Primitive Man return after three years with the extreme, terrifying, and confrontational new album, Immersion, set for release on August 14 via Relapse Records. A music video for the song "Menacing" can be seen below.

Guitarist/vocalist Ethan McCarthy comments: “‘Menacing’ is about asking the unhinged whirlwind of chaos that controls life to guide you through the various trials and tribulations one might encounter. And in what ways that can mold/shape a person’s character. I also speak on the lonely road that one can follow when they refuse to compromise on what they want in this life.  Whatever that may be. And that there is a certain level of self-doubt and insanity that blankets all of this. Life is messy.”

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

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

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

Immersion will be released on CD, LP, cassette, and digital formats via Relapse. Physical pre-orders are available here. For digital downloads and streaming services go here.

Immersion tracklisting:

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

"The Lifer" video:

 
Primitive Man lineup:

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

(Photo - Alvino Salcedo)




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

Frontiers announces the release of Rising Steel's upcoming label debut, Fight Them All, on September 4. Today, the band has released the first single and video from the album, "Mystic Voices". Watch the clip below, and pre-order the new album here.

Rising Steel is an up-and-coming heavy metal band from Grenoble, France, who also happens to be the first French band signed to Frontiers Music Srl. After their Warlord EP (2014) and full-length Return Of The Warlord (2016), the band shared stages with acts like Annihilator, Jaded Heart, Sister Sin, Nightmare, ADX, Nashville Pussy, and more, which garnered them more exposure to a larger international audience and eventually led them to connecting with Frontiers, who eagerly asked them to join the label's expanding metal roster.

After three years of gigging and writing new material, the band is now ready to storm the international scene with their next album, Fight Them All. Due for release on Frontiers Records on September 4, the album presents a delightfully aggressive mixture of power, heavy, and thrash metal. Explosive riffing, crushing rhythms, and songs that will make you bang your head are the order of the day on Rising Steel's upcoming record. The quintet delivers a “not so” classical heavy metal sound with their influences coming mainly from the 80’s NWOBHM, hard rock, and thrash metal scenes. Solid and powerful metal music, the band is inspired by the legacies of legends like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden and is recommended for fans with diverse metal palates who like bands ranging from Nevermore, Queensrÿche, Iced Earth, early Metallica, and the like.

Tracklistinh:

"Mystic Voices"
"Fight Them All"
"Steel Hammer"
"Blackheart"
"Savage"
"Gloomy World"
"Malefice"
"Metal Nation"
"Pussy"
"Led By Judas"
"Master Control"

"Mystic Voices" video:

Lineup:

Emmanuelson- Vocals
Tony Steel - Guitars
Steel Zard- Drums
Flo Dust - Bass
Mat Heavy Jones - Guitar




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

Def Leppard were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2019. Official video of the band performing "Rock Of Ages" at the ceremony can be seen below:

The Stadium Tour, featuring Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, was postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A joint statement from the bands reads as follows: "We are excited to share our new dates for The Stadium Tour. All tickets will be honored for the new dates. If you are a ticket holder and you cannot make the new show, you will receive an email from your ticket provider or you can visit livenation.com/refund. We look forward to seeing you in 2021."

New 2021 dates:

June
19 - Nashville, TN - Nissan Stadium
21 - Cincinnati, OH - Great American Ballpark
24 - Charlotte, NC - Bank of America Stadium
26 - Miami, FL - Hardrock Stadium
27 - Orlando, FL - Camping World Stadium

July
3 - Cleveland, OH - FirstEnergy Stadium
6 - St. Louis, MO - Busch Stadium
8 - Minneapolis, MN - US Bank Stadium
10 - Detroit, MI - Comerica Park
13 - Philadelphia, PA - Citizens Bank Park
15- Flushing, NY - Citifield
17 - Boston, MA - Fenway Park
18 - Boston, MA - Fenway Park
20 - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium
22 - Pittsburgh, PA - PNC Park

August
7 - Jacksonville, FL - TIAA Bank Field
9 - Washington, DC - Nationals Park
12 - Buffalo, NY - New Era Field
15 - Atlanta, GA - Truist Park
17 - Houston, TX - Minute Maid Park
20 - San Antonio, TX - Alamodome
22 - Arlington, TX - Globe Life Park
24 - Kansas City, MO - Kauffman Stadium
26 - Denver, CO - Coors Field
28 - Milwaukee, WI - Miller Park
29 - Chicago, IL - Wrigley Field

September
3 - Phoenix, AZ - State Farm Stadium
4 - Los Angeles, CA - Sofi Stadium
7 - Seattle, WA - T-Mobile Park
10 - San Francisco, CA - Oracie Park
12 - San Diego, CA - PETCO Park




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

Ensiferum recently released their new album, Thalassic, via Metal Blade Records. Check out a lyric video for the song, "For Sirens", below, and order the new album here.

Thalassic tracklisting:

"Seafarer's Dream"
"Rum, Women, Victory"
"Andromeda"
"The Defence Of The Sampo"
"Run From The Crushing Tide"
"For Sirens"
"One With The Sea"
"Midsummer Magic"
"Cold Northland (Väinämöinen Part III)"
"Merille Lahteva" (Bonus Track)
"I'll Stay by Your Side" (Bonus Track)

"For Sirens" lyric video:

"Andromeda" video:

"Rum, Women, Victory" video:




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

Greek symphonic death metal masters, Septicflesh, have released the official live video for "The Vampire From Nazareth", featured on the upcoming Infernus Sinfonica MMXIX DVD / Blu-Ray. Find the clip below.

The Infernus Sinfonica MMXIX concert was taped in February 2019 during a sold out show at the Metropolitan Theater in Mexico City, Mexico. The unforgettable night was the largest production of its kind at the venue, which included the band, over 100 musicians from the Symphonic Experience Orchestra, the Enharmonía Vocalis Choir, and the National University of Mexico Children’s and Youth Choir.

The Blu-Ray / DVD is set for worldwide release on July 31st via Season of Mist and pre-orders are available now at this location.

Septicflesh comment on the event: "We are very excited to share with our fans the chance to pre-screen Infernus Sinfonica MMXIX, our very first concert with a full orchestra and choir on stage, which was filmed in the heart of Mexico City. Our management team at Hard Impact arranged an exclusive streaming event for all of you to witness this before the official Blu-ray release. Ticket link will be issued at purchase and will be valid for 12 hours to view from the start of the event. Sit back in the comfort of your home and watch the symphonies come to life!"

