In a new interview with Sense Music Media, Glen Benton of Florida death metal veterans DEICIDE addressed the fact that social media is often blamed for exacerbating incivility and partisan polarization around the world. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think the Internet has fucking completely made the world a really stupid place. I think it's generational but the politicians and the religious people, it's really turned into a real circus over the last 15 years, man. And I think we suffer from a lack of integrity in the world.

Referencing the fact that people offer their opinions on hot-button issues, ready to argue with anyone who disagreed, Glen said: "You can find a fight anywhere, man, in this world right now. Everybody is ready to throw down, man. The world is really on edge, man. It's just the way the world is, with inflation and the economies of the world, people are angry, man."

Benton went on to discuss the fact that there has been a backdrop of political polarization as the U.S. enters the 2024 election season, with many people frequently taking their grievances to the streets.

"I'm getting ready for it, 'cause it's an election year here in the States. And it turns into whatever," Glen said. "Any and every reason, man, to be able to destroy property and loot and rob and just riot and shit, people are just looking for any reason. And me, I think it's personally funded, man, because they do it religiously every election year, just to make whoever's sitting in the [White] House look bad. It's a weird thing, man. I try to stay out of the politics of it and shit. But this country — the state of Florida is a sweaty toilet seat, and the rest of the country is the toilet. Pretty much."

Asked who he thinks is going to win the U.S. presidential election in 2024, Benton said: "I'm with everybody else. I think everything is a fucking fix, man. I come from that old hippie school of shit, man, where it's, like The Man, that shadow government shit, man.

"As much as I hate organized religion, I hate politics," he continued. "Everybody that discusses politics. I can just be, like, 'You know what? You're an asshole.' And I always say that politics are for assholes, because it's such a useless and wasteless fucking topic because no matter what, everybody… I've been hearing about change and all this shit since I was a little kid, and It's still the biggest fucking dumpster fire that that had ever been. So I'd rather take a walk or go ride my bike or do something more useful with my fucking thoughts than think about a couple of old fucking dudes fucking fisticuffed behind a fucking shed somewhere. It's just stupid.

"I hope the best for our country, and I hope that things can turn around," Glen added. "And I mean, you've got one guy who's, like… I don't even think he's alive. I don't even know if he's breathing or not at times. When I look at him, I'm just dumbfounded, as a fucking country, that we would elect somebody that's so old that they can't even complete a sentence or walk. It's horrible, man. And it just makes us look ridiculous as a country. And I just that we can somehow try to turn things around a little bit here, 'cause it's gotten out of control.

"I was up in Pennsylvania this weekend," Benton said. "I'm looking to find myself a house up in the mountains and get the fuck away from people, man… I watch about 30 seconds of the evening news and I turn the fucking shit to 'Seinfeld'."

On the topic of how partisan media's role in America has grown, with the creation of "news bubbles," where political ideology drives news selection, rather than objective coverage and free-flowing information, Benton said: "It's all bullshit, man. It's all fucking bullshit. I was telling a friend of mine. He sits there and he watches that Fox News horseshit, and it's, like, you've got one that bullshits you blind, and then you've got another news agency that's trying to invoke your anger and shit. And I told him, I said, 'Man, all that time you're wasting on that bullshit, you could be spending it with your kids.' I said, 'At the end of the day, man, what's more important? Listening to somebody who's fucking ruffling your feathers and stoking the flames of hatred, or fucking go and take your kids for a walk or go to the park or some shit,' you know what I mean? So I said, 'You're wasting your shit on that stuff.' So, you can turn it around. Just turn it off. I just don't give a fuck about it. I'd rather listen to old music or some shit or stand around and get high and do my fucking thing and be stupid and Internet shop and browse eBay or whatever the fuck. It's, like, stop wasting your fucking mind on that shit because you're never gonna fucking change it, man. I mean, you can go and vote and do your best and shit, but at the end of the day, it's that shadow government shit, man. They're gonna put there who they want there… It's all bullshit. You can't believe a fucking thing. So do what you want. Leave me the fuck alone. And the world works better that way.

"When we were kids, we didn't know about politics," Glen added. "We didn't give a fuck about that stuff. And life was fucking great. I didn't give a fuck. Let it burn. That's the way I look at it now: let this fucking thing burn. You wanna burn it, burn it. I can't stop ya."

When the interviewer touched upon the fact that social media drives conflict and the alignment of identities along partisan lines, Glen said: "The Internet dictates what you can do, say or whatever. You've gotta walk on pins and needles around all these woke individuals and that. And I just don't give a fuck anymore, man. Banish me to hell. I don't give a fuck, man. I'm not gonna let the Internet or some 12-year-old kid from New Jersey fucking dictate how I should do, look, whatever, say and everything. I keep my fucking beliefs and my shit to myself, man. I don't push it down anybody's throat. I mean, I write the music that I write just like Stephen King writes the books that he writes. I just do what I do because that's just who I am. I don't give a fuck what you believe in, who you have sex with, who you fucking idolize, worship, who you think you wanna be. I don't give a fuck about any of that stuff. Just leave me the fuck alone with it. I don't come to you with it. Don't come to me with it."

DEICIDE's new album, "Banished By Sin", was made available on April 26 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

This past February, DEICIDE released the second single from "Banished By Sin", a song called "Sever The Tongue". The track was recorded at Smoke & Mirrors with engineer Jeramie Kling, while the mixing and mastering was handed by Josh Wilbur.

DEICIDE collaborated with David Brodsky from My Good Eye: Music Visuals for a visually arresting video for "Sever The Tongue" that complements the track's blasphemous undertones.

To close out 2023, DEICIDE celebrated Christmas with another blasphemous song called "Bury The Cross...With Your Christ".

DEICIDE played its first show with new guitarist Taylor Nordberg (THE ABSENCE, INHUMAN CONDITION) on May 21, 2022 at the Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Previous DEICIDE guitarist Chris Cannella amicably left the band in January 2022 after a three-year run.

Chris joined DEICIDE in 2019 following the departure of guitarist Mark English.

English became a member of DEICIDE in 2016 after the exit of longtime guitarist Jack Owen.

The Chris Slade Timeline announce their new album, Timescape, will be released worldwide on July 19. Timescape contains completely original new tracks and some of Chris Slade's  favourite covers.


"Metal" Tim Henderson from BraveWords Records states, "The legendary Chris Slade continues to leave us thunderstruck as he reinvents the rock world with a unique proggy orchestral vision of intense magnitude. To put it simply, the drummer still means business nearly 60 years into his remarkable music career."


Speaking about Timescape, Chris Slade said, “I am delighted to join BraveWords Records headed up by my old associate Brian Adams to release our new The Chris Slade Timeline album of completely original new tracks and some of our favourite covers. I hope you will listen to and enjoy this latest offering of new music to all fans of Timline and all fans from my past musical career."




The Chris Slade Timeline album, Timescape, can be pre-ordered here. The physical pre-order includes a limited edition postcard autographed by Chris Slade. Watch a video trailer below.





Chris Slade launched the band, The Chris Slade Timeline, in 2012 to mark 50+ years as a professional rock drummer. For this project, Slade took on phenomenal vocalists Steve Glasscock and Paul "Bun" Davis with the added stunning musical techniques of guitarist James Cornford along with keyboard and guitar player Michael J. Clark you most certainly have a band to be reckoned with and worthy to mark Slade’s illustrious musical career.


This is a concept for Slade that will include performances from a varied set list from Tom Jones, Manfred Mann’s Earthband, Uriah Heep, The Firm, ASIA, MSG, David Gilmour, Gary Moore along with a fair degree of AC/DC numbers and many surprises to be unwrapped along the way.


"After all these years recording and playing with some of the world’s greatest rock musicians such as Tom Jones, Manfred Mann's Earthband, Gary Moore, Gary Numan, Denny Laine, Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers, David Gilmour, Uriah Heep, Asia and of course AC/DC.





Timescape tracklisting:


Disc 1:
"Sundance"
"We Will Survive"
"Joybringer"
"Living The Dream"
"Freedom Song"
"Back With A Vengeance"
"Questions"
"Time Flies"
"End Of Eternity"


Disc 2:
"The Razors Edge"
"Free"
"Blinded By The Light"
"July Morning"
"Thunderstruck"
"Big Gun"
"Hells Bells"
"High Voltage"


Trailer:





The Chris Slade Timeline is:


Paul "Bun" Davis - vocals
Stevie Gee - vocals, bass
James Cornford - guitar, vocals
Mike Clarke - keyboards, guitar, vocals


*Andy Crosby play bass on "Sundance", "Back With A Vengeance", "Questions"


About Chris Slade:


Slade started his career at the age of 16 with Tom Jones before he changed his name to Tom Jones, this included World tours and recording throughout the 60's.


