U.D.O. and the Musikkorps der Bundeswehr/Band of the German Armed Forces have released their second single and video, "Neon Diamond". Watch the clip below.

In "Neon Diamond", Udo Dirkschneider  shows his entire vocal range in a ballad-like duet with the exceptional singer, Manuela Markewitz.

“The guitar riff immediately reminds you of the time of Metal Heart, plus the incredible voice of the charming Lady Manuela in a duet with Udo, which ensures a great, unique timbre and puts the icing on the cake!"

The new album, We Are One, is due for release on July 17 and can be pre-ordered here.

U.D.O, featuring icon Udo Dirkschneider (the original voice of Accept) presents, together with the renowned Concert Band of the German Armed Forces under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Christoph Scheibling, a unique worldwide musical project.

The album contains 15 new songs that will be released through AFM Records/Soulfood Music. All songs have been developed and arranged by U.D.O. together with Christoph Scheibling. The two former Accept musicians Stefan Kaufmann and Peter Baltes have been part of the songwriting too - as well as the German Armed Forces' composers Guido Rennert and Alexander Reuber. The title of the album, We Are One has been the driving force for everyone involved.

Whatever anyone might think about the 'rock band meets orchestra' collaborations that already exist in the music world, this is far from what We Are One really is. This is one of the most elaborate concept albums the market has ever seen, the hard rocking sound of U.D.O. has not only been intensified by a 60 piece orchestra, but contains some unique arrangements that underline how characteristic yet versatile U.D.O. is.

This project surprises the listener in every aspect, and is a project with a clear statement: We Are One is a critical reflection of a world in which we all leave our mark, and in which we all have to show responsibility.

The songs on We Are One are about the different challenges we are currently facing, climate change ("Future Is The Reason Why"), the worldwide refugee movements ("Live Or Die", "Fridays For Future", "Children Of The World") or the pollution of the environment ("Mother Earth"). With the track "Pandemonium", both parties, U.D.O. as well as the German Armed Forces, also take a clear position against society's right wing. The song "Rebel Town" is a hymn for a 30 years reunited Germany.

This is a project that has made all participants think deeply about the challenges not only for the world, but for their own futures. For Udo Dirkschneider We Are One is a dream that he has had for a long time. Since the show with the Concert Band of the German Armed Forces in Wacken (2015) as well as the Navy Metal Night in Tuttlingen (2014), he fervently wanted to continue and grow the collaboration.

Lieutenant Colonel Christoph Scheibling also agrees: "All composers have done a fantastic job. The songs are excellent and really show the very best of orchestra and band. The album offers a variety that reaches from speed metal to classical metal, from ballad to funk style. As an orchestra, we brought in everything we could, a solo singer, a pipe, a drumline and some oriental percussions included."

Scheibling has been on stage together with U.D.O. in Wacken 2015 already. "The motto back then was Metal, mud and military music", he resumes. "An event that definitely awoke the wish to work together more intensely. Now our crossover project really finds its highlight with We Are One."

U.D.O. and the German Armed Forces are also talking the same language when it comes to the message of We Are One. For the German Armed Forces international, engagements as well as the protection of the environment are two major focus points. Former military areas are becoming integral nature reserves. Soldiers are recruited to fight forest fires and ecological disasters. The German Armed Forces are also supporting the protection of Germany's coastal regions by monitoring the air space to protect it from people polluting the ocean.

"Several songs are pointing out the problems we have with pollution of our environment. We really have some heavy words about our global responsibilty", Christoph Scheibling says. "Never before critical words agains worldwide exaggeration of consumption or all this cyber insanity have been this loud. Never before the voice against protectionism, nationalism and against the right wing have been that intense. Let us join forces for a better planet! We are one!"

Tracklisting:

"Pandemonium"
"We Are One"
"Love And Sin"
"Future Is The Reason Why"
"Children Of The World"
"Blindfold (The Last Defender)"
"Blackout"
"Mother Earth"
"Rebel Town"
"Natural Forces"
"Neon Diamond"
"Beyond Gravity"
"Here We Go Again"
"We Strike Back"
"Beyond Good And Evil"

"We Are One" video:




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JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner spoke to Sweetwater's Nick Bowcott about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2018's "Firepower" album. He said (see video below): "We did some writing in February before [the coronavirus pandemic] hit. I think it was during the time it was all coming to the surface that there was this virus going around, and me and Rob [Halford, vocals], luckily, just about made it back to the States before the lockdown came into effect. But we did get about a month's worth of writing done, and we've got a bunch of songs. And they're by no means finished. When you start writing something, you've got a few ideas and then they become more fleshed out, and all of a sudden, you've got a start, a middle and an end — it's almost like a skeleton, with bare bones. But you need some meat and potatoes and some muscle to put on it. So we need stuff like midsections and harmony sections and guitar solos — lots of guitar solos… We've got a bunch of them together. We're just waiting for the time when we can get back together again and start playing 'em and recording 'em together.

"We found out, or I found out — I'd never done it like this before — but on the 'Firepower' record, we all played it live before we recorded them," he continued. "And we recorded the drums live while me and Ian [Hill, bass] played and Rob sang and Glenn [Tipton, guitar] was there. You've got the songs close to finished, and when you play them, you realize there's probably another 10, 15 percent to go — trim some fat here; this needs another part; it's too slow here; speed that up; pull this back. And that only becomes apparent, really, I found out, when you play it together, like you would in a live gig.

"So we wanna get back together at some point and flesh these songs out, play together. And I'll tell you what, when you get Scott Travis in a room, he's such a musical drummer, and he's such a respectful drummer — he loves [former JUDAS PRIEST drummer] Les Binks; he's a huge Les Binks fan — so when he's playing the songs, he's always aware of, 'This little Les Binks hi-hat part here,' or he does things spontaneously that just change the song for the better. So getting him in the room and playing together is just monumental, I think, in the creation of a PRIEST record.

"So, again, a long-winded answer there, but we're just waiting for the opportunity to get together and play in a room together."

As previously reported, all of JUDAS PRIEST's previously announced 2020 tour dates appear to have been either canceled or postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

JUDAS PRIEST's spring/summer 2020 European tour was scheduled to kick off on May 30 in Helsinki, Finland and conclude on July 28 in Tilburg, the Netherlands. The band was also slated to headline the U.K's Bloodstock Open Air festival on August 9 at Catton Park, Derbyshire.

The U.S. leg of the "50 Heavy Metal Years" tour was due to launch September 9 in Oxon Hill, Maryland and wrap up on October 17 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Faulkner recently said it is likely the next JUDAS PRIEST album will be once again produced by Tom Allom and Andy Sneap.

Allom and Sneap worked on "Firepower", which was the band's second LP to feature Faulkner, who was selected to fill the void left by founding guitarist K.K. Downing following his exit in 2011.

Swedish hard rockers, Deaf Rat, have released a video for "Bad Blood", a song from the band's debut album, Ban The Light, out now via AFM Records. Watch the clip below, and get the album here.

With Ban The Light, the band serves a dark longplayer with heavy riffs, strong melodies and seductive tunes to twist your mind. The title was taken from the first song that was written for the album - an emotional masterpiece about being different and about standing up for your individuality towards prejudicial people.

Tracklisting:

"Fallen Angels"
"Hail The End Of Days"
"Tying You Down"
"Save Me From Myself"
"Ban The Light"
"Bad Blood"
"Make You Suffer"
"Say You Love Me"
"Wanted Forever"
"Welcome To Hell"

"Bad Blood" video:

"Tying You Down" video:




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Germany's Stillbirth will release their new beast, Revive The Throne, via Unique Leader Records on August 7. A video for the song "Revive The Throne" can be found below.

The album features 11 songs (36 minutes) and is "the heaviest material we have written so far."

"You can expect razor sharp guitar riffs, pounding drums, a superb vocal arrangement and the first Stillbirth recording with two basses for maximum brutality," says the band. "Once again we had the pleasure to record and mix the album at DPK Studios and got a banging master from our good friends over at Demigod Recordings. Our cover-designer Aghy R Purakusuma did an amazing job as well and we think this is the best Stillbirth album in our history. We can't wait to hear the opinions of our fans."

