Catfight Coffee, which is co-owned by guitarist Acey Slade (MURDERDOLLS, MISFITS),has announced an exclusive contest in collaboration with the legendary band MASTODON, offering fans a chance to win an incredible prize pack. The contest celebrates the launch of MASTODON's Single Origin Sumatra coffee Leviathan, a must-have for both coffee aficionados and metal enthusiasts.

Contest details: Fans can enter the contest by purchasing one of the following products:

Single Origin Sumatra Coffee Bag: Each purchase grants one entry into the contest.

Limited Edition Coffee Can: Each purchase grants two entries into the contest.

Prizes include:

* A signed MASTODON drumhead
* A MASTODON tee shirt
* Additional exclusive merchandise

The winner will be chosen at random, ensuring everyone has a fair shot at winning. The winner will be picked on September 1.

About the coffee: MASTODON's Single Origin Sumatra coffee is a reflection of the band's meticulous taste and dedication to quality. The band personally selected the origin and varietal, resulting in a coffee that embodies their unique spirit. This full city medium dark roast is wet-processed and hails from the Kerinci area of Sumatra, grown at elevations between 1600 and 1800 meters. The coffee's robust flavor profile is both bold and smooth, making it a perfect choice for those who appreciate a rich, full-bodied cup.

This is a unique opportunity for fans to own a piece of MASTODON memorabilia while enjoying the rich flavors of the band's custom coffee blend. The contest is open to participants nationwide.

Catfight Coffee is renowned for its high-quality, ethically sourced coffee blends that cater to the tastes of the discerning coffee drinker. Partnering with iconic bands like MASTODON, Catfight Coffee combines a passion for music and coffee to create unique, memorable experiences for fans.

MASTODON is a Grammy Award-winning American heavy metal band known for their innovative sound and dynamic live performances. With a dedicated fan base and a string of critically acclaimed albums, MASTODON continues to push the boundaries of metal music.

EXODUS singer Steve "Zetro" Souza joined ARMORED SAINT on stage this past Sunday (August 4) at the Rockstadt Extreme Fest in Râșnov, Romania to perform the song "Can U Deliver". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

Two months ago, ARMORED SAINT released a rendition of "One Chain (Don't Make No Prison)". The classic track was originally written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter and was first released by PEOPLE in 1970. Additional covers include THE FOUR TOPS (1974),SANTANA (1978) and THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (1989).

"One Chain (Don't Make No Prison)" was produced by Joey Vera, mixed by Jay Ruston and mastered by Maor Applebaum.

More than a year ago, ARMORED SAINT's long-awaited documentary, Armored Saint: Band Of Brothers", had its world premiere in the band's hometown at the Harmony Gold Theatre in Hollywood, California.

ARMORED SAINT's eighth full-length album, "Punching The Sky", came out in October 2020 via Metal Blade Records.

ARMORED SAINT released the "Symbol Of Salvation Live" CD/DVD in 2021 via Metal Blade Records. The release came in celebration of the seminal album's 30th anniversary. "Symbol Of Salvation Live" was a combination live album and video of the band playing the album in its entirety at New York City's famed Gramercy Theatre during its 2018 tour.

ARMORED SAINT recently wrapped up a successful North American tour with QUEENSRŸCHE and is currently working on music for its upcoming full-length album.

In July, the band returned to European stages for a 16-date run of shows, which includes appearances at Headbangers Open Air, Wacken Open Air, Fezen, Brutal Assault and more.
.@rockstadtfest was amazing, our first time playing Romania!

ZETRO of @ExodusAttack came up and sang “Can U Deliver” with us during our set!

Exodus, Lacuna Coil & KKs Priest also crushed it!https://t.co/YXN0ySv6hRpic.twitter.com/1Ojl0A2Gmc

— Armored Saint (@thearmoredsaint) August 6, 2024

Inside The Trojan Horse finds Jibe lead singer and solo artist Joe Grah joining forces with his long-time friend and collaborator Charles Lee Salvaggio (Gemini Syndrome guitarist and Filter/Theory Of A Deadman bassist) and Pat Gerasia, drummer from Red Sun Rising and The Violent. The trio makes their official debut with the gritty, self-produced “Burn,” which takes listeners on an unruly mission to reclaim the lost. Fueled by intricate drums and layered with heavy, ethereal guitars and driving bass, “Burn” sets the bar high for what’s to come from the new group. 


BraveWords is premiering the music video for the debut single – watch below!







The band comments on “Burn”:


“We've been working on this material for quite some time now as we grind through the trials and tribulations of finding our way through it all. The feeling is unreal in the sense that it's happening. This music means everything to us and has taken over our lives, pulling us through the wringer, squeezing out every last drop, all while reflecting some of our most intense and revealing moments. With Burn's birthday finally upon us, we are so proud and grateful to release this beautiful child into your arms and ears. Thank you so much for sharing this experience with us.”


“Burn” was self-produced and was mixed by Evan Rodinache (Lacey Sturm/Flyleaf, Escape The Fate, Powerman 5000).





Joe and Charles initially met while working in the Island Def Jam group Loser featuring current Motley Crüe guitarist John 5. Over several years, in between projects, the pair wrote and recorded dozens of songs, ultimately developing a unique and heavy sound unlike any other. In search of a powerful and articulate drummer to complete the group, they enlisted Pat. 


Together, the trio has recorded a series of songs with music coming out throughout the remainder of the year and more to come in 2025. When performing live, the members of Inside The Trojan Horse have chosen a character to represent themselves in a way that highlights the music and message first by performing with balaclava masks and monikers with Joe as NoOne, Charles as NoThing, and Pat as NoBody.


(Photo: Robert Brunswich)

At last weekend's Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany, OPETH guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt and guitarist Fredrik Åkesson spoke to Marcus Schleutermann of EMP about the band's upcoming album, "The Last Will And Testament", which will arrive on October 11 via Reigning Phoenix Music/Moderbolaget. Mikael said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We recorded [it] in February, I think." Fredrik added: "I'm really happy with it. We recorded once again at Rockfield in Wales. So this is the third time we went to Rockfield. I would say it's different from every other album. Definitely."

Asked how "The Last Will And Testament" is different from other OPETH albums, Mikael said: "I don't know. It's weird. That's not really different for us, I guess. But I'm doing some of the screams again, which I haven't done for a long time. And there's some guests on there. Ian Anderson from JETHRO TULL is on there doing spoken word and playing flute. And Joey Tempest [of EUROPE] is on it. But, yeah, it's a concept record. Somebody said it sounds claustrophobic. It's a claustrophobic-sounding record. And there's a lot of ideas. It's a restless record. There's not meandering stuff happening all the time. Even I don't really know the songs yet. But, of course, I would say that, but I think it's good — it's a good record."

Regarding Joey's contributions to "The Last Will And Testament", Mikael said: "Tempest doesn't sound like Tempest on [EUROPE's biggest hit] 'The Final Countdown'. I had him over at my house. I asked him, 'Could you sing a few lines?' 'Let's push the record button,' he said. At the time I didn't have the lyrics ready, so I was, like, 'I'm sorry. I have to record it from somewhere else.' But he's really going for it. He sounds amazing. I mean, I'm a big EUROPE fan, being Swedish. I love them. And I think for him to be on this record, it's a bit different by his standards because it doesn't really sound like a EUROPE record at all."

Asked if he and Joey are friends, Mikael said: "I guess. I guess we're friends. Yeah. He sent me a text one day. It's, like, 'What's up?' And I was, like, 'Hey, Joey Tempest.' And we met at festivals, and he invited me over to his house. I mean, we know the EUROPE guys. Fredrik, one of his best friends is [John] Norum, the [EUROPE] guitar player. So, we're good friends with the whole band. But, yeah, Joey Tempest, we hang out every now and then."

On the possibility of a OPETH/EUROPE joint tour, Mikael said: "We talked about it, but it's hard to know… Ultimately, we make the calls for who we gonna tour with. For instance, we gonna tour in North America soon with TRIBULATION, and they're friends. And then we're going to tour in Europe with GRAND MAGUS, which is also friends. And EUROPE, we have talked about touring together, but it's hard to know if people like that package or not. I'm not sure… I think [EUROPE] would have to play after us then, because you don't want to go up after 'The Final Countdown'."

Asked if the songs on "The Last Will And Testament" all stand on their own or if they are all connected in some way, Mikael said: "They are connected lyrically, but also to a certain extent that one song bleeds into the other, which I always liked anyways. It's basically the reading of a testament. So it's like paragraphs. There are no real songtitles on there. It's a bit odd by our standards even. But you could, of course, extract any song from — we don't have to play the whole record."

OPETH's fourteenth album was written by Åkerfeldt, with lyrics conferred with Klara Rönnqvist Fors (THE HEARD, ex-CRUCIFIED BARBARA). "The Last Will And Testament" was co-produced by Åkerfeldt and Stefan Boman (GHOST, THE HELLACOPTERS),engineered by Boman, Joe Jones (KILLING JOKE, ROBERT PLANT) and OPETH, with Boman, Åkerfeldt and the rest of OPETH mixing at Atlantis and Hammerthorpe Studios in Stockholm. The strings on "The Last Will And Testament" were arranged by Åkerfeldt and returning prog friend Dave Stewart (EGG, KHAN) and conducted by Stewart at Angel Studios in London. Not one to miss a beat, visual artist Travis Smith returns to the fold, crafting his 11th cover, a haunting "photograph" reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's infamous "Overlook Hotel" photograph. Miles Showell (ABBA, QUEEN) also revisits mastering and vinyl lacquer cutting at Abbey Road Studios in London.

Åkerfeldt rolls out the red carpet for storied flautist and JETHRO TULL mainman Ian Anderson. Not only do Anderson's signature notes fly on "§4" and "§7", he narrates on "§1", "§2", "§4", and "§7". Joining Anderson, EUROPE's Joey Tempest lends a backing vocal hand on "§2", while Åkerfeldt's youngest daughter, Mirjam Åkerfeldt, is the disembodied voice in "§1".

