Joe Bonamassa’s new release, Live At Carnegie Hall - An Acoustic Evening, will be available on  on June 23rd on 2CD, 3LP, 2DVD and Blu-ray via Mascot Label Group. A video for “Drive” from the upcoming release can be found below, and pre-orders can be made at this location.

Last year, on January 21st and 22nd, Joe Bonamassa performed two unique all-acoustic shows at the iconic Carnegie Hall in New York City. Both performances were filmed and made into Joe Bonamassa Live At Carnegie Hall - An Acoustic Evening.

An evening of extraordinary music with new arrangements of favourite songs as well as brand new, never-before-heard songs. It will be released on Double CD, Double DVD, Blu-ray and 3 LP Vinyl on June 23rd. The video pieces include 104 minutes of feature film, over 45 minutes bonus features and all are sold in beautifully designed packages that are perfect for a music lover’s collection.

The concert was part of a special all-acoustic tour and featured an all-star ensemble of world-class musicians. Acclaimed Chinese cellist and erhuist Tina Guo, whose repertoire stretches from classical to heavy metal; and Hossam Ramzy, the Egyptian percussionist and composer, who has performed on dozens of film soundtracks and records, including on Jimmy Page and Robert Plant’s No Quarter: Unledded Tour. Reese Wynans (piano), Anton Fig (Drums) Eric Bazilian (mandolin, hurdy-gurdy, saxophone, acoustic guitar, vocals), and three Australian backing vocalists, Mahalia Barnes, Juanita Tippins, and Gary Pinto round out the band.

Says Bonamassa: “Despite being among the most ambitious things I’ve done - I played with a 9 piece acoustic band - It came out great. It was a typical Joe freak show.”

“Drive”:

“Song Of Yesterday”:

Trailer:

"Chasing Fire", the new video from Sweden's KRYPTONITE, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's self-titled debut album, self-titled album, which will be released on August 4 via Frontiers Music Srl. Sometimes musicians are put together who only know each other from afar via their respective recordings, but something clicks and triggers a magical moment. That's exactly what happened when Jakob Samuel from THE POODLES met up with producer Alessandro Del Vecchio on the heels of a concept created by Frontiers president Serafino Perugino. Together, they set off to work on a new band that could offer lyrical concepts that are deep and intelligent with music that operates within the genres they excel in. And most importantly, has a great energy and impact. Samuel, Del Vecchio and Perugino handpicked each musician to be part of their vision for a strong lineup of young and hungry Swedish musicians that would be ready to go out there and kick some ass. Pontus Egberg, formerly of THE POODLES and now the bass player for KING DIAMOND and TREAT, was the first one to enter the picture, followed shortly thereafter by Robban Back of MUSTASCH (and ex-ECLIPSE). The choice of guitar player fell to the young and immensely gifted Mike Palace. Mike showed his huge talents as a writer and performer on his band Palace's debut album and on several songs he has already written for the label. The recording and writing sessions flowed freely and the songs came naturally. This band will truly set a standard for what fans perceive as melodic hard rock in today's climate. It is classic, but modern at the same time, groovy and cool.

Sólstafir released their new album, Berdreyminn, on May 26th via Season Of Mist. The entire album is now available for streaming below.

Sólstafir are not like any other band. Their sixth album, Berdreyminn, underscores this statement. As its title "a dreamer of forthcoming events" aptly describes, the four Icelanders have taken their already impressive evolution one step further. The band has continued to amalgamate haunting melodies, psychedelic phases, as well as strong undercurrents of classic rock and hard rock with echoes of their metal past. Yet Sólstafir’s focus is not on style but pure emotion.

Berdreyminn is eclectic by a conscious choice to make feelings audible and transform taste as well as texture to sound. Genre borders are not broken but simply ignored. Musical influences are gathered from a wide range of sources, re-arranged, and woven into new patterns. Melancholy, longing, anger, joy, pleasure, pain, and other emotions are fuelling and fulling this album.

Tracklisting:

“Silfur-Refur”
“Ísafold”
“Hula”
“Nárós”
“Hvít Sæng”
“Dýrafjörður”
“Ambátt”
“Bláfjall”

Album stream:

(Photo by: Falk-Hagen_Bernshausen)

W.A.S.P. has canceled its previously announced four festival appearances in June — including the Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium and Hellfest in France — in order to complete work on its upcoming 25th-anniversary release, "Re-Idolized".

Says W.A.S.P. in a statement: "The recording of the new album 'Re-Idolized' and the accompanying film for 'The Crimson Idol' has developed unexpected delays. This will make it necessary for W.A.S.P. to withdraw from the four upcoming festivals that were scheduled for this summer. This was essential for the band to complete the album and film, to make the scheduled release in September, and the ensuing tour in the fall."

