Bay Area thrash metal legends, Death Angel, have uploaded another video recapping their ongoing US tour. The clip, featuring video/photography by Jonathan Alegre, can be seen below:

Death Angel perform tonight, Friday, May 10, at PlayStation Theatre in New York, NY. Find the band's live itinerary here.

Death Angel will release their long-awaited ninth full-length album, Humanicide, on May 31st via Nuclear Blast Records. Humanicide is available for pre-order here. Pre-order the album digitally to receive the tracks “Humanicide” and "The Pack" instantly (Amazon and iTunes only).

With their forthcoming album Humanicide, Death Angel has maintained their throne in the universe of Thrash while still managing to remain progressive in their style. They apply a wide variety of different elements to their music, always pushing to add newness to their sound. This time around they’ve included everything from acoustic bits, to guest musicians, to even (for the first time) the notes of a piano. All 10 songs flow seamlessly yet each leaves its own distinct impression. The first single and title track “Humanicide” triumphantly represents the entirety of the album, immediately energizing the listener.

Osegueda remarks: “I wanted to write something that metal fans could really grasp onto. Something dark and intense, that still makes sense. Right now I think it’s so apparent that the earth is in a sickened state.”

“When I wrote the music for our song 'Humanicide', I was shooting for an album opener that would have all the elements of an epic thrash opus. This meant a classic metal style intro leading into a ferocious “Bay Area Thrash Riff-o-Rama” complete with a crazy middle build up section to ramp up the circle pit until it’s all whipped up into a frenzy by the time the frenetic guitar solo hits, then concluding with a maniacal musical section leading into the outro. All it needed was the lyrics and vocal delivery to match the intensity and Mark went above and beyond the call of duty! Some of his best work in my opinion. One of my favorite DA songs for sure, it feels like the follow up to our song 'Thrown To The Wolves'. Can’t wait to play it live!” - Rob Cavestany

For the foutth album cycle in a row, Death Angel returned to their producer and friend Jason Suecof of Audiohammer studios for the recording and mixing, along with the mastering of the legendary Ted Jensen of Sterling Sound who added the final touches and brought it all to life, with artist Brent Elliott White providing the ominous cover artwork.

“I'm ecstatic to present Death Angel’s 9th studio album, Humanicide. This collection of songs represents the band in its current state - united, vital, intense and (still) hungry like the wolf! I wanted this record to be quite diverse stylistically while obviously keeping with the parameters of metal. DA has been known to push the envelope and we absolutely did this time. So many emotions expressed through our music, very much looking forward to adding these songs into our live set list. As I savor this rare feeling of satisfaction, we proudly unleash this beast upon thee!” - Rob Cavestany

Humanicide tracklisting:

"Humanicide"
"Divine Defector"
"Aggressor"
"I Came For Blood"
"Immortal Behated"
"Alive And Screaming"
"The Pack"
"Ghost Of Me"
"Revelation Song"
"Of Rats And Men"
"The Day I Walked Away" (Bonus Track)

"The Pack" lyric video:

"Humanicide" visualizer:

Death Angel lineup:

Rob Cavestany - lead guitar/vocals
Mark Osegueda - lead vocals
Ted Aguilar - rhythm guitar
Will Carroll - drums
Damien Sisson - bass

(Band photo - Stephanie Cabral)




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Serendipitous is an adjective that describes accidentally being in the right place at the right time, like bumping into a good friend in some unusual location, or finding a hundred dollar bill on the ground. The word could also be used well in describing the inception of the band ZFG. Within its ranks you'll find seasoned songwriters and performers of which you may be familiar, but sometimes the sum of the parts is beyond expectations and lends itself to being genre defining.

“You guys are better musicians than KISS will ever be and you sound like you could be the next Queen.” - Gene Simmons

Based in Los Angeles, ZFG consists of Trev Lukather (son of legendary guitarist Steve Lukather and founding member of Toto), bassist Sam Porcaro (son of original bassist for Toto, Mike Porcaro), drummer Josh Devine of One Direction, and stellar vocalist Jules Galli.

The members were close friends in different projects, but decided to get into the studio for fun with a new approach in mind, making music with no rules or boundaries. “Zero F**ks Given” is what they called their first day in the studio, which led to their band name ZFG. After writing and recording together on day one, the chemistry was undeniable, so the decision was made to forge their individual projects into one. By melding anthemic, hook-filled melodies within funk rock guitar riffs and groove rock beats, the band shows their ability to compact a vast array of influence and experience into a signature sound with substance, style, and soul.

“Having released two songs already, "Holehearted" and "Special" it is now apparent just how good that chemistry is. Funk rock grooves and infectious backing vocals are just the first things to jump out at you. These guys can play. Of course when you carry the last name of rock royalty (Lukather and Porcaro) or come from a massive band like One Direction (Devine), people expect good things. These guys deliver that in spades.”

As serendipitous as the making of the band may have been, ZFG runs with a different mindset when approaching the music they write by not restricting themselves to purely rock-style songs. ZFG's music is infused in alternative, pop, R&B and a hybrid of other styles.

ZFG's radio campaign recently launched for their single “Special” and was officially released on April 26th on Spotify and all platforms via Cleopatra Records. “Special” landed #2 Most Added spot on the Billboard (BDS) Mainstream Rock Indicator Chart and grabbed the coveted #1 Most Added spot on the Foundations (SMR) Chart. “Special” lands among the Top 10 Greatest Gainers on both the Billboard Indicator & Foundations Chart.

The band is currently on their first tour with Adelitas Way and The Winery Dogs. Fans can get a taste of their upcoming EP with the release of a lyric video for their single, “Special”.

ZFG tour dates are listed below.

June
25 - Opera Lesna - Sopot, Poland (with Toto)
27 - Budapest Arena - Budapest, Hungary (with Toto)
29 - Boerderij - Zoetermeer, Netherlands (Headline)
30 - Hedon - Zwolle, Netherlands (Headline)

July
2 - Tollwood Festival - Munich, Germany (with Toto)
3 - Piazza Degli Scacchi - Marostica, Italy (with Toto)
4 - Auditorium Cavea - Rome, Italy (with Toto)
5 - Piazza Napoleone - Lucca, Italy (with Toto)
6 - Baladin Open Garden - Piozzo, Italy
10 -     Mtc - Koln, Germany (Headline)
11 - Nochtwache - Hamburg, Germany (Headline)
12 - Musik And Frieden - Berlin, Germany (Headline)
13 - Blues Garage - Isernhagen, Germany (Headline)
14 - Gelsenkirchen Amphiteater - Gelsenkirchen, Germany (with Toto)
16 - Z7 Summer Nights Open Air - Pratteln, Switzerland (with Toto)
17 - Barockgardent - Fussen, Germany (with Toto)
18 - Schloss Open Air - Salem, Germany (with Toto)

(Photo - Ross Halfin)




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Saigon Kick guitarist Jason Bieler has checked in with the following update:

"Here is a brand new song from the audio propulsion laboratory! Hope you dig it, I'm already on to the next one..." 

Captain Failure by Jason Bieler

Bieler recently posted the following message to the fans:

"Long story, short... I've released over 150 songs on Bandcamp and have plans for so much more, more shows, more records, more members, more collaborations, scaling everything up exponentially. So, I've decided to check out this new Bandcamp subscription option. This is not just about selling stuff, and I've resisted the crowdfunding concept whereby you send me $ for some promised future project. Instead, this is a way for you to help support these efforts (only if you can afford to, and desire to) and really help us go forth and conquer like a band of non-violent music creating Vikings.

Sure, you can buy my entire discounted catalog for around $50 if you feel like it, or for $5 (or more) a month you can get all the music and a bunch of extra exclusive content, live tracks, demos, chats, merch exclusives and more.

To be clear, I will still do all the things I've been doing, so nothing will be taken away; this will just be something 'extra' for those who want to help me amass a war chest for the upcoming land assault on the eyes and ears of the planet. Examples of where this support goes, recording, video content, musicians, travel, gear, expanding the team, promotion, etc. One love big up and respect!"

Check out Bieler's new Bandcamp subscription page here.