"The Last Will And Testament" is a concept album set in the post-World War I era, unfolding the story of a wealthy, conservative patriarch whose last will and testament reveals shocking family secrets. The narrative weaves through the patriarch's confessions, the reactions of his twin children, and the mysterious presence of a polio-ridden girl who the family have taken care of. The album begins with the reading of the father's will in his mansion. Among those in attendance is a young girl, who, despite being an orphan and polio-ridden, has been raised by the family. Her presence at the will reading raises suspicions and questions among the twins.

"The Last Will And Testament" is the darkest and heaviest record OPETH has made in decades, and it is also the band's most fearlessly progressive. A concept album recounting the reading of one recently deceased man's will to an audience of his surviving family members, it brims with haunting melodrama, shocking revelations and some of the wildest and most unpredictable music that Åkerfeldt has ever written.

The follow-up to 2019's widely acclaimed "In Cauda Venenum", "The Last Will And Testament" is set in the shadowy, sepia-stained 1920s. It slowly reveals its secrets like some classic thriller from the distant, cobwebbed past, with each successive song shining more light on the stated machinations of our dead (but definitely not harmless) protagonist. The emotional chaos of the story is perfectly matched by OPETH's vivid but claustrophobic soundtrack, which artfully winds its way towards a crestfallen but sumptuous finale. Masters of their own idiosyncratic musical domain, OPETH have never sounded more unique.

"The Last Will And Testament" is destined to be a milestone in OPETH's illustrious recorded history. The band's first out-and-out concept record, it features guest cameos from JETHRO TULL legend Ian Anderson and Joey Tempest, frontman with Swedish rock gods EUROPE. Only one of the album's eight songs has a title: closing ballad "A Story Never Told". The rest are simply labeled as numbered chapters in this slowly unfolding saga of deceit, recrimination and betrayal. Enigmatic, unsettling and immersive, "The Last Will And Testament" is a turbulent, prog metal tale like no other.

Making his recorded debut alongside OPETH's long-established lineup of Mikael Åkerfeldt, guitarist Fredrik Åkesson, bassist Martin Mendez and keyboard maestro Joakim Svalberg on "The Last Will And Testament" is new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen, who joined the band in 2022.

OPETH will embark on a North American tour this fall. The trek, which will kick off on October 11 in Milwaukee, includes stops in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, New Orleans, Austin, Denver and more.

Cleveland, Ohio-based masked metal masters MUSHROOMHEAD have released the official visualizer for their latest single, "We Don't Care". The track is taken from MUSHROOMHEAD's upcoming ninth album, "Call The Devil", due out August 9 via Napalm Records. 30 years into their groundbreaking history, the band shows no signs of slowing down, proving innovative without losing sight of their trademark sound and imagery.

Returning after a 12-year hiatus, longtime guitarist Dave "Gravy" Felton — who performed on several of the band's biggest albums and is credited as a primary songwriter on classic anthems like "Along The Way", "Sun Doesn't Rise" and "The Dream Is Over" — contributes his trademark skills to two "Call The Devil" album tracks. The album once again features production by band mastermind/drummer Steve "Skinny" Felton, as well as the return of Matt Wallace (FAITH NO MORE, 3 DOORS DOWN) on mixing, also recognized for his work on MUSHROOMHEAD's iconic album "XIII". The album is also the band's first to feature mastering from Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, EPICA, ARCH ENEMY).

MUSHROOMHEAD's "Fall In Line" music video offered a first-person look at the band's new masks, featuring design elements and sculpting by Jordan Patton and guitarist Joe Gall. The track pummels with electro-industrial injections and spine-tingling keys, boasting a twisting vocal attack balancing both brutal and melodic sounds from vocalists Scott Beck and Jackie LaPonza.

Steve "Skinny" Felton said about "Fall In Line": "One of my favorite things about the 'Fall In Line' video is the use of the color red. It's a powerful and emotional color palette. 'Fall In Line' was actually the last song we recorded for the LP. It came together really fast. Upbeat, aggressive and fun."

Resulting in debuts at No. 2 on the U.S. Current Hard Music Albums chart and No. 8 on the Current Rock Albums chart, and with the unveiling of the band's first woman vocalist, Jackie LaPonza, MUSHROOMHEAD introduced a whole new slew of accessible, hard-hitting anthems on the "artistic breakthrough" (Loudwire),"A Wonderful Life", and have only aimed to expand on it with their ninth auditory onslaught.

Bursting with ominous intensity, album opener "Eye To Eye" launches with warning sirens and a grooving riff provided by Gravy, proving the band wastes zero time with filler on "Call The Devil". Eclectic tracks like the emotive, surprisingly jazzy anthem "Emptiness", dramatic carnival creeper "UIOP (A Final Reprieve)" and haunting "Hallelucination" showcase the more experimental side of MUSHROOMHEAD, while heavy burners such as the gripping "Prepackaged", charging and melodic "Hideous" and aggressive drum-forward "Torn In Two" cement the band's lauded metal renown. Featuring guitar work and writing from Gravy, the winding, dark "We Don't Care" proves to be a future live favorite with its chanting chorus and earworm hook as vocalists Steve Rauckhorst and Jackie LaPonza split leadership duties. "Call The Devil" brings the cinematic, signature style of musical mastermind and bassist/keyboardist Ryan "Dr. F" Farrell to the forefront, exploring piano-driven balladic auras and compelling with eerily Vaudevillian three-part vocal achievements on songs like "Decomposition", "Grand Gesture" and "Shame In A Basket", eventually veering into welcomed bizarre territory with album closer "Doom Goose".

Steve "Skinny" Felton said about the album title: "We played around with a few different album titles, and apparently 'Shout At The Devil' was already taken... so we figured we'd just try calling."

"Call The Devil" track listing:

01. Eye To Eye
02. Fall In Line
03. Emptiness
04. We Don't Care
05. UIOP (A Final Reprieve)
06. Prepackaged
07. Decomposition
08. Grand Gesture
09. Hallelucination
10. Hideous
11. Torn In Two
12. Shame In A Basket
13. Doom Goose

MUSHROOMHEAD is:

Steve Rauckhorst - Vocals
Scott Beck - Vocals
Jackie LaPonza - Vocals
Dave Felton - Guitar
Joe Gall - Guitar
Ryan Farrell - Guitar, Bass, Keys
Aydin Kerr - Drums, Percussion
Robert Godsey - Drums, Percussion
Steve Felton - Drums, Percussion, Keys, Vocals

In a recent interview with Belgian Jasper, Steve "Skinny" Felton spoke about the countless lineup changes MUSHROOMHEAD has gone through since its formation more than three decades ago. Asked if it is difficult finding members who are the right fit musically as well as on an artistic level, he responded: "I think when you're with the right creative people and there's a very similar mindset, and being very collaborative and open to critiquing and just hearing other people's ideas through, there's a bit of a balancing act, for sure; it's not always easy. But there's also an excitement. New blood brings new character to the table in many respects, and sometimes you don't know what you're going to get. So I think that is a little intriguing to me personally, especially in the artist realm. It's almost like stepping out of your comfort zone into the unknown. And you end up with something that you never thought you would or never really imagined before. So, it's a yin-yang type of thing, man… It's difficult, and if you have the patience and you have the like mindset with the people you're collaborating with, man, you can come up with some things that you never dreamed of."

Felton also addressed MUSHROOMHEAD's musical evolution and how it has been affected by the constant changes in personnel over the years. He said: "Well, I definitely think it definitely keeps it surprising because we don't even know what's gonna happen sometimes. There is the fear of that probably with many artists, that you get stale working with the same people, being, like I said, in your comfort zone. Getting out of your comfort zone to the point of you don't even know if it's gonna be anywhere near what you had before, sometimes that's scary for artists So, again, it is a difficult balance, for sure."

Referencing "Call The Devil", he said: "This is album number nine. And if people have like a good grasp on what we've done, and if you even are kind of new to it, if you looked at it almost more of like art and cinema than a traditional band and think of, like, say, Quentin Tarantino and all his movies, you know what kind of world you're getting into. And a lot of times it's the same actors and a lot of times it's the same style of movies, as far as there's gonna be comedy, there's gonna be drama, there's gonna be violence. You know what kind of world you're getting into, even if you don't know the exact characters. And he brings back a lot of the same people in different roles and same crew people, same cinematographers. So if you think in that kind of regard, that's kind of like a different way to look at what MUSHROOMHEAD does."

Photo credit: SK1

U.S. black metal pioneers NACHTMYSTIUM have released the first single, "Predator Phoenix", from their forthcoming ninth full-length album, "Blight Privilege". The LP will be made available on November 1, 2024 via Lupus Lounge.

NACHTMYSTIUM mastermind Blake Judd comments: "The pandemic, along with the many insane riots during 2020 opened my eyes. I thought, as a canceled person with nothing to lose, I'll point out things with fearlessness and total conviction. It was that which this track became the point of origin."

"Blight Privilege" track listing:

01. Survivors Remorse
02. Predator Phoenix
03. A Slow Decay
04. Conquistador
05. Blind Spot
06. The Arduous March
07. Blight Privilege

NACHTMYSTIUM is back! And after all that was said and done, Judd, a.k.a. Azentrius, is still standing. Not only that, but Judd has clawed himself back from the abyss of a most extreme life imaginable to a much more quiet, observant and matured artist and person.

His return will not be met with universal applause — even from the black metal scene. For anybody following the tumultuous career of Blake Judd and his pioneering band that has pushed the borders of their genre into new territories, this comes hardly as a surprise.

With their ninth studio album "Blight Privilege", NACHTMYSTIUM are once again presenting a masterpiece that can even compete with the trilogy of albums that many view as the peak of the earlier career of the American black metal (USBM) trailblazers: "Instinct: Decay" (2006),"Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. I" (2008) and "Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. II" (2010). Like an infernal sniper, every song on "Blight Privilege" hits straight on target. All the darkest elements, required and longed for, are there: harsh, rasping vocals, the fierce hum and whirr of guitars burning with an ice cold fire, moments of ecstatic and exalted beauty in hellish soundscapes. Yet there are still those fine details that the musically well-versed Judd has always cunningly hidden in the general sonic onslaught such as post-punk and wave elements, and now even a knife-tip of outlaw country.

