Modern power metal quintet, Stormhammer, will release their new album, Seven Seals, on May 24th via Massacre Records.

The upcoming album features new vocalist Matthias Kupka, as well as a revamped sound. Kupka is also responsible for the mix and mastering of Seven Seals at Maxiwork Studio. Jan Yrlund is resonsible for the album's artwork.

Heavy and modern sounds are colliding on Seven Seals. You can look forward to thrashy power metal as well as melodic songs with catchy refrains. Harsh riffs will meet well-engineered melodies and solos. The first single, "Prevail", with be released next week along with a lyric video.

Tracklisting:

"Sleepwalker"
"Prevail"
"Under The Spell"
"Taken By The Devil"
"Seven Seals"
"Your Nemesis"
"Keep Me Safe"
"One more Way"
"Downfall"
"Deal With The Dead"
"Old Coals"

Live dates:

April
25 - Augsburg, Germany - Spectrum Club
26 - Reichenbach, Germany - Die Halle
30 - Hagen, Germany - Kultopia

(Photo - Akastos Tanarosson Photography)




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Less than two weeks before the release of their re-recorded greatest hits album Nucleus, Japan's leading traditional heavy metal band, Anthem, have unveiled a new live video for the song "Cryin' Heart", featuring guest drummer Mad Ohuchi. The track is taken from their 1988 album Gypsy Ways and a live version of this album will be available as bonus CD with Nucleus.

On the eve of the bands 35th Anniversary, their popularity in Japan remains as high as ever and their worldwide fan base continues to grow. Thus the idea of an all English re-record of their biggest hits came to be.

Band leader and bassist Naoto Shibata comments: "Our re-recorded greatest hits album with English lyrics, represents all that this is Anthem’s nucleus. I am honoured from the bottom of my heart that we can present this to our fans. Anthem will keep doing our best to move forward heading for the future as always. I hope you all will enjoy Nucleus.”

Mixing and mastering for Nucleus were done by the legendary Jens Bogren. His works based on elaborate theories and a great store of knowledge helped Anthem achieve their goals on this release. Nucleus is heavy with Jens' fat sound and rich low-end that he has made the worldwide heavy metal standard.

This re-recorded greatest hits, including a variety of their classics is a monumental work, which perfectly shows the musical quality of Anthem and proves that they can be ranked as a global act in the international metal scene.

Anthem guitarist Akio Shimizu states: "Those 13 songs were not easy to re-record at all, however I believe they fully got the sound and the expression of today’s Anthem while being true to the originals at the same time. Please give it to a listen and feel the details of the album with the fresh mixing by Jens Bogren."

Vocalist Yukio Morikawa says of the recordings: "Singing all the songs in English was not easy at all for me, but I hope this album will show the world that Japan has a band like us who loves metal this much. I hope you enjoy Nucleus!"

Nucleus will be released in North America via Golden Robot Records on March 29th and can be pre-ordered here. The album will be available elsewhere via Nuclear Blast Records.

Tracklisting:

Disc 1:
"Immortal Bind"
"Black Empire"
"Overload"
"Stranger"
"Linkage"
"Eternal Warrior"
"Ghost In The Flame"
"Venom Strike"
"Awake"
"Omega Man"
"Pain"
"Echoes In The Dark"
"Unbroken Sign"

Disc 2:
"Victim In Your Eyes"
"Gold & Diamonds"
"Blast"
"Frozen Fate"
"Are You Ready?"
"Machine Made Dog"
"Hunting Time"
"Engraved"
"The Sign"
"Pain"
"Wild Anthem"

"Black Empire" video:

"Immortal Bind" lyric video:

Introduction to band's history:

Trailers:




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Swedish death metallers AMON AMARTH will release their new album, "Berserker", on May 3 via Metal Blade Records. The disc was recorded at Sphere Studios in North Hollywood, California with producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER, URIAH HEEP and STONE SOUR.

The album's first single, "Raven's Flight", can be streamed below.

"Berserker" track listing:

01. Fafner's Gold

02. Crack The Sky

03. Mjolner, Hammer Of Thor

04. Shield Wall

05. Valkyria

06. Raven's Flight

07. Ironside

08. The Berserker At Stamford Bridge

09. We Can Set Our Sails

10. When Once Again

11. Wings Of Eagles

12. Into The Dark

AMON AMARTH vocalist Johan Hegg told Revolver magazine about the lyrical inspiration for the follow-up to 2016's "Jomsviking": "With the last record, I wrote a complete fucking movie script and we turned it into an album. This time around, I didn't have any of those ideas but we also didn't want to do a concept thing, either. 'Jomsviking' turned out so well, so if you then start working on another concept album and try to top that, it would almost be impossible — unless you have a really great story lined up that you can do that with. But I didn't, so it didn't make sense. I was a bit lazy on this one — I waited for the music to be done so I could see where it would take me."

According to Hegg, the only lyrical idea he had before the music was done was a song called "The Berserker At Stamford Bridge".

"A friend of mine told me about the story and said I should write lyrics about it, which I thought was a great idea because it's such an awesome story," he said. " Basically, it's at the end of the Viking era. The Vikings are in England, and they've been very successful in beating the English, because what the Vikings did better than the English is that they moved fast and they moved during the night. But at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, the English used the Vikings' tactics against them, so they caught the Vikings by surprise. The Vikings were too far away from their supply ships, so they had to retreat. The Vikings were about 3000 men, and the English were 15,000. So they retreated over Stamford Bridge, but in order to halt the English army, they sent one guy with an ax out on the bridge."

Asked if there are any other songs based on specific events, Hegg said: "Not specific events, though 'Shield Wall' is based on a real Viking battle tactic — but it's also about sticking together in the face of adversity. Then there's more introverted stuff, as well — songs that kind of relate to my private life, and I got the ideas for those songs from my wife. I got a lot of ideas from other people on this album, actually. I like working in metaphors, though. Mikael Stanne from DARK TRANQUILLITY told me that when he writes lyrics, he keeps them intentionally vague so that people can interpret the lyrics in a way that benefits them most. I like that, and I realized it's something I've done as well."

"Jomsviking" debuted at No. 19 on The Billboard 200 chart in March 2016. The disc was released via Metal Blade in North America and Sony Music internationally. The first concept record in AMON AMARTH's career was produced and mixed by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, MEGADETH, TESTAMENT, ACCEPT).

AMON AMARTH enlisted a session drummer, Tobias Gustafsson (VOMITORY, CUT UP), during the recording sessions for "Jomsviking", following the departure of longtime drummer Fredrik Andersson. The band tapped OCTOBER TIDE drummer Jocke Wallgren as Andersson's permanent replacement three years ago.

Ex-SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo has told Drum! magazine in a new interview that he doesn't pay attention to what his former band is doing. "I don't keep track of SLAYER," he said. "I have too much to deal with over here."

The 54-year-old musician, who splits his time between crossover pioneers SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, horror-punk icons MISFITS and hardcore supergroup DEAD CROSS, went on to say that he has no intention of calling it quits anytime soon.

"People at my age talk about retirement — that's not even in my playing cards," he said. "When you're given something like this, where you get to do something you love so much, you don't disrespect it. I feel most alive when I'm onstage, when I'm working. In 25 years, people will be saying, 'That's Dave Lombardo? He's still playing? Who's he playing for now? Who the hell is that?'"

Lombardo was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other bandmembers. He has since been replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001.

Shortly after his dismissal, Lombardo said that he discovered that 90 percent of SLAYER's tour income was being deducted as expenses, including fees to management, costing the band millions and leaving them with about 10 percent to split four ways. While he and bassist/singer Tom Araya hired auditors to figure out what had happened, Lombardo said he was never allowed to see any of the information obtained.

