In a new interview with Guitar Interactive Magazine, legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes once again looked back on his 2016 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, where he was honored along with other former and current members of DEEP PURPLE. Asked if he has since spoken to any of the other current or former members of DEEP PURPLE who were inducted that night, apart from singer David Coverdale, Glenn said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No. I will never speak to any of them again — simply because they were rude. Both Roger [Glover, PURPLE bassist] and [Ian] Gillan [PURPLE singer] were rude to David and I. Very, very hurtful. I didn't give a fuck, actually, 'cause I knew they were rude to begin with. I was the only sober man there."

Glenn continued: "I don't care about those guys. Gillan was rude to me on stage accepting the award. I went to congratulate him. He looked at me in the eyes like I didn't exist. The guy has a problem with me. Period. I'll let him run with it. I feel bad for him. I'm really sorry about his wife [Bron Gillan, who passed away in November 2022, reportedly after a long illness]. I've tried to reach out to him. He doesn't wanna know. I've tried to make some kind of friendship with him over the last 40 years. He doesn't wanna know. David Coverdale and I don't exist to him.

"I wish him only the very best, but I have no time left for that behavior," Hughes added.

More than three years ago, Glenn told Eonmusic that PURPLE's 2016 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame "was a little difficult, because of, let's call it personality problems. It was David and I holding hands, and the other guys, unfortunately. We just don't get along with the other guys at all. So, we kept ourselves to ourselves — David and Glenn, with our wives — and it was great. David and I, what a great time. And we closed the show with CHEAP TRICK and Sheryl Crow, and our friends in CHICAGO.

"You know, it's a touchy subject," he continued. "It was not an easy night for us. If you look at the body language, it's pretty obvious. But again, David and I have been thick and thin for so long; I just dearly love him. Regarding DEEP PURPLE, I have no idea what they're doing, and I don't really care."

Hughes's comments came less than two months after David expressed his exasperation at PURPLE over how he and Glenn were treated by their former band ahead of the Rock Hall induction. The singer, who played with DEEP PURPLE along with Hughes from 1973 to 1976, said: "Glenn Hughes and I were told, 'Well, we don't want you singing with us.' Initially, I'd spoken to Ian [Gillan] about coming up and singing the backgrounds of 'Smoke On The Water', because originally they were going to close the show. So, that suddenly was pulled. They tried to stop us doing speeches, and my wife was fucking furious, apart from the fact she spent a fortune on posh dresses. [Laughs]"

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich inducted DEEP PURPLE into the Rock Hall. PURPLE had been on the ballot three times and Ulrich has been championing their inclusion for years.

DEEP PURPLE's first three lineups were inducted into the Rock Hall, including guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Jon Lord, and various singers and bassists — Rod Evans, Gillan, Roger Glover, Coverdale and Hughes.

DEEP PURPLE's acceptance speeches included turns from Gillan, Glover, Paice, Coverdale and Hughes before the current lineup of DEEP PURPLE — Gillan, Glover, Paice, guitarist Steve Morse and keyboardist Don Airey — took the stage and played a short set consisting of "Highway Star", "Green Onions" (with an image of Lord behind them),"Hush" and "Smoke On The Water".

Known as the "voice of rock," Hughes spent key years of his career as the beloved bassist and vocalist of DEEP PURPLE, appearing on the classic albums "Burn", "Stormbringer" and "Come Taste the Band". More recently, he has been playing various hits and deep cuts from the DEEP PURPLE catalog, including "Burn", "Stormbringer", "Sail Away" and "Smoke On The Water", as part of his "Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live" tour, which was launched in 2017.

A couple of weeks after PURPLE's Rock Hall induction, Hughes was asked by Metal-Rules.com about the fact that he and Coverdale didn't perform with the band at the event. He said: "There is a band out there called DEEP PURPLE featuring Ian Paice, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover which was essentially Mark II. Every artist gets to do three songs. Now let me talk to you openly as there was a 99.9 percent chance that Hughes and Coverdale would not be invited to sing. I'm not going to name names, as there is a member who didn't feel it was appropriate that we should sing. So David and I braved it together as we were arm and arm all the way through. But I knew by the end of the night it would not happen. CHEAP TRICK closed the show and they invited us to play with Sheryl Crow and Grace Potter."

Hughes denied that he bothered by the fact that he didn't end up performing with PURPLE at the event. "Am I upset about not singing with DEEP PURPLE? Not at all," he said. "Everybody knows that David and I can sing. Everybody knows that we were in the band. All that mattered to me was accepting the award on behalf of DEEP PURPLE and the fans."