The Madness Of It All EP by Jason Bieler




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"The Ritual" is the latest offering from Polish melodeath outfit Vane. This video fills in one of many gaps in the story from the band's acclaimed 2018 Black Vengeance album - here we find out what happened to the courtesan from the track "Spilling Guts" after she betrayed the protagonist of the story. Her reward turned out to be quite grim; as she was sacrificed to the Voodoo spirits in a carefully depicted ritual. Lush production value and a careful attention to authentic period aesthetics means that this video rivals anything you've seen on the big screen.

"In the video for 'The Ritual' we wanted to focus on the storytelling aspect of what Vane is about," says the band. "There is a story behind every song we've made so far, and this time it's a fairly interesting one, as for the first time we delve into the realms of voodoo magic. The darkness and grit set the mood for the whole video, as you watch the story unveil itself highlighting certain parts of the lyrics and explaining their meaning, by visualizing the poetic layers of the song."

With "The Ritual", Vane delivers an undeniably brutal track with musical nods to Decapitated, Lamb Of God and In Flames, alongside powerful vocals and thematic content that mixes the best of melodic death metal....with pirates!

For further details, visit Vane on Facebook.

(Photo by Robert Zembrzycki, artwork by Jul Are)

 




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Slough Feg is streaming the title track from their upcoming New Organon album. 

“I didn’t want to just ‘put out another album," begins Slough Feg vocalist/guitarist Mike Scalzi. “I remember telling people that I didn’t want to do another album just to do another album, like so often happens. So, we wrote a lot of songs and only picked the best ones.”

Such was the approach for Slough Feg’s tenth studio album, New Organon, which will see the light of day via Cruz Del Sur Music on June 14 in European territories and June 21 in North America. New Organon also marks the recording debut of drummer Jeff Griffin (who split studio duties with John Dust) and joins Scalzi and longtime members Angelo Tringali (guitar) and Adrian Maestas (bass).

New Organon is another definitive statement from one of America’s most enduring and unique true metal bands, whose penchant for Thin Lizzy-inspired guitar harmonies and Scalzi’s timeless storytelling has turned albums such as 2005’s Atavism, 2007’s Hardworlder and 2010’s The Animal Spirits into proto-metal bedrocks.

Since the release of 2014’s Digital Resistance, Slough Feg did three touring jaunts through Europe in addition to some shorter American runs, not to mention the release of the New Organon seven-inch, which was issued last year. Scalzi freely admits that real life has gotten in the way of Slough Feg making a new LP. That, and his desire to make sure the band still sounds fresh after nine studio albums.

“A lot of stuff ended up on the cutting room floor,” he says. “There were some songs we tried to work out for months but ended up dropping because they bored us. We have to be excited about new songs or there’s no point in recording them. We dropped several songs I came up with and some that the other guys came up with, too. It’s tough, but sometimes you have to be honest with yourself and the people in your band and move on when an idea is not working. So, we came up with a lot of song ideas and only kept the ones that sounded exciting for months.”

In true Slough Feg tradition, there is a strong theme running throughout New Organon, which was inspired by the 1620 book published by Francis Bacon of the same name. “It presents a new version of the scientific method, as originally presented by Aristotle 2,000 years earlier,” notes Scalzi, who is also a philosophy professor at a college in California.

“According to Bacon and others, the science method had remained stagnant for this long period, through the middle ages and renaissance, and needed a refresher. ‘Organon’ refers to a scientific ‘instrument’ or more literally, ‘organ.’ So, it represents a new method for scientific revolution. The songs are all basically about philosophy - from my lecture notes! It starts out talking about primitive tribal society like shamanism as the first philosophers and then proceeds though the pre-Socratics era and then Plato, Aristotle, medieval catholic theology, enlightenment and then existentialist philosophy - mostly in chronological order.”

Fans of the band’s early output when they went under the extended name of The Lord Weird Slough Feg will no doubt be enthused for what’s in store on New Organon. The album has a more natural, if not “rustic” feel to it, recalling the band’s halcyon Twilight Of The Idols and Down Among The Deadmen era.

“Very simply, the songs are more heavy, rough and produced rawer than the last album or two,” says Scalzi. “The themes are not about technology, but about ancient philosophy and science. It’s just more metal, but in a very primitive way - but that’s sort of our specialty anyway.”

Around the release date of New Organon, Slough Feg will be trekking across the United States with labelmates Sanhedrin. “We’ll be doing ten shows on the east coast in late May/early June, right about the time when the album comes out, including New York, Boston, Baltimore and Pittsburgh,” says Scalzi. “In early August, Sanhedrin is going to come out we’ll do another run with them up and down the west coast.”

Tracklisting:

"Headhunter"
"Discourse On Equality"
"The Apology"
"Being And Nothingness"
"New Organon"
"Sword Of Machiavelli"
"Uncanny"
"Coming Of Age In The Milky Way"
"Exegesis/Tragic Hooligan"
"The Cynic"

"New Organon":




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Nad Sylvan, vocalist with Steve Hackett, recently announced the release of his new solo album The Regal Bastard on July 5th, 2019. His third album for InsideOutMusic, and his 5th overall, this record is the final part of the Vampirate trilogy that he began on 2015’s Courting The Widow. First single, "I Am The Sea", is streaming below.

Nad comments: “‘I Am The Sea’, the album opener (featuring Guthrie Govan on solo guitar) is a powerful song where the lyrics are a metaphor for me becoming a professional artist and giving up my day job. It’s a co-write with the very talented Anders Wollbeck, who once said - it’s your own ‘Born To Run’!”

Work on The Regal Bastard began in August 2017, when the vocalist began to record.

Nad says: “This album is very coherent. It really does excite me, and I am sure my fans are gonna freak out when they hear it.” Work on The Regal Bastard began in August 2017, when the vocalist began to record. “What I tend to do is put down my ideas, and then send these to the proper musicians, who are then free to develop them in their own ways. I can then cherry pick from what they subsequently send me.”

“I have had to take a number of breaks, though, from working on this album, due to other commitments. So, it's never been a case of me devoting all of my time to the project. But what this has done is allow me to return to it refreshed after time away, and able to take a different perspective on it all.”

The record was finished over the last two-month period, with Nad working mammoth 15-20 hour days in order to complete it before his tour with Steve Hackett began. “The music to the title track was finished in early 2018, but the lyrics and the vocal delivery was all done in two days and finished on the same day I went to master the album. But it worked!”

Once more, Sylvan has pulled together a tremendous array of musical talent to bring his inspiration to life. “Almost everyone who worked on The Bride Said No is back with me again. Steve Hackett plays guitar on one track, Guthrie Govan on two, while Tony Levin does the bass on a song. Jonas Reingold plays bass on much of the album, and Nick D'Virgilio handles the drums. And I also have the same female singers working with me once more, these being Sheona Urquhart, Jade Ell and Tania Doko. And on 'Honey I'm Home', there's a big choir section, with every singer that has been involved with the three albums that make up the Vampirate trilogy, concluding the story in an honourable way. We also have Nick Beggs joining in on this part of the song.”

The Regal Bastard will be released as a limited CD Digipak (incl. two bonus tracks), Gatefold 2LP + CD, and as a digital album. The artwork and tracklisting can be found below:

"I Am The Sea"
"Oahu"
"Whoa (Always Been Without You)"
"Meet Your Maker"
"The Regal Bastard"
"Leave Me On These Waters"
"Honey I’m Home"
"Diva Time" (Bonus Track)
"The Lake Isle Of Innisfree" (Bonus Track)

"I Am The Sea":

Nad comments: “For me, this is the best of the three records. I honestly believe it will delight the fans. It is maybe not as riff heavy as the others. I would describe the sound as coming from the notion of pop going prog, with R'n'B elements in there as well. It is very soulful. But that suits my style. I am a vocal chameleon, and you'll hear that throughout. It is the finest possible way to bring the trilogy to an end.”

Nad will spend most of 2019 touring once again with Steve Hackett, as he celebrates the 40 years anniversary of Spectral Mornings, as well as the Genesis classic Selling England By The Pound. Find the full list of dates here. 




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MEGADETH has entered a studio in Franklin, Tennessee to begin laying down tracks for its follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia" album.

Earlier today, the band tweeted a series of photos from the studio, along with the following caption: "It begins #megadeth16"

MEGADETH's sessions for the new disc are being co-produced by Chris Rakestraw, who previously worked on "Dystopia".

