Former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Gilby Clarke has released "The Gospel Truth", the second single from his forthcoming album of the same name.

"The Gospel Truth"is about the concept of truth today. The truth is whatever someone says out loud, no one is accountable and it’s puzzling. Reflecting on an upbringing within the Catholic church, Clarke touches upon the idea that honesty shouldn't come from fear, and encourages the listener to be brave, say what you mean, and mean what you say.

This past April, Clarke released the official music video for his previous single, "Rock N Roll Is Getting Louder". The Christopher C. Pearson-directed clip was shot in Palmdale, California and downtown Los Angeles, while the band performance footage was filmed in Hollywood club Oh My Ribs!

Gilby's live band members bass player EJ Curse (SILENT RAGE, WHITE LION) and drummer Jimmy D'Anda (BULLETBOYS, GEORGE LYNCH) both appear in the video, along with some great cameos by Slim Jim Phantom (STRAY CATS), Taime Downe (FASTER PUSSYCAT), Jimmy Herald (HILLBILLY HERALD) and Teddy "Zig Zag" Andreadis (GUNS N' ROSES, CAROLE KING, CHUCK BERRY, BO DIDDLEY, ALICE COOPER).

Gilby stated about the track: "The song is about having a rebellious spirit. Rock and roll means many things: rebelling, freedom and being who you are on your own terms — not following whatever's now in vogue. Therefore, 'Rock N Roll Is Getting Louder' means 'I am what I am, I won't change that, and I stand up for things that are important to me, even if it's not popular.'"

"The Gospel Truth" will be released later this year via Golden Robot Records. The disc was produced and written by Gilby at his Los Angeles recording studio, Redrum Recording, where he's also helmed records for such artists as L.A. GUNS, THE BRONX, BEAT ANGELS, BULLETS AND OCTANE and many more. The album was mixed by Grammy Award winner Chris Lord-Alge and mastered by Maor Appelbaum. Joining Gilby on the LP are Muddy Stardust on bass, Kenny Aronoff (JOHN MELLENCAMP, JOHN FOGERTY, CHICKENFOOT) on drums, along with Matt Starr (ACE FREHLEY, MR. BIG) and Chad Stewart (FASTER PUSSYCAT, L.A. GUNS) on backing vocals.

When asked how his new music may be different to his previous material, Gilby said: "I don't think it's very different at all. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. I have found the music that I like as an artist and a musician. It's important that I get better at it and try new things, but I like rock and roll, and loud guitars are good for the soul."

Clarke also discussed his songwriting process, saying: "I always start with a good guitar riff, then add the devil's drumbeat. It's good when you can put some interesting lyrics to it, too. I always try to find a new way of saying something simple. I don't like to complicate my lyrics, but I never duplicate them either."

At last year's NAMM show in in Anaheim, California, Clarke stated about the long delay in getting his new solo album completed: "For me, I can't do a record unless I feel good about the songs. I wanna make a record that I wanna listen to. So, these songs I'm really excited about. They're new songs. It really is classic rock. There's really nothing new on it — it's just a new version of what I like to do, which is loud guitars, man. So, I went in there. I used guys like Kenny Aronoff on drums, Steve Perkins — some really great players. I played all the guitars and did all the singing on it. But I think it's good — I think it's a good fresh approach on classic rock, really."

Clarke replaced founding guitarist Izzy Stradlin in the GUNS lineup in 1991, during the "Use Your Illusion" tour, and stayed with the band for three years. After exiting GUNS N' ROSES, Clarke continued as a producer and solo artist, while also playing in SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, ROCK STAR SUPERNOVA, HEART and other acts.

Clarke released his solo debut, "Pawnshop Guitars", in 1994.

On Wednesday, June 3, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE began posting an array of pictures from its history to the band's official Instagram account. They wiped their Instagram page clean and proceeded to share one image per year per day, starting with 1999 and going through 2019. It was a mere hint of what was to come.

Today, June 23, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE unveils a comprehensive and in-depth 20-year timeline that documents so many of the band's memorable career milestones and storied history, with plenty of captivating images. The clickable, scroll-through timeline boasts flyers from early shows, live shots from festival appearances, and fan tattoos. It also traces major tours, video shoots, album releases, Grammy nominations, lineup changes, and beyond. The timeline functions as a digital museum that effectively tells the complete KILLSWITCH ENGAGE story.

The timeline was created specifically for KILLSWITCH ENGAGE fans to enjoy and to reminisce.

View the entire timeline on the band's official web site.

"I'll never forget when we first started touring and I had to quit my day job to give it a go," recalls guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz. "I remember thinking, 'Just try it for a year, that way you'll have no regrets when it doesn't work out, and you can go find a new job.' 20-plus years later, here we are, and it's been an amazing ride. I'm so grateful to our fans for letting us continue to do this...THANK YOU, KsE FANS EVERYWHERE!!!"

"It's hard to believe KsE has been going for so long," says guitarist Joel Stroetzel. "We're gettin' old! We hope you all enjoy the photos, as they have definitely brought back a lot of memories for us! It seems like only yesterday we were playing VFW halls in Western Mass and rehearsing in my parents' basement!"

Bassist Mike D'Antonio says: "Looking back at what KsE has seen and done in 20 years is nothing short of mind-blowing to me. How a little band from Massachusetts could tour the world for this long is beyond me. A lifetime of exciting moments and amazing memories...I would not trade it for the world."

Today, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE is also launching its Retro merch line, where they will be offering new takes on classic KILLSWITCH ENGAGE designs in limited-edition quantities. The initial offerings from the KILLSWITCH ENGAGE Retro collection include designs from the "Alive Or Just Breathing" and "As Daylight Dies" album cycles.

You might recognize Malcolm Brickhouse (a.k.a. Malxolm Brixkhouse) as the frontman (and lead shredder) of teenage metal sensations UNLOCKING THE TRUTH — which, among other accolades, was the youngest band to ever perform at Coachella and have an entire documentary, "Breaking A Monster", dedicated to its meteoric rise to fame in the metal world.

Well, it's been a few years, and UNLOCKING THE TRUTH is now a thing of the past.

The band appears together one final time supporting the newly solo Brickhouse on a ripping new single and video "Phantom". The track blends a catchy trap vocal in the verse with a booming chorus that highlights Malcolm's ability to perform like a menacing metal frontman even when singing radio-ready clean vocals. A mix of 808s and huge guitars beg to be blasted as loudly as possible through your speakers; with a perfect contrast of thrash and hip-hop elements keeping the song interesting and fresh.

The glitchy VHS-style video accompanying the track is directed by i7Eight and gives us a behind the scenes look at Malcolm's undoubtedly rockstar-lifestyle along with visually arresting performance shots that underscore the power of the track.

