Dragged Under and Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group have aligned with one another announcing plans to release a deluxe version of the band’s current release, The World Is In Your Way, later this year. The band’s repertoire is exploding at streaming platforms across the globe via an organic groundswell that has taken on a life of its own. To date, cumulative streams have exceeded four million plays.

The band features front man Tony Cappocchi, who has spent the last few years managing and marketing content creators and musicians alike, and has developed a passion and conviction to be transparent about what he believes is right. His lyrics paint a colorful picture of where he stands on mental health issues, government overreach, individual freedom, personal responsibilities and self-accountability. On guitar is Ryan Bruce, or as most know him “Fluff.” A content wizard for practically his whole adult life, Ryan has been creating music, and growing his recording studio gear tutorial videos, with views in the millions. On bass and backing vocals is Hans Hessburg, who has studied music theory and makes his living doing solo performances locally, while also offering music lessons on a variety of instruments (alongside vocals). Rounding out the rhythm section is drummer Kalen Anderson, who’s first tour ever was with Dragged Under when the band toured as support for The Used in January, 2020.

On the signing, guitarist Ryan Bruce shares, “Dragged Under joining Mascot is both a privilege and an honor. We feel that Mascot Records genuinely understands the band’s music and message, and we could not be more excited to work with such an incredible group of people globally! It would be an understatement to say I am grateful for the band to join the family. Their track record with bands like 10 Years, Gojira and Volbeat really sets them apart, so for me to now call the label home with my own band is a dream come true!”

Frontman Tony Cappocchi adds, “We are excited and honored to say that we have joined the Mascot Label Group family. We had a lot of options for this signing, but we saw what Mascot has been able to do with their bands and the level of attention they get from the label team, which is what ultimately made our decision and we couldn’t be more excited. We believe Mascot will be a partner that can support taking this from being a hobby to a career. At the end of the day the goal is to be able to play for our fans as often as possible.”

Mascot Label Group President / North America Ron Burman states, “We’re so excited about signing Dragged Under. The band embodies punk rock spirit, lifestyle and energy, fused with metal core sonics along with great hooky choruses. I love their DIY ethos, and their live show is off the hook! It’s rare to encounter an artist whose efforts on a purely independent level have yielded this vast connection to a global audience. We could not be more optimistic about the potential for the band’s future.”

Today, the band and their new label partner present a video for the song “Chelsea”, which can be viewed below. Recently the band launched a mixing composition for this song specifically via Rate My Mix, which also lives on Warren Huet’s YouTube channel, which received over 6,000 submissions. The astonishing engagement by the audience yielded more audio files than the domain had received for any given competition prior. See here for more details.

The band is pushing to be a voice for the fed up. The people who want to live and let live, the ones who have had enough of people telling them what to think, who to be and what they should believe. They want to make it known that they’re not here to make you like them. There is a passion for change in our world, and Dragged Under aim to lead us in to the era of self-discovery, introspection and following our own paths wherever they lead. From the musical epicenter of Seattle, and across The World, Dragged Under is casting a footprint that we rarely see emerge so instantaneously.

(Photo - Sara Lindsey Photography)




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German power metal outfit, Goblins Blade, will release their debut album, Of Angels And Snakes, on June 26 via Massacre Records. The band's new single, "Pay For Your Sins", is out now, and comes with a lyric video that's available for viewing below.

Of Angels And Snakes will be available as CD Digipak, limited edition Gatefold Vinyl LP in various colors, download and stream. Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Snakes From Above"
"Pay For Your Sins"
"Blink Of An Eye"
"Final Fall"
"Utopia"
"When The Night Follows The Day"
"The Bell Is Broken"
"Fall Into Darkness"
"Call For Unity"

"Pay For Your Sins" lyric video:

"Utopia" lyric video:

Goblins Blade are vocalist Florian Reimann (ex-Destillery), lead guitarist Jörg M. Knittel (ex-Sacred Steel), guitarist Claudio Enzler (Thy Bleeding Skies, Sacrificium), bassist Roberto Palacios (ex-Chinchilla) and drummer Claudio Sisto (ex-Mystic Prophecy).




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Today, Finland's Korpiklaani are pleased to release another version of "Beer Beer". This time it is "Shai Shai"  featuring Nytt Land's Natalya Pahlenko singing in Siberian, continuing Korpiklaani's concept of singing in different languages and cultural influences for "Beer Beer".

Natalya states: "Harsh Siberian beer named Shai Shai with the taste of Taiga and salty steppes. It's time to awaken your inner Shaman!"

Korpiklaani adds: "Nytt Land are a Shamanic Folk Duo that we meet when they supported us the first time we played in Omsk. It was on those rare performances when all of us came out to watch them, it was that powerful. We soon became friends, with both Jonne and Tuomas having contributed on different tracks on their new album. Their version, "Shai Shai" is one of our favorites as it is pure shamanic folk from Siberia. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do."

For this song, Nytt Land used several instruments like Jouhikko, flute, big frame drum and percussion instruments - as well as traditional Siberian throatsinging.

In the meantime, Korpikaa finished the album recordings for the new masterpiece of the folk metal superstars and just started the mixing process. Stay tuned for news!




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Tommy Lee says that the chance for MÖTLEY CRÜE to headline a U.S. stadium tour was the primary reason the band decided to cancel its retirement.

CRÜE fans who shelled out for the band's 2014/2015 "farewell" tour were led to believe that the group would never return after playing its final concert on December 2015 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The band touted the signing of a pre-tour "cessation of touring" agreement as cementing the fact it truly was the end of CRÜE's life on the road.

Speaking to SiriusXM's Debatable about the CRÜE's decision to reunite for this summer's stadium tour with DEF LEPPARD and POISON, Lee said: "[As far as we were concerned] that was it. 2016 — I'll never forget it. I think it was New Year's Eve. Staples Center [in] L.A. That was it. We all said goodbye. That was the dopest 32, 33 years of our lives. We're out. This is the best way ever to go out — on top. Mic drop, boom, see ya. We're out. And that was it. We're done. We didn't really speak to each other for probably a year. Everybody just went and did their own thing. And here it is four years later, [concert promoter] Live Nation asked us if we'd like to do a stadium tour, and all of us were, like, 'Ehhh…' And then we thought about it for a minute. We were, like, that is the one thing that this band has never done. Yeah, we played stadiums on festivals all over the place, but our own stadium tour? We were, like, 'Hold on. Let us think about this. Okay.'"

When "The Stadium Tour" was first announced last December, CRÜE said 2019's Netflix biopic "The Dirt", about the band’s formative years, sparked a renewed interest from younger fans who wanted to see them live.

"The movie exactly that — it really [inspired] a whole new generation of kids that are probably… I know, 'cause I've talked to many of them; I stay in touch with a lot of fans, and they're, like, 'Dude, is that really what it was like in the '80s when you guys were around?'" the drummer told Debatable. "And I'm, like, 'That's exactly what it was like.' They're, like, 'Oh my God.' That newer generation feels like they missed out, and they did, because shit isn't like that anymore, man. It was a free-for-all back then — anything went. And I think they wanna be a part of it and see it and witness it. So, yeah, there's this whole generation of kids that that movie has brought into the fold now that are super pumped to come and see what we do, come to see that life that we lived. And [they] probably can't believe we're all still alive. [They're] going, like, 'These guys are still doing this shit. What are they, cockroaches? You can't kill these motherfuckers.'"

Last December, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx said that he and his bandmates "missed each other" in the four years since they played their last show. He said: "Honestly, I don't think any of us thought, when we were on 'The Final Tour', we would ever get back together. We weren't really getting along at that point. We had been together 35 years, and it had been a lot of years on the road. I don't think we took a lot of time for ourselves off; we were just constantly touring for all that time. And when it came to the end, we broke the band up and everybody went their own ways. I think we really needed that break, and it was during the making of 'The Dirt' movie, we started working on the script, started being on the set, we started hanging out again together. And I think we really started to realize — without even talking about the music — how much we missed each other. And then that got us to go in the recording studio, which is where the whole thing always starts for all of us. And we wrote a bunch of new music, and had a blast in the studio. And then the movie took off. And our fans were super stoked, but we also got a new generation of people. And that kind of started the conversation. But it really was from the heart. We missed each other, to be honest with you, and we missed being in a band together."

