In celebration of EVANESCENCE's debut album, "Fallen", turning 20 years old, the band's founding guitarist Ben Moody has reimagined songs from the LP and is in the process of uploading the results to his YouTube channel. Check out the fifth reimagined track, "Haunted", below.

Released in the spring of 2003, "Fallen" resonated deeply with fans, selling more than 141,000 copies in its first week and peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, where it spent an astonishing 43 weeks in the Top 10. Within a month, "Fallen" was certified platinum by the RIAA, while it was a Top 10 hit in more than ten countries, reaching No. 1 in the U.K., Canada, Australia and across Europe. Much of the album's initial success can be attributed to its stratospheric singles, including "Bring Me To Life", which broke the Top 10 in more than 15 countries and topped Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 and Alternative Airplay charts. "My Immortal" was a Top 10 hit in over ten countries, including the U.S., U.K., and Australia.

At the 2004 Grammy Awards, EVANESCENCE received five nominations, including "Album Of The Year", "Best Rock Album", "Best Hard Rock Performance" for "Bring Me To Life", and "Best New Artist", taking home the latter two. The following year, "My Immortal" received a nod for "Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals".

Today, "Fallen" holds steady as the sixth best-selling album of the 21st century (ranking just behind Lady Gaga's "The Fame" and ahead of COLDPLAY's "A Rush Of Blood To The Head") and remains one of the best-selling albums of all time, with more than 17 million copies sold worldwide. In 2022, "Fallen" received a rare diamond certification from the RIAA, which recognizes 10 million units in U.S. album sales. As a testament to the album's enduring appeal, the video for "Bring Me To Life" surpassed 1.2 billion views on YouTube, making it one of the most-watched rock videos of all time while "My Immortal" follows close behind.

The success of "Fallen" led to turmoil within the group, as Moody left in late 2003, leaving singer Amy Lee as the only original member of the band.

In 2010, Moody gave a lengthy explanation for why he left EVANESCENCE while promoting his soundalike band called WE ARE THE FALLEN with other former EVANESCENCE members (John LeCompt on guitar and Rocky Gray on drums) along with "American Idol" powerhouse vocalist Carly Smithson and bassist Marty O'Brien.

Lee continued with new members, and EVANESCENCE issued "The Open Door" in 2006. While a hit, it did not equal the sales of "Fallen". Lee told The Pulse Of Radio at the time that she wasn't concerned about matching the previous album's success. "I just haven't ever looked at it that way," she said. "'Fallen' is a great record, but I don't think you can try to match the success of another body of work. I think that's only gonna frustrate you. And if, honestly if what you really care about is record sales and money, there's no way you're gonna make a great piece of art, because then you're just gonna get all confused and make something ingenuine."

To date, EVANESCENCE has released a total of five studio albums, including the multi-platinum "The Open Door" (2004) and "Evanescence" (2011),both of which topped the Billboard 200. In 2021, the band thrilled fans with their first album of new material in a decade, "The Bitter Truth". Featuring a lineup of Amy Lee (vocals, keyboards),Tim McCord (guitar/bass),Will Hunt (drums),Troy McLawhorn (guitars/backing vocals),and Emma Anzai (bass, backing vocals),EVANESCENCE continues to maintain an active tour schedule which has seen the band traveling the globe and staging some of the most successful shows of its career.

During an appearance on "The Mistress Carrie Podcast", BLACK VEIL BRIDES singer Andy Biersack, who is promoting the band's upcoming "Bleeders" EP, spoke about the importance of still releasing full-length albums instead of focusing exclusively on singles. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think it's a case-by-case thing. Ultimately, we will have a full-length record. The way in which that gets released, I don't know if it's gonna be the same traditional way. It might be. I think it really depends on what you're trying to do.

"For me, if we're doing a record that all has one concept, like [2021's] 'The Phantom Tomorrow' was, it really behooves you to release it as an album because the listening experience is meant to be that way. But if you're doing isolated storytelling, there's no reason why not to put all of your eggs into the basket of a single song, two songs, whatever, and then take some time, recharge, do it again, do it again, so that you end up getting more for every single song instead of getting, 'Well, I've been working on this record for two years. And who cares? Track seven is good enough.' That's where you end up a lot of times with records. So I think that you're seeing the bar get raised because of how much more output people have."

Last month, BLACK VEIL BRIDES released the title track from "Bleeders", inspired by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's "Sweeney Todd". The band paid tribute to the classic musical with a music video for the title track that is inspired by the musical's 2007 Tim Burton-directed film adaptation.

Due on June 21, the three-track EP, which will include "Bleeders", a cover of "My Friends" from the Sondheim classic, and a cover of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday", will be BLACK VEIL BRIDES' first release for Spinefarm.

In support of the American Red Cross, BLACK VEIL BRIDES recently hosted a virtual blood drive during the U.S. "Bleeders" tour, inspired by the "Bleeders" single. The trek kicked off on April 25 in San Francisco and ran through May 25 in Los Angeles.

Fans attending the tour were asked to present their proof of a blood donation to the American Red Cross (e-mail, app confirmation, donation photo, sticker, etc.) when they visited the BLACK VEIL BRIDES merchandise booth to receive an exclusive merchandise package, consisting of a signed poster, pin and patch.

In a new interview with Metal Hammer magazine, Sebastian Bach was asked if he would ever do a "sing-off" with FOZZY frontman and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho. He responded: "The better question would be, will he do a wrestle-off with Sebastian Bach? Because I'm as much of a wrestler as he is a singer."

Bach's latest comments come nearly four years after the former SKID ROW singer blasted Jericho over allegations that the FOZZY frontman uses pre-recorded vocal tracks during live performances.

Bach initially accused Jericho of "miming to a tape" at FOZZY concerts in a social media post in July 2020. In response, the wrestler-turned-rocker insisted that he had "never mimed anything ever" and challenged Bach to a "singoff" with "no effects, no tuning, no bullshit", saying "Bas is a great singer...but I'm better".

In the months that ensued, Bach brought up Jericho's alleged lip syncing on several occasions, most recently in January 2021 in an interview with The Aquarian Weekly. Asked specifically about his feud with Chris, Sebastian said: "I have an open mind about everyone. If I read on Blabbermouth.com [sic] that some band says, 'We're the future of rock 'n' roll and we are the next thing after THE ROLLING STONES,' I think, this must be incredible! What have I been missing out on? So, I checked out one video during which the singer was 100% miming to a tape on stage at The Rockpile in Toronto. I thought to myself, 'That's weird, that's not the next ROLLING STONES.' So, I watch another video where he was opening up for NICKELBACK in an arena and, again, he's miming to a tape. You can go watch it for yourself. Then someone said, 'Here's a clip of him singing live. Legit, bro.' And it's him miming to a tape again. It's crazy obvious. It is not my opinion, it's fact. It is not me starting a fight. But don't tell me what singing live is, 'cause I have never used tape. I don't even know how to do that."

Bach also addressed the fact that Jericho accused him of having a less-than-original stage name after Sebastian slammed Jericho for copying the name of a SKID ROW tour for FOZZY.

"I switched a couple of letters of my legal last name [Bierk]. Who's Mongoose McQueen?" Bach asked, referring to Jericho's original FOZZY stage name. "What kind of a stage name is that?

"How about this: professional wrestling sucks," he added. "Everyone wishes they were a rock star. It hilarious. Evidently, all you have to do is [record] a tape, go on stage, and jump around. You can jump off the drum riser and do jumping jacks. It doesn't matter if you are miming to tape."

Jericho's most public reaction to Bach's criticism came in a January 2021 tweet. At the time, he wrote: "I've been told that @sebastianbach continues to go out of his way to bury me. My response is this...be my guest! You are entitled to ur opinion & it doesn't affect me either way. I still dig ur work on the first 3 @OfficialSkidRow albums & look forward to ur new record."

When Bach first went public with his Jericho accusation, FOZZY guitarist Rich Ward called Sebastian "universally disliked" and said that seeing Bach "publicly go after the only guy that I have ever witness utter a nice word about him is sad."

Sebastian, who has been outspoken about rock bands using pre-recorded backing tracks during live shows, later tried to explain his outburst, writing: "I'm not trying to beat anybody at anything. I'm actually trying to say hey Chris maybe you're right maybe I'll stop singing live and prance around while the tape is playing just like you do Chris. I'm tired of trying so hard it's like beating my head against the wall."

After a self-proclaimed Bach fan called Sebastian "an asshat" on Twitter for firing "the first shots" in his war of words with Jericho, Bach came back with: "Hey man f*** you. I have spent my life learning how to sing live on stage. When someone comes along and mimes to a tape it sucks for all of the rest of us that don't. You want to go see a wrestling match good. Don't call it rock and roll".

In an interview with Trooper Entertainment conducted during CARCASS's recent Japanese tour, vocalist/bassist Jeff Walker and guitarist Bill Steer discussed the band's latest addition, guitarist James "Nip" Blackford, who replaced Tom Draper in 2021. Steer said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, he's contributed enormously. We were in a little bit of a tight spot with guitar players because our previous guy, Tom, had issues with his green card application. So, James was the first choice in my mind. We were already friends, and I knew he was a good player. But he didn't just come into the band and work musically; he worked on the personal level. He just fits in with us. He's got the same quirky sense of humor, shall we say. He's just a good guy to have around. He's a real team player. And he does the business on stage completely."

Jeff added: "He was very nervous. When I talked to him the first time about joining the band, he was, like, 'Well, I might make mistakes.' And the only advice I could give him, which is great advice, is it doesn't matter if you make mistakes; it's how you recover from those mistakes. If you make a mistake and you stop playing — the best thing to do is carry on playing and just perform. As you saw, we weren't perfect every night, but it was still good."

Jeff added: "No disrespect to the last two players — Ben was Ben, and he was a great performer, and Tom was a great musician — but with James, we've got best of both worlds, I think. And that's no disrespect to those guys, 'cause they were doing their own thing, but I think James is a better fit — for the time being."

Bill chimed in: "It's not an easy task fitting in with our thing. We're people of a certain vintage. We're not normal guys, so to try and fit into that, and a band with a history. Obviously, it goes back a way.

Jeff continued: "It's weird. We forget that Dan's [drummer Daniel Wilding] only 35. So it must be really weird for him to deal with us. There's a generation gap, but it doesn't feel like it."

Bill concurred: "Yeah. He's like the most well-adjusted person. So he sort of keeps things on an even keel."

