"When I read Chris’ last tweet, it pretty much dropped me to my knees, because we brought Soundgarden to the Fox Theater in Detroit to play back in 1992, says original Skid Row vocalist Sebastian Bach, speaking to Rebecca Milzoff of Billboard. 

"We were on our Slave To The Grind Tour, with Pantera opening. Then they took a break and we said, 'Who’s the next heavy, killer band coming up now?' It was Soundgarden, and they came on the road with us for three weeks... Chris didn’t sound like anybody, and he didn’t move like anybody, either. In heavy metal, we’d try to run and jump around the stage, do these moves and shit. When I’d ask Chris to jam with us at the end of the night on 'Train Kept A-Rollin' by Aerosmith, he’d look at the stage like a track meet, running in a figure eight and doing somersaults. I’d turn around, and he’d be behind my back, faking so I couldn’t see where he was. And he’d be on a trampoline doing jumps behind the drum riser. I could tell he was sending up the sort of heavy-metal performance we were trying to do, always with a twinkle in his eye, laughing."

Read more at this location; a version of this article appears in the June 3rd issue of Billboard.

A brief, vintage 30-second clip showcasing Phil Anselmo (Pantera), Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) And Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) going crazy on stage together can be enjoyed below.

The private funeral for Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell, who passed away in Detroit, Michigan on May 18th, will be held on May 26th at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

Ahead of the service, Cornell’s remains were cremated on May 23rd, as a small group of family and friends stood by including his brother Peter, his wife Vicki, and his friends Linda Ramone and singer J.D. King, according to TMZ.

After 3 PM local time on May 26th, the public is welcome to visit the gravesite, after the private ceremony concludes, Cornell’s attorney told Variety. Information about larger public memorials was still undecided at press time.

 

Ritchie Blackmore has gotten over his bad feelings about DEEP PURPLE and says he would play with with his former bandmates again if he was invited.

Blackmore is a co-founder of DEEP PURPLE and wrote many of their most memorable riffs, including "Smoke On The Water", but he has not played with the group since his 1993 departure.

In a brand new interview with The Guardian, Blackmore said that he "bears no malice" towards DEEP PURPLE and that he would play with them again if he were asked, but added: "It's probably not probable, though."

Elsewhere in the interview, the notoriously moody guitarist made it clear that he is not interested in having a good time. "I try not to have fun. I work very hard at not having fun," he said.

Asked why on earth he would do that, Blackmore responded: "I don't think the world is a fun place. I'm very content in my own mind, in a way, but fun, I'm not too sure about. I don't quite know what fun is. I don't know why I should walk around with a perpetual grin on my face, saying everything's wonderful.

"I just don't fit into the 'fun' area," he continued. "A lot of musicians go: 'Oh, that was fun.' Well, I like to think that music is very serious, and it's not fun. I'm not one of these guys that likes jamming with people and having fun; music is too serious, and I don't feel like I can relate if I'm having fun. It's hard work and it's really gratifying to do, but fun? Fun is something where someone tells a joke and they laugh for ten seconds. Music's much deeper than that."

DEEP PURPLE drummer Ian Paice recently said told "The Rock Brigade" podcast that there was "no point" for the band to consider a reunion with Blackmore, explaining that "we have a wonderful feeling within the band, everybody's very friendly, and all we have to do is go on stage and make the music; there's no other considerations to worry about. I think Ritchie's life doesn't work like that. I think it's a little more complex. And at this stage of my life, I don't need cloudy areas. I like it to be clear and crystal and know that it's gonna be fun. I love Ritchie to death, but I can't guarantee every day with him is gonna be fun."

Blackmore was absent from DEEP PURPLE's induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last year. He later posted a statement on his Facebook page in which he said: "I have my reason for not attending the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, although I appreciate the award."

Despite Blackmore being a no-show at last year's Rock Hall, he was given several shoutouts during the induction speeches of the DEEP PURPLE members in attendance. In addition, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich, who inducted DEEP PURPLE into the institution, praised "Ritchie fucking Blackmore" for one of the most memorable guitar riffs of all time on "Smoke On The Water".

Gene Simmons says that KISS has "a few more years" left before it calls it quits. He told Glasgow Live ahead of the band's sold-out May 27 concert at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland (see video below): "We're the hardest-working band in show business. I wear over forty pounds of studs and armor and all that stuff, seven-inch platform heels, spit fire and have to fly through the air and do all that stuff.

"If Bono or [Mick] Jagger, who we all love, had to dress up and do what I do, they couldn't last an hour — they just couldn't."

He continued: "In hindsight, it would have been smarter to be a U2 or THE [ROLLING] STONES, to wear some sneakers and a t-shirt and you're comfortable. No, we had to do it the hard way.

"So we're not gonna be able to do it into our 70s, and I'm 67 now. We'll do it for a few more years, and then when we think it's time to go, we'll go, and we'll do it the right way, with a big party. I'd like to think that we would do something that rocks the planet — something big and worldwide and maybe free."

KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley has repeatedly said that the band could one day continue without him and Gene, explaining in an interview: "Once the original [KISS lineup] was no more, it just became clear to us that, in some ways, we're much more a sports team. We don't fall into the limitations of other bands, because we're not other bands. So, yeah, at some point, I'd love to see somebody in the band in my place, and it's because I love the band."

It was back in 2005 that KISS manager Doc McGhee first told the New York Times that the group had "been toying with the idea of recruiting an entire band to don the band's famous makeup." McGhee said, "KISS is more like Doritos or Pepsi, as far as a brand name is concerned. They're more characters than the individual person. I think [new members] have a legitimate chance to carry the franchise."

Former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley said last year that the idea that the band could continue without any original members was "the most ridiculous statement I've ever heard [Stanley and Simmons] make." He added: "I think the only reason they make those statements at this juncture is to try to validate the fact that they have two other guys in the band that aren't the original members. So they're trying to rationalize to the fans, 'Well, you know, we replaced Peter [Criss, original KISS drummer] and we replaced Ace, and eventually we're gonna replace ourselves. That's like Mick Jagger saying, 'Yeah, after me and Keith [Richards, THE ROLLINGS STONES guitarist] die, THE STONES will continue on with two other guys.' I mean, it's a joke."

ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell has told Rolling Stone magazine that Chris Cornell was "the last guy in the world I thought that would happen to," referring to the SOUNDGARDEN frontman's tragic passing in Detroit. "That's not the way that book was supposed to end. And it was not the way that book was going."

Cantrell, whose band lost its original singer, Layne Staley, to a drug overdose in 2002, said that Cornell, represented "a strong strain running through [Seattle] — he was always so honest, from the moment I met him. I share a lot of the issues Chris communicated" in his songwriting. "And there's a power in sharing your weakness with the people who need to hear that, so they can consider, 'Fuck, that guy's dealing with it.' You don't feel so alone."