Tracklisting:

"Degraded To Mutilation"
"Revive The Throne"
"Degeneration"
"Mans Tormentor"
"Panem Et Circenses"
"Breed Of Bestiality"
"Eating Flesh Of The Objector"
"Revolt Of The Weak"
"Echoes Of The Trumpets"
"Unleash The Mutation"
"Dethrone The King"

"Revive The Throne" video:

"Panem Et Circenses" video:




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Tallah will release their new album, Matriphagy, on October 2 via Earache Records. Pre-order the album here, and watch a video for the song "We, The Sad" below.

An original dose of fucked up and disturbing alt-metal insanity! Exhilaratinghly fresh whilst incorporating nostalgic 90s nu-metal vibes - vocalist Justin Bonitz is a man possessed, wildly careering form blood curdling shrieks to lightning quick rap bars. Throw in electronic elements and almighty riffs plus modern hardcore breakdowns and Tallah are 2020's answer to Slipknot.

Notorious for their wild, unhinged and downright dangerous live shows, Tallah have cultivated a fierce live reputation on the underground circuit with multiple US tours and a European festival trip last summer, including their UK debut at Boomtown Fair opening for Napalm Death and Prophets Of Rage.

Matriphagy is a concept album about how an overprotective mother pushes her son to the edge of insanity through psychological and physical abuse. Having spent two decades trapping inside a glorified prison, and after some failed rescue/escape attempts, the son, in a state of heavy delirium, does the unforgivable to free himself from his mother's wicked hold. A disturbingly graphic tale that is to be taken both literally and metaphorically, Matriphagy is set to a pleasurably harrowing backdrown of brutally heavy musicianship, an unapologetic love-letter to chaos, and the sickening twist of the macabre.

Max Portnoy offers the following insight into the musical direction of the band’s latest single: "'The Silo' is the lightest track on the album, and the first time we've experimented with using more dynamics in our music. This song is a good example of showcasing what else we can do with our sound aside from the raw heaviness displayed in all our other tracks."

Tracklisting:

"[Redacted]
"No One Should Read This"
"Kungan"
"Overconfidence"
"Placenta"
"L.E.D."
"The Silo"
"We, The Sad"
"Too Quick To Grieve"
"Cottonmouth"
"Murder Seed"
"The Borderline Of Pain"
"Red Light"

"We, The Sad" video:

"The Silo" video:

Lineup:

Justin Bonitz - Vocals
Max Portnoy - Drums
Derrick Schneider - Guitar
Andrew Cooper - Bass




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Folk metal band, Korpiklaani, have premiered their new live video for "Harmaja". The show was recorded with the Brass section of the Lathi Symphony Orchestra at Nosturi, Helsinki. Watch the video below.

The band comments: "Since 2018 we have been performing with the brass section of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra. Our first show with them was Masters of Rock which was probably one of our most fun shows ever! (Yes it was recorded) Early 2019, they joined us on our tour in Finland and this is one from the now closed Nosturi in Helsinki. Video was produced by Månsas Productions."

Korpiklaani will announce more live streams for the coming weeks. So stay tuned for more surprises.




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Bay Area thrash legends, Heathen, will release their fourth studio album, Empire Of The Blind, on September 18 via Nuclear Blast Records. In this trailer, guitarist Kragen Lum discuss the new single, "The Blight":

"We are very pleased to announce Empire Of The Blind," states a recent message from the band. "It's been another 10 years but we are finally back with a new Heathen album. Fine wine takes time! Everyone in the band worked their asses off on this record. Zeuss absolutely nailed it and more than realized our vision for the sound. Travis Smith perfectly captured the bleak atmosphere that we imagined for the artwork. It was a year in the making and we couldn't be more proud of the outcome. The 1st single 'The Blight' is just the beginning... behold the rising Empire!"

Empire Of The Blind was for the most part engineered, produced, mixed, and mastered by Christopher “Zeuss” Harris at Planet Z Studios. Additional details - rhythm guitars, etc. - were put to digital “tape” by Kragen Lum at SubLevel Studio in Little Rock, AR. The album features guest appearances by Gary Holt (Exodus, Slayer), Rick Hunolt (ex-Exodus) and Doug Piercy (ex-Heathen).

The cover art for Empire Of The Blind was once again handled by renowned artist Travis Smith (Overkill, Exhorder).

Empire Of The Blind will be available in the following formats:

- CD Jewel Case
- Vinyl
  Red with Black Splatter (US exclusive)
  Red with Black Swirl (US exclusive)
  Black
  Red
  Yellow with Red Splatter
- Red Cassette (US exclusive)
- T-Shirt
- T-Shirt + CD Bundle (US exclusive)
- T-Shirt + Red with Black Splatter Vinyl Bundle (US exclusive)
- CD + Patch Bundle

Pre-order your copy of in the format of your choice here. Pre-save the album to Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer here.

Empire Of The Blind tracklisting:

"This Rotting Sphere"
"The Blight"
"Empire Of The Blind"
"Dead And Gone"
"Sun In My Hand"
"Blood To Be Let"
"In Black"
"Shrine Of Apathy"
"Devour"
"A Fine Red Mist"
"The Gods Divide"
"Monument To Ruin"

"The Blight" lyric video:

Heathen is:

David White - Vocals
Lee Altus - Guitar
Kragen Lum - Guitar
Jason Mirza - Bass
Jim DeMaria - Drums




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Stone Sour has released a demo version of "Threadbare", which is available for streaming below.

Guitarist Josh Rand states: "Another one of the three songs that Roy had. Music was recorded at Roy's, vocals recorded at Shawn's."




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German pioneers of European gothic metal, Crematory, showcase another facet of their manifold spectrum with the release of their heart-wrenching cover version of “When The Children Cry”, along with an atmospheric audio-visual.

Crematory is well known for their harsh wave of industrial metal and gothic dimness - but this cover version proves that they are maintaining versatility in the latest stage of their long career. Connie Andreszka’s powerful vocal range combined with soft plugging guitar lines, make this offering a real stunner. Especially in dark times, the popular track originally performed by White Lion regains significance, reveals a light in the night and appeals to the people’s hope.

The black and white music video presents both their passion for music and the melodic side of Crematory's musical identity. Their latest release Unbroken connects all shades - on the one hand underlining the significance of strength and determination, while on the other, remaining faithful to the darker and existential roots of the scene the band was born in in the 90s. Crematory pursue their conquest towards the dark Parnassus of gothic metal finesse, their spirit unbroken ready to face the challenges of life.

Crematory about “When The Children Cry”: "To shorten the time without live music caused by the Coronavirus, we recorded this cover version of White Lion's 'When The Children Cry', to show that we are still here for our fans and supporters. A beautiful addition to our recently released album Unbroken!”

Order Unbroken here.

Unbroken tracklisting:

"Unbroken"
"Awaits Me"
"Rise And Fall"
"Behind The Wall"
"The Kingdom"
"Inside My Heart"
"The Downfall"
"My Dreams Have Died"
"I Am"
"Broken Heroes"
"A Piece Of Time"
"Voices"
"Abduction"
"As Darkness Calls"
"Like The Tides"

"Rise And Fall" video:

“Unbroken” video:

"The Downfall" lyric video:

Lineup:

Felix Stass - Lead Vocals
Markus Jüllich - Drums
Katrin Jüllich - Keyboards
Rolf Munkes - Lead Guitar
Connie Andreszka - Guitars, Vocals
Jason Matthias - Bass

(Photo - Stefan Heilemann)




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Metallic hardcore outfit, Nasty, have announced their upcoming and first album on their new label home, Century Media Records: Menace is scheduled for a release on September 25.

The front cover, done by known artist Michael Shantz (Bring Me The Horizon, Your Demise, Drop Dead Clothing and many more) and already finished in early 2020, turned out to be strangely fitting for these times.

The band comments: “Our only guideline was capturing the insanity of the world including all kinds of nowadays’ additions. We gave him free rein and this is what he came up with.”