The first official trailer for "Re-Idolized" can be seen below.

In 1992 W.A.S.P. released "The Crimson Idol". It's the story of Jonathan Aaron Steele, an abused child looking for love. Discovering music years later, he rises to international superstardom. Later followed by a catastrophic fall.

2017 marks the 25th anniversary of the original release, which is still considered to be the best album of W.A.S.P.'s career, and one of the greatest concept albums of all times. "The Crimson Idol" undoubtedly belongs in every metal head’s record collection. The album about the anti-hero Jonathan Steele was originally intended to be accompanied by a movie, with several hundred hours of film that were shot to create approximately 50 minutes of movie footage.

This film has never been released — until now!

Napalm Records has announced "Re-Idolzed", the 25th anniversary of the iconic hit album plus the original "The Crimson Idol" movie on DVD and Blu-ray. For the first time ever as originally intended — film and soundtrack united — released as one product!

"Re-Idolized" will be available on Blu-ray, DVD, CD, and vinyl later this year.

Norwegian black metal heavyweights Emperor recently announced a handful of European Summer festival appearances for 2017. The updated and finalized schedule is available below.

During each of these shows Emperor will be performing the Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk album in its entirety.

June
16 - Hellfest - Clisson, France
18 - Graspop - Desssel, Belgium
23 - Tons Of Rock - Halden, Norway

July
1 - Rockfest - Barcelona, Spain

August
4 - Wacken Open Air - Wacken, Germany 
10 - Brutal Assault - Jaromer, Czech Republic

According to The Pulse Of Radio, FOO FIGHTERS had the plug pulled on them during the band's headlining set at the BottleRock festival in Napa Valley, California on Sunday night (May 28). The group kept playing, however, finishing their final encore of "Everlong" even without power. The Dave Grohl-led act headlined the third and final evening of the event, following previous nights' headliners Tom Petty and MAROON 5.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that promoters "promptly shut down the speakers and video screens" halfway through "Everlong" because the band had played past a strict 10:00 p.m. curfew. The festival began implementing a strict curfew after residents previously complained about sound levels.

The FOO FIGHTERS finally bid farewell to the audience after finishing the song.

The group warmed up for the BottleRock event with an unannounced, invite-only gig at the nearby Blue Note jazz club on Friday (May 26).

Grohl told The Pulse Of Radio a while back that it's vital for the band to change up the live show from night to night. "You've got to change it up," he said. "To keep things interesting musically, like, that's our lifeline, you know, and to experiment and do things we've never done before. So we go out every night and we play all the loud, old rock stuff, we play all the loud new rock stuff, we play acoustic stuff, newer acoustic stuff, we just kind of change it up a little bit."

One hundred and fifty lucky fans got to watch the two-hour club show, which took place just hours after Grohl and drummer Taylor Hawkins attended the funeral of SOUNDGARDEN singer Chris Cornell in Los Angeles.

The Blue Note and BottleRock shows were the first official FOO FIGHTERS concerts in the U.S. in two years, although the band did play a brief benefit gig earlier this year. The band has yet to schedule more U.S. shows for 2017.

Dream Theater singer James LaBrie spoke with Hungary’s Rockbook recently about a number of topics. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

Rockbook: Images and Words is a definite masterpiece and an absolute favorite amongst the fans. Why do you think it’s such an important album?

James LaBrie: “It was the album that really put us on the map internationally. They had an album before called When Dream and Day Unite, and they had some critical acclaim, so the press knew that they were an entity. But it was Images and Words that gave us the platform to create what we want after that. And throughout the years, no matter what album we were touring with, everybody got excited when they heard songs from Images and Words. And also it’s been recognized by all the artists, musicians and press in the progressive scene. So it’s in the history books, for sure. And it’s amazing because we only did what we wanted to do in order to express ourselves and fortunately for us it became a success.”

Rockbook: Are you already in the writing process for the new album?

James: “No, we’re just planting seeds for now. We’re just putting some stuff together but it’s pretty cool what’s happening. The real nuts and bolts aren’t gonna happen until we’re done touring. Then we will go to a studio and be together every day just to write songs. But we have a lot of ideas already.”

Rockbook: The Astonishing, the last Dream Theater album was a concept album. Are you planning to do another one in the future?