Chris Slade was a founding member of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band in January of 1971. He was to spend seven years with the band, recording eight albums and achieving three UK Top Ten singles in the process: "Joybringer" (No. 9, October 1973), "Blinded By The Light" (No. 6, September 1976 & a multi million selling #1 in the USA) and "Davy’s On The Road Again" (No.6, June 1978). After 'Earthband' he spent two years with Uriah Heep, a Year with Gary Numan, and a year with David Gilmour in 1984.


He later teamed up with Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers and bassist Tony Franklin to form The Firm. They produced two excellent albums for Atlantic in 1985 and 1986 that gave them a few radio hits including "Radioactive" and "Satisfaction Guaranteed".


Then Chris joined Gary Moore, taking over from Cozy Powell just four days before the start of the 1989 After The War tour. It was at one of Gary Moore’s gigs in The UK that Malcolm Young saw Chris Slade play. After the tour it was Chris’s intention to put together a band with ex-Aerosmith guitarist Rick Dufay. But the call from AC/DC scuppered those plans as he was destined to tour and record with them over the course of the next five years, playing on their acclaimed Razors Edge album, and giving a killer performance on their concert DVD Live From Donington.


After his stint with AC/DC Chris joined the prog-rock band Asia, who (even with the many personnel changes over the years) had still been managing to churn out some excellent music. Chris recorded with them on their 2000-2004 studio recordings, Aura and Silent Nation, and put forth his 'trademark' energy-filled live performances on all the subsequent tours that ensued over five years in total.


In the 21st Century, for a period of five years, Slade played drums for German guitarist Michael Schenker before forming The Chris Slade Timeline in 2012.

At this past weekend's Download festival in the United Kingdom, FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares spoke to Primordial Radio about how things are going with the band's current lineup, also featuring Milo Silvestro on vocals, Tony Campos on bass, and Pete Webber on drums. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " At the moment, smooth sailing. And it's been great. Everybody's on point. Pete Webber's on drums. He's sick. He came from a thrash metal band called HAVOK. Killer drummer. We call him Pete The Feet. Milo Silvestro — new kid on the block. He came straight from Rome, Italy. He sounds like a young Burton [C. Bell, original FEAR FACTORY singer], you know what I mean? [He sounds like Burton did] back in the day. He sounds amazing. He's probably the most musically talented in the band. And then Tony Campos, my old friend. He's been with the band since, like, 2015. He comes from a band called STATIC-X. He's been my mate for 30-plus years, and it's always good to play with him, and I'm glad he's with us."

Dino continued: "It's a great place right now. We are trying to avoid any of that drama. And luckily we have for the past year and a half since we came back."

Asked what is left for FEAR FACTORY to do, Dino said: "New record with Milo Silvestro. That's what we're gonna do next. New record. And then conquer the world again."

Silvestro's addition to FEAR FACTORY was officially announced in February 2023.

In a recent interview with Brutal Planet Magazine, Dino was asked whether Milo is a "good lyricist". Cazares responded: "Oh, yeah. He's got some other little projects that he works on and the lyrics are really good. So we're not gonna have any issues with that. That was one of the main things that a lot of people have been complaining — not complaining, but the Internet type of bitching. It was, like, 'Okay. Yeah, he could sing great live. He could do all the songs great live. But what's it gonna be like when he does the record? How's his lyrics gonna be? How's this gonna be?' Relax. It's all gonna be good. Don't worry."

Cazares went on to say that FEAR FACTORY fans can definitely expect to hear new music in 2024. "We've gotta at least put a single out before the end of the year," he said.

Last fall, Dino told Nyva Zarbano that Milo "brings obviously a freshness that FEAR FACTORY needed. The last singer that we had [Burton C. Bell], obviously he had a lot of vocal issues and he really couldn't sing or do any of this kind of heavy touring," he explained. "It just was a big setback for us. So bringing Milo into the band, obviously he's got a great voice, he's very talented, he's a multi-instrumentalist. He could play more than one instrument. The kid's very talented. Of course, the story is I found him on the Internet. He was releasing videos of him doing FEAR FACTORY covers and he was posting them on all the FEAR FACTORY fan sites. And I saw him there, and I was, like, 'Okay, that's really got my attention.' But we had many people audition, but he was the one that really stood out. And he's a huge fan of FEAR FACTORY. And he pretty much learned from listening to our older vocalist. So he learned a lot of his stuff. And so, I mean, if you close your eyes, you think it's the original singer."

In a separate interview with Australia's "Everblack" podcast, Cazares was asked if Silvestro was "getting more comfortable" with his position as the frontman of the long-running California metal act. Dino responded: "Oh, yeah. I mean, from the first day, we talked about a lot of stuff. Before the tour started, we rehearsed, and we were, like, 'Okay, these are the kind of things that we've done before. And I think you need to do this, this, this.' And he goes, 'Okay.' So then the first day [of the tour] comes, he just goes wild. And I'm, like, 'Oh, shit.' I was, like, 'Calm down.' I go, 'You don't need to go insane everywhere. Just focus on singing, focus on getting everything, giving the crowd all equal attention,' blah, blah. There's certain things you just gotta teach him a little bit, right? And so he pretty much nailed it the first day."

FEAR FACTORY played its first headlining concert with Silvestro and touring drummer Pete Webber on May 5, 2023 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

Earlier last year, FEAR FACTORY completed the "Rise Of The Machine" U.S. tour as the support act for STATIC-X marked the Cazares-led outfit's first run of shows with Silvestro and Webber.

Webber had been filling in for FEAR FACTORY's longtime drummer Mike Heller who was unable to play with the band due to "scheduling conflicts."

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

In a new interview with Finland's Rauta, UNLEASHED's founding frontman Johnny Hedlund spoke about the band's plans for the next couple of years. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We are now working on the new album. In my world, it's gonna get done [written] by, let's say, the end of the summer. I would think the album is ready by the end of the summer. Then, of course, we're gonna have to plan the recording of the album, which I would guess, let's say, October, November, December, something like that. Then it's up to the record company to plan when to release the album, obviously, and then we're in 2025. So, if the album comes out, as I hope, in early 2025, then yeah, a lot of more shows, festivals, etc. In 2026, I would assume we'll start working on the next damn album. But we'll see. It's a bit far, but I think that's pretty much what we're doing now."

He continued: "That's what's right here, right now, because we're doing it all the time. And we don't really make a lot of extensive tours these days; we play a lot of festivals. But I think that's in the loop for 2026 as well. Because you do a lot when the album comes out and then also the year after again, because that's how it is. You can't play everywhere anyway for just six months; you have to step into the next year as well. So I think that's how it looks right now. And well, that's a classic answer because that's what we do all the time. But it's real."

In addition to Hedlund, UNLEASHED's current lineup includes drummer Anders Schultz and guitarists Tomas Måsgard and Fredrik Folkare.

In November 2021, Johnny told Time For Metal about how UNLEASHED has managed to keep a steady lineup for all these years: "Well, we have since long been very good friends. We all help out in the band with all things in UNLEASHED. And we have also that long agreed on what to do and what not to do with the band. We also know pretty well what we want to play and what we do not want to play. So I think these are things that really play a key role in keeping the band in a strong and solid shape for a long time."

Hedlund elaborated on UNLEASHED's longevity in a 2021 interview with Metal1.info. He said: "There are a few things that I think need to be in place. First of all, you have to be very good friends in the band. Second, you all need to help out with things so that it doesn't become a one-man show. And, you need to agree on what to do and also, what not to do. Especially when it comes to what to play, and what not to play. It also helps out a lot if someone in the band is good with finance. I took my degree in finance in that time frame between 1999 to 2001. A really good time for a break."

Photo credit: Jens Rydén

Danish hard rock veterans D-A-D have released the official lyric video for the song "The Ghost". The track is taken from the band's upcoming thirteenth album, titled "Speed Of Darkness", due on October 4, 2024 via AFM Records.

