In a new interview with Terry "Beez" Bezer of Knotfest.com's "Mosh Talks With Beez", BEARTOOTH singer Caleb Shomo spoke about the progress of the writing and recording sessions for the band's fourth studio album. He said (see video below): "I worked on a lot of this album on the road — a whole lot of this record. We honestly could not have been luckier with the way our record cycle laid out.

"The 'Disease' tour in Europe was our last tour of the cycle, and that finished on March 6th, I believe. And then the next week, everything got shut down. So we already planned to kind of take most of this year off. We planned on not taking it all off, like we're probably gonna have to.

"I'd already worked on a ton of the record, just writing out on the road; I brought a studio rig out there. And that was great.

"When it first started, the whole lockdown thing, I just kind of emotionally shut down for a month," he continued. "But then I just kind of caught a second wind, probably two months ago, and I've just been ripping through songs. It's pretty cool.

"About a week ago, I sent kind of like my first 'draft one' of the record to the higher-ups. But I'm still just gonna keep on writing. We've got plenty of time. But the record is going very, very well so far."

Asked if the BEARTOOTH songwriting "formula" is still present in the band's new material, Caleb said: "I think that something about the BEARTOOTH sound is sort of that formula. BEARTOOTH has a song structure — it's the classic pop structure of intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, out. But with this one, I've just been trying to amp up everything. 'Cause with the last record, I really wanted to go for that super-raw, live-rock-and-roll-in-the-old-school-studio and old-school-console sound, and it was rad, and I loved doing it. And it was proving to myself that I can make a real record without computers — well, [without] heavily relying on computers. But I don't know… I just kind of realized, like, you know what? That's what I learned as a producer. I came up in the era of mixing in the box and recording in the box, which means using plug-ins and emulations and things like that. I've just been kind of using that to try and push it a little further. The formula is still there, but I don't think it's in a bad way. I think it's the formula people want from a BEARTOOTH record.

"This one is just jacked," he explained. "Everything is amped up to 11. I am so, so pumped. Obviously, this is what you wanna think when you're making a record, but damn, this is the best one yet. Not even close. This is the heaviest record. This is my best work — the most proud I've been of these songs. It's wild. It's some heavy-duty shit."

Speaking about the musical direction of the new BEARTOOTH songs, Shomo said: "The easiest way I've been trying to explain this record to people without giving too much away is if 'Disease' was AC/DC, this record is BLACK SABBATH. It's a lot more influenced in dark stoner rock, heavy power groove. Obviously, there's still a lot of fast [stuff] and some punk rock and all that, but I've really been exploring with the stoner metal side of guitars and guitar tones and doing different tunings and lots of fuzz and chaos and layering the fuck out of my guitar tracks.

"The whole point, for me, of this mix and the sonics of this record is as big and loud and fucking sonically devastating as I can possibly get it," he said. "So on a breakdown, for example, where on 'Disease' it would just be left guitar, right guitar, bass down the middle, this is literally… That little clip I posted [on Instagram ] is I think eight guitars, three bass tracks. Just experimenting — just doing dumb stoner shit and just trying my fucking best. Yeah, that's the goal — is just sonic devastation, for sure."

Asked if fans can expect to hear new music from BEARTOOTH in 2020, Caleb said: "I would say yes. I would say for sure. Again, like I said, we got so lucky with the timing of everything. And originally, we were gonna try and put the record out in 2020. I don't know if that's just gonna be possible, because we had so many plans with tours and this epic roll-out that we don't wanna take away from anybody. So we're definitely gonna wait until we can do it right and not just rush out a record and then nobody sees BEARTOOTH for another year and a half because shit went south. But I would be shocked if there weren't at least one single to four singles in 2020. If I was guessing, something in that range."

BEARTOOTH's latest release was the folk- and country music-inspired "The Blackbird Session" EP, which came out last September.

The band's third album, "Disease", was released in September 2018 via Red Bull Records. The disc was recorded at BlackBird studio in Franklin, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz (DEFTONES, KORN, FOO FIGHTERS).


























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LP4 Mixing is going well. Loving the drum sounds. Massive shoutout to @capitalhousestudio @nickalaningram for having a bad fucking ass sounding drum room ?

A post shared by Caleb Shomo (@calebshomo) on Jun 23, 2020 at 6:38pm PDT

While storming the official German album charts with a Best Of album at a phenomenal position of #2, Powerwolf prove metal is alive, healthy and they are the leaders of the one and only metal mass. Their new album, Best Of The Blessed, shows no sign of slowing down: Powerwolf truly deserve the title for one of the most successful metal bands of modern times, while Best Of The Blessed is showcasing an impressive career of more than 15 years being the high priests of heavy metal in glorious style.

With their 2015-album, Blessed & Possessed, Powerwolf achieved Gold status for the first time and stayed at the top of the charts for more than nine weeks, followed by several number #1 records. Celebrating its fifth album anniversary this year, the band has just premiered a brand new lyric video to their sing-along classic and album title track.

Become "Blessed & Possessed", and watch the new clip below:

To celebrate their new album and last year's 15th band anniversary in glorious style, the high priests of metal recently premiered a lyric video to the brand new version of the ultimate sing-along classic, "Resurrection By Erection", which belongs into every Powerwolf live set of their phenomenal stage performances.

Best Of The Blessed is available here.

Tracklisting:

CD 1:
"We Drink Your Blood "(New Version 2020)
"Army Of The Night"
"Demons Are A Girl‘s Best Friend"
"Werewolves Of Armenia" (New Version 2020)
"Saturday Satan" (New Version 2020)
"Amen & Attack"
"Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone"
"Resurrection By Erection" (New Version 2020)
"Sanctified With Dynamite" (New Version 2020)
"Kreuzfeuer"
"Armata Strigoi"
"Kiss Of The Cobra King" (New Version 2019)
"Killers With The Cross "
"Sacred & Wild"
"In Blood We Trust" (New Version 2020)
"Let There Be Night"

CD 2 - The Live Sacrament (Wolfsnächte 2018):
"Fire & Forgive"
"Incense & Iron"
"Amen & Attack"
"Demons Are A Girl’s Best Friend"
"Killers With The Cross"
"Armata Strigoi"
"Blessed & Possessed"
"Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone"
"Resurrection By Erection"
"Stossgebet"
"All We Need Is Blood"
"We Drink Your Blood"
"Werewolves Of Armenia"
"Lupus Die"

Earbook & LP Box (The Live Bonus Sacrament):
"Sanctified with Dynamite"
"Army Of The Night"
"Coleus Sanctus"
"Let There Be Night"

"Sanctified With Dynamite":

"Kiss Of The Cobra King" (2019) video:

(Photo - Tim Tronckoe)




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More video of Vic And The Rattleheads, aka Megadeth, performing at a secret show at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, NY on December 12, 2016, has been released. Watch the band perform "Rattlehead", as well as the previously posted “Hangar 18”, below:

In a recent interview with Robert Cavuoto for Metal Rules, bassist David Ellefson offers some insight into Megadeth's upcoming follow-up to 2016's Dystopia album.

"It’s definitely not in the Super Collider vein," says Ellefson. "I think its Dystopia and even way past that. It is a very technically challenging record. David and I agree that there are riffs on this record that are way harder to play than any of the stuff on Rust In Peace. It is an insanely progressive record. I remember when I was a kid and heard Geddy Lee and Neil Peart play something inhumanly impossible. I had that same feeling now on our record with Dirk Verbeuren [laughing]. It lit me up! I was like 'holy shit, this is a moment that I have never felt or experienced until now.' Who knows, maybe I needed to be 55 years old to experience and accomplished it with a seasoned guy like Dirk. That’s the emotion, fucking fire, and spirit that I have around this new record. If you liked Dystopia, this CD will not let you down."

Read the complete interview at Metal Rules.

Megadeth recently announced the rescheduled dates for The Metal Tour Of The Year with Lamb Of God, Trivium, and In Flames. All tickets will be honored with the rescheduled dates, postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A joint statement from all bands state: “We are excited to share the new 2021 dates for The Metal Tour Of The Year. All tickets from the summer and fall legs of the tour will be honored for the new rescheduled dates in 2021. If you are a ticket holder and cannot make the new show, you will receive an email directly allowing you to request a refund. For more details, please visit Livenation.com/refund. We can’t wait to get back on stage and get this tour kicked off.”