A few years ago, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King said that "when Dave was in [the band] this last time, I figured I'd be on the stage with him until one of us fell off the stage, dead. Things change. He got some bad advice and listened to some bad advice, gave us an ultimatum ten days before we went to Australia [to do the Soundwave festival tour]. And I said, 'I can't have this over my head.' And I feel bad for Dave to this day; I really feel bad for him because he shot himself in the foot. Maybe he thought he had the upper hand, but you ain't gonna get me."

Black metal blues alchemists Zeal & Ardor have shared a live video of “We Never Fall”, a previously unreleased song taken from their forthcoming live album, Live In London, due out this Friday, March 22nd, via MVKA.

Including four previously unreleased songs for a total of 22 tracks, Live In London is the entire recording of the band's headline show at the Electric Ballroom in London last December. Besides CD and digital formats, fans can also pick up a special double 180g white vinyl. 

The new songs included are “We Never Fall”, “Hold Your Head Low”, “Cut Me”, and “Baphomet”. Bar these, the set list was devised from the band's two existing albums - debut Devil Is Fine and 2018's follow-up Stranger Fruit. 

Frontman Manuel Gagneux comments, "We recorded our London show last December. Since we're really proud of our performance, we are releasing the entire show consisting of our entire catalogue of songs. Mixing duties crushed by Kurt Ballou and Alan Douches mastered these 80 minutes into cohesion. We are really happy with how this turned out and can't wait to unleash it upon you all."




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"I Can't Get There From Here", the new video from Alan Parsons, can be seen below. The track is taken from Alan's upcoming studio album, "The Secret", which will be released on April 26 via Frontiers Music Srl. The song, which includes guest vocals by Jared Mahone, is also featured in the motion picture "5-25-77".

Alan and Frontiers' relationship began in 2010 when the label released "Eye 2 Eye - Live in Madrid". They have kept in close contact since, with the ultimate goal to release another album together. Alan wanted it to be a really special album and only recently have the right plans and ideas fallen into place where Alan felt ready to enter the studio to record what he had in mind.

"The writing and recording sessions are going incredibly well," says Alan. "The album already has a working title, which is 'The Secret', and it will include musical and lyrical themes that are very close to my heart and my own interests and passions. I do not really want to reveal a lot about it, except that for the moment everything that surrounds 'The Secret' is going to be just that… a secret!"

The overall musical approach of the album is expected to be in keeping with the symphonic rock that Alan explored on his earlier solo records and the "Project" albums. But, of course, there will be new twists and turns and robust new creative inspiration behind the album. Some special guests will be on the album, but those will be revealed later... again, in keeping with the working title of the album, "The Secret".

Frontiers president Serafino Perugino commented: "This is pretty much a dream come true for me. For Frontiers being able to represent the artistry and the talent of such a huge artist is a magnificent opportunity. We look forward to this release as much as Alan's fans and it will see the light of day in multiple exciting formats. Stay tuned!".

Parsons said: "I wish to thank Serafino and the team for the commitment and the patience to make this happen. To the fans… we'll see you soon on a world tour!"

The track listing for the disc is as follows:


01. The Sorcerer's Apprentice (instrumental)

02. Miracle (lead vocal: Jason Mraz)

03. As Lights Fall (lead vocal: Alan Parsons)

04. One Note Symphony (lead vocal: Todd Cooper)

05. Sometimes (lead vocal: Lou Gramm)

06. Soirée Fantastique (lead vocal: Todd Cooper, Alan Parsons)

07. Fly To Me (lead vocal: Mark Mikel)

08. Requiem (lead vocal: Todd Cooper)

09. Years Of Glory (lead vocal: PJ Olsson)

10. The Limelight Fades Away (lead vocal: Jordan Huffman)

11. I Can't Get There From Here (lead vocal: Jared Mahone)

Check out the cover artwork below.

Parsons's music career started at 19 when he earned one of his his first credits as assistant engineer on THE BEATLES' "Abbey Road", an album recorded in the legendary London studios of the same name. He soon become a well-respected studio engineer, working for Paul McCartney, THE HOLLIES, and many others. He is particularly renowned for his work as recording engineer on the PINK FLOYD masterpiece "The Dark Side of The Moon". This classic album was recorded in 1972 and Parsons experimented with many of the most advanced recording techniques of the time. As a producer, he enjoyed many successes with PILOT, STEVE HARLEY AND COCKNEY REBEL, John Miles, and Al Stewart, including the masterwork "Year Of The Cat".

In 1975, Alan Parsons formed THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT along with principal songwriter (and occasional singer) Eric Woolfson. The PROJECT consisted of a group of studio musicians and vocalists, often involving the members of three bands Alan produced: PILOT (Ian Bairnson, Stuart Tosh and David Paton), COCKNEY REBEL's Stuart Elliott on drums, and (on the first album) American progressive pop/rock band AMBROSIA.

THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT released ten acclaimed studio albums, but never performed live during the heyday of the albums, even after several U.S. and European Top 20 hits. The PROJECT made its final album at the end of the '80s with the album "Gaudi". Since then, Alan has released a number of recordings under his own name using several musicians that also appeared on the "Project" releases.

As well as receiving gold and platinum awards from countless countries, Parsons has received eleven Grammy Award nominations for his engineering and production work. In 2007, he was nominated for "Best Surround Sound Album" for his studio album "A Valid Path".

In 1994, Alan Parsons started touring regularly as THE ALAN PARSONS LIVE PROJECT and has released a number of live releases in audio and video. His live concerts continue to this day.

Dual twin harpists Camille And Kennerly are back with another cover, this time taking on the Rush classic, "Closer To The Heart".

Says the twins: "'Closer To The Heart' is our very first Rush cover! We wanted to do justice to this iconic classic, so we arranged the whole song (including the solo) and we absolutely love how it turned out. We think the harps give the song a beautiful and ethereal quality, and we think that our new polyphonic guitar effects pedal adds to the celestial resonance. We also wanted to keep the driving beat of the song, which created some fun syncopation between the 2 harps.

"We recorded this track on our electro-acoustic Concert Grand harps, but filmed on our acoustic Concert Grands since they were what we had with us on this particular performance trip. We love the timeless and important message of this song and we hope that our interpretation will encourage others to “mold a new reality, closer to the heart”. Oh, and that cool sound that you hear at the opening screen is the wind playing the harps on location! Pretty magical, we think! ;) ;)

"This video was filmed by our mom on our phone. Everything you hear in our arrangement is exactly how we perform it live with our 2 harps: no backing tracks, loops, or harp overlays. Please let us know if you enjoyed “Closer to the Heart” by liking the video, favoriting, leaving a comment, and sharing it with your friends. We will continue to go where no harps have gone before! Please subscribe and stay tuned for more of our radical Duet Harp Revolution!

"This track will also soon be available on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, CDBaby and Spotify. Check back soon!

"Please listen with headphones or good speakers for best sound!"




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Black metal veterans DARKTHRONE will release their new album, "Old Star", on May 31 via Peaceville. The band's first studio album since 2016's "Arctic Thunder" sees the Norwegian legends cut through six new epic tracks, taking in the best of the old school of heavy and extreme metal plus a large dose of doom-laden riffing, and channelling it through the grime of the underground.


Fenriz enthuses: "'Old Star' — again we are here with the riffs! A while after our previous 'Arctic Thunder', album it became apparent that we would continue in that same style, black old heavy metal with slow thrash, classic doom and slow death metal.


"As many have focused on the '70s sound over the last 20 years, the mix on our new album has ended up being more '80s than ever. The songs are more metal than ever! Ted's songs have alot of black metal in them, faster and slower but also doomier parts and reocurring parts. My songs are more linear written. It's an ancient '80s underground trick, with breaks, all slow heavy or slow thrash, classic doom or slow death."


