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.

In a new interview with The Rockman Power Hour, PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix discussed the band's musical evolution and constant need for reinvention. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's been a wild ride, and we've had some dark ages in PAPA ROACH through the years. And when we came with that album, 'Crooked Teeth', that single 'Help' was on it, and it just catapulted us back into this new space again. And we started working with these two producers, some younger producers, on that album. We really made a concerted effort. We were, like, 'Dude, we've worked with all the greats, some of the greatest rock producers, Brendan O'Brien, Howard Benson, to name a couple.' And I was, like, 'All right, we learned a lot from them, but where do we go?' And for us, it was, like, 'All right, let's go find the underground young talent,' because we've learned so much in making records that we know what we've gotta do when we go in there. And so it was nice to have this fresh blood that was just, like, 'Yo, let's shake this thing up and let's reinvent.' And we're, like, 'That's what we're talking about. That's the energy.' 'Cause sometimes you'd be in a room with a producer and have an idea and they're just, like, 'Oh, that's never been done before. And I'm, like, 'Yeah, that's never been done with us. We need to go try it.' There was this adventurous spirit that was in the room that we're, like, 'Finally. These guys get it.'

"It's been a great run for us, the last few years, and just continually trying to shake this thing up and come with something that feels authentic, but yet pushing into new territory," he continued. "And, yeah, on this last record, we did have four No. 1 singles, and that really blows my mind, especially that we are the record company. It was a bold, brave move for us. But we were ready for that move. And to make music that is still connecting in a real and authentic way is — it's what I imagined when I was a young kid in this weird way. I've always been a big fan of FAITH NO MORE and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS. Especially RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS have really done a great job of taking their fans on this journey with them. And that was a goal for us — to try to stay current, but also stay authentic. Not current and generic — current and authentic. And it's a challenge, man. I'm up for it.

"We just went into the studio and we've got eight more songs right now. And I'm, like, 'Oh, just wait. We've got fire in the hole, dude.' I can't wait to just light the cannon."

Regarding how he deals with calls from some PAPA ROACH fans to return to a more "old-school" sound, Jacoby said: "I've got a funny story for you. Throughout our years, people have always been, like, 'Oh, why don't you go back to your old-school style?' And I'm, like, 'Okay, we've been around, we've been doing this thing for 20-plus years.' I've gotta ask them, like, 'What's old-school PAPA ROACH to you?' And they're, like, 'Oh, well, that album 'The Connection', that's old school.' Because they became a fan of PAPA ROACH in 2010. So old school to one PAPA ROACH fan can be 2010 PAPA ROACH, or another one could be the year 2000 PAPA ROACH. Which old school are you talking about? And so it's funny, man. You can't please everybody. And I think that's just fine. I feel like for us, that creative space is to just always try to impress ourselves. I feel if we step in the studio to only make music that's gonna please the fans, I feel like there's no forward progress in that. Some bands can do that and repeat this 'rinse and repeat'. But for me, I'm just, like, 'Ugh…' I can't do it. I think that's another reason why I don't have any side projects, because I scratch all the itches I wanna scratch within PAPA ROACH. We wanna make a record feel like a playlist and not just like the same thing over and over. It's that journey and that discovery in the process of that, that's where the magic lies for me.

"I saw — I think it was Noel Gallagher [OASIS] talking about creativity," Jacoby added. "And he's, like, 'Look at fashion houses, man. Fashion houses don't repeat the same thing. Fashion houses are always progressing what they're doing. And I identify with that. 'Cause it's, like, I wanna keep progressing what I'm doing and evolving. And sometimes we fall flat on our face and our fans don't get it. And then sometimes we're wildly successful, but I think that that risk is… Therein lies some of the magic, is in that risk."

This past January, PAPA ROACH shared a brand new live version of their hit single "Scars" featuring a guest appearance by Chris Daughtry.

"Scars Featuring Chris Daughtry (Live)" is not only a fresh take on one of the band's biggest hits, but it also serves as the latest release on the band's "Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)" EP.

In February, PAPA ROACH's "Leave A Light On" became the band's 10th career No. 1, and its fourth from PAPA ROACH's latest album, "Ego Trip", on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.

"Ego Trip" debuted at No. 6 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart in April 2022.

Previous PAPA ROACH radio hits include "Between Angels And Insects", "Gravity", "Getting Away With Murder", "She Loves Me Not", "Falling Apart", "Help" and "Last Resort".

Sven Gali have released a music video for "Coming Home", the new single from the band's Bombs And Battlescars album. Watch below:





Sven Gali's trademark blend of heavy riffs, gritty vocals, and anthemic melodies span decades. Cutting their teeth in the bar circuit of Southern Ontario, Canada in the late 80’s, Sven Gali’s live show was a full on circus of sex, drugs and rock n’ roll.




Emerging with a record deal with BMG, Sven Gali released their debut self-titled release in 1992. From the first chord of “Under The Influence” Sven Gali made their mark. Follow up singles “Tie Dyed Skies” and “In My Garden” paved the way for the ballad number 6 CanCon song of 1993 that also went Top 10 nationwide, “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.” As the album went Gold, Sven Gali won the MuchMusic Best Metal Video Award in 1993 for “Under The Influence” and was nominated for two Junos. With a worldwide release, Sven Gali toured with the likes of Def Leppard, Foreigner and April Wine.


Sven Gali’s follow-up, Inwire, was partly recorded in in Seattle with producer Kelly Gray and saw the band take on a more alternative experimental tone. The band broke up soon after the album’s release and played sporadic shows before solidifying a new lineup with original members Dave Wanless (vocals), Andy Frank (guitar) and TT (bass) bringing in guitarist Sean Williamson and drummer Dan Fila from former BMG labelmates Varga.


Sven Gali’s new release, Bombs And Battlescars, through Canadian label, Music In Motion Ent, combines the best of both Sven Gali eras. The album contains five new originals. “One Gun” is a relentless driver that sets the battlefield ablaze with its blistering guitar work and commanding vocals. The massive groove of “Coming Home” and fierce anthem “Monster” showcase Sven Gali's unapologetic attitude while the sonic prowess of “Life Inside” stands side by side with any current alternative metal peers. Closer “Nothing New” showcases the melodic side of the band with a catchy acoustic groove.


Bombs And Battlescars also brings the band full circle with a cover of Triumph’s “Spellbound.” Recorded at Toronto’s Metalworks studio where many of Sven Gali’s early songs were recorded and demoed, acclaimed Coney Hatch frontman Andy Curran produced the track bringing the song into the modern age. Triumph drummer Gil Moore also appears in the video. The album is filled out with three remastered unreleased tracks from the band’s 90’s recording vault.


Order the album here.





Tracklisting:


"One Gun"
"Coming Home"
"Spellbound"
"Life Inside"
"Monster"
"Hang Me Out"
"Hogs"
"All"
"Nothing New"


"One Gun" video:





"Monster" video:





Sven Gali lineup:


Dave Wanless - Vocals
Andy Frank - Guitars
Shawn Minden - Bass
Sean Williamson - Guitars
Dan Fila - Drums

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King has launched the first in a series of interview videos to promote his recently released debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise". Check it out below.

Asked what fans can expect to hear on "From Hell I Rise". Kerry said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Fans could expect basically anything from my personal history, which includes [influences from BLACK] SABBATH, [JUDAS] PRIEST, [IRON] MAIDEN, thrash, punk, hardcore. I think I cover all the bases on this record, so 13 songs of, basically, what you're used to Kerry King doing."