Teaming up with producer Nick Foss once again, D-A-D guitarist Jacob Binzer reveals: "He says that this is the strongest pool of songs in a long time, and he has, after all, been in the game since 1988." Jacob adds that he agrees with the producer: "Although you can't really judge albums before one to two years after their release, I also think that this is a strong pool. Some of these songs have surprised me positively while we recorded them, and that is very promising."

D-A-D vocalist/guitarist Jesper Binzer agrees with his brother: "For the first time in three to four albums, I am totally excited about our material, and I look forward to going into the studio every single day. We have an excess of both songs and ideas, and this is a place that I have wanted to reach with the last three to four D-A-D albums. It's crazy how things are circular that way. I thought that everything was done, and I thought that we were just old guys who were doing whatever we could, but a new necessity has arisen."

Jesper adds that cooperation is the operative word: "There is no Kim Larsen (a famous Danish musician) in D-A-D, but four Franz Beckerlees. We are forced to cooperate, since none of us can do it all, and that's also beautiful. New flowers are added to the bouquet every time we gather up in the studio."

About the two new songs D-A-D recently released, "The Ghost" and "1st, 2nd & 3rd", the band stated: "'The Ghost' is an epic banger that shines a light both behind and ahead. There is a Scandinavian melancholy in our universe. A song about separated love, loss and hope in a fragmented time. About holding on to something that may come, or which may already have disappeared.

"'1st, 2nd & 3rd' is about the long, hard pull when you are trying to escape something that really holds you back. To be caught in addiction with relapses to bad relationships, with a hope of getting on."

"Speed Of Darkness" was mastered by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, AMARANTHE, POWERWOLF). D-A-D drummer Laust Sonne says: "Jacob Hansen is really good at producing drum sounds, and he has a recording room designed for drums. There are not a lot of studios like that left out there, as most of it is done on computers in peoples’ living rooms these days. It is hard for drummers like me, who hit hard and make a lot of cymbal noise, to find studio people trained for it, but Jacob is one of them. The more I let loose, the better I sounded, so that was really awesome."

BUSH frontman Gavin Rossdale has told Billboard that he is already hard work on material for the follow-up to 2022's "The Art Of Survival" album.

"I am gonna leave here today and go to the studio to work on more for the next record," he said. "I just keep thinking forward… there's a painful, tortuous process like, 'Oh my God, what am I doing? I can't do it, this last song I did was the best song I wrote, now what am I gonna do?' And then you just sort of forge forward and you find it… so this week I'm reaping the rewards of last week's writing and working in the studio when I leave here. I like to live in the moment."

The 58-year-old musician added that he hopes to finish BUSH's tenth studio album before hitting the road next month. "I'm definitely going to have a new song this summer," he said.

BUSH will celebrate its 30th anniversary with an extensive North American headline tour. The "Loaded: The Greatest Hits Tour" will kick off on July 26 in Bend, Oregon and include shows at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey (August 21) and the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles (September 15). Most of the dates will be produced by Live Nation. Jerry Cantrell and CANDLEBOX will be the special guests on all dates.

With over 24 million records sold, one billion streams and a procession of No. 1 singles, the band — comprising Rossdale, Chris Traynor (guitar),Corey Britz (bass) and Nik Hughes (drums) — stand tall as rock outliers whose imprint only widens as the years pass. "Loaded: The Greatest Hits 1994-2023" (Round Hill Records),their first-ever greatest-hits collection, provides an expansive view of their incredible legacy with 21 tracks spanning nearly 30 years — from their breakthrough hit "Everything's Zen" to their latest single, "Nowhere To Go But Everywhere", which is already within the Top 20 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.

BUSH released "Loaded: The Greatest Hits 1994-2023" on November 10 via Round Hill Records. The set includes a new song called "Nowhere To Go But Everywhere", which was written by Gavin and produced by Rossdale and Corey Britz.

"Loaded" includes iconic hits from each of BUSH's nine studio albums as well as "Mouth" (The Stingray Mix) from the 1997 remix album "Deconstructed" and a cover of THE BEATLES' "Come Together" that saw a very limited release in 2012.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the release of BUSH's six-times-platinum debut album, "Sixteen Stone", so it's only fitting that "Loaded" explodes with five tracks from the seminal album: their debut single, "Everything Zen", "Little Things", "Machinehead" and the group's first No. 1 singles — "Comedown" and "Glycerine", which topped Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart in 1995.

Other chart-topping hits included in the collection include the Grammy-nominated "Swallowed" (from 1996's "Razorblade Suitcase"),"The Chemicals Between Us" (from 1999's "The Science Of Things"),"The Sound Of Winter" (from 2011's "The Sea Of Memories") and, from the band's 2022 album "The Art Of Survival", "More Than Machines", BUSH's seventh single to top the Active Rock Radio chart. "Bullet Holes", which figured prominently in the box office smash "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum", is one of three songs pulled from 2020's "The Kingdom".

BUSH broke up in 2002 but reformed in 2010, and has since released five albums: "The Sea of Memories" (2011),"Man On The Run" (2014),"Black And White Rainbows" (2017),"The Kingdom" (2020) and the aforementioned "The Art Of Survival".

"Black And White Rainbows" was crafted after Rossdale went through a divorce with pop star/reality TV judge Gwen Stefani in 2015.

Photo credit: Shervin Lainez

Axl Rose (GUNS N' ROSES),Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER),Joey Tempest (EUROPE),Roger Glover (DEEP PURPLE),Joe Lynn Turner (RAINBOW),Biff Byford (SAXON) and Stephen Pearcy (RATT) are among the musicians who appear on "My Years With UFO", the new album from Michael Schenker on which the legendary German guitarist revisits his classic years with UFO from 1972 to 1978.

Due on September 20 via earMUSIC, the 50th-anniversary LP will also showcase the six-string abilities of Slash (GUNS N' ROSES),Joel Hoekstra (WHITESNAKE),John Norum (EUROPE) and Adrian Vandenberg (WHITESNAKE).

"My Years With UFO" track listing, according to Amazon:

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."

The rumors were true, Axl Rose WILL appear on Michael Schenker's new album "My Years with UFO."

Last summer, Axl was...

Posted by Appetite For Distortion with Brando on Monday, June 17, 2024

New Michael Schenker album tribute to UFO out now feat Slash recording in Düsseldorf during GNR tour & Axl Rose recording in London during the GNR tour #Slash

Posted by Slash Addict on Monday, June 17, 2024

King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, have shared a throwback performance of the Led Zeppelin classic, "Black Dog", for their weekly Sunday Lunch. Check it out below.


"We look back at one our personal faves here at T&R HQ!"







On playing with her husband, Toyah comments: "I also love seeing my husband on stage. It's such a joy because normally we're on different continents. To be on stage together, it's an absolute joy!"


On Fripp’s connection to Metallica, Fripp added: “To link this song with (King Crimson's) "Frame by Frame," which we went through a little while ago (NOTE: reference to an earlier episode of Rob Squad and the Creators). I read an interview where Kirk Hammett of Metallica said how much he enjoyed the double guitar parts of Adrian (Belew) and Robert on the Discipline album and "Frame by Frame."


On who he listens to and who influenced him, Fripp says: "Well, Hendrix, Clapton, Beck, McLaughlin, Page, and Chuck Berry. In the early days, Scotty Moore, Elvis's player, Little Richard. The sheer power of that man was astonishing."

Finnish folk metallers Ensiferum will release their new album, "Winter Storm", on Ocrober 18th, 2024 via Metal Blade. It is now available for pre-order here.


Check out the album cover art and the first single, "Winter Storm Vigilantes", below.







Finland's Chaoszine sat down with Ensiferum to discuss 15 different topics about the band and its members. Check out the video below. 

Prepare to be swept away by a wave of crushing riffs and introspective lyrics as doom metal outfit Temple Witch unveils the single and music video for "Ocean Thousand", taken from their upcoming sophomore album, Ocean Thousand, Mountain Thousand.


"This song delves into the difficult realms of loneliness and confusion," says the band. "Joshua, yet again, achieved a compelling visual display of what seemed originally to be a lone experience. We are confident these songs and videos will serve a similar purpose; to provide the sounds and sights of internal struggles that are so often unacknowledged, and to communicate empathy."


Purchase or save "Ocean Thousand" here.







Temple Witch, completed by bassist Jacob Jones and drummer Jacob Wherley, draws inspiration from the depths of the human experience. Their name itself reflects this exploration, with "Temple" symbolizing the body and mind, and "Witch" representing the shadow within. Through their music, they strive for a deep connection with their audience, aiming to resonate with listeners on a global scale.


