WINGER frontman Kip Winger spoke to Marci Wiser of the 95.5 KLOS radio station about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's new studio album. The disc will be the follow-up to "Better Days Comin'", which came out in 2014.

"It's very interesting, 'cause I was never into doing albums through the mail, file sharing and that," Kip said (hear audio below). "But in this case, we kind of have to. So I'm writing some things and sending 'em to Reb [Beach, guitar], and he's adding some stuff and bringing it back. Before the pandemic, Reb came to Nashville and we wrote about four songs together, and then the pandemic happened, so we've been doing some file sharing. He's been actually planning on coming to Nashville sooner than later, and we'll sit down and keep trying to finish it."

He continued: "I've set the bar as high as I can for this, and we've thrown out quite a few ideas already, just trying to pick the cream of the crop. So it's really just depending upon our schedules. We usually write in 10-day stretches — we'll be 10 days on, take a little break for 10 days. The good news is that the chemistry between Reb and I is as good as ever. Something special happens when we sit down.

"Reb is the kind of person, you can just put on a drum machine and he'll just write a cool riff," Kip added. "He's always been very inspired. And I like to arrange. So the partnership between us works really well, because what he can't do, I can, and what I can't do, he can."

Kip also revealed that he has five songs written for a new solo album which has been in the works for "many years." He explained: "I'll be at a solo gig and I'll get ideas in the dressing room and turn on my iPhone recorder, and I'm just kind of putting together the best ideas."

WINGER recently invited artists, friends and fans — including Alice Cooper and members of SCORPIONS, STEELHEART and WARRANT — to sing along to "Better Days Comin'", the title track of the band's sixth studio album. An official music video for the new version of the song was made available in late April.

WINGER formed in the late 1980s and soared to immediate success with its 1988 self-titled release. The album spawned the hit singles "Seventeen" and "Headed For A Heartbreak" and achieved platinum sales status. "Winger" also stayed on The Billboard 200 chart for over 60 weeks where it peaked at #21. Their next album, "In The Heart Of The Young", also achieved platinum status behind the singles "Can't Get Enuff" and "Miles Away". The change in musical climate of the mid-'90s, compounded with unprovoked ridicule on MTV's popular "Beavis And Butt-Head" show, led the band to go on hiatus in 1994. In 2001, WINGER reunited and has not looked back since. Kip also earned a 2016 Grammy nomination for the classical album "C.F. Kip Winger: Conversations With Nijinsky", recorded with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra.

Dragonforce's Herman Li recently had fellow guitarist Michael Angelo Batio (ex-Nitro) guest on his Twitch channel (found here). Prior to the session Li reacted to Batio's playing, which can be viewed below. A snippet from their Twitch jam is also available.

During a recent Nuclear Blast video podcast hosted by Francesco Paoli of Italian orchestral-death metal giant Fleshgod Apocalypse, Herman Li revealed that the COVOD-19 pandemic pushed the band back into the studio.

Li: "We had a sold-out tour happening. Everything was going well. We were gonna film a music video for every single Dragonforce song on the album, and we got halfway through it, and COVID-19 happened, so the tour stopped. And some videos, we can't complete them. We filmed all of it, but we need some more footage, so we've got videos on hold now. And instead, we're writing a new album. Why not? Just like everybody; you just write a new album when you're sitting at home, and strangely enough it's almost finished."




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During a recent appearance on Steve-O's "Wild Ride!" podcast, Sharon Osbourne was asked if it's correct to say that when the original BLACK SABBATH lineup reunited a decade ago, it was done on her terms, with her husband, singer Ozzy Osbourne, owning the SABBATH name and the other members of SABBATH acting as "employees" of the band. She responded (see video below): "It's about right, but Ozzy and Tony [Iommi, guitar] own the name — Geezer [Butler, bass] and Bill [Ward, drums] don't. So it's Ozzy and Tony that own the name, and they are partners in BLACK SABBATH. So you're kind of right. Ozzy and Tony are equal, and at the time, the other guys, you know, it's kind of like pay-for-play."

Ozzy filed a lawsuit against Tony in May 2009, claiming that Iommi illegally took sole ownership of the band's name in a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Osbourne sued Iommi for a 50 percent interest in the "Black Sabbath" trademark, along with a portion of Iommi's profits from use of the name.

The Manhattan federal court suit also charged that Osbourne's "signature lead vocals" are largely responsible for the band's "extraordinary success," noting that its popularity plummeted during his absence from 1980 through 1996.

Lawyer Andrew DeVore argued that Osbourne signed away all his rights to the BLACK SABBATH trademark after he quit the band in 1979.

Osbourne's lawyer, Howard Shire, called that agreement a "red herring" that was "repudiated" when the singer rejoined in 1997 and took over "quality control" of the band's merchandise, tours and recordings.

In June 2010, Ozzy told The Pulse of Radio that the lawsuit between him and Tony had been settled and that everything was okay between them.

Ward was on board for the SABBATH reunion when it was first announced more than eight years ago, but backed out soon after. The drummer later claimed that he sat out the recording and touring sessions because of unfair contractual terms, although the members of SABBATH have hinted in other interviews that he wasn't physically up to the task.

All four original members of SABBATH were present when the band announced its reunion in late 2011. But Ward split from the group in 2012, citing an "unsignable" contract, and Osbourne, Iommi and Butler carried on with their Rick Rubin–produced "13" LP and extensive international touring without him.

Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio during SABBATH's last tour that Ward was not in shape to participate. "Bill Ward has got the most physically demanding job of the lot of us, 'cause he's the timekeeper," he said. "I don't think personally he had the chops to pull it off, you know. The saddest thing is that he needed to own up to that, and we could have worked around it, whether we had a drummer on the side with him or something."

It was rumored that SABBATH wanted to bring a second drummer on the road to share duties with Ward, something that Iommi confirmed in 2017 during a question-and-answer session about SABBATH's "Ten Year War" box set.

Boogie metal masters Transport League are working hard on their new album. The as-yet untitled ninth full-length record from the band is in the mixing phase, currently taking place in Grand Recordings Studio by Svein Jensen (Notre Dame, Germ Bomb, DoomDogs). 

Guitarist and vocalist Tony Jelencovich broke the news about a very special guest: "In these times of pandemic, we were able - through a secret third dimension portal - to get Sal Abruscato (A Pale Horse Named Death, ex-Type O Negative, ex-Life Of Agony) to the Grand Recordings Studio in Gothenburg, all the way from the USA, to lay down some guest vocals on the track 'March, Kiss, Die'. The participation is raw and out of this world, with a bite that stays on for a long time."