On the topic of his favorite track on the new LP, Kerry said: "That would probably change daily and what kind of mood I'm in, 'cause… I think 'Crucifixation''s one of my favorite songs, which is super thrashy. I like 'Shrapnel' because it's a completely different feel. But it's the first time I've written everything, so I got some money in the game on every song. So, probably my go-to, if I was gonna play a song for somebody and say, 'This is my new album,' probably would be 'Crucifixation'."

Regarding which song on "From Hell I Rise" was "most challenging" to write, Kerry said: "I'm not sure 'challenging' is the right word, but one song that sticks out to me is a standalone track in a different way that we talked about is 'Two Fists'. Because I wrote 'Two Fists' to be basically like if you stuck your hand in the 1980s and picked out a punk song. I wanted it to sound just like that. I wanted it to sound like a heavy, groovy punk song. And I went about writing the lyrics the same way, as if one of the punk singers wrote those lyrics in the '80s as well, 'cause I wanted it to be an individual music period piece, so to speak. It wasn't difficult; it was just getting my time frame musically and my time frame lyrically to work together for that particular song."

All material for "From Hell I Rise" was written by the 60-year-old SLAYER guitarist, who was accompanied during the recording sessions by the rest of his solo band, consisting of drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER),bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH),guitarist Phil Demmel (formerly of MACHINE HEAD) and Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL) on vocals. 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.

In an interview with Martha Wingen of the Bleeding Metal podcast, King was asked to name "the most important message" on "From Hell I Rise". He said: "I don't know that there's a message on the album. I'm not that kind of person. I like to bring things to a conversation. Say, for instance, I've been talking today about, I think a lot of people are born into a religious belief based on being handed down from their parents, friends, whatever. What I like to present to people is ideas that if that makes them question what they believe, what they were taught… I think everybody should make up their own mind. And at the end of the day, that would be my message. Make up your own mind, be it politics, be it religion. Just be your own self."

Asked if he was able to realize something in his music he always wanted to do, like new influences or new styles, on "From Hell I Rise", Kerry said: "Realistically, my influences were influences 40 years ago and they still are my influences. And along that way, did I pick up more? Yeah, absolutely. But I think in doing this project, it's just the next record for me. I didn't have anything that I wanted to achieve that necessarily I hadn't achieved. I just wanna make up the next batch of music for people that I think are my fans, that I think they would like, because SLAYER has a gigantic amount of fans, and if I make 95 percent of them happy with what I do, I think I had a good day."

In a separate interview with with France's Loud TV, Kerry said about the prospect of launching a solo career: "It's kind of funny, right? It's kind of funny to have 40 years in this business at all, let alone be starting a new band."

Referencing the fact that SLAYER hasn't released a new studio album since 2015 and hasn't played any live shows since 2019, King added: "I'm obviously not done. I've got lots more music and lots more things to say, a lot more people to piss off and argue about. So, let's start this new endeavor now. Move on."

When the interviewer noted that it takes "courage" to launch a new project several decades into his career, King concurred: "It is a lot more difficult than I thought. I've been kind of pampered for the last at least three decades. And starting over, even though I have a gigantic history in SLAYER, starting over, you're still starting over — you're lower on the bills, you're not making the [same kind of] money. Having to figure out how to make sure everybody in my band makes money so it's worth their time. But, yeah, never for a second did I consider not going on, because at this point in life, any record could be your last. I don't think this is my last record, but I have to move on like it is. So put it out, hope the fans like it, hope the fans show up. I like it. I think the fans are gonna like it, and I think we're gonna have a lot of good times."

Asked if the lineup for his solo band is made up of "friends", Kerry said: "Absolutely. The thing that meant the most to me about moving forward in this project was getting my friends. I could get anybody in the biz — I can get people I don't know, people I've never met, but I have enough friends in this business to know that I could put a band together of outstanding musicians that are friends that, after the show, we can get on the bus and have a drink and just have fun. No drama. Nothing weird is gonna happen that we don't foresee. I look forward to getting out on the road with these guys and having a good time."

Pressed about which member of his solo band was "the most surprised" when Kerry called him to offer him a spot in the group, Kerry said: "I think the most surprising moment was when I finally gave Mark the gig. Mark put his name in the hat very early, and he's the only one that did demos with me and Paul. We had him come down every six weeks or so, and he would just come down and sing the songs he'd already sang and just every time he'd come down, make 'em better. But I didn't tell him until, like, 14 months ago that he got the gig. And I was super nonchalant about it. He was at my place in [Las] Vegas, and I said, 'Dude, if you still want the gig, I guess you can have it.' And he was super excited, super excited, like almost fan excited. He was so excited, he texted his mom and texted me by accident. [Laughs] And I said, 'I love you too, man. It's cool. It's cool.' So we went in and recorded, like, two months after that."

When the interviewer remarked that Mark sounds like he is really pushing himself vocally on "From Hell I Rise", Kerry said: "Like I said, we did demos, and we always made the demos better. And then we got to the studio in Hollywood, and I was in another room doing something, and he sang 'Residue'. And the producer got me and says, 'Hey, I want you to hear where the song is.' And I went, 'Okay, cool,' expecting to hear what I was used to hearing. And I hear the first verse and I'm going, 'How did you guys get to this register?' It's, like, I'd never heard that before. He was, like, 'Well, that's where he started singing and felt comfortable.' So I went to Mark immediately and I said, 'Hey, dude, you can recreate this, right?' It's, like, 'You're not setting yourself up to fail the first show and blow your voice out and be canceling shows all over the place.' And he assured me he can do it. So, he carried on and went on and did even crazier performances on the later songs that he sang. So, apparently, he's very confident in what he can do. And I think it sounds great. So, I'm anxious to get out and start doing it."

King told Rolling Stone about the decision to call the band KERRY KING: "It was going to be KING'S REIGN for a long time, which is really cool. But even with that one, I went to the guys, like, 'I'm not a vain dude. I don't want my name to be a part of it.' We talked about BLOOD REIGN for a while, but it didn't work. Every time I came up with anything remotely cool, it was taken by some obscure band in Eastern Europe. It became KERRY KING because I love that logo."

King said the album is about "various religious topics, some war entries, heavy stuff, punky stuff, doomy stuff, and spooky stuff, with Herculean speeds achieved," adding, "If you've ever liked any SLAYER throughout any part of our history, there's something on this record that you'll get into, be it classic punk, fast punk, thrash, or just plain heavy metal."

King added there's more to come, too. "Even with a record in the can, I've still got so many songs that need to be finished," he said. "This is what I know how to do…number one being music, number two being metal. It's been a part of my life for 40 years, and I'm nowhere near being done."

KERRY KING will be special guest on the upcoming LAMB OF GOD/MASTODON North American "Ashes Of Leviathan" co-headline tour. The six-week run will launch on July 19 in Grand Prairie, Texas and will wrap on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska.

DEF LEPPARD has released a short video in which the five members of the band discuss their latest single, "Just Like 73". The track, which features a guest guitar solo from Tom Morello, can be heard below.

Bassist Rick Savage said: "'Just Like 73', I first heard it when it was a demo and it nearly got released for the 'Diamond Star Halos' album."