CARCASS's latest album, "Torn Arteries", was released in September 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. Wilding did session work in Sweden at Studio Gröndahl with David Castillo while guitars were recorded at The Stationhouse with James Atkinson in Leeds, England. Eventually needing some form of residential location to finalize vocals, bass, and other guitarwork, the band headed back to Studio Gröndahl in Sweden to continue work in a very relaxed atmosphere with Castillo.

The "Torn Arteries" album title references an old demo created by original drummer Ken Owen back in the 1980s. The album artwork also rings reminiscent of the grotesque photography that appears on classic CARCASS album covers like "Reek Of Putrefaction" and "Symphonies Of Sickness". Artist Zbigniew Bielak traveled outside his normal wheelhouse to bring forth a time lapsed set of photos showing vegetables shaped like a heart, rotting over time upon a white plate. This form of artwork was influenced by Japanese Kusôzu, meaning: "painting of the nine stages of a decaying corpse."

Schiffer Publishing has set an October 28, 2024 release date for "Hallowed Be Thy Name: The Iron Maiden Bible" by Martin Popoff.

The book is described in a press release as "a thrilling journey through the tumultuous history of IRON MAIDEN, one of the world's most legendary heavy metal bands."

With unparalleled access to band members, managers, and exclusive archives, music critic and journalist Martin Popoff provides an intimate look into the life and times of IRON MAIDEN, from their humble beginnings in the dingy clubs of East London to headlining arenas and festivals worldwide, the band's story is one of resilience, creativity, and unrelenting dedication to the present day.

Dive deep into their music, stage performances, and the iconic figure of Eddie, their undead mascot. Discover the stories behind all their albums — such as "Killers", "The Number Of The Beast" and "Powerslave", through to their most recent, "Senjutsu" (and all solo releases) — as well as the controversies and triumphs that shaped the band. Explore the highs and lows of their evolving lineup, from the early days with Paul Di'Anno to the arrival of Bruce Dickinson and beyond. "Hallowed Be Thy Name: The Iron Maiden Bible" delves into the band's conceptual depth, dissecting the themes of their songs, the inspirations behind their lyrics, and the influence they've had on countless artists and fans.

In addition, a limited edition print slip-cased Beast Edition will be released for $250 with only 666 copies exclusively available through SchifferBooks.com. Special features include:

* A limited print run of 666 copies worldwide (while supplies last)
* Each edition is individually numbered on an etched metal plate (numbers will be shipped at random and can not be custom ordered or selected)
* Slip case packaging
* Black, edge-printed pages and bifurcated ribbon marker
* Bound in stamped leather with ribbed spine and metal corners

A tribute to the indomitable spirit of IRON MAIDEN and a celebration of their enduring six-decade legacy in the realm of heavy metal, "Hallowed Be Thy Name: The Iron Maiden Bible" is said to be "a must-read for IRON MAIDEN fans and heavy-metal and music enthusiasts."

For more information, visit SchifferBooks.com.

IRON MAIDEN's "The Future Past Tour", which includes songs from both the band's most recent studio album "Senjutsu" as well as 1986's seminal album "Somewhere In Time", alongside other fan favorites, played to over 750,000 fans at more than 30 sold-out shows across Europe in the summer of 2023. The band also performed in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver alongside their highly praised appearance at California's Power Trip festival this October which had Consequence stating: "IRON MAIDEN set the bar high at Power Trip" and The Desert Sun saying "IRON MAIDEN didn't disappoint and delivered a hard-hitting performance to open the festival on a high note." Featuring one of the most spectacular stage productions of the band's career, it has received rave reviews in every city and country that IRON MAIDEN visited.

"Senjutsu" came out in September 2021. It marked MAIDEN's second consecutive double album behind 2015's "The Book Of Souls" which is the longest MAIDEN album, with a running time of 92 minutes.

IRON MAIDEN's first album in six years, "Senjutsu" was recorded in 2019 in Paris with longstanding producer Kevin Shirley and co-produced by bassist Steve Harris. It features three tracks whose running time exceeds 10 minutes each.

For "Senjutsu" — loosely translated as "tactics and strategy" — the band once again enlisted the services of Mark Wilkinson to create the spectacular Samurai-themed cover artwork, based on an idea by Harris.

"Senjutsu" bowed at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart, charting higher than even the band's early classics like "Powerslave" and "The Number Of The Beast". Nearly 90 percent of the LP's 64,000 equivalent album units earned came from pure album sales. The critically acclaimed double album debuted one place higher than 2015's "The Book Of Souls" and 2010's "The Final Frontier", which both peaked at No. 4.

"Senjutsu" was MAIDEN's 13th album to top in the Top 40 in the U.S.

Photo credit: John McMurtrie

"Cold As Ice", "Too Much Time On My Hands", "Juke Box Hero", "Renegade" and more! Nothing sounds more like the soundtrack of summer than STYX's and FOREIGNER's biggest hits. Recently announced as inductees to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, FOREIGNER hits the road in June co-headlining the "Renegades & Juke Box Heroes" trek with STYX and special guest John Waite. Adding to the excitement, STYX and FOREIGNER have announced "Renegades & Juke Box Heroes", a very special limited-edition companion album, available exclusively at tour stops starting at today's tour launch in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena, and at select retail on July 12.

This must-have collector's album, available as a picture disc or in elegant silver vinyl, features both bands' greatest hits and was mastered for vinyl by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound with lacquers cut by Joe Nino-Hernes. Tracks include FOREIGNER's most beloved hits, including "Feels Like The First Time", "Cold As Ice" and the worldwide No. 1 hit "I Want To Know What Love Is", alongside STYX massive hits "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)", "Come Sail Away" and "Renegade" and more.

Just 1,000 copies of the picture disc and only 5,000 individually numbered copies of the silver edition are available. With many tour dates already selling out, demand is sure to be high. When they are gone, they're gone for good! A 13-track CD featuring all three artists and including the vinyl tracks is also available. The songs are available on all digital outlets. The picture disc will be available on FOREIGNER's and STYX's web sites, and the silver edition will be available on Amazon on July 12.

The "Renegades & Juke Box Heroes" tour launches today in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. John Waite's No. 1 songs "Missing You" and "When I See You Smile" will help ensure a summer evening of feel-good anthems. Tickets are going fast, available at LiveNation.com.

Mick Jones continues to elevate FOREIGNER's influence and guide the band to new horizons with his stylistic songwriting, indelible guitar hooks and multi-layered talents. Lead singer Kelly Hansen, one of rock's greatest showmen, has led FOREIGNER into the digital age, inspiring a whole new generation of fans. Bassist Jeff Pilson; Michael Bluestein on keyboards; guitarist Bruce Watson; Chris Frazier on drums, and guitarist Luis Maldonado provide an unprecedented level of energy that has resulted in the re-emergence of the astounding music that speaks to FOREIGNER's enduring popularity.

With more Billboard Top 10 hits than JOURNEY, and just as many as FLEETWOOD MAC, FOREIGNER is universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world with a formidable musical arsenal that continues to propel sold-out tours and album sales, now exceeding 80 million. Responsible for some of rock and roll's most enduring anthems, including "Juke Box Hero", "Cold As Ice", "Hot Blooded", "Waiting For A Girl Like You", "Feels Like The First Time", "Urgent", "Head Games", "Say You Will". "Dirty White Boy", "Long, Long Way From Home" and the worldwide No. 1 hit "I Want To Know What Love Is", FOREIGNER still rocks the charts more than 40 years into the game with massive airplay and continued Billboard Top 200 album success. Streams of FOREIGNER's hits are approaching 15 million per week.

The seven men comprising STYX — James "JY" Young (lead vocals, guitars),Tommy Shaw (lead vocals, guitars),Chuck Panozzo (bass, vocals),Todd Sucherman (drums, percussion),Lawrence Gowan (lead vocals, keyboards),Will Evankovich (mandolin, guitars),Terry Gowan (bass, guitar, vocals) — have committed to rocking the paradise together with audiences far and wide by entering their second decade of averaging over 100 shows a year, and each one of them is committed to making the next show better than the last. STYX draws from over four decades of barn burning chart hits, joyous singalongs, and hard-driving deep cuts. Like a symphony that builds to a satisfying crescendo, a STYX set covers a wide range of stylistic cornerstones. From the progressively sweeping splendor that is "The Grand Illusion" to the hunker-down fortitude of all that is the "Blue Collar Man", from the majestic spiritual love for a special "Lady" to the seething indictment of preening, primping pageantry for pageantry's sake of "Miss America", from an individual yearning for true connection as a "Man In The Wilderness" to a soul-deep quest to achieve what's at the heart of one's personal vision in "Crystal Ball", from the regal reach-for-the-stars bravado of "Come Sail Away" to the grainy all-in gallop of that rugged "Renegade" who had it made, the band draws on an unlimited cache of ways to immerse one's mind and body in their signature sound. STYX hit its stride with guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw's first LP with the band, 1976's "Crystal Ball", and then they become the first group to score four triple-platinum albums in a row: "The Grand Illusion" (1977),"Pieces Of Eight" (1978),"Cornerstone" (1979) and "Paradise Theater" (1981).

Multi-platinum rockers STYX released their 17th studio album, "Crash Of The Crown", on June 18, 2021 on the band's label, Alpha Dog 2T/UMe, which was hailed by critics as their second "masterpiece" album in a row. The first being 2017's "The Mission", their first new studio album in 14 years at the time. "Crash Of The Crown" was written pre-pandemic and recorded during the trying times of the pandemic. It's available as clear vinyl, black vinyl, CD on digital platforms. They released more new music on September 17, 2021, "The Same Stardust" EP, originally sold as part of Record Store Day (June 12, 2021). Available on blue 180-gram 12-inch vinyl only, featuring two brand-new songs on side one ("The Same Stardust" and "Age of Entropia"),as well as five live performances on side two of some of STYX's classic hits previously heard during their "Styx Fix" livestreams that kept fans company during the pandemic on their official YouTube page, including "Mr. Roboto", "Man In The Wilderness", "Miss America", "Radio Silence" and "Renegade". It's available worldwide on all digital platforms.

"Renegades & Juke Box Heroes" track listing (both versions):

"Juke Box Heroes" side:

01. Feels Like The First Time
02. Cold As Ice
03. I Want To Know What Love Is
04. Juke Box Hero

"Renegades" side:

01. Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)
02. Come Sail Away
03. Too Much Time On My Hands
04. Renegade

Legendary rocker Alice Cooper is gearing up for the 2024 presidential election in the only way he knows how — by running for president, something he has done satirically every four years since releasing the song "Elected" back in 1972.