Cornell "always had it, the same thing as when I saw Layne for the first time — the commitment to take that ride," Cantrell added. "There was something that I recognized and aspired to — to have your own voice and sound. Nobody else sounds like that guy. Nobody will.

"There is a space now and forever empty because of that," Cantrell said of Cornell's death. "It's never going to make sense. It's never going to feel right. And it's always going to hurt."

Cornell was found dead in his Detroit hotel room in the early hours of May 18, just a short time after he and SOUNDGARDEN had performed in that city. The cause of death was suicide by hanging, although toxicology results are still pending.

Various accounts of his final hours have suggested that he may have been under the influence either the anti-anxiety drug Ativan or other substances, although that all remains conjecture until the test results are officially revealed.

Rock and Hollywood royalty turned out for Cornell's funeral, which was held at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on Friday (May 26). Attendees included his widow Vicky and two younger children, Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield of METALLICA, Dave Grohl of FOO FIGHTERS, NIRVANA's Krist Novoselic, Dave Navarro of JANE'S ADDICTION, Chester Bennington and Brad Delson of LINKIN PARK, Joe Walsh, Courtney Love, BUSH's Gavin Rossdale, ALICE IN CHAINS' Jerry Cantrell, members of SOUNDGARDEN, AUDIOSLAVE and PEARL JAM, Pharrell Williams, James Franco, Brad Pitt, Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale, Josh Brolin and more.

Bennington performed Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" for the gathering, with many in attendance brought to tears.

Eulogies were given by Matt Cameron and Kim Thayil of SOUNDGARDEN, PEARL JAM's Jeff Ament, AUDIOSLAVE's Tom Morello, Brolin, Bennington and Delson, and Eric Esrailian, producer of the movie "The Promise".

The title song to that film, which Cornell wrote and performed, was also played at the service. The TEMPLE OF THE DOG song "All Night Thing" played as mourners walked from the service to the garden where Cornell's remains were interred.

Morello said during his eulogy, "Chris was as melodic as THE BEATLES, as rocking as SABBATH and as haunting as Edgar Allan Poe."

Flowers and several red roses were placed on Cornell's grave marker, which read, "Voice of our generation and an artist for all time."

Fans gathered outside the cemetery's gates hours before the start of a public memorial scheduled for 3:00 p.m. PT.

Dirk Verbeuren spoke to Roppongi Rocks about his first year as the drummer in MEGADETH, which he joined at the recommendation of LAMB OF GOD's Chris Adler. Originally hired as a fill-in for Adler, who played on MEGADETH's latest album, "Dystopia", and took part in some of the early live shows in support of the disc, Dirk was offered a permanent place in the band last July.

"It's been a lot of fun," Dirk, who previously played in SOILWORK, told Roppongi Rocks. "It's been, obviously, an unexpected change but a great experience. Like many people who are in this kind of music, I grew up listening to MEGADETH, so now to be a part of MEGADETH is still kind of unreal at times! Sometimes I'm on stage and I am, like, 'This is really happening!' [Laughs]."

Asked if he tries to copy the original drumming on the classic MEGADETH songs or add his own style to the songs when he performs, Dirk said: "Well, here's the thing: the goal for me and what the band expects from me is to be as true to the songs as I can. It's a song-by-song case. Sometimes even a section-by-section case where I try to figure out what I can do, maybe what I would do, maybe what I can do differently. In other parts, I am sticking to the original, pure and simple. A lot of the flair comes from the way one person plays compared to the next. And I play the way I play. I can't sound like… even though my groove is kind of similar to Nick Menza's in a way. I grew up listening to a lot of his stuff too, so it probably kind of influenced me in that sense. In the end, I can't sound like him. Only he can sound like him. Same with Gar [Samuelson] and same with all the other guys [Chuck Behler, Jimmy DeGrasso, Shawn Drover and Chris Adler]. I don't focus too much, I don't think too much about that; I just try to honor the songs."

Regarding whether he will be involved in the songwriting process for MEGADETH's upcoming follow-up to "Dystopia", Dirk said: "I don't know. Obviously I haven't been in that spot, so I haven't experienced that. We'll see how it goes. I'm definitely open to anything. I've started recording some ideas, you know, just having stuff in my phone. I look forward to spending time with the guys working on ideas. Obviously, a lot of it is centered around Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH mainman]. He's been the main songwriter for the whole time, pretty much. From there, we'll see how it goes. It's good that I have this period of time, unlike Chris [Adler] who came in and it was pretty much straight to recording. I think that's difficult, because you have certain ways of doing things and then all of a sudden there is this band with this whole past. That's quick adaption. That can be tricky. Whereas with me, I'm probably going to spend at least two years, if not more, playing the songs live. That gives me some time to see the different areas of the band, see the different styles. For example, Gar has a very different style than Jimmy, than Nick, than Shawn and Chris and all the different people. And Chuck! Great drummer too. Actually, I met him. He came to one of our shows last year, on the U.S. tour. Super-cool guy. That gives me a chance to take that information in and all these different grooves. Then when it is time to create something, I will definitely tap into that. Because it is a very different way of playing for me than, obviously, SOILWORK or any other stuff I've done."

Verbeuren was replaced in SOILWORK by Bastian Thusgaard of THE ARCANE ORDER.

Industrial metal veterans MINISTRY debuted a new song called "Antifa" during their May 27 appearance at this year's edition of the "Blackest Of The Black" festival, which took place May 26-27 at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado, California. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.

"Antifa" is expected to be included on MINISTRY's next studio album, which will tentatively arrive this fall. The disc will feature guest appearances by DJ Swamp (Beck), Burton C. Bell (FEAR FACTORY), Arabian Prince (N.W.A.) and Lord Of The Cello.

Fans can pre-order the album now from PledgeMusic, where they can find a number of different pledge options, including opportunities to have their name listed among the album credits, get a copy of a signed lyric sheet, a personalized signed signature Al Jourgensen guitar, a vinyl test pressing, a happy birthday message delivered as an MP3 file, various merch options and more, all at staggered pricing.

In 2016, Jourgensen announced plans to record a new MINISTRY studio album to follow 2013's "From Beer To Eternity", despite previously saying there would be no further MINISTRY records after the death of longtime guitarist Mike Scaccia in 2012.

Jourgensen's side project SURGICAL METH MACHINE released its self-titled debut album in April 2016 via Nuclear Blast. The CD was recorded primarily at Jourgensen's home studio in Burbank, California with his longtime engineer Sam D'Ambruoso.