Guitarist Phil Collen added: "It's got a real glam rock feel and a vibe to it. We went for the [1970s producer] Mike Leander drum sound, which was really cool in the very early '70s and kind of mixed it with SLADE-type backing vocal, which is kind of really shouty, loud and aggressive, almost like football-hooligan kind of chant."

Singer Joe Elliott chimed in: "Because of it being based around that whole kind of '73 vibe — it was glammy, very British glam — I wanted to write a lyric that kind of reflected that."

Added guitarist Vivian Campbell: "When I first heard 'Just Like 73', I couldn't get it out of my head. It's a really, really catchy song."

Drummer Rick Allen said: "First time I heard the demo, at least, it conjured up everything that I heard from back in the day, back in '73."

Campbell added: "It's a good-time song. It's a celebration of what was an incredible era in music."

Collen said: "In a nutshell, it's when we got baptized into music."

"Just Like 73" arrives on seven-inch vinyl on August 2, 2024 and will be available in a special color variant only through the band's D2C store and in black at all retailers.

"Just Like 73" notably marks the first collaboration between the iconic rock titans and the legendary guitarist, sonic innovator and co-founder of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and AUDIOSLAVE. The single revolves around a classic DEF LEPPARD stomp fueled by a robust stadium-size beat, thick riffing, and a signature chant, "Rock with me, just like 73!" Meanwhile, a knockout gang vocal gives way to a signature fret-scorching solo from Morello. The instantly recognizable whammy bar wheezes as he shreds at lightspeed into one last head-nodding hook.

Of the collaboration, Elliott previously shared: "It encapsulates a time that burned deep into our DNA. We wanted to celebrate that very important and glorious time."

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen adds: "When I saw David Bowie on TV between 1972 and 1973, everything I thought I knew about music went from black and white to vivid Technicolor. Our song 'Just Like 73' represents that awakening."

Morello said: "I had a blast rocking a solo on 'Just Like 73'. I played 'Rock Of Ages' in my college cover band almost 40 years ago and here DEF LEPPARD are still killing it in stadiums with a brand new tune that's one of their best."

Next up, DEF LEPPARD will present a high-octane animated music video for "Just Like 73", premiering on June 20 at 16:00 BST. It features the band (and Morello) like you've never seen them before.

DEF LEPPARD teased "Just Like 73" on social media earlier this month, sharing an image with two different phone numbers for U.S. and U.K. fans to call.

"Light up the fuel. Just Like 73. Hotline Now Open," the band wrote in an accompanying caption.

Fans who called the phone numbers were able to hear Elliott singing lyrics from the song, which marks the band's first new original music since 2022's "Diamond Star Halos" album.

DEF LEPPARD's 23-city trek with JOURNEY is scheduled to begin on July 6 in St. Louis, Missouri and continue through September 8 in Denver, Colorado. Along the way, the two Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees will bring their show to stadiums in major cities like Chicago, Nashville, Boston, Toronto, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and more. CHEAP TRICK will play two shows at the beginning of the tour and two concerts at the end of the trek, while STEVE MILLER BAND will join the bill for the majority of shows and HEART will appear on three dates.

Elliott previously shared that DEF LEPPARD's set on the 2024 tour will celebrate specific parts of the rockers' history. "We may even have a surprise or two up our sleeves," he said in a statement.

JOURNEY recently completed a number of dates as part of its 50th-anniversary "Freedom" tour.

The DEF LEPPARD/JOURNEY tour is being promoted by AEG Entertainment.

Both bands are offering VIP packages through their respective web sites.

DEF LEPPARD's VIP experiences include a premium seat, personal photo with the band, exclusive merchandise and more.

DEF LEPPARD's 12th studio album, "Diamond Star Halos", came out in 2022. A year later, the band followed it up with "Drastic Symphonies", a collection of reimagining of some of DEF LEPPARD's greatest hits with London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road. The album spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Current Classical chart.

DEF LEPPARD's 2022 stadium tour across North America with MÖTLEY CRÜE reportedly sold more than 1.3 million tickets.

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

On Monday, June 17, reunited rockers CREED played their classic hit "Higher" on "Good Morning America" and "My Sacrifice" on the afternoon spin-off of "Good Morning America" called "GMA3". Watch video of both performances below.

With more than 53 million albums sold worldwide, CREED remains one of modern rock's most successful acts. Now, 30 years into their incredible journey, CREED is bigger than ever. In late 2023, the Texas Rangers made "Higher" their unofficial anthem, as it spurred them to their first World Series win. Earlier this year, the song appeared in a high-profile Paramount+ Super Bowl commercial, while a NASCAR Daytona 500 campaign also incorporated the hit single. Along the way, CREED has gained a new generation of fans, thanks to countless TikTok videos that feature their songs.

Last summer, after an 11-year hiatus, CREED announced their long-awaited reunion — returning to the stage for the first time in April 2024 at the sold-out Summer Of '99 cruise and Summer Of '99 And Beyond cruise. In May, meanwhile, the band's multiplatinum-selling "Greatest Hits" collection made its wide debut on vinyl (via Craft),this month landing the collection back into the Billboard Top 200 (currently No. 166, in a list of the most consumed albums in the U.S.),as well as hitting Top Hard Rock & Alternative Albums (No.48),Top Alternative Albums (No. 21),and moving up the Top Hard Rock Albums rankings (No. 11). Originally issued in 2004, the 14-track compilation spans the band's first three albums (1997's "My Own Prison", 1999's "Human Clay" and 2001's "Weathered"). In the months ahead, fans can catch the band on their "Summer Of '99" tour, running from July through September, where they'll be joined by the likes of 3 DOORS DOWN, FINGER ELEVEN, SWITCHFOOT, FUEL, BIG WRECK and DAUGHTRY. The band will be heading into arenas this November and December on the "Are You Ready?" tour with 3 DOORS DOWN and MAMMOTH WVH in the U.S. and MAMMOTH WVH and FINGER ELEVEN in Canada.

In a recent interview with Ryan McCredden of the I-Rock 93.5 radio station, singer Scott Stapp spoke about the fact that younger generations of fans have discovered CREED's music in the 12 years since he and his bandmates played their last concert. He said: "Yeah, a hundred percent. And the analytics don't lie. We've started seeing, in late 2020, CREED beginning to go viral on TikTok, Instagram and then Facebook. And then it just seemed like every two or three months… The first couple months in 2021, we went viral again, and it just kept happening every two or three months. And then you look at the analytics, and you realize that when you look at the numbers, it's three generations. And now it's gotten down into high school kids. And so, what a gift and what a blessing. And I do not take that for granted. I understand how rare that that is. And I think I can speak for all of CREED, because we've had these conversations in private, that it's something we definitely understand is a gift, it's rare and we're not taking it for granted and we're just so grateful and appreciative that this has happened. And I think we're in the nurture phase of this whole thing and not taking a single bit of it for granted and just want to just share how grateful we are and fortunate we are that all these years later [so many people are discovering our music."

Stapp went on to discuss the overwhelmingly positive response to the announcement of CREED's first shows together in 12 years.

"I learned this from Mark [Tremonti, guitar] the other day in a Guitar World interview that we did together," Scott said. "One thing about Mark, and I hope he doesn't get mad at me for sharing, but he's always in touch with our long-term agent from day one, Ken Fermaglich at UTA. He started with us when we were doing clubs and nobody was showing up, and he's still our agent today. And Mark checks in with him to get analytics and get numbers. And Ken shared with him that right now we are bigger in terms of sales and how things are moving than we were at our peak in 2001, 2002, which blows my mind. It still doesn't seem that way to me, but Mark made a comment. He goes, 'Oh, well, you'll see it when you step out and there's 25,000 people in front of you.' And I said, 'Don't scare me, man.' It's been a long time since I've stepped in front of an audience that big."