Tracklisting:

“Intro”
“Portrait Of A Headless Man”
“Martyr”
“Prototype”
“The Pyramid God”
“The Enemy Of Truth”
“Communion”
“The Vampire From Nazareth”
“Dogma Of Prometheus”
“Lovecraft’s Death”
“Dante’s Inferno”
“Persepolis”
“A Great Mass Of Death”
“Anubis”
“Dark Art”

“The Vampire From Nazareth” video:

Trailer:




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

ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante has teamed up with his longtime girlfriend, Carla Harvey (BUTCHER BABIES), TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES bassist Roberto "Ra" Diaz to record a cover version of KISS's 1975 classic "C'mon And Love Me", filmed they were in quarantine.

Benante uploaded a video of the performance to his YouTube channel, writing in an accompanying message: "Here is a song we put together to help remember fallen musician and KISS super-fan David Z.

"In an industry not always known for its quality of character, Dave Z shone like a bright light in the darkness. With every musical collaboration, from the arenas to the clubs, Dave forged lasting friendships, valued people over pettiness, never held a grudge and approached it all with a playful smile.

"This video debuted last night July 14th (3 years from his passing) as part of an elaborate and moving online fundraiser for David Z Foundation, started by Dave's brother @pauliezofficial. Paulie's nonprofit organization helps bring music education — which has been discarded from most US school systems — to deserving kids.

"Visit David Z Foundation on FB to view the entire event with many great performances and testimonials (5 hrs worth!) and for info on supporting.

"While the three of us — Charlie, Alex and Ra — have done several videos of music that's a bit more complex (RUSH, Dave's other favorite band), we enjoyed the chance to let loose by covering Gene, Paul, Ace and Peter. 'C'mon And Love Me' is a 70's KISS tune full of swaggering macho male innuendo, but here it gets a feminine makeover, courtesy of our vocalist, the lovely Carla Harvey.

"We hope you enjoy this track dedicated to Dave Z, whose KISS fandom was, much like his own personality and musicianship, larger than life.

Canadian melodic power metal quartet, Unleash The Archers, recently announced the upcoming release of their fifth full-length album, Abyss, out August 21 via Napalm Records. With Abyss, the band re-cements themselves as an unequalled, undeniable metallic force with their strongest album to date.

Today, as a follow-up to the otherworldly first single and video "Abyss", the band have unveiled another blazing new single, "Soulbound", alongside a cinematic, high-concept music video. Powered by Brittney Slayes' powerful mezzo-soprano, the virtuosic guitar stylings of Andrew Kingsley and Grant Truesdell, and the thunderous drumming of Scott Buchanan, "Soulbound" pulls the listener into a melodic, lightning-fast journey. Its massive chorus and skyrocketing symphonics will echo in your ears for days to come.

Frontwoman Brittney Slayes says about "Soulbound" and the music video concept: "This song is what we call a 'quick-banger' in the UTA camp. It's short, fast, catchy, and never lets up. We always have one of these on every record; the kind of song that makes you want to turn the dial up to 11, maybe drive a little faster, perhaps even stand up and headbang by yourself in the middle of the room. This track re-introduces the four sons of The Matriarch as enslaved, unstoppable, half-dead beings that won't give up until The Immortal is destroyed, and we feel like it can stand on its own while not giving too many of the album's secrets away... Get out your air-guitars 'cause this one is blistering!"

The video was shot by Runegate Studios in Victoria BC, Canada and uses two very different environments to differentiate between the world of the living, and the world of the 'Soulbound'. The bright, white, indoor scenes portray a reality much like our own, while the dark, rain-soaked, outdoor scenes take the viewer to a visually stunning reality that will give you goosebumps and make your skin crawl!  In this dismal place, The Matriarch has complete control over the Soulbound, and she can compel them there whenever she desires, no matter how hard they may resist."

Thematically, Abyss is the direct sequel to the band’s 2017 album Apex. Beginning with a dreamlike acoustic introduction accented by the smoky beckonings of singer Brittney Slayes, opener “Waking Dream” quickly punches into a colossal wall of sound, setting the stage for the auditory escape that is Abyss. Powerful anthems such as the immense power metal-encapsulated title track “Abyss” and metallic pop-tinged earworm “Through Stars” conjure classic elements while maintaining an entirely fresh, forward-thinking approach. Guitarists Andrew Kingsley and Grant Truesdell turn heads with wicked work on stellar tracks such as “Legacy” (fans of artists like Devin Townsend and Astronoid, take note), while Slayes showcases her incredible vocal diversity and range on mighty epics like “Return To Me” and “The Wind That Shapes The Land”. Drummer Scott Buchanan makes technical strides on burners “Soulbound” and “Faster Than Light” – setting breakneck twists and turns ablaze with his bandmates. Unleash The Archers rounds the edge of Abyss with throwback-hued “Carry The Flame”, and wraps up with the soaring, rewarding concept closer “Afterlife”.

Abyss was once again engineered, mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen of Hansen Studios in Denmark (Volbeat, Delain, Amaranthe), with production by guitarist Andrew Kingsley. Additionally, transcendent closer track “Afterlife” features orchestration contributions from Francesco Ferrini of Italian symphonic death metal machine Fleshgod Apocalypse. Fans will notice that, unlike on Apex, Abyss incorporates a weighty dose of synth in the mix, and for the first time ever, all tracks were written on seven strings - adding to the massive expanse of the album’s sound as it explores the celestial realm.

Pre-order Abyss in available formats here.

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

Abyss tracklisting:

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

"Abyss" video:

Lineup:

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

(Photo - Shimon Karmel)




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

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE has defended taking federal funds to support its crew for any current and future postponed tours. According to documents from the Small Business Administration And Treasury Department, GUNS N' ROSES, PEARL JAM, GREEN DAY, DISTURBED and many other touring musicians took out loans as well. The financial support is part of the federal government's $2 trillion CARES Act to assist small businesses impacted by the coronavirus.

"Like most tours that were happening this year, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE's world tour was cancelled," the band told Rolling Stone. "MCR received PPP money to ensure their crew is funded in these times of uncertainty until we are able to be out on the road again. We are so grateful to these skilled, dedicated people — some of them are parents, others caretakers, still others who simply have rent to pay – and this money helps them take care of themselves and their families."

According to Rolling Stone, more than 50 musicians and groups across all genres were among the 660,000 recipients who were granted a loan for more than $150,000. THE EAGLES, PEARL JAM and DISTURBED were granted somewhere between $350,000 and $1 million, while many of the other artists received between $150,000 and $350,000.

The Paycheck Protection Program established by the CARES Act, is implemented by the Small Business Administration with support from the Department of the Treasury. This program provides small businesses with funds to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs including benefits. Funds can also be used to pay interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities.