The transition from frontman to solo artist hasn't deterred Malcolm's creativity; if anything, its helped it shine even brighter. His latest offering, along with his singles "Bussdown" and "Eeyore" (released earlier this year), show a transition from UNLOCKING THE TRUTH's more standard-issue metal fare into a unique original style that incorporates trap, electronic and hip-hop elements alongside classic thrash metal, industrial and punk. Fans of Lil Uzi Vert, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Trippie Redd will be equally at home with his new music as fans of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, MEGADETH and LINKIN PARK will.

Expect more singles and videos from Malcolm Brickhouse this summer, with a debut album coming later this year.

Old-school brutal melodic death metal band VORACIOUS SCOURGE, featuring Adrie Klooosterwaard (SINISTER), Mike Smith (ex-SUFFOCATION), Tony Choy (ex-PESTILENCE, ATHEIST), Jason McIntyre (SUTURE) and Billy Richard, will release its new album, "In Death", on August 21 via Massacre Records. The LP's cover artwork was designed by John Quevedo Janssens. Jörg Uken mixed and mastered "In Death" at Soundlodge Recording.

"In Death" will be available as CD digipak, limited-edition gatefold vinyl LP as well as download and stream.

VORACIOUS SCOURGE released its debut EP, "...Our Demise", in January 2018 via Immortal Souls Records.

McIntyre told Heaps Of Metal about how VORACIOUS SCOURGE came together: "I had a few songs I had written that I thought were really great, so I approached Mike about possibly playing drums. He does a lot of studio work these days so we worked out a deal and made it happen. Adrie has been a friend for a long time; I have been a big fan of his band SINISTER since their very first album. I asked him if he wanted to be a part of the project, and he said yes. That simple. Tony does studio work these days also, so we spoke about the project one afternoon and worked it out so he could be a part of it. It's very exciting and humbling to be working with such well-respected and legendary death metal musicians."

Regarding the VORACIOUS SCOURGE songwriting process, McIntyre said: "I write most of the material and then I pass it on to the other guys and they send back what their interpretation of the song sounds like to them according to their each individual contribution to the project."

TOURNIQUET drummer Ted Kirkpatrick has joined forces with singer Tim "Ripper" Owens (ex-JUDAS PRIEST) and keyboardist Bruno Sa (GEOFF TATE) to record a cover of the iconic song "Gethsemane" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1970 smash hit musical "Jesus Christ Superstar". The demanding vocals and range required for the tune have previously been tackled by Ian Gillan, Ted Neeley (1973 film version), Gary Cherone, Sebastian Bach and, most recently, John Legend.

Kirkpatrick says: "'Gethsemane' has been a favorite of mine from the very first time I heard it in the early '70s. I've wanted to cover it for years — and Tim was the first person that came to mind who I knew could truly do it justice. So with the additional talents of Bruno Sa, who layed down the awesome keys and piano, and Aaron Pace (mixing/mastering), here it is — on the 50-year anniversary of its release in 1970. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do."

Owens had previously worked with Kirkpatrick and TOURNIQUET, handling the vocals on the band's last album "Gazing At Medusa", which also featured Chris Poland (ex-MEGADETH) on lead guitar.

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before PRIEST reunited with Rob Halford in 2003.

TOURNIQUET is currently working on a new album, due out sometime next year.

POWERMAN 5000 frontman Spider One says "selfish, entitled and stupid" people are to blame for the rise in new coronavirus cases across the U.S.

The United States has the most cases of any country in the world, and 36 states have reported rises in new coronavirus cases compared to last week.

Earlier today, Spider One took to his Twitter to write: "The never ending upward Covid numbers in the US is not because of more testing or protests. It's because people are selfish, entitled and stupid. We have proven as a nation that we don't have what it takes. Plus zero leadership to teach, inspire and galvanize."

More than 2.5 million people have tested positive for the new coronavirus and more than 125,000 have died from COVID-19, the respiratory illness it causes, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed increased testing for a spike in COVID-19 cases despite mounting evidence that the virus is spreading widely throughout some communities. He also claimed at a Tulsa rally that he asked to slow down testing because it results in a higher confirmed case count. A week earlier, Trump called testing "overrated" and said it "makes us look bad."

"Cases are going up in the U.S. because we are testing far more than any other country, and ever expanding," Trump tweeted less than a week ago. "With smaller testing we would show fewer cases!"

On June 23, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that the federal government is trying to expand coronavirus testing, not slow it down.




The never ending upward Covid numbers in the US is not because of more testing or protests. It’s because people are selfish, entitled and stupid. We have proven as a nation that we don’t have what it takes. Plus zero leadership to teach, inspire and galvanize.

— Spider One (@therealSpider1) June 29, 2020

TWISTED SISTER singer Dee Snider spoke to Metal Hammer magazine about what the touring circuit might look like post-pandemic.

"The live music industry is screwed for the time being," he said. "It's hopefully not screwed forever, but this is certainly going to leave a mark.

"Everything that's happening is just horribly damaging, especially for young artists who don't have the legacy or the licencing or branding that a band like TWISTED SISTER has.

"How are people going to feel when gigs are back on? Will they even come? Will they be standing shoulder to shoulder in the audience, or are they going to be wearing masks?

"As fan and as a performer, rock 'n' roll is about that one-ness — those moments where a massive audience and the band and the song connect and we're all one. If that's not there, I don't want it anymore. That's not rock 'n' roll. It'd better get back out there, 'cause I don't think I want to do it if it doesn't.

"I'm like an old brat who's behaving like a child: 'I want my rock 'n' roll!'"

Snider will release "For The Love Of Metal Live!" on July 31 via Napalm Records. The DVD/Blu-ray and accompanying live album (available in various formats) features audio captured from several Snider festival performances worldwide — from the United States to Europe, Australia and beyond. In addition to tracks from Snider's solo catalog, like "I Am The Hurricane" and "For The Love Of Metal", TWISTED SISTER favorites such as "I Wanna Rock" and "We're Not Gonna Take It", and even a cover of AC/DC's "Highway To Hell", the audio portion of "For The Love Of Metal Live!" also features a brand new original studio track, "Prove Me Wrong".

TWISTED SISTER called it quits in 2016 after completing a farewell 40th-anniversary tour.

Photo credit: John Raptis

Los Angeles metal band, Ænly, has released their brand new single, "Up In Smoke", to all digital outlets. A lyric video for the single can be seen below.

"Up In Smoke is a depiction of ones internal anger, frustration and feeling of suffocating in the midst of a chaotic world filled with tension and uncertainty. The song touches on a lack of control in our current situation and the ability to renew our selves, bounce back and settle with our past," says the band.