"Blight Privilege" connects NACHTMYSTIUM to its glory days — not as a nostalgic reminiscence but as a forward-looking continuation and next evolutionary step. If anything, this ninth album is marked by a maturity derived from experience and learning. Judd's often diabolically catchy tunes are sharper than ever and have lost none of their bite. This might be due to the fact that it is the first album of the USBM spearheads which Judd composed in a fully sober state.

Blake Judd has been open about his drug addiction. With "Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. II" the artist spelled it out clearly. This album came out in 2010 when NACHTMYSTIUM had already hit an artistic high. The Americans scored high praise in the international metal press. This opened the doors to the influential and prestigious festivals such as Inferno in Oslo, Norway and Roadburn in Tilburg, the Netherlands for them. Yet the cracks were beginning to show. The band was often plagued by internal trouble and lineup changes. Friendships, business, relations with fans, trust, and money also went down. People got burned, people got hurt, and few cared to ask themselves about their own role when dealing with someone who is suffering from addiction.

Blake Judd survived all of this, and kept coming back. Every downfall and relapse was countered by a fierce will to claw himself out of the hole again. Releases followed on announcements that the band was dead. The EP "Resilient" (2018) being the latest of these. Having gone through the crucible of sobriety and the pandemic, Judd added an element to NACHTMYSTIUM that he previously took great pains to stay in a safe distance away from: politics.

The album's title "Blight Privilege" is a deliberate and obvious take on the concept of "white privilege". Coming from rural America and in Judd's case the Midwestern regions in particular, this slogan has a different ring than in the big cities. As the artist explains: "There are large sections of this country where impoverished whites are just as poor as impoverished black or brown or whatever color of skin you care to name. Poverty affects all people and all places in the same way. For many of these poor, the notion of 'white privilege' causes people to hate one another, instead of the billionaire pigs that are orchestrating the multitude of crisis' at hand."

The first half of the album is a somewhat unexpected reaction to the current affairs of the last five years. It's a warning to get prepared to live a different life in a different world and the coming fight to determine what that world will look like. What it is not, is taking any side on the partisan spectrum. The other half of the album is unrelated to this and describes Judd's life of the last decade, which includes his coming off the streets.

With "Blight Privilege", NACHTMYSTIUM demand the throne of USBM back. This album clearly has the musical force and lyrical daring to do give credit to this claim. Love it or hate it, NACHTMYSTIUM have set a tall milestone with "Blight Privilege".

Lineup:

Blake Judd - vocals, guitars, keyboards, all compositions, lyrics

Guest contributions

Matt Thomas - console steel guitar, additional guitar solos
Ken Sorceron - bass guitar
Francesco Miatto - drums
Andrew Marksuzewski - about half of the lyrics

Symphonic metal veterans NIGHTWISH have released "The Day Of...", the second single from their upcoming album, "Yesterwynde", due on September 20, 2024 via Nuclear Blast. It marks the band's tenth studio LP, following on from the release of "Human. :II: Nature." in 2020.

NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen told Kerrang! magazine about the first single from "Yesterwynde", a song called "Perfume Of The Timeless": "When we had the first meeting with Nuclear Blast, talking about the new album and singles, I told them the first single will be a song called 'Perfume Of The Timeless' and it's eight and a half minutes long and the chorus comes in at 3:30. And they were, like, 'Perfect!' I think that has to do with the fact that we have a long legacy. You know, we can do whatever we want, and I do, but it says something that we can do that, when I heard that for Spotify it's good to have the vocals start after 15 seconds, or people skip it; they don't have the attention span anymore."

Asked if he had to adjust his writing style because "Yesterwynde" marks NIGHTWISH's first album since 2002's "Century Child" without bassist/vocalist Marko Hietala, Tuomas said: "No, it doesn't really change anything, except that now we had two voices instead of three, only Floor [Jansen, lead singer] and Troy. But that's it — it really didn't change much at all. And Jukka [Koskinen], the new bass player, is such a grounding personality that it's so easy to work with him. And his bass playing skills are tremendous, quite different from how Marko played the bass, which also brought a new spice into the music. So nothing but positive things to say about it all.

"There are many bands in the world that don't have a single original member anymore," he continued. "And I think it comes down to the fact that if the music is good, then that’s all that matters, in the end. Maybe for some people, certain bands are so holy that they can stand if they don't have certain members in it, even though the music would be good, but I don't really think like that. I just listen to the music, not the personnel behind it. That's all that matters to me."

Holopainen also addressed the fact that NIGHTWISH has no plans yet to tour in support of "Yesterwynde". The band previously explained that the reasons for the touring break were "personal" but unrelated to Jansen's then-pregnancy. (Jansen gave birth to her second child in October 2023.) Asked if it feels weird to be talking about an album that, for the first time, he won't be supporting on the road, Tuomas said: "No, it doesn't feel weird. It just feels right. But people shouldn't get worried. It's not the end of the band. We just signed a multi-record deal with Nuclear Blast, so there will be more music coming, definitely. But as far as shows, we're just gonna have a long breather now and see what happens. That's all I can say at the moment. We got our fair share in 2022 and 2023 when we did a lot of shows. So that helped."

"Yesterwynde" track listing:

01. Yesterwynde
02. An Ocean Of Strange Islands
03. The Antikythera Mechanism
04. The Day Of...
05. Perfume Of The Timeless
06. Sway
07. The Children Of 'Ata
08. Something Whispered Follow Me
09. Spider Silk
10. Hiraeth
11. The Weave
12. Lanternlight

In a press release, Holopainen stated about "Perfume Of The Timeless": "You are the result of an unbroken chain of millions of ancestors and their loves. 'Perfume Of The Timeless' reminds us all of this amazing fact. And if you're not amazed, listen to it again, because it's important."

In January, NIGHTWISH drummer Kai Hahto spoke about the band's upcoming follow-up to 2020's "Human. :II: Nature." album in an interview with Laureline Tilkin of Tuonela Magazine. He said: "At least it's not gonna be the same as 'Human. :II: Nature.', so… Probably, let's say that we go back to more heavy, heavier things on the new album, but also there's a lot of, again, new winds to blow, so to speak. So, different new elements. But, of course, it's still NIGHTWISH, but, of course, we brought back the big symphony orchestra again to the new upcoming tenth album. Yeah, it's gonna be exciting. And quite challenging music to play as well."

Earlier in January, Hahto told Chaoszine that "it look[ed] like" NIGHTWISH wouldn't play any shows in the next two or three years.

In December 2022, Holopainen said NIGHTWISH's upcoming follow-up to "Human. :II: Nature." would be the third part of a trilogy that began with 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" album. He told Metal Hammer: "I immediately knew after getting that album ['Endless Forms Most Beautiful'] done that, 'Okay, we have to do more songs about this, because there's so much more to explore and tell the world. We're not done with this.' And the same thing happened after 'Human. :II: Nature.'; we're still not done. So let's do one more. At least one more.

"In a way, [the next album] is the third part of a trilogy, which started with 'Endless Forms…' and then 'Human. :II: Nature.' There are some major surprises there again, but it feels like a natural continuation to 'Human. :II: Nature.'"

In September 2022, Tuomas was asked if NIGHTWISH's upcoming LP will once again be an exploration of evolutionary science, as was the case with the previous two releases. Tuomas said: "Yes and no. It sails on the same waters, but there's some new surprises there as well."

In August 2022, Tuomas told Rock Sverige that he spent "about a year" working on the music and lyrics for the next NIGHTWISH album.

Asked if he got any kind of inspiration from the pandemic, Tuomas said: "Yeah, lyrically there's a couple of things that reflects the pandemic, but not in the way you would expect."

"Human. :II: Nature." was released in April 2020. The follow-up to 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" was a double album containing nine tracks on the main CD and one long track, divided into eight chapters, on CD 2.

In August 2022, NIGHTWISH announced the addition of Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN) as an official member of the band. Koskinen, who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH in May 2021 at the band's two interactive experiences, had spent the previous year touring with NIGHTWISH as a session musician.

In November 2022, Jansen revealed that she was "cancer free" after undergoing surgery to have a tumor removed following a breast cancer diagnosis.

Photo credit: Tim Tronckoe (courtesy of Nuclear Blast)

Emerging metallic hardcore outfit MANY EYES, fronted by ex-EVERY TIME I DIE vocalist Keith Buckley, will release its debut album, "The Light Age", on September 6 via Perseverance Media Group. In celebration, the newcomers are now unleashing the latest single, "Harbinger", along with a lyric video. Check it out below.

Buckley comments: "'Harbinger' feels like the end of the world is suddenly happening, so that's what the lyrics are about."

The cover artwork for "The Light Age" was directed and designed by Nick Steinhardt and Ryan Sanders for 23in.

"The Light Age" track listing:

01. Revelation
02. Future Proof
03. Mystic Cord
04. Third
05. Harbinger
06. Speechless
07. Servant
08. Amateurs
09. Enough
10. The Rainbow

MANY EYES has previously revealed a run of headlining performances in conjunction with their upcoming tour in support of SUM 41 as well as three very special album-release shows.

MANY EYES began in the winter of 2022 when Buckley connected with brothers Nick (producer/owner of Dexter's Lab Recording) and Charlie Bellmore (CORPSEGRINDER, TOXIC HOLOCAUST) through their mutual friend, Jamey Jasta, frontman for metal legends HATEBREED. "The Light Age" was written and recorded over a few weeks in both Buffalo, New York and Milford, Connecticut, where the members reside. Taking cues from the grunge rock and hardcore of the 1990s that was so influential to them growing up, the members of MANY EYES skillfully blend chaos with melody.

MANY EYES' live performances, including their tour with post-hardcore icons THURSDAY, have demonstrated their ability to deliver high-energy shows with precision and emotion. With Craig Vittorio now on guitar and Sean Vallie on bass, alongside Nick Bellmore's powerful drumming and Buckley's commanding vocals, the band remains focused on pushing forward and exploring new creative horizons.

As they embark on the next phase of their journey, MANY EYES remains committed to their core ethos — creating music that resonates deeply with listeners, blending raw power with melodic depth, and continually evolving as artists. The future looks bright as they continue to chart their path forward.