James: “If we will, it’s not gonna be anytime soon. I mean, we waited for like 17 years between Scenes from a Memory and The Astonishing. I don’t wanna wait another 17 years! (laughs) I think I’ll do my farewell tour in 17 years! (laughs) I think for now it’s best for us to concentrate one album at a time and not thinking in a concept. Unless we wanna write an epic song that has multiple parts in it. Doing something like that might be cool. Something like A Change of Seasons. But a whole album again, no.”

Read more at Rockbook .

On May 22nd the Devin Townsend Project performed at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney, Australia. Fan-filmed footage is available below.

Ahead of The Devin Townsend Project’s return to Australia in May 2017, Metal Wani’s Jake Patton caught up with the almighty man himself, Devin Townsend they discuss all things music, including the upcoming Australian tour; a retrospective look at Devin’s career to date; and how the different elements of his journey so far have helped shape the artist that he has become.

They analyze the fabled "wall of sound" style that Devin has become famous for and answer whether or not he thinks he is adding ‘too much’ to each mix, and a possible transition from this style; how his sobriety has helped influence his creative direction; how becoming centered has helped ground him as an artist; and whether or not there are deeper spiritual undertones rooted in his music.

They also chat about the music industry more broadly and about how The Devin Townsend Project’s music continue to resonate with fans to keep them returning in the ever changing industry; the seminars that Devin holds to help spread the word to artists about forging and maintaining their own musical identity in the face of pressures put on them by labels or outsiders; and Devin’s continual pursuit for what project will be next on the horizon for him.

Paris-based progressive metal band Adagio will release their new album, Life, on July 26th. However, the video for "Darkness Machine" can be enjoyed now:

Taking their time to create their unique and highly personal fifth full-length album, Life, it has been seven years since Adagio’s last studio release, Archangels In Black.

"The impetus behind the band’s dormancy spanning almost a decade was our commitment to doing justice to our material," says guitarist Stéphan Forté. "To release the album in an incomplete or premature state would be a disservice to the music, the band, and most of all, to the fans."

With Life, Adagio pushes the experience past just music, plunging the listener into a powerful introspective experience. "Fear, joy, sorrow, love, pain, ecstasy... What if we could visit each of these emotions like exhibits in a museum? ‘Life’ takes you on contemplative journey, exploring the complex yet beautiful contortions of the subconscious mind." Each track is like a portrait in a gallery giving the audience a glimpse into the minds of the band members.

Stylistically, Life brings Adagio back to their progressive roots while expanding their musical boundaries. From the heavy "Subrahmanya" which is available as the first single now, and which combines traditional Eastern Ethnic and Djent influences, to the dark and mesmerizing "I'll Possess You," Life is an epic canvas of atmospheres which will take the listener back to the ethereal places they had once visited but never managed to find again.

This album features several lineup changes for Adagio. Life marks the return of singer Kelly "Sundown" Carpenter, who had previously performed live vocals for the band. It also brings us the new addition violinist Mayline, adding new ethnic textures and dimensions to the band’s sound.

Life will be released on July 26th; pre-order it here. The first single "Subrahmanya" is available for streaming now officially via the band's Facebook page (listen below). The single is also available from the Zeta Nemesis store.

Adagio lineup:

Kelly Sundown - Singer
Stéphan Forté - Guitar
Franck Hermanny - Bass
Kevin Codfert - Keyboards
Guillaume Bergiron - Drums
Mayline - Violin

Hanoi Rocks singer Michael Monroe performed at Germany’s Wacken Open Air festival in the summer of 2016. Video footage of the full performance is available for streaming below.

Setlist:

“This Ain't No Love Song”
“Old King's Road”
“Trick Of The Wrist”
“'78”
“Ballad Of The Lower East Side”
“Man With No Eyes”
“Malibu Beach Nightmare”
“Nothing's Alright”
“Hammersmith Palais”
“Goin' Down With The Ship”
“Tragedy”
“Dead, Jail Or Rock'n'Roll”

In the leather-bound history of heartfelt rock 'n' roll, not only will Michael Monroe have at least one chapter all to himself. But his name will be colourfully threaded throughout, such has been his impact, his appeal, and his ongoing never-surrender story; a powerful, inspirational tale told in detail on The Best - the first official collection of his (ongoing) solo musical exploits, featuring prime tracks from 1987 right up to 2017. It arrives June 30th via Spinefarm.

"This album is a great representation of my 30-year solo career, including four songs from the Little Steven-produced Demolition 23 album, which has been unavailable for over 20 years, plus some special rarities and previously unreleased bonus tracks."