Rescheduled dates:

July
9 - Detroit, MI
10 - Mt. Pleasant, MI
11 - Toronto, ON
13 - Burgettstown, PA
14 - Cincinnati, OH
16 - Bristow, VA
17 - Charlotte, NC
18 - Raleigh, NC
20 - Boston, MA
21 - Wantagh, NY
23 - Darien Center, NY
25 - Holmdel, NJ
26 - Camden, NJ
27 - Cleveland, OH
28 - Indianapolis, IN
30 - Laval, QC
31 - Quebec City, QC

August
3 - Green Bay, WI
4 - Minneapolis, MN
6 - Chicago, IL
7 - Kansas City, MO
8 - Rogers, AR
10 - St. Louis, MO
11 - Nashville, TN
12 - Atlanta, GA
14 - West Palm Beach, FL
18 - Corpus Christi, TX
20 - Austin, TX
21 - Irving, TX
22 - Houston, TX
24 - El Paso, TX
25 - Albuquerque, NM
27 - Denver, CO
29 - Phoenix, AZ
31 - Reno, NV

September
1 - Irvine, CA
2 - Concord, CA
4 - Portland, OR
5 - Auburn, WA
7 - Pocatello, ID
8 - Salt Lake City, UT
10 - Las Vegas, NV




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Season Of Mist announces the signing of Greek metal masters, Nightfall. The band will release their brand new album in 2021.

Vocalist Efthimis Karadimas comments on the signing: "We are excited to join forces with Season Of Mist! Musically, we were raised in the 80s when labels took good care of their artists. From what we know, Season Of Mist is working that way, which is amazing."

Season Of Mist will release the original Nightfall albums that were produced by Holy Records back in the 90s. “We are gonna play these live, including stuff never played live before,” adds Karadimas.

As for the upcoming new record, which tackles the topic of depression, Karadimas continues “…a beast I have experienced its teeth deep into my soul, I decided to come out and share that experience with metalheads. This is the least I can offer now to the big fight against depression. If we don’t stop this, it will eat us all alive.

“Share your pain, speak openly about it. This is the only way to kill the demons in your mind.

"We are sure Season Of Mist team is the most appropriate in assisting us to deliver this message right. We feel confident and this is awesome."

In further news, Season Of Mist announce the release of Nightfall's back catalog on all digital platforms! Find the official Nightfall albums on Spotify here.

Nightfall first signed an international deal with a foreign label back in the early 90s, officially introducing Greece to the world of international metal. After a raging decade, the band took a hiatus and switched to a studio act exclusively. Now, with the reissues of early releases and a new album ready to launch, Nightfall have made the decision to revisit music stages and make a comeback as a committed live act.

Lineup:

Efthimis Karadimas: Bass, vocals
Mike Galiatsos: Guitar
Kostas Kyriakopoulos: Guitar
Fotis Benardo: Drum




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Neal Morse recently announced the release of Sola Gratia, his new solo progressive rock concept album, on September 11. Originating from a seed planted in his mind about writing a record based on the apostle Paul, Sola Gratia quickly came together at the beginning of 2020. The album sees Neal working with long-time collaborators Mike Portnoy, Randy George, Eric Gillette, Bill Hubauer and Gideon Klein.

Today sees the launch of the first single, "In The Name Of The Lord", and you can watch the video below.

Neal comments: “As I was gathering a bunch of random ideas in February for this album, when I got home and started to put it together, the riff that starts this song was the very first thing I recorded. I couldn’t play the riff and sing at the same time so I wrote it separately. The chorus came from some ideas I had while early morning walking in Sydney, Australia. Sola Gratia is the only album Mike, Randy and I made remotely and I think they absolutely killed it! Lyrically, I am fascinated by the conversion of Saul of Tarsus to Paul the Apostle. The fact the he starts off persecuting christians and then becomes the guy who writes most of the New Testament is a rich story... there’s so much to it... it may become a series!”

The title Sola Gratia of course has echoes of Morse’s 2007 epic Sola Scriptura, about the life of Martin Luther, but was in fact originally the result of a simple marital misunderstanding: “I was talking to my wife Cherie about debuting this new piece at Morsefest 2020 (Morse’s annual fan convention in Nashville) and she said she thought it would be good for me to do a solo album. However, I thought she said ‘Sola album’ and – because some of the new ideas involved Paul’s aggressive pursuit of the early Christians, I could see a link to some of the themes of persecution in ‘Sola Scriptura’.”

The music was recorded “virtually” in April 2020 at the height of the Coronavirus lockdown with long term collaborators Mike Portnoy (drums) and Randy George (bass): “It’s the first album we have ever made remotely: I sent them the basic tracks and asked if they wanted to rearrange things, but they just said ‘No, it’s great!’, so they just played to it and sent their parts back over. It wasn’t an easy way to make an album, but creating always has its challenges, no matter how you do it.”

As Morse explains, it was this process that decided that Sola Gratia was to be a Neal Morse album, rather than being credited to The Neal Morse Band: “With the Neal Morse Band, the whole band works together on the writing, and while Eric Gillette plays some guitar and Bill Hubauer has added some keyboards on this one, neither of them wrote – or is singing – on this album.”

Sola Gratia will be released as a limited CD/DVD Digipak (featuring a ‘Making-Of’ documentary), Gatefold 2LP + CD, Standard CD Jewel Case and as a Digital Album. The cover art was created by another longtime collaborator, Thomas Ewerhard. Pre-order here.

Neal Morse will debut Sola Gratia live at his annual Morsefest convention on September 18 and 19, 2020. A very limited number of people will be able to attend in person, with the event also being streamed online. More details and tickets are available here.

Tracklisting:

“Preface”
“Overture”
“In The Name Of The Lord”
“Ballyhoo (The Chosen Ones)”
“March Of The Pharisees”
“Building A Wall”
“Sola Intermezzo”
“Overflow”
“Warmer Than The Sunshine”
“Never Change”
“Seemingly Sincere”
“The Light On The Road To Damascus”
“The Glory Of The Lord”
“Now I Can See/The Great Commission”

(Photo - Jim Arbogast)




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

Joe releases his second single, “She’s a Legend”, from the forthcoming album Strange Legends, due out on July 31 though his and his brother’s (Albert Bouchard) new imprint RockHeart Records / Deko Entertainment (ADA/Warner Music Group).

Joe had this to say about the latest single and video, “'She’s A Legend' began when I got the lyrics from sci-fi writer John Shirley. John has dozens of books, screenplays in his catalog and often writes lyrics for the current Blue Öyster Cult. He has a great imagination and is not shy about using wild paranormal references in his writing. This song is about a notorious female serial killer who goes through a series of men, leaving them in the dust, so to speak. The last man standing falls for this exotic woman. Their love and lust is consummated but rather than ending up like so many others, she lets him go. In the end love conquers all, and the narrator lives to tell this strange tale. A strange legendary tale!”

Deko Entertainment President states, “Joe’s latest release, 'She’s A Legend', strikes up some of the legendary BOC harmonies. It grooves that way too, making sure those dedicated fans get a fun slice of the kind of songs that made them fans in the first place.”

Watch the video below, listen to the song here.

For the last two years, Joe has worked tirelessly on his 6th and best solo album. For the production of this album he enlisted the help of Micky Curry, a drumming powerhouse, who has played with Hall & Oates, Alice Cooper and more. He is currently the drummer for Bryan Adams, playing on all of his big hits. He has over 40 gold records in his archives.

Several of the songs were written by Joe Bouchard and lyricist/sci-fi writer John Shirley. John Shirley is a long-time lyricist for Blue Öyster Cult, and has written dozens of sci-fi novels. He was the co-screenwriter for The Crow, starring Brandon Lee. Other songs on the album were written by the late John Elwood Cook, a very prolific songwriter, who wrote many songs on Joe’s earlier solo albums. Joe’s album also includes a cover of Ray Davies and the Kinks’ “All Day And All Of The Night.”

Joe says, “I really got to explore the production and mixing of this album like nothing I’ve ever done before. The guitar sounds are especially well produced. I play all the bass on this album, one thing that many of the Blue Öyster Cult fans miss on other projects, and wanted to hear more of. The vocals and guitars fit so well with Micky’s drums. It’s the best I’ve ever done.”

