

Earlier today (Saturday, August 15), THE CULT guitarist Billy Duffy posted an Instagram photo of him in the studio, and he included the following message: "In the studio with producer @tomdalgety working on the new CULT songs… it's great to be back at the legendary Rockfield Studios where we recorded 'Dreamtime' way back in the day…"

This past June, Duffy told "The Big Night In" that THE CULT was in the process of making a new LP.

"The ideas either come or they don't," he explained. "I don't sit and force myself. I know some writers or music and lyrics [have] a disciplined work schedule — hours spent in front of the typewriter equals output. To me, I just play till I feel it and if I get this energy and out comes a little riff. And it literally is as simple as that. I get the idea — it's almost like an itch that I've got to scratch, and out it pops, and I record it. And it's been like that now for nearly 40 years, so I'm probably, at this age, not gonna change [my ways]."

Billy also touched upon THE CULT's songwriting process, saying: "Mine and Ian's [Astbury, vocals] relationship as writers and what we want out of THE CULT, we're both fairly forward thinking and we don't want to try and redo an album from 1986 when we were young men. People often say that: 'Why don't you do an album like that?' It's, like, well, because it'd be a lie. As musicians, you want to evolve and just sort of tell the truth of where you are in your life… Having said that, there are many great bands — AC/DC spring to mind — who try and make the same album over and over and over, and [that worked] brilliantly for them. God bless."

Last December, Astbury told Atlantic City Weekly that THE CULT was planning to work on new music in 2020.

"We've got a few pieces lying around in various stages of completion," he said. "The intention is to get together in the New Year and take a look at what we've got and decide how we are going to go about moving forward. It's is an essential part of any creative lifeblood."

"Hidden City" was released in February 2016 via Cooking Vinyl. The follow-up to 2012's "Choice Of Weapon" was written by Astbury and Duffy and was produced by Bob Rock, who has previously worked with METALLICA and MÖTLEY CRÜE.

In early May, it was announced that THE CULT had inked a deal with Black Hill Records.

THE CULT spent most of 2019 touring in celebration of the 30th anniversary of its "Sonic Temple" album. The LP catapulted THE CULT into superstar status and remains their most commercially successful release. It has sold over 1.5 million copies in the U.S. alone and was certified platinum in 1990. It made it to No. 10 on the Billboard charts, and several of the album's songs remain rock-radio staples to this day.
























View this post on Instagram


































In the studio with producer @tomdalgety working on the new Cult songs… it’s great to be back at the legendary Rockfield Studios where we recorded ‘Dreamtime’ way back in the day… #BillyDuffy #TheCult #RockfieldStudios #Monmouth #Wales #TomDalgety #Gretsch #WhiteFalcon #LewisLeathers #SuperMonza #BikerJacket Photo @mickpeek

A post shared by ????? ????? ✠ (@billyduffyofficial) on Aug 15, 2020 at 9:23am PDT

"Strong", the new music video from the Swedish modern metal force AMARANTHE, can be seen below. The song, which features a guest appearance by one of Finland's most powerful voices, Noora Louhimo (BATTLE BEAST), is taken from the band's upcoming album "Manifest", which will be released on October 2 via Nuclear Blast.

AMARANTHE commented: "Devil and saint, martyr and sinner, betrayal and loyalty — 'Strong' essentially underlines the dualistic nature of what it means to be human. In an increasingly polarized world, we found it incredibly exciting to reach across the metal world, and find collaboration and unity with the phenomenal Noora Louhimo. Even if the world around you is on fire, and if you find yourself at a disadvantage, remember that there is always one part of you that will remain — 'Strong'."

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

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

The band added: "Finally we can unleash 'Viral' upon an unsuspecting world! It is one of the grooviest and downright heaviest songs in AMARANTHE's history — it is the very epitome of what we have always stood for: massive choruses, a thundering rhythm section and a constant will to push our sound forward into the future. 'Viral' was prophetically titled before the onset of the current worldwide situation, and so we felt compelled to tie it in lyrically with this. Welcome to a new era of AMARANTHE history — welcome to 'Viral'!"

"Manifest" track listing:

01. Fearless

02. Make It Better

03. Scream My Name

04. Viral

05. Adrenaline

06. Strong (feat. Noora Louhimo)

07. The Game

08. Crystalline

09. Archangel

10. BOOM!1

11. Wake Up And Die

12. Do Or Die

Bonus Tracks:

13. 82nd All The Way (SABATON cover)

14. Do Or Die (feat. Angela Gossow)

15. Adrenalina (Acoustic)

16. Crystalline (Orchestral)

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

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

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

Acclaimed keyboardist Derek Sherinian (SONS OF APOLLO, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, ex-DREAM THEATER), one of the most significant keyboard players of the modern era, has signed to InsideOut Music for the release of his new solo album, "The Phoenix". His first solo LP since 2011's "Oceana" is due on September 18. The official music video for the disc's second single, "Dragonfly", can be seen below.

Once again, Sherinian has teamed up with drummer extraordinaire Simon Phillips, who not only plays drums but also co-produced and co-wrote the album.

"It is always an amazing experience to be able to work with Simon," Derek says. "He's been a hero of mine for ages, ever since I heard him playing on albums with Jeff Beck and Michael Schenker. And he is such an invaluable part of the way this new record has come out.

"I truly feel that this is my best solo record to date," he adds. "Simon and I put a lot of energy into the writing, and I am grateful to all of the great players that contributed to this recording."

There are a number of guests featured on "The Phoenix", as has been the case in the past for Sherinian, on both guitar and bass. Some have become regular contributors to his solo sessions, people such as bassists Tony Franklin ("He's been on all my albums to date"), Jimmy Johnson and Billy Sheehan (Sherinian's bandmate in SONS OF APOLLO), plus guitarists Joe Bonamassa and Zakk Wylde. In addition, others are welcomed into the fold for the first time. For instance, there's master guitarist Steve Vai.

"Steve Vai has always been on my hit list," Derek says. "But it was when I played keyboards on the 'Generation Axe' tour of Asia in 2017 that I asked him to play on my record, which he gladly accepted."

Also present are Derek's SONS OF APOLLO bandmate Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (ex-GUNS N' ROSES) and Kiko Loureiro (MEGADETH).

"Kiko and I have known one another for about 20 years," Derek says. "But this is the first time I've had the opportunity to play with him."

