Melodic death metal outfit, Apocryphal, have unveiled their second single, “Swallow My Lies”, taken off their upcoming album, Facing The End, which is scheduled for release on November 12  via The Circle Music.





The new single, as well as the full album, features Soilwork and The Night Flight Orchestra vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid on vocals. The single is available via all major streaming services. Watch the music video below.




“'Swallow My Lies' is very representative of the band’s sound today,” said the band. “It has a good balance between power, rage, and these heady melodies which are our trademark. The chorus will not leave anyone indifferent, it anchors itself in the head from the first listen. The texts reflect the current global political landscape, and the influence of the media in public opinion among other things.”





Facing The End will be the band’s first since the 1999 debut Black Dreams Of Silence, and features the powerhouse vocals of Soilwork's legendary frontman, Björn "Speed" Strid. It will be released in November on CD, vinyl and digital formats via The Circle Music.


The artwork for Facing The End was done by Valnoir of Metastazis, while the mastering for the album was done by Nino Helfrich at Skull Tone Studios.


The band said: “Our n

Like a fine wine, Flotsam And Jetsam just get better with age, having released their 15th studio album, I Am The Weapon, to great acclaim around the world. Out via AFM Records, the album, that more than deserves its self-confident title, not only takes up seamlessly where its two outstanding predecessors The End Of Chaos (2019) and Blood In The Water (2021) left off, but even doubles down on all expectations.


I Am The Weapon was composed and produced by the whole band and the eleven new songs were recorded at SonicPhish Productions, Gnome Lord Studios, Wayne Manor Studios, and Seventh Spike Studios. The cover artwork was again created by Andy Pilkington.



“It feels pretty good to do another release,” original guitarist Michel Gilbert tells BraveWords on Streaming For Vengeance. “We were kind of on the fence if it was going to be on par with Blood On The Water. When we finally let everyone hear the album, everyone kind of came to the same consensus. I’m proud of the guys and what we’ve done with it. And I’m very grateful to still be relevant in this business almost 40 years. The old guy still has some tank in the gas, I guess. We’re lucky, we just keep going and going and going and there’s no end in site. You see a lot of bands these days who are our age and a lot of them are hanging it up. What were worried about is who is the new blood that’s coming in who’s gonna take the place. Who’s going to be the next Metallica? And I don’t know the answer to that. Will that ever happen again? Like I said, we are very fortunate to be still doing it, and people are still listening to it.”




BraveWords: When we were hanging out at Summer Breeze Brazil, I asked you a bizarre business question. Let’s set the record straight. You said that over time you’ve lost money over your name, Flotsam And Jetsam. The “And” sign “versus the “&” sign. When it comes to contracts it’s been a big problem.


Gilbert: “I can’t tell you how much money that cost me. Ever heard of Sound Exchange? Our whole repertoire, every song I upload, I have to do it twice with the ‘And’ sign and the ‘&’ sign. It’s been a pain in the ass.”


BraveWords: So initially, who thought of the correct writing of the name. 


Gilbert: “That’s (Jason) Newsted. He still owns the rights to it.”


BraveWords: So he owes you the money then (laughing)! 


Gilbert: “Yeah, he owes me a lot of money.”


BraveWords: Ever talk to him about it? 


Gilbert: “No, we really don’t talk about Flots and stuff, it’s always about his projects and where he is at. He seems to be moving around quite a bit. And his paintings as well. They are awesome, and super unique.”


The entire BraveWords chat with Michael Gilbert airs tomorrow on Streaming For Vengeance at 9AM EST. 





I Am The Weapon tracklisting:


"A New Kind Of Hero"
"Primal"
"I Am The Weapon"
"Burned My Bridges"
"The Head Of The Snake"
"Beneath The Shadows"
"Gates Of Hell"
"Cold Steel Lights"
"Kings Of The Underworld"
"Running Through The Fire"
"Black Wings"


"The Head Of The Snake":





"A New Kind Of Hero" video:





"Burned My Bridges":





"Primal" video:





"I Am The Weapon" lyric video:





It’s been almost 40 years since Flotsam And Jetsam, formed in Phoenix, Arizona released their landmark debut, Doomsday For The Deceiver, the only album to ever receive a 6K rating from the influential British magazine Kerrang! Bassist Jason Newsted would jump ship to Metallica while the band released the unstoppable No Place For Disgrace in 1988. Cuatro (1992), Drift (1995), High (1997), and My God (2001) all still rank extremely high in heavy metal circles. But it was the first part of this unofficial trilogy in 2016’s self-titled Flotsam And Jetsam that a certain rejuvenation and reset was clearly felt.


Fast-forward five years to a planet that was forced to its knees. While spending m

LOVE IS NOISE have announced details of their debut album, TO LIVE IN A DIFFERENT WAY , set for release on February 14th, 2025. With influence from Portishead, Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine, Oasis, Bowery Electric, Boards of Canada and Deftones, the band set about to create a record that makes you feel every emotion possible.

Speaking of the album, vocalist Cam Humphrey says: “TO LIVE IN A DIFFERENT WAY is the story of a kid from Bolton trying to understand the world he lives in. It’s 10 tracks full of love, heartache and dream-soaked melody, I believe we’ve created something special.”

In addition to the album news, LOVE IS NOISE have released another new track, take.one.minute.

Oakland, CA blackened progressive metal band DAWN OF OUROBOROS has today shared a new music video for their track Cephalopodic Void, taken from their 2023 sophomore album Velvet Incandescence. Filmed during the summer months whilst on tour in North American in support of Fallujah, Cephalopodic Void‘s music video sees the band close the chapter on their latest album cycle whilst promising new material in 2025.

Stream Velvet Incandescence via Apple Music | TIDAL | Deezer | Bandcamp and Spotify
Order Velvet Incandescence here.


Speaking on the music video release, DAWN OF OUROBOROS‘ Tony Thomas (guitar / synths) comments: “During our tour supporting Fallujah this year we were able to capture fantastic footage of Cephalopodic Void which made its live debut during the tour. 2024 has become one of the most exciting years for us as a band, we had the privilege of participating in this fantastic tour, and we recently completed our third album. We can’t wait to share more news on that as soon as possible!”

Comprised of Tony Thomas (Botanist, Callieach Calling) and vocalist Chelsea Murphy (Callieach Calling) DAWN OF OUROBOROS’ formative years saw the band solidify their core lineup to a five-piece before releasing their debut album, The Art of Morphology, in 2020. The Art of Morphology showcased the young band’s penchant for hybridising the extreme and canorous qualities of progressive, atmospheric black and death metal, ushering in a warm reception from both fans and critics.

Invigorated by the response to their debut album DAWN OF OUROBOROS came together in November 2021 to commence recording of Velvet Incandescence, once again opting to team up with Nick Loiacono at Fang Studios in San Mateo, CA for recording and mixing, before being mastered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker, Bosse De Nage) at The Atomic Garden Studio. Placing an emphasis on melody and feel above technical virtuosity, Velvet Incandescence’s eight tracks revel in sanguine triumph both musically and lyrically.


DAWN OF OUROBOROS’ latest offering refined and redefined their sound to critical acclaim, serving as a luminous spark for the quintet’s increasingly bright future.

Velvet Incandescence tracklist:
1. Healing Grounds
2. Testudines
3. Iron Whispers
4. Levitating Pacifics
5. Rise from Disillusion
6. Castigation
7. Cephalopodic Void
8. Velvet Moon

DAWN OF OUROBOROS is:
Tony Thomas – Guitar / Synths
Chelsea Murphy – Vocals
David Scanlon – Bass
Ian Baker – Guitar / Piano
Ron Bertrand – Drums

Following up their 2023 debut “Xibalba“, cinematic Black Metal project ERSHETU, led by conceptualist/lyricist Void and composer Sacr, presents a second offering. New album “Yomi” finds the band growing in confidence and stature, heading to deeper and darker climes as they immerse themselves in the death folklore of Japanese Shinto.

Tracklist:

01. Ketsurui
02. Jikoku
03. Sekiryō
04. Abikyōkan
05. Kagutsuchi
06. Nenokatasukuni


As with the debut, Vindsval (BLUT AUS NORD, FORHIST) returns on bass and additional guitars. However, in line with the album’s concept, he also assumes lead vocal duties on “Yomi“, translating the inner voice of the kami via the authority of his tortured snarl and hypnotic choirs.

The album was recorded and mixed by V. at Earthsound Studio and mastered by Bruno Varea at Upload Studio, with artwork/design by Maciej Kamuda and poetry by Manon Gayet.