While the majority of the lyrics were finalized before the band started the recording with Andy Posdziech (Any Given Day) they became even more relevant during the process. “As most people we and all our families got hit really hard by the pandemic and the restrictions that came with it. We even had to find creative ways how to handle parts of the songwriting online and obviously also the recordings. Some guitars were tracked online and Matthi ended up doing all vocals including backing vocals himself. Video shootings that were already planned a long time in advance needed to be rescheduled...” Regardless the band made it happen and Menace is capturing Nasty 100% in the here and now: Fucked up music for a fucked up world.

Pre-orders will be announced shortly

Tracklisting:

"Ultimate"
"Bulletrain"
"Menace"
"Be Careful"
"666AM"
"Tricky Plays"
"Betrayer"
"You Will Know My Name"
"Inhale/Exhale"
"Blood Crop"
"Addicted"
"Table Of Kings"
"The End Of The World"
"Ballad Of Bullets"

With their tireless work ethic and positive attitude, Nasty has become an international force, playing anywhere from Europe, USA, Russia, Brazil, Japan, China and Korea. They also joined in countless well-known festivals such as Wacken Open Air, Hellfest, Graspop Metal Meeting, With Full Force, Resurrection Fest and many more.

Nasty are:

Paddy - Guitar
Nash - Drums
Matthi - Vocals
Berri - Bass

(Photo - Matt Ojeda)




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Firmly at the forefront of the progressive rock and metal scenes for nearly three decades now and one of modern rock's most acclaimed live acts, Sweden's PAIN OF SALVATION returns with a new studio album titled "Panther" on August 28 via InsideOut Music. The follow-up to 2017's "In The Passing Light Of Day" was recorded, mixed and produced by Daniel Gildenlöw with Daniel Bergstrand (IN FLAMES, MESHUGGAH, DEVIN TOWNSEND) and comes with a comprehensive artwork-theme with illustrations made by André Meister.

The official Lars Ardarve-directed music video for the album's first single, "Accelerator", can be seen below.

Gildenlöw stated: "It has been brilliant to work with Lars for a video, after all these years of photographing. We think alike and always have a blast when we work together. We had three very long days of shooting it, only Lars and us in the band in Skjulstahallen, a large gymnastics hall kindly provided by IKEG. As per usual, I found myself in weird situations, like making high flips and jumps over Lars's head. We are very happy with this video and think it's the perfect kickoff for the 'Panther' album."

"Panther" track listing:

01. Accelerator

02. Unfuture

03. Restless Boy

04. Wait

05. Keen To A Fault

06. Fur

07. Panther

08. Species

09. Icon

In addition to the standard CD and the digital album formats, "Panther" will also be available as limited 2CD mediabook (including expanded artwork and the following four bonus tracks on a separate disc: "Panther (demo)", "Keen To A Fault (demo)", "Fifi Gruffi" and "Unforever") and as 180-gram gatefold 2LP (including the four bonus tracks on Side D and album on CD as bonus).

Gildenlöw checked in with the following comment about "Panther": "The making of 'Panther' has taken over two years. I have felt the need to push boundaries, both musically and sonically. Approaching the music from more diverse angles, yet without losing the core identity of the band. Lyrically it coincidently fits more than ever into current times. When I look at the great artwork drawings that went into the concept, I can only say that I am extremely happy how everything turned out. I can't wait to share this album with everybody."

PAIN OF SALVATION is:

Daniel Gildenlöw - lead vocals and lots of stuff

Johan Hallgren - guitar and vocals

Léo Margarit - drums and vocals

Daniel Karlsson - keyboards, guitars and vocals

Gustaf Hielm - bass and vocals

IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE are among the artists who have thrown their support behind UK Music's #LetTheMusicPlay campaign, which asks for immediate action to aid the massively affected music industry amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Over 1,500 artists have signed an open letter to the government in a bid to "show the vital importance of the UK's live music industry, ensure the Government cannot ignore live music and make noise to get the public and financial support the industry needs to survive."

"UK live music has been one of the UK's biggest social, cultural, and economic successes of the past decade," the #LetTheMusicPlay campaign says. "But, with no end to social distancing in sight or financial support from government yet agreed, the future for venues, concerts and festivals and the hundreds of thousands of people who work in them looks bleak.

"Like other countries such as Germany and Australia, we need the Government to help the music industry, which contributes £5.2 billion to the economy annually and sustains almost 200,000 jobs to ensure it remains world-leading following the damage caused by this pandemic.

"Until these businesses can operate again, which is likely to be 2021 at the earliest, government support will be crucial to prevent mass insolvencies and the end of this world-leading industry.

"On July 2, 2020, UK Music and members of the UK Live Music Group, alongside a coalition of live music businesses including artists, venues, concerts, festivals, production companies and industry figures launched a campaign, Let The Music Play, to highlight the importance of the sector to the UK's economy."

IRON MAIDEN showed its support on Twitter, writing: "Every band has to start somewhere (in time), and IRON MAIDEN were no exception. 90% of the UK's grassroots music venues are under threat of closure due to COVID-19. Please show your support for live music and share a photo/video from the last gig you went to, tagging #LetTheMusicPlay"

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE wrote: "Today we come together with the rest of the UK music industry to show our support for #LetTheMusicPlay, a campaign highlighting the crisis faced by the live music sector. We need the UK government to listen and act now to help protect venues that could be forced to close. As well as supporting the workforce that make up the industry. We encourage you to get involved by sharing a photo from your last gig using #LetTheMusicPlay to show your support for UK live music."

ENTER SHIKARI added: "Today, our friends at Music Venue Trust are asking artists to share a video of their last live show as part of their #LetTheMusicPlay #SaveOurVenues campaign.

"We would not have been able to do what we've done for the past decade+ if it wasn't for the time we spent as teenagers playing a supportive circuit of grassroots music venues. But this isn't about us going off around the world and having fun…

"UK music exports contribute £2billion+ to the UK economy. Over 90% of UK music venues are at risk of closure unless government steps in to support them through this time. You don't need to be a rocket surgeon to see the devastating effect this could have.

"So, please, retweet them then tweet us a photo / video of the last show YOU went to, using the #LetTheMusicPlay tag. Show the government the support that UK venues have from the people that use them."




Every band has to start somewhere (in time), & Iron Maiden were no exception. 90% of the UK's grassroots music venues are under threat of closure due to Covid-19

Please show your support for live music & share a photo/video from the last gig you went to, tagging #LetTheMusicPlay pic.twitter.com/NjtxtWTVVx

— Iron Maiden (@IronMaiden) July 2, 2020








today, our friends at @MusicVenueTrust are asking artists to share a video of their last live show as part of their #letthemusicplay #saveourvenues campaign.

this is us at @GoodThingsFest. Australia Dec 2019. the last time any of us stood on a stage. 1/4 pic.twitter.com/Rexu1Lskd9

— ENTER SHIKARI (@ENTERSHIKARI) July 2, 2020








Today we come together with the rest of the UK music industry to show our support for #letthemusicplay a campaign highlighting the crisis faced by the live music sector. We need the UK government to listen and act now to help protect venues that could be forced to close (1/2) pic.twitter.com/4b9vUiTAUW

— BFMV (@bfmvofficial) July 2, 2020

RATT singer Stephen Pearcy has come under fire for implying Americans should refrain from wearing a cloth face mask or covering in public even though it protects against the coronavirus.

Many Americans refuse to wear a mask for they view it as a symbol of oppression and how government can dictate their actions. President Donald Trump has been loath to wear a mask, despite the advice of public health experts.

Late Wednesday night (July 1), Pearcy took to his Twitter to share the hashtag #UnMaskAmerica, eliciting a number of disapproving responses from his followers.

One person wrote: "The virus is still very real and very killing people. Until there is a working vaccine all precautions have to be taken. Common sense is required not stubbornness" Another added: "You'll never tour again with that attitude." A third said, "Not cool buddy......", while another chimed in: "Please be kidding!" A fifth follower shared the hashtag "#UnfollowPearcy", while a sixth said: "Like your music, but keep stupid suggestions like this to yourself." Another fan wrote, "WTF??? Dude are u serious!?, while yet another person weighed in with: "I'm doing whatever Pearcy says....I didnt see any of these so called "experts" in the way cool jr video.....fuck them"

Fellow 1980s hard rockers BULLETBOYS apparently agreed with Pearcy's sentiment, tweeting in response: "#lionsnotsheep"

With most U.S. states requiring masks at least in crowded spots where social distancing isn't possible, several hard rock and heavy metal musicians have used their platforms to remind their followers to mask up amid the coronavirus pandemic, including TESTAMENT's Alex Skolnick, QUEENSRŸCHE's Todd La Torre, TRIVIUM's Paolo Gregoletto and SONS OF APOLLO's Mike Portnoy.