"The Phoenix" features eight tracks, including a cover of Buddy Miles's "Them Changes", and will be released as a limited-edition digipak CD, 180g LP + CD and as a digital album.

Track listing:

01. The Phoenix

02. Empyrean Sky

03. Clouds Of Ganymede

04. Dragonfly

05. Temple Of Helios

06. Them Changes

07. Octopus Pedigree

08. Pesadelo

Sherinian's far-ranging talents have been much in evidence through the music of Alice Cooper (who once called him "The Caligula of keyboards"), DREAM THEATER, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION and current band SONS OF APOLLO. Moreover, proving just how much he is demand to work with rock royalty, Sherinian has also toured and recorded extensively with KISS, and Billy Idol, proving his classic and hard rock pedigree, whilst also being voted No. 9 in Prog magazine's greatest keyboardists of all time.

3 DOORS DOWN frontman and celebrated songwriter Brad Arnold was preparing earlier this year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band's 2000 debut album, the certified seven-times RIAA platinum "The Better Life". But with the pandemic putting the Grammy Award-nominated Mississippi rock band's plans on hold, Brad has used the quarantine to write and record his first solo record, "Wicked Man". This powerful song has been released today (August 14) on his new Wild At Heart label. Listen to the song below.

Brad was inspired to write "Wicked Man" about the times we are living in. With his instantly distinctive vocals, Brad unflinchingly sings: "They keep us entertained inside a world before our eyes/A never-ending circus to distract us from their lies." Read more about the song in the question-and-answer session below.

"Wicked Man" was recorded at Rivergate Studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee and produced by 3 DOORS DOWN drummer Greg Upchurch, who also wrote the music to the song.

"I hope people like the song," says Brad. "I hope they take something from it."

Arnold takes great pride in everything that 3 DOORS DOWN has achieved. Formed in 1996, the band has captivated audiences worldwide. Their many accolades include selling 20 million albums globally, receiving a Grammy nomination, two American Music Awards, and five BMI Pop Awards for songwriting, including "Songwriter Of The Year." The rocker's charitable arm, The Better Life Foundation (TBLF), has donated over $3 million dollars to veterans, children, women's and humanitarian relief efforts domestically and around the globe.

Back in January 2017, Arnold defended 3 DOORS DOWN's decision to perform at then-President-elect Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration", saying that "it's all about America."

Q: What inspired you to write "Wicked Man" and release it as a solo song?

Brad: "The inspiration for the song has been the world around us. The recent events that have happened and are happening in our country are events that will shape the future. In so many of these events, it seems there must be 'someone behind the curtain.' I believe a lot of people agree with this. I think that people are tired of being lied to and manipulated and are beginning to see the pattern. This song just points out a few of the things that are dividing and shaping things. I hope it makes people realize that we truly are all in this together. It's everyone's future.

Q: Where did you record the song and who produced it?

Brad: "The song was recorded at Rivergate Studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee. The song was produced by Greg Upchurch, who is also the drummer for 3DD. Greg wrote the music to the song as well. He'd written a guitar riff and sent it to me a few months ago. I listened to it and liked the idea. It had the darker feel to it. I get licks in my head and eventually melodies and ideas start to form. In thinking about events of the days over the next few weeks, these are the lyrics that grew."

Q: Can you describe your life during quarantine?

Brad: "My life during quarantine has honestly not been dramatically different aside from completely not being on tour. Thankfully, I live on a farm where my wife and I have horses and land for ATVs, so I've stayed busy doing the things I normally do at home. I do realize what a blessing it is to have some room to move. I've never been much on sitting down and writing. I tend to write outside when I'm doing other things so it has been a good time for me to collect some thoughts. That's one main reason that I wanted to do this song as a solo project. I think that it will be great experience but it's also a chance for me to record some ideas that are me, but not as much for 3 DOORS DOWN. I hope people like the song. I hope they take something from it."

Joe Bonamassa will perform a special livestreamed pay-per-view concert from the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on September 20. This concert will feature the songs from his new album, "Royal Tea", before the official release on October 23.

Joe has never performed a full, unreleased album for audiences like this before, giving fans from around the world the opportunity to come together for an unforgettable night of blues-rock music. Along with "Royal Tea", he'll perform classic remixes from his 20th-anniversary album "A New Day Now". The evening will continue with a one-hour "After-Party Showcase" featuring several live performances from an array of some of the hottest rising stars in blues-rock music.

The pay-per-view tickets and packages for "Joe Bonamassa Live in Concert Worldwide" presented by Keeping The Blues Alive are available for purchase at this location.

There are a variety of pricing levels available for fans worldwide to be a part of this special "audience." Tickets to the live stream pay per view event start at $20. Fans may also purchase a $35 all-access pass which includes access to the pay-per-view event on September 20, the "Royal Tea" digital album available on October 23, and a one-year all pass for Bonamassa's on-demand service, which includes more than 17 concert releases from Joe Bonamassa, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION and ROCK CANDY FUNK PARTY — available at any time on most devices.

As part of this unique concert event, fans also have the option to purchase a commemorative VIP ticket giving them an experience they will never forget. VIP ticket holders will have their photo printed out and placed in a seat at the legendary Ryman Auditorium as part of Joe's audience for that special night. VIPs will also get a picture of Joe with his "audience," which will be sent to them via e-mail to keep. The VIP ticket holder's name will also be included in the credits at the end of the pay-per-view event, as well as being included in the upcoming DVD credits for this performance!

This one-of-a-kind concert is presented by Bonamassa's non-profit, Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation (KTBA). Each ticket purchase will include a $1 donation to Joe's Fueling Musicians Program, which to date has raised over $300,000 and has supported more than 163 musicians in need due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist Shavo Odadjian's NORTH KINGSLEY musical collaboration with producer Saro Paparian and lyricist/vocalist Ray Hawthorne has released its first three-song collection, "Vol. 1", via 22 Red Media, a subsidiary of Odadjian's lifestyle and cannabis brand 22 Red.

"Vol. 1" features the hard-hitting, previously released debut track "Like That?" and two other songs — rabble-rousing protest anthem "Shot Guns" and biting critique of the hypocrisy of the current social media landscape, "Die For The Pic", for which NORTH KINGSLEY has released an official music video.

Hawthorne explains: "'Die For The Pic' is a statement on modern hypocrisy. The masses are tending to follow popular trends without taking the time to analyze what's actually going on. People often agree with whatever they are told the correct way to think is, and then post about it online, in an effort to be perceived well by their peers. In my experience, most of these people don't even take the time to look into why they believe what they're demanding others believe. It's a cycle."

