In a new interview with Monterrey Rock, DEATH ANGEL bassist Damien Sisson spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2019's "Humanicide" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "We are currently in the writing process right now. I wanna say we're probably a good — I wanna say we're, like, six or seven songs in. And, gosh, I shouldn't say too much about the album because so much — as I've found from the four albums I've done with DEATH ANGEL, from when you first get the first riffs or the first demo tapes to when it's done, so much changes. Art changes, direction changes, lyrics change, structure changes."

He continued: "Ambitiously, we'd love to go the LED ZEPPELIN route and have like a 'Physical Graffiti' double album. We're not sure if we're gonna have enough material, 'cause it's gotta be good material. You can't just stuff two albums' full of riffs; it's gotta be good material. So, in the event that we don't get two albums, a double album, done, then we hope to really just come through with 10 really strong songs on a new album."

As for a possible release date for the new DEATH ANGEL album, Damien, who has lived in Mexico since 2019, said: "I can't really say when the release is; we're not in the recording studio yet. Knowing the way the industry works, I can't imagine this album getting out in 2024, which means probably and hopefully an early release of 2025. I would hope for in the first quarter, somewhere around March, April of 2025, hopefully a new album is dropping. We're engaging in a new touring cycle. We're ramping up and trying to hit all the markets again, hopefully Southeast Asia, Europe. It'd be great to have the opportunity to come back to South America or Latin America. But I know once we have a new album out, the idea is to try to support it as much as we can."

This past March, DEATH ANGEL guitarist Ted Aguilar told El Planeta Del Rock that there were "a bunch of songs, a lot of skeletons" for the band's next album. "We spent the first three months of this year writing. We didn't do any activity — just writing… There's a bunch of skeletons, as we call it. There's a lot of ideas that we're waiting for [singer] Mark [Osegueda] to put some vocals on."

Osegueda is the featured singer on SLAYER guitarist Kerry King's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", which arrived on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

Earlier in March, Osegueda told El Planeta Del Rock about the songwriting process for DEATH ANGEL's next LP: "It's going great. And we're excited about it."

Asked if there is any chance of DEATH ANGEL releasing a new single this year, Mark said: "That's a good question. I don't know. We're more of an album band. 'Cause we wanna write a whole bunch of music and cherry pick the best songs that we think will make a solid, solid, vicious record, especially after — [it being] the follow-up to 'Humanicide' and being that it's already been, we're going on five years since the last [studio album]. So I think we wanna get the best product possible."

In a separate interview with Elevar, Cavestany confirmed that new DEATH ANGEL music was in the works. "I don't like divulging the 'play by play'; I'd rather news came out when there is substantial information to speak of," he explained. "That being said, I can tell you there are around seven songs we are currently working on and I'm currently getting deep into the writing zone, which is my happy place. If we can manage to stop saying yes to every tour offer (we love to tour),then maybe we can finally get this new album done. The plan is to record it this year."

Also in march, DEATH ANGEL drummer Will Carroll said that he was "stoked" about how the band's new music was shaping up. "The creative juices are flowing and things are moving along at a very productive rate," he wrote on social media.

He added: "I can't wait for the DA fans around the world to hear this new material and hopefully we'll make some new ones along the way. Exciting times indeed."

In January, Will said that he and his DEATH ANGEL bandmates were "hard at work getting" the band's next album "written and completely demo'd."

"It felt good to get back to work with Rob Cavestany," Will wrote. "It's a real challenge to not rehash the same ideas and beats from previous albums but I think so far things are sounding fresh and inspired."

Last July, Aguilar told Vikram Chandrasekar about the band's songwriting process: "Well, when it comes down to writing, it's all Rob. It's all Rob. It starts with him. He comes up with a basic structure and him and Will get together and they hash it all out and they record it. And when they get it to a point where, 'Oh, yeah, this is great,' then they send it off to everyone else. And Damien does his parts and Mark will listen to it and try to write lyrics and melodies. And I'll listen to it and I'll touch base with Rob: 'What do you want me to do here? Do you want me to play something here? Or do you want me to do something different?' 'Cause Rob has a vision and you kind of wanna see his vision. And as soon as the song comes together to where we play it quite a few times, then we could throw in our ideas, like, 'Hey, maybe that part should be a little longer,' or, 'Maybe cut that out,' or Will will go, 'I wanna do something different here instead.' So, you know, Rob has a vision, we listen, we play along with it. Then if we feel like there needs to be changes, we express our concern, and Rob is really good at, 'Yeah, let's give it a try.' So we try everything. And it comes down to, 'All right, this is what works.' So it starts with Rob. And with regarding the lyrics, every now and then Rob will pick out a song: 'I wanna write lyrics for this song.' And Mark goes, 'Go ahead.' But Mark writes all the lyrics, and what he does is with the music, he'll listen to it over and over by himself. I don't know where he goes. He goes into the far corners of the earth by himself, with the headphones and music, and he'll come up with so many types of different melodies and stuff, and then come up with the ones he's happy with and lay it down on the demo form. Then when we get into the real studio, then things start to evolve 'cause we've played it so many times or we listened to it so many times that when we get in there, [we go], 'All right, let's try this.' It's always evolving to the point where it's handing it in to get mastered. Some songs stay kind of the same from what it was, but we just put more energy into it. Some songs have been rewritten quite a few times, so it differs. Rob's the songwriter, and on the last album I wrote one song. Yeah, it's how it is. And right now I'm writing some stuff, and how it goes is I'll write some stuff, I'll send it to Rob. I always tell him, 'If it's good, use it. If not, if you find parts are good, use it. If it's not good, it's okay, dude.' I'm just throwing some stuff out there, 'cause he knows what the DEATH ANGEL sound should be. And if he likes it, he'll use it. If he doesn't, my feelings are not broken."

DEATH ANGEL released a live album titled "The Bastard Tracks" in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast. Recorded live at The Great American Music Hall in their hometown of San Francisco on May 22, 2021, and streamed live soon after, "The Bastard Tracks" was described in a press release as "a deep-cuts collection of rarely and never performed songs from the band's catalog" that was released digitally and on CD, vinyl and Blu-ray.

In October 2020, DEATH ANGEL released a four-song EP, "Under Pressure". The effort included a cover of QUEEN + David Bowie's "Under Pressure", followed by a new track titled "Faded Remains", plus acoustic versions of "Act III"'s classic "A Room With A View" and "Humanicide"'s "Revelation Song". The EP was mixed by Max Norman (OZZY OSBOURNE, MEGADETH, BAD COMPANY) and mastered by Ted Jensen (LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD, HALESTORM).

Released in May 2019 via Nuclear Blast, "Humanicide" saw DEATH ANGEL returning to producer and friend Jason Suecof (DEICIDE, TRIVIUM) of Audiohammer studios for the recording and mixing, along with the mastering of the legendary Ted Jensen (SLIPKNOT, PANTERA) of Sterling Sound, who added the final touches and brought it all to life, with artist Brent Elliott White (LAMB OF GOD, MEGADETH) providing the ominous cover artwork.

In March 2020, Carroll spent almost two weeks on a ventilator in an intensive care unit at a Northern California hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. He first got sick when he and the rest of DEATH ANGEL spent more than a month on the road in Europe with TESTAMENT and EXODUS as part of "The Bay Strikes Back 2020" tour.

DEATH ANGEL was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the "Humanicide" title track. It was the group's first Grammy nomination.

Carroll joined DEATH ANGEL in 2009 as the replacement for the band's original drummer, Andy Galeon.

In a new interview with Cutter's RockCast, world-renowned CREED and ALTER BRIDGE guitarist/songwriter Mark Tremonti confirmed that he has completed work on the sixth album from his solo band TREMONTI.  "We have a record mastered, ready to go," he said. "We have the album artwork done. [It's] mixed [and] mastered. It comes out January 9th."

TREMONTI's fifth album, "Marching In Time", came out in September 2021 via Napalm Records. The LP was produced by longtime friend and collaborator Michael "Elvis" Baskette — the producer Mark has worked with exclusively since 2007.