Three weeks ago, the U.S. Surgeon General urged people to wear face coverings, saying they will promote freedom during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Some feel face coverings infringe on their freedom of choice- but if more wear them, we'll have MORE freedom to go out. Face coverings [leads to] less asymptomatic viral spread [leads to] more places open, and sooner!" Dr. Jerome Adams wrote on Twitter.

In a study published last month, researchers from Texas A&M University, the California Institute of Technology and the University of California San Diego, concluded "that wearing of face masks in public corresponds to the most effective means to prevent interhuman transmission."

In early April, the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention issued new guidelines that Americans should wear face coverings in public.




#UnMaskAmerica

— STEPHEN E PEARCY (@StephenEPearcy) July 2, 2020








#lionsnotsheep ??????❤

— BulletBoys (@TheBulletBoys) July 2, 2020








The virus is still very real and very killing people.

Until there is a working vaccine all precautions have to be taken.

Common sense is required not stubbornness

— karl (@karlb73) July 2, 2020








You'll never tour again with that attitude.

— Robbie Kavanaugh (@camkav8) July 2, 2020








Not cool buddy......

— Tonyciambella (@tonyciambella) July 2, 2020








Please be kidding! ?

— Hair Metal Mixtape (@HairMixtape) July 2, 2020








#UnfollowPearcy

— eric shankle (@eshankle333) July 2, 2020








#douchebag

— Joe (@iamjk977) July 2, 2020








Like your music, but keep stupid suggestions like this to yourself.

— Michael Bates (@MichaelBates72) July 2, 2020








#Unfollow@StephenEPearcy

— Copley (@Woofield69) July 2, 2020








WTF??? Dude are u serious!?

— Neil Lipton (@ngl0917) July 2, 2020








I'm doing whatever Pearcy says....I didnt see any of these so called "experts" in the way cool jr video.....fuck them

— Vince Van Halen (@VanhalenVince) July 2, 2020

Canberra melodic death metal masters Immorium have unveiled their thunderous new single “Pride”, the first taste of their forthcoming second album This Too Shall Pass, due out July 31.

At over 7-minutes long, “Pride” is a journey that takes you through the band's trademark masterstrokes - soaring hooks and crushing riffs, combined into a wonderful melting pot that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

Combining ferocious death metal and metalcore elements with the band's trademark soaring melodies and blistering instrumental work, This Too Shall Pass is a serious statement from a band who are intent on taking the world by the throat with their new material.

 A quick glance at the band's resume, which has included shows alongside the likes of Dragonforce, Ne Obliviscaris, Voyager and Bloodbath, shows that the band can slug it out with the best in the game, and if this new record is anything to go by, they're set to cement their place over the next decade as one of the country’s most versatile and powerful acts.




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TWISTED SISTER guitarist Jay Jay French has reminded his fans of the significance of voting against Donald Trump in November's U.S. presidential election, arguing that the future of the Supreme Court will be at stake if Trump remains in charge of judicial nominations.

Earlier today, French sent out the following message to his 11,000 Twitter followers: "Trump is a functionally illiterate racist. We must dump Trump in November to save the Supreme Court! And please, WEAR MASKS!! It protects you and me."

French is not the first member of TWISTED SISTER to be openly critical of Trump. Singer Dee Snider, who got to know Trump personally after appearing more than once on "The Celebrity Apprentice", recently said that he was "extremely disappointed" with the way Trump handled the coronavirus pandemic. "A lot of this could have been avoided," he said. "I mean, certain things were inevitable — the virus was coming, sickness was coming, death was coming. That was inevitable, but the way it was handled, many deaths could have been prevented and we could have been ahead of things instead of behind things. Right now, it feels like, in my country, that we're constantly trying to catch up to the virus as it does what it does. This could have been very different, but we didn't learn from the lessons of others, unfortunately."

On Tuesday (June 30), Snider took to his Twitter to say that the upcoming presidential election is "not about either" Trump or presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. "It's about bringing balance back to the system," he said. "It's about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It's about the American Dream. It's about the right to choose...on every level. It's not about kissing the asses of dictators and commie despots!" He added in a separate tweet: "I'm a big picture guy. The only lasting thing from any presidency is the supreme court appointees. Balance must be returned to the system."

Back in November 2017, Snider said that he could no longer be friends with Trump because he did not share the president's views on important issues, including the Trump administration's harsh immigration policy.

Snider found himself in the middle of controversy in 2016 when he asked Trump to stop using the 1984 TWISTED SISTER anthem "We're Not Gonna Take It" in his campaign. The singer said at the time that Trump was very gracious about the request.




Trump is a functionally illiterate racist. We must dump Trump in November to save the Supreme Court! And please, WEAR MASKS!!

It protects you and me.

— Jay Jay French (@jayjayfrench) July 1, 2020








It's not about either of them, it's about bringing balance back to the system. It's about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It's about the American Dream. It's about the right to choose...on every level. It's not about kissing the asses of dictators and commie despots! https://t.co/1BRXbrVSsv

— Dee Snider (@deesnider) June 30, 2020








I will vote for the person who can flip this script. If Jo can do it I'll vote for her, if not, whomever can. I'm a big picture guy. The only lasting thing from any presidency is the supreme court appointees. Balance must be returned to the system. https://t.co/fgkxksdVyF

— Dee Snider (@deesnider) June 30, 2020








If you stand with that disloyal commie loving traitor you can go now. https://t.co/diqQ4rxTv8

— Dee Snider (@deesnider) June 30, 2020

DEATH ANGEL drummer Will Carroll says that it's "unfortunate" that some mainstream news outlets "mangled" his story of how he dreamt of visiting the afterlife before waking up from a 12-day coma after testing positive for coronavirus.

The 47-year-old musician was hospitalized at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco after catching the virus on a European tour in March. While comatose at the facility, Carroll said he saw himself leave his body and plummet down to hell, where Satan — a woman in his case — punished him for the deadly sin of sloth, morphing him into a Jabba The Hutt-like-monster who vomited blood until he had a heart attack.

A number of mainstream news outlets picked up Carroll's story and focused on the "Satan" angle, with the New York Post running the headline "Death Angel Drummer Says He Met Satan During Near-Death Coronavirus Coma"

In a new interview with March Lowe of Mosh Mag, Carroll was asked what he thought about some of the sensationalistic headlines that made the rounds regarding his experience at the hospital. He responded: "The visions I had when I was in my coma were pretty scary, and when I woke up, they were just as clear as day in my mind. They were so vivid. I asked the nurse if I was still in hell right when I woke up. She just kind of just looked at me and walked away. So, yeah, that's a small part of a bigger story, you know, like surviving the COVID and being in a coma for 12 days and the doctors thought I was going to die. They were shocked when I was awake and when I came to. So that's definitely stuck with me a little more than just the visions of going to hell. But it's unfortunate that those news outlets mangled my story, regurgitated it and changed it for their own agenda. When you get the lead singer of [openly Christian band] STRYPER backing you up, you know that there's something wrong. [Laughs]"

Asked if he was blown away by the outpouring of support, Will said: "Yeah, that was a shocker. Actually, it took a couple of days for the hospital to give me back some of my personal effects. So I didn't have my phone for the first day or two when I was awake. But when they finally gave it to me, I turned it on and I couldn't believe how many people from the local community and abroad, and people from all over the world, were reaching out to me. People that I don't even know, like Jay Jay French from TWISTED SISTER. Yeah! I love TWISTED SISTER! It was really cool, man. I was overwhelmed and speechless. So that's part of my spiritual awakening, if you will. I never really believed in the power of prayer or karma or any of that kind of stuff and this experience has made me re-evaluate some things. I'm not born-again Christian or anything like the fucking New York Post wants wants to portray me as. But now I believe in the power prayer. I really do."