Fan-filmed video footage of FOZZY performing its new single, "Judas", on May 27 at the River City Rockfest at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas can be seen below.

"Judas" is the title track of FOZZY's new album, which will be released in September via Century Media. FOZZY frontman Chris Jericho told "The Front Row Report" about what fans can expect from the new disc: "It's definitely the next step. It's an extension. It's more of an evolving FOZZY. We really put a lot of stock in bands like U2 and GUNS N' ROSES and METALLICA, and I think the best example might be David Bowie, where there's always different styles, different eras, and we like that too. And we're not completely changing what we do. But there's different more melodies and this is very much a hookier record. There's not as many guitar solos on the record, but it's still heavy and melodic. It's an evolution from 'Do You Wanna Start A War' [2014] as much as 'Do You Wanna Start A War' was an evolution from 'Sin And Bones' [2012]. I think it's a great trilogy of records that shows a lot of growth, but it's still very heavy and very melodic. Like I said, the trilogy of records — from 'Sin And Bones' to 'Judas' — I think they're all very great records that have a little bit different elements to them all, which is a key to longevity for sure."

Jericho also talked about the songwriting process for "Judas", which was composed during late 2015 and most of 2016 while FOZZY took a break from the road.

"We never really sit in a room and write," he said. "In the past, I would write my parts and send them over to [guitarist] Rich [Ward] and Rich would send it back to me. Also, we had Johnny Andrews writing with us for the whole record. He wrote 'Lights Go Out' on the last record, so we wanted him involved. He produced the record, so Rich and him did a lot of sessions [in the studio where they spent many hours] jamming it out… We wanted to give him total control and let him produce the record and make the record that he thought we should make, and we're really happy that we did."

FOZZY recently announced the return of bassist Paul Di Leo. Paul previously played with FOZZY between 2011 and 2014 and appeared on the group's last two studio albums.

After "Do You Wanna Start A War"'s release, Di Leo was replaced on the road by Jeff Rouse and later by Randy Drake.

"Do You Wanna Start A War" sold around 5,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 54 on the Billboard 200 chart. The CD arrived in July 2014 via Century Media.

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN have released a three-minute video message thanking fans for a successful run of dates in the U.K. and Ireland as part of the band's "The Book Of Souls" world tour. Check it out below.

IRON MAIDEN's "The Book Of Souls" tour will return to North America for an extensive series of arena and amphitheater shows in June and July. Support on the trek will come from GHOST.

IRON MAIDEN bassist and main songwriter Steve Harris tells Express & Star: "We are really looking forward to returning to North America for a full tour. We had always planned to go back there and to the U.K. as last year, due to the global nature of the tour and the period it took, we just didn't have time to cover them properly and we do still like to get to fans in as many places as possible.

"We will, of course, be bringing the full production with us, including all the Eddies and the Maya-themed stage sets. There's been a great reaction from everyone to this tour's theme, people really seem to love it. We're still deciding on the final set list and we'll work that out once we get into rehearsals.

"Most of our North American fans haven't seen the show yet, so as we want to give them the same 'Book Of Souls' live experience that we took around the world, it's unlikely we'll change much. And, of course, we know our fans appreciate us playing a lot of the older songs too, so we will continue to do that."

MAIDEN's current European tour consists of a total of sixteen dates, including three shows in Germany, eight in England, two in Scotland and one each in Ireland and Wales. The U.K. leg marks MAIDEN's first full U.K. arena tour in six years.

"The Book Of Souls" is MAIDEN's first ever double studio album and their most successful chart-wise to date, debuting at the No. 1 spot in over 40 countries around the world and No. 4 in the U.S.A.

A video of Blind Guardian performing “The Bard’s Song (In The Forest)” at the 2016 edition of Germany’s Wacken Open Air festival is available for streaming below.

“When Blind Guardian plays “The Bard's Song” at Wacken, you can be damned sure it's a magic moment. Now witness this moment in 360° VR at home - while standing right in front of the stage!”

Blind Guardian have announced the release of a new live album, Live Beyond The Spheres, on 3CD and 4LP box set editions on July 7th via Nuclear Blast.

The release will include material recorded from various shows during the band’s European tour leg in 2015 - among old classics, new tracks as well as songs that are played very rarely during live shows.

Vocalist Hansi Kürsch speaks about the difficulties to create such an ambitious album: "In general I would say that we've had a really good run on this tour and that nearly every show was perfect. But at the end of the day, after every band member has checked each and every song and concert of those 30 shows again and again, there were only like two or three versions of each song being suitable to be used for an album. We then had to decide between those last remaining versions, which would have been the most impressive one. This was a nearly endless task!"

But as we all know, Blind Guardian stands for perfectionism in any way.

"The songs finally chosen reveal such an energy, that possible smaller mistakes appeared to be totally unimportant for the evaluation. As soon as you have listened to the songs, you will know what I mean, they feel alive", the vocalist continues.

But in the end, the effort was all worth it. Hansi sums up: "There is always something happening at each show, let's call it 'MAGIC', that is giving us all the creeps. We are really satisfied when the people sing with us, have a good time and go back home happy."

Tracklisting:

CD1
“The Ninth Wave”
“Banish From Sanctuary”
“Nightfall”
“Prophecies”
“Tanelorn”
“The Last Candle”
“And Then There Was Silence”

CD2
“The Lord Of The Rings”
“Fly”
“Bright Eyes”
“Lost In The Twilight Hall”
“Imaginations From The Other Side”
“Into The Storm”
“Twilight Of The Gods”
“A Past And Future Secret”
“And The Story Ends”

CD3
“Sacred Worlds”
“The Bard’s Song (In The Forest)”
“Valhalla”
“Wheel Of Time”
“Majesty”
“Mirror Mirror”

According to The Pulse Of Radio, LINKIN PARK landed the sixth No. 1 album of its career on Sunday night (May 28) when the band's seventh full-length studio effort, "One More Light", debuted atop the Billboard 200 album chart. The disc sold 111,000 total copies, of which 100,000 were traditional physical CDs and the rest digital, giving the band its first chart-topper since 2012's "Living Things". The group's last outing, 2014's "The Hunting Party", arrived at No. 3, ending a streak of four straight No. 1s for the Los Angeles act.

With their sixth No. 1 album, LINKIN PARK ties BON JOVI, DAVE MATTHEWS BAND, METALLICA and the EAGLES with half a dozen apiece.

The only acts to have more are THE BEATLES with 19, THE ROLLING STONES with nine and, tied at seven each, LED ZEPPELIN and U2.

"One More Light" arrived in stores on May 19 and featured a sound that veered much more heavily in the direction of pop than previous LINKIN PARK releases. Fan and radio response has ranged from indifference to disbelief.