Earlier in the month, MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS announced that "The Stadium Tour" has been postponed until the summer 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"The Stadium Tour" was scheduled to kick off in a week — 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.

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.

Warrior Soul singer Kory Clarke is featured in the latest episode of the 80’s Glam Metalcast. Listen below and read a few excerpts below.

When asked about the latest Warrior Soul album, Rock N Roll Disease: "Wear face masks, wash your hands..you don’t want to end up in a hospital room with a hazmat guy looking at you, sticking a needle in you. No...It’s a killer rock record man. I worked with a lot of good guys out of Chicago on that record. I decided to back off the vocal effects and just go straight in your face with this kinda stuff. The two recent records have been really cranked and in your face."

His thoughts about the 80’s glam metal scene: "It’s kinda a guilty pleasure for me to listen to stupid Hollywood crap. It’s fun, it was a time period. It just dragged on a little too long, that’s why I created Warrior Soul. I could see the writing on the wall when “She’s my Cherry Pie” came out. I said that’s enough of this. I still love Ratt and I like Motley Crue to certain extent. The stuff was good, it just dragged on a bit. Then came Warrior Soul, Nirvana, Soundgarden - we just changed it up a bit. We went to a more blues, Sabbath based sort of feel. We got out of that “Hot Rod Kickstart Your Heart” stuff, it was just time to move on."

On who killed the hair metal genre: "I wish they would have killed themselves all together. When things go on too long, you can feel it. You have another bunch of guys dressing up like chicks, talking about stupid crap. Emotional songs about their girlfriends. You can only take that so long. As we got into the 90’s, it was time to look at what was going on in the country as far as the people who aren’t beautiful, kind of kicked down. Instead of making them worship you, bring them up and make them feel cool. That’s the way I approached the first album. It was time for change, and a lot of us in the music industry at that time brought the change on pretty strongly."

On touring with Queensrÿche in 1991: "Everything was cool when we were in Canada. Then I went to Boston Gardens. I did the spoken word piece 'Four More Years'. I ended with my finger in the air saying 'Fuck Bush!' The audience was stunned. When I stopped my band was so scared. Instead of going into the next song they just stood there looking at each other. So some guy screams 'Fuck You”'to me. Then I go 'Fuck You Republican Scumbag' and then the whole place erupted! They were throwing shit, it was amazing! I just walked off stage. You know, Republicans are a rough crowd, they like some stupid shit let me tell ya! I fucking hate Republicans! Queensrÿche were fucking pussies dude. I mean Geoff Tate was pretty cool though. Ah, we had some fun."




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In a recent interview with Bushnell, legendary rocker Ted Nugent was asked to name the greatest guitar player of all time. He responded (see video below): "There are so many miracle workers on the guitar, and I've jammed with the best. I got to jam with B.B. King. I played bass with Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. I got to jam with Steve Winwood. I played with Stevie Ray Vaughan. I jammed with Eddie Van Halen and Billy Gibbons. I've been on stage with AEROSMITH, with Brad [Whitford] and Joe [Perry]. I've been on stage with HEART and played with those guys. I jammed for an hour with John Entwistle at the NAMM show in California years ago. I played with Brian May. There's so many gifted virtuosos. Derek St. Holmes, who was with me for years, is one of the greatest guitar players that ever lived. Rickey Medlocke, who was with BLACKFOOT, created incredible music with BLACKFOOT and now with LYNYRD SKYNYRD. Tommy Shaw, my fellow Damn Yankee, is just an unbelievable guitar virtuoso.

"So I've really been to the mountain top. I know that the founding fathers — Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Duane Eddy, Lonnie Mack — these guys invented this stuff, so we owe them everything.

"There's just so many unbelievably impacting, musically stimulating adventurous guitar masters out there. I've already named — I don't know, what have I named? Forty of 'em. There are so many that I revere them all.

"Dave Amato with REO SPEEDWAGON. Dave Amato played with me on the 'Little Miss Dangerous' tour and the 'Penetrator' tour. And people might not know the name Dave Amato, but what he plays with REO SPEEDWAGON is as good as any guitar playing on the planet. And I revere and admire those guys."

In a 1987 interview with Guitar World, Nugent called Jimi Hendrix "a master craftsman, a pilot of an emotional roller coaster who came the closest to anyone in the history of the guitar to master the unlimited dimensions of the tonal and lyrical capabilities of the instrument." As for Eddie Van Halen, Ted said the VAN HALEN axeman was "a contemporary leader of the pack with as much impact as any individual guitar player who ever lived — an innovator when innovation seemed to be attacked, an inspiration to every guitar player who wants to take the lyrical interpretation of the instrument beyond its confines." Nugent also weighed in on Yngwie Malmsteen, calling the Swedish six-stringer "a sensational technician — an innovative adapter of classical Baroque into a rock 'n' roll contemporary flash."

Nugent recently confirmed that he is working on material for the follow-up to his 15th solo studio album, "The Music Made Me Do It", which came out in 2018.

"The Music Made Me Do It" was released via Round Hill Records. Ted's first studio album in four years featured Greg Smith (BILLY JOEL, ALICE COOPER, RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S RAINBOW) on bass, Jason Hartless (JOE LYNN TURNER, MITCH RYDER) on drums, and the Motor City Madman himself on lead guitar and vocals.

Photo credit: Brown Photography

NEW YEARS DAY singer Ash Costello has confirmed to U.K.'s Rock Sound that the band has been using the coronavirus downtime to start work on material for the follow-up to 2019's "Unbreakable" album.

Speaking about how the creative process is taking place, Ash said (see video below): "I actually just talked to one of my producers yesterday. So it really depends on the producer's comfort level. I've seen musicians online in the studio with a producer with a mask on or whatnot. But his studio is in his house, and his wife, she does not want musicians coming in and out. I totally respect it — I respect that completely; who knows where we've been? So it really depends on the producer. In this particular case, he can't have people over, so we thought we're gonna buy me some recording gear and he's gonna take over my screen and do, like, mirroring and do all of the engineering and I'll just have to sing… I was, like, 'I don't have to sit in L.A. traffic. Why haven't we always been doing this? It's way better.'"

According to Ash, she and her bandmates have discussed the possibility of composing new music over Zoom.

"When we're together, there's a vibe, and that's really what is driving the song forward," she said. "You have to be there, feeling it out and getting excited or seeing the vibe, like, 'Oh, maybe that wasn't a good idea.' You feel stuff. So it's definitely going to be different. It's going to be new — that's for sure."

Asked how she stays creative in a time like this, Ash said: "I can only speak personally for me, but I feel just as creative as I ever have. And what's nice is I just have a little bit more downtime to focus on it, so that's actually pretty helpful."

Last month, NEW YEARS DAY released the official music video for "Skeletons". The song is taken from "Unbreakable", which was released in April 2019 to critical acclaim. The band enlisted powerhouse producers Mitchell Marlow (ALL THAT REMAINS, IN THIS MOMENT) and Scott Stevens (HALESTORM, SHINEDOWN) to create an album that combines heavy rock with pop sensibilities.

This past January, NEW YEARS DAY released "Through The Years", a limited-edition box set featuring all seven of NEW YEARS DAY's albums on custom-colored vinyl, a Blu-ray of their beloved music videos and a four-page picture book of never-before-seen photos of Ash and NEW YEARS DAY from their humble beginnings. The photos were handpicked and the captions were hand written by Costello.