Glenn also talked about the absence from the induction of Blackmore. He said: "I can say that David spoke to Ritchie in 2012 during the first nomination. David asked him, 'When we get in, are you going to attend?' He said, 'Oh no, not at all.' David is my brother and he would have no reason to fib to me, but Ritchie had no intention of attending the Hall Of Fame. It had nothing to do with him and Gillan not speaking. He just didn't want to show up. Nobody stopped him, and you can't stop an artist from getting inducted unless the chairman of the Hall Of Fame bans you. The chairman of the Hall Of Fame reached out to Ritchie with both hands and Ritchie gracefully declined. He didn't say anything bad. He just said, 'Thank you. I'm not going to attend.' People need to know it was a gracefully done. There were two guys that didn't show up: Ritchie, who declined; and Jon [Lord, former DEEP PURPLE keyboardist] who had passed."

Despite Blackmore being a no-show at the 2016 Rock Hall, he was given several shoutouts during the induction speeches of the DEEP PURPLE members in attendance. In addition, Ulrich praised "Ritchie fucking Blackmore" for one of the most memorable guitar riffs of all time on "Smoke On The Water".

"It's a big disappointment for me that [Blackmore] wasn't here tonight," said Coverdale. "I e-mailed his manager a couple of days ago and extended a personal invitation. I never really got a response. Ritchie and I reconnected in 2012 after the loss of Jon Lord just to express my condolences and we buried the hatchet... which was great."

Gillan defended the band's decision to only perform with the group's then-current lineup at the Rock Hall induction, explaining that "there [was] no slight intended nor any desire to upset anyone" with this move.

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony seemed like a rare opportunity for DEEP PURPLE to reunite with Blackmore, who wrote many of the band's most memorable riffs, but hasn't played with the group since 1993.

In a 2019 interview with Tales From The Road, Gillan dismissed Hughes's and Coverdale's comments about the Rock Hall, saying: "I've seen a lot of rubbish being spoken — it's not worth even rising to the occasion — but I hear David Coverdale and others talking about what happened at the Rock And Roll Of Fame. Well, we were very kind to everybody, the current band. And we did invite Ritchie to play 'Smoke On The Water' with us at the ceremony, but he declined. So, [those] are just opportunistic remarks from the others."

In a new interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie spoke about the progressive music titans' upcoming "40th Anniversary Tour 2024 - 2025". The trek — presented as "An Evening With Dream Theater" — is the first outing since drummer Mike Portnoy's return to the band last October. The European leg of DREAM THEATER's "40th Anniversary Tour 2024 - 2025" consists of stops in 23 cities and kicks off on October 20 and runs through November 24. Asked if there has been any discussion about the setlist for the upcoming tour, James said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, absolutely. And just so you know, we let Mike Portnoy take over the setlist again. So he's back to creating the setlist and he's doing, like we were almost positive he would, he's done a terrific job. I mean, the setlist he put together… And the thing is with Mike, he was saying, 'Hey, guys, if there's a song you don't wanna do, let me know. If there's songs that you really wanna do, let me know.' And so there's some very strong and cool communication going on. But yeah, he's glad to be putting the setlist together."

LaBrie continued: "I can't reveal what the setlist will be, but I can tell you that it's amazing. And I can't imagine any fan walking out of the venue and going, 'Oh, shit, man, I wanted them to play this' or 'I wanted them to play that.' This setlist really touches on so many grandiose moments in the band, so it's really like a power-punch setlist, and it's really gonna be exciting to see the fans and then to start hearing the conversations once we're actually playing it live. But now we're stoked. It's gonna be a great, great evening, amazing production. And, yeah, it's gonna be awesome."

Regarding how the reunion with Portnoy came about, LaBrie said: "Well, it was something that was slowly… We could kind of see the signs in a way, although at the time, you're not really paying much attention to it. But now we can kind of reflect back and go, 'Yeah, I guess that opened a door of maybe some dialogue that would lead to the next thing.' Being like, if Mike got together with [DREAM THEATER guitarist] John Petrucci and [DREAM THEATER keyboardist] Jordan [Rudess] and did an LTE [LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT] album. I mean, that's one thing that opened one door there. And then Mike got together with John Petrucci and did [Petrucci's] last solo album. And then he did his first solo tour. So this kind of starts happening. Then Mike and I made amends a few years ago when DREAM THEATER was playing in New York at the Beacon Theater, and then Mike came out. And it was the first time that him and I had seen each other in — holy shit — probably 12 years at that time, at that point. So that was another thing that kind of led to…