The Paycheck Protection Program's goal is to offer forgivable loans to smaller businesses, helping them to stay afloat and employees to maintain their jobs as the coronavirus puts the U.S. economy on hold.

The Paycheck Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $659 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses.

Small businesses and eligible nonprofit organizations, veterans organizations, and tribal businesses described in the Small Business Act, as well as individuals who are self-employed or are independent contractors, are eligible if they also meet program size standards.

In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of concerts and festivals have either been postponed or canceled, as social distancing and self-quarantining make performing live music and attending live shows all but impossible.

Joan Jett has released her interpretation of the T. REX hit "Jeepster", from the Hal Willner-produced collection "Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan And T. Rex", due out September 4 on BMG.

Jett delivers a stunning tribute to her teenage idol, harkening back to her formative years on the Sunset Strip absorbing everything Bolan and T. REX had to offer. For her reimagining of the standout track from the 2020 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee's chart-topping "Electric Warrior" album, Jett is joined by a group of luminaries, including Marc Ribot on guitar, Jim White (PJ HARVEY, CAT POWER) on drums, Thomas Bartlett arranging and on piano (THE NATIONAL, SUFJAN STEVENS) and production by the late Hal Willner.

"Jeepster" is the fourth song to be released from "Angelheaded Hipster", following Kesha's "Children Of The Revolution", Devendra Banhart's "Scenescof" and Nick Cave's "Cosmic Dancer". Each of the 26 tracks on "Angelheaded Hipster" was produced by the acclaimed Hal Willner, who passed away from COVID-19 in April. Willner had previously served as the "Saturday Night Live" sketch music producer for nearly 40 years, produced albums for Lou Reed, Marianne Faithfull and William S. Burroughs, and concept albums drawing upon the music of Thelonious Monk, Kurt Weill, vintage Disney films and others.

For "Angelheaded Hipster", Willner brought together a wide-ranging cast to reimagine Bolan's greatest songs — Jett, Kesha, Banhart and Cave plus Marc Almond, Børns, Helga Davis, Perry Farrell, Elysian Fields, Gavin Friday, Emily Haines, Jesse Harris, King Khan, Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl, Maria McKee, Father John Misty, John Cameron Mitchell, Gaby Moreno, Nena, Beth Orton, Peaches, Todd Rundgren, Lucinda Williams, Victoria Williams with Julian Lennon and U2 feat. Elton John.

"Angelheaded Hipster" will be available on CD, LP and digital.

Hal Willner worked on "AngelHeaded Hipster" for several years, with sessions spanning continents, from New York, Los Angeles and New Orleans, to London, Paris and Berlin. The project was conceived and executive produced by Bill Curbishley and Ethan Silverman. Kate Hyman had the creative vision to ask Willner to produce it.

Marc Bolan was a folk pop troubadour, glam rock's metal guru, a pop star who burned as bright as any, a brilliant guitarist, style icon and poet. He has been famously cited as a major influence by some of the biggest names in music, from David Bowie to Johnny Marr. He died in 1977 aged just 29, after a car crash in London.

"Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan And T. Rex" track listing:

01. Children Of The Revolution - Kesha

02. Cosmic Dancer - Nick Cave

03. Jeepster - Joan Jett

04. Scenescof - Devendra Banhart

05. Life's A Gas - Lucinda Williams

06. Solid Gold, Easy Action - Peaches

07. Dawn Storm - Børns

08. Hippy Gumbo - Beth Orton

09. I Love To Boogie - King Khan

10. Beltane Walk - Gaby Moreno

11. Bang A Gong (Get It On) - U2 feat. Elton John

12. Diamond Meadows - John Cameron Mitchell

13. Ballrooms Of Mars - Emily Haines

14. Main Man - Father John Misty

15. Rock On - Perry Farrell

16. The Street And Babe Shadow - Elysian Fields

17. The Leopards - Gavin Friday

18. Metal Guru - Nena

19. Teenage Dream - Marc Almond

20. Organ Blues - Helga Davis

21. Planet Queen - Todd Rundgren

22. Great Horse - Jessie Harris

23. Mambo Sun - Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl

24. Pilgrim's Tale - Victoria Williams with Julian Lennon

25. Bang A Gong (Get It On) Reprise - David Johansen

26. She Was Born To Be My Unicorn / Ride A White Swan - Maria McKee

STATIC-X has released the official music video for the song "Bring You Down". The track is taken from the band's latest album "Project Regeneration Vol. 1", which came out on July 10.

The first of two volumes, "Project Regeneration Vol. 1" features 12 brand new tracks, containing many of the final vocal performances and musical compositions of late STATIC-X frontman Wayne Static, along with the original "Wisconsin Death Trip" lineup of bassist Tony Campos, drummer Ken Jay, and guitarist Koichi Fukuda. Both volumes are being worked on by longtime STATIC-X producer Ulrich Wild.

"Project Regeneration Vol. 1" track listing:

01. Regeneration

02. Hollow (Project Regeneration)

03. Worth Dyin' For

04. Terminator Oscillator

05. All These Years

06. Accelerate

07. Bring You Down (Project Regeneration)

08. My Destruction

09. Something Of My Own (Project Regeneration)

10. Otsego Placebo

11. Follow

12. Dead Souls

In total, "Project Regeneration" volumes one and two will consist of more than 20 brand new or previously unreleased STATIC-X songs and will feature all of the remaining works left behind by Wayne Static, along with the original "Wisconsin Death Trip" band lineup. The individual albums are expected to contain creative packaging elements that will allow fans to marry the two volumes together.

Last year, STATIC-X wrapped up a world tour comprised of nearly 100 mostly sold-out dates in celebration of the 20th anniversary of its platinum-selling debut album "Wisconsin Death Trip". The shows also served as a traveling memorial for Wayne, who passed away more than five years ago.

While the identity of STATIC-X's touring singer Xer0 has not been officially revealed, strong rumors suggest that DOPE frontman Edsel Dope is the one performing with Jay, Fukuda and Campos and appearing in all of STATIC-X's promotional videos.

Static died after mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, according to the coroner's report. The 48-year-old Static, whose real name was Wayne Richard Wells, was found dead in his Landers, California home on November 1, 2014.

Static founded STATIC-X in 1994 and achieved commercial success with "Wisconsin Death Trip", which included the rock radio hit "Push It".

The group issued five more studio albums before disbanding permanently in June 2013. Static had been pursuing a solo career at the time of his death.

DEF LEPPARD has launched a new video series called "30 Day Fitness Challenge With Phil Collen". Join the guitarist for the month of July as he takes on a 30-day fitness challenge. Use the hashtag #PhilCollen30Days to follow along as Phil works on his exercises, his diet and overall health.