The Godfather of Shock Rock has released a new "campaign" video in which he touts his qualifications thusly: "Well, I'm Alice Cooper and I'm a troubled man for troubled times. I have absolutely no idea what to do, so I should fit right in."

Visit AliceForPresident.com to be a part of the Wild Party and stay in the loop with Alice's presidential campaign. Stay tuned for updates on his campaign kick-off, ongoing virtual rallies, question-and-answer sessions and more.

The original 1972 "Elected" music video is when Cooper first announced his "candidacy" and the formation of the Wild Party.

"Elected" was the first single from Cooper's iconic sixth studio album, "Billion Dollar Babies". The record reached No. 1 in the U.S. and U.K. and was certified platinum by the RIAA.

In a 2018 interview with The Guardian, Cooper said that he keeps his political opinions to himself. "I don't like to mix politics and rock 'n' roll," he said. "I don't look at Bono, Sting and Bruce Springsteen as political. I look at them as being humanitarian. I'll contribute to anything humanitarian. Helping people who can't help themselves. But when musicians are telling people who to vote for, I think that's an abuse of power. You're telling your fans not to think for themselves, just to think like you. Rock 'n' roll is about freedom — and that's not freedom."

Eight years ago, Cooper said that rock stars offering their political opinions is "the worst idea ever." "First of all, why do people think rock stars know more than they do?" he said. "That is the biggest fallacy in the world — if anything, we're dumber. We're not smarter than anybody else. I mean, why do you think we're rock stars?

"Trust me, we don't read magazines you don't read. Nobody calls us up and gives us as inside information on politics. We know less than you do. If I watch TV, it's 'Family Guy'.

"Rock 'n' roll was built to go as far away from politics as you could get. When my mom and dad talked about who to vote for, I'd go in the other room and put on THE BEATLES or ROLLING STONES — and I'm still like that."

Cooper, who considers himself a humanitarian, said that he had no problem with artists using their platform to highlight global issues if it benefited others. He said: "I think what Bono does and what [Bruce] Springsteen does, Sting and all the people that raise money for others — that's humanitarian, and I'm all for that. But I don't think that's political."

In a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, Cooper stated about then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump: "He's an interesting character. It seems like he shoots himself in the foot every single day and gets more popular by doing it. It's the weirdest. It's like [Kurt] Vonnegut: Everything that shouldn't happen is happening."

Cooper previously said that he would even go so far as to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing just to make a point. During the 2004 election season, he said: "When I read the list of people who are supporting Kerry, if I wasn't already a Bush supporter, I would have immediately switched. Linda Ronstadt? Don Henley? Geez, that's a good reason right there to vote for Bush."

He also mused about sitting between such political rocker icons as John Lennon and Harry Nilsson while they argued politics and thinking, "I don't care."

Photo credit: Jenny Risher

In a new interview with George Dionne of KNAC.COM, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman spoke about his upcoming autobiography, "Dreaming Japanese", which will arrive on December 3 via Permuted Press. Asked if he is "putting it all out there" with the book, the 61-year-old musician, who has lived in Japan since 2003, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah. The entire criteria of the book was things that I've never said in the media, things that I couldn't say in the media, private things and all of the inner interpersonal relationships in all of the bands that I've been in, all of the projects I've worked on. And it's almost like a spy-like double-agent look into the Japanese music business and the Japanese entertainment industry, because I came in completely as a foreigner, but I'm working within that industry as someone who is in Japan, lives in Japan, speaks Japanese, works on the Japanese projects. So I can kind of report to the rest of the world what it's really like from an American's perspective, which I think the publishers of the book found quite fascinating and I really drew that to a complete conclusion. But it's basically everything that no one knows about me. So if you're slightly interested, hopefully you will get a lot of very unexpected information out of it."

Last month, Friedman was asked by "THAT Rocks!", the YouTube series hosted by Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson, why now is the right time for him to release his book. He responded: "I've always kept my private life completely out of media. Even in the Japan media, where I'm much more visible than in America, I've kept private things to myself and kept everything always about the topic at hand, whatever that be, whatever the program is about or whatever I'm releasing or whatever. So it's never really been terribly personal. But at the same time, every person has a deep personal story behind everything, and I've been working on an autobiography for years. And when it started to take shape and become something real, I started to look for publishers who were interested. And I found an absolutely excellent, excellent publisher that got excited about it. And when we started working on it, it, it just became this monster of a project, way beyond anything I'd imagined it being. And I think a lot of your fans are going to enjoy it because it's got so much deep details about the metal life that I've lived before I went over to Japan and the metal life now, but the real deep private relationship details between myself and all the other bandmembers from all my bands and all of the management things and life things that people don't see when they just see you on stage or they hear the records or they read the interviews. There's serious life stuff that you would only be comfortable talking about in a complete tell-all autobiography. And even then, I'm not even sure if I'm comfortable saying it, but I said, if I'm gonna do this, the main criteria is going to be all of this stuff is not stuff from interviews. And all of this stuff is gonna be stuff that's very private and very true."

He continued: "Of course I have no agenda at this age. The only thing I'm promoting is [my new solo album] 'Drama', which takes up about maybe four sentences of the autobiography. So the whole thing is just very deep and detailed into things that I think that no one really knows, because maybe I haven't really been that vocal about in the past."

After Florentine suggested that he could do the audiobook in English and Japanese all on his own, Marty said: "I could. I'm just so not into the idea of doing that. I dread the day when they say, 'Okay, we want you to do the audiobook.' 'Cause I listen to these books, and it just seems like a ton of work. I've done voiceover stuff for a lot of TV shows in Japan, and just one half-hour show takes friggin' forever. So, I'm just thinking, an entire book of, I think it's like 150,000 words, just dreading that. So I'm hoping that like A.I. can clone my voice and do it for me, 'cause I'm not looking forward to doing that work."

When Marty first announced his autobiography on May 13, he wrote in a social media post: "After an exhaustive and seemingly endless process, I'm beyond excited to let you know that I've just turned in the final manuscript for my autobiography, 'Dreaming Japanese'.

"I've always kept my private life completely out of the media, so with nervous excitement, I am thrilled to share the story about my upbringing, home life and career for the first time. You will enjoy the deepest dive into never before revealed details about my life in MEGADETH and the personal relationships within the band written with alarming clarity. Same goes for all of my other bands, from the very beginning.

"I outline the entire story why — and exactly how — I dropped living the high life in a multi-platinum band to start from scratch in Japan dreaming to play J-Pop, and how that spiraled into eventually exceeding even my loftiest goals, even becoming a government appointed Ambassador. It`s a complete immersion into my daily Japanese life as I guide you through the inner workings of the Japanese television industry and music scene, from my my unique and unprecedented perspective.

"The book releases December 3 and I can't wait for you to read it. We're working on the cover now and I'll share that soon."

Friedman spoke about his autobiography in a recent interview with BLABBERMOUTH.NET. He said: "We're in the last editing stages. All the content is done. It's extremely long. The point that we're at is that 'You got to cut out a lot of this.' We're cutting out things. It's hard because it is extremely long. It's too long. We're cutting out certain things, but what I can say about it is it is by far the most detailed account of anything I've participated in in my life. Any little subject has the deepest details about it. There are little details and very personal details. Of course, a lot of people want to know about MEGADETH. I made it very sure to give the most complete and honest account of all things that were never in any interviews. Interviews are usually where you're talking about a topic and in 'impress mode.' But I wanted to get personal and talk about how things affected me in every little situation. All that is in great detail, as well as the transition into Japanese television and being the only foreigner in a world of completely Japanese people, as well as the pros and cons of that. It has all of the very important details that you can't say in interviews, like private and personal things that don't usually come out. I tried to keep that as the criteria: Did I talk about this in an interview? If so, it got cut. It's all new stuff."

Official "Dreaming Japanese" description: The rollicking autobiography of the iconic guitarist who took thrash metal behemoths MEGADETH from the edge of collapse to their highest peak before departing to Japan for the joy of J-Pop.

Marty Friedman's upbringing was as atypical as his career. Growing up in a Jewish household in Maryland, the son of an NSA executive, he lacked motivation until he accidentally discovered the guitar and immediately found his calling. Enjoying a hazy adolescence overflowing with partying, music, and teen antics, he achieved local stardom in DEUCE, then burst on to the national scene by pioneering a radically new style of playing, bringing attention to the guitar aficionado label, Shrapnel Records. Acclaim didn't breed success or money, but undeterred, Friedman moved to California, and after attempts to join Madonna, KISS, and Ozzy Osbourne, finally scored a gig in MEGADETH at a time when the band members were just recovering from the verge of self-destruction, and Marty was in and out of homelessness.

Friedman is the most revered guitarist to play in any MEGADETH lineup. During his ten years, his exotic, innovating style helped define the sound of their biggest albums, and while it elevated him to guitar hero status with all the accompanying perks, it came at a significant cost. As the only clean and sober member, Friedman vividly recalls the triumphs and trials of each album cycle and more, bringing to light previously undisclosed personal feelings surrounding the circumstances that forced the band into hiding in the midst of the "Countdown To Extinction" tour and the brutal effort it took to get the band back up and running. His profound and complicated relationship with frontman Dave Mustaine was symbolic of the band's insane dynamic, and Marty poignantly and generously shares his experiences within the band's inner sanctum during the highs, lows, and daily routines.

But "Dreaming Japanese" is far more than a memoir about Friedman's multi-platinum years in MEGADETH. The riveting narrative captures his relentless perseverance as he struggles to start again from nothing. Spontaneously leaving his home in the U.S. and feeling lost in the middle of Tokyo, with few connections or concrete plans, the story traces his journey to acclimate and assimilate into the inner core of an alien society, language and culture, almost like a double agent spy. In fascinating detail and clarity, Marty shares how he gradually made inroads into the Japanese entertainment industry, becoming a household name and fixture on mainstream television and earning respect as a highly influential solo artist. "Dreaming Japanese" follows the wildly entertaining, inspiring, and above all, unprecedented path of a rock and roll guitar player who took the biggest risk, leaving worldwide success to start over from scratch in a country, culture and society far from his own, ultimately becoming an official ambassador of Japan.

Saber is an exciting Los Angeles based heavy metal band rising through ranks and earning a devoted following. They are known for their uniquely sleazy take on the traditional heavy metal sound.


Founded in 2018, they quickly got to work and crafted a series of thundering tracks and rocked audiences with every live performance. In 2021 they dropped their debut album, Without Warning, and are regarded as one of the hottest new metal bands around.