KISS frontman Paul Stanley said on Tuesday he finds it "more frightening than despicable" that U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that a 75-year-old man seen in video being pushed by a Buffalo police officer during a protest "fell harder than (he) was pushed."

"To have the President of the United States spewing this lunacy is more frightening than despicable," Stanley tweeted. "WE are better than this. In case some of you didn't hear previous ones, consider this your wake up call."

A short time later, Paul deleted his tweet, explaining: "I have taken down my most recent tweet purely because I see it can never be the source of true conversation or exchange of views. Rather than incite a situation where there can be no real 'back and forth' I hope everyone finds clarity for their views, lives morally and votes!"

After apparently watching a clip on the tiny conservative cable outlet One America News Network, Trump suggested that the protestor, Martin Gugino, had staged his fall at the hands of an officer during a protest last Thursday, and that he could be "an ANTIFA provocateur" who appeared to be trying to electronically black out police communications. The theory was originally posted to an anonymous conservative blog.

"I watched, he fell harder than was pushed," the president said on Twitter. "Was aiming scanner. Could be a set up?"

Kelly V. Zarcone, a lawyer for Gugino, dismissed Trump's characterization as false, telling the Washington Post: "Martin has always been a PEACEFUL protester because he cares about today's society. He is also a typical Western New Yorker who loves his family. No one from law enforcement has suggested otherwise so we're at a loss to understand why the president of the United States would make such a dark, dangerous and untrue accusation against him."

Two Buffalo officers were charged Saturday with second-degree assault in connection with the incident.

Gugino was taken to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo and was in serious but stable condition.

Antifa — short for "anti-fascists" — describes loosely affiliated, left-leaning anti-racist groups that have been involved in some violent clashes in recent years. The movement has no unified structure or national leadership.

Trump has blamed Antifa for leading clashes with police and looting in cities across the U.S. since the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police.






To have the President of the United States spewing this lunacy is more frightening than despicable. WE are better than this. In case some of you didn’t hear previous ones, consider this your wake up call. https://t.co/eNaA6HoRnk

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) June 9, 2020








I have taken down my most recent tweet purely because I see it can never be the source of true conversation or exchange of views. Rather than incite a situation where there can be no real “back and forth” I hope everyone finds clarity for their views, lives morally and votes!

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) June 9, 2020

In a new interview with Barbara Caserta of Linea Rock, POP EVIL frontman Leigh Kakaty was asked about the status of the band's forthcoming sixth studio album. He responded (see video below): "We're close to being done. We've got a little bit of, I guess, icing on the cake, little things to finish. But it should be done here as things start to reopen. Hopefully we can get the final touches done sooner than later. But as far as a [release] date — no date yet. We're just trying, with this [coronavirus] pandemic, to just take it very slowly and make sure that everyone's safe. And as soon as we know more on release details, obviously we'll let everyone know. But right now, we're just trying to keep the bandmembers safe and just worry about our families and our personal issues — just do that. And then, of course, as things open up, let's try to get it done. We want it out, obviously. We wanna be back on tour."

This past April, POP EVIL released two new songs called "Let The Chaos Reign" and "Work", the first new music from the band since their self-titled full-length came out in 2018. Both are from the band's forthcoming sixth LP.

In an interview with Loudwire, Kakaty said of "Let The Choas Reign": "This track reflects the anxiety of the times although that was not its intention, but definitely fits the moment. It gives me hope that we can beat this pandemic so we all can get back to those little things we use to take for granted." As for "Work", Kakaty said: "'Work' was a challenging, but a very welcoming track for me that captured the moment. It actually came together so naturally that I didn't try and overthink it. It took me about 24 hours to finally listen to the demo after we cut it to appreciate something that could be special for the band. It's so different than anything we have ever done before. The musical texture really has a lot of depth and out-of-the-box thinking and we can't wait to add it to our setlist. Vocally, we experimented with some different approaches that lead to the final product. Our producer for this song, Kevin Hissink, really did an amazing job to take me out of my comfort zone vocally."

The band enlisted new creative teams of producers and collaborators to diversify and expand its sound.

POP EVIL has hit the top of the rock radio chart again and again with songs like "Trenches", "Deal With The Devil", "Torn To Pieces", "Footsteps" and "Waking Lions".

Adam Lambert has lambasted Donald Trump for his failure to "even try to act presidential amidst the chaos" over the death of George Floyd.

The QUEEN singer and "American Idol" runner-up made his comments less than a day after Trump gave a press conference celebrating surprisingly positive employment numbers for May. Trump drew controversy for suggesting during the same press conference that Friday was a "great day" for George Floyd, whose death in police custody has sparked massive, mostly peaceful protests across the country.

"Hopefully George is looking down and saying this is a great thing that's happening for our country. [It's] a great day for him. It's a great day for everybody," Trump said during a White House Rose Garden event. "This is a great, great day in terms of equality," Trump added.

Late Friday night, Lambert took to his Twitter to write: "I watched the Trump press conference today... I have NO idea what he was Rambling about! He can't even string together a sentence. It's literally incoherent, fragmented nonsense. I wish I could even decipher what bullshit he's trying to sell!"

An hour later, he added: "I watched the press conference because I wanted to see if he would even try to act presidential amidst the chaos. Nope. Political views are one thing. Xenophobia and racism are not things I tolerate."

For the second month in a row, fewer than half of black Americans were working, with only 49.6% of the population employed, up less than 1 percentage point from April, according to CNN.

Last month, shortly after riots began erupting across the country over Floyd's death, Lambert called Trump "a complete joke, a liability, a liar and a cancer."

QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT recently recorded a new version of "We Are The Champions" — retitled "You Are The Champions" — as a tribute to workers on the frontline fighting coronavirus. All proceeds made from the song will go towards the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization.




I watched the Trump press conference today... I have NO idea what he was Rambling about! He can’t even string together a sentence. It’s literally incoherent, fragmented nonsense. I wish I could even decipher what bullshit he’s trying to sell!

— ADAM LAMBERT (@adamlambert) June 6, 2020








I’m not following him. Check. I watched the press conference because I wanted to see if he would even try to act presidential amidst the chaos. Nope. Political views are one thing. Xenophobia and racism are not things I tolerate. https://t.co/Hx7DVaZCQI

— ADAM LAMBERT (@adamlambert) June 6, 2020

During a recent interview with Talking Metal, Eddie Ojeda was asked if thinks TWISTED SISTER will ever play live again, four years after the band completed its farewell tour. The guitarist responded: "I never say never, because you never know. It depends on the situation. You always miss it, no matter how much you've done it.

"The whole comeback — we were back together for 14 years, and we did a lot of shows in the last 14 years, and we were headlining all the shows," he continued. "We were bigger now than we were in the '80s. So it was a great time.

"I think it just got to the point where we just felt — maybe it was like [the American sitcom] 'Seinfeld': go out on a high note. But as far as that goes, THE WHO blows everybody away — they are the biggest liars of all time. [They played their farewell tour in 1983] and they [are] still touring. Forty tours later, and they're still saying, 'We mean it this time.' So if anybody's gonna complain, they'd better talk to THE WHO first."

Three months ago, TWISTED SISTER singer Dee Snider told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation" that he had "no plans" to perform with the band again. "I've heard people [talk about it], and I just shrug my shoulders. The idea of being a hundred on that stage terrifies me.

"I created a persona and a performance level for myself that I painted myself into a corner," he continued. "And there's a standard that people expect and that I expect of myself. And honestly, I'm afraid of hurting myself because my ego is too big to not thrash about.

"I've got no plans on the horizon," Dee reiterated. "And just the idea of a bunch of lumbering old dudes on a stage... I'm not impressed with a lot of the reunions. I won't name names, but one that's out there has been performing for way too long in their reunion, and they stand there at their microphones with virtually no movement at all. I was stunned to see a band that used to be all over the stage just standing there frozen in place… For my money, that's not the memory I want people to have of me and TWISTED SISTER.

