American death metal institution Cardiac Arrest has unveiled their new track "Eradicate The Masses". The song hails from the band's seventh album, The Day That Death Prevailed, set for international release on July 17th via Memento Mori on CD format (Boris Records shall release the vinyl version on September 11th). Hear "Eradicate The Masses" now.

Formed in the bowels of Chicago way back in 1997, Cardiac Arrest have been carving out aural nightmares of perishing and grime for decades now. Consisting of four individuals with an unearthly interest in all that's absurd, morbid, gruesome, and unhealthy, the band's been consistently getting heavier and more vile with every album they spat out via previous labels such as Razorback Recordings and Ibex Moon Records, honoring timeless death metal of the most grinding and putrid ilk with genuineness and a no-nonsense approach, yet adding enough personality to be in a forever-rotting league of their very own.

Now, more than half a dozen albums deep into their 23-year career, Cardiac Arrest have again have delivered a masterstroke: The Day That Death Prevailed. Much like they did with their previous album for Memento Mori, 2018's acclaimed A Parallel Dimension Of Despair, Cardiac Arrest stick to their guns, but come out with those guns fully blazing! Tastes may change, but these U.S. diehards continue to stay true to the iron-clad ethos of genuine, all-caps DEATH METAL; if anything, they get better with age.

Indeed, the title The Day That Death Prevailed is fitting, for their rigorously fine-tuned form of death metal squarely harkens to older, purer days - when true songwriting was valued most, and the disgusting chops to back it up. Cardiac Arrest do both here, gutsfucking the listener with a fiercely focused mix of headbanging gallops and well-timed bouts of blasting, a streamlined, shit-heavy steamroller that's as catchy as the clap; hooks and grooves and generally memorable nastiness are all sliced and sluiced across The Day That Death Prevailed with absolute ease.

But lest one think "catchy" means "soft," think again: these Chicago miscreants are ever committed to horror in the most classic sense, just like aesthetic forebears Grave, Master, Benediction, Obituary, Cianide, Malevolent Creation, and of course, the Floridian masters Death and Massacre. This deep into their catalog, though, and it's about damn time Cardiac Arrest are included in the (un)hallowed ranks, right?

With suitably stark cover art courtesy of Eric Rot and another crushing mastering job by Javier Felez at Moontower Studios, The Day That Death Prevailed once again proves that old age doesn't soften the diehard one bit - it just kicks them into Cardiac Arrest!

Tracklisting:

"Thrive On The Fear"
"Naegleric Outbreak"
"Birth Of Hideki"
"Plague Ridden Destiny"
"A Call For Violence"
"Eradicate The Masses"
"Endless Dread"
"Sodomite"
"Up From Oblivion"

For further details, visit Cardiac Arrest on Facebook.

 




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Protest The Hero are moving the release day of their new album Palimpsest up a day to Thursday, June 18, to respect and honour Juneteenth on Friday, June 19. 

In a collective statement from the band, they explain, “Many months ago, when we set the date of our record release, we decided on the date of June 19. When we realized our scheduled release day coincides with Juneteenth, we didn't feel right about celebrating our album when we should be observing the holiday. Recently we have been doing our best to look inward and acknowledge our prejudice and privilege. In doing so, we must recognize the importance of Juneteenth, and we don't want to detract from it in any way. Palimpsest will now be released on Thursday, June 18.” 

A pre-order is available here. The album features 10 new tracks and is the first music from the band since Pacific Myth in 2016.

Tracklisting:

"The Migrant Mother"
"The Canary"
"From The Sky"
"All Hands"
"The Fireside"
"Soliloquy"
"Reverie"
"Little Snakes"
"Gardenias"
"Rivet"

"From The Sky" video:

"The Canary" video:

(Photo - Wyatt Clough)

 




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With their latest album, Mooncult, Finnish heavy metal newcomers Silver Bullet have achieved something that many bands can only dream of. With "Forever Lost" they truly created a hit which not only burned itself into the hearts of the fans but also is their most streamed song becoming a real Silver Bullet classic.

So it's no surprise that now the band releases an official music video for the song. The video was actually meant to be presented with their tour announcement but the Corona lockdown put a damper on the band. Finally they release the video - but as a farewell greeting - as singer Nils Nordling will leave the band.

The band states: "We are really sad to announce that Nils is no longer part of the Silver Bullet family. After seven years of playing together and after two great albums, it feels like you are losing a brother. There is absolutely no bad blood between us and in the end we all agreed that this is the right thing to do. We wish Nils everything good in life and we are sure that he will come to see our shows and maybe even rock the stage with us in the future.

"The video for 'Forever Lost' has been ready for some time already. We originally planned it to be released before we go on tour with Twilight Force, Majestica and Dragony, but the tour got cancelled, like everything else. This all gave this video a really special meaning and it now feels like a farewell to a dear friend. Huge thanks to everyone who was involved in making it!

"Good news is that the band will go on stronger than ever. The process of finding a new lead singer has already started, so if you think that you have what it takes to be the new frontman or woman of Silver Bullet, don't hesitate to contact us via email: band(at)silverbulletofficial.com

"The songwriting for our next album is going really well and it's gonna be killer! When you hear it, you'll instantly know it's Silver Bullet but it will also bring some new elements into our arsenal. We can't wait to play these songs live! We've spent a lot of time in the rehearsal room to make sure that when this cursed COVID-19 ends, we are more than ready to head on the road.

"Stay healthy and stay metal!!!"

Directed by Joonas Ylänne and Hannes Horma. Produced by Elise Oy and Markus Puumala. Filming and video editing by Joonas Ylänne. Drone shots by Viljami Tabell.

Nils Nordling adds: "Greetings to fans and other heavy music lovers!

"Probably, we have all been faced with situations in life at a time, where difficult and even hard decisions have had to be made. Personally, I now had to make one of them. With heavy heart, but at the same time sure that my decision is a right one, I say goodbye to the Silver Bullet band, fans and my bandmates.

"For more than seven years I got to be in the band, and those years can hold a lot of everything. Up- and downhills. Someone might find the decision stupid and hasty. After all, the band has a world-renowned second album, a valid recording and distribution agreement with the prestigious record company, and a European tour in the plans. However, I can assure you that the feeling of leaving has been shimmering inside me for a long, long time.

"No drama of any kind is related to my departure. With Hannes, for example, there will certainly be collaboration in the future. For my part, I cannot say anything one particular reason for my departure. Personally, I enjoy that creative part the most in band activities. Making melodies and lyrics. From the fact that in a way, from scratch or something unfinished, is created something ready and, in one's own opinion, good sounding. The recording process are ok too, but I started to experience touring as a distressing burden. Of course, that’s not always the case, but when you’re involved in a band with ambitious goals and a hard drive to get ahead in your career, it requires dedication and motivation from everyone. Personally, I eventually felt the gig was too much to perform, and the European tour, which was cancelled in May, did not increase the motivation either. Also, when I personally suffered from mild depression, I felt that it was better for band harmony and most of all for myself to step aside from the band.