"This is an expression of who I am," Buckley proclaimed. "I'm letting the music do the talking. I really trusted my collaborators. I'm not interested in being known as a frontman. I just want to be another part of the band who uses his own instrument to complete the picture. that's what I'm doing with MANY EYES."

A long and winding road brought Buckley to MANY EYES. the Buffalo native has fronted metalcore stalwarts EVERY TIME I DIE as well as THE DAMNED THINGS (featuring Scott Ian of ANTHRAX and Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley of FALL OUT BOY),and lent his instantly recognizable vocals to everyone from KNOCKED LOOSE to SEEYOUSPACECOWBOY and SAY ANYTHING, played countless shows, and even penned two books.

In 2021, after fronting EVERY TIME I DIE for over two decades, he reached an impasse and needed to make a change. focusing on his mental health, he chose sobriety, spent a month in a recovery facility "to learn how to live soberly," and reorganized his priorities as a father and husband.

Ultimately, he gained new perspective all around.

"After the pandemic, I realized I had made a lot of really bad decisions in life, and I was reaping what I had sown," he admits. "There was no meaning anymore. So, I vowed to do things differently. I started getting sober. When you do, most of your relationships based on alcohol go away. My current wife and my daughter were my entire support system. During that time, i didn't think about music at all."

That's until Jasta reached out. He suggested Keith consider working with Charlie and Nick Bellmore. "It was wonderful to hear a friendly voice say, 'Hey, this could be good for you,'" he elaborated. "I just got in my car and drove to Connecticut. They showed me what they were working on, and the music was exactly what I wanted — while their trust and patience were exactly what I needed."

As it turns out, the three musicians bonded over a shared deep-seated appreciation for nineties hard rock and alternative, including SOUNDGARDEN, ALICE IN CHAINS, NIRVANA, PEARL JAM and JANE'S ADDICTION. Locking into a groove, they struck a delicate balance between pit-splitting intensity and arresting infectiousness with brothers Charlie playing guitar, Nick playing bass/drums and also producing the new music, while Jamey Jasta took on the role of executive producer.

"I was super excited to fully incorporate huge hooks into devastating mosh riffs," he grinned. "It's something I'd always wanted to do. For me, it's a complete release to express anger through big sweeping choruses."

The single "Revelation" introduces MANY EYES. From the jump, a guttural guitar riff underlines Buckley's vitriolic screams. Melody only enhances the drama on the catchy chorus, "Look me in the eyes again, look me in the eyes. I dare you."

"It's a very aggressive song, and it's confrontational lyrically," he reveals. "I was still at a point in my sobriety where I thought I had to speak bluntly in order to heal. Then, I found recovery was about a lot of acceptance. I wrote 'Revelation' before I went to this facility in Salt Lake City. While I was there, I did the 12 steps, and I was diagnosed with bipolar 1. I had unknowingly been living with that my whole life and self-medicating with alcohol and drugs. the message of 'Revelation' is, 'I can do this if I have love.' I don't need anything else. it's very punk rock."

"Future Proof" represents the other end of the spectrum. on the track, uneasy guitars toss and turn beneath the verses, and the refrain echoes with naked emotion.

"It was the first song back after recovery," he goes on. "I had found out what was wrong with me. Now, I'm fully prepared to deal with anything that happens in the future — any loss or any gain. nothing will shock me anymore, because of everything i already went through."

Out of the flames, Buckley's still standing, and he's ready to tell his story like never before.

"From all of these experiences, I've become wiser," he left off. "I'm the same person, but i have a better understanding of my own purpose now. I want to use these experiences to help people get out of situations where they feel helpless. I'm trying to show that hope and recovery are possible."

Recording Lineup:

Vocals - Keith Buckley
Drums/Bass Guitar and Additional Percussion - Nick Bellmore
Guitar/Bass/Keys - Charlie Bellmore

Live Lineup:

Vocals - Keith Buckley
Drums - Nick Bellmore
Bass - Sean Vallie
Guitar - Craig Vittori

Photo by @clay_patrick_mcbride

In a new interview with Spain's Mariskal Rock, drummer Mike Portnoy was asked to name one "difficult" thing about his return to DREAM THEATER last October after a 13-year-absence. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I wouldn't say difficult. It hasn't been difficult; it's been very smooth, and the guys have made me feel immediately back at home. I would just say that the thing that I needed to get used to was being the 'new guy,' being the new guy in a band that I helped form when I was a teenager. So it's a bit of a transition for me to go from being a bit of the leader, as I was back when I left the band, now I have to kind of find my way back into the chemistry and I need to respect the fact that they've been doing this for 13 years without me and they have maybe new ways of doing things, new ways of making decisions. So I wouldn't say it's been difficult, but I have had to be very respectful for my role as the new guy and finding my way back into the chemistry of the band."

This past June, Portnoy was asked by Brazil's Marcelo Vieira and Matheus Ribeiro if DREAM THEATER's upcoming sixteenth studio album picks up from where the last DT LP he played on, 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", left off or if it's a different thing entirely. He responded: "If I'm being honest, I think it picks up right where 'Black Clouds' left off, to be honest. There's a certain style that the five of us have when we write together. And if you listen to the album with this lineup from 1999, '[Metropolis Pt. 2:] Scenes From A Memory', through 2009's 'Black Clouds & Silver Linings', if you look at that string of five or six albums, that's the sound and style of these five people. So I think that's a good indication of what you can expect with the new DREAM THEATER album. It definitely sounds like classic DREAM THEATER."

DREAM THEATER's upcoming effort will mark the progressive metal legends' first LP since Portnoy's return to the group.

Portnoy co-founded DREAM THEATER in 1985 with guitarist John Petrucci and bassist John Myung. Mike played on 10 DREAM THEATER albums over a 20-year period, from 1989's "When Dream And Day Unite" through 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", before exiting the group in 2010.

Mike Mangini joined DREAM THEATER in late 2010 through a widely publicized audition following the departure of Portnoy. Mangini beat out six other of the world's top drummers — Marco Minnemann, Virgil Donati, Aquiles Priester, Thomas Lang, Peter Wildoer and Derek Roddy — for the gig, a three-day process that was filmed for a documentary-style reality show called "The Spirit Carries On".

This past April, DREAM THEATER announced the European leg of its "40th Anniversary Tour 2024 - 2025". The trek — presented as "An Evening With Dream Theater" — is the first outing since Portnoy's return.

The European leg of DREAM THEATER's "40th Anniversary Tour 2024 - 2025" consists of stops in 23 cities and kicks off on October 20 and runs through November 24.

In April, DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie was asked by Rolling Stone magazine why he and his bandmates wanted Portnoy to return. He said: "I think we had to return the band back to its strongest form." Petrucci added: "It wasn't one singular thing; it was sort of a series of life events that caused an organic conclusion. We all talked about it. It was like, 'Yeah, this makes sense right now.'" Keyboardist Jordan Rudess chimed in: "There's so many factors involved, and each of us has our particular relationships. And it was just a moment when everything seemed to come together, and we went, 'You know what? Let's do this. Now's the time.'" Myung concurred, saying: "It was a collective moment of certainty."

Asked if he was surprised when he was invited back into the band, Portnoy said: "Before the Covid pandemic, if you had asked me or any of these guys, 'Was a reunion in the cards?' I probably would've said I doubted that it could happen. I think if the lockdown hadn't happened, you guys probably would've been on tour, and I would've been on tour with one of my 48 bands. But once we were all locked down, John asked me to play on his solo album. Then, from there, Jordan, John, and myself did the LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT album. And then I did John's tour. So there were just these series of events of reconnecting us — not only on a musical level but also on a personal level for many years prior to that.

"All of our families are friends," he continued. "And my daughter and John's daughter shared an apartment together for many, many years. And John Myung lives right down the block from me, and his wife's at my house every night. There was just a series of events both personally and musically that started to feel like, 'Well, maybe this really is in the cards. Maybe this is the right time.'"

Asked if they see this reunion as healing a fractured band, Portnoy said: "I don't want to be over-philosophical about it, but as we're all getting older. Here we are in our 50s and 60s. You start to think of the reality of, 'How much time do we have left?' I would hate it if this were to become a Roger Waters-PINK FLOYD or Peter Gabriel-with-GENESIS situation where the fans want it, but it never happens."

Petrucci added: "When Mike left the band, it was traumatic for all of us. We had to figure out how we were going to move our career forward. And those years that went by, they were also healing years because you don't just have something like that happen, and all of a sudden, you're all best buddies a week later. There's some trauma there that had to heal. Thirteen years was enough time for that to happen and be, like, 'Hey, you know what, man? We love each other like we're brothers.'"

Purveyors of their own genre-blurring sound "Thrash Grass", The Native Howl has breathed new life into Johnny Cash's brooding "God's Gonna Cut You Down" with their fresh reimagination of the song and accompanying music video (via Sumerian Records). Speaking about the track, the band commented:


"It was a privilege to honor Johnny Cash by following Frankie Nasso’s vision for this project. This song and video have a very different tone than anything in our repertoire thus far, and the writing/arrangement process was just as unique to us. We are grateful to Jay Ruston for helping us capture the studio magic of its’ assembly, and create a new Howl soundscape, of which we are very proud!”


Stream "God's Gonna Cut You Down" here and watch the music video below.










After winning Season 1 of the hit TV series No Cover and signing with Sumerian Records, The Native Howl released tracks "Can't Sleep", "Sons Of Destruction", and most recently, "Mercy" featuring the inimitable Lzzy Hale of Halestorm. 











Don't miss your chance to see The Native Howl's incendiary live show on the Age Of Entitlement Tour with the legendary GWAR, Brujeria, and Brat. Grab your tickets now at this location. Confirmed dates are as listed:


September 
12 - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom
13 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogart's
14 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
16 - Millvale, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre
17 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
18 - Little Rock, AR - The Hall
20 - Fayetteville, AR - JJ's Live


The Native Howl is:


Alex Holycross - Guitar, Bouzouki, Lead Vocals
Jake Sawicki - Guitar, Banjo, Vocals
Mark Chandler - Bass, Vocals
Zach Bolling - Drums, Percussion


For further details, visit The Native Howl on Facebook.