When McCredden suggested that "the social media world of TikTok and Instagram" played a huge part in generating interest in a CREED reunion tour, Stapp said: "I've learned in my journey in sobriety and in recovery that… I believe in God and I believe that God has a plan. And looking at this from a thousand-foot perspective, it just all just seems, to me, without a doubt that God's had a hand in it. And I'm just grateful that I'm included on the ride and I'm just not gonna take a moment for granted and [I'm gonna] try to deliver every night and give the fans what they're asking for."

JPL Productions has uploaded 4K video of Ace Frehley's entire June 15 concert at the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Charles Town, West Virginia. Check it out below.

Setlist:

* Shock Me (KISS song)
* Shout It Out Loud (KISS song)
* Cherry Medicine
* Rock Soldiers (FREHLEY’S COMET song)
* Love Gun (KISS song)
* Rocket Ride (KISS song)
* 10,000 Volts
* Parasite (KISS song)
* New York Groove (Russ Ballard cover)
* Rip It Out
* Detroit Rock City (KISS song)
* Cold Gin (KISS song)
* Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
* Strange Ways (KISS song)
* Deuce (KISS song)
* Rock And Roll All Nite (KISS song)

The original KISS guitarist played his song "Cherry Medicine" live for the first time during his concert on May 26 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Frehley released the official music video for "Cherry Medicine" in February. The clip was directed by Justin H. Reich of Three Thirty-Three Creative and produced by Reich and Steve Seabury.

On "Cherry Medicine", a mean palm-muted chug underlines Ace's pensive vocals where he confesses, "I knew I had to change my ways for sure to keep you by my side." The track showcases another side of Frehley with its saccharine and sweet, soaring hook as he promises, "I love you, cherry medicine. You heal my every need and some." He seals the sentiment with another powerhouse solo.

"Cherry Medicine" is taken from Ace's latest solo album, "10,000 Volts", which was released in February via MNRK Music Group (formerly eOne Music). The LP was produced by Ace and Steve Brown (TRIXTER).

In an interview with "Loudwire Nights", Ace described "Cherry Medicine" as a "fun, easygoing rock and roll song, not too complicated to play. And kids can gravitate towards that, especially kids that have only been playing guitar for a couple of years. The only tricky part about it is capturing my guitar solos."

Ace previously praised "10,000 Volts", telling VRP Rocks: "I'm very happy with the way the record turned out. Now, a lot of times I've recorded records where sometimes you look at three or four songs on the album and you consider them not as good as some of the other ones and you kind of consider them as filler. But I don't think there's any filler on this album. I think every song has merit to it."

He added:  "I think it's one of the best albums I ever did. I mean, I think it's probably as good as my solo album in 1978, which everybody seems to think is my best album to date. But I think this new album is equally as good as my 1978 solo album, and I think there's more than one hit single on the album."

Ace's new all-original album is the follow-up to "Spaceman", which was released in October 2018 via eOne.

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons co-wrote two tracks on "Spaceman", "Without You I'm Nothing" and "Your Wish Is My Command", the latter of which also features Gene's bass playing.

Frehley recently revealed that his next release will be a third "Origins" volume, covering songs by artists who influenced him. He will once again work with Brown on the project, which is tentatively due in 2025.

In an interview with Billboard, Frehley said that he is at one of the best points of his career. "Y'know, here I am at age [73] and I'm putting out one of the best records I've ever recorded," he said. "The playing is great and the singing is some of the best vocals I've ever done. It really doesn't make any sense, but I'm the kind of guy that's always broken rules, y'know?"

In a new interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green, TRIXTER frontman Pete Loran was asked about the recent war of words between the band's drummer Mark "Gus" Scott and TRIXTER's only two actively touring members, guitarist/vocalist Steve Brown and bassist P.J. Farley. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, as far as beef with Gus and those guys, that went to a whole level during interviews where they were just annihilating each other. I think that was pretty stupid on everybody's part. Hopefully they're all past that. There's bad blood between a couple of those guys that I don't know if that's ever gonna get fixed."

Asked if there is any truth to online rumors that Gus tried to trademark the TRIXTER name behind the other members' backs after Brown let it lapse a few years ago, Pete said: "I'm not 100 percent sure about that… I'm thinking there's a lot more going on there than just what you think — probably years and years of stuff that just erupted. So, as far as I'm concerned, I'm good with everybody."

Loran, who is now based in Arizona, went on to say that he has no problems with Brown and Farley actively touring under the TRIXTER name — backed by Ben Hans on percussion — without him and Scott being involved. "I'm great with that," he said. "I'm all for it, and I'm glad they're doing it. I don't have the time to dedicate to it. Between stuff I have going on at home… Several years back my kids were both in their teens, two boys, so to do fly-out dates every weekend and be gone from Thursday to Monday or whatever it is, I felt like I was missing a lot of time there where things could go sideways, especially with kids at that age, so I wanted to be around for that. And also just financially, it wasn't gonna make things work for me anyway. So I stepped back, and I told those guys, 'Do your thing.' And it started out as acoustic TRIXTER, but it's really not. They call it TRIXTER, which is fine with me. I have no problem with that at all."

Asked who sings the TRIXTER songs for the Brown-Farley touring version of the band, Loran said: "Steve does. Steve sings them. And he sings them real good. I mean, for all intents and purposes, they're his songs. Most of the melodies, lyrics, they're all his anyway. I'm the voice known to sing those songs from most of the people, but he has no problem getting up there every night and doing them. Some of those songs are real tough to sing. And he's doing a great job with it. As a matter of fact, they were here [in Arizona] in March, and P.J. had reached out to me and said, 'Hey, we're coming through Phoenix area. You should come down and say hello.' And I had seen him. Several months before that he was coming through here on a tour with FOZZY with [Chris] Jericho. And it was the first time I had seen him in a while, and it was good for us. So we stayed in touch, and then he said, 'You wanna come down?' I said, 'I'll come down.' He goes, 'You wanna jump up and do a few songs?' And I was like, 'Oh, shit. Yeah. Now I got to.' So, I did do that. I jumped up and did a few songs. I hadn't seen Steve in years. That was good. We needed to see each other and just look each other in the eye and go, 'We're good. We're all good.' So that went really well, actually. And it was great for the fans that were there; they weren't really expecting that. And it was surreal for me to sit back there and watch those guys playing those songs. And I'm going, like, 'This is very strange.' But once I got up there with them, it was just like riding a bike."

Late last month, Pete released a solo single, "Around Again", which can be streamed below.

On March 22, Loran joined Brown and Farley on stage at The 44 Sports Grill And Nightlife in Glendale, Arizona to perform a couple of TRIXTER songs.

Speaking to Sonic Perspectives about how Loran's guest appearance came about, Brown said: "Man, it was awesome. We've talked, and let's just get everything straight: there's no bad blood between me and Pete. He's my brother. I love him. Like any family member, we have had our disagreements, but we always come back. And I hadn't seen him in seven years, and I walk in the dressing room, and there he is. And within 30 seconds, we revert back to the '80s when we were kids and the same jokes. And there was no question. We didn't say, 'Hey, do you wanna work on anything?' He came out after seven years — I don't think he's been on stage — and he crushed it. He sounded great. He looked great. And it was so much fun to have him."