Sonically and aesthetically, Saber’s artistic identity is firmly rooted in the 80s. It is heavily influenced by Judas Priest, Queensrÿche and Riot, but crafted through their own unique lens. Over time, they have built a distinctly energetic audiovisual experience that resonates with their diverse and growing fanbase.




After two years playing and touring alongside legends like Night Demon, Sacred Reich, Haunt and Screamer, the band is now ready to unleash their second masterpiece, Lost In Flames, which sounds fresh, wild and… hungry!


Today, Saber are proud to reveal their signing with RPM and their new founded division RPM ROAR: “We are honored and very excited to be signed with RPM! Saber has its eyes set on our music reaching everyone across the globe, so working alongside a label that is home to some of the most talented artists in the world will make that come to fruition. We can't wait to unveil what we have in store for everyone! Our music will spread like wildfire, and we will watch as the flames spread world wide!", comments the band.


Saber directly became a part of the NWOTHM scene with young bands, playing traditional heavy metal in a fresh way, just like their labelmates Tailgunner or bands like Riot City, Wings Of Steel, Traveler, Visigoth and many more.


“We are heavily inspired by all 80s music, we love the glam era as well, as many can tell, we have that certain look that is unmistakably glam but don't let it fool you, the songs are heavier than you may expect”, says guitarist Joel Dominguez and adds. “The album is relentlessly infectious! We know our fans will love it and we hope to make a lot of new fans upon release.”


(Photo - Pouya Golhassani)

Faceless, Godsmack’s third studio album, features the #1 rock hits “I Stand Alone” and “Straight Out Of Line.” Giving Godsmack their first #1 album, it has become a fan favorite and rock staple over the years.


Presented here with exceptional remastered audio and debuting on 2LP 45rpm vinyl, Faceless has now become the high-fidelity treasure every fan has wanted since its debut.


In addition to classic black vinyl, the album will be released on limited edition marble vinyl as an online exclusive. A wide release of the vinyl will come on August 9, but both pressings are available for pre-order now online.




Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


Side A
"Straight Out Of Line"
"Faceless"
"Changes"


Side B
"Make Me Believe"
"I Stand Alone"
"Re-Align"


Side C
"I Fucking Hate You"
"Releasing the Demons"
"Dead And Broken"


Side D
"I Am"
"The Awakening"
"Serenity"


Godsmack recently announced a fall US tour with special guests Nothing More and Flat Black, with performances by Halestorm and Dorothy. Dates below.





September
26 - Saint Paul, MN - 93X Radio Family Reunion
27 - Milwaukee, WI - 102.9 The HOG Hog Havoc
28 - Clarkston, MI - 101 WRIF FM Detroit Riff Fest


October
1 - Little Rock, AR - Simmons Bank Arena (with Dorothy, Flat Black)
2 - Grand Prairie, TX - Texas Trust CU Theatre (with Dorothy, Flat Black)
4 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater (with Flat Black)
5 - Tucson, AZ - AVA Amphitheater at Casino Del Sol (with Flat Black)
7 - Highland, CA - Yaamava Theater
10 - Reno, NV - Grand Sierra Resort and Casino (with Flat Black)
12 - Portland, OR - Moda Center (with Halestorm, Flat Black)
13 - Kent, WA - KISW Halloween Hullabaloo (with Halestorm The Warning, Flat Black)
16 - Loveland, CO - Blue FCU Arena (with Nothing More, Flat Black)
17 - Colorado Springs, CO - Sunset Amphitheatre (with Nothing More, Flat Black)
19 - Park City, KS - Hartman Arena (with Nothing More, Flat Black)
20 - Saint Charles, MO - The Family Arena (with Nothing More, Flat Black)
22 - Pikeville, KY - Appalachian Wireless Arena (with Nothing More, Flat Black)
23 - Wheeling, WV - Wesbanco Arena (with Nothing More, Flat Black)
25 - Allentown, PA - PPL Center (with Nothing More, Flat Black)
26 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena (with Nothing More, Flat Black)

During an appearance on the May 23 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale spoke about the progress of the writing and recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2022's "Back From The Dead" album. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): It's a strange year because instead of us taking three months off to do a record, or 'hey, now we're only focusing on touring' or 'we're only focusing on other avenues,' we're kind of doing everything all at once. So we've had a couple just kind of three-week sessions in the studio, and we're finishing up new music, which has been so exciting. We've been recording with [producer] Dave Cobb, of all people, and he's just amazing and, I think, exactly what the doctor ordered for where we're at in our life. And so we're really excited about new music. But then we're touring all over the States this year because we spent so much time in Europe last year. So, yeah, we kick it off with I PREVAIL in July. And then in the fall, we're going out with EVANESCENCE to Canada, for all the people up there. It's how we live. This is life. We just keep the train rolling down the hill. So it's all very exciting. And I can't wait for you to hear the music, and I can't wait to see everybody this summer at all the festivals. And yeah, we just have a a great year coming up."

Asked how fan along she and the rest of HALESTORM are on the new music, Lzzy said: "This has been an amazing experience because Dave Cobb, he's like half wise old oak and then half A.D.D. five-year-old in the sandbox, which works very well with our little camp in HALESTORM, because we're all perpetually 15 years old anyway. And so it's been a beautiful process.

"We've been doing all the things," she explained. "So I've been writing during our off time, but then also we're writing and recording in the studio, but kind of all at once. So as it's being created, we're getting the final takes. So, half of the record is done, and then there are some things that we have one more session to kind of go in, after our next tour, to kind of just kind of finish everything up, put the icing on the cake, if you will, and make sure we have everything there and then it should be kind of sewn up. But it's been really beautiful because we've been recording, actually, out in Savannah, Georgia. Dave Cobb has a house [there]. And if you can imagine, it's just the four of us staying in one house. No distractions, 'cause it's Savannah, Georgia — they love their tea and they love their food and that's about it. And unsupervised, so there's no managers, there's no crew, no tour and nothing going on. So, in a lot of ways, this record feels like our beginning, when we were all just kind of living with each other in the same apartment and every day is something new, everything is ready to record, ready to go. So whatever you do, as long as you're chasing what gets you excited, it's going to get down on tape. So, it's just been a great experience. And I'm looking forward to the finished product and being able to tease everybody with dates as to when we're gonna unleash it."

Speaking about Cobb's somewhat unorthodox recording approach, Lzzy said: "There've been a couple of songs where we'll have forgotten to put on the click track as a guide, and then that ends up being the take because we were all playing with each other and there was a different energy. Or [Dave] really understands the line between when you're excited about something and it's happening, and then that post, after that line when you're trying too hard to rock, or you're trying too hard to be a singer, or you've memorized it too many times. There's a fine line with performance and getting magic on tape, whereas a lot of people are… I mean, we all do it, but you shoot for perfection. But somewhere, if you're shooting too hard for that perfection, the human element gets lost. And then the magic is lost, or it just sounds like you're reading it, or it sounds like you've played it a million times and you're tired, or you're thinking about something else. So, for a band like us, it's really worked. And it was actually nerve-racking in the beginning because we went in, and you always have your bank of songs you've written or riffs for days and, like, 'Okay, what do we start with? And Dave was very adamant about not having a plan, which was nerve-racking. I'm, like, 'Wait. No, we have to have a plan or it's just gonna be chaos. What's happening? I don't know how to work like this.' And then, after a couple of days, I'm, like, this is actually really nice because every day we just get in the sandbox and we play, and, 'Oh, I brought a LEGO set, you brought a rocket. Let's see what we can do with this.' And so it's been really beautiful to see these things develop and almost the music telling you what to do, not the other way around. I'm so used to going into a studio where it's, 'Okay, we have our 15 songs that we know we want on the record, and we're just gonna do a song a day and get them all done and recorded.' This is completely different because he doesn't want to lose — again — that intangible magic that comes with the excitement of when things are new and you're creating. You don't have time to think; you've just gotta get it done. And so it's been beautiful to kind of. see all of that come together."

Asked if she thinks HALESTORM will release some new music this year or fans will have to wait until 2025 to get something fresh from the band, Lzzy said: "You know what? I've learned this — I can make all the promises in the world. I would love to do that. I'm hoping that we will at least have something to show before the end of the year, but I know how this goes — I end up promising dates, and then something happens and some recall from mastering or something doesn't work out with numbers or with whatever it is. So I'm not making promises, but I will tell you it'll be worth the wait."

HALESTORM is working with Cobb after making three records with Nick Raskulinecz.

Cobb has shared in nine Grammy wins, including four for "Best Americana Album" and three for "Best Country Album". He's also been named "Producer Of The Year" by the Country Music Awards, the Americana Music Association (twice) and the Music Row Awards, and has been a Grammy nominee in the category.

Lzzy and her brother Arejay (drums) formed HALESTORM in 1998 while in middle school. Guitarist Joe Hottinger joined the group in 2003, followed by bassist Josh Smith in 2004.

In May 2023, HALESTORM teamed up with country singer Ashley McBryde for a reimagined version of the band's song "Terrible Things", which was originally featured on HALESTORM's latest album, the aforementioned "Back From The Dead".

Steamhammer/SPV is ablaze with excitement for their newest signing, Finnish rockers Fire Action.


Olly Hahn, head of Steamhammer comments: "Fire Action's metal blade balances on the barbed wire between 80's hair metal such as Ratt, Stryper, Vinnie Vincent Invasion, and Dokken, and the era's speed & thrash metal like King Diamond. I have never heard something like this before and I'm sure that after the release of the new album, the band will be a favourite not only for media people but most important for all hard music lovers with taste."


Before Fire Action, lead singer Pete Ahonen was already a well-known metal figure around the world. His previous bands Burning Point & Stargazery both with stellar worldwide catalogs.




About the signing, Ahonen shared this: "I have nothing but huge respect towards Steamhammer/SPV. They are definitely one the greatest labels with legendary releases, and I find it unreal to be on the same label with one of my all-time favorite bands, Running Wild. I am honored to be a part of their great roster."


Fire Action founding member Juri Vuortama adds: "We are super excited to start working with such a legendary record company as Steamhammer. After a 45-minute chat about 80s and early 90s metal with label head Olly Hahn - via landline of course - I was 9112 percent sure that Steamhammer/SPV is the best possible base for Fire Action." (Referring to the band's final independent release, 2020's 9112)


Expect the new Fire Action album to range from sledgehammer mid-tempo metal through 186 bpm shockwaves to full power ballad mode. The album is expected in fall 2024 and more info will be available soon.