"However, I am not about to stop making music, singing and band activities. I don’t have any specific plans for the future, but that, too, feels like a kind of facilitating idea at the moment.

"Thank you all for your support and encouragement. Thanks also to my bandmates for the past years. Hannes, Henkka, both Markuses, Patte and Ossi. Keep the flag high and get the job done."




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Australian metal destroyers, Aversions Crown, recently released their fourth studio album, Hell Will Come For Us All, via Nuclear Blast. Check out this new video trailer:

Hell Will Come For Us All was produced by the band while engineering was handled by Matt Shorter at Heliport Studios. The album was mixed and mastered by Will Putney at Graphic Nature Audio with additional mix engineering and vocal production by Steve Seid. Eliran Kantor was enlisted to help paint the story that would be echoed throughout the album.

Hell Will Come For Us All is available in the following formats:

- CD Jewel
- Vinyl
* Red w/ Black Splatter
* Yellow w/ Black & White Splatter
* Red w/ Yellow Swirl

You can order the album here, and watch a video for the track "Paradigm" below.

Tracklisting:

"The Soil"
"Born In The Gutter"
"Paradigm"
"Caught In The System"
"Hell Will Come For Us All"
"Scourge Of Violence"
"Hymn Of Annihilation"
"Sorrow Never Sleeps"
"The Final Judgement"

"Paradigm" video:

"Born In The Gutter" video:

"The Soil" video:




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Icelandic progressive rock three-piece, The Vintage Caravan, performed at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival in the summer of 2019. You can now watch professionally-filmed footage of the band's full set below.

Setlist:

"Reset"
"Reflections"
"Crazy Horses"
"Babylon"
"On the Run"
"Set Your Sights"
"Expand Your Mind"
"Midnight Meditation"

Earlier this year, The Vintage Caravan officially signed a worldwide contract with Napalm Records.

Since their formation in 2006 and the release of their self-titled debut full length in 2009, their virtuoso nostalgic sound trademark paired with astonishing modern elements precisely hit the mark. The young bloods straight from Reykjavik are casting a spell on all fans of guitar driven, yet bewitching classic and blues rock influences. In a blueprint between 70’s inspired vintage prog and southern rock, their manifold sound-structure vibrates in a harmonizing synthesis with classic rock elements.

Known for their impetus and high-voltage live performances, e.g. as the opener for Opeth last year, The Vintage Caravan announced their signing in the most charming manner: an intimate acoustic set on the Napalm Facebook channel as a part of the #NapalmSofaSeries. Let yourself be drawn into the boisterous, mystical wilderness of Iceland and re-watch the set below.

The Vintage Caravan on the signing: "We are very happy to announce that we have now signed with Napalm Records. They seem to get what we're going for and there's lots of enthusiasm on both sides for this new partnership. Looking forward to working with the great people there!"

Sebastian Muench, A&R, Napalm Records: "We are absolutely excited to work with The Vintage Caravan on the upcoming new album. I have been a fan of the band since its debut album and was lucky enough to have seen this brilliant Icelandic Rock Band perform live at Lake of Fire, Freak Valley Festival and Desertfest and was always simply blown away. Welcome to the Napalm family!"

The Vintage Caravan are:

Óskar Logi Ágústsson - lead vocals, electric guitar
Alexander Örn Númason - bass guitar, backing vocals
Stefán Ari Stefánsson - drums, percussion

(Photo - Sven Grosch)




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Esoteric Recordings has announced the release of a new remastered and expanded edition of The Living Room Concert by original Genesis guitarist and celebrated solo artist and composer, Anthony Phillips.

Originally released in May 1995, the album featured highlights of a live solo performance by Anthony which was recorded on March 21,1993 as part of the Living Room Concert Series for the US Radio program Echoes, a daily program of contemporary instrumental music. The show was broadcast on 120 public radio stations in America on June 25, 1993.

For the performance Anthony selected a number of acoustic guitar and piano pieces for the performance, drawing mainly on tracks originally released on the albums The Geese And The Ghost, Private Parts & Pieces and A Catch At The Tables, along with two pieces from New England, the eighth volume in the Private Parts & Pieces series and a solo 12-string version of the first movement of a Guitar Quintet that he had composed in 1976, which had subsequently been scored with parts for strings and wind instruments; “Conversation Piece.”

Unavailable on CD for many years, The Living Room Concert has been remastered and expanded to include three previously unreleased tracks recorded for the original broadcast, “Jaunty Roads,” “Let Us Now Make Love” and “Lucy: An Illusion.”

This Esoteric Recordings edition restores the original artwork and includes new liner notes by Anthony Phillips archivist Jon Dann. Due for release on July 24. Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Reaper
"Which Way The Wind Blows"
"Henry: Portraits From Tudor Times"
"Conversation Piece"
"Flamingo"
"Field Of Eternity"
"Sistine"
"Lights On The Hill"
"Last Goodbyes"
"Collections"
"Sleepfall"

Bonus tracks:
"Jaunty Roads"
"Let Us Now Make Love"
"Lucy: An Illusion"




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It’s time to take a deeper dive into one of most influential bands of the ‘60s, Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame inductees,​ The Zombies​. That’s why the iconic group is proud to announce reissues of their classic albums, ​The Zombies​, ​I Love You​ and R.I.P​ on vinyl. With a slated release date of July 31, the vinyl collection will be available for casual fans and dedicated followers alike to add to their collection.

The Zombies​ is the classic debut album from the rock icons including smashes “She’s Not There” and “Tell Her No”. ​I Love You​ is best known to Zombies fanatics as the crucial compilation, originally released as an introduction to the American public, featuring the top 5 hit “She’s Not There.” The reissue of ​I Love You​ will be the record’s first wide re-release in the United States.

Originally scrapped in 1969,​ R.I.P​ has gone down in musical lore as the legendary group’s “lost” album. Assembled in the wake of the success of “Time Of The Season” the album contains the band’s last recordings and other assorted unreleased numbers including, “Imagine The Swan” and “If It Don’t Work Out.”

Pre-order the vinyl reissues​ ​here​, exclusive bundles available at the Craft Recordings store.

The first wave of the 60’s British Invasion saw a diverse influx of sounds and styles infiltrating the soundwaves. At one end of the scale were the students of American R&B, whose music emphasized inspirations drawn from jazz and blues of a bygone era. On the other end lived the sophisticated, intricately arranged atmospherics of ​The Zombies​. There was no other band whose sound filled space as gorgeously and completely as The Zombies: the jazz-inflected electric piano of ​Rod Argent​, the choirboy vocals of him and his St. Albans schoolmates, bassist ​Chris White​ and lead singer ​Colin Blunstone​. Other schoolmates, ​Paul Atkinson​ on guitar and vocals, and drummer ​Hugh Grundy​, rounded out the classic original lineup, which endeared itself overnight to the most loyal and dedicated army of fans, to which any rock band can lay claim.