Paparian adds: "'Die For The Pic' is a really unique production compared to our other tracks. The goal was to establish a minimalist setting while still experimenting with how elements fit in the mix. It's really bare bones — and that allows for this wide open space where Shavo's guitar work pushes and pulls against Ray's lyrics. My bandmates are sparring on an open stage — it's beautiful.

"I'm very proud of that fact that Shavo and I could find a place to leverage a bit of our people's history and culture in our tracks. 'Die For The Pic' has vocal samples cut from an a capella of a song from Palu, a village in Western Armenia. Means a lot personally since my great-grandfather was born in Palu....We almost lost those songs — it's almost by sheer luck that it not only survived but that it found a place in NORTH KINGSLEY's music."

"Vol. 1" track listing:

01. Die For The Pic

02. Like That?

03. Shot Guns

The dawn of NORTH KINGSLEY is a challenge to the very system itself. The way music is released, distributed and marketed is all being approached in a unique and creative way relevant to today's world and showcases a determination to revolutionize arcane structures. Instead of a full album release, NORTH KINGSLEY will instead be releasing miniature volumes of three tracks every few months, the first of which, "Vol. 1", will drop next week.

Shavo says: "We're giving you songs you can marinade on, instead of 12 songs all at once. There's going to be a clip for every song, something visually for you to vibe on.

"I directed videos for SYSTEM, I do stage production visuals for the band, so that's important to me.

"Saro has an incredible eye for creating new things visually and I act almost how a producer would on that and we are going to drop merch with every release, so it's more than just music."

When Shavo began experimental studio sessions with producer Saro Paparian and New Jersey lyricist Ray Hawthorne, he had no idea that it would turn into anything more than a creative outlet to jam with like-minded musicians. The result was a genre-bending mix of deep, cinematic instrumentals and thought provoking, socially charged words.

"I love to collaborate," says Odadjian. "I love to hear my ideas come through other people. There is strength in numbers. Saro would make the beats, and I would play guitar and bass — and not in a way that you'd usually hear in rock. When Ray came in, he was very turned on to what's going on socially and politically. They both know their way around the studio with what's new and fresh. I played hard to get for a little while with them, but the vibe and what we were working on was so cool that it became the start of NORTH KINGSLEY."

Capitalizing on a musical legacy that includes musical collaborations with the likes of funk master George Clinton, spiritual hip-hop guru RZA and legendary production accomplice Rick Rubin, Odadjian's sonic blueprint for his new project takes in everything from crisp and hard trap beats to gritty rock flavors.

"I'm known for playing metal but you can't say it's just metal — it has a lot of other influences in there," Odadjian points out. "I did ACHOZEN with RZA and that was straight hip-hop. NORTH KINGSLEY is right in the middle. The kick and the hi-hats and the snare sounds punk.

"To me, punk rock isn't a style of music, it's something you live. It's a lifestyle and it means going against the grain and I heard that there, and we are putting it all together to create something exciting and new for today.”

In 2018, Odadjian came to Paparian, who provided him with an education in the latest, cutting edge studio techniques. As an Armenian-American raised on everything from SOAD to surf rock, Paparian took that base principal and spent years around the underground Los Angeles hip-hop community, going to club nights where people would manufacture beats and he and Ray would lose themselves for hours as often as they could.

Speaking about the new project, Paparian says: "Our sound is very L.A. Ray and I were raised in those dirty clubs for years and you have Shavo who's part of one of the biggest L.A. bands of this century.

"I want people to know that this came from L.A. You can hear it in the griminess of both the rock and the beats.

"The three of us align across the spectrum and bring different things. It's like these musical and cultural nodes that center and become NORTH KINGSLEY. We have specific creative identities. It's like watching those three things clash and meld together like steel rods being sculpted by friction.

"I'm stirring this witch's brew with Ray's lyrical intellect and Shavo's exceptional songwriting talent. It's in his DNA to know when a song feels right and I throw my flavor into that and that's us."

Hawthorne, the final component to join the inner workings of NORTH KINGSLEY, is a longtime associate of Paparian. Armed with knowledge of today's political, social and entertainment landscapes and showcasing a lyrical dexterity that can take him anywhere from Hemmingway to animation and scholars to psychopaths, nothing is off limits when it comes to how he communicates his ideas.

"I grew up on SYSTEM and had lots of albums by socially conscious bands and that spoke to me," he says. "We are all focused and are all hard on ourselves to challenge one another and make something that's great musically and that, I hope, extends to our message."

With this razor-sharp approach to both the creative and business output of the project, NORTH KINGSLEY is a socially conscious, creative force shaped by the modern age. Drawing on a multitude of cultural, visual and political influences, they aim to create a musical movement that is both rooted in what's come before, but that focuses on creating what's next.

The official lyric video for the song "First Blood" from (HED) P.E. can be seen below. The track is the first single from (HED) P.E.'s twelfth studio album, "Class Of 2020", which will be released on August 21 via Suburban Noize Records. The date also coincides with the 20th anniversary of the group's breakthrough LP, "Broke".

"I wanted it to sound like the best garage band ever," explains frontman Jared Gomes. "Like you went to your friend's band practice and were totally blown away.

"This track kicks off the record and I can't wait to open the show with it at a club near you. It will fuckin' shred. One guitar, one bass, one riddim, one mic. Definitely some '70s punk rock influence. THE CLASH and MINOR THREAT were on my mind a lot. The pendulum swung and whereas the last album was futuristic, this one is bare bones. These tracks will translate in the club. Straight up non-apologetic 'merican rock and roll."

On "Class Of 2020", (HED) P.E. gets back to the raw essentials, utilizing old-school punk-rock guitar tones and aggressive, unfiltered vocal stylings at the core of their trademark sound. Longtime fans will find that "Class Of 2020" is a return to the classic sound of early (HED) P.E. albums.

"We were on the road in the middle of a tour when the COVID-19 pandemic hit full force," comments Gomes. "Like everyone else on the planet, we were faced with some unprecedented challenges. As a small business owner of an independent band, I was faced with an additional set of challenges with the tour being canceled and making it back home from Rhode Island to Idaho. When I got home, I immediately got inspired creatively and hit the studio to smash out this record. For this one, we took it all back to our roots with a back-to-basics approach to try and capture that true G-Punk sound of our earlier albums."