Ocean Thousand, Mountain Thousand is scheduled for release on August 30, 2024, via WormHoleDeath Records.


Temple Witch is:


Andy Russell – Guitar/Vocals
Jacob Jones – Bass
Jacob Wherley – Drums

On a recent episode of the "Talk Louder" podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist "Metal Dave" Glessner and lifelong hard rock/metal vocalist Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS),ex-MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman John Corabi, who joined the band in 1992 as the replacement for original singer Vince Neil, was asked about the fact that he was " one of the early predictors" that guitarist Mick Mars "was being shoved out of" CRÜE, forcing the guitarist to file a lawsuit against his bandmates a little over a year ago. Corabi said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "This is the little quagmire that I have to deal with, and I expect it, because in the grand scheme of things, the thing that put me on the map was MÖTLEY CRÜE. I get it. And it just seems like every time they do something, I get asked a question about what they're doing. Now I've tried to do this before where in an interview, somebody said, 'Oh, hey, dude, what do you think of this MÖTLEY…?' And I said, 'Next question. I'm not answering this. I have nothing to say.' Well, that video came out, and then I started getting e-mails on Facebook and Instagram, 'Oh, dude, you ungrateful prick. Oh, you can't fucking talk about MÖTLEY CRÜE.' So, I go, 'Okay. Well, you know what? I'll answer.' Now if you go on, if I answer anything, all the comments are, like, 'Doesn't this motherfucker have anything to talk about besides MÖTLEY CRÜE?' He was in the band for five minutes and he was a loser.' And so I go, 'Fuck. Whatever.'

"[Someone] asked me a question when I was in London when my book came out [in the fall of 2022]. I was doing a book signing and they had a live audience there and they were asking me questions. And that statement had just come out from MÖTLEY, and it said, 'Mick's retiring. We're gonna continue on with John 5,' and yada, yada, yada. And all I said was, 'I will believe that statement when Mick releases it. The statement that we've been given has come from MÖTLEY and its management. This seems more like a damage-control thing than… I don't believe a word of it until Mick releases the statement.' And then someone asked me another question and they said, 'Well, why do you think that?' And I'm pretty sure it's common knowledge — I don't think I enlightened anybody about anything, because even Mick has said doing the 'Generation Swine' record [1997] was the most miserable, worst fucking time of my life and [drummer] Tommy [Lee] and [bassist] Nikki [Sixx] and [producer] Scott Humphrey literally got under Mick's skin mentally and made him feel like he wasn't a very good guitar player. And at that point, I had been told that Vince was coming back. We wrote a bunch of those songs like the year prior. Vince is coming back, but the management had asked me to help them finish the record. So I said, 'Okay.' I got a call pretty much daily at, like, 9:30, 10 o'clock, and it was Tommy, Nikki and Scott all asking me to come into the studio early because they had Mick in the studio the night before and they were disappointed because they couldn't get anything out of him. So I said, 'Yeah, I'll come in and play, but only if Mick is cool with it.' They said, 'Yep, he is. We already talked with him.' 'Okay. Killer.' I went in, and Mick will tell you this as well — probably 80 percent of the guitars on 'Generation Swine' is me playing. So I know that they weren't happy with Mick during 'Generation Swine'. I don't know who played guitar on 'New Tattoo'… I don't know who played on that record, but I can tell you, after that, they did several new songs for the 'Red, White & Crüe' [compilation] record. That was DJ Ashba on guitar. They did 'Saints Of Los Angeles' — also DJ Ashba on guitar. And then when they did the soundtrack for 'The Dirt', it was John 5…. And then, as you've all seen, [former OZZY OSBOURNE bassist] Bob Daisley went on record saying, 'Dude, when [OZZY OSBOURNE and MÖTLEY CRÜE] did the 'Bark At The Moon' tour [together], they [MÖTLEY CRÜE] were trying to get [then-OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist] Jake E. Lee to join their band back then' — get rid of Mick and get Jake in. So, I'm not telling anybody anything new. This has all been in the press. Mick has stated things about the 'Generation Swine' record. There was a big feud between Tracii Guns and Nikki Sixx back in the day when they were doing BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION. He was mad that they hired DJ Ashba and not him. So I didn't tell anybody anything new, but it was funny, when I said it, everybody goes, 'Dude, you're so full of shit. You don't know what you're talking about. Mick's sick.' And I go, 'Oh, okay. We'll see.' And I have to admit the morning it came out that Mick was suing them, my phone just started blowing up: 'Oh, hey, dude. Sorry. Sorry I said [what I said].' And I wasn't gloating or anything — I didn't give a shit; I really don't give a shit. If you ask me a question, I'm gonna give you an honest answer. But I don't give a shit either way. That's their news, that's their dirty laundry they've gotta sort it out. But it was just funny. I just catch flack all the time. It doesn't matter what I say, what I do. In regards to MÖTLEY, I'm gonna be the asshole. Whatever. And I guarantee you a snippet of this will be on Blabbermouth tomorrow."

Mick announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues.

Mars suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS),a chronic and inflammatory form of arthritis that mainly affects the spine and pelvis. After years of performing through the pain, he informed the other members of MÖTLEY CRÜE in the summer of 2022 that he could no longer tour with them but would still be open to recording new music or performing at residencies that did not require much travel.

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, in early April 2023 the now-73-year-old musician filed a lawsuit against CRÜE in Los Angeles County's Superior Court claiming that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting.

After recently introducing a new line-up and making a powerful comeback from a brief hiatus with the track "Killer & The Queen", Finnish heavy metal band Oceanhoarse continue to forge ahead with the launch of their newest single, "Logos". The release is accompanied by an intense new video, which can be viewed below.


Drummer Oskari Niemi comments: "This song is one big yin and yang. It starts with the most aggressive music we have made but changes into a mystical spring rain kinda vibe."


Bassist Silver Ots adds: "The riff catches you by the throat immediately and the song eases only in the middle section where it turns the jet engines off and goes gliding in the night sky. This is of course followed by an ass-ripping guitar solo and eventual crash-and-burn-heavy riff leaving no survivors."







Guitarist Ben Varon recently commented on the Oceanhoarse line-up change and the band's brief hiatus:


“There was a lot of inner turmoil within the band around the release of our previous album 'Heads Will Roll', which escalated with the exit of bassist Jyri Helko. I was also running pretty low motivation-wise, and needed a few months to take a breather and find the excitement for the music again. But it was soon clear to me, Joonas (Kosonen, vocals) and Oce (Oskari Niemi, drums) that we wanted to continue the band and still make music together. And I knew just the right guy to call for bass duties.”





Enter Silver Ots, Ben's old partner in crime from his previous band Amoral.


“Silver and me go way back, I believe we were 15 when we formed Amoral. I have always regarded him as one of the best riff composers in metal, so I knew the value that he would bring to the band with his songwriting in addition to his ridiculously tight bass playing. And the proof is in the pudding, all you need to do is to listen to 'Killer & The Queen', for which Silver composed the music for!” Ben continues.


“I met the guys at a crossroads,” says Silver Ots. “After the band going full speed for so long there was a wind of change in the air. We decided to take the time, reflect back and look ahead, find a mutual vibe and see what we can come up with together. What you hear now is one of the pieces of new music we've been cooking up this past year.”


“'Killer & the Queen' showcases the more groovy side of the 'Hoarse”, says vocalist Joonas Kosonen. “Lyrically, the song is about those enemies very close to you. So close you can’t even see them coming. We’re super proud of this one, and we feel reborn after going through hellfire. A bit of dissonance sure makes art come alive!” Joonas summarizes.


"Killer & The Queen" was mixed and mastered by Lauri Hämäläinen, who also co-produced and recorded the vocals. For the video, Oceanhoarse returned to Guilty Visuals and Pete Inkinen, who they had worked with previously on the video for “Pryopen”. The cover artwork for the single was drawn by Samuli “Skrymer” Ponsimaa.





Oceanhoarse are:
Ben Varon - Guitar
Silver Ots - Bass
Oskari Niemi - Drums
Joonas Kosonen - Vocals

2022 saw Embryonic Autopsy taking the death metal scene by storm with their brutal banger of a debut, Prophecies Of The Conjoined. This summer, the US act launched its sophomore studio album, Origins Of The Deformed, released on June 14 via Massacre Records.