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Former DOKKEN guitarist George Lynch became a grandfather for the fifth time when his daughter, Mariah Lynch, and her boyfriend, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner, welcomed welcomed their first child, a baby girl, on July 8.

Asked in a new interview with Myglobalmind if he and Richie ever jam together, and whether we can expect a collaborative album from the two of them in the future, George said: "I don't know. Maybe. I'll have to go out there and spend more time messing around, like guitar players do when they get together.

"Richie is an awesome player. We are very fortunate to have him in my daughter's life.

"My wife and I went out there [to Nashville] when the baby [was born] and stayed there for a little while," he continued.

"I felt bad posting [about the baby's arrival on social media], because I didn't want it to be about that. I wanted to focus on my daughter, the baby and my family. I didn't want to be running off into the studio every five minutes shredding instead of changing diapers. [Laughs]

"My daughter was raised in a guitar world, and we had her on the road since she was very young. We homeschooled and tutored her. She traveled the world with us and would sit on the side of the stage for shows."

George broke the news of his fifth grandchild's arrival in an Instagram post on July 17. He shared an adorable photo of Richie bottle-feeding the baby, with Lynch shredding the axe in a chair only several feet away. "New baby time .big chubz>little chubz>micro chubz. the most precious perfect creature in the present universe entered our world July 8th xo", George wrote.

Earlier this year, Lynch expressed his desire to play in PRIEST alongside Faulkner. Speaking at a Pitbull Audio guitar clinic in San Diego in January, Lynch said: "I still to this day love PRIEST. I wish they would call me up and hire me. Glenn Tipton, hello?"

For the past two and a half years, PRIEST has been touring with producer Andy Sneap in place of longtime guitarist Tipton, who retired from full-time activities with the band following a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.

Faulkner joined PRIEST in 2011 as the replacement for original guitarist K.K. Downing.

Richie was once the guitarist in the backing group for Lauren Harris, daughter of IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris.
























View this post on Instagram


































New baby time .big chubz>little chubz>micro chubz. the most precious perfect creature in the present universe entered our world July 8th xo

A post shared by George Lynch (@georgelynchofficial) on Jul 17, 2020 at 12:05pm PDT

It’s rising deep from the crypts of hell. Dehuman Reign, Berlin’s most brutal death metal commando is back in top shape with their second full length album titled Descending Upon The Oblivious, which will hit stores October 23rd via FDA Records.

Descending Upon The Oblivious was recorded at Englsound Studio by Tobias Engl, mixed and mastered at Mastersound Entertainment by Alexander Krull (Atrocity, Leaves’ Eyes).

The cover artwork, which can be seen below, was created by Spanish artist Juanjo Castellano.

Tracklisting:

"Perish Or Subdue"
"Kill To Live"
"Serenade To The Blood Moon"
"Prelude To Aberration"
"Obscure Affliction"
"Repay Your Dept In Blood"
"Interlude - Beyond The Looking Glass"
"Caputo"
"Eternity’s Embrace"
"The In Vitro Overture"
"Project GECU"
"Self Induced Mass Extinction"

"Perish Or Subdue":

For further details, visit Dehuman Reign on Facebook.

 




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German bashers Gamma Ray, led by Helloween co-founder Kai Hansen, recently issued the following announcement:

"Hello metalheads, we have great news for you! The Rays will celebrate 30 Years of Amazing Awesomeness! We want to invite all of you to join the party of our exclusive and only show in 2020. In this time of Corona we can’t do shows like we want to, so we decided to do a live streaming and set up a big stage in the ISS Dome in Düsseldorf, Germany. Eleven cameras will capture the very best of 30 years amazing power metal. This awesome event takes place on Thursday, August 27th at 20:00 CET and will be sent out all over the globe in a HQ Live stream..

So! Don't wait any longer, get together with your friends, buddies and homies to enjoy the concert of the year together from the comfort of your home. Get your ticket here. Stay tuned for more information!"

The band has posted a new webisode announcing that former Gamma Ray frontman Ralf Scheepers - who was with the band from 1989 to 1994 - will perform with them for part of the show. Check it out below.

Scheepers sang on three Gamma Ray albums - Heading For Tomorrow (1990), Sigh No More (1991), Insanity And Genius (1993) - and launched Primal Fear in 1997 with bassist Mat Sinner.




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In the clip below, Annihilator frontman / founder Jeff Waters yaps about the song "The Fun Palace" and shamelessly plugs the band's Never, Neverland 30th Anniversary shirts that are currently available at AnnihilatorMetal.com.

Annihilator recently checked in with the following update:

"It’s been 30 years since the BEST Annihilator record was released (Never, Neverland) and 5 of the classic songs have spawned 5 killer shirts. Exclusive for you at the official AnnihilatorMetal.com website. Artwork done by the legendary Gyula Havancsák, so these are incredible to have and will go fast.

We have a lot of plans to celebrate with you, including possible reunion shows and more.

Each week, for the next few months, we are going to give you everything from guitar and bass breakdowns and playthroughs of Jeff’s playing on the record, as well as interviews about the writing, making of the CD and stories of that era for the band. We also are going to give you exclusive merchandise and items that you can only get at the official band website.

Thanks for making Never, Neverland the biggest selling and (in Jeff’s words!) the BEST Annihilator record."




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LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe recently spoke to Rapture Radio about what the touring circuit might look like post-pandemic. He said (hear audio below): "I think for my band, and I don't have a crystal ball, dude, so nobody takes this as Randy says this is how touring is gonna be, 'cause I don't know — I do not know. I'm not a wizard. But with my band, what I foresee happening is the tours that we booked that are postponed — we didn't cancel a single tour; everything is being postponed — those tours will happen, but I don't think they will happen until they can happen the way they're supposed to.

"I know there's been some artists that are doing these socially distanced gigs or whatever," he continued. "That's not gonna work for us — that's just not gonna work. It's not gonna work for a band like LAMB OF GOD. It's not gonna work for a band like HATEBREED. It's not gonna work for any band in our sort of world that, when we play, immediately people smash the crap out of each other. That's just not gonna happen.

"I myself cannot say that at the first show I'm not just gonna be in the audience. I'm gonna be hugging people, kissing 'em on the cheek, like, 'Yes, we're all together again.' So I'm not gonna be able to stand onstage and say, 'Okay, everybody. Stay six feet apart. Wear your mask. Do all that stuff.' Nuh-huh. Because it's too crazy; the energy is too much.