In an effort to bring "Class Of 2020" around full circle and connect it with (HED) P.E.'s impressive back catalog, the album cover is an homage to the group's breakthrough album "Broke", which celebrates its 20th anniversary a day after the new studio album is released. While planning to the milestone anniversary for (HED) P.E., Jared was able to connect with former members DJ Product and original guitarist Chad "Chizad" Benekos and rekindle their creative flame. DJ Product created artwork for the "Class Of 2020" album and added his trademark scratching over some tracks, while original (HED) P.E. guitarist Chizad blessed the band with a blazing solo on "Greedy Girl". The unholy union that many fans never thought possible came together to connect the past and present incarnations of (HED) P.E. and to enhance "Class Of 2020" in a meaningful way.

When discussing the album, Gomes talks about the moniker "Class Of 2020" having dual meaning for him and the band. "I had the title 'Class Of 2020' as a working title for some time now," he explains. "We had made hoodies with the 'Class Of 2020' on them, but it was originally intended to be a statement about the band being here 20 years later. A whole new class of (HED) P.E., so to speak. Once the pandemic broke out, this title took on a new profound meaning. The Class Of 2020 never really graduated. The Class Of 2020 will go down in history for several different reasons."

(HED) P.E. is the pioneer of the G-Punk sound, which fuses together punk-rock, metal, hip-hop and reggae. The band has toured the world for 20 years sharing the stage with the likes of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, KORN, TECH N9NE, TOOL as well as the original BLACK SABBATH on the iconic Ozzfest tour. (HED) P.E. experienced a creative resurgence after signing with Suburban Noize Records in the early 2000s and was instrumental in developing the booming underground scene.

"Class Of 2020" track listing:

01. First Blood

02. Watch It Burn

03. No Days Off

04. Death Awaits

05. Last Call

06. Ole Time Sake

07. Greedy Girl

08. Nothing Lasts 4ever (The Ballad of C19)

09. We The People

10. Overdue

Photo credit: Jeff @ Mintypics

Corey Taylor has topped Billboard's Hard Rock Songwriters chart.

One of the two new solo singles from the SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman, "CMFT Must Be Stopped" debuted at No. 11 on Hot Hard Rock Songs with 645,000 U.S. streams and 1,000 downloads sold in the tracking week, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. The other single, "Black Eyes Blue", landed at No. 13 on the same chart in its second week.

Bubbling to the top of the pop culture conversation, Rolling Stone wrote, "The genre-spanning 'CMFT' — short for 'Corey Mother Fucking Taylor' — sees the singer tackling multiple styles of music, from hard rock and classic rock to punk and hip-hop." Forbes observed, "Taylor's solo career will blur the lines between a number of rock sub-genres. And honestly, this approach seems like the best direction for his solo debut."

Taylor's debut solo album, "CMFT", is set for release on October 2 via Roadrunner Records. The songs illuminate the broad spectrum of this fiery and fearless rock 'n' roll opus, as Taylor touches on lifelong influences ranging from hard rock to classic rock, punk rock to hip-hop. On "Black Eyes Blue", Taylor's vocals soar with nostalgia, while on "CMFT Must Be Stopped", his rhymes recall his work on SLIPKNOT's debut record and run alongside bulletproof bars from multi-platinum artist Tech N9ne and U.K. MC Kid Bookie. The track is joined by a Djay Brawner-directed music video, which sees Taylor taking the CMFT championship belt as friends such as Marilyn Manson, Lars Ulrich, Rob Halford, Chris Jericho, ZillaKami and more making cameos.

"CMFT" has been a long time coming for Taylor, with newly written tracks alongside some dating back to his teens. Recorded at Kevin Churko's The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas with producer Jay Ruston and his band — Jason Christopher on bass, Dustin Schoenhofer on drums and Zach Throne and Christian Martucci (STONE SOUR) on guitar — the album traces a wild and exhilarating roadmap through Taylor's musical psyche. "HWY 666" kicks off the album barreling ahead with a devilish twang, while "Silverfish" peels back the layers of Taylor's songwriting as acoustic guitars build to a highwire balance of hooks and heft. An ominous bass line gives way to pummeling wah-ed out guitars on "Culture Head" and the moving piano-driven "Home" offers a raw glimpse at Taylor's immense vocal range.

SLIPKNOT recently canceled all of its previously announced summer 2020 tour dates, including the "Knotfest Roadshow", Knotfest UK and Knotfest At Sea, due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

The At The Movies project - launched by Pretty Maids guitarist Chris Laney due to the COVID-19 lockdown - caught fire over the last several months, with many fans asking that the '80s soundtrack covers be made available as digital platform streams, or on CD and vinyl. They have checked in with the following update:

"You guys have been the best!! We are now over 230% on the Indiegogo campaign and albums are getting pressed at the pressing plant as we write this. We still have 6 days to go on the campaign so make sure you get hold of these one-of-a-kind limited issues of the album.

Ok, so here we are…. time to reveal the bonus track of the album. Hope you love it as much as we do, progressive but sweet as candy!

'Far From Over' taken from the 1983 soundtrack, Staying Alive, (Frank Stallone/ Vince DiCola). It was a top-ten US single in September 1983, peaking at #10 on the Billboard Top 100. It also charted at #2 in Canada.

So people, see you in a few weeks for a new exciting and fun season! We love ya!"

The core At The Movies players are as follows:

Björn "Speed" Strid (Soilwork) - lead vocals
Linnéa Vikström Egg (Therion) - backing vocals
Chris Laney (Pretty Maids) - guitars
Allan Sørensen (Royal Hunt, Pretty Maids) - drums
Morten Sandager (Pretty Maids) - keyboards
Pontus Norgren (HammerFall) - guitars
Pontus Egberg (King Diamond) - bass

Check out the pre-order page for The Soundtrack Of Your Life Vol 1. here or go to the official At The Movies Facebook page.

Available items:
• Hi-res digital album download
• CD
• Colored Vinyl A
• Colored Vinyl B
• T-shirt A (sizes S-XXL)
• T-shirt B (sizes S-XXL)
• CD + Bonus DVD (with all the videos plus interviews) in a retro VHS cover
• CD + T-shirt bundle
• Vinyl + T-shirt bundle
• CD + DVD + T-shirt bundle
• The BIG bundle (CD, DVD, Vinyl A, Vinyl B, T-shirt A, T-shirt B

Stay tuned for updates.