Ænly is a metal core band, with heavy riffs, pounding breaks and bridges, catchy melody lines and aggressive vocals. With a positive message and outlook on current topics, sure to catch the listeners attention from the moment they hit play.

Ænly formed in September of 2018. It's Founding Member Riggs (guitar/composer/producer) was set to turn his life around and started Ænly the day he got sober. With the positive mindset of "All Ways Forward" and moving ahead. Riggs added several members to the lineup from local Talent Andrew Lopez on vocals, Manny Cave a bandmate from another project on bass. This would be the beginning members of the band. The EP Allways Forward would follow and was released in December 2019. Longtime friend and previous band mate, Art Diharce (lead guitar) joined the group in January 2020. Ænly only needed one more piece to the puzzle. After waiting for the right members for two years, they eventually found Conner Eddy on drums making Ænly complete.

Ænly is:

Andrew Lopez/ Vocals
Art Diharce/ Lead Guitar
Conner Eddy/ Drums
Manny Cave/ Bass
Riggs/ Guitar




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On a late afternoon earlier this month, with Dodger Stadium and the downtown Los Angeles skyline in the background, DIRTY HONEY took to the hills — with suitcase in hand — and shot an acoustic performance clip of its song "Down The Road" as the newest installment in the band's "Suitcase Sessions" video series. Due to the COVID-19 shutdown, DIRTY HONEY launched the series when the band had to cancel its plans to travel to Australia to record new music with producer Nick DiDia, as well as perform their first-ever concerts there and in Japan.

"Down The Road" is a seductive and melancholy anthem and this acoustic performance underscores the band's strong connection to the blues. The video's gentle transition from late afternoon to dusk is courtesy of cinematographer Nick Almanza and director of photography Jonathan Suarez. You can check out the clip below.

From the band's Los Angeles base, DIRTY HONEY has been writing and demoing new music with Australia-based producer Nick DiDia via Zoom, and is looking to meet up with DiDia to record either in Los Angeles or Australia — depending on travel restrictions — this summer.

To say that 2019 was a breakout year for DIRTY HONEY would be an understatement. The band released its self-titled debut EP in March 2019. Over the course of the last year-plus, DIRTY HONEY opened for THE WHO, GUNS N' ROSES and SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS, performed at more than a dozen major summer festivals, including Welcome To Rockville, Louder Than Life, Heavy Montreal, Rocklahoma, Sonic Temple and Epicenter, and played to SRO crowds at every show on its first-ever headline tour in December and January and February this year. DIRTY HONEY also made music history when it became the only unsigned artist ever to hit #1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Chart with its debut track "When I'm Gone". Additionally, the band was named Canadian Rock Radio's #1 International Breakout Artist of 2019. DIRTY HONEY's second single, went all the way to No. 4 at Rock Radio, and the band has racked up nearly 30 million total streams.

BLUE ÖYSTER CULT has announced another special live release from its archives. "45th Anniversary - Live In London" is due on August 7 on CD/DVD, Blu-ray, and 2xLP. The performance, captured in London at the O2 Indigo at the Stone Free festival, includes a full performance of their legendary debut album, plus more cuts from their storied catalog.

Fans can see a performance of "Stairway To The Stars" from "45th Anniversary - Live In London" below.

In 2017, the mighty BLUE ÖYSTER CULT celebrated its 45th anniversary with a run of festival and headline dates across Europe. The band's appearance in London at the O2 Indigo at the Stone Free festival on June 17, 2017 started with a performance of BÖC's first album in its entirety, a celebration of the 45th anniversary of it’s release. In addition, the band added special select cuts from their catalog to the set. The full show was filmed in 4K UHD and is another one-of-a-kind archival release which fans of the band cannot miss.

"45th Anniversary - Live In London" joins other special 2020 releases from the band including "Hard Rock Live Cleveland 2014", "40th Anniversary - Agents Of Fortune - Live 2016", and "iHeart Radio Theater N.Y.C. 2012".

Track listing:

01. Transmaniacon MC

02. I'm On The Lamb, But I Ain't No Sheep

03. Then Came The Last Days Of May

04. Stairway To The Stars

05. Before The Kiss, A Redcap

06. Screams

07. She's As Beautiful As A Foot

08. Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll

09. Workshop Of The Telescopes

10. Redeemed

11. Buck's Boogie

12. Godzilla

13. (Don’t Fear) The Reaper

14. Tattoo Vampire

15. Hot Rails To Hell

DVD and Blu-ray includes behind-the-scenes bonus video footage

BLUE ÖYSTER CULT will return with a mammoth new studio album, "The Symbol Remains", this October. Coming nearly two decades after the release of the band's last studio LP, "Curse Of The Hidden Mirror", the effort showcases a band which hasn't been slowed by the time passed but is simply unfazed by it. "The Symbol Remains" is said to be one of BLUE ÖYSTER CULT's most spirited, diverse and inspired releases to date.

BÖC is often cited as a major influence by other acts such as METALLICA, and BÖC was listed in VH1's countdown of the greatest hard rock bands of all time.

Upon the release of BÖC's self-titled debut album in 1972, the band was praised for its catchy-yet-heavy music and lyrics that could be provocative, terrifying, funny or ambiguous, often all in the same song. BÖC's canon contains three stone‐cold classic songs that will waft through the cosmos long after the sun has burned out: the truly haunting "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" from 1976's "Agents Of Fortune", the pummeling "Godzilla" from 1977's "Spectres" and the hypnotically melodic "Burnin' for You" from 1981's "Fire Of Unknown Origin". Other notable BÖC songs include "Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll", "Then Came The Last Days Of May", "I Love The Night", "In Thee", "Veteran Of The Psychic Wars", "Dominance And Submission", "Astronomy", "Black Blade" and "Shooting Shark".

The intense creative vision of BÖC's original core duo of vocalist/lead guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Eric Bloom are complemented by Richie Castellano on guitar and keyboards, and the longtime rhythm section of bass guitarist Danny Miranda, and drummer Jules Radino.

Former DREAM THEATER and current SONS OF APOLLO drummer Mike Portnoy has blasted people who refuse to wear a mask in public spaces to protect others from possible infection.

Portnoy addressed the hot-button issue as lawmakers push harder for their constituents to wear face masks to limit the spread of coronavirus. President Donald Trump has been loath to wear a mask, despite the advice of public health experts.

Earlier today, Portnoy took to his Twitter to share a video of a woman apparently throwing items from her shopping cart after being told by a store manager to keep her mask on.