"I think what will happen is some bands who don't produce such a visceral physical reaction in crowds will be able to do shows that have some regulations or whatever — maybe some country artist or whatever; maybe some jazz and stuff like that, where people are able to be separate — but as far as in my genre, I think what's just gonna have to happen is we're gonna have to wait until there's a vaccine or there's herd immunity developed or whatever, until everybody can not sweat it anymore," Randy added. "So, how long that will be, I have no clue. And I know that promoters and booking agents and venue owners and management and labels and everybody are all working very hard in a very difficult situation trying to deal with a bunch of unknowable factors. 'Cause nobody knows — nobody has any answers; no one. Not the president, not the head of the CDC — no one knows what the hell is going on or what's gonna happen, so we've just gotta sit tight and wait, which sucks. But that's the reality."

LAMB OF GOD released its new, self-titled album on June 19 via Epic Records in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast Records in Europe. The follow-up to 2015's "VII: Sturm Und Drang" marks LAMB OF GOD's first recordings with Art Cruz, who joined the band last year as the replacement for the group's founding drummer, Chris Adler.

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

FOZZY returned to live activity for the first time in seven months earlier this week when the band performed three shows in South Dakota, North Dakota and Iowa.

One fan posted a photo from Saturday night's FOZZY concert in Minot, South Dakota, which appears to show the crowd not social distancing despite the coronavirus pandemic.

During his "Saturday Night Special" live stream, FOZZY singer Chris Jericho defended his band's decision to go ahead with the dates, saying that he was surprised to learn the shows were still on after FOZZY's "Save The World" tour was postponed twice.

"We actually did [two] shows [so far] this week. And the reason for that is we had our tour — the 'Save The World' tour — which was originally booked for April and May, it got postponed to July and August, then got postponed to October and November. But four shows remained in August. And I was, like, 'How?' The shows are in South Dakota, and North Dakota, and we have one in Fort Madison, Iowa, which is right near the border of South Dakota."

The FOZZY shows were apparently given the green light to proceed because while daily virus cases have been trending upward in South Dakota, the seven-day average is still only around 84, with fewer than two deaths per day.

Jericho said: "The reason why the shows are happening — have happened; we did two already, and we've got our third one tonight — is because these states of North Dakota and South Dakota have low COVID cases; less than a thousand in both states. I think Florida had, like, nine thousand today alone. The venues are kind of either outside or they're half capacity. We're sold out tonight in Minot with, I think, 50 percent capacity. Last night, we were sold out in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with, I think it was 35 percent capacity. We hand out masks at the door, there are temperature checks — all that sort of stuff. We basically just stay on the bus all day. Everyone in the FOZZY camp — crew and band — has been tested."

According to Jericho, the first two shows went well. "It's been so great to be back on stage again after seven months," he said. "The last gig we played was on the Jericho cruise, which is so hard to believe — it was like on a different planet, back in the days before the 'rona changed everything."

FOZZY is scheduled to perform tonight (Sunday, August 9) in Sturgis, South Dakota as part of the 80th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, where 250,000 people are expected to gather. Masks are encouraged, but not required at the 10-day festival, which is largely free of social distancing restrictions common elsewhere in the country.




Chris Jericho and his band FOZZY played to a packed concert with no social distancing or masks last night in South Dakota.

JJL

Posted by PRO Wrestling Spotlight on Saturday, August 8, 2020

On August 1st, Chthonic performed at Kaohsiung Exhibition Centre in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. They have posted pro-shot video of "Millennia’s Faith Undone" and "Takao" with the following tag:

"Masks On, Social Distancing, and METAL!!" 

Back in 2019, Chthonic released a lyric video for "The Silent One's Torch", a track from their latest album, Battlefields Of Asura. Watch the clip below.

Tracklisting:

"Drawing Omnipotence Nigh"
"The Silent One's Torch"
"Flames Upon The Weeping Winds"
"A Crimson Sky's Command"
"Souls Of The Revolution"
"Taste The Black Tears"
"One Thousand Eyes"
"Masked Faith"
"Carved In Bloodstone"
"Millennia's Faith Undone"
"Autopoiesis"

"The Silent One's Torch" lyric video:

"Taste The Black Tears" lyric video:

"Millennia's Faith Undone" video:

"Flames Upon The Weeping Winds" video:

"A Crimson Sky's Command" video:




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Even though Steve Riley's version of L.A. GUNS has yet to release its first album, "Renegades", the band has already discussed using the coronavirus downtime to work on a follow-up effort.

"When we started putting 'Renegades' together, we had to utilize the Internet, because we all live all over the place, Riley told Indiepower in a new interview (see video below). "And we knew that the budget was short, so we needed to do a nice pre-production via the Internet and exchanging ideas and exchanging full songs that all four of us had written — we wanted to work on those. So we did two months of that. And then we had the guys come over here for nine days and we recorded it. I mixed it for five days and we mastered it for a day. So it was, like, a two-week, maybe two-and-a-half-week thing that we did.

"We have so much material in the can already because of doing that pre-production," Steve revealed. "We handed in a lot of material on our own. And I know now that all four of us are songwriters and we have a wealth of material.

"What we're doing with this album right now is unfamiliar territory by releasing a single and another single and another single before the album comes out," Riley added. "We might be into 2021, with the album still being fresh and us able to go out and support it. But we've already talked about a second album in 2021, and there's no worries about material at all. We have a great system to work out here in L.A. with Mates and the studios that we use. So I think that doing another album is definitely on the books. We don't know when. We'd like to go out and support this album with some shows and go out and play these songs at live shows. But Mark over at Golden Robot [the band's record label] has already asked us about new material, and we've got it. And we're ready to do it next year, for sure."

Riley's version of L.A. GUNS released its second single, "Well Oiled Machine", in June.

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).

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.

METALLICA has confirmed its return to the stage for the first time since the September 2019 "S&M²" concerts that opened Chase Center in San Francisco. METALLICA will be the first rock band to be featured in the Encore Drive-In Nights series, with a full set showing August 29 at hundreds of drive-in and outdoor theaters across the United States and Canada. The show will be shot specially for the Encore Drive-In Nights Series at a location near the band's Northern California headquarters and will subsequently be edited and mixed by METALLICA's award-winning production team to the highest standards possible. The concert, the band's first show in nearly a year, will feature material from throughout their near-four-decade career and provide METALLICA fans with an intimate, unique and truly memorable concert experience.

Pre-sale tickets, available exclusively to METALLICA's Fifth Member fan club, will go on sale on August 12 at this location. General on-sale will begin on August 14. Every ticket purchase — which admits one carload of up to six people — will include four digital downloads of METALLICA's "S&M²", the long-awaited album documenting the two historic concerts that reunited the band and San Francisco Symphony for the first time in 20 years. "S&M²" will be released August 28 on the band's own Blackened Recordings.