Regarding the possibility of Loran making more appearances with TRIXTER in the future, Brown said: "Pete is always welcome to come out and play with us. And you never know what's going to happen." Steve then seemingly downplayed the likelihood of Pete performing with TRIXTER on a more permanent basis again, saying: "Hey, man, he's so happy in his life. His kids are doing great. He was telling me about his son. He's doing great. And that's ultimately what it's all about.

"Being a traveling musician, rock and roller, it's not for everybody," Brown explained. "It's easy when you're number one on MTV and you're playing arenas every night.

"P.J. and I, after it all fell apart in the '90s, we looked at each other and it was, like, 'All right, what are we doing now musically. And we started THROWAN ROCKS and we started a cover band and we started this cover band SUGARBELLY that went on for 10 years and we made a lot of money and that's how we supported ourselves as musicians. Some people get away from it, whether they want to go work for a car dealer or they want to be Indian chiefs or lawyers or whatever, that's all well and good. Music, for me, is life. It's in my blood. It's in my heart."

Both Brown and Farley have been critical of Scott in recent interviews, with Steve saying that the drummer is on "the shit list beyond belief" with the rest of the group, while P.J. compared being in a band with Mark to owning a disobedient dog. "Sometimes you let the dog off a leash and he just goes running to the middle of the street — no good," he said.

Since reuniting in 2008, TRIXTER has released two studio albums via Frontiers Music Srl — 2012's "New Audio Machine" and 2015's "Human Era".

TRIXTER toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Japan in support of its five major label releases. They have performed live in arenas and amphitheaters with crowds up to 35,000 people, appearing with such rock superstars as KISS, SCORPIONS, POISON, TED NUGENT, NIGHT RANGER, CINDERELLA, TWISTED SISTER, DOKKEN, WARRANT, GREAT WHITE and FIREHOUSE.

Photo courtesy of Alive Music Marketing

Rock musician and hunting enthusiast Ted Nugent, who recently lost his beloved family dog Happy, spoke out in support of hunting rights during an appearance on the latest episode of The Chuck Shute Podcast. Referencing the fact that he cried for days after Happy died, Ted said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I eat venison. I don't eat dogs. [Former U.S. president] Barack Obama eats dogs, but I don't eat dogs. And I have some friends in Vietnam and China that eat dogs, and it's meat. If that's what you wanna eat, but we don't have that relationship with our dogs. Even though if you go to a Chinese restaurant, I promise you you're gonna eat dogs at some point and cats. The point is, is that I'm a hunter, a fisherman and trapper. I harvest the surplus to maintain a healthy environment. Anybody who's got a problem with that is like brain dead. You've gotta be the dumbest motherfucker on the planet to think you can stop hunting for one season. I donate tons of venison, which is the purest, most healthy, nutritious, delicious protein in the world. [My wife] Shemane and I, and my son, my family, we donate tons of venison to soup kitchens and homeless shelters. Do you really know somebody that has a problem with that? Can you realize how soulless, how nasty a person would have to be to go, 'Well, you shouldn't feed the homeless venison.' [Laughs] Fuck you. "

Regarding the fact that hunting is often criticized for being inhumane and cruel to animals, Ted said: "As a hunter, fisherman and trapper, I provide the most humane, conscientious, moral, quick death of anything that dies in nature. When you don't hunt, disease runs in, distemper and rabies.

"When I drove to Detroit yesterday to jam with a bunch of guys, and even going 100 miles an hour in my Hellcat, I counted, just visible, 111 dead deer. I couldn't keep up with the raccoons and the possums and the skunks and the other dead [animals]. I mean, there's death every 50 feet. So if you stop hunting for one year, can you imagine the terror, the harm, the painful, agonizing death from cars and disease and overpopulation?

"To be against hunting is to literally have no soul," he continued. "You have no soul. And quite honestly, my son Rocco is a vegan and his new fiancée, they're vegans. They have dietary considerations. I have no problem with that. I've never said, 'You have to eat meat,' but some of these nutcases go, 'You're cruel for eating deer.' No, you're cruel for being against a meaningful science-based harvest of the deer, because they're having fawns now, and if I didn't kill a bunch of deer on my swamp, there'd be no room for those fawns and they would eat all the prime vegetation and they would end up…

"I'm a hunter and I couldn't be more proud," Ted added. "In fact, there's a gay pride month. Is that what that is? Well, I'm having a hunter pride month. I'm celebrating that I'm a hunter and I'm proud to be an American hunter. And anybody that's got a problem with that, shut the fuck up."

Nugent went on to criticize animal rights activists, saying: "The animal rights thing is a scam. The humane society in the United States has never saved an animal. All they do is they try to take advantage of people's ignorance and emotion and get [a lot of] people to make gargantuan donations. And then they don't do anything except pay them big salaries and fly across the country. It's a scam. If you really wanna do the right thing for an animal… if you wanna find someone that is kind, loving and supportive and humane to animals, I give you the ranchers and farmers, the family ranchers and farmers, the hunting families, the fishing families, the trapping families. If you don't harvest the surplus, the new production will have nowhere to live. It's so simple, even guitar players can figure it out.

"You've gotta reduce the fish population in any body of water because they're going to reproduce and the body of water is only so large," he explained. "It'll only support so much life. Do I have to say this in 2024? How embarrassing that I have to explain the simplicity of sustained yield science.

"Hunting, fishing, and trapping is the ultimate beneficial environmentalism available to man. If you want clean air, soil and water — it's insane I have to say this; it is not taught in schools, thanks to the teacher's union — if you want clean air, soil and water, and I think everybody wants clean air, soil and water, the best thing you can do is to buy a hunting license, a fishing license and a trapping license because all of our money goes to safeguard habitat, determine the sustained yield science of the annual harvest so that they don't deplete that wildlife habitat, which is the only source of producing clean air, soil and water. So if you want clean air, soil and water, thank a hunter, thank a fisherman, thank a trapper, 'cause that's what we do."

Back in 2018, Nugent defended trophy hunting, calling it "the ultimate discipline and test and sport on Earth." However, he stressed that it is most important that nothing is wasted and that the hunter uses every part of the animal. He also said that hunters get a bad rap thanks to the media. "Trophy hunters don't cut off the head and leave the body there [like] the media and the fake-news punks have perpetuated," Nugent told podcaster Mitch Lafon.

In 2015, Nugent drew the ire of animal rights activists after he posted a photo of fellow rocker Kid Rock posing with a cougar he'd presumably killed.

Nugent, a longtime board member of the National Rifle Association, fanned the flames with a comment that both insulted animal welfare supporters ("braindead squawkers") and boasted about their "trophy."

That same year, Ted defended the killing of Cecil the lion by American trophy hunter Walter Palmer, saying people were "stupid" for being outraged about the animal's death. He called lions "a renewable resource."

On Facebook, he commented: "All animals reproduce every year & would run out of room/food to live [without] hunting. The animals have more animals EVERY year!! Where would liars propose they live!!"

The 75-year-old Nugent has in the past referred to Barack Obama as a "subhuman mongrel." The musician later apologized for using "street-fighter terminology" and said he wished he used "more understandable language," such as "violator of his oath to the Constitution."

Diego Cavallotti has released a statement regarding his departure from LACUNA COIL.

