Viral sensations Okilly Dokilly - the world's only "Nedal" band - recently announced the release of their upcoming second full-length album, entitled Howdilly Twodilly, scheduled for release on March 29th, 2019.

Today, after releasing the "Reneducation" single and announcing their upcoming Howdilly Twodilly Tourdilly (kicking off in April), Okilly Dokilly has revealed the new music video for "Reneducation".

In the Nick Mills-directed video, Head Ned does his best to educate a class of ho-diddly-opeful future Neds, only to come face to face with a very unruly student. Said student learns quickly - you don't mess with Ned!

Head Ned says about the video: "The 'Reneducation' music video is a visual illustration of proper 'Reneducation'. We've very excited to add some video content to our global lesson plan. We're also very excited to show the process of what happens when 'Reneducation' is rejected."

Howdilly Twodilly is set for release on March 29th, but fans can stream the first single, "Reneducation". The song is also available for download now via iTunes and Bandcamp. The Howdilly Twodilly album will be available for pre-order soon via retailers such as iTunes and Bandcamp. Track listing will be announced soon.

Regarding the album itself, Head Ned says: "On making the album - us Neds locked ourselves in the studio like we were waiting for a comet to hit Springfield. We shut the purple drapes, tuned the guitars to drop-diddly, floored the Geo and made one brutalino set of tunes. Howdilly Twodilly will hopefully take us one step closer to our ultimate goal of total global Reneducation. We'll have universal socially owned power tools and a much more even ratio of left-handers to right-handers at 100% to 0%. Making Howdilly Twodilly was a real treat for us Neds and we hope everyone will enjoy the required seven listens per day."

Howdilly Twodilly was recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by Jalipaz. Recording was completed at Audioconfusion in Mesa, AZ.

In celebration of today's single release, Okilly Dokilly is kicking off their Reneducation headline tour in San Diego, CA. The tour, featuring support from Playboy Manbaby, will visit several Western US cities, coming to an end on March 2nd in Austin, TX. Tickets are available now via individual venues or okillydokilly.com.




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Velvet Noise, the 2001 debut album for what was to become one of biggest metal exports from Denmark - Raunchy - will be reissued in vinyl for the first time. But it won't be a "regular" reissue. The record was remastered by Henrik West at Medley Studios (Copenhagen) and will be available in orange vinyl, gatefold edition, limited to 500 copies. The release date is April 12th, 2019.

The band comments: "We knew that we were something different to the Danish metal scene back then. We had a much more alternative approach on how we wanted metal music and OUR music to sound so we knew that we might get ‘slaughtered’ when the reviews would start to tick in. I mean just our brand name Raunchy has no ‘metal’ feel/meaning to it, so that was definitely a thing we knew would be ‘uphill’.

“Also the fact that we pretty much looked like a typical generic band from the Britpop ‘heydays’ of Blur, Suede, Oasis, Radiohead, The Verve etc. was another obstacle - but we couldn’t care less.”

Raunchy soon took off, signed a deal with Nuclear Blast and went touring the world. Velvet Noise, however, was the beginning of it all and will remain as one of the most successful debut albums from a Danish band ever.




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Winds Of Change is the long-awaited follow-up to Jim Peterik’s now legendary Jim Peterik’s World Stage album. Set for release on April 26th, Winds Of Change, is another musical masterpiece featuring brand new Peterik songs in collaboration with a who’s who of melodic rock’s greatest superstars, including Kevin Chalfant (ex-The Storm), Dennis DeYoung (ex-Styx), Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, Kelly Keagy (Night Ranger), Lars Safsund and Robert Sall (Work Of Art), Toby Hitchcock (Pride Of Lions), Danny Vaughn (Tyketto), Mike Reno (Loverboy), Kevin Cronin (REO Speedwagon), Jason Scheff (ex-Chicago), and a very special previously unreleased track by the late, great Jimi Jamison.

Listen to the first single, "Without A Bullet Being Fired", featuring Mike Reno of Loverboy, below. Pre-order the album here.

“Since the success of my first World Stage album back in 2001 and countless shows since, I have wanted to create a new musical legacy with this format,” says Jim. "Listening to voices blending as one has always inspired me, going back to the Beatles and other great vocal groups. I have always considered myself as much a fan of great bands and artists as I am an artist myself, so a project like World Stage is a dream come true since I get to pay homage to those whose music I love, by writing and performing with them. With "Winds Of Change" I was honored to work with some of the best, adapting my writing and production styles to fit a particular act. Many of the songs were actually co- written with the artists appearing too."

Jim Peterik and World Stage arose from the initial idea that the musical and spiritual collaboration of great artists and friends could be something truly special. The resulting album clearly displays the many talents of Jim Peterik, enhanced and embellished by a cast of noted singers and musicians. "Mike Reno…I would always watch from the wings back in the 80’s when Survivor played dates with Loverboy. I’d see the crowd go nuts when they hit "Working For The Weekend", so that’s the vibe Mike and I tried to recreate with "Without A Bullet Being Fired", say Peterik. He continues, "I am still pinching myself that i am now writing songs with Dennis DeYoung for his new album. "Proof of Heaven", included on this album, is one of my proudest moments. Same inspiration was behind the title track "Winds Of Change" with Don Barnes and Danny Chauncey (.38 Special). Kelly Keagy and Kevin Chalfant and i had a blast capturing the energy of Night Ranger and The Storm’s hits with "I Will What I Want" and "Sometimes You Just Want More". respectively. And of course "Just For You" with the great Kevin Cronin is a very special moment for me. When I watched Danny Vaughn perform at Frontiers Festival a few years back, I immediately started planning to make him a part of World Stage. "The Hand I Was Dealt" is the result, which we co-wrote. "Home Fires" with the incredible Toby Hitchcock is a song I think any fan of Pride Of Lions will take to heart. And I have created new friendships with Work Of Art and Jason Scheff because of this record."

"I am a rabid fan of every artist on the album and it was such a thrill to try and bring out their best essence, but for me the most touching moment of this record is reviving an amazing lost track by the late great Jimi Jamison. As I mixed the new version, it was again like having Jimi in the studio with me as his stunning voice came through the monitors. There was not a dry eye in the room. With "Love You All Over The World", his spirit is still with us all," adds Peterik.

In conclusion, Peterik says, "World Stage, which I created soon after I parted ways with Survivor back in 1996, was my way of bringing together the melodic rock community. Setting aside any competition between us to create great melodic rock for the audience that craves it. Since then, every World Stage show has been a total love fest with each show featuring an ever changing array of great artists.”

Winds Of Change certainly carries on that tradition and shows are in the planning stages that will reflect the lineup of this record.

Jim Peterik, through the years, has written or co-written some of rock's most memorable songs: "Vehicle" by the The Ides Of March (on which he was lead vocalist), "Eye Of The Tiger," "The Search Is Over," "High On You," and "I Can't Hold Back”, hits for .38 Special such as "Hold On Loosely," "Caught Up In You," "Fantasy Girl," and "Rockin' Into The Night", "Heavy Metal" with Sammy Hagar, and many many more. Peterik, now a part of Pride of Lions with vocalist Toby Hitchcock, is one of the most esteemed and loved recording artists and songwriters, not only on the Frontiers label, but in the larger melodic rock community.

Tracklisting:

"Winds Of Change" (featuring Danny Chauncey and Don Barnes of .38 Special)
"Without A Bullet Being Fired" (featuring Mike Reno of Loverboy)
"Proof Of Heaven" (featuring Dennis DeYoung)
"Sometimes You Just Want More" (featuring Kevin Chalfant)
"Home Fires" (featuring Toby Hitchcock of Pride of Lions)
"Just For You" (featuring Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon)
"The Hand I Was Dealt" (featuring Danny Vaughn of Tyketto)
"Where Eagles Dare" (featuring Lars Safsund and Robert Sall of Work of Art)
"I Will What I Want" (featuring Kelly Keagy of Night Ranger)
"You’re Always There" (featuring Jason Scheff)
"Avalanche" (featuring Gunnar and Matt Nelson)
"Love You All Over The World" (featuring Jimi Jamison)

"Without A Bullet Being Fired" featuring Mike Reno:

Lineup:

Jim Peterik- Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Mike Aquino- Guitar- Lead And Rhythm
Ed Breckenfeld- Drums And Percussion
Dave Kelly- Drums
Colin Peterik- Drums
Klem Hayes- Bass
Bill Syniar- Bass
Bob Lizik- Bass
Jeff Lantz- Orchestral Arrangement of “You’re Always There”




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Guitar legend Steve Vai has checked in with the following:

"Check out this lovely rendition of 'Burning Rain' by Miho Arai. Her brilliance is intoxicating. This song appears on Piano Reductions Vol II in a studio-recorded format, and is available for purchase on SteveVaiStore.com."