Carroll also addressed the documented spikes in the number of COVID-19 cases across the U.S. due to the easing of lockdown restrictions just weeks ago.

"I can tell everyone is getting impatient, and I am too," he said. "You wanna get moving, get back to your daily routine, go to shows, and do whatever you love doing, but it seems that a lot of people are getting impatient and ignoring the rules, and not wearing masks. I go out on walks every day in my neighborhood and I see tons of people without masks on. It's upsetting, and I wouldn't want to wish this on my worst enemy, what I went through. I was the sickest I've ever been in my life. It was an awful feeling and I felt like I was gonna die. It's a shame that people have been either ignoring it all along or they are starting to think that it's okay now to walk around without a mask and intermingle with everyone. It's very disheartening and very alarming."

Carroll woke up from a medically induced coma on March 30 after spending nearly two weeks on a ventilator. Doctors told the San Francisco Chronicle he was in critical condition and came close to dying.

On March 22, TESTAMENT singer Chuck Billy revealed that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Several days later, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt also said that he was infected with the new coronavirus. Both had spent more than a month on the road with DEATH ANGEL as part of "The Bay Strikes Back 2020" European tour in February and March.

DEATH ANGEL had been touring in support of its ninth album, "Humanicide", which came out in May 2019 via Nuclear Blast.

Carroll joined DEATH ANGEL in 2009 as the replacement for the band's original drummer, Andy Galeon.

Will can be heard on the last four DEATH ANGEL studio albums: "Relentless Retribution" (2010), "The Dream Calls for Blood" (2013), "The Evil Divide" (2016) and the aforementioned "Humanicide".


Very interesting read. God bless Will! Satan has never been cool. He’s a liar and a deceiver. One day every knee shall...

Posted by Michael Sweet on Wednesday, May 20, 2020

TWISTED SISTER guitarist Jay Jay French spoke to Daniel Sarkissian of the "Rock Is Dead?" documentary about how the rise of grunge in the early 1990s forced most hard rock bands off the radio and MTV, with album and tour sales plummeting.

"The only band that leapfrogged and saved themselves was GUNS N' ROSES," Jay Jay said (see video below). "And my theory is that GUNS N' ROSES was not perceived as a joke. They came out of L.A., but I think that Axl [Rose], first of all, had a great voice. I think that they were perceived as real, not fake. Like, they were real junkies, not pretend junkies. So there's an authenticity. It's all about authenticity, and grunge is all about authenticity. People wanted authenticity, so they got it with grunge. It wiped out the perceived frivolousness of hair metal, which is, 'Hey, man. Let's party. Let's get the girls and drink.' I think people just got sick of that, and they wanted [something more] authentic."

Upon release in September 1991, NIRVANA's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" wreaked confusion upon the hair metal vanguard, putting an end to an era dominated by glamorous, androgynous and sparkly rock stars who absolutely saturated the radio waves and were almost exclusively what aired on MTV.

Former MÖTLEY CRÜE singer John Corabi told Newsday in a 2014 interview that the CRÜE album he sang on was a commercial disappointment because the music scene had changed, with hair metal brushed aside for grunge.

"Everybody was listening to ALICE IN CHAINS and SOUNDGARDEN," Corabi said. "At that point, we were considered passé."

According to Corabi, CRÜE's ill-fated 1994 American tour " was a nightmare. We weren't selling tickets. It was just horrible," he said.

After working with Corabi for two years on a follow-up album, "Generation Swine", CRÜE dropped the singer and reunited with Vince Neil.

Despite Neil's return, "Generation Swine" sold poorly when it was released in 1997.

Last year, former TNT singer Tony Harnell said that the rise of the grunge movement, which symbolized the working-class spirit and focused on music over image, was ultimately a positive thing for the rock genre because it "shined a really harsh light on how boring and repetitive" the '80s glam metal scene had become. He explained: "It was the same look, the same songwriters, the same producers, and it just started to be… Nobody was offering anything… Don't get me wrong, there were a few that got in there that were interesting and different, but, for the most part, they were all just sort of rehashes, slightly, of other bands."

Ex-WHITE LION frontman Mike Tramp has reflected on the breakup of his former group.

The Danish-born singer hasn't played with his former songwriting partner and bandmate, guitarist Vito Bratta, since WHITE LION performed its last concert in Boston in September 1991.

Speaking to BigMusicGeek.com, Tramp said that WHITE LION came to an abrupt end because "not one single person fought" to keep the act alive.

"Looking back now, that decision was made at at time when I felt almost immortal," he said. "I felt that I was in a strong position where I would continue with something else and have the same success. It was a personal decision on some of the people involved in the band, but it was mainly the record company. We didn't feel they were on our side anymore, and it's not in my personality to take that shit. At the same time, James [LoMenzo, bass] and drummer Greg [D'Angelo] left the band after a big European tour. We had been out on the road for three weeks with an all-new rhythm section testing everything out. At this point, MTV has basically turned their back on not only WHITE LION, but basically every other '80s band and grunge was quickly starting to come in. There was already a whole different vibe out there, but we were solving a bit of that. It was one of those situations where one thing leads to another and then there was a hasty decision made that nobody fought for. And then I didn't get a call from my management and I didn't get a call from the record company, which was odd because we were still a money-making band that had several records that needed to be made for Atlantic Records. We were still making money for the publishing company and we were still selling t-shirts, so were still a very successful band. We weren't on the top of the charts in America, but we had just done a massive European tour and were really strong there as always. We were still selling hundreds of thousands of albums in the U.S., which today you would give your grandmother for. [Laughs]"

Asked if he later regretted these decisions, Mike said: "Later on, many years after, when Vito and I started talking about these things, we always wondered why nobody called us after a couple days and said, 'Listen, you guys. Let's take a break here. Let's take a break and let everybody calm down a bit. And then let's meet and look at the situation.' That would have happened if it had been any other type of business... But not one single person fought for this, and that really just put more fuel on my fire. It is kind of crazy, because basically on the way back from the final show when I flew to L.A. and Vito flew to New York, I'd already put FREAK OF NATURE together in my head. The whole concept and how it was all going to be built up... From that day on, I was going to be in total control of making those decisions, ya know?"

In the 29 years since WHITE LION broke up, Bratta's public profile has been virtually nonexistent, while Tramp has remained active, recording and touring as a solo artist and with the bands FREAK OF NATURE, THE ROCK 'N' ROLL CIRCUZ and, more recently, BAND OF BROTHERS. Tramp also attempted to revive WHITE LION with the 2008 album "Return Of The Pride", featuring new members. Two years later, Tramp ceded ownership of the name WHITE LION to Bratta in an out-of-court settlement.

Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, WHITE LION released its debut album, "Fight To Survive", in 1985. The band had its breakthrough with the double-platinum-selling "Pride" album, which produced two Top 10 hits: "Wait" and "When The Children Cry". The band continued its success with the third album, "Big Game", which achieved gold status.

By the time WHITE LION released its final album, 1991's "Mane Attraction", alternative rock was in the ascendancy, leading to a swift decline of the so-called "hair metal" scene in terms of sales, popularity, radio play, and most importantly, relevance.

While practicing social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sacramento rockers TESLA got together — virtually — to jam out a quarantined version of "Breakin' Free" as part of their new online series, "Home To Home". Check it out below.

The original recording of "Breakin' Free" appeared on TESLA's 2008 album "Forever More".

TESLA has spent most of the last year touring in support of its latest album, "Shock", which was released in March 2019 via UMe. The follow-up to 2014's "Simplicity" was produced by DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen.

TESLA bassist Brian Wheat admitted to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation" that "Shock" divided the band's fans due to its lighter, pop-like sound, with some blaming its direction on Collen, who co-wrote many of its tracks. The disc was recorded piecemeal while TESLA was on tour with DEF LEPPARD, with some of the tracking taking place in backstage areas and hotel room lobbies.

"Some people hate it, some people love it," Wheat said. "I tell you, after five weeks, six weeks, it's leaning more toward, 'You know, it had to grow on me. I'm actually enjoying it now.' That's the thing, that's why we called it 'Shock'. We knew it was going to shock people. The other thing is, we couldn't just continue to do the same record over and over and over again, so we tried something different. It's cool. The songs go down well live, I see people singing, our fans are in there singing 'Shock', singing 'Taste Like', singing '[Tied To The] Tracks', singing 'Take Me Alive'. It's cool. Look, after so many years, I'm glad we're able to make another record because not the first on everyone's agenda anymore."