Icon, song-writer, multi-instrumentalist, media personality, flamboyant force of nature, and one of rock's most celebrated and uber-kinetic frontmen, Michael has been a name and a (much-photographed) face on the scene since 1979, when he played a central role in the formation of Hanoi Rocks - the legendary Finnish glam-punk heroes who came within a rolling paper's width of taking the world by glitter-storm.

Were it not for cruel and fickle fate, Hanoi - who disbanded for the first time in 1985, then finally in 2009 - might have ended up as an arena act. But whatever obstacles were thrust in their path, they were never less than the real deal, and major names like Guns N' Roses were ready to acknowledge their influence and their worth. G N' R would go on to issue the European Hanoi catalogue in the U.S. via their Uzi Suicide imprint.

Over his three-decades-plus in the spotlight, Monroe has befriended and performed with a whole host of artists and acts, including the aforementioned Guns N' Roses and Slash; Lemmy, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Little Steven, and Ian Hunter.

The frontman has shared stages and studios with them all, but since that first break-up of Hanoi in the mid-'80s, he's essentially been pursuing his own path, and it's this solo activity that forms the basis of The Best. It's almost two hours' worth of career-spanning music, re-mastered by Svante Forsback and sequenced by the great man himself.

As well as key, high-profile numbers such as "Dead, Jail Or Rock 'N' Roll" (from second solo album, 1989's Not Fakin' It, the promo clip for which features an onstage cameo from Axl Rose) and "'78" (from 2011's Sensory Overdrive), this two-CD set also showcases some "from the vaults" moments for collectors and completists, with bonus tracks and previously unreleased songs strategically placed to make the journey both scenic and surprising.

"There's a couple of extra special tracks like 'It's A Lie,' sung as a duet with Stiv Bators (Dead Boys, Lords Of The New Church) back in 1985, and a never-before-released second version of the Steppenwolf cover 'Magic Carpet Ride,' featuring Slash, left over from the Coneheads soundtrack project that Slash did with me in 1993. And since Slash has the biggest heart of gold in rock 'n' roll, he was kind enough to allow me to use it on this album. God bless him!," said Monroe.

Two other previously unreleased songs are "Fist Fulla Dynamite" and "Simpletown," outtakes from the Blackout States album (2015); plus there's the new single "One Foot Outta The Grave" - an anthem of pure defiance - to bring things nicely up to date, showing the artist's continued commitment to a genre.

German speed/thrash metal band, Vendetta, will re-release their Brain Damage album on June 16th via Massacre Records. The remastered version of the album’s title track is available for streaming below.

Tracklisting:

“War”
“Brain Damage”
“Conversation”
“Precious Existence”
“Never Die”
“Love Song”
“Fade To Insanity”
“Dominance Of Violence”
“Metal Law”
“War” (Live)

“Brain Damage”:

Finnish AOR hopefuls, The Nights, will release their self-titled debut album on August 4th. The first single, “Welcome To The Show”, is available for streaming below.

The Nights is a dynamic duo formed by two well known members of the melodic rock scene in Finland. Ilkka Wirtanen handles guitars, production, and songwriting and Sami Hyde is on vocals and handles songwriting duties too.

Both Sami and Ilkka have established careers in music in both Finland and abroad. Sami has been a singer for a variety of acts and projects, including the Tony Mills Band (Shy, TNT) which also included Geoff Nicholls (Black Sabbath) on keyboards and Neil Hibbs (SHY) on guitar. Additionally, he has written songs for many artists, including The Magnificent ("If It Takes All Night", "Lost", and "Drive"). Ilkka Wirtanen is best known for his work as a producer with international acts like glam rockers Reckless Love, for whom he has produced four albums and co-written many of their more well-known songs, including "Hot" and "Night On Fire". He has sat in the producer’s chair for several other rock bands (Baton Rogue Morgue, Hellcity Punks) and has worked as a mixer for international acts (S.E.X. Department).

The band also recently appeared at two exclusive shows supporting Brother Firetribe last April to rave reviews.

With a lineup completed by Jan-Erik Iivari on drums and percussion and Harri Kokkonen on electric, acoustic and fretless bass, The Nights are going to provide the soundtrack to your late summer days.

Tracklisting:

“Welcome To The Show”
“Nothing But Love”
“Juliette”
“I Will Never Stop Loving You”
“In A Blink Of An Eye”
“Hold On”
“Elegy (You Should Be Here)”
“Take Me To Heaven”
“You Belong To Me Tonight”
“I Wanna Be Your Superhero”
“We Can Rule The World Tonight”

“Welcome To The Show”:

(Photo - Iris Haubold 2017)

Angeles recently released their new album, Killers Of The Game, via Rock Avenue Records. The band has now released a video for the title track, watch is available for streaming below.