At the time of "Marching In Time"'s release, Tremonti told American Songwriter that he had completed 18 songs for the record but ended up cutting out six tracks.

"We had to whittle it down and get rid of some songs, which is always terrible," he said. "It's like losing your children. These are things you've worked on and developed an emotional relationship to… Usually, you'll leave them a little looser so you have some kind of push or pull in the studio, but this time these songs were airtight before we hit the studio."

In a separate interview with Classic Rock, Tremonti talked about his evolution as a vocalist, saying: "I wasn't a good singer. But I wanted to be. As a new frontman you have to throw yourself to the wolves. You gotta get up there and do it. Nowadays you can get on YouTube and learn how to do almost anything. How to fix your car, whatever you want. But you can't learn how to be a public entertainer. You could watch Freddie Mercury, or say, 'Well, Roger Daltrey did this.' But you've just got to do it for yourself.

"In my early days as a frontman, I was like a WWE wrestler, like, 'Come on!' But as you get more confidence, I think you get calmer on stage. I think a good first step to dipping your toe in the water is to go find a karaoke place. On vacation I'll find the band on the cruise ship and sing with them. I don't mean metal songs, I mean songs like 'Purple Rain' and 'Dock Of The Bay'."

Tremonti went on to say that he sharpened up his vocals for "Marching In Time" by singing along to Frank Sinatra. "I'm serious," he insisted. "When I'm making these solo records, I'm singing above my vocal range, and I'm having to push. I think people like to hear that desperation in your voice when you're trying to hit a note. But when I sing Sinatra stuff, his vocal range is my vocal range. I can practice my pitch, my vibrato, my control, my phrasing, my pronunciation. Sinatra is probably my favorite singer of all time."

BLACK SABBATH's Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler are featured in a new commercial for the home kit for the Aston Villa football (soccer) club.

Soundtracked by BLACK SABBATH's "Paranoid", the one-minute clip sees the Birmingham, United Kingdom heavy metal legends promote the the 2024/2025 season home kit from their local Premier League club. Also featured in the commercial are Aston Villa stars like coach Unai Emery, Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Martinez and John McGinn.

The video starts with Osbourne calling up Butler and telling the bassist SABBATH should play Villa Park, with Butler responding, "As long as I'm left wing."

Later in the clip, Ozzy describes himself as "the biggest frontman to ever come out of Birmingham," while sporting the new kit.

Ozzy and Geezer grew up close to Aston Villa's ground Villa Park and are lifelong fans of the team.

Last month, Geezer fulfilled his childhood dream of playing Villa Park when he made a guest appearance with FOO FIGHTERS on a rendition of "Paranoid".

Earlier this year, Sharon Osbourne revealed that Ozzy was hoping to play two farewell concerts for his hometown fans at Villa Park. "He won't tour again but we are planning on doing two more shows to say goodbye as he feels like, 'I have never said goodbye to my fans and I want to say goodbye'," she said at the time.

Aston Villa's new home shirt is made by Adidas and is in the club's traditional claret and blue. It also features a special "AV150" symbol to mark the club's 150th anniversary.

Chris Heck, president of business at Aston Villa, said: "We are immensely proud to unveil our new playing kit which marks the start of not only a landmark partnership with one of the world's most recognizable sports brands but an historic year for our football club.

"The new jerseys feature the latest Adidas technology and have been developed in close collaboration with Aston Villa's men's and women's teams."

BLACK STAR RIDERS will headline a special show at KK's Steel Mill in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom on Friday, November 15, 2024 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of U.K.'s Planet Rock radio.

BLACK STAR RIDERS' Ricky Warwick said: "As you all know, we have been taking a bit of a BLACK STAR RIDERS hiatus, but this is the perfect show for us to come back and play for you all. This will be a one-off date featuring Jimmy DeGrasso, Sam Wood and myself, and we are very pleased to have Marco Mendoza back into the fold due to Robbie Crane having existing commitments.

"Planet Rock have gone beyond in their support of BLACK STAR RIDERS over the years and we can’t think of a better event to come back and play for all of you who have been wanting to see BLACK STAR RIDERS live again."

In addition, BLACK STAR RIDERS will release a brand new single titled "Why Are The Rats?" on all digital platforms on July 26. The track will be available as a free download from July 26 at 10 a.m. U.K. time to anyone to who visits www.earache.com/blackstarriders.

"Why Are The Rats?" was recorded back in 2021 as part of the "Wrong Side Of Paradise" sessions featuring Ricky Warwick on lead vocals and guitar, Robbie Crane on bass, Christian Martucci on lead guitar and Zak St. John on drums.

It was in 2012 that BLACK STAR RIDERS was formed by four members of THIN LIZZY — Warwick, guitarist Scott Gorham, co-lead guitarist Damon Johnson and bassist Marco Mendoza — plus former MEGADETH and ALICE COOPER drummer Jimmy DeGrasso. The band’s debut album, "All Hell Breaks Loose", was released in 2013, and drew widespread acclaim in Classic Rock, Mojo, Metal Hammer and Kerrang!

In 2021, Gorham stepped down from BLACK STAR RIDERS to devote more time to THIN LIZZY.

Former ANTHRAX and current ARMORED SAINT singer John Bush may be best known as one of the finest voices in metal, but he's planning something very different. Once sought out to replace James Hetfield in METALLICA, the vocalist is keen to secure a release for a new rockabilly project.

Speaking to Eonmusic about his new band CATEGORY 7, Bush revealed that he's working with guitarist Tara Novick in a project called ELECTRIC SPAGHETTI.

"I have this kind of blues country band that I also would like to put out a record with because we've written a bunch of songs," Bush said. "We have, like, ten songs, but they're very different [to what I usually do]."

John went on to say that working on the ELECTRIC SPAGHETTI project gives him a chance to do something unexpected.

"It was really helpful for my brain to write these different types of songs," he said. "CATEGORY 7 is metal, of course, and then ELECTRIC SPAGHETTI, some songs sound like Little Richard meets Steve Earle."

Bush also revealed that ELECTRIC SPAGHETTI has played a number of low-key gigs, and even incorporated a rare ANTHRAX 1990s gem into their set.

"What was cool is, when we played live, we did, like, three shows, and we played 'A Toast To The Extras'. It was perfect because I was like, I have this song with ANTHRAX that we never played, and I played it for the band, and they're, like; 'That's great. Let's do it.' And so we played it live, and it was awesome."

Read the interview at Eonmusic.

Tara emerged from the Los Angeles punk and rockabilly scene, and in 1989, he was a founding member of ROYAL CROWN REVIEW, which helped pioneer the neo-swing revival. In 1992, he played lead guitar for El Vez (the self-proclaimed Mexican Elvis),and two years later joined West Coast punk band YOUTH BRIGADE. In 1996, he formed his own band THE VOODOO BOYS. From 2000 to 2005, Novick played lead guitar, co-wrote, recorded four albums, and toured the world with Lee Rocker of THE STRAY CATS. He's also toured and been the lead guitarist for Billy Idol, Slim Jim Phantom and the JOHN CORBETT BAND, for whom he produced the Billboard hit single "Good To Go", which came out in 2006. Tara's extensive solo work includes two albums, "Six Pack And Smokes" and "Tomorrow".

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Last night shenanigans. John Bush Electric Spaghetti country rock band kicks ass. Partay

Posted by John Ayala on Saturday, September 30, 2023

Fan-filmed video of AC/DC's July 21 concert at Old Airport Vajnory in Bratislava, Slovakia can be seen below (courtesy of the Milos Pavlik YouTube channel).

The setlist for the show was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

01. If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
02. Back In Black
03. Demon Fire
04. Shot Down In Flames
05. Thunderstruck
06. Have A Drink On Me
07. Hells Bells
08. Shot In The Dark
09. Stiff Upper Lip
10. Shoot To Thrill
11. Sin City
12. Rock 'N' Roll Train
13. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
14. High Voltage
15. Riff Raff
16. You Shook Me All Night Long
17. Highway To Hell
18. Whole Lotta Rosie
19. Let There Be Rock

Encore:

20. T.N.T.
21. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

The "Power Up" European tour marks AC/DC's first with the band's new touring lineup consisting of singer Brian Johnson, guitarists Angus and Stevie Young, drummer Matt Laug and the latest addition to the group's touring lineup, bassist Chris Chaney.

