DISTURBED has commenced the songwriting process for its next studio album.

Singer David Draiman, who resides in Hawaii with his wife and their son, discussed DISTURBED's plans for the follow-up to 2018's "Evolution" album during a brand new interview with Download Festival TV presenter Kylie Olsson.

Asked how he has been spending his coronavirus downtime, David said (see video below): "We have a six-and-half-year old boy, so home schooling has been taking up most of the week… But that's most of the time. The rest of the time, I'm just messing around a little bit with music here and there — nothing crazy. [I've been] having conversations with the other guys in DISTURBED about getting some new material going, and we've got some stuff in its infancy. One song, definitely, that's killer in our back pocket; we just haven't tracked it. And we've got a few more song ideas, [but] nothing that's been hashed out enough."

According to Draiman, making music over the Internet has presented its own set of problems, especially since most of DISTURBED's last couple of albums were composed with the core members in a room together bouncing ideas off each other.

"We kind of need to get back into the rhythm of being able to do stuff like this in Zoom format or online as opposed to in person," he said. "At least it's some kind of real-time connection so that you can be creating together improvisationally to an extent, but there's still issues with audio — it's not as clear as you want it sometimes, there's too much compression and you lose level; it's a challenge — and the vibe isn't there. There's nothing that replaces you being in front of your co-songwriter and being able to feed off each other's energy and create in person."

Last month, DISTURBED's "The Sickness 20th Anniversary Tour" was postponed until summer 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

"The Sickness 20th Anniversary Tour" with STAIND and BAD WOLVES was scheduled to kick off on July 15 in Maryland Heights, Missouri, hitting amphitheaters before wrapping up on September 12 in Auburn, Washington.

Released on March 7, 2000, "The Sickness" is DISTURBED's best-selling album to date, thanks to such hit singles as "Stupify", "Voices" and "Down With The Sickness".

Last September, DISTURBED's "No More" landed at position No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart. The track, which was the third single from "Evolution", marked DISTURBED's seventh straight No. 1 on the chart.

Japanese pop-metal band BABYMETAL will release a new concert set, "Legend - Metal Galaxy", on September 9 on Blu-ray, DVD and CD.

"Legend - Metal Galaxy" was recorded at the group's two shows at Chiba's Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Center in Japan on January 25 and January 26.

The Blu-ray and DVD editions of the set will include a total of 24 tracks split between two performances: "World Of Light" and "World Of Darkness".

In addition to the standard edition, there will also be "The One" limited edition containing a 64-page booklet titled "Apocalypse" featuring interviews with BABYMETAL.

BABYMETAL's latest DVD and Blu-ray, "Live At The Forum", was released on May 13. The effort was filmed at the Japanese pop-metal band's October 2019 first-ever arena concert in the U.S. at the The Forum in Los Angeles.

The concert was Su-metal and Moametal's second headlining arena concert outside of Japan. The 15-song set focuses on material from BABYMETAL's latest studio album, "Metal Galaxy", including "Da Da Dance", "Shanti Shanti Shanti" and "Pa Pa Ya!!"

BABYMETAL's third studio LP, "Metal Galaxy" hit No. 19 in the U.K. official album chart, No. 1 No. 1 on Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart, becoming the first Asian act to land at No. 1, and No. 18 on the German chart.

In the U.S., "Metal Galaxy" earned 28,000 equivalent album units (of which 27,000 were in album sales) in its first week of release. The album also topped the Hard Rock Albums chart.

"Metal Galaxy" entered the all-format Billboard 200 chart at No. 13. The group's previous disc, 2016's "Metal Resistance", peaked at No. 39.

"Metal Galaxy" was released in October via earMUSIC/Edel. The follow-up to 2016's "Metal Resistance" is based on the concept of "The Odyssey Of Metal Galaxy".

"Metal Galaxy" contains 14 songs, including four singles that were released prior to the LP's arrival: "Pa Pa Ya!!", "Starlight", "Distortion" and "Elevator Girl". The album expresses light and darkness, emotions like duality and ambivalence, and "new metal" created by various chemical reactions as other entities evolved and expanded in this album.

The album includes five songs that feature guest appearances from worldwide musicians who were perfect to the character of each song. Vocalist Joakim Brodén from SABATON is featured on "Oh! Majinai". Guitarist Tim Henson and Scott LePage from POLYPHIA are featured on "Brand New Day". Vocalist Alissa White-Gluz from ARCH ENEMY is featured on "Distortion". Rapper F.Hero is featured in "Pa Pa Ya!!"

German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR will release their 13th studio album, "Metal Commando", on July 24 via Nuclear Blast. The official music video for the disc's second single, "I Am Alive", can be seen below.

Bassist and producer Mat Sinner comments: "'I Am Alive' is the opening track of the new album and a statement in these rough times. Between the speed of the double-bass drumming plus grooves and fat guitar riffs is one of the best PRIMAL FEAR hooks ever. You can look forward to a real banger of a song that is representative of our new album — 'Metal Commando'."

"Metal Commando" was produced by Sinner and mixed by Jacob Hansen. It will be available as a 2CD digipack, 2LP and as an exclusive mailorder box.

"I don't want to throw around superlatives, but each of us went to their utmost limits and we are all very happy with the sound and song material," adds Sinner. "It's pretty safe to say that this is a top album and maybe even our strongest record to date. It's the perfect mix between our origins and our current style, a perfect balance and all bandmembers did an awesome job playing and recording it. For me, 'Metal Commando' is the right album at the right time."

"Metal Commando" track listing:

01. I Am Alive

02. Along Came The Devil

03. Halo

04. Hear Me Calling

05. The Lost & The Forgotten

06. My Name Is Fear

07. I Will Be Gone

08. Raise Your Fists

09. Howl Of The Banshee

10. Afterlife

11. Infinity

Bonus CD (limited edition 2-CD digipak)

12. Rising Fear

13. Leave Me Alone

14. Second To None

15. Crucify Me

PRIMAL FEAR is:

Ralf Scheepers - vocals

Mat Sinner - bass, vocals

Alex Beyrodt - guitars

Tom Naumann - guitars

Magnus Karlsson - guitars

Michael Ehré - drums

MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS have announced the reschedueld dates for their "The Stadium Tour".

"The Stadium Tour" was scheduled to kick off in less than three weeks — on June 18 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida — and run through September 5 in Los Angeles. The bands reportedly also booked time at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville to rehearse for the tour.

Earlier today, MÖTLEY CRÜE released the following statement: "We are excited to share the new dates for 'The Stadium Tour'. All tickets will be honored for the new dates. If you cannot make the new show, you will receive an email from your ticket provider or you can visit http://livenation.com/refund. We look forward to seeing you in 2021!"

"The Stadium Tour" 2021 dates:

June 19 - Nashville, Tennessee @ Nissan Stadium

June 21 - Cincinnati, Ohio @ Great American Ballpark

June 24 - Charlotte, North Carolina @ Bank of America Stadium

June 26 - Miami, Florida @ Hard Rock Stadium

June 27 - Orlando, Florida @ Camping World Stadium

July 03 - Cleveland, Ohio @ FirstEnergy Field

July 06 - St. Louis, Missouri @ Busch Stadium

July 08 - Minneapolis, Minnesota @ U.S. Bank Stadium

July 10 - Detroit, Michigan @ Comerica Park

July 13 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania @ Citizens Bank Park

July 15 Flushing, New York @ Citi Field

July 17 - Boston, Massachusetts @ Fenway Park

July 18 - Boston, Massachusetts @ Fenway Park

July 20 - Hershey, Pennsylvania @ Hersheypark Stadium

July 22 - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania @ PNC Park

August 07 - Jacksonville, Florida @ TIAA Bank Field

August 09 - Washington, DC @ Nationals Park

August 12 - Buffalo, New York @ New Era Field

August 15 - Atlanta, Georgia @ SunTrust Park

August 17 - Houston, Texas @ Minute Maid Park

August 20 - San Antonio, Texas @ Alamodome

August 22 - Arlington, Texas @ Globe Life Field

August 24 - Kansas City, Missouri @ Kauffman Stadium

August 28 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin @ Miller Park

August 29 - Chicago, Illinois @ Wrigley Field

September 03 - Phoenix, Arizona @ State Farm Stadium

September 04 - Los Angeles, California @ SoFi Stadium

September 07 - Seattle, Washington @ T-Mobile Park

September 10 - San Francisco, California @ Oracle Park

September 12 - San Diego, CA @ Petco Park

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

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

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

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

Last month, Joan Jett said during a SiriusXM virtual town hall that she "would not feel comfortable" playing stadium shows during the coronavirus pandemic. "I wouldn't feel comfortable putting the band or my crew in that position," she said. "I don't really have that right to mess with their lives like that.