"Burning Rain" appears on Vai's album, Alive In An Ultra World., released in 2001.

Miho Arai: "It is from Piano Reductions Vol.2, my recently released project/album with Steve Vai.

This piece is very special to me because it triggered a return to, and a higher appreciation for, my roots in Japan. It helped stimulate my recent interest in traditional Japanese music, which is currently a source of inspiration and creative direction for me. 

I hope that you enjoy my performance!"




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On February 7, 2017, Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers JOURNEY proved their status as one of rock's best live bands when they brought their landmark albums "Escape" (just in time for its 35th anniversary) and "Frontiers" to the legendary Budokan stage in Japan. Eagle Rock Entertainment proudly presents this concert when "Journey – Live In Japan 2017: Escape + Frontiers" is released on DVD+2CD and Blu-ray+2CD on March 29.

A triumphant evening of music, JOURNEY presented songs from 1981's "Escape" and 1983's "Frontiers". These albums, which produced eight Top 40 singles combined, have sold nearly 20 million copies worldwide, and cemented the San Francisco band's music in the cultural zeitgeist.

Kicking off the two-hour set with "Don't Stop Believin''', JOURNEY kicks into high gear, presenting a set not just of its hits, but deep album cuts like "Escape"'s "Lay It Down" and "Frontiers"' "Back Talk", which haven't been played live since the albums' original touring cycles. The concert, presented with a minimal stage set, without big extravagant light shows or monitors, lets the music do the talking. The spectacular musicianship of Neal Schon (founder / guitarist), Jonathan Cain (keyboardist), Ross Valory (bassist), Steve Smith (drummer) and Arnel Pineda (lead vocals) shines on famed hits like "Open Arms", "Who's Crying Now", "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" and "Faithfully".

A fantastic representation of the band's legacy, "Live In Japan 2017: Escape + Frontiers" showcases the enduring impact of JOURNEY and these songs.

Track listing:

DVD portion:

01. Don't Stop Believin' Intro

02. Don't Stop Believin'

03. Stone In Love

04. Who's Crying Now

05. Keep On Runnin'

06. Still They Ride

07. Escape

08. Lay It Down

09. Dead Or Alive

10. Neal Schon Guitar Solo

11. Mother, Father

12. Jonathan Cain Piano Solo

13. Open Arms

14. Separate Ways Intro

15. Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

16. Send Her My Love

17. Chain Reaction

18. After The Fall

19. Faithfully

20. Edge Of The Blade

21. Steve Smith Drum Solo

22. Back Talk

23. Frontiers

24. Rubicon

25. La Raza del Sol

26. Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'

2CD:

CD1: Escape

01. Don't Stop Believin' Intro

02. Don't Stop Believin'

03. Stone In Love

04. Who's Crying Now

05. Keep On Runnin'

06. Still They Ride

07. Escape

08. Lay It Down

09. Dead Or Alive

10. Neal Schon Guitar Solo

11. Mother, Father

12. Jonathan Cain Piano Solo

13. Open Arms

CD2: Frontiers

14. Separate Ways Intro

15. Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

16. Send Her My Love

17. Chain Reaction

18. After The Fall

19. Faithfully

20. Edge Of The Blade

21. Steve Smith Drum Solo

22. Back Talk

23. Frontiers

24. Rubicon

25. La Raza del Sol

26. Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'

Ex-TIGERTAILZ frontman Kim Hooker has launched a new band called BARE KNUCKLE MESSIAHS. He is joined in the group by fellow former TIGERTAILZ members Andy Skinner (who replaced Ace Finchum) on drums and Cy (who replaced Jay Pepper) on lead guitar. Completing the lineup is Hooker's longtime friend and former S.E.X. bassist JJ, whom Hooker describes as "not the serial killer he seems."

BARE KNUCKLE MESSIAHS' 10-track debut album will be released in the first quarter of 2019. An accompanying music video has been filmed and will make its online debut soon.

Hooker says: "I've always been into the heavier side of rock music, and this album is the album I've always wanted to make. It's my kind of music. It's been a long time coming, because, for me, it had to feel like the right time to do it, but I know it'll be worth the wait. We're itching to get out and play the stuff live in 2019."

Hooker replaced lead vocalist Steevi Jaimz in TIGERTAILZ in 1988 and was in the band until 1996, and again from 2005 to 2012.

He told Soundtrack Of Our Youth: History Of Hair Metal Music about his last exit from TIGERTAILZ: "What led to the split was that I just couldn’t see a way forward after Pepsi [Tate, bass] died, and I was always left feeling like we were shortchanging fans as a band. I asked myself would I want to see MÖTLEY CRÜE without Nikki Sixx or MOTÖRHEAD without Lemmy and the answer was obvious. Pepsi was that important in TIGERTAILZ. He was 90 percent of the band. It was a huge loss."

In a new article from The Guardian, guitar hero Slash picks the best of his back catalogue, from his Guns N’ Roses heyday to Velvet Revolver and collaborations with Bob Dylan and late Motörhead legend Lemmy. An excerpt follows:

Velvet Revolver, "Slither":

When Slash left Guns N’ Roses in 1996, he had his own project, Slash’s Snakepit, up and running, but was adrift in many other ways. “John Lennon had his lost weekend; I had a lost decade in the 90s. But the one thing I was doing with Snakepit was to try and do something that had something solid underneath.”

Velvet Revolver - the group he formed with his old Guns colleagues McKagan and Matt Sorum, plus guitarist Dave Kushner and - especially - singer Scott Weiland was not an easy ride, though. “Velvet Revolver was a really difficult time. It never felt as good as it looked from the outside. It was a cool combination - but I didn’t help, and we all fell off the wagon after a while.”

Did the news of Weiland’s death in December 2015, of an accidental overdose, come as any surprise? “When you get that phone call... it was a shock and at the same time it was, ‘Why should it be a shock?’”

Find the full article at The Guardian.

Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators are hitting the road this summer in support of their new album, Living The Dream. North American dates are listed below.

Dates:

July
15 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield Theater
17- Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo
18 - Vancouver, BC - Queen Elizabeth Theatre
20 - Edmonton, AB - Edmonton Convention Centre
21 - Calgary, AB - Grey Eagle Resort & Casino
23 - Winnipeg, MB - Burton Cummings Theatre
25 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst / Riverside / Turner Hall
26 - Windsor, ON - Colosseum at Caesars Windsor
29 - Toronto, ON - Rebel
31 - Port Chester, NY - The Capitol Theatre

August
1 - Northfield, OH - Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park
3 - Prior Lake, MN - Mystic Lake Casino Hotel
6 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
7 - Fort Wayne, IN - Performance Pavilion at Sweetwater
9 - Council Bluffs, IA - Harrah's - Stir Cove
12 - Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle Atlanta
13 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live Orlando

The official lyric video for the song "Master Of Peace" from Italian symphonic power metal kings RHAPSODY OF FIRE can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "The Eighth Mountain", which will be released on February 22 via AFM Records. The disc will be the band's first collection of brand new material to feature vocalist Giacomo Voli and drummer Manu Lotter, who joined RHAPSODY OF FIRE in 2016.

The band states: "We are thrilled to release a new lyric video of our song 'Master Of Peace', taken from our upcoming album 'The Eighth Mountain'. In this new song, our hero is facing the challenge to bring peace and make his army victorious while being painfully constraint to watch the battlefield turning red and witness the loss of countless lives under his command. All victories have a price."

The track listing for the disc is as follows:

01. Abyss Of Pain

02. Seven Heroic Deeds

03. Master Of Peace

04. Rain Of Fury

05. White Wizard

06. Warrior Heart

07. The Courage To Forgive

08. March Against The Tyrant

09. Clash Of Times

10. The Legend Goes On

11. The Wind, The Rain And The Moon

12. Tales Of A Hero's Fate

RHAPSODY OF FIRE holds a special position in the exciting and multi-faceted world of heavy metal: Like few other acts, the band from Italy stands for anthemnic symphonic metal presented with lots of speed, great pathos and technical refinement. Another characteristic that the band's fans love: At the beginning of their career in particular (at the time still under the shorter moniker of RHAPSODY), their songs presented a mythical, album-transcending saga.

Who doesn't like to recall classics such as "Legendary Tales" (1992), "Symphony Of Enchanted Lands" (1998) or "Dawn Of Victory" (2000)? RHAPSODY OF FIRE has now returned to the very strengths of those albums. "The Eighth Mountain" combines spirited songs and epic chorus parts with lavish orchestra arrangements. At the same time, the album marks the beginning of a new, exciting saga that's typical of this band.