In a recent interview with the Detroit radio station WRIF, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine was asked if the band's songwriting process has changed since winning a Grammy for "Dystopia" or if it's "full steam ahead as usual." Mustaine responded: "Well, I'd like to think it's full steam ahead as usual, but, to be honest, in the back of my mind, I keep saying, 'As long as it's as good as 'Dystopia', we're gonna be safe.' So that's the bar. And the problem is that's a pretty high bar."

At the time of the WRIF chat in March, Mustaine said that he had eight songs written for MEGADETH's next disc, and he expressed hope that the other members of the band would contribute as well. "I'm hoping to get a lot of music from different players, because they all have something great to offer," he said. "When it's all said and done, we've turned the songs in to management, and all of us have taken a look at the tracks, and we usually all decide what songs are the best songs to be on there."

MEGADETH's next LP will be the first to feature drummmer Dirk Verbeuren (ex-SOILWORK), who joined the band nearly three years ago.

"Dystopia" was MEGADETH's first album with guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who was previously best known for his work with the Brazilian metal band ANGRA.

In March, MEGADETH released a a 35-track career retrospective called "Warheads On Foreheads". The anthology spans the band's entire studio recording career, from its first album, "Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good", to "Dystopia".

MEGADETH landed its first-ever Grammy back in 2017 when the band took home the trophy for "Best Metal Performance" for the title track of "Dystopia".

MEGADETH's "Dystopia" nod marked the band's twelfth Grammy nomination in the "Metal" category (including nominations in the discontinued "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category).

It begins #megadeth16 pic.twitter.com/RGk6Otke2X— Megadeth (@Megadeth) May 10, 2019



View this post on Instagram And....it’s good! #megadethshotonaniphone #modulusbass #hartke #sitstrings #megadeth #davidellefson A post shared by David Ellefson (@davidellefsonbass) on May 10, 2019 at 1:24pm PDT

View this post on Instagram Death metal vegan dinner with @dirkverbeuren #vegan #dirkverbeuren #megadeth #davidellefson #megadethshotonaniphone A post shared by David Ellefson (@davidellefsonbass) on May 9, 2019 at 2:41pm PDT

BODY COUNT, the metal band fronted by hip-hop legend, actor and director Ice-T, has finished writing seven of the 11 songs it plans on including on its upcoming album, "Carnivore".

This past Wednesday, Ice-T tweeted about the disc: "Still writing this new BC album... 7 of 11 songs done. Just finished one called 'The Critical Beatdown'. not the @McsUltra version though... lol"

When a fan asked Ice-T what determines the track count, he responded: "After 10 songs I personally think you're working on a double album.. I'd rather do 10 bangers than 20 with 10 filler."

"Carnivore" is tentatively due before the end of the year.

Last June, Ice-T told Iain Chambers that BODY COUNT wanted to up the ante with its next album after setting a high standard with its last two studio releases.

"When we did [2014's] 'Manslaughter', it was 20 years [since the previous record], and I just wanted to see if we had a fanbase, and we did," he said. "We outdid 'Manslaughter' with 'Bloodlust', and the posse grew. So now we've gotta outdo 'Bloodlust'. That's our only goal — not to make the greatest rock album in history; it's just to outdo 'Bloodlust'."

According to Ice-T, he decided to call BODY COUNT's new album "Carnivore" because "people are getting so soft. It's okay for me to say, 'Oh, I'm a vegan,' or, 'I'm a vegetarian,'" he explained. "I say I'm carnivorous — I only eat meat. People go, 'What the fuck?' I think the person that's gonna come get you won't be a vegetarian; it will be [someone] carnivorous."

"Bloodlust" was released in March 2017. The disc included contributions from MEGADETH's Dave Mustaine, SOULFLY and CAVALERA CONSPIRACY's Max Cavalera and LAMB OF GOD's Randy Blythe.

"Bloodlust" was recorded with producer Will Putney (MISS MAY I, UPON A BURNING BODY), who also helmed "Manslaughter". The effort contained BODY COUNT's medley of the SLAYER songs "Postmortem" and "Raining Blood".

Still writing this new BC album... 7 of 11 songs done ✅Just finished one called ‘The Critical Beatdown’ not the @McsUltra version though... lol ????? @BodyCountBand pic.twitter.com/hjbk8vkYkX— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) May 8, 2019



After 10 songs I personally think you’re working on a double album.. I’d rather do 10 bangers than 20 with 10 filler.. https://t.co/QhbgMyJUlW— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) May 8, 2019

New Zealand based thrash metal trio, Alien Weaponry, have released a music video for their new single, "Ahi Kā". The song represents the first new material from the band since releasing their 2018 debut album, Tū. The track is also featured on Adult Swim's new, streaming-only compilation record Metal Swim 2. Watch the video below.

"'Ahi Kā' was inspired by the Auckland city council's decision to burn down what was considered to be the unsightly indigenous Maori village of Okahu Bay in advance of Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 visit," Alien Weaponry's singer-guitarist Lewis de Jong says of the track. Which, like many of the band's songs, is sung in New Zealand's indigenous language of Te Reo Māori. "The eviction sparked a 40-year battle for the native Ngati Whatua to reclaim their land, including protests and battles with the police. Amid worldwide criticism, a small portion of the original land was ultimately returned with an apology and some compensation."




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Berlin, Germany-based streetcore legends, Toxpack, will release their ninth full-length album, Kämpfer, on May 31 via Napalm Records. Pre-order the new album here, and watch a lyric video for the song "Arschloch" below.

Toxpack on the new album: “On May 31st 2019 our ninth studio album Kämpfer will be released via Napalm Records! With 16 songs + Bonus Track at about 54 minutes play time it is the longest album in our 18 year history. We are proud that Kämpfer is produced by Florian Nowak and Marc Wüstenhagen (Dailyhero Recordings) again, who also recorded our last full length Schall & Rausch. Our main focus is once again on catchy harmonies and melodies, which will stick in your head. The songs are about freedom, courage, daily fights, hope, love, anger, sorrow, desire and our strong friendship. We are sure that you will regain yourself in our lyrics! Kämpfer is an album for everyone that is living in daily fights. For everyone that stays strong and never bends down, never surrenders and always keeps on fighting for their dreams and to reach their goals in life!”

Tracklisting:

"Proelium"
"An der Zeit"
"Setz die Segel"
"Kämpfer"
"Arschloch"
"Liebe ist tödlich"
"Trinkteufel (Herzlich Willkommen)"
"Oben"
"Unten"
"Die letzte Bastion"
"Wir sagen Danke"
"All deine Sorgen"
"Auf unser Wohl"
"Hauptsache es geht uns gut"
"Jeder kann ein König sein" (Bonus track)
"Staub und Dreck" (Bonus track)

"Arschloch" lyric video:

"Setz Die Segel" video:

When Toxpack releases a new album, it has to be celebrated with their fans. Which venue could fit better for this occasion than the legendary SO36 in their hometown Berlin?

Do you want to be part of this legendary party? Get one of the limited 250 hard tickets directly through the Toxpack shop, here. Buy a regular ticket at your local dealer Koka36, here.

Toxpack are:

Schulle - Vocals
Tommi - Lead Guitar
Erik - Guitar
Stephan - Bass Guitar
Zoppel - Drums

(Photo - Stefan Milde)

 




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Gloryhammer have released the second single and official lyric video, “The Siege Of Dunkeld (In Hoots We Trust)”,  from their third studio album, Legends From Beyond The Galactic Terrorvortex.

The epic fight of crown prince Angus McFife against evil continues!

At the end of the second Gloryhammer album Space 1992: Rise Of The Chaos Wizards, Planet Earth had been destroyed by the Hootsman, with an explosion so powerful it ripped a hole in the very fabric of spacetime. And yet, Zargothrax was still not defeated, for he managed to use his last shreds of power to escape through the dimensional rift. Vowing to defeat the evil sorcerer, Angus McFife XIII followed him into the portal, with no idea where it might lead…

“The Siege Of Dunkeld (In Hoots We Trust)” is the first part of the third thrilling chapter of the Gloryhammer saga and tells what Angus McFife XIII comes upon when escaping the wormhole.

The galaxy waits in fear for the return of Angus McFife XIII, who fought the greatest battle the galaxy has ever heard of, against the evil sorcerer Zargothrax. All hope of the Kingdom of Fife lies in the strong arms and the infinite wisdom of their young crown prince.