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

Product Includes:

- One (1) Joe Bouchard - Strange Legends (Autographed) CD
- One (1) Joe Bouchard - Signature Guitar Pick
- One (1) Joe Bouchard - Strange Legend Poster
- One (1) Joe Bouchard - Strange Legends Shirt
- Exclusive early download of "Forget About Love"

Strange Legends tracklisting:

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

"She's A Legend" lyric video:

"Forget About Love" video:

"Forget About Love" lyric video:




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By unleashing the single/EP “Mirror Black”, Swedish blackened death metal legends, Necrophobic, kick off the campaign for the release of their undoubtedly most diverse and elaborated album to date Dawn Of The Damned, which is going to be released on October 9 via Century Media Records worldwide.

“Mirror Black” comes together with an official music video created by Magnus Göthlund (Director) and Henrik Christoffersson (Director of Photography). Check it out below.

Necrophobic commented as follows about the clip: “The video for ‘Mirror Black‘ was shot on two different locations in Stockholm. We wanted to manifest the bright and the dark side of the portal to the underworld. The song is about a journey to begin through darkness and fire. This is where the damned takes the final step into the pitch black depths of death. On to the other side where a new dawn awaits.“

The “Mirror Black” EP features a brand new track plus the previously unreleased live recording of classic song “Darkside” and is available in the following formats here.

- Black vinyl - 300x copies via CM Distro Europe + CM Webshop Europe
- Clear vinyl - 200x copies via CM Distro Europe + CM Webshop Europe / USA (Sold out!)
- Transparent magenta vinyl - 200x copies via CM Webshop Europe
- Transparent blue vinyl - 200x copies via CM Distro Europe + CM Webshop Europe (Sold out!)
- Transparent red vinyl - 100x exclusively from the band

Dawn Of The Damned, which was recorded and mixed by Fredrik Folkare (Unleashed, Firespawn, etc.) and which once again comes with artwork by Kristian “Necrolord” Wåhlin, will be available as Ltd. 2CD Mediabook & Patch, Gatefold colored & black LP with LP-Booklet & Poster, Standard CD Jewelcase and Digital album and is ready for pre-order here.

The album’s limited coloured vinyl options are as follows:

- Transp. Magenta vinyl: CM Webshop - 100x copies
- Clear vinyl: CM Distro - 200x copies
- Transp. Petrol Green vinyl: Cudgel - 200x copies
- Transp. Orange vinyl: EMP - 200x copies
- Transp. Blue vinyl: Nuclear Blast - 200x copies
- Transp. Sun Yellow vinyl: Sound Of Records - 200x copies
- Transp. Red vinyl: Band Webshop - 200x copies

Dawn Of The Damned tracklisting:

"Aphelion"
"Darkness Be My Guide"
"Mirror Black"
"Tartarian Winds"
"The Infernal Depths Of Eternity"
"Dawn Of The Damned"
"The Shadows"
"As The Fire Burns"
"The Return Of A Long Lost Soul"
"Devil's Spawn Attack"

With thirty years of active, nefarious service under their bulletbelts, Necrophobic are undisputed legends of the death and black metal underground. Formed in 1989 by drummer Joakim Sterner, the Stockholm blackhearts propagated a singular and fearless vision from the very start, confirming their prowess with now legendary debut album The Nocturnal Silence in 1993.

Despite numerous lineup changes and moments of turmoil, Necrophobic’s dark light has never dimmed. As a result, when the band’s most efficacious lineup reconvened for 2018’s Mark Of The Necrogram, it was obvious to fans and critics alike that the Swedish quintet were back to the blistering form that first cemented their reputation. With guitarists Sebastian Ramstedt and Johan Bergeback back in the fold after a five-year hiatus, it was a self-evident career peak for all concerned. Not just the best sounding record of the band’s career, but one of the most monstrously dramatic and destructive records of the decade, it made the prospect of the next Necrophobic album even more mouth-watering. Fast forward to 2020 and chief songwriter Ramstedt has summoned another breath-taking eruption of otherworldly malice, this time bearing the title Dawn Of The Damned.

Necrophobic lineup:

Anders Strokirk - vocals
Sebastian Ramstedt - lead guitars
Johan Bergebäck - rhythm guitar
Allan Lundholm - bass
Joakim Sterner - drums




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Udo Dirkschneider has ruled out the possibility of a reunion with ACCEPT.

Dirkschneider, who last reconnected with ACCEPT in 2005 for a number of exclusive shows, discussed the prospect of a renewed working relationship with his bandmates during a recent interview with "The Rock N Ragni Show".

Speaking about the fact that former ACCEPT bassist Peter Baltes and longtime drummer Stefan Kaufmann both appear on the new album from his U.D.O. project, "We Are One", Dirkschneider said: "It's, in a way, a reunion if we were working together songwriting-wise. That was interesting. But a lot of people came up already [saying this opens the door to an ACCEPT] reunion. And I said, 'What kind of reunion?' It's not possible to do a reunion with ACCEPT. There is only one guy left," referring to guitarist Wolf Hoffmann. "Sorry, but there is no reunion with ACCEPT. Of course, some people are thinking, 'Now he's working already with Peter and Stefan.' But no. Forget this. [Laughs] Definitely not."

Last November, Hoffmann told Powermetal.cl that he no longer kept in touch with Baltes after the bassist exited ACCEPT a year earlier. "Unfortunately, when somebody leaves the band, they're always kind of out of sight, out of mind," Wolf explained. "It's very sad. I wish it wasn't that way, because we've been friends for so long. But the reality is I haven't really heard from him — even though I reached out a couple of times. He's almost like he wants to disappear or he wants to leave the music business altogether. It's sad and I still don't quite understand what really happened. But it is what it is, and we move on."

Kaufmann was the drummer for ACCEPT on nine albums but was forced to give up drumming towards the end of the band's initial run after sustaining a serious injury to his back.

Stefan joined U.D.O. as a guitar player in 1996, following ACCEPT's second breakup, and recorded nine albums with them, including his most recent release with the group, 2011's "Rev-Raptor".

Back in 2015, Hoffmann dismissed Dirkschneider's comment that the band's then-lineup — which included Baltes and ACCEPT's singer of more than a decade, Mark Tornillo — performed live "without any emotion." "It's just hilarious at this point," Wolf said. "It's just a big joke in our lives. And we just go on about our lives, and we do our thing, and we just… We let these things go by and laugh about it. He's actually sort of our press agent, in a way. He keeps us [in the news]."

Listen to "The Rock n Ragni Show #24 w/ Udo Dirkschneider" on Spreaker.

During a conversation with Ultimate Guitar's David Slavković, Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider talked about the band ending in 2016, while also calling out famous rock artists like Ozzy Osbourne and Mötley Crüe, who made comebacks despite embarking on a farewell tour. Snider also touched on Mike Portnoy performing with Twisted Sister during the band's final year, following the death of drummer A.J. Pero in 2015. An excerpt is available below.

UG: Mike Portnoy played on Twisted Sister's final tour, and he said it was amazing to play with Twisted Sister. What was it like working with him? And are you generally a Dream Theater fan?

Snider: "Oh, I'm not a prog-rock fan, per se. When I just got on the radio, and 'Pull Me Under' came out (in 1992) and I played it on my show, and thought it was a great song and great players - and I respect that. Mike was A.J. Pero's choice as a replacement. It's very odd; Twisted Sister did not tour heavily, we'd play maybe 10, 20 shows a year. So the shows were very-big-money shows, they were very important shows. When you don't work that much, it matters. And we realized, if somebody got sick and for some reason couldn't do a show; so if you're doing only 10 shows, you'd be losing 10% of the income for the year. So, a meeting was had, and everybody was asked to pick a replacement so we don't miss a show.

A.J. was friends with Mike, and Mike was a fan of A.J.'s, and they were both in Adrenaline Mob. So, Mike was A.J.s's fill-in guy. So it's not a matter of life and death - we're not talking about dying, we were just talking about, 'Hey, if I can't make it... Say, if my child is in the hospital and I need to be home, I will have a replacement.' And six months later, A.J. dies (on March 20, 2015). And it was almost like he had said who he wanted to replace him. So, we went to Mike, and Mike came in. An incredible drummer.

And what was really incredible, the classiest thing - people need to know this - he studied A.J.'s live tapes, and he copied them, beat for beat, hit for hit, cymbal crash for cymbal crash. He stepped in, and it was like... He changed nothing. He put no Mike Portnoy in there, he did A.J.'s live parts. And when we asked him if he wanted to do a solo, he said, 'I will not do a solo.' And what we did is that we lowered a video screen, and we had the second-to-last show that A.J. played filmed, and we played that solo. Mike would not do the drum solo, and we let A.J. do a drum solo every night.