First of all, there's been an important personnel change: vocalist Giacomo Voli has been at the group's musical helm for the last three years, and he has not only accepted the powerful heritage, he has also brought fresh momentum to the RHAPSODY OF FIRE fold. Voli's broader range and vocal power impresses keyboardist Alex Staropoli, RHAPSODY OF FIRE's founder and main songwriter. "Giacomo is like a breath of fresh air for the group and his expressive voice has been a great inspiration to my compositions," Alex says. "That's one of the reasons why our songwriting sounds more positive again. A number of passages on 'Dark Wings Of Steel' seemed too sad and minor-oriented to me in retrospect. 'The Eighth Mountain', on the other hand, features much more optimistic major-key atmospheres."

To dress the new material in appropriately lavish sounds to suit its extravagant songwriting, RHAPSODY OF FIRE has worked with a major orchestra again. This time the musicians of the acclaimed Bulgarian National Symphony Orchestra in Sofia, renowned for their contribution to more than 600 movie soundtracks, were instrumental in recording "The Eighth Mountain"'s sublime, atmospherically dense overall sound. Two choirs featuring more than 20 vocalists, as well as a number of soloists playing medieval instruments, also deserve to be mentioned.

The album was mixed and mastered by Sebastian "Seeb" Levermann (ORDEN OGAN), an acknowledged expert of haunting sounds. The lyrical content of "The Eighth Mountain" marks the beginning of a new story, developed by Roby De Micheli and Alex Staropoli under the title of the "Nephlins Empire Saga" which is based on those fascinating fantasy elements (including the narration courtesy of prestigious British Dracula actor Christopher Lee on the final song "Tales Of A Hero's Fate") that RHAPSODY OF FIRE is renowned for, in this instance — roughly speaking — lost, corrupted souls.

"People will find out more details of the saga when they listen to the lyrics," says Staropoli, not wanting to give away all the album's secrets. Just this much: "It's about which path in life you choose. The story may be fictitious but quite obviously relates to reality the way we experience it every day."

Last but not least, this superb release is enhanced by the fascinating cover artwork courtesy of Alex Charleux, with whom RHAPSODY OF FIRE has already collaborated on the compilation "Legendary Years" (2017). Staropoli says: "The artwork is really breathtaking and has an incredibly impressive effect, particularly the vinyl version. It would be impossible to illustrate the new saga better than on this cover."

A brand-new QUEENSRŸCHE song, "Blood Of The Levant", can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "The Verdict", which will be released on March 1 via Century Media Records. The disc was produced, mixed, and mastered by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, ICED EARTH, HATEBREED) at Uberbeatz in Lynwood, Washington; Planet-Z in Wilbraham, Massachusetts; and Watershed Studio in Seattle, Washington.

Says QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre: "I'm extremely proud of what we were able to accomplish on this record. The relentless dedication and hard work of everyone involved has been very rewarding. I am excited and looking forward to it no longer just belonging to us, but belonging to the world. We hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it!"


Michael "Whip" Wilton (guitar) adds: "'The Verdict' is the most metal and the most progressive record we have made in a long time. I couldn't possibly be more excited for everyone to hear this."

"The Verdict" track listing:

01. Blood Of The Levant

02. Man The Machine

03. Light-Years

04. Inside Out

05. Propaganda Fashion

06. Dark Reverie

07. Bent

08. Inner Unrest

09. Launder The Conscience

10. Portrait

Todd spoke about "The Verdict"'s musical direction with Eclectic Arts, saying: "It's got more driving songs on this record than the last one… I think there's elements that are more progressive — some different time signatures. It's a good-flowing album. There's some slow, kind of haunting, creepy, cool stuff on this record," he continued. "Like I say, there's more progressive elements on this one, I think — certainly more, I think, than the last one. The song 'Condition Hüman' was kind of progressive in QUEENSRŸCHE's standards, so there's kind of some of those elements going on. Really good lyrical content — thought-provoking stuff. Certainly never trying to tell anyone what to think, but to think. Again, a lot of it deals with things that are happening in the world that everyone can identify with and relate to. I tried to have some really good vocal acrobatics on this [album]. There's not a ton of high singing, but there's some high stuff on there vocally. I mean, it just sounds like a great QUEENSRŸCHE album to me. But you never know until you put it out to everyone, and then it's not yours anymore."

"The Verdict" will mark QUEENSRŸCHE's third full-length release with La Torre, following the departure of Geoff Tate in 2012.

For the past two years, drummer Scott Rockenfield has been taking time off from QUEENSRŸCHE's touring activities to spend time with his young son, who was born in early 2017. Filling in for him is former KAMELOT drummer Casey Grillo.

La Torre, who has played drums since the age of 13, laid down the drum tracks on "The Verdict".

QUEENSRŸCHE's spring U.S. headline tour with special guests FATES WARNING will kick off on March 2 in Orlando, making stops in major markets such as New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and will wrap on April 3 in Seattle. THE CRINGE will be joining both bands on select dates.

The family of Bernie Tormé says that there has been no improvement in the guitarist's health after he was hospitalized earlier this week with double pneumonia.

It was reported a few days ago that the Irish musician was "extremely ill" and he has since been placed on a ventilator.

The family's statement reads: "Whilst Bernie remains in great hands in hospital, there has been no improvement in his condition and last night he was placed on a ventilator.

"Bernie remains in intensive care.

"Your continued thoughts, prayers and best wishes are most welcome."

Tormé is known for stepping in and saving the day for Ozzy when Randy Rhoads tragically died. Ozzy and Bernie hadn't seen each other since the early '80s (after Bernie left the band) before reconnecting last summer at the Sweden Rock Festival. Tormé also toured the world as the lead axeman in GILLAN and formed DESPERADO with TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider and ex-IRON MAIDEN drummer Clive Burr, as well as fronting his own bands ELECTRIC GYPSIES and TORME (featuring Phil Lewis of L.A. GUNS/GIRL fame).

A young Zakk Wylde witnessed Bernie playing with Ozzy at Madison Square Garden in New York City on the one of the very few dates Bernie did with Ozzy. Zakk called Bernie "his hero" and insisted on a selfie when they met at Sweden Rock.

Ozzy told Rolling Stone about meeting up with Bernie at Sweden Rock: "I haven't seen him for a fucking thousand years. Someone told me he was outside my dressing room. I went, 'No.' He said, 'I'll never forget the time I played with you, Ozzy. It was a lot of fun.' I couldn't remember what he looks like. It had been that long."

Last November, Tormé released a double album called "Shadowland". Recorded last year at Barnroom Studios, the disc was the first release from Bernie's new trio. The album also featured a guest appearance from Bernie's former GILLAN bandmate Colin Towns.

Tormé has recorded over 24 albums in his career to date as a solo artist or bandmember.

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has defended KISS against claims that the band is using pre-recorded tracks during its farewell tour.

Ever since KISS's "End Of The Road" trek launched last month, there has been persistent online chatter about frontman Paul Stanley allegedly singing to a backing tape. The speculation stemmed from the fact that Stanley had been struggling to hit the high notes in many of the band's classic songs for a number of years.

Bach, a self-proclaimed KISS über fan, weighed in on the rumors of playback tracks after witnessing the band's February 12 concert at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Sebastian wrote in a series of tweets: "KISS hit the exact same notes [Tuesday] night in Anaheim that they did in their 30s.

"I listened to Paul Stanley sing his ass off LIVE. I paid tribute to the band that has given us more than any other band that any of us can name. I have seen way more obvious use of backing tracks than with KISS.

"KISS is not lip syncing," he added. "There are too busy putting on the greatest rock show you will ever see."

Bach's comments came just hours after MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx called out another band for using taped vocals during its live performances after it previously derided other groups for doing the same thing.

Sixx wrote on Twitter: "Certain band out on the road right now putting other bands DOWN and saying that they are a REAL rock band, no background singers,and other old people cranky comments except his lead vocals are on tape.People in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks. #GetOffMyLawn #WizardOfOz"

Most fans assumed that Sixx was referring to KISS, especially since KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has previously slammed bands who used backing tapes for not being honest enough to include that fact on their concert tickets.

After KISS played on NBC's "America's Got Talent" last September, Stanley was asked by Rolling Stone if that was actually a live performance or if he and his bandmates tracked it earlier. "What you tend to do is record it live and that way you know that everything is as it should be," he responded. "It's not like going into the studio or anything like that. It's…with all its imperfections, it's live."