"I'm not saying it's an easy decision," she explained. "I know people are struggling all over the country with what to do and how to do it.

"Of course I wanna play. As soon as we can do it, let's figure out a way to do it. I've heard there's some ideas with drive-in, like a drive-in movie, where you can still see live music and you're in your car. That's a step, and that's a step I'd enjoy taking. But it's still not people together. And that's gonna take a while.

"When people feel safe to be together, I would hope that we'll all feel the same way," she added. "I can't make decisions for other people as well. If things are safe, I would be into it. But, obviously, that means testing and all that stuff. And I have had my tests. But you've gotta keep doing it."

POISON singer Bret Michaels concurred, telling Arizona Republic that he will be ready to play the shows when he gets the green light from the authorities. "The health is number one," he said. "The health of the fans. The band's crew. The people working at the venues. The first responders. That comes first. And if the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] says it's a go? I will be there, ready to rock. [And if not], then it's not over. It's just postponed. Those dates have almost all completely sold out. We added a second night at Fenway. I think Jacksonville went quick. Milwaukee was the quickest sellout they ever had. It was like 43 minutes."

More than 8.3 million coronavirus cases have been reported worldwide and more than 449,000 deaths so far, putting public health systems and emergency services under immense pressure.

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

SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor spoke to Terry "Beez" Bezer of Knotfest.com's "Mosh Talks With Beez" about his upcoming debut solo album, tentatively due in September. Taylor recorded the effort with his solo band consisting of Jason Christopher on bass, Dustin Schoenhofer on drums, and Zach Throne and Christian Martucci (STONE SOUR) on guitar.

"It was something I was planning to do anyway next year when I got off the road with SLIPKNOT, and, obviously, best-laid plans [were] just done and done [because of the coronavirus pandemic]," he said. "But I figured if this was the time to do it, why not try and do it. Me and my band quarantined. We social distanced for about two weeks, including our producer, Jay Ruston, who I worked with, and the people at the studio that I recorded at, which was Kevin Churko's Hideout [Recording Studio in Las Vegas].

"This was stuff that we had been working on for a while," he continued. "This was stuff that I had written as [recently] as the last SLIPKNOT tour and as far back as… There's a song on here that dates back to when I was in high school, so that tells you how long I've been sitting on a lot of this material. And it's just stuff that I've kind of had floating around that didn't really fit with either band. It just had different energy and a different vibe.

"The more people asked me if I was ever gonna do a solo thing, I started going, 'Well, I kind of know what it would sound like, because I've got all these songs that really don't have a home anywhere else.' And lo and behold, boom.

"We went in, we recorded 98 to 99 percent of the music live in the studio. The only thing we overdubbed was vocals and piano and some acoustic. And we did 25 songs in two and a half weeks."

Asked how many songs will end up on the final album, Taylor said: "Thirteen. We did thirteen originals. We recorded seven covers, and then we did six acoustic versions of the originals that we put together. Or [maybe] it's five. I can never keep that straight. Maybe it's six [covers] and six [acoustic versions] — I can't remember. All I know is that we did an insane amount of work in two and a half weeks — something that we thought was gonna take two months — and we destroyed it. We were doing a song a day. And we got done, and we were, like, 'Eh, okay. What are we gonna do now?' Everything has come together so quickly that it's crazy.

"It's everything I wanted it to be," he added. "There's some SLADE in there, there's some Johnny Cash, there's some ALICE IN CHAINS. I mean, big choruses, fun rock, just huge solos — huge solos. It's incredible. I, actually, two years ago, started teaching myself piano just so I can record this song that I wrote for my wife, and I was able to play it and record it. And it's really good — it's probably one of the best things I've ever written."

Pressed about how a song that he wrote back in high school sticks around for so long without him properly recording it and releasing it until now, Corey said: "I've kept almost every notebook of ideas that I've had since I first started really writing songs — since I was about 15 or 16. So I've got stuff dating all the way back then, just sitting in boxes. And every once in a while, the grand hoarder that I am, I'll start going through stuff thinking that I'm gonna throw it away, and I [say to myself], 'I can't throw that away 'cause maybe this is gonna be a song someday.' And lo and behold, I kept finding this notebook that had the first verse — at least the first verse and the start of the second — of [a song that ended up on the record]. I always remembered how it would start, and I was, like, 'Where would we go from there?' And it was actually the first song that I really put together for this. I finished it finally — after 30 years, I finally finished this song. And it's killer. There's a riff in it that feels almost like PANTERA in a way, but then there's this overall vibe of THE CHARLIE DANIELS BAND, which is really, really cool. So it's a mover, man, and it's really, really good."

Asked whether he has already out a song that we will hear first, Corey said: "Actually, there's two — there's two songs that we're gonna release first. The overall vibe of this album is fun — it is party. You put this on when you wanna feel good. So there are actually two songs that we're thinking about releasing at the same time. There's one that is the overall crusher single — really great, huge chorus, big vibe. And then there's another one that is just as fun on the completely other end of the spectrum that people are gonna hear and they are going to lose their minds.

"The way I've been looking at it is it's like a futuristic throwback," he explained. "Everything on this album is a hybrid of all these different genres that I'm really into. It's a modern take on vibes that people have heard before, and yet I've taken them and kind of thrown them through this crazy filter to see what we get. Everybody who hears it is just blown away, so I'm really, really stoked."

SLIPKNOT recently canceled all of its previously announced summer 2020 tour dates, including the "Knotfest Roadshow", Knotfest UK and Knotfest At Sea, due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

Mike Portnoy has revealed that he spent last New Year's Eve with his former bandmate, DREAM THEATER bassist John Myung.

The ex-DREAM THEATER drummer addressed his relationship with Myung while filming a new video message on Cameo, which lets users hire celebrities to record brief, personalized video messages about virtually any topic.

Asked if he still keeps in touch with John, Mike said (see video below): "Well, actually, yeah, I do. And he, actually, he and his family came and spent New Year's Eve with us back a few months ago. We had a really great time together ringing in the New Year together. John is a very quiet guy, so we didn't post any pictures and we didn't put it out there. He's not really into the whole social media thing, so I wanted to respect that, and we kind of just kept it a nice, quiet evening between us, and we had a great time together. So it was great to see him and spend time together."

In the last couple of years, Portnoy has shared several photos of him hanging out with other DREAM THEATER members, including keyboardist Jordan Rudess and guitarist John Petrucci.

In February 2019, Portnoy and Rudess reunited on stage during the Cruise To The Edge to perform "Instrumedley" from DREAM THEATER / LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT. They were joined by NEAL MORSE BAND guitarist Eric Gillette and HAKEN bassist Conner Green.