At the end of the day, it always comes back home to the triad of career-defining hits by The Zombies that beg the question: Where were you the first time you heard “She’s Not There” or “Tell Her No” or “Time Of The Season?” Their second and final album ​Odessey and Oracle​ has earned its reputation (and its spot inside the Top 100 on ​Rolling Stone​’s list of the ​500 Greatest Albums of All Time​) alongside such masterworks as The Beatles’ ​White Album​ and The Beach Boys’ ​Pet Sounds​. Rod Argent’s eponymous band gave majesty and definition to the ’70s, but The Zombies, which he and Colin Blunstone have been helming on records and tours for the past decade, are truly a rock band for all seasons.




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“We Never Forget,” the latest video from Canadian all-star modern metal band Imonolith's Quarantine Sessions, is available today. Watch “We Never Forget” below.

"'We Never Forget' is a song everyone in the band loves,” says drummer Ryan “RVP” Van Poederooyen. “Jon helped write this song with Beav and I. He came up with the intro/chorus and verse riffs. We were actually toying with the idea of releasing this song as a single. It’s got everything from catchy choruses to slamming riffs and pounding drums. It’s a fun song for us to play live. It just has a great energy overall. The song lyrically is about living life and learning from it as much as you possibly can. No regrets. We all succeed in areas of life and make mistakes but the best thing you can do when you make a mistake or succeed is learn from it. Never forget what you learn. This is just an ass kicker of a song with a good message behind it. Hope you guys dig this video of it!”

Imonolith, featuring drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen (Devin Townsend Project), guitarist Brian ‘Beav’ Wadell (Devin Townsend Project), Jon Howard (Threat Signal), guitarist Kai Huppunen (Methods of Mayhem, Noise Therapy) and Scott Whalen (Econoline Crush), recently launched a new series via social media called Inside The Album, offering a look behind-the-scenes of their debut record, State Of Being. In the clip below they get into "The Reign"

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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Firewind's new self-titled album is out now via AFM Records. Order the album here, and watch Gus G. perform live solo playthroughs for song from the album below:

“Firewind” boasts 11 prime examples of melodic metal songs. The skill, craftsmanship and power bleeds through every note, a passion you can almost taste, with hymnal melodies as a particularly outstanding feature.

Tracklisting:

"Welcome To The Empire"
"Devour"
"Rising Fire"
"Break Away"
"Orbitual Sunrise"
"Longing To Know You"
"Perfect Stranger"
"Overdrive"
"All My Life"
"Space Cowboy"
"Kill The Pain"

"Break Away" lyric video:

"Welcome To The Empire" video:

"Rising Fire" video:

EPK:




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Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing has once again defended the band's controversial symphonic heavy metal concept double album about Nostradamus, saying it was "something original" which allowed him and his then-bandmates to show what they "could actually do as musicians."

Released in 2008, the two-CD, 23-track journey through the life of the controversial, 16th-century prophet was criticized by fans for not sounding like classic PRIEST and for consisting almost entirely of slow, doomy, operatic, keyboard-heavy anthems, apart from a token couple of mid-tempo songs.

Speaking to The Flying V Documentary TV Channel, Downing said about "Nostradamus" (see video below): "A lot of people probably don't understand or quite get 'Nostradamus', but it was great for us — it was great for us to express and to exhibit what we could actually do as musicians. And also it was something original. And I love it.

"The downfall of 'Nostradamus' was probably the one thing that I actually thought, naively, was gonna be the best thing about 'Nostradamus', and that is the fact that I wanted to take people back to how it used to be," he continued.

"Years ago, when you had a big concept album, like when I first got [THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE's] 'Electric Ladyland', for example, we used to go in our bedroom, close the curtains, put the headphones on and just disappear into our world for however long it took to get through the album and just absorb it and just be at one with it. And I wanted people to experience 'Nostradamus' like that."

"Nostradamus" shifted 42,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at No. 11. At the time, this was the band's highest-ever chart position in the U.S. In Canada, the CD opened at position No. 9 after moving close to 4,000 units.

Back in 2018, Downing described "Nostradamus" as "our chance to create something different in the music place that we don't always go to. We have lots of great musicals, and we go into great, prestigious venues, like the Royal Albert Hall or Carnegie Hall — great theaters around the place," he said. "To create something and not let everyone else have all of the spoils — 'Phantom Of The Opera' and 'Cats' and all of these musicals and stuff like that. Why can't we, JUDAS PRIEST, put something that's rock and metal into that musical and entertainment place?

"Okay, we might have been going off on a tangent, getting on the wrong track as far as everybody wanting a [classic-sounding] JUDAS PRIEST record, but looking at the bigger picture of broadening the scope and the horizons of what a rock and metal band can do, it's an opportunity kind of missed through no fault of anyone's except our own record company and management, or whatever, decisions," he continued. "It wasn't to be, and probably it was a good decision. But it's a dream — it's a dream for me. I often think about it."

Downing's autobiography, "Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest", was released in September 2018 via Da Capo Press.

Rock supergroup MOTOR SISTER — featuring Jim Wilson (MOTHER SUPERIOR), Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), Pearl Aday (Scott's wife and daughter of actor/musician Meat Loaf), Joey Vera (ARMORED SAINT, FATES WARNING) and John Tempesta (THE CULT) — recently recorded a cover version of the AC/DC classic "Girls Got Rhythm". A music video for the track, filmed while the bandmembers were in quarantine, can be seen below.

This past March, MOTOR SISTER entered the studio to begin recording its second album. The disc is being produced by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER) and is tentatively due before the end of the year via Metal Blade Records.

Since the release of MOTOR SISTER's debut, "Ride", in 2015, the group has been more than busy with its other commitments: Ian has been touring non-stop with ANTHRAX; Tempesta has been on tour with THE CULT; Vera has been touring and working on new music with ARMORED SAINT; Aday released a solo album, "Heartbreak And Canyon Revelry"; and Wilson released an album with drummer Phil Jones.

MOTOR SISTER was originally assembled to jam for Ian's 50th birthday party. Thanks to Aday, all it took was a quick phone call, and the stage was literally set for Scott's dream gig. "I wanted to cherry-pick a set list of my favorite MOTHER SUPERIOR songs and get these guys together and have the concert at my house," Scott said of the event that eventually led to an album — "Ride", comprised of MOTHER SUPERIOR covers — and the formation of MOTOR SISTER.

For its sophomore release, MOTOR SISTER has written all-new, original songs.

"The simple goal for the second MOTOR SISTER album is to make the most kick-ass, high-energy rock and roll record ever," Wilson previously said.

GREY DAZE, the Phoenix-based rock band that birthed one of the most recognizable voices in modern rock music, Chester Bennington, has released a new music video, "B12". The song is taken from GREY DAZE's forthcoming album, "Amends', due on June 26 via Loma Vista Recordings.