Composer Sacr shares insights into the conceptual background of “Yomi“:

“Void and I love Japanese culture, especially for its history, mythology, Buddhism and, of course, its sounds. This country is fascinating because of its high-tech side and its attachment to ancestral customs. It was a completely natural choice for us. There are no similarities between “Xibalba” and “Yomi” because this time, we are addressing death linked to a religion that is still practiced by more than 90 million people today. The Mayans were a civilization. The approach is therefore different – from my point of view.“

ERSHETU introduces “Yomi” via opening track, ‘Ketsurui‘, paired with a haunting video directed by David Tomanek. Watch the clip below and stream the song on Bandcamp:

Prog-psych/krautrock band WEITE, featuring Nicholas DiSalvo (Elder, Delving), Michael Risberg (Elder, delving), Ingwer Boysen (delving), Ben Lubin (Lawns) and Fabien deMenou (Perilymph), has announced the release of their brand new studio offering, entitled “Oase”, for November 22, 2024 on Stickman Records!

“Oase” is the sophomore album from Berlin-based progressive rock collective Weite, and the follow-up to the band’s 2023 debut LP “Assemblage”. Clocking in at almost an hour, “Oase” — German for “Oasis” — takes listeners on an intricate and textured journey that draws inspiration from the pioneering spirit of 70s psychedelic rock, blending influences from “Canterbury scene” prog, Krautrock, early electronica, post rock, and Americana. The new album showcases Weite‘s ability to merge the old with the new, creating an immersive, exploratory sound that moves from contemplative and pastoral to riffy and doomy without ever sacrificing melody. “Oase” is characterized by longer expansive, atmospheric compositions yet is undoubtedly more composed than the band’s debut, with more of a focus on songs, albeit in the broader sense of the word. With the focus on melody, texture and mood— although not necessarily always in that order — Weite create a sound that’s intricate and meditative, inviting the listener to embark on a journey through shifting soundscapes and evolving musical narratives.


[Cover Art by Sofia Hjortberg]
“We’re really proud of this album and worked super hard to channel all our influences into it: everything from the 70s prog we all love, to krautrock, americana and ambient, among other stuff,” Ben Lubin comments. “It’s definitely much stronger compositionally-speaking because of it, and we’re a much better band after gigging over the past year since the first LP came out.”

Nick DiSalvo adds: “Weite has come to embody a sort of collective spirit both within the band and within our little Berlin scene – musicians and friends, all in a seemingly rotating cast with each others’ bands, as guest musicians, tour help, etc. Each member takes the strengths and experiences from their other projects and pours it into our music, which results in a pretty interesting mashup, especially the longer we play together. “Oase” is for me personally an homage to the little oases in life: the couch, the rehearsal space, and yes, even the Späti – a Berlin biotope, a small convenience store where you can sit and take a break from the daily stress and enjoy a drink, a smoke or a conversation.”

Weite was formed in Berlin in winter 2022 by bassist Ingwer Boysen recruiting drummer Nick DiSalvo and guitarists Michael Risberg and Ben Lubin. Initially intended as a one-off recording session, the four recognized an obvious musical chemistry and common ground and decided to turn the project into a proper band. Keyboardist Fabien deMenou joined in 2024. “Oase” will be available on 180gr. pink marbled 2LP, on CD and digitally on November 22, 2024 via Stickman Records. Watch out for many more details, single releases and the album pre-sale to start soon!

Prepare for a sonic and spiritual awakening! Progressive metal pioneers EXODUS RISING unveil the awe-inspiring music video for their soul-stirring ballad, “Blazing Love”.

This powerful track, a cornerstone of their upcoming album “The Book of Life” (releasing October 18th, 2024 via Wormholedeath Records), ignites a firestorm of emotions, drawing inspiration from the timeless Songs of Solomon. Witness progressive metal mastery’s explosive fusion and divine love’s profound language.

Embark on a groundbreaking journey where heavy metal meets heavenly inspiration. Exodus Rising transcends the genre’s boundaries, inviting listeners to explore the depths of human connection blessed by a higher power.


In the progressive heavy metal scene, Exodus Rising has emerged as a transcendent force, blending musical mastery with spiritual storytelling. Founded by brothers NY Charlie, a skilled bassist and studio engineer, and KC Bonet, a gifted guitarist, the band began their journey in New York City. Joined by keyboardist Chris Zapa, they set out to create a concept album inspired by biblical themes. After several lineup changes, including the departures of drummers Otoniel Vargas and Willie “Speedy” Gonzalez, the band found their perfect rhythm with Luka Stone. Vocalist J Slate, with his three-octave range and spiritual devotion, completed the lineup, infusing new energy into the band. Together, they are preparing to release a groundbreaking album that fuses progressive metal with a divine narrative, taking listeners on a profound journey from Genesis to Revelation.

“The Book of Life” by EXODUS RISING is a Christian Progressive Heavy Metal album that spans the entire biblical narrative, from Genesis to Revelation. This concept album humanizes ancient stories, presenting them in digestible bites. Drawing inspiration from classical composers like Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart, and blending them with the progressive metal influences of Symphony X, Dream Theater, and Queen to name a few. With that inspiration, EXODUS RISING creates a unique sound. Our music is a melting pot of classical essence and modern metal, embodying the spirit of metal, while being envoys of light, and ministers of heavenly brutality.

BLIND CHANNEL release their infamous boyband cover EVERYBODY (BLOODBROS BACK).
After releasing their latest album EXIT EMOTIONS in March 2024, the chart-topping Finnish nu-metal stars are finally unleashing their legendary cover EVERYBODY (BLOODBROS BACK) of Backstreet Boys’ 1997 hit single ‘Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)’. The cover, which has been part of the bands’ live set-list all over the US and Europe, can already be considered a fan-favorite and turns the original boyband pop song into a high-octane headbanger that will have both metalheads and 90s fans moshing together.

The track comes with an impressive music video that recaps the band’s significant growth and success over the past three years and showcases their non-stop dedication to their career.

Stream the single here: https://blindchannelfi.lnk.to/EVERYBODY-SingleNe


The band shares about the single: “Over 10 years ago we were starting our career as a group of teenagers playing energetic metal while being dressed like 2010’s Justin Biebers. People started calling us a ”boyband trying to play metal”. We chose to embrace what was originally meant as an insult. Now it’s time to turn this absolute boyband-classic from our live shows to a full-on studio version with low tuned guitars & modern nu metal vibes. Instead of ”original and sexual” we are ”emotional and miserable”. Check out our cover of this iconic song and the music video recapping our career’s craziest moments on & off stage.”

According to Rolling Stone, former RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS guitarist Josh Klinghoffer pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge in connection with a car accident that left a pedestrian dead.

Klinghoffer did not attend today's (Thursday, September 26) hearing at the Alhambra, California courthouse but entered the plea through his lawyer, Blair Berk.

According to court records, Klinghoffer was driving a Black 2022 GMC Yukon on March 18 when the vehicle struck 47-year-old pedestrian Israel Sanchez on Meridian Avenue near West Main Street in Alhambra. Video of the incident shows the car then pulling to the side of the road and a man stepping out and apparently calling 911. Sanchez was pronounced dead at the Huntington Hospital in Pasadena — about three miles away from the crash — later that day.

Sanchez's daughter Ashley filed a civil lawsuit against Klinghoffer in July, seeking a jury trial and damages including funeral, burial and medical expenses, attorney fees and pain and the loss of her father's "love, companionship, comfort, care, assistance, protection, affection, society and moral support."

"Video of the incident shows that Defendant Klinghoffer made no efforts to brake or slow down until after he fatally struck Mr. Sanchez, indicating that Klinghoffer was likely to be driving while distracted," Sanchez's family's attorneys stated in a news release. "Video taken seconds before the incident shows an object between the steering wheel and the driver that is believed to be a phone."

Klinghoffer's legal team denied that their client was distracted, saying it was "purely a tragic accident."

"It's clear from the evidence that Mr. Klinghoffer was not on the phone at the time of the accident," attorney Andrew B. Brettler said in a statement to KTLA 5 News. "This was a tragic accident. There was no criminal intent, nor is any alleged."

Klinghoffer joined the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS in 2009 following the departure of John Frusciante, and was fired in 2019, before Frusciante's return. He recorded two albums with the CHILI PEPPERS, "I'm With You" (2011) and "The Getaway" (2016). He has also worked with PEARL JAM and JANE'S ADDICTION.

Image credit: Tuna On Toast With Stryker

Italian digital/metal innovator arottenbit unveils the second advance single from their new album, “You Don’t Know What Chiptune Is”, set for release on October 4th 2024 via Time To Kill Records.

arottenbit commented: “A chaotic excursion from 95 to 246 BPM. Urban and forest landscapes, in a quest for pure pleasure, deliberately ignoring all the risks that might be encountered along the way.
Speedcore and techno intertwined with the established hardcore punk and sludge metal approach that distinguishes every POST-CHIPTUNE track by arottenbit.
A Game Boy used as a true musical instrument, not as a gimmick or aesthetic whim. A gaming console pushed to its limits and transformed into a nightmare-grinding machine.
A journey into the darkest instincts and hidden desires. You know you like it”.


