Former Sodom guitarist Andy Brings, who now fronts Double Crush Syndrome, has released a new Andy Brings & Band single, "Wär' Schön Wenn's Liebe Wär'". Check out the official video below.





There are things in the universe for which the head of the rock'n'roll gods must be personally responsible.




When the Gene Simmons takes to the stage of the Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen, Germany on August 6, Double Crush Syndrome frontman / ex- Sodom guitarist Andy Brings and his six-piece band will have opened the evening and, true to the title of his 2018 film Full Circle - Last Exit Rock'n'Roll, will have completed a circle that began 45 years ago. That's how long Brings has been a KISS fan. You can watch the movie here.


Andy Brings: "Gene and I have already crossed paths several times, but playing with him is absolutely amazing. A real rock'n'roll fairytale. This is what I live for!"


As recently as 2023, the former Sodom guitarist created an almost ten-hour memorial to his favorite band as part of his podcast series Rock School with Andy Brings. You can listen to the KISS episode here.





On this evening, Andy Brings & Band will also present their new single, "Wär' Schön Wenn's Liebe Wär'", which was released on July 19.


Brings: "The song is a driving punk rock number, with melody, sing-along potential and a lot of pressure on the beam. The lyrics are about the fact that the person you love is unfortunately blinded by a stupid competitor when it comes to choosing a partner, and you naturally find that unbearable yourself. A feeling probably as old as love itself."


Andy Brings & Band released the single, "Nicht Mein Zirkus" at the beginning of the year. Check out the official video below.


"Nicht Mein Zirkus" and the previous single, "Das Herz Und Die Seele", are the follow-up to the Andy Brings & Band album, Süden, released in June 2022.

Street justice mistrusted! Frontiers Music Srl and streetmetal pioneers Spread Eagle unleash their new music video for “Subway To The Stars” to celebrate the kickoff of the band's summer tour in the United States as well as in Europe, and the UK later this fall. “Subway To The Stars” is taken from the band's latest release produced by Rob De Luca and Tom Camuso.





The video for “Subway To The Stars”, directed by Frankie Fulleda with cinematography by Jim Shearman, sees the band completing their onscreen evolution from hunted to hunter and pays homage to their roots against the New York City and area scenery.




“Our most popular video is 'Switchblade Serenade',” explains vocalist Ray West. “In that clip, two cops harassed and chased us through the streets of NYC. For the ‘Subway to the Stars’ video, Frankie Fulleda had the hilarious idea of turning the tables 180 degrees. He put the band in control, portraying them as an undercover vice squad. We loved the irony of the concept and had a blast filming on the NYC subway and in Coney Island, NY.”





(Photo - Shannon Wilk)

A.M.E.N. sign to My Kingdom Music for what we could define as the new course of the band. The creature that is about to be born is called Argento, will be released on November 22 and promises to be an intimate, avant-gardish work disconnected from the classic patterns of modern feeling.


Vittorio Sabelli (Dawn Of A Dark Age, Notturno, Incantvm) and Erba Del Diavolo from Il Ponte Del Diavolo, hearts, minds and souls of the band, have given an incredible stylistic twist to the project, creating a work with the heart turned towards the past, which moves between classical music and jazz, but explores blues, dark, doom and musical contaminations that develop in 'noir' and psychological fields.


These are Vittorio's words which allow us to enter the bowels of Argento and his project: "A.M.E.N. second chapter was born and evolves from a prelude by J.S. Bach, a D minor prelude, which this time does not cross the boundaries of Grindcore, Brutal Death Metal and Free Jazz that had characterized "The Book of Lies - Liber I", but goes on to discover much more intimate, introspective and primordial meanders of the human soul. The various episodes of the album pay homage to the 'King' of Italian horror, Dario Argento, as the five songs that compose it are inspired by films by the Italian director."




What we are about to present to you promises to be unique in the current musical panorama, an album that succeeds to move from typically Jazz and Blues compositions to moments of pure dark doom in the style of early Ulver, all with the voice of Erba Del Diavolo which is here a true protagonist, decanting and giving melodies with an interpretation that moves from the great jazz singers of the past to embrace the present with her unique timbre and nuances.


So expect an album that sounds like something you can hear in a smoky jazz club in New Orleans and that shows you that when extreme music meets so-called "high" music, the result is unexpectedly sublime.

The raven-haired rock star from Los Angeles, Dorothy, has returned. 


Riding in on a black horse, equipped with leather and signature red lip, the rock world will once again be schooled in the undeniable chemistry that is alive and well amongst metal and rock loyalists and country badasses. A musical outlaw through and through, Dorothy's new single is a display of raw, full-bodied vocal power complimented by heavy-hitting instrumentation and riffs galore.


The first taste of the new music from this Billboard-charting powerhouse is the explosive and unforgettable new single "MUD." The track was produced by Scott Stevens (Halestorm, Shinedown, Nothing More). Stream here and check out a visualizer below.







With "MUD," Dorothy isn't afraid to, well, get dirty. The song boasts a hearty mix of the blues-infused rock her previous albums have been known for, but adds a countrified twist, as can be offered up by only an artist of Dorothy's caliber.


"Our first single off this record is an amalgamation of hard rock, metal, and country tied together with a trap beat and spicy, heavily layered vocals. It was also my first time attempting a scream — proud of that," says Dorothy.


On Thursday, Dorothy launched a new webstore with exclusive merch available for pre-order and shared the single audio, giving fans who signed up an exclusive first listen to the song the day before release. The new webstore is at dorothyonfire.store.


The details of Dororthy's forthcoming fourth studio album will be announced in due course. Dorothy's discography thus far includes Gifts From the Holy Ghost (2022), which was inspired by a spiritual awakening, as well as ROCKISDEAD (2016), which inspired Roc Nation to sign the artist to the label, and 28 Days in the Valley (2018). 


The Budapest, Hungary-born stunner has enjoyed over 1 billion global streams combined across her career and has participated in high-profile collaborations with everyone from Staind to Slash of Guns N' Roses to Scott Stapp of Creed to Alice Cooper guitarist Nita Strauss, earning and ultimately cementing her place among the hard rock elite.

Breakout four-piece Sleep Theory - vocalist Cullen Moore, guitarist Daniel Pruitt, bassist Paolo Vergara, and drummer Ben Pruitt - were one of the biggest success stories of 2023. And 2024 has proven to be just as massive for the foursome, who show absolutely no signs of slowing down.


Having only released the Paper Hearts EP via Epitaph last year, Sleep Theory managed to amass over 120 million global streams, while steadily garnering 3 million streams per week. They've played the main stage at major festivals, where they quickly became one of the most buzzed about bands on the lineup. They embarked on tours alongside Shinedown and Beartooth, achieved two Top 10 radio singles, a Top 5 hit with their song "Fallout," enjoyed numerous viral moments on social media, and began working on a full-length album.


Today, they drop the video for the brand new single "Stuck in My Head". The track is truly a self-fulfilling prophecy - the unforgettable, heartfelt chorus and propulsive riffing will get stuck in your head - and they will remain there.




"We're beyond excited to share our new single 'Stuck In My Head' with all of you," the band states. "This song is incredibly special to us — it captures the essence of our journey and the emotions we've experienced along the way. The video feels like the next step for us, showcasing our evolution both musically and visually. We can't wait for you to experience this next chapter of Sleep Theory with us."