"What the hell is wrong with some people??" Portnoy wrote. "All because she's supposed to wear a mask in a store to protect other people...how much more childish, irresponsible and selfish can people be?? Are they throwing fits because they have to wear a seatbelt in the car too??? #growup"

Portnoy added in follow-up tweets: "This isn't about YOU, it's about OTHERS!! How can people like you be so selfish?? It is so YOU don't spread YOUR potentially infected germs onto other people who may be vulnerable and at risk!!! How isn't that soooo blatantly obvious?? And this isn't about 'sides' or politics!

"There are certain matters that 'Freedom of Choice' doesn't apply!! Are you allowed to drive without a seatbelt?? Better yet, are you 'allowed' to drive drunk??? It's a matter of public safety & being considerate so as to not harm or kill yourself or others! Stop being so selfish"

Two 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 earlier in the 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.




What the hell is wrong with some people?? All because she’s supposed to wear a mask in a store to protect other people...how much more childish, irresponsible and selfish can people be?? Are they throwing fits because they have to wear a seatbelt in the car too??? #growup https://t.co/GLV7bleUyB

— Mike Portnoy ? (@MikePortnoy) June 28, 2020








This isn’t about YOU, it’s about OTHERS!! How can people like you be so selfish?? It is so YOU don’t spread YOUR potentially infected germs onto other people who may be vulnerable and at risk!!! How isn’t that soooo blatantly obvious?? And this isn’t about “sides” or politics! ??‍♂‍ https://t.co/NCBNCTQkef

— Mike Portnoy ? (@MikePortnoy) June 28, 2020








There are certain matters that “Freedom of Choice” doesn’t apply!! Are you allowed to drive without a seatbelt?? Better yet, are you “allowed” to drive drunk??? It’s a matter of public safety & being considerate so as to not harm or kill yourself or others! Stop being so selfish https://t.co/vmYoFIerfj

— Mike Portnoy ? (@MikePortnoy) June 28, 2020

WARRANT guitarist Joey Allen has hinted to "Metalhead Bash" that the band is working on the follow-up to 2017's "Louder Harder Faster" album.

Asked what is going on in the WARRANT camp during the coronavirus pandemic, Joey said (hear audio below): "We are waiting with bated breath to go on tour when it's safe for us to do so. Besides that, maybe a little new music."

Last month, WARRANT guitarist Erik Turner told the "Talking Metal" podcast that the group was "throwing some ideas around" for a new LP. He said: "I've been sending Robert [Mason, vocals] some riffs, and Robert's been working on songs. I've got a song going with Jerry [Dixon, bass]. So it's a slow, long process for us, but the seed of a new record has been started. Now, that doesn't mean the seed will grow into a record. We've got a long way to go. We don't have one finished song. We've got a couple of things cooking, and we're actually sending ideas around back and forth to each other."

"Louder Harder Faster" was released in May 2017. The disc was recorded with producer Jeff Pilson — a veteran bassist who has played with DIO, FOREIGNER, DOKKEN and T&N, among others — and was mixed by Pat Regan, except for the song "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink", which was mixed by Chris "The Wizard" Collier (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, PRONG, LAST IN LINE).

Back in 2018, Turner told the "Let's Talk" radio show that he and his bandmates still enjoy the recording process. "Playing live is a lot funner, but it feels good to create new music," he said. "A lot of bands from our genre aren't creating new music nowadays, and if they do, they put out four or five songs because of the musical environment we're in, but if we're going to do one song, we might as well do fourteen."

Mason replaced original WARRANT frontman Jani Lane in 2008 and has brought a degree of stability to the band after Lane's unceremonious departure and subsequent 2011 death.

WARRANT is rounded out by original member Steven Sweet (drums).

MÖTLEY CRÜE's Tommy Lee spoke to Army & Air Force Exchange Service's Facebook page about his involvement in the new song from Tyla Yaweh called "Tommy Lee". The track, which was released on June 12, also features Post Malone and is said to be an ode to the MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer and his lavish lifestyle.

Lee said: "They asked me to do a remix [of the song]. I don't know how much you know about remixes, but a lot of times, people will do a remix and you're, like, somebody changed a few beats here and a little bit of this and a little bit of that and called it a remix. Well, this is like a 'redo.' We put on heavy guitars, I smash drums on it, bass, there's some strings… It's crazy. It's like NIRVANA meets GREEN DAY meets THE BEATLES. It sounds like the same song, but it's like the next-level version. It's crazy. I cannot wait for everyone to hear it. I think July 9th or 10th it's supposed to come."

Malone says in the track: "Pull up wit a drum like I'm Tommy Lee/Yaweh got a stick came to rock with me. Living life like a rock star/Pulling up stretch limousines."

In a separate interview with SiriusXM's Debatable, Tommy said that Yaweh and Malone initially recorded the song with "demo drums" and sent it to Lee, who then recorded his contribution at his home studio while in quarantine.

Lee and Post Malone previously collaborated on the song "Over Now", which was featured on the rapper's 2018 album "Beerbongs & Bentleys".

Lee told Debatable about Malone: "I've known him for a while and that dude is a rock star, let me tell you. He's a freaking maniac."

Tyla told NME that "Tommy Lee" is about "living life and spreading positive energy." Explaining why he and Malone named the track after the MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer, he added: "Tommy Lee just doesn't give a fuck and I love that."

Earlier in the month, Lee released two new solo songs. "Knock Me Down" is a collaboration with Killvein, while "Tops" features South African rapper Push Push. Both tracks will appear on Tommy's new solo album, "Andro", which is due in October.


Chief Chat Episode 26: Tommy Lee

LIVE NOW! CMSgt Luis Reyes with special guest: he’s a Rock & Roll Icon, the fearless drummer of Motley Crue and a talented producer/songwriter of all kinds of music.

Please help us welcome the amazing, Tommy Lee! His album, ANDRO, comes out in October, but 2 singles are out right now.

#ChiefChat #MilitaryExclusive #TuneInThursdays #LiveChat #TommyLee #rock #rocknroll #mötleycrüe

Posted by Exchange on Thursday, June 25, 2020

LAMB OF GOD bassist John Campbell spoke to the "Iron City Rocks" podcast about how he is dealing with the coronavirus crisis and what the touring circuit might look like post-pandemic. Asked when thinks LAMB OF GOD will be able to return to the road, he said: "Let me first just say I'm one dude, but for me to feel comfortable to have people gather by the thousands for us to perform, there needs to be a vaccine. We can't put people in danger, we can't continue to spread [the virus].

"It seems to me very simple how to handle this, but it doesn't seem that we, as humans, are really doing that," he added.

Regarding what he has been doing to "stay sane" amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Campbell said: "I find myself getting stressed out quite a bit, and what I try to do is change what I'm focusing on and do some physical exertion. As a matter of fact, I just was getting very frustrated and I stopped what I was doing and did some push-ups and kind of tidied up my place a little bit, just to get my mind away from it and to get out of that moment and to not attach to that negativity."