The METALLICA show is part of the Encore Drive-In Nights series, which is presented by leading event production company Encore Live. Since June, Encore Live has partnered with drive-in theaters across the country to provide world-class entertainment in a safe, creative way.

For more information and to see if a venue near you is presenting the show, visit encorenights.com or call your local theater.

In addition to METALLICA, THREE DAYS GRACE will also serve as the official Encore Drive-In Nights opening act for the August 29 show.

Drive-in theaters hosting the concert will adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended guidelines as well as all state and local health mandates. Staff will wear personal protective equipment and enforce at least six feet of space between cars. The series will also use contactless payment and ticketing systems and limit capacity in restrooms. Guidelines around concessions will be enforced to abide by individual state regulations.

For a full list of procedures that the Encore Drive-In Nights is employing to keep fans and staff safe, visit encorenights.com.

Unlike traditional concert tickets that are bought for one fan's individual admission, each purchase for Encore Drive-In Nights' concerts will admit one carload of fans. That means up to six people can enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime show for one price.

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

Back in April, drummer Lars Ulrich revealed in an online chat that the band could get together to write and record a new album while in quarantine.

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

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

Trailight mastermind Omer Cordell is working on new music and posted a teaser for a song called "Truth", which can be heard below.

Cordell has followed up with a new update: 

"I'm pretty excited that I'll be collaborating with the one and only Dave Padden (ex-Annihilator) on this project. We will be mixing the album together when the time comes."

BraveWords spoke with Cordell about Padden's involvement on the new album, and he offered the following:

"I'm basically doing everything again. I am having Dave mix it with me; he's mixed one of the songs and it's really banging! It's too early to say if he'll sing on it, but I may have him do a vocal or two. Not sure yet. But mixing, yes!"

Padden sang on the Trailight debut, The Primitive Mountain, released in 2015. Check out "Open Doors" below.

Trailight previously released the Endure The Fire album in 2019.

The album is one track clocking in at 33:16. It features the following sections:

"Towards Infinity" 
"Death"
"Endure The Fire" 
"Epiphanies In The Dead Of Night" 
"Apotheosis" 
"Train Of Thought" 
"As Within, So Without"

Cordell: "Dedicated with reverence to all indigenous traditions and medicines around the world. To get the most out of this experience, I would highly recommend creating the space to listen to this album. Best experienced through headphones in a quiet space."




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Check out Thomas Zwijsen and Wiki Krawczyk covering the traditional Irish song “Whiskey In The Jar” using acoustic / classical fingerstyle guitar and violin, inspired by the versions of Metallica, Thin Lizzy and The Dubliners.

Says Zwijsen: “‘Whiskey In The Jar’ has been performed by a huge number of artists, including Metallica, Think Lizzy and The Dubliners. Our version shows influences from those 3 versions in our attempt to create the best version.”




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On Friday, July 24, Gibson celebrated 40 years of AC/DC's landmark album "Back In Black" with the "Back In Black 40th Anniversary: A Virtual Celebration" livestream event. Hosted by Jared James Nichols, the "Back In Black 40th Anniversary: A Virtual Celebration" featured AC/DC testimonials from a number of musicians, including GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash.

Speaking about the impact "Back In Black" had on his own musical upbringing, Slash said: "First time I ever heard it was at my friend's house. So this was 1980. And this was a crucial point in rock and roll at that time, because all my favorite bands had either disbanded or members had died. And there was a lot of new music, but nothing really turned me on that much. And AC/DC, I was familiar with 'Highway To Hell' and I was familiar with 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap', and I was into those two records. But I didn't know Bon Scott had died, I didn't know they had a new singer or any of that. And then all of a sudden 'Back In Black' came out, and it was like a battle cry for rock and roll and heavy metal at that time. It was a killer record from start to finish — every song was good. The single 'Back In Black' was as good a single as a rock and roll single gets. I think one of my favorite songs on the record was 'Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution'. And then, even to this day, one of my favorite guitar solos of all time is in 'Hells Bells'. So that particular record, it was pivotal for me. I just started playing guitar, and it was the first really great rock and roll band to come along in a little while. And, obviously, it was a big record for AC/DC and garnered them a place in history books that would go on forever and ever after that."

Last December, "Back in Black" was certified by the Recording Industry Association Of America for U.S. shipments of 25 million copies.

"Back in Black" first went platinum in October 1980 and had previously been certified 22 times platinum in December 2007. The RIAA lists "Back In Black" as the fourth biggest-selling album of all time.

On July 25, 1980, AC/DC released "Back In Black" in the U.S., followed by the album's U.K. release on July 31. It was the band's first album without lead singer Bon Scott, who had died a few months earlier after passing out and choking on his own vomit following a long night of drinking.

The group quickly decided to press on and hired Brian Johnson from the band GEORDIE to take over on vocals, and they headed to the Bahamas for about six weeks to do the album. AC/DC had made some serious headway in America before Scott's death, but no one knew how "Back In Black" would be received.

"Back In Black" included the singles "You Shook Me All Night Long", which peaked at No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Back In Black", which peaked at No. 37.

Despite its massive success, it never got higher than No. 4 on the album charts. The band's next album, "For Those About To Rock", reached No. 1.

"Back In Black" was produced by Robert "Mutt" Lange, who went on to produce DEF LEPPARD, FOREIGNER, THE CARS, and BRYAN ADAMS.

In 2012, "Back In Black" was added to The Recording Academy's legendary Grammy Hall Of Fame collection.

AC/DC recently launched a range of new merchandise to celebrate the 40th anniversary of "Back In Black".

Megadeth guitarist Kiko Loureiro has released a playthrough video for his new song, "Vital Signs", from his recently released solo album, Open Source. Check it out below:

Get the album here, and find a full audio stream below.

A recent message from Kiko states: "By definition, 'open source' is related to softwares which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. It brings us a higher sense of community, enhances our creativity and creates new possibilities. So why not take this concept to our art, our music? How much richer a song could be if others had access to its source code? What if the song's original composition wasn't the final product? What if it was just the beginning? Something that could be constantly updated and evolve over time. And as well as a machine, we as humans are also minded to enhancements, being an open source ourselves, constantly moving and growing, through technology, science, spirituality… and art. This is the mindset which I bring now to my fifth solo album, that was named... guess what? OPEN SOURCE!"

Tracklisting:

"Overflow
"EDM (e-Dependent Mind)"
"Imminent Threat"
"Liquid Times"
"Sertão"
"Vital Signs"
"Dreamlike"
"Black Ice"
"In Motion"
"Running With The Bulls"
"Du Monde"

Album stream:




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Harrisburg, PA based heavy rock band Eternal Frequency has released the official music video for their new single, "Parasite." Directed by Eric DiCarlo, the single was produced by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland of Atrium Audio.