Collen previously co-wrote and produced the TESLA song "Save That Goodness", which was released in August 2016 and included on the "Mechanical Resonance Live!" album.

TESLA released "Five Man London Jam" on March 27 on Blu-ray, 2LP vinyl, CD and digital via Ume. The recording celebrates the 30th anniversary of TESLA's landmark "Five Man Acoustical Jam" album.

TESLA's current lineup includes four of the five original members: Jeff Keith (vocals), Frank Hannon (guitars), Wheat and Troy Luccketta (drums). Guitarist Dave Rude joined in 2006 as the replacement for Tommy Skeoch.

In a new interview with KNAC.COM, FOZZY singer and former WWE wrestling superstar Chris Jericho was asked how he feels about the prospect of taking part in meet-and-greets with fans amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He responded: "I've never been 'isolated' during this whole coronavius thing. We've been working every week; we've been talking with people and meeting with people. We haven't been shaking hands or anything like that. I'm not as 'terrified' of the virus as some people are. I'm not saying that in a reckless way. I meet people out on the street. We're not spitting in each other's faces and we're not shaking hands or tongue kissing or anything like that. Since I'm taking these steps, I'm just not as worried about it."

COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice (e.g., while shouting, chanting, or singing). These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Recent studies show that a significant portion of individuals with COVID-19 lack symptoms (are "asymptomatic") and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (are "pre-symptomatic") can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms.

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) recommends that people wear cloth face coverings in public settings when around people outside of their household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

Last month, Jericho told Australia's Triple M radio station that FOZZY has "so many great songs" written for the band's follow-up to 2017's "Judas" album that "it's gonna be hard to pick the singles."

FOZZY guitarist Rich Ward and producer Johnny Andrews are once again "doing the lion's share" of the songwriting for the new LP, which is tentatively due in the fall.

FOZZY's next album will include the song "Nowhere To Run", which recently hit Top 10 on the rock radio chart. The track is the band's third to hit Top 10 on rock radio, following "Judas" and "Painless".

In addition to producing "Judas", Andrews previously co-wrote FOZZY's "Lights Go Out" track back in 2014. He has also written songs with the likes of ALL THAT REMAINS, THREE DAYS GRACE and HALESTORM.

Jericho is one of the most popular performers in the history of World Wrestling Entertainment. In 2001 he was crowned the WWE Undisputed Champion and in 2017 become the first ever "Double Grand Slam" champion in WWE history. He has been named one of the top five most charismatic performers of all-time by WWE.com. In January 2019, he officially signed with All Elite Wrestling — a brand new pro wrestling company started by the owners of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, Tony and Shahid Khan.

Rik Emmett, who gained international recognition as the lead singer/songwriter/guitarist with the Canadian hard rock trio TRIUMPH, has told Jim Barber of Music Life Magazine in a new interview that his days as a road warrior ended for good in early 2019.

"I was just getting old and burned out," he said. "I mean, I have retired. I am 67 on my next birthday [July 10] and I just got to a point where I still love to play, and I don't mind performing although there is a little more anxiety now than there used to be. And I had some personal physical challenges in terms of arthritis in my neck and back and arthritis in my wrists and my fingers and stuff. It's not debilitating to the point where I couldn't perform, but it changes the nature of the challenge."

He continued: "The big thing was travelling. I just didn't want to have to go to all these airports and in and out of hotels and in and out of taxicabs and what ever. I didn't want to have to stand in line at the rental car booth. I had enough. And it's not like I need the money. And it's not like I was a rock star who got divorced three or four times — I am still with the same lovely lady [Jeannette]. There was nothing compelling to drive me to want to keep beating myself up on the road. I do miss sometimes the fun of it or the glamour of it. I certainly wondered how I would be ego-wise because, well, I am addicted to instant gratification of a crowd saying, 'Yeah, you're wonderful; and we love you.' How am I going to do if I don't have that? But I have adjusted, and I found out that I was not as egomaniacal as I was concerned about.

"The other thing is whether it's a hiatus or whatever you want to call it, I have retired from the road, but I haven't retired from creativity," he added. "That's the big thing. I kept writing songs and I wanted to do this 'Bonfire Sessions' stuff," referring to a four-part musical collage of original material that features Rik and his guitar. "Over the last six months I also wrote a book of poetry and have sent it off to a publisher, although I don't know if they're actually going to accept it or not. I am waiting to hear back. I guess I am becoming a little more self-indulgent as I get older. I am realizing there are bucket list things that I kind of want to do, creatively speaking. So, that means a lot less or maybe none of the road. There is a part of me that's going, 'I don't think I want it anymore.' But honestly, I don't know. Another thing is that I used to love to play Hugh's Room [in Toronto] once a year and it's no longer there, so what would replace that? I am not sure. Couple that with COVID[-19], and when all these things kind of happen, you look and wonder maybe it's a sign from the universe telling me that it's probably a good idea to hang it up."

After 20 years apart, Emmett, bassist Mike Levine and drummer Gil Moore played at the 2008 editions of the Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma. A DVD of the historic Sweden performance was made available four years later.

In 2016, Moore and Levine reunited with Rik as special guests on the "RES 9" album from Emmett's band RESOLUTION9.

Most recently, Moore, Emmett and Levine reconnected for an invite-only event this past November at MetalWorks studio in Mississauga (a suburb of Toronto), Ontario, Canada. The reunion was taped for the forthcoming documentary "Triumph: Lay It On The Line".

Jeff Scott Soto says that he wishes he and Yngwie Malmsteen "could just bury the hatchet and be friends."

Three years ago, Soto, who sang on Yngwie's first two albums, 1984's "Rising Force" and 1985's "Marching Out", engaged in a war of words with the Swedish guitarist over the fact that Malmsteen claimed in an interview that he "always wrote everything," including the lyrics and melodies, and simply hired various vocalists to sing his material.

In a new question-and-answer session with Vince Palamara, Soto was asked if he still had "mixed emotions" about Yngwie. The singer responded (see video below): "It's not mixed emotions. I have absolute emotion that I wish we could just bury the hatchet and be friends. Life is too short. We're losing so many of our heroes, so many of our friends, colleagues, peers, family — [members] — whatever, you name it — and I don't wanna go out of this earth with any regrets or with any enemies. So I would love nothing more for us to make up, but for whatever reason, there's a resistance and it continues to be. All I can do is keep extending that olive branch and hopefully he'll grab on to it and we can actually mend whatever it is that is still lingering after all these years. But I don't regret anything. It was an amazing learning experience and it put me where I am today. It gave me my start. I'll always be humble in the fact that without Yngwie, I wouldn't have gotten a lot of the opportunities that I've had today. So, yeah, as far as I'm concerned, it was an amazing positive experience. Of course, the negatives outweighed the positives for me to stay on, and that's why I moved on."

Back in 2017, Soto told the "US American Made Guitars" show that "it's false information" to suggest that he contributed nothing to Yngwie's early albums "because we co-wrote [some of] those songs together. I actually authored those songs," he said. "For him to say, 'I wrote every lyric, every melody,' it's absolute falsity. And he's speaking out of whatever anger or whatever throwaway conversation he might be having, but when it's put on text, it comes across as very crude and very arrogant. So, of course, I don't take that kind of stuff too personally."

In the days after Yngwie's original interview with Metal Wani was published on BLABBERMOUTH.NET, several of the guitarist's other former singers — including Joe Lynn Turner and Tim "Ripper" Owens — responded on social media, with Turner describing Malmsteen's statements as "the rantings of a megalomaniac desperately trying to justify his own insecurity." This was followed by a retort from a member of Yngwie's management team, who wrote on Malmsteen's Facebook page that the three vocalists "came out enraged, spitting insults and profanities" at the guitarist because "Yngwie said something that they didn't like." The management representative added: " It's very unfortunate that these past hired vocalists must resort to mudslinging and insults to elicit any kind of media attention towards them. Such classless, puerile words are ungentlemanly at best and absolutely disgraceful at worst."