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

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

Atheist, who are currently scheduled to launch their European tour in September, may find the tour in jeopardy.

In response to a report that states that the EU will indeed ban Americans when borders reopen, frontman Kelly Shaefer has issued the following: "Why do I care if you wear a mask? Practice social distancing, and make an honest attempt at tackling this Covid-19 issue. Well aside from obvious health reasons, yours, and mine. As a result of your political spinning and downright ignorance of health experts and science, my state is one of the worst examples on the entire fricking world for handling this pandemic. And that in turn has likely cost my band a headlining European tour in September.

"The EU will not allow Americans, and can you blame them? I would have spent my birthday weekend in Milan, Venice and Rome... I would have revisited the great metal fans of Romania again, as well as Hungary where we have not played since 93. Germany, France, the UK, etc. And be able to bring $ home to take care of my family! So thanks assholes!! At 52 I likely have less than 20 summers remaining in this particular go around, and you just stole one of em!"

This September, Atheist are scheduled to return to Europe for the first time since 2011, bringing with them a power-packed set of fan favorites as well as songs that have never been performed in a live setting before.

2019 saw the return of Atheist to the stage with an acclaimed run in North America and a dominating South American tour. Founded in 1988 by Steve Flynn and Kelly Shaefer, the band became a peer of technical progressive metal by incorporating jazz, fusion, and Latin American music into good old death metal.

Atheist will be teaming up with extreme metal powerhouses Cadaver and Svart Crown for a terrifying tour through Europe and UK.

The Norwegian Cadaver, founded by Anders Odden (Satyricon, Order), is a prime example of a true Nordic mindset when it comes to death metal. One of the first Norwegian extreme metal bands, re-gathered for the first time since 2004, is coming back to life with Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth, ex-Soilwork) on drums. The band will present its new digital EP titled DGAF, just released through Nuclear Blast.

The French blackened death metal monsters Svart Crown will join this powerful lineup with their brand new 5th studio album Wolves Among the Ashes, released earlier this year through Century Media. Five albums and over ten years of heavy touring made Svart Crown one of the French bands a true lover of death metal should see anytime they come by.

This tour will be complemented by a heavy metal horror concept band From Hell, each recording of which is intended to be its own horror story. On this leg, the US-based metallers will present their new concept album Rats & Ravens.

Dates:

September
1 - Oberhausen, Germany - Kulttempel
2 - Kassel, Germany - Goldgrube
3 - Leipzig, Germany - Haumanns
4 - Strenice, Czech Republic - Culture House
5 - Kosice, Slovakia - Collosseum
6 - Brasov, Romania - Club Rockstadt
7 - Bucharest, Romania - Quantic Club
9 - Budapest, Hungary - Durer Kert
10 - Graz, Austria - Xplosiv
11 - Venice, Italy - Revolver Club
12 - Rome, Italy - Orion Club
13 - Milan, Italy - Slaughter Club
14 - Marseille, France - Jas Rod
15 - Barcelona, Spain - Sala Upload
16 - Madrid, Spain - Sala Caracol
17 - Lisbon, Portugal - RCA Club
20 - Toulouse, France - L’usine A Musique
21 - Paris, France - Petit Bain
22 - Mannheim, Germany - MS Connexion
23 - Cottbus, Germany - Gladhouse
24 - Apeldoorn, Netherlands - Gigant
25 - Aerschot, Belarus - JD de Klinker
26 - London, UK - The Dome

Atheist Lineup:

Kelly Shaefer - Vocals/Founding Member
Steven Flynn - Drums/Founding Member
Daniel Martinez - Touring Guitarist
Yoav Ruiz - Touring Bassist
Anthony Medeglia - Touring Drummer
Chris Martin - Touring Guitarist




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Horseneck have released a rendition of Alice Cooper's "School's Out". The track follows their Fever Dream full-length, independently issued earlier this year.

Now available on all streaming platforms, guitarist Anthony Paganelli comments of the track, "During our Fever Dream recording sessions, we decided to record a few cover songs. Alice Cooper's 'School's Out' being one of them. We all love '70s rock and it's a big influence in our songs and songwriting. 'School's Out' is a bad ass song and that main riff is so catchy and super fun to play. We jammed on it a few times and decided to record it. The other cool thing about recording this song is that we all did vocals on it. All four of us sang. I even had my kids do the yelling part at the end. They thought it was cool to go in the studio and yell into a microphone a few times. But then again, who doesn't."

Stream/download Horseneck's cover of "School's Out"here. You can also hear the single below:

Schools Out by Horseneck

(Photo - Lance Jackman)




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Deep Purple Official Channel continues to celebrate the brilliant work of late Deep Purple keyboard legend, Jon Lord, with their series of clips from February 2003 when he appeared with The Hoochie Coochie Men in Australia, featuring Bob Daisley and Tim Gaze.

Available below is "24/7 Blues" live from Coolum Queensland QLD 2003:




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MASTODON guitarist Bill Kelliher spoke to Tone-Talk about the progress of the songwriting sessions for 2017's "Emperor Of Sand" album. He said (see video below): "It's hard right now, because I thought I'd be really inspired to be writing, but I'm not. But I already have 20 songs written, so I'm good with that. But that was before the COVID[-19]. So now that the COVID's hit, I'm, like, 'Oh, now I'll just write another 30 songs,' but I'm not. I'm not traveling, I'm not doing anything — I'm sitting at my house, I'm sitting at my studio, and I'm, like, 'Oh, I'll just write another 30 songs,' and I'm just really not.

"I'm not saying I'm not inspired, I just feel that I'm so busy with now that I'm home, and my wife knows I'm home, and she's, like, 'Yeah, well, you've got this to do,'" he continued. "And I'm, like, 'Fuck!' When I used to go on the road, I could just sit in my hotel room and space out and not have to worry about real life… I mean, real life has always been in my face, but now it's, like, I can't escape. I'm in the clutches of just being under someone else's control, I think. I can't be, like, 'Hey, guess what? I'm gonn do down to the basement into my studio.'

"Me as a musician, I guess I'm an artist, I need to go away somewhere to get away from real life so I can just write riffs. And it's hard — it's hard right now, because COVID is keeping everybody so goddamn close, and, to me, it's [getting] on my nerves. I can't relax."

Last month, Kelliher told the "Rock & Roll Beer Guy" podcast that the music he has been writing for MASTODON's next album is "different than 'Emperor Of Sand', but there's definitely a vibe going on… The new record, the stuff I've written, is not quite as notey as that, but it's definitely got more NEUROSIS heaviness, simplified guitar parts. And Brann [Dailor, drums/vocals], he always demos most of the vocal ideas, 'cause he always has melodies, and he's been singing on a lot of it, at least for the demo purposes. The vocals are kind of 'Asleep In The Deep' style — kind of RADIOHEAD-ish almost, real melodic, just a lot of vocal harmonies."