On May 31st, Gloryhammer’s new album will tell us the whole story of the most gigantic battle of all time. Until then, we expect to receive more parts of what will end as the best power metal album the galaxy has ever seen. Keep your eyes and ears open!

Zargothrax on the new album: “Oh wow! I know a lot of people have been waiting on this album for what seems like centuries. For the last three years we've been working non-stop on it in absolute secrecy, and now it is finally complete! We can't wait for y'all to hear it...this is the greatest power metal album of all time. HOOTS!"

Legends From Beyond The Galactic Terrorvortex will be available in the following formats:

* Ltd. Wooden Deluxe Box Set
- Ltd. Digipack
- 7" Single (incl. Box-Exclusive Bonus Track)
- Medal of Glory
- Cover Flag (150x100cm)
- Art Print Card
- Symphonic Version Bonus album

* 2-LP Gatefold Gold
- Symphonic Version Bonus album
- Strictly limited to 200

* 2-LP Gatefold Red
- Symphonic Version Bonus album
- Strictly limited to 300

* 2-LP Gatefold Black
- Symphonic Version Bonus album

* 2-CD Digipac
- Symphonic Version Bonus album

* 1-CD Jewelcase

* Cassette
- Strictly limited to 200

Pre-Order Legends From Beyond The Galactic Terrorvortex here.

Album artwork by Dan Goldsworthy.

Tracklisting:

"Into The Terrorvortex Of Kor-Virliath"
"The Siege Of Dunkeld (In Hoots We Trust)"
"Masters Of The Galaxy"
"The Land Of Unicorns"
"Power of the Laser Dragon Fire"
"Legendary Enchanted Jetpack"
"Gloryhammer"
"Hootsforce"
"Battle For Eternity"
"The Fires Of Ancient Cosmic Destiny"
I: Dundaxian Overture
II: The Battle Of Cowdenbeath
III: Return Of The Astral Demigod Of Unst
IV: The Knife Of Evil
V: Transmission

Bonus album:

"Into The Terrorvortex Of Kor-Virliath" (Symphonic Version)
"The Siege Of Dunkeld (In Hoots We Trust)" (Symphonic Version)
"Masters Of The Galaxy" (Symphonic Version)
"The Land Of Unicorns" (Symphonic Version)
"Power of the Laser Dragon Fire" (Symphonic Version)
"Legendary Enchanted Jetpack" (Symphonic Version)
"Gloryhammer" (Symphonic Version)
"Hootsforce" (Symphonic Version)
"Battle For Eternity" (Symphonic Version)
"The Fires Of Ancient Cosmic Destiny" (Symphonic Version)
I: Dundaxian Overture
II: The Battle of Cowdenbeath
III: Return Of The Astral Demigod Of Unst
IV: The Knife of Evil
V: Transmission

“Gloryhammer” video:

Trailer:

(Photo - Robert Zembrzycki)




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Swedish hard rockers, Crazy Lixx, have released a video for "Silent Thunder", a track from their new album, Forever Wild, out on May 17 via Frontiers Music Srl. Pre-order Forever Wild here, and watch the new video below.

With huge choruses, instantly memorable riffs, wailing, emotive guitar solos, and massive production by Danny Rexon and Chris Laney, Forever Wild is sure to resonate with old fans and new listeners alike.

Singer Danny Rexon says, "Ruff Justice was the first album where I took on the full role of producer, including recording, engineering, editing and some of the mixing. Naturally, there were things that I learnt along the way and, in retrospect, things that could have been done better. On the new album, I was once again the producer, but this time I brought in a whole lot more experience with me and had a clearer picture of what needed to be done to get a GREAT sounding album. So, you could definitely say that the new album is a natural progression from 'Ruff Justice'. It’s actually the first time in the history of the band where the same band members have recorded under roughly the same conditions, in the same studios, with more or less the same equipment and with the same producer. For the first time, you can hear continuity from one album to the next, so I’d say if you’re a fan of 'Ruff Justice', I bet you’ll enjoy this new album the same, if not even more!"

The band explores a wider range of styles than ever before on Forever Wild. From the hard rocking and anthemic opening track “Wicked” (streaming below) to the AOR inspired upcoming single “Silent Thunder,” to songs like "Eagle", that sounds like it came off a Bon Jovi album circa 1986, Crazy Lixx manage to blend a love and reverence for ‘80s hard rock with their own unique stamp on each track.

Rexon continues, "I think the way the album turned out has a lot to do with the current line-up that we established in 2016. I’ve always been a fan of melodic hard rock and hair metal, but with previous members, we’ve been pulling a bit more in different directions at times, so the result hasn’t always gone towards the goal I’d like them too, certainly not as much as it has on this album. I can honestly say that the way Crazy Lixx sounds today is a lot closer to how I envisioned the band to sound in the early 2010’s (around the time of 'New Religion') than how we actually sounded 5-6 years ago."

Don’t miss Crazy Lixx while they’re on the road in support of the album either, as their live shows are a sight to behold!

Danny concludes, “On release day (May 17th), we have an album release show in our hometown of Malmö, along with fellow Frontiers band Creye. I’d recommend this event for all the fans that want to see some new songs live for the first time and get a chance to hang out with the band, get the new album signed, and all that fun stuff. After that, we’re lining up a bunch of summer festivals to kick off touring. I think there is a definite summer vibe to this album and the new songs will really fit well on an outdoor summer festival. Really looking forward to this summer’s shows.”

Tracklisting:

"Wicked"
"Break Out"
"Silent Thunder"
"(She's Wearing) Yesterday's Face"
"Eagle"
"Terminal Velocity"
"It's You"
"Love Don't Live Here Anymore"
"Weekend Lover"
"Never Die (Forever Wild)"

"Silent Thunder" video:

"Break Out" video:

"Break Out" (Midnight Danger Remix):

"Break Out" (Midnight Danger Remix) [Instrumental]:

"Wicked":

Tour dates:

May
17 - Malmo, Sweden - Babel (official album release show)
25 - Geraardsbergen, Belgium - Wildfest

July
27 - Seebronn, Germany - Rock of Ages Festival

September
13 - Hamburg, Germany - Indoor Summer Festival

Lineup:

Danny Rexon - vocals
Joél Cirera - drums
Jens Sjöholm - bass guitar
Chrisse Olsson - guitar
Jens Lundgren - guitar




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The new video from British heavy metal sensation Forged In Black comes in the form of a lyric video for the song "Shadowcasters", taken from their recent new album, Descent Of The Serpent, which was released through Fighter Records in March 2019. 

Forged In Black was born in 2013 after changing their moniker from Merciless Fail (2007-2013). Their self-titled debut album was released that same year, followed by three EPs: The Tide (2013), Fear Reflecting Fear (2016), and Sinner Sanctorum (2017). These releases got a great response within the British heavy metal scene and paved the way for their second full-length, Descent Of The Serpent, recorded in 2018, once again with producer Romesh Dodangoda, with cover art made by Dan Goldsworthy (Alestorm, Hell, Accept).

The style of Forged In Black is fresh, melodic, and powerful heavy metal where you can find classic elements from British bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, or Angel Witch, with a slight dose of Candlemass and hints of thrash in the vein of bands like Flotsam & Jetsam, Heathen, and Metal Church.

About their signing to Fighter Records, Forged In Black had the following to say: "We are absolutely thrilled at the prospect of working with Fighter Records. To be added to their already stellar roster is overwhelming, and we cannot wait to see what this partnership brings. This album is the culmination of ten years of hard work, and we are certain that this release has something to love for all metal fans. We are currently working on a host of shows to support the release and can't wait to display our most ambitious live performance to date. See you down the front!"

"Seek No Evil"
"One In The Chamber"
"Shadowcasters"
"Descent Of The Serpent"
"One Last Sign"
"Palm Of Silver"
"Aphelion Tormentor"
"Vendetta"
"When Hell Is Done"

For further details, visit Forged In Black on Facebook.

 




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Jim Breuer, US comedian, star of Half Baked and metal head, performed inside Bullhead City Circus at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival in 2012. Watch his full set below.

Chapters:

Intro-Song
Grown-Up Wiggles
Oldies Music
4 am I'm All Banged Up
Party In The Stomach
Metal's Alive
Bingo




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According to The Blast, GUNS N' ROSES has filed a lawsuit against a company it claims has been selling a knockoff beer named after the band.