Album tracklist:

01. -_SPECIMEN_UNO_____(PROBE#1162011)
02. -_SPECIMEN_DUE_____(PROBE#1292011)
03. -_SPECIMEN_TRE_____(PROBE#1312011)
04. -_SPECIMEN_QUATTRO_(PROBE#1132010)
05. -_SPECIMEN_CINQUE__(PROBE#0542009)
06. -_SPECIMEN_SEI_____(PROBE#1262011)
07. -_SPECIMEN_SETTE___(PROBE#1012010)
08. -_SPECIMEN_OTTO____(PROBE#1082010)
09. -_SPECIMEN_NOVE____(PROBE#0532009)
10. -_SPECIMEN_ZERO____(PROBE#1642024) – (Slayer’s Raining Blood 8-bit cover)

“You Don’t Know What Chiptune Is” is a bold exploration of the chiptune genre, pushing the boundaries of 8-bit music with an experimental and innovative approach. Each track on the album is a unique specimen, meticulously crafted to showcase the versatility and depth of chiptune sounds.

The album is characterized by its inventive use of 8-bit sound chips, evoking the essence of vintage gaming consoles like Game Boy. arottenbit skillfully manipulates these sounds to create a wide range of textures and atmospheres. The lo-fi, raw quality of the 8-bit era is preserved, while contemporary production techniques enhance the overall listening experience.

“You Don’t Know What Chiptune Is” is ideal for both long-time fans of chiptune and those new to the genre. It should appeal to listeners who appreciate the intersection of retro gaming culture and modern electronic music, offering a fresh perspective on what can be achieved with 8-bit sounds.

With “You Don’t Know What Chiptune Is” the project challenges preconceptions and showcases the expansive potential of chiptune music. This album is a testament to the creativity and innovation within the genre, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in the cutting-edge of 8-bit music.

Upcoming arottenbit tour dates:

18 Oct – FR – Marseille – Le Molotov
19 Oct – FR – Paris – Backstage By The Mill
20 Oct – FR – Nantes – Le Ferrailleur
22 Oct – UK – London – Academy 2
23 Oct – UK – Manchester – Satans Hollow
24 Oct – UK – Glasgow – Cathouse
26 Oct – IR – Dublin – Grand Social
28 Oct – UK – Bristol – Exchange
30 Oct – NL – Eindhoven – Effenaar
31 Oct – NL – Amsterdam – Melkweg
02 Nov – DE – Cologne – Club Volta
03 Nov – NL – Leeuwarden – Neushoorn
04 Nov – DE – Hamburg – Logo
06 Nov – DK – Copenhagen – Stengade
07 Nov – SE – Gothenburg – Valand
08 Nov – NO – Oslo – Goldie
09 Nov – SE – Stockholm – Kollektivet Livet
11 Nov – PL – Wroclaw – Lacznick
12 Nov – DE – Berlin – Gretchen
13 Nov – DE – Dresden – Chemiefabrik
14 Nov – CZ – Prague – Cross Club
15 Nov – CZ – Brno – Kabinet Muz
16 Nov – HU – Budapest – Turbina
17 Nov – AT – Vienna – Szene
18 Nov – CH – Monthey – Pont Rouge
19 Nov – CH – Zurich – Exil

Biography:

“Like Atari Teenage Riot playing some Melvins”, they said.

From the violence of hardcore punk concerts to the heaviness of sludge metal, all the way to the hallucinatory state of certain dawns spent dancing at the worst techno afterparties with a pounding bass.

In an opulent age where everything is consumed quickly, arottenbit blends genres using an obsolete tool, an old NINTENDO GAME BOY rescued from the trash. A children’s toy, now used to awaken the nightmares of adults.

If punk taught us that you don’t need to know how to play an instrument to make music, today we learn that you don’t even need to own a musical instrument to make music!

From 70 to 240 bpm on a heavy and furious journey, encompassing all the influences that a metropolis can offer during its darkest nights.

arottenbit is an electronic music project born in 2008 by Alessandro ‘Otto’ Galli (FOH Sound Engineer for Messa, Deafheaven, Pallbearer, Truckfighters, Bongzilla, Fuoco Fatuo).
Playing solo with a 1989 NINTENDO GAME BOY or accompanied by hardcore punk drummer Guido Montanarini (PARADISE LOST, IMPLORE, THE SECRET), he soon found himself opening for some of his favorite bands like MELVINS, ATARI TEENAGE RIOT, THE BODY, MELT BANANA, AUTHOR & PUNISHER, FULL OF HELL and performing at major international festivals like ROADBURN 2022, HELLFEST 2022. He organized the largest DIY 8-bit festival in world history “MILANO CHIPTUNE UNDERGROUND” at the famous squat MACAO in Milan (with over 2000 attendees!), and embarked on three European and UK tours as the opening act for the Italian band MASTER BOOT RECORD (BLOOD MUSIC, METAL BLADE RECORDS). All of this without ever releasing an album, relying on the unique impact of his live performances and the word of mouth from friends and music industry professionals.

WHITESNAKE and WINGER guitarist Reb Beach has confirmed that he will play guitar for THE DEAD DAISIES' on their upcoming European tour. Beach will be filling in for Doug Aldrich, who was recently diagnosed with a treatable form of throat cancer.

On Thursday, September 26, Beach took to his social media to write: "Hey everyone! As you may have heard, my longtime friend and bandmate from WHITESNAKE, Doug Aldrich, has recently been diagnosed with a treatable form of cancer. Doug is a fighter, and I know he's going to make a full recovery, but he's taking some much-needed time off to focus on his health.

"In the meantime, he's asked me to step in for him with THE DEAD DAISIES on the final leg of their European tour, and I'm truly honored to do so. I can't wait to hit the stage with that killer band, some of which are good friends of mine!! Most importantly, I want to wish Doug all the strength and a speedy recovery. We're all behind you, brother, and we know you'll be back in no time!

"See you out there soon! #GetWellDoug #TheDeadDaisies #RockFamily".

Aldrich left WHITESNAKE 10 years ago, saying in a statement that he "had several recording and live commitments," so he "needed a more flexible schedule to conclude these before going full force as normal." He added: "Unfortunately, my schedule was not workable."

Having also played with LION, HOUSE OF LORDS, BAD MOON RISING, HURRICANE and Glenn Hughes, Aldrich joined THE DEAD DAISIES in 2016 and can be heard on that band's last five albums, 2016's "Make Some Noise", 2018's "Burn It Down", 2021's "Holy Ground", 2022's "Radiance" and 2024's "Light 'Em Up".

Beach released his long-in-the-works instrumental solo album, "A View From The Inside", in November 2020 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Beach is one of the indisputable guitar giants of the current hard rock scene. His resume with '80s/'90s mega-stars WINGER alone would earn him this distinction, but his legacy is cemented by his current membership and work with the legendary WHITESNAKE, his past efforts with DOKKEN, and his recent release with supergroup BLACK SWAN, also featuring Jeff Pilson, Robin MacAuley and Matt Starr.

Influenced by the legendary hard rockers of the '70s, Reb spent his teen years jamming along with the greats of that era like AEROSMITH and MONTROSE, but it was when he discovered more progressive players like Steve Morse, Allan Holdsworth and Larry Carlton that his musical world really opened up. The complexity and the speed of the more prog style of playing was a unique challenge compared to the blues-based playing of most musicians of that era. The discovery of these players was ultimately the catalyst that drove his playing to the level he is now so well known to music fans the world over for. Beach eventually graduated from his home practice space to the Berklee College Of Music, but after a couple of semesters he moved on and soon became one of the most sought-after session players in the music industry, working with such all-time great talents as Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Roger Daltrey, Chaka Kahn, Howard Jones and TWISTED SISTER.

While living in New York City, Reb hooked up with his future bandmate, bassist and frontman Kip Winger. Reb and Kip formed the band WINGER and the rest is history. The two proved to be incredible writing partners, crafting multiple platinum records that featured no less than six Top 40 singles. with music that was commercial yet complex.

After WINGER went on a hiatus in the '90s, Beach's career continued thanks to collaborations with Alice Cooper, DOKKEN and NIGHT RANGER, and he debuted as a solo artist in 2002 with the album "Masquerade".

Following the WINGER reunion in the '00s, Reb heard that David Coverdale was looking for a new guitarist for WHITESNAKE. He reached out to him and since 2003, Reb has toured the world with the band as well as released multiple albums with them, including "Good To Be Bad", "Forevermore", "The Purple Album" and the recent "Flesh & Blood", plus a number of live albums.

Hey everyone! As you may have heard, my longtime friend and bandmate from Whitesnake, Doug Aldrich, has recently been...

Posted by Reb Beach on Thursday, September 26, 2024

German guitar god Michael Schenker has left the door open for a reunion of the three remaining members of the classic "Strangers In The Night" line-up for what would be an incredible last gig for the much-loved band.