The 24-date trek will run through August. The trek will move on to Germany, Belgium and Paris before winding down at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. The European tour is the first run of gigs since AC/DC's return to the stage at last year's rock Power Trip festival in Indio, California.

AC/DC's last tour took place in 2015 and 2016 and had a $180 million gross, with 2,310,061 sold tickets reported to the Pollstar box office.

Laug is an American drummer who has played with many bands/artists such as Alanis Morissette, Alice Cooper, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT and Vasco Rossi. Matt moved to Los Angeles after graduating from South Florence High School in 1986 and after attending college in L.A., Matt became a sought-after studio drummer.

In 2001, Laug supported AC/DC as part of SLASH'S SNAKEPIT on the North American and European legs of the "Stiff Upper Lip" tour.

In its announcement about Laug's addition to the band's Power Trip lineup, AC/DC offered no explanation for the absence of the band's longtime drummer Phil Rudd, who rejoined AC/DC for the recording of the group's comeback album, "Power Up", which came out in November 2020.

Rudd was ousted from AC/DC when he was sentenced to eight months of home detention by a New Zealand court in 2015 after pleading guilty to charges of threatening to kill and drug possession. He was replaced on the band's "Rock Or Bust" tour by Chris Slade, who had previously served as AC/DC's drummer between 1989 and 1994, playing on the album "The Razor's Edge".

Rudd, who appeared on all but three of AC/DC's 18 previous studio albums, toured in support of his 2014 solo debut, "Head Job". It was the release of that album that led indirectly to Rudd's arrest, with the drummer allegedly so angry at a personal assistant over the way the record was promoted that he threatened to have the man and his daughter killed.

AC/DC postponed the last 10 dates of its spring 2016 North American trek after Johnson was advised to stop playing live or "risk total hearing loss." The band went on to complete the European and North American legs of its "Rock Or Bust" tour with GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose as a "guest vocalist." At the time, Johnson had been AC/DC's singer for 36 years, ever since replacing the late Bon Scott in 1980 and making his debut on the classic "Back In Black" album.

To enable him to perform live with AC/DC again, the now-76-year-old Johnson worked with audio expert Stephen Ambrose, who said he could help resolve the singer's hearing problems.

Ambrose, who invented the wireless in-ear monitors that are widely used by touring artists today, claimed to have invented a new type of ear-bud that would allow Johnson to perform without causing further damage to his eardrums. After three years of experimenting and "miniaturizing" the equipment, Johnson previously said the technology could allow him to tour again.

Chaney is best known as the bassist of JANE'S ADDICTION and as a member of Alanis Morissette's touring and recording band. Chaney was also a member of TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS and CAMP FREDDY, as well as being a prolific and versatile session musician, having played with artists including Joe Cocker, Shakira, Slash and Avril Lavigne to Sara Bareilles, Gavin Degraw, Cher, SHINEDOWN and Celine Dion. Chaney is also a founding member and partner in the all-star supergroup ROYAL MACHINES along with Dave Navarro (JANE'S ADDICTION),Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY),Josh Freese (FOO FIGHTERS) and Billy Morrison (BILLY IDOL).

Bassist Cliff Williams announced his retirement at the end of AC/DC's 2015-2016 "Rock Or Bust" tour, which also saw Johnson leaving. However, Williams — and Johnson — took part in the recording sessions that resulted in "Power Up". Both of them were also part of the AC/DC lineup that performed at Power Trip.

During an October 2020 interview with Dean Delray's "Let There Be Talk" podcast, Cliff was asked if Johnson's departure from the road was what led to his desire to stop touring. Cliff responded: "It was before then. I spoke to Angus about it initially. I was at a point — and this is at the beginning of the 'Rock Or Bust' tour — that I just felt, for me, it was time to hang it up. I knew that I didn't wanna keep doing these two-year tours, and I didn't wanna hold them back, so I made them aware of the fact that this was gonna be my last go-round. It was a tough tour to finish. God bless Axl for coming in and helping us out, finish it up. He did a great job. And at the end of that, I was definitely — that was it for me. Done — just done. That compounded the whole thing."

According to Williams, he wanted to take part in the recording sessions for "Power Up" as a tribute to Angus's late brother, founding AC/DC rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, who died in 2017 from effects of dementia at age 64. Malcolm is credited as a writer on all 12 tracks on "Power Up".

"If 'Back In Black' has [late AC/DC singer] Bon Scott all over it, for me, 'Power Up' has got Malcolm Young," Cliff said. "This is for him. And it's the band that we played together with for 40-plus years. And I wanted to do that — I wanted to come back and do that.

"We did some rehearsals earlier [in 2020] before this darn COVID thing popped up, and we had great rehearsals," he continued. "The band was playing really well. So [they asked me], 'Do you wanna do a few shows? 'Sure'. A few shows. We were planning on doing that. Everyone goes home to their respective homes, and bang, we've been here ever since [because of the coronavirus-related shutdown]."

Cliff went on to confirm that his commitment to AC/DC was only for "a few" dates in support of "Power Up".

"For both [my mental and physical] health," he said. "I definitely have some physical issues, which I won't bore you with the details of. But, yeah, it's tough. I'm very grateful for everything. It's been fantastic. But I just don't wanna do that anymore."

Williams previously revealed that a "terrible" bout with vertigo contributed to his 2016 retirement. He also admitted the return of both Johnson and drummer Phil Rudd convinced him to rejoin the group. "It was like the old band back together," he told Rolling Stone. "It was not like starting over again, but as close to the band that's been together for 40-plus years as we can possibly make it. I didn't want to miss that."

The follow-up to 2014's "Rock Or Bust", "Power Up" was recorded over a six-week period in August and September 2018 at Warehouse Studios in Vancouver with producer Brendan O'Brien, who also worked 2008's "Black Ice" and "Rock Or Bust".

Mourning Wood boasts a seasoned lineup with a combined arsenal of musical knowledge spanning vocational studies to university degrees. Their experience translates to a tight and polished sound, honed through countless gigs and an undeniable musical chemistry that stretches back to 2013 (officially forming in 2021).  Drawing inspiration from metal giants like Sentenced, Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, and Billy Idol, the band delivers a fresh take on classic Finnish metal with a twist of their own. Mourning Wood's songs are about life, death, and mental illness with a twist of dark humor.


The new EP, Fill Your Grave, delves into the raw pain of letting go. Each track explores the different stages of grief, from the initial shock to the simmering frustration that fuels the human condition. The journey began back in 2021 with guitarist Eino-Akseli Koski's searing demos. The band meticulously crafted their sound, recording "Gone At Last" in 2022 and completing the EP in 2023.


Fill Your Grave will be released on August 2nd via Wormholedeath Records.







Tracklist:


"Fill Your Grave"
"Last Drop"
"Sociopath"
"Ave Mania"
"Gone At Last"





Line-up:


Jussi Holopainen – vocals
Eino-Akseli Koski – guitar, backing vocals
Lari Lämpsä – bass, backing vocals
Hanna-Leena ”Hanska” Lassila – drums

Legendary rock band SWEET will release its new studio album, "Full Circle", on September 20, 2024 via Metalville Records. According to a press release, the LP will be SWEET's final studio album ever.

SWEET is a rock music phenomena that has taken the world by storm for more then five decades. Over the years, SWEET sold more than 55 million records and earned 34 No. 1 chart positions worldwide. The golden thread that links the past through to the present and into the future is SWEET founding member Andy Scott with all his determination to maintain high standards with the band's musical legacy, recording and touring. The band today has still an illustrious pedigree recreating "live" the high energy and soaring vocals associated with the SWEET sound that is the band's trademark.

SWEET began writing songs for the "Full Circle" album in 2019, before the pandemic. The project was shelved, and the band released "Isolation Boulevard" instead.