"Our new single, ‘Parasite,’ is our favorite release thus far," says the band. "It's something completely different than anything we have ever done before. It's edgy, it's ballsy, it's just a banger. Simple as that! The meaning of 'Parasite' is to stand up for yourself and to relieve yourself of the poison infecting your life from outside forces. You control you, and you alone. No one has the power to manipulate or bring you down. We all fall victim to letting toxicity eat us alive, this song is about finding that antidote within yourself to survive."

For further details, visit Eternal Frequency on Facebook.

 




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Buffalo, New York melodic death metal band The Last Reign have just released the video for their song "Ironclad Torment". The song is from their upcoming album Evolution, which is set to be released in October. 

"With heavy restrictions everywhere, we tried to make due and put something out fun for all to enjoy," says the band. 

Evolution pre-orders will be made available soon, in the meantime, check out the cover art:

For further details, visit The Last Reign on Facebook.

 




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The KISS Alive! Road Case limited edition collectible is now available for pre-order. Estimated shipping date is January 2021.

The KISS Alive! Road Case On Tour Series collectible is an officially licensed, limited edition collectible; only 3000 of each are cast. Each are hand detailed and comes with a certificate of authenticity on the base. The Rock Iconz On Tour Series brings music fans and collectors moments in and around the world’s great live performances and world tours.

Pre-order at this location.

KISS 3 3/4 inch scale Series 4 action figures featuring iconic outfits worn on the Rock And Roll Over and Psycho Circus tours are available now. Order yours now at this location.




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Los Angeles-based metal outfit Diesel Machine - featuring vocalist AJ Cavalier (Soil, World In Pain), guitarist Patrick Lachman (Halford, Damageplan), bassist Rich Gonzales (Recipients Of Death, American Aftermath), and drummer Shane Gaalaas (Cosmosquad, B’z) - will release their new album, Evolve, on August 21 via Metalville Records.

A drum playthrough video for the new song "React" featuring Gaalaas can be viewed below.

The band previously released a lyric video for the track, "Shut It", which will be included on the new album.

Formed in the mid-1990s out of the ashes of L.A. heavies World In Pain and Eleventh Hour, respectively, Diesel Machine's bonecrushing metal maelstorm was first heard via a 6-song demo tape, issued under the original name Diesel, before the band settled into a 4-piece line-up comprising Cavalier, Lachman, Gonzales, and Gaalaas for their debut album, Torture Test, released through SPV/Steamhammer. Much acclaimed and controversial at the same time, the band's uncompromising blend of razor sharp riffing, ten-ton hammer rhythm 'n' grooves, and hardcore vocals elicited comparisons to the likes of Pantera, Crowbar, Machine Head and Meshuggah, and led to a West Coast run of dates with Soulfly, Static-X, and Soil, and shows with Prong and Crowbar, among others.

While working on material for their second album, the band was dealt a major blow when bassist Rich Gonzales was involved in a near fatal motorcycle accident in the summer of 2002 that put him in the hospital for four months struggling to survive and recover from massive injuries that would ultimately make him wheelchair bound. As Diesel Machine got put on hold indefinitely, its members forged new musical paths. Lachman, fresh out of Halford at the time, became the vocalist for short-lived Pantera offshoot Damageplan, and later formed The Mercy Clinic. Meanwhile, Cavalier started One Percent Soul and was eventually tapped to front Soil with whom he recorded and toured extensively. Gaalaas would find fame in Japan as the timekeeper for stadium selling rock superstars B'z, having been part of every album and tour since 2003, as well as propelling prog metal fusioneers Cosmosquad. Gonzales, too, would eventually find his way back into music with American Aftermath, a unit that also featured Kyng's Eddie Veliz.

Check out the Evolve artwork and tracklisting below, and stay tuned for further details.

Tracklisting:

"Death March"
"React"
"Exit Wound"
"Ounce Of Strength"
"Shut It"
"Cynical"
"Judgement"
"Evolve"
"Nothing Left"
"I'm Insane"
"Anger Within"

"Shut It" lyric video:

Lineup:

AJ Cavalier - vocals
Patrick Lachman - guitar
Rich Gonzales - bass
Shane Gaalaas - drums




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Back in 2012, former Theatre of Tragedy drummer Hein Frode Hansen launched a new band, The Black Locust Project, with Kristian Sigland (vocals, guitars, bass / ex-The Crest). The project eventually went dormant and was presumably aborted, but they have been working on new material. They are now gearing up to release their official debut single, "Ethereal Plague". Pre-order / pre-save will be launched later this week.

More details will be revealed soon. Watch the band's Facebook page here for updates.

Check out "We Remain Strangers" from 2012 below.

Photo by Erlend Sørbø




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On Tuesday, August 4th, two explosions ripped through the city of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. The second blast resulted in at least 157 deaths, 5,000 injuries, and resulted in  $10 – 15 billion (US) in property damage, leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless. The blast was linked to 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, which is equivalent to approximately 1,155 tons of TNT confiscated by the Lebanese government from the abandoned ship MV Rhosus and stored in the port without proper safety measures for six years. The blast was detected by the United States Geological Survey as a seismic event of magnitude 3.3, which reached Turkey, Syria, Israel, and parts of Europe, and was heard from over 100 miles away.

One of the people caught in the blast was Nervecell drummer Bachir Ramadan, who survived the disaster. The band has issued the following statement:

"As if it wasn't bad enough with what's been going on in the world lately, unfortunately we come to bear some unfortunate news: Bachir Ramadan (current Nervecell drummer) was one of the thousands badly effected by the blast in Beirut, Lebanon on August 4th. Out of respect to Bachir and his family, we did not want to post about this initially when this all broke out. Now that the news is out, and more importantly he is ALIVE and survived this disaster, we ask that you all send your blessings and well wishes to him. Stay safe everyone, and may the people of Lebanon get the justice they have long deserved!"

Nervecell guitarist Barney Ribeiro added to the statement with his own message:

"I've been laying low and doing good staying away from social media for a while now, but the tragic event that took place in Beirut, Lebanon this week, followed by the news I received in the last 48 hours of my dear friend and current Nervecell drummer Bachir has brought me back here. 

The level of negligence and corruption that exists within the authorities and government in Lebanon is undeniable. It's unfortunate, unfair and disrespectful, given how beautiful the country is and how laid back and fun loving the Lebanese way of life is. I've been fortunate to visit and perform in Beirut twice in my life, and I was always welcomed there and treated like their own. For a country that has suffered for decades now from civil war, an economic crises and social unrest... their level of hospitality is unmatched! 