(Photo credit: Bryan Beasley)


 


 

Panini America, the world's largest sports and entertainment collectibles company, announced a partnership with THE ROLLING STONES to produce the first fully licensed career spanning trading card set of the world's most legendary band.

Coming off the group's celebrated "Hackney Diamonds" 2024 North American tour, Panini will release Prizm The Rolling Stones. The card set will celebrate more than 60 years of THE STONES as a band and chronicle their music and record-setting tours. The Prizm brand will provide a broad canvas to celebrate THE STONES' inimitable style and iconic artwork.

"THE ROLLING STONES are an iconic brand, are integral to the history of music, and have millions of dedicated fans across the globe," said Mark Warsop, CEO of Panini America. "We are proud to be partnering with them and to share our products celebrating their legacy and so many of their memorable moments. We think that fans will be very excited."

The collection will be headlined by the case-hit Panini's Color Blast featuring frontman Mick Jagger, drummer Charlie Watts and guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood in front of a color burst tongue-and-lips logo. This will be featured in both the hobby and retail cases.

Bravado president Matt Young said of the partnership: "We're thrilled to be working with Panini on this career spanning collection that celebrates the history, success and continued global appeal of THE ROLLING STONES. Panini's focus on premium design and collectability make this a perfect partnership for ROLLING STONES fans all around the world and we can't wait for them to see what is planned."

Panini will also develop special die-cut cards including Albums that show off their discography married with Prizm's unique card styles. The die-cuts will also include Hot Lips (the band members in front of the signature tongue logo die-cut at the top),International Licks (more than 20 different Tongue and Lips featuring regional flags and colors) and Stubs (covering the gamut of tours thought the years.)

A second group of inserts will include The Original Stadium Show (covering the unique stage designs throughout the years),Behind the Scenes (backstage and in-studio),Singles (the cover art of their chart-topping hits) and Poster Perfection (original concert and tour documentary posters.)

The Prizm collection will also include a 100-card base set with more than 15 different color parallels.

Additional ROLLING STONES collections will be announced throughout the terms of this agreement.

Panini America is a subsidiary of The Panini Group, established over 60 years ago in Modena, Italy with subsidiaries throughout Europe, Latin America and the United States. Panini is the world leader in officially licensed collectibles and is the most significant publisher of collectibles in the U.S., with official licenses for NFL, NFLPA, NBA, NBPA, NASCAR, FIFA, LIV Golf, WWE, the Professional Fighters League, College, Disney and other key properties from many other licensors. Panini is also the exclusive trading card and sticker partner of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Elite 11 and Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.

Panini has distribution channels in more than 150 countries and employs a staff of over 1,200.

For more information, visit www.paniniamerica.net.

When THE ROLLING STONES began playing gigs around London in 1962, the notion that a rock and roll band would last five years, let alone six decades, was an absurdity. Times and attitudes quickly changed, and THE ROLLING STONES took on the world and won. The band are among the most important reasons for the dramatic breakthroughs and transformations that have taken place in music over the last six decades. It is impossible to overestimate their importance in rock and roll history. Only a handful of musicians in any genre have achieved their stature. They exist in a pantheon of the most rarefied kind with recorded music sales of over 200 million, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

EXCLUSIVE: Panini America will release Prizm The Rolling Stones celebrating more than 60 years of the Stones as a band.

Posted by License Global on Monday, August 5, 2024

Jäst, the new modern rock act featuring former Grave Digger guitarist Axel Ritt, have released their new single, "Ten Years Plan".





With "Ten Years Plan", the band is sending out its third single. After the first two songs, "Heartlight" and "In The Thrill Of The Night", were very well received, the band now follow up impressively. The song was composed and produced by Axel Ritt, the lyrics are by Steven Wussow.




Axel Ritt says: The lyrics of the Jäst song 'Ten Years Plan', which was written by bassist Sreven Wussow, are about a man who has completely structured his life and then is shocked to discover that his "ten year plan" is not working. All of his plans with his job, family and career evaporate into thin air, leaving a broken man behind. Conclusion: "When people make plans, fate falls off their chairs laughing."


Singer Jessica is the narrator in the accompanying video, while guitarist Axel, bassist Steven and drummer Timmi slip into the role of the broken man.


Listen to "Ten Years Plan" here, and watch the video below:





But who is Jäst actually? Behind the powerful melodies and stirring vocals is a talented group of musicians: Axel Ritt, known for his work with Grave Digger and Domain, brings his baritone guitar skills, while Steven Wussow, bassist for Orden Ogan and Domain, with his distinctive bass playing the fabulous addition. Timmi Breideband, formerly of Bonfire and Freedom Call, provides the solid rhythmic basis on the drums. The heart of the four-piece band is the charismatic singer Jessica Conte, whose impressive rock voice gives Jäst's sound its own distinctive sound.








Jäst are:


Jessica Conte - Lead Vocals
Axel Ritt - Baritone Guitar
Steven Wussow - Bass
Timmi Breideband - Drums

SLIPKNOT kicked off the North American portion of the "Here Comes The Pain" tour Tuesday night (August 6) at the Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana. This year the nine are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their seminal debut album, "Slipknot", which catapulted the band back in 1999.

SLIPKNOT's 14-song set consisted of nothing but material from that LP, including two tracks which hadn't been performed in almost 25 years.

"Nothing you will hear tonight was written after 1999," SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor told the crowd at one point during the show, which opened with "(sic)", "Eyeless" and "Wait And Bleed", and included "No Life" and "Scissors", neither of which had been played live since 2000. Other rarely performed songs included "Get This" (played for the first time since 2019),"Me Inside" (first time since 2015) and "Only One" (2012).

As has been the case with all of SLIPKNOT's shows in 2024 so far, the band adopted a classic look, bringing back the 1999 red jumpsuits and elements of their early masks into their modern versions, tying into the fact that SLIPKNOT is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

The setlist was as follows:

01. (sic)
02. Eyeless
03. Wait And Bleed
04. Get This (first time since 2019)
05. Eeyore
06. Me Inside (first time since 2015)
07. Liberate
08. Purity
09. Prosthetics
10. No Life (first time since 2000)
11. Only One (first time since 2012)

Encore:

12. Spit It Out
13. Surfacing
14. Scissors (first time since 2000)

Produced by Live Nation, the "Here Comes The Pain" tour's highlights include New York City's Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles' Intuit Dome, Austin's Moody Center and more with direct support from Kentucky's young and vibrant hardcore/metal forerunners KNOCKED LOOSE. ORBIT CULTURE and VENDED are confirmed as support on select dates.

There actually was a time when SLIPKNOT and the maggots (the loving name for their fans) did not completely rule the world. 25 years ago, the Des Moines band were just some guys trying to get their new LP noticed — a record that would start their metamorphosis into the most crucial band of the 21st century. That record would change rock as we know it, measuring success with a yardstick bigger than music, one for the influence on youth culture writ large. But these faceless demons from middle America would not only capture the hearts of the youth, they would help guide their tastes, and challenge them and their kin towards a new future.

Released on June 29, 1999, SLIPKNOT's self-titled debut was a smash hit with critics and an instant classic with fans. It was, and is, a molotov cocktail signaling a revolution — embracing a creative direction that eschewed metal traditions in favor of fresh ideas. While the jaw-clenching riffs coupled with Ross Robinson's venomous production were crucial to the album's success, it was the care and attention to detail in the songcraft that moved the needle from "great" to "benchmark." Not too shabby for a bunch of guys that only hoped to be heard.

"We loved what we did with the first record but we didn't even know if there was gonna be anything after that," recalls guitarist Jim Root. "We just wanted people to hear it. Selling out of records and shows, having successful tours– those are goals for any band. But the dream scenario in some ways, came true for us."

In the years following, SLIPKNOT's popularity nipped at the heels of elder statesmen and even the band's heroes, eventually navigating this brave new world with unending drive, fresh ideas and a bloodlust for odometer clicks. Tens of billions of streams and tens of millions of subscribers and followers later, the accolades tell the story: 64 award nominations and 27 wins including a Grammy for "Before I Forget" from "Vol. 3". A seemingly endless number of tour dates. Headlining slots at some of the biggest festivals in the world such as Download, Rock In Rio, Hellfest, Wacken and many more. Not to mention RIAA certifications by the truckload — 14 platinum certifications and 40 gold across more than 30 million in record and video sales.

In addition, SLIPKNOT positioned themselves for success with the creation of their own festival Knotfest in 2012, a traveling, multi-stage and experiential event that has appeared 28 times across several countries and locations. The festival has since spun off into a successful entertainment media hub — Knotfest.com, which became a juggernaut of its own making, giving a platform to young freethinkers and like-minded artists.

All of SLIPKNOT's achievements have helped them claim their rightful seat as pioneers and thought leaders, establishing them as a generational talent — loved by parents and their children alike. And, of course, with all those incredible live performances, all that influence, and all that history of playing all those incredible songs, SLIPKNOT has only attracted the most dedicated of fans, reaching all the way back to that fateful self-titled effort.

SLIPKNOT is approaching this 25th anniversary by making the conscious decision to connect to fans as closely as possible, in a similar way to how they encountered SLIPKNOT all those years ago.

"Every time I've walked on stage, it's never been about how many people have been there because my culture, the maggots, always show up," says founding member Shawn "Clown" Crahan with a smile. "But as we've grown as a band, we have had fewer and fewer of those intimate, personal moments, trading them for massive ones. So we're gonna make it more personal on the anniversary, but how remains to be seen. Just get ready to have your face kicked in. Because we just do what we do, spread that maggot culture – that disease. And you've been infected."

German metal legends Blind Guardian have shared a new video along with the following message:


"Wacken Open Air! We had a blast! Your enthusiasm and support turned the show into an epic celebration of metal. Thank you for an incredible night at the holy ground! Here’s the recap video produced by PixelEye Industries, with additional footage by Damir Palic of ‪Burning Tiger."‬  







Right on time with their show at 2024’s edition of Wacken Open Air, Blind Guardian, proudly present Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited, which includes a complete re-recording of this classic as well as a live celebration of 1992’s Somewhere Far Beyond, a landmark record in the history of the band.


Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited, which was recorded in 2022 and 2023, is a refreshing and powerful tribute to one of the most influential albums in German metal history. It paved the way for Blind Guardian’s international career that is still going strong today and this re-recording impresses with all the class and quality these pioneers have been known and respected for since forming as Lucifer’s Heritage three decades ago.


Watch a live video for the revisited version of their most popular track, "The Bard's Song - In The Forest":





Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited is out today and can be listened to in full at any streaming service or purchased in physical form. Get it here





Tracklisting:


"Time What is Time" (Revisited)
"Journey Through the Dark" (Revisited)
"Black Chamber" (Revisited)
"Theatre of Pain" (Revisited)
"The Quest for Tanelorn" (Revisited)
"Ashes to Ashes" (Revisited)
"The Bard’s Song – In the Forest" (Revisited)
"The Bard’s Song – The Hobbit" (Revisited)
"The Piper’s Calling" (Revisited)
"Somewhere Far Beyond" (Revisited)


"The Quest for Tanelorn" (Revisited) video:





"Ashes To Ashes" live at Hellfest 2022 video:





About Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited:


Right on time with their show at 2024’s edition of Wacken Open Air, Blind Guardian proudly announce the release of Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited on August 2 which includes a complete re-recording of this classic as well as a live celebration of 1992’s Somewhere Far Beyond, a landmark record for Germany’s heavy metal titans. After three albums on No Remorse Records, it was the band’s major label debut via Virgin Records and opened the doors to the Japanese market resulting in a wider availability and presence on the global metal scene. After finding the right balance of speed, heaviness, melodies, drama, and irresistible choruses on 1990’s Tales From The Twilight World, Somewhere Far Beyond honed this approach to perfection, evolving further on a conceptual level and increasing Blind Guardian’s sonic range. On Somewhere Far Beyond the band experimented with keyboards, orchestrations, and folk elements, the latter manifesting in the group’s best-known song and live staple, "The Bard's Song (In The Forest)", whereas other tracks like "Ashes to Ashes", the rapid "Journey Through The Dark" or "The Quest For Tanelorn" connected well with previous mostly fast-paced albums yet offered an additional push in dynamics.


Fast forward 30 years! Prior to releasing the much lauded opus The God Machine in September 2022, Blind Guardian had been performing Somewhere Far Beyond in its entirety at Rock Hard Festival and Hellfest in Summer 2022 in front of tens of thousands of fans singing along to each track. Both shows were filmed and recorded professionally and aired via WDR and ARTE. For the limited triple-disc-edition of Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited the Hellfest material was newly edited by the band’s long-time videographer Dirk Behlau using additional multi-cam footage.


The idea of re-recording the album originated from the rehearsals for these shows as Hansi Kürsch explains in the detailed liner notes: “The original idea wasn’t to do a re-recording. When rehearsing for the anniversary gigs, corona hit and we couldn’t be certain that those shows would take place. We still wanted to celebrate the anniversary of the album and if we wouldn’t be able to include a live version, we initially thought we could at least record the rehearsals.”


Not 100% satisfied with those rough versions, Blind Guardian decided to go all in, knowing the risk of being frowned upon by fans who consider re-recordings utter blasphemy. “We tried to recapture what we did in 1992 but compensate youth with skillful experience, though in a hungry way. We never discussed any major changes but with over 30 years of experience, and our current line-up, those ingredients already add a new flavor to it.” With the basic tracks recorded in a live setting, Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited is leaner and more focused on impact in terms of guitar arrangements yet retains all the harmonies and melodies essential to the original. “We finally ended up with this cool hybrid version”, André adds. “We combined how we play the songs today, but at the same time, really tried to retain that speed metal spirit of the early 90s!”


Tour dates:


August
9 - Leyendas del Rock - Villena (Alicante), Spain
17 - Reload Festival - Sulingen, Germany
18 - Burg Open Air - Illingen, Germany


December
16 - Reading 2 - Tel Aviv, Israel





(Photo - Dirk Behlau)

Dreamless Veil sign to Relapse and announce their debut album, Every Limb Of The Flood, out September 20.


Dreamless Veil, featuring members of Inter Arma, Artificial Brain, and Psycroptic manifest terrifying blackened extreme metal and offer one of the year's most haunting releases. Listen to the band’s new song “A Generation of Eyes” below.


Pre-order Every Limb Of The Flood on LP/CD/Digital via Relapse.com here.




Dreamless Veil Is an extreme metal band composed of Artificial Brain guitarist Dan Garguilo, Inter Arma / Artificial Brain vocalist Mike Paparo and Psycroptic drummer Dave Haley.


Dreamless Veil’s debut, Every Limb Of The Flood, is a blackened concept album that follows the travails of Grief, a character who awakens from extended debauchery and begins the slow and torturous process of trying to disappear completely.


Through tracks such as "A Generation of Eyes", "Saturnism", and "Cyanide Mine" Vocalist Mike Paparo and co. task the listener to consider what it would be like for an individual to fully disappear. Dreamless Veil delves into this murk through eight tracks - dramatic swells, melodic crescendos, and abrasive blast-beat poundings make way to more introspective moments ultimately resulting in pure horror.


Paparo explores the concept of corporeal disintegration with pained shrieks and disembodied bellows, resulting in one of the most unchained performances of his storied career. Lyrics for the record show, but don't tell. Dreamless Veil's concept alludes to misery leading to grotesquery - the opener "Dim Golden Rave" throws the listener into an ambiguous time and place: "Grief, spiritless, collapses against the filth-ridden street". The second track, "A Generation of Eyes" follows this narrative by invoking Neil Young, quoting him to the extent of "rust never sleeps." What ensues is a grief so powerful it decomposes from within. The end result manifests in the album closer "Dreamless" - the body is now fully discarded, hinting at a possible enlightenment through a horrible, gruesome process.


Sonically, Every Limb Of The Flood is a caustic, corrosive journey. Critically acclaimed drummer David Haley flexes some of his most creative drum work to date, dragging the listener through wild tempo changes, breakneck speeds that come to sudden halts, while guitarist Dan Gargiulo (Artificial Brain) interweaves disorienting guitar madness.  


Recorded by Brett Bamberger (Revocation) Every Limb Of The Flood was mixed by Gargiulo and mastered by Colin Marston (Gorguts, Krallice, and more.)





Every Limb Of The Flood tracklisting:


"Dim Golden Rave"
"A Generation Of Eyes"
"Saturnism"
"The Stirring Of Flies"
"Cyanide Mine"
"Every Limb Of The Flood"
"Glossolalia"
"Dreamless"


"A Generation Of Eyes":





Dreamless Veil Is:


Dan Gargiulo - Guitars, Bass, Synth and Vocals
Dave Haley - Drums
Mike Paparo - Vocals


(Photos by Julie Ferguson and Robert Brens)

Thrash metal mavens, Nervosa, have released a dual guitar playthrough for "Jailbreak", the title track of the band's firth album,  released in September 2023. This is the first album featuring Prika Amaral on vocals and guitars, and also the first one with two guitars.





Nervosa will launch their first ever headline tour of the US and Canada, beginning later this month. On the road for nearly a month-and-a-half, the tour will visit major locations such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Brooklyn, Montreal and Chicago - including seven total stops in Canada - coming to an end in mid-October. The tour will feature support from Lich King and Hatriot.




Get your tickets here.


Nervosa's Prika Amaral about the upcoming North American tour: "We're excited to be coming to North America with an awesome lineup of new wave thrash metal. We have waited so long to get back and will be bringing a very special show for you all! Don't wait, get your tickets & VIP now. It's our jailbreak!"





Tour dates:


August
29 - Milwaukee, WI - Blades Of Steel Festival
30 - Minneapolis, MN - White Rock Lounge
31 - Iowa City, IA - Wildwood


September
1 - Lincoln, NE - Cosmic Eye
2 - Denver, CO - HQ
4 - Salt Lake City, UT - Aces High Saloon
5 - Boise, ID - The Shredder
6 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - The Rickshaw Theater
7 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon / Funhouse
8 - Portland, OR - Dante's
10 - Sacramento, CA - Harlow's
11 - Las Vegas, NV - The Usual Place
12 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
13 - Los Angeles, CA - Whisky a Go Go
14 - Mesa, AZ - The Nile Underground
15 - Tucson, AZ - The Rock
16 - El Paso, TX - The RockHouse
18 - Austin, TX - Come and Take It Live
19 - Houston, TX - The White Oak
20 - Dallas, TX - RBC
21 - Fayetteville, AR - George's Majestic Lounge
22 - Nashville, TN - The End
24 - Atlanta, GA - Boggs Social & Supply
25 - Orlando, FL - Conduit
27 - Spartanburg, SC - Ground Zero
28 - Greensboro, NC - Hangar 1819
29 - Jacksonville, NC - Hooligans


October
2 - Mechanicsburg, PA - Lovedraft's
3 - Clifton, NJ - Dingbatz
4 - Brooklyn, NY - The Meadows
5 - Quebec City, Quebec, Canada - La Source
6 - Montreal, Quebec, Canada - Les Foufounes Électriques
8 - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - The 27 Club
9 - Kingston, Ontario, Canada - The Mansion
10 - Toronto, Ontario, Canada - Hard Luck
11 - London, Ontario, Canada - Rum Runners
12 - Detroit, MI - The Sanctuary
13 - Chicago, IL - Reggies


Nervosa is:


Prika Amaral – Vocals and guitars
Helena Kotina – Guitars
Hel Pyre – Bass
Michaela Naydenova – Drums


(Photo - Akis Zaralis)

As I Lay Dying have released the new tour recap video below. Follow the band across the midwest US with live footage from the stage and behind the scenes. Video by Justice Dodson.





As I Lay Dying recently released the new single "The Cave We Fear To Enter", available to stream now via Napalm Records and accompanied by a music video directed by Tom Flynn.







The lyrical concept behind "The Cave We Fear To Enter" began with an idea from bass player/vocalist Ryan Neff, inspiring vocalist Tim Lambesis to develop the lyrical message further. The balladic track begins pensively before charging into an emotive melodic metalcore opus. Like "Burden", the new track was co-produced by guitarist Phil Sgrosso and Hiram Hernandez, mixed by Aaron Chaparian and mastered by Ted Jensen.