Cavallotti, who joined LACUNA COIL in 2016, initially as a fill-in guitarist following the departure of Marco "Maus" Biazzi, took to his social media earlier today (Wednesday, June 19) to write: "Good morning everyone.

"I want to share with all of you this post regarding my departure from the band.

"Yes, I am no longer part of the LACUNA COIL.

"Although this decision is not the result of my dissatisfaction or desire to explore new opportunities, I have serenely decided to accept it in consideration of these almost 10 wonderful years spent together, playing around the world, and to allow the band to continue its course without me.

"I wish to Maki, Andrea, Cristina and Richard the greatest success and the greatest satisfaction. I thank them for the huge wealth of experience gained over all these years, always side by side.

"I thank all of you, friends, fans and artists who have written to me but above all for the immense support that I'm receiving.

"However, this is not the end of anything, one chapter has just been closed and I am ready to write another one. For me music is, and remains, my only reason for living and I will never stop doing what I love, even if that meant going back to playing in garages or in front of anyone.

"I can't wait to find out what the future has for me, I am ready to evaluate every possible new opportunity and I will continue to carry out my projects with pride and dedication.

"Thank you very much to everyone, see you around."

When LACUNA COIL announced Cavallotti's exit on Monday (June 17),the band wrote in a statement: "As we step into a new cycle, writing and recording our next album, we are parting ways with Diego 'DD' Cavallotti. We thank him for the many unforgettable moments shared over the years and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours.

"All future live plans remain unchanged and the new songs are taking form, we can't wait to share them with our fans."

Biazzi left LACUNA COIL in January 2016, explaining in a statement: "I felt I couldn't add more in this project any longer so I decided to leave my second family, LACUNA COIL, to take a different path for a new challenge in my life."

LACUNA COIL recently completed the "Ignite The Fire" U.S. tour with support from NEW YEARS DAY and OCEANS OF SLUMBER.

In April, LACUNA COIL released another new single, "In The Mean Time", featuring Ash Costello of NEW YEARS DAY. The song's title is a reference to the mean times the world is living in, as well as a reference to the state the band itself is in, between cycles.

Last July, LACUNA COIL released the official lyric video for a new track called "Never Dawn". For the song, the band partnered with CMON, the renowned board game publisher behind the popular game "Zombicide".

In a recent interview with Brazil's Sonoridades Inc., LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia spoke about the progress of the writing and recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2019's "Black Anima" album. She said: "I can't really tell you a lot. I can tell you that we are progressing very fast. We are almost, like, 100… We completed, let's say, the demoing. We still have to record the rest of the songs, but we will soon — probably after the tour, after the [May 2024] North American tour. And if everything goes as projected, before the end of the year [it] will be released. And that's already a big news, because we always say, 'We don't know. Maybe.' … I absolutely love the songs. I'm part of the process. But I'm very pleased."

Asked if "Never Dawn" will be on the upcoming album, Cristina said: "I think it will be. I think it will be, 'cause it will make sense. And it also fits with the other songs — it really fits with the other songs. Many heavy songs."

LACUNA COIL has spent some of the last couple of years promoting "Comalies XX", the "deconstructed" and "transported" version of the band's third album, "Comalies".

"Comalies XX" was made available on October 14, 2022 via Century Media Records.

LACUNA COIL celebrated the 20th anniversary of "Comalies", by performing it in its entirety at a one-night-only concert on October 15, 2022 at Fabrique in Milano.

"Comalies" was originally released on October 29, 2002 through Century Media Records. The LP, which featured the band's breakthrough single "Heaven's A Lie", has reportedly gone on to sell over 300,000 copies in the United States alone.

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Grammy-nominated rock band FEVER 333, led by Jason Aalon Butler, has released a powerful new song and music video for "New West Order", out via 333 Wreckords Crew / Century Media Records. Bursting with fervor and intensity the band is known for, "New World Order" also proudly displays West Coast hip-hop influences, which have been an integral part of Butler's identity, growing up in Inglewood, California and forming the band there in 2017.

"There is an intersectional hot bed where the hood and hardcore meet," explains Butler on the new song. "For pimps and punks alike to enjoy and celebrate their taboos. This intersection is beautifully represented in Los Angeles and 'New West Order' is an unapologetic exploration of my experience as a social variable growing up in L.A. that I think the world should also have the privilege of being exposed to. It is also the beginning of west coast gangster rock as a genre and a culture. The beauty in disparity and these nuanced diamonds forged from the pressures we experience in alternative commodities (of all types against the background of our status quo) and, particularly, people of color. I spent about six years talking about how I felt about these governmental/societal systems and imbalances; now I'm going to talk about why I feel this way and the experiences that shaped such ideologies."

FEVER 333 has also announced headline dates across the United States and Europe. Taking place in the fall and kicking off October 17 in Los Angeles, the tour will hit all major cities across the country, wrapping up on November 8 in Brooklyn, New York. November 14 will kick off their run of shows taking place in Europe, hitting cities in Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland and more.

Tickets go on sale Friday, June 21 at 10 a.m. local time.

FEVER 333 has proven consistently that it is one of the most captivating acts in modern music today. Now, FEVER 333 is set to embark on their most exciting chapter yet with a plethora of new music on the way.

FEVER 333's current lineup includes drummer Thomas Pridgen (THE MARS VOLTA, THUNDERCAT, TRASH TALK),bassist April Kae and guitarist Brandon Davis, alongside Jason Aalon Butler.

"New West Order" is FEVER 333's first single since February's "Ready Rock".

Photo by: Solo Nichol

Ignescent have released their new single, a cover of Queen's classic hit "Radio Gaga", via Frontiers Music Srl. Check out the lyric video below.


"Radio Gaga" is featured on the deluxe edition of Ignescent's debut album, Fight In Me, available digitally on July 26.







Ignescent is a dynamic new hard rock band hailing from Chicago. Fight In Me, originally released on November 10, 2023, includes songs co-written with Sameer of Flyleaf, along with Jeremy Valentyne and Brandon Wolfe of New Years Day among others. The band is fronted by the multi-talented singer Jennifer Benson and have released several singles and an EP in the past few years showcasing their contemporary metal sound, akin to Flyleaf, Evanescence, Jinjer and Skillet.


Since 2018, the band has been primarily touring throughout the Midwest and Nashville area. Ignescent’s last single, “Remnant” hit #46 on Billboard Rock Charts, while Ignescent’s first EP, Electrified, was produced by 4-time Dove Award winning & Grammy Nominated producer Travis Wyrick (10 Years, P.O.D.). The first song on the CD, “Calling Out to You”, was co-written with former lead guitarist of Skillet, Ben Kasica, and hit the top 30 on Billboard Rock Charts.





Tracklisting:


"Monster You Made"
"Unholy"
"Fight In Me"
"You're Not Alone"
"Under Attack"
"Triple Threat"
"Shadows"
"Carries Me"
"The Hurt"
"Woman On Fire"
"Not Today" (Featuring Kevin Young Of Disciple)
"Goodbye"
"Radio Gaga"


"Goodbye" lyric video:





"Monster You Made" video:





Lineup:


Jennifer Benson – lead vocals
Tyler Hensley - guitars
Joel Seidlitz – bass guitar
Dusty Winterrowd - drums

The Dead Daisies recently released “Light ‘Em Up”, the title track of their forthcoming new album, out September 6 via Spitfire Music Pty Ltd/SPV. In the new video below, Doug Aldrich performs a guitar playthrough of the new single:





“Light ‘Em Up” sets the tone for their upcoming album of the same name and their 2024 World Tour which will take them across the US, UK and Europe.