"I don't know if Phil's physically fit," says Schenker of vocalist Phil Mogg in the latest issue of Rock Candy magazine. "But I'll certainly think about a last UFO show if the possibility arises."

Schenker is clearly in the mood for revisiting his past, having just released an album of classic UFO songs with guest vocalists. He claims that he approached Mogg to contribute to the record, "but I'm not sure the message got to him. Managers can be funny sometimes."

Mogg is currently working with his new outfit, MOGGS MOTEL. But original UFO drummer Andy Parker is also keen to see if there might be a way for what would undoubtedly be a huge gig to happen.

"Absolutely," he told Rock Candy. "Why wouldn't I be up for it? It's down to Phillip, though. I'm really grateful that he survived his health scare a couple of years ago and is back singing. I miss [band members] Pete [Way] and Paul [Raymond] terribly, and I'm really grateful that Phil is still with us. I would have liked to finish on a higher note with UFO, and maybe Phil might change his mind about playing with the band somewhere down the road."

Mogg is playing his cards close to his chest about one last gig with UFO, but what's certain is that fans all over the world would be ecstatic if the singer agreed to perform.

You can read the massive 22-page UFO special, including new interviews with Phil Mogg, Michael Schenker and Andy Parker in issue 46 of Rock Candy, as well as in-depth stories and interviews with W.A.S.P., Carmine Appice, D-A-D, Steve Howe, Richie Kotzen, John Bush, and more.

For more details, visit www.rockcandymag.com.

Rock Candy is a 100-page, full-color bi-monthly rock mag, created in the U.K. It covers the sights, sounds and smells from the greatest era in hard rock music, the '70s and '80s. It is the brainchild of respected U.K. rock journalists Derek Oliver, Howard Johnson and Malcolm Dome — all frontline writers for the legendary Kerrang! magazine in the golden era.

During an appearance on the September 11 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Mogg spoke about why he decided to pull the plug on UFO in 2022, more than 50 years after the band's formation. The singer said: "It's easier when you look back on it. But I think after Pete [Way, late UFO bassist] went… He was suffering a few problems which are rather popular in rock bands, so I hear, he was suffering a few setbacks. But I think when Pete went, it kind of took the real sort of the original flavor out of the band and he was kind of irreplaceable in that sense. You could, obviously, get another bass player, which we did, but it's not the same. It was like taking a big lump out of the band, and as bad as it was at certain times, it was kind of the character of the band. And I know for some time after Pete went, I felt a little bit — it meant I'd have to do double the amount of jokes. It meant I'd have to do double the amount of drinking because he was gone. It meant I'd have to double up. I didn't have anyone to hide behind because Pete would do the interviews too. 'Cause he would come out with such ridiculous things, you'd go, 'Ah, this is great.' He could have come out with some crap. No, but he was good at it. So I think after that, I think the steam went out a bit, and we were slowly shutting down. And I didn't particularly wanna see UFO go in sort of ever-decreasing circles. So I think that was the general gist of it."

Asked about the possibility of UFO playing one final concert as a way of saying goodbye to the fans, Mogg said: "Oh, there's so many permutations on that one. Not really, because I can't see it happening in such a way that it would be worthy of doing. It would have to be pretty damn good. And if you stick something out there and it falls below par, then the audience, people who come along will be disappointed. I'd be disappointed if it was below something else. And I think that's the chance that I really wouldn't want to take unless it was, like, 'Yeah, this is happening. That's great.' You might go, 'Oh, well, I'll give that a shot.' But I can't see it coming together — I can't see the stars aligning. So, yeah, it would be too difficult."

Last month, Mogg told Seb Di Gatto of The Metal Gods Meltdown told that UFO was definitely finished and never coming back. He said:  "I think we've reached that point now. I believe when Pete went, that it kind of took the wind out of our sails, out of the band, really. I know he was going a bit loopy, but he had a lot of the character which was in the band. So, no, we couldn't replace him. And no, definitely not. No. I think that'd end up being like the Frank Sinatra tour, wouldn't it? What's the other band? SCORPIONS kept retiring, didn't they?"

Mogg continued: "The other thing is when you say, 'This is our last tour,' that really should be, because people come along and they've spent their money getting there or doing whatever for the last tour, and then if you turn around and do another one, they go, 'Oh, you've just done your last tour. I've just paid 50 quid for that.' It would be a little bit unfair."

Asked how he would like UFO and Phil Mogg to be remembered in the years to come, Phil said: "Just as a cracking good little band. Nothing too glorious, but just… You know when you go, like I do, I'd seen THE ANIMALS at Club Noreik in Tottenham when I was about 14, 15. And I always would go, 'Oh, that was a good band. I really enjoyed that night.' And I enjoyed Eric Burdon. So, I think that's compliment enough."

Mogg previously addressed UFO's future this past April in an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock. Asked if there is still "more to do" with the band, he responded: "No, no. I think it's come to a conclusion. We did that last U.K. tour in 2019, just before COVID. So that was kind of the end of it, and the time was right."

Mogg suffered a heart attack in August 2022. The now-76-year-old British-born musician was rushed to the hospital where he had two stents implanted into his coronary arteries. This is known medically as a coronary angioplasty and aims to re-open the blocked coronary artery by inserting one or more stents. This helps keep the narrowed artery open.

UFO's farewell tour was scheduled to kick off on October 15, 2022 at the De Casino in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium and run through a final show at the Fuzz Club in Athens, Greece on October 29, 2022.

When the news of Mogg's heart attack was first made public, UFO said in a statement: "On Thursday September 1st, 2022 — after having performed several detailed examinations in the past days — the doctors pronounced a strict performance ban for Mogg until further notice. This is why the entire Last Orders farewell tour, which was supposed to lead across Europe from October 15 to 29, 2022 before ending in Athens, had to be cancelled.

"If and when the tour or — at the very least — individual shows can be made up for, is currently completely unclear and will depend on Mogg's recovery, among other things. His rehabilitation therapy will be starting in about six weeks. According to the doctors, it is not yet possible to give any concrete statements about the duration and scope of the treatment."

In 2021, UFO announced that it would embark on its final tour featuring a series of exclusive concerts in summer 2022 to bid farewell to its fans in style. UFO was scheduled to play the very last concert of in Athens, where the band performed its first show featuring current guitarist Vinnie Moore in February 2004.

When UFO's final concert was first announced, Mogg was anticipating this very special farewell show with mixed feelings, while also very much looking forward to UFO once again meeting their extensive fan base between summer and autumn 2022.

Mogg, who turned 76 in April, said: "After so many years with countless highlights, fantastic experiences and lots of beautiful memories — as well as some difficult moments, naturally — it'll be a worthy finale to say goodbye to your fans in person. I know that there are bound to be some very emotional moments on both sides."

In his original statement announcing UFO's final tour, Mogg said the decision was "a long time coming," adding that while "being out on the road isn't always tremendously luxurious and although the playing is as great as it ever was, the stuff that surrounds it becomes very tiresome. I always told myself that when I reached that stage, I would step down, and that's what I'm going to do. This is the right time for me to quit."

UFO guitarist/keyboard player Paul Raymond died in April 2019. He appeared on more than a dozen of UFO's albums, including "Lights Out" and the live classic "Strangers In The Night".

UFO's most recent lineup included original members Mogg and drummer Andy Parker, as well as Moore, who joined in 2003, and Rob De Luca (bass),a member since 2012.

UFO's latest release was the 2017 covers collection "The Salentino Cuts".

A little over three years ago, Michael detailed events which led to his final exit from UFO in 2002, saying that "the natural flow of the chemistry was destroyed" by the time he left the band.

Schenker, whose original tenure with the British rock institution lasted from 1973 to 1978, rejoined UFO in 1993, recording the "Walk On Water" (1995) album with the classic lineup of the band that also included lead singer Phil Mogg, bassist Pete Way, drummer Andy Parker, and guitarist/keyboardist Paul Raymond.

Explaining how the reunion came about, Michael told Eonmusic: "Phil Mogg came to Los Angeles in '93, begging me to refuel UFO because he completely had destroyed it. I said, 'I have a few conditions. One is, you have to give me 50 percent of the UFO name so you don't destroy it again, especially if I put my energy into it."

The onetime SCORPIONS man went on to say that initially, things were great within the camp, and that he noticed a change in the formerly dejected Mogg almost immediately. "I tell you, when I saw Phil the next time when we started recording, he looked like an one hundred and eighty degree different person," Schenker said. "He was happy, healthy. He was unbelievably fit."

But it was a harmony that wasn't to last. "'Walk On Water' was a blessing after 17 years," Michael said. "It was such a beautiful record that famously carried on from 'Strangers In The Night' [1979]. And then, of course, we went on the road, and then Phil lost it, and wanted control again and destroyed everything."