"So, I have no plans. People say, 'Never say never.' But there's nothing on the horizon."

In 2016, TWISTED SISTER embarked on one final trek, titled "Forty And Fuck It", in celebration of its 40th anniversary. These shows featured the band's "core lineup" of Snider, guitarist Jay Jay French, Ojeda and bassist Mark Mendoza, along with drummer Mike Portnoy. The band's last-ever concert took place in November of that year — 20 months after the passing of TWISTED's longtime drummer A.J. Pero.

TWISTED SISTER's original run ended in the late '80s. After more than a decade, the band publicly reunited in November 2001 to top the bill of New York Steel, a hard-rock benefit concert to raise money for the New York Police And Fire Widows' And Children's Benefit Fund.

A year ago, French said that he was that "blissfully retired" from playing music. "I walked off stage at the last show in Mexico, and I gave all my guitars away to my crew," he told the "Neil Jones Rock Show". "I said, 'Guys, thank you. It's been great. See you later.' I never looked back. We didn't even meet in the lobby and have a drink. I was off stage in a golf cart with my wife on the way to the hotel. I was on a plane and out of here."

French said that he played nine thousand shows with TWISTED SISTER and he "loved every bit of it." But he understood when people told him that they don't believe the band is completely retired.

"I never said we weren't coming back," he explained. "We retired for a while. And I said, 'No, I'm not gonna say never.' We could. Maybe there's a charity [event that we could play at]. Maybe there's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I doubt it, but maybe. Whatever. It could happen. But at this point in my life, I don't think about it."

Billy F Gibbons and Tim Montana, known for their guitar sounds and songwriting excursions, have taken their mutual quest for fiery foods, powered by spicy sauces, to a new plateau with the launch of their line of Beez & Teez Whisker Bomb pepper sauces.

The new tongue tantalizers are available in two versions packaged in five-ounce bottles: Whisker Bomb Original and Whisker Bomb Have Mercy ¡HOT! The former is a traditional Louisiana style hot sauce blended, according to Billy and Tim, with a Texas flair; the latter is a unique blend sourced from habañero peppers grown in the Peruvian high desert and offers a distinctive robust tart flavor. Both versions are now offered exclusively in the state of Texas through select H-E-B markets. They are also available, coast to coast and border to border online at www.whiskerbomb.com.

Gibbons commented: "Tim is something of kindred spirt both in music and as regards his lengthy facial locks. As it happens, he's also a Mexican food aficionado and, like me, favors things on the spicy side. It was only natural that we got to jamming, so to speak, and came up with a formula for a hot sauce we could call our own."

Montana noted: "Ever since I got to meet and work with Billy, it's been a wild ride. He's an action-oriented partner so when the thought sprang to mind to joint venture a new pepper sauce, he got the ball rolling in a big way. One of his enduring slogans is 'tone, taste and tenacity.' As it turns out, that applies not only to guitar playing so we're proud that Beez & Teez Whisker Bomb has all three of those bases covered — in a most flavorful way."

Gibbons is, of course, ZZ TOP's celebrated front man/guitar god whose penchant for the picante is the stuff of legend. When not on tour, he's often found frequenting taquerias in his native Texas and wherever his travels take him. A few years back, he joined forces with Montana, who was raised in the state with which he shares his name. Their initial collaboration took place in Nashville where Tim now resides with his family. That collaborative effort yielded a hit country song "This Beard Came Here To Party". The song became the post season anthem for the 2013 Boston Red Sox who adopted the same hirsute look as Gibbons and Montana as a sign of their dedication. They went to win the National League playoffs and the World Series that year. In musical support of the Red Sox, Tim re-recorded the song as "These Beards Came Here To Party" with Gibbons guesting on the track. The song was also adopted as the theme of the NHL Nashville Predators during their run up to the Stanley Cup final in 2017. Beyond that song, Billy and Tim (Beez and Teez, if you will) have become fast friends and collaborated on the title song for the feature film "American Dresser" before launching their Whisker Bomb venture.

Mark Bradshaw, manager of business development for H-E-B, remarked: "We're thrilled that H-E-B is the exclusive retail outlet in Texas for Whisker Bomb sauces. Billy and Tim have come up with a great new hot sauce that we're confident is going to be yet another reason to shop at H-E-B."

SYSTEM OF A DOWN singer Serj Tankian has lambasted President Donald Trump for failing to making a formal address to the nation as cities across the country faced several days and nights of protest over the death of George Floyd.

On Sunday night (May 31), Tankian took to his Instagram to share a The Guardian article headlined "Trump Fled To Bunker As Protests Over George Floyd Raged Outside White House" and he included the following message: "Run Donny run into your bunker. You may be the first US President to do so out of fear of your own citizens.

"A real leader would address the nation properly and a real man would go face the protestors on the streets in person. But like other corrupt undemocratic leaders in the past, you've realized they are not your people as you are not really our President.

"These protests are not just over race but over institutional injustices beginning with the slave era electoral college that put you in power, K Street lobbying firms, superdelegates of a two party duopolistic Neo-liberal corporatocracy whose day has come.

"You make antifa a terrorist organization but not the KKK?

"The lessons of the 2018 peaceful successful revolution in Armenia can be applied in the US and elsewhere in the world. Coordinate online and block every street everywhere and force the regime to resign. The time has come. Your time has come @realdonaldtrump"

According to NBC News, some of Trump's advisers have argued against presidential speeches in response to the widest unrest the country has seen in decades, arguing that strong police tactics is the best way to stop the violence and looting that have taken place in some areas.

On Sunday, Trump tweeted that the United States will designate Antifa as a terrorist organization. Antifa — short for "anti-fascists" — describes loosely affiliated, left-leaning anti-racist groups that have been involved in some violent clashes in recent years. The movement has no unified structure or national leadership.

Trump has blamed Antifa for leading clashes with police and looting in cities across the U.S. since the killing of Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police.
























View this post on Instagram


































Run Donny run into your bunker. You may be the first US President to do so out of fear of your own citizens. A real leader would address the nation properly and a real man would go face the protestors on the streets in person. But like other corrupt undemocratic leaders in the past, you’ve realized they are not your people as you are not really our President. These protests are not just over race but over institutional injustices beginning with the slave era electoral college that put you in power, K Street lobbying firms, superdelegates of a two party duopolistic Neo-liberal corporatocracy whose day has come. You make antifa a terrorist organization but not the KKK? The lessons of the 2018 peaceful successful revolution in Armenia can be applied in the US and elsewhere in the world. Coordinate online and block every street everywhere and force the regime to resign. The time has come. Your time has come @realdonaldtrump

A post shared by Serj Tankian (@serjtankian) on May 31, 2020 at 8:02pm PDT

GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan has condemned institutional racism in the United States following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in Minneapolis on Monday night by a police officer in an incident caught on camera. The officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for nearly ten minutes while Floyd was handcuffed.

Earlier today, McKagan took to his Instagram to share a motif of a clenched black fist, and he included the following message: "Well..this cop on Black racism has to stop...but we've known this forever. I'm more and more stunned and sickened when I hear of this stuff continuously happening.

"I am not a black man..so I can't even pretend to understand what it's like....but even MORE, I can't understand what it's like to be a racist white dipshit. I don't get it. I will never 'get' it. Thankfully, I grew up different.

"Police training and vetting of new and old officers has to change radically. For starters...

"Peace to all of us. #justiceforgeorgefloyd"

The four police officers involved in the incident have been fired.

Chauvin, 44, was arrested late Friday morning and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Earlier in the month, GUNS N' ROSES postponed its summer 2020 North American stadium tour due to the coronavirus pandemic. The nearly two-month-long trek was scheduled to launch on July 4 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and run through August 26 on Missoula, Montana.

GUNS also recently postponed a string of summer European shows, while a spring South and Central American trek was pushed to the fall.
