Canarchy Craft Brewery Collective has allegedly been seeling a beer called Guns 'N' Rosé through its portfolio of craft breweries, which includes Oskar Blues Brewery. In addition, the band claims the company has been selling hats, t-shirts, pint glasses, stickers, buttons, and bandannas with the Guns 'N' Rosé name on them.

Guns 'N' Rosé is described as "a 6 percent ABV ale brewed with hibiscus and prickly pear."

Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan claim Canarchy tried to trademark the name but after the band objected, the Fireman Capital-backed brewery consortium agreed to abandon the application.

GUNS N' ROSES claims Canarchy agreed to stop all the goods completely, but not until March 2020.

The band is suing for trademark infringement and is seeking unspecified damages.

Guns-n-Rose bands together sticky prickly pear and floral hibiscus with a subtle hop profile in this refreshing, crisp AF rose’ ale. Available on draft, in select markets now, and we’ll be droppin cans in February. Check below to find it near you.https://t.co/8N7ATICd9K pic.twitter.com/QJWmBbiv53— Oskar Blues Brewery (@oskarblues) November 8, 2018

Fan-filmed video footage of JUDAS PRIEST's May 8 concert at Fox Theater in Atlanta, Georgia can be seen below (courtesy of YouTube user R. Albert).

The band's setlist was as follows:

01. Necromancer

02. Heading Out To The Highway

03. The Sentinel

04. Spectre

05. (Take These) Chains

06. Judas Rising

07. Out In The Cold

08. Traitors Gate

09. Starbreaker

10. Steeler

11. Halls Of Valhalla

12. Killing Machine

13. No Surrender

14. Victim Of Changes

15. All Guns Blazing

16. Hell Bent For Leather

17. Breaking The Law

18. Living After Midnight

JUDAS PRIEST kicked off its North American tour with URIAH HEEP on May 3 at Hard Rock Event Center in Hollywood, Florida.

Several tracks were aired for the very first time, including three songs from PRIEST's latest album, 2018's "Firepower": "Necromancer", "Spectre" and "Traitors Gate". Also making its live debut was "(Take These) Chains", from 1982's "Screaming For Vengeance". "All Guns Blazing", from 1990's "Painkiller", was performed live for the first time in nearly 18 years. Elsewhere, "Out In The Cold", from 1986's "Turbo", was dusted off after 33 years.

Singer Rob Halford recently told the St. Louis radio station Real Rock 99.3 that PRIEST was rehearsing "close to 15" new songs for the current trek, including "Rapid Fire" (from 1980's "British Steel").

Back in January, JUDAS PRIEST performed "Killing Machine" live for the first time since 1978 during a concert at Zénith de Paris in Paris, France.

During last year's "Firepower" U.S. tour, JUDAS PRIEST's set included rarities like "Running Wild", "Bloodstone" and "Tyrant", plus "Saints In Hell", which had never been performed live before.

Bassist Ian Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and guitarist Glenn Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003.

"Firepower" was released in March 2018 via Epic.

Corey Taylor is undergoing surgery on both his knees.

Earlier today (Friday, May 10), the SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman posted an Instagram photo showing him lying in bed and flashing a smile for the camera while wearing a hospital gown and cap. He included the following caption: "Surgery in both knees today- soon I’ll be worth Six Million Dollars!! See you all soon! #bionic #leemajors"

It is not presently clear if Corey will be fully recovered in time for SLIPKNOT's scheduled May 17 performance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

Back in 2016, Taylor underwent emergency spinal surgery when it was discovered that he had been walking around for years with a broken neck. He later said that he thought the issue might have originated way back in 1999, when he took a four-foot fall from an Ozzfest second stage and landed on his head.

SLIPKNOT's new album will be released on August 9 via Roadrunner. The disc will include the song "All Out Life", which was released last October. The track's accompanying video was directed by the band's own M. Shawn Crahan.

SLIPKNOT's sixth album is once again being recorded at a Los Angeles studio with producer Greg Fidelman, who engineered and mixed SLIPKNOT's 2004 album "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)" and helmed 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter".

SLIPKNOT's "Knotfest Roadshow" headline tour will take place in North America this summer. VOLBEAT, GOJIRA and BEHEMOTH will join as special guests on all dates.

Produced by Live Nation, the 29-city outing will kick off July 26 in Mountain View, California at Shoreline Amphitheater and continue through September 8 where it will conclude with a performance at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, Texas.

Pattern-Seeking Animals is the brand new group featuring the talents of current & former Spock's Beard members Ted Leonard, Jimmy Keegan & Dave Meros as well as long-time contributing songwriter-producer John Boegehold. The band recently signed to InsideOutMusic for the release of their self-titled debut album on July 5th. They have launched the first single from the album, “No Burden Left To Carry”. Stream / download the single and find preorders for the album here. 

Of the musical direction, Boegehold comments: “My goal was to produce music that’s progressive and intricate while keeping things immediate and melodic.  Whether a song is four minutes or ten minutes long, I didn’t want more than a few bars go by without some kind of instrumental or vocal hook.”

Originally a vehicle for a few tracks John had been working on in early 2018, he quickly came up with enough music to work towards producing an album. With that in mind, he enlisted the talents of Jimmy Keegan (drums, vocals), Ted Leonard (vocals, guitar) & Dave Meros (bass), with Boegehold handling all the synths. He adds: “Besides live strings on a few songs and a female backing vocalist on another, it was all done between the four of us with Dave and Ted ending up as co-writers on some of the material.”

With the band obviously being closely associated with Spock’s Beard, John was conscious of exploring different avenues with Pattern-Seeking Animals, whether it was song structures, vocal arrangements, synth sounds or emotional textures. “Pattern-Seeking Animals was a clean slate so I found myself drawing on a few different musical influences and using some contemporary production ideas and sounds that I probably wouldn’t use with SB for various reasons.”

The album will be released on limited CD digipak, gatefold 2LP + CD & as digital album.

As John notes, as the project came together it quickly became apparent that they would want to take this material out live: “Originally it was intended to be a recording project but as it was coming together we started talking seriously about doing it as a live band. Because of the complexity of a lot of the material, it’ll require an additional musician or two to pull it off live. The plan is to tour as much as possible and to come out with a new album at least once a year. In fact, work on the second album is already well under way.”

Stay tuned for a first taste of music from Pattern-Seeking Animals in the coming weeks.




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San Francisco-based thrash quartet, Hatchet, have confirmed they will participate in the Meditations Over North America fall tour, which will see the band perform alongside heavyweights Kataklysm, Exhorder and Krisiun. An itinerary will be announced in the near future.

Vocalist/guitarist Julz Ramos says, “Well, it’s that time again - the dusty trails of the US are calling us back for another round of carnage. We are thrilled to be a part of the Meditations Over North America tour supporting the mighty Kataklysm! Those guys have been pounding the pavement for years, and it’ll be cool to finally share the stage with them every night. I am also very stoked to tour with Exhorder, a band I always wished I could see and thought would never get back together. And of course, the always brutal Krisiun rounds things out as a great death/thrash-type package. We look forward to opening these shows and thrashing you to the core. Brutality shall ensue!”

To celebrate the tour announcement, Hatchet has premiered a new music video for the song “Back Into Dust”, which features footage filmed during the band's recent European tour. The clip can be seen below.

Says Ramos, “We are proud to unveil our third music video of the Dying To Exis' album cycle. 'Back Into Dust' is a bit of a departure from our usual sound, and one that all four band members collectively contributed to the most from the album. With our first video 'Desire For Oppression,' we wanted to showcase the making of the album and really give a glimpse into how the band interacts with each other in a studio setting - the fun, frustrations and of course partying. For this video, we wanted to do the same but showcase the band's touring side, and what better footage than from our first European tour in late 2018. Check it out, crack a cold one or two and come along for the adventure.”




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Tampa, Florida-based melodic death metal group, The Absence, have premiered a lyric video for “Walking Shadows”, a previously unreleased track recorded during the sessions for their acclaimed 2018 comeback album, A Gift For The Obsessed. The clip can be seen below.

“Walking Shadows” - which can now be streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp and other digital platforms - made its live debut last night during a headlining performance at the Tampa area-venue The Verona, which served as a kickoff show for a national tour that will see the band join forces with Deicide, Origin and Jungle Rot starting on Saturday (May 11) in Austin, Texas.