Week two of the "30 Day Fitness Challenge With Phil Collen" is available below.

At 62 years old, Collen is a prime example of the "no-excuse" rule when it comes to being active, fit and healthy.

As a rock and roll guitarist in an internationally successful rock band, Collen didn't start out as a health and fitness enthusiast. After years of playing hard, partying hard, and leading a self-described "very unhealthy lifestyle," Phil decided to make a change. In his early thirties, Collen decided to quit drinking and partying. His live-saving conversion came just before his DEF LEPPARD bandmate and "terror twin" of the party scene, Steve Clark, died of a prescription drug and alcohol overdose in early 1991. Inspired to lead a healthier lifestyle, the sober Collen no longer needed to "recover" each day from the previous night's debauchery, and instead found himself with numerous free hours in his day. Collen began exercising, running to start, and later taking up the martial art of Muay Thai kick boxing.

Collen stopped eating meat in the early 1980s and went vegan in 2011. He told the Los Angeles Times: "I always thought it was a bit weird eating dead bodies even though my parents said it was all right. But I saw 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre', and that did it. In the movie, they're doing the same thing to people that they do to animals, and so I gradually got off eating meat.... The health thing came way later. Veganism came [nine] years ago, and it was more of a health decision."

EMGtv has uploaded a video of former former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman playing the Japan heritage official theme song. The track was written by Friedman and originally performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, with strings arranged by Akira Sasaki, bass played by Kiyoshi, piano by Yukiko Takada, tsuzumi by Shonosuke Okura, and drums by Mitsuru Kurauchi.

Friedman said: "It was a thrill and an honor to be asked by the Japanese government to compose this music.

"As a foreigner living in Tokyo, I'll always appreciate the gracious treatment I've received here and welcome this kind of responsibility in the future."

In November 2016, Friedman was named an ambassador to Japan heritage for the 2020 Summer Olympics, which was originally scheduled to be held in Tokyo. The mantle involved him promoting important elements of cultural heritage, such as dance and cuisine.

Friedman believes a reason he was chosen is because he can talk about Japan as an insider. "It's one thing for a Japanese person to explain what Japan's like," he told Billboard. "But it's another thing for someone who grew up in America to tell you."

In July 1999, Friedman was onstage performing at Woodstock '99 in front of a sea of fans as the lead guitarist for MEGADETH. Since joining the band in 1990, Marty played a crucial role in their rise to stardom with his unorthodox style of virtuoso guitar playing, selling millions of records worldwide, and being nominated for multiple Grammy Awards. Just six months after Woodstock, in an unexpected move that shocked his friends, family, and especially his bandmates, despite platinum albums and sold-out tours, for reasons unknown, he suddenly quit the band and walked away from it all. Unbeknownst to his U.S. fans, Marty moved to Tokyo to pursue his love of Japanese pop music, and in the process, reinvented himself as a wildly successful Japanese TV celebrity. Marty has appeared on 700-plus television programs, commercials and motion pictures since then, and become was dubbed "the Ryan Seacrest of Japan" by Billboard magazine in the USA.

Friedman's latest solo LP, "Wall Of Sound", was released in August 2017 via Prosthetic Records. The disc was produced by Friedman, engineered by Paul Fig (GHOST, RUSH, ALICE IN CHAINS) and mixed by Jens Bogren (KREATOR, OPETH, SEPULTURA).

Following on from the universal acclaim of their latest LP Le Ceneri Di Heliodoro, Rome releases one of the most impressive releases in its prolific career of 15 years. The Lone Furrow, out on August 28, is the logical culmination of Rome's previous endeavours, a brilliant and patient demolition of the despiritualized modern age, timeless in its critique of man’s greed and the deliberate desecration of beautiful things.

Rome is back to fearlessly settle accounts of the spirit, with that grave trademark voice, whose tone can be likened to a wise-man’s oracle, deepened by countless cigars and pools of stout, or, at times, a Stuka bomber nose-diving into dry gravel.

Rome’s art always stays slightly beyond the pale and Reuter certainly is what the mainstream would call a joyous outsider. The Lone Furrow is a mordant, clear-eyed critique of the modern world, spun with the delicacy of a spiderweb; a journey through the ravaged landscapes of history; a spiritual quest weaving a unique poetry of withdrawal from the troubling world into distant retreats. And yet, at the same time, this collection of remarkable compositions is a generous invitation to a great European Tradition of literary thought from Hesse to Nietzsche, from Tacitus to Orwell, from Ovid to the Edda, from Yeats to Baudelaire.

Rome is a dark world that glows with the intensity of Jerome’s remarkable gift for language. Its multilingual nature has always been an essential part of Rome - certainly in its sample work- and Reuter is showcasing this by singing (mainly) in English but including songs in French and German on The Lone Furrow as well.

The record opens up with the cryptic rhymes of “Tyriat Sig Tyrias” - an invocation of strengths thought forlorn. On “Ächtung, Baby!” (a tongue-in-cheek reference to U2’s 1991 hit record) Jerome is joined by Alan Averill of metal cult band Primordial. Indeed, the features and guest appearances are numerous on this record. This shows the fact that, through years of composing high quality albums, Rome has become a secret authority in the European underground as a songwriter’s songwriter.

And thus, Reuter, a poet with the soul of a warrior, has managed to assemble an impressive/stellar cast of guest vocalists. Most notably is the guest appearance of Behemoth’s Adam Nergal Darski on the seminal "The Angry Cup", on which Nergal not only performs lead vocals but adds an intriguingly brutal Polish incantation. Further guests are Laure Le Prunenec of Rïcïnn, Joseph D. Rowland of US-doom band Pallbearer, J.J. of Austria’s Harakiri For The Sky.

At the center of these songs we find the individual mediating between a sense of history and an experience of the world. Rome illuminates us on the fact that art is to make our world whole and comprehensible, restoring it to us in all its glory and all its darkness, not through argument but through feeling and thus closing the gap between individuals and thus transcending from feeling to meaning. In this way, art can reconcile us to human life through the pursuit and cultivation of beauty.On “The Lone Furrow” Rome weaves a fantastical tale in which gods and men alike ache and tremble, and which reminds us that the world is much larger than our ideas of it, our traditions much deeper than we imagine. Most importantly, Rome refuses the easy answer.