LINKIN PARK recently announced a North American tour in support of "One More Light", kicking off on July 27 in Boston and ending on October 22 in Los Angeles.

MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil performed with his solo band on May 27 at the Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada as part of Rock The Street, this year's biggest and loudest free concert weekend. Just in time to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of rock's biggest anthem "Girls, Girls, Girls", Neil was the first to take center stage and transform Downtown Las Vegas' 3rd Street with MÖTLEY CRÜE's biggest hits, with opener TODD KERNS & THE ANTI-STARS.

As part of the Downtown Grand's commitment to free live music experiences (which also includes the stages at Freedom Beat, the Grand Casino and Citrus Grand Pool Deck), this first-ever Free Memorial Day Weekend concert event showcased 3rd Street as the resort's newest and largest music venue. Set between the two hotel towers, 3rd Street was transformed by stage, lights and sound and Freedom Beat was serving up the burgers while Hogs & Heifers, Triple George and Pizza Rock ensured that no picnics would be missed. Additionally, craft beers and cocktails were served street-side and the Grand Casino hosted a special Blackjack Tournament where ten lucky rock stars got the chance to play one hand against Neil for a chance to win their share of $5,000 in cash.

MÖTLEY CRÜE called it quits in December 2015 following an eighteen-month tour that saw the group performing to packed houses all over the world.

A tour film about CRÜE's final shows, "The End", came out last fall, and a film adaptation of the band's 2001 autobiography "The Dirt" is still said to be in the works.

Speaking to "Trunk Nation", Eddie Trunk's show on SiriusXM channel Volume (106), Vince acknowledged that he is currently the only member of MÖTLEY CRÜE who is waving the flag for the band's music by performing CRÜE songs as a solo artist.

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

Neil reiterated the fact that he doesn't mind performing in much smaller places with his solo band than he was accustomed to playing with MÖTLEY CRÜE. "I always look at it like the best of both worlds," he explained. "You know, we had the big, giant MÖTLEY stuff and everything, and then you've got… I like going out and playing… We do fifteen-hundred, two-thousand, three-thousand seaters and some festival stuff, and it's fun to go out there and just let the music do the talking, as the song goes. And I don't miss it. I like just going out there and just raw."

Even though Neil's solo set consists exclusively of MÖTLEY CRÜE material, he says that he tries to keep things fresh by occasionally throwing in "deeper" album cuts that many fans wouldn't expect to hear in a live situation.

"Like [the] songs 'Red Hot' and 'Piece Of Your Action', we didn't have [them] in the set for a long time, and then I was, like, 'Yeah, let's just go ahead and let's do this,'" he said. "Then we added 'Red Hot' and we stopped doing it for a while, and then we just added it again."

He continued: "The old songs are… MÖTLEY didn't play all these old songs, and I enjoy singing these old songs, so it's fun for me and it's fun for the band and it's fun for the crowd."

Neil's solo band includes Dana Strum and Jeff Blando from SLAUGHTER, along with drummer Zoltan Chaney.

Fan-filmed video footage of SKID ROW's May 13 performance at Cannery Hotel and Casino in North Las Vegas, Nevada can be seen below.

SKID ROW recently entered the studio to begin recording the final installment of its "United World Rebellion" trilogy of EPs, to be released later in the year. The follow-up to 2014's "Rise Of The Damnation Army - United World Rebellion: Chapter Two" and 2013's "United World Rebellion: Chapter One" will mark the band's first release with the South African-born, British-based vocalist ZP Theart (DRAGONFORCE, TANK, I AM I), who joined SKID ROW in December 2015.

Despite having played sporadic shows with SKID ROW for a year, Theart wasn't officially announced as the band's new frontman until this past January.

Theart said in a statement: "[SKID ROW's] music was the soundtrack to the largest part of my younger years and many a crazy adventure. Now I get the chance to re-live all of them for a hour and a half every night! I am beyond honored to be given this opportunity. Think I'm a bit jealous of my actual self."

Theart's involvement with SKID ROW was exclusively reported by BLABBERMOUTH.NET on December 31, 2015. He stepped into the group following the departure of Tony Harnell, the TNT frontman who joined SKID ROW in April 2015 as the replacement for Johnny Solinger, the band's singer for fifteen years.

SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo told News-Press.com that Theart has been doing a great job on the road. "He's come in," the guitarist said, "and he's a really great source of positive energy. He knew all of our songs coming in, and he knew them well. He started singing the crap out of all of them, and we were all very impressed."

Fan-filmed video footage of DANZIG's performance at this year's edition of the "Blackest Of The Black" festival, which took place May 26-27 at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado, California, can be seen below. The two-day event featured over twenty artists — including MINISTRY, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY — with DANZIG serving as headliner on May 27.

Prior to this year's installment, Danzig had taken the "Blackest Of The Black" tour on the road six times: 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2015. Past outings of the several-band package have included a cross-section of supporting acts, both veteran and up-and-coming groups in the metal underground like SUPERJOINT, TOXIC HOLOCAUST, POSSESSED, BEHEMOTH, MORTIIS, WITHERED, SKELETONWITCH and MOONSPELL, to name a few.

Ahead of the 2017 installment of the "Blackest Of The Black", Danzig told Rolling Stone magazine: "It's going to be insane. I don't think anyone's seen anything like it. You've seen the bands on there; it's not your normal festival. For DANZIG, this is the twenty-fifth anniversary of 'How The Gods Kill', so we're going to be pulling out at least five or six songs from that album — 'Dirty Black Summer', 'Godless', 'Left Hand Black', 'Bodies' or 'How The Gods Kill'. It's gonna be cool. We'll maybe play some new ones. Then we'll play just a bunch of stuff everybody wants to hear."

DANZIG's first album of all-new material since 2010's widely acclaimed "Deth Red Sabaoth", "Black Laden Crown", was released on May 26 via Evilive Records/Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

Masterplan are back with a new CD of re-recorded Helloween classics, featuring songs that the band’s founder, chief songwriter and guitarist, Roland Grapow, performed on during his time with Helloween. The official release date has been bumped to July 28th.

Entitled PumpKings, the album consists of songs originally featured on the Halloween albums Pink Bubbles Go Ape (1991), Chameleon (1993), Master Of The Rings (1994), The Time Of The Oath (1996) and The Dark Ride (2000). PumpKings will be released as a digipak and colored (of course orange) double vinyl in gatefold sleeve. Artwork and tracklisting below.