He continues, "All in all, it is our most '80s album so far and our most metal one to date with drum sound typical for the '80s USA/German market and damned lyrics, which are all written by me. We feel that 'Old Star' is the big brother of 'Arctic Thunder'. More solid and with even better riffs."


"Old Star" was recorded at the band's Necrohell 2 Studios, with engineering and production duties carried out by vocalist/guitarist Nocturno Culto, complemented with a perfectly organic mix courtesy of Sanford Parker (VOIVOD) at Hypercube Studios and mastered once more by Jack Control at Enormous Door. The stellar cover artistry comes courtesy of Chadwick St John, titled "The Shepherd of the Deep."


Over the course of 30 years, DARKTHRONE has become a staple of the global black metal genre, forging a legacy as one of the most renowned and influential bands in its illustrious and often infamous history. In the formative years following its 1987 inception, DARKTHRONE started with a strong concoction of thrash and then death/doom metal experimentation, with broader musical influences spanning from the '60s to the '80s, before the debut album, "Soulside Journey", was unleashed in 1991. Never ones to follow convention or stand still even then, the band soon embraced a much darker, more primitive form of expression with the now iconic second album, "A Blaze In The Northern Sky", the rest became history.


"Old Star" track listing:

01. I Muffle Your Inner Choir [06:26]

02. The Hardship Of The Scots [07:36]

03. Old Star [04:28]

04. Alp Man [05:27]

05. Duke Of Gloat [06:49]

06. The Key Is Inside The Wall [07:24]


DARKTHRONE is:

Gylve "Fenriz" Nagell - drums, songwriting, lyrics

Ted "Nocturno Culto" Skjellum - strings and vocals, songwriting

Metal Blade Records has announced the signing of CULT OF LUNA to a worldwide deal.

For almost 20 years, CULT OF LUNA has imposed itself as one of the world's leading post-metal lights. Constantly evolving, the band pushes the genre's boundaries from album to album so as to explore the darkest and mistiest, as well as the driest and most abrupt, landscapes.

CULT OF LUNA comments: "We're thrilled to announce our collaboration with Metal Blade and the creation of our new home, Red Creek, that will handle CULT OF LUNA's future productions. This is a dawn to an exciting journey to come."

CULT OF LUNA hasn't released any new material since "Vertikal 1&2" (2013). In 2016, the "Mariner" album — which was made in collaboration with Julie Christmas (BATTLE OF MICE, MADE OUT OF BABIES) — was issued, and praised by both fans and critics. A DVD, titled "Years In A Day", followed in April 2017.

Recognized for its apocalyptic live performances that unrestrainedly explore the audience's imagination, transposing music-triggered sensations visually, CULT OF LUNA will bring its stunning live show to fans across Europe later this year — appearing at both festivals this summer, as well as headlining a tour in November/December with A.A Williams.

Photo credit: Silvia Grav

Belgian black metallers ENTHRONED will release their new album, "Cold Black Suns", on June 7 via Season Of Mist. The first single from the disc, "Silent Redemption", can be streamed below.

The band comments: "We're proud to introduce our first single 'Silent Redemption' from the upcoming album 'Cold Black Suns'. This track unveils one of the many layers of the long awaited 11th opus. With 'Silent Redemption', we take you along to Aokigahara, the infamous Suicide Forest in Japan, to walk amongst the Yūrei. While keeping our band's trademark, this new album offers another pitch in the music, soaking the listener in bleak and fury."

The cover artwork for "Cold Black Suns" was created by Neraath and can be seen below.

"Cold Black Suns" track listing:

01. Ophiusa (03:42)

02. Hosanna Satana (02:16)

03. Oneiros (06:26)

04. Vapula Omega (04:55)

05. Silent Redemption (06:07)

06. Aghoria (04:14)

07. Beyond Humane Greed (05:01)

08. Smoking Mirror (07:07)

09. Son Of Man (09:08)

Over the course of the last 25 years, ENTHRONED has pushed the boundaries of black metal and the depth of the "left hand path" philosophy. The quintet has channeled that dedication into its newest record; a dark and crushing black metal album where cold riffing, blood chilling atmospheres and ritualistic drumming are keys to forging their most mature and accomplished opus to date.

In 2016, Phorgath and guitarist ZarZax departed ENTHRONED on amicable terms, and were replaced by Norgaath and Shagal (from cult Argentinian act VIBRION), respectively.

ENTHRONED is:

Nornagest: Vocals

Neraath: Guitars, noise and effects

Shāgāl: Guitars

Norgaath: Bass

Menthor: Drums

GUNS N' ROSES bassist and New York Times best-selling author Duff McKagan has released "Chip Away", a new track from his much-anticipated solo album, "Tenderness".


"'Chip Away' is somewhat of a rail against cable news and divisive agendas… all for the almighty dollar," says McKagan. "The song also highlights the fact that history repeats itself over and over, and that we will all get past this, together."


"Chip Away" follows the recent release of lead track "Tenderness" and both songs are available as instant downloads when pre-ordering "Tenderness" ahead of its May 31 release.


The full track listing for "Tenderness" is as follows:

01. Tenderness

02. It's Not Too Late

03. Wasted Heart

04. Falling Down

05. Last September

06. Chip Away

07. Cold Outside

08. Feel

09. Breaking Rocks

10. Parkland

11. Don't Look Behind You


Also available for pre-order is a special limited-edition "Tenderness" deluxe book, which includes the album on 180-gram yellow-and-red starburst vinyl, the CD, and features an exclusive lithograph signed and numbered by McKagan. The hard cover book contains 40-pages of photos from the recording sessions and also presents liner notes written by Duff detailing his experiences with each song and the project as a whole. The vinyl features 10 tracks and a unique sequence carefully selected by McKagan and the album's Grammy-winning producer Shooter Jennings, while the CD includes 11 tracks.


"Tenderness" sees McKagan reflecting on his experiences traveling the globe over two and a half years on GUNS N' ROSES' "Not In This Lifetime" tour. Encountering heartbreak, anger, fear, confusion and divide on his travels during this tumultuous time in our world history, McKagan channeled a collective hurt into songs of monolithic power.


"We're becoming divided at a time when we need each other most," says McKagan. "When huge industries get replaced because of modernization, it's time to retrain and bolster up those who get swept aside. Homelessness and drug addiction are avoidable in this country if we come together and get private and public cogs turning together in a positive direction. We can at least try to tackle mental illness while we're at it. But alas, we stump and lie, point fingers and divide. We're way better than this. As a father, I must say and do something now because I love my girls and my wife, and I love my country, and I feel I must be strong and use my voice now, do it while I'm able or perhaps never get a chance ever again."


McKagan and Jennings began recording "Tenderness" a year ago this month, working out of Station House studios, located in Echo Park, California, where they wrote and recorded in-between McKagan's tour with seminal rock band GUNS N' ROSES and the release of Jennings's eponymous album, "Shooter". "Tenderness" features Jennings and his band along with appearances by The Waters and The Suicide Horn Section (which features Duff's brother Matt McKagan on trombone), amongst others.


Twelve months later, they're gearing up to take these songs on the road for a North American tour that kicks off May 30 at TLA in Philadelphia. Prior to the tour's launch, Los Angeles-based fans can catch McKagan and Jennings discussing the album and giving a special performance at the Grammy Museum in downtown L.A.

Tour dates:


May 30 - Philadelphia, PA @ TLA

May 31 - Washington DC @ City Winery

Jun. 01 - Boston, MA @ City Winery

Jun. 03 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza

Jun. 06 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall

Jun. 08 - Nashville, TN @ The Cannery

Jun. 10 - Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn

Jun. 13 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theater

Jun. 14 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall

Jun. 15 - Portland, OR @ Aladdin

Jun. 16 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox

The Brew have released an official live video for "Gin Soaked Loving Queen", a track from the band's latest album, Art Of Persuasion (Napalm Records). Watch below, and order the album here.