Back in April 2015, Portnoy and Rudess both joined the British progressive metal band HAKEN on stage in New York City. Three months earlier, they were photographed having what appeared to be friendly banter at the 2015 NAMM show in Anaheim, California.

More than two years ago, Portnoy posted a photo of him hanging out with Petrucci in a move that clearly represented a thawing of tensions between the two musicians who had been friends for more than three decades.

Although Portnoy and his former bandmates in DREAM THEATER engaged in a public war of words following his exit from the group, Rudess told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation" that he harbors no resentment toward his longtime friend.

"When Portnoy left the band, there was tension — natural tension — because it was a big deal," he said. "But what's really important to me is finding that… especially somebody who I care about, who I had so much life experience with. And he's a really great guy. There are so many wonderful things about him. So I wanna enjoy that.

"People will say, 'Oh my God! DREAM THEATER is gonna have Portnoy back in the band.' That's not what it's about," Rudess added. "This is about people and people who spent a lot of time together being able to be close together and be friends."

Rudess acknowledged that some of his other DREAM THEATER bandmates have "their own feelings" about maintaining a connection with their former drummer. "But Mike and I enjoyed hanging out and chatting about old times and all the stuff," he said. "So it was really cool."

In November 2017, 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."

DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci will release a new solo album, "Terminal Velocity", in the fall.

Petrucci announced the long-awaited follow-up to 2005's "Suspended Animation" in a pair of Instagram posts on Wednesday. He wrote in one (see below): "In 2005, there was SUSPENDED ANIMATION. And now, 15 years later, THE WAIT IS NEARLY OVER! #JohnPetrucci #TerminalVelocity #Fall2020"

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

In a 2019 interview with "The Everyman Podcast", Petrucci was asked when fans can expect to hear a new solo album from him.

"It's something that I'm just almost embarrassed about, because my first one — only one — was released in 2005," he responded. "And I do — as people may know, from watching the 'G3' tours — have plenty of material for that. So, next time I can sit down and get into a studio and I'm not making a DREAM THEATER record or touring with DREAM THEATER, I will record music for a follow-up solo album."

Petrucci told Guitar World magazine in 2018 that the song "Damage Control" from "Suspended Animation" was particularly challenging to play in a live setting. "It's just a crazy... I've said this before — I feel like I'm doing damage control the entire time I'm playing," he said. "It just has so many weird things about it — time signatures and technical challenges and things. A concentration song, that one."

DREAM THEATER's latest album, "Distance Over Time" was released in February 2019. The disc, which marked the band's first for their new label InsideOut Music, was produced by Petrucci, mixed by Ben Grosse and mastered by Tom Baker.
























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In 2005, there was SUSPENDED ANIMATION. And now, 15 years later, THE WAIT IS NEARLY OVER! #JohnPetrucci #TerminalVelocity #Fall2020

A post shared by John Petrucci (@johnpetrucciofficial) on Jun 17, 2020 at 12:00pm PDT






























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#JohnPetrucci #TerminalVelocity #Fall2020

A post shared by John Petrucci (@johnpetrucciofficial) on Jun 3, 2020 at 8:02am PDT

BLACK VEIL BRIDES guitarist Jeremy "Jinxx" Ferguson has slammed President Donald Trump for refusing to rename forts named after Confederate leaders and soldiers.

As Americans continue to grapple with systemic racism, there is a growing call to remove symbols honoring Confederate figures from military bases — including Fort Lee, Fort Hood, Fort Benning, Fort Gordon, Fort Bragg, Fort Polk, Fort Pickett, Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Rucker and Camp Beauregard — and the U.S. Capitol.

On Wednesday, Trump quashed the idea of renaming military bases honoring Confederate generals, saying they are "part of a Great American Heritage, and a history of Winning, Victory and Freedom."

"The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars," he wrote on Twitter. "Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations... ...Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with. Respect our Military!!"

Earlier today (Sunday, June 14), Jinxx took to his Instagram to share a photo of a shredded U.S. flag, and he included the following message: "My ggggrandfather George Lucke and his brothers fought under this very flag during the American Civil War 1861-5. On June 22, 1864, when Confederate troops under General A.P. Hill tried to capture this same flag at Petersburg, Virginia, he and his comrades ripped this flag apart and stuffed the remnants in their coat pockets, refusing to let the enemy take possession of the colors (which explains why this is all that remains). George's brother Frederick was among many of the regiment to be captured and subsequently interred and tortured in the notorious Andersonville Confederate prison camp in Georgia.

"Prior to the war, George and his 2 younger brothers emigrated to America from Germany in 1853 in search of a better life. They were hired as day laborers on the Molyneux farm in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, soon after. Motivated by a novel called 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' by Harriet Beecher Stowe that was published the year before, the Molyneux family were incensed to fight for the cause of abolishing the evil institution of slavery. Their farm became a station on the infamous Underground Railroad, helping 'fugitive' runaway slaves escape their captors in the South to freedom in the non-slave states in the North and into Canada. It was no wonder these brothers would enlist in the Union Army for such cause when the war broke out in 1861. George would marry Jane Molyneux, the middle daughter of the family, shortly after the war. She was present during President Lincoln's 'Gettysburg Address' speech in 1863, on the field where her elder brother mortally fell (and where George lost his thumb defending the Union line during the Confederate 'Picket's Charge'). They were considered very PROGRESSIVE and radical in their beliefs for their day, fought for the end of slavery, human rights, and the preservation of a new country that was designed to protect such unalienable rights. In my opinion, they fought on the right side of history.

"Think about this in November when we have 'leaders' who refuse to rename such southern US Army bases like 'Fort A.P. Hill', named for a known Confederate general, a slave owner, and traitor to this flag. #flagday #blacklivematter #votethemout"
























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My ggggrandfather George Lucke and his brothers fought under this very flag during the American Civil War 1861-5. On June 22, 1864, when Confederate troops under General A.P. Hill tried to capture this same flag at Petersburg, Virginia, he and his comrades ripped this flag apart and stuffed the remnants in their coat pockets, refusing to let the enemy take possession of the colors (which explains why this is all that remains). George’s brother Frederick was among many of the regiment to be captured and subsequently interred and tortured in the notorious Andersonville Confederate prison camp in Georgia. Prior to the war, George and his 2 younger brothers emigrated to America from Germany in 1853 in search of a better life. They were hired as day laborers on the Molyneux farm in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, soon after. Motivated by a novel called “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe that was published the year before, the Molyneux family were incensed to fight for the cause of abolishing the evil institution of slavery. Their farm became a station on the infamous Underground Railroad, helping “fugitive” runaway slaves escape their captors in the South to freedom in the non-slave states in the North and into Canada. It was no wonder these brothers would enlist in the Union Army for such cause when the war broke out in 1861. George would marry Jane Molyneux, the middle daughter of the family, shortly after the war. She was present during President Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” speech in 1863, on the field where her elder brother mortally fell (and where George lost his thumb defending the Union line during the Confederate “Picket’s Charge”). They were considered very PROGRESSIVE and radical in their beliefs for their day, fought for the end of slavery, human rights, and the preservation of a new country that was designed to protect such unalienable rights. In my opinion, they fought on the right side of history. Think about this in November when we have ‘leaders’ who refuse to rename such southern US Army bases like “Fort A.P. Hill”, named for a known Confederate general, a slave owner, and traitor to this flag. #flagday #blacklivematter #votethemout

A post shared by Jinxx (@jinxxed4life) on Jun 14, 2020 at 9:35am PDT

Frontiers Music Srl recently released Paralydium’s debut album, Worlds Beyond. Order the album here, and listen to the song, "The Source", below:

Initially known as "The Paralydium Project”, the band hails from Sweden and is an epic­ progressive metal combo founded by guitarist John Berg with a vision to create an innovative mixture of hard hitting heavy riffs, textured landscapes, and powerful grooves. Their sound takes you through space and time for an experience beyond the borders of your mind. With influences ranging from Symphony X and Pagan’s Mind to Seventh Wonder and Dream Theater, Paralydium have created their own sound and expertly crafted melodies into a ‘best of both worlds’ sound.