"I think way in the back of our head, at the time were we thinking, 'Oh, yeah, it's inevitable. We're gonna get back together and put the original lineup back together'? I don't think any of us were thinking that, but I think there's probably always a little iota of that sense that it could possibly happen," James added. "And I think with us, one thing just kept leading to the other, and eventually, when we were done [with] the last world tour, we kind of… 'A View From The Top Of The World', when we finished that [tour in support of that album] and wrapped it up [in] July of '23, we kind of knew at that point that we just wanted to kind of reflect on everything and take a reading of where we were in our career. what was it that we wanted to achieve. And then the whole Mike Portnoy thing kind of started to become more a reality, where it was just kind of, like, 'Hey, you know what, guys? We're at this point in our life and career, if we're gonna do something like this, maybe now is the time that we should be considering.' But like I said, it was several things that just started to materialize, little things that grew into a little bit bigger things. And it just kind of evolves from there and it mushrooms into what was undeniable to us at some point in time where we went, 'Hey, let's do this. This makes perfect sense.' And no diss to… [Now-former DREAM THEATER drummer] Mike Mangini's an amazing, incredible fricking musician, drummer, and the albums he did with us we're all extremely proud of; they're great albums. But now here we are in this chapter, back with the original drummer and our 40th-anniversary world tour coming up. So it's huge. It's gonna be big. It's gonna be big."

LaBrie also talked about the progress of the recording sessions for DREAM THEATER's sixteenth studio album. The upcoming effort will mark the progressive metal legends' first LP with Portnoy in 15 years. James said: "Right now, keyboards are being recorded, as you and I speak. So, yeah, it's basically, record keyboards and then vocals. And then it has to be mixed and mastered and all that stuff. And then, obviously, the artwork and everything that goes along with any given new album, that also has to be put into the works, and it's being discussed and so on and so forth. So, yeah, there's a lot going on, and like any given album when you record it, there's a process. And, yeah, it's moving along and it's coming along amazingly. So, we're pretty stoked."

As for the musical direction of the new DREAM THEATER material, James said: "You know what? I would really like to save that for when we start interviewing for the new album. I'll just tell you this: I'll say, quite simply, we couldn't be happier with where it is because it's the album that we wanted to write. It's the album that we wanted to create, and we nailed it. It's everything that we wanted to achieve and more. So, what can I tell you? We're ecstatic. We're so, so happy about it. And that's really the best place to be. When you're creating something like a reunion album, you want it to be absolutely incredible. So we're stoked. Absolutely."

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

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

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

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

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

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

Epic metal pioneers, Warlord, will release a new album, From The Ashes To The Archives - The Hot Pursuit Continues, on August 23 via High Roller Records. Pre-order the album here, and find a lyric video for "Invaders" (2024 Version), below.


When William J. Tsamis, founder of legendary epic metal masters Warlord, sadly passed away on the 13th of May 2021 at the age of only 60, it looked as if the premature death of one of the most creative forces in American metal had come. However, Warlord bounced back, with a new lineup and a brand new studio album entitled Free Spirit Soar (on High Roller Records) to huge critical acclaim.
 
With guitar and bass parts of Bill Tsamis saved from original recordings, the current team of Mark Zonder (drums), Jimmy Waldo (keyboards) and Giles Lavery (vocals) (plus Eric Juris on guitars and bass on two of the songs) is now following Free Spirit Soar with an additional album called From The Ashes To The Archives – The Hot Pursuit Continues, a limited edition release to mark the occasion of the bands summer dates in 2024.


Singer Giles Lavery explains: “What we wanted to do with some of these songs was to revisit some of the songs from the Rising Out Of The Ashes record with this lineup (and using Bill’s guitar and bass tracks) – to give fans an idea of how they are going to sound live this year. Please don't get me wrong, i think Joacim Cans did a brilliant job on the Rising Out Of The Ashes originals, so these new versions are to be seen very much as a companion to the 2002 versions, rather than any kind of ’replacement’ for them.




"However, the mixes this time around are a little heavier and rawer, and to me it sounds more sonically like it's the 1980s era Warlord, (a sound which really suits the band) ironically the 1980s is when most of these songs on this new collection were written, long before they were recorded for Lordian Guard... 'Winds Of Thor' for example was part of the very first Warlord Demo back in 1982.