Despite going on to record two further albums with the band — 2000's "Covenant" and 2002's "Sharks", Michael said that it was further lineup changes (the ousting of both Parker and Raymond) which ultimately destroyed the band.

"I always said to him, 'Never do a reunion with UFO unless it's the original setup, including the producer,'" Michael said. "Because if you take one piece out, the chemistry is finished."

Bringing in producer Mike Varney for "Sharks" in place of Ron Nevinson, the man behind their greatest '70s triumphs, for Michael, the end was nigh. "I said to Phil, 'Don't do this. It will backfire. It will not succeed.' And it did not. The natural flow of the chemistry was destroyed, and basically, we were just limping towards the end."

Despite this, Michael made one final gesture of good will toward Mogg. "I'd had enough of UFO at that point, and in 2002, Phil Mogg asked me, 'Michael, I need the name UFO back.' I said to Phil, 'You know what? God bless you. I'll give you the name back for free. Enjoy your life.' And then that was it. That was the end of it."

American metalcore stalwarts ATREYU share their version of the Tom Petty classic "Mary Jane's Last Dance" — another stellar track from their upcoming collection of eight reimagined greatest hits and two nostalgic tribute covers, "The Pronoia Sessions". The digital release will begin streaming on October 25 while vinyl and CDs will hit streets on November 8.

ATREYU frontman Brandon Saller comments on "Mary Jane's Last Dance": "This song is a classic. Pure and simple. This is us, again, trying to breathe new life into an already legendary song."

ATREYU is a band with a legacy seamlessly intertwined with formative experiences for a diverse legion of listeners worldwide. 'The Pronoia Sessions' deconstructs, recreates, and reshapes the Orange County, California, band's beloved anthems (and cover songs) as a haunting and hypnotic new collection. What began as an acoustic album evolved into a grand re-imagining of ATREYU classics.

The genesis stretches back to a series of acoustic performances at special events on the road. "We had the idea to do a show similar to NIRVANA's MTV 'Unplugged' as a one-off thing," explains Saller. "Then we thought, 'Why not spend some time on it in the studio?' And it built from there. 'How far can we push this?' It spawned from there and unexpectedly turned into this monster."

The band shared this about the upcoming release: "This album, to us, was something that initially came from the fans. During COVID, we started toying around with doing acoustic performances for the first time in our career. Since the release of 'Gone (Reimagined)', the outpouring of love and interest from our fans was overwhelming. It got us thinking...what if we didn't just make some of our classics acoustic, what if we took them to a whole new place? We feel with this album we have carved out a new home for these songs to stand on their own. They are new entities in our musical landscape.

"Making this album brought us such a sense of joy and creativity. It was as if the universe handed us this moment and it was meant to happen…hence, 'The Pronoia Sessions'."

"The Pronoia Sessions" track listing:

01. Becoming The Bull (reimagined)
02. Save Us (reimagined)
03. Ex's & Oh's (reimagined)
04. Right Side Of The Bed (reimagined)
05. Like A Stone (AUDIOSLAVE Cover)
06. Drowning (reimagined)
07. The Theft (reimagined)
08. Gone (reimagined)
09. Warrior (reimagined)
10. Mary Jane's Last Dance (Tom Petty cover)

Commenting on the first single, an emotional rendering of AUDIOSLAVE's "Like A Stone", ATREYU had this to say: "The covers on this album presented us with the opportunity to take some of our favorites and make them our own. The album has an overarching, somber feel. We wanted songs that would stay in that realm. 'Like A Stone' is one of the most iconic rock songs of our time. Chris Cornell's vocal is a treasure. We hope to have done right by his legacy."

ATREYU's riffs, hooks, melodies, lyrics, and passion are essential parts of a vibrant subculture's emergence across theaters, clubs, festivals, radio, and playlists. The artistic fearlessness powering landmark albums like "The Curse" and "Lead Sails Paper Anchor" is even stronger in 2024. "Becoming The Bull", one of the two gold singles released in 2007, takes on new life on "The Pronoia Sessions".

The songs reimagined on "The Pronoia Sessions" stretch back to 2004's "The Curse" ("Right Side Of The Bed") and 2006's "A Death-Grip On Yesterday" ("Ex's & Ohs", "The Theft"). Two of their biggest hits, "Warrior" and "Save Us", are reworked from 2021's "Baptize". And there are new versions of "Gone" and "Drowning" from their most recent release, 2023's "The Beautiful Dark Of Life".

In addition to their own songs, ATREYU offers dark takes on TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS' classic "Mary Jane's Last Dance" and the enduring, Chris Cornell-led AUDIOSLAVE ballad "Like A Stone".

The band says: "Let's see how we can take what exits already and turn it on its head. With some of the older stuff, the vocals have a more melodic approach, but with much of the same phrasing," Saller explains. "We've also incorporated more members of the band. Porter sings, like on 'Ex's & Ohs'. On 'Right Side Of The Bed', there's a saxophone solo instead of a guitar solo, and it's Dan playing the saxophone."

Unbound by false restrictions about anything sounding "too heavy" or "too pop," ATREYU remains a creative beacon of hope for the people shaken by the suggestion that "rock is dead." They've broken into the Top 10 in the Billboard 200 more than once; two of their albums are certified gold.

ATREYU's unquenchable appetite for creative achievement and pursuit of a shared catharsis on stage drove them to form the band as teenagers around the turn of the millennium. It pushed them beyond their do-it-yourself beginnings to massive festival stages (including two runs on Ozzfest),sold-out headlining tours, movie and game soundtracks, and appearances alongside fellow genre standard-bearers, including LINKIN PARK, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, DEFTONES, SLIPKNOT and BRING ME THE HORIZON.

A bold chapter in the band's never-ending story of determination, "Baptize" was a definitive work for a new era. Like 2018's "In Our Wake" (which produced the band's biggest song of the streaming era, "The Time Is Now"),ATREYU recorded "Baptize" with producer John Feldmann. Guests included Jacoby Shaddix (PAPA ROACH),Travis Barker (BLINK-182) and Matt Heafy (TRIVIUM). Songs like "Warrior", "Catastrophe", "Save Us" and "Underrated" are massive, standing confidently in the band's catalog.

Breaking with music industry convention, the band's ninth studio album, "The Beautiful Dark Of Life", arrived first as a series of three four-song EPs, eventually collected all together with three more tracks. The band co-headlined with MEMPHIS MAY FIRE and toured with GODSMACK around the EPs.

Distorted Sound hailed the album as "a therapeutic exploration of the insecurities that plague many of us, taking the knowledge of that shared experience and wielding it to their own strength."

Adeptly combining the sounds of thrash, hardcore punk, and the new wave of Swedish death metal, ATREYU quickly evolved to a place where fans of everything from LINKIN PARK to LAMB OF GOD could come to the party. Adventurous, ambitious; ATREYU is best described plainly as a loud rock band.

As one prominent hard rock critic observed early in the band's career: "If you haven't figured out these guys are aiming for a bigger sound by now, you might want to try cleaning out your ears."

ATREYU is:

Brandon Saller - lead vocals
Dan Jacobs - guitar
Travis Miguel - guitar
Porter McKnight – bass

Photo credit: Porter McKnight

In a new interview with BBC Radio 1's New Music Show With Jack Saunders, LINKIN PARK's Mike Shinoda spoke about the band's return with new music and a new vocalist, seven years after the 2017 death of lead singer Chester Bennington.

Earlier this month, LINKIN PARK debuted new singer Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain on a livestream. The pair have joined returning members Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave "Phoenix" Farrell and Joe Hahn, with Armstrong sharing vocal duties with Shinoda. Guitarist Alex Feder is filling in for Delson at all LINKIN PARK concerts for the foreseeable future.

LINKIN PARK has already released two new songs, "The Emptiness Machine" and "Heavy Is The Crown", both of which will appear on the band's upcoming album "From Zero", due on November 15 via Warner. It will mark LINKIN PARK's first full-length effort since 2017's "One More Light", which was the last LINKIN PARK album before Bennington's death.

Regarding how LINKIN PARK's comeback has been received and how it came about, Shinoda said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's insane. I mean, we have been planning this moment for a long time. So to take you back, I met Emily in 2019, I think. [I] just had heard her name through some friends. We wrote a couple things and just kind of messed around. And it was more about meeting than it was about writing a song. The songs were fine, but it was more about who is this person. And eventually we just started — Joe and Dave and I started — getting together more and more often. And the intention wasn't to start the band up again or whatever. We were just slowly coming together, and eventually things just started to fall into place with Emily and with Colin, our new drummer."

Asked when the idea of bringing LINKIN PARK back actually felt possible to him, Shinoda said: "The new album, it came together as the band came together. We were doing sessions with some other writers and other singers and other performers and stuff. We just found ourselves wanting to call Emily and Colin back. And I remember Joe and I talked about putting her voice on some things that we had already written and only had my voice on them. And once we did that, it was, like, 'Oh, that sounds really good. We should try that on even more songs.'"