"Isolation Boulevard" featured all the SWEET's classic hit singles and was recorded with the new lineup during lockdowns between September and October 2020. It was a reworking of SWEET's 1975 album multi-million-selling "Desolation Boulevard". This involved remote recording sessions which put a new spin on the material. The album was well received, and a single, "Set Me Free", appeared in many heritage rock charts.

With the COVID period of isolation behind us, SWEET started the sessions for "Full Circle" in earnest. The band's touring schedule split the sessions but by the spring of 2024, the recordings were done. The band's performance is outstanding and producers Andy and Tom are very proud of the result.

"Full Circle" track listing

01. Circus
02. Don't Bring Me Water
03. Burning Like A Falling Star
04. Changes
05. Defender
06. Everything
07. Destination Hannover
08. Rising Up
09. Fire In My Heart
10. Coming Home
11. Full Circle

In a 2021 interview with VWMusic, Scott stated about SWEET's place within the rock and glam history: "I think we were probably underrated, and though we have respect from our peers, the other bands and musicians, I feel that if the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame came knocking, it would be a shame, almost too late, as I am the only one left. But hey, the legacy lives on."

Regarding SWEET's influence on the 1980s hair metal era, Andy said: "When bands like MÖTLEY CRÜE broke through, it was like looking at a snapshot of SWEET ten years on. The music was heavier and more reminiscent of our albums and B-sides than the singles. But in cultural/fashion terms, it is a direct line, a pure connection."

SWEET is:

Paul Manzi - Lead Vocals
Lee Small - Bass Guitar/Vocals
Tom Cory - Guitars/Keys/Vocals
Adam Booth - Drums/Percussion
Andy Scott - Guitars/Vocals

Milwaukee-based deathcore quartet Dark Deeds are preparing to release their debut EP, Death Keeps.


Recorded along the highways of Wisconsin in the band's mobile studio, Death Keeps offers seven tracks of darkly aggressive metal.


The band comments on their unorthodox recording process, "We wanted to make the recording process unique and memorable, so we hit the road in a 14-foot camper, traveling around Wisconsin to write and record our music. This mobile studio experience was fun and inspired us in ways we hadn't imagined."




Death Keeps is out digitally August 10; pre-save here.





Tracklisting:


“Found Underneath A Cold Knife”
“Leech”
“Apostate”
“Dogma”
“Remorse”
“King Of Pentacles”
“Death Keeps” (feat. Bind The Sacrifice)


“Found Underneath A Cold Knife”:





Lineup:
Ben Prendergast - Guitar/Vocals
Allan Barth III - Vocals
Shane Garski - Bass
Kevin Giersch - Drums

Atlanta foursome Pistols At Dawn — Adam Jaffe [drums], Will James [lead guitar], Gabriel Cuevas [bass], and Jon Sookdew Sing [lead vocals]— are entering their unapologetic era with their new single "Not Sorry."


Be forewarned, though! It's a banger with a hard rock and industrial-tinged edge, and dreamy vocals. It's an unexpected mix and it slays.







"Obsessed much?," the band states about the song's subject matter, with tongue planted firmly in cheek. "We all have crazy, toxic people in our past that try to manipulate and intimidate us. And the only way to deal with them is to unapologetically tell them that they are most definitely the problem." #TRUTH


As for the video, the band continues, "It encapsulates every relationship or moment in your life that have been abusive and corrosive to the soul. Dark themes are counterbalanced by the driving energy to overcome adversity. Poisonous elements and dark spaces represent the internal struggle and the focused intensity to become your own champion. It's an in-your-face lack of apology for moving forward and making your life your own."


Pistols At Dawn craft the kind of rock music that doesn't just reach the rafters; it breaks through the ceiling. Sky-high hooks stretch into the heavens, a powerful low-end rumbles without apology, and riffs roar at all the right moments. Thus far, the Atlanta band have emerged as a phenomenon. They've amassed nearly 10 million global streams and views, infiltrated the Billboard and Mediabase Top 40 Active Rock charts, earned acclaim from American Songwriter, Brave Words, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and embarked upon global tours alongside heavy-hitters such as Alter Bridge, Mammoth WVH, and Fozzy, to name a few. The quartet canvased the world throughout 2022 and 2023. Upon returning stateside, they opted to decamp to Los Angeles in order to assemble new material. Stayed tuned for more, because Pistols at Dawn are leveling up.


Pistols At Dawn live:


September
14 – Atlanta, GA – Smith’s Olde Bar

Join Denver’s Siege Perilous as they embark on a journey through the annals of history and myth with their latest single “Across The Rubicon”. The single comes from the upcoming EP Creation’s Call, which is being unleashed on August 23, 2024. The single is inspired by the legendary crossing of Julius Caesar, this epic anthem transports listeners to the brink of destiny, where the fate of empires hangs in the balance. 


Vocalist Shaughnessy McDaniel comments:


“This was one of the first songs we wrote for the EP. This was a fun opportunity for me to get to write in Latin which I hadn’t done in a while and to reconnect with some of my friends from the academic world. I’ve always thought that the story of Julius Caesar and the fall of the Roman Republic was fascinating, so getting to tell that epic story in a new format was a genuine delight and I think fans will really enjoy the combination of metal and historical storytelling in this one, channeling bands like Sabaton while forging our own pathway.”




With its thunderous drums and soaring vocals, “Across The Rubicon” captures the drama and intrigue of one of history's most pivotal moments. As guitars blaze like the fires of war and basslines march in unison, Siege Perilous paints a vivid portrait of ambition and defiance, inviting fans to witness the turning of the tide. 


This single will captivate power metal fans and history buffs alike and is sternly recommended for fans of Iron Maiden, Wind Rose, and Alestorm.


Pre-save at distrokid.com and preorder at siegemetal.com.





Tracklisting:


“Oathsworn”
“Across The Rubicon”
“Sons Of The Verdant”
“Creation’s Call”
“Brothers Of The Five”


"Across The Rubicon" video:





"Oathsworn":





“Sons Of The Verdant” lyric video:





Band Lineup (Album and Live): 
Shaughnessy McDaniel - Vocals 
Scott Hancock - Guitar
Cody Martinez - Guitar 
Eric Fischer - Bass 
Mark Girard - Drum


(Photo – Underhill Imagery)

Québec-based black metal horde, Spectral Wound, is now unleashing the ferocious new single, "The Horn Marauding", which is taken from the band's upcoming fourth studio album, Songs Of Blood And Mire, which will be released on August 23 via Profound Lore Records. The song can be heard below.


Spectral Wound play black metal. Furious and visceral, untrammelled by esoteric posture or grasping idealism. It is music for the poisoned, the futile, the debauched and profane. The blooming of a flower of corruption, torn by cold winds.


Following the raw early offering of Terra Nullius (Arcane Angels/Out of Season 2015) Spectral Wound continued their path of creeping, opulent decay and searing melody, weaving strands of Métal noir Québécois with the weft of the Scandinavian canon. Refining its sound over Infernal Decadence (Vendetta, 2018) and the towering, exultant melancholy of A Diabolic Thirst (Profound Lore, 2021), with Songs Of Blood and Mire (Profound Lore 2024) the band delivers an elegy of the void, seething with the venom and clamour of an ever-emptying world.




The album was recorded and mixed by Patrick McDowall (Guitarist in Spectral Wound) at his studio Black Gate and mastered by James Plotkin.


Pre-orders are now live, here.