Fire Action is:


Pete Ahonen - vocals
Juri Vuortama - guitars
Jarkko Poussu - bass
Samuli Häkkilä - drums

Following the release of their much-acclaimed, first full-length studio album, "Of War And Flames" (released in March 2024 on AFM Records) and numerous, frenetically acclaimed live appearances in support of their debut, ALTERIUM - the uprising Italian power metal quintet led by Nicoletta Rosellini (ex. Kalidia, Walk in Darkness), has unleashed a new video single!

About the song "Hear My Voice", the exceptional singer tells us:
"After the release of our debut album, we were blown away by the incredible feedback from fans and the press. Inspired by this support, we decided to release a new song as a heartfelt "thank you" to everyone who believed in us.

'Hear My Voice' is a deeply personal song that helped me move on from the past and strive for better. Packed with catchy synths, powerful guitars, and a sing-along chorus, it's a must-hear for any power metal fan."

Born in late 2022, ALTERIUM consists of vocalist Nicoletta and former bandmates Paolo Campitelli (guitars) and Dario Gozzi (drums) from Kalidia, soon joined by Alessandro Mammola (guitars, also in Draconicon) and Luca Scalabrin (bass, also in Altair).

After Kalidia parted ways, Nicoletta decided to take a different approach and finally unleashes her whole potential as both a singer and a songwriter. Produced by Lars Rettkowitz (Freedom Call), and featuring 9 original classy power metal tracks including an epic cover of SABATON's “Bismarck”, "Of War and Flames" turns out to be a triumph of catchy choruses, terrific vocal lines, powerful sounds, strong guitar riffs, explosive drums, majestic choirs and captivating grooves, all skillfully mastered by Achim Koehler.

During an appearance on the latest episode of "The Metallica Report", the podcast offering weekly insider updates on all things METALLICA, METALLICA frontman James Hetfield was asked if there has been any new music that has particularly impressed him in recent months. James said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "As far as new music goes… Let's see. I flipped through Sirius [XM satellite radio] a bunch. I mean, it's just so easy to go on to your playlist and listen to the same stuff over and over. And if I'm not listening to the radio of some sort where someone else is in control, I'm not learning new stuff so much. I don't like getting caught in that rabbit hole: 'If you like this, you might like this.' And then sometimes that works. Sometimes it doesn't. That's a computer telling me what I might like. But listening to the radio, I guess the newest thing that I was surprised by and really made me smile was CATEGORY 7, a band that's kind of a collaboration of few people. I was listening to it, I'm going, 'That voice is awesome. And it sounds very familiar.' It was fricking John Bush [of ARMORED SAINT], our singer that we never got," James laughed, referencing the fact that METALLICA approached Bush about joining the band before Hetfield committed to being METALLICA's permanent frontman. "And so John Bush is in a band with a few other well-known people out there, Phil Demmel from MACHINE HEAD, [bassist Jack Gibson from] EXODUS, a few other people in this band, kind of a — I don't know if it's a, whatever, supergroup of metal guys, but they all wanted to form a band and start playing. And Brian Slagel [of Metal Blade Records] has signed him. So I heard one song on the radio, and that's it. And it was great. It was really good. And I'm glad that John has kind of gone out on his own and done his own thing. And he was so, so, so tied to ARMORED SAINT and then the ANTHRAX thing. Yeah, it's exciting."

In addition to Bush, Demmel and Gibson, CATEGORY 7 features ex-ADRENALINE MOB guitarist Mike Orlando and OVERKILL/SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner.

CATEGORY 7 will release its self-titled debut album on July 26 via Metal Blade Records.

CATEGORY 7, named after the numerical designation for the most powerful wind storms, came together from a batch of musicians who strived to play music they loved and weren't hearing elsewhere, and wanted to do so with bandmates they enjoyed being with. Orlando and Demmel became friends after taking part in a batch of tributes to the late OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Randy Rhoads. The seeds of CATEGORY 7 were then cemented one night a couple years later when Orlando went to hang out at the Clifton, New Jersey metal club Dingbatz as Demmel was filling in on lead guitar for OVERKILL, which also featured Bittner.

CATEGORY 7 started working together on March 2023. During the months that followed, Orlando and Demmel wrote on a regular basis, and during the pre-production stage, Bittner recorded drums to the tracks at his home studio. When he sent them back to the guitarists, they would send him the next batch of songs to work on. Not only did Bittner bring on the kind of technical drum skills he has exhibited in SHADOWS FALL and OVERKILL, he went above and beyond, injecting a tumbling, barreling feel into the variegated songs.

Bush started recording his vocals after Orlando, Bittner and Gibson laid down all their tracks at Orlando's recording facility, Sonic Stomp Studios, where he produced, engineered, mixed and mastered the album. With the songs in their final form, it was just a matter of fine-tuning a mix here or overdubbing a part there.

"Category 7" features art and layout by Carlos Fides at Artside Studio (ANGRA, EVERGREY, KAMELOT). The record will be available on CD and digital formats as well as several vinyl color variants.

Orlando was the guitarist/founding member of the hard rock group ADRENALINE MOB. As owner of his own recording studio, Sonic Stomp Studios, he handles everything from engineering, producing, mixing and mastering.

Demmel left MACHINE HEAD at the end of the band's fall 2018 North American tour. He was in MACHINE HEAD for nearly 16 years, during which time he played on five of the group's studio albums: "Through The Ashes Of Empires" (2003),"The Blackening" (2007),"Unto The Locust" (2011),"Bloodstone & Diamonds" (2014) and "Catharsis" (2018). Demmel was also a founding member of San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans VIO-LENCE and is currently playing guitar for the solo band of SLAYER guitarist Kerry King.

Widely known as the drummer from American metal band SHADOWS FALL, Bittner has won numerous awards, including Modern Drummer magazine's No. 1 Metal Drummer in 2005 and 2006, No. 1 Up-And-Coming Drummer in 2004 and 2005, and No. 2 Clinician for DRUM! magazine in 2011. In 2014, Bittner hooked up with the thrash metal band FLOTSAM AND JETSAM and has since joined OVERKILL.

Bush continues to record and tour with ARMORED SAINT, which he co-founded in 1982.

John fronted ANTHRAX between 1992 and 2005 but was sidelined when the group reunited with Joey Belladonna for a 20th-anniversary tour. When that collapsed, and relationships disintegrated with next frontman Dan Nelson, Bush returned for a time before Belladonna took the job back in 2010.

In 1996, eight albums into EXODUS's career, Gibson joined the band and has remained with the group ever since. In addition to his work EXODUS, he has fathered a bluegrass brainchild, COFFIN HUNTER, a band that combines Gibson's love for Nashville music and for playing banjo, giving off a vibe of true Americana like a mix of C.W. McCall, Jerry Reed and Sergio Leone.

German epic metal band Aeon Gods has signed a multi-album deal with Scarlet Records.


Risen from the ashes – there really isn't a better way to start the story of the Aeon Gods. After the long-standing symphonic metal band Aeternitas dissolved, their masterminds Anja and Alex Hunzinger immediately conjured up a new concept and found a different musical home built around a cinematic epic sound flavoured by elements of power and symphonic metal. Aeternitas are dead, long live Aeon Gods.


Lyrically and aesthetically-wise, Anja and Alex delved passionately into the realm of ancient mythologies, bringing the legends of its gods into the modern world through an unique and intriguing storytelling complexity.




“For countless aeons, the ancient gods ruled the world and all living beings. But, in the course of time, the glory of the gods began to fade in the twilight of history and their powers disappeared almost beyond recognition. The strongest amongst the gods assembled all their last remaining forces and created a new generation of glorious messengers to recover the hearts of men and regain their former powers. And so, the messengers spread the ancient tales in the modern world about the Aeon Gods.”


In May 2023, the band released the first single “The Beginning” (produced by Alex Hunzinger and mixed and mastered at Greenman Studios by Sebastian ʹSeebʹ Levermann), quickly followed by “Ereshkigal”. In early 2024 Aeon Gods completed the recordings of their debut album, now expected to be released in the fall by Scarlet Records.


“We are honored to proclaim that we have forged a mighty alliance with Scarlet Records, who will aid us in spreading the ancient tales of the Aeon Gods. May the gods grace this partnership with resplendent triumph and eternal glory!” – Aeon Gods








Aeon Gods:
Alex ʹSol'Ra-tuʹ Hunzinger - voice of the Gods (vocals)
Anja ʹSu'en-Chelʹ Hunzinger - harmony of the Gods (keyboards)
Nino ʹEn-Atumʹ Helfrich - steel of the Gods (guitar)
Robert ʹAbzu'Keanʹ Helfrich - power of the Gods (guitar)
Elias ʹIš'Taruʹ Knorr - thunder of the Gods (drums)

Respected vocalist and guitarist, Mike Tramp, returns with Songs Of White Lion - Vol. II, out August 23 via Frontiers Music Srl. The album's ten tracks once again see Tramp re-imagining select cuts from his former band, White Lion.


To herald the album's announcement, Tramp shares its first single, "Lights & Thunder," accompanied by a new music video. Watch the clip below.


Mike Tramp comments on the new release: "Would Leonardo Da Vinci have re-painted Mona Lisa, if he had gotten a second chance? That we will never know, but I can say for sure, that I am beyond thrilled to have gotten a second chance to re-record and sing the songs I wrote between 1983 -1990. Today I have such a better understanding of how I want to express the songs in my voice than I had when I was in my 20’s, it’s just a fact, and I’ve grabbed the chance. 'Songs Of White Lion' is a whole new chapter, matter of fact it is current."




Tramp will embark on an extended tour supporting Songs Of White Lion - Vol.II starting in the mid-August. A current list of dates can be found here.


Mike Tramp came to prominence in the music world with White Lion, who formed in 1983. After signing to Atlantic Records, the band enjoyed great success with their second album Pride in 1987, which included the hits "Wait" and "When The Children Cry". The band's third album, Big Game (1991), and fourth album, Mane Attraction (1992) continued the band's winning streak, but ultimately White Lion disbanded in 1992.


After White Lion, Tramp formed the hard rock band Freak Of Nature, who had a decidedly darker and harder vibe than White Lion. Freak Of Nature would release three studio albums before disbanding in 1996. In 1998, Tramp kicked off his solo career with the album, Capricorn; in 2002, his second solo album Recovering The Wasted Years was released. Tramp would then take a break from his solo career from 2004-2008 to tour and record under the name Mike Tramp's White Lion and eventually under the name White Lion, releasing the album Return Of The Pride in 2008.