Photo credit: Lizzy Gonzalez

Kiss hit the exact same notes last night in Anaheim that they did in their 30s I don't know what show you went to— Sebastian Bach (@sebastianbach) February 14, 2019


I am saying that I went to see KISS and I fucking saw KISS. I listened to Paul Stanley sing his ass off LIVE. I paid tribute to the band that has given us more than any other band that any of us can name. I have seen way more obvious use of backing tracks then with KISS.— Sebastian Bach (@sebastianbach) February 14, 2019



KISS is not lip syncing. There are too busy putting on the greatest rock show you will ever see. Or not.— Sebastian Bach (@sebastianbach) February 14, 2019



What people are saying about them is that they are the best band they have ever seen. Anyone with a different opinion did not go to the show. #fact https://t.co/BDRj5BtHVK— Sebastian Bach (@sebastianbach) February 14, 2019



KISS has given us more than any other band that you could name. Without question. This new tour is our last chance to salute the Hottest Band in the Land. The ones that did it first and better than anyone else ever has or will https://t.co/xedQkJDi1K— Sebastian Bach (@sebastianbach) February 14, 2019

MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx has called out another band for using taped vocals during its live performances after it previously derided other groups for doing the same thing.

Sixx wrote on Twitter: "Certain band out on the road right now putting other bands DOWN and saying that they are a REAL rock band, no background singers,and other old people cranky comments except his lead vocals are on tape. People in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks. #GetOffMyLawn #WizardOfOz"

Some fans have speculated that Sixx is referring to KISS, whose lead singer Paul Stanley has been struggling to hit the high notes in many of the band's classic songs for a number of years. As a result, Stanley has been accused of singing to a backing tape on KISS's just-launched "End Of The Road" tour.

Back in 2015, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons slammed bands who used backing tapes for not being honest enough to include that fact on their concert tickets.

"I have a problem when you charge $100 to see a live show and the artist uses backing tracks," Simmons said. "It's like the ingredients in food. If the first ingredient on the label is sugar, that's at least honest. It should be on every ticket — you're paying $100, 30 to 50 percent of the show is [on] backing tracks and they'll sing sometimes, sometimes they'll lip synch. At least be honest. It's not about backing tracks, it's about dishonesty.

"There's nobody with a synthesizer on our stage, there's no samples on the drums, there's nothing," Gene continued. "There's very few bands who do that now — AC/DC, METALLICA, us. I can't even say that about U2 or THE [ROLLING] STONES. There's very few bands who don't use (backing) tracks."

Sixx has defended CRÜE's use of backing tracks during live concerts, saying, "We've used technology since '87." He said the group employed "sequencers, sub tones, background vox tracks, plus background singers and us. [MÖTLEY CRÜE also taped] stuff we can't tour with, like cello parts in ballads, etc.... We love it and don't hide it. It's a great tool to fill out the sound."

In a 2014 interview, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars admitted that he wasn't comfortable with the fact that his band used pre-recorded backing vocals in its live shows, claiming that he preferred to watch groups whose performances are delivered entirely live.

"I don't like it," he said. "I think a band like ours… I have to say '60s bands were my favorite — '60s and '70s bands — because they were real, like, three-piece bands or four-piece bands, and they just got up there and kicked it up. Made a mistake? So what? Sounded a little bit empty here or there? So what? It's the bigness and the rawness and the people that developed and wrote the songs and made them and presented them. To me, that's what I really like. I mean, I could put on a MÖTLEY CD and play with it all day long. I don't wanna do that."

Certain band out on the road right now putting other bands DOWN and saying that they are a REAL rock band, no background singers,and other old people cranky comments except his lead vocals are on tape.People in glass houses shouldn’t throw rocks. #GetOffMyLawn #WizardOfOz— ⚡️ xxıS ıʞʞıN ⚡️ (@NikkiSixx) February 13, 2019

Slash recently spoke to Japanese music critic and radio personality Masa Ito of TVK's "Rock City" about the possibility of a new studio LP from GUNS N' ROSES in the not-too-distant future.

"Axl [Rose, vocals], Duff [McKagan, bass], myself and Richard [Fortus, guitar] have all talked about… there's material and stuff going on already for a new record," he confirmed (see video below). "It's just, with GUNS N' ROSES, you don't go, 'Oh, there is a plan, and it's gonna be like this,' because that's not how it works. So, basically, the only real answer to give is we're hoping to put a new record out, and we'll just see what happens when it happens."

GUNS kicked off its long-rumored and long-awaited reunion tour in April 2016 with a club show in Hollywood and appearances in Las Vegas and at California's Coachella festival.

The "Not In This Lifetime" tour features classic lineup members Slash, McKagan and Rose backed by Fortus, drummer Frank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

"It was surprising in and of itself when we got [back] together in the first place." Slash told "Rock City". "And then the first show that we did was magic — that was unbelievable. That first series of shows that we did around Coachella back in April of 2016, it was just such a huge thing. For the guys in the band — for myself to be on stage with Duff and Axl and just have that chemistry was so powerful. You forget, because it had been a lot of years since I jammed with both those guys, and it was really powerful. And one thing led to another, and we just ended up having this amazing tour that you couldn't possibly dream of. It was a really great tour. And it lasted a really long time. I think it was the longest tour we ever did. It was about two and a half years."

Although GUNS N' ROSES had been notorious for internal friction, with Axl and Slash ending their initial collaboration in 1993 following a show in Buenos Aires, the guitarist says that they "really, really had a great time" on the reunion tour. "There was no bullshit," he explained. "It was one of those situations, a lot of people like to show an appearance and say, 'Oh, it's great and this and that and the other,' but the reality is something else. But for us, this whole thing was really a magical experience. The band was great, the fucking entourage, the crew, the whole production was just like this really great marriage of people, and we just all had a really good time. And the fans were amazing. So I'm really happy that it happened."

GUNS N' ROSES' latest studio album, "Chinese Democracy", came out in 2008 and featured only Axl from the classic lineup.

The last album on which Rose, McKagan and Slash appeared together was 1993's covers set "The Spaghetti Incident?"

Slash released his fourth solo album and third with his band THE CONSPIRATORS, "Living The Dream", last September.

British heavy metal vocalist Blaze Bayley, who fronted IRON MAIDEN from 1994 until 1999, will playing a special MAIDEN setlist at select festivals in 2019. Choosing songs from his era with the band, these shows will celebrate 25 years since Blaze joined IRON MAIDEN. This will be the first and last opportunity to see such a setlist.

Blaze, who will release a new album and DVD, "Live In France" on March 1, and has just returned from a successful stint touring Latin America, sees this as the perfect opportunity to celebrate his time in MAIDEN which was such a positive experience and influence on his career as a whole.

Blaze says: "Twenty-five years ago, my great adventure with IRON MAIDEN began. It was a wonderful five years in my career and something I'm very proud of. Since then, I have toured almost every year and made 11 studio albums and three live albums. Recently, many fans have asked me to perform songs from the two albums I recorded with IRON MAIDEN, so this year to celebrate that magical time, I'm doing a full set of my favorite songs from [1995's] 'The X Factor' and [1998's] 'Virtual XI' albums at festivals.

"My voice has developed and changed since my time as lead vocalist with IRON MAIDEN. Now I feel I'm singing better than ever, so I'm very excited about singing those old songs with the voice I have now."

These are the festivals which will feature a special IRON MAIDEN setlist:

Jun. 06 - Sweden Rock

Jun. 14 - Rock the Coast, Spain

Jul. 27 - Headbangers Open Air, Germany

Aug. 09 - Mannried Open Air, Switzerland

Aug. 10 - Dark River Festival, Finland

The band at these shows will be Blaze's regular touring and recording outfit taken from British band ABSOLVA, plus ICED EARTH bassist and ABSOLVA guitarist Luke Appleton.

Blaze Bayley - lead vocals

Chris Appleton - guitar and backing vocals

Luke Appleton - guitar and backing vocals

Martin Mcnee - drums

Karl Schramm - bass and backing vocals

Chris Appleton says: "Normally when we perform as Blaze's band, we are a four-piece, including Blaze, so just myself on lead guitar and that really works for us. But for these MAIDEN sets, we think it's really cool to bring in my brother Luke as second guitarist to enhance the MAIDEN feel.

"It's an honor for us to play these songs with Blaze, increasingly recognized as an important chapter in MAIDEN's history’

An additional celebration of the anniversary is a re-interpretation of "The X Factor" album cover art done by the very talented Akirant Illustration to help promote these shows and on a special run of T-shirts. Bayley would like to thank Akirant for his excellent work and also thank IRON MAIDEN manager Rod Smallwood and his team for their kind authorization and messages of support.

In a 2017 interview with Spain's EMP Live, Blaze talked about the obstacles he faced while trying to become accepted by MAIDEN fans as Bruce's replacement.

"I think for all of us, if we fall in love with a band and we fall in love with a voice, it is very difficult to make an adjustment to a new voice," he explained. "And for me, I had incredible support from thousands of fans all over the world. But there are some fans that hated me, hated my voice and they still do. And that's okay, because it's not for everyone.