During the tour, the band will offer a limited-edition three-song cassette featuring cover art by Mark Riddick (Fleshgod Apocalpyse, Arsis, The Black Dahlia Murder) that contains “Walking Shadows” - which features a guest appearance from longtime band friend and collaborator Santiago Dobles, guitarist of the prog-metal group Aghora - as well a cover of Bad Religion's “Do What You Want” and an exclusive live version of “Septic Testament”.

Says Stewart, “We are ridiculously excited to finally share our new single and music video for ‘Walking Shadows’ with the world! This was definitely a standout track from the ‘A Gift For The Obsessed’ sessions, and we knew that we should wait until the absolute perfect moment to release this beast of a song since we recorded an abundance of songs and then some. So, what better time to drop 'Walking Shadows' than on the eve of our megaton tour with the mighty Deicide, Origin, and Jungle Rot? This track is utterly devastating, and it will most certainly be a smash given the complete heaviness of this package.

“We wanted to shoot a full-fledged music video,” Stewart continues, “but due to time constraints and tour obligations with other projects, all band members were not available. So, instead of axing the idea completely, we decided to film a live-action lyric video solely featuring myself. Our drummer and all-around renaissance man, Jeramie Kling, shot all of the live footage for the video, and Adam Hutton of BurdenInSilence Designs did all of the editing and effects. Both did such a fantastic job, we were all completely stunned with the outcome!

“We will see all of you maniacs out on the road in May and June. Bring an extra face – you’ll definitely need it once we’re done playing!”




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In 2010, Theatre Of Tragedy announced their break-up and drew a line under their impressive carrier with Last Curtain Call: In the middle of the 90s, Theatre Of Tragedy wrote music history with albums like Velvet Darkness They Fear and Aegis.

This year, the Norwegian artists return with a compilation of different remixes of their biggest successes and rise the splendour of former times. Remixed will be released on July 12 via AFM Records. Reputable artists like Das Ich, Icon Of Coil, and VNV Nation tasked songs like "Machine", "Lorelei" and "And When He Falleth" and revived those tracks in their own interpretation.

The "Machine" (VNV Nation Remix) is now available for streaming on all digital platforms. Check it out via Spotify here in its new remasterd version, or below.

Starting with the remixes of German dark wave artists, numerous friends and companions dealt with the songs of the gothic rock band.

“This “Remixed” compilation is a collection of very different reimagined versions of some of our known, and more unknown songs throughout our carrier from 1997 until new remixed from 2019", states the band.

Tracklisting:

"And When He Falleth" (Das Ich Remix)
"Black As The Devil Painteth" (Das Ich Remix)
"Lorelei" (Icon Of Coil Remix)
"Reverie" (Current Remix)
"Machine" (VNV Nation Remix)
"Envision" (Conetik Remix)
"Let You Down" (Rico Darum & Superdead Remix)
"Motion" (Funker Vogt Remix)
"Storm" (Zeromancer Remix)
"Fade" (Pride And Fall Remix)
"Frozen" (Ambrosius Remix)
"Deadland" (Tommy Olsson Remix)
"Forever Is The World" (Siva Six Remix)

Remixed will be available as digipak and as double vinyl in white and clear red - limited to 250 units.




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Back in 2018, Dutch symphonic metal giants Epica checked in with the following announcement:

"This upcoming year we will be working on an exciting project called The Essence Of Epica. In the book The Essence Of Epica, we will look back at our 15-year career with a lot of exclusive never before seen photos, flyers, interviews with all the band members and other exclusive content."

The book is now ready for purchase.

The Essence Of Epica is a lavishly designed and fully illustrated, high-quality hardback which tells the story of symphonic metal titans Epica in their own words, is available for preorder now at epicabook.com.

Created using rare and personal photographs – including baby, childhood and teen snaps – plus professional live and studio photography, THE The Essence Of Epica is the story of the band told straight from the mouths of Mark, Coen, Simone, Ariën, Rob, Isaac, Yves and  Ad. Designed with care and precision, and a cover created by long-time design collaborator Stefan Heilemann, the book is as big and beautiful as the Epica sound.

The Essence Of Epica is available in two distinct editions: the Classic is a 208-page, hardback with foil detailing, filled with over 200 images. The Signature hardback is signed by the band and comes in a deluxe clamshell box with three exclusive, original art prints created by Stefan Heilemann.

The Essence Of Epica is only available for pre-order at EpicaBook.com. Delivery will be in November 2019.




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BUSH has set "The Mind Plays Tricks On You" as the title of its new studio album, tentatively due in the fall. The disc was recorded at a Los Angeles studio with film composer Tyler Bates, who has previously worked with Marilyn Manson.

"The Mind Plays Tricks On You" will include a new apparently song called "Bullet Holes", which will also be featured in the upcoming film "John Wick 3".

BUSH frontman Gavin Rossdale told SiriusXM's Larry Flick about how "Bullet Holes" came together (hear audio below): "Ironically, it was completely written disconnected to the movie. I've done this record with Tyler Bates, and he's doing the music for the whole movie. And I wrote that song with him with nothing of that in mind; actually, a different song we had in mind we were hoping for. And then just the way that the words that I wrote just really fit with the whole symphony thing, and bullet holes, obviously, 'cause that's what the song is called."

Rossdale recently told Consequence Of Sound that BUSH's new album turned out more aggressive than some of the band's recent efforts. He explained: "I decided to make a really heavy record. The last record I made was a bit more commercially minded because for whatever reason, I wanted to do that. But this time I was [inspired by] playing so many live shows and all these heavy metal festivals.

"I worked with Tyler Bates and I've written four songs with him, and he co-produced the rest of the album," he continued. "Tyler is a fantastic musician and songwriter and it's just great. The band is sounding great and I think the songs came together great… It's going to devastate people."

BUSH will hit the road with LIVE later this spring. "The Alt-Imate Tour", a co-headline summer run, will see BUSH and LIVE celebrating the 25th anniversary of their respective landmark albums "Sixteen Stone" and "Throwing Copper". Produced by Live Nation, this hits-packed road show will hit arenas and outdoor amphitheaters in 33 cities across the country, kicking off June 6 in Mashantucket, Connecticut, with stops in Boston, Los Angeles, Atlanta and more before wrapping September 8 in Rochester, Michigan at Meadow Brook Amphitheatre.

BUSH's latest effort, 2017's "Black And White Rainbows", was crafted after the frontman went through a divorce with pop star/reality TV judge Gwen Stefani in 2015.

BUSH's current lineup also includes drummer Robin Goodridge, guitarist Chris Traynor and bassist Corey Britz.

The group, which broke up in 2002 but reunited in 2010, has released three albums since reforming.

Episode 2 of "History Of Led Zeppelin", the second in a series of short stories celebrating what happened 50 years ago, when the members of LED ZEPPELIN entered Olympic Studios to record their debut album, can be seen below.

In January 1969, LED ZEPPELIN was unleashed on the world with the release of its trailblazing first LP. Just 10 months later, in October 1969, the band's equally groundbreaking follow-up album "Led Zeppelin II" was released. 50 years later, LED ZEPPELIN remains one of the most important bands in music history whose songs continue to be discovered and embraced by each new generation.

Guitarist Jimmy Page of THE YARDBIRDS and bassist John Paul Jones were young schooled London session players. Singer Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham were talented but untested English Midlands musicians whose raw musicianship and earthy feel were a surprisingly effective contrast. Together, the four redefined the limits of rock music while magnifying its visceral power, its reckless abandonment and, yes, some of its faults.

"Led Zeppelin I" received a surprising number of negative reviews from music critics, igniting a debate on whether white musicians could play Afro-American blues without negatively exploiting the originators, a debate which would dog LED ZEPPELIN for their first four now-iconic albums.

On January 17, 1969, LED ZEPPELIN thundered onto the world stage with its debut album and songs "Communication Breakdown", "Good Times, Bad Times", "Dazed And Confused" and "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" displaying great musical diversity, dynamics, and sounds previously unheard in rock, electrifying the masses (if not rock critics) and selling north of 10 million copies in the U.S. alone.

Page told "In The Studio" host Redbeard why he believes LED ZEPPELIN was so successful from the beginning. "I think everyone was inspired in that band," he said. "I think everyone was a star. There wasn't a weakness there. Every single person was strong.