Regarding how he felt when he heard Emily's voice for the first time, Mike said: "Her band that she was in was called DEAD SARA, and I heard a song called the 'Weatherman'. And her singing, just the way she approaches the way she sings, the passion was the driver and the style was a function of — it was the vehicle that got it out of her system. And I always love that."

Addressing LINKIN PARK's future plans and overall approach to honoring Bennington's legacy, Shinoda said: "The album comes out the second week of November. And I hope that when people hear it, they really understand this is not meant to be a redo or a rewrite of LINKIN PARK. This is intended to be the new chapter of LINKIN PARK. It's, like, the old chapter was a great chapter and we love that chapter. And that ran its course. And now we were faced with the challenge of, 'Okay, if you start from scratch with another voice, what do you do?' And Emily's voice, like when she sings the thing, man, it's like the passion… She's a hundred percent her. That's the best part, is she's not trying to be Chester, she's not trying to be anybody else. She's her, and that's why it works."

Asked if he feels the bond between him and his new bandmates is evolving as they continue bringing LINKIN PARK's music to the masses, Mike said: "Yeah, it's a constant evolution. I mean, we rehearsed more for this than we've ever rehearsed for anything in our lives. My reference point is always like a good basketball team — you don't get the behind-the-back pass, the no-look pass unless you just know where everybody's gonna be. You know exactly where they're gonna be. For me, that's the metaphor, is like these shows are us figuring out each other's intuitive way we move and play on stage and still making it even more effortless and more muscle memory."

So far, LINKIN PARK comeback mini-tour has hit four cities in the U.S. and Europe: Los Angeles, New York, Hamburg and London. All four shows featured LINKIN PARK performing a two-hour set on a high-tech stage shaped like an aircraft carrier, allowing for a unique production as well as a greater-than-usual number of tickets sold at each venue.

"Heavy Is the Crown" is the 2024 League Of Legends World Championship Anthem, marking the band's first collaboration with Riot Games.

Earlier this week, LINKIN PARK added three November dates to the "From Zero" tour, in Paris, Dallas, and São Paulo.

Photo credit: James Minchin III

DED is back with a ferociously gritty new single "Rockstar". The accompanying music video can be seen below.

"Rockstar" is a welcome return for DED, which released its second full-length album, "School Of Thought", in October 2021.

DED ain't got no time for that rock-star bullshit, and the song makes that point with razor sharp riffs, industrial crunch, and Joe Cotela's guttural vocals, which will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

The band is also revitalized by signing with indie powerhouse UNFD, home to ERRA, CROSSFAITH, IN HEARTS WAKE, INVENT ANIMATE and more.

"In a way, our new song 'Rockstar' could serve as the 'anti-rockstar' mentality anthem," says Cotela. "I'm not going to drop examples or point fingers about this topic to pigeonhole it. But I will simply say that I am personally drawn to and enjoy genuine and authentic music created genuine and authentic people. I have always been connected with stoicism and humbleness in all facets of life. To be clear, I am not against success, certain aesthetics, making money or becoming popular, if it is done correctly. Music is sacred to me — it's my community, my religion, my vessel, my friend, my psychologist at times, and my safe place of artistic expression to get lost in. I respect it and appreciate it too much to watch it be exploited and used cheaply like it is sometimes by certain people with cringe vibes."

He continues, "The boys gave me some of the grooviest and heaviest music that we have ever done in DED for me to get down on and I couldn't be more confident and proud of this unfiltered direction of our band. We have been away for a while but we are definitely back and we are bringing hell with us."

Having burst on to the scene with their debut "Mis-An-Thrope" and its follow-up, "School Of Thought", Phoenix band DED takes no prisoners. The band embodies elements of nü metal, hardcore, punk, and rock with pop sensibilities, hooks, and choruses, cloaked in some of the most dense and guttural sounds you'll hear. DED's unexpectedly soulful music is about bringing hope, relief and self-awareness, often speaking to and about the young generations that are contending with many deeply embedded issues in today's society. Rather than the nihilistic, anarchical hellraisers DED might seem to be upon first glance, they're actually mythical heroes desperately trying to save society, not take it down. Joe Cotela (vocals),Alex Adamcik (guitar),Kyle Koelsch (bass),and Matt Reinhard (drums) are building a community by offering comfort in times of despair.

With "Mis-An-Thrope", DED took the rock world by storm, generating over 25 million streams making several Billboard chart appearances, including No. 1 on the Alternative New Artist chart and No. 3 on the Top New Artist Albums chart. Singles "Anti-Everything" and "Remember the Enemy" reached Top 20 at Active Rock Radio with SiriusXM's Octane naming DED "Artist Discovery Of The Year" and "Anti-Everything" landing in the station's Top 10 for 2017. The band were also nominated by Loudwire for "Best New Artist". "Anti-Everything" also made impressive strides at servicing appearing on Spotify's U.S. Viral 50 twice and various playlists across Apple Music, Amazon and Pandora. The band also toured with KORN and STONE SOUR.

They followed with "School Of Thought". Touring-wise, DED lit up festival stages, including Aftershock, Louder Than Life, Rocklahoma, Carolina Rebellion, Rock On The Range and ShipRocked and have toured with IN THIS MOMENT, BLACK VEIL BRIDES, and more. They also enjoyed their highest charting radio hit with "Kill Beautiful Things", which was Top 15 and the second longest-running song on the airplay charts in 2022, with four million streams and 1.7 million YouTube views.

LYNYRD SKYNYRD has canceled more concerts due to singer Johnny Van Zant's "sudden emergency illness".

On Tuesday (September 24),the legendary Southern rock group announced that it was scrapping its show scheduled for that night in Anchorage, Alaska. The band cited a "medical emergency" as the reason and added that Van Zant had learned his daughter was undergoing emergency surgery.

On Wednesday (September 25),LYNYRD SKYNYRD announced that it was calling off four additional shows, explaining that Van Zant's daughter "had a sudden emergency illness" and that he had "left the tour to be with her while they continue testing, diagnosis, and treatment."

Affected concerts:

September 26 - West Valley, Utah
September 27 - Loveland, Colorado
September 28 - Colorado Springs, Colorado
September 29 - Albuquerque, New Mexico

This past July, LYNYRD SKYNYRD guitarist Rickey Medlocke told Joe Rock of Long Island's rock station 102.3 WBAB that he and his bandmates have been talking about making a new LYNYRD SKYNYRD record as a tribute to the group's late guitarist Gary Rossington.

If a new LYNYRD SKYNYRD album materializes, it will be the group's first since 2012's "Last Of A Dyin' Breed". The band released a single, "Last Of The Street Survivors", in 2020.

"Last Of The Street Survivors" — which shares its name with what was the time of the song's release supposed to be LYNYRD SKYNYRD's farewell tour — was penned by Rossington alongside Van Zant, Medlocke and songwriter Tom Hambridge, and found the Southern rockers reminiscing about their career and the bandmates they lost.

After four SKYNYRD members were killed in an October 1977 plane crash, Rossington recruited Johnny to fill his brother's shoes a decade later.

Medlocke, who played drums in SKYNYRD in 1970-71 before leaving to lead his own band BLACKFOOT and coming back to SKYNYRD in 1996, defended LYNYRD SKYNYRD's decision to carry on, telling Cleveland.com in May 2023: "People have beat us up over the years: 'Ah, you guys ain't nothin' but a freakin' tribute band' and blah, blah, blah.

"There's a lot of tribute bands out there to LYNYRD SKYNYRD, but none of them holds it as dear to their hearts as the guys who have been there as long as we have," he explained. "We have the history; I played on the first (recording) sessions. We just know that we have to portray the music with the integrity and the sound and the love as close as we can to when it was originally created."

Rossington was the last surviving founding member of LYNYRD SKYNYRD. On March 5, 2023, his bandmates announced the news of his death in a statement shared on their social media.

Posted by Lynyrd Skynyrd on Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Joey Jordison's estate has settled a lawsuit it filed against SLIPKNOT.

Attorneys for Steamroller, LLC, the successor in interest of Jordison, filed a notice of unconditional settlement on September 17 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, and a request for dismissal was filed the same day, according to documents obtained by BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Terms of the settlement were not released.

Jordison's estate filed the lawsuit in June 2023, accusing SLIPKNOT of profiting off his death after "abruptly" kicking the drummer out of the group by e-mail more than a decade ago. Joey's estate also claimed that SLIPKNOT had failed to give back over "at least 22 items" belonging to the drummer after "promising to return all of Jordison's belongings."