The album is available on all media markets and also a pressing of physical CDs will be available through the label and the band while on tour. Order your hard copy of the CD at this location.

All-original rock band Angeles first started playing Hollywood, CA in the early 80’s and has shared the stage with legends such as Mötley Crüe, Quiet Riot, Gun’s N’ Roses, Ratt, Ronnie James Dio, Bon Jovi, Michael Schenker, Dokken, Foghat, L.A. Guns, Jack Russell’s Great White, Jefferson Starship. The band has played live extensively and hit quite a few milestones.

Angeles received their first Platinum record (1 million worldwide sales) in 2014 with We’re No Angles, which has been played on nationwide radio stations, and play an annual benefit show Thunder on the lot for children’s charity.

In 2016 Angeles released their Crazy album featuring their single “God, Country And King” with over 1 million views on Vevo.

Progressive metal outfit, Dethrone The Sovereign, have released a teaser for their upcoming Harbingers Of Pestilence album, available for streaming below.

Harbingers Of Pestilence, slated for release July 28th, is the result of years of hard work writing and recording in the studio with help from producer Stetson "Bucket" Whitworth. The teaser glosses over the album's nine tracks, highlighting some of the band's varied musical influences from metal to jazz, and classical to electronic, to name a few.

Fans of Between The Buried And Me, Born of Osiris, Fallujah, and The Faceless will find plenty to love in Harbingers Of Pestilence. From the technical onslaught of tight chugs and haunting orchestral lines to the impressive classical-influenced shredding, Dethrone The Sovereign manages to put together a sound that's catchy, intriguing, and very much their own.

The band briefly elaborated on the upcoming release: "We are extremely pleased to present this preview for our upcoming album, Harbingers Of Pestilence. We tried to cover all the ground we could musically while at the same time maintaining a sense of cohesiveness for the album as a whole, which we hope will show here.”

Fight Or Fall is a multi-part reality/documentary, it tells the complex tale of the Riot back story and follows Riot V as they tour the US, Canada and Japan. Part 1 will be streaming for free on Wednesday, June 7th (Mark Reale's Birthday) on The Metal Voice YouTube channel and Facebook page. Check out a new trailer video below.

Part 1 covers the formation of Riot, Rock City, Narita-eras and the demise and resurrection of the band for their most popular album, Fire Down Under. The first instalment also covers Riot V in rehearsals and preparation for their US dates and their trek into Chicago and Detroit.

Guests included in Part 1:

Steve 'Lips' Kudrow - Anvil
Martin Popoff - Rock Author
Anthony Reale - Mark Reale's Father
Mike Flyntz - Riot V and Riot guitarist
Donnie Van Stavern - Riot V and Riot bassist
Frank Gilchriest - Riot V and Riot drummer
Todd Michael Hall - Riot V vocalist
Lance Barnewold - Riot V touring guitarist in July 2017
Lou A Kouvaris - Riot guitarist (1976-1978)
Rick Ventura - Riot guitarist (1978-1983)
Phil Feit - Riot bassist (1974-1976) (1979-1980), Billy Idol, Joan Jett
Peter Bitelli - Riot drummer (1972-1980)

Trailer #1:

Trailer #2:

Filmmaker Jimmy Kay had this to say about the project, "This is a reality/documentary, the viewer gets to watch the band travel in the first person from city to city, see them perform their music, tell their stories and interact with themselves and the fans. It captures the brotherhood, the continuation of Riot V and bridges the two entities together. The documentary also aims to explain the Riot back story and legacy."

Giles Lavery co-producer concluded, "The story of Riot is one of the most unique and inspiring in the history of hard rock and heavy metal, the story has many twists and turns along the way, but the songs were and are always at forefront as some of the best in hard rock and heavy metal."

Riot V's debut, Unleash The Fire, was released in October 2014. The CD marked the first release from Riot without the late, great founding guitarist Mark Reale, who passed away in 2012 due to complications of Crohn's disease. Riot V was encouraged by father of Mark Reale to forge ahead in his honor.

Riot V is working on the follow-up to Unleash The Fire and preparing for live dates later in 2017.

More video footage from the Deep Purple archives has surfaced, with two rare videos available for streaming below.

In the first clip, Ian Gillan, Ian Paice and Roger Glover are interviewed in 1987 at the time of the House Of Blue Light release.

The next clip features a classic Ian Gillan interview after the Perfect Strangers tour. The band had just released the House Of Blue Light album in late 1986. They were riding a high and Mick Wall discusses the band, politics and life with Deep Purple. Ian Gillan, as usual, is straight to the point. Honest and forthright.