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Seasoned technical melodic death metal band Inferi has announced their upcoming EP, Of Sunless Realms. The five-song effort will be released on October 9th via The Artisan Era. It's the follow up to the group's 2019 re-worked prior album, The End Of An Era | Rebirth, and the next step in the group's continual evolution following their 2018 full-length, Revenant. 

Now in 2020, with touring having ground to a halt due to COVID-19, the band was able to focus on finishing their next offering, which became Of Sunless Realms. Of Sunless Realms continues the band's well-established sound steeped in catchy melodies, orchestral grandeur, and high-octane aggression, delivered in a bombastic and elegant way all their own. The cover artwork for Of Sunless Realms was handled once again by well-known fantasy artist Helge C. Balzer.

Tracklisting:

"The Abhorrent Art"
"Eldritch Evolution"
"Spellbound Unearthed Terror"
"The Summoning" 
"Aeons Torn"

Inferi has issued the following band statement regarding Of Sunless Realms: "We have been hinting at a new full-length for a while now. However, since 2020 has had its fair share of surprises already, we thought we would do something unexpected and make something happen during this global downtime. We bring you a new five-track EP, Of Sunless Realms. We still have a full-length album in the works and will continue to put all efforts into making it the best release we can."

 

 




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Extreme / melodic blackened death metal trio Nevalra will reissue their 2015 debut EP, The Black Flame, across all major digital platforms on August 28th. To celebrate its forthcoming launch, the band has released a new video for the EP's closing track, “Groom Lake”. Designed by Raf Ortega of Ecliptic Visions (Hecate Enthroned), the clip can be seen below.

Says vocalist/guitarist Scott Eames, “'Groom Lake' was influenced by the rumors and secretive nature surrounding Area 51. The subject has always piqued my interest. Are we alone? Or are we not alone? Either thought is astounding. 'Groom Lake' was written in three segments, structurally building the song both musically and lyrically. It is truly one of my favorites to perform live on tour and has been mentioned a lot as a fan favorite. Nevalra felt it was time to create some new visuals to articulate 'Groom Lake' for The Black Flame reissue, and we are excited to now share the new official video with the world (worlds?)...”

The reissue of The Black Flame features an updated treatment of the original cover artwork by noted horror artist Brett Gray. While the five-track EP earned Nevalra extensive praise at the time of its original release, Eames is excited to now introduce its material to a wider audience. Pre-order now at this location.

“In the last year and a half, Nevalra has toured and performed in more than 20 countries while promoting Conjure The Storm, making friends and fans at every stop,” he explains. “Now that Nevalra has reached an international audience, there is no better time to reintroduce The Black Flame. Nevalra has come a long way since 2015, but for us, these songs are where it all began."

Nevalra is currently working on material for the follow-up to Conjure The Storm, which was mixed and mastered by the legendary Dan Swano (Opeth, Dark Funeral, Dissection, Marduk). The album – the cover for which was designed by Seth Siro Anton of Septicflesh – featured guest appearances by Andres Vargas (Thy Antichrist) and Mark Kloeppel (Misery Index, Scour). It was supported by an extensive European tour last year during which Eames performed two sets each night – one with Nevalra, and one with Thy Antichrist, a group with whom Eames has performed for several years. Eames has also toured in recent months with death metal legends Vital Remains.

 




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

"Here is our unplugged version of the Streetheart hit, 'What Kind Of Love Is This', to commemorate the day we lost Kenny Shields (lead singer for Streetheart) three years ago," says all-Canadian cover band Toque, in a recent social media post.

Toque is comprised of Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz (who both play in Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators), along with Cory Churko, and Shane Gaalaas.

Toque initially covered "What Kind Of Love Is This" by Streetheart on their second CD, Never Enough, originally issued in 2019. Visit toquerocks.ca to learn more.




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

According to Law360, the estate of Randy "California" Wolfe has filed a petition for a writ of certiorari asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a March 2020 ruling by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upholding the 2016 trial verdict that found LED ZEPPELIN's classic song "Stairway To Heaven" was not a rip-off of SPIRIT's "Taurus".

Michael Skidmore, the trustee of "Taurus" songwriter Wolfe's estate, had brought the claims more than four decades after "Stairway To Heaven" appeared on LED ZEPPELIN's untitled album, better known as "Led Zeppelin IV".

In June 2016, a Los Angeles jury deliberated for about five hours before deciding unanimously in favor of LED ZEPPELIN. However, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decided in 2018 the trial judge had made a series of errors and ordered a new hearing. Five months ago, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld the 2016 trial verdict.

In a typical year, lawyers file 7,000 to 8,000 petitions for a writ of certiorari, the formal name for a petition asking the Supreme Court to give full review to a lower court's order. According to Vox, the Court typically grants fewer than 80 of these "cert" petitions.

The Wolfe estate argues in the petition for certiorari, filed on Tuesday (August 11): "The [Ninth Circuit] opinion is a disaster for the creatives whose talent is often preyed upon. By the same token, it is a gift to the music industry and its attorneys — enthusiastically received — by a circuit whose own judge once observed: 'Our circuit is the most hostile to copyright owners of all the circuits.'

"The 'court of appeals for the Hollywood Circuit' has finally given Hollywood exactly what it has always wanted: a copyright test which it cannot lose. Portending what is to come, in the days following the decision's filing multiple major copyright rulings have already dramatically favoured industry defendants. The proverbial canary in the coal mine has died; it remains to be seen if the miners have noticed."

Four years ago, LED ZEPPELIN singer Robert Plant testified in court that he had no recollection of ever hearing "Taurus" before. "I didn't remember it then, and I don't remember it now," he said. LED ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page also testified that he had not copied any part of "Taurus" even though he owned five discs by SPIRIT among his collection of 4,000 vinyl records.

Enrico Bonadio, a senior lecturer in law from City University London, told Newsweek in April 2016: "I don't think that it is appropriate to consider the act of devising a tune that simply has the same 'feel' and 'groove' as another as copyright infringement. This is how music creativity often works. Musicians frequently build upon earlier arrangements and styles, and so the increasing occurrence of cases such as these should give us pause."

After the 2016 trial, plaintiff's attorney Francis Malofiy claimed he lost his case on a technicality, insisting that it was unfair the jury was unable to listen to the sound recording of "Taurus" and instead was limited to hearing an expert performance of the registered sheet music.