Taylor Momsen, lead singer for the rock band THE PRETTY RECKLESS, spoke to News Center Maine about her decision to move to Maine several years ago. "I love Maine," she said. "I've been coming for quite some time now, like since we formed the band, 'cause the band's all from New England, so we rehearse up here. So I've been coming here since I was, like, 15. So it was about time I stopped staying in hotels and actually got a place. And I love it. It's my favorite."

"Death By Rock And Roll", the fourth studio album from THE PRETTY RECKLESS, will arrive in late 2020 or early 2021. The LP will be released via Fearless Records in the U.S. and Century Media Records in the rest of the world.

Momsen recently confirmed in an interview that RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello guests on "Death By Rock And Roll". Morello appears on a track called "And So It Went".

Morello joins previously announced guests Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron from SOUNDGARDEN. The song with Cameron and Thayil, called "Only Love Can Save Me Now", was recorded at Seattle's legendary London Bridge Studios, where seminal LPs like PEARL JAM's "Ten" and SOUNDGARDEN's "Louder Than Love" were laid down.
























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When two-time gold-album selling alternative rock band COLD's 2020 tour was postponed due to the pandemic, bassist Lindsay Manfredi found herself quarantined on a farm in Fallbrook, California. The result is her debut book, "Unfuckwithable: A Guide To Inspired Badassery", published by Rose Gold Publishing, LLC.

Lindsay says: "Working on the road on something other than music and fan connection is extremely difficult, since I'm not that focused. And while not touring sucks for the time being, this quarantine gave me the chance to actually focus on the completion of the book, which has been four years in the making."

The origins of "Unfuckwithable" started over 20 years ago, when Manfredi got a spider tattoo, the logo of her favorite band while working in the music industry on her own projects. Unbeknownst to her, she was manifesting a future in the band. In 2014, lead singer Scooter Ward, saw her COLD tattoo and reached out.

Ward says: "We were looking for a new bassist, and someone had sent me a few photos along with links of Lindsay playing bass. Her having the cold spider tattooed on her forearm was a welcomed surprise. Then, I watched her TEDx talk on the non-profit she had co-founded, Girls Rock Indianapolis, and that sealed the deal. Not only is she a great musician, she adds a perfect energy to the band."

Manfredi relocated to the West Coast to begin recording COLD's new album, "The Things We Can't Stop". After a few months of working on the album, she went back to the Midwest to spend some time with her daughter, and during that time, she gained a renewed devotion to meditation and the Law of Attraction. Her studies of the works of Don Miguel Ruiz, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle and Gabrielle Bernstein inspired her to become unfuckwithable. She then decided to write her own story. She invites readers to share her journey and also get to a place where they ask the hard questions to truly get to know themselves and become unfuckwithable as well.

In this 224-page memoir and personal development book, Manfredi shares her personal experiences with bullying and abuse, the celebrations of living a creative life, and wisdom learned along the way.

To purchase a signed copy of Lindsay's book plus free shipping, for a limited time only, go here.

Photo by Equinox Photo

Italian heavy rockers LACUNA COIL have launched a new Internet video series called "On Tour With Lacuna Coil". Each clip will contain behind-the-scenes footage from the band's 2019 "Black Anima" European tour.

Says LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia: "As we're still not allowed to travel the world and get on stage and sing with you every night, follow us on a journey through the 2019 Black Anima European Tour, only on our YouTube channel. Every Wednesday at 15.00 CEST a new episode of the #OnTourWithLacunaCoil series will go live. Watch Episode 1 NOW and make sure to subscribe so you don't miss the next ones!"

The first "On Tour With Lacuna Coil" episode, focusing on the band's concert in Bari, Italy, can be seen below.

This past March, Scabbia told Kerrang! magazine that we are in the middle of "very dark time" as many musicians are contending with unexpected hardship due to most tours being postponed or canceled in the wake of the global spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

The closure of live venues, as well as other social distancing measures, has caused hundreds of millions of dollars in ticket-sales losses and has dried up the primary source of income for the vast majority of working musicians.

Scabbia said: "Yes, it's a very dark time for music and arts. It is frustrating and it's sad, but we're all in the same boat. It is madness because you have to consider that the livelihood of a band now is mostly on the road. That's where you get the majority of your income, which you need to survive and keep on working.

"We were able to think ahead and cancel flights and tours, because we projected the situation," she continued, referring to the cancelation of LACUNA COIL's shows in Australia and Southeast Asia. "We thought ahead and thought about our health and the health of our friends.

"I know other bands that have lost a huge amount of money and it will be hard to get back on track because it will not get back to normal all at once. Fans might not have a lot of money because they didn't work. It will be really hard but I'm staying positive because once you touch the bottom, you can only go up."

On September 25, The Ocean will release their 8th full-length, Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic, via Metal Blade Records (CD / digital) and the band's own Pelagic Records (vinyl). In 2018, The Ocean released Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic - the first half of a sprawling but superbly cohesive paleontology concept album. Now, the group is ready to release the concluding parts of the Phanerozoic journey. For a first preview of Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic, the new single, "Jurassic | Cretaceous" (featuring Katatonia's Jonas Renkse), is streaming below.

The album can be preordered on MetalBlade.com in the following formats:

- Deluxe edition CD (tri-fold digipak)
- Instrumental CD (Remus spine digipak w/ UV gloss)
- Box set completion bundle (tri-fold vocal version CD digipak, instrumental version CD digipak, 2 posters, pin, and sticker)
* Exclusive bundles with shirts and merch items, plus digital options are also available!

Widely hailed as their finest work to date, Phanerozoic I brimmed with moments of wide-eyed melodic brilliance, alongside the expected warping and weaving of post-metal conventions. "The first part of Phanerozoic really is a 'no-regrets' album, which is quite rare," says guitarist Robin Staps. "Maybe even the first time I can ever say that."

In contrast with the compositional directness of Phanerozoic I, the new album - Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic - is a vastly more progressive and perverse piece of work. "Phanerozoic II is more experimental, more eclectic in musical style and direction, and more varied in terms of tempos, beats, guitar work and the use of electronics," notes Staps. "This was an intentional choice: we wanted Part I to feel rather streamlined and to have a strong cohesion between the individual songs. We wanted to create a certain vibe to linger from the first until the last note throughout the whole record. We kept the weirder, more daring and more progressive material for Part II."

Tracked in Iceland, Spain and Germany and produced by esteemed studio guru Jens Bogren, Phanerozoic II is underpinned by some of the most imaginative and challenging music that The Ocean - completed by drummer Paul Seidel, keyboard maestro Peter Voigtmann, bassist Mattias Hagerstrand and guitarist David Ramis Åhfeldt - have made yet. Divided into two sections - Mesozoic and Cenozoic - the album once again showcases the detail and depth that have become two of The Ocean's most enduring trademarks. While ostensibly delving into the extraordinary realities of the Earth's shifting temporal tides, Staps and his comrades have long drawn hazy parallels between their chosen subjects and the emotional experiences that their music strives to convey. Phanerozoic II is essentially an album about time, with some very poignant and pointed allusions to the modern world woven into the new music's spiritual fabric.

Staps explains, "The outcome is a record that is a real journey. It starts in one place, and concludes in a totally different place. In a way, it relates to 2013's Pelagial, which was similar in that it was also a journey: but a more guided, focused and predictable one. Phanerozoic II on the other hand is closer to the experience of free fall."

Tracklisting:

“Triassic”
“Jurassic | Cretaceous”
“Palaeocene”
“Eocene”
“Oligocene”
“Miocene | Pliocene”
“Pleistocene”
“Holocene” 

“Jurassic | Cretaceous” feat. Katotonia’s Jonas Renske:




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Former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy played drums on "Terminal Velocity", the upcoming solo album from DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci. Due in the fall, the disc also features Dave LaRue (DIXIE DREGS) on bass.

Portnoy revealed his involvement with "Terminal Velocity" in a social media post earlier today (Wednesday, July 1). He also shared the track listing for the effort and a video teaser, which can be seen below.