"Tethered", the new video from ARCH/MATHEOS, the project featuring founding FATES WARNING members John Arch (vocals) and Jim Matheos (guitar), can be seen below. The song is taken from ARCH/MATHEOS's second album, "Winter Ethereal", which is being released today (Friday, May 10) via Metal Blade Records.

In progressive metal circles, the names of Jim Matheos and John Arch are spoken with due reverence. With the former having been a driving force in FATES WARNING for 35 years, and the latter the original frontman of that band, they also have a single seminal work under the ARCH/MATHEOS banner, 2011's "Sympathetic Resonance". In 2019, they have reunited to follow that record up with "Winter Ethereal", a more stylistically varied and perhaps deeper collection that explores a lot of sonic territory over the course of nine immersive tracks. "This stems from both of us trying to step out of our comfort zones a bit, sometimes voluntarily, sometimes being pushed," states Matheos. "Having worked together so many times, it would be easy to fall into the same way of doing things, and I think we were both interested in exploring some new areas." Arch concurs and adds: "Each song is notably different from the next, and nothing sounds repetitive. It is not a concept album, but somehow after a full listen from start to finish, there does seem to be continuity between the songs that I can't describe. At over an hour long, I think the fans will agree that it is a full listening experience."

Upon completion of "Sympathetic Resonance", the duo neither declared it a one-off work nor planned on making a follow-up, and rather than force anything, they waited for the right timing to present itself, opening the door for a sophomore release. Having commenced writing for the record in the spring of 2017, nothing included was at any point destined for a FATES WARNING record, and everything was penned specifically for ARCH/MATHEOS. This contributes to the record's distinctive feel, and had it not come so naturally, there would be no "Winter Ethereal".

"The way we work together is no pressure, no deadline, at least until we get close to recording," says Matheos. "We allow ourselves a lot of time and flexibility to see if we even have anything to say. That's first and foremost. We start by writing, and if things start shaping up and we're excited and inspired, we keep going until we're confident that we'll be able to do a whole record."

Rather than reform the full lineup of the first record — made up entirely of FATES WARNING members — this time around, the duo favored mixing things up with a variety of contributing musicians.

"We decided that it would be a good idea to use a different lineup and hopefully avoid a lot of the confusion created around the first record," Matheos says. "At the same time, we didn't want to give the impression that we were forming a new 'band' that would be touring/recording beyond this current record. With that in mind, I thought it might be an interesting idea to have a few different rhythm sections across the record, to give things a different feel and sound under the familiar top layer of vocals and guitars by John and I."

This lineup comprises both present and former FATES WARNING drummers and bassists — Joey Vera, Bobby Jarzombek, Joe Dibiase and Mark Zonder — plus other noted musicians, such as Steve DiGiorgio (DEATH, TESTAMENT), CYNIC's Sean Malone, and renowned drummer Thomas Lang.

While not a concept album, Arch asserts that "anyone who takes the time to read the lyrics will probably connect with a recurring theme touching on the mysterious weight or flight of human emotion that leaves us with more questions than answers." In the context of the title, rather than referring to the season, "Winter" was chosen for having "certain connotations sometimes associated with it, such as isolation, a withering to rebirth", and with "Ethereal" meaning "not of this world, or otherworldly", there came a "meaningful marriage between the two words that best summed up the theme of the album". For the most part, Arch's lyrics come as a reaction to the music Matheos presents him with, letting the thoughts and feelings evoked dictate the direction. Enjoying listeners making their own interpretation of his lyrics, he typically does not go into detail about specific tracks, but as an example of the direction he was drawn, he references "Pitch Black Prism" and the many influences that went into shaping it.

"The impetus for this song started with seeing images of dolls left behind at the schools and homes near the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster," he says. "Many weeks of research into the personal accounts and survivors' testimonies led me deeper into curiosity. I was halfway into the song when I stumbled across a documentary called 'The Russian Woodpecker', which inspired a larger twist on the direction of meaning. However, it wasn't until I saw a post from a Chernobyl survivor named Yuri, who was one of the musicians employed by the Russian government sent with his bandmates and a ballet dancer into the heart of the disaster to entertain the dying, that the song became complete."

Making the most of contemporary technology, almost all collaborators tracked their parts in their respective home studios, while guitars and vocals were laid down at Matheos's studio, with him handling the production. Working this way was conducive to creativity and a process that was most agreeable to both Arch and Matheos.

"For me, having the freedom and drive to work in isolation is one of the things I like best about recording," says Matheos. "It allows me to experiment, and often fail, without feeling inhibited or constrained. That said, John offered a lot of encouragement, whether remotely or in person, and pushed me into directions I wouldn't normally go."

Matheos was similarly supportive when it came to Arch laying down his parts. "I really enjoy the studio situation, mainly because it feels like home," the vocalist states. "It is a low-key relaxing environment, Jim is behind the console, and I'm behind the mic, and no one is pushing anyone. Whatever creative differences we have, we work out with compromise. I appreciate Jim's patience while I'm tracking vocals because it can be brutal at times. It's also cool because I get a front row seat watching Jim track his guitars, sometimes late into the night till we both run out of gas. We are longtime friends, and a couple shots and laughs at the end of a long day make for some good memories."

One thing is certain, with "Winter Ethereal", fans of ARCH/MATHEOS will feel that the long wait endured for new music has been worth it. The natural manner in which it all came together makes it all the more special.

"Sometimes after being away from something for a while and having life experiences to draw from, you feel you have something to say or offer. Music has always been the best medium for me to express what sometimes words alone cannot, and the timing for this record was just right," Arch asserts. When it comes to the words he would most readily apply to the album, he immediately goes to "unpretentious, emotionally driven, and, sometimes, the hard truth. 'Sympathetic Resonance' had many of these elements, but I think 'Winter Ethereal' does it with more breathing room, giving the listener time for reflection."

"Winter Ethereal" track listing:

01. Vermilion Moons

02. Wanderlust

03. Solitary Man

04. Wrath Of The Universe

05. Tethered

06. Straight And Narrow

07. Pitch Black Prism

08. Never In Your Hands

09. Kindred Spirits

Video footage of PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS rehearsing the song "Photographic Taunts" live at Anselmo's Nodferatu's Lair can be seen below. The clip was shot and edited by Mike Holderbeast and was recorded and mastered by Stephen Berrigan.

PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS will continue their 2019 worldwide live takeover with a month-long European tour. Set to commence on June 20 and run through July 20, the trek includes appearances at a host of prestigious festival appearances, such as Graspop Metal Meeting, Hellfest, Roskilde and Dynamo. The band's latest journey follows their recent Australian tour with Housecore labelmates KING PARROT.

PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS — now featuring Anselmo with guitarists Stephen Taylor (SUPERJOINT) and Mike DeLeon (FLESH HORDER, BEING KILLED), drummer José Manuel "Blue" Gonzalez (SUPERJOINT, WARBEAST) and newest recruit Derek Engemann (SCOUR, ex-CATTLE DECAPITATION) — released the critically acclaimed "Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue" full-length last year via Anselmo's own Housecore Records. The disc was the follow-up to PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS' debut, "Walk Through Exits Only", which came out in 2013 to mostly positive reviews.

Speaking about the lyrical themes covered on "Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue", Anselmo told Desde El Underground TV: "I take [mental illness] really seriously. I mean, look no further than what happened to my guitar player from PANTERA for me to be very, very concerned with mental illness. So I would say for people to talk to each other, love each other and put love first. And if you put love first, things normally work out. It can't happen every time, but, hey, man… You've gotta stay tight."

Anselmo went on to say that he is not immune to the effects of mental illness. "I guess being injured — my entire career being plagued with injuries — it ends up fucking with the brain a little bit," he explained. "And there's so many different levels to it. Sometimes you can just wake up and it's [snaps fingers] like that. Sometimes it'll take a small thing to put you over and you're in a dark place. But, for me, I think, with the band I have, the good guys I have and the love that they show me, back and forth, the friendship that we have, it helps a great deal. Plus writing the music and getting to perform the stuff, it helps a lot with coping, man, and just dealing with stuff."

He added: "I always say, as a person, just like everybody else… Human beings are one step away from disaster, no matter what, so it's kind of up to the rest of us to watch each other's backs, help each other up when we're down and just make sure we don't take that one step too far."

On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Danish/American rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT have released the official lyric video for a new song called "Parasite". The 37-second track, which can also be heard in full on Spotify, is taken from the band's upcoming album, which will be released later in the year.