Malofiy received over a hundred sustained objections and "multiple admonishments" during the ZEPPELIN trial, with the band's publishing company Warner/Chappell Music filing documents asking the judge to order the plaintiffs to pay over $613,000 in costs for defending against the lawsuit.

Sweden’s influential and long revered heavy metal giants, In Flames, are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their seminal, critically acclaimed album, Clayman, this year with a special edition that's due out on August 28 via Nuclear Blast Records. Pre-order here, and watch a lyric video for the re-recorded version of "Bullet Ride", below:

The band kicked off the festivities recently with the release of the Clayman 2020 bonus tracks, available now on all digital and streaming services via Nuclear Blast. Listen here.

Along with the release, In Flames unveiled an animated video, in collaboration with Stern Pinball, for their newly re-recorded rendition of the fan favorite track "Pinball Map". Watch the video below:

Vocalist Anders Fridén comments on the band's anniversary and upcoming release: "It’s bizarre to look back on the past 20 years and see everything we’ve been so lucky to do. Re-recording some of our favorite tracks from Clayman was such a unique feeling knowing now how these songs have forever changed our lives. We’re not just commemorating 20 years of Clayman with this release, but 20+ years of Jesterheads, a community we’re grateful for and the best job that we can’t believe we still get to do."

Clayman 20th Anniversary Edition comes entirely remastered by Ted Jensen (Pantera, Deftones, Gojira) and features all new artwork in a 16-page booklet, a brand-new instrumental medley plus four re-recorded versions of fan-favorites such as “Only For The Weak” and “Pinball Map”. Re-recorded songs were produced by Howard Benson and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge. The record will be released digitally as well as on CD Digipak and a 2xLP colored vinyl packaged in a deluxe trifold that includes an oversized booklet, 11 remastered tracks on a 12” record and 5 bonus tracks on a 10” record in a printed sleeve.

Clayman 20th Anniversary Edition tracklisting:

"Bullet Ride"
"Pinball Map"
"Only For The Weak"
"...As The Future Repeats Today"
"Square Nothing"
"Clayman"
"Satellites And Astronauts"
"Brush The Dust Away"
"Swim"
"Suburban Me"
"Another Day In Quicksand"
"Themes And Variations In D-Minor" (instrumental)
"Only For The Weak" (Re-recorded)
"Bullet Ride" (Re-recorded)
"Pinball Map" (Re-recorded)
"Clayman" (Re-recorded)

"Clayman" (Re-Recorded) lyric video:

(Photo - Stephanie Cabral)




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Almost turning two round decades since he originally kickstarted the project, Johan Reinholdz is back with Nonexist in 2020 for its fourth album, titled Like The Fearless Hunter, which will be released by Mighty Music on August 28. A lyric video for the song, "Together We Shall Burn", can be found below.

The record takes off in the dark and violent death metal vein of the last EP, which saw Reinholdz assume vocal duties, but also contains crushing midtempo-heaviness  (“Together We Shall Burn”), melodic thrashmetal-mayhem (“Strictly Sadistic Intent”), hyperspeed hardcore/punk-spiced violence (“Litany Of Poison”) as well as sombre, progressive darkness (“Emerging From A World Below”) and even some instrumental shredding (“Fear Corrodes The Soul”).

The album is also graced and enhanced by the presence of some truly terrific guests: Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity), Rogga Petersson (Merciless), Chris Amott (Dark Tranquillity, ex-Arch Enemy) and Markus Johnsson (Eucharist), to name a few.

Pre-orders for Like The Fearless Hunter on CD and Vinyl can be placed now.

Tracklisting:

"Strictly Sadistic Intent"
"Together We Shall Burn"
"Dark Satanic Mills"
"Emerging From A World Below"
"Litany Of Poison"
"Fear Corrodes The Soul"
"A Meditation Upon Death"
"Bloody Carnal Sorcery"
"Dead Black Embrace"
"Scent"
"Cancerous Disembodiment"
"Reduced To Ash"

"Together We Shall Burn" lyric video:

Nonexist was formed in 2000 when Johan Reinholdz presented some death/thrash metal demo-tracks for Bengt ”Wez” Wenedikter of Swedish WAR-music (Darkane, Defleshed, Naglfar). Reinholdz' other band Andromeda had recently signed a deal with WAR and now it was time for Nonexist to sign the papers. Ex-Arch Enemy/Furbowl/Carnage vocalist Johan Liiva was recruited along with Dark Funeral/Defleshed-drummer Matte Modin. The debut album “Deus Deceptor” was released in 2002 and, following the release of the album, Nonexist became nonexistent as the members went their separate ways: Reinholdz with Andromeda, Liiva with Hearse and Modin with Dark Funeral and Raised Fist among others. Reinholdz continued to write songs during the years to come, most of which were discarded though.

However, in 2009 a collection of Nonexist-songs emerged, the title From My Cold Dead Hands came about and Reinholdz started focusing on getting a sophomore album finished, while Liiva joined the band again. From My Cold Dead Hands was released in 2012. In 2014, Nonexist started recording album number three entitled Throne Of Scars. The style of the songs retained the atmosphere from the previous album; dark, intense, varied and heavy while also adding some new influences in the mix. The band signed a deal with Danish label Mighty Music, who released it in 2015. Later that year, Johan Liiva quit the band and Reinholdz took over the frontman-duties doing both guitar and vocals in the studio and also live.




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

After more than six years, Vanishing Point return with new music. The band's new album, Dead Elysium, will be released on August 28 via AFM Records. Watch a video for the song "Count Your Days" below, and pre-order the album here.

More than six years since the release of Distant Is The Sun, Vanishing Point are once again ready to take on the world with their world-class melodic metal assault on the senses. Their sixth full-length album, Dead Elysium, is a revisit to the epic and bombastic sounds of soaring vocals, heavy guitars and mesmerizing orchestral elements. Dead Elysium is a return to form for Australia’s most iconic melodic metal band.

In the early 1990s when ex-Eye members Tommy Vucur, Jack Lukic and Joe Del Mastro found current vocalist and front man Silvio Massaro Vanishing Point has been formed. The band’s first full-length album, In Thought (1997) received widespread praise and cemented the six-piece as rising stars in the growing Australian heavy metal scene. Just a year after In Thought was re-released by Australian record label Metal Warriors, featuring new (and current) guitarist Chris Porcianko.