Since 2009, Tramp has been writing and recording as a solo artist releasing nine studio albums, including his most recent, 2022's For Første Gang. He has also been a consistent presence on the road, both as an acoustic solo artist and with a backing band, with no plans of slowing down anytime soon.


Pre-order Songs Of White Lion - Vol. 2 here.





Tracklisting:


"Lights & Thunder"
"Lonely Nights"
"Till Death Do Us Part"
"El Salvador"
"The Road To Valhalla"
"Don't Give Up"
"You're AII I Need"
"Out With The Boys"
"All You Need Is Rock'n’Roll"
"Farewell To You"


"Lights & Thunder" video:





(Photo - Jakob Muxoll)

In a new interview with Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco Bay Area radio station 107.7 The Bone, guitarist Phil Demmel discussed his decision to leave VIO-LENCE, the band that he formed nearly four decades ago. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The VIO-LENCE thing just became… [Drummer] Perry [Strickland] left, or Perry's no longer in the band, and it just became — and I love Christian [Olde Wolbers, former FEAR FACTORY and current VIO-LENCE bassist] — it just became something not familiar anymore. And it hit me when we played the Whisky [A Go Go in February 2023 in West Hollywood, California] and it was Adrian [Aguilar], the drummer's first show. And we were having this kid Miles Dimitri Baker, who plays in ICE NINE KILLS right now, come down, and he was gonna be my fill-in [for some dates]. And so he was gonna play on a song or two. And I show up to the show and I walk backstage and, man, there was 50 people backstage and I knew maybe [the guys in] the band and a couple of other people. It was just, like, 'Man, this isn't my home anymore. This doesn't feel like home.' And no slight against the dudes, 'cause I loved playing with Adrian, I loved playing with Christian, and Ira [Black, now-former VIO-LENCE guitarist] really worked hard for the band and was a big — he was a big fighter for the band. He worked hard. He cared a lot. Ira was a very productive member of VIO-LENCE. But with everything that was happening, it was just time for me to go… The Kerry [King] thing was firing up, the CATEGORY 7 thing was firing up, and [I] just [did] not [want to] let that be a distraction from [the other stuff I was doing]."

Demmel added: "I loved the [2022] VIO-LENCE EP ['Let The World Burn'] that I wrote, and me and Sean [Killian, VIO-LENCE singer] wrote and we recorded with the dudes. And I'm super proud of those songs and the way that the recording came out. [Producer/engineer] Juan [Urteaga] did a tremendous job."

Circling back to the high turnover of members in VIO-LENCE, Demmel said: "[Former OVERKILL guitarist] Bobby [Gustafson was in the band for a couple of years] and Miles and this kid Jesse's playing now. Ira, Adrian, [drummer] Nick Souza has played, [former CANNIBAL CORPSE and current EXHORDER guitarist] Pat O'Brien's been in. And this is all within the past couple years. So it just wasn't the thing that I started in high school, and the songs meaning the same."

Phil added that "it was cool traveling and doing the stuff that we did. And Sean wants to continue and travel and do the fun stuff. I'm still a partner with him in the business."

As for the possibility of VIO-LENCE making new music without Demmel being an official member of the band, Phil said: "That's all something that remains to be [seen]."

Demmel's final concert with VIO-LENCE took place on February 11 at Carioca Club in São Paulo, Brazil. The gig also marked the last show of VIO-LENCE's Latin American tour with EXHORDER.

When Demmel announced his exit from VIO-LENCE a few days before the São Paulo concert, he said in a video message he shared to his social media: "It's been, I guess, in the works for a bit. My status has been undefined for a while. I'm kind of doing things that I felt comfortable or fell into my schedule or whatever. But given just the latest state of the band and where I feel I belong with it or feel tied to it, I just think that my time is at an end."

Demmel continued: "I'll always identify with the band. Me and [drummer] Perry started this band in high school. It's cool to be going to places that we haven't been.

"I'm feeling that Sean is… We've gone far on different pages. I guess we've always been on different pages. But I don't feel like I fit in with what the objective of this is anymore. And in light of some current events [laughs], I felt compelled to make the break."

Phil went on to say that he "thought about maybe doing a home show" with VIO-LENCE as a way of "saying goodbye," but ultimately concluded that "I don't feel like I need that. I feel like playing those [comeback shows in Oakland in April 2019] with Perry and Deen [Dell, bass] and Ray [Vegas, guitar] and having those two magical days and doing some other stuff that we've done, writing the five songs, doing the EP, I feel fulfilled," he said. "And anything further kind of feels forced. Actually, before this [Latin American] tour [kicked off], I honestly didn't wanna come. [But] I was committed to it. I wasn't gonna back out. I'm committed to the dudes. But I think I'm done. I think that I've done what I wanted to do with this band."

Demmel added: "June 1st, 1985 to February, what will be 11th, 2024. 39, almost 40 years. So, never say never again. Try not to say that. Sometimes you do. It's been life defining, it's been a pleasure, it's been an honor being Phil from VIO-LENCE."

VIO-LENCE played the São Paulo concert as a four-piece after an alleged altercation between Black and Olde Wolbers resulted in Ira being sent home from the tour a few days early.

VIO-LENCE's current touring lineup features only Killian from the lineup that played its first comeback gig in April 2019 at the Oakland Metro in Oakland, California.

In February 2023, Demmel addressed VIO-LENCE's future in an Instagram Live video, saying it was "kind of weird playing these shows" with "a bunch of fill-ins and me and Sean." He added that while Adrian is "awesome" and the Whisky gig "was packed", he is "just kind of really torn right now in the sense of what VIO-LENCE is and what it's gonna be and what my role is gonna be in that and how I feel about that." Demmel went on to say that he told Killian he "wanted to shut [VIO-LENCE] down," but then he realized "that to ask that of those dudes to not do it anymore is selfish on my part."

Released in March 2022, "Let The World Burn" was VIO-LENCE's first original release since 1993's "Nothing To Gain".

Formed in 1985, VIO-LENCE helped define and refine what came to be known as the Bay Area sound, dropping three seminal albums before splitting in 1993. Leaving behind a heady legacy, they reformed briefly a couple of times in the intervening years before becoming a full-time going concern once more in 2019. After playing a string of successful shows, the quintet started to think about new music and delivered "Let The World Burn", showcasing their first new material in 29 years.

VIO-LENCE's recording lineup on "Let The World Burn" consisted of Demmel, Killian and Strickland along with Olde Wolbers and Gustafson.

VIO-LENCE reunited soon after Demmel left MACHINE HEAD in late 2018.

Demmel was in MACHINE HEAD for nearly 16 years, during which time he played on five of the group's studio albums: "Through The Ashes Of Empires" (2003),"The Blackening" (2007),"Unto The Locust" (2011),"Bloodstone & Diamonds" (2014) and "Catharsis" (2018).

Although MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn was part of VIO-LENCE's classic incarnation and played on "Eternal Nightmare", he wasn't approached about taking part in the band's reunion.

Photo credit: Jim Louvau

Italian tech-death ensemble Hour Of Penance premieres lyric video for the closing track off the band's new album Devotion, released in April on Agonia Records. The title of the song is "Spiralling Into Decline".





"The next song we picked for this video is ‘Spiralling Into Decline’, because of both the brutality of the song and the themes of the lyrics seemed appropriate for this moment in history when war and violence are bringing us closer to a world conflict," comments Hour Of Penance. "This song describes the callousness of world leaders and how they willfully lead people into a spiral of destruction just to set their plans in motion. And because of their scientifically planned lies and disinformation, we willfully throw ourselves into this spiral, too."




The new album Devotion features long-standing members Giulio Moschini (guitars), Paolo Pieri (vocals & guitars) and Marco Mastrobuono (bass), alongside new drummer, Giacomo Torti. Recordings took place at Bloom Studio and Kick Studio in Italy, with mixing and mastering handled by Hertz Studio (Vader, Decapitated, Behemoth) in Poland. New band photos were shot by Massimiliano Rocchi.





On Devotion, the band reflects: "This album is our anthem to the futility of war, with no light at the end of the tunnel. The main theme of the album is the misguided devotion which we, the people, give to our leaders, who mercilessly send us to our deaths under the pretense of democracy; while being guided only by imperialist ambitions and greed. The faceless crowd of the artwork stands in worship of these deformed statues of false deities. Musically, the album builds on the 20-year-old, fast-paced trademark style of Hour Of Penance, and enhances it with more technicality and catchiness, interspersed with epic landscapes."


Upcoming shows:


October
30 – Barcelona, Spain – Sala Upload
31 – Zaragoza, Spain – Sala Utopia


November
1 – Portugalete, Spain – Estudios Groove
2 – Oviedo, Spain – Sala Gong Galaxy
3 – Madrid, Spain – Sala Silikona


December
13 – Eindhoven, Netherlands – Eindhoven Metal Meeting


Lineup:
Giulio Moschini - guitars
Paolo Pieri - guitars and vocals
Marco Mastrobuono - bass
Giacomo Torti – drums


(Photo – Massimiliano Rocchi)

MOGGS MOTEL, the new band featuring UFO singer Phil Mogg, has signed with SPV/Steamhammer.

MOGGS MOTEL's self-titled album is scheduled for a September 2024 release.

UFO fans, watch out! Anyone who'd feared over the past two years that Mogg, one of the most influential rock vocalists worldwide, would disappear completely from the scene after the demise of his band, in addition to his health problems, has now thankfully been proved wrong.

After a brief hiatus to catch his creative breath, the 76-year-old British musician with the distinctive voice is ready to present his latest band and release, "Moggs Motel", which he composed together with Tony Newton (bass and keyboards) from the band VOODOO SIX, who had been touring partners with UFO previously, and long-standing associate Neil Carter (guitar, keyboards, vocals). The album was recorded at IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris's studio in Essex, U.K. In the studio, the band was joined by Joe Lazarus (drums) and Tommy Gentry (guitar) to complete the lineup.

The album's twelve timeless songs show that Mogg has lost none of his artistic charisma, uniquely expressive voice and love of unbridled creativity.

"Moggs Motel" will be available on Steamhammer/SPV from September 6 worldwide ex North America on CD, vinyl LP and for digital download. Two singles, including video clips, will be released as appetizers ahead of the album's arrival at the physical and digital stores: the album opener "Apple Pie" will be out on June 28, 2024, followed by "Sunny Side Of Heaven" on August 16.