A blast of this magnitude needs accountability, and I can only hope and pray that there will be a transparent investigation in the days to come, to honor and give justice back to the innocent lives of the victims affected and their families." 




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Celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, metalcore pioneers Darkest Hour have just announced a special livestream event to benefit their favorite local venue during these unprecedented times.

To aid their good friends at the Black Cat in the band's hometown of Washington DC, Darkest Hour has announced a worldwide live streaming event to be held on September 26, 2020 via VEEPS.com. All the profits of this event will go to the Black Cat Employee fund. 

The band writes, "We have been spending a lot of time thinking of our family, friends, and colleagues who are all struggling to find a way through these trying times. The Black Cat has been a constant refuge for us over the years and so it feels right to our best to give back now. We need art, we need music, and we will need a place to all come together eventually to heal form all of this. We want those of our friends who work in the music/art/live events industry to know that we see you, we are here for you, and most of all that you are not alone.

We will be rolling out a special digital merchandise store, and some other surprises so follow along on our social media as we reveal more details. Happy to do our part to support the fund and give back to a community and club that has given so much to us.

Thanks so much in advance for helping get the word out. Just trying to get creative, stay active, give back, all while we try and write the best album of our lives!"

Purchase a ticket for the stream here.

Stay tuned for further updates on Darkest Hour as they continue to write their new album for release through Southern Lord in 2021.

(Photo by: Vince Edwards)




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THE DEAD DAISIES will kick off 2021 with a European headline tour, showcasing the band's new lineup and eager to perform their first new music for fans since 2018. Support on the trek will come from the U.K. band THOSE DAMN CROWS.

"We can't play for you in 2020, but we are really looking forward to seeing you in 2021 for our 'Get Out Of The House' tour and playing as many stages across the planet as possible," says vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes. "Love is the answer and music is the healer. Let's rock 'n' roll together."

With dates yet to be confirmed, the band will follow up with shows in the U.K. and Japan. They'll then embark on a summer run throughout Europe combining arena and amphitheatre shows playing with JUDAS PRIEST and FOREIGNER and at some of the most famous and coveted festivals such as Graspop Metal Meeting and Hellfest.

And much more is on the horizon: fans in the U.S., Canada, Australia and South America need not worry: THE DEAD DAISIES will be coming for you in 2021 — you can count on it.

With Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION) joining THE DEAD DAISIES, it's now a leaner four-piece outfit that has brought a new urgency and vigor to its overall sound and vibe. With Deen Castronovo (JOURNEY, BAD ENGLISH, HARDLINE) on the drums, the powerful and complimentary fretwork of guitar virtuoso Doug Aldrich (WHITESNAKE, DIO), and the solid rhythm guitar foundation of David Lowy (MINK, RED PHOENIX), Glenn's primal rhythms have supercharged the band's front line with rock solid bass grooves and unmatched vocal intensity.

THE DEAD DAISIES' upcoming album, "Holy Ground", was recorded by producer Ben Grosse at La Fabrique Studio in the south of France and is slated for a January 2021 release to coincide with the tour.

THE DEAD DAISIES 2021 tour dates:

Feb. 03 - Turock - Essen DE

Feb. 04 - Columbia Theater - Berlin DE

Feb. 06 - Backstage Werk - Munich DE

Feb. 07 - Capitol - Hannover DE

Feb. 09 - Schlachthof - Wiesbaden DE

Feb. 10 - Hirsch - Nuremberg DE

Feb. 11 - Lucerna Music Bar - Prague CZ

Feb. 13 - MMC - Bratislava SK

Feb. 16 - Barba Negra - Budapest HU

Feb. 18 - Simm City - Vienna AU

Feb. 19 - Live Club - Milan IT

Feb. 21 - CCO - Lyon FR

Feb. 23 - Razzmatazz 2 - Barcelona SP

Feb. 24 - BUT - Madrid SP

Feb. 25 - Totem - Pamplona SP

Feb. 28 - La Laiterie - Strasbourg FR

Mar. 01 - Trabendo - Paris FR

Mar. 03 - Dynamo - Zürich CH

Mar. 05 - Biebob - Vosselaar BE

Mar. 06 - Melkweg - Amsterdam NL

Mar. 09 - Pumpehuset - Copenhagen DK *

Mar. 11 - Slakt Kyrkan - Stockholm SE *

Mar. 12 - Frimis Salonger - Örebro SE *

Mar. 14 - Vulkan Arena - Oslo NO *

* No THOSE DAMN CROWS

Last month, THE DEAD DAISIES released a new digital EP, "The Lockdown Sessions", via Steamhammer/SPV. The effort contains four acoustic tracks, all of them exclusive to this EP: "Unspoken", "Righteous Days" and an amazing version of the HUMBLE PIE classic "30 Days In The Hole", with these three exclusive unplugged versions also featuring as powerful rock tracks on "Holy Ground". The EP rounds out with a stripped back version of "Fortunate Son", featuring Castronovo on lead vocals.

Former AGNOSTIC FRONT bassist Alan Peters (second from left in photo above), who played on the legendary hardcore band's 1987 album "Liberty And Justice For..." album, has died. The news of his passing was confirmed by AGNOSTIC FRONT in a social media post on Friday (August 7). The group wrote: "Today was a very sad day. We lost a solid a brother, a good friend, and a past bandmate who was part of the magic and making of our Liberty And Justice For... LP. Alan Peters is no longer with us. We would often see each other here and there mostly in Dallas. Last time he didn’t make the show and we figured we’d catch him a few months later. Sadly that never happened. Our deepest condolences for the Peters family. Alan had deep roots in the Pitsburgh scene and NYHC scene. Rest In Peace my brother, you will not be forgotten..."

According to The Big Takeover, Peters grew up in Ohio and then moved to Pittsburgh. In addition to AGNOSTIC FRONT, he played in CRAWLPAPPY, which put out one EP on Blackout! Records in 1990, and ABSOLUTION, which was described by writer Steven Blush in the book "New York Rock: From The Rise Of The Velvet Underground To The Fall Of CBGB" as "NYHC's late-'80s answer to an early-'80s hardcore band."


Today was a very sad day. We lost a solid a brother, a good friend, and a past bandmate who was part of the magic and...

Posted by Agnostic Front on Friday, August 7, 2020

Legendary British producer Martin Birch, who is best known for engineering and producing albums by DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW, FLEETWOOD MAC, WHITESNAKE, BLACK SABBATH, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT and IRON MAIDEN, died earlier today (Sunday, August 9) at the age of 71. His passing was confirmed former DEEP PURPLE and current WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale, who tweeted: "It is with a very heavy heart I've just had verified my very dear friend & producer Martin Birch has passed away.