They have unveiled an official video for "Cleopatra's Spawn"; check it out below.







The new material follows the sick and twisted lyrical style from Prophecies Of The Conjoined, and continues the story of the alien/human hybrid theory. Diving into more guts and gore than ever before, Origins Of The Deformed does not hold back lyrically. With song titles such as “Dissolving In Acidic Afterbirth", "Orgies Of The Inseminated", and "Dripping In The Vaginal Nectar", Embryonic Autopsy takes you on a grotesque filled journey of the senses. Musically, the band continues to bring the listener the raw and powerful sound they are known for, while adding in some extra twists and turns with elements of grindcore, Swedish death metal, brutal American death metal, and even moments using the vocal fry register.


Embryonic Autopsy's new rager was produced and mixed by Scott Roberts, and was mastered by Ulrich Wild at the Wilderness Studios. Origins Of The Deformed features high class guest musicians, such as James Murphy, Jack Owen (Six Feet Under, ex-Cannibal Corpse, ex-Deicide) and Terrance Hobbs of Suffocation. The killer album artwork was designed by Cutting Edge Metal Studios.





Origins Of The Deformed tracklisting:


"Dripping In The Vaginal Nectar"
"Orgies Of The Inseminated"
"Human Vessel Of Alien Hybrids"
"Dissolving In Acidic Afterbirth"
"Spewed Forth Into Chunks"
"Self-Inflicted C-Section"
"The Conjoined Must Perish"
"Cleopatra’s Spawn"
"Carnivorous Abortion"
"The Curse Of Madame Pele"


"Orgies Of The Inseminated" lyric video:





Album lineup:


Tim King - Vocals
Scott Roberts - Guitars, Keyboards
Kenxi Dupey - Bass
Marco Fimbres - Drums


 


Guest musicians:


- James Murphy (ex-Death, ex-Obituary, ex-Testament): Guest guitar solos on "Orgies Of The Inseminated", "Cleopatra's Spawn" and "Carnivorous Abortion"
- Jack Owen (Six Feet Under, ex-Cannibal Corpse, ex-Deicide): Guest guitar solos on "Dissolving In Acidic Afterbirth" and "Dripping In The Vaginal Nectar"
- Terrance Hobbs (Suffocation): Guest guitar solo on "Carnivorous Abortion"


(Photo - Taylor Sears, TNS Photography)

At this weekend's Download festival in the United Kingdom, THE OFFSPRING singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland spoke to James Wilson-Taylor of Rock Sound magazine about the band's upcoming eleventh album, "Supercharged", which will arrive on October 11 via Concord Records. Addressing the fact that the LP will be released just three years after its predecessor, 2021's "Let The Bad Times Roll", which came out nearly a decade following 2012's "Days Go By", Dexter said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The last one took a really long time, and I'm not sure exactly what it was, but I think it had a lot to do with that I went back to school and I didn't realize how much time that was taking. [Editor's note: Dexter resumed his studies and earned a PhD in molecular biology in May 2017.] And before you know it, it's been years and years since you put out a record. And so this time we were, like, 'We're determined to get something out more quickly this time.' So it was, for us, very quick — it was, like, three years… In rock years, like dog years, that's like three months."

Asked if the newly released song b>"Make It All Right" from "Supercharged" was the obvious choice for a first single from the album, Dexter said: "No, I thought it was gonna be another [track], actually. And we just kind of — you know, you start playing it for people around you, your, your friends and family or whatever, and then eventually the people at the label that are gonna promote it, and 'Make It All Right' was the one that kind of kept on coming back as, like, 'We think this is the one.' And I think people like it because it's very immediate — it's not hard to figure out what's going on in this song. And I think that's kind of cool. I like the idea of putting out what I would call almost a summer song. It's just kind of a feel-good song. It doesn't always have to be dark and gloomy or something that's really deep that you have to figure out. Sometimes you just wanna kind of — the joy of life, I guess, is kind of the vibe going on."

When "Supercharged" was first announced, Dexter said in a statement: "We wanted this record to have pure energy — from the start to the finish! That’s why we called it 'Supercharged'. From the height of our aspirations to the depths of our struggles, we talk about it all on this record…in a way that celebrates the life that we share and where we are now. Our single 'Make It All Right' is a great example of this because it talks about the people in our lives who make us feel strong when we are feeling low — our partners in crime who make us feel all right."

He continued: "The album was recorded in three different locations this time: Maui, Vancouver, and our home studio in Huntington Beach, and together with our producer Bob Rock everything came out awesome. I feel like this is the best we have ever sounded! We've been rocking out and headbanging to it for months! And we can't wait for you guys to hear it!"

Dexter previously told the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast about the musical direction of the band's eleventh studio album: "I think it's a David Bowie quote, who said, 'You've gotta make it the same, but different.' It's funny, 'cause it's true. 'Cause if you sound too much like your other record, they go, 'Oh, it just sounds like this record.' And if you change too much, it throws people. And, of course, you've gotta ultimately satisfy your own creativity, what you wanna do. And luckily, I think that we've really expanded the circle of what we can do. We did 'Gone Away' on 'Ixnay [On The Hombre]' and we've done piano stuff and all that, but I think you have to balance that desire to grow with — you don't wanna necessarily be too grown up, if that makes sense. You don't wanna all of a sudden go, 'I'm gonna make a record like U2.' That doesn't necessarily work the best for who you are as a band. We're trying to keep that all in mind."

He continued: "When people ask me, 'What does your new record sound like?', I'll just say 'Ignition', 'cause people go, 'Oh, cool. I love that record.' So, it's not like that. It's a mixture. I think punk is the core of what we've always been, so there's always some of that on a record. And then we usually throw in a couple of oddball songs, but it's always about trying to make the song as good as it can be."

"Let The Bad Times Roll" was a huge global success, hitting career-high chart debuts with seven Top 5 and ten Top 10 international debuts and nine Top 10 debuts in the U.S. The album peaked at No. 3 on the U.K. chart and hit No. 1 on the Alternative Albums chart in the U.S.

THE OFFSPRING first achieved worldwide success in the 1990s with the release of their album "Smash", which sold over 11 million copies. Following "Smash", they continued to release hit after hit, popularizing rock at a mainstream level.

Throughout THE OFFSPRING's career, they've sold over a staggering 40 million albums, and toured arenas, and built a global fan base. "Let The Bad Times Roll" marked the band's tenth studio album and third album produced by Rock.

Originally formed under the name MANIC SUBSIDAL, THE OFFSPRING's lineup consists of Holland, Wasserman, bassist Todd Morse, multi-instrumentalist Jonah Nimoy and drummer Brandon Pertzborn.

British Hard Rock pioneers Uriah Heep returned to Wacken Open Air 2023 to celebrate good times and legendary tunes. Check out pro-shot video of "Stealin'", "Rainbow Demon" and "July Morning" below.





In April 2023, Uriah Heep released a music video for "Golden Light", a track from the band's 25th studio album, Chaos & Colour, released back in January 2023 via Silver Lining Music. Watch the clip below.




“Golden Light” is a smorgasbord of soaring melodies, robust rhythm, luscious guitar lines, and brims with spiritual optimism. “We’ve always had positive energy in everything we do,” beams Mick Box, Uriah Heep’s venerable and effervescent founding member. “It’s always good over evil no matter where we look at it. That’s what we’re like as people, which is why it’s always been a big part of Heep to have that positivity.”


“‘Golden Light’ is a typical melodic Heep rock song” continues Box, “it explains that in this troubled world, there is a guardian angel shining down a light, to guide us through these difficult times. ‘Appy days!”





Chaos & Colour is an album which bristles with explosive classic rock guitars, supreme harmonies, and Heep’s famously generous keyboard foundation. “One Nation, One Sun” is a journey of soaring balladic contemplation, “Fly Like An Eagle” takes the listener on a journey of meditation, whilst “Closer To Your Dreams” is a battle cry for all rockers to get out there and do it, with Shaw imploring that “So many have tried but slipped away/Now it’s time for you to have your say.” During the entire album, Bernie Shaw’s timeless vocals sit expertly beside the band’s phenomenal artistry, rounding out exceptional performances throughout.


Produced by Jay Ruston, and engineered by Pieter Rietkerk, Chaos & Colour is a superb album of quality hard rock from the pioneers of the genre who continue to create top class material. Old fans will be reinvigorated whilst new fans will surely find Chaos & Colour an exceptional discovery. In this, their 53rd pioneering year as a band, Chaos & Colour sees Uriah Heep throwing down more life, light and energy than peers 40 years their juniors.