"Everything we've done surrounding the upcoming release of 'Amends' has been to honor Chester," explains GREY DAZE co-founder and drummer Sean Dowdell. "The video for 'B12' is no exception. We wanted to celebrate all that has been accomplished in seeing 'Amends', a release he had wanted to bring to life, and in this video we not only brought his lyrics to life, we also were able to feel his presence as we performed alongside his vocal track."

For the "B12" video, the live performance is interspersed with clips from the recording of the song, which features contributions from Brian "Head" Welch and James "Munky" Shaffer of KORN. Head said of the track: "The range, the power, the melody, and the flow… it sounds like [Chester is] in his prime."

GREY DAZE has released a number of profound videos in support of the 11-song release, offering fans a look into the early musical moments of one of modern rock music's most beloved singers. "What's In The Eye" showcased live footage of the band, sharing some of Chester's first moments as a frontman. "Sickness" portrayed the real-life story of Sean becoming Chester's "big brother" after witnessing him being bullied. "Sometimes" proved how powerful Chester's lyrics were, even as a teenager, with the clip showcasing his words ("Maybe things will get better, maybe things will look brighter") against the backdrop of the COVID-19 crisis. "Soul Song" was possibly the most heart-warming of all, with Chester's son Jaime Bennington writing and directing the visual piece.

In an interview with Alternative Press, Jaime explained that the video, which was set at a beloved family getaway in Sedona, Arizona, was reflective of his experience with mindful meditation, saying: "Through it, I have not just spoken with him but seen him with my own two eyes. And that is what this video is about. It's about that practice. It's about the lasting power of memory and about taking grief at my own pace."

"Amends" is the origin story of one of modern rock's most recognizable voices and also a full circle moment among friends. The album is the fulfillment of a planned GREY DAZE reunion that Chester had announced prior to his untimely passing. The remaining bandmembers — Dowdell, Mace Beyers (bass) and Cristin Davis (guitar) — along with Talinda Bennington (Chester's widow) and his parents, made it their mission to see the project through with assistance from Tom Whalley, the founder of Loma Vista Recordings and former Warner Bros. Records chairman during LINKIN PARK's tenure at the label. Dowdell, Beyers and Davis selected the tracks from the band's mid-'90s, but largely unknown, catalog and re-recorded the music in 2019 to accompany Chester's re-mastered vocals. Produced by Jay Baumgardner, several musicians leant their time and talent to the album, including KORN's Brian "Head" Welch and James "Munky" Shaffer, Page Hamilton (HELMET), Chris Traynor (BUSH, HELMET, ORANGE 9MM), LP (Laura Pergolizzi), Jaime Bennington, Jasen Rauch (BREAKING BENJAMIN), Marcos Curiel (P.O.D.) and Ryan Shuck (ORGY).

"Amends" is available in a variety of collectible formats with several iterations available exclusively via the band's web site. The CD comes as a 16-page case-bound book; a first pressing, ruby red vinyl variant exclusive to the band's webstore; and a numbered deluxe edition featuring both a CD and LP, which includes the first ever disc tray designed for vinyl, a 60-page book with never-before-seen photos, 180-gram red and white splattered vinyl, and a collectible set of band memorabilia dubbed the "Grey Daze Archive."

MÖTLEY CRÜE's Tommy Lee has clarified his involvement in the new song from Tyla Yaweh called "Tommy Lee". The track, which was released on Friday (June 12), also features Post Malone and is said to be an ode to the MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer and his lavish lifestyle.

Speaking to Darren Paltrowitz in a new interview, Tommy said (see video below): "I've gotta clear this up, because in another interview, I think there was some miscommunication. The song that just came out yesterday from Tyla and Post, I am not on that track. I am working on — and I will be done by, I think, Tuesday — I'm working on a remix of it, where I've put my flavors all over it and turned it into something really cool that I think everyone's gonna dig. So I did not play on the original track that came out last night."

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."

A week ago, 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.

Swedish guitarist, songwriter and producer Magnus Karlsson says he is open to recording a full-length album with Tony Martin after previously collaborating with the former BLACK SABBATH singer on two songs from his solo project MAGNUS KARLSSON'S FREE FALL. "I asked him, and we talked about it, but it didn't happen yet," Magnus told Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com in a new interview. "But maybe. He didn't say no, but he really wants it to be the right songs and we have to work on it. I already sent him some tracks, and he had to think about it. So he's a little picky, but that's great. He's also the only one on the FREE FALL albums that writes his own lyrics and melodies too. Because he said, 'When you hire me, you don't just hire a singer — you hire the whole thing, with my approach to melodies and lyrics.' And I said, 'Yes, that's fine.'"

Martin makes an appearance on the song "Temples And Towers" from the third MAGNUS KARLSSON'S FREE FALL album "We Are The Night", which was released on June 12 via Frontiers Music Srl. Martin can also be heard on "When The Sky Falls", from 2015's "Kingdom Of Rock".

BLACK SABBATH released six albums with Martin on vocals: "The Eternal Idol" (1987), "Headless Cross" (1989), "Tyr" (1990), "Cross Purposes" (1994), "Cross Purposes Live" (1995) and "Forbidden" (1995). Eventually, Martin and his "Forbidden"-era bandmates were ousted when guitarist Tony Iommi reunited with SABBATH's fellow original members.

In a 2012 interview with Über Röck, Martin said that he was "surprised" to see Tony Iommi criticizing him in the guitarist's "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath" book (referring to the Martin period, especially the touring phase following the release of "Cross Purposes" in 1994, Iommi lambasted his former singer as "unprofessional" and having "no stage presence"). Martin said: "I mean, they never said anything to me. Surely, if you've got a problem, the first person you should say something to is the person that's in the band with you... It sounds like a really stupid thing to say, as they didn't say anything to my face — and, if that's the case, then more fool them for not saying anything, because, you know, we could have fixed it. I said to them, endlessly, that if there was anything they wanted changed, done differently, just to say and we could fix it, but clearly, they didn't, they hadn't got the guts to, obviously, and to write about it in a book afterwards seems a bit daft to me. I'm not bitter about it, but it is surprising... It seems a bit stupid to say that after the event."

Four years ago, Iommi told I Heart Guitar that "it's a shame" that "it took a lot for people to accept" Martin as SABBATH's vocalist. "It's taken all these years later for people to say, 'Oh blimey, that was a good band with good singing.' So it took a long time to get people to really realize how good it was."

Back in 2018, Iommi spent time in the studio remixing "Forbidden". The LP, which features Martin, drummer Cozy Powell and bassist Neil Murray, is often regarded as SABBATH's worst studio recording.

Martin's last solo album, "Scream", was released in November 2005 via MTM Music.

Tony Martin photo credit: Rob Billingham

Sebastian Bach is open to the idea of embarking on a special tour in 2021 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of SKID ROW's "Slave To The Grind" album.

Asked by a fan on Twitter if he will "possibly be doing a 'Slave' 30th anniversary tour next year," Bach responded: "Anything's possible".

Released in June 1991, "Slave To The Grind" quickly soared to platinum status and became the first LP to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart since it began using Nielsen Music data in May of 1991.