View this post on Instagram


































Well..this cop on Black racism has to stop...but we've known this forever. I'm more and more stunned and sickened when I hear of this stuff continuously happening. I am not a black man..so I can't even pretend to understand what it's like....but even MORE, I can't understand what it's like to be a racist white dipshit. I don't get it. I will never 'get' it. Thankfully, I grew up different. Police training and vetting of new and old officers has to change radically. For starters...Peace to all of us. #justiceforgeorgefloyd

A post shared by Duff ?McKagan (@officialduffmckagan) on May 31, 2020 at 2:12pm PDT

Metal titans The Acacia Strain — Vincent Bennett (vocals), Kevin Boutot (drums), Devin Shidaker (guitar), Griffin Landa (bass), and Tom "The Hammer" Smith, Jr. (guitar) — have just dropped "Y", a new seven inch and digital release today through Rise Records. It features two songs: "One Thousand Painful Stings" featuring Spiritbox singer Courtney LaPlante, and "Earth Will Become Death".

Listen below.

"Shoutout to Courtney for adding her expertise — and different dynamic — to this song extremely last minute," says Bennett. "Are we at the bottom? Are we at the end, or are we just getting started?"

The Acacia Strain have also confirmed that their eighth full-length album Slow Decay will arrive on July 24 via Rise Records. It will include all the songs in the seven inch and digital single drops that were released between February 28 and June 12, as well as two previously unreleased tracks. The full track listing is below. The album is available here.

The music and the rollout itself adhere to the band's very specific vision.

"The whole concept is reality breaking down around us," says Bennett about the album. "We've done our time on earth, broken through the boundaries of what reality actually is, and we're now witnessing our collective descent into madness. Lyrically and sonically, everything reflects that. You're getting the vision piece by piece. The whole theme is a slow dive. By the same token, it organically becomes one record instead of just one big push out of the gate. As soon as you think you're getting the hang of it, we throw out a wrench with the full-length. There's no evidence to suggest we're aren't actually in a living hell. The things happening around us could be out of a comic book or a movie. The idea is, 'This can't be real.'  Maybe something happened. Maybe we're all dead and we don't even know it. Maybe we're just living in some augmented reality hellscape of actual planet earth."

Tracklisting:

"Feed A Pigeon Breed A Rat"
"Crippling Poison" *
"Seeing God" (Feat. Aaron Heard)
"Solace and Serenity"
"The Lucid Dream" (Feat. Jess Nyx)
"I Breathed In The Smoke Deeply It Tasted Like Death And I Smiled" (Feat. Zach Hatfield)
"Crossgates"
"Inverted Person"
"Chhinnamasta"
"One Thousand Painful Stings" (Feat. Courtney LaPlante)
"Birds of Paradise, Birds of Prey" *
"EARTH WILL BECOME DEATH"

*Previously unreleased




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Fusing the blazing aggression of hardcore thrash with the prowess of progressive metal, the Toronto band Mastery focuses on bringing its listeners a lethal dose of pure metal with no compromises. From seeing past support from heavy-hitting press such as Metal Hammer, Hard Rock Germany, and Decibel Magazine to performing a show at the Whiskey in Hollywood, Mastery has had a remarkable journey as a band.

BraveWords is hosting the new single from the band called "Wake Up", off of their new album (release date TBA) Severing The Earth. Guitarist Markus Armellini comments about the single, "'Wake Up' was the first song Carl had to tackle when we tried him out as a vocalist. We really made this song flow with the drums creating a lot of different feels and that also set the tone for a lot of the other songs that are on this album. It was not going to make Carl’s job any easier though if anything it would test him even more. In the end, we were simply blown away by his performance and how it all came together!"

The new material stays true to the band’s original sound, yet breaking new ground with the introduction of Carl Crosswhite as their new lead singer. The album flows well with more dynamics throughout and is laden with heavy thrash riffs, lots of tempo changes, and a mix of thrash and death metal drumming. From the opening intro to an instrumental at the end of the record and some acoustic pieces in between, Mastery puts its stamp on the metal scene once again.

Mastery has fought for a place in music throughout the past 20 years and has successfully done so by staying true to who they are as musicians and staying committed to creating pure thrash metal. The band truly lives up to its name and is ready to take no prisoners.




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Frontiers Music Srl will release Always The Villain, the debut album from Michael Grant & The Assassins, on July 10. Pre-order the album here, and watch an acoustic performance of "Anthem Of Us" below:

Michael Grant & The Assassins play a diverse and exciting brand of hard rock music incorporating elements from alternative rock and metal, while exploring different textures, genres, and influences. Band mastermind Michael Grant (who plays all instruments on the album) creates a sound that is intense, heavily melodic, and anthemic.

Of the making of the album, Grant says, "It took well over a year to record Always The Villain. There was such a massive learning curve in the actual recording process for me to be able to deliver. I had to write, arrange, record, produce everything as well as play all of the instruments myself. I believe recording this way truly helped in bringing to fruition my full musical vision and signature sound. I couldn’t be more happy with the end results and I really loved recording this way."

In the works since 2018, Always The Villain is a labor of love for this established talent. Prior to The Assassins, Grant was the creative driving force behind Endeverafter, a Sacramento based alternative/hard rock band signed to Epic Records in the early ‘00s. Handling vocals, lead guitars, and songwriting, Grant released two albums with the band before disbanding them in 2012. Grant then served as touring guitarist for LA Guns for five years and also recorded one album with the band. Prince, Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, Guns 'N Roses, David Bowie, Tom Petty, and In Flames are all influences on Grant and informed the sound of Always The Villain. Grant is now focused full-time on The Assassins, who have already played shows in the US, including a performance on the Monsters of Rock Cruise 2019. The band plans to get out and play shows again, once we’ve all returned to a sense of normalcy, of course.

Keep your ears open for one of the most fresh and inspired new acts you will hear in hard rock music this year.

Tracklisting:

"Barrel Of A Gun"
"Always The Villain"
"Killing Me Slowly"
"Nightmares"
"Red Light Run"
"Anthem Of Us"
"Break Me With U"
"Death Of Me"
"Runaway (Can You Stand The Rain)"
"Gimme Salvation"
"Secrets"

"Anthem Of Us":

"Red Light Run" video:




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Following the February release of Volume 1 of the "Acoustic Sessions" series, Californian rockers BUCKCHERRY have released Volume 2, which features acoustic versions of two songs from their debut album: "For the Movies" and "Check Your Head". The LP, released in 1999 on DreamWorks Records, introduced the world to BUCKCHERRY, and began what is now a 21-year career.

The EP is available on all digital download and streaming platforms.

BUCKCHERRY is currently writing the follow-up to its 2019 release "Warpaint". At this time, the band has over 60 shows scheduled through the end of 2020, but obviously all of those are subject to postponement or cancellation based on the states' restrictions on live performances. Please check BUCKCHERRY's social sites for updates on the status of live shows.

"Acoustic Sessions Vol. 1" featured two songs from BUCKCHERRY's platinum album "15" — "Sorry" and "Carousel". The songs are available on all streaming and digital services and can be purchased individually or as a two-song EP.

In January, BUCKCHERRY teamed up with American rapper and songwriter Isaiah Rivera, better known by his stage name Wifisfuneral, for a remix of the band's smash hit "Crazy Bitch". The original version of "Crazy Bitch" appeared on BUCKCHERRY's multi-platinum third album, 2005's "15".

BUCKCHERRY has been touring in support of "Warpaint", which was released in March 2019 via Century Media/RED Music. The 12-song record was produced by Mike Plotnikoff, whose previous collaboration with the band was the aforementioned "15".

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's classic debut album has returned the Billboard 200 and the iTunes' Top Albums chart, early 30 years since the LP was originally issued. The renewed interest in the effort comes in the wake of nationwide protests against police brutality following the police-involved death of George Floyd.