Art Of Persuasion tracklisting:

"Seven Days Too Long"
"One Line Crimes"
"Boomerang Fool"
"Gin Soaked Loving Queen"
"Naked As I Stand"
"Shaking The Room"
"Pointless Pain"
"Excess"
"Carry The News"
"Ghost Of The Nation"
"Pink Noise King"

"Gin Soaked Loving Queen" live video:

"Gin Soaked Loving Queen" video:

"Seven Days Too Long" lyric video:

Lineup:

Jason Barwick: Vocals, Guitar
Tim Smith: Bass, Vocals
Kurtis Smith: Drums




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Inglorious have released a video for "Glory Days", a track from their third studio album, Ride To Nowhere, released earlier this year via Frontiers Music Srl. Order the album via the Frontiers online shop, Limited Edition White Vinyl - exclusive to the Inglorious online shop, and watch the new video below.

Tracklisting:

"Where Are You Now?"
"Freak Show"
"Never Alone"
"Tomorrow"
"Queen"
"Liar"
"Time To Go"
"I Don’t Know You"
"While She Sleeps"
"Ride To Nowhere"
"Glory Days"

"Glory Days" video:

"I Don’t Know You" video:

"Ride To Nowhere":

"Where Are You Now?" video:




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First Signal - the musical union between Harem Scarem vocalist Harry Hess and Swedish drummer/producer Daniel Flores - will release their new studio album, Line Of Fire, on May 17th via Frontiers Music Srl. Pre-order the album here, and find an official lyric video for the first single, "Tonight We Are The Only", below.

Of their third collaboration together, Hess says, "Once again it was a pure pleasure to be working on these songs. Daniel made it easy on me... just concentrating on being the singer is a luxury that I enjoyed immensely."

Flores adds, "As a huge fan of Harem Scarem, I'm still asking people to pinch me to see if I'm still awake. Harry and his band made some of the most classic AOR and rock records ever, so I feel a responsibility to give the fans as close as possible to the quality that Harry continuously delivers with either his own solo work and Harem Scarem. Something the audience has certainly come to expect by now. I think the fans will love this one."

Of the song songs on the record, Hess says, "There were three songs that I recommended to be included on the record. The first was 'Born To Be A Rebel', which was a co-write that I did with Stan Meissner way back in 1989 and the other two were Stan Meissner songs 'Walk Through The Fire' and 'Never Look Back'. I have always loved these two songs and thought they were perfect for this project. Between Serafino (Perugino, President of Frontiers), Daniel, and myself we chose the rest of the songs from many great writers, whose songwriting fit perfectly in the First Signal vision."

Flores says, "Once again Harry and I worked closely with Serafino to find the perfect songs. It took about four months to find these gems. The writers are from all over the world and they all gave us their best songs. Harry's legacy had everyone, let's say, working at their best."

Flores concludes, "There is more depth and structure now. The feel was right on the last record, but we hadn't found our groove yet. On this one Harry sings, in my opinion, like he has never done before. The audience will be surprised and delighted with his range and charisma here. The overall sound is heavier, but at the same time more melodic and more organic. I'm for sure really proud of the outcome."

Tracklisting:

"Born To Be A Rebel"
"A Million Miles"
"The Last Of My Broken Hearts"
"Tonight We Are The Only"
"Walk Through The Fire"
"Never Look Back Again"
"Line Of Fire"
"Here With You"
"Need You Now"
"Falling"
"The End Of The World"

"Tonight We Are The Only" lyric video:

First Signal was first brought to life in 2010 when Frontiers President Serafino Perugino presented Harem Scarem singer Harry Hess with some melodic rock songs he thought would be a perfect fit for Harry to put his inimitable vocals on. The tunes specifically harkened back to the magic of the Harem Scarem sound, who at the time were on a hiatus. The project's self-titled debut was greeted with excellent reviews and enthusiasm from the melodic rock crowd, planting the seed for this to be more than a one-off.

Harem Scarem started up again after the release of the First Signal debut, but Harry was still wanting to go back and sing some excellent melodic rock songs that he had from various songwriters under the First Signal banner. The idea of a second First Signal album started to become realized and with the help of Swedish producer Daniel Flores (Find Me, The Murder Of My Sweet, etc.), the second record, One Step Over The Line started to take shape. Once again, the album was greeted with enthusiastic responses and acclaim from the fans and press alike upon release. So, it was a no-brainer to decide to release a new record and once again Daniel Flores teamed up with Michael Palace (guitars) and Johan Niemann (bass) and provided the basic tracks which Harry Hess and Darren Smith (background vocals) completed in their studio in Canada.

Lineup:

Harry Hess - lead vocals
Daniel Flores - drums and keyboards
Michael Palace - guitars
Johan Niemann - bass guitar
Darren Smith - background vocals




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"War", the new David Gesslbauer-directed video from EMIGRATE, the side project of RAMMSTEIN guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe, can be seen below. The song is taken from EMIGRATE's third album, "A Million Degrees", which was released last November 30 via Spinefarm Records.

If there's a description that, personally and professionally, fits Kruspe like a Savile Row suit, "fired up" would be it… As a member of RAMMSTEIN, the music world's most explosive live act, Kruspe has been part of a ground-breaking global success story that continues to build and to ignite; along the way, he's turned his attention to a number of parallel projects, such as constructing a new studio (and a new home) in his native Berlin, but it's his decision to launch the EMIGRATE setup that has given him the greatest chance to satisfy creative instincts outside of the parent group.

The first EMIGRATE album appeared in 2007 (a self-titled record that went Top 10 in Germany, with single/video "My World" appearing on the soundtrack to the third "Resident Evil" movie); "Silent So Long" followed in 2014, featuring guest vocals from such high-profile artists as Marilyn Manson, Jonathan Davis, Peaches and the legend that will always be Lemmy.

Featuring 11 tracks, a fresh production team plus vocal contributions from RAMMSTEIN's Till Lindemann and BILLY TALENT's Benjamin Kowalewicz, "A Million Degrees" is less a successor to "Silent So Long" and more a re-booted take on the overall concept, continuing Kruspe's desire to craft something personal. He writes the material, including new single/video "1234" (spotlighting Kowalewicz), sings the bulk of the songs (in English) and works hard — sometimes in the face of adversity — to keep everything rubber-stamped as "special," fashioning a body of work that will appeal to both existing supporters and those who appreciate the power of a great song delivered from heart above head…

In this respect, EMIGRATE can't be called either a "side" or a "solo project." A "passion project" might be closer to the mark — a needed extra outlet operating close to the level of therapy for an artist whose energy, vision and quest for perfection are defining factors, keeping him, well… fired up!

"I really want the freedom to collaborate with different people and to explore different kinds of music," Kruspe explains, "to express myself as both a writer and a singer away from deadlines, timelines and other such restrictions. The idea is to keep experimenting and to keep challenging myself. Plus, EMIGRATE works in an organic way, so musicians can come and go, and it's still okay, it's positive…"

After issuing the "Silent So Long" album four years ago, Kruspe considered running with the follow-up sooner rather than later, effectively making it "Silent…" Part 2. He had half a dozen songs up his sleeve, numbers that hadn't quite aligned with the feel of "Silent So Long", and in March 2015, he set about completing these using places and personnel he'd called on successfully in the past…

"I decided to go to Los Angeles to work with Ben Grosse, the mixing engineer on 'Silent So Long'," he recalls, "but for the first time in my professional life I felt that something was missing. I just wasn't inspired, I couldn't give the 120 percent I put into every record I'm involved with, so I decided to stop.