Deep Purple are currently touring in support of their new studio album, inFinite. The band perform next on May 30th at Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany. Find the band’s live itinerary at this location.

In 1983, Star Licks Productions created a series of instructional videos featuring well-known musicians demonstrating their unique musical styles and techniques. The portfolio debuted with a wide-ranging group of players including Steve Lukather of Toto, Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, guitarist Albert Lee, and acclaimed guitarist/educator Wolf Marshall.

In one of the videos, Queen’s Brian May discussed his equipment and techniques, and demonstrates a number of his guitar solos. He covers both famous and lesser known Queen songs, including “Brighton Rock”, “Tie Your Mother Down”, “Somebody To Love”, “It's Late”, “Dead On Time”, “Put Out The Fire”, “It's A Hard Life”, “Keep Yourself Alive”, “Jesus”, “Father To Son” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”.

Watch a clip featuring “Put Out The Fire” below.

The programme was produced and directed by Mark Freed and Robert Decker, and recorded at Sarm West, London, England. The video was originally released in 1983 and later reissued in 1993/4.

Note from Brian: “Mark initially came to me with an idea for making audio cassettes of guitarists explaining their techniques. It seemed a good one and we arranged to meet and make it happen. But I said ... if we’re going to the trouble of recording this stuff, why not film it as well, and make it into a Video Cassette ?! So we made a ‘pilot’ video, and people liked it, and this became the template for a whole collection of videos which, I think, stand up very well to this day. Maybe we should do an update?!”

Subscribe to Brian May’s channel here.

Queen + Adam Lambert Tour Dates 2017:

June
23 - Phoenix, AZ - Gila River Arena
24 - Las Vegas, NV - T-Mobile Arena
26 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl
29 - San Jose, CA - SAP Center

July
1 - Seattle, WA - Key Arena
2 - Vancouver, BC - Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
4 - Edmonton, AB - Rogers Place
6 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center Arena
8 - Omaha, NE - CenturyLink Arena
9 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
13 - Chicago, IL - United Center
14 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
17 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
18 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre
20 - Detroit, MI - The Palace of Auburn Hills
21 - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena
23 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
25 - Boston, MA - TD Garden
26 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
28 - New York, NY - Barclays Center
30 - Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center
31 - Washington D.C. - Verizon Center

August
2 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
4 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
5 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center

November
1 - Prague, Czech Republic - O2 Arena
2 - Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle
4 - Budapest, Hungary - Sportarena
6 - Lodz, Poland - Atlas Arena
8 - Vienna, Austria - Stadhalle
10 - Bologna, Italy - Unipol Arena
12 - Luxembourg, Amneville - Galaxie
13 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo Dome
17 - Kaunas, Lithuania - Zalgiris Arena
25 - Dublin, Ireland - 3 Arena
26 - Belfast, Ireland - SSE Arena
28 - Liverpool, England - Echo Arena
30 - Birmingham, England - Barclaycard Arena

December
1 - Newcastle, England - Metro Radio Arena
3 - Glasgow, Scotland - The SSE Hydro
5 - Nottingham, England - Motorpoint Arena
6 - Leeds, England - First Direct Arena
8 - Sheffield, England - Motorpoint Arena
9 - Manchester, England - Arena
12 - London, England - 02 Arena
15 - London, England - The SSE Arena, Wembley

Finland’s Inverse Records and Swedish unorthodox extreme metal band, Godhead Machinery, have signed a record deal. The full-length album, Ouroboros, will be released later in the fall of 2017. Watch an album teaser below.

The band's founder Robert "Kail" Karlsson (Misericordia) comments: "We are very honoured that Inverse believe in our tunes and our cause against the malevolent order that rules today! This collaboration will be the fuel that we need to keep focusing on the analyses of the world and on our music."

"The first time I heard Godhead Machinery's tunes, I was spellbound by the extraordinary atmosphere they can create. I am extremely excited with our cooperation,” states Joni Kantoniemi from Inverse Records.

The first single from the album, "Praise The Flesh”, will be released June 14th digitally.

Lineup:

Robert "Kail" Karlsson - Guitars, Bass, FX and Vocals
Marcus "Somliga" Andersson - Drums

Session member:

David Engström - Brass

Joe Perry has told the Associated Press that AEROSMITH will continue playing until at least its upcoming fiftieth anniversary, which the band will celebrate in 2020. "I thing that we're gonna keep going," the guitarist said (see video below). "The way it looks to me is the band is gonna stay pretty active over the next few years 'cause our fiftieth anniversary is coming up in two years, of when the band got together, and we'd like to see that happen."