"Terminal Velocity" track listing:

01. Terminal Velocity

02. The Oddfather

03. Happy Song

04. Gemini

05. Out Of The Blue

06. Glassy-Eyed Zombies

07. The Way Things Fall

08. Snake In My Boot

09. Temple Of Circadia

The cover artwork was created by Sean Mosher-Smith at Echo Designlab.

This past January, Portnoy said that he would "love" to make music with Petrucci again.

The drummer commented on the possibility of working with his former bandmate in DREAM THEATER just a couple of weeks after Portnoy took to his social media to upload two photos of him and the DREAM THEATER guitarist, along with their respective families, at what appeared to be the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center in New York City.

Asked in a an interview with Myglobalmind if there are any plans to ever work with Petrucci again, Portnoy said: "We would both love it. We are a great team of 25 years as we were co-captains of DREAM THEATER and LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT. I would also go out with him on the 'G3' tours.

"I look back at the relationship we had, and it was very special from a drummer-guitarist relationship," he continued. "You can see that with Lars [Ulrich] and James [Hetfield] of METALLICA, Dimebag [Darrell Abbott] and Vinnie [Paul Abbott] of PANTERA, and Eddie and Alex Van Halen. I think John and I had that type of partnership.

"We are both at our best and strongest when we work together, and I miss that relationship, Portnoy added. "He and I have a great personal relationship now and get together with our families. It would be a shame not to make music in some capacity in the future. I hope we can."

Asked what he thinks his renewed musical collaboration with Petrucci would sound like, Portnoy said: "If you listen to the first 10 DREAM THEATER albums, that's what it would sound like. I think that DREAM THEATER and LIQUID TENSION was a nice combination of our styles as well as the other members of those bands. I think John and I both have very distinctive styles. We have written hundreds of songs, so I think it would be pretty obvious what it would sound like."

Portnoy, who co-founded DREAM THEATER more than 30 years ago, abruptly quit the band in September 2010 while on tour with AVENGED SEVENFOLD. He has since been replaced by Mike Mangini (ANNIHILATOR, EXTREME, JAMES LABRIE, STEVE VAI).

After Portnoy posted a photo two years ago of him hanging out with Petrucci, many DREAM THEATER fans expressed hope that it represented a thawing of tensions between the two musicians who had been friends for more than three decades. But John played down the photo's significance, telling Music Radar: "Mike and I have maintained a relationship and have been friends all these years. Our families are all good friends, and we've gotten together several times. That just was the first time we took a photo and posted a photo. [There's] nothing to read into, other than it's good to maintain good relationships. That's really all it is."

Portnoy told "The Metal Podcast" that he and John had "actually reconnected" in recent years "and gotten together many times and had dinner together with our families." He added: "The reality is he and I have been friends since the first week in college back in September of 1985, so it's a relationship that goes back [34] years. And our families are all friends, our wives and our kids are all friends, we all grew up together, and that's never gonna go away.

"After I left DREAM THEATER, there were some years' worth of drama and bullshit," he admitted. "But the reality is you put all that aside and friends are friends and family is family and John and I will always be friends and family."

Mike told Loud that he left DREAM THEATER because he wanted to expand his musical horizons. "[I didn't] want to go to my grave and just be the drummer from DREAM THEATER," he said. "I knew there was way more to what I had to offer."

Since the 2010 departure of Portnoy, Petrucci, along with keyboardist Jordan Rudess, has taken on much of the songwriting load for DREAM THEATER, including 2016's controversial double concept album, "The Astonishing", and last year's "Distance Over Time".




JOHN PETRUCCI - TERMINAL VELOCITY@JPetrucci - Guitar

Dave LaRue - Bass@MikePortnoy - Drums

⠀

TERMINAL VELOCITY

THE ODDFATHER

HAPPY SONG

GEMINI

OUT OF THE BLUE

GLASSY-EYED ZOMBIES

THE WAY THINGS FALL

SNAKE IN MY BOOT

TEMPLE OF CIRCADIA#johnpetrucci #mikeportnoy #davelarue pic.twitter.com/K48H9NniSy

— Mike Portnoy ? (@MikePortnoy) July 1, 2020

Comedy Central today announced an expansive deal with Emmy Award-winning Mike Judge to reimagine MTV's seminal, Gen X-defining "Beavis And Butt-Head" about two cartoon teenagers famous for their nasally laughs and love of heavy metal.

Launched in 1993, "Beavis And Butt-Head" quickly became a force in pop culture and started a television revolution with its pure, unadulterated, satirical commentary on youth and adolescence. Centered around two teenage couch potatoes, "Beavis" and "Butt-Head," the unprecedented concept immediately became part of the vernacular in a way no other adult animated series had before. Known for tackling social issues including teen obesity, workers' rights and media trends, the show connected with an entire generation, laying claim as one of the most innovative series in the modern-day zeitgeist.

In this new iteration, "Beavis" and "Butt-head" are entering a whole new Gen Z world.

Comedy Central has ordered two seasons of the new series with meta-themes relatable to both new and old fans — Gen X parents and their Gen Z kids.

Judge is set to write, produce and provide voice over for both iconic characters.

"We are thrilled to be working with Mike Judge and the great team at 3 Arts again as we double down on Adult Animation at Comedy Central," says Chris McCarthy, President of Entertainment & Youth Group. "Beavis and Butt-Head were a defining voice of a generation, and we can't wait to watch as they navigate the treacherous waters of a world light-years from their own."

"It seemed like the time was right to get stupid again," said Judge.

The deal marks a homecoming for Judge after going on to create other landmark series including "Silicon Valley" and "King Of The Hill", and movies like "Office Space" and "Idiocracy" among others. "Beavis And Butt-Head" marks a return to animation as he looks to recreate a cultural dialogue for a new generation, giving familiar fans and new audiences alike the chance to experience and laugh with America's favorite animated duo.

In a new interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Chris Garza was asked whether he thinks the group's late frontman Mitch Lucker would be proud of what Chris and his bandmates have done since Mitch's passing nearly a decade ago. He responded (hear audio below): "I would like to think so. When I think about him and that kind of subject and that stuff, I always [think about what would happened] if I flipped the script and what if I died and he went on? What would I be proud of? What would I want him to do? So I would like to think that he's proud, because ever since that day, I was the only one in the band at the hospital; I was the only one there. I saw it happen in front of me. And from that moment on, I've been kind of treating it literally that way: what would I want him to do [if I had died and he had lived]? And that's exactly what I do, regardless of the cost or the sacrifices, and I think he would be proud of that."

Lucker died November 1, 2012 after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle crash in Huntington Beach that Halloween night. He was replaced by Hernan "Eddie" Hermida, who made his recording debut with SUICIDE SILENCE on the "You Can't Stop Me" album, which was released in 2014 via Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

Back in 2014, Garza told Music Feeds that he and his bandmates didn't make a conscious decision to carry on following Lucker's passing.

"We never talked about continuing and we never talked about quitting, so it was like an unspoken thing, 'cause with some people, a tragic happening, the last thing you want to do is talk about it," he explained.

Ultimately, Garza said, carrying on as SUICIDE SILENCE felt like the right thing to do. "I think keeping the SUICIDE SILENCE brand going and the name going keeps Mitch alive and I think it would be completely disrespectful to Mitch and everything that he worked for if we stopped going or changed the name," he added.

SUICIDE SILENCE's sixth studio album, "Become The Hunter", was released in February via Nuclear Blast. The disc was produced by Steve Evetts (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SEPULTURA, HATEBREED) at The Omen Room and mixed by Josh Wilbur (TRIVIUM, LAMB OF GOD, GOJIRA). Ted Jensen (PANTERA, DEFTONES, SLIPKNOT) mastered the album at Sterling Sound Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. The artwork for the album was created by Adrian Baxter.

Photo by: Hristo Shindov

THE ALARM's Mike Peters was joined by THE CULT's Billy Duffy on this week's installment of his streaming series "The Big Night In". Asked if he has been making any new music while in quarantine, Duffy said (see video below): "I've come up with a few riffs. THE CULT, we're in the process of making an album in our own way. We have a producer engaged, and he's in the U.K. And that's ongoing. And I came up with some stuff — probably not as much [as I could have].

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

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

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

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

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

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

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