Chaos & Colour is available in black and coloured vinyl configurations, as a standard CD digipak, a deluxe CD packaged in a hardcover book with Uriah Heep’s Chaos & Colour signature patch and in digital formats. Order here.





Chaos & Colour tracklisting:


"Save Me Tonight"
"Silver Sunlight"
"Hail The Sunrise"
"Age Of Changes" *
"Hurricane"
"One Nation, One Sun"
"Golden Light"
"You’ll Never Be Alone"
"Fly Like An Eagle"
"Freedom To Be Free"
"Closer To Your Dreams" *
"Save Me Tonight" (Demo)**


* CD and Digital only
** Deluxe CD only


“Hurricane” lyric video:





"Save Me Tonight" video:

Xeneris, the Italian powerhouse of symphonic power metal, has released their debut album, Eternal Rising via Frontiers Music Srl. To celebrate the album's release, a visualizer for "A New Beginning" is avialable below.





Formed in December 2022, after the disbandment of Kalidia (one of the hottest italian power metal band with over 7 million streams and 5 million YouTube views), Xeneris is the brainchild of Federico Paolini (co-founder, composer, and guitarist) and Roberto Donati (co-founder, Bassist). Coupled with Maryan jaw-dropping vocals and the rhythmic genius of Stefano Livieri. Xeneris manage to honor the Heritage of Kalidia expanding the musical spectrum fusing power metal, symphonic metal, and progressive metal into an electrifying blend of irresistible melodies, powerful riffs, and grand arrangements.




Federico is thrilled to invite fans to “Get ready to be transported on a mesmerizing odyssey through the annals of myth and legend. From traversing the Mediterranean alongside Ulysses to beholding the Phoenix's resurrection. Follow Dante's descent into Hades and surrender to the seductive allure of an Arabian night, where the Sahara's gentle zephyrs embrace you in their warm embrace.”


Xeneris invites metal enthusiasts worldwide to join them on this epic voyage, as they redefine the boundaries of symphonic power metal. Prepare to be captivated by the grandeur of Eternal Rising and immerse yourself in a world of myths, real-life and fantasy legends, and introspection from human experiences.





Tracklisting:


"Barbarossa
"Before The River Of Fire"
"Eternal Rising"
"Pandora's Box"
"A New Beginning"
"To The Endless Sea"
"Shahrazad"
"Scilla And Cariddi"
"Burning Within"
"The Glorious Fight"
"Equinox"


"Eternal Rising" video:





Band lineup:


Marianna Iacona (Vocals)
Federico Paolini (Guitars)
Roberto Donati (Bass)
Stefano Livieri (Drums)


(Photo - Manuel Moggio Photography)

InTheosis is the brainchild of Norwegian Grammy-nominated Extol vocalist, Peter Espevoll, and Australian Gold producer Jon Reichardt. On paper it would seem like an unlikely fit, as the two have found success in very different musical genres, but in reality the collaboration makes perfect sense. 


Today, they have shared their debut single "Mysteria".







Despite living on opposite sides of the globe, the two have more in common than most. Both are third culture kids having faced years of complex trauma respectively.


Both experienced music as tormenter and healer. Both are learning how to live with the scars of the past, hoping to create meaning and solidarity from suffering. 


InTheosis is the musical representation of this journey as the two find solace in the ancient and sacred, but also the dissonant and jaded. Everything will be made beautiful in its time.


 A whirlwind of abrasive, down-tuned riffage and metric modulation colliding with the haunting, soaring vocals of Espevoll, their debut single "Mysteria" reflects the ongoing struggle for peace within the storms of life.

Robert-Martin Dahn (aka Robse), longtime frontman and party guarantor of the epic metal band Equilibrium, is back with his new band Robse. Their debut album Harlekin & Krieger will be released on August 16 via Reaper Entertainment.


Harlekin & Krieger reflects the passionate musicians' love for hard metal with a wealth of intense melodies. The songs combine the bombast of Robse's old band Equilibrium with influences from In Flames, Immortal, Amon Amarth, and of course also guarantees some rousing party hits that will heat up the atmosphere at any festival.


In anticipation of the release, today the band presents their latest single, "Hey Sturm," now available on all streaming platforms.




Robse comments, "I'm finally back in my element and the fantastic feedback after the first single ‘Harlekin & Krieger’ dispelled the very last doubts about this comeback. ‘Hey Sturm' symbolizes all the worries, misery, and fears in life and is intended to shake us up so that we can once again free the warrior in us who spits in the face of every one of his enemies and problems and strides steadfastly forward on his path. Life holds many hurdles and suffering, but you must never lose heart, because it always goes on. This song perfectly reflects the musical diversity on our album and shows my love for Amorphis and also melodic black metal paired with the dark vocals of old Equilibrium albums."


Harlekin & Krieger, which features the stunning new artwork of artist and author Valtyr, will be available on CD and vinyl formats as well as a limited deluxe box set with the original Robse drinking horn.


Preorder at robse-band.com.





Tracklisting:


“Sonata Arlecchino”
“Harlekin Und Krieger”
“Hey Sturm”
“Aus Dem Gleichgewicht”
“Von Der Schenke Zur Taverne”
“Kleine Weiße Friedenstaube” (feat. Stumpen)
“Lied Der Nacht”
“Nostalgia” (feat. Dom R. Crey)
“Flamme Der Revolution”
“Viva La Caida”


“Hey Sturm” video:





Robse will commemorate the official unveiling of Harlekin & Krieger with a performance at Summer Breeze Open-Air with more shows to be announced.


Live dates:


June
22 – Leutkirch im Allgau, Germany – AAARGH Festival


August
2 – Wacken, Germany – Wacken Open Air
15-18 – Dinkelsbuhl, Germany – Summer Breeze Open Air


Robse:
Robert-Martin Dahn - vocals
Dennis "Blaze" Baron - guitar
Oliver Hey - guitar
Marius Berendsen - drums
Marco Paulzen - bass
Alina Lesnik - keyboards/backing vocals


(Photo – Anni Funk)

Epic power metal warriors Lords Of The Trident are preparing to shock the world with the announcement of their new EP V.G.E.P. (Video Game EP) on October 1, where every track takes inspiration from the band's favorite video games. The EP made its "sudden drop" as an exclusive release for Lords Of The Trident's Patreon supporters. Anyone who pledges $5 or more to the Lords Of The Trident Patreon gets immediate access to download the full EP as well as the band's last four albums, 25+ live albums, 10+ singles, and more.


In conjunction with the EP announcement, the band is unleashing the first single and music video for the track "To Kill A God" - quite literally a shocking, lightning-charged performance.


As frontman Fang VonWrathenstein explains:




"As far as I'm aware, we're the first band on earth to play the drums while getting hit by lightning. We sent over 100,000 volts of electricity through our drummer as he played, and as cool as it looks on video, it was absolutely breathtaking to see in real life...Good thing, too: getting shocked by those smaller Tesla coils on the front might not immediately kill you, but it would hurt pretty bad. The big one in the back, though? That's pretty much instant death. His wife kept texting me every 20 minutes to ask if he was still alive!"


The video concept stemmed from the band witnessing an EDM show that integrated massive homemade Tesla coils into the performance. Contacting the coil makers, the Lords hatched a plan to take things to dangerous new heights by wiring up their drummer in a protective chainmail suit to withstand the colossal electric currents.


With their trademark theatrical production values and musicianship, Lords Of The Trident continue cementing their reputation as one of heavy metal's most electrifying live acts. Since 2008, the band has toured worldwide, opening for giants like Helloween and Steel Panther and appearing at major festivals across the US, Japan, and Europe.





Tracklisting:


“To Kill A God”
“Master Of Speed”
“Jet Set City”
“Valerie”
“The Ballad Of Jon Milwaukee”


“To Kill A God” video:

In a new interview with Jonathan Clarke, host of "Out Of The Box" on Q104.3, New York's classic rock station, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler reflected on the band's "The End" final tour, which concluded in February 2017 in SABBATH's original hometown of Birmingham, England. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was great. I mean, we knew that physically it was becoming a hard, especially [since SABBATH guitarist] Tony [Iommi] had cancer at the time and he just said, 'I think I've got one more tour left in me and that's it. That's all I can do.' And so we put that two together as the final thing. We all would have loved to have Bill [Ward, original SABBATH drummer] with us, but Bill's a proud guy. He's had heart problems and everything. And we said, 'Well, just come out and do, like, three songs or something,' and he said, 'No. I either do the whole thing or I'm not doing any of it.' And so, fair enough. And so we just carried on to the end, and that was it."