Tracklisting:

"Masters Of The Earth" (ft. Aki Cederberg)
"Tyriat Sig Tyrias"
"Ächtung, Baby!" (ft. Alan Averill of Primordial)
"Making Enemies In The New Age" (ft. Joseph D. Rowland of Pallbearer)
"The Angry Cup" (ft. Adam Nergal Darski of Behemoth/Me And That Man)
"The Twain"
"Kali Yuga Über Alles"
"The Weight Of Light"
"The Lay Of Iria" (ft. J. J. of Harakiri For The Sky)
"On Albion’s Plain"
"Palmyra" (ft. Laure Le Prunenec of Rïcïnn)
"Obsidian "
"A Peak Of One's Own"

"Ächtung, Baby!":




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

UK black metal outfit Burial, who hail from the bleak industrial landscapes of Manchester, have dropped a lyric video for the track "Encircled By Wolves" - the song is taken from their latest album, Satanic Upheaval, which came out earlier this year via Apocalyptic Witchcraft.

The band comments: “'Encircled By Wolves' is a frantic journey into darkness, characterized by gritty howling vocals and a distinctly old school black metal sound. Lyrically the song recalls hammer horror themes and these combine perfectly with the delivery to form a tight, aggressive song true to the Burial sound.”

Satanic Upheaval, which is Burial’s third album, follows the band's take on occult themes with a misanthropic view of the world. The album was recorded by Chris Taylor at Noiseboy Studios and mastered by at Foel Studios by Chris Fielding (Conan, Electric Wizard, Primordial, Winterfylleth).

Satanic Upheaval tracklisting:

"Encircled By Wolves"
"Void Of Decay"
"Hellish Reaping Screams"
"Beneath The Filth"
"Destruction Absolute"
"Decayed By Time"
"Barren Lands"
"Devour Your Soul"
"Satanic Upheaval"
"Curse By The Light"

"Hellish Reaping Screams":

(Photo - Ange Shepherd)




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

Draconian have released their second single, “Sorrow Of Sophia”, off their upcoming album, Under A Godless Veil, out October 30 via Napalm Records.

The opening epos on Draconian’s new offer epitomizes the story behind the album and introduces the world of Gnosticism to the listener. Delicate guitar lines weave throughout “Sorrow Of Sophia” while the ethereal vocals of singer Heike Langhans accompany the melancholic vibe of the song. At the very latest, when the heavier guitar and drum parts start, the song will draw you into the world of Draconian. Heavy growls underline the sudden change in the song and will make you remember the essence of the band. The beautiful conceptualized lyric video perfectly underlines the narrative and musical atmosphere of “Sorrow Of Sophia”. Their stunning second single showcases another expressive facet off their upcoming full-length and shouldn’t be missed in every well groomed gothic/doom metal collection.

Vocalist Anders Jacobsson comments: "'Sorrow Of Sophia' was the first lyric, and one of the first songs written for Under A Godless Veil. This was years ago now, and I remember I’d just finished a lecture on Gnostic cosmology by Terence McKenna. He’d been speaking of the goddess Sophia’s ordeal and her story affected me on a very deep level. It’s sad yet heart-wrenchingly majestic bringing all of existence into it. I knew I had to do something with it for Draconian as I was already having a few of Johan’s new song-ideas. This sparked what was later to become a whole album inspired by this story. It started here, with this song.

"'Sorrow Of Sophia' is a complex song about a complex spiritual being. With it comes a diverse nature consisting of an initial minimalist soulful expression to feisty, heavy riffing with a harsh demonic formula to post-rock melancholia and symphonic soundscapes. Heike’s pure and crystalline vocals are beautifully entrenched holding the very spirit of the song."

Watch the lyric video for “Sorrow Of Sophia”:

The upcoming full-length delivers a captivating mélange of dreary doom and contrasting vocals and is already the second offer featuring the stunning singer Heike Langhans: The mix of Heike’s angelic, female voice and Anders Jacobsson's thrilling death growls will drag the listener into a sorrowful cosmos. Already the first notes of the opener will draw you into the void of interweaving beauty, coalescing with paralyzing depression that leaves nothing but the desire of total immersion in the whole record. Under A Godless Veil carries the legacy of gothic doom metal à la My Dying Bride into a new decade of the genre.

Draconian states: "To us, Under A Godless Veil is by far the most diverse album we have created. Inspired by some of the music closest to Johan’s heart; everything from traditional Doom to scaled-down, Gothic rock-inspired pieces and more. Some will perhaps describe the songs as more refined and meditative. Some ambient elements have been added to the mix without overshadowing the traditional characteristics that are Draconian. Resonating with the compositions, Anders’s lyrical direction is ambiguous and a progression of the first two-three albums, yet more subtle while embracing the Gnostic philosophy more directly. One could say Under A Godless Veil is an act of contemplation; About living and dying and remembering who we are in a strange, abrasive world far from home.“

Under A Godless Veil will be available in the following formats:

- CD Jewelcase
- 2LP Gatefold Black vinyl
- 2LP Gatefold Gold vinyl
- Digital Album

Under A Godless Veil is available for pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Sorrow Of Sophia"
"The Sacrificial Flame"
"Lustrous Heart"
"Sleepwalkers"
"Moon Over Sabaoth"
"Burial Fields"
"The Sethian"
"Claw Marks On The Throne"
"Night Visitor"
"Ascend Into Darkness"

“Lustrous Heart” lyric video:

Draconian is:

Anders Jacobsson - vocals
Heike Langhans - vocals
Johan Ericsson - guitar
Daniel Arvidsson - guitar
Jerry Torstensson - drums

(Artwork - Natalia Drepina; Top photo - Eleni Liverakou Eriksson)




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

Today, Virgin Steele release a marathon/epic video album of 10 video clips. The first clip is a full-length Movie/Documentary type video clip. This documentary is an in depth “Inside The Music” look into the Gothic Voodoo Anthems album, which is one of the three new releases included in the Seven Devils Moonshine 5 CD box set. It takes the viewer/listener on a journey through that album and explores the origins of that style and how the group arrived at that particular place for that release. It also ventures far beyond that album and discusses the beliefs & philosophies of the group, the songwriting ideology, etc.

In addition to this “movie”/documentary: Inside The Music - A Journey Through The Gothic Voodoo Anthems Album, Virgin Steele are also issuing nine more video clips of tracks from that specific Gothic Voodoo Anthems release. So yes a total of 10 new videos in all.

Watch "Inside The Music - A Journey Through The Gothic Voodoo Anthems Album" below.