Recorded in Nashville with Producer Marti Frederiksen, “Light ‘Em Up” is the band’s first new single since 2022 and the first with singer John Corabi since 2018.


“Hey Gang, we are releasing our first single “Light ‘Em Up” today, from our new record, aptly titled Light ‘Em Up as well! It’s a kick-ass, straight ahead rock and roll tune, just how we like it!!! Turn it up, and get ready to bang your head and break shit!!! Hope ya like it!!! Love you guys!!” - John Corabi


Accompanying the "Light 'Em Up" single is an explosive new video that can be viewed below:





The band’s US leg of their Light ‘Em Up World Tour is underway. Dates are listed below.





Tour dates:


June
19 - House Of Blues - San Diego, CA
20 - Whisky A Go Go - Los Angeles, CA
22 - Goldfield Trading Post - Roseville, CA


September
6 - Chalk - Brighton, UK
7 - The Foundry - Torquay, UK
8 - The 1865 - Southampton, UK
10 - Picturedrome - Holmfirth, UK
11 - SWG3 - Glasgow, UK
13 - Rock City - Nottingham, UK
14 - KK’s Steel Mill - Wolverhampton, UK
15 - Boiler Shop - Newcastle, UK
17 - O2 Ritz - Manchester, UK
18 - Patti Pavilion - Swansea, Wales
20 - O2 Academy - Bristol, UK
21 - O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire - London, UK
 
November
1 - Metropool - Enschede, Netherlands
2 - De Casino - Sint Niklaas, Belgium
3 - Gruenspan - Hamburg, Germany
5 - Essigfabrik - Cologne, Germany
6 - Technikum - Munich, Germany
8 - Bibelot Poppodium - Dordrecht, Netherlands
9 - RuhrCongress - Bochum, Germany
10 - Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland
11 - Élysée Montmartre - Paris, France
13 - Palac Akropolis - Prague, Czech Republic
15 - Barba Negra - Budapest, Hungary
16 - Simm City - Vienna, Austria
17 - Gibson - Frankfurt, Germany

Oceans Of Slumber have released a video for their new single, "Poem Of Ecstasy", featured on their forthcoming new album, Where Gods Fear To Speak, out September 13 via Season of Mist. Watch the clip below, and pre-order the album here.


Oceans Of Slumber defy any and all convention. Since 2011, the Houston band have come to redefine the Southern Gothic by casting their tales of hope and despair against an ever-shifting backdrop of melodic death, doom and black metal, with subtle electronic flourishes and classical composition added for good measure, but their sixth album has more in common with Blade Runner and The Book of Eli than their previous efforts. This record is huge and cinematic in every sense of the word.


On Where Gods Fear To Speak, Oceans Of Slumber remake progressive metal in their own dark cinematic image.







Tracklisting:


"Where Gods Fear To Speak"
"Run From The Light"
"Don't Come Back From Hell Empty-Handed"
"Wish"
"Poem Of Ecstasy"
"The Given Dream"
"I Will Break The Pride Of Your Will"
"Prayer"
"The Impermanence Of Fate"
"Wicked Game"


"Poem Of Ecstasy" video:





"Where Gods Fear To Speak"





Oceans Of Slumber lineup:


Cammie Beverly - vocals
Dobber Beverly- drums, piano
Semir Ozerkan - bass
Alex Davis - guitar
Chris Kritikos - guitar, synth

In early May, Glenn Hughes spoke to Guitar Interactive Magazine about his upcoming studio album, tentatively due in early 2025. The long-awaited follow-up to 2016's "Resonate" is being recorded this month in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Hughes said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "In between interviews today, I'm writing a new song number four. So it's going really, really well. I wrote the music about six months ago and I finished all the music about three weeks ago and I'm now writing lyrics. We go in the studio on June the 1st. And in 19 days, the album will be finished. So I presume it'll be out next March."

Asked who will accompany him during the recording sessions for his new album, Glenn said: "Søren [Andersen, guitar] is back with me, and Ash Sheehan, my drummer from my band, and Bob Fridzema [on] keyboards. I think my friend Chad Smith [RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS] will be guesting as he'll be in Copenhagen sometime in June. Chad has played on every album I've done in the last 15 years."

Regarding why he is only spending 19 days recording his new album, Hughes said: "If all the music is ready and all the lyrics are ready, I don't see any reason why it can't be done in that time, because I normally come in the studio with everything finished. This time it's gonna be a real… Look. I've got how many days now, about — I don't know — three weeks before it's the 1st of June. I'm still traveling. I've got a couple of days off, so I'm spending most of my time… I've got four lyrics written now, I've got six to go. I should be on point. So if I've got it on point by the 31st of May, I'll be okay."

The 72-year-old Glenn, who has just released a new album from his supergroup BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, previously discussed his plans to record a new solo album last October 2023 in an interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda. Asked how "Resonate" has aged for him musically since its release nine years ago, Glenn said: "I love the album. It's one of my favorite albums. I think a lot of people across the world, the rock fans love that album. I was at home writing that album and I went to Copenhagen and I had a really great time making that album. And the next one hopefully will be as strong."

In September 2023, Glenn told the "Iron City Rocks" podcast about where he draws his lyrical inspiration from nowadays: "I don't write about politics. I write about the human condition. I write about how are we feeling, what are we going through, are we going to get through this — you know, acceptance, staying in the present moment. This is the big thing for me. People call it woke, awakening, if you will… For me, it's all about staying present in this moment right now, and I'm writing about that."

"Resonate" was released in November 2016 via Frontiers Music Srl. It featured Glenn's then-live solo band members, Søren Andersen (guitars and co-producer),Pontus Engborg (drums) and Lachy Doley (keyboards),in addition to longtime friend Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),who joined them in the studio for the opening and closing numbers.

Last year, Hughes launched his solo tour under the banner "Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live – Celebrating The 50th Anniversary Of The Album Burn". Glenn performed DEEP PURPLE's legendary rock album "Burn" and also ran through DEEP PURPLE MKIII and MKIV songs.

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".

Hughes, who was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2016 along with fellow DEEP PURPLE members Ritchie Blackmore, David Coverdale, Jon Lord, Rod Evans, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover and Ian Paice, spent more than three years recording and touring as the frontman of the supergroup THE DEAD DAISIES.

Glenn's BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION supergroup with guitarist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN) and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, ALICE COOPER, BILLY IDOL) released its fifth album, "V", earlier in June.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Glenn Hughes (@glennhughesonline)

The world of rock guitar has always been illuminated by a few virtuosic stars who shine brighter than the rest, and among them, Michael Schenker stands out as a comet blazing across the night sky.

His tenure with the British hard rock band UFO during the 1970s remains one of the most celebrated periods in the annals of rock, elevating UFO from underground sensations to rock legends.

Now, in 2024, Michael Schenker is set to celebrate those glory days with his new album "My Years With UFO" alongside today's rock elite.

Produced by Michael Schenker and Michael Voss, the new album marks the 50th anniversary of Schenker's era with UFO, spanning from 1972 to 1978. The "German Wunderkind" was asked to join UFO at just 17 years old. Touring the globe as a teenager, Schenker became a driving force behind some of UFO's most loved tracks, such as "Doctor Doctor", "Rock Bottom" and "Only You Can Rock Me".