"Martin was a huge part of my life...helping me from the first time we met through until Slide It In...

"Mt thoughts & prayers to his family, friends & fans...Broken heart"

Birch began his career in music as an audio engineer with Jeff Beck, FLEETWOOD MAC and DEEP PURPLE. In 1981, he kicked off a long tenure working with IRON MAIDEN, producing their first nine albums, from "Iron Maiden" to "Fear Of The Dark". He also produced and engineered LPs for various DEEP PURPLE-related projects (RAINBOW, PAICE ASHTON LORD, WHITESNAKE, Roger Glover, Jon Lord). The song "Hard Lovin' Man" from the DEEP PURPLE album "Deep Purple In Rock" is dedicated to him. He retired in 1992, after producing MAIDEN's "Fear Of The Dark" album.

In a 1983 interview with France's Best magazine, Birch stated about MAIDEN: "At first, I could objectively judge them and I think that they are very different from the hard rockers of the early seventies. Nowadays, I'm not so sure I can judge them, as we have become very close friends and I can't do that anymore.

"The first time I saw them at work, I was surprised and seduced by their energy and their attitude. I have rarely seen bands with so much energy. In this way, they reminded me a bit of the early PURPLE. But their attitude towards rock is very different, and so is their conception of it. It was said that they were a second DEEP PURPLE, but I don't agree with this. Obviously, Steve Harris was a PURPLE fan, but he's mostly influenced by bands like JETHRO TULL, UFO or even GENESIS. Nothing to do with DEEP PURPLE. Of course, in both cases we have a very melodic hard rock, and not just speeded up noise like with some other bands in heavy metal, but I don't think we can compare any further."

He continued: "I personally wanted to produce them because it was a way out of the PURPLE family. There are in fact many differences. Musically, a band like IRON MAIDEN is typical of the second generation of hard rock and stands out from the first one because the band is more consistant, more compact. They don't fall into easy and very boring solutions with 20-minute guitar solos, then keyboards, then drums, like I experienced with DEEP PURPLE. I think they're more robust, musically speaking. Another difference is their attitude towards the outside world. They are not into the 'star-system' and remain very accessible. Success has raised any barriers between them and the others, press, audience, which wasn't the case before. Moreover, they listen to you, and they are not convinced right away that they are right. This is why I think that this is my favourite band to work with; the producer/band relationship is much more constructive. Even within the band, although Steve Harris is the boss because he founded it and writes most of the songs, there is a great unity and nobody tries to stand out individually from the team. It's really nice, and mostly really exciting because their music is full of energy."




It is with a very heavy heart I’ve just had verified my very dear friend & producer Martin Birch has passed away...Martin was a huge part of my life...helping me from the first time we met through until Slide It In...Mt thoughts & prayers to his family, friends & fans...?? pic.twitter.com/J4UyDiG9zR

— David Coverdale (@davidcoverdale) August 9, 2020








A Gloriously Talented, Loving Man…Will Be Sadly Missed …Martin Birch R.I.P. https://t.co/0xKO6pdBtq

— David Coverdale (@davidcoverdale) August 9, 2020








What a loss. RIP Martin Birch.

To say he was my biggest influence as a record producer would be an understatement. pic.twitter.com/JseecxUhTd

— Jay Ruston (@jayruston) August 9, 2020








Really sad to hear of the passing of Martin Birch. Brilliant producer. Had the pleasure of working with him on the Black Sabbath albums #HeavenandHell and #MobRules. Condolences to Vera and family. #RIPMartin pic.twitter.com/FPZajWRvpN

— Geezer Butler (@geezerbutler) August 9, 2020








RIP Martin Birch. Legendary producer of countless albums by Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Iron Maiden & more.

"My thoughts & prayers go out to his wife Vera & his daughter Haley. He was a genius producer & a very dear friend of Ronnie’s. May he RIP"- Wendy Dio pic.twitter.com/9GTqNs36WC

— Official Dio (@OfficialRJDio) August 9, 2020








A true legend has passed! This man produces some of my favorite albums from Iron Maiden (Killers/Number of the Beast) to Black Sabbath (Heaven & Hell/The Mob Rules). His pronounced kick drum spikes on critical… https://t.co/fUL8gk9EoH

— David Ellefson (@ellefsondavid) August 10, 2020








RIP #martinbirch , he produced the Sounds to Most of our lives #tones #producer @IronMaiden @BlackSabbath

— Charlie Benante (@skisum) August 10, 2020

This past May, STYX drummer Todd Sucherman released his debut solo album, "Last Flight Home", via Aqua Pulse Records. The official music video for the disc's latest single, a cover of ELBOW's "Kindling", can be seen below.

Sucherman explains why he chose "Kindling" to be the sole cover song on the album: "Right around the same time J.K Harrison was trying to convince me to do my own record, my wife, Taylor," who spent 12 years in Brian Wilson's band, "and I happened to be listening to ELBOW's 'Little Fictions' record. She said randomly and in the moment, 'You'd sound good on this one, if you ever decide to record something.' I adored 'Kindling' and 'Starlings' by ELBOW, and I think those are two of the most impressionistically romantic songs I've heard in recent years. With my version of 'Kindling', I wanted to add a bit of a bigger, heroic moment at the end musically, and the end section is a big differentiation between the two versions."

CDs, high-resolution audio WAV downloads, and limited-edition signed and numbered 180-gram vinyl LPs are available now on all digital outlets as well as Todd's official web site.

Recording sessions for "Last Flight Home", which was co-produced by Sucherman and J.K. Harrison, mainly took place between July 2019 and January 2020 at various locales in California and Texas, with Sucherman handling all lead vocal and principal drumming duties in addition to co-writing nine of the album's ten songs. Over the course of its very concise and well-sequenced 42 minutes, "Last Flight Home" soars mightily, from the universal longing of the title track to the grandiose, twisted orchestral circus vibe of "Ad Lib Everything" (buttressed by a majestic string section) to the heartfelt surrender of "It's Perfection" (featuring angelic background vocals from Todd's esteemed better half, Taylor Mills) to the edgier, self-inflicted carnage of "The Damage".

In fact, "Last Flight Home" is further proof that Sucherman's inherent musical chops and respect for the pocket run deep and true, a fitting testament for a man who's made a career out of serving the needs of the song at hand above all else. As further evidence, Todd cites a few key drummers he admires as being highly influential for how he approached his playing on this album — namely, the likes of Ringo Starr, Phil Collins, Dave Mattacks (FAIRPORT CONVENTION) and Jerry Marotta (PETER GABRIEL).