In the complaint, Steamroller accused SLIPKNOT members Corey Taylor and Michael Shawn "Clown" Crahan and associated companies of failing to return "musical instruments, gear and wardrobe" belonging to Joey. Steamroller also alleged that SLIPKNOT included these items "in a travelling SLIPKNOT museum called Knotfest and line[d] their pockets with profit off of Jordison's devoted fanbase."

"After abruptly kicking Jordison out of SLIPKNOT in 2013, Taylor and Crahan expressly promised in a written agreement to return all of Jordison's belongings in exchange for Jordison's promise to release certain claims against" them, the complaint read. "The agreement contained a non-exclusive list of broad categories of items that [Taylor and Crahan] represented were in their possession and that they would return to Jordison. [Taylor and Crahan] purported to comply with the agreement by returning certain items to Jordison but, unbeknownst to Jordison, [they] had executed the agreement with no intention of performing their obligations thereunder, and knowingly concealed from Jordison that they possessed numerous other items belonging to Jordison that they never returned to him."

According to the lawsuit, Jordison, along with Crahan and Paul Gray, formed SLIPKNOT in 1995. In 1999, SLIPKNOT bandmembers Crahan, Gray, Taylor and Jordison entered into a partnership agreement and formed the Slipknot Partnership. In 2010, Jordison began experiencing symptoms that were later diagnosed as acute transverse myelitis. The neurological disease progressed to the point that Jordison lost the use of his left leg. In 2013, as Jordison's medical condition progressed, Crahan and Taylor "abruptly kicked Jordison out of SLIPKNOT by e-mail," the lawsuit claims. "The callousness of Jordison's firing and other mistreatment at the hands of Crahan and Taylor have been widely reported and criticized by fans of the band. Since the 1990s, Jordison had dedicated his life to making SLIPKNOT a metal sensation, from which Crahan and Taylor handsomely profited. It made no sense why Crahan and Taylor would treat Jordison with such disdain, especially in light of Jordison's declining health."

In 2015, Jordison, on the one hand, and the Slipknot Partnership, Slipknot, Inc., Crahan and Taylor, on the other hand, entered into a release agreement to buy out Jordison's interest in the Slipknot Partnership. The release agreement required Crahan and Taylor to "promptly following the full execution of th[e] Release Agreement" return to Jordison "any property, including musical gear or equipment, belonging to" Jordison, "that is now in the possession of" Crahan and Taylor.

The lawsuit went on to blast Taylor and Crahan for the way they acted in the months following Jordison's tragic passing in July 2021 away at the age of 46.

"While family, friends, and fans mourned the loss of the legendary drummer, neither bandmate expressed condolences to Jordison's family after his passing," the complaint reads. "Instead, Taylor and Crahan heartlessly sought to profit off of Jordison's death. SLIPKNOT released a new album in 2022 titled 'The End, So Far'. Fan reviews of the album rarely miss the opportunity to lament Jordison's absence. Taylor and Crahan callously used Jordison's death as marketing for their new album. Taylor publicly dedicated 'The End, So Far' to Jordison, claiming that the realization of Jordison's passing 'crept in' while making the album. Taylor even acknowledged that he and Crahan had mistreated Jordison in an interview, telling fans that they 'were hoping to mend fences with him, and it's one of those things that tells you: whatever you need to do, do it now, because you never know when you're gonna lose somebody.' Perhaps worst of all, Crahan and Taylor publicly lied to fans that they had contacted Jordison's family to check on them and express their condolences and love for Jordison in the wake of his passing. This was utterly false, and deeply upsetting for Jordison's family to read such a blatant lie on the internet. It is clear that Taylor and Crahan did not actually care about Jordison or his family; they cared only about drumming up publicity and sales of the new album."

According to the complaint, Taylor and Crahan "continued to profit off Jordison's death and his grieving fanbase to this day, by displaying Jordison's belongings at a traveling SLIPKNOT museum called Knotfest. The museum has made numerous tour stops over the course of several years and [Taylor and Crahan] have profited handsomely from Jordison's fans' willingness to pay admission fees to view Jordison's iconic belongings in person."

After the complaint was filed, SLIPKNOT's legal team responded via court documents and asked that the lawsuit be dismissed, stating, "Defendants generally deny each and every allegation and purported claim set forth in Plaintiff's First Amended Complaint and further deny that Plaintiff is entitled to any relief whatsoever."

SLIPKNOT announced its split with Jordison in December 2013 but did not disclose the reasons for his exit. The drummer subsequently issued a statement saying that he did not quit the group.

Jordison and the members of SLIPKNOT had been silent and evasive about the reasons for his dismissal from the band, but Joey finally spoke about it in 2016 while accepting an award at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards in London, England.

in February 2022, Taylor said that Jordison's passing broke his heart. "It hit me hard, even though I hadn't seen him or talked to him in a very long time," he said during a question-and-answer session at the annual Mad Monster Party fan convention. "And I won't get into certain things, but I will say that it hit us all really hard. The first person that I called was ClownJoey worked at — like, way back in the day. And he would work the overnights. When I wasn't working at the porn shop, I would go down. And they were always scheming; they would always sit together scheming. It's, like, 'I've got this fucking idea. All right? We're gonna set our faces on fire.' And I was, like, 'No. You're really not gonna do that.'"

He continued: "All that history and all the memories came back then. And his health was obviously part of that. And it was sad because this man was probably one of the most gifted people I've ever seen in my life… It was far, far too soon. And it broke my heart. Regardless of what had gone down between us, it broke my heart. It was a hard… It's still hard to think about. I think about it now and it doesn't seem real. So it hit us just as hard. It's one of the reasons why we pay homage to him andPaul at the end of [each SLIPKNOT] show — to make sure that people realize that even though he was gone, he's still part of the family, and he always will be."

Corey previously opened up about Joey's death during a September 2021 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". At the time, he said: "Our first concern was obviously his family, so we reached out immediately to make sure that they were okay, to let them know if they needed anything from us, they could absolutely ask.

"It's a damn tragedy," Taylor continued. "He was way too young, and he was way too talented to lose him like this.

"I know a lot of people wonder about the circumstances that led to him not being in the band anymore, and it's, like, we're not gonna talk about that, because I'd rather talk about his legacy, which is that he helped create this band that we all have fought to keep out there and keep going.

"Just the fact that he's not here now, it's still — I still can't believe it," Corey added.

Back in 2014, Taylor told Metal Hammer that firing Jordison after 18 years was "one of the hardest decisions" the group ever made, adding that Joey is "in a place in his life" which is "not where we are."

Taylor said he could not get into specifics for legal reasons, but admitted, "It's when a relationship hits that T-section and one person's going one way and you're going the other. And try as you might to either get them to go your way or try and go their way, at some point you've got to go in the direction that works for you. This is me speaking in the broadest terms, with respect to Joey. I guess to sum it up, it was one of the hardest decisions we ever made."

Taylor said that the band is "happy right now and we hope that he is . . . he's just in a place in his life, right now, that's not where we are."

Six years ago, Joey revealed that he was working on his first-ever book.

In 2018, Jordison completed a European tour with the international death metal supergroup SINSAENUM.

Photo credit: Anthony Dubois (courtesy of earMUSIC)

The same year that he exited SLIPKNOT, Jordison launched the band SCAR THE MARTYR and later, VIMIC.

GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan has announced today's premiere of two new songs, "Heroes" and "True To The Death Rock N Roll Ballad", both available now at all DSPs and streaming services. A distinctive cover of David Bowie's timeless classic, the double-sided single — which pairs "Heroes" with a brand-new Duff original — heralds next week's kickoff of McKagan's eagerly awaited "Lighthouse Tour '24", a world headline run getting underway September 30 at Dublin, Ireland's The Academy. U.S. dates begin November 4 at Boston, Massachusetts's Paradise Rock Club.

"We thought it was good idea to put out a couple of fresh songs right here on the eve of the 'Lighthouse' tour," says McKagan. "Choosing David Bowie's 'Heroes' seemed to be a natural subject matter for me (I am, of course, a massive history nerd)…star-crossed lovers in the shadow of the mid-'70s Cold War-era Berlin Wall. To try and compliment this era, I chose a sort of '70s glam-rock song that I wrote some time last year, 'True To The Death Rock N Roll Ballad', another lyric where love and lust and time are the central figures. We hope you dig this 'single' and thank you all for just being you!"

"Lighthouse Tour '24" will see Duff McKagan and his band traveling Europe and the United Kingdom, making stops in Scotland, England, the Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, France, and Sweden through late October. Support on all European dates comes from Cardiff, Wales's JAMES AND THE COLD GUN. U.S. dates will follow, including intimate shows at New York City's Le Poisson Rouge (November 6),Chicago, Illinois's Outset (November 8),and Denver, Colorado's Bluebird Theater (November 10),all of which will have special guests Lee Ving's RANGE WAR, marking the first live performances from the famed FEAR founder's groundbreaking country punk outfit in over three decades. "Lighthouse Tour '24" then hits Los Angeles, California's historic El Rey Theatre (November 13) with support from acclaimed singer-songwriter Grace McKagan, before wrapping up at Portland, Oregon's Aladdin Theater (November 18) and Seattle, Washington's The Showbox (November 20) joined by extremely rare solo acoustic performances by legendary D.O.A. co-founder Joey "Sh*thead" Keithley. Tickets and VIP packages for all announced dates are on sale now.