People in the audience would cry. So, this is a classy person, a talented person, a respectful person who respects other musicians and their art as well - so, he's not just about showing off and being Mike Portnoy. I love that guy."

Read more here.




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According to Dagens Næringsliv, SATYRICON frontman Sigurd "Satyr" Wongraven sold 90% of his wine company, Wongraven Wines, in 2019 to Vingruppen, owned by wine and spirits producer Arcus.

Dagens Næringsliv obtained Vingruppen's 2019 financial records that showed shares in Wongraven Wines were valued at NOK 51.3 million, which is about $5.4 million.

In 2019, Wongraven Wines had sales of NOK 6.6 million (approximately $700,000), ending the year with a profit of NOK 3.7 million ($390,000) before tax.

Since 2009, Sigurd Wongraven has developed and sold quality wines in Norway. From 2014, this has been done in collaboration with Vingruppen.

Satyr's portfolio includes the popular Wongraven Morgenstern Riesling, Wongraven Alleanza Langhe Rosso and Wongraven Champagne. He blends the wines himself and works closely with the winemakers on both viticulture and vinification. In addition, Sigurd does all design development together with his network of artists and designers. The wines are produced organically, or according to organic principles.

Sales have more than quadrupled since 2015, and in the 12 months ending last December, Norway's liquor and wine monopoly Vinmonopolet sold nearly one million liters of wine from Wongraven. The brand is thus the tenth largest in the Norwegian market.

Despite Wongraven Wines being majority-owned by Vingruppen, all the work Sigurd Wongraven does to produce fantastic wines continues as before. Symposium Wines also continues to be responsible for the sale of the brand in Norway.

About a decade ago, Satyr partnered with Luca Roagna, a fifth-generation winemaker from Piedmont, Italy, to launch the musician's own brand of wine.

Wongraven and Roagna first met in the spring of 2003 while SATYRICON was on tour in Italy and spent several months in 2010 creating two classic wines that represented a combination of Roagna's skilled vineyard work and Satyr's vision of traditional Piedmontese wines.

Wongraven also has a number of other wine projects. He has collaborated with Baron-Fuente to make 100% organic Champagnes, and Remy and Armin Grassa to create Bordeaux-style whites.

Two years ago, Satyr told Landry.audio that his wine was primarily only available in his home country.

"Some of the wines that I have are, thankfully, extremely successful in the Norwegian market," he said. "Looking at my white wine, it is the most sold white wine in its price category in Norway, and it's four times the volume of number two. And they have currently in the Norwegian wine monopoly retail sysem, they have more than 17,000 products — beer, spirits and wine; the vast majority is wine — more than 17,000. And my white wine is in the Top 50 of the most sold products. So we're having a really, really hard time getting enough of the right quality to make blends. And we manage, but we work really, really hard to make sure that we can get enough of the right quality, as I said. So then it's hard for us to think about, 'I should be exporting this to England,' because we can barely serve the Norwegian market."

In a 2019 interview with Wines Of Germany, Satyr was asked if it is possible to draw a parallel between the black metal scene and the wine world. He responded: "Yes, of course. The main reason I can make good blends is the experience, intuition and confidence I have when I work. I know what I want, what it requires from me, and I have vast experience in trusting the process. That is how music is made, and wine is no different, I have learned. You must have a vision and commit to it."
























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Hope everyone out there is all set for tonight! #wongravenwines #alleanza #langherosso #lamb

A post shared by Wongraven (@wongravenwines) on Apr 11, 2020 at 4:00am PDT

Ex-EXODUS singer Rob Dukes says that "everything's cool" between him and his former bandmates, six years after he was fired from the group.

The San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal legends in June 2014 announced the departure of Dukes and the return of his predecessor, Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

Dukes addressed his current relationship with EXODUS during a June 9 chat with Rock Immortal Productions' "Rock Talk" live interview series. He said (see video below): "[Getting fired] was bad, dude. It sucked, man. I was in the band for 10 fucking years, and now, all of a sudden, they throw me out. It was about money, and that's really what it was — it was business, man. And sometimes business goes the way it goes… I was pretty angry. Anger it always your first emotion. I was hurt. These guys were my friends. We were brothers and family. It was really bad timing on top of it. But all that said, it all worked out."

Three years after he was fired from EXODUS, Dukes performed with the band during a July 2017 concert in San Francisco, California. He sang several songs with the group on the second of EXODUS's two-night stint at The Chapel in what marked the band's first headlining Bay Area club shows since late 2013.

"I got up to San Francisco and we sat at a restaurant — all of us — and we talked, and everyone said their piece, and then it was fine," Dukes said about reconnecting with his bandmates. "I did a couple of interviews — I did one on 'Opie And Anthony', and I was fucking angry, and I shouldn't have brought it up, but Jim Norton fucking asked me, and then I fucking just unloaded and I called them all douchebags. It was fucked up of me to do that, 'cause up to that point, I had been pretty good about just being professional and talking about my gratitude for the opportunity and stuff. I tried to keep my shit together and be professional, but I kind of lost it for a little bit. And then, soon thereafter, I called and apologized to them and just explained kind of why, and it was all good, man. And it's all good right now, man. I talk to those guys constantly. Me and Jack [Gibson, bass] talked the other day. Me and Lee [Altus, guitar] talk a couple of times a week. Me and Gary [Holt, guitar], we talk pretty consistently. Tom's [Hunting, drums] living way up in the fucking mountains, so I don't talk to him that often… So, that's kind of where it's at. Everything's cool. I wish them all the best in the world."

Dukes joined EXODUS in January 2005 and appeared on four of the band's studio albums — "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" (2005), "The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A" (2007), "Let There Be Blood" (2008, a re-recording of EXODUS's classic 1985 LP, "Bonded By Blood") and "Exhibit B: The Human Condition" (2010).

Dukes currently resides in Arizona, where he works as a mechanic specializing in car restoration.

Image credit: Gibson Guitar NYC

NEON COVEN, the Los Angeles-based darkwave, alternative rock band featuring Jacob Bunton (Mick Mars, ADLER, LYNAM) and Ace Von Johnson (L.A. GUNS, FASTER PUSSYCAT) has released a new song called "Blame It On The Drugs" via New Ocean Media. The track is the first single from the band's upcoming debut full-length album, "Future Postponed". Check out the lyric video below.

In addition to Bunton (keyboards, guitar, bass) and Von Johnson (guitar), NEON COVEN features Anthony Montemarano (vocals) and Kyle Cunningham (drums).

"Future Postponed" will be released October 30. Produced by Bunton, the LP features 11 tracks ranging from songs about survival and balance to emotionally charged anthems of empowerment. The songs live in the space between challenging the need for certainty and, ultimately, learning to accept uncertainty.

"'Future Postponed' is set to inspire, intrigue and terrify all at once," states Von Johnson. "The material within runs a musical gamut, in which we as a band proudly exercise our ability to take bold strides in diversity. From dance-pop to goth rock, each song will take you twisting down a new road. I've worked on a lot of albums in my career, and thus far, this is the one I'm most proud of."

"Future Postponed" track listing:

01. Blame It On The Drugs

02. Every Part Of Me

03. A World Without You

04. I'm The New Hit

05. Manic

06. Purgatory

07. Kiss Of Death

08. Spirits In The Hall (feat. Ramsey)

09. You're Never Getting Out Alive

10. Dead To Me

11. The Other Side Of Nowhere

NEON COVEN abandoned much of the ethos of the tradition of heavy rock to create an intellectual and theoretical sound, linked to an emphasis on anthemic, synth-heavy dance-music. The band came together when Von Johnson, Bunton, Montemarano and Cunningham formed the band as a side project on the suggestion of a mutual friend.

"We were all on the Monsters Of Rock cruise," explains Bunton. "Our mutual friend April Lee said, 'You guys should start a band.' Ace and I had been friends for years, and we both met Anthony on the cruise. After we got back to L.A., we started writing songs whenever our schedules would align."

NEON COVEN released its first EP, "Risen", in 2017, containing the songs "Bleeding Love" and "No One Knows You're Dead", which appeared in the horror movie "Hesperia". The band followed the EP with a cover of DEPECHE MODE's "Never Let Me Down Again" in 2018. In 2019, the band released its second EP, "The Haunting".

Canadian-based progressive metal band, Pyramid Theorem, have announced their forthcoming album, Beyond The Exosphere, will be released on Friday, August 21. Produced and engineered by Rich Chycki (who’s previously put his stamp on releases by Rush, Dream Theater, Aerosmith, and Def Leppard, among others), the five-song sequence sees the group setting new benchmarks for their ability to fuse impassioned and memorable songwriting with mind-blowingly sophisticated, diverse, and virtuosic arrangements. BraveWords is premiering new single, "Closer To The End", listen below and preorder Beyond The Exosphere  here.