The additional video clips are as follows:

"I Will Come For You" (Orchestral Version)
"The Black Light Bacchanalia" (Orchestral Version)
"Zeus Ascendant/By The Hammer Of Zeus (And The Wrecking Ball Of Thor)" (Orchestral Version)
"Queen Of The Dead" (Orchestral Version)
"The Gothic Voodoo Suite-featuring: (Rumanian Folk Dance No.3, The Delirium Excerpt & Snakeskin Voodoo Man)"
"The Enchanter"
"The Fire & Ice Medley: Featuring: (Bone China/No Quarter & Bone China Reprise)"
"The Passion In The French Quarter Medley: Featuring: (Chloe Dancer & Gentle Groove)"
"Death Letter Blues"

The group states, “We could have decided to drag everything out… releasing the videos bit, by bit, but… instead we have decided to unleash everything all at once, as the Gothic Voodoo “Movie” and all the other 9 video clips work together, and capture a day in the life, since they are all part of one day’s performance."

Find the complete playlist here.




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

Finnish folk-influenced black metal band Hiidenhauta are set to release their third studio album, Riivin, on September 18th via Inverse Records. The first single and music video "Riidenlieko" was released today. Check it out below.

Hiidenhauta's third album, Riivin, is most easily labeled as folk-influenced black metal, but above all it is a balanced ensemble of Finnish Devil, which represents both humanity, mischief, but also an eternal will of revenge for those who do wrong. This album exudes the band's ability to regenerate and transform. Once again, Hiidenhauta is like a story they created: earthy, raw, angry, but also sounding like the endless beauty of nature. On the record, the band takes another real leap into a new area where it tears and breaks, and just when it’s used to be still, it leaves again and looks for new trails to carry.
 
Hiidenhauta began composing and lyricizing the third album in the summer of 2019, and in December of the same year, it marched into the studio with its backback full of the band’s best songs. Through a few twists and turns, the theme of the album eventually became “The Devil in Finnish folk tradition”, the discovery of which the band's singer-lyricist Tuomas describes it:
 
“In the beginning, the idea was to make a theme album about gnomes and such creatures in Finnish folklore, and other perhaps more invisible characters. However, after reading books like Myytillisiä Tarinoita, Suomalainen Piru and Olevaisen Yöpuoli, it was pretty clear that the theme of the album must be the Devil in the Finnish folklore, which at first glance may seem like a rather worn out subject more than the first thought about it. The Finnish Devil is versatile; it can be a moral guardian, vindictive, cruel, helpful, playful, humane, visible, invisible, and everything in between. It’s a concrete and at once strangely multi-level figure in folklore, and people’s experiences of the Devil have been mind-bogglingly realistic. And it must be remembered that the Devil of Finnish folklore is not even remotely related to the Devil of Christianity, and these should not be confused with each other.
 
The songs on the album were born really naturally without much pain. A few ideas come right from the aftermath of the previous album, but all the songs were put together between the summer and winter of 2019. Four of the songs are composed by our guitarist Otto, four by our bassist Henri, and I composed one song myself, as well as vocal melodies for each song. For the first time in the band’s history, it felt like the pieces really fell into place, and there was nothing too much at any point, and at no point at any point did the record-making have to make compromises that diminished the artistic value. This time the direction was completely common and the idea of ​​the end result was clear and strong."

Tracklist:

"Riidenlieko"
"Lettorikko"
"Raate"
"Petäjä"
"Leväkkö"
"Halava"
"Yövilkka"
"Ahonoidanlukko"
"Harmio"




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

Italy's Frozen Crown have checked in with the following news for their diehard fans:

"Dear friends, we're extremely happy to announce both our vinyls are being reprinted! And this time in a renewed Gold version! Yay!

Since many of you were still asking for our debut album in vinyl (currently sold out), our label and us decided to give you another chance to grab your personal copy! Both The Fallen King and Crowned In Frost can be pre-ordered right now on our BigCartel page (which is the only place to get them signed by the whole band).

Remember, they are once again limited to 300 copies, so be quick if you want to be sure to have yours."

Pre-order your copies of The Fallen King and Crowned In Frost here.




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

After more than 30 years, Toronto-based Chyld - who were part of the scene that gave us Slik Toxik, Sven Gali, Winter Rose and Slash Puppet - made a comeback in 2019 with a new single, "Burning Alive". This Thursday, July 16th, the band will premiere the music video for new song "Ride Out" at 3:00pm EST. Follow the countdown below.

The song features Famous Underground / ex-Slik Toxik frontman Nick Walsh on vocals. Walsh has commeted on his participation.

Walsh: "After a hang with my old friend and Slik Toxik band mate Neal Busby, catching up and sharing stories, Neal talked about how he and another old friend of mine, Pete Dove (Slash Puppet), were resurrecting their traditional heavy metal band from the '80s, Chyld. 

That day and conversation led to what you are about to hear and see. A song that I believe was written in 1983 at the height of that 'new' sound called heavy metal is now primed up for 2020. When I had the opportunity to take part, I couldn't pass up feeling 16 yrs old again. Click the link to follow the countdown on YouTube!"

 

 

Nicholas Walsh - Lead Vocals
Pete Dove - Bass Guitar
Todd Lefever - Guitar
Neal Busby - Drums




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

Unleashing the debut album The Door this past October, Montreal's Messora have shared the new music video for the album's title track. Produced entirely by the band and a group of friends, the conception and production of the video was a massive undertaking for them.

"It is a collection of imagery and aesthetics meant to reflect and enhance the sounds and themes of ‘The Door’. We are extremely pleased and proud to be able to share it today." says vocalist/guitarist Zach Dean.

Messora crosses boundaries and is ultimately for anyone who likes technical, well-crafted metal, especially those who enjoy Opeth, Children of Bodom, and Lamb Of God.

"The Pond":

Show dates:

October
5 – Montreal, QC – O Patro Vys (album release show)
12 – Sherbrooke, QC – Le Murdoch 

(Photo by: Vladim Vilain)




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

Southern California’s Cerebellion have premiered their fastest and heaviest single to date, “No Space For Silence.” Combining menacing thrash riffs, blast beats, and old school punk-styled vocals, the band goes for the throat right out of the gate. The song recedes into a slow and moody bridge, showcasing some dark but very powerful vocals by singer Joe Arnold, only to descend into what guitarist John Arnold calls "our most brutal breakdown ever." 

This new song is the fourth release in a series of six singles to be dropped throughout the year in anticipation of the album Beyond Our Failures; which is scheduled for release in November 2020.  

Previous single, “Someone’s American Dream”:




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

In the video below, Jeff Scott Soto, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and Mike Portnoy perform an acoustic version of the Sons Of Apollo track "Desolate", recorded and filmed for the 3rd Annual David Z Foundation online concert and fundraiser on July 14:




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

POISON drummer Rikki Rockett that there is "talk" about more shows being added to the band's "The Stadium Tour" with MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS.