McKagan has also announced a Black Friday Record Store Day (November 29, 2024) exclusive RSD vinyl LP release of his searing performance at Easy Street Records in Seattle, Washington on December 8, 2023. The set contains tracks from McKagan's critically acclaimed recent album "Lighthouse" and "This is The Song" EP.

Track listing:

01. Intro By Matt Vaughn
02. I Just Don't Know
03. Chip Away
04. Longfeather
05. Fallen Ones
06. Tenderness
07. I Saw God On 10th Street
08. Just Another Shakedown
09. This Is The Song
10. Lighthouse

Sep. 30 - Dublin, Ireland - Dublin Academy *
Oct. 02 - Glasgow, Scotland - The Garage *
Oct. 03 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Academy 2 *
Oct. 05 - London, UK - Islington Assembly Hall *
Oct. 07 - Utrecht, Netherlands - TivoliVredenburg *
Oct. 08 - Cologne, Germany - Die Kantine *
Oct. 09 - Munich, Germany - Freiheitshalle *
Oct. 11 - Brno, Czech Republic - Sono Centrum *
Oct. 13 - Warsaw, Poland - Klub Stodola *
Oct. 14 - Berlin, Germany - Heimathafen Neukölln *
Oct. 16 - Milan, Italy - Magazzini Generali *
Oct. 17 - Solothurn, Switzerland - Kulturfabrik Kofmehl *
Oct. 19 - Liege, Belgium - OM *
Oct. 20 - Paris, France - La Trianon *
Oct. 22 - Stockholm, Sweden - Nalen *
Nov. 04 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club †
Nov. 06 - New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge †
Nov. 08 - Chicago, IL - Outset †
Nov. 10 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater †
Nov. 13 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey ^
Nov. 18 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater +
Nov. 20 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox +

* w/ JAMES AND THE COLD GUN
† w/ Lee Ving's RANGE WAR
^ w/ Grace McKagan
+ w/ Joey "Sh*thead" Keithley

McKagan's first solo headline run in half a decade, "Lighthouse Tour '24" celebrates last year's release of his critically acclaimed third solo album, "Lighthouse", available everywhere now. Hailed by Paste as "an emotional, personal and spiritual reckoning... [McKagan's] most important rock project yet," the album sees Duff McKagan baring more of his artistic spirit than ever before, fusing acoustic elements with hard-edged rock 'n' roll to land at the sweet spot between soul-searching reflection and pure energy. "Lighthouse" was met by critical applause from such international outlets as Rolling Stone, Kerrang!, Revolver and American Songwriter for such singles as "Lighthouse", "I Saw God On 10th Street" and "Longfeather", the latter hailed by Revolver as "folky, elegiac" and joined by an official music video streaming now at YouTube. McKagan later performed "Longfeather" with an exclusive appearance on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

Photo credit: Veronica Sams

CROSSBONE SKULLY has teamed up with MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist and founding member Nikki Sixx on the track "High On You", a song about romantic obsession with an anthemic shout-it-to-the-heavens chorus. The song and its artwork — designed by Mark Wilkinson (IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST) — nods to the plight of "Crossbone Skully", the central character in a parallel mythology developed by the band's founder and frontman Tommy Henriksen. His story is unfolded in CROSSBONE SKULLY's upcoming debut album "Evil World Machine", set for release on November 22 via Better Noise Music. The narrative will also expand in a forthcoming graphic novel and animated film, "Thing #1", due in 2025, which features voiceovers by Sixx.

"CROSSBONE SKULLY is doing something visually unique while blending kickass riffs and great songwriting with this project," says Sixx, who played bass on "High On You". "I'm excited for them and can't wait for everyone to experience it."

Henriksen (who's also the guitarist and musical director for Alice Cooper's band and member of HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES) says of the track: "'High On You' shows the taste of young, pure love…the type that gets you hooked on the bug! Love is an everlasting drug!"

"Evil World Machine" was executive produced by the legendary Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who emerged from retirement just for this project.

"Evil World Machine" is a rock concept album that echoes similar dystopian visions such as David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars" and "Diamond Dogs".

Henriksen enlisted a sterling group of supporting musicians for the album, including guitarist Tommy Denander, keyboardist Jamie Muhoberac (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, JOHN MAYER, SEAL),bassist Chris Wyse (HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, ACE FREHLEY, THE CULT, OZZY OSBOURNE),drummer Glen Sobel (ALICE COOPER, HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES),the late UFO bassist Pete Way, mixer Olle Romo (MUSE, BRYAN ADAMS) and producer/mixer Mike Plotnikoff (AC/DC, AEROSMITH).

Spoken-word appearances appear throughout the album from A-list actor/musician and fellow HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES bandmate Johnny Depp as the voice of "The Sorcerer", Alice Cooper as "The Bringer Of Light," Joe Perry as "Big Bad Bone Crusher", Nikki Sixx as "The Crooked Crow" and Kane Roberts as "Alpha Watchman."

"Evil World Machine" track listing:

01. Evil World Machine
02. The Boom Went The Boom (feat. Phil Collen of DEF LEPPARD)
03. Money Sex Or God
04. Flip The Bird
05. Everyone's On Dope
06. The Sin Eater
07. Ima Bone Machine
08. Let's Bust The Trust
09. High On You (feat. Nikki Sixx of MÖTLEY CRÜE)
10. I Am The Wolf
11. I'm Unbreakable
12. The Last Night On Earth
13. Misfits Of The Universe

CROSSBONE SKULLY is:

Tommy Henriksen: Vocals
Anna "Blackthorn" Cara: Guitar
Sam "Bam" Koltun: Guitar
Chris Wyse: Bass
Alex "Thumper" Boch: Drums

CROSSBONE SKULLY photo credit: Kim Moran

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS will enter the studio in November to begin recording its fifth album for a tentative 2025 release.

Earlier today, Slash shared a photo of him alongside his CONSPIRATORS bandmates Brent Fitz (drums) and Todd Kerns (bass, vocals),and he included the following caption: "Back at it for new record coming sooner than later. The three of us starting the initial framework. Then Frank [Sidoris, guitar], then Myles [Kennedy, vocals]. Recording in November. RnFn! #Conspirators".

This past May, the GUNS N' ROSES guitarist told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that the CONSPIRATORS would go in the studio "in the fall". And then next year is gonna be back [on the road] with GUNS. And then we're gonna figure out exactly when to release the CONSPIRATORS record. 'Cause you've got ALTER BRIDGE, you've got all these other things going on," referencing the fact that SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS singer Myles Kennedy is also a member of ALTER BRIDGE.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS kicked off "The River Is Rising - Rest Of The World Tour '24" on January 23 with the band's return to Mexico City's Pepsi Centre WTC. The group's 24-song setlist included the live debut of a deep GUNS N' ROSES cut, "Don't Damn Me", featuring Kerns on lead vocals.

Support on various dates of SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS's "The River Is Rising - Rest Of The World Tour '24" came from MAMMOTH WVH.

Prior to the launch of "The River Is Rising – Rest Of The World Tour '24", SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS last performed in February and March 2022 as part of a U.S. tour.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS' latest album, "4", was released in February 2022 via Gibson Records in partnership with BMG.

"4" was Slash's fifth solo album and fourth overall with his band featuring Kennedy, Fitz, Kerns and Sidoris.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS released "Live At Studios 60", their first-ever double live LP, for the 2022 Record Store Day. The effort contained a performance of "4", plus four additional songs from the group. Recorded live in Los Angeles at Studios 60, the "Live At Studios 60" double LP exclusive Record Store Day release was limited to only 2,250 copies. The full concert featured all the songs from "4". Additional performances of the group's Top 5 rock radio hits, including "You're A Lie", "World On Fire", "Anastasia" and "Driving Rain" are also included in the double vinyl package.

For "4", Slash and the band traveled across the country together to Nashville, Tennessee and recorded the new album at the historic RCA Studio A with producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, John Prine, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile),revealing a stunning new sound and style all captured live in the studio. Cobb shared the band's desire to lay down the tracks live, in the studio including guitar solos and vocals — a first for the group.

Slash released a blues album called "Orgy Of The Damned" in May via Gibson Records.

This past summer, Slash brought his brand-new "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival to cities across the U.S.. On all dates, Slash performed alongside his blues band featuring bassist Johnny Griparic, keyboardist Teddy "ZigZag" Andreadis, drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Slash (@slash)