"It may require a little bit of imagination, but it's almost like, in an alternate reality, IF there had been a follow-up EP to Deliver Us and if we can imagine these songs had been recorded and released in 1986 or so, rather than hearing them for the first time as Lordian Guard recordings or later as Warlord in 2002... this could be a look at "what could have been” from a sonic perspective."


The vinyl of From The Ashes To The Archives – The Hot Pursuit Continues contains eight songs, whereas there are fourteen tracks on the CD version.


Once again, Giles Lavery has all the details: “Tracks 9-14 are tracks that have appeared on the various expanded reissues and compilation albums over the years, some of which are now out of print, and thus we wanted to consolidate what we thought were the best of these unavailable rarities for this collection on the CD format. Of note are the pre-production recordings of some of the Deliver Us tracks from 1983, recorded mere days before the EP was tracked ... so these are every bit as good quality wise as what ended up on the EP, however, you can hear many differences between the two versions. In addition and as mentioned, we wanted to have a special compilation for the Warlord live dates in 2024, something that celebrated the band’s past together with the present lineup."





CD tracklisting:


"Invaders" (re-recorded 2024)
"Battle Of The Living Dead" (re-recorded 2024)
"Winds Of Thor" (re-recorded 2024)
"Achilles Revenge" (re-recorded 2024)
"War In Heaven" (re-recorded 2024)
"Sons Of A Dream" (re-recorded 2024)
"Deliver Us From Evil" (re-recorded 2024)
"Winds Of Thor" (re-recorded 2024, Thomas Mergler Mix)
"Children Of The King" (demo 1984)
"Winter Tears" (pre-production demo 1982)
"Penny For A Poor Man" (pre-production demo 1982)
"Black Mass" (pre-production demo 1982)
"Soliloquy" (pre-production demo 1982)
"Hands And Feet" (Thunderchild's Farewell)





Vinyl tracklisting:


"Invaders"
"Battle Of The Living Dead"
"Winds Of Thor"
"Achilles Revenge"
"War In Heaven"
"Sons Of A Dream"
"Deliver Us From Evil"
"Winds Of Thor" (Thomas Mergler Mix)


"Invaders" (2024 Version) lyric video:

Regurgitated in 2012, the international slam band Traumatomy aggressively marches forward with their ninth album Triumph Of Enslavement, coming out July 5, 2024. The second single “Womb Of The Desecrated” is out now, and coupled with the first single “Consumed Into Nothing” they provide a glimpse of the brutal music that can be expected in the EP. 


The band comments on the single which will stand out amongst the other tracks:


“This may be the most groovy track on the album. For fans of true slamming brutal death metal. It’s very different from the previous single in that it’s more groove-heavy, which shows that we can find a different approach to composing and structuring music.”




“Womb Of The Desecrated” epitomizes the essence of Traumatomy's sound: slammy, primitive, crushing, gnarly, and brutal. The new EP promises to be faster, more brutal, and rawer than ever before, solidifying Traumatomy’s status in the brutal death metal genre.


Known for their coordinated and intense stage presence, Traumatomy’s live shows are a testament to their charisma and professionalism. With numerous live videos available on YouTube, fans can witness the band's ferocity and precision firsthand. “We will make slam music till we die” they declare, embodying their uncompromising commitment to their craft. They are recommended for fans of Cerebral Incubation, PeelingFlesh, and Epicardiectomy.


Available as of July 5, 2024 Triumph of Enslavement CD / Cassette pre-orders are available from Gore House Productions.





Tracklisting:


“Ingress To Horridness”
“Triumph Of Enslavement”
“Consumed Into Nothing”
“Womb Of The Desecrated”
“Acknowledge The Inevitable End”


“Womb Of The Desecrated”:





“Consumed Into Nothing”:

In a new interview with Scott Davidson of Chicago's Rebel Radio 92.5 FM, David Ellefson was asked if he would attend MEGADETH's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction should he and his former bandmates ever get the nod. He responded: "Who knows, man? I mean, listen, my attitude is, is when you get invited to the party, you always RSVP, yes. Just always go, because that's where the action is and why not go celebrate your own work in such a cool way like that."

Back in November 2021, Ellefson was asked by This Day In Metal if he envisions a day when bands like MEGADETH and SLAYER will finally get inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The former MEGADETH bassist responded: "Here's the funny thing: out of all the people, I'm probably most supportive of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. And here's why: because I'm already in it. And here's how — and it's not because I walked in and got inducted.