Sam Ermellini comments on the single:

“I believe that closer to the end is a great representation of our darker writing style. It’s a deep cut, with catchy riffs, fantastic keyboard work, great drums, and excellent bass lines. I think we really hit home with this one lyrically and sonically.  The writing of this song was particularly smooth. We wanted a track that was epic sounding! I personally wanted to have that Ozzy Osbourne feel, which I think it totally has.  It's definitely a 'must listen to' track off Beyond The Exosphere.”

Founded in the late 2000s, the band - bassist/vocalist Christian Di Mambro, keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist Stephan Di Mambro, percussionist Vito De Francesco, and lead guitarist/vocalist Sam Ermellini - have already established themselves as unquenchably imaginative, determined, and skillful on their first two full-length statements (2012’s eponymous debut and 2017’s Element Of Surprise) and prior EPs. As stellar as those records are, however, Pyramid Theorem’s forthcoming collection, Beyond The Exosphere, surpasses them in every respect.

Take, for instance, the wonderfully melodic, dynamic, symphonic, and heroic opening title track. It undeniably conjures Rush, Spock’s Beard, and Dream Theater, but it’s very idiosyncratic as well, with a level of performance, production, narrative, and songwriting quality - including fluid, emotional, and cosmic transitions from movement to movement - that many of the most established progressive metal outfits can’t match. It really is a tour-de-force of everything Pyramid Theorem has been working toward thus far, and at just under eighteen minutes in length, it deserves to be regarded as one of the greatest epic tracks of its generation.

“Under Control” offers a more concise slice of glorious density (with superb interplay between guitar and keyboard) whose 1980s-esque multilayered chorus is ripe for stadium sing-alongs. Afterward, “Freedom” is gruffer and more sinister, yet it still packs enough moving respites and inventive effects (namely, bells) to keep it satisfyingly flexible. Next, the penultimate “Closer to the End” works as a chameleonic ballad, juxtaposing flamboyant theatrics, hard-hitting intensity, and plenty of haunting atmospheric introspection with expert precision. Naturally, “Intonate” serves as a breathtaking finale that coats its brutal core with stirring vocal harmonies, empowering strings, calming acoustic guitar strums, and poignant piano motifs. Its larger-than-life jam fades away patiently during its final moments, leaving you with the sense of awe and catharsis that comes from completing a life-changing journey.

Beyond The Exosphere tracklisting:

“Beyond The Exosphere”
“Under Control”
“Freedom”
“Closer To The End”
“Intonate”

“Freedom”:




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The classic GENTLE GIANT lineup has reunited for the first time since 1980 for a unique new video. Pieced together over the last few months, it's a brand new performance of "Proclamation" (originally from the band's 1974 album "The Power & The Glory"), including appearances from GENTLE GIANT alumni Derek, Ray and Phil Shulman, Gary Green, Kerry Minnear, John Weathers and Malcolm Mortimore. There are also guest appearances by numerous notable musicians, including Jakko Jakszyk (KING CRIMSON), Billy Sherwood (YES), Lee Pomeroy (ELO/STEVE HACKETT), Dan Reed (DAN REED NETWORK), Richard Hilton (CHIC) and Mikey Heppner (PRIESTESS).

"This terrible pandemic is being felt all over the world and with everyone being stuck at home, I figured now would be the perfect time to bring positivity out in the world, bring everyone together and celebrate our love of music and GENTLE GIANT," explains Noah Shulman, son of Derek and mastermind behind this project. "Over the years, I was always amazed with how many people were filming their renditions of GENTLE GIANT tracks from all over the world on an array of instruments. So that sparked the idea of wanting to see them all in one place, blending sounds and instruments into a single track."

Directed and edited by Noah Shulman and mixed by his uncle Ray, the video is likely to be remembered most for the momentous reuniting of the real GENTLE GIANT, albeit only briefly and via to the wonders of remote communication. Seeing that the band have never seemed likely to reform, this is a significant and exciting moment for GENTLE GIANT fans everywhere.

Says Noah: "It's a sort of thank you from the band to the fans."

DEADSY, the art-industrial-rock band fronted by Elijah Blue (a.k.a. P. Exeter Blue I), son of actress/singer Cher and Gregg Allman, will release its long-awaited third album in early 2021. The disc's first single and video will precede the full-length effort this fall. DEADSY is also planning to reissue its second album, "Phantasmagore", on all digital platforms and vinyl.

DEADSY announced its comeback in a social media post on Tuesday (July 14), The band wrote: "We've been laboring for the last 2 years, as the clarion call of DEADSY has brought us back into a state of making. We could not be more pleased with the yield and its energy.

"Our forthcoming album, and 3rd release, entitled 'Subterfugue' (Sub-tur-fyoog) will begin its preliminary campaign of content this summer, with the first single and video coming this fall, and the album in early 2021.

"We know some of you have been waiting a long time for new music and imagery, and we are elated to satiate that desire.

"We also know some of you are experiencing us for the first time....to that we say, welcome to the hyper-vivid, welcome to the vicious-neutral...welcome to DEADSY.

"We will also be re-releasing 2006’s 'Phantasmagore' this year on all digital platforms and vinyl. Details to follow."

DEADSY first gained recognition in 2002 with the release of its debut album, "Commencement" (Dreamworks/SKG/UMG). With songs like "Key To Gramercy Park" and its monolithically futuristic cover of RUSH's "Tom Sawyer" instantly separating it from its modern rock pier group, DEADSY paved its own artistic path, gaining legions of fans devoted to the band's high concept aesthetic of its color-coded members and white chain accessory.

"Phantasmagore" came out in August 2006 on Elementree/Immortal. The band also took part in that year's "The Family Values" tour, along with an appearance at Lollapalooza.


The Dream Is Always The Same...

.

We’ve been laboring for the last 2 years, as the clarion call of Deadsy has brought us...

Posted by Deadsy on Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Buried Realm is a solo studio project, hatched from the mind of Josh Dummer. It is the second album he has put out under that moniker and once again he has written an epic, creative record filled not only with his own talent but also with that of a smorgasbord of special guests from around the world. Dummer comments on the album:

"After nearly three years of creating ‘Embodiment Of The Divine,’ I am very pleased to present and share this album with everyone. I’m honored to be joined by a number of guests that have influenced my writing and playing over the years. Their contributions have truly helped bring the album to another level. ‘Embodiment of the Divine’ features guest performances from Andy Gillion, Benjamin Ellis, Bob Katsionis, Dean Arnold, Lee McKinney, Peter Wichers, Rafael Trujillo, and Ryan Strain. Listeners can expect to hear a whole lot of riffs, solos, and melody. The album has its traditional arrangements at times but is also built on technical and chaotic grounds. I think the overall atmosphere of this album is darker compared to the previous one.”

Having already shared three singles off the full length (listed below), Dummer is sharing the playthrough for the album's title track.

Dummer says: 

"After recording the rhythm guitars for the album, I considered re-amping with real amps. The first person that popped into my mind was Keith Merrow. We chatted briefly about the project and the tone I was going for. I've always dug that classic 5150 sound and was chasing that for this album. After a shootout between several plugins, I decided the TSE X50 sounded great and convincing, so that's what I went with it in the end. My other guitar tracks/ effects were recorded with a Line 6 Pod HD. I believe most of the album guests used Axe FX."

Dummer adds: "This song caries tons of leads and some of the more challenging guitar parts on the album. A message about looking forward, shedding skin, but being haunted by “dead skin” so to speak."

Recommended for fans of Soilwork, Nevermore, and Children Of Bodom, Buried Realm is progressive melodic death metal. Embodiment Of The Divine is out on July 24. Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

Tracklisting:

"The Burning Remnants" ft. guests Dean Arnold (Operus, ex-Vital Remains)
"Overlord" ft. guest Andy Gillion (Mors Principium Est)
"Master Psychosis" ft. guests Benjamin Ellis (Scar Symmetry), Ryan Strain (Chaos For The Masses)
"Scales Of Queen Dragon" ft. guests Andy Gillion (Mors Principium Est)
"Silver Tongue" ft. guests Bob Katsionis (ex-Firewind), Dean Arnold (Operus, ex-Vital Remains)
"In The Shallow Light" ft. guests Peter Wichers (ex-Soilwork), Ryan Strain (Chaos For The Masses)
"Embodiment Of The Divine" ft. guests Benjamin Ellis (Scar Symmetry), Peter Wichers (ex-Soilwork)
"Infinite Mutation" ft. guests Lee McKinney (Born of Osiris), Ryan Strain (Chaos For The Masses)
"The Wonder And Terror Of Fortune" ft. guests Rafael Trujillo (ex-Obscura), Ryan Strain (Chaos For The Masses)




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GONE, the project featuring MASTODON's Troy Sanders, AT THE DRIVE-IN's Tony Hajjar, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's Troy Van Leeuwen and guitarist-keyboardist Mike Zarin, has released a new song called "Everything Is Wonderfall".

