Former Annihilator bassist Russell Bergquist has checked in with the following update:

"I'm proud to say that my album, The Russ Bergquist Project, is now available in Europe and the UK through SAOL. Special thanks to Wolfgang Rott, Jay, Robert and all the crew at CMM for taking this on. It's been cool going through this process and I look forward to seeing it through. Rock on! Stay tuned for a new video, too!"

The complete tracklist of the album is as follows:

"Suicide Shift"
"Lost At Sea"
"Shreddies"
"Hunted"
"Caged"
"Stabbed In The Back"
"Cassini"
"What I Say"
"Who You Are"

Purchase the album here.

Bergquist was with Annihilator from 1999 – 2003 and 2005–2007. He appeared on three albums: Criteria For A Black Widow (1999), Carnival Diablos (2001) and Waking The Fury (2002).




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Los Angeles-based blackened industrial-metal phenom Dawn Of Ashes started out life riding the way of early-2000 electro-industrial, banging out dark club hits over two albums on the now-defunct Noitekk Records.

The band’s career exploded shortly after, signing to Metal Blade and scoring the support slot for Norwegian metal juggernaut Dimmu Borgir, all the while transforming their early sound to a blistering blend of blackened metal and screeching industrial. The band’s reliance on shocking imagery, horrid content, and topics from occultism and the left hand path earned them a dedicated fanbase early on, as they continued to experiment with '90s-era industrial, hardcore, and black metal. 

Now hopelessly out of print, Dawn Of Ashes' early material has never received a proper reissue. Origin Of The Ashes collects Dawn Of Ashes’ first two independent albums In the Acts Of Violence and The Crypt Injection. The 2CD set comes with unreleased bonus material and is remastered from the original sessions.

The 2CD collection will be released on Toronto-based Artoffact Records on November 8th.

Tracklisting:

Disk 1

"Abyss"
"In The Acts Of Violence"
"Flat-Line"
"Diagnosis"
"Nightmare"
"Dark Reality"
"Killer Instinct"
"Naildriven"
"Disgraceful Treason"
"Maximum Damnation"
"Unborn Virus" (B-Side)
"Sadomasochist" (B-Side)
"Taste Of Pain" (B-Side)

Disk 2

"A Blade In The Dark"
"Torture Device"
"Portrait Of Homicide"
"Inhuman Salvation"
"Psycho Therapy"
"Still Born Defect"
"The Crypt Injection"
"Slasher"
"Where Angels Die"
"Blood Shattered Cross"
"Vengeance (When There Is Nobody To Trust)"
"The Suffering" (B-Side)
"The Gates Of Hell" (B-Side)
"Cold Hate" (B-Side)

Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.




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"We have a new album," declares British progressive rock band The Pineapple Thief. "Hold Our Fire captures our performance of Dissolution (as well as '3000 Days') from our recent European tour. I feel this live recording really captures the energy and spirit of the band playing together in front of a great enthusiastic crowd," recalls drummer Gavin Harrison.

Vocalist / guitarist Bruce Soord adds, "It's a great souvenir from such a memorable tour. Mixing the record reminded me just how much energy and fun we have playing live. The album will be released on November 15th. You can pre-order, stream the single and get tickets for our North America tour here."

The cover art and tracklisting for Hold Our Fire can be seen below.

"Try As I Might"
"Threatening War"
"Uncovering Your Tracks"
"All That You've Got"
"Far Below"
"Not Naming Any Names"
"White Mist"
"Shed A Light"
"3000 Days"

The Pineapple Thief will be making their live debut in North America in November and December; confirmed shows are as listed:

November
19 - Atlanta, GA - Variety
20 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theater
21 - Baltimore, MD - Soundstage
22 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
23 - New York, NY - Sony Hall
24 - Boston, MA - The Sinclair
26 - Quebec City, QC - Palais Montcalm
27 - Montreal, QC – Theatre Corona
28 - Toronto, ON - Mod Club
29 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
30 - Detroit, MI - The Crofoot Ballroom

Decemnber
1 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge
3 - Guadalajara, Mexico – C3 Stage
4 - Mexico City, Mexico - Lunario
6 - Englewood, CO - Gothic Theater
8 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom
9 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theater
10 - San Francisco, CA - Slim's
12 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
13 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater
14 - Seattle, WA – Neumos

 




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Spanish death/doom newcomers, Sun Of The Dying, will release their second album, The Earth Is Silent, via AOP Records on November 29. Pre-order in Europe, or North America.

Today, the band has unveiled the record’s first track, “Monolith,” which is available for streaming below.

“With “Monolith”, Sun Of The Dying pays homage to H.P. Lovecraft’s At The Mountains Of Madness. It’s a long, epic journey through doom metal. From the deepest calm of the sea to the fiercest snowstorm, from the heaviest riffs and orchestral arrangements to fragile melodies and a soaring jazz section.” - Sun Of The Dying

The Earth Is Silent tracklisting:

"The Earth Is Silent"
"A Dying Light"
"A Cold Unnamed Fear"
"Orion"
"When The Morning Came"
"Monolith"
"White Skies And Grey Lands"

"Monolith"

Lineup:

Eduardo Guilló – vocals
Casuso – guitars
Roberto Rayo – guitars
José Yuste – bass
Diego Weser – drums
David Muñoz – keyboards and backing vocals




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According to Official Charts, OPETH is on track to have its first-ever Top 10 album in the U.K. with "In Cauda Venenum". In the early stages of the U.K. chart week, the album looks like it could land at No. 8.

The U.K. singles and albums charts are published late Friday local time.

OPETH's previous album, 2016's "Sorceress", peaked at No. 11 on the U.K. chart, while 2014's "Pale Communion" entered the list at No. 14 and 2011's "Heritage" landed at No. 22.

"In Cauda Venenum" was released on September 27 via Moderbolaget / Nuclear Blast Entertainment. Recorded last year at Stockholm's Park Studios, the effort was made available in two versions, in both Swedish and English languages.

Regarding the decision to release "In Cauda Venenum" in Swedish, OPETH mastermind Mikael Åkerfeldt told Revolver: "Doing it in Swedish was just an idea that popped into my head, like, 'Maybe I should fry my egg in the morning instead of boiling it.' It wasn't any deeper than that. And I figured the music climate has changed so much, does it really matter which language it's in? That was it. And it didn't have me writing more lyrics — it just had me writing more music. And the music didn't sound more Swedish or anything like that. But it was a gateway that opened, and it was fun.

Mikael added that he is "not regretting" the fact that "In Cauda Venenum" was also recorded in English. "A lot of people [in the U.S.] are saying they only listened to the English version," he said. "So I was proven right, in a way. I can say a thousand times that the Swedish version is the original version, but it's up to people to choose. I can just hope that they check out both versions. But I do think the Swedish version is slightly better — only because it was first. It's more innocent. With the English version, regardless of what you think about it, that's me trying to copy a vocal line I had done in another language. So it's less exciting to me."

Intromental Worldwide has announced the signing of UK-based melodic prog-act, Sky Empire.

Stylistically, the music is guitar driven with a focus on heavy melodicism, a nod to the late great Dimebag Darrell whose heavy yet melodic riffing was a key influence on guitarist and songwriter Drazic Lecutier.

More broadly, Sky Empire's musical inspiration ranges from classic progressive, heavy rock and metal bands, notably Deep Purple, Rainbow, Yes, Rush and Journey through to more modern metal and progressive bands such as Iron Maiden, Pantera, Dream Theater and Symphony X.

Sky Empire independently released their first album, The Dark Tower, in early 2018. Soon after, the band signed with Dutch progressive record label Rock Company after The Dark Tower came to the label's attention. In September 2018 the album was officially released by the label to positive reviews noting in particular the songwriting along with the band members' strong musical performances.

Sadly, in early 2019, Sky Empire's vocalist Yordan Ivanov lost his life in tragic circumstances. Ivanov's bandmates in Sky Empire, alongside family and friends, grieved for his loss in the period that followed.

With a contingent of the original line-up not wishing to continue after Ivanov's passing, Sky Empire swiftly appointed former Degola drummer Inaldo Ramos Ribeiro to line up alongside Lecutier and bassist Jay Driscoll (who had earlier replaced the band's erstwhile bassist, Tony Snow, who performed on The Dark Tower).

Sky Empire will appoint a new vocalist in due course and look forward to taking their music on the road, performing live the music from the Dark Tower - and beyond...

Lineup:

Drazic Lecutier - Guitars
Jay Driscoll - Bass
Inaldo Ramos - Drums
Vocals - TBA




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The 69 Eyes recently released their 30-year anniversary album, West End, and announced new US tour dates (see below). After hitting #1 of the Finnish album charts, the band now presents something amazingly different.

While recently visiting the US, singer Jyrki 69 met up with the legendary Vegan Black Metal Chefto prepare his favourite juice - check out the video below.

Jyrki 69 comments: ”I’ve been vegan for five years now and it has brought a lot of happiness in my life. Touring as a vegan is pretty good these days, actually makes it more interesting. I love to visit new vegan spots around the world. I’m a fan of Vegan Black Metal Chef, so it was an amazing honor to meet him and be on his show! He’s a legend! Veganism is very a rock’n’roll & rebel way of life!”

The band's Hell Has No Mercy 2020 US tour kicks off on January 15 at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, NY. The 24-date trek will make stops in Chicago, West Hollywood and Richmond before concluding at Reverb in Reading, PA on February 22. Direct support will be none other than label-mates The Duke of Spook and his devilish ghouls known collectively as Wednesday 13. Joining them on the tour are The Nocturnal Affair and The Crowned.

Tickets here.

Dates:

January
24 - Knitting Factory - Brooklyn, NY
25 -  Brighton Music Hall - Boston, MA
26 - Westcott Theater - Syracuse, NY
28 - The Machine Shop - Flint, MI
29 -  Reggie’s Rock Club - Chicago, IL
30 - Fine Line Music Cafe - Minneapolis, MN
31 - The Royal Grove - Lincoln, NE

February
1 - Oriental Theater - Denver, CO
3 - El Corazon - Seattle. WA
4 - Hawthorne Theater - Portland, OR
6 - Bottom Of The Hill - San Francisco, CA
7 - The Whisky A Go Go - West Hollywood, CA
8 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA
9 - Club Red - Mesa, AZ
11 - GMBG - Dallas, TX
12 - Southport Music Hall - New Orleans, LA
14 - Soundbar - Orlando, FL
15 - Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
16 - The Basement East - Nashville, TN
17 - The Orange Peel - Asheville, NC
19 - Canal Club - Richmond, VA
20 - Craft House - Pittsburgh, PA
21 - The Odeon - Cleveland, OH
22 - Reverb - Reading, PA

West End album details below.

West End tracklisting:

"Two Horns Up" (Feat. Dani Filth)
"27 & Done"
"Black Orchid"
"Change"
"Burn Witch Burn"
"Cheyenna"
"The Last House On The Left" (Feat. Wednesday 13, Calico Cooper & Dani Filth)
"Death & Desire"
"Outsiders"
"Be Here Now"
"Hell Has No Mercy"

"Two Horns Up" (Feat. Dani Filth) video:

"Black Orchid" lyric video:

"Cheyenna" video:

"27 & Done" video:




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Episode #421 of the Iron City Rocks Podcast features founding Great White guitarist, Mark Kendall.

"Mark talks with us about the band’s upcoming performance at the Gnarly 80’s Arena Rock Festival in Mt Pleasant, PA on October 5th. Mark discusses the decision to bring Mitch Malloy in as the band’s third lead singer. He also talks about how the two have begun to write new material for an upcoming album, his thoughts on recording, the band finding their own sound on Once Bitten and much, much more."

Tune in here.

(Photo - Neil Zlozower)




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Rhino has unveiled it’s highly secretive Rocktober campaign for this year and it’s appropriately titled, For Those About To Rock. And here’s why:

October 11th:

Dream Theater - Pull Me Under (12" Vinyl)

A new 12” single from Dream Theater’s 1992 album, Images And Words, the band’s signature hit “Pull Me Under”. Available on 140g translucent yellow vinyl.

Deep Purple - Who Do We Think We Are (1 LP Purple Vinyl)

Deep Purple’s 1973 album, featuring the single “Woman From Tokyo”. Part of the Limited Purple Vinyl Series.

Deep Purple - Burn (1 LP Purple Vinyl)

Deep Purple’s 1974 album, featuring “Burn” and “Mistreated”. This was the first Deep Purple album to feature future Whitesnake leader David Coverdale on vocals and Glenn Hughes (Trapeze) on bass and vocals. Part of the Limited Purple Vinyl Series.

October 18th:

Deep Purple - Come Taste The Band (1 LP Purple Vinyl)

Deep Purple’s 1975 album featuring hit tracks “Comin’ Home and Gettin’ Tighter.

Deep Purple - Made in Japan (2 LP Purple Vinyl)

Deep Purple’s classic double live album, originally released in 1973. Features hits including “Highway Star”, “Child In Time” and the iconic “Smoke On The Water”.

October 25th:

Black Sabbath - Dehumanizer (Double LP)

Black Sabbath’s 1992 album, the first in nearly a decade to feature Ronnie James Dio, Vinnie Appice, and Geezer Butler. Includes the singles “TV Crimes” and “Master of Insanity”.

October 25th

Rock N Roll High School - Rock N Roll High School (Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Original soundtrack reissue of the 1979 musical comedy film on colour vinyl featuring Ramones and containing the original remixes of “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” and “I Want You Around” done by Phil Spector. Limited edition 140g fire colour vinyl (tri-coloured: red/orange/yellow)

Stay tuned to BraveWords as we will be announcing a For Those About To Rock contest where you can win an exclusive prize pack. 

For more details on Rhino Rocktober 2019 click here.




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David Lee Roth says that VAN HALEN is "finished."

The singer made the comment while speaking to Meltdown of the Detroit radio station WRIF about his upcoming Las Vegas residency, which is due to kick off in January.

Asked if he was "bummed out" that he couldn't tour with VAN HALEN this past summer, as had been rumored several months ago, Roth responded: "That's been canceled a number of times, and I think VAN HALEN's finished and this is the next phase. I've inherited the band de facto — whatever that means. I think it means if you inherit it, carry this proudly. VAN HALEN isn't gonna be coming back in the fashion that you know. And that being said, Eddie's [Van Halen] got his own story to tell. [It's] not mine to tell it."

Roth's latest comments echo those he made earlier in the month when he told the Phoenix radio station KSLX that he was "the face of VAN HALEN from this point on, most likely. I'm not sure what's happening with Ed, but he's probably not gonna answer the bell this time," he said. "And it's not my place to guess."

Asked if he was implying that Eddie Van Halen had been dealing with some health issues as of late, Roth replied: "I hear all the same rumors that you do and it's not my place to guess."

Earlier this year, rumors were rampant that the classic-era lineup of VAN HALEN would reunite for the first time since 1984. It's unclear why the tour didn't happen, though there has been online chatter that a health setback involving Eddie Van Halen might have been responsible.

The guitarist was treated for tongue cancer in 2000, resulting in surgery which removed a third of his tongue. He was declared cancer-free in 2002.

In a 2015 interview with Billboard, Van Halen revealed that he had given up smoking cigarettes but blamed guitar picks for his cancer diagnosis.

"I used metal picks — they’re brass and copper — which I always held in my mouth, in the exact place where I got the tongue cancer," Van Halen said. "Plus, I basically live in a recording studio that’s filled with electromagnetic energy. So that's one theory. I mean, I was smoking and doing a lot of drugs and a lot of everything. But at the same time, my lungs are totally clear. This is just my own theory, but the doctors say it's possible."

In 2012, Eddie Van Halen underwent emergency surgery, having been suffering from a severe case of diverticulitis. The disease is a digestive disorder which involves an inflammation and infection of the colon.

Roth reunited with VAN HALEN in 2007 after 23 years apart and released a comeback album, "A Different Kind Of Truth", in 2012.

VAN HALEN has been inactive since it completed its U.S. tour in October 2015 in Los Angeles, California.

The trek was VAN HALEN's first since an aborted North American run three years earlier in support of "A Different Kind Of Truth".

Iggy Pop has unveiled the video for "Loves Missing" from his new album "Free". Directed by Simon Taylor, the clip was shot on location at Sweat Records in Miami with a special appearance by Ale Campos from Las Nubes, Miami.

Like the song itself, the "Loves Missing" video reveals another dimension of what it means to be free, putting a visual face to raw emotions laid bare via close-ups of Iggy intoning: "She's thinking about something we all need/All need/Clock's ticking, not giving her room to breathe/To breathe/Loves screaming/Loves missing/Loves screaming, so quietly and in pain/Loves absent, it's failing her once again, again."

"Free" was released on September 6 by Loma Vista Recordings. Featuring collaborators Leron Thomas (trumpet/keys/songwriting) and Noveller (guitar/vocals), the album holds a singular place in Iggy's canon — and continues to generate appropriately unique praise: The New York Times called the title track "atmospheric and elusive" and more recently praised "Sonali" as "a rushing, fluttering, quasi-waltz that hurries toward an undisclosed destination, whimsical but driven." Rolling Stone lauded the album's "certain restrained swagger. The guitars simmer, never boil. The bass swells, and the keyboards shimmer behind him. And all the while, Pop flexes his baritone, expressing himself more clearly than perhaps ever before." And the Washington Post noted "Iggy haunts these new songs like a dignified spirit — which might make 'Free' an exposition on death, or transcendence, or both."

Photo credit: Rob Baker Ashton

Danish rock band, D-A-D, performed their Riskin' It Alll album track, "Bad Craziness", at Germany's Wacken Open Air 2019. Watch professionally-filmed video footage below:

The band's new album, A Prayer For The Loud, is out now via AFM Records. The album harks back to the core of what D-A-D does better than most: four guys who play thrilling rock music with ferocious energy, catchy songs and an infectious commitment. A Prayer For The Loud has a clear musical link to classic D-A-D albums such as No Fuel Left For The Pilgrims and Riskin’ It All.

Tracklisting:

"Burning Star"
"A Prayer For The Loud"
"Nothing Ever Changes"
"The Sky Is Made Of Blues"
"The Real Me"
"No Doubt About It"
"A Drug For The Heart"
"Musical Chairs"
"Time Is A Train"
"Happy Days In Hell"
"If The World Just"

"A Prayer For The Loud" video:

"Burning Star" video:




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In the new video below, Metallica performs "Now That We're Dead" at Letzigrund in Zürich, Switzerland on May 10:

Metallica recently announced that frontman James Hetfield has entered rehab, and the band had cancelled its upcoming tour in Australia and New Zealand.

The band's statement reads as follows: “We are truly sorry to inform our fans and friends that we must postpone our upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand. As most of you probably know, our brother James has been struggling with addiction on and off for many years. He has now, unfortunately, had to re-enter a treatment program to work on his recovery again.

"We fully intend to make our way to your part of the world as soon as health and schedule permit. We’ll let you know as soon as we can. Once again, we are devastated that we have inconvenienced so many of you, especially our most loyal fans who often travel great distances to experience our shows. We appreciate your understanding and support for James and, as always, thank you for being a part of our Metallica family.

"All tickets purchased to the shows in Australia and New Zealand, including Enhanced Experiences and Black Tickets, will be fully refunded. More details on how to obtain your refund are here.”




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After a crowdfunding campaign that far exceeded the goal, symphonic/Celtic vocal goddess, Leah, has revealed that her upcoming winter-themed album, Ancient Winter, will officially see release on November 15.

Says Leah, "Now that the crowdfunding campaign is complete, I'm really excited to focus on the release of this album in November. My closest colleagues have told me this album might be some of my best work yet. Regardless, I hope this new music will make the coming winter season much more magical."  

Ancient Winter features eight tracks - five of which are originals and three traditional century medieval songs that Leah puts her own unique touch on. The album offers a slight departure from Leah's traditional symphonic metal into a more atmospheric, ethereal sound. It is a more earthy sounding album filled with new instrumentation such as fiddles and uilleann pipes, which give it a beautiful harmony of middle eastern feeling and Celtic folk and fantasy. Ancient Winter proves Leah's ability to venture into musical realms beyond metal.

Ancient Winter represents a new approach to holiday music as it celebrates winter themes in a way that is sure to give it a wider appeal. This is not simply a "Christmas album" but rather an emotional journey into transcendent ideals that will inspire any listener from anywhere.

For Ancient Winter, Leah tapped a top-notch talent cast of musicians, including Troy Donockley (Nightwish), Anna Murphy (Cellar Darling), Shir-Ran Yinon (Eluveitie), Oliver Philipps (Everon, Phantasma) and renowned string musician Rupert Gillett. This diverse lineup adds an international flavor to the album alongside Leah's beautiful vocals.

A variety of bundle packages will be available soon at theleahshop.com. Watch the lyric video for "Redemption", the first single from Ancient Winter, below.

Ancient Winter tracklisting:

"The Whole World Summons"
"Light Of The World"
"Upon Your Destiny"
"Redemption"
"The Messenger"
"Gaudete"
"Puer Natus"
"Noël Nouvelet"

"Redemption" lyric video:

Leah has amassed a generous and dedicated fanbase that has allowed her to crowdfund three of her five recordings without the assistance of a record label. Leah's first four albums, Of Earth and Angels (2012), Otherworld (2013), Kings & Queens (2015), and The Quest (2018) are a rapturous blend of a symphonic metal style carefully spiced with Celtic, folk and fantasy. Her emotive vocals are often compared to Loreena McKennitt, Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan.




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21 years since their murderous debut, Exhumed continue their onslaught of gore-obsessed death metal on their new brand new album, Horror, coming October 4. Listen to the new single, "Playing With Fear", below:

Horror is due out October 4 on CD/deluxe LP/LP/digital. Physical packages are available for pre-order via Relapse.com here. Digital downloads / streaming services are available here.

Aptly titled, Horror is an exploration of all things macabre, as the undisputed pioneers of neck-breaking riffs plow through 15 of the band’s most intense tracks to date. Nightmares meet shred, as the speed-inducing track “Ravenous Cadavers” highlight Exhumed’s penchant for blazing, face melting guitar work, while “Naked, Screaming And Covered In Blood” and “Playing With Fear” elevate Exhumed to levels of grind unheard of since Gore Metal.

Horror was recorded at Exhumed’s home-built studio Darker Corners, a first in the band’s career. Horror was produced by Exhumed and Alejandro Corredor (Brujeria, Nausea) and was mixed and mastered by Joel Grind (Toxic Holocaust).

The Relapse.com exclusive Horror Deluxe VCR “Slaughter Video” Rental Store Pack is strictly limited to 100 and includes the Horror LP pressed on blood red and white merge with aqua blue, blood red and oxblood splatter, a playable VHS in custom slipcase with audio and visuals of the entire album, a retro VHS inspired sticker sheet, plus an authorized Slaughter Video membership laminated card as well as an official Slaughter Video employee t shirt. All items are exclusive to this package and are housed in a meticulously designed VCR inspired boxset.

Horror tracklisting:

"Unsound"
"Ravenous Cadavers"
"Scream Out In Fright"
"The Red Death"
"Utter Mutilation Of Your Corpse"
"Slaughter Maniac"
"Ripping Death"
"Clawing"
"Naked, Screaming, And Covered In Blood"
"Playing With Fear"
"Dead Meat"
"Rabid"
"In The Mouth Of Hell"
"Shattered Saity"
"Re-Animated"
"Crypt Of Terror" (Bonus Track)
"Re-Entry And Destruction" (Bonus Track)
"The Day Man Lost" (Bonus Track)

"Naked, Screaming, And Covered In Blood" video:

"Ravenous Cadavers":

Exhumed and Sonoran death metal legion Gatecreeper (pictured below) have announced a co-headlining North American tour through the fall.

The tour begins on October 31 in Austin, TX and ends December 4 in Las Vegas, NV. Additional support by Necrot & Judiciary. All confirmed tour dates are available below.

Comments Exhumed’s Matt Harvey: “We couldn't be more stoked to bring folks such a stacked lineup for this tour. It's gonna be a neck-breaking extravaganza of massive proportions! We can't wait to get out and play stuff from Horror for all the Gore Metal Maniacs out there and showcasing the tunes alongside Gatecreeper, our Bay Area homies in Necrot and Judiciary will really be a trial by fire for the songs. We've got a new setlist, new production, and the same old body odor, so come out and make some noise with us!"

Tour dates:

October
31 - Austin, TX - Barracuda

November
1 - Dallas, TX - Club Dada
2 - Houston, TX - The Secret Group
4 - Tampa, FL - Crowbar
5 - Miami, FL - Chuchill’s
6 - Winter Park, FL - The Haven Lounge
7 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade - Hell Stage
8 - Lexington, KY - Cosmic Charlie’s
9 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
10 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
11 - Philadelphia, PA - The Foundry - The Fillmore
12 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bazaar
13 - Somerville, MA - ONCE Ballroom
15 - Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club
16 - Lakewood, OH - Foundry
17 - Hamtramck, MI - Sanctuary
18 - Madison, WI - The Crucible
19 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry
20 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
22 - Denver, CO - Marquis Theatre
23 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
24 - Boise, ID - Neurolux
25 - Bozeman, MT - The Eagles Ballroom
27 - Bellingham, WA - The Shakedown
28 - Vancouver, BC - The Fox Cabaret (No Exhumed/Necrot)
29 - Seattle, WA - Substation
30 - Portland, OR - Dante’s

December
1 - Arcata, CA - Rampart Skatepark
2 - San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Shop
3 - Sacramento, CA - Harlow’s
4 - Las Vegas, NV - Bunkhouse Saloon

Exhumed lineup:

Matt Harvey - Guitar, Vocals
Ross Sewage - Bass, Vocals
Mike Hamilton - Drums
Sebastian Phillips - Guitar

(Exhumed photo - Orion Landau, Gatecreeper photo - Pablo Vigueras)




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Fernando Ribeiro, frontman for Portuguese metal veterans Moonspell, has checked in with the following trip down memory lane:

"The always watchful internet let us know that our album The Antidote was out 16 years ago. We recorded it in Finland with Hiili Hiilesmaa, and his first comment after we laid down the first tracks was: 'This is not rock and roll anymore. This is something else.' In fact, we were just coming from the Darkness And Hope cycle, an album we thought too goth or soft and very downcast, as sad as the band was back then with all our issues and problems. The Antidote became an album about fear and musically we dove deeply into eerie passages, death metal, lyrics that showed no resolution or overcoming, but rather how fear paralyses us, reducing our life into a succession of decisions that only allow us to stay and survive, not moving forward. A haunting of the body and of the mind.

We have also collaborated with our friend, the amazing writer José Luís Peixoto, who penned a whole small novel, inspired by the mood of the album. As far as we’re concerned this union with JLP was one of the band’s most successful moments, vindicating all the attention and dedication throughout our years of making literature a true and noble influence in our music.

This video was directed by Tiago Guedes and it stands like a trailer for a never made horror movie that could actually become a cool project if we had the money or the talent to do so. I don’t quite recall the response of the fans back then, I think it was quite solid yet some people were a bit far away from what we’re doing then. I also recall many new fans coming our way drawn by the feeling of being uncomfortable and scared due to the album heaviness and layering. So, same response as always, some loved it, others kept on dreaming about the nineties Moonspell.

The Antidote, originally released with Century Media Records, was our last album ever on this company ending our CM years. It will, in a near future, receive the reissue treatment via Napalm Records in colab with the band and Alma Mater Books & Records.

It’s great to know that a lot of our old records still capture people’s imagination and that our fans usually come back to them in the different moods of their own existences, so if you go take some time to remember about this album, today is a good day.

..and all the thirsty can now approach..."

David Ellefson says that "Risk" was "very much a transitional record" for MEGADETH, explaining that it was made during a time when "heavy metal had such a horrible stigma" in America.

Issued in 1999, "Risk" received a mixed response from critics and alienated hardcore MEGADETH fans due to its departure from the band's heavy thrash metal roots to a more commercial, pop-rock sound. The album debuted at No. 16 on the Billboard chart and was later certified gold for selling half a million copies in the United States.

During a recent interview with Eonmusic, Ellefson was asked how he looks back on "Risk" 20 years after its release.

"It's a storied one, for sure," he said. "I think ultimately we came off a very successful rebuilding campaign with 'Cryptic Writings'. That was a record that repositioned the band — we finally became profitable again. We dug ourselves out of some huge financial holes, major transitions in our whole management team — a lot. And plus, here in America, we basically wrote a record that fit very well with the FM radio sound that was going on, because, man, as you know, the '90s were not kind to thrash metal. Between the Seattle sound, the nu metal music and all this stuff, I mean, for us thrash bands, it was challenging, and I think we really hit the mark with 'Cryptic Writings'."

Elaborating on why he thinks "Risk" failed to repeat the success of its predecessor, the bassist said: "I think we came off the road, and we went into the studio with 'Risk' much too early. We didn't have all of the songs together. I think our mindset was, 'We need to write these sort of mainstream radio songs, and when we get to [the recording studio in] Nashville, we'll chuck these metal tunes out, no problem, because we can do that in our sleep.' And I think what happened is we got to Nashville, and we didn't chuck out the metal songs. I think there was so much focus on the record being this sort of polished, mainstream, radio-friendly record that the metal songs sort of got pushed to the side, and they didn't get included. And if anything, I think that's the story of that. But [some of the tracks on the LP] are very likeable songs; forget about the genre or anything. But I think when you buy a MEGADETH record, it needs to have a certain sound to it. I mean, even the logo — all of a sudden, pointy guitars, pointy logos, all that shit was illegal in heavy metal. People were thinking, 'Don't even say you're heavy metal. Say you're hard rock.' Because heavy metal had such a horrible stigma here in America. IRON MAIDEN — everybody went through a downturn. It was a challenging time."

Asked when he and his bandmates realized that the album wasn't connecting with people, Ellefson said: "We knew it right away. As soon as we put it out, we knew it, and honestly, there was a conversation on the bus not long after that European tour when Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader], he just said, 'We have to go back to being a thrash band.' He said, 'We've got to get back to who we really are and stop chasing this and that.' And that was when Marty Friedman [MEGADETH's then-guitarist] just said, 'Look, if we're going to go back to being a thrash band, I'm out.' And the next day he quit. And it was a couple of weeks later when Al Pitrelli came in. So, yeah, it was very much a transitional record for us personally in the band. And part of me was going, 'God, are we just going to go back to being what we used to be? Shouldn't we continue to move forward? As humans, don't we grow forward?' It was an interesting moment — very, very challenging. The whole infrastructure of just who we were as a band was just on the line — everything."

Last year, Mustaine said that "Risk" was the result of him "capitulating" to Friedman's "desires to be more of an alternative band." He told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation LA Invasion: Live From The Rainbow Bar & Grill": "We kept slowing down and slowing down and slowing down. If that record would have been called THE DAVE MUSTAINE PROJECT and not MEGADETH, I think it would have been successful. People wanted a MEGADETH record. They didn't wanna see Dave bending over backwards to keep Marty Friedman happy, 'cause Marty wanted us to sound like fucking DISHWALLA."

FOO FIGHTERS are preparing to record a brand new album.

During the group's headlining set at Brazil's Rock In Rio festival on Saturday (September 28), FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave Grohl revealed that he and his bandmates were going to start recording the follow-up to 2017's "Concrete And Gold" once they got back to California.

"I don't know when we'll be back down here again, but we will," Dave told the crowd. "We go home next week and we start making a new FOO FIGHTERS record. It's good, it's good."

Last week, FOO FIGHTERS released another surprise EP titled "01070725". It features five songs — a mixture of live cuts, demos and familiar FOO FIGHTERS numbers — and can be found now on most streaming services.

The EP is the second released by the band this month and third in recent months. The week before, the FOO FIGHTERS unveiled an EP titled "00050525 Live In Roswell", containing a June 18, 2005 concert the band played in Roswell, New Mexico, where a UFO allegedly crashed in 1947.

According to The Pulse Of Radio, the group shared that EP to mark "Storm Area 51 Day," which took place on September 20 and saw several hundred conspiracy theorists assemble at the gates of the famously secretive airbase.

Back in July, FOO FIGHTERS issued a surprise live EP titled "00950025". The three-song effort featured three hard-to-find tracks, namely performances of "For All The Cows" and "Wattershed" from the band's headline set at 1995's Reading festival, as well as a live recording of "Next Year" from a 2000 concert in Melbourne, Australia.

That first EP arrived one day after the 24th anniversary of the release of the debut FOO FIGHTERS album on July 4, 1995, and was reportedly the first in a series of such releases from the band's archives — possibly tied into the FOO FIGHTERS' upcoming 25th anniversary.

A music video for the song "The Loss Inside" from FLYING COLORS can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Third Degree", which will be released on October 4 via Music Theories Recordings.

Singer Casey McPherson states about the song: "We all go through loss, and the grieving process often comes in waves. I love how musically and lyrically this song represents that process for me."

FLYING COLORS consists of guitarist Steve Morse (DEEP PURPLE, DIXIE DREGS, ex-KANSAS), drummer Mike Portnoy (THE WINERY DOGS, ex-DREAM THEATER, TRANSATLANTIC), keyboardist/vocalist Neal Morse (TRANSATLANTIC, ex-SPOCK'S BEARD, and a prolific solo artist in his own right), bassist Dave LaRue (DIXIE DREGS, ex-Joe Satriani), and powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Casey McPherson (ALPHA REV, THE SEA WITHIN).

In chemistry, when certain galvanizing elements come together, they become quite explosive. In music, when certain galvanizing artists come together, they become FLYING COLORS. In fact, whenever the five gentlemen who encompass FLYING COLORS are able to conjoin their collective talents, the result is a sweet sonic bouillabaisse that reflects where their inherent mastery of melody intersects with top-shelf progressive musicianship.

And now, FLYING COLORS soar to even loftier heights with "Third Degree", their third studio album in a decade. "Third Degree" builds upon the genre-bending momentum of 2012's self-titled "Flying Colors" and the aural-template ascension of 2014's "Second Nature". From the skittery psychedelic/classical turnaround of the lead single "More" to the BEACH BOYS-meet-ASIA vibe of "Love Letter" to the deep emotionality of the album-ending, prog-leaning epic "Crawl", the nine tracks that comprise "Third Degree" signify just how much FLYING COLORS is willing to explore new frontiers.

"There's a lot of ear candy sprinkled throughout every song," observes Portnoy, "and each one takes you on a little journey. As albums go, 'Third Degree' is a complete piece that I don't think ever overstays its welcome. I think it's an enjoyable ride from start to finish."

It continues to build upon the deep-rooted musical connection the members of FLYING COLORS established on their first two boundary-stretching albums.

"There's a real special chemistry between the five of us," Portnoy confirms. "We keep getting better and better as we get more comfortable and more familiar with each other, and the music itself keeps getting more and more mature." Adds Steve Morse: "This one, dare I say it, explores new ground for the band. One of my favorites, 'Geronimo', has an upbeat, jazzy, heavy, melodic feel all at once. We just do what makes us smile and sounds good, instead of wondering how critics or program directors will like it. It makes for the best music!"

Casey McPherson concurs with his fellow bandmates by noting: "What 'Third Degree' really proves to me is that we have our own sound. There are no egos in this band, and we all want the best parts to come out, which is such a joy for me to participate in. I think that really allows people's uniqueness to show through."

The first sessions for the record took place at Steve Morse's studio in Florida in December 2016, wherein seven songs were written. From there, the band members had to scatter back to their other personal and professional obligations, eventually reconvening two full years later in December 2018, when three more tracks were added to the overall "Third Degree" mix. (The tenth track, "Waiting For The Sun", will be made available in forthcoming special editions.)

As a songwriter, McPherson is never afraid to confront his feelings head-on, whether it's the nostalgic bent of "Last Train Home" or the raw, relatable universality of "You Are Not Alone".

Another progression has been the band's use of technology to provide industry-leading sound. "Third Degree" was engineered with the award-winning Harmonic Phrase Analysis and Restoration (HPAR) technology. Developed by the band's resident mad scientist Bill Evans, he created HPAR based on the group's performance styles — resulting in unprecedented fidelity. FLYING COLORS regular producer Rich Mouser (THE NEAL MORSE BAND, TRANSATLANTIC) then crafted a sumptuous mix in his inimitable style.

"Third Degree" track listing:

01. The Loss Inside

02. More

03. Cadence

04. Guardian

05. Last Train Home

06. Geronimo

07. You Are Not Alone

08. Love Letter

09. Crawl

Deluxe CD bonus disc

01. Waiting For The Sun (unreleased bonus studio track)

02. Geronimo (alternate instrumental arrangement & mix)

03. You Are Not Alone (alternate instrumental arrangement & mix)

04. Love Letter (alternate instrumental arrangement & mix)

05. Last Train Home (alternate instrumental arrangement & mix)

06. Crawl (alternate instrumental arrangement & mix)

A new version of the BLACK SABBATH classic "War Pigs" is featured in the trailer for 20th Century Fox's upcoming spy thriller "The King's Man", a prequel to the "Kingsman" films. The track originally appeared on the band's iconic 1970 album "Paranoid" and has gone on to become an anti-war anthem. The version used for "The King's Man" adds some orchestral elements and features the lead riff played on piano.

The official synopsis for the film, directed by Matthew Vaughn, reads: "As a collection of history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them. Discover the origins of the very first independent intelligence agency in 'The King's Man'."

"The King's Man" stars Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Daniel Brühl, Djimon Hounsou and Charles Dance. The film, based on the comic book "The Secret Service" by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, arrives in theaters February 14, 2020.

Asked in 2015 interview with Guitar World if he was following the Vietnam War, civil rights movement and political unrest going on at the time in the United States when he wrote the lyrics to "War Pigs", BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler said: "It was actually being covered more [in the press] in England than in America. They had this program on in England, and it showed all the stuff that wasn’t being told to the American people. Stuff like how the president [Lyndon Johnson]'s wife, Lady Bird Johnson, had this road-building company. The Americans would go in and bomb all these roads [in Vietnam]. Then her company would go in and rebuild them and get the money. They weren't saying all that in America. We wrote 'War Pigs' because many American bands were frightened to mention anything about the war. So we thought we'd tell it like it is."

Robert Plant is celebrating the second season of his hugely popular podcast, "Digging Deep: The Robert Plant Podcast", with the release of a very special limited-edition seven-inch singles box set.

"Digging Deep" includes 16 A-sides and rare B-sides spanning three decades, remastered versions available on vinyl for the first time. The eight-disc collection also features restored artwork from the original seven-inch releases, packaged in a bespoke hardback book.

Due for release on December 13, the set can be pre-ordered here.

Track listing:

Vinyl 1:

Side A: "Burning Down One Side"

Side B: "Like I've Never Been Gone"

Vinyl 2:

Side A: "Big Log"

Side B: "In The Mood"

Vinyl 3:

Side A: "Too Loud"

Side B: "Little By Little"

Vinyl 4:

Side A: "Ship of Fools"

Side B: "Tall Cool One"

Vinyl 5:

Side A: "Hurting Kind"

Side B: "Tie Dye on the Highway"

Vinyl 6:

Side A: "Calling To You"

Side B: "29 Palms"

Vinyl 7:

Side A: "Song To The Siren"

Side B: "Morning Dew"

Vinyl 8:

Side A: "Shine It All Around"

Side B: "Tin Pan Valley"

Season Two of "Digging Deep: The Robert Plant Podcast" premiered on Sunday, September 29. Five more episodes of the podcast will be released in the coming weeks, with the last one arriving alongside the official release of the box set.

According to Seattle Refined, the former Seattle home of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love has just hit the real estate market for $7.5 million.

Cobain and Love bought the now-117-year-old home in early 1994. Love sold the home to a trust in 1997, after Cobain's suicide inside the residence's greenhouse. Love later had the greenhouse demolished.

The Ewing & Clark real estate listing describes the property as "a perfectly maintained home of extraordinary presence situated upon a beautiful, park-like lot in the heart of Denny Blaine. Built in 1902, it features a shingled exterior distinguished by expressive windows, stone accents & Queen Anne styling, completely updated throughout."

According to the Seattle Department Of Neighborhoods, the current residents have owned the 8,212-square-foot home since 2000, a couple of years after Love and her daughter moved out following Cobain's death.

Cobain died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound not long after he took a massive dose of heroin — which could have proven fatal on its own.

Kurt began using heroin to ease chronic stomach pain he had suffered from his entire life.

NIRVANA was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame on April 10, 2014 — just five days after the 20th anniversary of Cobain's death.

Jason Becker, the guitarist/composer who has had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's Disease) for 30 years, underwent two cataract surgeries last week. He says: "My vision is still funky, but slowly getting better."

Becker's latest procedure comes six months after he had an operation to drain the abscess in his lung.

Becker's story is one of brilliance, talent, determination, adversity, and, ultimately, triumph. A child prodigy on guitar, Jason rose to prominence as a teenager when he was one half of the technical guitar duo CACOPHONY, with his great friend Marty Friedman. In 1989, at only 19 years old and after wowing audiences all over the world, the young virtuoso became the guitarist for David Lee Roth, following in the huge footsteps of Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai. He wrote and recorded on Roth's third solo album, "A Little Ain't Enough", and was poised for superstardom when a nagging pain in his leg was diagnosed as Motor Neurone Disease (MND), also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's Disease, the same condition Stephen Hawking lived with for over five decades. It is a fatal condition with a life expectancy of maybe five years. Maybe.

That was 30 years ago. He lost the ability to play guitar, walk, talk, and breathe on his own. But never lost his will to live or his desire to create music. Communicating through a series of eye movements with a system developed by his father, Jason spells out words as well as musical notes and chords. He imparts his musical vision to his team who then can input the notes into a computer, edit the parts to his exacting standards, and then generate charts for session musicians. His inspiring music and life story have been the subject of countless news articles, magazine cover stories, and an award-winning documentary, "Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet".

Becker's latest album, "Triumphant Hearts", was released last December via Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group. The disc features guest appearances by a who's who of six-string gods, including Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Neal Schon, Steve Morse, Paul Gilbert and Joe Bonamassa.

In a recent question-and-answer session posted on the YouTube channel of Nuclear Blast Records, OPETH mastermind Mikael Åkerfeldt was asked how annoying it is for him to constantly get questions about his decision to drop the "growling" vocals from the band's albums. He responded (see video below): "Well, it's not annoying. I get that question a lot from fans and journalists. Journalists are a bit more careful, diplomatic. They don't tell me, like, 'You suck now. You should do that.' But in contrary to what people think, I'm happy to get that question, because that means that that stuff meant a lot to people. And now it's, like, eight off years since we recorded a record that had those screaming vocals on. That's a long time people are clinging to, and they still haven't gotten over the fact that the last four records don't have screams. And I guess that means I was great… I guess I was good. I guess it meant something, and that makes me happy.

"People who like that stuff, they have to understand that you change and the music changes, and you get other influences," he continued. "I haven't really consumed death metal music… I mean, the last death metal record I bought with my own money and enjoyed was 'Domination' by MORBID ANGEL, and that's, like, '95. Our first album came out in '95, and at that point, I was still into that death metal — whatever scene we were part of — finding our feet, and I wanted us to be that band and have both the screaming vocals and the clean vocals. But even then, I wanted to add more clean vocals; it was just that I didn't dare to — I didn't have the confidence to sing more clean. And with more record, there was more and more and more and more, and then you end up where there's no screams, because of, I guess, confidence.

"I haven't listened to a death metal record that actually pushed me to write something or inspired me," Mikael added. "That scene reached a moment where it stopped developing, to me. It was as fast and technical as it could be. And also, a lot of people don't understand that my death metal that I listen to is pure. I will not listen to a death metal band that sounded like us; it's not my cup of tea… My death is MORBID ANGEL, ENTOMBED, DEATH, BATHORY, OBITUARY — that stuff. That's pure — no frills. That's what I like. MORBID ANGEL, of course, up to 'Domination', when [David] Vincent left, and Vincent is the greatest death metal singer of all time. It was like WHITESNAKE without David Coverdale, if you know what I mean. It doesn't work. I'm not interested. And the melodic [death metal] scene in Sweden was never really interesting to me, with the exception of AT THE GATES, who kind of, I think, started that melodic death metal scene. [They're a] great band, but I don't consume that music anymore — I don't find it interesting, really, to be honest. And if I hear something that I think is good, then it's retro — like OBLITERATION from Norway. It's pure death metal. I'm not sure what's new about their music, but, yeah, that's the stuff I like — rootsy death metal. So, yeah, I still listen to that every now and when I had a couple of beers or something, for nostalgic reasons, but it doesn't inspire me, and it hasn't for a very, very long time. And that's why I stopped after 'Watershed', because 'Watershed' was the pinnacle to that style for me. And it's kind of well-known fact that I tried to make a 'Watershed 2.0', or whatever, that was then deleted. And 'Heritage' was born, and with that a new path for us. And I wanted to see what was around the corner there. And it's because I'm a musician and I love music. We're not entrepreneurs or businessmen. I mean, we make the worst business decisions ever, and already on the creative level. I mean, our new album, for instance, is the longest one we've ever done and it's sung in a language that only Swedish people can understand. It's a bad decision. We go against the grain. It's like fashion — we sometimes find ourselves being fashionable. But because we always had the same mindset — that the world will outrun us and we have to wait for the circle to be full and then we'll be fashionable again. So we always follow the gut feeling, and wherever you're at at the moment, that's what matters. Not catering to your previous success — that's not interesting to me. Unless that's what I wanna do in music, and it's not right now. I don't wanna do 'Watershed 2.0'… We still play those songs live. It's not that I'm ashamed [of it] — I love it. But yeah, I've moved on. And so should you."

OPETH's 13th album, "In Cauda Venenum", was released on September 27 via Moderbolaget / Nuclear Blast Entertainment. Recorded last year at Stockholm's Park Studios, the disc was made available in two versions, in both Swedish and English languages.

Teenage climate-change activist Greta Thunberg says that she will be "doing death metal only" now that her fiery speech at the United Nations Climate Action Summit was turned into a killer metal song.

The viral YouTube hit "Greta Thunberg sings Swedish Death Metal" is the work of John Meredith, drummer for the New York metal band SUAKA, who told Rolling Stone he created the clip because he was "very impressed" by Greta's "passion and outrage. And the words she chose just evoked the darkness of the metal music I love: ENTOMBED, GOJIRA, AT THE GATES, SEPULTURA," he said.

Meredith copied Thunberg's speech into Pro Tools and growled along to her words himself to make the delivery sound "metal enough."

"I guess I didn't really have a specific intent other than to turn her brutal words into a metal song," he told Rolling Stone.

Earlier today, Thunberg shared a tweet containing Meredith's video and included the message: "I have moved on from this climate thing... From now on I will be doing death metal only!!"

The Swedish teenager gained international media attention in recent months for her outspoken activism on climate change, including the UN speech calling out world leaders for not responding to the climate crisis with more urgency.

President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly voiced skepticism about climate changere, shared video of Thunberg's speech on Twitter, and above it wrote, sarcastically, that "she seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!"

Thunberg seemingly took Trump's slight in stride. The next day, she updated her Twitter bio to read: "A very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future."




I have moved on from this climate thing... From now on I will be doing death metal only!! https://t.co/mYqXxFuE77

— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) September 28, 2019

Savatage / Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist Chris Caffery has checked in with the following update:

"So much fun! 'Even Chris is alright!'

Thanks Robin and Rick and everyone in the Cheap Trick camp for an awesome night! I got my first Cheap Trick record when I was 10 years old! Such an honor to play one of those songs onstage with them last night! One of my high school friends was at the show and just sent me this video!"

The show took place at at Resorts World Catskill in Monticello, New York on September 27th.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO), the multi-platinum, critically-acclaimed progressive rock group, has announced its highly-anticipated Winter Tour 2019. Returning with all-new staging and effects is the unforgettable show that started it all, Christmas Eve And Other Stories. TSO’s show that started small, performed to 12,000 people in five cities in 1999, which then exploded onto the national scene, eventually playing to 9 million fans over the course of an incredible 12 years (through 2011), the mega-hit Christmas Eve And Other Stories has grossed an incredible $377 million over 1224 performances.

Caffery recently checked in with the following update:

"I’ve been really excited waiting for you all to hear this incredible announcement! For the first time in 8 years we are going back to where it all began!Paul O'Neill’s magical Christmas Eve And Other Stories will be this year's story. Our traditional TSO Rock Theater first half of the show is The Christmas Eve And Other Stories debut record!

That being said, this will be an entirely new show. The first time we are able to use the modern technology you have seen the last few years with this timeless classic! I am so excited to see this for the first time when this magic all comes together at rehearsals!

There’s just something so special about hearing those first words 'In an old city bar...' I remember when Paul used to walk around the city with me when we took studio breaks. We would walk past many of these places on the city blocks. Paul would be telling me stories and being generous and kind to all of the strangers, and especially the homeless we would see. There was one place in particular that had that title as its name. It was very close to the studio where all of this was recorded. You would see 'Old City Bar' in a lighted neon sign. Gives me chills thinking about it and tears thinking about my special angel and friend who created all of this magic.

For the fans who have never seen TSO, you are getting the change to dive in with this new show. For the fans who started seeing us the past 7 years it’s a chance to complete the Christmas trilogy in your concert experiences. For those of you who saw it all 21 years ago up until the last time we did the story...welcome back my friends to Christmas Eve and Other Stories In 2019!

Ok...yes I’m excited...large rant over! Enjoy the rest of your summer and check the Trans-Siberian Orchestra sites for all of the info!!!

A product of the vision and imagination of TSO’s late founder/composer/lyricist Paul O’Neill, Christmas Eve And Other Stories began the unique format O’Neill called “Rock Theater” and forged a deep connection with their fans that it turned into the wildly-successful tour, cementing the group’s status as a must-see, multi-generational, holiday tradition and kick-started the trend of Yuletide season tours. This year’s multi-sensory extravaganza is set to begin on November 13th and will visit 66 cities for 109 performances across North America before concluding on December 30th (see full itinerary below and online).

Starting August 19th, the Winter Tour 2019 began its “12 Days of TSO Verified Fan Registration” where all fans can sign up at tso.tmverifiedfan.com/ (powered by Ticketmaster Verified Fan) for exclusive access to the best tickets for the best price before tickets go on sale to the general public.  Pre-sales will begin for TSO fan club members on Tuesday, September 4 for November 13 through November 30 tour dates and on Thursday, September 5 for December 1 through December 30 tour dates. Fans who are not members of TSO’s fan club, but have registered during the “12 Days of TSO Verified Fan Registration” will have the opportunity to participate in pres-ales on September 9 and 10. General public on sale is set to begin on September 13. For more details on tour dates and all on sales, visit trans-siberian.com.

Tour dates:

November
13 - Green Bay, WI - Resch Center (4 PM , 8 PM)
13 - Council Bluffs, IA - Mid America Center (7:30 PM)
14 - Sioux Falls, SD - Denny Sanford Premier Center (7:30 PM)
15 - Youngstown, OH - Covelli Center (3:30 PM, 7:30 PM)
16 - Allentown, PA - PPL Center (3:30 PM, 8:00 PM)
16 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
17 - Worcester, MA - DCU Center (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
17 - Colorado Springs, CO - World Arena (3:00 PM, 7:30 PM)
20 - Raleigh, NC - PNC Arena (7:30 PM)
20 - Salt Lake City, UT - Vivint Smart Home Arena (3:30 PM, 7:30 PM)
21 - Baltimore, MD - Royal Farms Arena (7:30 PM)
21 - Boise, ID - Taco Bell Arena (7:30 PM)
22 - Wilkes Barre, PA - Mohegan Sun Arena (3:30 PM, 8:00 PM)
22 - Spokane, WA - Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena (8:00 PM)
23 - Manchester, NH - SNHU Arena (3:30 PM, 8:00 PM)
23 - Portland, OR - Moda Center (3:30 PM, 8:00 PM)
24 - Hartford, CT - XL Center (3:00 PM, 7:30 PM)
24 - Tacoma, WA - Tacomadome (3:30 PM)
26 - San Jose, CA - SAP Center at San Jose (8:00 PM)
27 - Toledo, OH - Huntington Center (4:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
29 - Cincinnati, OH - US Bank Arena (4:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
29 - Sacramento, CA - Golden 1 Center (3:00 PM, 7:30 PM)
30 - Dayton, OH - Nutter Center (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
30 - Ontario, CA - Toyota Arena (3:30 PM, 7:30 PM)

December
1 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena (3:00 PM, 7:30 PM)
1 - Phoenix, AZ - Talking Stick Resort Arena (3:00 PM, 7:30 PM)
4 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena (7:30 PM)
4 - El Paso, TX - Don Haskins Center (3:00 PM, 7:30 PM)
5 - Lexington, KY - Rupp Arena (7:30 PM)
5 - Lubbock, TX - United Supermarkets Arena (7:00 PM)
6 - Greenville, SC - Bon Secours Wellness Arena (4:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
6 - Wichita, KS - INTRUST Bank Arena (8:00 PM)
7 - Charlotte, NC - Spectrum Center (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
7 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
8 - Duluth, GA - Infinite Energy Center (3:00 PM, 7:30 PM)
8 - Oklahoma City, OK - Chesapeake Energy Arena (3:00 PM, 7:30 PM)
11 - Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum (7:30 PM)
11 - Birmingham, AL - Legacy Arena at The BJCC (7:30 PM)
12 - Charlottesville, VA - John Paul Jones Arena (7:30 PM)
12 - Jacksonville, FL - Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena (7:30 PM)
13 - Hershey, PA - Giant Center (4:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
13 - Sunrise, FL - BB&T Center (8:00 PM)
14 - Buffalo, NY - KeyBank Center (3:30 PM, 8:00 PM)
14 - Orlando, FL - Amway Center (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
15 - Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center (3:30 PM, 8:00 PM)
15 - Tampa, FL - Amalie Arena (3:00 PM, 7:30 PM)
18 - Rochester, NY - Blue Cross Arena (7:30 PM)
18 - New Orleans, LA - Smoothie King Center (7:30 PM)
19 - Albany, NY - Times Union Center (7:30 PM)
19 - Memphis, TN - Fedex Forum (7:30 PM)
20 - Uniondale, NY - NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (8:00 PM)
20 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center (8:00 PM)
21 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
21 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
22 - Pittsburgh, PA - PPG Paints Arena (3:30 PM, 8:00 PM)
22 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
23 - Washington, D.C. - Capital One Arena (3:00 PM, 7:30 PM)
23 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center (3:30 PM, 8:00 PM)
26 - Columbus, OH - Nationwide Arena (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
26 - St Louis, MO - Enterprise Center (3:00 PM, 7:30 PM)
27 - Cleveland, OH - Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
27 - Milwaukee, WI - Fiserv Forum (3:30 PM, 8:00 PM)
28 - Detroit, MI - Little Caesars Arena (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
28 - St Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
30 - Toronto, ON - Scotiabank Arena (3:00 PM, 8:00 PM)
30 - Chicago, IL - Allstate Arena (2:30 PM, 8:00 PM)

Christmas Eve And Other Stories is based on the triple-platinum album of the same name and follows a story by TSO’s late founder/composer/lyricist Paul O’Neill.  In keeping with the classic line “If You Want To Arrange It, This World You Can Change It,” the story is set on Christmas Eve when a young angel is sent to Earth to bring back what is best representative of humanity.  Following favorite TSO themes of “strangers helping strangers” and “the kindness of others,”  Christmas Eve And Other Stories takes listeners all over the world to help reunite a young girl with her distraught father. The album and tour feature such fan-favorites as “Ornament” and the epic “Old City Bar,” both of which have not been performed live in recent years. The rock opera also features such TSO classics as "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24," "O’ Come All Ye Faithful," "Good King Joy," "Promises To Keep," and "This Christmas Day." Additionally, the tour will enjoy a new second set containing some of TSO’s greatest hits and fan-pleasers including "Christmas Canon," “Wizards In Winter” and many more.

Since its historic touring debut, TSO has played nearly 2,000 Winter Tour shows for more than 16 million fans, with tour grosses of more than $725 million, and has sold in excess of 12 million albums and DVDs.  Year-after-year TSO hits the upper reaches of the domestic and worldwide tour charts. Recently in July 2019, TSO was ranked No. 6 on Pollstar’s North American Tours Mid Year chart and No. 8 on Pollstar’s Worldwide Tours Mid Year chart. In 2018, TSO came in at No. 16 on Pollstar’s 2018 Top 200 Year End North American Tours and at No. 17 on Pollstar’s 2018 Year End Worldwide Ticket Sales Top 100 Tours chart with more than 925K tickets sold. Additionally, in July 2019, TSO was featured in Billboard’s Money Makers of 2018. In 2009, Pollstar ranked TSO at No. 20 on the “Top Tour(s) of the Decade” and Billboard placed TSO at No. 25 on its “Top Touring Artists of the Decade.”

Always embracing the O’Neill’s sense of altruism, TSO remains one of rock’s most charitable bands. This year, as in years past, TSO will give at least $1 from every ticket sold to charity – to date approximately $16 million has been donated by the group.

TSO’s Winter Tour 2019 is presented by Hallmark Channel.




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Guitar legend Steve Vai has checked in with the following:

"I've always had a pull to visit and perform in far away 'exotic' places and had the great pleasure of doing so many times starting in the early '90s when it was relatively rare for American rock musicians to visit places such as Eastern Europe, Russia, China and South America. Many times through the years I tried to tour Columbia and Venezuela but couldn’t because of the various challenges in getting there. But on the Story of Light Tour, we visited and performed in such places. The fans were incredibly supportive and these next few clips coming up show this. Thank you so much to all my SA fans who come to these shows. You rock so hard!!!"

"Walking onto the stage from my dressing room, then waiting in the wings those few moments before we step out onto the stage, walking onto the stage, hearing the audience roar, feeling the energy of the room in the moment, then receiving the audience with some bombastic waves of sonic guitar distortion, then kicking into the show... totally exhilarating. This is one of those things I envisioned myself doing when I was a kid. You become what you think about, and there it is. You can see the entire 3.5 hour tour documentary that this clip is from on disc 2 of the Blu-Ray release of Stillness In Motion that came out on September 13th! "

Vai released the Blu-Ray version of Stillness In Motion on September 13 via his personal record label Light Without Heat, distributed by The Orchard. He has posted an "unwrapping" video of the package, which can be viewed below.

Originally, a DVD capturing Vai’s performance at Club Nokia in Los Angeles on October 12, 2012 was issued by Sony but it was not available on the Blu-Ray format. This deluxe package will be available on 2-Blu-Ray discs, with two CDs that contain the live music release from the performance.

One of the Blu-Ray disks contain the bonus material titled The Space Between The Notes (Tour Mischief). It’s an intimate and at times hysterically edited video diary comprised of more than three and a half hours of footage filmed around the world on-stage, off-stage, and behind-the-scenes during the world tour. This specific concert captured was the 49th show of the aforementioned global excursion that consisted of 253 engagements in over 52 countries.

In reflecting on this period of his life, and his global travels circa Stillness In Motion, Steve Vai offers, “Making records, performing and touring live is what I love to do most in this life. This Blu-Ray performance and tour bonus footage was culled from the Story of Light tour in support of that CD release. The tour was comprehensive and perhaps my favorite tour as of yet. To be with that band and those fans traveling to all those exotic locations represents a period of my life where I feel I was peaking both on a performance level and pure tour exhilaration. The Space Between The Notes has over 3.5 hours of on-and-offstage ‘B-roll’ footage that has every stop along the way represented somehow. The compiling, editing and result of The Space Between The Notes is a career highlight for me. It’s interesting, funny, entertaining and informative. You get to see what touring the world with a rock band is really like in all its visceral and intimate expressions.”

Tracklisting:

Disc 1 - DVD or Blu-Ray
Intro/"Racing The World"
"Velorum"
Band Intros
"Building The Church"
"Tender Surrender"
"Gravity Storm"
"The Trillium’s Launch"
"Weeping China Doll"
"John The Revelator"
"The Moon And I"
"The Animal"
"Whispering A Prayer"
"The Audience Is Listening"
"Where Are We"
"Rescue Me Or Bury Me"
"Sisters"
"Treasure Island"
"Beastly Rap"
"Salamanders In The Sun"
"Pusa Road"
"Earthquake Sky", Drum Solo
"I’m Tired"
"The Ultra Zone"
"Frank"
"Build Me A Song L.A."
"For The Love Of God"
"Taurus Bulba"

Disc 2 - DVD or Blu-Ray - Story of Light Tour: The Space Between The Notes (Tour Mischief)
1. Leg 1 (Rehearsals/USA)
2. Leg 2 (Europe/Eastern Europe)
3. Leg 3 (Vegas/Netherlands/Russia/Ukraine/Europe)
4. Leg 4 (Australia/NZ/Indonesia/China/S. Korea/Japan/Taiwan/Thailand)
5. Leg 5 (Europe... again)
6. Leg 6 (USA... again)
7. Leg 7 (Mexico/South America/China)
8. Leg 8 (Vegas/Singapore/Malaysia/Israel/Europe/Russia/Ukraine)
9. Leg 9 (USA/St. Barths/Japan/France/Poland)

Audio CDs:

Disc 1
Intro/"Racing The World"
"Velorum"
Band Intros
"Building The Church"
"Tender Surrender"
"Gravity Storm"
"Weeping China Doll"
"John The Revelator"
"The Moon And I"
"The Animal"
"Whispering A Prayer"

Disc 2
"The Audience Is Listening"
"Rescue Me Or Bury Me"
"Sisters"
"Treasure Island"
"Salamanders In The Sun"
"Pusa Road"
"Frank"
"The Ultra Zone" (CD Version)
"Build Me A Song L.A."
"For The Love Of God"
"Taurus Bulba"




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Megadeth guitarist Kiko Loureiro has posted a new video where he plays “one of his most requested riffs”, a song he wrote for his former band Angra in 1995 called “Nothing To Say”.




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On September 23, "Dreams In The Witch House: Penitentiary" was released and offered as a free download through October 31, Halloween. The track's musicians include former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick, guitarist Douglas Blair, cello sensation Tina Guo, MOTHER'S FINEST bassist Wyzard and EASY ACTION drummer Björn Höglund. Joining them on vocals are horror icons Courtney Gains ("Children Of The Corn", "The Burbs", "Tales From The Crypt") and John Franklin ("Children Of The Corn", "The Adams Family", "Childsplay").

Produced by Chris Laney of Danish metal band PRETTY MAIDS and executive producer Mike Dalager, the track commemorates the 35th anniversary of the release of Stephen King's "Children Of The Corn" and Bruce Kulick's first recording with KISS on "Animalize", where he played the ghost solo for Track 5, "Lonely Is The Hunter".

"Penitentiary" is a beefed up, cinematic version of the title track from 2013's "Dreams In The Witch House: A Lovecraftian Rock Opera", an adaptation of HP Lovecraft's classic horror tale from 1932. The track also marks Kulick and Blair's seventh collaboration with the rock opera. In a previous interview Kulick noted, "When [Chris] approached me, along with Mike, about being involved I said, 'I'm in!' even though I don't know much about HP Lovecraft. But I know Chris understood what I'd be able to lend to the project."

Hollywood actors John Franklin and Courtney Gains, renowned for their iconic roles as child cult leader Isaac and henchman Malachai aren't known for their singing abilities. Executive producer Mike Dalager states: "They will blow you away with their vocal chops! John got his start in musical theater in Chicago and Courtney's an accomplished songwriter and singer who headlines his cruise grunge band RIPPLE STREET." John Franklin states, "My teenage dream of being a rock star is suddenly resurrected. And don't get me started on how friggin' amazing Mr. Gains is!"