"The writing process for this album started soon after our first release back in 2015,” says guitarist John Berg. "When the songs really started to come together, I began to feel that they had a certain interplay with each other which got me thinking on making this a conceptual album. The real challenge was to integrate all the elements, put the pieces together. As a result, the outcome is something more than just an ordinary album, just wait and you will see. Our music crosses many borders in terms of styles, so we believe that Paralydium and Frontiers will be a great team.”

Tracklisting:

"Enter Paralydium"
"Within The Sphere"
"Synergy"
"Finding The Paragon"
"Crystal Of Infinity"
"Awakening"
"The Source"
"Into Divinity"
"Seeker Of The Light"

"Crystal Of Infinity" lyric video:

"Crystal Of Infinity" guitar playthrough video:

"Within The Sphere":

"Within The Sphere" guitar playthrough video:

"Finding The Paragon" video:

"Finding the Paragon" guitar playthrough video:

Lineup:

John Berg ­- Guitars
Georg Härnsten Egg ­- Drums
Jonathan Olsson -­ Bass
Mikael Blanc ­- Keys
Mikael Sehlin -­ Vocals




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TWISTED SISTER singer Dee 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".

Today, Snider has revealed a new live video cut from "For The Love Of Metal Live" — featuring his energetic performance of "I Am The Hurricane". The seductive, metallic first notes of the track combine with ominous guitar-driven atmosphere as Snider dominates the powerful lyrics of the track — denying opposition at his every turn and leaving doubters in his wake. The track takes on a whole new level of confidence in its live setting, as it transforms into an even more heartfelt rallying cry to all to rise above hostility.

Snider says about "I Am The Hurricane": "If there is ever a repeated message in my songs, it's this: stand up, fight back, don't take any sh*t from anybody, and f*ck anybody who gets in your way or tries to put you down. It's a message that constantly needs to be reinforced in us all, myself included. 'I Am the Hurricane' is that reinforcement!"

Select audio editions and the DVD/Blu-ray also feature additional bonus live material and personal footage, with the DVD/Blu-ray including even more special bonus interview content. The interviews feature Snider discussing his famed PMRC hearing, opening for MOTÖRHEAD and more.

Snider adds: "The response to 'For The Love Of Metal' was so strong, and my new band so good, that I wanted to capture 'Dee Snider' for the new millennium. All of my other live concert releases are all about the past. And while my past is represented here, it is presented along with my new music, played by my new band and is very much 'in the now.' The included interviews give insight into my world, my journey and my evolution since I started nearly 50 years ago."

"For The Love Of Metal Live!" track listing:

Digital Album

01. Lies Are a Business

02. Tomorrow's No Concern

03. You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll

04. The Beast

05. American Made

06. Under the Blade

07. The Kids Are Back

08. Become the Storm

09. We're Not Gonna Take It

10. I Am The Hurricane

11. Burn In Hell

12. I Wanna Rock

13. For The Love Of Metal

14. Highway To Hell

15. Ready To Fall

16. The Fire Still Burns

17. Roll Over You

18. Prove Me Wrong

CD

01. Lies Are A Business

02. Tomorrow's No Concern

03. You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll

04. The Beast Live

05. American Made

06. Under The Blade

07. The Kids Are Back

08. Become The Storm

09. We're Not Gonna Take It

10. I Am The Hurricane

11. Burn In Hell

12. I Wanna Rock Live

13. For The Love Of Metal

14. Highway To Hell

15. Prove Me Wrong

DVD/Blu-ray

01. Lies Are A Business

02. Pain Of Traveling (Interview)

03. Tomorrow's No Concern

04. You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll

05. New Record (Interview)

06. The Beast

07. American Made

08. Under The Blade

09. Songwriting (Interview)

10. The Kids Are Back Live

11. Become The Storm

12. We're Not Gonna Take It

13. WNGTI (Interview)

14. I Am The Hurricane

15. Burn In Hell Live

16. Rock Of Ages (Interview)

17. I Wanna Rock

18. For The Love Of Metal

19. AC/DC (Interview)

20. Highway To Hell

21. Credits

22. Ready To Fall (Bonus Track)

23. The Fire Still Burns (Bonus Track)

24. Roll Over You (Bonus Track)

25. Suzette (Interview)

26. Hearing (Interview)

27. Strangeland (Interview)

28. Lemmy (Interview)

"For The Love Of Metal Live!" will be available in the following formats:

- Deluxe Earbook Edition: CD, Bonus CD, DVD, Blu-ray & 7" Single with lyric etching - limited to 500 copies worldwide

- Shirt & Deluxe Earbook Edition Bundle - USA Napalm webstore only

- 8-Page Digipack with Sleeve (CD, DVD, Blu-ray)

- 8-Page Digipack with Sleeve (CD, DVD, Blu-ray) & Shirt Bundle

- 2LP Black Gatefold & DVD

- 2LP Black Gatefold & DVD & Shirt Bundle - USA Napalm webstore only

- 2LP Silver Gatefold & DVD - Limited to 200 copies worldwide (Napalm webstores only)

- 2LP Silver Gatefold & DVD & Shirt Bundle - USA Napalm webstore only

- Digital Full-Length Album

"Prove Me Wrong" sees Snider asserting himself as the absolutely unstoppable legend he is — excelling throughout his years, leaving any naysayers in the dust, and cementing his legacy as one of the greatest heavy metal frontmen of all time.

Snider says: "'Prove Me Wrong' are words that I've thought in my head since the day I began rocking. I had a monster chip on my shoulder and dared the world to knock it off... nobody ever could. At this point in my career, I thought I'd let everybody in on what has kept be going all these many years. Prove me wrong!"

Photo credit: John Raptis

During a conversation with Ultinate Guitar's David Slavković, The Aristocrats drummer Marco Minnemann discussed his past collaboration with Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson, while also touching on his 2011-2016 tenure in Steven Wilson's band.

UG: You also worked with Alex Lifeson of Rush. In a recent interview, he mentioned that he has barely played guitar after Neil Peart's passing. Are you in contact with Alex, and would you be interested in doing something if the opportunity came up?

Minnemann: "Yeah, absolutely! With Alex, I've been working already for years, and Alex and I have released stuff together; he's on my albums. I know about him, he had the thought about retiring a little bit a few years ago. But he still likes to play guitar and I hope he continues. We've been in touch just recently actually, just a few days ago literally, because he's re-releasing an album called Victor he did 20 years ago; that's going to be re-released as a 25th-anniversary edition, and one of the songs we did is on it as a bonus track.

So, I'm very pleased about that, and I hope he's still playing but I'd understand if he doesn't want to - he told me that after 41 years in the business, the thought of retiring is a potential enemy, that's what he pretty much said. And I don't blame him; if you have such a legacy behind you... And I think I told him, I said, 'Look, with your legacy, you don’t have to worry about anything.' He doesn't have to force anything. But, obviously, he's a fantastic musician - and actually, when you asked the question before, about one of the favorite moments, that would have been him as well. Everything he brings to the table guitar-wise is always very different and very musical. He is a very inspiring person to work with. And yeah, and I have nothing but nice things to say about him. He's great. He's a fantastic person and a fantastic musician."

Read more here.




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Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX), Rob Caggiano (VOLBEAT, ex-ANTHRAX), Roberto "Ra" Diaz (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels (RUN-D.M.C.) have teamed ip to record a medley of RUN-D.M.C. songs as part of Benante's ongoing series of quarantine jams.