Songs Of Blood And Mire tracklisting:


"Fevers And Suffering"
"At Wine-Dark Midnight In Mouldering Halls"
"Aristocratic Suicidal Black Metal"
"The Horn Marauding"
"Less And Less Human, O Savage Spirit"
"A Coin Upon The Tongue"
"Twelve Moons In Hell"


"The Horn Marauding":





"Aristocratic Suicidal Black Metal":





Spectral Wound will be performing a special run of dates in Canada and the EU/UK. The full run of upcoming performances is listed below:


August
30 - September 1 - Edmonton, AB - Infest Festival


September
7 - Montreal, QC - Petit Campus (with Yerglas, Vesperal, Skumstrike)


October
24: London, England - The Dome (with Pagan Altar, Ante Inferno)
25: Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuest (with Imha Tarikat, Abyssinia)
26: Leipzig, Germany - Institut fur Zukunft
27: Maastricht, Netherlands - Samhain Festival


April
17-20 - Oslo, Norway - Inferno Festival


Lineup:


Jonah - vocals
Illusory - drums
Patrick - guitars
Sam - bass
A.A. - guitars


(Photo - Ben Zodiazepin)

Back in February, during an interview with Italy's Mystery Tour Radio Show, Jethro Tull legend Ian Anderson revealed he will make a guest appearance on Swedish prog metallers Opeth's next studio album, stating: "From time to time I play on other people's records, if they're interesting to me. I just did - last week I played on three or four tracks from a prog metal band called Opeth."


In a new interview with Classic Rock, Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt was asked about the band's upcoming fourteenth studio album.


Classic Rock: What can you tell us about it?




Mikael Åkerfeldt: "It’s still a bit too early for me to talk about that."


Classic Rock: Are there any special guests on it?


Åkerfeldt: "I’m under instruction to keep things under wraps, so I’ll keep things extremely vague. I have been in touch with Ian Anderson about something. Emails were exchanged, containing something that could be described as music. Is that a good answer?"


Classic Rock: As good as we’re going to get, by the sound of it. Might we hear a new song or two at Bloodstock?


Åkerfeldt: "No. Firstly, I don’t like playing new songs until people have heard them [on record]. Secondly, Bloodstock is a ‘by request’ show, with a set picked by the audience."


Read more at Classic Rock.


Tribulation will be Opeth's special guests on their upcoming North American tour.


Says Tribulation: "We’re honored and very glad to announce that we’ll be joining our good friends in Opeth on their upcoming tour across North America this fall, finishing everything off nicely on Halloween. It’s been far, far too long since we last made a proper run across the pond and we couldn’t be happier that we’re doing it with Opeth. We hope to see a lot of old friends and new ones, we can’t wait!"


Tickets for the tour are on sale now. Get them here.





Tour dates:


October
11 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave / Eagles Club
12 - Cleveland, OH - Agora Theater & Ballroom
14 - Toronto, ON - Queen Elizabeth Theatre
15 - Montréal, QC - L'Olympia
16 - Worcester, MA - Palladium
18 - Brooklyn, NY - Kings Theatre
19 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE
20 - Washington, DC - Warner Theatre
22 - Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle
23 - New Orleans, LA - Fillmore New Orleans
24 - Austin, TX - Emo’s Austin
25 - Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre
27 - Denver, CO - Mission Ballroom
29 - Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren
30 - Los Angeles, CA - YouTube Theater
31 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield

Today, The Nail share their new single and accompanying video, “The Nail”, taken from their self-titled debut album, set for release on September 13 via Frontiers Music Srl.


The Nail is the new musical alliance featuring one of the most gifted vocalists of the new generation, Girish Pradhan (Girish & The Chronicles, The End Machine) together with Efe and Reis Ali Eroglu, two very talented young kids (26 and 17 years old respectively) who - under the guidance of their father, producer Cenk Eroglu (ex-Winger, Crossing Rubicon) - created a new hard rock gem, poised to captivate audiences around the globe.


Producer Cenk Eroglu comments on the new single: “This song was the keystone of the whole album. It started with Reis Ali’s amazing guitar riff, and we built the song around it. I remember sending the demo to our President of Frontiers Records, Serafino Perugino. He immediately felt the energy and named the band after this song. The lyrics are about a relationship with a narcissist and how you get hurt even before you realize how deep the wounds are. So, we dedicate this song to all the narcissistic abuse survivors.”




Watch the official video for “The Nail” below:





Girish Pradhan shares his excitement for this project: “This is unlike like any record I have ever done. Different. Many of my listeners have always requested that I do something different for a change, and I feel like this record is exactly what they need. Of course, it’s all thanks to a great and a dedicated team, working tirelessly in the background, helping me bring out a different side of me. Amazing work by the young and super talented - Ali, on guitars! All in all, a great project that I got to be a part of."


"A great chemistry right from the start,” adds producer Cenk Eroglu. “Young Reis Ali's razor-sharp guitar riffs and melodies collided with Efe's blazing lead guitars, then Girish Pradhan took it to the stars with his amazing voice. It's hard to believe it's a debut album; it actually feels like a best-of already.”


“I am rarely as blown away by talent as I am by the members of The Nail. A honour to be included in the making of such a cool record”, comments Kip Winger.


Girish Pradhan’s reputation has been growing recently as one of the hottest new rock singers on the scene. Coming from India, he played already several shows in Europe with his band Girish & The Chronicles and appeared as lead singer on the last album from the hard rock supergroup The End Machine featuring George Lynch and Jeff Pilson, both ex-Dokken.


Following the acclaim that Girish received over the last few years, the label’s President Serafino Perugino conceived a new project set to highlight Girish’s vocals and abilities. Turkish composer and producer Cenk Eroglu was brought in to write some songs and work on ideas with Girish, and he was immediately blown away by his talent.


He asked his friend and former bandmate Kip Winger to A&R the project and thus put to work his two kids: Efe (a 26 years old guitar hero - top shredder on the “Monsters Of Rock Cruise Shred Contest” in 2021, praised by musical giants such as Bumblefoot, John 5, Andy Timmons, Nuno Bettencourt and Reb Beach) and Ali (17 years old multi-instrumentalist and co-writer of the album).


The final result is just above and beyond any expectation. The album offers a great balance of heavier material (“Soul Screamer”, the bastard child of Judas Priest’s “Painkiller”, “Underdog” and the title track) and very melodic numbers (“Broken”, “Walk the Line”, “No Time to Burn” and “Fall Back Now”).


The Nail is going to take people by surprise as it contains a real tribute to 80’s heavy metal, showcasing influences from Judas Priest, Sabbath, Dio and even hints at the heaviest Winger sound on the most recent albums.





The Nail tracklisting:


"Hit & Run"
"The Nail"
"No Time To Burn"
"Broken"
"Walk The Line"
"Soul Screamer"
"Blackout (Popeye's Sin)"
"Exorcist"
"Hangman's Noose"
"Underdog"
"Fall Back Now"


"Hit & Run" video:





Lineup:


Girish Pradhan - Lead Vocals
Reis Ali Eroglu – Drums, Bass, Guitars
Efe Eroglu - Lead Guitars


Additional Musicians:


Cenk Eroglu – Guitars, Hammond Organ, Keyboards, Back Vocals
John Bisaha - Background Vocals
Paolo De Santis - Background Vocals
Cem & Sevinc Keskin - Ghost Vocals


- Produced By: Cenk Eroglu
- Music Director: C.F. Kip Winger
- Executive Producer: Serafino Perugino

Speed/thrash metal band, MindWars, will release their fifth album, appropriately titled V, on September 9.


V is the culmina:on of 10 years of collaboration and dedication of the band to revitalize old school thrash with the taste and aggression of toady’s music. The band is a three-piece conglomeration of varied influences with a common goal to create music they love and hope you will too.


MindWars was formed at the end of 2013 after Mike Alvord (formerly of Holy Terror) and Roby Vitari (formerly of Headcrasher) reconnected through social media. The two met by chance in 1989 when Holy Terror was touring with Exodus and Nuclear Assault.




Roby brought in a juggernaut of a guitarist Danny “Z” Pizzi to play bass. The three managed to record and produce two solid albums (The Enemy Within - 2014 and Sworn To Secrecy - 2016, which was engineered by the mighty Bill Metoyer). In 2017, Roby decided to relocate to Newport Beach, CA and the band soon found that having Danny still in Italy was impossible for the band to play live shows. In 2019, the band decided to hand over the bass duties to the veteran, Rick Zaccaro.