"My style is very different to Bruce, and when [IRON MAIDEN] chose me to replace Bruce, I was very surprised because my voice is so different," he continued. "But it is the most incredible job. As a heavy metal singer, it's perhaps the number one job that you can have — to be the singer of IRON MAIDEN. So my passion and my heart was there, and the music that we made on 'The X Factor' and 'Virtual XI', which have been re-released now on vinyl, was incredible. And people that perhaps didn't like the change at the time, now they go back and listen differently, with fresh ears, to the records and the music that we made then, and perhaps that's why now I've become more popular than I ever was after IRON MAIDEN. Now, more than twenty years, people really start to take notice of what Blaze Bayley is doing."

According to Blaze, his dismissal from MAIDEN in January 1999 came as a total shock, but he doesn't believe the band was completely to blame for the decision. "The main reason that I was leaving IRON MAIDEN is because of EMI [MAIDEN's record label] and the business," he said. "That is what I believe. At the time, BLACK SABBATH had the reunion with Ozzy [Osbourne], DEEP PURPLE had the original lineup with Ian Gillan reunion, and CD sales worldwire were going down. And I think the record company put a lot of pressure on the band to have a reunion. So, for me, it was a horrible time, but it is still a time I think of very fondly. And Steve Harris [IRON MAIDEN bassist] was really like a mentor to me and taught me so much about songwriting. So those values and the things that he taught me are things that I put into my own work now."

Blaze also shot down speculation that there was bad blood between him and Dickinson, insisting that the two singers have always had an amiable relationship. "Bruce Dickinson and I have been friends before [I was in] IRON MAIDEN, and Bruce Dickinson was very supportive of me when I was in IRON MAIDEN and after IRON MAIDEN," Blaze said. "When he had his own radio show, he helped me and played my music on his show. And my newest video, for 'Escape Velocity', was actually filmed at his aircraft simulator. So he had helped me a great deal."

Image courtesy of Duke TV

Due to severe weather conditions today, the unveiling of AEROSMITH's Hollywood Walk Of Fame star has been postponed.

Singer Steven Tyler was scheduled to be joined by actress Sharon Stone in speaking at the 11:30 a.m. ceremony in front of the Musicians Institute. That ceremony is now postponed until further notice.

Steven tweeted earlier today: "FOLKS, WE TRIED TO GET OUR STAR TODAY... BUT ITS UNDERWATER AND WE FORGOT OUR SCUBA GEAR!! NEW DATE FOR @HWDWALKOFFAME COMING SOON!! STAY TUNED AND STAY DRY! WE LOVE AND THANK YOU ALL! @AEROSMITH"

AEROSMITH — Steven Tyler (vocals), Joe Perry (lead guitar), Brad Whitford (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass) and Joey Kramer (drums) — is a living piece of American music history, having sold more than 150 million albums worldwide and been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. They are the recipients of countless awards including four Grammys, eight American Music Awards, six Billboard Awards and 12 MTV Video Music Awards, among many other honors. Proving that they can cross genre-boundaries with ease, these rock legends have even taken home a Soul Train Award for "Best Rap Single" for their remix of RUN DMC's "Walk This Way". This year, the legacy continues with the band launching their Las Vegas residency, "Aerosmith: Deuces Are Wild", beginning Saturday, April 6 at the Park Theater at the new Park MGM resort. And in 2020, they will celebrate a milestone, their 50th anniversary as a band.

In addition to their musical legacy, band members have also used their platform to give back. For instance, in November 2015, Tyler founded his philanthropic initiative Janie's Fund, in partnership with Youth Villages, to bring hope and healing to girls who have suffered the trauma of abuse and neglect. He was honored for this work in 2016 when the United Nations named him the recipient of Humanitarian Award. He is also deeply involved in the fight to protect the rights of established and emerging songwriters as a member of the Grammy Creators' Alliance, and a tireless advocate for raising awareness of addiction issues and recovery solutions.

Photo credit: Zack Whitford

FOLKS, WE TRIED TO GET OUR STAR ? TODAY... BUT ITS UNDERWATER AND WE FORGOT OUR SCUBA GEAR!! NEW DATE FOR @HWDWALKOFFAME COMING SOON!! STAY TUNED AND STAY DRY! WE LOVE AND THANK YOU ALL! @AEROSMITH pic.twitter.com/b2gFho6ruv— Steven Tyler (@IamStevenT) February 14, 2019

Last month, PAPA ROACH played a special run of five shows in its home state of California to celebrate the release of the band's 10th studio album, "Who Do You Trust?" The group closed out the run with three very special shows at the landmark West Hollywood venue The Roxy, presented by SiriusXM.

Professionally filmed video footage of PAPA ROACH performing the song "Elevate" at The Roxy can be seen below.

"Who Do You Trust?" was released on January 18 through Eleven Seven Music. The 12-song disc features the band's signature heavy rhythmic guitars and catchy hooks on "Who Do You Trust" and "Renegade Music", with "Not The Only One" supplying melody and emotionally charged lyrics. The album is produced by Nick "RAS" Furlong and Colin Cunningham except for "Top Of The World", which is produced by Jason Evigan.


Asked why PAPA ROACH decided to work on new music so soon after the release of 2017's "Crooked Teeth", guitarist Jerry Horton told the Milwaukee radio station 102.9 The Hog: "Normally, we give it a couple of years to two and a half years, just because the touring cycles usually take a pretty long time. And then six months we'll do [in the studio] for the record. This time it was, like, a year on tour and maybe three months [in the studio]. We got in with the same guys [producers Nicholas 'RAS' Furlong and Colin Brittain] that we did 'Crooked Teeth' with, and we have this flow together, and it just went really quick."

He continued: "We've been doing this for so long that we kind of know if we get to a certain point with a song that it's not happening naturally, then we just kind of set it aside and move on to something else and then maybe come back to it later. But we don't try and sit there and force it for days on end like we used to."

Horton previously told Morgan Richards Interviews that PAPA ROACH's new material would see him and his bandmates "really trying to explore more dynamics and not just be a wall of guitars all the time."

Frontman Jacoby Shaddix described the musical direction of the new PAPA ROACH songs to the Lazer 103.3 radio station as "a pretty bold evolution," saying that the tracks on "Who Do You Trust?" are "so inspiring and just unique and different and rocking and anthemic and passionate."

PAPA ROACH will join SHINEDOWN and ASKING ALEXANDRIA on the 2019 North American leg of the "Attention! Attention!" world tour.

According to Variety , a new documentary film focusing on the life of SOUNDGARDEN and AUDIOSLAVE frontman Chris Cornell is in the works.

The film will be produced by Cornell's widow, Vicky, along with Brad Pitt and Peter Berg's Film 45 production company. Berg ("Lone Survivor", "Deepwater Horizon") will direct.

Film 45 is a separate entity from Berg's Film 44 film and TV company that is home to his narrative projects.

Cornell, who committed suicide in 2017, was honored last month at a tribute concert in Los Angeles, where the remaining members of SOUNDGARDEN and AUDIOSLAVE, along with METALLICA, FOO FIGHTERS and others, performed.

A box set featuring music from all three of Cornell's bands, as well as his solo records, was issued in November.

Cornell was pronounced dead on May 18, 2017 after being found unresponsive in his Detroit hotel room. SOUNDGARDEN had played a show earlier that evening. The 52-year-old had sedatives and an anxiety drug in his system, but died as a result of hanging himself.

Dominanz is an extreme metal band with black metal influences hailing from Norway. They are ready with their third full length, Let The Death Enter. This time they entered Øystein G. Bruns’ (Borknagar) Crosound Studio. They used most of 2017/2018 in Crosound Studio to perfect the sound of the new album. The final touch was made by the mastermind Dan Swanö at Unisound Studio. BraveWords is premiering the first video from the album, "Ruins Of Destruction":

Dominanz comments on new video, “Ruins Of Destruction”: “The song, and the video was the seed for our upcoming album, a slow growth/slow burn. Sound-wise it laid the foundation for what would come, even though it also represents the last works of incarnation no. 2 of Dominanz. And of course it is based on good Christian values, ethics, morals and beliefs.”

On this album Dominanz are more influenced by their roots from the black metal, but for sure keep their atmospheric signature.

The album will be released via Mighty Music on CD/LP/Digital on March 22nd.

First single/video "Ruins Of Destruction" will be released on February 15th.




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The total gross from Metallica's current WorldWired tour, that launched in 2016, has surpassed the $150 million threshold with the latest tally reaching $155.9 million, reports Eric Frankenberg of Billboard. 

Metallica restarted their most recent North American jaunt on January 18th; the limited 2019 leg has grossed $14.4 million and sold 123,792 tickets so far. While Cleveland, OH claims the leg’s highest gross, the Raleigh, NC, show posted the best attendance numbers, selling 19,361 tickets. So far, the tour has sold 1,554,470 tickets in total. Learn more at this location.