Tracklisting:

“The Chance”
“Someone's Crying”
“Mankind”
“Step Out Of Hell”
“Mr. Ego”
“Still We Go”
“Escalation 666”
“The Time Of The Oath”
“Music”
“The Dark Ride”

Perra Karlsson (Destroyer 666 & Nominon) is the new drummer in Danish/Swedish cult death metal band Thorium. MHA, founder of Thorium, comments:

"Kræn Meier and I have known Perra since '92 when he was playing in Suffer and always had the deepest respect for him and his drumming. He is a true death metal titan, so it's a great honor to have him join Thorium. We already have 12 songs ready for the next album and can't wait to have'em recorded and hit the road."

The fourth Thorium album, Blasphemy Awakes, will be recorded by Jakob Gundel (Invocator, Black Book Lodge) in September and October this year and is the follow-up to 2008's Feral Creation.

Thorium line-up 2017:

Kræn Meier (ex-Iniquity, Sacrificial) - strings
JP Storm (ex-Dominus) - strings
Perra Karlsson - drums
MHA - vokills

Rounder Records announces the first-ever solo album release from legendary guitarist/vocalist, George Thorogood, titled Party Of One, which will be available worldwide on August 4th, both digitally and at retail stores. The album will feature 15 cuts of traditional blues, classics and modern blues songs, from John Lee Hooker’s “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” to Hank Williams’ “Pictures From Life’s Other Side” and The Rolling Stones’ “No Expectations”. The CD version of the album will also include a Robert Johnson bonus track, “Dynaflow Blues”. Check out an album preview below.

Party Of One was produced by Grammy-winner, Jim Gaines (John Lee Hooker, Luther Allison and Stevie Ray Vaughan), who reunites with Thorogood on the debut solo project, having produced several of Thorogood’s biggest albums to date (Ride ‘Til I Die, The Hard Stuff, The Dirty Dozen). The album’s primarily acoustic instrumentation - including slide, Dobro, and harmonica - is performed entirely by Thorogood, raw and stripped down, with an intimate one-on-one feel.

Says Thorogood: “I think this is a project that’s long overdue. Maybe it should have been the very first album I ever made. After playing with the band for all these years, I had to kind of reverse my hands and my head in order to do this thing justice.” Thorogood continues, “But I think Destroyers fans - and hardcore blues fans, too - are ready for the unexpected. My whole career, I’ve always said, ‘Just give them what you are, and they’re either going to dig it or not.’ This record is what I was, what I am, and what I always will be.”

Party Of One is Thorogood’s return to Rounder Records, the roots label with which he first signed in 1976 to record the three hit albums that launched his recording career, beginning with his debut, George Thorogood And The Destroyers. Says Rounder co-founder, Ken Irwin: “George’s coming back is a nice completing of the circle. This record shows his talent as a storyteller in a very different setting, with all the emotion in his guitar and vocals. It’s a really intimate record, but it’s unmistakably a George Thorogood record, too.”

Co-founder Marian Levy adds, “You’d think it would be almost impossible to recapture, but there’s immediacy to this record that harks back to the radicalism of the early Destroyers. In many ways, I think this record is a summation of George’s career.”

Rounder Music Group Vice President of A&R, Scott Billington, also the album’s executive producer, says: “This wasn’t an easy record for George to make. He had to viscerally reconnect with a time in his life when he was discovering who he was. But as you listen to these songs, you realize that he is, and always has been, an authentic blues player. This album is George Thorogood claiming his legacy.”

Over the course of the last four decades, George Thorogood, with his longtime legendary band, The Destroyers, has sold more than 15 million albums, released 16 studio albums - including six gold and two platinum discs - and performed more than 8,000 live shows. George Thorogood and the Destroyers’ catalog of hits include: “Who Do You Love?”, “I Drink Alone”, “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer”, “Move It On Over”, “Get A Haircut”, and the anthemic, “Bad To The Bone”.

On the album, Thorogood delivers the full spectrum of modern blues masters.

Tracklisting:

“I’m A Steady Rollin’ Man” (Robert Johnson)
“Soft Spot” (Gary Nicholson and Allen Shamblin)
“Tallahassee Women” (John Hammond Jr.)
“Wang Dang Doodle” (Willie Dixon)
“Boogie Chillen” (John Lee Hooker)
“No Expectations” (The Rolling Stones)
“Bad News” (Johnny Cash)
“Down The Highway” (Bob Dylan)
“Got To Move” (Elmore James)
“Born With The Blues” (Brownie McGhee)
“The Sky Is Crying” (Elmore James)
“The Hookers” (If You Miss ‘Im…I got ‘Im) (John Lee Hooker)
“Pictures From Life’s Other Side” (Hank Williams)
“One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” (John Lee Hooker)*
“Dynaflow Blues” (Robert Johnson) - bonus track available on CD version only

* Recorded in 1999 on Rockline and dedicated to the memory of host Bob Coburn.

Upcoming Canadian tour dates:

June
1 - Rama, ON - Casino Rama

 

 

Dark Star Records has announced the signing of Toronto-based theatrical metal band Operus. Operus’ depth comes from the vast musical experience each member brings with them. From extensive studio time to worldwide performances in both metal bands and Symphonic Chamber Orchestras. The combined musical knowledge in Operus comes from decades of intense dedication to music with University and Masters Degrees, Royal Conservatory of Music certifications and the firsthand experience of performing in North America, Europe and Asia. 

Look for the epic new album Cenotaph to be released worldwide on October 13th via Dark Star Records in Association with MVD Entertainment and Sony Music.

Operus is: 

David Michael Moote - Lead Vocals, 
Robin Howe - Cello/Backing Vocals
Rob Holden - Guitar 
Oscar Rangel - Guitar/Backing Vocals/Growls
Wojtek Sokolowski - Bass/Backing Vocals 
J.J. Tartaglia – Drums

Cruz Del Sur Music has inked a recording deal with Indianapolis' Sacred Leather for the release of debut album Ultimate Force. With influences that are surely evident to any heavy metal purist, Sacred Leather's music seems to emerge directly from the early ‘80s, mixing elegant and nostalgic hard rock/ proto metal with the most belligerent side of the traditional NWOBHM sound. The recording of Ultimate Force will start in early September for an expected February 2018 release.

Sacred Leather was created out of necessity, to summon the spirit of the heavy metal forefathers into an age mired in apostasies. Make sure to keep an eye out for the legion of leather. Check out the video for “Prowling Sinner”:

Sacred Leather is:

Wrathchild: vocals
The Devil's Hellion: guitar
The Highway: guitar
Magnus Legrand: bass
Jailhouse: drum

Nuclear Blast has announced the worldwide signing of the Swedish post punk/dark wave band Then Comes Silence. 

Founded in 2012 in Stockholm by singer and main songwriter Alex Svenson, Then Comes Silence have released three albums since and gathered an ever-growing following within the international scene. The band are currently working on their debut for Nuclear Blast which is scheduled for release later in the year.