(Photo - Jonathan Weiner)

Today, doom metallers Patriarchs In Black reveal the new track, "Before I Go", the new single from their third album, Visioning, set for international release on July 19 via Metalville Records.


Patriarchs In Black features former Type O Negative/Danzig drummer Johnny Kelly and former Hades/Non-Fiction songwriter and guitarist Dan Lorenzo. The duo utilize different singers and bassists on each song. Their first album Reach For The Scars was released in 2022 and the follow-up My Veneration came out last July.


The track, "Before I Go", features Karl Agell (COC Blind/Lie Heavy) on vocals and Dog Eat Dog bassist Dave Neabore. The video was created by Jay Bones.




Says Lorenzo: "Karl has sang for us on all three of our albums and Johnny and I love working with Karl as well as Dave. I've only met with Karl in person a handful of times, but we go back to 1992 when he jumped up on stage to perform 'Snowblind' with Non-Fiction in Raleigh. Karl's voice has only gotten better since then."





Visioning will be released on July 19 as CD, Vinyl and digitally and can be pre-ordered here.





Tracklisting:


"Entry"
"What Do They Know? (For The Champions)"
"Before I Go"
"Heart Of Spite"
"Low Price"
"Welcome To Hell Again"
"Whiskey On My Mind"
"Empty Cup"
"Curse My Name"
"A Few Good Men"
"Birth"
"Visioning"


"A Few Good Men" lyric video:





"Welcome To Hell Again" lyric video:





"What Do They Know? (For The Champions)":

Less than two weeks after DISTURBED shared a new photo from the recording studio, prompting speculation that the band was working on the follow-up to 2022's "Divisive" album, guitarist Dan Donegan once again took to Instagram Live to clarify that a new DISTURBED LP likely won't arrive until 2025 at the earliest. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Don't take this out of context. I know I mentioned something before on here and it got picked up, probably with good intentions, to talk about the band because we were out in California recently in the studio. And just so there's no confusion — okay? — there's not gonna be an album this year, and I don't know if there's gonna be an album next year. We don't know yet. We haven't made that decision. We just got together to have a writing session. That was it. I know some of these things get taken out of context or blown out of proportion."

Dan continued: "We are getting together, and that was only three days. So let's not get ahead of ourselves here. The session went well. It was just good to get back in the room together and just get creative, and that's all that was So it's always exciting, 'cause getting back up on the horse and doing our thing and getting creative is always fun with my brothers. So it was a very — [we made] a lot of progress. So I'm happy about it, but it was way too early to discuss about making the album or releasing an album that doesn't exist right now. So it was just a simple first-time get-together writing session. And we'll be preparing for some of these festivals in the fall. And we have some meetings — I've got meetings this week just to kind of discuss our game plan. So nothing that we could say just yet. It's just loose talk. Don't take it out of context, and hang in there. As soon as there's something confirmed and we can give you [more information], we will let you know. So, that's it."

On July 3, DISTURBED singer David Draiman shared a couple of photos of him, Donegan and drummer Mike Wengren in the studio with producer Drew Fulk (MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, LIL PEEP, HIGHLY SUSPECT) and he included the following caption: "Epic shit alert @disturbed @dandonegan @mikewengren #ithasbegun".

Back in February 2023, Donegan talked to Terrie Carr of the Morristown, New Jersey radio station 105.5 WDHA about DISTURBED's decision to work with Fulk on its eighth studio album "Divisive", which came out in November 2022. He said: "It's always challenging because… The early part of our career, we worked with Johnny K, who did the first three albums with us. He's a hometown friend, out of Chicago. I knew him growing up, being a local guy, doing the demos for bands locally. And then we kind of self-produced throughout the years. Then we went to Kevin Churko in Las Vegas, who's done FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH [and] IN THIS MOMENT — a lot of great bands — out of Vegas. So, at this point, we just felt like we needed new life, we needed another person in there. So to let somebody in from the outside, to kind of become that fifth member of the band, is always challenging. I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to our music, and to let somebody in and to try to allow them to have an opinion and trust them and respect what they do and bring to the table… I think we've opened up a lot more over the years. The older we get, we've kind of opened up to say, 'Hey, we can trust this person to throw ideas at us. It's gonna challenge us and push us too.'"

The guitarist continued: "It's a bit of a learning curve in the beginning. And I kind of was seeking out producers, trying to think who was catching my attention currently. And I thought Drew was kind of a younger guy in his 30s. I liked what he was doing [with] WAGE WAR and then MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, and he did a couple of one-off songs with PAPA ROACH and POP EVIL and stuff like that. So I really liked what he was doing with those bands, what he brought to the table with the production of them. And I thought that this could be a really good marriage between him and DISTURBED.

"We wanted to get back to some of the core elements of what DISTURBED is — those signature elements of… that animalistic side to David's vocals," Donegan explained. "Even though he's still very melodic, bringing out that animalistic side to him, bringing the heavy riffs with the syncopation in the rhythm section and then with the modern-day production. And we thought Drew would be a good marriage and a good addition to this band. And it was. I flew out to California to meet with him — it was just me and him — just to hang out, not even work together. I just wanted to see if we just vibed as people. And we just hit it off right away. I picked him as the producer. I told the [other] guys [in the band] my opinion: 'I think that Drew is the guy that we should at least enter the studio with and see how it goes.' And it was just a short period of time of being in the studio once we started the writing process that we felt his opinions, his contribution was something that we were gonna benefit from. And it just became a great friendship and working relationship with him. It was amazing. I've never had a better experience in the studio than being with Drew. Him and I had a great chemistry, and it really got the ball rolling for us to kind of create those ideas to give David a bed of music that was gonna inspire him melodically and lyrically."

"Divisive" was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee.

According to Billboard, "Divisive" sold 26,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release, with 22,000 units via album sales.

On the all-format Billboard 200 chart, "Divisive" debuted at No. 13.

DISTURBED has had five No. 1s on the all-genre chart, beginning with "Believe" in 2002.

Dan's recent divorce inspired the "Divisive" song "Don't Tell Me", which is a duet with HEART's Ann Wilson. In two decades, it breaks ground as the first-ever guest collaboration on a DISTURBED record.

"It was very personal to me," Dan previously said. "I was going through my divorce, and I wanted to touch on the fact I was in a very long marriage to a wonderful woman. She's a great mother to my kids. We were together for 18 years. Even though the marriage was in a tough spot, it was hard to leg go, because we'd invested so much into each other. I felt like listeners could relate to it."

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In a new interview with Montreal Rocks, PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix talked about his work with a campaign for suicide prevention, his own personal struggles, and how his mother taught him to leave the world a better place than he found it.

Asked what he thinks the biggest misconception is about mental health, Jacoby said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " I would say one of the biggest misconceptions around it is that people don't wanna hear about it or your problems or your struggle. 'I don't wanna inconvenience them with what I'm going through.' Nine times out of 10, if you've got somebody around you that that really cares for you and loves you, they're gonna sit and listen and walk this thing out.

"In my lifetime, I've had quite a few friends die by suicide, I've had family members die by suicide," Shaddix revealed. "It's something that has been screaming in my face since I was in my teen years. And now it is at a fever pitch. And that's really why I'm sitting here rapping with you about it, is because we need to talk about it. I think that's when the darkness starts to lose hold, is when you start to communicate about your darkness, because when you bring that darkness, if you shed some light on it, there's no competition to that.