"Everything Is Wonderfall" is the first new music from GONE IS GONE since the release of "No One Ever Walked On Water" last December. Prior to that, GONE IS GONE issued "Phantom Limb" in November 2017 as part of a seven-inch red vinyl single for Record Store Day's Black Friday.

GONE IS GONE's debut album, "Echolocation", entered Billboard's Heatseekers Chart at No. 3 back in January 2017.

Hailed by Clash as "a crisp, compact document, one laced with energy and sweeping songwriting," "Echolocation" was produced by the band and mixed by Ken Andrews (BECK, A PERFECT CIRCLE).

GONE IS GONE was formed by multi-instrumentalist Mike Zarin and Hajjar, who previously collaborated on various film trailer projects for Sencit, Zarin's music production, licensing and supervision company. Together they've put together a wildly diverse sound production resume that includes trailers for the Internet-breaking television series "Stranger Things", Christopher Nolan's 2010 sci-fi thriller "Inception", multi-Emmy-winning television series "Game Of Thrones" and the Marvel Comics blockbuster film "X-Men Apocalypse", to name but a few. They brought in Troy Van Leeuwen, known for his work with QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, FAILURE, A PERFECT CIRCLE, EAGLES OF DEATH METAL and SWEETHEAD, who, in turn, brought in Troy Sanders from multi-Grammy nominees MASTODON.

Acclaimed drummer Jamie Oldaker has died at the age of 68. The musician, who had battled cancer in recent years, was surrounded by family members when he passed away Thursday at his Tulsa home.

A rock music, blues rock and country music drummer and percussionist, Oldaker was born September 5, 1951 in Tulsa. He was an exponent of the shuffle style.

After a stint in Bob Seger's band, Oldaker joined Eric Clapton in 1974 during the recording of "461 Ocean Boulevard". Oldaker would remain a member of Clapton's studio and touring bands through 1979, when the entire band was dismissed. Oldaker would return to the Clapton band in 1983, leaving in 1986. Oldaker appears on the blues side of the live recording "24 Nights" from 1990 and 1991. Not long after leaving Clapton's band, Oldaker briefly became a member of KISS guitarist Ace Frehley's project FREHLEY'S COMET, appearing on the 1988 album "Second Sighting". He was a founding member of the alt-country band THE TRACTORS in 1994. Oldaker has also played on recordings of musicians such as THE BELLAMY BROTHERS, ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL, Peter Frampton, Stephen Stills, Leon Russell, Freddie King and THE BEE GEES.

"Jamie Oldaker has been my dear friend and brother for over 40 years," Frampton said in a statement provided to the Tulsa World by Oldaker's family. "He was a very warm, caring, true friend with a gentle heart. He cared about us all almost more than he did himself. Most will know him as the drummer on Eric Clapton's albums. His playing was unique; a laid-back style of drumming with an incredible feel. We traveled the world, played many wonderful shows and great recordings together. He was a much-loved person and I will miss him for the rest of my time here. Love you, Jamie."

Oldaker was involved in working with the organizers and the building of the OKPOP museum in Tulsa. He and his wife, Mary, were also hosts of an annual fundraiser, MOJO Fest, to raise money for the Tulsa Day Center For The Homeless.

On July 10th, keyboardist Phil Ashley (top left) - who worked with Joe Satriani, KISS, Aeromsith, Mick Jagger and many others - passed away at age 65. Cause of death has not been made public

Ashley's family has issued the following statement:

"We are heartbroken at the passing of Philip Ashley. A loving father, husband and partner, a wonderful friend and passionately talented musician. We hope to honor his life next year with a memorial service - details to come."

Satriani posted the following message with the photo above:

"Our dear friend Phil Ashley passed away last week. He was a magnificent musician and human being. On stage and in the studio we made a lot of great music together, played a lot of chess (he always won) and were still collaborating. My deepest condolences to his family. R.I.P Phil, we will all miss you. Phil Ashley (top left), Doug Wimbish, Simon Philips and me at Bearsville Studios in late '90 recording The Extremist."

KISS frontman Paul Stanley posted the following message on social media in honour of Ashley:

"I am at a loss for words. My dear friend Phil Ashley has died suddenly. He was a no bullshit, warm and kind soul who I shared so many hours talking with about the value of life, family and music. He played keyboards for many of the greats. The times we won't have leaves me empty."

KISS FAQ has shared a 2017 interview in which Phil shares details of his musical journey throughout the 1980s. The interview was originally conducted for the 2017 celebration of KISS' Crazy Nights album but covers other artists Phil worked with at the time.




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Vintage proto-metal purveyors SpellBook have released "Wands To The Sky", the first single from their forthcoming debut album, Magick & Michief. 

Cruz Del Sur Music will release Magick & Mischief on September 25 in CD, vinyl, and digital formats. Formerly known as Witch Hazel, SpellBook marries Black Sabbath, Pentagram and progressive rock for seven songs of entrancing classic metal.

During the writing process for what would eventually become Magick & Mischief, the members of York, Pennsylvania vintage proto-metal purveyors Witch Hazel realized there was no better time than the present to change their name. The idea had long rested on their mind, but the risks in changing a band’s name are numerous, if not painfully obvious. After all, since their 2007 formation, Witch Hazel independently released three studio albums, Forsaken Remedies (2012), Nocturnity (2015) and Otherwordly (2018), and had already generated buzz in the doom metal underground. But, with the confidence that the material they created for Magick & Mischief was the strongest of their career, Witch Hazel reached back into their past for the song “The Spellbook” from Forsaken Remedies and rebranded themselves SpellBook. Soon, a deal with Cruz Del Sur Music was signed, and the band started a new chapter that begins with the release of Magick & Mischief.

Recorded in May 2019 at Developing Nations with Kevin Bernsten, Magick & Mischief is the embodiment of a band going further than before, honing in on their obvious strengths as songwriters while exploring new territory in the sprawling classic metal and vintage heavy rock landscape. SpellBook, who feature vocalist Nate Tyson, drummer Nicholas Zinn, guitarist Andy Craven and bassist Seibert Lowe, followed a fairly simple approach when writing the album: There is no formula. There are no rules. Write what feels good. The best songs win. As a result, Magick & Mischief is a varied, adventurous body of work, reeling in Iron Maiden and proto-metal vibes on “Wands To The Sky” and “Ominous Skies”, an epic concept piece in the form of “Dead Detectives”, which appropriately recalls Alice Cooper at his theatrical peak, along with regular crowd-pleaser “Amulet”, which the band honed in the live arena before committing it to tape. Elsewhere, doom, acoustic guitars and sterling lead vocal work from Tyson are interwoven with ease, all the while staying true to SpellBook’s impeccable list of influences of Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Blue Oyster Cult, KISS and Pentagram.

The album artwork was created by Chad Keith, who dutifully melded each of Magick & Mischief’'s songs in visual form to comprise the cover. It’s a fitting representation of an album that puts a fresh twist on a classic style.

Tracklisting:

"Wands To The Sky"
"Black Shadow"
"Ominous Skies"
"Not Long For This World"
"Motorcade"
"Amulet"
"Dead Detectives"

For further details, visit SpellBook on Facebook.

 

 




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Pallbearer’s fourth album, Forgotten Days, arrives October 23 via Nuclear Blast. Pre-order here. In this trailer, Brett Campbell discusses the title track:

“Forgotten Days is us exploring what is natural to us,” says bass player/songwriter Joseph Rowland. “The songs tell me where I need to go when I write. We wanted to focus on songs that were visceral and enjoyable to play live – that our audiences would enjoy experiencing. We’re also getting back to more of the groovier and heavier elements of Pallbearer. Heartless is fairly uptempo and technical. This one is a little more open, it hammers you.”