"I had a whole host of issues going on in my personal life, including building the house in Berlin, and then in September 2015 we started thinking about the next steps for RAMMSTEIN…"

Following due discussion, it was agreed that the RAMMSTEIN "kollektiv" would venture back into the rehearsal room; there was no pressure to do anything in particular, just make new music and generally get a sense of how everyone was feeling. Exciting developments for RAMMSTEIN fans, but it meant that EMIGRATE, while never far from Kruspe's mind, had to be temporarily sidelined… and then fate lent a hand…

"In 2016, my house suffered serious water damage; my studio was flooded and half of the equipment, including the hard disk drive, destroyed, so I had to basically start again," he says. "All I had of the songs I'd been working on was my memory."

At the time, this act of God seemed like a major blow; on reflection, however, it gave Kruspe the chance to re-assess the project, to decide just what kind of statement the third EMIGRATE album should be…

"Life gave me a sign!" he laughs.

So… out went the idea of "Silent So Long" Part 2, to be replaced by a bolder, broader view, and the desire to quit any kind of comfort zone. Key to this shift through the gears was the decision to bring in Sky Van Hoff — a young producer / engineer / guitarist from Dusseldorf who had been helping Kruspe to document his RAMMSTEIN ideas. The two found working together both easy and productive, and the result is an enhanced EMIGRATE sound, dripping with detail, that Kruspe describes as "one of the best I've ever been involved with. I'm really proud of it…"

From September 2017 onwards, a re-invigorated Kruspe set about the task of re-writing, re-arranging and re-recording the album tracks, handling the production side himself, with Van Hoff focussing on the engineering and the mix. They used the historic Funkhaus in Berlin's Nalepastrasse (onetime broadcasting base of the GDR) for the drum tracks, with everything else being handled in Kruspe's own studio; the RAMMSTEIN man took charge of the vocals and the guitars, supported by APOCALYPTICA's Mikko Sirén on drums and Arnaud Giraux on bass, both reprising their roles on "Silent…", with Sky also helping out on bass.

Since stepping up to the lead mic back in 2007, Kruspe has been honing his vocals in terms of confidence and power, pushing himself on the presentation side and paying close attention to the lyrics, once again bringing in a friend from the advertising world to act as a sounding board. With fewer guest singers on this new release than its predecessor, his abilities as a performer have ample space to shine, with opening track "War" being a particular case in point…

"I really like the energy, and the heavy, modern, ZEPPELIN kind of groove," he reflects, "and at one point I was taking to Serj [Tankian] from SYSTEM OF A DOWN about fronting the track. He was excited at the idea, then a day later he called me and said that he thought the song was perfect for my voice, he didn't really know what to add, so I left my vocals on there. I took that as a huge compliment."

It's meaningful for RAMMSTEIN fans, and indeed for Kruspe himself, that Lindemann figures on "Let's Go", singing his own lyrics — in German and English — and providing a signature presence; as a performer, he's not known for "extracurricular" activity, which gives this collaboration the feeling of a box being ticked (at last)…

"We've been friends since 1987 and this is the first time we've worked together outside of RAMMSTEIN," confirms Kruspe. "You know, I've had that number for quite a while, and it's about our history and our friendship, which I can sum up like this: I believe I'm the reason he started a career in music, and he's the reason I've witnessed the dark side of life! In two words: beautiful destruction! The song itself is quite different to the world of RAMMSTEIN, though, which I think is a good thing…"

"I have to say, Ben from BILLY TALENT really took things to a new level on '1,2,3,4'," declares Kruspe. "It was my manager who suggested I talk to him; I was more aware of the guitarist in the band, Ian [D'Sa], whose playing I like, but Ben turned out to be an excellent idea, and of course he's in the promo clip, too — along with Ian, Margaux, my friend Joe Letz [COMBICHRIST], who's played drums in EMIGRATE videos before, and myself."

The promos for "1,2,3,4' and "You Are So Beautiful" were shot back to back in Los Angeles by director Bill Yukich, whom Kruspe contacted after seeing a video he made for SHINEDOWN ("Devil"); he was impressed with the flow and the rhythm of the edit, instinctively feeling that Yukich had the range to shoot both the live clip for "1,2,3,4" plus the more expansive, cinematic story he'd put together for "…Beautiful" — a complex piece with connections to Kruspe's life outside of music…

"With that song, I initially had trouble deciding exactly what it was about, then all of a sudden it became obvious," he explains. "It was actually for my daughter. So in the video, which is kind of like a movie, set in the '70s, in the canyons of L.A., I take the role of the father, and you see how relationships can go wrong and how chances to make things better, even for a second time, can be lost.

"Whatever I do with RAMMSTEIN or with EMIGRATE, there's always a bit of my own story in there; there may be exaggerations, there may be extra color added, but essentially it's personal…"

"A Million Degrees" track listing:

01. War

02. 1234 (feat. Ben Kowalewicz)

03. A Million Degrees

04. Lead On You (feat. Margaux Bossieux)

05. You Are So Beautiful

06. Hide And Seek

07. We Are Together

08. Let's Go (feat. Till Lindemann)

09. I'm Not Afraid (feat. Cardinal Copia)

10. Spitfire

11. Eyes Fade Away

Australian death thrashers, Truth Corroded, will release their new album, Bloodlands, worldwide on March 22nd. An advanced album stream can be found below.

Bloodlands was mixed by Chris ‘Zeuss’ Harris (Hatebreed, Soulfly, Overkill) and features guest appearances by artists such as Stephen Carpenter of Deftones, Terrance Hobbs of Suffocation, Mark Kloeppel of Misery Index and Ryan Knight (ex-The Black Dahlia Murder).

Find pre-orders at this location.

Tracklisting:

“To The Carnal Earth”
“The Leeches Feed”
“Conquest Of Divide”
“Victims Left Lepers”
“Bloodlands”
“The Storm”
“Of Open Eyes And Willing Hands”
“The End Of He Who Reigns”
“I Once Breathed”

Album stream:

“Victims Left Lepers” video:

“To The Carnal Earth” lyric video:




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Extreme harsh-grinding quartet, Full Of Hell, make their Relapse debut with their most explosive album to date, Weeping Choir, coming May 17. Dynamic, pissed, and wholly urgent, the highly anticipated Weeping Choir is a definitive statement of intent by one of the underground’s most dynamic and virulent entities. Watch the official video for Weeping Choir’s opening track “Burning Myrrh”, directed by Cody Stauder, below.

Weeping Choir is due out May 17th on CD/LP/CS/Digital. Physical packages are available for pre-order via Relapse.com here. Digital Downloads / Streaming Services are available here.

On Weeping Choir, Full Of Hell have once again culled the extreme elements from hardcore, metal, and power electronics to redefine darkness and sheer brutality. Distorted guitars, and ominous, disparate electronics grind and gnash against rapid-fire drumming, as Full Of Hell take themes of religion, loss, hatred, and set them ablaze. Recorded by the critically acclaimed Kurt Ballou at GodCity Studio, Weeping Choir sees Full Of Hell fully unleashed. Abrasive, confrontational, none equal!

Tracklisting:

"Burning Myrrh"
"Haunted Arches"
"Thundering Hammers"
"Rainbow Coil"
"Aria Of Jeweled Tears"
"Downward"
"Armory Of Obsidian Glass"
"Silmaril"
"Angels Gather Here"
"Ygramul The Many"
"Cellar Of Doors"

"Burning Myrrh" video:

(Photo - Reid Haithcock)




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Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing says that Rob Halford, Ian Hill and Scott Travis would "certainly" have "entertained the idea" of having him return to the band if there wasn't something preventing them from doing so.