"I've had to allow myself to be vulnerable and to be helped, and I think that's a scary thing," Jacoby added. "I know it's a scary thing to go, 'I'm not well.' And I've come to that point a few times over in my life. And fortunately, I've had people around me that are, like, 'We're gonna get through this, Cobe. Let's talk about it.' And a big thing for me is having, through my recovery — I put down the bottle over 12 years ago now — and through that process of really just peeling back the layers and being vulnerable and open and honest, I've been able to tackle some of those behemoth-sized issues that I've had in my life and make some sense with it, and also come to a place where I know that life is supposed to be — it's not supposed to be all pain, but part of life pain is necessary. It's a great teacher. It's just when pain becomes overwhelming that it dominates your life, that's a scary place to be."

As previously reported, PAPA ROACH will make its only U.K. appearance in 2025 with its first-ever headline show at London's OVO Arena Wembley, on February 7, 2025. It will see the band and their biggest-ever production journey deep through their vast catalogue of music, including a celebration of the 25th anniversary of their iconic breakthrough album "Infest".

The band has also announced that they will be partnering with the suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) who are fighting to reduce the devastating impact of suicide in the U.K. There will be a £1 donation included on every ticket.

"Infest" peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and has been certified triple platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for sales in excess of three million copies in the U.S. alone. The album featured the iconic hits "Last Resort" and "Broken Home" plus fan favorites "Blood Brothers" and "Between Angels & Insects".

Photo credit: Bryson Roatch

In a new interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Todd La Torre confirmed that he is still putting together ideas for the upcoming follow-up to his debut solo album, "Rejoice In The Suffering", which was released in February 2021 via Rat Pak Records. "I'm writing songs, writing ideas and riffs and recording things every day for my solo record," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

Regarding the musical direction of his new solo material, Todd said: "The ideas that I'm coming up with are… There's some thrashy stuff, for sure, but I think it's gonna be more musical sounding than the first record I did. The first record I did, I love, but it's a lot of… I want way more clean guitar, I want more soundscapes, I want more… There are so many great libraries that you can use that have different orchestrations and different-sounding instruments and choir things and vocal things. And I want it to sound bigger, more layered guitars. My first record was much more raw and stripped down, which I thought was great; I love the record I did. This one is gonna be — I guess I just wanna say more musical. If I hear a song like 'Catch The Rainbow' with [Ronnie James] Dio from RAINBOW, that's something I would love to have on my record. So I really don't care about having anything with continuity on this record. It's gonna be everything I didn't get to do on the first record. And there'll be heavy things on it, for sure, but I would say, where I'm at right now, more musical, I don't wanna say more proggy, but potentially a little proggy. But I'm just hearing a lot more breathing room on this record and better, cooler intros that kind of start out with clean guitar and take you somewhere. And so that's kind of like the ideas that I hear in my head. I'll hear these ideas all the time and I'll literally grab my guitar, set my phone right there and pull it and play the part. Now, basically, what I need to do is start taking pieces and making songs out of all of these ideas that I have. That's kind of where I'm at."

As for the possibility of taking his solo project on the road, La Torre said: "Just to kind of clear any confusion, I don't see myself [doing], like, what I would call a tour. I mean, in QUEENSRŸCHE, we tour where we go out for four to seven weeks at a stretch. The last run we did, we were gone for ten weeksI haven't established my own value as a solo artist. I'm always with QUEENSRŸCHE. So that's something I'm very pragmatic about and I'm approaching things in an experimental sense, like, hey, maybe I do a couple of shows in my own backyard here in Florida and see how that works out. And then maybe a couple, a few months later, I go do four or five shows out in California and Vegas or something, and then I go over to New England and do a handful of shows later in the year. So at the very most, maybe I would go out for like 14 days, maybe. Select shows, exclusive shows playing my own original material. Maybe for fun I would throw a few covers in there, just so stuff everybody definitely knows, just for fun. No QUEENSRŸCHE music. People can see me year round performing QUEENSRŸCHE. I don't feel right performing QUEENSRŸCHE music without the guys right now, even songs that I've written with the band. I remember telling this to Eddie [Jackson, QUEENSRŸCHE bassist], and I was, like, 'Hey, this is what I wanna do.' And he was, like, 'Oh, okay, well…' And I told him I'm not gonna be doing any QUEENSRŸCHE songs. He goes, 'Really? Not even the ones that you wrote with us?' So he was even supportive if I wanted to. And I was, like, 'I don't think so, dude. I just wanna do the solo stuff and stick with that.' So that's kind of where I'm at."

When Todd first announced that he was working on music for his second solo album back in January 2023, he said in a social media post that he was "looking to do something with more open chords, a more classic distortion sound, and a little less palm muted riffs. Open chords and space always allow for a more diverse vocal to be created, and without a good vocal melody, you don't have anything memorable or worth a damn. Less is more in many cases.

"While I love 'Rejoice In The Suffering', I am not exactly wanting to do another record just like that," he explained at the time. "I believe Craig [Blackwell, longtime friend, guitarist and collaborator] and I can do something even better, and much more musical (the word that comes to mind). The best songs were never with overplaying or too complex. I just want to write great songs, whatever that ends up being. Maybe this idea will turn into a great chorus idk, but it doesn't hurt to at least capture the ideas."

The idea for a debut solo album was always in the cards for Todd. With QUEENSRŸCHE tour dates postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, the world events offered Todd the opportunity to explore his ideas for the effort. Todd teamed up with Blackwell, alongside producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris, to create a diverse heavy metal album that draws influence from different styles. These styles surprised fans who only know La Torre from his previous work with QUEENSRŸCHE or CRIMSON GLORY.

In a February 2021 interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, Todd said that his solo material and QUEENSRŸCHE are like "apples and oranges. They're totally separate things. I don't write guitars, really, in like a QUEENSRŸCHE way. That's not where I shine in QUEENSRŸCHE. I think my lyric writing and my vocal phrasing and delivery and that sort of thing, that's kind of my asset to the writing process for QUEENSRŸCHE music. I would never try to push this kind of style or sound into QUEENSRŸCHE's music. I don't really write music- I mean, I co-write stuff with them, and I might have a guitar riff idea or something, but they're totally separate things, and I would never, never want to pollute the waters of QUEENSRŸCHE what I'm doing. [Laughs]"

He continued: "I think because I've been able to get this first [solo album] out, I think that my eagerness to do things with QUEENSRŸCHE definitely takes a back seat, because I have this other outlet to do those things. So, I feel less inclined to be like, 'Oh, I need to scream here and show people what I can do on this.' I really want to just respect what QUEENSRŸCHE's sound is and not change. I don't want to change the style and sound of what QUEENSRŸCHE is and should be. I very much draw a line in the sand where, you know, I can experiment and try some things that might be fitting for a QUEENSRŸCHE song, but as far as pushing that on to them, I feel, because I got that done, I'm more relaxed doing the QUEENSRŸCHE stuff where I don't feel like I have to try to sneak in something heavier, because nobody's got to hear that from me. Now they get to hear a plethora of styles from me on this record."