"In the late '90s, we did a big auction on [MEGADETH's official web site] Megadeth.com and we sold off a ton of gear that we had at our storage unit here in Arizona, when the band was based here at that time," he continued. "And a fan bought pretty much a bunch of my Jackson basses that I had from the early days, they bought some B.C. Riches. The B.C. Rich bass I used in the 'Peace Sells' video that's got the Mockingbird and that's got the fighter jet on it, a fan bought it. Actually, I think Dave McRobb, who runs the social media or the fan club of MEGADETH, I think he might have bought it and he sold it to this guy, and I think that's how it went. He sold it to this fan. And the fan, rather than doing the douchey thing of just putting it on eBay and trying to make a bunch of money from it, he put it on consignment at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and it was the first piece of heavy metal memorabilia — period — in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Then they put Dimebag's [late PANTERA guitarist Darrell Abbott] guitar. And now there's kind of a little heavy metal exhibit there. But it started with my bass. So, honestly, I'm already there. So I'm good. [Laughs] And, obviously, it represents MEGADETH. And so by way of this fan being cool, he sort of snuck MEGADETH in under the wire, which I thought was actually pretty cool."

More than six years ago, MEGADETH mainman Dave Mustaine also said that he was already in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Mustaine, who was a member of METALLICA for less than two years, from 1981 to 1983, before being dismissed and replaced by Kirk Hammett, was not inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the band during the April 2009 ceremony at Cleveland, Ohio's Public Auditorium. But Mustaine insisted he had already gotten the nod because he is credited on the first two METALLICA albums and co-wrote half a dozen or so songs with the band which, inarguably, helped launch their career.

"I'm in there," he told The Richmond Register in a July 2017 interview. "Anyone who thinks that METALLICA is in there and Dave Mustaine is not has got a short between their headphones. I'm there. As far as being there and standing on my own two feet and going into the head, taking a piss and saying that I own the house, no, not yet. But I'm sure at some point if it is meant to be, it will happen. I'm patient."

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich explained to The Plain Dealer that Mustaine was not included into the Rock Hall along with his former bandmates because "you've got to kind of cap it somewhere. Dave Mustaine never played on any METALLICA records. No disrespect to him. But there [were] half a dozen other people that were in the lineup in the early days. We thought... the fair thing to do would be to include anybody that played on a METALLICA record." He added: "Dave Mustaine was in the band for eleven months, predominantly in 1982... I'm not trying to play it down. I have nothing but respect and admiration for his accomplishments since."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH more than three years ago after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Mustaine, alleging the frontman shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.

Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

Photo credit: Maciej Pieloch (courtesy of Napalm Records)

Streaming now everywhere is Orange Goblin's new single, "The Fire At The Centre Of The Earth Is Mine", the third song released from the upcoming Science, Not Fiction album, out July 19 via Peaceville Records. Watch the official lyric video for the song below:





Science, Not Fiction was recorded at Woodworm Studios UK in late 2023, with production and mixing duties carried out by Grammy winning producer Mike Exeter (most notable for his work with Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Tony Iommi) and mastering conducted by the esteemed Peter Hewitt-Dutton at The Bakery in LA.




From the explosive death-boogie of opener “The Fire At The Centre Of The Earth Is Mine” onwards, the band’s tenth album crackles with energy and belligerence. Following the departure of long serving bassist Martyn Millard in 2020, Orange Goblin welcomed close friend Harry Armstrong (formerly Hangnail) into the fray, making Science, Not Fiction his first studio outing with the band. With the new line-up fizzing with chemistry, the hard rocking likes of “(Not) Rocket Science”, “The Fury Of A Patient Man” and “The Justice Knife” breathe new life into some classic Orange Goblin tropes. Meanwhile, twisted prog-doom detours like “False Hope Diet” and “Cemetary Rats” take the Londoners into epic new territory, with everything from skull-shattering punk ‘n’ roll to transcendent space rock hurled into the swirling brew.


“It is a continuation of what we’ve been doing, and that’s because when we write, it’s a big mixing bowl of all of our influences and favourite artists, and we try and create the perfect band that we always wanted to hear,” Ben states. “This album, it’s just more accomplished and mature, I guess. None of us are spring chickens anymore and we’ve got ten albums under our belts now. I feel like we’re more professional in the recording studio, I feel like we’re better musicians and writers, and now with me looking after myself, I feel like my performance is better as well. It’s all moving in the right direction.”