Benante uploaded a video of the performance to his YouTube channel, writing in an accompanying message: "I always wanted to do a medley of RUN DMC songs, so back in March I decided to put an arrangement together and asked these amazing people to be a part of it.

"How can you do a RUN DMC medley without the KING of ROCK- Darryl McDaniels DMC. I have been a RUN DMC fan from back when I first heard 'It's Like That/Sucker MCs' they had my attention immediately! It's no secret that our 'I'm the Man' song was inspired by RUN DMC and the BEASTIE BOYS...that's how much we loved them.

"I asked Ra once again because he has the groove and creativity to adapt to any song. I love how he placed a familiar line at the end of the song that Just fit so well. I asked Rob Caggiano because I always loved his style. I love the way he attacks his guitar and plays the tastiest shit. He throws this great Black metal riff in here that raises the tune to another level. We all came together to create this piece of music that makes US move. I hope it YOU move! Maybe it inspires you to make music, play your instrument, write lyrics..."

Credits:

Arrangement, Beats, Samples - Charlie Benante

Vocals - Darryl "DMC" McDaniels

Guitars - Rob Caggiano

Bass - Ra Diaz

Audio - Andy Lagis

Download the song at this location. Proceeds of this track go to MusicUnites.org.

STYX founding member Dennis DeYoung released a new original solo album, "26 East, Vol. 1", on May 22 via Frontiers Music Srl. The official music video for the song "With All Due Respect" can be seen below.

Of the song and video, Dennis says: "In 1979, I wrote the following lyric in a STYX song called 'Borrowed Time': 'I'm so confused by the things I read, I need the truth but the truth is I don't know who to believe. The left says yes and the right say no, I'm in between and the more I learn the less that I know. We're living High, Living fine, Living high on borrowed time.'"

He continues: "These lyrics were true in 1979 and more so today. The news establishment has given into partisanship reporting masquerading as truth in a quest for more listeners, readers and viewers. They exacerbate our political differences into grand theater making us believe we are more divided than we are and for one reason, money. Money from advertisers. Higher ratings no matter the cost. Both sides are to blame."

"26 East" was the address where DeYoung grew up in Roseland, Illinois on the far south side of Chicago. This is where the band was formed in his basement in 1962. Across the street lived the Panozzo twins, John and Chuck, who along with DeYoung would go on to form the nucleus of STYX. The cover artwork features three locomotives traveling through space, representing the original members leaving Chicago on their journey to the stars.

"This was supposed to be my final album but there were so many songs written that Serafino Perugino, CEO of Frontiers, suggested dividing it into two albums rather than one," DeYoung states. "This is Volume 1, which sounds pretentious to me, but the marketing folks wanted you to know there are going to be two of them, so hey kids, there are two of them; this is Volume 1."

The process that brought forth the album beginning in the first place started when Jim Peterik, a fellow Chicagoan and nearby neighbor, sent a song to Dennis.

"If not for Jim Peterik's encouragement, talent and prodding I would not have recorded this music," says DeYoung. "He once told me the world needed my music; to which I replied 'have the world text me for verification.' We collaborated from the get go, happily and seamlessly and at this time we have written nine songs together of which five will be on Volume 1. Just two Chicago guys doing what they do best, making music and having a laugh."

Track listing:

01. East Of Midnight

02. With All Due Respect

03. A Kingdom Ablaze

04. You My Love

05. Run For The Roses

06. Damn That Dream

07. Unbroken

08. The Promise Of This Land

09. To The Good Old Days

10. A.D. 2020

Recording lineup:

- Dennis DeYoung: Keyboards, fake drums, fake bass, fake news, and some vocals. Oh, and Vuvuzela.

- Jim Peterik: Guitar, Bass, Keyboard, Vocals and Vuvuzela

- August Zadra: Electric Guitars, vocals

- Jimmy Leahey: Acoustic and electric guitars

- Craig Carter: Bass, vocals and invocations

- Mighty Mike Morales: Drums and all day sound checker

- John Blasucci: Keyboards

- Mike Aquino: Electric Guitars

- Kevin Chalfant: backing vocals

- Matthew DeYoung: Drums on "To The Good Old Days"

- Ed Breckenfeld: Drums on "Unbroken"

- Zoe and Austin Orchard for Ring Around The Rosie

- The Chicago Children's Choir and conductor Josephine Lee

In a new interview with Heather Brown of the KZZK radio station, legendary rocker Alice Cooper was asked if the coronavirus pandemic has made him think more seriously about retiring in the not-too-distant future. He responded (hear audio below): "Not in the least. That word doesn't exist in my vocabulary. A long, long time ago, I said if I come into your town and put on a show and nobody shows up, well, then I know I'm done. That hasn't happened. At 72, I was not expecting to be in two touring bands. And the [HOLLYWOOD] VAMPIRES are just like my band — everybody in that band are best friends. You've got Johnny Depp, Joe Perry and myself — three alpha males — and we've been together six years and I have never heard one argument. Everybody just goes, 'Okay. Good idea. Let's try that.'"

Last month, Alice released a new single, "Don't Give Up". Produced by Cooper's longtime collaborator Bob Ezrin using remote technology, the song is a spontaneous reaction to the challenges facing us all right now.

A strictly limited "Don't Give Up" seven-inch vinyl picture disc will be released on August 14 on earMUSIC.

Cooper recently completed work on his new album, "Detroit Stories". The LP, which was once again produced by Ezrin, features contributions by such Michigan talent as the MC5's Wayne Kramer, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD's Mark Farner and Johnny "Bee" Badanjek of MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS. They also used the Detroit Horns and Detroit background singers.

Last September, Cooper released a six-track EP called "Breadcrumbs", described as a tribute to the garage-rock heroes of his hometown of Detroit.

LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton has clarified his recent comments about Chris Adler, saying the group's founding drummer is "an incredibly talented person" who "knows damn well that I love and respect him."

Earlier this week, Morton spoke to American Songwriter about what it was like writing and playing with new LAMB OF GOD drummer Art Cruz after recording with Chris for over a decade. He said: "There are differences for sure. Chris was a phenomenal talent, and he's a great drummer, and we made a lot of amazing music together. But Art is also a phenomenal talent and a great drummer. He's more feel-oriented. He's a little less robotic, and I don't mean that as a dig. I don't want to compare them too much. They're just two different drummers. But Art is a real feel, finesse player. I think the prime example I can give is live with Chris we used to play everything to a click. There was a click in our ear and that was a machine that kept timing consistent and the same every night. Within a week of playing with Art live, we were off the click. We were just playing the songs together instead of playing them at the same time. And I think that really made its way into our creative process as well."

After various web sites, including BLABBERMOUTH.NET, picked up Mark's comments, he took to his Twitter to set the record straight about his relationship with his former bandmate. He wrote: "Chris Adler is an incredibly talented person & an incredibly talented drummer. We have made a ton of music together & I'm immensely proud of our collective work. I have said that repeatedly in recent interviews because I mean it. Sites want clicks so they SPIN it another way."

He added in a separate tweet: "Chris and I remain in contact and he knows damn well that I love and respect him."

LAMB OF GOD will release its new, self-titled album 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 LAMB OF GOD's first recordings with Cruz, who joined the band last year.

Earlier this week, Cruz told Terry "Beez" Bezer of Knotfest.com's "Mosh Talks With Beez" that he had no intention of copying Adler's style. "I'm never going to be Chris Adler, and I don't want to be Chris Adler; I want to be me," he said. "I wanna be Art Cruz, but I've been able to use what he's inspired me for and build who I am… I was lucky to be able to create what I did and not lose that LAMB OF GOD sound. It's the LAMB OF GOD sound — it's not the sound of the drummer. Yeah, you need [John] Bonham for LED ZEPPELIN, but if you don't have Jimmy Page, you don't have LED ZEPPELIN. It's a formula, so at the end of the day, I have to keep that sound, and that's what it is. I pay homage to the drum parts a lot, 'cause that's what it is — it's the LAMB OF GOD sound."