The band proceeded to write and record their highly acclaimed album The Fourth Turning and Danny taking on the role of second guitar. Due to various circumstances and the fact that Danny still lived in Italy, the band decided to continue on as a three piece and toured Japan in the fall of 2024, which culminated at True Thrash Fest 2024 with a co-headlining spot alongside Cyclone.


The Fourth Turning was released during the dog days of COVID and the band immediately started writing new material. Prior to COVID, the band also had a mini-US tour (opening one show for Raven).


The fifth album, V, was recorded during the first few months of 2024 and is slated to be released in September, just in time for MindWars to support their best album yet on their upcoming European Tour, which will end with a performance at the 2024 Storm Crusher Festival.


MindWars is currently unsigned and is solicitingng label support for distribution of V.





Tracklisting:


"Stand Guard At The Gates Of Your Mind"
"Live To Die"
"Beneath The Trees"
"Crusaders"
"The Road To Madagascar"
"West Of Nowhere"
"Chasing The Wind"
"Source Of Destruction"
"Into The Known"
"Vultures Of The Eighth Wonder"
"The Logical Song"

Dark Heart have released their new album, Out Of The Shadows, via Battlegod Productions. Available on Digipack CD and Digital, you can order the album via the following links:


Code 7 Music
Amazon
Battlegod Productions


Dark Heart were formed during the early eighties, releasing the debut album Shadows Of The Night on the Roadrunner label in 1984. After a number of successful live shows, the fast approaching end of NWOBHM era meant the band decided to go their separate ways, never quite fulfilling their potential or producing a follow up second album. Over the years the band has developed a cult following, gaining many new fans to their music. Founding member of the band Alan Clark went on to form Change of Heart moving from guitar to vocals and as the main song writer, the band have very much established themselves as one of the best British AOR/rock bands, with four albums released to date... Fast forward to 2024 and Dark Heart are BACK!




Speaking about the new release, Alan Clark from Dark Heart said, "Dark Heart are absolutely delighted to see the release of out album Out Of The Shadows through Battlegod Productions. We hope you will love the songs as much as we do!"


Dark Heart are delighted to announce joining the fold are; Geordie Clark (Drums) from the northeast UK. Geordie is a superb addition and we are delighted to have him on board. Along with Geordie we would also like to introduce on bass Daniel Millward, Daniel like Geordie has a wealth of experience and ability with many years in the music business. These are exciting times for the band and its continued development and we look forward both of them becoming an integral part of Dark Heart and new era!


The album was produced and mixed by the talented Mr Pete Newdeck, (Edens Curse, Grim Reaper, Paul Dianno’s Killers, Midnite City and Vega) Pete also appears on drums and additional Bv’s as part of the top class Rhythm section, including the superb Josh ‘Tabbie’ Williams (Midnite City) on Bass, with executive production by Dark Heart/Pete Newdeck.


After a number of years being asked to make a new album, Alan is finally writing a new album. The style, although still routed in classic metal/hard rock has very much moved away from NWOBHM, to not only bring the sound up to date, but also reflect the maturity in their song writing craft. Alan as the only original member of the band, has been working with Nick Catterick (guitar) for a number of years on various projects, the pair have developed an intuitive and special understanding when writing, and working together, so it was a natural and easy choice to bring Nick on board. Nick who started playing guitar in his early teens has always been inspired by fiery and inventive players, drawing influences from the great players such as Moore, Sykes, Campbell, Norum with a touch of Lynch/Rhoads, and is set to be recognized for not only his playing ability, but also for one of the best guitar tones in the business.





Tracklisting:


"Darkest Eyes"
"Cast To Stone"
"Edge Of Dreams"
"Degrees Of Separation"
"Wings Of The Night"
"House Of Usurer"
"Break The Chains"
"Time To Fly"
"K.O.T.D."
"Night Won't Let Me Go"


"Night Won't Let Me Go" lyric video:





- All songs Written By Alan Clark/ Nick Catterick


Lineup:


Alan Clark: Vocals
Nick Catterick: Guitars
Josh ‘Tabbie’ Williams: Bass
Pete Newdeck: Drums


New lineup:


Alan Clark: Vocals
Nick Catterick: Guitars
Josh ‘Tabbie’ Williams: Bass
Geordie Clark: Drums

In a new interview with Chuck Armstrong of Loudwire Nights, MASTODON drummer Brann Dailor was asked what is next for him and his bandmates after the completion of their just-launched "Ashes Of Leviathan" North American co-headlining tour with LAMB OF GOD. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Riffs. Drum beats and riffs. I can't really divulge too much. It's a hush-hush operation, very top secret.. I don't wanna spoil it.

"There's lots of music, that's all I can say," he continued. "There's tons of music. We've been writing pretty much this whole time that we've been off since we got home from South America [in November 2023]. And after we got home from South America with GOJIRA, we opened Christmas presents and then, since like February or so, we've just been working hard making two different projects — not a double album, but two different projects. So that's the nugget I can share with you. Whatever those projects are, nobody knows. But there's riffs involved. Some of the riffs are, like, really heavy and tasty and I really like 'em. I'm the metalhead in the band, so when we get some real heavy stuff, I'm, like, 'Oh, yeah, I like that. It's cool.'"

MASTODON played a "secret" concert under the BIG HAIRY ELEPHANT banner Tuesday night (July 16) at Star Bar in Atlanta, Georgia. The show served as a warm-up gig for "Ashes Of Leviathan" which kicked off Friday (July 19) in Grand Prairie, Texas. The trek finds the two iconic bands join forces to celebrate the 20th anniversary of two seminal releases: LAMB OF GOD's biggest-selling album "Ashes Of The Wake" and MASTODON's acclaimed sophomore album "Leviathan", which were both released on August 31, 2004. Both bands are performing their respective albums in full. Special guests KERRY KING and MALEVOLENCE are supporting throughout the tour, with UNEARTH on select dates.

The "Ashes Of Leviathan" North American arena and amphitheater run will take MASTODON and LAMB OF GOD through the U.S. and Canada, culminating on the exact 20th anniversary of each album on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska at the Astro Amphitheater. The tour will notably make stops at iconic venues such as Denver, Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Los Angeles, California's Kia Forum. See below for full tour routing.

In addition, both bands will be supporting a charity of their choice throughout the tour, and fans will have the opportunity to opt-in to donate at check out when buying their tickets.

MASTODON will support the Hirshberg Foundation For Pancreatic Cancer Research. After their manager Nick John tragically passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2018, MASTODON partnered with the organization and has raised nearly $60,000 to fight the disease and support researchers and patients around the globe. The Hirshberg Foundation For Pancreatic Cancer Research is focused on finding a cure for pancreatic cancer, and empowering patients and families whose lives are touched by this disease. Founded in 1997, the Hirshberg Foundation funds groundbreaking scientific research, provides patient education and support, and sustains hope that this cancer will be eradicated once and for all.

"Leviathan", released on Relapse Records, was MASTODON's first concept album, loosely based on the 1851 novel "Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville. Three magazines named the LP "Album Of The Year" in 2004: Revolver, Kerrang! and Terrorizer. In 2009 and 2015, MetalSucks named "Leviathan" the best metal album of the 21st century. "Leviathan" was also released with an audio DVD in a limited-edition set with a black-and-gold slipcase.

MASTODON's latest studio album, "Hushed And Grim", a double LP recorded at the band's Atlanta studio, West End Sound, was produced by David Bottrill (TOOL, RUSH, MUSE, PETER GABRIEL). This album, their most expansive song-cycle to date, features 15 distinct tracks and achieved their third consecutive No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart. "Hushed And Grim" also earned them a Grammy Award nomination for the track "Pushing The Tides". Additionally, the album's single "Teardrinker" secured a top 10 position on the rock radio charts, a further testament to the band's widespread acclaim.

In a new interview with Qobuz, Ian Gillan was asked about DEEP PURPLE's announcement in 2022 that he and his bandmates had welcomed guitarist Simon McBride as an official member of the group. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was funny. He'd been with us for about a year, and we came out of a bar one night somewhere, and I said, 'Are you in the band yet or what?' He said, 'I think so.' I said, 'Yeah, I guess.' So, it was like that."