La Torre joined his first band BLACKWELL as the drummer, performing in high school talent shows and entering into the club rock music scene in Tampa Bay, Florida. In 2009, Todd was suggested to CRIMSON GLORY guitarist Jon Drenning by a mutual friend to help with some vocal rehearsals in preparation for a CRIMSON GLORY memorial concert. This would pave the way for more collaborations with the band, eventually joining as the band's new permanent vocalist. La Torre was the lead singer for CRIMSON GLORY from late 2010 until resigned from the band in early 2013. In 2012, Todd became a household name in the metal world when he officially became the new lead vocalist of QUEENSRŸCHE. The band immediately began touring globally and started writing new material for the self-titled 2013 album "Queensrÿche". To date, QUEENSRŸCHE has released four studio albums with La Torre: "Queensrÿche", "Condition Hüman" (2015),"The Verdict" (2019) and "Digital Noise Alliance" (2022).

According to Pollstar, former GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell has announced that he is retiring from touring.

"It is with the heaviest of hearts that I must announce my retirement from the road," Russell said in a statement. "After a recent diagnosis of Lewy body dementia and multiple system atrophy in May 2024, I am unable to perform at the level I desire and at the level you deserve. Words cannot express my gratitude for the many years of memories, love and support. Thank you for letting me live my dreams."

Lewy body dementia (LBD) is the second most common cause of neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's disease.

Lewy body dementia impacts memory, decision-making and ability to solve problems. It has led to motor and muscle weakness and rigidity. It also can cause sleep disorders and hallucinations.

Lewy body dementia is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease due to its early similarity to those other neurodegenerative diseases.

After actor and comedian Robin Williams took his own life in August 2014, autopsy results revealed he was suffering from LBD.

Russell's long-awaited autobiography, now titled "The True Tale Of Mista Bone: A Rock + Roll Narrative", has just been released via Gatekeeper Press. Penned by author Katelyn Louise "K.L." Doty, it features a sentimental foreword by Lita Ford, with additional commentary from Eric Singer, Eddie Trunk, John Kalodner, Kip Winger and others. The book, with a cover photo by legendary rock photographer Mark Weiss, is available in paperback, hardcover and e-book form.

For more information, visit www.jackrussellbook.com.

Russell exited GREAT WHITE in December 2011 after he was unable to tour with the group due a series of injuries, including a perforated bowel and a shattered pelvis. Jack largely blamed these injuries on his alcohol and painkiller addictions as well as the prednisone drug he was prescribed.

Russell sued his onetime bandmates in 2012 over their continued use of the GREAT WHITE name after Jack had taken a leave of absence from the band for medical reasons. A short time later, Russell was countersued by guitarist Mark Kendall, rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Michael Lardie and drummer Audie Desbrow, claiming the vocalist's self-destructive behavior was damaging the GREAT WHITE name (they also alleged he was charging promoters less for his own touring version of GREAT WHITE). The parties settled in July 2013 without going to trial, with Russell now performing as JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE while the others are continuing as GREAT WHITE.

In a December 2023 interview with Neil Jones of TotalRock, Russell was asked if he still enjoys going out on the road. He responded: "I enjoy the hour and a half of playing. The rest of it you could take it and do what you would with it. It's not fun. It's hard. The traveling is just a drag — it's a real drag. I mean, getting on airplanes and cars and buses and all that stuff is a real drag. We try to keep that to a minimum. We play maybe two, three shows a week. We try to play every weekend, 'cause I don't wanna do a job that I don't like. So just keep it to where I can function, have a good time doing it and I'm not complaining about my back."

Elaborating on his recent health setback, Jack said: "I've been having some issues with my back [in 2023 and 2022]. So I've had to take a little time off. It's finally starting to get better. But I had to have my back fused to my neck, actually."

Asked if this is "just because of the rigors of the road over the years," Jack said: "Yeah, [just from] pounding the boards for 47 years, just jumping up and down, acting like a fool."

Russell previously discussed his surgery in an interview last October with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station. At the time, he said: "I had a fusion in my neck and my back, so it was a pretty gnarly surgery. That kept me off stage for a while. I couldn't even move my neck. Somehow it screwed up my voice a bit and then it finally came back. But it was really weird, really strange… Yeah, it's coming back, slow but sure. I get people — they can't tell. They tell me, 'You sounded just like you did in 1985.' I'm, like, 'No.' It's, like, 'Okay, cool. Awesome.'"

In October 2022, GREAT WHITE officially named Brett Carlisle as its new lead singer. Carlisle joins the band as the replacement for Andrew Freeman, who sang for GREAT WHITE for only five months.

Carlisle made his live debut with GREAT WHITE on September 24, 2022 at the Cannery Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Photo courtesy of Frontiers Music Srl

Crimson Veil continue to captivate with their unique take on alternative metal, releasing their new music video, "Shift", today. This single is likely the catchiest tune from Hex, the debut album of the UK-based band, set for release on September 20 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM).





"Shift" is a dark and catchy song that will appeal to any rock or metal fan. The music builds gradually incorporating Eastern scales into a bass groove, drawing listeners deeper into Mishkin's spell. The lyrics serve as a chilling warning to those who might cross her path, with lines like, "I'll be the secret that talks...I'll be the hammer that falls." The song culminates in a Messhuggah-esque riff in 15/8, which, despite its complexity, is surprisingly easy to headbang to. The final chorus and end riff deliver powerfully, making the track both intense and enjoyable.




"'Shift' is a favourite to play live because it's so damn catchy, it sucks you in like an evil spell and has you singing the chorus mantra before you know it," adds vocalist Mishkin Fitzgerald.





Hex can be pre-ordered (jewel-case CD, black & red opaque vinyl in gatefold, digital) and pre-saved now, here.





Hex tracklisting:


"Hex"
"Ribbons"
"Flinch"
"Shift"
"Illuminate"
"Opulence"
"Joyless"
"Awake"
"Task"


"Illuminate" video:





"Flinch" video:





Crimson Veil are:


Mishkin Fitzgerald - vocals
Garry Mitchell - guitars (Strandberg)
Hana Piranha - electric cello
Anna Mylee - drums


(Photo - Scott Chalmers)

Visions Of Atlantis have topped the charts worldwide, reaching #5 on the Official German Album Charts, #5 on the Official Austrian Album Charts, #4 on the UK Rock Charts, #30 on the UK Official Sales Charts, #16 on the Official Swiss Album Charts, #2 on the US Hard Music Album Charts, #3 on the Canadian Hard Music Album Charts and #39 on the French Physical Album Charts - to only name a few - with their new album, Pirates II -– Armada.





This album continues and expands on the success of Pirates (2022), which charted in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the UK, USA, Canada, and various other positions in Europe upon its release. Furthermore, Visions Of Atlantis conquered the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise, the Sabaton Cruise, ProgPower USA, Bloodstock Festival UK, and several other festivals, as well as a 2023 North American headline tour. This fall, the band will embark on 33 shows all over Europe – the biggest headline tour of their promising career so far. Brace yourself and prepare for this unique symphonic metal spectacle!




Visions Of Atlantis state: “Thank you, Sailors, worldwide for joining our mighty ARMADA!”


Order Pirates II - Armada here.





Pirates II - Armada tracklisting:


"To Those Who Choose To Fight"
"The Land Of The Free"
"Monsters"
"Tonight I’m Alive"
"Armada"
"The Dead Of The Sea"
"Ashes To The Sea"
"Hellfire"
"Collide"
"Magic Of The Night"
"Underwater"
"Where The Sky And Ocean Blend"


“Tonight I’m Alive” video:





"Monsters" video:





"Armada" video:





Find the band's tour itinerary here.