Art filled in for Chris on several LAMB OF GOD tours in the past couple of years before being named Adler's official replacement last July.

Cruz made his live debut with LAMB OF GOD in July 2018 in Gilford, New Hampshire.

"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).




Chris Adler is an incredibly talented person & an incredibly talented drummer. We have made a ton of music together & I’m immensely proud of our collective work. I have said that repeatedly in recent interviews because I mean it. Sites want clicks so they SPIN it another way.

— Mark Morton (@MarkDuaneMorton) June 11, 2020








Chris and I remain in contact and he knows damn well that I love and respect him.

— Mark Morton (@MarkDuaneMorton) June 11, 2020

On July 10, Ensiferum will release their new album, Thalassic, via Metal Blade Records. For a preview of Thalassic, a video for the new single, "Andromeda" (directed by Vesa Ranta and recorded on Rankki Island, Finland), can be seen below:

On Thalassic's release day (July 10), Ensiferum will host a record release show - "Studio Live" - at 9 PM, EET / 8 PM, CET / 7 PM, GMT / 12 PM, EST / 9 AM, PST. The band will be performing a selection of new, classic and rare tracks "live" from Sonic Pump Studio in Helsinki, Finland that will be streamed at Keikalla.fi. The band will also be chatting with fans in between the live performance and after the show.

For those not able to catch the show when it airs, the performance will be available online for 7 days immediately following the end of the show.

Tickets are available now for purchase, here.

Thalassic can be pre-ordered here in the following formats:

- Ltd. box set (incl. Digipak, bonus CD, flag, pendant)
- Ltd. box set (incl. Digipak, bonus CD, flag, pendant, drinking horn - EMP excl.)
- Ltd. Digi (incl. 2 bonus tracks - EU excl.)
- CD
- Ltd. LP + 7" + drinking horn (ltd. 1000 - EMP excl.)
- 180g Black Vinyl (EU excl.)
- Red/Black Marbled Vinyl (ltd. 700 - EU excl.)
- Purple/Blue Marbled Vinyl (ltd. 300 - EU excl.)
- Finish Flag Vinyl (ltd. 200 - Nuclear Blast excl.)
- Gold Vinyl (ltd. 200 - Ensiferum store excl.)
- Night Blue Marbled Vinyl (ltd. 100 - Levykauppa excl.)
- Red/Orange/Yellow Glow (ltd. 100 - Kings Road excl.)
- PIC-LP (ltd. 300 - EU excl.)
- Jade Green Vinyl (ltd. 400 - US excl.)
- Arctic Blue Vinyl (ltd. 300 - US excl.)

Thalassic tracklisting:

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

"Rum, Women, Victory" video:

"Rum, Women, Victory" lyric video:




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In this new video from Guitar World, Ian Jekelis and Harrison Patuto play through Aborted's song, "Serpent Of Depravity", from the La Grande Mascarade EP, out now.

La Grande Mascarade contains the studio recordings "Gloom And The Art Of Tribulation", "Serpent Of Depravity", and "Funereal Malediction". Featuring nasty art courtesy of Mitchell Nolte and produced by Kristian ‘Kohle’ Kohlmannslehner, La Grande Mascarade is available as limited edition CD (international), jewelcase (North America) and digitally.

Exclusive bundles are available here. More ordering options available here.

"Serpent Of Depravity" visualizer:

"Gloom And The Art Of Tribulation" lyric video:

"Gloom And The Art Of Tribulation" bass playthrough:

Aborted lineup:

Svencho - Vocals
Stefano Franceschini - Bass
Ken Bedene - Drums
Ian Jekelis - Guitars
Harrison Patuto - Guitars




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Kansas, America's legendary progressive rock band, have released a new video trailer for their upcoming new album, The Absence Of Presence. Watch the band talk about writing and recording the album below:

Earlier this week, Kansas announced a new release date for The Absence Of Presence. Due to manufacturing delays beyond the band and label's control, the album will now be released on July 17 via InsideOut Music.

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

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

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

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

The Absence Of Presence tracklsting:

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

"Jets Overhead" video:

"Memories Down The Line" video:

"Throwing Mountains" video:

Sampler:

In other news, Kansas have issued the following update regarding their Point Of Know Return Anniversary tour:

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

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

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

New 2021 dates:

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

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

(Photo - Emily Butler Photography)




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Craft Recordings announces the vinyl reissue of The Silent Circus - the sophomore album from progressive hardcore rockers, Between The Buried And Me.

Originally released in 2003, The Silent Circus established the North Carolina five-piece as a force to be reckoned with in their genre. Now, as Between The Buried And Me celebrate their 20th year together, this special reissue - newly remixed and remastered by the group’s longtime collaborator, Jamie King - offers fans the chance to revisit one of the band’s early masterpieces. Available for pre-order today, the double-LP will be available July 31, while a limited-edition version, pressed on purple marble vinyl, will be sold exclusively via the band’s website. The title will also be reissued concurrently across all streaming and digital platforms.

In 2002, Between The Buried And Me introduced themselves to the hardcore scene with their fierce, self-titled debut. The group’s exceptional musicianship, sharp lyricism, and unique blend of progressive metal with cerebral math-rock not only impressed critics, but also the A&R team at Victory Records, who quickly signed the band to their roster.

For their sophomore effort, the group traveled north to record with producer Matthew Ellard (Elliott Smith, Juliana Hatfield, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones) at Boston’s legendary Q Division Studios. Laying down tracks like “Ad A Dglgmut,” “Reaction,” and “Mordecai” - one of the band’s most enduring singles - Between The Buried And Me once again proved their extraordinary technical skill and ability to move seamlessly between musical styles.

For years, The Silent Circus has been an anomaly in the band’s catalog - standing out as their only studio full-length not produced by Jamie King. When it came time to revisit the record, however, they turned to their longtime collaborator to offer his take on the album. King remixed and remastered the record at The Basement Studios in Winston-Salem, NC.

“It’s been a great experience to revisit the more chaotic moments of our catalog with The Silent Circus,” says frontman Tommy Rogers. “Hearing this album with new ears has really helped us appreciate the many transformations we’ve exhibited over the years. I hope the fans enjoy diving into this insane album again as much as we have.”

Click here to pre-order/pre-save The Silent Circus (remixed and remastered). Exclusive album bundles are also offered in the Craft Recordings store.

The Silent Circus vinyl tracklisting:
 
Side A:
1. "Lost Perfection" a) "Coulrophobia"
2. b) "Anablephobia"
3. "Camilla Rhodes"

Side B:
1. "Mordecai"
2. "Reaction"
3. "Shevanel Take 2"

Side C:
1. "Ad A Dglgmut"
2. "Destructo Spin"

Side D:
1. "Aesthetic"
2. "The Need For Repetition"

(Photo - Juan Pardo)




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

Guitarist Josh Rand states: "'Hesitate' was one of the first songs Corey brought into the demo sessions for Audio Secrecy. It was a recorded at Shawn's sometime in 2008 I think."




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Wymer Publishing has set an October 2 release date for "Thin Lizzy: A Visual Biography".

If any band deserves to have homage paid to them with a lavish, full-color photographic book, look no further than THIN LIZZY. With their origins going back to the late sixties, by 1971 with the first album release, LIZZY's journey really began.

Incredibly, no one has published a visual biography before, but now that has been rectified. Drawing on several thousand images and items of memorabilia, this large format 240-page book is a treasure trove for the LIZZY devotees — crammed full of live and offstage shots that portray the band's journey through the decades. It also includes loads of super cool memorabilia including backstage passes, gig posters, media adverts and much more, all reproduced on high quality art paper. This is one future collector's item that every self-respecting THIN LIZZY fan will want to own.