Gillan continued: "Simon's been amazing. He's taken over from Steve Morse, and he's changed things quite a lot. He's a catalyst in the sense that how human chemistry can be that one little thing can change everything else.

"I think we all feel very relaxed with Simon's style of playing," the singer added. "It's very compatible with the way we started — very straight ahead. The platforms are simple. The virtuosity is on top. So it's not like the showing off comes first. That's just beautiful playing. It's very natural, second nature to him. And they put a lot of drive back into the rhythm section, because he's also a great rhythm player. And so when he's sat in there with Ian [Paice, DEEP PURPLE drummer] and Roger [Glover, DEEP PURPLE bassist] and they're cranking away, boy, it's exciting. It's really great. He doesn't fake anything. There's no pretense. He actually plays every single note accurately and I think we need, we like that. That's a hallmark, I think, of DEEP PURPLE guitar players. They're right at the top of their tree. He's very well respected in the guitar world."

Earlier this month, Paice told ClassicRockHistory.com about McBride's addition to PURPLE as an official member of the band: "Well, we're a democratic outfit. Luckily, with five [members], we always get a decision. His vote is as valuable and as important as any one of the rest of four of us."

Regarding how McBride ended up joining DEEP PURPLE, Paice said: "We knew very, very quickly, and we had an impossible situation with our friend Steve Morse [DEEP PURPLE's previous guitarist]. He had this tragedy in his family [when his wife was battling cancer] and he couldn't be on the road. Family comes first. When we were in that situation, [we couldn't] say, 'Look, we might do a tour in the summer. You wanna book it now. We'll let you know later.' Nobody's gonna go for that. So, Steve had his situation. And we knew, at this stage of our lives and careers, if we stopped and waited for him, we probably wouldn't get going again. It would probably be the end. You can't take a year, two years off. Not now. It's not like being 21 again. It's not the same. So we had this impossible situation, both him and us. And we decided that we had to continue.

"Simon had worked with [DEEP PURPLE keyboardist] Don Airey before, and I think he'd done some work with Ian Gillan before, on their own solo projects. And they just said, 'This guy is great.' He's gonna fall straight into the ethos of the band. So I said, 'If he's good enough for you, he's good enough for me.' And within — I don't know — half an hour of just jamming around together on the first day, it was obvious. Not only was he good enough, he was his own man while at the same time paying respect to some of the stuff that had come before he was there. But it was great fun playing with him. It still is."

On the topic of how playing with McBride's addition to DEEP PURPLE has affected the band's sound, Paice said: "If I say it's like a breath of fresh air, that's not to deny Steve's genius and his input for the last 20-odd years. It's just different, and sometimes a change of direction is very important. And I think Simon has given us that. He's brought a more riffy approach to the songwriting. Some of Steve's stuff was far more cerebral. You had to really work out where he was going. He's got a wonderful mind, Steve. He thinks of things that nobody else can come up with, and they're beautiful, they're clever. Simon is a little more — I get it straight away. And that is nice, 'cause, again, it's just a slight change of direction. Nothing we haven't done before. If anything, it harkens back to some of that stuff from the early '70s."

DEEP PURPLE's new album, "=1", was released on July 19 via earMUSIC. The LP marks DEEP PURPLE's first material with McBride.

Since 2022, Simon has already played to DEEP PURPLE audiences totaling more than half a million people.

With the legendary Bob Ezrin once again producing, "=1" evokes the pioneering band's classic sound, without relying on nostalgia.

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King's solo band played its first concert as the support act for LAMB OF GOD and MASTODON on Friday (July 19) at the Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie, Texas. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

Earlier this month, LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton told theHeavy Consequence's "Two For The Road" series about the fact that King's new group is serving as the support act for the North American "Ashes Of Leviathan" tour: "It speaks to the character of Kerry King, a legend in this game. [I have the] utmost respect [for him]. [He was] part of some of the greatest metal songs in history. SLAYER [was] absolutely formative in my understanding and my love for metal. And SLAYER has taken LAMB OF GOD out on multiple occasions, MASTODON out on multiple occasions, at some point together. And so now SLAYER is defunct or on hiatus, whatever it is that they're doing, or not doing. I don't know how to characterize that, but they've not been around, they've not been actively working."

Morton continued: "First of all, it speaks to who he is as a musician and as a songwriter and as an artist and as a performer that he doesn't just like kick back and go play with the snakes or whatever he does for fun. He puts a new band together, writes a new album, records a banger of an album, and now he's gonna go out on tour opening for these guys that opened for him. No pretense, no ego, none of the behind-the-scenes stuff, prima donna stuff — none of it. Because that's who he is.

"If there's any question, to the fans that are watching this or hearing this, but understand that that dude is a real one," Mark added. "He's an absolute real one. He's doing this not for the money — it's none of that. He's doing this because that dude is, in the truest, realest, most genuine sense of the concept, a heavy metal guitar player, songwriter. And if he can't do it with that band [SLAYER], he's gonna do it with this band. And if he can't do it headlining, he's gonna open up. It does not fricking matter. 'Cause that's who he is. And out of all the things I could say out of respect and accolades for Kerry King, that, to me, hits the hardest. That is the most impressive thing to me."

The six-week "Ashes Of Leviathan" tour will wrap on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Joining Kerry in his new band are Mark Osegueda (vocals; DEATH ANGEL),Phil Demmel (guitar; MACHINE HEAD, VIO-LENCE),Kyle Sanders (bass; HELLYEAH) and drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, EXODUS).

In early May, the KERRY KING band performed its first live show at Reggies in Chicago. In the days following, the band went from playing an intimate venue to performing at the huge U.S. festivals Welcome To Rockville (Florida) and Sonic Temple (Ohio).

KERRY KING launched a European tour on June 3 — King's 60th birthday – in Tilburg, The Netherlands. The trek combined headline shows in the U.K., The Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Spain but also festival appearances such as Rock Am Ring, Hellfest, Tuska, Download, Sweden Rock Festival and many more.

King's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", was released in May. All material for the LP was written by the 60-year-old SLAYER guitarist. Helming the sessions at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles last year was producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BAD RELIGION, among others.

Ringo Starr (THE BEATLES),Slash (GUNS N' ROSES),Nancy Wilson (HEART) and Kirk Hammett (METALLICA) are among the musicians who have contributed short messages to a video celebrating the 55th birthday of guitar shred pioneer Jason Becker. Check out the video below.

Featured musicians:

00:47 Marty Friedman - MEGADETH, CACOPHONY
02:08 Chris Broderick - MEGADETH, ACT OF DEFIANCE, IN FLAMES
03:13 Richie Kotzen - THE WINERY DOGS, MR. BIG, Solo
03:46 Gregg Bissonette - DAVID LEE ROTH, RINGO STARR & HIS ALL-STARR BAND
05:03 Slash & Duff McKagan - GUNS N' ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER
05:15 Joe Bonamassa - BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, Solo
05:30 John 5 - MARILYN MANSON, ROB ZOMBIE
06:12 Matt Bissonette - JOE SATRIANI, ELTON JOHN, DAVID LEE ROTH BAND
07:00 Nancy Wilson - HEART
07:50 Steve Stevens - BILLY IDOL
09:00 Uli Jon Roth - SCORPIONS, ELECTRIC SUN, Solo
09:44 Kirk Hammett - METALLICA, EXODUS
10:35 Eddie Trunk - "That Metal Show"
11:27 Nita Strauss & Josh Villalta - ALICE COOPER, DEMI LOVATO, Solo
11:55 Steve Hunter - LOU REED, ALICE COOPER, DAVID LEE ROTH BAND
12:39 Nili Brosh - TONY MACALPINE, Solo, DANNY ELFMAN, Cirque Du Soleil
13:06 Gene Hoglan & Laura Christine - DARK ANGEL, DEATH, DETHKLOK; NUKEM, ZIMMERSHOLE, WARFACE
13:35 Joe Satriani - CHICKENFOOT, Solo
13:49 Daniel Mongrain - VOIVOD
14:21 Seymour Duncan - Guitar Pickups Company
14:40 Steve Vai - DAVID LEE ROTH, WHITESNAKE
15:28 Alex Skolnick - TESTAMENT, ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO
16:20 Chuck Billy - TESTAMENT
16:45 Steve Lukather - TOTO, RINGO STARR & HIS ALL-STARR BAND
17:11 Paul Gilbert - MR. BIG, RACER X
18:11 Mike Varney - Shrapnel Records
19:03 Matt Blackett - Guitar Player magazine, EverTune
20:10 Vinnie Moore - UFO
21:00 Jason Newsted - METALLICA, NEWSTED, VOIVOD, OZZY OSBOURNE
21:21 Charlie Benante - ANTHRAX, PANTERA
21:32 Gus G - FIREWIND, OZZY OSBOURNE
22:16 THE ARISTOCRATS - Guthrie Govan, Marco Minnemann, Bryan Beller
22:44 Eric Johnson
23:00 Jeff Loomis - ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE, Solo
23:18 Nuno Bettencourt - EXTREME
24:20 Tony McAlpine
26:03 Ringo Starr - THE BEATLES, RINGO STARR & HIS ALL-STARR BAND