"The Stadium Tour" was originally scheduled to take place this summer but ended up being pushed back to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

Rockett discussed POISON's touring plans during an appearance earlier today (Monday, July 13) on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said: "It looks like we're probably gonna do more shows next year, so that part of it's good. DEF LEPPARD was out last year, and we weren't, so that was kind a letdown for me, because we didn't get out there last year. But it is what it is."

Asked if that means that there will be more "The Stadium Tour" shows announced for 2021 or if he is referring to possible POISON headline dates, Rockett said: "Maybe both. I don't know for sure, but I know that was the talk. So we'll see if it comes through."

"The Stadium Tour" is now scheduled to kick off on June 19, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee and conclude on September 12, 2021 in San Diego, California.

As of January 30, "The Stadium Tour" had already grossed $130 million from one million tickets sold, plus another $5 million worth of VIP seats, according to Billboard.

Tickets ranged from $150 to $400, not counting some varied pricing that reflected demand as part of "dynamic pricing."

When it happens, "The Stadium Tour" will mark the CRÜE's first live dates since wrapping its 2014/2015 farewell tour. CRÜE toured with POISON back in 2011 and DEF LEPPARD teamed up with POISON for a string of road dates in 2017 — but the upcoming jaunt marks the first time all four acts have hit the road together for an extended tour.

In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of concerts and festivals have either been postponed or canceled, as social distancing and self-quarantining make performing live music and attending live shows all but impossible.

U.S. officials have repeatedly urged Americans to heed what federal, state and local officials are asking of them in order to curtail the spread and dampen the impact of the virus on the population.

SiriusXM's Volume is taking a special look back at Live Aid, 35 years later, chatting with artists who were there.

Volume's "Live Aid Look Back: 35 Years Later", a special two-hour broadcast hosted by SiriusXM's Mark Goodman, Lori Majewski, Nik Carter, Alan Light, Lyndsey Parker and Eddie Trunk, features new interviews with original Live Aid musicians and artists, including JUDAS PRIEST's Rob Halford, BLACK SABBATH's Tony Iommi and REO SPEEDWAGON's Kevin Cronin. It's a look back on one of the most iconic and memorable concerts of its time.

This special airs all week on SiriusXM's Volume channel 106, including the following times:

July 13 at 9 a.m. ET

July 14 at 12 a.m. ET

July 15 at 9 a.m. ET

July 17 at 9 a.m. ET

July 18 at 10 a.m. ET

The July 13, 1985 concert in Philadelphia saw BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, singer Ozzy Osbourne and drummer Bill Ward reunite for a three-song set consisting of some of their best-loved classics, "Children Of The Grave", "Iron Man" and "Paranoid". The original lineup of SABBATH would again reunite in November 1992 at a Costa Mesa, California Ozzy Osbourne show, and then in December 1997 for two concerts in Birmingham, England, which were recorded and released as the double album "Reunion".

Iommi told SiriusXM Volume's "Live Aid Look Back: 35 Years Later" about reuniting with his bandmates for the Live Aid concert: "It was great. It was great being with the guys again. It was a bit surreal, to be honest, because, basically, I had been in the studio working. It was an unusual thing for me to come from the studio, and then suddenly, here we are, in the next couple of days, on stage in front of all the people. We'd never really done that before. We'd always sort of rehearsed for a proper show for a while. But this was a quick rehearsal for an hour or whatever it was, and then the next day, of course, on stage. So it was a bit nerving, because you don't know how things are gonna go with the equipment and all this stuff. We hadn't been on stage together for so long. You have to sort of suck it and see what's gonna happen."

SACRED REICH bassist/vocalist Phil Rind recently joined the four members of SEPULTURA for a live playthrough of the Brazilian band's song "Inner Self", recorded and filmed while in quarantine. Check it out below.

SEPULTURA's latest LP, "Quadra", was released on February 7 via Nuclear Blast Records. It is a concept effort created at Sweden's Fascination Street Studios with renowned producer Jens Bogren.

SEPULTURA comprises vocalist Derrick Green, guitarist Andreas Kisser, bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr., and drummer Eloy Casagrande.

Kisser previously stated about working with Bogren on "Quadra": "He is so full of passion, it's unbelievable, man. He's really there, he really cares about the projects he's doing. For SEPULTURA, he's like the fifth member of the band. The chemistry was so amazing, 99 percent of what we were trying do to actually worked. That was insane!"

Green added: "The experience was like no other time in the studio. I felt the preparation was key in making the recording process go as smooth as possible. We were relentless each day giving everything that we had until complete exhaustion of the mind, body, and soul. This album is a direct result of the sign of times. The music is an evolution needed to push ourselves to go further than we ever have."

SEPULTURA was formed in Belo Horizonte by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, who are no longer with the band.

"Quadra" is the follow-up to "Machine Messiah", which was SEPULTURA's fourteenth studio album and the eighth since Green joined the ranks.

Lita Ford says that refunds will be issued to anyone who purchased a "VIP Experience" to one of her previously announced shows.

As the novel coronavirus continues to spread across the country and the world, thousands of concerts and festivals have either been postponed or canceled, as social distancing and self-quarantining make performing live music and attending live shows all but impossible.

Earlier today, Lita released the following statement via her social media:

"A special announcement to all Lita Ford 2020 VIP Experience Ticket Holders

"To all our 2020 VIP crew.

"Hoping every one of you are remaining safe and well in these continuing unprecedented times we are living in.

"As with all of us, 2020 has been a year that none of us could have ever foreseen or imagined. So many of you have reached out to tell us that you are holding on to your VIP's and waiting on your date to be rescheduled. I cannot thank you enough for this and all the years of your support and loyalty. It means everything to me.

"It has been a difficult choice to make but due to the ever-changing day-by-day state and local restrictions that are being implemented we have made the decision to refund all 2020 Lita Ford VIP and Guitar Experiences. It is the only fair decision to make, to you, the fans.

"Where we are expecting the majority of our listed performances to happen in the upcoming months, we are still unable to guarantee that the changing town, county and state social distancing mandates and restrictions will allow us to hold these up close and personal VIP Experiences.

"We promise once regulations lift and we are able to hold our VIP Experience's with no uncertainties they will be announced and made available again to all of you.

"Please visit litaford-vip.com for information and instruction on obtaining your refund. See You All Real Soon."

Lita has spent the last couple of years working on her long-awaited new solo album. The follow-up to 2012's "Living Like A Runaway" is once again being helmed by guitarist/producer Gary Hoey, who contributes some guitar playing to the disc, alongside the rest of Ford's backing band, which continues to consist of guitarist Patrick Kennison, drummer Bobby Rock and bassist Marty O'Brien.