MetallicaTV has uploaded this footage of Metallica performing the Kill 'Em All album track, "Phantom Lord", at US Bank Arena Cincinnati, OH on January 30th:

Watch Metallica perform the Hardwired... To Self-Destruct album track, "Atlas, Rise!", at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN on January 24th:

Metallica performs next on February 28th at Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas. The band's complete tour schedule, which stretches into August, can be found at this location.

 




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ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell recently joined Lars Ulrich for a special edition of "It's Electric!", the METALLICA drummer's online radio show on Apple Music's Beats 1. The two longtime friends discuss Jerry's journey from the early days of the Seattle sound to the writing of ALICE's Grammy-nominated new album, "Rainier Fog". Listen to Jerry talk the band’s reunion, dynamic, and more in a full-hour deep dive into the life of one of rock and roll's most influential and resilient artists.

Speaking about the impetus for the ALICE IN CHAINS reunion after singer Layne Staley's death, which was the 2005 Indian earthquake and tsunami that found the band getting their friends together for a concert to raise money for victims, Jerry said: "We didn't know what we were doing. And we actually asked a bunch of our friends to gig with us, and they did, like Phil Anselmo and Ann Wilson and William [DuVall]. We did gigs with our buddies and stuff, singing a few songs and stuff like that. Before Sean [Kinney, drums] called, it was an idea that I remember talking to him about a few times, and he was, like, 'No.' … We had to think about this. This is our life. We created this, and just because our friend is not here, it doesn't mean that this stuff isn't still alive and that it still speaks to people and it's still our work, and we have nothing to be embarrassed about. We have full ownership. This is us. This is what we do. And it it took a while. We just had a few conversations like that. We were, like, 'Yeah, yeah, whatever.' And then, out of the blue, this horrible tragedy happens. You saw this compassion and people kicking in to help people for the tsunami and all of these relief concerts and donations and stuff. And then Sean calls, and he's, like, 'Why don't we do a thing and we'll raise some money and we'll do it for that? We'll just do a one-time show. We'll get together and play the songs and we'll invite some friends. The band will do a couple of tunes, so and so and whatever, and we'll just invite some people down and we'll do it.' So that's how it started — with no thought of doing anything other than just that show. So we did that, and it was really intense. I mean, I kind of blacked out about half of that gig, just because of all of the emotional rawness of going through that experience and standing on the stage for first time without my buddy. The thing that made it cool was I was standing on stage with my other three buddies, so we were all doing it together. So we went through that process, and then it left a positive taste in everybody's mouth — playing the songs, even though it was kind of heavy at the same time. But it was something that was necessary to go through to spark the thought of maybe taking the next step. So there was no grand plan. It was just something that kind of like we did a thing and then we thought, 'Well, let's take another step.' And then we did another thing. And then, 'All right, we'll take another one.' And it was just that sort of incremental things, strictly going by feel, which is how this band has always operated."

Tune in this Sunday, February 10 at 3 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. ET.

Listen live for free on Apple Music's Beats 1.

Launched in May 2017, "It's Electric!" is an unscripted weekly window into the mind of Ulrich. Hear music that excites this great Dane, as well as chats with artists who inspire him... all wrapped in magnificently mindless banter!

Since its launch, the show has featured guests Iggy Pop, RANCID's Lars Frederiksen, AVENGED SEVENFOLD's M. Shadows, ROYAL BLOOD, Glastonbury Festival co-organizer Emily Eavis, Rolling Stone's Kory Grow, So What! magazine editor Steffan Chirazi, and more.

Ulrich described "It's Electric!" as "my 16-year-old self's wet dream: doing a radio show to a worldwide audience."

He added: "We go all over the world — we look at international bands for an international audience. We don't believe in boundaries and we're open to everything.

During an interview with fellow Beats 1 host Zane Lowe, Ulrich said that his show would be "unfiltered, unscripted and completely all over the place… I've got so much stuff to share with everybody out there and a lot of stuff that's turning me on," he said. "I'm telling you, people that love great music, rock music but also hip-hop and world music and all the rest of it — there's a lot of people that talk about, 'Well, the music business is in sad shape, and it's dying,' but there's a ton of fantastic music out there, and I'm re-energized and reinvigorated and ready to share it with the world."

An elusive name born amidst Switzerland's highest mountains, Xaon never quite fitted in any of the numerous galleries metal has to offer, drifting through the extremes whilst juxtaposing finesse and vehemence from an unworldly orchestra, endlessly exploring the vast echoic gloominess of the human mind. 

In only a few short years, the combo led by Vincent Zermatten (guitars) and Rob Carson (vocals/orchestrations) has managed to tour the world through the release of their critically acclaimed debut album The Drift, notably across Europe with gothic metal monsters Sirenia and folk metal legends Tyr, in Japan with Obscura and Archspire, in the US with The Veer Union, and sharing the stage in festivals across Europe with bands such as Megadeth, Testament, Exodus, Gojira, Paradise Lost, Eluveitie and many more. 

In 2019, Xaon is back with their 2nd album somberly entitled Solipsis available through Mighty Music, bringing the band's grandiose aggressiveness to a whole new level, pummeling their way through a cataclysmic atmosphere while reaching a new majestic apotheosis. This album is set to debut in the spring, which will see the band performing across Europe with Septicflesh and Krisiun while continuing to prove themselves as an upcoming force around the Metal world. 

Solipsis will be out on CD, LTD LP & digital on April 12th through Mighty Music and BraveWords is premiering the video for the track “Solipsism”. 

Rob Carson, Xaon comments about the song: "‘Solipsism’ is the view or theory that the self is all that can be known to exist. How do you react when confronted with absolute solitude? What happens in your mind when you are really all alone? What does it mean to be alone? This hypothesis is the leitmotiv addressed throughout the album, an apocalyptic thought slowly delving towards serenity, towards catharsis. Directed one again by Brice Hincker from CHS Prod and starring Mickael Dervey from Kha Designs."




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OF MICE & MEN spent much of the fall hunkered down in the studio working on new material with producer Josh Wilbur. They have stormed out of the gates with a brand new, battering ram of a song entitled "How To Survive".

Hinging on hard-hitting grooves and airtight riffing, the track snaps from visceral verses into an instantly chant-worthy growl of "In a world that teaches eye for an eye, I'll show you how to survive!" It's an instantly raw 'n' real, pit-stirring anthem.

"'How to Survive' is an anthem for those who have been the receiving end of unmerited and targeted hatred and abuse," said singer and bassist Aaron Pauley, offering a deeper insight into the impactful song. "It's for the kid who was bullied, beat up, and ignored in school. It's for the teenager who was told that they'll never amount to anything and that their thoughts, feelings, and opinions don't matter to the world. It's for the person who has been told that they're worthless, useless, or not good enough, time and time again. It's for the person who's repeatedly been targeted by those who only seek to tear others around them down."

He further stated: "This song is for them. This song is for me. I am them, and I'm still standing. So, turn it up. Feel the rage. If you, too, are that person, you will know it well, and it will greet you like an old friend."

The song is the first taste of new music from the Southern California quartet since last year's much-praised "Defy" album.

2019 is going to be a busy year for OF MICE & MEN. The band will hit the road for back-to-back U.S. tours, hitting the road with NOTHING MORE beginning next week. The band will then tour with BEARTOOTH this spring.

Andrew Catania of All That Shreds recently conducted an interview with former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

All That Shreds: Comparing [longtime JUDAS PRIEST singer] Rob [Halford] to [former JUDAS PRIEST frontman] Ripper [Tim Owens], who do you feel is a better fit for PRIEST?

Downing: "When Ripper joined the band... We would have to say that, physically and technically, Ripper was a better singer than Rob, because Tim was always in tune, he was always in key. I mean, Rob was good. Rob got better after he started to wear in-ear monitors. But Tim was stronger. He still is. I mean, the guy is a powerhouse. But the thing is that the tonality of his voice is not Rob's, and I guess that's what the [PRIEST] sound is. That's why it had to come to an end. We would come offstage. Tim would absolutely murder the show, and we would still come offstage and the fans would be saying, 'Oh, yeah, yeah. I enjoyed the show. But when's Rob coming back? Is Rob coming back?' And it was hard. And it must be hard for those guys [in PRIEST] out there now, [hearing fans say], 'Is K.K. coming back? Is Glenn [Tipton, guitar] coming back?' It must be tough for them."

All That Shreds: What were the events that led up to Rob coming back to PRIEST?