Asked about SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne's recent comment that he would love the original band — including Ward — to reunite for one final concert, Butler said: "Yeah. Ozzy desperately wants to do, 'cause of his health conditions, he desperately wants to do a final Ozzy Osbourne [solo] concert. And he said to me, 'I'd love SABBATH to do a couple of songs, two or three songs, as the final show ever' — Ozzy's final show and SABBATH's final show. And I said, 'Yeah, I'm up for it, definitely.' But I'm not sure what the others are up to. Me and Ozzy, we're up for it. But whether Tony and Bill would do it, I don't know."

Earlier in the month, Butler was asked by SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" if he thinks Bill would be physically able to play a couple of songs, either as part of a concert or a new SABBATH recording project. Geezer said: "I don't think so. Maybe, I don't know. I mean, the way technical things happen these days, maybe a couple of songs, but who knows? There wouldn't be any traveling involved. We wouldn't be actually all in the studio at the same time together. So it could be done that way — maybe."

When host Eddie Trunk pointed out that Geezer wrote in his his autobiography "Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath – And Beyond" that he hadn't spoken to Ozzy in years, Butler revealed that he has since been in touch with Osbourne "every day practically. There was a lot of miscommunication [before]. He didn't think I was asking about his health 'cause I know he's been going through a lot of health problems, and I was sending all these messages to him and they weren't being passed on to him. So he thought I was just ignoring him. And then the weird way I had to go through SABBATH's accountant to tell Ozzy I'd sent him all these things. 'Cause he did this thing in Rolling Stone saying that I hadn't been in touch with him about his health. So I went through the accountant, and he got in touch with Ozzy and said, 'He's just been sending you stuff. He wants to talk to you.' And we've been fine since that."

Asked if he is in regular contact with Ward, Butler said: "He's not on e-mail and I hate the phone. So, I send e-mails to his wife, who passes it on to Bill."

Asked if he misses playing, Geezer said: "With [the SABBATH guys], yeah." He went on to say that he still practices his playing regularly. "It's like part of me daily exercise. I don't get down to the gym. I just go up to my studio."

Seven months ago, Geezer disputed Ozzy's claim that the BLACK SABBATH bassist never contacted him to check up on him while was battling a host of health issues in recent years. Last November, Butler took to his social media to write: "Rumour has it; Ozzy is upset, saying he never received my get well messages. I made 2 different attempts at getting in touch during his illnesses. My first email (8 Feb, 2019) went through his office because I didn't have Ozzy's new number to text him. Sharon [Osbourne, Ozzy's wife and manager] responded but I didn't hear back from Ozzy. 11 months later (21 Jan, 2020),I emailed Sharon to check on Oz. That email went unanswered.

"I don't want to engage in a tit for tat," Geezer added. "Having made 2 attempts to wish Ozzy well , without a reply, I figured it best to privately keep him in my thoughts."

In "Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath – And Beyond", Butler addressed his relationship with Ozzy, writing, "Me and Ozzy are fine. It's just that we're both ruled by our wives. He's got a big heart and was always there for me in times of trouble... We might not be as close as we were, but we'll always be brothers."

Last fall, Ozzy blamed the breakdown in his friendship with Butler on a falling out between his wife/manager Sharon and Geezer's wife/manager Gloria Butler. He told Rolling Stone UK: "[BLACK SABBATH guitarist] Tony Iommi has been so supportive of me since my illness. Geezer Butler hasn't given me one fucking phone call. Not one fucking call. When his son was fucking born, I phoned him every fucking night even though we were at war with each other, BLACK SABBATH and me [after I was out of the band]. I thought, 'Fuck it, he's my mate. I'm gonna call him.' But from him, not one fucking call.

"It's sad, man," he continued. "We all grew up together, and he can't pick up the fucking phone like a man and see how I'm doing. Even [original BLACK SABBATH drummer] Bill Ward has been in touch with me. I said some things about Bill, and I don't know why I said it, but when I came through my illness, he contacted me.

"I'm not in shock. I'm just very fucking sad that he can't just call me after all this time and say, 'How you doing?' Fucking arsehole."

Asked why he and Geezer had a falling out in the first place, Ozzy said: "His wife and my wife had a falling out. But that's got fucking nothing to do with me. Are you really going to hide behind your wife's skirt because of that?"

In June 2023, Geezer addressed the fact that he hadn't been in contact with Ozzy in an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock. Speaking about the fact that he mentioned Iommi in the book acknowledgments, where he wrote that Tony "actually still keeps in touch", Geezer said: "Yeah, he's always been there for me. You know, he's a good friend. We can slag each other to death. It's like marriage, really. You have terrible arguments, you fall out and you come back together. But he's always there. He always is. I hope he is after this book as well. I still love Bill, but he's not on the Internet. If you want to talk to Bill, you have to e-mail his wife and she has to tell him. It's really awkward. [Laughs] Ozzy I don't speak to at all." Asked if he thinks there's a chance those lines of communication will open back up at some point, Butler said: "I very much doubt it. We didn't fall out; it was the wives."

During an appearance on the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast, Geezer elaborated on his Ultimate Classic Rock comments, saying: "Well, it's like with every family. We've fallen out loads of times over the past 50 years — you fall out for a year or two and then you get together. I don't see any of the rest of the band. It's just that people have picked up on the Sharon part of it because everybody knows who Sharon is. If I would have put Bill's wife in there, nobody would have said anything about it, or Tony's wife. But because everybody knows who Sharon is, they seem to pick up on that. We were such a close band anyway. You have these fallouts and you beat each other up and whatever, and you don't talk to each other for two or three years, and then you get back together as if nothing's ever happened."

Butler and his wife, Gloria Butler, split their time between Henderson, Nevada and Utah while Ozzy and his wife, Sharon, are preparing to move back to the United Kingdom after living in California for the last few decades.

In 2022, Ozzy described Tony to Metal Hammer magazine as "incredibly supportive" while admitting that he hadn't spoken to Butler in a while. "Last I heard, he was living in Vegas," Ozzy said.

During an August 2020 appearance on Steve-O's "Wild Ride!" podcast, Sharon Osbourne was asked if it's correct to say that when the original BLACK SABBATH lineup reunited more a decade ago, it was done on her terms, with her husband owning the SABBATH name and the other members of SABBATH acting as "employees" of the band. She responded: "It's about right, but Ozzy and Tony own the name — Geezer and Bill don't. So it's Ozzy and Tony that own the name, and they are partners in BLACK SABBATH. So you're kind of right. Ozzy and Tony are equal, and at the time, the other guys, you know, it's kind of like pay-for-play."

Ozzy filed a lawsuit against Tony in May 2009, claiming that Iommi illegally took sole ownership of the band's name in a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Osbourne sued Iommi for a 50 percent interest in the "Black Sabbath" trademark, along with a portion of Iommi's profits from use of the name.

The Manhattan federal court suit also charged that Osbourne's "signature lead vocals" are largely responsible for the band's "extraordinary success," noting that its popularity plummeted during his absence from 1980 through 1996.

Lawyer Andrew DeVore argued that Osbourne signed away all his rights to the BLACK SABBATH trademark after he quit the band in 1979.

Osbourne's lawyer, Howard Shire, called that agreement a "red herring" that was "repudiated" when the singer rejoined in 1997 and took over "quality control" of the band's merchandise, tours and recordings.

In June 2010, Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio that the lawsuit between him and Tony had been settled and that everything was okay between them.

According to Rolling Stone, Butler had sold his share of the BLACK SABBATH band name to Iommi in 1984 and has since gotten over any regrets. "I still get a quarter of everything, so it doesn't matter financially," he told the magazine. "It's just that I can never go out on the road and call myself BLACK SABBATH."