"Emperor Of Sand" debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. That album was nominated for the 2018 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album," and its opening track, "Sultan's Curse", won the Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance."

Legendary British blues rock band Savoy Brown - led by founding member Kim Simmonds - announces the August 28 release of their exciting new album, Ain’t Done Yet, via Quarto Valley Records. The new album follows Savoy Brown’s critically acclaimed 2019 album, City Night. The CD and vinyl editions of the album can be pre-ordered from Amazon here.

“The new album continues the approach I’ve been taking with the band this past decade,” says guitarist/singer/songwriter Kim Simmonds, who formed the band in 1965 in London, England, and is one of the longest running Blues Rock bands in existence. “The big difference with the new album is the multi-layer approach I took to recording the guitar parts. It’s all blues-based rock music. I try to find new and progressive ways to write and play the music I’ve loved since I was a young teenager.”

Tracklisting:

"All Gone Wrong"
"Devil’s Highway"
"River On The Rise"
"Borrowed Time"
"Ain’t Done Yet"
"Feel Like A Gypsy"
"Jaguar Car"
"Rockin’ in Louisiana"
"Soho Girl"
"Crying Guitar"

Energetic blues has been the calling card of the band from the beginning. Blues Rock became the catch-all phrase in the late 1960s to describe the band’s music along with that of contemporaries including Cream, Fleetwood Mac, and Jimi Hendrix.

Along the way, Savoy Brown has toured continuously, making it one of the longest running blues rock bands in existence. Through the years, the band has headlined concerts at many prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Fillmore East, the Fillmore West, and London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall.

Savoy Brown, having established national status in the 1970s, provided other groups opportunity. Kiss opened the bill on a Savoy Brown national tour as did ZZ Top, The Doobie Brothers and many, many more acts.

A resident of the USA since 1980, bandleader Simmonds has received many accolades himself. These include placement on the front cover of Guitar Player magazine, enshrinement on the Hollywood Rock Walk of Fame and acceptance in many regional “Halls of Fame” in the USA and Canada.

Savoy Brown helped spawn the 1968 UK Blues Rock boom and later opened the eyes of many 1970s American teenagers to their own home territory blues artists.    

The British R&B boom of the early 1960s led directly to the British Blues Explosion in 1968.  The original London R&B boom led by The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Yardbirds, Pretty Things and, to some extent, The Beatles, quickly moved into mainstream pop and left a vacuum in the London clubs.

This vacuum, in London, was filled in the mid-1960s by John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers featuring Eric Clapton and Savoy Brown’s Blues Band featuring Kim Simmonds.

(Photo - Juan Junco)




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The latest Quarantine Sessions instalment from modern metal band Imonolith, “Persevere,” is available now. Watch the playthrough below.

Drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen comments on the video: “On to our ninth Quarantine Session video. ‘Persevere’ is the last song on our debut album State Of Being. We decided to end the album with this song for the vibe this tune has and the outlook it portrays. It was fitting to end the album on a positive note. It’s obvious what the song is about... Never give up, persevere and bust your ass for what you want out of life. We’re all in control of our lives through the decisions we make, that’s why it’s important to take the time to make the right decisions as we all persevere for what we want out of life.

"The song musically almost has an Alice In Chains vibe to it. Some slinky, grungy style riffs mixed with some hard rock and metal vibes along with some super catchy vocals. One thing about Imonolith's song writing is that we don’t give a fuck about creating a new sound or re-creating a specific genre. We just want to take from our various influences, various moods and write the best songs we can. We feel the art of writing a good song has been somewhat lost these days, in place of ’trying too hard’ to be different and new. It’s pretty much all been done before. So, we focus on being ourselves based off our influences and writing the best songs we can.

"We hope you guys vibe on this playthrough and can take something positive away from this song, whether it be musically or lyrically. Stay safe out there!”

State Of Being album details below.

Tracklisting:

"State Of Being" (intro)
"Becoming The Enemy" (feat. Johannes Eckerstrom)
"Instinct"
"Dig"
"The Mourning"
"Forgone"
"Breathe"
"The Reign" (feat. Jens Kidman)
"We Never Forget"
"Hollow"
"Persevere"

"Hollow" video:

"Instinct" video:

"Dig"

(Photo - Erich Saide)




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Austrian symphonic power metal heroes, Dragony, have signed a worldwide record deal with Napalm Records.

Eight years have passed since they debuted with their first album, Legends, and despite their humble beginnings back in 2007, the band is now a well-known representative of the genre. Owing to their outstanding live performance skills, Dragony quickly arose to share the stage with Blind Guardian, Sonata Arctica, Powerwolf, Van Canto and many others.

After their second release, Shadowplay, the band performed at major European festivals as well as headlining Vienna’s popular Donauinselfest in 2016. Since then, Dragony followed up with two strong releases and reinforced their stance even more. Referencing fantasy-scenarios as well as pop-culture elements, like video games and movies, the Austrians conquered the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise and the legendary Wacken Open Air in 2019.

But Dragony are far from stalling and will move even further. Napalm Records is proud to join forces with the Austrian powerhouse and is ready to bring symphonic power metal to the next level!

Dragony on the signing: “Metal is coming home! We are more than thrilled to announce that Dragony has signed a new worldwide record deal with Napalm Records!  As an Austrian band, it truly feels almost like a "homecoming" for us to not only work with one of the best labels for metal and rock music in the world today, but one that is also based in Austria. We feel that Napalm Records is the perfect place for our brand of tongue-in-cheek power metal, as the label is also home to many of our favorite acts from the genre. We are very much looking forward to releasing our upcoming fourth album through Napalm, and we are very thankful and excited about all the possibilities of this new collaboration for the next chapter in Dragony history. We stand - with forces united! Stay glorious!”

Dive deep into the world of Dragony and watch the newest music video, “If It Bleeds We Can Kill It”:

Dragony are:

Frederic Brünner - Drums
Herbert Glos - Bass
Manuel Hartleb - Keys
Andreas Poppernitsch - Guitars
Simon Saito - Guitars
Siegfried Samer - Vocals

(Photo - Hartl Grill)




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Richmond, Virginia thrashers, Enforced, have signed a worldwide deal with Century Media Records and are currently hard at work on their upcoming studio album, Kill Grid, with their long time engineer/producer Bob Quirk as well as Arthur Rizk (Power Trip, Cavalera Conspiracy) handling the mix.