Visions Of Atlantis are:


Clémentine Delauney - Vocals
Michele Guaitoli - Vocals
Christian Douscha - Guitars
Herbert Glos - Bass
Thomas Caser - Drums


(Photo by Robert Eikelpoth; Photo editing by Blake Armstrong)

A special triple vinyl Candlemass set containing a combination of spellbinding performances of the Epicus Doomicus Metallicus and Nightfall albums from Södra Teatern, Sweden is available now on limited coloured vinyl via Peaceville. Watch a new unboxing video below:





As Candlemass quickly approaches a new milestone of four decades of existence, this special triple vinyl set, Tritonus Nights, includes stellar recent performances of both the Epicus… and Nightfall albums in their entirety, which took place at the esteemed Södra Teatern in Stockholm, Sweden in November 2021, with the double-night event a fitting platform to celebrate the 35th anniversaries of both iconic titles.




With a lineup consisting of Lars Johansson, Mappe Björkman, Leif Edling, Janne Lindh, & Johan Längquist, Candlemass captivates a spellbound audience with renditions of numerous classic doom tracks such as "Solitude", "Demon’s Gate", "The Well of Souls" and "Bewitched", plus also notable is the inclusion of the pre-Epicus… track "Battlecry" as a rare live treat. With professionally recorded & mixed sound, and with mastering work undertaken by Patrick Engel at Temple of Disharmony, Tritonus Nights is Candlemass captured at their magnificent best.





Tritonus Nights is presented on limited edition triple coloured vinyl in a slipcase plus additional booklet, with Side D of the double Nightfall vinyl containing a special etched design.


"Those two nights at the Southend Theatre in Stockholm were amazing! Level of Magic - 200%! We sounded great and the god of Doom smiled upon us on those cold, but very special November nights." - Leif Edling


Order the set here.


Video trailer:





Candlemass, formed by bassist and songwriter Leif Edling in Stockholm in 1984, is well known for its influential epic doom metal sound, which itself evolved out of the masterful Black Sabbath. Following the legendary and genre-defining debut, Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986), Nightfall was released just one year later and, alongside Epicus…, is widely hailed as an all-time classic, instrumental in shaping the scene that still exists to this day with its unrivalled melodic heavy doom, with the creation of classic anthems such as "Dark Are The Veils Of Death" and "Well Of Souls".

Armored Saint will reissue their Revelation and La Raza full-lengths on vinyl August 16 via Metal Blade Records.


Revelation is the fifth studio album from the band, originally released in 2000 on Metal Blade Records, now available for the first time on vinyl in the US. The song "The Pillar" was originally written for the 1992 horror film Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth where the band makes a cameo appearance as a bar band performing the song "Hanging Judge" at the Boiler Room club.


Recalls bassist Joey Vera, "The story for 'The Pillar' was that sometime in 1991 we were approached by the producers for Hellraiser to write a song for the end credits of the movie. They had already agreed to give us the song 'Hanging Judge' and a part in the film. So we wrote 'The Pillar' which later they passed on and instead they decided to go with Hell On Earth by Motörhead. If we're gonna lose out, better that it's by Motörhead!"




Armored Saint's Revelation was produced by Vera with executive producer Brian Slagel, mixed by Bill Metoyer, mastered for Vinyl by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in March 2024. The record will be released on double LP, featuring the bonus track "No Me Digas," in the following color variants:


- Velvet Violet Marbled (US)
- Crimson Red Marbled (EU)
- 180g Black (EU)
- Clear Lilac Marbled (EU - Ltd. 300)
- Clear w/ Red, Purple, Pink Splatter (EU - Ltd. 200)





Revelation tracklisting:


Side A:
"Pay Dirt"
"The Pillar"
"After Me, The Flood"


Side B:
"Tension"
"Creepy Feelings"
"Damaged"


Side C:
"Den Of Thieves"
"Control Issues"
"No Me Digas" **


Side D:
"Deep Rooted Anger"
"What's Your Pleasure"
"Upon My Departure"


** Bonus Track





La Raza is the sixth studio album from Armored Saint, originally released in 2010 on Metal Blade Records. La Raza was previously unavailable on vinyl outside of a limited 2010 UK release, and the album's inclusion in the limited edition VMP Anthology: The Story Of Metal Blade eight-LP box set released in 2021.


La Raza was produced by Joey Vera, engineered by Bryan Carlstrom, mixed by Bryan Carlstrom and Vera and mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in March 2024. The record will be released in the following color variants:


- Smoke (US)
- 180g Black (EU)
- White Black Marbled (EU)
- Spooky Clear White (EU - Ltd. 300)
- Silver "Black Dust" (EU - Ltd. 200)





La Raza tracklisting:


Side A:
"Loose Cannon"
"Head On"
"Left Hook from Right Field"
"Get Off the Fence"
"Chilled"


Side B:
"La Raza"
"Black Feet"
"Little Monkey"
"Blues"
"Bandit Country"





Pre-order Revelation and La Raza on vinyl, here.


Armored Saint are set to return to European stages for a sixteen-date run of shows, which will include appearances at Headbangers Open Air, Wacken Festival, Fezen Festival, Brutal Assault Festival, and more.





Armored Saint:


John Bush - vocals
Jeff Duncan - guitars
Phil Sandoval - guitars
Joey Vera - bass
Gonzo Sandoval - drums


(Photo - Stephanie Cabral)

In a new interview with Frank Godla of Metal Injection, Kerry King once again spoke about the fact that SLAYER's upcoming reunion shows were announced just weeks after he told Rolling Stone magazine that a SLAYER comeback was unlikely. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I turned [SLAYER reunion offers] down for the longest time. You can imagine we've been turning down offers since December 1st, 2019. And at that point, I thought, 'No, we're never gonna play again.' Tom [Araya, SLAYER bassist/vocalist] retired. So it's written. And then offers keep coming, offers keep coming, the money goes up. And this one came around and it was when we were booking shows from my [solo] band, and I go to my manager. I'm, like, 'Are we talking about my band or SLAYER? What are we talking about here?' He's, like, 'SLAYER.' And I'm, like, 'Yeah, but that's done. We hung that shit up. I dropped the chains. Done.' But then it started getting to where this is really gonna be the five-year anniversary of [SLAYER's] last tour. And I went, 'That's kind of cool. Three shows, five-year anniversary. Okay.' That's about all I thought about it."

King continued: "The funny thing about this story is I didn't tell anybody in my [solo] band [that the SLAYER reunion shows were happening]. I'd never been in that situation. And the news dropped that we were doing three shows and everybody blows me up. I'm, like, 'Goddamn it.' 'It never occurred to me to tell you guys.' Never fucking occurred to me. It wasn't a secret. They can keep secrets. I know that. And I felt so bad. It never occurred to me. Paul [Bostaph, SLAYER drummer, who also plays in Kerry's solo band] knew, of course. But poor Phil [Demmel, guitarist in Kerry's solo band] and Kyle [Sanders, bassist in Kerry's solo band] and Mark [Osegueda, vocalist in Kerry's solo band], they all texted me and blew me up. I'm, like, 'I'm so sorry, man. It never occurred to me. This is what's up. This is what's gonna happen. If it happens again, it's gonna be the same thing. We're never gonna fucking make a record. We're never gonna fucking tour. This is my band.'"