“This record has a lot of thematic ties to our first record,” Rowland continues. “When we were writing Sorrow and Extinction, my mother was terminally ill. It’s been 10 years since she passed. It’s taken me all of this time to take a really good look at myself. While we were writing Forgotten Days, I knew, ‘Now is the time to sit down and begin to understand who I have become.’”

“Joe and I have always written lyrics separately,” adds singer/guitar player Brett Campbell. “But we always end up with lyrics that are connected by threads. I’m not sure why that is. Maybe it’s because we’ve been in close proximity for a long while. Between Heartless and Forgotten Days, we were home for an extended period of time. I think we finally had time to reflect. Memory is a big aspect of the new record. The passage of time. How things change as perspective changes. Was the past truly the way that you remember it at all?”

The Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Earth, Johan Johannson) produced album was recorded at Sonic Ranch Studios in West Texas. Michael Lierly, drummer Mark Lierly’s brother, once again created the album’s artwork, crafting images that were roughly hewn yet heartbreaking in their expressive heft. The striking cover, by Michael Lierly, is the ideal foil to Pallbearer’s thick musical and lyrical melancholia.

Forgotten Days tracklisting:

"Forgotten Days"
"Riverbed"
"Stasis"
"Silver Wings"
"The Quicksand Of Existing"
"Vengeance & Ruination"
"Rite Of Passage"
"Caledonia"

"Forgotten Days" video:

Pallbearer is:

Brett Campbell (vocals/guitar)
Devin Holt (guitar)
Joseph D. Rowland (bass/vocals)
Mark Lierly (drums)

(Photo - Ebru Yildiz)




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Dutch metal legends, Martyr, have released their new single and video, "Fire Of Rebellions". The video and song was created with a contribution of around 100 Martyr warriors from all over the world.

The song will be released through all relevant online streaming services as well as a limited edition CD-single by PT-78 Records and Rock Stakk Records (Japan). This CD single will also feature the previous epic power ballad and highly acclaimed "No Time For Goodbyes".

"No Time For Goodbyes" video:

Martyr “2.0” is:

Rick Bouwman (Guitars)
Vinnie Wassink (Bass)
Rop van Haren (Vocals)
Rick Valcon (Drums)
Geoffrey Maas (Guitars)




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Kansas will release their new album, The Absence Of Presence, tomorrow (Friday, July 17P via InsideOut Music. In this new video trailer, the band discuss the album artwork:

The Absence Of Presence album follows-up 2016’s The Prelude Implicit, which debuted at #14 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart. Kansas has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and is famous for classic hits such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust In The Wind" to the progressive epic "Song For America".

The Absence Of Presence, released by InsideOut Music, features nine all new tracks written by the band, produced by Zak Rizvi, and co-produced by Phil Ehart and Richard Williams. Kansas's signature sound is unmistakable throughout. The album showcases Ronnie Platt’s towering vocals, David Ragsdale’s searing violin, Tom Brislin’s dazzling keyboards, Williams and Rizvi’s electrifying guitar riffs, Ehart’s powerful drums, and Billy Greer’s rocking bass.

“We are really proud of the album The Absence Of Presence,” comments Kansas guitarist, producer, and songwriter Zak Rizvi. “Making a new Kansas album sets a very high musical standard that is expected from our fans. From rockers, to progressive epics, to ballads, there is something on this recording for everybody.”

The Absence Of Presence will be available on CD, Double LP 180 Gram Vinyl, Limited Edition Deluxe CD + 5.1 Blu-Ray Artbook, and digitally on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and all other streaming services. Pre-order the album here.

The Absence Of Presence tracklsting:

"The Absence Of Presence"
"Throwing Mountains"
"Jets Overhead"
"Propulsion 1"
"Memories Down The Line"
"Circus Of Illusion"
"Animals On The Roof"
"Never"
"The Song The River Sang"

"Jets Overhead" video:

"Memories Down The Line" video:

"Throwing Mountains" video:

Sampler:

Kansas recently issued the following update regarding their Point Of Know Return Anniversary tour:

"Due to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, the Point Of Know Return Anniversary European Tour scheduled for October & November 2020 has been postponed until October & November 2021. New dates are listed below.

"While we are disappointed at the need to reschedule, Kansas is excited to bring the Point Of Know Return Anniversary Tour to our European fans in 2021.

"Keep your tickets. Tickets for 2020 concerts will be honored for the rescheduled concert in 2021."

New 2021 dates:

October
12 - Frankfurt, Germany - Jahrhunderthalle
13 - Hamburg, Germany - Docks
15 - Helsinki, Finland - Culture House
16 - Tampere, Finland - Tamperetalo
18 - Stockholm, Sweden - Cirkus
20 - Oslo, Norway - Sentrum Scene
22 - Berlin, Germany - Tempodrom
23 - Bochum, Germany - RuhrCongress
27 - Munich, Germany - Circus Krone
28 - Heilbronn, Germany - Harmonie
30 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Carre Theatre
31 - Brussels, Belgium - Cirque Royal

November
2 - Paris, France – L’Olympia Theatre
4 - London, England - Palladium

(Photo - Emily Butler Photography)




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Razor bassist Mike Campagnolo was recently interviewed for a brand new podcast by current Piledriver guitarist Steve Macpherson. They talked about all things Razor - including an upcoming official release of Escape The Fire (which was supposed to be the debut album in 1985) as well as their forthcoming brand new record and long-awaited follow-up to 1997’s Decibels!

Campagnolo says that “There's twelve, possibly thirteen songs written and killer! People will not be disappointed. Dave (Carlo; guitars) even says 'I think it's the best stuff I've ever written.’ All killer. No filler!”

“The real Escape The Fire will be coming out” Campagnolo adds about the rare demos album that would appear on Razor’s 1985 debut, Executioner's Song. “We've found the original tapes. That's coming out the way it was supposed to sound.”

Check out the interview this location.




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Relatively new to the Seattle metal scene, Draemora is comprised of seasoned musicians who, despite COVID-19 slowing their debut, showed the nation and the world their Awakening EP, unleashed this past June via Ultra Nast Records.

Today, the band share their first music video for their track "Home". Watch below.

Guitarist Terry Jenkins about the video: "The video is meant to capture the day in the life of a drug addict/alcoholic. Take the video how you want, but to me, it’s just a depiction of the brutal loneliness of addiction, and the damage it can do."

Draemora's Awakening EP is nothing short of heavy, melodic metal infused with honest and heartfelt lyrics. This combination works perfectly with the band’s mission to evoke an intense emotional and spiritual experience that brings out the raw emotions that are suppressed all day in normal day to day lives.

Terry Jenkins elaborates the story behind the writing of Awakening: "It's intense and beautiful.  It's angry, sad, and uplifting and I think it is a reflection of a human living in modern-day society.  The majority of the lyrics are a culmination of direct excerpts from letters, poems, and life experiences from the period between May 2018 and August 2019.  It was a very intense time in my life.  A relationship I had been in for 10 years was falling apart due to my addiction problems and I had just got sober at the end of April 2018.  Being sober after being intoxicated and high for 16 years was like living in a different world all together.  I had to finally face all of the things I had put off for a very long time and it was like I was learning how to do everything in my life all over again.  I used lyrics and music to channel a lot of those feelings and get it out.  When I was in the beginning, I relied on listening to a few specific metal albums to keep me from slipping into the dark, and without those pieces of music, I may not be walking the earth right now.  I was going to keep this stuff to myself but, the realization that I needed to feel like I wasn't alone by listening to music that spoke candidly about the same things that I was going through almost forced me to share my stories and others stories on this EP with someone else who is going through the same stuff."

The artwork for the Awakening EP was created by Sarah Estrella.

Tracklisting:

"Home"
"Dead Inside"
"Guilt"
"Reckoning"
"Legion Of Scum"

“Legion Of Scum” guitar playthrough video:

"Guilt":




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thrash metal veterans ONSLAUGHT have revealed a travelling circus-inspired music video for "Bow Down To The Clowns", the second single from the upcoming "Generation Antichrist" album.

Lyrically inspired by society’s tendency to allow itself to be controlled by others, the lip offers a literal depiction of dark clowns with a demonic ringmaster pulling the strings on the whole spectacle.

"Distraction and control walk hand in hand in the dark world of clowns," says ONSLAUGHT guitarist and founding member Nige Rockett. "This track tears through the unnerving facade of political deception exposing the ugly truth for all to see. This is angry music for angry people."