According to Forbes, "Rage Against The Machine" landed at No. 174 on this week's Billboard 200, and as of Thursday afternoon, it had reached No. 8 on iTunes' Top Albums chart.

Earlier in the week, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello, with the help of some fans, has roasted a former listener who claimed he "used to be a fan until your political opinions came out" — a strange hill to die on considering that RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE has been sharing its leftist political message since first hitting the scene in 1992.

The person wrote in a now-deleted tweet: "I used to be a fan until your political opinions came out. Music is my sanctuary and the last thing I want to hear is political BS when I'm listening to music. As far as I'm concerned, you and Pink are completely done. Keep running your mouth and ruining your fan base."

Morello responded: "Scott!! What music of mine were you a fan of that DIDN'T contain 'political BS'? I need to know so I can delete it from the catalog."

Other RAGE fans also came to the band's defense, with one writing, "What . . . machine did you think you were raging against? The busted up toaster? A faulty dryer? Did the printer run outta toner?"

Morello also posted another exchange from a while back in which he responded to someone saying he had "instantly" become a "political expert" by retorting that he was an honors graduate in political science from Harvard University.

The guitarist told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that the idea that musicians and entertainers should keep quiet about their political views is nonsense. "The reason why you hear from celebrities is because they have some access to the media to present an alt — you're not gonna hear that on the Fox News," he said. "They will not — they will have General This and General That and Generalissimo This. The fact that we have some, for lack of a better word, celebrity and are able to inject a different opinion, you can take it for what you want. We each get one vote, and we each have one voice."

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE was set to tour this summer for the first time in more than a decade until the pandemic pushed those plans to next year.

FLAT EARTH, the new band featuring former HIM members Mikko "Linde" Lindström (guitar) and Mika "Gas Lipstick" Karppinen (drums) alongside ex-AMORPHIS bassist Niclas Etelävuori and POLANSKI singer Anttoni "Anthony" Pikkarainen, has released the official lyric video for its new single, "Neverhappy". The song is taken from FLAT EARTH's upcoming second album, due later in the year.

Pikkarainen states about "Neverhappy": "A song about people who don't ever let themselves be happy. Overwhelming negativity seems to be a goddamn culture these days, and poor are the ones who think life is about contemplating your own insignificant problems. I'm sure the simplicity of life has added greatly to this phenomenon — people are sick for not worrying about real-life problems so they think they can elevate to have unrealistic expectations about their lives. Rightfully life will bring everyone of us to our knees sooner or later."

According to a press release, FLAT EARTH "produces heavy riffs, blasting beats and cinematic chords that combine to create an unforgiving, passionate, and dynamic sound." The band's debut single, "Blame", premiered on Radio Rock in 2018, immediately gaining popularity throughout Finland and the rest of Europe. "Cyanide" followed a short time later, gaining public recognition and earning FLAT EARTH a spot as the support act for ALICE IN CHAINS in Helsinki.

FLAT EARTH's debut album, "None For One", was released in November 2018 via Drakkar Entertainment in Europe (excluding Finland, where the effort was made available through the band's own label Suur Etikett). The disc was recorded at Finnvox in Helsinki with producer Hiili Hiilesmaa, who has previously worked with HIM, AMORPHIS, THE 69 EYES and APOCALYPTICA, among others.

In the beginning of 2019, FLAT EARTH entered the studio to record the follow-up to "None For One". The new disc was mixed by legendary producer Tim Palmer.

FLAT EARTH was formed after Etelavuori fell out with the manager of AMORPHIS and exited the latter band. Suddenly, Niclas was left stranded. He decided to show the world that he still had a lot to give, so he started looking for possible bandmates.

Niclas explained: "After over two decades playing with bands, I was at a point thinking that maybe I start doing something else. But then I knew I had these songs on my hard drive still, and nothing was done with them. And I just wanted to get rid of them and see what happens. But then it kind of took over and I started to focus more on that."

Linde first sprang to mind, even though he still had his hands full with HIM at that time. Nevertheless, the two of them kept meeting regularly, and started working on ideas for new songs. Getting Anthony on board provided additional inspiration. And when their old bandmate Karppinen finally joined on drums, the group's lineup was completed.

While Linde was busy playing the States and Europe on HIM's farewell tour, the remaining trio spent their time recording drums to seven pilot demos that had previously been taped in Niclas's basement studio. Gas brought along two of his own songs, and Anthony composed a new track for the band. Linde found an old song of his he had first fleshed out when he was only 13. The rest of the tracks were Niclas's ideas mainly, treated to the band's arrangements, with Anthony providing both the vocal melodies, as well as the lyrics. The basic structure for the first album was ready.

Linde remembered: "Our common friend, who's been helping us get this band off the ground, recommended a guy named Anttoni 'Anthony' Pikkarainen, who had been singing in a band named POLANSKI. The band had made a record, and after we'd listened to it, we had to set up a meeting immediately."

FLAT EARTH is:

Mikko "Linde" Lindström (HIM) - Guitar

Mika "Gas Lipstick" Karppinen (HIM) - Drums

‪Niclas Etelävuori (AMORPHIS) - Bass

‪Anttoni "Anthony" Pikkarainen (POLANSKI) – Vocals

MÖTLEY CRÜE's Tommy Lee recently laid down the drums to a new song from rapper Post Malone. The track, aptly titled "Tommy Lee", will be released on June 12.

"It's killer," Lee told SiriusXM's Debatable about the single. "It's basically [an ode to] living that rock star life that people in hip-hop always seem to talk about."

According to Tommy, 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."

In addition to Lee, "Tommy Lee" features rapper Tyla Yaweh, who told NME that the song 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.

German power metallers RAGE have parted ways with guitarist Marcos Rodriguez and have replaced him with two new six-stringers: Stefan Weber (ex-AXXIS) and Jean Bormann (ANGELIC, RAGE & RUINS). Alongside vocalist/bassist Peavy Wagner, drummer Vassilios "Lucky" Maniatopoulos continues to be part of the group's permanent lineup.

Says Peavy: "We've wanted for some time for RAGE to be a quartet again, with two guitarists the way we operated back in the days of 'Black In Mind' and 'End Of All Days'. After Marcos had returned to Tenerife and consequently was no longer available, I used this opportunity to enlist two young guitarists."

The new RAGE lineup can be seen and heard for the first time in the "The Price Of War 2.0" video, a new version of the song from "Black In Mind", which is being released today.

Says Peavy: "As you can tell from the clip, Stefan and Jean complement each other perfectly. They're both young and bring a lot of fresh energy to the band.

"We consciously chose this number for the video because we also wanted to revitalize the sound of the 'Black In Mind' era. The track was cut practically live for the clip, with only a few overdubs added. RAGE will sound as heavy and punchy as we do on that song."

The fact that RAGE is already busy working on new material proves just how well the new lineup has jelled on a musical as well as a personal level.

Says Peavy: "We're not in a position to do any shows for obvious reasons at the moment, but the guys are bursting with energy. We're using that momentum to work on new ideas that will probably be ready for release next year."

RAGE's latest album, "Wings Of Rage", was released in January through Steamhammer/SPV as CD digipak, 2LP gatefold version, limited box set, shirt bundle, download and stream.

Photo credit: Julez Braun of Rising Arts Photography

U.D.O., the German metal band led by former ACCEPT frontman Udo Dirkschneider, has released a new music video for the song "One Heart One Soul" from the group's latest album "Steelfactory". Due to the coronavirus lockdown, each member of U.D.O. recorded his parts in his own home studio.

In a message accompanying the video, U.D.O. said: "All of us are very aware of the Crazy Shit going on in the USA, & the Demonstrations going on there & in many other Countries Worldwide. We as a Band & also as individuals stand against ANY form of Racism & Bigotry, regardless of whether it is due to the Colour of someone’s skin, their Nationality, their Ethnicity, or their Religion. So we want to say, with One Voice, THIS HAS TO STOP. We are all people living together on one small, fragile Planet, and it is time for ALL of us to treat each other equally & with respect. Black Lives Matter, ALL lives matter, & we dedicate this Video to the fight for equality. ONE HEART ONE SOUL, that is what the World Needs."