Kerry went on to say that he doesn't rule out more SLAYER shows in the future beyond the three festival appearances this summer and fall. "I'm trying to be real and definitely say, hey, we're not gonna tour again," he explained. "And we're certainly not gonna record again, 'cause I have a means of doing that now with my band. [We're doing] three shows for now. And I say 'for now' because I know Europe's gonna come knocking, 'Hey, man, you guys played America. Come see us.' So it wouldn't surprise me if something like that happened, but it's certainly not on my books right now."

Earlier in the month, Kerry told Guitar World magazine that he "was very surprised" when Araya agreed to play three SLAYER shows this year. "I made my comments [about SLAYER being finished] based on [Tom] not wanting to play anymore. As far as I was concerned, we were done and never going to play again. To be honest, I don't know what switched.

"We've been turning down offers to play shows for at least three years. So, one came up that, I guess, enticed Tom to the point where he wanted to roll the dice and try a couple. I don't know, but that's all it is."

Kerry added that he would be open to more SLAYER gigs in the future.

"There could be an instance where there's another one-off,” he said. "It just has to be the right offer at the right time, maybe someplace everybody loves to go. But touring, no, I don't see touring. But, you know, who's to say a one-off can't happen again?"

King, who is currently touring with his solo band, previously told Total Guitar magazine about SLAYER's reunion shows: "It caught me off guard too. Do I wish the timing was different? Absolutely, but that's completely out of my hands."

King went on to say that fans shouldn't get their hopes up about a full-scale SLAYER reunion.

"Everyone thinks SLAYER are getting back together, but that couldn't be further from the truth," he explained. "We've been turning down gigs ever since we stopped. This one came and I thought, 'If we're ever going to do one, this could be cool because it's the five-year anniversary of our final tour.'

"We're not going to record anymore," he added. "That final tour was definitely our final tour. This is just a reason to have some fun the guys, play a few shows and then jump back in the coffin…"

Last month, King was asked by Jonathan Clarke, host of "Out Of The Box" on Q104.3, New York's classic rock station, about how SLAYER's upcoming reunion shows came about, five years since the completion of what was being billed as the band's farewell tour. He responded: "I'll put it in the perspective everybody can understand. We've been turning down offers since beginning of 2020, pandemic and all. And then it started getting near the five-year anniversary of us stopping playing, so I'm, like, 'You know what? This is a three-show package. I think it would be fun to do.' It's kind of a five-year anniversary of our last tour. We're never gonna tour again — it ain't gonna happen. We're never gonna record again; that's not gonna happen either. But to do commemorative shows, I think that's kind of fun. I don't have to be married to it for a long time. Kids don't have to worry about it coming around on tour because we said we wouldn't. There's not a whole lot of weird diabolical shit going on here. I think people have just gotta say, 'Hey, it's anniversary celebration shows.' That's gonna be the end of it."

Kerry also discussed the SLAYER comeback in May in an interview with Andrew Daly of ClassicRockHistory.com. Asked for about his outlook on the reunion shows, he said: "It's not really much different at all. It's the same heads, same cabs, same pedals, same guitars. You know, there will be a lot of fire when SLAYER plays, and I think, yeah, those shows will just be fun. It'll be fun to play with Gary Holt [SLAYER guitarist] for a few gigs; I haven't seen him in almost five years, so that will be cool. And it'll be cool to get together with Tom Araya [SLAYER bassist/vocalist] and spit some hate out at people, but don't get used to this being a yearly event."

Earlier in May, King was asked by SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" if he thinks SLAYER's upcoming dates will have a positive or negative impact on the promotional efforts "From Hell I Rise", which arrived on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music. He responded: "I see it both ways. We've [SLAYER] been turning down [reunion] offers for the last four years. Unfortunately, when the right offer came around, this one, it was right as my project was releasing. So there's certainly people, like my management and booking agents, who say, 'Oh, that's great. It's gonna boost your solo thing.' And I'm, like, 'Well, I don't know the business side of it, but it is what it is.' And every time I talk about it to journalists and magazines and stuff, I say, 'Listen, SLAYER is not gonna make another record. SLAYER is never gonna tour again.' May SLAYER do a one-off here or there? Maybe. I told my [solo] band when [the SLAYER reunion shows] came up, I'm, like, 'Listen, this is a blip on the radar to me. This isn't a solo project that's gonna recycle musicians every record cycle. You guys are with me till you don't wanna be.'"

Asked if he envisions SLAYER as the type of thing where the band will do one or two shows a year when a great opportunity comes up, Kerry said: "I'm not even talking yearly. I'm, like, every two years, every three years, every five years. I don't know. 'Cause I'm gonna be super busy with [my solo band] once 2025 rolls around."

On the topic of whether he has spoken to Araya since SLAYER's reunion shows were announced, Kerry said: "I'll tell you the truth, 'cause you know that's how I roll. No, we haven't. But you know what's weird about that? It's not weird. [Laughs]"

He continued: "We'll go probably rehearse off and on for a couple weeks [before the first show], 'cause even though me and [SLAYER drummer] Paul [Bostaph, who is also in Kerry's solo band] will be sharp from playing, playing with different people, you've gotta get sharp together."

Elaborating on his belief that SLAYER's comeback shows will not lead into a full-fledged reunion for the legendary thrash metal act, Kerry said: "The way I look at it, and when I tell you this, it puts it into perspective for a lot of people, I see it as three five-year anniversary shows of our last tour."

Five years after SLAYER played the last concert of what was being billed as the band's farewell tour and just weeks after the SLAYER guitarist unveiled the details of his solo project, Kerry and his longtime bandmates announced that they will play at the Aftershock, Riot Fest and Louder Than Life festivals in September and October.

King also talked about the SLAYER reunion while speaking to Revolver magazine about "From Hell I Rise". Asked if he had known about these shows well before they were officially announced, King said: "If you ask promoters, they're going to have another answer. If you ask booking agents, they'll probably have a third answer. But to me, it kind of came out of nowhere. Have we been getting offers the past few years? Yeah, we turn down offers every year, probably every month of every year. These three festivals are right around the five-year anniversary of our last tour, which I thought was kind of cool. So, I thought this might be the right time to test the water. It will be great to play for the fans again."

Regarding whether the upcoming SLAYER shows will steal some of the thunder away from the touring his solo band will do in support of "From Hell I Rise", Kerry said: "Well, time will tell, and my answer would be, 'hopefully not'. The funny thing is, it never occurred to me until the day the SLAYER announcement came, but [Phil] Demmel [guitarist in Kerry's solo band] said, 'Dude, is this real?' And I'm, like, 'It's just a few weekends and that's it.' Of course, Paul knew. But I didn't tell Phil, I didn't tell Kyle [Sanders, KERRY KING bassist] and didn't tell Mark [Osegueda, KERRY KING singer] — and I said to the guys, 'There's no master plan here.' I didn't want anybody to start getting cold feet. I said, 'This is a little moment in time, and yeah, KERRY KING is going to be touring, you know, hopefully later in the year, as well. But SLAYER is an entity and I'm just a person.' But hopefully, we drive on with the solo project."

King also spoke about the SLAYER reunion in an interview with U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine. Admitting that the announcement of SLAYER's comeback "was not my favorite timing", Kerry said that the SLAYER reunion "is not going to translate into recording and it's not going to translate into touring. For me, it's three shows marking five years since our final shows, a fun, 'Hey, remember us from before the pandemic?' celebration."