Frontman Tim Lambesis offers about the lyrical process behind "The Cave We Fear To Enter": "This is the first time I’ve written lyrics based on an idea started by someone else in the band. Sometimes, when we try out different melodies, we’ll temporarily use words that just happen to fit as a placeholder. But on this song, Ryan chose words that he felt represented what he had been processing leading up to the demo. It felt right for me to leave that therapeutic expression in place. So, when I took over, the imagery of a cave where you face your fears came to mind. While I only know a little of Joseph Campbell’s work, the imagery brought to mind a quote of his that I remembered and used for inspiration as well."


Guitarist Phil Sgrosso chimes in on the development of the song musically and working with video director Tom Flynn again: "'The Cave We Fear To Enter' may be one of our most adventurous songs to date. We broke out of a lot of old habits and formulaic moves to create something that touches on a lot of emotional elements we haven't explored so deeply before. From its inception, it was instantly a favorite for all of us.


"We really enjoyed collaborating with Tom Flynn on the video to combine the storylines between 'Burden' and 'The Cave We Fear to Enter', continuing the journey of the character through new environments and circumstances. It was a lot of fun to take new creative risks to tell this story visually alongside the somber and uplifting nature of the song."


Stream/download "The Cave We Fear To Enter" here. Watch the music video below:





Phil Sgrosso said about the previous track and video, "Burden": "It's a pretty special moment for us to finally share some new music! 'Burden' was originally inspired by a guitar melody I wrote years ago on an old demo, thinking that it was lost for good in the demo abyss. It wasn't until Tim dug it up and was inspired to shape a new song idea for it. The collaboration process with our co-producer Hiram Hernandez and new members brought new life to not only the song but the band as a whole, as we faced this new creative chapter together. Musically, we feel that 'Burden' represents a familiar part of our melodic history combined with a modern sense of energy and aggression. We really pushed ourselves to expand our musical capabilities in every department. We look forward to the addition of 'Burden' into our live show as well as introducing more music we've been working hard on over the past few years. Stay tuned.


"It was a phenomenal experience working with Tom Flynn on the video for 'Burden'. We were fans of his creative approach to modern music videos and could sense his high level of enthusiasm to deliver a video that would match the intensity of the song. He completely knocked it out of the park capturing the band performance and shaping a captivating concept which we will expand further into the release of our second single release..."


Watch behind the scenes footage from the shoot for the "Burden" music video, as well as the official video, below:








As I Lay Dying's 2024 European headline tour, "Through Storms Ahead Tour", kicks off on November 15 in Würzburg, Germany and will trek through several more countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Sweden and Norway, coming to an end on December 15 in Oberhausen, Germany. The tour will feature support from Caliban, Decapitated and Left To Suffer.


For tickets, merchandise and more information, visit asilaydying.com.


Phil Sgrosso about the European tour: "Europe has become a second home to us so we always look forward to returning for a 'go big and go hard' headline tour. Traveling alongside us will be Germany's very own Caliban, Poland's finest death metal legends Decapitated, and the pummeling Left to Suffer. Each show will be a night to celebrate heavy music with the fans, let's make it a memorable one together."


Through Storms Ahead Europe 2024 (with Caliban, Decapitated, Left To Suffer)


November
15 - Würzburg, Germany - Posthalle
16 - Prague, Czech Republic - Sasazu
18 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Film Studios
19 - Oslo, Norway - Rockefeller
21 - Helsinki, Finland - Kulttuuritalo
23 - Stockholm,Sweden - Fållan
24 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Amager Bio
25 - Berlin, Germany - Huxleys
26 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
27 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra
28 - Vienna, Austria - Gasometer
29 - Munich, Germany - Zenith
30 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz


December
1 - Rome, Italy - Orion
3 - Zürich, Switzerland - Xtra
4 - Lyon, France - Transbordeur
5 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz
6 - Madrid, Spain - Riviera
8 - Paris, France - Trianon
9 - Saarbrücken, Germany - E-Werk
10 - Brussels, Belgium - AB
11 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg
13 - Hamburg, Germany - Inselpark Arena
14 - Leipzig, Germany - Haus Auensee
15 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle


(Caliban & Decapitated to rotate depending on market)


As I Lay Dying lineup:


Tim Lambesis - vocals
Phil Sgrosso - guitar
Ryan Neff - bass/vocals
Ken Susi - guitar
Nick Pierce - drums

Back in early 2016, as part of "The Roth Show", David Lee Roth shared a cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Baby Driver". Now the former Van Halen frontman is back with the new video below, performing one of his dance routines to the song.










Also in 2016, Roth released an episode of The Roth Show entitled “One last cup of coffee…”, which included his cover of Gerry Rafferty’s 1978 hit, “Baker Street”. The Mojo Dojo, "A David Lee Roth Tribute Channel", has since released a new video to accompany the cover.


Animator Ramses Rios states: "If you know by now how much I love that old red bomb of Dave’s, I had to add her to this video. Featuring Daves’s 51’ Merc, illustrated by me. With everything going on in the world today, we all need a little David Lee Roth in our lives to make things better. Enjoy!"

MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx has paid tribute to AEROSMITH after the legendary Massachusetts rockers announced that they were officially retiring from touring due to Steven Tyler's vocal injury.

AEROSMITH made the announcement on August 2 — nearly one year after the now-76-year-old singer fractured his larynx during a September 2023 show.

Earlier today (Tuesday, August 6),Sixx took to his social media to share the following message: "In 1973, a fifteen-year-old kid named Frank Feranna walked into a record store alone and emerged with the first AEROSMITH album in hand. I would carry that album with me everywhere, including to friends' houses, confessing to them that this was the future of rock 'n' roll.

"As the years rolled on, my opinion never changed. Lyrically, musically, rhythmically, and especially with those monster songs, AEROSMITH was unparalleled. Their entire catalog is outstanding, but those first five albums were the holy grail for a young, future Nikki Sixx.

"I recently sat on the cliffs in St. Barths, playing along to those albums. Can I just say, Tom Hamilton's work continues to inspire me, and what a rhythm section they had with Joey Kramer behind that kit. Joe Perry and Brad Whitford wove those guitars back and forth to the point you sometimes couldn't distinguish the dueling guitars because the sound became one big kick to the side of the head. Steven Tyler, to me, has always been the ultimate singer, lyricist, and showman, but personally, he's a man who helped me at the beginning of my sobriety. I've been lucky to become a peer, a friend, and always a fan of this great American rock 'n' roll band.

"Thank you, AEROSMITH, for everything."

This past May, Sixx was asked by the KSHE 95 radio station if there was something — a TV show, a specific album or going to a concert — that made him decide to pursue playing music as a career. He responded: "It was hands down AEROSMITH. There's no other band that even comes close to what touched my heart as a 14-year-old. And those first five albums, I don't think anybody can touch 'em, in my opinion. They're like [LED] ZEPPELIN, [BLACK] SABBATH — those first five AEROSMITH albums. I mean, I know every lyric — I know that so inside out that I almost like fall under 'superfan' [when it comes to] that stuff. And they're great guys. We've got to tour with them before. But, man, put on AEROSMITH'Rocks', and then put on anybody else's record. And they're, like, 'Sorry. We shouldn't have put that record on.'"

Three years ago, Sixx told SPIN that the first five AEROSMITH LPs were "huge albums" for him. "But when I got the first AEROSMITH album — I heard this raw, dirty, garage band — it was like the amps were spitting and sputtering, and the drums were in the pocket, and Steven Tyler's approach on 'One Way Street' to 'Make It', to me, that was like the moment that set up the rest of their career," he said. "And for me, I always go back to that record as one of the most important records, and obviously 'Dream On' is on that record, which is a standout on its own for a first album."

Last year, Sixx named "Rocks" the greatest album of all time. He explained to Classic Rock magazine: "That album captured everything for me. It was raw, and dirty, and yet there was something going on that, especially when I was a kid, I couldn't really understand, because there were so many rhythms and overdubs. It's such a well-crafted album, song-wise, and with the energy of the band… it's an amazing album. Maybe it didn't become a commercial monster like 'Permanent Vacation', but when I was a teenager, 'Toys In The Attic' and 'Rocks' were monsters."

In AEROSMITH's original announcement, the band wrote: "As you know, Steven's voice is an instrument like no other. He has spent months tirelessly working on getting his voice to where it was before his injury. We've seen him struggling despite having the best medical team by his side. Sadly, it is clear, that a full recovery from his vocal injury is not possible.

"We have made a heartbreaking and difficult, but necessary, decision - as a band of brothers - to retire from the touring stage," the statement continued. "We are grateful beyond words for everyone who was pumped to get on the road with us one last time."

The band also thanked its fans for their constant support.

"Thanks to you, our Blue Army, that spark caught flame and has been burning for over five decades," the statement read. "Some of you have been with us since the beginning and all of you are the reason we made rock 'n' roll history."

"It has been the honor of our lives to have our music become part of yours. In every club, on every massive tour and at moments grand and private you have given us a place in the soundtrack of your lives," the statement continued.

The "Peace Out" tour came to a halt after what turned out to be a final gig in Elmont, New York on September 9, 2023. That show came just three dates into the trek, which was supposed to last through February 2024. Tyler said in a statement at the time that the injury caused bleeding but that he hoped he and his AEROSMITH bandmates would be back on the road after postponing a few shows.

The rescheduled "Peace Out" tour was due to begin September 20 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with special guests THE BLACK CROWES.

Tickets for remaining dates of the "Peace Out" tour will be refunded through Ticketmaster. If fans purchased tickets through a third-party reseller like StubHub or SeatGeek, refunds will be available through that point of purchase.

AEROSMITH hasn't made a studio album since "Music From Another Dimension!", which came out in 2012.

Tyler released a solo LP in 2016.

In 1973, a fifteen-year-old kid named Frank Feranna walked into a record store alone and emerged with the first...

Posted by Nikki Sixx on Tuesday, August 6, 2024

Belgian classic rock band, Beyond The Labyrinth, have released their new single, "Fear's The Killer", with new vocalist, Johan Lotigiers. The single is available on all streaming platforms. Listen below.