In a January 2019 interview with Billboard, Bach spoke about SKID ROW's decision to follow up its multi-platinum self-titled debut album with a much more aggressive sophomore effort. He said: "The times were getting heavier. The bands that didn't get heavier in '91 really lost fans quick. Looking in hindsight, the whole scene was changing to a darker thing. If we had gotten lighter than the first SKID ROW record in '91, I don't think we'd be doing this interview right now."

"Slave To The Grind" spent a week at No. 1 and has sold more than two million copies in the U.S. alone.

Back in 2015, SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan discussed the "Slave To The Grind" songwriting process with The Aquarian. "I think a lot of people expected us to become formulaic with the way we approached the first record and we had no interest in doing that," he said. "And I'm so proud of all of us for being on the same page with that. I'm not saying that it would have been easy from the creative standpoint to sort of go along the lines of the first record, because it had some pretty big songs as far as radio goes, but we were in a different mindset. We had gone from barely leaving the state of New Jersey to seeing the world that very few people are privileged with."

Last fall, Bach completed a tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of SKID ROW's self-titled debut album. During the trek, Sebastian usually opened his 15-song set with "Tornado" — the LP's final track — and "Forever" before the singer performed the rest of "Skid Row" in order. As an encore, Sebastian played two songs from "Slave To The Grind": the title track and "Monkey Business".




Anything's possible https://t.co/RMRUOpKaxE

— Sebastian Bach (@sebastianbach) June 11, 2020

THE AGONIST's music video for "Orphans", the title track of the band's sixth studio album, can be seen below. Filmed in haunting black and white, the clip dances between striking, dramatic and abstract images of frontwoman Vicky Psarakis as she delivers the eerie message of the track.

"The story behind 'Orphans' was inspired by the novel 'We Have Always Lived In The Castle' by Shirley Jackson," she says. "It emphasizes the feeling of 'not belonging' and the social and physical isolation that comes as a result of that.

"Even though we've all felt like outcasts at some point in our lives, it's important to remember that we're never truly alone and that there's always someone there for you. We're all 'orphans,' but we're in this life together."

"Orphans" was released last September via Rodeostar Records. The disc was described in a press release as "a true monster feeding on melodic death metal and almost rocking moments. In between beautifully anthemic metal sound walls, pounding grooves and fierce riffs, charismatic vocalist Vicky Psarakis showcases her impressive range that covers everything from rock diva all the way to sick death metal growls. The result is a flickering, iridescent and varied masterpiece nestled in between sheer brutality and melodic frailty."

"When I heard the first instrumentals for 'Orphans' I was a bit shocked and confused," Vicky said. "The music was really dark and heavier than anything we've done in previous albums and I wasn't quite sure how I'd be able to match that emotion. But then, you know, all it took was writing one full song to get the ball rolling and 2-3 months later, everything was done.

"With every new album, we love to experiment and dip our toes into new territory, but there's also a lot of elements here that are reminiscent of the earlier days. Vocally, there's a wide range of styles, some of which I tried out for the first time, and the lyrics are mostly inspired from horror stories and real-life tragedies. Events that I felt a lot of people can relate to."

German metal queen Doro Pesch played her first drive-in concert in Germany this past Saturday (June 13) while complying with the country's social distancing regulations amid the coronavirus pandemic. The show place at the CARantena-Arena in Worms.

Professionally filmed video footage of the entire gig can be seen below.

After the show, Doro took to her Twitter to share a clip of the performance, and she wrote in an accompanying message: "Man, our first show at a #driveincinema / #Autokino was soooo #awesome! What an #amazing crowd! We had a #blast! #Worms, we #love you!"

Doro's next drive-in show will take place on June 28 at Bottrop’s Autokino am Moviepark.

Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino recently told investors on a quarterly earnings call that the company would experiment with drive-in shows this summer.

The first Live Nation show was held last month in Denmark, with 600 cars in attendance.

The Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten said the crowds were respectful of distancing regulations and there were no notable incidents at the event, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Tom See, Live Nation's president of venues, told Rolling Stone that the tentative plan is for Live Nation to put on these concerts in their amphitheaters and allow fans to tailgate and give pod-style seating to keep social distancing measures active.

"Our ultimate goal is to connect fans with artists to create those lasting memories, and we have teams around the world exploring unique ways to make that happen," See said. "There's not a one-size-fits-all approach to drive-in concerts, but we're fortunate to have our venues and logistics in place to ramp these shows up quickly as communities are ready. Artists and fans are having fun with them, and employees and crews are glad to be working some shows, so for us it's a win all around."

Doro will release her new single, "Brickwall", digitally on June 26 via Nuclear Blast and on vinyl on July 31.

EN MINOR, the new "depression core" project of Philip Anselmo (PANTERA, DOWN), will release its full-length debut, "When The Cold Truth Has Worn Its Miserable Welcome Out", on September 4 via Housecore Records in the U.S. and Season Of Mist in Europe. A pre-sale announcement video is available below.

A project inadvertently in the making since Anselmo's earliest days as a child in the French Quarter, EN MINOR is an experimental and eclectic musical endeavor that finds the legendary frontman exploring a softer, graver vocal style, delivering brooding tales of pain, remorse, and sorrow. The band released a self-titled seven-inch EP this summer via Housecore Records, with a proper full-length to see official unveiling in the New Year.

"The initial strains — in the most primitive sense — came about when I was given my first guitar at nine-years old," relays Anselmo of the EN MINOR project. "I didn't have the patience to learn other people's music, so I wrote my own. And some of those early parts are still prevalent in the songs we're working with now. Fast forward to 1988 when I bought my first four-track recorder; those old songs took on a new life and newer songs were written. Heavy metal was at the forefront of my performance-based output, but these little four-track songs were always there. I always had an apprehension about allowing them to be heard though, because they were so different; only a small circle of close friends got to hear them."

By 1993, Anselmo moved back to his hometown of New Orleans and his home became an instant magnet for local musicians and artists. "At ungodly hours, these old four-track songs took on an even newer life jamming with these cats," he says. "We learned a few of the songs and wrote several more, and soon we were recording under the moniker BODY & BLOOD. We wrote more songs, all recorded on a newer model four-track. It was fun. We did it for the vibe. And it was pleasing to break away from multi-tracking studios and heavy metal. Metal music consumed most of our time and lives. Those 'B&B' sessions were damned-near therapeutic."

Without a clear plan for the band, the project remained a periodic therapy session. "We kept things simple and just jammed when everyone was home and played our recordings for friends," he says. "Then I eventually moved again, Hurricane Katrina hit, and life sent all of us in different directions."

In 2012, Anselmo met Stephen "Schteve" Taylor and EN MINOR truly took shape. "He and I began experimenting with some vibey stuff, and soon after began recording the sessions," Anselmo says. "This led to the current incarnation of EN MINOR. Together, we re-worked a few of the old four-track songs and wrote several new ones in short order. These sessions are hypnotic and pulling. And we continue to write songs suitable for this project to this day. Ugly and beautiful, EN MINOR, isn't 'party music.' This is 'kill the party music.'"