In his book, Butler wrote that the original SABBATH reunion didn't go as planned after it was announced in November 2011, adding that "there was a big row about the SABBATH name, all over again. I was under the impression that since the original members were back together, writing and recording a new album, the name would revert to all four of us, whatever had happened between Tony and Ozzy a couple of years earlier," Geezer wrote. "But when the name was discussed, it became clear that Tony and Ozzy had no intention of sharing the SABBATH name with me or Bill. I felt cheated, so I left the band again. They got someone in to replace me, but a couple of weeks later I got a call from Tony, begging me to come back. In the end, I got my lawyers on the case and they managed to sort everything out. I was assured that despite not part-owning the SABBATH name, everything would be split equally, and the band wouldn't be able to tour as SABBATH without my approval, if needed."

"Into The Void: From Birth To Black Sabbath - And Beyond" was released in June 2023 in North America via HarperCollins imprint Dey Street Books.

Sons Of Silver add to their rock n' roll credentials with the release of "Giving It Back," an intimate and simmering rocker with lyrics that hold out an olive branch of hope while voicing frustration with a world descending into apathy in the face of tyranny. Stream here.


Sons Of Silver comprises vocalist and guitarist Pete Argyropoulos (PeteRG), drummer Marc Slutsky (Splender, Peter Murphy, Tonic), keyboardist and engineer Brina Kabler, guitarist Kevin Haaland (Skillet), and bassist Adam Kury (Candlebox).







“‘Giving It Back’ took a few revisions to get right, and it was well worth the effort. It’s one of our favorites on the album because the music serves the message: we’re slowly giving away the freedoms our ancestors sacrificed so much to win. It’s unintended serendipity that the single should be released on Flag Day,” shares frontman Argyropoulos.


The Backstory video was shot at Mates Rehearsal by Mike Ansbach and narrated by the band.





“Giving It Back” follows the release of their songs "Just Getting Started" and “Tell Me This.” Since the release of the new songs the band’s monthly Spotify listeners have surpassed 140k, and collectively exceeded over 450k streams to date.


All three songs offer a taste of what’s to come from their upcoming full-length album, Runaway Emotions. Due out this fall, the album was self-produced by the band and mixed by renowned producer/engineer Tim Palmer, known for his work with Robert Plant, David Bowie, and U2. “We feel so fortunate to have Tim mix the record. He understood what we were trying to convey with the recordings and took each song to a new level,” said keyboardist and engineer Kabler.


Runaway Emotions follows their EP releases, Doomsday Noises in 2020 and Ordinary Sex Appeal in 2022. Sons of Silver have secured three spots on the Billboard Active Rock Chart, and their songs have collectively accumulated over fifteen million views and streams. With their potent rock sound, seasoned musicianship, and growing acclaim, Sons of Silver is a band to watch.

Four years since the release of their seventh album, The Reckoning Dawn, British black metal forerunners Winterfylleth return to the fray with their anthemic new album, The Imperious Horizon on September 13 via Candlelight / Spinefarm.


Ahead of the release date, the band has shared the poignant first single "Dishonour Enthroned" with an accompanying video filmed by Producer & VFX Artist, Killian Monson.


After a successful European tour with Gaahl’s Wyrd & Gaerea in late 2022, Winterfylleth began work on their eighth album, The Imperious Horizon, in early 2023. That writing process led to nine new tracks of intense, atmospheric black metal that further deepened the strength of material in the Winterfylleth arsenal. The end result is one of the darkest, most enthralling, and most essential records to be released in 2024.




A lot has changed in the world since Winterfylleth released The Reckoning Dawn. The band has had a line-up change, the social landscape has become palpably different, and all the while the world has gone through a series of unprecedented circumstances - leaving it feeling like a more fractured and dangerous place than ever before.


Guitarist/vocalist C. Naughton commented: “In some ways, the album is a reflection on the mania of the years since the last album, how the world has changed for the worse, and moreover how we all feel like we are living in a more divided and upheaved world ever since! The title speaks to a looming sense of some dominant power or agenda that is coming, just over the horizon. It’s on its way, and we don’t know quite how it will manifest, but we know that it is creeping ever forward, and it is inevitable.”


The Imperious Horizon is the first album to feature guitarist and backing vocalist Russell Dobson as a writing member. Russell, who joined the group in 2020 and is also actively involved in the black metal band Necronautical, stepped in following the departure of Dan Capp shortly after The Reckoning Dawn.


The album also features a remarkable guest vocal performance by AA Nemtheanga from Primordial on the track "In Silent Grace.” Alan has had a longstanding connection with the band, and his various projects (Primordial/Dread Sovereign) have shared the stage with Winterfylleth on numerous occasions over the years. After discussing collaboration, the opportunity arose on this album when it became evident that the mood and atmosphere of "In Silent Grace" would be a perfect fit for working together. The result is a powerful and expansive track that showcases Alan's distinctive vocal abilities alongside Winterfylleth's emotive songwriting style.


The album was recorded and produced once again by the legendary Chris Fielding (Primordial, Napalm Death, Conan, Electric Wizard, Fen) at Foel Studios in Central Wales, while the post-production & mastering was overseen by Mark Mynett (My Dying Bride, Rotting Christ) at his Mynetaur Productions suite in Manchester, UK.


Preorder here.





Tracklisting:


“First Light”
“Like Brimming Fire”
“Dishonour Enthroned”
“Upon This Shore”
“The Imperious Horizon”
“In Silent Grace” (feat. AA Nemtheanga)
“To The Edge Of Tyranny”
“Earthen Sorrows”
“The Insurrection”
“The Majesty Of The Night Sky” (Emperor cover) (Deluxe bonus track)
“In Silent Grace” (AA Nemtheanga solo version) (Deluxe bonus track)


“Dishonour Enthroned” video:





(Photo – Lee Barrett)

In a new interview with Backstage Pass, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons was asked if there are any things that have happened over the past 50 years that he would handle differently if he could go back in time. He responded in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I'm sad in retrospect — you know, hindsight's 20/20 — I'm sad that I wasn't more hard on [fellow original KISS members] Ace [Frehley] and Peter [Criss], the two original guys who played guitar and drums in the band."

Apparently referencing Ace's and Peter's troubles with drugs and alcohol, Gene continued: "I'd never been high or drunk and never smoked cigarettes, so I've always been an outcast in that way. The rest of the world seemed to be drug-fueled.

"Ace and Peter… have as much credit for the beginning of the band as Paul [Stanley, KISS guitarist/vocalist] and I do. There's no question it was that chemistry. And they both had unique voices, unique personalities and all that. And they should have been here with us 50 or 55 years later and enjoying the fruits of their labor. But sadly, they're not. And it's their own doing. They were in and out of the band three different times. They were let go three different times because of the same old thing. It's not even unique. Go to almost every band [and] you'll find people ingesting stuff more than the bum on the street corner, except they're richer and they can afford to ingest more. It's sad."

Asked how he managed to not get sucked into the drug-fueled lifestyle of being a global rock star, Gene said: "Well, the word 'no' is in the dictionary. Just by observation, I've never seen anybody drunk be witty or intelligent. Have you? And people who are high sound like aliens. And people who smoke stink like ashtrays.

"Look, I can understand if smoking or drinking or getting high would make you smarter, richer, made your shmeckel bigger, made you more attractive — all those things that we all wish we had. 'I wish this. I wish that.' But nothing happens, really. In fact, you'll probably throw up on the shoes your girlfriend just bought. You won't be witty. The next day your head will hurt, and if you drink enough, your shmeckel is not gonna work. So I don't get it. Chances are pretty good you're gonna get into a fight.

"I remember when I was 13, 14, I used to go to these teenage parties where 16-year-olds would gather because I was always bigger, so they'd invite me," Simmons recalled. "They'd think I was older. And like a vulture on the side, I'd just wait for the guys to get drunk and then just swoop in and take any girl I wanted."

KISS played the final concert of its "End Of The Road" farewell tour on December 2, 2023 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

KISS's most recent touring lineup consisted of original members Simmons and Stanley, alongside later band additions, guitarist Tommy Thayer (since 2002) and drummer Eric Singer (on and off since 1991).

Fan-filmed video of AC/DC's June 16 concert at Rinne (Festwiese Ostragehege) in Dresden, Germany can be seen below (courtesy of Marco's HIGH VOLTAGE Music Channel).

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

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

Encore:

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

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

The 24-date trek will run through August. The trek will hit Germany, Austria and Switzerland before landing at London's Wembley Stadium for a pair of shows on July 3 and 7, then moving on to Germany, Slovakia and Paris and winding down at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. The European tour is the first run of gigs since AC/DC's return to the stage at last year's rock Power Trip festival in Indio, California.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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