The first single off the new album, "Mother Mary", breathes new life into this classic, bringing together Michael Schenker's and Slash's unmatched guitar work with former SKID ROW singer Erik Grönwall's soaring vocals.

Although Michael Schenker's era with UFO spanned only six years, his influence as a young songwriter and exceptional guitarist had already left a lasting mark on rock. During these meteoric years, the UFO albums "Phenomenon", "Force It", "No Heavy Petting", "Lights Out", "Obsession" and the seminal live album "Strangers In The Night" were recorded, each contributing significantly to the genre. "Strangers In The Night" particularly stands out as one of the most influential live rock albums of all time and is still regarded as a cornerstone in any rock enthusiast's collection.

In this celebratory album, Michael Schenker presents 11 of UFO's greatest hits from this magical era with an impressive lineup of guest stars. Joining Schenker on this journey are Derek Sherinian on keyboards, Brian Tichy on drums, and Barry Sparks on bass.

The stellar roster of guest artists includes Axl Rose (GUNS N' ROSES),Slash (GUNS N' ROSES),Kai Hansen (HELLOWEEN),Roger Glover (DEEP PURPLE),Joey Tempest (EUROPE),Biff Byford (SAXON),Jeff Scott Soto (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JOURNEY),John Norum (EUROPE),Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER),Joel Hoekstra (WHITESNAKE),Joe Lynn Turner (RAINBOW),Carmine Appice (VANILLA FUDGE, CACTUS),Adrian Vandenberg (WHITESNAKE),Michael Voss, Stephen Pearcy (RATT) and Erik Grönwall (SKID ROW).

This album is the introduction to an upcoming trilogy, as Michael Schenker has signed an exclusive three-album deal with earMUSIC, with additional albums to follow in 2025 and 2026.

Today's release of "Mother Mary" sets the stage for what promises to be one of the most exciting rock albums of 2024.

"My Years With UFO" will be released worldwide on September 20 via earMUSIC and is available for pre-order.

"My Years With UFO" track listing:

01. Natural Thing (feat. Dee Snider, Joel Hoekstra)
02. Only You Can Rock Me (feat. Joey Tempest, Roger Glover)
03. Doctor, Doctor (feat. Joe Lynn Turner, Carmine Appice)
04. Mother Mary (feat. Slash, Erik Grönwall)
05. This Kids (feat. Biff Byford)
06. Love To Love (feat. Axl Rose)
07. Lights Out (feat. Jeff Scott Soto, John Norum)
08. Rock Bottom (feat. Kai Hansen)
09. Too Hot To Handle (feat. Joe Lynn Turner, Adrian Vandenberg, Carmine Appice)
10. Let It Roll (feat. Michael Voss)
11. Shoot, Shoot (feat. Stephen Pearcy)

A little over three years ago, Michael detailed events which led to his final exit from UFO in 2002, saying that "the natural flow of the chemistry was destroyed" by the time he left the band.

Schenker, whose original tenure with the British rock institution lasted from 1973 to 1978, rejoined UFO in 1993, recording the "Walk On Water" (1995) album with the classic lineup of the band that also included lead singer Phil Mogg, bassist Pete Way, drummer Andy Parker, and guitarist/keyboardist Paul Raymond.

Explaining how the reunion came about, Michael told Eonmusic: "Phil Mogg came to Los Angeles in '93, begging me to refuel UFO because he completely had destroyed it. I said, 'I have a few conditions. One is, you have to give me 50 percent of the UFO name so you don't destroy it again, especially if I put my energy into it."

The onetime SCORPIONS man went on to say that initially, things were great within the camp, and that he noticed a change in the formerly dejected Mogg almost immediately. "I tell you, when I saw Phil the next time when we started recording, he looked like an one hundred and eighty degree different person," Schenker said. "He was happy, healthy. He was unbelievably fit."

But it was a harmony that wasn't to last. "'Walk On Water' was a blessing after 17 years," Michael said. "It was such a beautiful record that famously carried on from 'Strangers In The Night' [1979]. And then, of course, we went on the road, and then Phil lost it, and wanted control again and destroyed everything."

Despite going on to record two further albums with the band — 2000's "Covenant" and 2002's "Sharks", Michael said that it was further lineup changes (the ousting of both Parker and Raymond) which ultimately destroyed the band.

"I always said to him, 'Never do a reunion with UFO unless it's the original setup, including the producer,'" Michael said. "Because if you take one piece out, the chemistry is finished."

Bringing in producer Mike Varney for "Sharks" in place of Ron Nevinson, the man behind their greatest '70s triumphs, for Michael, the end was nigh. "I said to Phil, 'Don't do this. It will backfire. It will not succeed.' And it did not. The natural flow of the chemistry was destroyed, and basically, we were just limping towards the end."

Despite this, Michael made one final gesture of good will toward Mogg. "I'd had enough of UFO at that point, and in 2002, Phil Mogg asked me, 'Michael, I need the name UFO back.' I said to Phil, 'You know what? God bless you. I'll give you the name back for free. Enjoy your life.' And then that was it. That was the end of it."

Photo credit: Tallee Savage

Meinl Cymbals has shared a video of Kreator drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil performing the band's song, "Hate Über Alles", in the studio. Check out the playthrough below. 





Kreator have released their new boxset featuring Enemy Of God / Hordes Of Chaos remastered, including Kreator comics and a Kreator Demon mask.




The set is available via Nuclear Blast Records. Order here, and watch an official lyric video for the band's cover of Bad Religion's "You Are The Government" below.


Enemy Of God was originally released in 2005 via Steamhammer and Hordes Of Chaos in 2009 through Steamhammer.





Box contents:


1x Demon Mask
1x Comic #2
1x Comic #3
2LP Gatefold 4p Booklet (Remaster)
2CD Digipak Remaster + WOA 2005
1LP Gatefold Remaster + Bonus Tracks
2CD Digipak Remaster + Bonus Tracks + Remix Album

Earlier today, which just happens to be Father's Day, Blacktop Mojo vocalist Matt James released a new solo song called "From Outside", which can be heard below and is currently streaming everywhere.


According to Matt, "I wrote this song to get through some feelings I had when my son’s mom and I first split up, and we had to share time with our little guy. While she is an amazing mother to our son, and we have a wonderful friendship around co-parenting and being there for him, which I am extremely grateful for, it still never gets easier to leave him."


"This one’s for all the dads (and moms) who have to spend time away from their kids because of work, school, circumstances, whatever it may be."







In other news, Blacktop Mojo has revealed details for the July and August dates of their Pollen Tour 2024. Confirmed venues are listed below.


"We’re stoked to get back out on the road to perform our headlining set packed with new songs and all your faves. See y’all out there Mojo Nation! Tickets and VIPs available on BlacktopMojo.com." 


July
19 - Flint, MI - The Machine Shop
20 - Springville, IN - ABATE Boogie
21 - Lakewood, OH - The Winchester
23 - Columbus, OH - A&R Bar
25 - Hampton, NH - Wally’s
28 - Worcester, MA - Off The Rails
29 - Syracuse, NY Song & Dance
30 - Pittsburgh, PA - Crafthouse


August
1 - Streator, IL - Streator Fest
3 - Spillville, IA - Turkey River Music Festival
4 - Des Moines, IA - Lefty’s
6 - Lincoln, NE - Bourbon Theatre
7 - Sioux Falls, SD - Club David
10 - Three Forks, MT - Rockin’ The Rivers