Downing: "It's a long story. Sharon Osbourne rang up one day and said, 'Hey, what's happening with Rob? Is he back in the band? Because I want you to do the Ozzfest and I'm gonna pay you a lot of money for doing it.' And that didn't happen the first time around. But then another year or so went by, and kind of the same thing happened again. But by this time, we'd done 'Demolition', and things seemed to be on the decline for us. The venues seemed to be getting worse. And eventually, I took part in the 'Demolition' album, but I wasn't happy. Glenn said he wanted to produce the album and stuff like that. It was all getting a bit funky, so I walked away from it for a while, but I came back and put as much into it as I could."

All That Shreds: So, basically, it was a money thing that got Rob back? Would you say that that's fair [to say]?

Downing: "No. No. I just think it's the fact that… [It was] what the fans wanted — it was fan demand, really. And I couldn't see that getting any better, really. Because everything that the band had done before Ripper seemed to be getting more and more popular, having more acclaim, like the 'Painkiller' album. The 'Painkiller' album wasn't very big when we first released it; it was just medicore. But it started to gain momentum year after year, and it started to become a big album. And the fans wanna hear the band, the original bandmembers."

All That Shreds: Ripper said he'd like to go back and re-record "Jugulator" and "Demolition" as he feels PRIEST is trying to remove any mention of his involvement with the band. It's hard to find "Jugulator" anywhere and "Demolition" is more available. Would you participate in the re-record with Ripper?

Downing: "It would probably be legal reasons [why they are not widely available], I think. Somebody actually must own the rights. But it's worth finding out, because one thing is for sure, between me and Ripper, if nobody owns the rights to them, then we'll start producing them and marketing them. I'd be happy to do that. I'll do some research and find out who owns the rights to those albums. But somebody [must have acquired] the rights, I'm sure."

Read the entire interview at All That Shreds.

In the clip below, shot at NAMM 2019 last month, Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci speaks with Guitar Interactive. 

Petrucci: "I think that music, it has to come from a genuine place. It sounds really cliché, but it's a cliché because it's true. You might be influenced by a band or a sound, there's nothing wrong with that - so are we - but then take it and kind of find your own voice, and that's what all these young players are doing, and it blows my mind. Some of the stuff I hear is, like, 'What the hell is going on?'."

Dream Theater have released an official video trailer for their upcoming 14th studio album, Distance Over Time, out on February 22nd via InsideOut Music.

Distance Over Time showcases a newfound creativity for Dream Theater while maintaining the elements that have garnered them devoted fans around the globe. The album also marks the first for the band’s new label InsideOutMusic / Sony Music.

The artwork was created by long-time cover collaborator Hugh Syme (Rush, Iron Maiden, Stone Sour). Distance Over Time was produced by John Petrucci, mixed by Ben Grosse and mastered by Tom Baker.

The latest addition to Dream Theater’s impressive catalog is now available for pre-order in various configurations here.

Distance Over Time will be available as:

- Standard CD Jewel Case
- Special Edition Digipak (incl. 1 bonus track)
- 180g Gatefold 2LP Edition (incl. 1 bonus track, an 8-page-LP-booklet & the entire album on CD)
- Ltd. Edition Artbook (incl. 1 bonus track, 5.1 mix with video animations, instrumental mixes & high res files of the album, stems for “Untethered Angel”, extended liner notes, additional artwork incl. photos from the writing session and additional video content), as
- Deluxe Collector’s Box Set (incl. lenticular cover card, Artbook, 180g 2 LP Gatefold Edition with exclusive artwork and exclusive white vinyl, exclusive picture 7”, 60 x 60 cm poster, 10 art cards, slipmat, patch, pin and a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity)
- Digital Album (incl. 1 bonus track)

Distance Over Time tracklisting:

"Untethered Angel"
"Paralyzed"
"Fall Into The Light"
"Barstool Warrior"
"Room 137"
"S2N"
"At Wit’s End"
"Out Of Reach"
"Pale Blue Dot"
"Viper King" (Bonus Track)

“Paralyzed” video:

Album teaser:

Dream Theater is also planning to hit the road in support of the new album. The Distance Over Time Tour of North America kicks off on March 20th in San Diego, CA. The tour will run for seven weeks before wrapping up in Mexico City on May 4th. Select European festival dates for the summer are already announced with more dates being added and announced in the near future. Information on tickets for all upcoming shows as well as VIP packages can be found here




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KISS performed an intimate, invitation-only show for SiriusXM subscribers and VIPs on February 11th at the famed Whisky A Go Go on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. The performance aired on KISS’ exclusive SiriusXM channel, KISS Army Radio.

The special concert for SiriusXM, which began with a stage introduction from Tom Morello, featured KISS performing songs from their 45-year career and marked the first time the band has played a club in over twenty years. Check out the band's performance of "Deuce", below:

KISS' End Of The Road World Tour lands at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona tonight (February 13th). Find the band's live itinerary here, and check out some pro-shot footage from the tour below.

Lucki of Pitcam TV conducted an interview with frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski of Polish extreme metal veterans BEHEMOTH prior to the band's January 13 concert at Tonhalle in Munich, Germany. You can watch the entire chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On whether he still gets excited about releasing new albums and tours:

Nergal: "Very much so. It feels very rewarding and gratifying to be facing this situation, to confront this high-profile thing that is occurring. I mean, the album does great, the U.S. tour was our biggest club tour ever. This tour is our biggest club tour in all the continents ever, so it feels like the album is taking its toll, but it's not just a record. I see it as a summary of our, what, 27, 28 years of our career, our ongoing career and lots of hard work. We have invested in this band and it's all paying off. So, it feels good, yeah."

On his regular workout schedule:

Nergal: "When I get the question 'Why do you go to the gym?' I always answer back, 'Why do you brush your teeth every morning?' You do. It's your hygiene. For me, taking care of my body, holistically embrace my body, so it's not just my body. It's everything. Your brain is working as well. Your brain is producing endorphins. It's chemistry and it's very healthy on so many layers, so I just love doing that because, see, I'm sitting straight up. We do have problems, all of us, Inferno [drums], Orion [bass], everyone is struggling with some kind of problem, myself too. The moment I stop, it's a downward spiral for me. I never want to stop. This is the routine that I really like, so it's not like 'Oh, shit. The gym again.' No. 'Where is the fucking gym? I need that!'"

On whether Jesus Christ would be a Satanist today considering what his "followers" do in his name:

Nergal: "Probably a person like him did exist. There's some proof for that. I don't believe that this person is exactly how he's portrayed by Christianity and their aesthetic, with this very noble gentle look and always very vital and nah, he's probably something opposite. What is cool about it is that apparently, he was one of the rebels. I don't know…maybe one day I should pay some attention and try to think about that, but I never thought about it. I guess these days we are overwhelmed with information. I don't believe, let's say Jesus is the second coming and he just appears tonight. He'd be in prison or put in a mental house or just completely ignored, considering how vast and massive and overwhelming the [amount of] information [there] is. Back then, the population was what? Twenty times smaller or fifty times smaller. The world was that small. It was much easier to make an impact. Take the '80s. You have death metal bands POSSESSED, DEATH, just making this statement. There were few death metal bands, SLAYER, DEATH, POSSESSED and some others. That's it. Try to come out in an extreme band, death or black metal, in this generation and make a statement and make something that's going to be remarkable and stand out and eventually start a new subgenre. Not possible at all. It's all done. All we can do is mutate and just redefine things. The same story with this: It was much easier back then to be a rebel and people eventually wrote about it and then the spoken word would just spread and you would eventually make a statement. These days? I bet the world is full of 'Christs.' I'm not saying good or bad. I'm talking shamans and pretenders, fakers, spiritual people that are maybe very honest, but maybe living in India or something. The world is full of that kind of people, but try to make a statement and make a cult that's going to reign for the next 2,000 years. It's not going to happen. It's good to think of how the biggest monotheistic religions were born back then. They got their chance and they grew big and influential, but I hardly see any chance for a new thing like Scientology. It's all cults. It's still niche. It's money and control. It all comes to one thing. I'm talking about ancient cults like Christianity, the Hebrew tradition, Torah and Quran. The bottom line is to control people, control the masses, to make them fear so they come to us, so they can control them. People are usually, most of them, they love their comfort zones. That's why they go to that. That's why they would let someone else make a decision for them."

On right-wing conservatism that is prevalent in Europe:

Nergal: "They fear the unknown. That's what makes this, let's call it 'opportunistic' agendas that win [people] over. They just take people's hate: 'There's this Satan or some other scapegoat or immigrants or this or that. They are a potential enemy. They're going to come down here and they're going to take something away from you. They're going to rape your kids. They're going to possess you,' whatever, just to explain methodology of these sects, sectarian attitudes. They can be political or religious. What I do, I'm not giving you an answer: 'Hey, I got an alternative.' What I do and what we do with BEHEMOTH and even on a personal, civil level, I'm, like, 'Think for yourself. Question. Don't trust anyone, including myself, because I try to know myself.' I'm not a sultan, know thyself. Each one of you, you have balls and if you're encouraged enough to question laws and the realities, go for it. The road might be very difficult and there's a lot of obstacles along the way and it can be painful as well, but eventually, it's going to be very gratifying because eventually, you're going to win your freedom back."