K.K. announced his retirement from PRIEST in April 2011. He has since been replaced by Richie Faulkner, who was once the guitarist in the backing group for Lauren Harris, daughter of IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris.

Last year, Downing revealed that he actually sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing told The Guardian that he believes the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST following Glenn Tipton's decision to retire from the road due to his battle with Parkinson's disease. (Tipton is being replaced on tour by producer Andy Sneap, also known for his work as the guitar player in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.)

Asked in a brand new interview with "Full In Bloom" if he has had any contact with his former bandmates in recent months, Downing said (hear audio below): "There's not any love left for me, I'm afraid, in the camp, it seems to be. And it's as simple as that. When I left, I made it clear that I wasn't happy and who I wasn't happy with and why. And then, obviously, I burned my bridges by doing that, because once you're out, you're not being let back in."

According to K.K., he never got a chance to even discuss the possibility of returning to PRIEST once Glenn made the decision to stop touring.

"Glenn decided to step down, and the minute he did, he passed the guitar to Andy, who was there, and he said, 'You've got the job,'" Downing said. "So there was never an option for me… When Glenn stepped down, it would have been an option for me to step back in, because I was ready to do it, really, is what I think. I mean, Richie covers Glenn's parts now anyway. He even plays 'Painkiller' — Richie does — and does a great job of it. It would have made sense for me to step back in and take my role as someone who has a 40-year legacy of standing in that spot. If there was an option — if there was a remote option — that that could have been done, then those guys, for the sake of the fans, should really have asked the question, 'Is it an option?' But they didn't. It's sad that it came to that."

Had the choice of bringing Downing back to PRIEST ever been presented to Halford, Hill and Travis, "I think that [they] would have welcomed it, because it seems to make eminent sense," K.K. said. "To get the fans to accept a brand new guy or a guy that was there, the originator from day one that's written all of those songs and played all of those solos, it doesn't make any sense to bring someone in that's essentially more of a great producer than anything else."

Downing went on to take credit for being "the first guy to bring the flying V to heavy metal, ever," a look that is "so synonymous with metal that both Richie and Andy play flying Vs, let alone almost every metal band in the world," he said. "So it doesn't make sense not to have my image and my persona there."

Asked if he has tried reaching out to Rob directly and talking things out, K.K. said: "Rob's always been cool. I mean, Rob left the band for 14 years, and I was the one that brought him back in, I was the one that was instrumental, I was the one that reached out to him. But at the moment, everything's outside of his control, Ian's and Scott's. That's what I think."

Pressed about whether he believes Tipton is still running PRIEST from behind the scenes, Downing said: "Well, if Glenn isn't, who is? Rob's never been a decision maker, or Ian, really, in the band ever. It was always me and Glenn, really. Well, it was, to start with. Then the decision making was more Glenn and Jayne [Andrews from PRIEST's management company], really. But, anyway, it's a sad state of affairs. It's well documented now, and I certainly wouldn't like to get any more quotes on Blabbermouth, because I think everybody's had enough of it. It will be what it will be."

Downing reiterated that he believes most of his former bandmates would have been open to the possibility of him returning to PRIEST.

"Given the choice, Rob, Ian and Scott, I believe, would have certainly entertained the idea of having me step back in the band, if there wasn't something preventing them to do so," he said. "I don't know what influences there are, but I've always had a very, very good relationship with Rob, Ian and Scott — aways. Me and Ian were just brothers.

"A lot of things went on in the band that us collectively were not happy with — me, Rob, Scott and Ian," he explained. "For a long time, collectively, we were not happy. We were joint, we were as one for some years towards the end. And so, there must be some power that I don't know about that's not doing things the way they should be done."

K.K. has spent the last few months promoting his autobiography, "Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest", which came out in September.

Former MANOWAR guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman says that he doesn't believe the band's current farewell tour is truly the end of the legendary New York-based metal act.

"The one thing I know that MANOWAR, what they're doing now, this is not the final battle," Ross told Duke TV in a new interview (see video below). "Anything can really happen in the future. You never know."

Ross said that he is "really not in touch with the band" but claimed that "we have a strange way of communicating, 'cause the fans are telling people what they said and what I said. And that's okay," he said. "The main thing is that everyone's healthy, the work can go on, and we'll see what happens in the future."

Speaking about MANOWAR's latest addition, E.V. Martel, who joined the band earlier this year as the replacement for longtime guitarist Karl Logan, Ross said: "This new guy, I wish him a lot of luck. I wouldn't wanna be him. It's another Brazilian guy from a Brazilian band. It's okay. It's a fan. I like to see that. It's a nice story, for that to happen. But at this time in their career, I think MANOWAR needs to go out with… if they're going out. I don't even believe that, so… You can have the original lineup. You never know. I'm just telling you. You never know."

A founding member of MANOWAR, Ross recorded six albums with the band before leaving after 1988's "Kings Of Metal".

MANOWAR announced in October that Logan would not be touring with the group after being arrested on charges of possessing child pornography.

Karl joined MANOWAR in 1994 as the replacement for David Shankle.

Professionally filmed video footage of METALLICA performing the song "Holier Than Thou" on February 28 at Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas can be seen below.

Before the El Paso concert, METALLICA handed over a check for $10,000 to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger. The band also provided two free tickets for the organization to use to help recruit more volunteers.

"They were so gracious and humble. When you calculate how much they give in each city that they could keep for themselves, it's just heartwarming to me," Terri Wyatt, chief development officer for the organization, told the El Paso Times.

METALLICA's All Within My Hands non-profit foundation was launched in 2017 to help creating sustainable communities by tackling the issues of hunger and workforce education and encouraging volunteerism.

In its first six months of operation, the Foundation donated more than $750,000 to local food banks around the world — a practice the band and the Foundation have continued on METALLICA's current North American tour. They've donated $10,000 to local food banks in every city and met dedicated people who focus their daily lives on helping others.

METALLICA kicked off the 2018/2019 U.S. leg of the "WorldWired" arena tour in September at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin.

Southern rock icons, Lynyrd Skynyrd, are currently in the midst of their Last Of The Street Survivors Farewell Tour. Mark Dean of Madness To Creation recently spoke with vocalist Johnny Van Zant about his impending retirement; an excerpt follows:

A lot of bands quit touring but the still release music. I just wonder if you guys had any plans maybe to still release music?

Johnny Van Zant: "Yeah. You know, Gary (Rossington, guitarist) said that. We have an album in the can really, to be honest. We have a bunch of songs that we’re all the time writing. And you know, so probably after this tour we’ll have that album, do a studio thing and we actually recorded our last show here in Jacksonville. Did a DVD and actually the CD for it and that’ll come out sometime along the way too."

What about yourself then musically? Do you have any plans to reactivate the Johnny Van Zant Band or any other musical things?

Johnny Van Zant: "You know what I’m always making  new music – me and my brother Donnie we’re creating all the time and we live right next door to each other here in Florida and I got a little place in the back and we go out there and we bang around and make music. So we’re actually, one of my things on my bucket list is to do a gospel album. Really would  be right, one of the things I would like to do. I lost my oldest daughter last year due to cancer and it kind of got me back to where I should have been at a long time ago with God. So I’m a true believer in that and that’s one of my things and maybe make a blues record. I’ve done a couple of country albums. But I’d love to do those things before I go on to the mighty big heaven up in the sky too."

Read the complete interview at this location.