Today, in celebration of the announcement, the band also releases a brand new song called "The Dead Cry For No One". The track will also be featured on the upcoming album.

Commented Svenson: "My fascination for darkness is a still point of my turning world and influences every tune and word I write. The song 'The Dead Cry For No One' is my way of describing our insignificance and transience versus the self-righteous egos we all carry with us.

We're gravely missing the whole entirety of our existence. It shouldn't be about you and your ego. We are all a part of something big together. When you die someone or something else is given life. Don't repress death. Well, it's easier said than done. I have an ego too shaped by the world I grew up in and live in. Being mindful of it is the first step.

I lost someone very dear to me when I was writing the album. The song helps me through the sorrowful times, but it's not a sentimental tune, instead it's got a pulse. A fist in the air for the dead."

Richmond, Virginia's Municipal Waste barrel back onto the scene with their latest piece of toxic detritus, Slime And Punishment. Their sixth album will be released on June 23rd via Nuclear Blast Records. The band has released the brand new single and title track off the upcoming album. Watch the 360 visualizer for the song below.

Slime And Punishment is the first Waste album to be engineered by bassist Phil "Landphil" Hall at Blaze of Torment Studios in Richmond, VA. Mixing and mastering was completed by Bill Metoyer (Slayer, W.A.S.P., Dark Angel) in Hollywood, CA.

The cover artwork for the sixth album was created by the bands good friend, Andrei Bouzikov. This is the fourth cover he has created for them as he was responsible for the art for Massive Aggressive, The Art Of Partying, and the split with Toxic Holocaust - Toxic Waste.

Tracklisting:

“Breathe Grease”
“Enjoy The Night”
“Dingy Situations”
“Shrednecks”
“Poison The Preacher”
“Bourbon Discipline”
“Parole Violators”
“Slime And Punishment”
“Amateur Sketch”
“Excessive Celebration”
“Low Tolerance”
“Under The Waste Command”
“Death Proof”
“Think Fast”

"Slime And Punishment" video:

“Amateur Sketch”:

The album will be available in the following formats:

- CD Jewel
- Green with Yellow Splatter Vinyl (Limited to 500 worldwide)
- Bottle Green Vinyl (Limited to 2300 worldwide)
- Lunch Box Edition: includes CD jewel + T-shirt + Enamel Pin + Sports Bottle + Metal Lunch Box (Limited to 250 worldwide)
- Green Cassette (Limited to 350 worldwide)

Pre-order Slime And Punishment in the format of your choice here. Order your copy of the album digitally on iTunes and Amazon Music and receive a download for "Amateur Sketch" instantly.

Municipal Waste’s live itinerary can be found here.

Papa Roach are streaming “Sunshine Trailer Park”, the track featuring Machine Gun Kelly, from their new album, Crooked Teeth, out now via Eleven Seven Music. Listen to the song below.

Crooked Teeth is available digitally and physically, as a standard (10 tracks) and deluxe (10 tracks + 3 brand new tracks + 16 live tracks Live at the Fillmore Detroit) editions (see details below).

Crooked Teeth tracklisting:

Standard Edition (Digital, CD, Vinyl)

“Break the Fall”
“Crooked Teeth”
“My Medicationv
“Born for Greatness”
“American Dreams”
“Periscope” (Feat. Skylar Grey)
“Help”
“Sunrise Trailer Park” (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)
“Traumatic”
“None of the Above”

Deluxe Edition (Digital + CD Only)

Disc 1
“Break The Fall”
“Crooked Teeth”
“My Medication”
“Born For Greatness”
“American Dreams”
“Periscope” (Feat. Skylar Grey)
“Help”
“Sunrise Trailer Park” (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)
“Traumatic”
“None Of The Above”
“Richochet” (Bonus track)
“Nothing” (Bonus track)
“Bleeding Through” (Bonus track)

Disc 2
“Intro” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Face Everything And Rise” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Getting Away with Murder” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Between Angels and Insects” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Where Did The Angels Go?” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Broken Home” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Burn” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Forever” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Scars” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Lifeline” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Infest” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Kick In The Teeth” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Broken As Me” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Still Swingin'” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“…To Be Loved” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)
“Last Resort” (Live at Fillmore Detroit)

“Sunrise Trailer Park” (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly):

“None Of The Above” lyric video:

“American Dreams” lyric video:

“Born For Greatness” (lyric video):

“Periscope” (Feat. Skylar Grey):

“Help” lyric video:

“Crooked Teeth” video:

(Photo - Bryson Roatch)

The Bride Said No, the new album from Steve Hackett and Agents Of Mercy vocalist Nad Sylvan, is out today via InsideOut Music. A static video for the album track “What Have You Done” is available for streaming below.

In 2015, Nad Sylvan impressed everyone with his fine conceptual solo album Courting The Widow. A vampiric tale wrapped in a 17th century atmosphere, this definitively marked out the talented Swede as a surging star in the progressive rock world. Now, Sylvan is back with The Bride Said No, an album that continues the fascinating plot, albeit with a far more extravagant musical palette.

“Musically, the previous record was very much located in the 1970s, and you can still hear a little of that here”, comments Sylvan. “But this one is a lot more modern sounding and diverse. In fact, I would say it is closer to musical theatre than anything else.”

Sylvan plays the keyboards and much of the guitar on the album. He recorded in his home studio from September 2016 to January 2017, having spent the previous few months collating the material. But the album does have some special guests appearing throughout including Steve Hackett, Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel), Jonas Reingold (The Flower Kings, Kaipa, Karmakanic), drummer Nick D'Virgilio (Spock’s Beard)! Sylvan is especially proud of collaborating with female vocalists Jade Ell, Tania Doko and Sheona Urquhart. You can hear how this works on both the title track and also “What Have You Done”.

While traces of classic Genesis are partially present in the playful and highly variable arrangements of “The White Crown” or the emotional depth of the magnificent ballad “When The Music Dies”, references to Marillion, Fish solo, and even a bit of funk (“The Quartermaster”) can also be discovered on this versatile sophomore album. The double vinyl includes an etching on Side D as well as the CD as extra.

Tracklisting:

“Bridesmaids”
“The Quartermaster”
“When The Music Dies”
“The White Crown”
“What Have You Done”
“Crime Of Passion”
“A French Kiss In An Italian Cafe”
“The Bride Said No”

“What Have You Done” static video:

Track-by-track Part 1:

Track-by-track Part 2:

“The Quartermaster” video:

Order the album at this location.

Gregg Allman, the legendary singer, songwriter, keyboardist and co-founder of THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, has passed away at age 69. He was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1999 and underwent a liver transplant in 2010.