For the last 30 years, Orange Goblin, London-based hard rock lifers, have tirelessly flown the flag for balls-out heavy metal and maximum rock ‘n’ roll. Driven by passion, persistence and heartfelt love for metal’s dark magic, Orange Goblin have always been a vital force and a risk-free bet. But while some may be content to trade on past glories, Orange Goblin view heavy metal as a lifelong pursuit. In 2024, they open a new chapter in their heroic saga, marking it with the release of their tenth studio album: Science, Not Fiction


“People have funny ideas about what heavy metal is. But to me, it’s an attitude, it’s a lifestyle, it’s not something you decide to dip into. You either are or you’re not. And it’s for life.” - Ben Ward, Orange Goblin


Science, Not Fiction will be released on July 19 on the following formats (pre-orderhere):


- CD Deluxe with Bonus track presented in a digipack with a 20 page booklet
- Limited Edition Gatefold 2LP Green and Black Marble vinyl edition available exclusively from the band & Peaceville stores
- Limited Edition Gatefold 2LP Crystal Clear vinyl edition.
- Gatefold 2LP in classic black vinyl
- CD Jewel case with 16 page booklet (9 tracks)
- Digitally





Tracklisting:


“The Fire At The Centre Of The Earth Is Mine”
“(Not) Rocket Science”
“Ascend The Negative”
“False Hope Diet”
“Cemetary Rats”
“The Fury Of A Patient Man”
“Gemini (Twins Of Evil)”
“The Justice Knife”
“End Of Transmission”
“Eye Of The Minotaur” (CD Deluxe & LP bonus track)


"Cemetary Rats" video:





“(Not) Rocket Science” video:





(Photo – Tina Korhonen / Astrophography courtesy of Giancarlo Erra)

2024 is set to be a historic year, especially for Italian cult progressive metallers, Athena XIX: formerly known as Athena, they are re-united with frontman and founding member Fabio Lione, who is also the vocalist of their labelmates Angra among others.


Lione's return marks a new era for the band as they're preparing the release of their much-anticipated fourth studio album which is due out later this year through Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). While fans have been waiting impatiently for further details to be shared, Athena XIX finally present a first musical sign of life, titled "The Conscience Of Everything".


Stream/purchase the track here, and watch a lyric video below.




The band state, "This song deals with humanity in all its iterations, leading listeners through a world filled with complex melodies and deep instropection. This opus is much more of an experience than a mere song and also only the beginning of our common journey. Abandon yourselves!"





Originating in 1991, Athena released their most successful album to date, A New Religion?, in 1998 - still recognized and appropriately rewarded as the best prog metal album of an Italian band ever. The original band members finally re-united in 2019 - after several lineup changes and a hiatus - writing new songs which will be released later this year via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM).





Athena XIX are:


Fabio Lione - vocals
Simone Pellegrini - guitars
Gabriele Guidi - keyboards
Alessio Sabella - bass
Matteo Amoroso - drums


(Photo - Damiano Tarantino)

Mr. Big have released "Up On You", the second single from their upcoming tenth studio album, Ten, out Friday, July 12 via Frontiers Music Srl. In a tribute to their late drummer Pat Torpey, Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, and bassist Billy Sheehan have enlisted the exceptional talents of Nick D'Virgilio on drums for Ten, which was produced by Jay Ruston and Mr. Big


About the new single, Eric had this to say: "Who says Rock & Roll has to be serious? Most of the videos that we've done over the years have had a bit of humor in it. In our live show, at the end of the set, we do this thing that we call 'The Switcheroo' where we change instruments. I’m on bass, Billy sings, Nick plays guitar and Paul rocks the drums… it’s a lot of fun and the crowd goes wild. So the concept for the video was simple 'Do The Switcheroo and go bat shit crazy for a couple hours'."


Watch the video for "Up On You" below:







In the midst of their final tour - The BIG Finish - Mr. Big, inspired by the legions of fans that shared in their goodbye over the past year, wanted to say a final farewell with the undertaking of a brand-new studio album. Culminating over three decades of musical partnership, Martin, Gilbert, and Sheehan, with the help of D’Virgilio, ignite their spark once more and take a new form with the forthcoming Ten.


Eric Martin comments on Ten: “This new album doesn't copy anything from the 9 previous studio records its all new stuff from scratch.. this is raw, unadulterated riff rock and blues with all the Mr. Big trimmings.”


You can pre-order the album in various configurations here.


The Limited Edition 180g Color Vinyl LP comes with an A2 band poster, available in only 1,000 pieces.