U.D.O. has collaborated with Das Musikkorps der Bundeswehr, the military band of the German federal armed forces, on an album called "We Are One", to be released on July 17 via AFM Records/Soulfood Music. The LP contains 15 new songs that were developed and arranged by U.D.O. together with Lieutenant Colonel Christoph Scheibling. Two other former ACCEPT members, Stefan Kaufmann and Peter Baltes, were part of the songwriting too, as well as the German Armed Forces composers Guido Rennert and Alexander Reuber. The title "We Are One" has been the driving force for everyone involved.

"Steelfactory" was released in August 2018 via AFM.

In October 2018, U.D.O. announced the addition of Dee Dammers on guitar and Tilen Hudrap on bass.

U.D.O.'s current lineup is rounded out by Udo's son and drummer Sven Dirkschneider and guitarist Andrey Smirnov.


♥️?????????♥️

Here is a brand-new Video, "One Heart One Soul" from our latest Album “Steelfactory”. Due to the Lockdown, we each recorded our parts in our own Home Studios.

All of us are very aware of the Crazy Shit going on in the USA, & the Demonstrations going on there & in many other Countries Worldwide. We as a Band & also as individuals stand against ANY form of Racism & Bigotry, regardless of whether it is due to the Colour of someone’s skin, their Nationality, their Ethnicity, or their Religion. So we want to say, with One Voice, THIS HAS TO STOP. We are all people living together on one small, fragile Planet, and it is time for ALL of us to treat each other equally & with respect.

Black Lives Matter, ALL lives matter, & we dedicate this Video to the fight for equality.

ONE HEART ONE SOUL, that is what the World Needs.

Posted by U.D.O. on Thursday, June 11, 2020

One and a half years after the release of her extremely successful double album "Forever Warriors, Forever United", metal queen Doro Pesch has already started working on material for a new album.

"Since February, I've been back in the studio in the USA," she says. "There are some pretty awesome things happening in these writing sessions."

One of these new, special songs won't be kept secret for much longer: Doro plans to release her new single, "Brickwall", digitally on June 26 via Nuclear Blast and on vinyl on July 31.

"'Brickwall' is a harbinger for the upcoming album, that will be released in 2021", Doro explains. "I want to give my fans a taste of what it's going to be like — and the song also fits quite well with these dark times.

"The lyrics are about unbreakable, unconditional love for a person in deep trouble. Even though it isn't always easy to deal with that person, you still do everything to support them and get through the dark times side by side — even if you literally have to tear down walls."

"Brickwall" was recorded in Hamburg together with Andreas Bruhn (ex-THE SISTERS OF MERCY) and will also be available as colored seven-inch vinyl in gold and silver limited to 300 copies each.

"The B-side will feature a great live version of 'Soldier Of Metal'," Doro promises. "The song was recorded during our recent 'Forever Warriors' tour in winter, where the song was celebrated by the fans every single evening. It's supposed to help fans remember the feeling of a live show and raise anticipation for the next tour, that can hopefully start this autumn."

As previously reported, Doro will perform two drive-in concerts in Germany this month while complying with the country's social distancing regulations. The first one will take place on June 13 at the CARantena-Arena in Worms, while the second one will be held on June 28 at Bottrop’s Autokino am Moviepark.

Today, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of "Permanent Waves", Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees RUSH have premiered their new official conceptual music video for "The Spirit Of Radio". The animated video captures the magic, spirit and growth of the FM radio format with a nostalgic nod to the pioneering DJs broadcasting music into homes around the world. The video also pays homage to RUSH drummer and soul brother Neil Peart whose music and lyrics continue to capture the hearts and imaginations of the fans.

"The Spirit Of Radio" is the first single off RUSH's 1980 album "Permanent Waves", which reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 in the U.S. and No. 3 in Canada. It is RUSH's seventh studio album and signaled a new direction for the Canadian band as it entered a new decade. "The Spirit Of Radio" marked the band's successful step from the more lengthy and thematic writing style they were known for and it has become one of their most cherished songs among fans. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 51 in the U.S., No 22 in Canada, the Top 20 on the U.K. Singles chart and was named one of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's "500 Songs That Shaped Rock And Roll."

UMe/Mercury/Anthem label group recently released a new, imagination-capturing expanded edition of all the magic music that comprises "Permanent Waves". "Permanent Waves - 40th Anniversary" is available to fans in four distinct configurations, including the (1) Super Deluxe Edition, (2) two-CD Deluxe Edition, (3) three-LP Deluxe Edition, and (4) Deluxe Digital Edition.

RUSH — bassist/keyboardist/vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist/vocalist Alex Lifeson, and drummer/lyricist Neil Peart — maintains a large and uniquely passionate worldwide fanbase that acknowledges and respects the band's singular, bold, and perpetually exploratory songcraft that combines sterling musicianship, complex compositions, and distinctive lyrical flair. RUSH has sold more than 25 million albums in the U.S. alone, with worldwide sales estimated at 45 million (and counting), and has been awarded 24 gold, 14 platinum, and three multi-platinum album distinctions. RUSH has received seven Grammy nominations, and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame in 1994 and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2013.

The world continues to mourn the loss of Neil Peart, who passed away on January 7, 2020 at age 67 after losing his incredibly brave three-and-a-half-year battle with brain cancer (glioblastoma). The band requests that friends, fans, and media alike respect the family's ongoing need for privacy and peace, and suggest that those who wish to express their condolences can choose a cancer research group or charity of their choice and make a donation in Peart's name.

Rapper Post Malone made a surprise guest appearance during a live video chat Wednesday (June 10) between MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and Ellefson's business partner Thom Hazaert. Asked to name his favorite metal bands, Post Malone, a lifelong rock fan, said: "I'd say y'all. I mean, MEGADETH has gotta be the best for me. I love MEGADETH, I love METALLICA… I love… Fuck, man. So much shit… I love PANTERA. I got to meet Phil [Anselmo] backstage at a show, and he's a cool-ass dude, and he talks like this [adopts a deep voice]. I'm, like, dude, it's gotta hurt to talk [like that], but he's still fucking got it."

Post Malone has made no secret of his love for metal, from his "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott tattoo to his 2019 collaboration with Ozzy Osbourne on the hit single "Take What You Want". He also made an appearance last November at SLAYER's final show in Los Angeles, where he had a chance to hang with Anselmo, who posted a pic with the rapper, captioning it: "New blood meets old blood... it was a real pleasure to meet @postmalone , genuine & genuinely nice kid. The nieces & nephews are definitely jealous."

Post has previously said that he taught himself how to play guitar from watching YouTube videos, and was inspired by bands like AC/DC and METALLICA.

Last month, Ellefson's solo project ELLEFSON released its cover of the Post Malone track "Over Now". The track will appear on ELLEFSON's as-yet-untitled debut album, tentatively due in October.

ELLEFSON's version of "Over Now" was produced by Ellefson, Hazaert and guitarist Andy Martongelli, engineered and mixed by Allessio Garavello, with vocals engineered by Richard Easterling and Matt LaPlant (NONPOINT, SKINDRED), and featuring cover art by Melody Myers (ALTITUDES AND ATTITUDES, ESCAPE THE FATE). The track is described in a press release as "a heavy reimagining of the R&B-flavored Posty favorite" (co-written with Tommy Lee), also featuring drummer Paolo Caridi, and guest background vocals by former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist and frequent Ellefson/Hazaert collaborator Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal.

Ellefson said about his cover of "Over Now": "We're all fans of Posty, and he's also been a huge fan of MEGADETH and all things metal. Aside from being a great song for any genre, our cover of 'Over Now' is our way of showing our mutual admiration and paying homage to our friend.