A statement posted to the singer's official web site reads: "It is with deep sadness that we announce that Gregg Allman, a founding member of THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, passed away peacefully at his home in Savannah, Georgia.

"Gregg struggled with many health issues over the past several years. During that time, Gregg considered being on the road playing music with his brothers and solo band for his beloved fans, essential medicine for his soul. Playing music lifted him up and kept him going during the toughest of times."

Gregg's longtime manager and close friend Michael Lehman said: "I have lost a dear friend and the world has lost a brilliant pioneer in music. He was a kind and gentle soul with the best laugh I ever heard. His love for his family and bandmates was passionate as was the love he had for his extraordinary fans. Gregg was an incredible partner and an even better friend. We will all miss him."

Gregg is survived by his wife, Shannon Allman, his children, Devon, Elijah Blue, Delilah Island Kurtom and Layla Brooklyn Allman; three grandchildren, his niece, Galadrielle Allman, lifelong friend Chank Middleton, and a large extended family.

The family suggests that tributes to Allman can be made to the Gregg Allman Scholarship Fund at The University of Georgia or the Allman/Lehman Endowed Scholarship at Syracuse University.

GUNS N' ROSES paid tribute to Chris Cornell earlier tonight by performing a cover version of SOUNDGARDEN's "Black Hole Sun" at the opening concert of GN'R's European tour at Slane Castle in Meath, Ireland. Fan-filmed video footage of the rendition can be seen below.

"This one's to you, Chris. 'Black Hole Sun' live from Slane Castle," GN'R wrote in a Twitter message shortly after the performance of the "Superunknown" classic.

Over four hundred gardai (Irish police) were reportedly on duty at sold-out show, which was attended by eighty-three thousand fans. There was also an additional one thousand and two hundred private security personnel in attendance, as well as a full medical team of doctors, an on-site hospital and five first aid posts.

According to the Irish Times, "Fans arrived to bag and body searches, followed by ticket checks, more bag searches, more body pat downs, instructions to empty your pockets into clear plastic bags and metal-detector checks. There were also sniffer dogs and a garda presence as well as the civil defence lining the bridge towards the site and water craft patrolling the river."

GUNS N' ROSES beefed up security in the wake of the terrorist attack at pop singer Ariana Grande's show on Monday (May 22) in Manchester, England.

For his first solo album, which came out in 2010, GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash invited many great musicians as guest vocalists, including Cornell, who can be heard on a song called "Promise". Slash later told Music Radar about the track: "Chris was great. 'Promise' was probably the most unorthodox piece of music that I'd written, it was very different. It was one of those things, I don't know why I thought of him for that song more than any of the others, but I sent it to him and within 48 hours he sent me this great lyric and we were off and running. It was as simple as that. Everybody seems to like this one."

Cornell told Classic Rock magazine about Slash: "I met Slash in 1992 when GUNS N' ROSES took SOUNDGARDEN on tour. He was extremely gracious and always very supportive. Often when you tour with a band that are that successful, they treat you like shit. Slash was always a very consistent and amiable person and he is now. And I will say this — and I don't mean this as a slight to him, it's actually a compliment — Slash is the most drunk guitarist I have ever seen play well on stage. I was never able to be that trashed and that good at the same time. That's a part of his consistency: he doesn't drink now and he's still great. That dedication to music is what drives his character."

The SOUNDGARDEN frontman was pronounced dead on May 18 after being found unresponsive in his Detroit hotel room the previous night. The band had played a concert at the Fox Theatre earlier that evening.

A full autopsy and results of toxicology tests are pending, although Cornell's wife has said he may have taken more of an anti-anxiety drug than he was prescribed. His family issued a statement questioning whether his death by hanging was intentional and if "substances contributed to his demise."

Swedish industrial rock band DEATHSTARS has announced the departure of drummer Oscar "Vice" Leander.

Leander, who started in DEATHSTARS as session drummer almost ten years ago became a full member in 2011, will play final last shows with the band in Mexico in July.

"After almost a decade of blood, sweat and darkness with DEATHSTARS, our journey has now come to an end," Leander said in a statement. "My aspiration to explore and to use my instrument in new areas has driven me to this decision.

"I wanna take the opportunity to say thank you to Andreas, Emil, Skinny and Eric for everything, and last but not least an even bigger salute to our crew and all our devoted fans around the planet. You all made this to a ride I will never forget."

Oscar has now joined TRIBULATION and will start playing live shows with them in June.

"We are still the best of friends, and we are pleased to see that Oscar joins our very good friends in TRIBULATION," said DEATHSTARS vocalist Andreas "Whiplasher Bernadotte" Bergh. "We will continue to hang out on a daily basis so on a personal level there isn't much of a change."

DEATHSTARS would like to emphasize that Oscar has been a very important part of the band during a long time and that the band has all the respect for his decision.

"We wish him the best, and we'll continue our journey," said DEATHSTARS bassist Jonas "Skinny Disco" Kangur and guitarist Emil "Nightmare Industries" Nödtveidt. "Right now we're focused on writing new material and start up a new chapter in the book of DEATHSTARS."

DEATHSTARS' fourth studio album, "The Perfect Cult", was released in June 2014 via Nuclear Blast.

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN used their performance in Cardiff on Wednesday night to pay tribute to the people who died in Monday's terrorist attack in Manchester.

While introducing one of the songs from the band's latest album, "The Book Of Souls", MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson told the crowd: "There are various people running around the world at the moment with their fingers on various buttons and all this bullshit. It makes you wonder a little bit as to whether or not we are entirely safe in the hands of lunatics. But regardless of all that, we feel entirely safe in the hands of the eight thousand lunatics here tonight.

"The main fact of life at an IRON MAIDEN show is that we don't care where you're from, we don't care what religion you are, we don't care what color you are and we don't care what you had for breakfast. If you are here tonight, then, frankly, we all come in peace, all right?

"So, with respect to the — I'm only gonna refer to it probably once — the awful shit that happened the other night in Manchester, the biggest response that we can make to the bullshit and the people who want to hate and who want to destroy is to give them back love and joy and rock and roll."

Eariler in the week, IRON MAIDEN issued a statement expressing the band's shock at the Manchester terror attack, but promising fans that their remaining U.K. dates would go ahead.

The legendary heavy metal band has two more shows left on its U.K. tour: at London's O2 Arena on Saturday and Sunday.

The O2 has released a statement advising fans to turn up early. It reads: "Enhanced security is in place for all events. Please head down early and pack light as we only accept small bags into the area.

"Along with everyone else, we are shocked and saddened by the terrible tragedy in Manchester. Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected and their families."