Added singer Steve Tyler: "I don't know if it'll continue forever, but as long as the band is playing the way it is right now, it's gonna be for a long time."

Perry previously told The Arizona Republic that he wasn't ready to walk away from the band. He said: "No. It's like, try and picture your last meal. You're only gonna eat so many times in your life. You're gonna sit down at the table 258 million times. There's a finite number of times you're gonna do anything in your life. To picture a final AEROSMITH gig, it's like… I can't do it. There's too much of that 'rock until you drop' ingrained into this band. But we're at the end, so who knows how long it's gonna go?"

AEROSMITH launched its "Aero-Vederci Baby!" tour on May 17 with the band’s first show in Israel in more than 20 years. Roughly fifty thousand fans turned out to see the group perform at Park HaYarkon in Tel Aviv.

Speaking to NME on May 27, Perry explained that the band had had a change of heart over its farewell tour. "We thought it was gonna be a good idea when we first started plotting the European run," he said. "We're gonna do South America and the States for five months and we thought, 'Well, we're getting near the end here.' We don't know when the tour is gonna end, but we know there'll be a last gig of this tour. We all have lives outside of the band. We grew up together, went from being kids in the apartment to a long and storied career, so we thought, 'It's time.' Then we were in South America doing interviews and we couldn't fuckin' say it, that there was gonna be a last gig. We were looking at each other going, 'Really? Are we really gonna say this is the farewell tour?' So we kinda changed our minds. Will the band be together in a year? We'll do everything we can to make sure it is, but God may have other plans. Judging by how he's treated us over the last forty-eight years, I'd like to think he's gonna let us see fifty, but you can't guarantee that."

Michael Poulsen of Danish/American rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT has confirmed that the band has commenced the songwriting process for the follow-up to last year's "Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie" album. "I'm always inspired, and we already have certain new songs written," he told the 99.7 The Blitz radio station at this past weekend's Rock On The Range festival in Columbus, Ohio. "But new things are happening. I just became a father a week ago [to] my first child, so now it's a life change. Who knows how the new songs are gonna sound like? But it feels good when you're done in the studio, and you don't wanna see the studio for a long time and you don't wanna sit home and write. But you also come to a point where you wanna get back to the songwriting and get back to the studio and back on the road and play new songs, because it can also get boring playing the same old songs all over again. So it's always great to find that inspiration for writing new songs and recording."

According to Poulsen, five songs have been written so far for VOLBEAT's seventh album, three of which "are very heavy [and] more uptempo" while two are "more melodic rock songs."

VOLBEAT's sixth full-length album, "Seal The Deal & Let's Boogie", was released in June 2016 via Republic Records. The discs is their highest charting in the United States.

VOLBEAT is currently supporting METALLICA on its stadium tour but is also performing a select few headlining gigs.

MASTODON guitarist Bill Kelliher says that he was "totally shocked and overwhelmed with grief" over Chris Cornell's death.

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

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

Asked by Metal Rules how he felt when he heard the news of Cornell's passing, Kelliher said: "Totally shocked and overwhelmed with grief. It was very, very terrible. We just played two shows with SOUNDGARDEN not even a week ago. I know [SOUNDGARDEN guitarist] Kim Thayil really well and he is a super nice guy. He just came to a show of ours two or three weeks ago in Seattle where he lives. We hung out all night. I saw SOUNDGARDEN in 1989 in Rochester, New York they were fucking incredible and even up to this day. They were like BLACK SABBATH meets metal meets grunge. They were the epitome of the new grunge era of music. I loved them and was a huge fan. Chris's voice was one of kind. He can sing like such a badass; he was so fucking good and talented. I feel bad for his family, band, and all the fans. We will never be able to hear his voice again."

Kelliher added that he didn't know Chris personally."I think I met him once, at a festival in Europe; maybe in Portugal," he revealed. "He had a bodyguard and I don't think he hung out like the other guys did. I never got a chance to sit down and get to know him. I know people who knew him and they are crushed."

A private funeral for Cornell will be held on Friday, May 26 at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

Ahead of Friday's service, Cornell's remains were cremated yesterday (Tuesday, May 23), as a small group of family and friends stood by, including his wife Vicky, his brother Peter, and his friends Linda Ramone and singer J.D. King, according to TMZ.

Chris is survived by Vicky and three children, a daughter named Toni, a son named Christopher and a daughter named Lillian from his previous marriage to former SOUNDGARDEN manager Susan Silver.

According to Folha De S. Paulo, former SEPULTURA members Max and Igor Cavalera have denied permission to the makers of the band's official documentary, "Sepultura Endurance", to use the group's early music in the film.