BEHEMOTH's latest album, "I Loved You At Your Darkest", was released in October via Metal Blade Records in North America and Nuclear Blast in Europe.

Polish extreme metal veterans VADER will release a new EP titled "Thy Messenger" in late spring or early summer. The effort will contain four of the five songs that were recorded over a week-long a period in January and February at the Hertz Studio in Białystok under the supervision of the Wiesławski Brothers. The cover art was painted by Wes Benscoter, who previously worked with VADER on the "De Profundis" LP and has collaborated with such bands as SLAYER, KREATOR and SINISTER. A new full VADER album will be recorded later this year for a tentative fall release.

VADER's latest studio album, "The Empire", was released in November 2016 via Nuclear Blast. The cover artwork for the CD was created by acclaimed artist Joe Petagno, who has previously worked with PINK FLOYD, LED ZEPPELIN, MOTÖRHEAD, MARDUK, ILLDISPOSED and SODOM.

In a 2017 interview with Metal Assault, VADER mastermind Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek spoke about the slightly thrashier musical direction of "The Empire" compared to some of the band's recent efforts.

"I can't say what the reason is; it's just natural," he said. "When I record the new albums, there's a lot of spontaneous work done in the studio, and I never really know how the album is going to be like until it's done. And maybe because I was listening to more older stuff, the same stuff, the same music I was listening to years ago in the '80s. I found the box of old cassettes and demo tapes that were trading with bands in the '80s. So maybe 'The Empire' is kind of like a “compilation” of something real old, like you call it thrash metal or heavy metal, along with something which is typical for VADER, with blast beats, the blasting parts of death metal. And something more may be. The influence is all around, happening at an early time. There was nothing to prepare before the studio time. I never know that the album was going to be like this, rather I just get some feelings from it, you know? But what I do know from the past, I always change something in the studio, always something happening around, with new ideas, or changing songs right in the studio. So until something is recorded officially, I can't say how it's going to be like. But definitely 'The Empire' is the most different album, if we're talking about the songs. You can find different songs on it, and it's still pretty much like VADER, but they're different."

Rotting Christ will release their new album, The Heretics, tomorrow (February 15th( via Season Of Mist. An advanced album stream is available below.

The Heretics was recorded by Rotting Christ guitarist George Emmanuel at his studio Pentagram and mixed by Jens Borgen (Amon Amarth, At The Gates, Arch Enemy).

Pre-orders for The Heretics on limited deluxe CD Box, jewel case CD, limited LP and more are available here.

The tracklisting and artwork for The Heretics, illustrated by Greek artist Maximos Manolis, can be seen below.

Tracklisting:

"In The Name Of God"
"Vetry Zlye"
"Heaven And Hell And Fire"
"Hallowed Be Thy Name"
"Dies Irae"
"I Believe"
"Fire, God And Fear"
"The Voice Of The Universe"
"The New Messiah"
"The Raven"

Album stream:

"Heaven And Hell And Fire" lyric video:

"Fire, God And Fear" lyric video:

Deluxe CD box unboxing:

Rotting Christ 2019 festival dates:

April
27 - Stockholm, Sweden - Stockholm Slaughter 2019

May
11 - Vienna, Austria - Vienna Metal Meeting 2019

August
8 - Caton Hall, UK - Bloodstock Open Air 2019

(Photo - Ester Segarra)




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Dream Theater have released an official video trailer for their upcoming 14th studio album, Distance Over Time, out on February 22nd via InsideOut Music.

Distance Over Time showcases a newfound creativity for Dream Theater while maintaining the elements that have garnered them devoted fans around the globe. The album also marks the first for the band’s new label InsideOutMusic / Sony Music.

The artwork was created by long-time cover collaborator Hugh Syme (Rush, Iron Maiden, Stone Sour). Distance Over Time was produced by John Petrucci, mixed by Ben Grosse and mastered by Tom Baker.

The latest addition to Dream Theater’s impressive catalog is now available for pre-order in various configurations here.

Distance Over Time will be available as:

- Standard CD Jewel Case
- Special Edition Digipak (incl. 1 bonus track)
- 180g Gatefold 2LP Edition (incl. 1 bonus track, an 8-page-LP-booklet & the entire album on CD)
- Ltd. Edition Artbook (incl. 1 bonus track, 5.1 mix with video animations, instrumental mixes & high res files of the album, stems for “Untethered Angel”, extended liner notes, additional artwork incl. photos from the writing session and additional video content), as
- Deluxe Collector’s Box Set (incl. lenticular cover card, Artbook, 180g 2 LP Gatefold Edition with exclusive artwork and exclusive white vinyl, exclusive picture 7”, 60 x 60 cm poster, 10 art cards, slipmat, patch, pin and a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity)
- Digital Album (incl. 1 bonus track)

Distance Over Time tracklisting:

"Untethered Angel"
"Paralyzed"
"Fall Into The Light"
"Barstool Warrior"
"Room 137"
"S2N"
"At Wit’s End"
"Out Of Reach"
"Pale Blue Dot"
"Viper King" (Bonus Track)

“Paralyzed” video:

Album teaser:

Dream Theater is also planning to hit the road in support of the new album. The Distance Over Time Tour of North America kicks off on March 20th in San Diego, CA. The tour will run for seven weeks before wrapping up in Mexico City on May 4th. Select European festival dates for the summer are already announced with more dates being added and announced in the near future. Information on tickets for all upcoming shows as well as VIP packages can be found here

(Photo - Mark Maryanovich)




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Japan's leading traditional heavy metal band, Anthem, recently signed to Nuclear Blast Records (for the European territory) to break into the worldwide market. The first release, Nucleus, will be their greatest hits album, completely re-recorded with English lyrics. They have released an official lyric video for the song "Immortal Bind".

In the video below, Anthem gives listeners an introduction to the band's history:

Mixing and mastering for Nucleus was done by established producer and engineer Jens Bogren, known for his work with a multitude of big name artists. Jens' work is based on elaborate theories and an abundance of knowledge, which has helped guide the careers of many bands, Anthem's case is no exception. This album which features Jens' fat sound with rich low-end is more than up to par with the worldwide heavy metal standard.

A remarkable point worth noting about this release is that all of the songs except "Venom Strike" were written after their reunion in 2001 - proving that Anthem have always has been a 'today band' that does not have to rely on their past.

This re-recorded greatest hits, Nucleus, which includes a variety of their classics is a monumental work, perfectly demonstrating the musical quality of Anthem and proving that they can be ranked as a top-notch band even in the international market.

Naoto Shibata (bass): "Our re-recorded greatest hits album with English lyrics, Nucleus will be released internationally on March 29th, 2019. The title represents the fact that this work is Anthem's nucleus. I am proud that we can internationally release this album right before our 35th anniversary with this current great lineup, and I am also honoured from the bottom of my heart that we can present this to our fans. Anthem will keep doing our best to move forward, always heading towards the future. I hope you will all enjoy Nucleus."

Akio Shimizu (guitar): "Finally our re-recorded greatest hits album with English lyrics, Nucleus is set to be released internationally! I tackled these recordings head on, putting all of my pride into it. Those 13 songs were not easy at all, however I believe they’ve fully captured the sound and the expression of today's Anthem while being true to the originals at the same time. I am really happy that our music is now flying into the internatinal market, hoping for new possibilities. Please give it a listen and feel all of the details of the album with the fresh mixing by Jens Bogren."

Yukio Morikawa (vocals): "4 years have already passed since I re-joined Anthem. I can say that my musical activities have been very busy and fulfilling, containing 2 full-length albums, some video works and a lot of live concerts. And I must say, I am so excited that in 2019, at last Anthem will internationally release an album, the re-recorded greatest hits. Singing all the songs in English was not at all easy for me, but I hope that this album will show the world that Japan has a band like us who loves metal so much. I hope you enjoy Nucleus."

Isama Tamaru (drums): "I am glad and excited that we can internationally release our re-recorded greatest hits album, Nucleus, at this point in time, and we have the opportunity to present Anthem's current music and our way of living not only to Japan but also to the rest of the world. I would like you to listen carefully to the sound by Jens Bogren, who we worked with for the first time. With the current lineup, we have been going through a lot of changes by tackling a lot of new things, which has made the bond between the members and the crew much stronger. I would like to say thank you to all the fans who have been supporting us."

Anthem have released an official video for new single "Black Empire". Check it out below.




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