IRON MAIDEN's "The Book Of Souls" world tour will return to North America for an extensive series of arena and amphitheater shows in June and July. Support on the trek will come from GHOST.

WE START WARS, the new all-female group led by Nita Strauss, the Los Angeles-based guitar shredder for the ALICE COOPER band, made its live debut this past Thursday, May 25 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be seen below.

In addition to Nita, WE START WARS features Alicia Vigil (VIGIL OF WAR) on bass, Seana (a.k.a. Shauna Lisse) on vocals, Nicole Papastavrou on guitar, Katt Scarlett (FEMME FATALE) on keyboards and Lindsay Martin on drums.

Asked how WE START WARS came together, Strauss told The Front Row Report at last weekend's Rock On The Range festival in Columbus, Ohio: "WE START WARS, I always say it's the band I've always wanted to be in. When I was a young guitar player starting out, there wasn't really a lot of all-female bands that had a really high level of technique for me to look up to. I love Steve Vai, [Joe] Satriani, DREAM THEATER… That's my stuff, that's what I like to listen to. And the more I started to figure out, there's not a lot of all-female bands that play this kind of stuff, that play technical stuff. There's some incredible all-female bands and I'm not knocking all-girl bands by any stretch of the imagination. But I wanted one that was really technical. I wanted a drummer that plays really fast double bass. I wanted two guitar players that both play solos. I wanted a singer with a big range — which you have… Female bands have great singers. My keyboard player went to Berklee — [she's] an incredible musician. So I really got the full spectrum of great musicianship first and foremost, and that's what I'm really excited to showcase for the fans."

According to Nita, part of the reason she didn't launch WE START WARS earlier is the fact that quality female musicians are hard to come by. "A lot of times [when] I do press, I get this sort of snarky [question from interviewers], 'Well, why did it take you so long to put a band together?'" she said. "And I [usually tell them], 'How many female drummers do you know that live in this small area…?' I mean, I wanted to get local people to L.A., where I live. I didn't wanna bring people in from out of town. I've done it, and I always end up paying for their flight, and I just can't do it. So I really wanted to get local people that could be in a room in rehearsal when I'm gone. 'Cause I'm gone most of the year with Alice. So the girls in my band are super dedicated. They've been in the studio every day… a couple of times a week since I've been on this tour, and they're hitting it hard. So we're ready for the show."

Regarding the band's sound, Papastavrou told Guitar World: "I'd say it's super-melodic metal but also has a little bit of something for everyone. We wanted to broaden our audience — not do anything too aggressive, but there's still a little bit of heaviness in there." Strauss concurred, adding: "There's a lot of crossover appeal. Nicole and I probably have the heaviest influences in the band, but when it comes down to it, we make music a lot of people can enjoy."

WE START WARS' first single, "The Animal Inside", can be streamed below.

Strauss said of the band's name: "A phrase I heard years ago has always stuck with me: 'Some of the greatest wars in history were fought over a beautiful woman.'

"I've always been fascinated by the idea of the female warrior, someone who fights her own battles and doesn't take shit from anyone, and equally fascinated with the concept that a woman's love or defending her honor would be worth so much that people would actually put their own lives and the lives of others at risk over it. The most famous story everyone thinks of first is, of course, 'The face that launched a thousand ships,' Helen of Troy. But there was also Cleopatra and Marc Antony, Attila the Hun's invasion of Rome, Richard the Lionheart rescuing his sister Joan of England during the crusades, General Wu Sangui's betrayal, which led to the downfall of the Ming Dynasty in the 1600s, and the Celts uprising against the Roman Empire in AD 60. The list goes on and on.

"So that's the story behind the name — WE START WARS represents not only the battles that women face in daily life, but also the battles that have followed them throughout history.”




Debut show for We Start Wars at the Whisky

Posted by Peter Zuehlke on Thursday, May 25, 2017



?? Shauna Seana Lisse We Start Wars Whiskey A Go-Go

Posted by Melissa Martin on Thursday, May 25, 2017



DMT out supporting Nita Strauss and We Start Wars at the Whisky A Go-Go in Hollywood!

Posted by DMT on Thursday, May 25, 2017

"The Carrion Eaters", the new video from death metal veterans BROKEN HOPE, can be seen below. The clip, directed by Maciej Pieloch, executes sumptuous gluttony digested in savage death metal as it reveals the twisted feeding rituals of cadaver craving subhumans.

"I'm really proud of 'The Carrion Eaters'. It's super-sick and catchy and rotten to the gore!" says BROKEN HOPE guitarist Jeremy Wagner.

"The Carrion Eaters" is taken from BROKEN HOPE's new album, "Mutilated And Assimilated", which will be released on June 23 via Century Media Records. Produced by Scott Creekmore, available formats include a limited-edition CD+DVD digipak in North America and in a special edition CD+DVD digipak in Europe; as well as digital and streaming versions available on all the major outlets worldwide.

"Mutilated and Assimilated" track listing:

01. The Meek Shall Inherit Shit (02:48)02. The Bunker (03:28)03. Mutilated And Assimilated (03:31)04. Outback Incest Clan (02:31)05. Malicious Meatholes (03:50)06. Blast Frozen (01:58)07. The Necropants (03:14)08. The Carrion Eaters (03:07)09. Russian Sleep Experiment (03:15)10. Hell's Handpuppets (02:48)11. Beneath Antarctic Ice (01:25)12. Swamped-In Gorehog (06:21)

The "Mutilated and Assimilated" artwork was created by Wes Benscoter and can be seen below.

BROKEN HOPE in 2015 overhauled its lineup by adding bassist Diego Soria (DISGORGE) and guitarist Matt Szlachta (DIRGE WITHIN, CHIMAIRA).

BROKEN HOPE is:

Damian Leski - VocalsJeremy Wagner - GuitarsMike Miczek - DrumsMatt Szlachta - Lead GuitarsDiego Soria – Bass Regarding the follow-up to 2013's "Omen Of Disease", Wagner said: "BROKEN HOPE studio album number seven?! Un-fucking-believable! I'm floored at how amazing our new album turned out. The songs are relentless and violent and dark and heavy — and all from a fresh and ferocious place we haven't shared before. Moreover, thanks to my new studio and the stellar work of engineering/producing Jedi — Scott Creekmore — the production is on a sonic level like we've never had in our career.

"For me personally, I feel 'Mutilated And Assimilated' is my own finest hour as a guitarist and lyricist since I formed this band as teenager. I've never felt this inspired before. The album has my strongest riffage to date, it also has Leski riffage on a few songs, it has my best friends on it, and in a crazy twist, I used Jeff Hanneman's guitars to write the album with and used them to track with in honor of his influence on myself and the world of metal."