The director of the movie, Otávio Juliano, told the Brazilian news outlet that he could not even use footage of early SEPULTURA songs being performed by the current version of the band, which includes singer Derrick Green and drummer Eloy Casagrande alongside two members of SEPULTURA's "classic" lineup, Andreas Kisser (guitar) and Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. (bass).

"I'd be really glad if [Max and Igor, who own 50% of the rights to SEPULTURA's early material] changed their minds, because they haven't even seen the film yet. There is nothing in this movie that isn't a celebration of everything they've achieved," said Juliano.

Whenever artists record songs that someone else wrote and attempt to "synch" them with any audio/visual element, they need a synchronization license. This pays a royalty to the composer of the song for the right to use their song on the new video recording. Synchronization licenses are required no matter how small a portion of the song is used.

Copyright owners of music, which are usually the publishers, have the exclusive authority, backed by U.S. copyright law, to say "yes" or "no" to any license request where audio/visual projects are concerned. This means that the copyright holder can demand any price or deny permission altogether.

"Sepultura Endurance" received its world premiere on May 21 at the Regent theater in Los Angeles. A screening of the film was followed by a question-and-answer session with the band, as well as Juliano.

During a recent interview with The Salt Lake Tribune, Igor Cavalera was asked about his relationship with his former bandmates in SEPULTURA today, more than ten years after his departure from the group. The drummer, who has been celebrating — along with his brother, former SEPULTURA frontman Max Cavalera — the twentieth anniversary of the band's classic album "Roots" by performing the LP in its entirety, responded: "It is negative because, to a certain extent, me and Max believe SEPULTURA doesn't really make sense nowadays, to do what they're doing, and with that comes a lot of anger from their part. But, at the end of the day, we don't really care. This is what we do. And we're really happy with what we have right now. I know a lot of fans appreciate that by coming to see us. I don't know — life's too short to be angry and fighting and doing all this stuff. So I don't really care what they do or what they don't do."

Igor also downplayed the possibility of a reunion of SEPULTURA's classic lineup, saying: "We don't really … Unless it's something really solid — and we haven't seen that from their part — of doing something totally professional and coming together, trying to do something like that. At the end of the day, it would be special for the fans, so it's not like a closed door, but at the same time, we have no time to spend energy with this kind of thing. So we just move forward."

Max echoed his brother's sentiments, telling The Salt Lake Tribune that he doesn't even think about his former bandmates much. "For a time — for a long time — there was a war in the press, like, 'He'll talk this, I'll talk that,'" he explained. "I got really tired of it, honestly. I'm not gonna do that anymore. So let them go their way and do their thing, and we're gonna do our thing, and I think that's the best for everybody."

He continued: "The fans know in their heart that we were there in the beginning. Unfortunately, we don't have the name, they continue with the name, but we have paid homage to real great records like 'Roots', and we might do some other ones. And [Rhino Records] releasing all the 'Max years' on vinyl and CDs — it's a great compilation that just came out. We focus more on that and the other projects that I have."

Max added: "I don't really have time to think about what those other guys are doing, and I honestly don't even care. It's whatever, you know? They're gonna do their thing, and we're gonna do our thing. That's pretty much how it's gonna be. I don't listen to their stuff and I don't really care. I just really wanna do what I'm doing, and I'm happy with that."

While stopping short of completely ruling out a reunion of SEPULTURA's classic lineup, Max said: "Right now, we don't even need it. It's been so much of that kind of bad vibes through the years that I don't even know how that would even really work out. I think what [Igor and I] are doing is the closest thing to that, and it works great, it works like a charm. It's amazing. I'm happy just with this. This 'Return To Roots' [tour], for me, it's enough. I don't even need the reunion. For me, this is great, this works just as great. And I'm having fun every night playing the songs that I love and were a big part of my life. But I'm a guy who looks to the future, too, so at the same time I'm doing this 'Roots' thing, I'm looking forward to and excited about KILLER BE KILLED, for the new CAVALERA [CONSPIRACY], for the new SOULFLY. I think, for me, that's more important than a reunion. It's what's in front of you. I'm very pleased with how things are turning out right now, so I wouldn't change anything."

In 1996, Max exited SEPULTURA after the rest of the band fired Max's wife Gloria as their manager.

Igor left SEPULTURA in June 2006 due to "artistic differences." His departure from the band came five months after he announced that he was taking a break from SEPULTURA's touring activities to spend time with his second wife and their new son (who was born in January 2006).

Thanks: Gabriel Costa

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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