He continued: "The old adage used to be that if you could strip a song down to just an acoustic guitar and a vocal, you probably had a great song. But times have changed now, that if you can take a song from another genre, and seamlessly transform it to a completely different genre, it just proves what a great song it really is. And it's a cool dynamic, as he's a pop, R&B and hip-hop guy who dips into rock and metal, and we're rock and metal guys who have dipped into pop, R&B and hip-hop, collaborating with DMC on 'Sleeping Giants', etc. So, I think this really just pushes that whole idea of exploration forward."


























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New blood meets old blood... it was a real pleasure to meet @postmalone , genuine & genuinely nice kid. The nieces & nephews are definitely jealous...

A post shared by Philip H Anselmo (@philiphanselmo) on Dec 2, 2019 at 7:30pm PST

BAD WOLVES guitarist Doc Coyle says that he "wholeheartedly disagrees" with the content of a video recently released by his bandmate, singer Tommy Vext.

On Monday, Vext posted a six-plus-minute video on Instagram in which he suggested, without evidence, that "Black Lives Matter" was created by people like George Soros, the Holocaust survivor and billionaire who is the subject of many right-wing conspiracy theories, along with the Clinton Foundation. He also offered up the debunked theory that they invest in "Black Lives Matter" to profit from media coverage. Vext also asserted that racism in the United States is "manufactured." The singer said he made the video "after weeks of research & interviews with independent journalist(s), military personnel, entertainment industry professionals, a virologist & many ex Democrats."

On Thursday morning, Vext once again took to his Instagram to clarify his earlier post, claiming that the video was "widely misunderstood" and slamming "certain media outlets" for allegedly "misquoting" and "misrepresenting" his "inquiries as opinion."

Several hours after Vext's "clarification" was posted online, Coyle took to his social media to "apologize to anyone who was hurt" by Tommy's comments and to offer up his perspective on what he called a "distraction" from BAD WOLVES' message of "inclusion and positivity."

Doc wrote: "I have been uncharacterisfically quiet with regard to the Instagram video & backlash to said video about Black Lives Matter recently released by BAD WOLVES singer, Tommy Vext. While it should be noted that I advocate for free speech & don't want to censor anyone, I wholeheartedly disagree with the content of this video. I speak for & represent myself. Thankfully, today Tommy offered a retraction/clarification on his thoughts on the matter & the video has been deleted. That means a lot to me. Some people agree & that's ok. Some people disagree & that's ok. But I apologize to anyone who was hurt.

"Some in the media will exploit this as a flashy band-feud, but Tommy & I have spoken. We've heard each other, & that's what this time should be about. Listening to one another. If he & I can disagree & be in a band together, then we as a count, or society can find a way to find common ground despite ideological differences. But we can't do that if we are talking past each other.

"I'm not an activist. I'm not a civil rights leader. But I offer solidarity to those addressing historical and systemic racial inequities in this country.

"Public band squabbles are bad for business, but if I didn't make my voice heard about an issue pertaining to my own band, then I have no credibility to speak on other social issues that are important to me. I would be letting fear get the best of me.

"I want to put the focus back on music, not politics. This is a distraction from what we are here to do — create, perform, & engage. It may sound corny, but I want our message to be one of inclusion & positivity because that's what I truly believe in."

BAD WOLVES' second album, "N.A.T.I.O.N.", arrived last October.




My statement regarding the recent backlash to my singer, Tommy Vext's, video on race. pic.twitter.com/D4TTpr5q5P

— Doc Coyle (@DocCoyle) June 12, 2020

Nuno Bettencourt and Steve Vai have reacted to the news that Brian May was voted greatest rock guitarist of all time in a new Total Guitar poll.

"Congratulations @brianmayforreal," wrote Nuno Bettencourt. "From the first note I heard you play, you've shaped my guitar and musical DNA. I would have never become the guitarist and more importantly composer I am without engulfing QUEEN and you, Brian. So, so blessed that we can listen to you anytime. Love you."

In a separate social media post, the EXTREME guitarist wrote: "A BIG Congratulations to Brian May. You are the Champion... my friend. I'm so happy for you getting your overdue praise. With respect to Total Guitar, you didn't have to tell ME.

"There are not enough characters alowwed on IG to talk about how Brian's guitar playing, tone, taste, composition, writing, singing, and intellect has impacted my Guitar Playing... impacted my EVERYTHING. Yes he can play like a beast. His tone was ahead of its time. But the most important element I learned from the King of QUEEN was his ultimate respect for THE SONG.

"As guitarists, we cannot wait for our leashes to be taken off and go attack the song. But trust me, if it weren't for Brian, one of the chosen few, who taught us that it's quality over quantity. That a guitarist can single handidly elevate a song into the stratosphere or selfishly burst it into flames at the launchpad.

"Most of the time you'd wait with anticipation for the guitar solo, to hear what a player has to offer. Yes, Brian did that. And ALWAYS like a pervert wine pairing, he served the perfect solo for song. But what made him extra special was his sprinkling of taste and genius throughout the song. A simple note. A bend. A quick flurry of harmonized guitar from the left to the right in poetic conversation with Freddie's vocal. That's Brian's brilliance. His band chemistry.

"We all know how brilliant Freddie's vocal was. But it was the Roar of Brian's guitar and his musical companionship that empowered Freddie to lift that iconic clenched fist and sawed off mic stand into the air with Gorgeous Arrogance.

Vai chimed in, writing: "This is a totally appropriate recognition in my opinion. Congrats Bri. You will always be my hero."

May beat out such other guitar legends as Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix.

Speaking with Total Guitar, May said: "I'm absolutely speechless. I'm blown away. I have to say it's completely unexpected. Obviously, I'm deeply touched that people feel that way about me. I'm not under any illusions that, technically, I'm even on the tree of great guitarists."

He continued: "I guess this tells me that what I've done has affected people, and that means a great deal to me. I will never claim to be a great guitarist in the sense of, you know, a virtuoso. I guess I just try to play from my heart and that's about."


A BIG Congratulations to Brian May.

You are the Champion... my friend.

I’m so happy for you getting your overdue...

Posted by Nuno Bettencourt on Wednesday, June 10, 2020

SHINEDOWN frontman Brent Smith spoke to 104.9 The X radio station about the forthcoming album from SMITH & MYERS, his collaboration with SHINEDOWN guitarist Zach Myers. Regarding what fans can expect from the follow-up to 2014's "Acoustic Sessions" EP, Brent said: "It's not just every song on acoustic and a vocal. There's a bit instrumentation that's going into this. Also, it's a double album. So it's 10 covers that were really picked by the audience. We allowed the audience to submit as many songs as they would like to hear me and Zach perform. Because if you go back to 2014, we did the first SMITH & MYERS, but that was for the fans. We did these two EPs, five songs apiece. They were cover songs that the audience picked. And we put it out, and, honestly, we never really thought anything from it, when we released it, but there was such a demand for it that we decided to give it a shot and try to tour it and see if anybody would come out. To our shock, a lot of people came out. And so we decided with this project that we were gonna go for it and kind of go a bit more in-depth with it."

He continued: "So there's 10 original SMITH & MYERS songs for the very first time, and then another batch of 10 songs that were really submitted by the audience that we looked at the percentages of everything and we picked the 10 that we felt like people really wanted to hear. And we're in the mastering process of it right now. We're in the home stretch of getting it prepared for the audience and for the world, and you're gonna see some brand new news to come very, very shortly about when that's gonna be coming out."

Late last month, SHINEDOWN's 2012 song "Atlas Falls" arrived on digital services, after being available since March only as part of a charity T-shirt bundle sold through the band's merch site.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the bundle, totaling more than $300,000, has already gone to non-profit medical supplier Direct Relief. The band also donated $20,000 of its own money. Direct Relief supplies healthcare workers with crucial protective items and equipment.