VOLBEAT guitarist Rob Caggiano spoke to Consequence Of Sound about the follow-up to 2016's "Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie". He said: "It's definitely not going to be the same vibe as the last album or the previous album before that. The band is progressing and evolving, and I think the music is following along. Right now, it definitely feels like a rock record. Obviously, there are still all of those influences that the band has always had, but I think the songwriting is evolving and the structures are different. It might be a little premature and too early to say, but that's what it feels like to me right now."

Last summer, VOLBEAT frontman Michael Poulsen was asked by Greece's "TV War" if the new song "The Everlasting", which the band has been performing at some of its recent live shows, is indicative of the direction of the group's next studio album. He responded: "The last album turned out to be more like a rock album. And you can have certain ideas when you sit down and write your songs, and going through the material that what kind of direction you're going, but at the end of the day, when I write, everything changes every day.

"When we go to the rehearsal room, you can have a certain feeling about, 'This is a keeper. This is a song that's gonna end up on the album,'" he continued. "And then five or six rehearsals later, it goes, 'Oh, that doesn't work.' So we skip a lot of material to get to the right songs, where we feel, 'This seems right.' Because, at the end of the day, it has to be fun to play in the rehearsal room, and it has to be fun playing it two hundred times. And it has to be fun to record it, and it has to be fun to go on the road and play it live."

VOLBEAT bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen confirmed to France's Loud TV that the band's upcoming LP was once again produced by the group's longtime collaborator Jacob Hansen.

"Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie" arrived in June 2016 and featured the chart-topping "Black Rose" and "The Devil's Bleeding Crown", in addition to the Top Five title track.

VOLBEAT released an album and concert film, both titled "Let's Boogie! Live From Telia Parken", last December. They documented the band's August 26, 2017 show at Denmark's Telia Parken, which made VOLBEAT the first Danish act to headline and sell out that venue.

VOLBEAT recently joined forces with GODSMACK for a North American tour.

MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil performed with his solo band on May 3 at the Domination México festival at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, Mexico. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

Neil is continuing to tour the world with his backing group, which includes Dana Strum and Jeff Blando from SLAUGHTER, along with drummer Zoltan Chaney.

Speaking to "Trunk Nation", Vince acknowledged that he is currently the only member of MÖTLEY CRÜE who is waving the flag for the band's music by performing CRÜE songs as a solo artist.

"It's a cool thing, because I love MÖTLEY CRÜE, I love MÖTLEY CRÜE's music, and I love singing, and I love the fans' reactions when they hear the songs," he said. "Whether we're playing in front of a thousand people or twenty thousand people, I can only see the front row anyway. So I'm happy for me and for the fans to be able to still hear that music after MÖTLEY CRÜE is finished."

The film adaptation of MÖTLEY CRÜE's biography, "The Dirt", was released on March 22. The movie, which was helmed by "Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa" director Jeff Tremaine, was picked up by Netflix after being previously developed at Focus Features and before that at Paramount.

Last year, MÖTLEY CRÜE recorded four new songs for "The Dirt" movie, including the single "The Dirt (Est. 1981) (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)", "Ride With The Devil", "Crash And Burn" and the band's own spin on Madonna's "Like A Virgin".

MÖTLEY CRÜE's last studio album was 2008's "Saints Of Los Angeles", which was followed by a 2009 "Greatest Hits" compilation.

In 2015, MÖTLEY CRÜE completed "The Final Tour", closing the book on the band's iconic career after performing a total of 164 shows in 72 markets, grossing over $100 million.

To cement the sense of finality, the four members of MÖTLEY CRÜE in 2014 publicly signed a "cessation of touring" contract that prevents any of them from performing under the CRÜE name in the future.

A tour film about MÖTLEY CRÜE's final shows, "The End", came out in 2016.

A horror-themed visualizer video for "Undead Ahead 2: The Tale Of The Midnight Rider", a brand new song from MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Disguise", which will be released on June 7 via Roadrunner Records. "Disguise" is available for pre-order at all DSPs, with exclusive bundles including a special alternate album cover — limited to 1000 copies — also available at www.motionlessinwhite.net. All pre-orders will receive instant grat downloads of "Disguise" and "Brand New Numb". Recorded with producer Drew Fulk (a.k.a. WZRD BLD) in Los Angeles, California, "Disguise" follows MOTIONLESS IN WHITE's chart-topping Roadrunner debut, "Graveyard Shift".

MOTIONLESS IN WHITE has just completed "The 2019 Spring Invasion Tour", a co-headline run alongside ATREYU featuring support from special guests WILSON. The tour saw the bands traversing North America through May 9 where it concluded with a performance at Knoxville, Tennessee's The Mill & The Mine. Later this summer MOTIONLESS IN WHITE will head back out on the road with ALICE COOPER and HALESTORM for a North American tour set to kick off July 17 at Allentown, Pennsylvania's PPL Center.

Since 2006, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE has won over audiences around the globe with its aggressive music and arresting imagery, rapidly rising to the upper echelon of modern rock. Albums such as 2010's "Creatures" and 2012's "Infamous" would galvanize a rabid fan base around the band — currently comprised of lead singer Chris Motionless, guitarists Ryan Sitkowski and Ricky Horror, drummer Vinny Mauro, and bassist Justin Morrow. MOTIONLESS IN WHITE's 2014 LP, "Reincarnate", reached new heights, bowing at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 chart and claiming No. 1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart. 2017's "Graveyard Shift" arrived to critical acclaim, once again topping Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart led by the Top 20 Active Rock hit "LOUD (F*ck It)" , as well as the thunderous singles "Eternally Yours" and "Necessary Evil".

"Disguise" track listing:

01. Disguise

02. Headache

03. cOde

04. Thoughts & Prayers

05. Legacy

06. Undead Ahead 2: The Tale Of The Midnight Ride

07. Holding On To Smoke

08. Another Life

09. Broadcasting From Beyond The Grave: Death Inc.

10. Brand New Numb

11. Catharsis

Musician and activist Tom Morello has released a reimagined version of his song "Every Step That I Take" exclusively on Amazon Music. Originally released on his 2018 album "The Atlas Underground", the new Amazon Original version features rock heavyweights PORTUGAL. THE MAN and rapper Vic Mensa and is available to stream and purchase now.

"Vic Mensa, PORTUGAL. THE MAN and I did an acoustic reimagining of 'Every Step That I Take' off my album 'The Atlas Underground'," Morello explains. "Was so great collaborating with these super talented friends. The sonic conspiracy continues!"

"Tom and I did this acoustically once before and it was great," John Gourley, frontman of PORTUGAL. THE MAN says. "But Vic Mensa really blew me away with what he did on this recording."

"It's always a dream come true to rock with Tom on anything, I'm his biggest fucking fan," say Vic Mensa. "Me and John actually met at like my 22nd birthday party at my house when I got cake faced by my girlfriend, so it was awesome to do some music together."


"The Atlas Underground" marked Morello's latest and most ambitious artistic effort of his storied career, which includes founding RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, AUDIOSLAVE and PROPHETS OF RAGE. The album left critics raving, with Rolling Stone praising the album as a "rap-rock/EDM throwdown… the results are explosive."


Since releasing that album last year, Morello has been hard at work, developing a special SXSW performance that featured Questlove and Bay Area rapper K. Flay and benefited the American Civil Liberties Union. Following the performance, the ACLU announced Morello as an official ambassador for their prison reform initiative, the Campaign for Smart Justice. The organization also partnered with Morello for his upcoming tour, where the famed activist/musician will perform songs from his new album that touch on many of the social justice issues that the ACLU works on, including from immigration rights, police brutality and criminal justice reform, and voters' rights.

Following his headline tour, Morello will join MUSE on all three of their U.K. stadium dates this June.


Amazon Music listeners can find Morello's reimagined version of "Every Step That I Take" on the playlist "Control Alt Repeat," providing a global stage for alternative fans to find new releases from established acts, or discover their next favorite band. Customers can also simply ask, "Alexa play the Amazon Original by Tom Morello" in the Amazon Music app for iOS and Android and on Alexa-enabled devices. In addition to the new track, Amazon Music listeners can access hundreds of Amazon Originals featuring both emerging and established artists across numerous genres, available to stream and purchase only on Amazon Music.