"It is basically a twisted take on a political travelling rally," says bassist Jeff Williams. "Freak shows and clowns, glaring neon and grim hidden recesses. A carnival of mass distractions to enrage and delight the masses to keep them under control and divided through fear, hate and self-righteous superiority…In our circus, Dumbo would've hit the floor!"

"Generation Antichrist" will be issued on August 7 via AFM Records. The long-awaited follow-up to 2013's "VI" was mixed by Daniel Bergstrand (BEHEMOTH, IN FLAMES, MESHUGGAH) at Dugout Studios in Uppsala, Sweden.

"Generation Antichrist" is the first ONSLAUGHT album to feature new vocalist Dave Garnett, who recently replaced longtime singer Sy Keeler.

Rockett commented: "Wow, we're stoked to finally get this new album ready to go.

"It's been a huge challenge to get everything finalized in light of recent events around the the world. We've had to bend a few rules and do things in very unconventional ways to make it work, but we got it done.

"I gotta say this is one brutal fucking record and could be a real game changer for the future of ONSLAUGHT. It's a very earthy and extremely raw-sounding album. We held back on the technology, with natural drums all round and I think Daniel Bergstrand did an unbelievable job on the mix.

"Everyone really stepped up to the plate massively on 'Generation Antichrist', but I have to single out our new vocalist Dave Garnett for smashing the vocals out of the park. It's an unenviable task to follow in the big shoes of Sy Keeler, but he's made this album his own and in his own very cool style, I'm sure he's gonna be hugely popular with the fans."

"Generation Antichrist" track listing:

01. Rise To Power

02. Strike Fast Strike Hard

03. Bow Down To The Clowns

04. Generation Antichrist

05. All Seeing Eye

06. Addicted To The Smell Of Death

07. Empires Fall

08. Religiousuicide

09. A Perfect Day To Die

Pre-order the album here.

ONSLAUGHT announced Keeler's departure in April, explaining in a statement that "some things simply aren't sustainable year after year due to the nature of the modern-day music industry."

Back in August 2018, ONSLAUGHT debuted "A Perfect Day To Die" at the Bloodstock Open Air festival at Catton Park, Derbyshire, United Kingdom.

oll horde FINNTROLL has unleashed "Ormfolk", the first single from its highly anticipated seventh studio album — the first in long seven years. "Vredesvävd" will be out on September 18 via Century Media Records. The title translates to "Wrath-woven," which aptly implies what the vigorous, unapologetic and ill-spirited record is all about.

Recorded and mixed at the renowned Sonic Pump Studios, mastered at Chartmakers and produced by keyboardist-composer Henri "Trollhorn" Sorvali with vocalist Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns acting as his right hand, "Vredesvävd" presents the pointy-eared gang of misfits at their finest.

FINNTROLL says: "After seven years of hiding, 'Ormfolk' slithers its way to bring the human race a prelude of the forthcoming chaos which even global pandemics are unable to prevent. Catchy melodies, furious speed and the rabid black humppa will ensure that your ears will be hissing for a long time!"

The band previously stated about the new LP: "'Vredesvävd' is shamelessly untrendy, fierce and a catchy album. Raising a mushroom-cladded middle finger towards lazy rock music, it whips and whacks the poor listener in a way that only FINNTROLL is capable of delivering. Combining something old, something new and a ton of something black."

"Vredesvävd" track listing:

01. Väktaren

02. Att Döda Med En Sten

03. Ormfolk

04. Grenars Väg

05. Forsen

06. Vid Häxans Härd

07. Myren

08. Stjärnors Mjöd

09. Mask

10. Ylaren

FINNTROLL is:

Trollhorn - Keyboards, Orchestrations, Guitars, Banjo, Mouth Harp

Tundra - Bass

Skrymer - Guitars

Routa - Guitar

Vreth - Vocals

Virta - Keys

MörkÖ - Drums

Photo credit: Henry Soderlund

> frontman Ihsahn will release a new EP, "Pharos", on September 11 via Candlelight Records. The official music video for the disc's first single, "Spectre At The Feast", can be seen below. Also appearing on the effort are covers of PORTISHEAD's "Roads" and A-HA's "Manhattan Skyline" (featuring Einar Solberg of LEPROUS).

Ihsahn, whose real name is Vegard Sverre Tveitan, told Metal Hammer about "Spectre At The Feast": "It's probably the most straightforward song on the EP. It's got this almost pop-rock attitude. Lyrically, it's kind of a fly-on-the-wall perspective on society — all the superficial, stupid things people turn into something meaningful when they're not. It's musing on when the façade will break."

"Pharos" EP track listing:

01. Losing Altitude

02. Spectre At The Feast

03. Pharos

04. Roads (PORTISHEAD cover)

05. Manhattan Skyline (A-HA cover, featuring Einar Solberg of LEPROUS)

"Pharos" is the follow-up to "Telemark", which came out in February via Candlelight. That effort represented the heavier side of Ihsahn's music.

"'Telemark' was everything that was close to my heart: basic guitar riffing, screaming vocals," Ihsahn said. "I thought, 'I need to do a sequel where I do the exact opposite' — things that I don't know how to do, explore sonic territory that I haven't explored."

Last year, Ihsahn once again dismissed the idea of EMPEROR writing and recording a comeback album. The group's last studio LP, "Prometheus - The Discipline Of Fire & Demise", was released in 2001 and was written entirely by Ihsahn. EMPEROR broke up shortly thereafter, with Ihsahn going on to pursue a solo career, while guitarist Samoth (real name: Tomas Thormodsæter Haugen) partook in a variety of bands, including SCUM and ZYKLON. EMPEROR has reunited frequently in ensuing years to perform live, but has continually resisted calls to release new material.

19, 2014, a historic moment happened onstage in Seattle, Washington when iconic punk band SUPERSUCKERS played the final, sold-out show on their North American tour. For the encore, they covered the RAMONES' "I Believe In Miracles". Already an important moment since lead singer Eddie Spaghetti was diagnosed with throat cancer and surgery was imminent, but it was became even more significant when PEARL JAM's Eddie Vedder joined the band onstage with Blind Marky Feltchtone (ZEKE) to perform "I Believe In Miracles". It premiered yesterday on Flood magazine and is released today via iTunes and Spotify.

"Somehow Eddie had found out about my cancer diagnosis and put the word out that he'd like to come to the show and maybe do something with the band," recalls Spaghetti, "especially with the impending struggle I was about to undertake with the whole cancer fright. The song was extra poignant."

The performance was shot with multiple cameras, but the multitrack audio files were only discovered recently, buried within the hard drive. The result is a testament to transcendent healing power of live music and the power of its shared community.

"What a humbling experience for me on a personal level and what an amazing rock show for me on a professional level," continues Spaghetti about the sold-out night. "This recording really reflects that. What a document of a historical moment this is! Eddie absolutely KILLED it and the band was on FIRE that night."

Spaghetti looks back especially at the outpouring of support for the journey he'd have to soon take for his cancer. "It felt like everyone in the crowd was a friend of mine and there was a lot of love in the room," he remembers. "From the first note till the last, it just seemed like everyone was on our side."

One person who especially showed his concern for him was the guest of honor. "After the show, Eddie Vedder talked to me for a long time and pointed me in a direction to get my shit cured," Spaghetti says. "He was super helpful with getting me hooked up with a support team of doctors and hospitals that I would probably not have had access to without his assistance. He also wrote a big fat check to help get me through the hard times of not being able to work that was to come. It was all above and beyond the call for him to provide all that help. I will be forever indebted to him. He's a good one."

Finnish folk metal superstars, Korpiklaani, performed at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival in summer 2018. Watch the band perform the songs "Hekselipoika", "A Man With A Plan", and "Vodka", below:

Eluveitie recently announced their return to North America for a month-long co-headline tour with Korpiklaani.

Tour Dates:

September
19 - Tampa, FL - The Orpheum
20 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
21 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
22 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
23 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live!
24 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Bar & Grill
26 - Mesa, TX - Club Red
27 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent
28 - Oakland, CA - Metro
29 - Portland, OR - Bossanova Ballroom
30 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater

October
1 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
3 - Denver, CO - Summit Music Hall
4 - Lincoln, NE - Royal Grove
5 - Minneapolis, MN - Cabooze
6 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall
7 - Toronto, ON - The Opera House
8 - Ottawa, ON - Brass Monkey
9 - Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre
10 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial Bell
11 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
12 - Reading, PA - Reverb
13 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
14 - New York, NY - PlayStation Theatre




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