Tracklisting:


"Good Luck Trying"
"I Am You"
"Right Outta Here"
"Sunday Morning Kinda Girl"
"Who We Are"
"As Good As It Gets"
"What Were You Thinking"
"Courageous"
"Up On You"
"The Frame"
"See No Okapi" (Instrumental - Japan Bonus Track)


"Good Luck Trying" video:





Mr. Big drummer Nick D'Virgilio will miss most of the upcoming European / UK leg of the band's The BIG Finish! Tour due to commitments with his other band, Big Big Train. D'Virgilio will be temporarily replaced by Edu Cominato, a drummer from São Paulo, Brazil who has previously played with Mr. Big bassist Billy Sheehan and singer Eric Martin, as well as Jeff Scott Soto and Geoff Tate, amongst others.


This past Friday, June 14, Mr. Big released the following statement via social media: "As we prepare to hit the road for another EU / UK leg of our The BIG Finish! Tour, drummer Nick D'Virgilio, due to commitments with his band Big Big Train, is unable to be with us the first part of the run. He will rejoin us for the final week — August 13th onward. In Nick's absence, we are excited to announce that Brazilian drummer, Edu Cominato, will fill in and rock with us July 13 - August 13!"





Confirmed dates for the European / UK leg of Mr. Big's The BIG Finish! Tour are as listed:



dqjM2A" title="Mr. Big "Good Luck Trying" - Official Music Video" width="600">


(Photo - Joel Barrios | Photography That Rocks)

Finland's industrial metal heretics King Satan have officially inked a worldwide record deal with Noble Demon, who will release the band's fourth album, The Devil’s Evangelion, in late 2024. To kick off the excitement surrounding the upcoming release, the band has unleashed a music video for the first single, "New Aeon Gospel".


“The Devil’s Evangelion will be a concept album concentrating on the duality and the paradoxical nature of reality. This concept stems from a trickster-like narrative that becomes convinced about being possessed by the Devil, leading to an experience of reality through the Devil’s eyes," King Satan comment and further reveal details about the first single: "‘New Aeon Gospel’ as an opening song depicts beginning of this experience, which in the fashion of paradoxes, might be madness to one and yet moment of catharsis to another. We took a lot influences from old religious anthems, hymns and psalms to compose the album and this song might be one of the strongest examples of this, filtered of course through the means of our brand of extreme metal."


King Satan presents a genre-fluid extreme metal spectacle that fuses electro-industrial, symphonic black metal, and death metal elements with the raw energy of rock'n'roll, emerging as a unique blend between shameless shock rock and chaotic avant-garde theater.







Founded in late 2015, this genre-fluid group is the brainchild of enigmatic artist Mr. King Aleister Satan (Henget, Saturnian Mist), which has evolved from its electro-aggrotech origins into a full-throttle industrial metal band over the years. The act’s vision of extreme metal brings forth an anarchistic blend of carnivalesque artistry, absurdist dark comedy, occult intrigue, and in-depth philosophical ponderings, served in an intoxicating blend of rocking dance beats, thought-provoking lyrics, mesmerizing melodies, and addictive hooks the band themselves have titled as 'death metal disco’. A fusion fit for both dance floors and mosh pits. With all these elements, the band defies conventions and embraces controversy the way which should not really make much sense on paper - and yet, it has consistently helped to create more and more buzz for the band wherever they go.


But King Satan is more than just a mere musical entity; known for their infectious charisma and captivating performances, it’s a live experience that electrifies stages and captivates audiences. With a reputation solidified by three full-length albums and viral chart-climbing singles in Finland and Germany, they’ve graced renowned festivals like Tuska Festival, Nummirock Metal Festival and Dark Malta Festival. The group has also toured in Europe in several countries, headlining their own shows and supporting revered acts like Gothminister, Deathstars, Battle Beast, Hocico, Nachtmahr, and Turmion Kätilöt on the way.


Mr. King Aleister Satan about the band's future and signing to Noble Demon:


"We are absolutely thrilled to announce this devilish pact between King Satan and Noble Demon Records! We really know we are now in the right home at Noble Demon roster as we are not only encouraged to do what we do already, but to do that with their full support! Even it might get dirty! And of course, in the world of absurd, it always does. So, indeed, let’s get dirty! The Devil’s work is never done! Hail Noble Demon Records and Hail Satan! Chaos is the Law!”





King Satan are:
King Aleister Satan - Vocals & Programming
Hekate Boss - Keyboards & vocals
EF-13 - Guitars
Jerry Rock’n’roll - Bass guitar
Pete Hellraiser - Drums & Programming


(Photo – Joonas Juntunen)

Ancient Settlers have released an animated lyric video for "Oblivion's Legacy", fourth single and title track of the new album released in May 17 by Scarlet Records.