Kerry also explained in more detail why he still has not spoken to Tom since the news of SLAYER's reunion was announced. "It's not like I'm angry with him or anything," King clarified. "We're very different people, and we evolved into business partners at the end of the day. He has very different interests from me, and very different outlooks. Does that make me hate him? No. But I don't need to talk to him every day… We just don't have much in common. When it comes time to rehearse, I'll have no problem showing up. We're professionals, and that's what we do."

When Kerry's solo project was first announced, King told Rolling Stone that he was almost positive he and Tom would never resurrect the band. "I can pretty much a hundred percent say no because I have a new outlet, and it's not SLAYER, but it sounds like SLAYER," King said of a potential SLAYER reunion.

The lineup for SLAYER's comeback will be the same as the one which last toured in 2019: Araya and King, along with guitarist Gary Holt (also of EXODUS) and longtime drummer Paul Bostaph.

Days after SLAYER's reunion was announced, Tom Araya's wife wrote on social media that she "harassed him for over a year" before he "agreed finally" to play more shows with the band. "We shared that news with SLAYER's awesome managers and they did the rest!" she explained. "So yes without Tom it wouldn't have happened.. without me BUGGING HIM it wouldn't have happened."

Both Gary and his wife Lisa Holt were among the hundreds of people who "liked" Sandra's Instagram post, with Lisa sharing three heart emojis in response to Sandra's message.

In a statement confirming SLAYER's return, Tom said: "Nothing compares to the 90 minutes when we're on stage playing live, sharing that intense energy with our fans, and to be honest, we have missed that." King added: "Have I missed playing live? Absolutely. SLAYER means a lot to our fans; they mean a lot to us. It will be five years since we have seen them."

The same day that SLAYER's comeback was announced, Holt's wife Lisa Holt took to her social media to write: "Yes, it's true..and an exciting adventure for the band and fans !

"To all the people saying 'they are liars' 'they must have ran out of money' 'its not SLAYER without so and so' ..I have an idea for you all...DON'T GO.. and for all the people who did go to the final tour dates and enjoyed it...awesome!!

"This isn't a 'TOUR' it's some dates..and GREAT NEWS!!!" she added. "And everyone that thinks they know all the inside info..you can't possibly know. so just enjoy the fact that this amazing band will play some amazing shows this year...go or don't..nobody cares!!!!!"

Three weeks before SLAYER's reunion was announced, Kerry told Rolling Stone that he didn't foresee SLAYER coming back together for the foreseeable future.

"Will SLAYER tour again? I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen. Could SLAYER play a show again? I'm sure there's a scenario," King said, adding that he hadn't spoken to Araya since that final show. "Am I looking for it? No, I'm just getting ready to start my [solo] career. So if that happens, it happens. But I'm going to be doing this for the next 10 years at least."

SLAYER played the final show of its farewell tour in November 2019 at the Forum in Los Angeles. One day later, Kerry's wife Ayesha said that there is "not a chance in hell" that the thrash metal icons will reunite for more live appearances.

SLAYER's final world tour began on May 10, 2018 with the band's intention to play as many places as possible, to make it easy for the fans to see one last SLAYER show and say goodbye. By the time the 18-month trek wrapped at the Forum, the band had completed seven tour legs plus a series of one-off major summer festivals, performing more than 140 shows in 30 countries and 40 U.S. states.

All material for "From Hell I Rise" was written by King, who was accompanied during the recording sessions by Bostaph, Demmel, Sanders and Osegueda. 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.

Unto Others have announced their third full-length album Never, Neverland, due for release September 20 via Century Media Records.


When writing began for the record, Unto Others' Gabriel Franco & Co. were staggering away from two years of post-pandemic touring and personal hells. Not only did they survive that time, they also came back stronger and more resolute than ever.  “My goal was to push this thing so hard that more people know us as Unto Others,” says Franco, alluding to the band’s moniker shift from Idle Hands. But hard work came with a price: “At the end of it, I was burnt out, full of anxiety and raw nerves," Franco relates. That ineffable pressure funnelled itself into what became the foundation for Never, Neverland. Signing with Century Media and hiring British producer Tom Dalgety (Ghost, The Cult), what began as an exaltation of exhaustion blossomed into the band’s most diverse and fulfilled work to date.


Never, Neverland, continues to not only mark Unto Other as the successors to Type O Negative or the Sisters of Mercy, but as a band on the verge of something unholy and massive.




Unto Other's third LP, following underground classics, Mana and Strength, it's the sound of harsh light breaking through the Portland quartet's darkened gothic and classic metal motifs.  The band has teamed up with producer Tom Dalgety (Ghost, The Cult), taking the next step from dark sunglasses and chugging metallic riffs to the more melodious gloom of lead track, "Butterfly", the crunching, punkish abandon of "Suicide Today" or the grandiosity of "Angel Of The Night".


Never, Neverland's majestic new single “Angel Of The Night” premieres today. Franco comments: "I've always wanted to do a power ballad, and I think this might be the closest we ever get. A goth power ballad maybe. Sebastian’s [Silva, guitarist] solo in this one is my favourite of the record. He really did a phenomenal job.”


Find preorders on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Butterfly”
“Momma Likes The Door Closed”
“Angel Of The Night”
“Suicide Today”
“Sunshine”
“Glass Slippers”
“Fame”
“When The Kids Get Caught”
“Flatline”
“Time Goes On”
“Cold World”
“I Am The Light”
“Farwell”
“Raigeki 雷撃”
“Hoops”
“Never, Neverland”
“Pet Sematary” (Bonus cover version)


"Angel Of The Night":





“Raigeki 雷撃” video:





See Unto Others on tour across the globe this summer and fall. Buy tickets here.


August
1 - Copenhagen, DK - Stengade
2 - Wacken, DE - Wacken Open Air
3 - Munster, DE - Zappenduster Festival
4 - Berlin, DE - SO 36
5 - Gdynia, PL - Klub Ucho
6 - Poznan, PL - 2Progi
8 - Villena, ES - Leyendas Del Rock Festival
9 - Jaromer, CZ - Brutal Assault Festival
10 - Schlotheim, DE - Party San Open Air
11 - Kortrijk, BE - Alcatraz Music Festival
13 - Fontaneto D'agogna, IT - Phenomenon
14 - Dornbirn, AT - Conrad Sohm
15 - Munich, DE - Backstage
16 - Gyöngyös, HU - Fekete Zaj Festival
17 - Hamburg, DE - Bambi Galore
18 - Eindhoven, NL - Dynamo Metal Fest


October
28 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater *
29 - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre *
30 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre *


November
1 - Calgary, AB The Palace Theatre *
2 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory *
3 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory *
4 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot *
5 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre *
7 - Minneapolis, MN - The Fillmore *
8 - St Charles, IL - The Arcada Theatre *
10 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre *
11 - Toronto, ON - History *
13 - Montreal, QC - MTELUS *
14 - Quebec City, QC - Theatre Capitole *
15 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre *
16 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom At Manhattan Center *
17 - Philadelphia, PA - Franklin Music Hall *
19 - Cleveland, OH - The Agora Theater *
20 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE *
21 - Stroudsburg, PA - The Sherman Theater *
22 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore *
23 - Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore *
24 - Orlando, FL - The Plaza Live *
26 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium *
27 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern *
29 - Houston, TX - House Of Blues *
30 - San Antonio, TX - Aztec Theatre *


December
1 - Dallas, TX - The Factory in Deep Ellum *
3 - Little Rock, AR - The Hall *
4 - Wichita, KS - The Cotillion *
6 - Albuquerque, NM - REVEL *
7 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee Theatre *
9 - Tucson, AZ - The Rialto Theatre *
10 - San Diego, CA - House Of Blues *
11 - Reno, NV - Grand Sierra Resort and Casino *
12 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl
13 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield *
14 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium *


* with W.A.S.P.