Enforced vocalist Knox Colby commented about their signing as follows: "We are beyond excited to bolster the ranks at Century Media. To be joining the roster with artists like Triptykon, Body Count, Napalm Death, Mayhem and Voivod feels like a dream. Currently, we are recording our debut LP for Century Media. Enforced is everything to us and it's so special for us to see so much support from our fans as well as the label. We hope to continue touring hard and making the music we were meant to play.”

Philipp Schulte, Director Century Media Records Europe, checked in with the following comment: “We are very happy to announce our cooperation with Enforced. The band’s two demos, both recently made available with two additional tracks on the album At The Walls, have made an huge impression on us. When we reached out to them in early 2019 it instantly became clear Enforced perfectly fits to us. In times like these, music - or art in general - often appears to be of lower importance, but in fact handmade and heartfelt music is more relevant than ever before. It’s the lifeblood of our scene. This is the time for the committed bands to conquer the world. Enforced doubtlessly have the vision and the will to reach for the sky, and we are honored being part of this conquest.”

Formed in 2016, Enforced feed from the classic thrash/crossover energy of Sepultura, Cro-Mags, Hatebreed or also Demolition Hammer and infuse their own volatile fury for a highly dynamic final sound-mix. Fronted by a voice that could only belong to that of a madman and unloading nonstop blazing riffs and pummeling breakdowns in every track, the band devastate everything in their path, leaving a trail of smouldering wreckage and pure decimation anywhere they perform.

Check out Enforced’s latest video clip for the song “Skinned Alive” off their current At The Walls release to witness the savage power the band is able to unleash:

Enforced lineup:

Ethan Gensurowsky - bass
Zach Monahan - guitar
Knox Colby - vocals
Alex Bishop - drums
Will Wagstaff - guitar  

(Photo - Morgan Parrish)




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A previously unreleased song from late BAD COMPANY singer Brian Howe, "Going Home", can be streamed below. According to the Fort Myers News-Press, the track was penned by Howe and producer Brooks Paschal about 2016, soon after the death of Howe's mother.

"We knew that it was going to be the next important song," Paschal told the Fort Myers News-Press. "We always knew it was gonna be a home run."

Howe died less than two months ago before getting to release the track, which was completed in January 2019 at Paschal's Mockingbird Studios in Tyler, Texas.

"This is one of the last songs Brian wrote and recorded and, as it turns out, sadly it was very prophetic," said Howe's manager, Paul Easton. "The song really touched everybody in the office when they first heard it. And today, as we work on the release, it is still a tough one to listen to."

"Going Home" is one of around 15 songs that were written and recorded by Howe and Paschal for a possible new album. More tracks from those sessions will likely arrive later this year, although it is unclear if a full-length record will see the light of day.

"We have to assess what is there, how many songs are finished or close to being done and, of course, are they up to Brian's exacting standards," Easton said. "He was a very hard critic of his own work, and we have to be sure and maintain those standards."

Howe passed away on May 6 at his home in Florida after suffering cardiac arrest. He had a history of heart issues, having previously had a heart attack in 2017.

The singer was reportedly involved in a road traffic accident in Florida at the end of April, in which he suffered broken ribs.

Howe fronted BAD COMPANY between 1986 and 1994 and provided vocals on hit albums including 1988's "Dangerous Age" and 1990's "Holy Water".

The English-born singer, who previously worked with Ted Nugent, was openly bitter that his contribution to the band's legacy was not recognized, telling Rock Candy magazine in 2018: "It's as if my time with BAD COMPANY has been airbrushed out of history. Those guys live in a cocoon where it's permanently 1974 and they've purposefully removed anything I ever had to do with them."

Howe left BAD COMPANY after recording four albums, and believed the band "haven't released anything worthwhile since. And certainly nothing that's sold as well as the albums I was involved in. Those records gave BAD COMPANY a new lease of life."

Last month, STYX drummer Todd Sucherman released his debut solo album, "Last Flight Home", via Aqua Pulse Records. The official music video for the disc's latest single, "Ad Lib Everything", can be seen below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credit: Ronn Dunnett

Italian power metallers, From The Depth, are sharing the first single "Spread Your Fire" off their second full-length album, Moments, set for release on August 28 via Rockshots Records. The track is the heaviest song off the album.

Says the band: "This is a very “motivational” song in terms of lyrics, we always try to give good messages to our fans and this is no exception. The way to find your inner strengths can be hard and full of barriers, but you don’t have to fear them, you must fight and react to reach your goals. The motivational mood of the lyrics perfectly fits the heavy riffing of the song without neglecting melody and the overall harmony mindset that’s our real “trade-mark”."

Watch a lyric video for "Spread You Fire" below.

Punchy and aggressive, fans who have been waiting since 2014’s EP Perseverance, are now rewarded with From The Depth's new 10 track album. Entitled Moments, the full length is a series of personal occasions in the band members' lives that they are reliving through their music, from hard times to the anniversary of the group forming.

In the band’s own words: “Moments is a way to celebrate relevant memories and episodes of everyday life while time passes by. Each aspect of the production has been taken care of with extreme attention to detail from song structure to the final master; nothing has been left to chance and we did our best to get out the most from each session during songwriting.”

After years of hard times, they are now fully operational with a killer stable lineup, and with the new partnership with Rockshots Records, From the Depth is ready to show fans what they have been working on. Starting as a power metal cover band with a distinct “melodic mindset”, From The Depth has come a long way since 2008, and the maturity and refinement really show in this new chapter.

Pre-order Moments here.

Tracklisting:

"Immortal"
"Spread Your Fire"
"Ten Years"
"Streets Of Memory"
"Hypnos"
"Forget And Survive"
"Just Ice"
"Missed"
"A Matter Of Time"
"Somewhere"

"Spread Your Fire" lyric video:




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33 years after it's initial release, here is Lars Eric Mattsson with "Let Me Rock You" (2020 version). The track is aken from the album Take Me Home 1985-87.

Mattsson previously released a lyric video for "See The Stars", written and first recorded in 1983. The song is included on Lars Eric Mattsson's new reissue Hot And Able 1983-85; the single version is slightly different from the album version.




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JANE'S ADDICTION drummer Stephen Perkins recently teamed up with steelpan players from eight different countries to record a quarantine cover version of THE WHO classic "Baba O'Riley". Check out the video below.

Perkins is perhaps the only rock drummer to use steelpan in a Top 40 rock band. He told Pan Magazine that he first fell in love with steelpan due to its "beautiful, hallow, haunting sound."