EN MINOR is:

Philip H Anselmo: Guitar, Vocals

Stephen Taylor: Guitar

Kevin Bond: Guitar

Steve Bernal: Cello

Jimmy Bower: Drums

Calvin Dover: Keyboards, Backing Vocals

Joiner Dover: Bass

Jose Gonzalez: Additional Percussion

DEFTONES' Abe Cunningham has explained why the band has yet to release its long-shelved 2008 "Eros" album. According to the drummer, the LP — the last to feature bassist Chi Cheng before a car crash put him in a coma that lasted until his death in 2013 — was never finished.

In a new interview with Download TV, Cunningham said: "It was never completed, and that's what people don't get. Like, 'What, you're just sitting on it?' and I mean, no, we're not just sitting on it, we never finished it... There's a lot attached to it as well, you know? And I understand that people are passionate about that and they want to hear Chi's last musical contribution."

DEFTONES singer Chino Moreno told The Pulse Of Radio a while back why the band decided to keep "Eros" under wraps. "Some of it was out of respect for Chi — 'Let's just put this album, you know, in a vault for a while and, you know, hold on to it,'" he said. "It's the last thing that Chi's played on, so we hold it very dear to us. It's something that we have under our belt and when we feel the time is right we'll put it out."

Cunningham told Download TV that DEFTONES have broached the subject of issuing some of the material from the record, saying: "We've talked about putting out maybe a condensed version or an EP of four or five songs, something like that, and that kind of makes sense. But we have to get into all the legalities of it, and all that stuff, and also we have to finish it. But yeah, it would be nice for that to see the light of day, definitely."

DEFTONES have just completed mixing their ninth studio album during the COVID-19 quarantine, with Cunningham saying the LP could arrive in September.

Earlier in the month, DEFTONES postponed their 2020 European tour due to the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe. The trek, which was originally set to kick off on June 9 in Lyon, France, will now take place next year.

DEFTONES is Moreno, Cunningham, programmer Frank Delgado, guitarist Stephen Carpenter and bassist Sergio Vega.

GOJIRA has canceled all of its previously announced 2020 concerts due to the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe.

The French progressive metallers announced the cancelation in a social media post earlier today. They wrote: "Since the emergence of the Covid-19 and subsequent pandemic, we unfortunately are forced to cancel GOJIRA shows, including headline dates, for the year of 2020.

"We are diligently working on a touring schedule for next year, 2021. Although we are not in the position to confirm any shows for this new period at this time, we do hope to have more news for you all in the coming weeks. We are sensitive to the fact that the pandemic has caused hardships for many of you, this is why we decided to cancel our headline shows so you all can receive refunds now.

"Please contact your original point of purchase for refund information. We can no [sic] wait to get back out on the road to play for you all, but until then, please stay safe and be kind to one another!"

GOJIRA was supposued to support DEFTONES on a summer 2020 North American tour. The Live Nation-produced 20-date trek with POPPY was scheduled to kick off on July 27 and conclude on September 5.

A year ago, GOJIRA drummer Mario Duplantier told the Idaho rock radio station KBear 101 that the band was continuing to work on the follow-up to 2016's "Magma" album. "It's going well," he said. "I cannot give too much details because we still have to be on the same page with all the partners, and we have to give a collective [release] date and et cetera. But I can tell you that, yeah, we are working very hard on the new stuff. Work is in progress, and we are very, very, very happy and super proud of it. We just can't wait to give you more details."

"Magma" earned GOJIRA its first-ever Grammy nominations for "Best Metal Performance" and "Best Rock Album." GOJIRA's crushing track "Silvera" received a nomination for "Best Metal Performance", while "Magma" was nominated for "Best Rock Album" at the awards.

Back in August 2018, GOJIRA frontman Joseph "Joe" Duplantier told Metal Injection that the band started to work on new music almost three years ago. "Usually we write 12 songs and record 12 songs and release 12 songs," he said. "Now it looks like we're going to write 100 songs. It's a different approach and it's fun. We have new desires and a new way of doing things. I like to think it's going to be awesome. I feel it's going to be really exciting, for us at least. I don't know what people are going to think."

In the same interview, Joseph said that GOJIRA was planning to explore some new territory on the upcoming album. "I want to go back to some of the older influences that we have," he said. "We were always not a death metal band. Before that, I was a DIRE STRAITS fan, Michael Jackson. We have that in us and some progressive stuff too. We have all these things and we need to express that somehow, mixed with our own special sauce. We're working with stuff that sometimes is a bit surprising, even to us. Sometimes it's, like, 'What is this?' I don't know, let it sleep a little bit and go back to it. After this, we're going to go back into the studio and see what's going on."




#cancelled #Gojira #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/BH6rj7Jnfw

— Gojira (@GojiraMusic) June 15, 2020

W.A.S.P. has canceled its previously announced "1984 To Headless" European tour due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe. The trek, which was scheduled to kick off on September 15 in Malmö, Sweden and run through November 7 in Pratteln, Switzerland, was supposed to be a celebration of hits from the band's first four albums: 1984's self-titled debut, 1985's "The Last Command", 1986's "Inside The Electric Circus" and 1989's "The Headless Children".

W.A.S.P. announced the tour cancelation in a statement earlier today. The band wrote: "Due to the Worldwide Covid-19 Pandemic, W.A.S.P. has been forced to cancel their '1984 To Headless' Tour. Because of the complexity and scheduling of future touring plans, the '1984 To Headless' Tour will not be able to be performed at this time. Although we are saddened to have to miss this tour, we would hope to look at doing that Special Tour at some point in the future.

"In the coming weeks we will make a Special Announcement as to those future plans. For ticket refunds, please contact the original point of purchase locations for a complete refund.

"This is certainly not the way we would have wanted this Tour to end. There was a tremendous amount of work and preparation that went into the planing for this Tour. But the Band are still hard at work in what will be a coming period of memorable events including recording, a book and touring.

"Trust us, the wait WILL BE WORTH IT!

"The next couple of years are going to be INTENSE!!"

In February 2018, Napalm Records released "ReIdolized (The Soundtrack To 'The Crimson Idol')", the 25th-anniversary version of W.A.S.P.'s iconic hit album.


Due to the Worldwide Covid-19 Pandemic, W.A.S.P. has been forced to cancel their "1984 to Headless" Tour. Because of the...

Posted by W.A.S.P. Nation (Official) on Monday, June 15, 2020

Two Minutes To Late Night, "the world's only heavy metal-themed talk show", have released the video below, along with this message:

"NOT PAT BENATAR! We got our friends to cover this classic karaoke standard from the comfort of their own homes. This song features Shawna Potter of War On Women, Ken Susi of Unearth, Alan Cassidy of The Black Dahlia Murder, and both KW and Vic of Vile Creature.