Johan Lotigiers made his debut with Beyond The Labyrinth on July 6 during the Coq Rock festival in De Haan. With his energetic performance, he managed to enchant the audience and his joining the band was received with great enthusiasm.




Every year, radio station Classic 21 pays attention to Belgian hard rock and metal bands in a special broadcast in their "100% Belge" special. Beyond The Labyrinth wanted to sign up, but it was short notice and they didn't have any recordings with Johan yet. So things moved quickly and Johan chose a song from the large repertoire that Beyond The Labyrinth has released since 1996. For this new recording of "Fear's The Killer", Beyond The Labyrinth worked with Bram Van Den Berghe, who did the recording and mixing. The mastering was done by Pieter De Wagter (Equus).


The single "Fear's The Killer" is a re-recording of a Beyond The Labyrinth classic from 2011, with the new version offering a fresh and updated interpretation of the original song.

Frontiers Music Srl is pleased to announce the release of the sixth studio album from Radioactive, Reset, out on October 11 marking a brilliant return for the AOR project masterminded by Swedish guitarist/songwriter/producer, Tommy Denander.


The first single and accompanying video, “Sentimental”, is available now and offers a first taste of what to expect from this new melodic rock gem. Watch the video below.


Tommy Denander describes the new single as “a very “Toto-ish” sounding AOR rocker with Jim Jidhed singing, a song I’m sure all the fans who have missed that early Radioactive sound will love! Another big passion in life for me is creating artwork for albums, including this album, but also doing videos and this feels like one of the best I’ve done so far."




After working as a studio musician in Sweden, Tommy Denander moved to Los Angeles in 1987, when he was only 19 years old. There, he met some of the top players in town, from Toto band members to David Foster, Bill Champlin, and Michael Landau. When Toto played in Sweden in 1991, Tommy asked them if they would play on his first album if he got a record deal and, to his amazement, they all said yes. Only a few days later, Tommy signed with Sony, and in October of that year he travelled to Los Angeles to record the first Radioactive album with Jeff Porcaro, Mike Porcaro, Steve Porcaro and David Paich as his backing band.


Ceremony Of Innocence was released in 2001 and received stunning reviews worldwide, charting in Europe and Japan, and was followed by three albums with a sensational cast of musicians, including musical giants as Bobby Kimball, Jeff Porcaro, Steve Porcaro, Yngwie Malmsteen, Bruce Kulick, Neal Schon, Michael Landau, Steve Lukather, Vinnie Colaiuta, Jimi Jamison and more. The fifth album under the Radioactive moniker, X.X.X., was released by Frontiers Music on March 11, 2022.


As with the previous Radioactive releases, Denander has brought in a wealth of vocal talent to add their unique abilities to the proceedings, with the likes of Jeff Paris (Y&T, Cinderella), Robin McAuley (MSG, ex-Survivor), Joey Vana (Mecca), Jim Jidhed (Alien) and the awesome new vocal talent “Dio” Harris, whom he scouted in the Middle East, all making significant contributions.


Once again Tommy Denander plays guitar, bass and keyboards, while legendary producer Mutt Lange (Def Leppard, Bryan Adams, AC/DC, Foreigner etc.) appears on background vocals and co-writing two originals. Other special guests include Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel) and Keith Scott (Bryan Adams guitarist) appearing on the title track.


Discussing the sound of the new record, Tommy explains: “Reset is a return to the sound of my first records, a more classic AOR, and I’ve chosen to use fewer singers to give it a bit more of a band sound. The title Reset stands for me pushing that lovely button to reset Radioactive back to the sound where I started it so I hope you all will enjoy it much as I do!”


“This time I did four songs each with two dear friends and top class singers, Jim Jidhed and Jeff Paris. Added to their magic are the equally superb Robin McAuley, Joey Vana and new rising star Harris Dio Zindani. And since this year is the 40th anniversary of my first album ever, I decided to sing lead vocals on half of a song!” continues Denander. “I’m really happy to have done a couple of songs with my dear friend and mentor Mutt Lange, who also sings backing vocals on them. I’m also very proud to have the legendary Tony Levin on bass and Keith Scott on guest solo on the album.”


Denander is the master of hard but melodic rock, with a real touch of class, and you cannot go wrong with any Radioactive album. Reset showcases a collection of energetic and melodic songs to celebrate Tommy's talent in composing great melodic hits. An absolute must if you are into Bryan Adams, Toto and classic Def Leppard music.


Pre-order the new album here.





Reset tracklisting:


"Sentimental"
"Shame On You, Shame On Me"
"Gaia"
"When The Lights Go Down"
"In A Perfect World"
"Reset"
"Midnight Train"
"Open Spaces"
"Sweet Little Tina"
"Hard Times To Fall In Love"
"Breakaway"


"Sentimental" video:





Lineup:


Tommy Denander - Guitar, bass. keyboards, lead & backing vocals


Guest musicians:


Jeff Paris - Lead & backing vocals
Jim Jidhed - Lead vocals
Robin McAuley - Lead & backing vocals
Joey Vana - Lead & backing vocals
Harris Dio Zindani - Lead vocals
Mutt Lange - Backing vocals
Lenna Paris - Backing vocals
Neil Anami - Drums & percussion
Keith Scott - Guest solo on “Reset”
Tony Levin - Bass on “Reset”
Tony Nilsson - Additional keyboards & programming on “Reset”
Jeremy Rubolino - Strings


(Photo - Marty Punch)

Up-and-coming Italian power metal unit, Frozen Crown, are gearing up to unleash their new studio album and Napalm Records debut, War Hearts, out October 18.


Founded in 2017, Frozen Crown has garnered significant media exposure with their previous four albums and their massive hit, "Neverending”, which has gathered over 11 million views on YouTube to date. The fresh ten track offering marks their first as a six-piece band, capturing the essence of Frozen Crown's dynamic sound brimming with powerful riffs, unforgettable melodies, and raw energy.


Today, the band has revealed their driving single, "Steel And Gold”, featuring swift guitar riffs, relentless drums and a catchy refrain. Transporting the uplifting spirit to keep on fighting, the track is accompanied by an official music video that captures the band in a stunning castle ruin.




Giving a first impression of the youthful, raw and passionate approach to metal, get ready to experience their powerful live performances as the band heads out on tour with Kamelot in the fall of this year.


Frozen Crown comments the new single "Steel And Gold": "We're extremely excited to have the ‘Steel And Gold’ official video finally released via Napalm Records. This is the fulfillment of years of hard work, as well as a fresh start! This video doesn't deviate from the usual Frozen Crown style, it just consolidates it. Very often, our videos have been labeled as 'just a bunch of people having the time of their lives playing metal in some beautiful scenery... plus a lot of hair'. We must say, we totally agree!


This time, though, the beautiful scenery is the gorgeous "Castello dei Doria", in Dolceacqua, Liguria, in northwestern Italy, and the 'bunch of people’ is just one more person on guitar, adding firepower (and hair) to the ensemble. ‘Steel and Gold” is a song about loyalty, integrity and self improvement. It’s about remaining true to your ideals and about the search for unattainable perfection.”


Check out the official music video for "Steel And Gold" below.


During its short lifespan, the relentless band has performed at several festivals like Sabaton Open Air, Metal Fest Plzen and Rock Imperium Festival, headlined two Japanese tours and followed extensive European touring with significant bands such as DragonForce and Nanowar Of Steel – dubbed by a tour with U.D.O. in 2023. Joined by their newest member, 18-year-old guitar prodigy Alessia Lanzone, the band's characteristic sound has been expanded by her skills, adding depth and complexity to their performances.


Featuring all members on the recording for the first time, War Hearts symbolizes a fresh start and pays homage to the legendary Children Of Bodom with its album title, a band that inspired Frozen Crown's youthful, raw and passionate approach to metal. Addressing themes of self-improvement, awareness, personal growth and inner struggles, album opener and title track "War Hearts” is about fighting for your dreams in the darkest of nights and creates a powerful and uplifting message of always staying strong, making it through the storm as war angels. "I Am The Wind” features soaring choruses with dual vocals from frontwoman Jade and guitarist Federico, ingenious guitar riffs and perfectly blended drums, while the lyrics inspire listeners to let go like the wind and rise to shine again. To wrap up the album, tracks like "Edge of Reality”, inspired by the ’86 Highlander movie, and "Bloodlines”, referencing the Vampire: The Masquerade series of board and video games, showcase the band's colorful storytelling.


Frozen Crown constantly define and refine their sound, pushing their trademark elements to new levels of complexity without forgetting the characteristic catchy hooks. War Hearts exceeds their previous successes and solidifies their place in the global metal scene.


Frozen Crown on their new album: "War Hearts is our fifth album, but it's also the first one as a 6-piece band and the first one on Napalm Records. It’s also the first album where all members actually make their appearance on the recording. For these reasons, War Hearts represents a new beginning, a fresh start, and it may be considered the first episode of Frozen Crown "reboot”. We wrote and arranged this album acting like we had no history at all, never afraid to repeat some of our trademark stylistic features. On the contrary, we highlighted and gave more value to them, to make our new songs sound 100% like us. We worked hard on the material to cut away all the useless parts and make the songs as catchy and straightforward they could be, and to make them sound like quintessential Frozen Crown.”





War Hearts will be available in the following formats:


- Ltd. 1LP Gatefold Crystal Clear Black Marbled (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive) - strictly ltd. to 200 copies
- 1LP Gatefold Translucent Red (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive)
- Digisleeve
- Digital


Pre-order here.





War Hearts tracklisting:


"War Hearts"
"Steel And Gold"
"To Live To Die"
"Night Of The Wolf"
"On Silver Wings"
"Edge Of Reality"
"Bloodlines"
"I Am The Windv
"King Of The Sky"
"Ice Dragon"


"Steel And Gold" video:





Frozen Crown are:


Giada "Jade" Etro - vocals
Federico Mondelli - vocals, guitar
Fabiola Bellomo - guitar
Francesco Zof - bass
Niso Tomasini - drums
Alessia Lanzone - guitar


(Photo - Federico Mondelli, Alessia Lanzone)