Rounding it off, "Thin Lizzy: A Visual Biography" is topped and tailed with 20,000 words by LIZZY biographer and world-renowned rock author Martin Popoff.

With a Phil Lynott documentary, "Songs For While I'm Away", due to hit the silver screen in the autumn, this lavish book will prove to be the perfect companion and a valuable addition to any fan's collection. Customers who order by August 1 can also have their names printed on a dedicated fan page.

Since his untimely death in 1986, Lynott has left a musical legacy that continues to influence and inspire musicians around the globe. Even the legendary Bob Dylan has been quoted singing LIZZY's praises. Over the years, Lynott's songs have been covered by an array of such diverse performers as HENRY ROLLINS, THE CORRS, SMASHING PUMPKINS, RANDY BACHMAN, HUEY LEWIS, METALLICA and THE CURE.

In 2018, RTÉ, Ireland's national television and radio broadcaster, aired "Phil Lynott: Scéalta Ón Old Town", the story behind the making of the late THIN LIZZY singer's promotional video for his song "Old Town", on RTÉ One. The documentary was made exclusively for RTÉ.

Joel Hoekstra of Whitesnake stopped by the Guitar World studio to demonstrate a blazing solo with two handed tapping, hybrid picking and more. Joel then broke it down so that you can "Play This Now!"

This Friday, June 19, Rhino Records will release The Rock Album by Whitesnake - a new collection that features revisited, remixed and remastered versions of the group’s best rock songs. A video for "Love Ain't No Stranger", now in HD, can be seen below:

The album is the first release in the band’s “Red, White and Blues Trilogy,” a series of fresh, new collections organized by musical themes that will include: Love Songs (Red), The Rock Album (White) and The Blues Album (Blue).

In the album’s liner notes, Whitesnake founder and lead singer David Coverdale writes: “All the songs have been revisited, remixed and remastered. Some have been musically embellished where my co-producer Michael McIntyre, my new mixer Christopher Collier and I felt it appropriate or necessary to bring out the best in these songs.”

The Rock Album spans over three decades with songs originally released between 1984 and 2011 on six Whitesnake studio albums. One track – “She Give Me” – is taken from Coverdale’s 2000 solo album, Into The Light.

The group’s music from the 1980s is well represented by “Love Ain’t No Stranger” from Slide It In (1984) and “Judgement Day” from Slip Of The Tongue (1989), as well as “Still Of The Night,” “Give Me All Your Love” and the #1 smash “Here I Go Again” from Whitesnake’s 1987 self-titled album, which has been certified mega-platinum.

Restless Heart (1997) gets its due on the collection with four songs, including the blistering “Can’t Stop Now”. The Rock Album also features music from 2008’s Good To Be Bad (“Best Years” and “Can’t You Hear The Wind Blow”), in addition to the title track from 2011’s Forevermore. Other highlights from The Rock Album include a remixed version of “All Or Nothing” that features additional guitars pulled from the original multi-track tapes, plus an alternate arrangement of “Tell Me How” from Forevermore.

The Rock Album will be available June 19 digitally, on CD, and as a 2-LP set pressed on 180-gram, white vinyl. Pre-order yours now at this location. The cover art and tracklisting are as follows:

CD / Streaming:

“Still Of The Night”
“Best Years”
“Tell Me How”
“Love Ain’t No Stranger”
“All Or Nothing”
“Give Me All Your Love”
“Can You Hear The Wind Blow”
“Restless Heart”
“Anything You Want”
“Here I Go Again”
“Judgement Day”
“She Give Me”
“Crying”
“Can’t Stop Now”
“Always The Same” *
“Forevermore”

LP:

Side A
“Still Of The Night”
“Best Years”
“Tell Me How”
“Love Ain’t No Stranger”

Side B
“All Or Nothing”
“Give Me All Your Love”
“Can You Hear The Wind Blow”
“Restless Heart”

Side C
“Anything You Want”
“Here I Go Again”
“Judgement Day”
“She Give Me”

Side D
“Crying”
“Can’t Stop Now”
“Always The Same” *
“Forevermore”

* previously unreleased

"Still Of The Night" (2020 Remix) video:

"Anything You Want" video:

"Give Me All Your Love" video:

"Always The Same" lyric video:

"Restless Heart" lyric video:




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The official lyric video for "Death By Rock And Roll", the title track of the forthcoming album from THE PRETTY RECKLESS, can be seen below. The LP will be released via Fearless Records in the U.S. and Century Media Records in the rest of the world.

"In a lot of ways, this new album feels like a rebirth and our first single, 'Death by Rock And Roll', represents that salvation that my favorite music brings me," said vocalist Taylor Momsen. "Rock is freedom and this song is about living life the way you want, and now that belongs to everyone who listens."

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.

"Death By Rock And Roll", the fourth studio album from THE PRETTY RECKLESS, will arrive in late 2020 or early 2021.

According to Momsen, "Death By Rock And Roll" "almost feels like the first record in the sense that we really threw everything that we had at it — we worked so hard on it," she said. "And I'm just excited for it to be out and have people come on this journey with me and see where it took us. I think it took us, in my opinion, to a new level. It's a new and improved PRETTY RECKLESS."

Since forming in 2009, THE PRETTY RECKLESS has quietly made history. The group's 2010 debut, "Light Me Up", ignited this rise. It was 2014's "Going To Hell", however, that set the whole genre ablaze. It debuted in the Top 5 of the Billboard Top 200, spawning three No. 1 hits — the gold-certified "Heaven Knows" (the biggest rock song of 2014), "Fucked Up World" and "Follow Me Down" — a feat that had not been accomplished by a female-fronted group since THE PRETENDERS in 1984. Their third opus, "Who You Selling For", boasted a diverse set of standout tracks, including "Oh My God", "Back To The River" and "Take Me Down". It also garnered praise from Vogue, Nylon and Billboard. Along the way, the group toured with the likes of SOUNDGARDEN and GUNS N' ROSES and tallied half-a-billion streams.

THE PRETTY RECKLESS is managed by David Sonenberg and Erica Ramon for DAS Communications Ltd.

THE PRETTY RECKLESS is:

Taylor Momsen - Vocals

Ben Phillips - Guitar

Mark Damon - Bass

Jamie Perkins - Drums

Neal Schon says that a new JOURNEY album is "starting to take shape."

JOURNEY's most recent studio album, "Eclipse", was released in May 2011. The Walmart exclusive debuted on the Billboard 200 album chart at No. 13 — eight spots lower than the band's previous album, 2008's "Revelation" — which also went on to hit No. 1 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart.

Late Tuesday night (June 17), Schon shared an Instagram video of him playing his guitar at what appears to be his home studio, and he included the following message: "Been in studio and JOURNEY album is starting to take shape. Back in later today zzzzz @nealschon @nealandmichaeleschon @merck_mercuriadis @journeymusicofficial @gibsoncustom @chromeheartsofficial #schön #soar"

Last month, Schon announced that Randy Jackson and Narada Michael Walden have become new bass player and drummer, respectively. He also confirmed the addition of a sixth member, keyboardist/vocalist Jason Derlatka. They join Schon, keyboardist Jonathan Cain and vocalist Arnel Pineda.

The new JOURNEY lineup performed a socially distanced version of "Don't Stop Believin'" for UNICEF USA's virtual event "UNICEF We Won't Stop", which aired on May 23 on MSNBC.

In early March, Schon and Cain filed a lawsuit against bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith, who have been members of JOURNEY on and off since the band formed in 1973, claiming the two attempted a "coup" in order to gain control of the JOURNEY trademark.