Listeners expecting a "Methods & Mechanics"-flavored drum clinic will be in for a bit of a surprise when they cue up "Last Flight Home" — albeit in a good way. "Fans of complicated, fast, and tricky drumming are probably going to be disappointed," Todd allows, "but I hope that fans of music will enjoy this record. I know that STYX music affords a lot of room for a lot of playing, but I always try to play musically anyway. Having the singer's perspective this time was interesting, because there were a couple of drum moments I had planned that I thought would be cool from a drummer's perspective. But when I went to play them, they were wrecking the song. I wound up editing my parts so the song could breathe and live better, rather than using it as a platform to show how clever I am."

From Todd's vantage point, the true stars of "Last Flight Home" are indeed the songs themselves, not the musicians who played them. "I've always loved singers, lyrics, and melodies," he observes. "That's more important than any drum histrionics to me. What's drum stuff anyway if it's not paired with music and works in a musical context where you're choosing the right things to play on a song? For me, melody is the most powerful song element there is."

To that end, the title track "Last Flight Home" is where Todd the singer/songwriter felt everything coalesced. "That's a standout moment for me, the experience of writing that song — and it's something that came together rather quickly," he admits. "When we started talking about lyric ideas, I thought about how hard it is for me to get home sometimes when I'm on the road. It seems like it should be easy to do, but it often turns into being some kind of fight or warfare. It's something you have to manage and navigate through just to be able to get home."

From there, the songwriting dominos soon fell into place. "This was also the song that tied everything together," Todd continues, "and to me, as soon as we started working on it, it was clearly Track 1. If you're gonna lead an album off with something, that was the one to do it right. And it was right to be the album title too, because it encompasses my life experience of being a traveling musician. It all happened very naturally and organically, and that's the thing I'm really proud of the most."

The immediate sense of relatability "Last Flight Home" evokes feels even more poignant during these uncertain times. "There's definitely a longing with a hopeful happy ending in that piece of music," Todd acknowledges. "I think we're all longing for something, whether it's a longing for our safety, a longing for this to be over, or a longing for our old reality. It's possible that people can attach their own meaning or gravitas to this particular song, just like they do with any good song."

"Last Flight Home" is also the perfect showcase for Todd's nascent emotive singing style. "It gave me the confidence that, 'Yes, I can do this.' Now I had to be the one to emote and be the storyteller who connects with the lyrics, and then sing them in tune and sing in time, line by line," Todd observes. "And it's not an easy thing to do! You're just trying to detect what works, what can be better, and how it all connects to the star of the show — which is the song. And if my music can provide any sort of comfort at this time, then what greater thing to be able to do for others than to make them feel better, or hopeful, or able to eventually look back on a time where maybe this music got them through this unique and dark time in human history."

Another thing Todd learned during the "Last Flight Home" sessions was how he wanted to bond with his listeners as a lead singer. "Anyone who can connect with a song — that's really something. My respect for all singers has risen exponentially after having gone through this process. Singing is like juggling a chainsaw, a bowling pin, an egg, and a hot potato in foil," he says with a wry chuckle before adding, "I guess there are a few people who are born with it, but, boy — it ain't easy, I can tell you that!"

Todd's innate knack for creating memorable melodies stems from, to some degree, his admiration for artists who come from across The Pond. "I have to be totally honest — British rock has always been what I've gravitated toward," he reveals, "whether it's been THE WHO, THE BEATLES, LED ZEPPELIN, XTC, THE BLUE NILE or AQUALUNG. The reason a lot of British music is anthemic or epic is because those artists had to create their own sunshine, so to speak. Great music can come out of circumstances like those, and that hits me emotionally on the deepest level. My favorite records, like THE BEATLES' 'Revolver', are ones that have hills and valleys, and act like a book or a story that pulls it all together."

Ultimately, "Last Flight Home" shows a number of sides of a budding artist now emerging in full bloom. "The whole experience has been so deep and so gratifying," Todd concludes. "It's hard for me to guess how my music will connect with people. But that's really the magic and mystery of music, isn't it, because any piece of music can mean a myriad of things to whole groups of different people. If this album means something to even a handful of people, then it's been my pleasure. If more people are apt to enjoy it, all the better."

Sucherman took over drumming duties in STYX a year before the death of John Panozzo in 1996.

STYX's latest album, 2017's "The Mission", was met with praise from fans. Its arrival ended a 14-year run without an LP of new original material from the veteran band.

Photo credit: Ronn Dunnett

Vocalist Anders Fridén of Swedish veteran metallers IN FLAMES, who are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their seminal, critically acclaimed album "Clayman", was asked in a new interview with Keen Eye 4 Concerts how he and his bandmates have changed as people and musicians in the last two decades. He responded (hear audio below): "A lot of things have changed. People within the band come and go. It's only me and Björn [Gelotte, guitar] left from that era of the band. I've got kids now; I didn't have [them] then. Of course, it's a different time, but at the same time, the passion and the fire for the music hasn't changed. I'm so amazed that I can do what I do and that I can travel the world — not at the moment, I can't, but for the most part, I can travel the world. It's my hobby. Music was a hobby that turned into a job which I still consider a hobby. I'm super fortunate that I can do what I do. It's given me everything I have. It's amazing."

Asked how he would describe the way IN FLAMES' music has progressed over the years, Anders said: "I can't. I still have the same attitude when I go in and create an album. I just try to do the best I possibly can at that point. Whatever feels good feels good and it ends up on the album. And when an album is done and I feel like I've given a hundred percent, then it's time to give it away to the record company and look towards touring and the next album. That's the same attitude; it hasn't changed. I think it's more how fans look at us; it's easier for them to say. 'Cause they see change every third year or every second year, whenever we have an album out, which is a photograph of who we are at that point in our life. I haven't changed; I still feel the same."

A special 20th-anniversary edition of "Clayman" will be released on August 28. "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 (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, MOTÖRHEAD) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge (GREEN DAY, ROB ZOMBIE). 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-inch record and five bonus tracks on a 10-inch record in a printed sleeve.

Preceding the physical release of "Clayman 20th Anniversary Edition", IN FLAMES has just digitally released the "Clayman 2020 EP", which features the 2020 versions of "Only For The Weak", "Bullet Ride", "Pinball Map", "Clayman" and a new instrumental track, "Themes And Variations In D-Minor".

IN FLAMES' latest album, "I, The Mask", was released in March 2019 via Nuclear Blast (worldwide, excluding North America) and Eleven Seven Music (North America).

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral