German metalcore vets Neaera performed at Summer Breeze 2024 on August 16. ARTE Concert has published the band’s full set from the show; watch the pro-shot footage below:





Neaera, who are celebrating their twentieth anniversary this year, release their All Is Dust full-length on June 28 via Metal Blade Records.




On February 28, 2020, Neaera released their seventh album - it was their eponymous comeback record after a seven-year-hiatus - which caught everyone by surprise. Despite having been well received, the pandemic impeded the band's long awaited and already scheduled return to live stages. On February 29, 2020, Neaera played a sold-out release show, but it remained the only show for the record in years since Wacken, the Impericon festivals, and other shows were forced to be postponed until further notice.


By 2021, the Neaera collective decided it was time for new material. With a desire to return to an oldschool writing approach when songs were composed together in a musty rehearsal room, the band started the writing process. By 2022, the band recruited Janosch Rathmer (drummer of long-time friends/German post-rock institution Long Distance Calling) to record their new album, All Is Dust. Mixing and mastering for the record was skillfully executed by Kristian Kohle at Kohlekeller Studios who adorned the songs with a powerful yet organic sound that perfectly fit the band's vision of their new material and approach.


Lyrically, Neaera shifted their focus a bit and put the individual, its survival, and sanity in these testing times center stage alongside lyrics that tackle global and social clamor - a shift that was arguably pandemic-related.





All Is Dust features cover art by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design (Oceans Of Slumber, Evergrey, Vomitory) and is available on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:


- Dark Vanilla Marbled (Ltd. 700)
- Orange Black Dust (Ltd. 200)
- Gold Black Dust (EMP exclusive - Ltd. 300)
= Wooden Boxset (Gatefold Dark Goldenrod Marbled LP, Digi-CD, 7", poster, lanyard, patch, hand signed card - Kingsroad exclusive - Ltd. 300)


Order at metalblade.com/Neaera.





"Pacifier" video:





Neaera lineup:


Benny Hilleke - vocals
Stefan Keller - guitars
Tobias Buck - guitars
Benjamin Donath - bass
Sebastian Heldt - drums







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During an appearance on SiriusXM Fight Nation's "Busted Open" show, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx spoke about the band's new single, "Dogs Of War", which was made available on April 26 via MÖTLEY CRÜE's new deal with Nashville's Big Machine Records. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "A lot of people said it's a different sound, but I'll be honest with you, I don't necessarily agree with that. If you listen to the verses, they're very similar to a lot of stuff that we've done — that simple, grinding thing with those almost CHEAP TRICK melodies. And the riff, I mean, it could be off of 'Dr. Feelgood'. So I don't really feel like it's that different. I think what's different for people is that when we were working on the song, Tommy [Lee, CRÜE drummer] had the idea to just let the bottom fall out in the verses, which is not really what we do. We usually go for it, and [it's] really unique for Vince [Neil, CRÜE singer]."

Vince chimed in: "I don't ever sing like that. But it works in the song." He added that "Dogs Of War" "was very easy to sing."

Nikki elaborated on the CRÜE songwriting process, saying: "I think what we do together is we all kind of know each other so well, we know each other's strengths and weaknesses. And for me as a lyricist, I'm always thinking about Vince and his tempo as I write. So it's not like out of the wheelhouse, but it's nice to know each other so well, if that makes sense."

When "Dogs Of War" was first released, Neil described the track as "like old school meets new school. It's got that old-school vibe about it, but it's new music. Nikki came up with it and he sent me the music and I thought it was really cool. So I started singing it and we got in the studio and it turned into the song I think the fans are really gonna like it."

The "Dogs Of War" music video, which can be seen below, is an animated, all-CGI affair directed by Nick DenBoer.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's new deal with Big Machine Records sees the band working together again after making the 2014 project "Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute To Mötley Crüe", which featured CRÜE tracks covered by country stars RASCAL FLATTS, FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE, Darius Rucker and more. Big Machine also partnered with MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist John 5 for the release of his 2021 album "Sinner".

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

In 2018, MÖTLEY CRÜE recorded four new songs for "The Dirt" movie, including the single "The Dirt (Est. 1981) (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)", "Ride With The Devil", "Crash And Burn" and the band's own spin on Madonna's "Like A Virgin".

John 5 joined MÖTLEY CRÜE in the fall of 2022 as the replacement for the band's co-founding guitarist Mick Mars. Mick announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues.

"John brings a lot," Neil told Billboard. "He's an amazing, creative guitar player. He hears stuff us normal people don't hear. He brings a lot to the song and a lot to the band, and we're just so happy to have him."

John 5, who previously collaborated with Sixx on various songs for SIXX:A.M. as well as other projects, and co-wrote the three new songs on "The Dirt" soundtrack, said about his addition to CRÜE: "I love MÖTLEY and I've known Mick, Tommy and Nikki for so long, it's just like playing with your friends, Their music is something I care about. I care about the history and I care about the future of this band, so I want to do things with the utmost respect and make sure everything is done right and execute it to the ability it deserves."

Photo credit: Ross Halfin (courtesy of Live Nation)

Spanish rock band, Strangers, are excited to share their new single and the accompanying visualizer, “Echoes”, out today via Frontiers Music Srl.





The band commented on the new single by saying, "'Echoes of doubt may linger, but this track proves that the mind's darkest corners can be lightened up with your inner strength, true potential and rock. Enjoy it."




Stream/download the single here, and check out the visualizer below:





Strangers, born in Madrid in 2012, was founded by Miguel Martin and Abel Ramos. Strangers have recorded and published three studio albums; Emotions (2013), Survival (2015) mixed and mastered by Erik Martensson and Brand New Start (2019) mastered by Dave Donnelly in Los Angeles.


After some lineup changes, Strangers decided to join forces with Celia Barloz as frontwoman. Celia, in addition to be a brilliant vocal coach, had already been collaborating with the band as backing vocals in live shows and some recorded vocals on “Brand New Start”. Strangers faces this new phase with a renewed sound.


Strangers recorded their most recent EP, Whispers, in KV62 Studios, mixed and mastered by Andy C. during Summer 2023. Their latest single, “With You”, was release on May 8.


As a talented frontwoman, Celia Barloz will be inspiring a new generation with her passion, determination, and undeniable talent. With a beautiful and heartwarming voice, Celia's journey is only beginning, and the future of rock music looks brighter with each note she sings.


Lineup:


Celia Barloz - vocals
Miguel Martín - guitar
Abel Ramos - drums
César Chacón - bas


(Photo - Javier Ender Revan)







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In a new interview with Chicago Tribune, MEGADETH drummer Dirk Verbeuren spoke about the setlist for the band's ongoing "Destroy All Enemies" U.S. tour, which features support from MUDVAYNE and ALL THAT REMAINS. MEGADETH is performing classics from 1990's "Rust In Peace" and 1992's "Countdown To Extinction" albums, along with material from 2022's "The Sick, The Dying … And The Dead!" and rarely played songs such as "Liar" from 1988's "So Far, So Good … So What!"

"We've been putting a lot of work in spicing it up with less-known songs or songs that haven't been performed [much] or at all," Dirk said. "Every night is a different setlist so there will be some surprises for the fans.

"When it comes to 'Countdown' and 'Rust In Peace', those were defining albums for MEGADETH," he added. "They were both very popular at the time when they came out. It was the peak of that style of music coming out to the scene. That was the time when that music took over the world so those are albums that our fans have close to their hearts, and they have become staples in a way. There's usually a lot of songs from those records. Those records raised the bar with metal and thrash metal."

Earlier this month, MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine told The Big Takeover that his current bandmates — bassist James LoMenzo, guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari and Verbeuren — are a large part of the reason MEGADETH has been able to vary up its setlists on the last couple of tours.

"All the players that I have right now are really, really good players and we feel like a band," he said. "It's just great — the energy we have onstage, the songs selections that we've been able to choose now. You know, trying to encourage people that you're playing with to go and learn new songs should be fun, and we were stuck with the same setlist for years and years due to one or more of us just not wanting to learn new songs. The other thing that goes with us being stuck in a certain setlist is, we were playing along to certain production onstage — we had decided a few years ago to try and use video — and [it's also] picking songs that I can sing because my voice had been ruined, and that's a big thing, too. [Mustaine successfully underwent treatment for throat cancer that had been diagnosed in 2019.] I would never want to blame any of the MEGADETH alumni for anything that I couldn't do, but the video part, too, added an additional problem to everything being flexible with the setlist. So we chucked that idea and went back to being just a thrash band and playing our songs from all throughout our catalog, not just the hits. We must play certain songs, like 'Holy Wars', like 'Peace Sells', like 'Symphony [Of Destruction]', and we should play songs like 'Trust' and 'Tornado [Of Souls]', but there's been something really liberating, too, with going back and adding songs people haven't heard in forever because their eyes get big and you see them grabbing their friends next to them or high fiving their buddy or hugging their girlfriends. They just get super excited because they're hearing a song that they have never heard [performed live]. A lot of our fans are teenagers, and a lot of these records were made before these new fans were even born. So this is all a righteous experience for them."

MEGADETH kicked off the "Destroy All Enemies" summer 2024 U.S. tour on August 2 at Walmart AMP in Rogers, Arkansas. Produced by Live Nation, the trek is hitting 33 cities, including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Boston and St. Louis, before wrapping up on September 28 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Mäntysaari stepped in last September for Kiko Loureiro, who announced earlier that month that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland. It was later revealed that the 37-year-old Finnish musician would continue to play guitar for MEGADETH for the foreseeable future, with Loureiro seemingly having no plans to return.

Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.

Photo credit: Ryan Chang

In a new interview with Alternative Press, SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor and percussionist M. Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown) spoke about the prospect of writing new music with drummer Eloy Casagrande, who joined the band this past February.

"Eloy is such a natural writer," Taylor said. "I think he's going to take us to some places we haven't been in a while. I've got a lot to say, and I'm looking forward to expounding on a lot of different things."

Regarding when SLIPKNOT will return to the studio, Crahan said: "Somewhere between 2025 and mid-2026, there's gonna be writing. I think it's gonna be sooner than later. Maybe we'll be in the studio in the later part of 2025. There's no expectations. No one's in a rush, but we're not going to blow it off either."

SLIPKNOT's seventh studio album, "The End, So Far", was released in September 2022 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2019's "We Are Not Your Kind", it was the band's final record with Roadrunner after first signing with the rock and metal label in 1998.

Clown spoke to Alternative Press about SLIPKNOT's plans on how to release new music, including the possibility of signing a new major-label deal or even making future albums available independently.

"I won't sign a seven-album deal," he said. "But could we do one-offs or two? I don't know. Am I interested in doing it ourselves? Well, that's a lot of fuckin' work. Could we do it? Yeah. Could it be beneficial for the band? Of course. Is it going to be 10 times more work? Absolutely."

After parting ways with Jay Weinberg last November, SLIPKNOT teased fans with a hint about a new drummer nearly six months ago, posting a photo of a single broken drumstick online with the caption "Rehearsal."

The band explained in a statement that the split with Weinberg was a creative decision. Jay followed up with a statement of his own, saying that he was "heartbroken and blindsided" by his dismissal.

Weinberg has since joined SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and INFECTIOUS GROOVES.

Casagrande abruptly quit SEPULTURA in early February, shortly before he was supposed to begin rehearsals for the band's recently launched 40th-anniversary farewell tour.

Casagrande joined SEPULTURA nearly 13 years ago as the replacement for Jean Dolabella.

In an interview with Revolver magazine, Taylor was asked about the decision to reveal Eloy's identity shortly after playing the first couple of gigs with the former SEPULTURA skinsman. Corey said: "I think we just kinda went, 'You know what? Let's just tell people.' It was really as simple as that, you know? Eloy was the only one who was brave enough to get in the room with us. There were a handful of other people that we were looking at, and none of them wanted to jam with us. They just wanted to do their own thing and send it in — a very TikTok thing, you know? And we were like, 'That's not the way this works, dude.' Eloy rearranged his schedule to come see us. He was so hungry to jam and just see what would happen that we were immediately impressed just by that alone. He didn't get it right away — getting to know him was just as important as jamming with him — but by the time we made that decision, we were, like, 'Let's tell the world now. He's earned it.' Our audience is so used to us kind of keeping our cards close to our chest, but to me it was more refreshing to just kind of come out and go, 'Yeah, he's our dude.'"

SLIPKNOT guitarist Jim Root was equally full of praise for Eloy, saying: "Yeah, he's a super-cool dude. He's really quiet, but he just lives, eats and breathes drums. If he's got an idle moment, he's got a practice pad in front of him or a practice kit. I recently bought a new place that has a little tiny demo studio attached to the garage. I've got a drum set in there and a big couch that you can turn into a bed. Eloy and VMan [SLIPKNOT bassist Alessandro Venturella] came to stay here for a week between the Rockville and Sonic Temple festivals, and Eloy was, like, 'Is it possible that I can stay in the room with the drums?' [Laughs] At literally seven the next morning, I could hear drums being played out in my studio. He's like some sort of Jedi drum master, which is inspiring to me. He makes me want to be a better guitar player to match his abilities, you know?"

In a separate interview with Tone-Talk, Root spoke about how Casagrande came to join SLIPKNOT and his impact on the band's overall sound. He said: "We didn't even try anybody else. Eloy's name came up. He contacted us, actually, about wanting to be a part of it and started sending a bunch of videos in. I think him and our bass player might've had a little bit of a relationship before. I think they knew each other. They had mutual friends. And Vman's really in tune with a lot of really great, proggy, heavy musicians that are passionate about their instruments. And it just seemed like a no-brainer. And he's really respectful of the legacy of [SLIPKNOT's original drummer, the late] Joey [Jordison], and Joey was a huge influence on him. And he's so humble. The dude has so much humility. And you could tell he just lives and breathes his craft, to the point where I see his passion and it ignites my passion for my instrument. And Brazilians, South Americans in general, are so passionate about what they do. Our manager told me, he was out to dinner with four or five promoters from South America, and they were all really stoked. They're all, like, 'It's so good you've got a Brazilian drummer in SLIPKNOT now. We kind of feel like we've won the World Cup.' It's a cool feeling. And God, he just fits in so well. I don't know, man. I mean, there's a lot of things I can say about it. I'm just glad it happened when it did. And we're lucky to have him — we are really lucky to have that dude."

SLIPKNOT is currently celebrating the 25th anniversary of its seminal debut album, "Slipknot", which catapulted the band back in 1999.

SLIPKNOT's "Here Comes The Pain" tour, produced by Live Nation, includes arena plays nationwide this summer. Highlights include New York City's Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles's Intuit Dome, Austin's Moody Center and more.

Photo credit: Jonathan Weiner

On August 15, Sweden's melodic metal overlords, Dynazty, performed at Summer Breeze 2024 in Dinkelsbühl, Germany. ARTE Concert has uploaded professionally-filmed footage of the band's full set. Watch below.


Setlist (as per Setlist.fm):


"Power Of Will"
"Firesign"
"Natural Born Killer"
"Waterfall"
"Presence Of Mind"
"The Human Paradox"
"Heartless Madness"







Dynazty recently presented a brand new single, and first harbinger of a new studio album soon to be unleashed.


On their new track "Devilry Of Ecstasy", Dynazty strike back with an irrepressible power and colossal, epic sound the band is known and loved for. Ever since their formation in 2008, Dynazty’s career may read like a fairytale, but is the result of a hard-working, ambitious band. Countless tours all over Europe with acts alike Sabaton, Battle Beast or Pain to name just a few, an incredibly successful back catalogue of eight chart-breaking albums, millions of streams on digital platforms prove: Dynazty not only captures the Zeitgeist of modern melodic metal, but their newest song showcases that the band is about to even double-down on all expectations and success with album number nine.





"We are extremely excited to finally return with new music and what will be the start of the next chapter of Dynazty," says vocalist Nils Molin. "'Devilry Of Ecstasy' will act as a 3.5 minute thrill-ride and prologue of what’s to come, serving a cautionary tale and reminder of an age old truth: Not all that glitters is gold. ”Beware the devilry of ecstasy!"


Watch out for many more album details to be revealed in the months ahead, and get the new Dynazty song, out now on all digital streaming services here. Watch the video for "Devilry Of Ecstasy" below:





Dynazty is:


Nils Molin: vocals
Love Magnusson: guitar
Mikael Lavér: guitar
Jonathan Olsson: bass
Georg Härnsten Egg: drums







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THE DEAD DAISIES have released "I Wanna Be Your Bitch", the third single from their upcoming album, "Light 'Em Up". The full-length disc will follow on September 6 via Germany's SPV and Japan's Ward Records. The LP was helmed by producer and songwriter-for-hire Marti Frederiksen, who has previously collaborated with AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, Jonny Lang and Sheryl Crow, among many others.

"Light 'Em Up" consists of in-your-face rock tunes packed with huge hooks, Doug Aldrich's giant intense guitar riffs and John Corabi's distinctive vocals that will leave no audience in their seats when played live.

THE DEAD DAISIES recently lit up the US on the first leg of the "Light 'Em Up" tour to rave reviews from both fans and media alike.

THE DEAD DAISIES' most ambitious and biggest U.K. tour to date will launch on Friday, September 6, with special guests THE TREATMENT and THE BITES. The band will then embark on a run of mainland Europe, kicking off on Friday, November 1 with the final show of the year in Frankfurt, Germany. Special guests for these shows are BEASTO BLANCO and Mike Tramp (performing the songs of WHITE LION).

In March, THE DEAD DAISIES announced the return of drummer Tommy Clufetos (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK SABBATH).

Twelve years ago, THE DEAD DAISIES burst on to the music scene with a mission to gather some of the finest musicians in the world and simply put, play some good old-fashioned, no-bullshit rock and roll. After more than a decade of recording and touring the planet, there have been some incredible one-offs and special highlights including sharing stages with some of the world's biggest rock bands. To mark this milestone, a collection of songs from six of the band's previous studio albums have been chosen. The "Best Of" album, which was made available in August 2023, includes some of the collective's favorite tracks and others that have become a staple part of every DAISIES touring setlist. Two previously unreleased tracks from the last recording session are also included.

In May 2023, it was announced that Corabi, former lead singer of MÖTLEY CRÜE, THE SCREAM and UNION, had officially rejoined THE DEAD DAISIES.

Corabi joined THE DEAD DAISIES in early 2015 and remained in the group until January 2019, during which time he recorded three studio albums with the band: "Revolución" (2015),"Make Some Noise" (2016) and "Burn It Down" (2018). In the summer of 2019, THE DEAD DAISES announced that they were being joined by legendary DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, who appeared on the band's last two studio albums, 2021's "Holy Ground" and 2022's "Radiance".

In August 2023, Corabi told Metal Talk about how he came to rejoin THE DEAD DAISIES: "We talked through the whole time that they had Glenn in the band. At one point, they were getting ready to tour with Glenn, and he was sick. I don't know if he had COVID or what his deal was, but he wasn't feeling well. I went up to New York for a week with the guys, and I helped them. I sang with them to help them prepare for their tour with Glenn, just to get their music together."

John went on to say that it was April or May of 2023 that THE DEAD DAISIES founder/guitarist David Lowy visited him in Nashville. "He basically told me that Glenn was going back to do his DEEP PURPLE thing and BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION," John said. "He asked me if I was rested and said, 'We'd love to have you come back and keep this train moving.' So I said, 'All right. All good.'"

ave released the new single "Demand", featured on the band's Survive album, out now via earMusic.


The "Demand" single, including "Event Horizon", "Voice Of Thunder", "Infernal Maze", and "Feeding The Fire" is available for streaming/download here.


Watch th

Last week, VESTIGE ushered the world of modern metal into the drift of the fall season with “Automne pt. 1”. Today, they are releasing the second part of this single, a chilling and howling reflection that features Neige from Alcest.

“Automne Pt. 2” has the unique honor of featuring Neige. The ethereal voice of Alcest adds an otherworldly layer to Vestige’s visceral soundscape, elevating the song to a plane where agony intertwines with ecstasy.


Vestige’s debut album Janis comes out September 6 on Season of Mist. Pre-order & pre-save: https://orcd.co/vestigejanis

Tracklist1. Différent (2:47)
2. Deviens la Nuit (5:29) [WATCH]
3. Démence de l’Âme (6:25)
4. Océan (5:27)
5. Automne Part 1 (5:50) [WATCH]
6. Automne Part 2 feat Neige (Alcest) (4:54) [WATCH]
7. Appel de l’Âme (4:15)
8. Corrosion (5:16) [WATCH]
9. Stigmates du Temps (4:34)
10. Envol de l’Âme (5:40)
11. Avant la Fin (7:15)
Total runtime: 57:53


Cover art by Kilian d’Angelo & Justine Dorin
Théodore Rondeau, the creative initiator behind VESTIGE, embarked on a journey of forming the band during a turbulent phase in his life. Emerged as a creative vessel for a complicated emotional journey, the band transcends the boundaries of individual therapy into a collaborative force that hopefully resonates with the feelings that may be all too common for the human experience.

With a profound connection to their craft, VESTIGE pour their souls into their debut album, infusing it with a captivating blend of melancholy, desperation, and catharsis. The music serves not only as an expression of their turmoil, but as a conduit for listeners to navigate the complexities of their own emotions. Through this process, VESTIGE becomes a project with the potential to connect with people on a profound level, forging a collective experience through the universal language of music.

The formation of VESTIGE’s lineup reads like a musical destiny unfolding: Pierre-André Krauzer on the bass, Quentin Regnault on drums, and Théodore on vocals and guitar. They first crossed paths during their tenure in Naraka, a band that shared stages with icons like Cradle of Filth and Alcest. This initial connection laid the groundwork for the formation of the band. Not long after, the addition of Thomas Petit on the second guitar solidified the lineup, bringing a sense of completeness to the ensemble. The band’s sonic identity now established; VESTIGE was ready to share this experience with the world.

The signing with Season of Mist brings the band’s first milestone, allowing VESTIGE to share their journey in the form of their debut album, Janis. Poised for release in late 2024, the album is a culmination of their collective efforts and a statement of the band’s arrival in the heavy music scene. Weaving through atmospheric shoegaze textures, melodic landscapes and intense, tormented moments that reflects the emotional spectrum of the human experience, the band established a foothold into the genre of modern metal.

Beyond the studio, VESTIGE is gearing up for a series of live performance in 2024, setting the stage for an introspective musical experience that brings raw and authentic energy. A cathartic release that pulls in the listener into the emotional depths the band has to bring.

Line-up
Théodore Rondeau – Vocals, Guitar
Pierre-André Krauzer – Bass
Quentin Regnault – Drums
Thomas Petit – Guitar

Recording Studio
Théodore’s Home Studio, Quentin’s Home Studio (For Drums), Pierre-André Krauzer’s Home Studio (For Bass)

Production Credits
Mixed by Geoffrey Bonnifet at his Home Studio
Mastered by Acle Khaney at 4D Sounds, Oxfordshire, UK

Biography
Sébastien Gamez

Tubi Films has released a new clip its upcoming dark western thriller "The Thicket", which includes a role by METALLICA's James Hetfield. Check it out below.

Based on Joe R. Lansdale's novel of the same name, "The Thicket" will be released in theaters on Friday, September 6.

Peter Dinklage plays Shorty, a bounty hunter enlisted to find a woman who has been kidnapped by a violent killer. The movie, which is set at the turn of the 20th century, follows Shorty and his fellow trackers as they travel into a violent and chaotic place known as the Big Thicket.

"The Thicket" also stars Juliette Lewis ("Yellowjackets"),Esmé Creed-Miles ("Hanna"),Levon Hawke ("The Crowded Room"),Leslie Grace ("In The Heights"),Gbenga Akinnagbe ("The Old Man"),Macon Blair ("I Care A Lot"),Ned Dennehy ("Peaky Blinders"),Andrew Schulz ("Infamous") and Arliss Howard ("Mank").

Production on the film took place last year with "Blitz" director Elliott Lester behind the camera and Christopher Kelly penning the script.

Lester told Collider about adding Hetfield to the film: "The casting of James Hetfield in 'The Thicket' is a story that feels almost destined. It all began with a dream — one morning I woke up with a clear vision that James had to be in the movie. James Hetfield, a Rock God, embodies a raw poetry that fit perfectly with the character we envisioned. From that moment, Peter Dinklage and I were relentless in our pursuit. We tried every possible avenue: his manager, mutual friends, anyone who could help us reach him. Our breakthrough came when writer/director Sacha Gervasi ['Anvil! The Story Of Anvil'], who had a connection to James, stepped in. Despite our efforts, we were unsure if James would even consider the role. We sent him the script, along with a Hail Mary, and waited. To our delight, within days we heard that James was interested. The meeting that followed confirmed our hopes. James could not have been more humble. He revealed that he had always wanted to do a dark western, aligning perfectly with our film's vision. From that point on, James was incredible. He was hard-working, diligent, and fully embraced his role with a passion that brought a unique intensity to the film. The journey with James has been extraordinary, and his presence truly elevates 'The Thicket' to a new level."

Back in 2019, Hetfield had a part in the Netflix thriller "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile". That film followed the relationship between notorious serial killer Ted Bundy, played by Zac Efron, and his longtime girlfriend, played by Lily Collins, who at the time had no knowledge of the crimes. Hetfield played officer Bob Hayward, a no-nonsense Utah highway patrol veteran who was the first law enforcement officer to arrest Bundy in 1975 after pulling the killer over and discovering burglary tools in his car but wisely suspecting much worse. While Hetfield had played himself in other films and television productions, this was his first dramatic role taking on a different character.

Five years ago, Efron praised the METALLICA guitarist/vocalist's acting chops during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", saying: "James Hetfield, to his credit, and absolutely nailed the part, he just crushed it. It's like he’s been acting his own life. He had no fear. He did a great job. I was ready to maybe give James Hetfield [an acting] tip, but he didn't ask for a single one. James Hetfield is the shit!"

first look at The Thicket - a Tubi film starring peter dinklage & juliette lewis

Posted by Tubi on Thursday, June 27, 2024

On August 21, 2024, AC/DC's 1980 breakthrough album "Back In Black"was certified by the Recording Industry Association Of America for U.S. shipments of 27 million copies. It now ranks as the third-highest-certified album in U.S. history, behind EAGLES' compilation "Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)", which has moved 38 million units, according to the RIAA, and Michael Jackson's "Thriller", which has been certified 34 times platinum.

"Back In Black" first went platinum in October 1980 and had previously been certified 25 times platinum in December 2019. At the time, the RIAA listed "Back In Black" as the fourth biggest-selling album of all time.

On July 25, 1980, AC/DC released "Back In Black" in the U.S., followed by the album's U.K. release on July 31. It was the band's first album without lead singer Bon Scott, who had died a few months earlier after passing out and choking on his own vomit following a long night of drinking.

The group quickly decided to press on and hired Brian Johnson from the band GEORDIE to take over on vocals, and they headed to the Bahamas for about six weeks to do the album. AC/DC had made some serious headway in America before Scott's death, but no one knew how "Back In Black" would be received.

Johnson told The Pulse of Radio that he didn't have a clue how successful "Back In Black" would turn out to be. "I'd just melted me brain in there, and I didn't know if it was good or bad," he said. "That was the first time I'd been in the Bahamas, anyway, or near America, you know, and you (have to) remember, I was just fascinated by the whole culture and all, and I had no idea what the hell I was doing! And (laughs) lucky, really — I was a bit lucky, I think."

"Back In Black" included the singles "You Shook Me All Night Long", which peaked at No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Back In Black", which peaked at No. 37.

Despite its massive success, it never got higher than No. 4 on the album charts. The band's next album, "For Those About To Rock", reached No. 1.

"Back In Black" was produced by Robert "Mutt" Lange, who went on to produce DEF LEPPARD, FOREIGNER, THE CARS, and BRYAN ADAMS.

In 2012, "Back In Black" was added to The Recording Academy's legendary Grammy Hall Of Fame collection.

Legendary Bulgarian dark avant-garde metal act, EMBRACE BY DARK, has inked a deal with Wormholedeath Record for their upcoming album, “Extrasensory,” scheduled for a cosmic landing on October 25th, 2024.

Founded in 1995, Embrace By Dark has carved a unique path in the extreme metal scene, transcending genre limitations with their audacious sonic explorations. Their debut album, “Inlaid Dark Arches,” remains a coveted relic for its profound impact, while their sophomore effort, “Sculpture of the Godforsaken Aeons,” solidified their reputation as innovators. Recorded at Bulgarian GRAFFITTI studio and mastered at the UK’s Steelcagesounds with the masterful touch of ex-Cradle of Filth member Stuart Ansits, it cemented their status as a force to be reckoned with.

Embrace By Dark’s landmark moment came in 2009 when they shared the stage with Moonspell during their first Bulgarian concert. This pivotal performance fueled their dedication, leading to the meticulous creation of their upcoming masterpiece, “Extrasensory.”

Brace yourselves for a sonic odyssey. Imagine a vortex of ferocious guitars, anguished screams, atmospheric synths, and captivating melodies. The lyrics act as a portal, transporting the listener beyond the shackles of the material plane. “Extrasensory” is an inward introspective journey, urging us to explore the boundless depths of our infinity and eternity.


1. Zone Unknown
2. Bioenergized Hologram
3. Outer Realm
4. Preternatural
5. Aura Code
6. Extrasensory
7. Soul Mechanical Autism
8. Sonic Overdose

ALBUM lineup:
Ilko Gizdov (Loki) – vocals
Emil Enev (Icon-E) – bass
Georgi Radev (Hadelfar) – synths
Angel Nikolov (Angel) – drums
Vladislav Stoyanov (Vlad) – guitars
Boris Pavlov (Minddwell) – guitars

Recent lineup:
Todor Krassimirov (Sirius) – vocals
Boyko Iliev (Fortis) – bass
Angel Nikolov (Angel) – drums
Vladislav Stoyanov (Vlad) – guitars
Boris Pavlov (Minddwell) – guitars

Oceans Of Slumber have released "The Given Dream", the third single from their dark, cinematic sixth album, Where Gods Fear To Speak, out September 13 via Season Of Mist. Listen below.


Says the band: "Let us escape this facade of perfection together. Move away from the inescapable pull of manicured lifestyles, perfect lives, and the given dream."


"Let us go to the shore
There the waves will kiss our feet
With mysterious sadness
The stars will shine down on us"




- Aleksey Pleshcheyev





Where Gods Fear To Speak can be pre-ordered / pre-saveed at this location.





Tracklisting:


"Where Gods Fear To Speak"
"Run From The Light"
"Don't Come Back From Hell Empty-Handed"
"Wish"
"Poem Of Ecstasy"
"The Given Dream"
"I Will Break The Pride Of Your Will"
"Prayer"
"The Impermanence Of Fate"
"Wicked Game"


"Wicked Game":





"Poem Of Ecstasy" video:





"Where Gods Fear To Speak" video:










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In a new interview with Oran O'Beirne of Overdrive.ie, TESTAMENT singer Chuck Billy spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2020's "Titans Of Creation" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Eric [Peterson, TESTAMENT guitarist] and Chris [Dovas, TESTAMENT drummer] have been working together since around November. And we had a few shows thrown in there early in the year. We got into the studio, I believe, maybe end of April, beginning of May, we started recording 'em, about 11 tracks ready to go. All the music was done and [we] started the recording process. I still needed to go write some lyrics. We really wanted to get the record done before we came over to Europe [in early July]. I have seven tracks finished. Eric has a bunch of guitar tracks. The drums are finished. The only thing left is the bass and Alex [Skolnick, TESTAMENT guitarist], lead-guitar stuff. Between this tour, when we get home in two weeks, we'll go back in the studio and finish up, continue on, and then we start the American leg with KREATOR and POSSESSED. And then between that break, we'll try to get everything finished up. Then we go back to Europe, again with KREATOR and ANTHRAX. We plan to, I think, start mixing in December, January. That's the goal."

Regarding the musical direction of the new TESTAMENT material, Chuck said: "We always try to outdo ourselves or make a better record or write better songs. It's always a challenge for ourselves, and I think this time we really took a long time to create the record. We kind of got everybody in the same room to really go through the songs and kind of put their two cents in to the arrangements. I think by having Chris — he's a younger drummer, a really great drummer — but I think he brought you know a new fire to Eric in the writing process. And I believe because we're going on 37 years of making records, it's kind of full circle right now. We're kind of inspired by new generation, I guess, of music and metal. And Chris is a big part of that. He's a big fan of that. So I think he inspired Eric just to write some really aggressive, fast, creative riffs. And it really inspired me to really push myself to try to do a little more screaming, death vocals, melodic stuff. We even went as far as writing — I don't wanna say 'ballad', but it's something really catchy that's really slow that's something we haven't done in over 30 years. So I think just the overall songs and the confidence in the writing this time really is gonna stand out on this record."

When O'Beirne noted that TESTAMENT continues to "raise the bar" with each successive release, Billy concurred. "It's true," he said. "I think since 2000, 'The Gathering' record is where I think TESTAMENT kind of had a new life, I'd say the second life TESTAMENT. And then I became ill. And then after that, I didn't think I was actually gonna be playing music anymore. I just wasn't the same person. I'd look in the mirror and I didn't see the same guy. And after I beat it and survived it, I kind of thought, 'Okay, now it's time to continue on with life.' And then shortly after that we had the original[-lineup] reunion. And I think that's kind of what really set off the new life of TESTAMENT, because we were writing music, jamming with the guys who started it from the beginning and kind of taking the attitude, like, 'We're gonna finish this together, what we started.' But over time, Louie [Clemente, former TESTAMENT drummer] had to drop out 'cause of health reasons; he couldn't hold the sticks like he used to. So he had to drop out. And then shortly after that Greg [Christian, former TESTAMENT bassist] dropped out. But from then on, I think we've just kind of been writing for ourselves, maybe not really caring what necessarily the press thought. You always wanna impress the fans, but we were really writing to make us happy."

Earlier in the month, Skolnick told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about TESTAMENT's upcoming LP: "Well, I think everybody knows we went through a couple different drummers the past couple years, I know it's very 'Spinal Tap'… Life imitating art. There were scheduling conflicts with Gene Hoglan. Then we got Dave Lombardo, who was amazing, but when it came to going all in on a next record, Dave was overbooked. And we needed somebody [who could step in]. And we've got a new drummer. His name's Chris Dovas. He wasn't even born when the first TESTAMENT record came out. But I've gotta say he is lighting fires. He's lit a fire under everybody and just great to play with. He nails everybody's parts from before, but he has his own style. And I'm excited about the next record. It's actually gonna come out next year. The drum tracks are done. Just rhythm guitars, bass, leads and some vocals need to be done. But it is in progress. It'll be turned in before the end of the year, and it will be listenable next year."

This past June, Chuck told Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco, California radio station 107.7 The Bone that TESTAMENT's next LP will likely contain 11 tracks along with "some covers".

On the topic of the songwriting process for the new TESTAMENT record, Chuck said: "Chris has been coming out since probably December, maybe a little before that, and going to Eric's house; he's got an electric drum set there. So they've been working, writing, putting all this stuff together. And at the beginning of May, once Eric started tracking, we decided that, let's bring Alex and everybody in' except for Steve [DiGiorgio, TESTAMENT bassist], 'cause he's on tour, let's bring Alex and everybody here to the studio and let's just go through all the music, all the songs and make sure we're all happy with the arrangements. And every song got changed as well. Once Alex got here, we all started putting our heads together till we were all happy with the arrangements. And then he left and we said, 'Okay, Chris, now here's the new stuff. Let's do it and track it.' And he knocked it out, and now it's the rest of us that [are tracking our parts]. So we've been a little more thoughtful on this record. We have the time to do it. So I think it's gonna be a killer record."

Speaking about Dovas's involvement in the songwriting process with Eric, Chuck said: "A lot of it is Eric's riffs, but they're put in the proper places or cut out if we don't need it. And it's good for me because I didn't really get to sit with Eric. I just let them guys jam and just come up with as much as you can and we'll sort it out later, which that's what they did. But once Chris came out, then we knew, okay, it has to change or we're gonna just have the same record, and maybe we wouldn't be happy when it was all done. And also Eric's actually been going to New York — he actually went to work with Alex out there, which he hasn't done that in the past. And I think having Chris be available because like Gene [Hoglan] or whoever we worked with didn't have the time to come up as much as Chris has. Chris has spent a lot of time here, which has been good and really pushing Eric to make music. And we're at a point now to where Eric's, like, 'You know what? This has been fun. I think I'm just going to keep bringing Chris out. Let's just keep writing songs. Even after this record's done, let's just keep making songs,' which I think is great because that means we can get a jump on the next record. 'Cause not spring chickens. It's, like, let's get it done now while we can."

As for the lyrical themes covered in the new TESTAMENT songs, Chuck said: "[It's] not as focused [on], like, the aliens, creating mankind and that kind of stuff, but there is some of that. There's a lot. Each song definitely has its own identity lyrically. And again, we're writing stuff that is real, that happens with the environment; we're singing about that again. A.I., we're singing stuff about that. That's a big thing. So, there's always an inspiration for songs. I think it's a little easier. There's so much going on in our world to write about now. It's a crazy world today, so there's a lot of stuff to talk about. And I like singing about what's real and what's going on instead of some fantasy lyrics, because, for me, I think when I sing 'em, I have more conviction, I believe in 'em a little more. And maybe it's easier for me to remember the lyrics live. [Laughs]"

Naming specific tracks, Chuck said: "There's a song, 'Havana Syndrome', which is about the Havana Syndrome. People, look that up. There's 'Infanticide A.I.', which is another song going A.I. direction. And there's actually a slower song. We haven't done a slower song. I'm not gonna say 'ballad', but I'm gonna say a slower song that has a lot of groove and soul, called 'Meant To Be'. And it's like a classic TESTAMENT-type ballad, I guess, if you wanna use that word. But we've got a little bit of everything, but, again, I think it's really sticking to TESTAMENT, having to have some melodic stuff, even though there's some really brutal lyrics and real brutal, more of a death voice. I still put the hook in with more of a melodic hook or something. It's still classic TESTAMENT. If you listen to it, you'll go, 'That's TESTAMENT, but a little more octane to it.'"

Also in June, Chuck told Canada's The Metal Voice that he writes most of TESTAMENT's lyrics with Del James. "Del, he works with GUNS N' ROSES," Chuck said. "He's been working with them and wrote with them a long time ago. I think he had big hits like 'November Rain' with them. And we've been working [together] for over 20 years. So I always go down and work with him because I come up with a lot of the ideas and concepts, but he really interprets and gets the right words, how to say what I'm thinking. And we work fast. When we get together, we'll knock out like two songs in a day. So we don't mess around. We get there, say hello to each other, we sit down and we go right to work. It's about what we do."

Chuck also talked about how TESTAMENT's songwriting approach has evolved in the last couple of decades. He said:  "I honestly have to say after I beat cancer [more than two decades ago] and we had the original lineup back together, everything kind of changed because… We've always been in a friendly competition with other artists, watching what's going on and who's doing what. And I think around that point, once we got together and I felt like… I didn't think I was gonna play music anymore, first of all, and once I had the chance to get back with the original band, I felt very blessed, like, 'Wow, I'm getting an opportunity to do what I love to do again, but also with the guys I started with. It's kind of odd that we're gonna go back at this now, maybe try to finish something that we all started together.' And once we did that, it was enjoying our company. We never fight. We never argue. It was just, like, relaxing. And the critics, we didn't care what the press thought or a lot of people. I mean, we wrote for ourselves. So a lot of those records were just making us happy. The songs we were writing, we weren't thinking about, 'Okay, this has to be, for this,' and 'where's our radio song?' and 'What's the fans gonna think if we went and did a ballad?' All that went out the door. And I think over the time, it's really just about making good music, having fun at this point. And every record is a challenge 'cause you always wanna do better and make the next record sound better, have better songs. And I think where we're at today, once again, especially having Chris, the new drummer, we are progressing. Me and Eric actually said, like, I don't know, about three weeks ago, we were hanging out and like I said, the music's pretty aggressive and we're doing some heavy stuff, and he said, 'Did you ever think, in our sixties, we're gonna be playing thrash metal music, writing songs like this?' And I'm, like, 'Actually, no,' but that's a good thing that we still feel young at heart and young in our minds and still we're not struggling to do it."

In August 2023, Dovas was asked by Pod Scum if it was "unnerving" to step into a group whose list of previous drummers includes such heavyweights as Lombardo and Gene Hoglan. He responded: "It was, especially at first because I knew that a lot of eyes were on me, and also I looked up to the band since I was a kid. Especially Lombardo and Gene — those are two of my favorite drummers right there. So to be put in that situation of taking over for them, I felt like I had a lot of responsibility and a lot of… I felt like I had something to prove a little bit, and I'm still practicing a lot and I just wanna do the best that I can do. Right now I'm not really nervous anymore because I've done two full tours with them now and we're working on the [new TESTAMENT] album and the friendship has been developing now and we all get along super well. They've welcomed me with open arms and it's been great and the fans have been great. I've been putting hours and hours of practice into it to make sure that I can do the best that I could do. And I look up to Dave and I look up to Gene as well, so, yeah, I just wanna play the songs well live and keep making the band sound good."

Prior to joining TESTAMENT as a full-time member, Dovas filled in for Lombardo on the first six dates of TESTAMENT's summer/fall 2022 leg of "The Bay Strikes Back Tour".

Italian progressive metal masters DGM have announced the release of their new studio album, Endless, out on October 18, 2024, via Frontiers Music Srl.


Preorder here.


The new single and accompanying video “The Great Unknown” are out today.




Guitarist Simone Mularoni comments on the new record and on the single, by saying: “Endless” is the band's first real concept album. And it's also the first DGM album that includes many more dynamic and acoustic moments than the past. If until now we have always pushed on the accelerator and on the power, this time we have chosen to include many more reflective moments, mixing the most classic progressive rock with parts that are typically in the DGM style.


“The Great Unknown” is certainly the perfect trailblazer and “bridge” between the tradition of our sound and the new path taken.”


With Endless, DGM reach the 12th Album milestone: not often bands can evolve and present two stunning albums in a relatively short time frame, but this is exactly what DGM have done, offering a new album which is a substantial departure compared to the acclaimed “Life” which was released in late 2023.


Endless is a concept album that chronicles one man's imaginative journey to understand the choices that shaped his life. Through vivid storytelling, the album explores the eternal question - how might life be different if I had taken another path?


The first part of the album represents the protagonist's self-reflection on his current circumstances. He grapples with uncertainty over the decisions that led him to where he is and wonders about the phantom lives he has not lived. The middle section looks back on some pivotal moments. With the clarity of hindsight, the character imagines alternative timelines springing from hypothetical choices.


The listener feels the anguish and regret over missed opportunities. In the final act, our hero reaches the end of his vision quest. Though older and wiser, he remains plagued by the inexplicable 'why' behind life's meandering road. Themes of fate and free will collide in the album's lingering last notes.


Ultimately, Endless transcends one man's story through the universality of its concept. We all have moments where we wonder about the paths not travelled. By exploring the plurality of possibilities, this album encourages self-forgiveness and living fully in the journey ahead.


Musically, Endless offers a different side from the band which exposes a lot of different influences ranging from ‘70s progressive rock (from Kansas, to Yes and Jethro Tull) even with a dash of Italian progressive rock (think Banco or PFM).


Different instruments such as violins, flutes and sax, peep out in the songs but still the band does not lose their contemporary metal trademark and offers their most mature, relevant and absolutely stunning album ever.





Tracklisting:


“Promises”
“The Great Unknown”
“The Wake”
“Solitude”
“From Ashes”
“Final Call”
“Blank Pages”
“…Of Endless Echoes”


“The Great Unknown” video:





Lineup:
Simone Mularoni – Guitars, keyboards
Marco Basile – Vocals
Emanuele Casali – Keyboards, flute
Fabio Costantino – Drums
Andrea Arcangeli – Bass


(Photo: Matteo Ermeti)







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Stephen Pearcy, who is currently celebrating 40 years of Ratt’s debut, Out Of The Cellar, has shared the video below, featuring a performance of that album's "You Think You're Tough" at Retromania Live in Branson, Missouri on August 22.





Pearcy's next show is scheduled for September 6 in Las Vegas, NV. Find his complete tour itinerary here.









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In a new interview with The Chronicles Of Podcast, BEAST IN BLACK guitarist Anton Kabanen spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2021's "Dark Connection" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There hasn't been a peaceful enough environment to really set the themes, set them in stone. Like, 'Okay, the next album is gonna be about this theme.' There's been a lot of stuff in my mind that could be on the fourth album, but because of the touring for the last three years, you always have to think, 'Okay, we did this tour, then there's this tour,' you've gotta think of the pre-production for the next tour and many other things, so I haven't had the chance to clear my mind fully and just focus on writing."

He continued: "There's a lot of new music and lyrics, but we haven't been able to — I haven't been able to crystallize the vision yet. But there's gonna be a longer break after August, this August, from September — half a year or something like that — and we'll try to make use of that time as effectively as possible to write a new album. But you never know how long something takes. It's horrible. Everyone, anyone who knows me knows that 'Anton plus deadline' is the worst combination ever — the label, the bandmates, the management, everyone. But we do our best, I do my best."

Anton added: "I don't wanna think of deadlines. That's the thing. If you get stressed in a wrong way, it doesn't help the creative process. Sometimes deadline is a muse — deadline is the best muse, they say, in certain ways — but sometimes you have to know when you really need that kind of a breather, honest breather, like no schedules, no deadlines, clear your mind. And I'll try to get to that zone in September."

This past June, BEAST IN BLACK released a new single called "Power Of The Beast". This electrifying, uptempo anthem captures the essence of BEAST IN BLACK's signature style, featuring powerful riffs, soaring vocals, and an unforgettable chorus that will have you singing along.

The video for "Power Of The Beast" was directed by Katri Koppanen, who has previously directed BEAST IN BLACK's stunning visuals for "Moonlight Rendezvous", "One Night In Tokyo" and "Hardcore".

BEAST IN BLACK, the Helsinki, Finland-based metal group led by former BATTLE BEAST guitarist Kabanen, is known for its dynamic blend of power metal, 1980s pop, and electronic music. Their critically acclaimed albums "Berserker", "From Hell With Love" and "Dark Connection" have solidified their global presence, along with notable tours and festival appearances. Their energetic live performances and unique sound have made them a standout act in the modern metal scene.

Kabanen was dismissed from BATTLE BEAST in February 2015 due to what was described at the time as "insurmountable disagreements" with the other members of the band.

Photo credit: Jarmo Katila / Toni Kilpinen

FOZZY, the band fronted by AEW wrestling superstar Chris Jericho, performed the song "Spotlight" earlier tonight (Sunday, August 25) at the "AEW All In" wrestling event in front of 50,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in London, England.

Last week, Jericho revealed during an interview with the Daily Star that FOZZY would play him to the ring ahead of his matchup with Hook at the "All In" London pay-per-view. This marked the second straight year FOZZY has been involved with Jericho's entrance, as the band also played him in before his matchup against Will Ospreay at "All In" in 2023.

"Last year I did them both [wrestling and performing] at the same time when I played myself to the ring," Chris said. "We're going to do that again this year as well. It's live energy. Anytime you do something live, there is a certain magic to it. Jericho the wrestler is different from Jericho on stage. It is interesting to do them both within the same 20 minutes, like we did last year and like we're going to do this year. That's why I don't do it too often because there is a little bit of a switch that you have to have. It's worth it. To say we've played Wembley Stadium twice. It's a combined five minutes. Five minutes at Wembley, I think any rock and roll band, ever, would take that. Obviously, you want to do a whole set, but if you're not QUEEN or Taylor Swift, I bet you anyone would take five minutes. We got to do that. It's a great honor for us."

FOZZY's latest standalone single, "Spotlight", was released last October via Madison Records/The Orchard. The track was helmed by FOZZY's longtime producer Johnny Andrews (THREE DAYS GRACE, ALL THAT REMAINS, HALESTORM) and sonically refined by mixer Jacob Hanson (VOLBEAT, AMARANTHE, ARCH ENEMY).

FOZZY's latest album, "Boombox", came out in May 2022 and featured "I Still Burn", which has more than three million views on YouTube. It also included the Top 10 singles "Nowhere To Run" and "Sane".

As previously reported, FOZZY will embark on a 25th-anniversary tour this fall. The trek will start October 3 at Madlife Studios in Woodstock, Georgia and run through October 21 in Cleveland, Ohio. Support on the tour will come from THE NOCTURNAL AFFAIR and CLOZURE.

In the spring of 2023, FOZZY spent time on the road with UGLY KID JOE as part of the latter band's first tour of the United States in 27 years.

In January 2022, FOZZY parted ways with longtime drummer Frank Fontsere and replaced him with Grant Brooks (THROUGH FIRE).

Fontsere was a founding member of FOZZY, having formed the group in 1999 with Jericho and Ward.

When FOZZY announced Fontsere's departure, the band said that he was "stepping down to focus on his family and other projects."

FOZZY is Jericho, guitarist Rich Ward, Brooks, Billy Grey (guitar) and P.J. Farley (bass).
Chris Jericho and Fozzy performing his entrance at AEW All In London inside Wembley Stadium:pic.twitter.com/DSUlBsZKdX

— WrestleTalk (@WrestleTalk_TV) August 25, 2024



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In a new interview with Emilee Capogni, STATIC-X's Tony Campos was asked to name five records that shaped him as a bassist. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "'Kill 'Em All' [by] METALLICA. Cliff Burton's bass solo on that was huge for me. S.O.D.'s 'Speak English Or Die'. Dan Lilker's playing and tone on that was big for me. 'Convicted' by CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER. A hardcore punk band. [Their] bass player Rob Nicholson, now known better as Blasko, his bass playing on that was just fucking sick. And then, believe it or not, 'Hell Awaits' by SLAYER. I had a shitty record player at the time. That's how old I am — I had a record player. And I couldn't really hear what [SLAYER's] Tom [Araya] was playing. So I just doubled the guitars. And that's why I can play a million miles an hour now. 'Cause I was just doing everything the guitar played. And then one more. Probably [RED HOT] CHILI PEPPERS' 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik'. That turned me on to the more groove style of bass playing and locking in with your drummer and that whole side of bass playing' Cause before that, all I knew was playing a million miles an hour, roaring the praises of Satan. And then that record turned me on to sitting in a pocket with a drummer and just sitting in a groove. As much as I fucking love playing a million miles an hour, there's something equally satisfying to me in just grooving and locking in with your drummer. It's the two sides of my playing, and that record, I think, turned me on to that style of playing. And then from there, I discovered other bands, like EARTH, WIND & FIRE and PARLIAMENT-FUNKADELIC, INFECTIOUS GROOVES, PRIMUS — that other side of bass playing for me."

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the STATIC-X's debut album, "Wisconsin Death Trip", the band recently released a trailer for the upcoming documentary film "Evil Disco: The Rise, Fall, And Regeneration Of Static-X".

Although the identity of STATIC-X's touring singer has not been officially revealed, strong rumors suggest that DOPE's Edsel Dope is the anonymous, somewhat ominous new frontman of STATIC-X who is wearing a mask in the likeness of late frontman Wayne Static while performing alongside Campos, Ken Jay (drums) and Koichi Fukuda (guitar).

In a fall 2023 interview with Andy Hall of the Des Moines, Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3, Campos addressed STATIC-X's reliance on a "masked" vocalist instead of hiring a proper replacement for Wayne, saying: "It's been really cool, man, how people have embraced that idea of having the character up there being the representative of Wayne's vibe and spirit without us being, like, 'Hey, here's STATIC-X with their new singer.' That's not what we wanted to do. So, we were just, like, 'How do we represent Wayne in a cool way?' And I think this is a really cool way to do it."

He continued: "I keep coming back to the IRON MAIDEN analogy — not only was Wayne our Bruce Dickinson [IRON MAIDEN singer], but he was also our Eddie [IRON MAIDEN mascot]. He was the mascot for the band. So how do you represent that? And I think the Xer0 character does a good job at it."

When Hall noted that it must be "a pretty powerful experience" for him to be looking over and seeing Xer0 channeling the spirit of Wayne during STATIC-X's live shows, Tony said: "When we first started and I'm up there headbanging doing my thing, out of my peripheral vision, I see that figure with the hair and I'm playing the songs again, it's just like 20 years ago; it was just that vibe again. And having Koichi and, and Kenny up there, it was really cool, man. And especially those first couple of weeks, we'd be done with the show and we'd be back in the dressing room, and we'd all be, like, 'Fuck, Wayne should be here.' But we definitely feel this vibe and presence."

Static died after mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, according to the coroner's report. The 48-year-old, whose real name was Wayne Richard Wells, was found dead in his Landers, California home on November 1, 2014.

Static founded STATIC-X in 1994 and achieved commercial success with "Wisconsin Death Trip", which included the rock radio hit "Push It".

The group issued five more studio albums before disbanding permanently in June 2013. Static had been pursuing a solo career at the time of his death.

Dope recently told Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio that the reason Xer0's identity has not been officially revealed is that he wants to make sure that STATIC-X is "properly represented, because I would never be interested in looking at a photo of STATIC-X or reading a liner note that mentions me as being the singer of STATIC-X. Edsel Dope has no interest in being the singer of STATIC-X," he clarified. "There's one living, breathing singer of STATIC-X, and that's Wayne Static. And then there's a character, an entity, for lack of better words, that was created in order to allow STATIC-X to have a future and to continue and be the legacy act that they are and tour and perform, and we gave that character a name that is respective to STATIC-X and fits the branding of what STATIC-X is, and that's what the importance is. It's the importance of recognizing the character as opposed to recognizing the person behind the character."

Back in October 2019, a photo was posted online clearly showing that Dope and Xer0 shared the same neck tattoo. However, Edsel later shared a lengthy statement on his band's Facebook page attempting to quash the rumors, implying Xer0's distinctive body ink was in fact a Photoshop job. Dope even provided a photograph of himself supposedly observing a STATIC-X performance sidestage to prove he and Xer0 were not the same person.

STATIC-X's "Project Regeneration Vol. 1" LP came out in July 2020. The first of two volumes, it featured 12 brand new tracks, containing many of the final vocal performances and musical compositions of Wayne Static, along with the original "Wisconsin Death Trip" lineup of Campos, Jay and Fukuda. A follow-up album, "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2", arrived on January 26, 2024. A collection of 14 brand-new songs, the LP was produced by Xer0 and mixed/mastered by longtime collaborator Ulrich Wild.

On August 15, Dark Tranquillity performed at the 2024 edition of Germany's Summer Breeze festival in Dinkelsbühl. You can now watch professionally-filmed footage of the band's full set, courtesy of ARTE Concert.


Setlist:


"The Wonders at Your Feet"
"Hours Passed in Exile"
"Terminus (Where Death Is Most Alive)"
"Atoma"
"Phantom Days"
"ThereIn"
"Lost to Apathy"
"The Last Imagination"
"Shivers and Voids" (live debut)
"Unforgivable"
"Not Nothing"
"Our Disconnect" (live debut)
"Neuronal Fire" (live debut)
"Misery's Crown"







Dark Tranquillity recently released their new album, Endtime Signals. In celebration, the band issued a music video for the new single, "Wayward Eyes". Watch below:





Endtime Signals not only marks the 13th studio album of the band, but also their 10th album collaboration with their label Century Media Records. Building on the success of previous releases such as Atoma (2016), which climbed up to #2 in the Swedish album charts, and Moment (2020), which earned the band a Swedish Grammis award, the band is set to continue to redefine and deliver a top-tier musical experience with Endtime Signals.


Endtime Signals is available  in the following formats:


- Ltd. Deluxe 2LP Gatefold edition w/ 14 tracks (“Midnight Haze” ink spot effect vinyl incl. additional black LP with 2 bonus tracks and etching & extended 8-pages LP booklet, housed in an O-Card with special die-cut)
- Ltd. Deluxe 2LP Gatefold edition w/ 14 tracks [US version] (“Neuronal Fire” splatter effect vinyl incl. additional black LP with 2 bonus tracks and etching & extended 8-pages LP booklet, housed in an O-Card with special die-cut)
- Ltd. Deluxe CD Digipak edition w/ 14 tracks (incl. 2 bonus tracks & extended 28-pages booklet, housed in an O-Card with special die-cut)
- Standard CD Jewelcase w/ 12 tracks
- 1LP Gatefold in black and various colours w/ 12 tracks
- 1LP Gatefold in black [US version] w/ 12 tracks
- Standard CD Jewelcase [Japanese version] w/ 14 tracks


Order the new album here





Tracklisting:


"Shivers And Voids"
"Unforgivable"
"Neuronal Fire"
"Not Nothing"
"Drowned Out Voices"
"One Of Us Is Gone"
"The Last Imagination"
"Enforced Perspective"
"Our Disconnect"
"Wayward Eyes"
"A Bleaker Sun"
"False Reflection"


Bonus tracks:


"Zero Sum"
"In Failure"


"Not Nothing" video:





"Unforgivable" video:





"The Last Imagination" visualizer:





The band recently announced a US co-headline tour in support of their new album with Amorphis and support from Fire In the Distance in September and October, which will kick off on September 3 in Richmond, Virginia and conclude on October 6 in New York City.


Dark Tranquillity are:


Mikael Stanne - Vocals
Johan Reinholdz - Guitar
Martin Brändström - Electronics
Christian Jansson - Bass
Joakim Strandberg Nilsson - Drums







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In late 2017, Behemoth frontman, Adam "Nergal" Darski, was questioned by Polish authorities in the case of “The Republic Of The Unfaithful”, with the band’s t-shirt design accused of being disrespectful of Poland’s national coat of arms. He, along with two other men (Behemoth webmaster Maciej G. Cała and graphic artist Rafał W.) were eventually charged officially.


Nergal has now shared the following news via social media: "Legions! Huge win! 🇵🇱 After 8 years, Polish court dismissed “Republic of the Unfaithful” case. Censored design is back - symbol of artistic freedom! Coming soon to Behemoth Webstore. Stay tuned!"


A short history of the situation can be found in Nergal's post, below:






 

 
 

 


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Earlier this month, Behemoth released a video trailer for "The Unholy Trinity" European tour, scheduled for April 2025. Find the clip below.


Says Behemoth: "Legions of Europe! It’s that time again… We are beyond thrilled to announce that we’ll be bringing together the blasphemous forces of Behemoth, Satyricon and Rotting Christ for ‘The Unholy Trinity’ European tour." 🔥


Tickets are on sale now. Dates are listed below.





Tour dates:


April
4 - Gasometer - Vienna, Austria
5 - Zenith - Munich, Germany
6 - Columbiahalle - Berlin, Germany
8 - Halle 622 - Zurich, Switzerland
11 - Olympia - Paris, France
12 - O2 Brixton Academy - London, England
13 - 013 Poppodium - Tilburg, Netherlands
15 - E-Werk - Cologne, Germany
16 - Schlachthof - Wiesbaden, Germany
18 - B-K - Stockholm, Sweden
20 - Inferno Metal Festival - Oslo, Norway*
22 - Ice Hall - Helsinki, Finland
23 - Palladium - Riga, Latvia
25 - Orbita Hall - Wrocław, Poland
26 - Ragnaroek Festival - Lichtenfels, Germany*
27 - O2 Universum - Prague, Czech Republic


* Behemoth only










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