"This is our ninth bedroom cover (we think? How do you count that four-song Panama set?) made with the support of Patreon. With so many musicians stuck at home with no outlets, we're going to keep producing these style videos and use the Patreon to give some money to everyone who has a part in them. Please support our friends by donating to our newly redone Patreon at honorableswords.com."




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As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dirty Honey was forced to cancel travel plans to Australia in mid-March to write and record new music with producer Nick DiDia (Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine), but that hasn't prevented the band from figuring out a way to get it done.

Since late March, the band - Marc LaBelle/vocals, John Notto/guitar, Justin Smolian, and Corey Coverstone/drums - has been holed up in their home studio/rehearsal space, writing and demoing a slew of new tunes with DiDia staying in the mix via Zoom.

Recently, while working on the new songs, the band connected with DiDia at his Byron Bay, Australia studio, where they performed and discussed the tracks' progress. You can check out that Zoom video exchange and hear what the band's been working on below:

In terms of recording plans for the album - when and where - the band is still working out those logistics as they will be determined by any travel restrictions as pertain to COVID-19. Dirty Honey and DiDia are aiming to get into a studio, with everyone together next month, either in Los Angeles or Australia, or, as a backup, via Zoom, with the band in L.A. and DiDia in Australia.

(Photo - NYLA Projects)




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Download Festival 2020 was set to return to the hallowed grounds of Donington Park this month, until organizers announced that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival would no longer be taking place this year.

A message stated: "We might not be able to gather at the hallowed grounds of Donington this June, but we’ll be rocking out in our living rooms, bedrooms and back gardens with the likes of KISS, Iron Maiden, System Of A Down and loads more! Pitch your tents, roll out your sleeping bags, and get ready for a weekend of music, special interviews, unseen performances, and exclusive footage, all broadcast live to your home from June 12 - 14."

Available below is 90% of the Iron Maiden material streamed live this past Saturday via the Download TV event. Two songs had to be removed due to copyright issues.

The original video broadcasted was as follows:

"The Clairvoyant" (Monsters of Rock, Donington 1988) – Not included here due to copyright issues
"The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg" (Download Festival 2007)
"Aces High" (Mexico 2019 – Some images of Rock in Rio 2019)
"Phantom of The Opera" (Download Festival 2013)
"The Trooper" (Download Festival 2013)
"Children of The Damned" (Download Festival 2016)
"Iron Maiden" (Download Festival 2007)
"Fear of The Dark" (Download Festival 2013)
"Hallowed Be Thy Name" (Download Festival 2007)
"Blood Brothers" (Download Festival 2016) – Not included here due to copyright issues




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Swedish warriors, Brothers Of Metal, have released a lyric video for "Hel", a track from their sophomore album, Emblas Saga, out ow via AFM Records. Order the album here, and watch the clip below.

Tracklisting:

"Brood Of The Trickster"
"Powersnake"
"Hel"
"Chain Breaker"
"Kaunaz Dagaz"
"Theft Of The Hammer"
"Weaver Of Fate"
"Njord"
"Emblas Saga"
"Brothers Unite"
"One"
"Ride Of The Valkyries"
"To The Skies And Beyond"

"Hel" lyric video:

"One" video:

"Njord" video:




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Drum legend Mike Portnoy (Sons Of Apollo, BPMD, ex-Dream Theater) has checked in with a new update:

"Some of you may remember a few months ago I made a post about how big of a pop / power pop fan I am, citing albums by Jellyfish, Imperial Drag, The Grays, Sloan, Redd Kross, Weezer, Ben Folds, Badfinger, Sweet, etc. as all time favorites. Also on that list was an amazing album by a short lived band from the late '90s / early '00s called Fuzzbubble, who broke up after one incredible album (and one compilation).

Fast forward 20 years: inspired by Roger Joseph Manning Jr., Eric Dover and Tim Smith from Jellyfish reuniting to form The Lickerish Quartet, the Bubble Boyz have also reunited with a new incarnation of the band now called Cult Stars From Mars (named after one of the old Fuzzbubble songs) and I am honored to have been asked to be the special guest drummer on their first brand new song in almost 2 decades: 'Dragonfly Pt II'.

The song is pure classic power pop and the accompanying video is, in the immortal words of Jeff Spicoli, totally awesome! Picture That Thing You Do meets Beastie Boys 'Sabotage' starring Brock Landers and Chest Rockwell). You can now watch the amazing new video below.

Climb aboard the Cult Stars From Mars train and enjoy the ride as they plan on releasing more new songs every month along with podcasts to accompany each new song (follow Podcast From Mars on all socials and stay tuned for an upcoming new podcast with me coming soon).

Make sure to follow Cult Stars From Mars on all social medias for updates on future releases and you can download Dragonfly Pt II now from this location."

Mark DiCarlo - Lead Vocals, Guitars 
Jim Bacchi - Guitars, Background Vocals 
Jason Camiolo - Keyboards, Background Vocals 
Mike Portnoy - Drums 
Brett Rothfeld - Bass Guitar




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Fretless / harp guitarist Tim Donahue - who released the self-titled Madmen & Sinners album with Dream Theater's James LaBrie in 2004 - has posted a remastered version of "All That Remains" from the record. Check it out below.

Donahue spoke exclusively with BraveWords about his activity over the last month, which has seen him revisiting music in his catalogue and remastering it to post on Facebook.

Donahue: "Since live performances are no longer possible, I've been keeping a pace with remastering older material, and material that has never been released. So much material... I wonder how I ever had the time to make so much music. So with the COVID crisis, I have the time to go back to hundreds of works and enjoy them while making simple vids to go along with each post on FB."

Four songs from the recording sessions for the Madmen & Sinners album (2004) featuring Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie were never released, but Donahue decided to stream them online in 2016. He contacted BraveWords with an exclusive update:

"I've decided to post the tracks I've hung onto for a while of me, James and Mike (Mangini). James sang exactly as I had written the pieces, and he sang his heart out. It's just not right to let them sit with no one hearing them, so here they are in their unfinished glory."

The songs in order are:

"Falling Sky" 
"History Repeats" 
"A Heartbeat Away"
"All That Remains"

Tim Donahue: electric harp guitar. bass, vocals, vocal manipulations
James LaBrie: vocals
Mike Mangini: drums

Written & produced by Tim Donahue

BraveWords scribe Carl Begai spoke with Donahue about Madmen & Sinners and the "lost" second album.

In 2000, Niagara native Tim Donahue made a small international splash with Into The Light, a solo record showcasing his skills as a fretless guitarist featuring current Foreigner vocalist Kelly Hansen. A year later he began working on a significantly heavier batch of songs that were unashamedly metal-influenced and came with a wish list of potential singers. During a meeting in Toronto over burgers and beer, I had the honour of hearing what would eventually become the Madmen & Sinners album. Asked who I felt would be the best voice for the material, I suggested Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie, unaware his name was at the top of Donahue’s list. Contact was made, plans were hatched, and in 2004 the duo released the Madmen & Sinners debut, an album unique to their respective careers. It was new territory for both Donahue and LaBrie, and ground they (sadly) haven’t returned to since.