Last Of The Street Survivors Farewell Tour US dates:

April
27 - Indio, CA - Stagecoach 

May
10 - Tuscaloosa, AL - Tuscaloosa Amphitheater 
11 - Arlington, TX - KAABOO Texas 
17 - New Orleans, LA - Smoothie King Center 
18 - Lafayette, LA - Cajundome 
24 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
31 - Gilford, NH - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion 

June
1 - Bangor, ME - Darling's Waterfront Pavilion 

July
13 - Canandaigua, NY - Constellation Brands–Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center
19 - Welch, MN - Treasure Island Resort & Casino 
20 - Walker, MN - Moondance Jam 
26 - Portland, OR - Sunlight Supply Amphitheater 
27 - Seattle, WA - White River Amphitheatre 

August
9 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater
16 - Las Vegas, NV - T-Mobile Arena
17 - Wheatland, CA - Toyota Amphitheatre
23 - Irvine, CA - FivePoint Amphitheatre presented by Mercury Insurance
30 - Camden, NJ - BB&T Pavilion 
31 - Saratoga Springs, NY - Saratoga Performing Arts Center 

September
13 - Southaven, MS - Bank Plus Amphitheater 
14 - Alpharetta, GA - Ameris Bank Amphitheatre 
20 - Salt Lake City, UT - USANA Amphitheater 
21 - Denver, CO - Fiddler's Green
27 - Jackson, MS - Brandon Amphitheater 
28 - Orange Beach, AL - The Wharf Amphitheater 

For tour lineups in your market or to purchase VIP Packages, visit lynyrdskynyrd.com.

Watch Lynyrd Skynyrd's performance of "Free Bird", taken from the album Live In Atlantic City:

 




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Slash (GUNS N' ROSES), Joe Satriani (CHICKENFOOT), Brian May (QUEEN), Matt Sorum (GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER), Joe Bonamassa (BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION), Brian Wilson (BEACH BOYS) and Stevie Van Zandt are among the musicians who have reacted on social media to the passing of Dick Dale. The guitar player and singer-songwriter known as "the King of the Surf Guitar" died early Sunday morning (March 17) at the age of 81.

The guitarist's health had declined over the past 20 years due to a number of illnesses, including diabetes, kidney disease and rectal cancer. Up until the end of his life, Dale was forced to stay on the road to fund his treatment.

"I can't stop touring because I will die. Physically and literally, I will die," he told the Pittsburgh City Paper in 2015. "Sure, I'd love to stay home and build ships in a bottle and spend time with my wife in Hawaii, but I have to perform to save my life."

Born Richard Anthony Monsour in May 1937, Dale created the sound of the surf guitar by working with Middle Eastern music scales applied to a driving beat.

His fifth single, 1961's "Let's Go Trippin'", is considered the first surf rock instrumental and has been credited with launching the early 1960s craze.

The song that cemented Dale's place in rock history was "Misirlou", which he recorded and first released in 1962. The track rode another wave of fame in the mid-1990s when it featured prominently in the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino's cult hit "Pulp Fiction".

"Having 'Misirlou' as your opening credit, it's just so intense," Tarantino said. "It just throws down a gauntlet that the movie now has to live up to."

View this post on Instagram RIP #DickDale A post shared by Slash (@slash) on Mar 17, 2019 at 1:57pm PDT

RIP Dick Dale - Father of the Surf Guitar. We all owe you. Rock on. Bri https://t.co/lxeDGCCOnw— Dr. Brian May (@DrBrianMay) March 18, 2019



I’m sorry to hear about Dick Dale passing. Dick’s guitar playing was a big influence on all of us, and we covered “Misirlou” on our Surfin’ USA album in ‘63. Love & Mercy to Dick’s family. pic.twitter.com/QPd2wzo7zB— Brian Wilson (@BrianWilsonLive) March 18, 2019



RIP Dick Dale. King Of The Surf Guitar.— Stevie Van Zandt (@StevieVanZandt) March 18, 2019



Dick Dale, who will forever remain a guitar God. May his spirit rest in peace. We will meet again brother. pic.twitter.com/tf77lcQGWy— Rick Springfield (@rickspringfield) March 18, 2019



RIP Dick Dale— Joe Satriani (@chickenfootjoe) March 17, 2019



Rest In Peace Dick Dale... True original, So Cal Surf, American icon and a gentlemen of the highest order. pic.twitter.com/G3Uw5Xk055— Joe Bonamassa (Official) (@JBONAMASSA) March 17, 2019



Rip Dick Dale the King Of the Surf guitar https://t.co/kREuwdOPcA.— matt sorum (@mattsorum) March 17, 2019

According to The Irish Times, guitarist Dick Dale - the pioneer of surf rock known for his 1962 hit "Misirlou" - has died at age 81.

Born Richard Anthony Monsour in May 1937, Dale developed his distinctive sound by adding to instrumental rock influences from his Middle Eastern heritage, along with a “wet” reverb sound and his rapid alternative picking style.

His fifth single, 1961’s "Let’s Go Trippin'", is considered the first surf rock instrumental and has been credited with launching the early 1960s craze. The Beach Boys’ vocal surf pioneered the sound’s second wave.

"Misirlou"gained new popularity when director Quentin Tarantino used it in his 1994 film, Pulp Fiction.




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Ozzy Osbourne has paid tribute to his onetime guitarist Bernie Tormé, calling him "a gentle soul with a heart of gold."

Tormé is known for stepping in and saving the day for Ozzy when Randy Rhoads tragically died in 1982. Bernie played seven shows with Osbourne over a 10-day period before leaving Ozzy's band, only to be replaced by NIGHT RANGER guitarist Brad Gillis.

Tormé passed away on Sunday, March 17 at the age of 66. He died one day short of his 67th birthday, surrounded by his family. He had been on life support for the past four weeks at a London hospital following post-flu complications.

‪Earlier today, Ozzy took to his social media to write: "What a sad day. We've lost another great musician. Bernie was a gentle soul with a heart of gold. He will be dearly missed. I send my sincere condolences to his family, friends and fans. Rest in Peace Bernie.‬"

Tormé was hospitalized last month with double pneumonia.

It was reported at the time that that the Irish musician was "extremely ill" and that he had been placed on a ventilator.

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

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

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

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

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


‪What a sad day. We’ve lost another great musician. Bernie was a gentle soul with a heart of gold. He will be...Posted by Ozzy Osbourne on Monday, March 18, 2019

Bernie Tormé passed away on Sunday, March 17 at the age of 66.

The guitarist's death was confirmed by Bernie's family, who issued the following statement: "Bernie Tormé passed away peacefully on the 17th March 2019, one day short of his 67th birthday, surrounded by his family. He had been on life support for the past four weeks at a London hospital following post-flu complications. Bernie will be remembered for dedicating his life to his music for five decades. He will be sorely missed."

Tormé was hospitalized last month with double pneumonia.

It was reported at the time that that the Irish musician was "extremely ill" and that he had been placed on a ventilator.

TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider wrote on Twitter earlier today: "Woke up to find out my friend @Bernie_Torme has died. He was a guitar god who played with @OzzyOsbourne & Ian Gillan. We worked together for 3 years, writing over 100 songs for the ill-fated DESPERADO. I loved that man & today my heart is broken. RIP Bernie. Your guitar weeps."

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

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

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

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

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


Bernie Tormey 18.3.1952 - 17.3.2019Posted by Bernie Torme on Monday, March 18, 2019

Woke up to find out my friend @Bernie_Torme has died. He was a guitar god who played with @OzzyOsbourne & Ian Gillan. We worked together for 3 years, writing over 100 songs for the ill-fated Desperado. I loved that man & today my heart is broken. RIP Bernie. Your guitar weeps.— Dee Snider (@deesnider) March 18, 2019

Carla Harvey has gone public with her relationship with Charlie Benante.

Although the BUTCHER BABIES co-frontwoman and the ANTHRAX drummer have been dating for at least three years, they apparently chose to keep their relationship quiet. But that all changed over the weekend, when Carla posted an Instagram photo of her with Charlie, along with the following caption: "THANK YOU for always being there for me when I need you most. I love you @charbenante"

Back in 2015, Charlie named BUTCHER BABIES' sophomore album, "Take It Like A Man", as one of his favorite releases of the year.