In 2017, world-renowned steelpan player Tracy Thornton launched PAN ROCKS PROJECT L.A., joined by Perkins (on drums) and fellow rock legends Billy Sheehan of MR. BIG (on bass), Tracii Guns from L.A. GUNS (on guitar), and producer Matt Starr, drummer for MR. BIG. The project produced recordings of JANE'S ADDICTION's "Been Caught Stealing", KISS's "Detroit Rock City", LED ZEPPELIN's "Kashmir", the holiday favorite "Carol Of The Bells" and an original tune by Thornton called "Dain Bramage".

Born in Los Angeles in 1967, Stephen met future bandmate Dave Navarro in high school and they started a heavy metal band called DIZASTER. After graduation, Stephen and Dave formed JANE'S ADDICTION.

JANE'S ADDICTION was signed to Warner Bros. after garnering critical claim for their release on the independent Los Angeles label XXX. Under their Warner Bros. deal, they recorded two more critically lauded but sometimes controversial albums, "Nothing's Shocking" and "Ritual De Lo Habitual". Stephen's side projects have included PORNO FOR PYROS and BANYAN.

JANE'S ADDICTION released its last album, "The Great Escape Artist", back in 2011.




What a great musical collaboration- honoured to keep the beat for steel pan players around the globe- @TheWho @pananimal @dwdrums https://t.co/yF3mWlFqui

— Stephen Perkins (@stephenperkins) June 28, 2020

In 2019, METALLICA frontman James Hetfield donated his car collection to the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. James has always been a car guy and shares his car journey to one of the coolest custom car collections around. Hetfield has described seeing cars in the same way he sees music: as forms of freedom and expression that convey the passions of their creator.

Best known as a co-founder, songwriter, singer and guitarist for the heavy metal band METALLICA, Hetfield has also gained recognition in the automotive world for his unique collection of entirely bespoke vehicles. While the vast majority of collectors acquire vehicles by purchasing pre-existing examples, Hetfield elected instead to build his from scratch, channeling creativity often reserved for his music into the production of rolling sculptures.

A newly released 27-minute video tour of Hetfield's collection can be seen below.

Hetfield made his first major public appearance since entering rehab on January 30, when an exhibit featuring 10 of his classic custom cars opened with a ticketed reception at the Petersen Automotive Museum. Hetfield took part in a chat and helped auction two of his ESP guitars at the event. He said he was proud to have his work on display at the museum. "There's no other place like this," James said. "The Petersen is the pinnacle. It's the best place to have your vehicles. They weren't doing me much good sitting in my garage. I loved looking at them. The best part is they're all together. I didn't want to auction them off and [have them] go all over the world. It's a collection. It marks my life."

Hetfield has been largely out of the public eye since last fall when METALLICA canceled an Australian tour and announced that Hetfield was returning to rehab to battle his addictions. The singer/guitarist first got treatment in 2002, a process that was chronicled in the 2004 documentary "Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster".

Among the cars on display at "Reclaimed Rust: The James Hetfield Collection" are Voodoo Priest, based on a '37 Lincoln Zephyr, a '36 Auburn roadster named Slow Burn, a Delahaye inspired '34 Packard, a '36 Ford in bare metal called Iron Fist, a purple '56 Ford F-100 pickup truck and Skyscraper, Hetfield's 1953 Buick Skylark.

As previously reported, a book about Hetfield's cars, "Reclaimed Rust: The Four-Wheeled Creations Of James Hetfield", will be released on July 28 via Insight Editions. In the book, Hetfield opens up his garage for an exclusive tour of the highlights of his incredible collection of restored and customized classic cars.

A few years ago, Hetfield said that he approaches building hot rods the same way he approaches writing music. "Building cars is always an escape," he explained. "It's the same with music. I don't know what I'm gonna make. Cars are like people to me; they like love. They love to be touched, they love to be handled, they love to be driven... they love to be admired… This is a form of expression and freedom, and you can get away with driving something like that but still have your personality show through. It's just like looking at art. You look at a piece and you go, 'I don't get it.' And you look at something else and say, 'That is amazing. I wish I thought of that.'"

Video of MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn's latest "Acoustic Happy Hour", which was originally livestreamed on Facebook Live this past Friday, June 26, can be seen below. The session includes covers of SLIPKNOT's "Snuff", PEARL JAM's "Black", DEFTONES' "Change" and STAIND's "Outside", as well as acoustic renditions of MACHINE HEAD tunes "Is There Anybody Out There?" and "Circle The Drain".

Flynn told Kerrang! magazine about "Acoustic Happy Hour": "It's just basically a free show on Facebook. I try to learn two new songs every Friday. I take requests, and I try to play MACHINE HEAD songs that have never been played live acoustic. Last week I covered MUSE, TOOL and LYNYRD SKYNYRD. It's been fucking awesome. The first three or four were horrible — I knew they were — but I knew that if I kept sucking for six weeks I would get past it.

"For the first 20 years of my career, I never took singing lessons. Then I did some about 10 years ago. With these acoustic shows, I've been back in contact with my old singing teacher to try and figure out why I can do a three-and-a-half hour MACHINE HEAD show, but this clean singing is kicking my ass. It's been an opportunity to un-learn all the wrong shit and get an opportunity to do things right."

On June 17, MACHINE HEAD released "Civil Unrest", a two-song digital single featuring A-side "Stop The Bleeding" and B-side "Bulletproof". This pair of fierce protest anthems were both written days after the back-to-back murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery. "Stop The Bleeding" features a guest appearance from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, with Flynn and Leach trading lyrical lines that spit anger and frustration at current events.

MACHINE HEAD is donating a significant portion of the streaming proceeds from "Stop The Bleeding" to Grassroots Law Project, the organization representing George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.

Dying Vision drop their first single "Plague Bringer" ahead of their second album release set for August 27th this year. They have launched the single with a lyric video set on an eye catching gothic cathedral background.

Whilst the song itself features a historical moment from long ago, it has a theme that is equally very current today and will resonate with everyone. The track boasts huge vocal flails, punchy riffs and crushing grooves that will leave you wanting more!

"The theme of our album, Death And Its Slaughter, is about death and the forms that have represented it, for example in personification and the ceremonies such as weighing of a soul," says vocalist Richard Ashton.

"Such metaphors appear in the historical accounts from superstitious citizens. Part of the song 'Plague Bringer’ was inspired by one from the catastrophic bubonic plague (or ‘black death’ as it became known) that referred to citizens inviting death to relieve them from suffering – hence the lyric ‘I hear you calling my name’."

"The global pandemic that emerged recently has made this song an apt choice for our first release and it bears relevance today – in relation to the fear of dying, resignation in the face of death and surrounding superstitions or misinformation."

"We have come together as a collective of influences and styles and created something that we feel really tells a story on each track. We have infused our different characters and created something that we feel truly encompasses what, and who we are." 

For further details, visit Dying Vision on Facebook.

 




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