The band with that progressive, but still accessible compositions and aspiring musical creations did manage to put quite a few highlights to their vita over the years. They escorted a lot of big names on tour and travelled the globe with them - amongst those names were the Swedish guitar maestro Yngwie Malmsteen, Finnish Symphonic masters Nightwish, Sonata Arctica, power-metal pioneers Helloween, Joe Satriani, Edguy, Dragonforce and even the legendary Iron Maiden. Also they gave their European festival debut at the illustrious Wacken Open Air as first unsigned band ever.

In 2014, Vanishing Point went on to release what is widely regarded as their most recognizable album Distant Is The Sun. The album was received with universal praise by critics and fans and the band did headline tours in Australia, New Zealand & Japan. Then nothing happened for quite a long time.

Guitarist Chris Porcianko explains: “We faced many obstacles over the years between Dead Elysium and Distant Is The Sun, we’d like to think that this album is also a kind of reflection on the journey we had as a band and as individuals over the last few years."

Vanishing Point have undergone a resurgence and have embarked on a campaign to put themselves back in the eyes of the heavy metal world. 2019 saw the band sign to Hard Drive Agency for management and worldwide bookings. Shortly thereafter, Vanishing Point return as a five-piece, with the introduction of bassist Gaston Chin and drummer Damien Hall.

"Musically I honestly just went with the flow and naturally the songs just came out how they did, there was no massive thought process as to how the songs should sound", states Porcianko. He carries on: "When writing the Dead Elysium album there was a general theme running through it musically and lyrically that we really wanted to touch upon regarding the state of world affairs in general and the situation we are in. The general theme lyrically when writing this album overall was more or less in regards to how we can see positive change? How can we make things better in terms of looking after each other? It definitely was not a case of “let's make the heaviest sounding album we can, because it’s gotta be heavier” and all that bullshit - it was a case of let the music speak for itself and in a sense we hope that our music helps people to connect or reconnect."

Fans all around the globe will count the days until arrival of this new masterpiece, some of them will be dying to finally listen to it. But we’re able promise you one thing... Dead Elysium is absolutely worth the long wait.

Tracklisting:

"Dead Elysium"
"Count Your Days"
"To the Wolves"
"Salvus"
"The Fall"
"Free"
"Recreate the Impossible"
"Shadow World"
"The Healing"
"The Ocean"

"Count Your Days" video:

"Dead Elysium" lyric video:




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Drum legend Mike Portnoy is walking you through his latest vinyl collection in a series of eight videos. Episode #4 focuses on new reissues, M - O:

Episode #1 new reissues, A - B:

Episode #2 new reissues, B - F:

Episode #3 new reissues, F - L.:

Episode #4 new reissues, L - M:




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Steve Hackett has announcee the release of Selling England By The Pound & Spectral Mornings: Live At Hammersmith, on September 25 via InsideOut Music. This live recording is from his critically acclaimed 2019 UK tour.

The concert was recorded at the Hammersmith Eventim Apollo, the final night of the tour. Steve Hackett was joined by his touring band of Roger King (keyboards), Jonas Reingold (bass), Rob Townsend (saxes/flutes), Craig Blundell (drums and percussion) with Nad Sylvan on vocals. Special guests for this performance were Steve’s brother John Hackett (flute) and Amanda Lehmann (guitar and vocals).

This was a very special tour for Steve Hackett as it brought together his favourite album from his time as guitarist with Genesis - Selling England By The Pound - which Steve and his band performed live in its entirety for the first time. The show also featured selected tracks from Steve’s personal favourite album from his extensive solo career Spectral Mornings, together with tracks from his acclaimed 2019 release At The Edge Of Light.

Steve comments: “Amalgamating three personal favourite albums, including the whole of Selling England by the Pound, most of Spectral Mornings and At The Edge Of Light highlights was a very special live experience. Both audio and visual on this product give a mind blowing experience of an unforgettable evening at Hammersmith.”

The first set of the concert includes tracks from Spectral Mornings, celebrating its 40th anniversary, and At The Edge Of Light. Steve and the band were joined by Amanda Lehmann on vocals and guitar and by John Hackett, on flute for "The Virgin And The Gypsy" and "The Red Flower Of Tai Chi Blooms Everywhere".

The second part is the live recording of Selling England By The Pound album in its entirety, plus "Déja Vu", a track initiated for the album by Peter Gabriel, but later completed by Steve.The recording concludes with the concert encores of "Dance On A Volcano" and "Los Endos".

Selling England By The Pound & Spectral Mornings: Live At Hammersmith is released in several formats: Limited Edition Deluxe 2CD+Blu-ray+DVD Artbook; 2CD+Blu-ray Digipak; 2CD+DVD Multibox; Limited Edition 4LP+2CD Box Set and Digital album. Pre-order here.

The first track to be taken from the show is "Déja Vu". Watch the video below. The song is also available on all streaming platforms.

Tracklisting:

CD1
Intro
"Every Day"
"Under The Eye Of The Sun"
"Fallen Walls And Pedestals"
"Beasts Of Our Time"
"The Virgin And The Gypsy"
"Tigermoth"
"Spectral Mornings"
"The Red Flower Of Tai Chi Blooms Everywhere"
"Clocks - Angel Of Mons"
"Dancing With The Moonlit Knight"
"I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)"

CD2
"Firth Of Fifth"
"More Fool Me"
"The Battle Of Epping Forest"
"After The Ordeal"
"The Cinema Show"
"Aisle of Plenty"
"Deja Vu"
"Dance On A Volcano"
"Los Endos"

"Deja Vu" video:




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Progressive grunge rockers Gargoyl, which features guitar virtuoso Dave Davidson (Revocation) and guitarist/vocalist Luke Roberts (Ayahuasca), will be releasing their debut full-length on October 9 via Season Of Mist. The band is streaming the second single, "Wraith". Listen below.

“A big part of the impetus to form Gargoyl was to have a vehicle for our different influences so this track will give listeners a taste of the diverse moods this album has to offer," comments Davidson on the song's musical composition. "‘Wraith’ showcases a different side of my playing and compositional style that people are normally associated with. I had part of the music written for this piece for quite sometime, but it really came to life for me when I heard Luke’s haunting vocal melodies and lyrics. I hope you find this track eerily beautiful as well.”