Unto Others lineup:


Gabriel Franco - Vocals, Guitars
Sebastian Silva - Guitars
Brandon Hill - Bass
Colin Vranizan - Drums


(Photo - Artur Tarczewski)

Legions Of Doom will release their The Skull 3 full-length on September 13 via Tee Pee Records, today unveiling the record’s first single and pre-orders.


Where does The Skull end and Legions Of Doom begin? The answer might be “right here.” Welcome The Skull 3.


The 2021 passing of vocalist Eric Wagner (The Skull, ex-Trouble, Blackfinger, etc.) looms over Legions Of Doom’s debut, as The Skull guitarist Lothar Keller and bassist Ron Holzner (also ex-Trouble) pick up with material that would have been on that band’s third full-length and realize it in a different form. With Wagner’s involvement in the composition and the blessing of the singer’s family, Legions Of Doom shift further into supergroup territory by welcoming drummer Henry Vasquez (Saint Vitus, Pentagram, Blood Of The Sun), guitarist Scott Little (Leadfoot) and vocalists Karl Agell (Lie Heavy, Leadfood, Blind-era Corrosion Of Conformity) and Scott Reagers (original frontman of Saint Vitus) to the fold, both celebrating Wagner’s life and creativity and finding a path of their own as they do.




“Eric had a file on his computer labeled ‘New Skull Record,’” explains Holzner, “with his lyrics allotted to these songs. I was lucky that his family was able to access the computer and share the files with me. There were extra lyrics and verses that I used to finish the songs. I wrote most of the lyrics to ‘Lost Soul,’ but I’m so happy that Eric’s family was able to access the computer and pass along the lyrics to me.”


It is fitting to the brand of doom proffered by these Legions that Wagner’s spirit is part of this record – not to mention his vocals on “Heaven” – but Legions Of Doom are more than a tribute. Just as The Skull built on the legacy of its component members in Trouble and other outfits – Keller’s contributions to songwriting have always been the secret weapon; that remains true on The Skull 3 – so too does the new group chart its own forward course. In the end, the record becomes as much a debut as it ever might have been a third album for The Skull, and the persona of Legions Of Doom is immediately distinguished through the performances of Reagers and Agell on vocals. Yes, it’s classic doom by veterans who helped define the form, but Legions Of Doom are vibrant in their revelry, and, to be blunt, they sound like a band with more to say. Don’t go into the album expecting a one-off.


Holzner offers context: “Lothar and I wrote eighty percent of the record with Eric prior to him passing away. Karl, Henry and especially Scott Reagers wanted to finish it. Scott really didn’t want The Skull to end and insisted that we continue as The Skull as well as doing Legions Of Doom. LOD will be the main focus from here out and The Skull will play once in a while. Lo and I finished the record with a collaboration with David Snyder (Trouble, Blackfinger) on the song, [and first single], ‘All Good Things’ and wrote the newest song ‘Lost Soul’ with Henry. We also reworked Eric’s acoustic song ‘Heaven’ to go with his recorded vocals. The cover art was done by the legendary David V. D’Andrea (Samaritan Press). I told him I wanted something to represent moving on from The Skull and being reborn in Legions Of Doom…”


In advance of the record’s release, today the band unveils “All Good Things,” which also serves as the A side of a limited-edition EP set for release on August 23. Side B features a cover of Deep Purple’s “Into The Fire,” exclusive to the EP.


Elaborates Agell, “‘All Good Things’ holds great significance. It's the first true Legions Of Doom song. I was granted the great honor of singing Eric Wagner's beautiful words which telegraph hope and redemption in the midst of pain and despair. It became a sort of collaboration beyond the grave, signaling a rebirth. ‘And so dear friends, you have to carry on. All good things come to those who wait.’


“‘Into The Fire’ is one of my favorite songs by Deep Purple off of their 1970 In Rock album. Ron and I recorded a version of it years ago with Reed Mullin of Corrosion Of Conformity (RIP) and Scott Little of Leadfoot on guitar. Scott also happens to play for Legions Of Doom. We loved it then, and we loved tracking it again as a worthy B side for the All Good Things EP.”


Watch the video for “All Good Things” below:





The Skull 3 was recorded by Sanford Parker at the late Steve Albini's Electrical Audio as well as Hyper Cube Studios, mixed by Quentin Poynter at QMP Audio, and mastered by John Scrip at Massive Mastering.


Pre-orders for the All Good Things EP, which will be available digitally and on Purple w/ Black Splatter 7” vinyl (limited to 500 copies), as well as The Skull 3, which will be available on CD, LP and digital formats, can be found here.





All Good Things EP trackisting:


Side A
"All Good Things"


Side B
"Into The Fire" (Deep Purple cover)





The Skull 3 tracklisting:


"Beyond The Shadow Of Doubt"
"All Good Things"
"Lost Soul"
"A Voice Of Reason"
"Between Darkness And Dawn"
"Insectiside"
"Heaven"
"Hallow By All Means"


Legions Of Doom live:


September
12 - Desertfest NYC Pre Party - Brooklyn, NY
13 - Widowmaker Brewing - Braintree, MA
14 - Chapel Of Bones - Raleigh, NC
20 - Ripplefest - Austin, TX


Legions Of Doom are:


Karl Agell - vocals
Scott Reagers - vocals
Henry Vasquez - drums
Lothar Keller - guitars    
Ron Holzner - bass   
Scott Little - guitar                                 
Eric Wagner - vocals on “Heaven”


Guests:


Sanford Parker - Moog on “All Good Things”
Alex Johnson - Steel guitar on “Between Darkness And Dawn”
Paul Rau - Organ on “Hallow By All Means”


(Photo - Gene Ambo)

MASTODON played a "secret" concert under the BIG HAIRY ELEPHANT banner last night (Tuesday, July 16) at Star Bar in Atlanta, Georgia. The show served as a warm-up gig for MASTODON's "Ashes Of Leviathan" co-headlining tour with b>LAMB OF GOD, which will kick off on 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 will perform their respective albums in full. Special guests KERRY KING and MALEVOLENCE will support throughout the tour, with UNEARTH on select dates.

MASTODON's setlist for the Star Bar concert was as follows:

01. Blood And Thunder
02. I Am Ahab
03. Seabeast
04. Ísland
05. Megalodon
06. Naked Burn
07. Iron Tusk
08. Aqua Dementia
09. Hearts Alive
10. Joseph Merrick (live debut)
11. More Than I Could Chew
12. Circle Of Cysquatch
13. Steambreather

Fan-filmed video of the show can be seen below.

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.

Saw Big Hairy Elephant ~Mastodon~ at the Star Bar last night. Great tunes! Saw some old friends! Had a blast with my husband ❤️

Posted by C.J. Gentry on Wednesday, July 17, 2024