JOURNEY was supposed to launch a North American tour with THE PRETENDERS in May, but canceled the trek amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
























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Been in studio and Journey album is starting to take shape ??back in later today zzzzz @nealschon @nealandmichaeleschon @merck_mercuriadis @journeymusicofficial @gibsoncustom @chromeheartsofficial #schön #soar

A post shared by Neal Schon Music (@nealschon) on Jun 17, 2020 at 12:15am PDT

ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian recently joined the four members of SEPULTURA for a live playthrough of the Brazilian band's song "Cut-Throat", recorded and filmed while in quarantine. Check it out below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Richmond, VA-based groove metal trio, Artusha, has revealed a new video for their single, “Zero Label", through BraveWords!

“’Zero Label’ has to do with feeling boxed in by stereotypes and particular judgements. In today's day and age, individual mind frames should be celebrated, but many still look down on individuality. If you don't feel exactly like they do or say exactly what they want you to say, then they look down on you. How are we supposed to grow as people? How do you even begin to have a conversation with someone who has placed you nice and neatly in a little box labeled ‘Trash?’ A lyric line from the song says, ‘I wipe my ass with your label's son.’ That pretty much sums up our sentiment on those stereotypes and judgements. Sorry, not sorry." - David Landers

Artusha is completed by David’s brother Caylon Landers on drums and Brian Hase on bass, all of whom are multi-instrumentalist who have written and recorded solo projects. With this in mind, the trio has elected to follow the advice of Rush’s Neil Peart when it comes to songwriting, with everything written under consensus. “This ensures there isn't always someone on the losing end of creative decisions,” David Landers says.

The band is currently in the studio working at David’s own Zero Label Studio to finish their debut album, scheduled for release later this year. The studio, which now dually serves as Artusha’s headquarters and production office, is open to the public by appointment and offers full-service music production with the brothers engineering and producing.

Artusha is:

David Landers - guitar/vocals
Brian Hase - bass
Caylon Landers - drums




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At the end of May, Lars Ulrich spoke to Swedish talk show host Fredrik Skavlan about the possibility of METALLICA making a new studio album while in quarantine. The drummer said (see video below): "We're just starting, in the last four weeks maybe, we connected again. We've been obviously connecting [even before that], but we [have now] connected creatively, and now we're sort of in discovery mode, I think is a good way to say it. We are sending ideas to each other via e-mail and via Zoom and [trying to] make music in these unusual situations.

"We have a weekly Zoom connect," Lars revealed. "We've been doing that basically since [the coronavirus pandemic] started 10 [or] 11 weeks [ago] — since it started in America. So we get together once a week on Zoom for a couple of hours and catch up. The good thing about that catching up is we really just talk about how we're doing and we don't sit and talk about METALLICA for hours and hours. But now that we've started exchanging some ideas, it's great. It's nice to be in touch, it's nice to be part again of that group, and I look forward to the creative opportunities that lie ahead of us."

Asked what the differences would be between making a "normal" METALLICA album and a quarantine album, Ulrich said: "So far, at least the sonic side of it and the practical elements are in surprisingly good shape, actually. So now we've just gotta figure out how much we can create without being in the same space. The difference, obviously, between bands like ourselves and people that are still bands, like the U2s of the world or the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS or COLDPLAY or IRON MAIDEN or whatever is that you really are bands, and you rely on the group format to really move everything forward. So unlike if you're a solo artist and it's just you and your guitar or whatever. So it's a different thing."

In early May, the four members of METALLICA overcame social distancing to record a new version of their song "Blackened", with each member separated in his own home. The split-screen video was posted to the band's social media channels.

METALLICA has been largely out of the public eye since last fall when the band canceled an Australian tour and announced that frontman James Hetfield was returning to rehab for the first time since 2002 to battle his addictions.

In March, METALLICA announced that its South American tour, which was originally planned for April, was postponed until December. In addition, the band's appearances at four Danny Wimmer Presents-produced festivals in May and September were canceled: Epicenter in Charlotte, Welcome To Rockville in Daytona, Sonic Temple in Columbus and Louder Than Life in Louisville.

SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan has launched Dirty Rocker Soap Company, which specializes in all-natural artisan soap made in small batches.

Bolan stated about his decision to start producing is own soap: "Staying in hotels as much as I do tends to put me at the mercy of hotel room soap. Harsh perfumes and dry skin became the norm. So I decided to create soaps of my own to take with me when I travel. I hope you enjoy them."

For more information, visit www.dirtyrockersoapco.com.

Last month, Bolan told We Are Hear's "Raise Your Horns With Lzzy Hale" that SKID ROW was "still working" on the final chapter of its "United World Rebellion" trilogy. The disc is being tracked at a Nashville, Tennessee studio with producer Michael Wagener, who also helmed the group's 1989 self-titled debut and 1991's "Slave To The Grind".

SKID ROW's new LP will mark its first release with South African-born, British-based vocalist ZP Theart (DRAGONFORCE, TANK, I AM I), who joined the band in 2016 following the departure of Tony Harnell (TNT, STARBREAKER).

SKID ROW's new album, which will be made available through Australia's Golden Robot Records, will feature collaborations with several outside songwriters, including Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR) and Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger of HALESTORM, a group that covered the title track of "Slave To The Grind" on its "ReAniMate: The CoVeRs eP" in 2011. SKID ROW also worked with songwriter-for-hire Marti Frederiksen, who has previously collaborated with AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, Jonny Lang and Sheryl Crow.

Unlike 2014's "Rise Of The Damnation Army - United World Rebellion: Chapter Two" and 2013's "United World Rebellion: Chapter One", SKID ROW's forthcoming release will be a full-length record.


LAVENILLA

The comforting effect of lavender along with the soothing warmth of vanilla.

Posted by Dirty Rocker Soap Company on Wednesday, May 13, 2020

AEROSMITH's drum tech John Douglas told the Houston Chronicle that he had six hours to learn about 16 or 17 songs before he played his first gig last summer as Joey Kramer's temporary replacement.

"Time can sometimes be your enemy," he said. "Having a lot of time can make you obsess about something like this. So having little time is an upside."

Douglas ended up playing a number of shows with AEROSMITH as part of its "Deuces Are Wild" Las Vegas residency, and joined AEROSMITH and live on stage with RUN-D.M.C. at this year's Grammy Awards.

"So that's me," Douglas added. "This drum tech guy from Montgomery, Texas, who played the Grammys with AEROSMITH. Obviously I didn't grow up wanting to be a drum tech. I wanted to be a drummer. So I was honored to fill some famous shoes in an iconic band."

Kramer reportedly twisted his ankle during rehearsal, forcing him to sit out AEROSMITH's "Deuces Are Wild" tour dates.

Last October, Douglas told Rock Titan that he had no reservation or reluctance to take on the job when he was first approached about it. "Actually, I'm not even sure they even asked me — I think they told me," he explained. "It's kind of a blur. It was a show day, and I was in the building. Obviously, the band doesn't do soundcheck typically, so the crew does — we do a crew soundcheck, a crew jam. So we had just started that when I got the phone call from Steven [Tyler, vocals], saying that Joey couldn't play. Yeah, I don't remember actually being asked. And I would have said 'yes.' Maybe I was [asked] — I don't know. I've done this before with other bands a couple of times, but it had been a while. And it's always, obviously, unexpected. So, it was just a matter of, 'Okay. Yeah.'"

Kramer sued the rest of AEROSMITH in January in a bid to perform with this bandmates at two Grammy-related events. But a Massachusetts judge eventually ruled against him and the group played without Kramer.

After Kramer got injured last year, Douglas filled in for a few gigs during AEROSMITH's residency. Kramer did, however, perform with the rest of AEROSMITH in July at the Twin Cities Summer Jam in Shakopee.

Image courtesy of Rock Titan