Last year, Lita told The Metal Voice that her new album will include a song called "Monsters", which was inspired by infamous cult leaders like Charles Manson and David Koresh. "It's just really dark and nasty stuff — brainwashing people and all the stuff [Koresh] did, and got all those people to drink Kool-Aid," she said. "But then again, it could be someone like your attorney, or it could be someone like your mom who is the monster in your life. It could be your manager. You never know who the monster in your life is gonna turn out to be."

Ford's last release was 2016's "Time Capsule", a collection of songs that were recorded by Lita in the past, but never before made available.

Four years ago, Lita released an autobiography, "Living Like A Runaway: A Memoir", via Dey Street Books (formerly It Books), an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.




To all Lita Ford 2020 VIP Experience Ticket Holders... pic.twitter.com/Xx44KzOdgm

— Lita Ford (@litaford) July 14, 2020

A video of legendary rockers AC/DC performing the song "What Do You Do For Money Honey" live in Tokyo in 1981 can be seen below. The clip was uploaded to the band's official YouTube channel as part of the 40th-anniversary celebrations of AC/DC's classic 1980 album "Back In Black".

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

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

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

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

Johnson told The Pulse of Radio that he didn't have a clue how successful "Back In Black" would turn out to be. "I'd just melted me brain in there, and I didn't know if it was good or bad," he said. "That was the first time I'd been in the Bahamas, anyway, or near America, you know, and you (have to) remember, I was just fascinated by the whole culture and all, and I had no idea what the hell I was doing! And (laughs) lucky, really — I was a bit lucky, I think."

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

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

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

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

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

Metal Hammer recently caught up with Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett to discuss launching Exodus back in the '70s, then leaving the band to join Metallica. Following is an excerpt from the chat.

Metal Hammer: What are your memories of starting Exodus?

Hammett: "As a kid growing up in the late '70s, I was just looking for the hardest thing I could find. I was way into UFO and Judas Priest and Thin Lizzy, and I had recently discovered the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and this stuff that was going on in Europe. I gravitated to it. I started playing those songs, and my guitar style started to incorporate facets of what all those bands were doing.

And so when I formed Exodus and I started jamming with Tom Hunting, I turned him onto all these bands and said, ‘This is what we’ve got to do – we’ve got to do something like this.’ I don’t know if you know Tom Hunting, but he’s a very high-strung person. He’s always shaking, or tapping on something, or hitting something. And when he plays drums, he’s kind of that way too. Whenever we’d play a song in the beginning, it started a certain tempo, but three or fours weeks later, it would be twice as fast. And so when we started writing songs, that’s why the beats per minute were up there – because Tom Hunting had a lot of nervous energy. A lot like Lars.

We were just trying to find our sound. I remember months in and months out, in Gary’s (Holt / guitar) garage, playing cover songs, trying to write songs that were as good as the songs we were covering, and just finding ourselves through our instruments and our music and just playing together. For me, that was a really golden time. We were all very naïve and we weren’t jaded at all. We were open to a lot of the bands we were hearing for the first time. We had a vision. And then Metallica came along, and it looked like they’d been at it for a good six or eight months longer than we had been at it, and had all these similar influences."

Metal Hammer: What were your first impressions of Metallica?

Hammett: "I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, but I thought, ‘These guys are great, but they’d be so much better with me.’ Around that time, Exodus were going through some personnel changes. We just got rid of the previous bass player, and brought another bass player in, and it was a different dynamic within the band. We weren’t rehearsing for some reason or another – I don’t know, maybe Paul Baloff was off doing something. We were kind of going through a hiatus when I joined Metallica."

Metal Hammer: Did you feel guilty about leaving a band you’d started?

Hammett: "Oh yeah. But, y’know, I also left a lot of music with those guys. A lot of the music I wrote ended up on that first album (1985’s Bonded By Blood), and they recorded some other songs that never made it. I never said anything because of the way I left them. I always had guilty feelings about that. Well, not any more…"

Read the complete interview here.




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

U.K. grindcore pioneers NAPALM DEATH will release their new studio album, "Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism", on September 18 via Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2015's "Apex Predator - Easy Meat" was again recorded with longtime producer Russ Russell and features artwork by Frode Sylthe.

NAPALM DEATH vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway told Kerrang! magazine about the upcoming LP: "I've definitely done some stuff on this album vocally that I've never done to this degree before. We're heading into the noise-rock territory, loosely. SWANS, MY BLOODY VALENTINE, THE YOUNG GODS — we're heading more down that path. But there's some more traditional, fast, chaotic stuff as well. Again, as long as it's aggressive, confrontational, abrasive, even when it's less full-pelt, it's always NAPALM DEATH."

Regarding the "Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism" album title and cover artwork, Greenway previously said: "The phrase sticking in my mind when I started thinking about the lyrical direction for this album was 'the other.' You could recognize at the time that there was a rapidly growing fear and paranoia being generated about everybody, from migrating people to people with fluid sexuality and this was starting to manifest itself in very antagonistic reactions that you felt were almost verging on violence. Not everybody resorts to such reactions, of course, but even the basic lack of understanding can become toxic over time. I'm not saying that this is an entirely new phenomenon, but it has been stoked in recent history by some particularly attack-minded people in more political circles and, as ever, I felt that it would be the natural antidote to endorse basic humanity and solidarity with all.

"The artwork specifically uses a white dove as a centrepiece, which, of course, is a commonly recognised symbol of peace and cooperation. The dove has been mauled very violently by a sterilizing hand and in death appears particularly broken and bloodied. However, through the violence you can see an equality symbol in blood on the chest of the dove, which perhaps demonstrates — visually at least — that equality cuts through in the end. A positive amidst many negatives then, much like the album title itself being a bit of an oxymoron — the celebration of humanity even in the mangling jaws of negativity."

Track listing:

01. Fuck The Factoid

02. Backlash Just Because

03. That Curse Of Being In Thrall

04. Contagion

05. Joie De Ne Pas Vivre

06. Invigorating Clutch

07. Zero Gravitas Chamber

08. Fluxing Of The Muscle

09. Amoral

10. Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism

11. Acting In Gouged Faith

12. A Bellyful Of Salt And Spleen

A first single off "Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism" will be launched on July 24 together with the pre-order start of the album. Look out for further details and the various album formats to be revealed soon.

NAPALM DEATH is (from left to right in photo)

* Shane Embury - Bass reverberations, barks and moans, noise-testing everyday objects

* Mark "Barney" Greenway - Bawling, shrieking, intermittent baritone

* Danny Herrera - Turbulent beat throes