Regarding the lyrics, Roberts adds, “In the first world, there's a paradigm that ‘one day I'll be gone so I might as well just look out for me while I'm here.’ “But imagine in death, in some form, you were still cognizant, trapped in the concrete and power lines of the city you live in, forced to watch the sum of everything you set in motion in your life unfold. Forced to watch your predecessors crawl through the legacy you left in your wake, desperately clinging to the pursuit of happiness in an unravelling world.

“If this was your fate, would then how you live and how you treat everyone and everything around you not become of dire importance?”

Gargoyl's self-titled album is available for pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Truth Of A Tyrant"
"Plastic Nothing"
"Cursed Generation"
"Electrical Sickness"
"Wraith"
"Ophidian"
"Nightmare Conspiracy"
"Waltz Dystopia"
"Ambivalent I"
"Acid Crown"
"Asphyxia"

"Electrical Sickness" visualizer:

Gargoyl is many things at once, which, automatically subjects the band to the journalistic and fan guessing game/rite of passage as to what style they actually are. Their 11-song self-titled debut is progressive, atmospheric, heavy, technical and avant-garde; a blend of sounds that ultimately coalesce into a body of work that engages and challenges. That, in itself, covers a broad spectrum, but further inroads into Gargoyl’s sound continually reveal new elements of intrigue and persuasion. It is the beauty - and purpose - of the project.

Formed in early 2018 by guitarist Dave Davidson (Revocation) and guitarist/vocalist Luke Roberts (Ayahuasca), the groundwork for Gargoyl was laid when the two men met while on tour. The pair realized they shared a musical kinship and admiration for one another and made good on their word to see the project through. Gargoyl’s two-song Asomatous demo was released in March 2019, setting the stage for their eventual signing to Season of Mist and release of their debut LP this October. The album’s drums were recorded in July 2019 with Chris Johnson at GodCity Studios in Salem, Massachusetts; guitars were tracked with Greg Dawson at BWC Studios outside of Toronto. Vocals were recorded by Roberts at his home studio.

Gargoyl is completed by the virtuosic talents of bassist Brett Leier and drummer James Knoerl who collectively add further layers of intrigue and soul to the music. The collaboration between members opened up the creative floodgates and further expanded their sound. “The riffs were flowing out so fast,” remarks Davidson about the early stages of the writing process. “It was clear that these ideas were in the back of our minds waiting to come out.”

The music for their self-titled album was split evenly between Davidson and Roberts, with Roberts also penning the album’s lyrics and vocal melodies. “Working with someone in more of a 50/50 kind of collaborative style was new for me,” elaborates Davidson. “It’s nice having someone to split those writing duties with, someone who is just as invested in every little single intricacy and detail. It allowed me to function in a different sort of role, which was refreshing. I think that also led to more creativity because I’m writing in a different style, writing with all new members and taking on a different writing role in a band.”

The haunting and melancholic tonality of Roberts’ vocals is undoubtedly one of the primary facets of Gargoyl’s sound. Roberts’s layering, harmonies and inflection, at times, recall classic vocalists from the ’90s grunge era, but what really sold Davidson was his versatility and ability to contour his clean, distinctive vocals over unorthodox compositions.

As a result, Gargoyl’s debut successfully oscillates between unnerving, emotional segments, to progressive, Goth-tinged hard rock. Davidson and Roberts have crafted Gargoyl in such a manner that it refuses to be boxed-in. Davidson has already fielded quite a few assertions on Gargoyl’s sound - some have tagged it as grunge meets black metal, Queens of The Stone Age meets Voivod or even a jazzier version of Alice In Chains.

“Anytime a band has a lot of different influences…I think it’s important to have a clear vision and goal so that all those influences mesh together in a way that doesn’t sound forced,” says Davidson. “I wanted it to be a cohesive, artistic statement and I know that Luke does as well. I’ve always wanted to blend genres. In the truest sense of the word we’re ‘prog rock.’”

Lineup:

Luke Roberts - Guitar, Vocals
David Davidson - Guitar
Brett Leier - Bass
James Knoerl - Drums

(Photo - Samantha Carcasole)




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Everybody remembers their first time... What was the first album you bought? What was the first concert you attended? Everyone has an answer to these questions, including Nuno Bettencourt from Extreme. Watch this new video from AXS TV:

As part of AXS TV's "At Home And Social With Nuno Bettencourt & Friends" special, Bettencourt was joined by Queen's Brian May, as well as his Generation Axe tour mates Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Tosin Abasi, for an instrumental performance of the Queen classic, "Bohemian Rhapsody".

Check out the performance below:

(Photo - Mark "Weissguy" Weiss)




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();

Canadian thrash legends, Anonymus, are have been having a busy summer during these COVID days. Unleashing their latest album La Bestia via label Bam&co Heavy this past June along with launching their own IPA beer (La Microbrasserie Le Fermentor), named in honour of their first Spanish release.

The band is sharing their next music video, "Bicho Loco", translated to "crazy bug" in English. It was directed by Mathieu Charest who previously created their music videos "Suffer The Consequences", and with Mononc Serge "Sous-Marin Brun", "L'Age de Biere", "Woodstock en Beauce". The video also stars well known Quebec actor Martin Dubreuil and follows his character as he descends into insanity from being his own worst enemy.

Watch the video below. The band adds about the track: "A song about a virus, cancer, a disease, something that eats you from inside, that comes and goes without warning. You don’t want that thing in your life, but no matter what, it’s there and you have to live and deal with it. Resonates with what is definitely occurring worldwide as of this moment."

In additional news, Anonymus will be hosting a live stream performance from L'Anti Bar & Spectacles in Quebec City on September 5. Full details on watching the virtual concert can be found here.

Anonymus unleashed their 12th album, La Bestia, on June 12th via label Bam&co Heavy. Details below.

Tracklisting:

“Bajo Presión”
“Bicho Loco”
“Sobrevivir”
“Violencia Versus Violence” (featuring Carlos Maldos of Lethal Creation (MX) and Arno from Black Bomb A)
“La Bestia”
“Máquinas”
“Cada loco con su tema”
“Tierra”
“Terremoto”

“Máquinas” video:

“Terremoto” video:

“Sobrevivir” video:

(Photo - Dani Rod)




(function() {
var zergnet = document.createElement('script');
zergnet.type = 'text/javascript'; zergnet.async = true;
zergnet.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https:" : "http:") + '//www.zergnet.com/zerg.js?id=70729';
var znscr = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
znscr.parentNode.insertBefore(zergnet, znscr);
})();