"Oblivion's Legacy" tells a story of hope and resilience in the face of despair. The authenticity of those who emerge from darkness, arising as legends, embodying the courage to make the changes. The chorus reflects a desire for perseverance, and the need to fight for a better future. The song blends narrative and emotive elements, emphasizing the relentless struggle and ultimate triumph.







The sophomore record of the Venezuelan/Spanish band was produced, mixed and mastered by Fredrick Nordstrom at Studio Fredman; Jon Toussas (Suicidal Angels, Nightrage, W.E.B.) took care of the shining artwork.


Ancient Settlers quickly gained a fierce reputation in the melodic death metal European scene thanks to a relentless live activity, and are now eager to raise the bar with their second studio album.


Guided by the demoniac vocals of frontwoman Argen Death, they master the melodeath subject with absolute confidence through storming heavy riffs, thick grooves and catchy hooks (just like the Swedish godfathers taught us all).


Oblivion's Legacy is a conceptual work that delves into the profound depths of human existence, exploring the legacy we leave behind as individuals and as a species. The lyrics contemplate the impact of our actions, the struggles we face, and the ultimate fate that awaits us all.


Set against a backdrop of cosmic wonder and existential introspection, each song serves as a chapter in the unfolding narrative of humanity's journey through time and space.


Oblivion's Legacy will be released in the following formats:
- jewel case CD
- vinyl LP
- digital


Preorder/pre-save here.





Tracklisting:


“The Circle Of Misanthropy”
“Oblivion’s Legacy”
“Stardust Odyssey”
“Wounded Heart”
“Subversive”
“Coven Garden”
“The Mechanical Threats Paradox”
“The Last Battle In The Earth”
“Cosmic Farewell”
“Redemption”


"Subversive" video:





"Coven Gardens":





"Wounded Heart" video:





Tour dates:


July
5 – Lucerne, Switzerland – Brunch Brothers
7 – Prachatice, Czech Republic – South Of Heaven Open Air


September
7 – Bree, Belgium – Metal Babes & Queens Festival
8 – Paris, France – Le Klub 


(Photo – Juan Lopez)

Legendary US thrash metal band Hirax and Doomentia Records have joined forces on the new 7" vinyl EP, Faster Than Death, for the band's upcoming European tour in August. First single, "Drill Into The Brain", is streaming below.





Details:




- Two coloured versions, each strictly limited to 250 copies
- First four tracks from upcoming full-length album
- Exclusively mixed by legendary producer Bill Metoyer
- Housed in a noble gatefold with glossy lamination
- Artwork by Thomas Pinheiro.
- Includes Hirax / Exumer tour 2024 poster





Tracklisting:


"Drill Into The Brain"
"Drowned Bodies"
"Faster Than Death"
"Relentless"


"Drill Into The Brain":





This release will be available August 1 on doomentia.com, and on the band's tour with Exumer.





Tour dates:


August
3 - Wacken, Germany - Wacken Open Air
5 - Krakow, Poland - Kamienna 12
6 - Warsaw, Poland - "Hydrozagadka
7 - Jaromer, Czech Republic - Brutal Assault Festival
8 - Vienna, Austria - Escape
9 - Passau, Germany - Zauberberg
10 - Selb (GER) "Nordclub Bayern
11 - Kortijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Fest
12 - London, UK - 02 Islington Academy (with Exodus)
13 - Plymouth, UK - Junction
14 - The Hague, Netherlands - Musicon
15 - Doetinchem, Netherlands - Engelenbak
16 - Rheine, Germany - Hypothalamus (with Flotsam And Jetsam)
18 - Carhaix, France - Motocultor Festival

David Lee Roth is back at it with another song “J.A.F.D.I.P. (Just Another Fu**in’ Day In Paradise)”. A visualizer accompanying the new song from the legendary Van Halen frontman is available below:





"867-5309/Jenny" was a #4 Billboard 200 hit for Tommy Tutone, lifted from his Tommy Tutone 2 album, released in 1981 via Columbia Records. The track went on to reach #1 on the Rock Top Tracks chart in April 1982.




Van Halen singer, David Lee Roth, has shared his take on the song, releasing the new visualizer below:





Roth previously shared the video below, performing a portion of Steely Dan's "My Old School", featured on the band's 1973 album, Countdown To Ecstasy. Roth's clip features animation by Ramses Rios, TheArtOfRamses.com.