For those who may not know of Jason Becker's legacy, we'd have to travel back to 1985 when 16-year-old guitarist Becker partnered up with Marty Friedman as the duo CACOPHONY. His success at such an early age was no coincidence, his metal mastery becoming a talking point amongst his peers, going on to support some of the biggest names in rock including David Lee Roth and create some huge guitar moments as a solo artist.

As Becker's career began to blossom, Jason was diagnosed with ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) in 1989 — at just 20 years old. As the disease progressed, Jason no longer could hold on to the instrument, but the urge to continue pushed on as he, amazingly, engineered his own way of writing music, a technique using "eye geometry" and chin movements, described further in the documentary on Becker's journey.

A trailer for the film "Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet", a compilation of interviews, live footage, and more on the unbreakable spirit and the ingenious songwriting ability of the guitarist that influenced so many can be seen below.

The guitar community has spoken and is asking for all of us to stand up and be an ally to Jason Becker and his family as he continues fighting this battle. There is an ongoing struggle to find a full-time caregiver, making proper help seem a hugely daunting challenge. Already saddled with the daily task of staying alive against all odds, there comes additional stress and worry for Jason and his family for all of the many out-of-pocket medical fees.

Keeping positive and consistently creating is essential for Becker, so we invite you to keep up with his latest creations through his web site, www.JasonBecker.com, where you can also donate to the Jason Becker Special Needs Trust.

In a new interview with Elena Rosberg of link textRadiocast BG, Rob Halford was asked about the significance of the album title "Invincible Shield" for a band like JUDAS PRIEST. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "JUDAS PRIEST has been defending the faith of heavy metal, not just the music, but everything related to heavy metal, since we began. And as we were making this record, it's my job as the lyricist to find ideas, to find expressions, to find songtitles that convey not only the music that you're making as you create an album, but to give a title, a significant title, that sends a potent message, idea that says, 'This is JUDAS PRIEST, this is our music and this is an invincible shield.' So then, I remember the day when I'm sitting at my home in Phoenix and I'm on my laptop and a pencil, a pencil and some paper writing things down. And I go, I got the word 'invincible'. And then suddenly from nowhere… This is the joy of creativity. Artists will tell you, we don't know where these things come from. You have to grab them quickly, like lightning in a bottle. And then I think of the word 'shield', and I put the two together, 'invincible shield'. Like, 'Wow, this is JUDAS PRIEST. We're an invincible shield in heavy metal, what we've been doing for so long.' And then I go, 'Wait a minute, wait a minute. All of us, every single person on the planet, has an invincible shield inside of them.' And what I mean by that is we all are gifted by God to have this never-ending well of faith, this never-ending well of hope, this never-ending well of preservation, this never-ending well of sustaining ourselves, our families, our friends. Everything that we do together comes in the form of the power of an invincible shield. So that was a bonus. That was not only the title for the music, but it was also a title for everybody."

Halford added: "All of us have an invincible shield. When you think of some of the things that each of us have, in our lives, have had a challenge. We've had a dark moment, whether it's a medical issue, whether it's work, whether it's something very, very potent. But we've survived, we've pushed through. We look back now and we go, 'How did I get through that?' That's your invincible shield. That's the power that humanity has to survive in every aspect of what that word suggests. What does survive mean? It means many, many things. So the joy of having the title of the album be so expansive was just, again, another extra blessing. So there you have it. Invincible shield for JUDAS PRIEST and invincible shield for humanity."

When Rosberg asked Rob if it is "sometimes overwhelming" to have such "a great responsibility" as a person who is conveying certain messages to a large audience, Halford replied: "Yeah, it can be. It can be. You have to find a balance. You have to find a harmony. I love the power of words. Words can do many, many things. The way you choose words, the way you put words together, they can lift you up, they can bring you solace, that can bring you, again, hope, they can bring you all of these things. They can also bring negativity, they can also bring destruction, they can bring war, they can bring political angst and disruption in separating the light from the dark, the truth from the lies, all of these things can be made together by words. I love words. I love putting words together. So when I was writing 'Panic Attack', and I'm talking about the way that social media can be used in a very potent, and sometimes [negative ways through] disinformation, conspiracy theories. All of these attitudes, all of these emotions, all of these ideas come from words. They come from people speaking, they come from people sending instant messages, writing in various forums and quorums on the Internet. So, I think deeply about things like that, and I try to convey those personal feelings and ideas into songs that are still full of joy and power and excitement and energy and good feelings. And that's a tricky thing to do, because JUDAS PRIEST isn't a political band. We're not a socially motivated band. We don't speak out too much on these types of world affairs, world events, but I thought for this record, I'm gonna take a leap of faith, because our fans are smart, our fans are intelligent. They understand this world that we live in when we talk about that side of the social media, that side of the Internet, the double-edged sword of the internet, the good, the bad, the light, the dark, the yin, the yang. And it's turned out that 'Panic Attack' has been the most rewarding song for our fans that we've made.

"So, yes, there is a responsibility," Rob continued. "There's a responsibility from your creativity to do your very best, not to accept anything just for acceptance. Work really hard. We spend an enormous amount of time making these songs because we treasure them. They're gonna be here long after we're gone. So you want to leave something that will have the power to bring joy, have the power to bring passion, excitement, energy, have the power to bring some thinking about the song. What will people think about 'Panic Attack' a hundred years from now? I think about that. [Laughs] I think so deeply about so many aspects of what we're about in JUDAS PRIEST."

Halford added: "So, yes, responsibility. The ultimate responsibility is when you're on that stage. You're on that stage, you're pouring out your heart, you're pouring out your soul in your performance, and you have a responsibility to give every part of yourself at that show."

JUDAS PRIEST recently announced leg two of its "Invincible Shield" tour with special guest SABATON. The all-time greats will take over new markets in North America this fall with an additional 23 performances.

Produced by Live Nation, the tour kicks off on September 13 at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec and makes stops in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Omaha, Nebraska; Spokane, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Los Angeles, California; Phoenix, Arizona and more before wrapping up with three shows in Texas on October 22, 24 and 26.

JUDAS PRIEST kicked off the spring 2024 U.S. leg of the "Invincible Shield" world tour on April 18 at Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut.

"Invincible Shield" entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande's "Eternal Sunshine".

Prior to "Invincible Shield"'s arrival, PRIEST's highest U.K. chart achievement was with 1980's "British Steel", which reached No. 4.

PRIEST's 2018 album "Firepower" entered the chart at No. 5.

"Invincible Shield" was JUDAS PRIEST's fifth Top 10 album, after the aforementioned "British Steel" and "Firepower", as well as 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" (No. 6) and the 1979 live album "Unleashed In The East" (No. 10).

"Invincible Shield" landed at No. 1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as No. 5 in France, No. 8 in Italy and No. 16 in Australia.