Before starting a relationship with Charlie, Carla was married to Gregory Coates since 2012.

Benante was previously married to Sandra, with whom he has a 13-year-old daughter, Mia Charley Benante.

Charlie and Sandra made headlines in 2012 when they were arrested for domestic battery in front of a child.

BUTCHER BABIES spent more than a year touring in support of its third album, "Lilith", which was released in October 2017 via Century Media.

ANTHRAX is continuing to play shows in support of 2016's "For All Kings" album.

SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor says that he has been "wrongfully accused" of stealing money from the band's former percussionist Chris Fehn.

The singer's comments come just four days after The Blast reported that Fehn had filed a lawsuit against his longtime bandmates, claiming that he hasn't been properly compensated for his years of touring with the group.

After a fan suggested on Twitter earlier today that SLIPKNOT bring back former vocalist Anders Colsefni as Fehn's replacement, Corey replied: "Fuck I would LOVE that." Reacting to Taylor's tweet, another fan called the hypothetical Colsefni-SLIPKNOT pairing a "bit dickish," to which responded: "You think that's dickish, try being wrongfully accused of stealing money from someone you cared about, and having a lot of your fans believe it."

According to The Blast, Fehn claims in his lawsuit to have always been told that the money from merchandise and touring is funneled through one sole company that splits profits and pays the members of the band.

However, Fehn claims he recently discovered that his bandmates have set up several other SLIPKNOT-affiliated business entities in different states that appear to be collecting money from the band. Fehn says he was unaware of these companies, and claims to have never received a dime from them. He specifically accuses band leaders Taylor and Shawn "Clown" Crahan of shady business dealings.

Fehn wants a full forensic accounting done on SLIPKNOT's companies and assets, and intends to collect the damages and profits he believes he is owed.

This morning, SLIPKNOT released a statement confirming that Fehn was no longer a member of the band. The group added that it was "disappointed that [Fehn] chose to point fingers and manufacture claims, rather than doing what was necessary to continue to be a part of SLIPKNOT."

Known for wearing a Pinocchio-style mask, Fehn has performed with SLIPKNOT since 1998 and appears on all the band's albums.

Fuck I would LOVE that https://t.co/U4AJzYTleO— confirm: 0-0-0... DESTRUCT... 0 (@CoreyTaylorRock) March 18, 2019



You think that’s dickish, try being wrongfully accused of stealing money from someone you cared about, and having a lot of your fans believe it.
Good Morning, by the way.— confirm: 0-0-0... DESTRUCT... 0 (@CoreyTaylorRock) March 18, 2019

Jesus Christ - The Exorcist is a monumental project in Neal Morse’s already impressive discography. A Progressive Rock Opera 10 years in the making, it was written and produced by Morse and includes performances by Neal and an all-star cast of vocalists and musicians. Jesus Christ - The Exorcist will be released on June 14 on a double album set featuring about two hours of music that will encompass all the spectrums and genres Neal Morse is known for and will, of course, tell the Story of Stories.

Get 2CD, 3xLP, or Digital versions of the album here.

Signed albums, limited edition color vinyl, and more available at:

- Neal Morse Store
- Frontiers US Store
- Frontiers EU Store

Today, the first song from this masterpiece has been unveiled, "Get Behind Me Satan". Watch the video below.

"I don’t know why it came to me in quite this way, but definitely the influences on this song are Black Sabbath and Deep Purple primarily. I even asked Rich Mouser when he was mixing the song to listen to 'Paranoid' because I thought that vocal effect would be cool on Ted’s (Leonard) voice," says Morse of the track.

When asked about what fans can expect sound wise from the album, Morse explains, "Oh, it is completely diverse. There are touching ballads, rousing ensemble pieces, classical elements and dramatic Broadway musical type songs as well. It is really meant to be listened and experienced all the way through as you would a play or an opera. I hope that people will experience it in that way because I think that’s where they will really find the power in this piece of music."

He continues, "These songs and pieces of music were all written for this rock opera specifically. I wrote the first draft in 2008 and 2009, I believe. Then, last year in preparation for a performance at MorseFest I rewrote the whole musical again. I couldn’t be happier with the final outcome and I am thrilled that it is coming out on Frontiers this June."

With a cast of amazing vocalists and musicians like Ted Leonard, Eric Gillette, Nick D’Virgilio, Randy George, Bill Hubauer, Matt Smith, Jake Livgren and others, this progressive rock opera is a landmark event that will leave its mark on every listener. “Let him who has ears to hear... let him hear!”

Jesus Christ - The Exorcist, had it’s live world premiere in 2018 and was performed by a prog rock all-star cast featuring Neal Morse (keys, guitar), Paul Bielatowicz (lead guitar), Bill Hubauer (keys), Randy George (bass), and Eric Gillette (drums). Featured vocalists included Ted Leonard (Spock's Beard, Enchant), Nick D'Virgilio (Big, Big Train, Spock's Beard), Jake Livgren (Protokaw), Matt Smith (Theocracy), Wil Morse and more. Also, John Schlitt (Petra) and Rick Florian (White Heart) were added to the performance as well.

Frontiers looks forward to partnering with Neal on his continuing musical explorations and extending his progressive rock legacy with his latest creative vision.

Tracklist:

CD1
Introduction
"Overture"
"Getaway"
"Gather The People"
"Jesus’ Baptism"
"Jesus’ Temptation"
"There’s A Highway"
"The Woman Of Seven Devils"
"Free At Last"
"The Madman Of The Gadarenes"
"Love Has Called My Name"
"Better Weather"
"The Keys To The Kingdom"
"Get Behind Me Satan"

CD2
"He Must Go To The Cross"
"Jerusalem"
"Hearts Full Of Holes"
"The Last Supper"
"Gethsemane"
"Jesus Before The Council And Peter’s Denial"
"Judas’ Death"
"Jesus Before Pilate And The Crucifixion"
"Mary At The Tomb"
"The Greatest Love Of All"
"Love Has Called My Name" (Reprise)

"Get Behind Me Satan" video:

Full cast:

Ted Leonard - Jesus
Talon David - Mary Magdalene
Nick D’Virgilio - Judas Iscariot
Rick Florian - The Devil
Matt Smith - John the Baptist
Jake Livgren – Peter and Caiaphas
Neal Morse - Pilate, Demon 1, Disciple 1
Mark Pogue - Israelite 1, the Madman of the Gadarenes, Pharisee 2
Wil Morse - Israelite 2, Demon 3, Pharisee 1
Gabe Klein - Demon 2, Pharisee 4
Gideon Klein - Demon 4
Julie Harrison - Servant Girl




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New York / New Jersey-based female fronted melodic power metal band, Flames Of Fire, have released a high energy performance video for their new song, "I'm Alive".

Says the band: "After a two year hiatus, Flames Of Fury is back. Starting with the release of the music video for 'I’m Alive', Flames Of Fury will be releasing songs in regular several week intervals, culminating in the release of the full-length album, Firestarter, later in 2019."

About the "I'm Alive" video, lead guitarist Jason Perez states: "We really wanted to make a video that not only represents the music we make but also showcases our energy when we perform live. 'I'm Alive' represents the vital elements of what comprises Flames Of Fury. Strong, in your face, high octane metal, with an explosive live performance."

Flames of Fury will be performing select live dates throughout year, and look forward to raising the US metal flag once again.

Flames Of Fury lineup:

Vocals: Angelica Vargas
Lead Guitar: Jason Perez
Rhythm Guitar: Paul Duthil
Bass: Mike LePond (Symphony X, Silent Assassins, Ross The Boss Band)
Drums: Marc Capellupo




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