“I don’t play the six-string fretless at all anymore unless I’m asked, like for the tracks on Nozomi Itani’s album (Station To Station from 2012). That was the first time I picked up the fretless in many years. Other than that I play the fretless harp guitar. I hate to say it, but the harp guitar has so much going on that when I pick up the six-string I yawn (laughs). I don’t mean that as anything against traditional guitars but the harp guitar kicks my ass and takes me to places I’ve never been.”

Although it’s been over 10 years since the release of Madmen & Sinners, the record still holds a special place in Donahue’s heart.

“I love the heaviness of the tunes. There are a lot of heavy bands out there and I’m certainly not the heaviest guitarist, but the songs and the actual writing, I think that’s why the music hits you in the heart even though some of the songs are really heavy.”

“You should hear the stuff I wrote after that,” he continues. “I could have released the second album through EMI but the harp guitar kind of called me and took me away. There is a second Madmen album written and I like it better than the first one. I love the first album; I don’t like the way the recording sounds but I love the music. The second album is deeper but… maybe in another life.”

LaBrie’s participation on a second Madmen & Sinners album was never written in stone, but there is unreleased material with his vocals on them. Four tracks to be exact, albeit incomplete.

“I have these extra tracks with James singing on them,” Donahue confirms. “He really wanted to do them and I said that if we had enough time after we finished the first album, we would. We were in the studio and he really pushed to do those other four tracks.”

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Almost turning two round decades since he originally kickstarted the project, Johan Reinholdz is back with Nonexist in 2020 for its fourth album, titled Like The Fearless Hunter, which will be released by Mighty Music on August 28th, 2020. 

The record takes off in the dark and violent death metal vein of the last EP, which saw Reinholdz assume vocal duties, but also contains crushing midtempo-heaviness  (“Together We Shall Burn”), melodic thrashmetal-mayhem (“Strictly Sadistic Intent”), hyperspeed hardcore/punk-spiced violence (“Litany Of Poison”) as well as sombre, progressive darkness (“Emerging From A World Below”) and even some instrumental shredding (“Fear Corrodes The Soul”).

The album is also graced and enhanced by the presence of some truly terrific guests: Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity), Rogga Petersson (Merciless), Chris Amott (Dark Tranquillity, ex-Arch Enemy) and Markus Johnsson (Eucharist), to name a few.

Tracklisting:

"Strictly Sadistic Intent"
"Together We Shall Burn"
"Dark Satanic Mills"
"Emerging From A World Below"
"Litany Of Poison"
"Fear Corrodes The Soul"
"A Meditation Upon Death"
"Bloody Carnal Sorcery"
"Dead Black Embrace"
"Scent"
"Cancerous Disembodiment"
"Reduced To Ash"

Nonexist was formed in 2000 when Johan Reinholdz presented some death/thrash metal demo-tracks for Bengt ”Wez” Wenedikter of Swedish WAR-music (Darkane, Defleshed, Naglfar). Reinholdz' other band Andromeda had recently signed a deal with WAR and now it was time for Nonexist to sign the papers. Ex-Arch Enemy/Furbowl/Carnage vocalist Johan Liiva was recruited along with Dark Funeral/Defleshed-drummer Matte Modin. The debut album “Deus Deceptor” was released in 2002 and, following the release of the album, Nonexist became nonexistent as the members went their separate ways: Reinholdz with Andromeda, Liiva with Hearse and Modin with Dark Funeral and Raised Fist among others. Reinholdz continued to write songs during the years to come, most of which were discarded though.

However, in 2009 a collection of Nonexist-songs emerged, the title From My Cold Dead Hands came about and Reinholdz started focusing on getting a sophomore album finished, while Liiva joined the band again. From My Cold Dead Hands was released in 2012. In 2014, Nonexist started recording album number three entitled Throne Of Scars. The style of the songs retained the atmosphere from the previous album; dark, intense, varied and heavy while also adding some new influences in the mix. The band signed a deal with Danish label Mighty Music, who released it in 2015. Later that year, Johan Liiva quit the band and Reinholdz took over the frontman-duties doing both guitar and vocals in the studio and also live.

Pre-orders for Like The Fearless Hunter on CD and Vinyl can be placed now. For further details, visit Nonexist on Facebook.

 




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American metal quartet, Seven Spires, have released a drum playthrough video for "Ghost Of A Dream", a track from their sophomore album, Emerald Seas, out now via Frontiers Music Srl. Watch the clip below, and order the album here.

Emerald Seas is a theatrical concept album, and is the prequel to the story of their debut full-length, Solveig. The album follows a lone sea captain on their quest for eternal life while being hunted by an ancient beast and struggling with loneliness, sacrifice, alcoholism, and the unexpected weight that comes with achieving one’s goals. Seven Spires’ signature blend of melancholic beauty and emotional brutality on Emerald Seas is the sonic manifestation of the silent emptiness that chills one's insides when staring across bleak, open waters.

Seven Spires continue Frontiers' tradition of identifying and signing the most promising young talents to ensure that the future of hard rock and metal music is in good hands.

Tracklisting:

"Igne Defendit"
"Ghost Of A Dream"
"No Words Exchanged"
"Every Crest"
"Unmapped Darkness"
"Succumb"
"Drowner Of Worlds"
"Silvery Moon"
"Bury You"
"Fearless"
"With Love From The Other Side"
"The Trouble With Eternal Life"
"Emerald Seas Overture"

"Bury You" video:

"Drowner Of Worlds" video:

"Succumb" video:

Lineup:

Adrienne Cowan - Vocals + Keyboards
Jack Kosto - Guitar
Peter de Reyna - Bass
Chris Dovas - Drums




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Death metal titans Shed The Skin have released their new track "Skeletal Firestorm". The song hails from the band's third album, The Forbidden Arts, set for international release on June 26th via Hells Headbangers.

The Forbidden Arts by SHED THE SKIN

Recorded in Cleveland, Ohio and mastered by Dan Swano (Nightingale, Edge Of Sanity, Bloodbath), The Forbidden Arts is a testament of Shed The Skin's talent and dedication to making relentless Satanic old-school death metal. 

Arguably the band's strongest material yet, The Forbidden Arts is also Shed The Skin's most varied work to date, including a more pronounced emphasis on haunting synth touches. But rest assured that this is still 100% Satanic Death as they intended from day one - no compromise, no quarter, no wimping out. Just look no further than the cover art: another unforgettable work courtesy of James Bulloch, where the priest has indeed finally shed his skin!

Tracklisting:

"Skeletal Firestorm"
"Archons Of The Final Creation"
"Trow Of Tragedy"
"Master Of Thralls"
"Necromantic Wellspring"
"Glorified In Bloodsmoke"
"The Laundress"
"Black Bile Of Ceres"
"The Moors, The Madness"
"Veins Of Perdition"
"Speculum In Blood"

Pre-order your copy of The Forbidden Arts now via Bandcamp.

 




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