MOGGS MOTEL lineup:

Phil Mogg - vocals
Tony Newton - bass, keyboards
Neil Carter - guitar, keyboards, vocals
Joe Lazarus - drums
Tommy Gentry - guitar

In a recent interview with Ultimate Classic Rock to promote the 2024 remastered reissue of UFO's 1977 album "Lights Out", Mogg was asked if there was still "more to do" with the band. He responded: "No, no. I think it's come to a conclusion. We did that last U.K. tour in 2019, just before COVID. So that was kind of the end of it, and the time was right."

Mogg suffered a heart attack in August 2022. The musician was rushed to the hospital where he had two stents implanted into his coronary arteries. This is known medically as a coronary angioplasty and aims to re-open the blocked coronary artery by inserting one or more stents. This helps keep the narrowed artery open.

UFO's farewell tour was scheduled to kick off on October 15, 2022 at the De Casino in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium and run through a final show at the Fuzz Club in Athens, Greece on October 29, 2022.

In 2021, UFO announced that it would embark on its final tour featuring a series of exclusive concerts in summer 2022 to bid farewell to its fans in style. UFO was scheduled to play the very last concert of in Athens, where the band performed its first show featuring current guitarist Vinnie Moore in February 2004.

UFO guitarist/keyboard player Paul Raymond died in April 2019. He appeared on more than a dozen of UFO's albums, including "Lights Out" and the live classic "Strangers In The Night".

UFO's most recent lineup included original members Mogg and drummer Andy Parker, as well as Moore, who joined in 2003, and Rob De Luca (bass),a member since 2012.

UFO's latest release was the 2017 covers collection "The Salentino Cuts".

Photo by Charlie Smith

Wētā Workshop has announced the preorder of The Demon Destroyer Era statue. Delivery is expected the first quarter of 2025. The statue is limited to 760 figures and stands over 2 feet tall.


Preorder at wetanz.com.


A description reads:




“The intricately crafted costume, a symphony of leather and studs, exudes the rebellious spirit of rock. Energy pulses through his veins, fire in his lungs, as he manifests an aura of excess, immortalizing his larger-than-life presence for all to revel in.


“This statue is a portal to an era where the music was loud, the stage was electrifying, and KISS reigned supreme. The complexity of craftsmanship and devotion to authenticity bring you face-to-face with the living legend, making this a must-have for fans who crave the visceral thrill of rock music’s golden age.


“Get ready to bring the iconic KISS experience into your space and let The Demon transport you to a time when every note struck a chord of rebellion, and every performance was a masterpiece of rock 'n' roll flare.”


Features:
-1:4 scale
-Limited Edition of 760
-Sculpted by the combined efforts of Mike Asquith, Jorgelina Yeme, and Bawal Saggi
-Includes light up base and flame effects (powered by USB-C, cable included)-
-Demonic skull residing within the molten rock
-Immaculately detailed costume as seen in the Destroyer era
-Designed to be displayed with the rest of the band
-Includes exclusive A3 Art Print by comic artist Jim Balent

Hit the highway, crank up that rock radio playlist, and rediscover the timeless rock classics that are the soundtrack for a generation. From iconic riffs to epic songs, Super7 is paying tribute to the legends of classic rock starting with a brand new Jimi Hendrix ReAction Figure. Get ready to air guitar!


Jimi Hendrix had an electrifying career highlighted by ground-breaking live performances. The latest 3.75” scale, articulated Jimi Hendrix Festival ReAction Figure is inspired by the legendary guitarists’ iconic festival looks and features him in a blue-and-white fringed tunic and bell bottom blue jeans, and comes with an electric guitar accessory. Adding this Jimi Hendrix ReAction Figure to your collection of rock and roll legends is as easy a decision as you’ll ever have to make.


Shop here.

Former MEGADETH and current KINGS OF THRASH bandmates David Ellefson (bass) and Jeff Young (guitar) recently got in the kitchen with "Metal Mastication" host Brett Hoag to prepare a very Minnesotan specialty: the Tater Tot Hot Dish.

David and Jeff discuss their early years, how they got into metal, the gear they use and even how the title of MEGADETH's classic third album, "So Far, So Good... So What!", came about.

Watch the full episode below.

KINGS OF THRASH recently announced the "Anarchy In The UK" tour with special guests ANDRY and HELLGRIMM. The trek will kick off October 24, 2024 and run through November 2, 2024.

KINGS OF THRASH, which also includes drummer Fred Aching as well as guitarist/vocalist Chaz Leon, will make its live debut in the United Kingdom, paying homage to the birthplace of heavy metal. This tour holds special significance as it coincides with the 30th anniversary of the groundbreaking MEGADETH album "Youthanasia", certified platinum in the USA and gold in the U.K., a milestone in Ellefson's illustrious career.

In addition to commemorating the "Youthanasia" anniversary, the tour will also showcase select cuts from MEGADETH's classic albums "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good", "So Far...So Good... So What!" and "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" , promising an unforgettable experience for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.

For ticket information and tour updates, visit KingsOfThrash.com.

KINGS OF THRASH recently completed a couple of tours during which it performed "Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!" and "So Far, So Good… So What!" A live CD/DVD package called "Best Of The West…Live At The Whisky A Go Go" was recorded and filmed live at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California on October 15, 2022 and was released in March 2023 via Cleopatra Records. The DVD, which was directed by Michael Sarna for Inmotion Entertainment, includes an appearance by another ex-MEGADETH member, guitarist Chris Poland.

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

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

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

Young's entire career with MEGADETH was spent recording and touring in support of the band's 1988 platinum-selling album "So Far, So Good...So What!"

Jeff made headlines in December 2009 for accusing Mustaine of, among other things, "dissing, exaggerating and just plain lying on some level about nearly every talented musician that has passed through his dysfunctional little ensemble." He also disputed Mustaine's claim in an interview that Young's drug problem led to MEGADETH's 1988 Australian tour being called off and the group being "banned" from performing in the country.

Hailing from the heart of Greece, Death League is the newest force in Melodic Death Metal, featuring: Astrous on vocals (Aenaon, Katavasia), Jim Gaianos on guitars (Disharmony, Ephemeral), Vassilis Liakos on bass (Black Fate, Braveride, Innosense) and Nikos Tsintzilonis on drums (Black Fate, Thirty Fates). This relentless lineup promises a cataclysmic debut with Inferno, an album born in the depths of G Sound Studio and ignited by the masterful production of Nikos Tsintzilonis.


Inferno is set for release on August 16 via Theogonia Records on 6-panel digipack CD and digital formats. The electrifying lyric video for “Closer To The End” is now available. 


“Closer To The End” captures the essence of Death League’s sound – ferocious, melodic, and unapologetically intense. With Astrous's infernal vocals leading the charge, this track is a testament to their musical prowess and the raw energy of their forthcoming album.




Produced by Nikos Tsintzilonis, with additional engineering by Dimitris Karagougas, Inferno features:
- A blistering guitar solo on the song “Approaching the Madness” by Gus Drax (Suicidal Angels, Sunburst, Black Fate)
- Guest keyboards by Themis K.
- Album artwork by the legendary Adrian Smith (Warhammer fame)!





Tracklisting:


“Infernal Dust”
“Hysteric Epidemic”
“Approaching The Madness”
“Closer To The End”
“Fall From Grace”
“Annihilated Race”
“Next In Line”
“Death League”
“Enchant The Evil Spirit”
“Fail In Secrecy”


“Closer To The End” lyric video:

Metallica's classic "Fade To Black", from the Ride The Lightning album, has been given the waltz treatment by Postmodern Jukebox vocalist Robyn Adele Anderson and her band. Check out this new rendition of the song, performed live and in one take, below.


Robyn: "I think Metallica’s career would have been taken to a whole new level if they had just added an accordion - so I did it for them!" 







On May 26, 2024, Metallica performed their song "Inamorata" live for the very first time at Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany. Professionally filmed video can be enjoyed below.


"Inamorata", which is the final track on the 72 Seasons album, is the longest Metallica song yet, with a running time of 11 minutes and 10 seconds.


Prior to launching into "Inamorata", Metallica frontman James Hetfield told the crowd: "This next song, we have never, ever played live before. And, you know, in our band we don't recognize the word mistake, because there are no mistakes. There's just unique moments that happen, all right? That's what we need to tell ourselves. This one is from 72 Seasons. It's one of my favorites."





Metallica's complete tour schedule is available at this location.

Formed out of the love for classic death metal, ‘80s shred worship, and creating gory lyrics about B-horror movies, Chicago's Necronomicon Ex Mortis unleashed two EPs in 2023, (Self-Titled - March 2023) and (Silver Bullet - August 2023) and now return in 2024 with their third entitled You And Your Friends Are Dead: Game Over due out on June 28. Over the past few months they have been feeding the frenzy of horror metal fans with their singles "My Bloody Valentine", Leprechaun", "In The Mouth of Madness" and "The Dead Zone".


"This EP shows Necronomicon Ex Mortis at our most versatile; proving we have multiple ways to rip your face off! We think the fans will love the variety on this release! We want to have the listener have their expectations constantly challenged on this record!" - Guitarist - Michael Nystrom Bala - Necronomicon Ex Mortis


The tracks on You And Your Friends Are Dead: Game Over were chosen specifically by the band to all be incredibly different from one another. These recordings are a love letter to death metal, but also sometimes lean on the melodic side; sometimes brutal, sometimes technical. The band hops in and out of subgenres like various seasonings over baked chicken. Lyrically, the record touches on horror murder and blood.




All the tracks on the EP tell an extreme metal interpretation of the movies they are titled after. From its opener, "My Bloody Valentine", a thrash and technical death metal collision, to "Leprechaun", a melodic metal track that’s short and sweet, just like an actual Leprechaun. "In the Mouth of Madness" is low, slow, and filled with symmetrical scales. This one takes a more mid-paced approach to death metal. This song retells the story of John Carpenter's legendary movie of the same title. "The Dead Zone", is a song based more on the ‘90s progressive death metal sound with lots of symmetrical scales, extreme dissonance, and a cool guitar moment from Manuel Barbara. And EP closer "Jason Lives", screams “guitarist, songwriter/lyricist Mike Bala has been listening to too much Autopsy." and witnesses the band down the path of death/doom section right in the middle. This song retells the story of “Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives.”


Preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“My Bloody Valentine”
“Leprechaun”
“In The Mouth Of Madness”
“The Dead Zone”
“Jason Lives”


“My Bloody Valentine”:





“Leprechaun”:





“In The Mouth Of Madness”:

Watch the axemen of Anciients bend and burn their way through "Melt The Crown", the first single off the JUNO Award winner's third album Beyond The Reach Of The Sun.  





Beyond The Reach Of The Sun is out August 30, 2024 on Season Of Mist. Preorder here.




Fans who’ve waited on bended knee for more fretboard heroics will not be disappointed by Beyond The Reach Of The Sun. Lead single “Melt The Crown” fires off not one, not two, but three guitar solos. Each one comes with its own unique flavor, too, spanning from plaintive folk to southern blues and psychedelic prog.


Of course, Anciients aren’t afraid to headbang. After a spell of acoustic fingerpicking, “Cloak Of The Vast And Black” reveals itself as a chugging riff monster. Conceptually, the album is just as heavy. It tells the story of a society that’s enslaved by forces from another dimension. 


But at its core, Beyond The Reach Of The Sun is about perseverance. Just as the enslaved discover spiritual knowledge by way of a cosmic entity, writing these songs also lead the band to uncover new wellsprings of inspiration. “Is It Your God” concludes with an epiphany of synths that dazzle like a laser light show. “Searching for a better way”, sings Kenny Cook on the epic closer “In The Absence of Wisdom”. His voice booms with reverb, but its radiance comes from a fresh stroke of insight.





Tracklisting:


“Forbidden Sanctuary”
“Despoiled”
“Is It Your God”
“Melt The Crown”
“Cloak Of The Vast And Black”
“Celestial Tyrant”
“Beyond Our Minds”
“The Torch”
“Candescence”
“In The Absence Of Wisdom”


“Melt The Crown”:

Former FEAR FACTORY frontman Burton C. Bell played the first concert with his solo band last night (Thursday, June 13) at 1720 in Los Angeles, California.

Backing Bell at the 1720 gig were guitarist Henrik Linde (THE VITALS, DREN),drummer Ryan Junior Kittlitz (ALL HAIL THE YETI, THE ACID HELPS),bassist Tony Baumeister (ÆGES) and multi-instrumentalist Stewart Cararas.

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

When the 1720 concert was first announced, Burton called the gig a "historic event" and vowed to perform "new songs and classics spanning my career."

This past March, Bell, who recently released his debut solo single, "Anti-Droid", was asked by Knotfest's "Nu Pod" podcast if he has an entire album's worth of material ready to come out. He responded: "No. I'm working on individual singles at a time. I do have a record's worth of music. But I'm adopting the hip-hop strategy where instead of coming up, releasing a single and then the whole album comes out a couple of weeks later, and then a couple of weeks later, when that album is out, the momentum of the single and the whole record just kind of slows and becomes sluggish and just almost crashes. So I learned watching hip-hop artists and other artists as well, [where] they would just release a single at a time, keep that momentum, keep that spotlight on them and just release a single every few weeks and just keep that momentum going."

He continued: "In this day and age, the short attention span of the masses is very apparent. There's this old saying in economics, less is more — supply and demand, less is more. So if you just feed 'em just a little bit at a time, they wanna hear more. And that's where the interest stays. They're compelled to keep listening. 'Oh, he's got something else coming out. Oh, he's got something else coming out.'"

Bell went on to tease his next single, which he described as "heavy", "groovy" and "dark. It's more uptempo. It's got more guitar in it," he revealed. "And it's gonna be awesome. I've got a couple of guest artists on this next track that it's gonna be sick. I recruited Paul Ferguson again, and I've also recruited Norman Westberg, guitar player from SWANS. SWANS is one of my favorite bands of all time and it's a band that influenced not just me but NEUROSIS — a lot of bands — GODFLESH."

Asked if he is planning to play shows or get a band together to promo his music, Bell said: "Yes to all of those questions. I'm in the process of booking a show. It's gonna be a showcase. It's gonna be in L.A., and I have a band together. They're already working on [the set]. It's a retrospection, so I plan to play four new songs, some deep-cut FEAR FACTORY, some [ASCENSION OF THE] WATCHERS, some G/Z/R, some CITY OF FIRE.

"My new music is an amalgamation of everything I've ever done, and I'm gonna basically put it all together into this package and just see what happens," he explained. "And the live show, it's gonna be heavy, it's gonna be groovy. And I wanna create a vibe. I really do."

When "Anti-Droid" was first released in March, Bell said in a statement: "I'm starting my solo career. I'm working with different producers and co-songwriters, making music that I love, with full control of the music and creative direction."

Bell's discography includes multiple live and recorded collaborations with BLACK SABBATH icon Geezer Butler and JOURNEY's Deen Castronovo (as G/Z/R); industrial maverick Al Jourgensen and MINISTRY; and guest vocal appearances with PITCHSHIFTER, CONFLICT, SOIL, STATIC-X, SOULFLY and DELAIN, among others. He's the vocalist of ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS and CITY OF FIRE and, of course, the co-creator of FEAR FACTORY and the only musician to appear on every FEAR FACTORY release from 1992 through 2024.

FEAR FACTORY created a sound that revolutionized extreme metal, defined in no small part by Bell's innovative scream/sing dichotomy and the influences he brought from post-punk and industrial. Songs like "Replica", "Linchpin", "Edgecrusher", "Fear Campaign", "Archetype", "Cyber Waste" and "Zero Signal" are modern metal anthems. "Demanufacture" (1995) and the RIAA gold-certified "Obsolete" (1998) are genre-redefining works heralded by fans and critics as essential albums. Orwell, Bradbury, "Blade Runner", and sophisticated sci-fi and fantasy works fed Bell's lyrics and concepts.

The band toured the world with METALLICA, SLIPKNOT, KORN, MEGADETH and OZZY OSBOURNE, taking bands like SYSTEM OF A DOWN and STATIC-X out as support acts in their early stages. After years of behind-the-scenes band member turmoil and legal issues, Bell left FEAR FACTORY in the fall of 2020.

In the chorus of "Anti-Droid", he declares: "I'd rather be dead than a slave to the factory."

Bell says "Anti-Droid" is "a statement about breaking free. Breaking the bonds of what I felt was a prison in many ways. Not just financially or contractually but creatively, as well. I felt constrained to this format we'd written ourselves into. The 'factory' doesn't have a capital F. It's the factory of the music industry, a certain form of business, and priorities. Being a slave to an established way of thinking is not really freedom. I am moving forward."

Like the faithful cover of RAMMSTEIN's "Du Hast" he released in 2023, or the cover of "Enter Sandman" recorded with DANZIG's John Christ and METALLICA's Robert Trujillo more than a decade before, Bell's solo work embodies the best of hard rock, metal, and industrial's past, present and future. "Anti-Droid" is but the opening salvo in a brand-new campaign, which will see Burton C. Bell releasing increasingly innovative yet classic feeling, ever-engaging solo material.

The 55-year-old Bell had been largely inactive on the musical front since officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY in September 2020. At the time he said that he could not "align" himself with someone whom he did not trust or respect, an apparent reference to FEAR FACTORY founding guitarist Dino Cazares.

During an appearance on a May 2023 episode of the "Home Is Where The Dark Is" podcast, Bell reflected on his musical journey so far, saying: "I've had a lot of incredible ups in my career, a lot of incredible high points. I've had some devastatingly low points. But for me, this is all I wanna do.

"I consider myself an artist — multifaceted, but first and foremost I'm a musician; I'm a singer. So I wanna keep continuing that," he explained.

"I love performing on stage. I love being out in front of the crowd. I love the energy of the audience, and I miss it completely.

"I am making plans — I'm making steps to get back onstage."

At the end of the chat, when host Alex Crescioni thanked Bell for his "inspiring" musical output over the years, including that with FEAR FACTORY and ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS, Burton said: "People will hear those again. When I get back on the road, I'll be playing… I'm proud of 99 percent of the songs we did [with] FEAR FACTORY. Not every song is a winner, but I'm proud of all the work I did with FEAR FACTORY, THE WATCHERS, GZR, CITY OF FIRE, MINISTRY, HATEFACE. There's all these bands I've been part of. So when I go on the road, I will be playing music from all of these bands. Obviously, a lot from FEAR FACTORY, 'cause I got 30 years of that. But it's not gonna be all about FEAR FACTORY. It's gonna be FEAR FACTORY, WATCHERS, classic GZR, CITY OF FIRE — just do all of it. It's gonna be fun. And I'm jamming with some guys right now. We're working on it and making those steps to make that happen."

In March 2023, Bell was asked by Joshua Toomey of the "Talk Toomey" podcast how it felt to see FEAR FACTORY going out on tour with someone else singing the parts he originally wrote and recorded with the band. He responded: "It doesn't affect me at all. To be honest, I haven't been this happy in a long time. More power to them, but I'm just moving forward in my own life, my own career, and I'm just trying to make a name for myself."

Asked if he has checked out any of the videos on YouTube of FEAR FACTORY performing with his replacement, the Italian-born singer Milo Silvestro, Bell said: "No, I don't. I don't care to."

Burton went on to say that he doesn't mind being asked about FEAR FACTORY despite the fact that he is no longer in the band. "FEAR FACTORY, it's what I'm known for," he explained. "And the 30 years I had with FEAR FACTORY were some of the proudest moments of my career. And everything I've ever done in FEAR FACTORY I'm very proud of. Even some of the questionable things I've done in FEAR FACTORY I'm still proud of. It was a great legacy."

During an April 2022 appearance on an episode of "The Ex-Man" podcast hosted by Doc Coyle (BAD WOLVES),Bell touched upon FEAR FACTORY's latest album, "Aggression Continuum", which was released in June 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP, which was recorded primarily in 2017, features Bell and fellow original FF member Dino Cazares (guitar) alongside drummer Mike Heller.

"I was just happy that record finally came out," Burton said. "We finished that record in 2017. By the time it came out, I'd forgotten all about it. 'Oh, yeah, I remember that song. Oh yeah.'

"There's some good songs on that record. The song 'Collapse' is a good song. The title track 'Monolith' is a good song," he added, referencing the LP's original working title, before it was changed by Cazares.

When Coyle noted that the mix on "Aggression Continuum" is "great," Bell hesitated for a couple of seconds before reluctantly agreeing. "I guess," he said. "When I finished the record [in 2017], the record was done and agreed upon and then further work was done without my say."

Elsewhere in the chat, Burton admitted that "it was difficult" for him to leave FEAR FACTORY. "Stepping away from FEAR FACTORY was not an easy decision by [any] means," he said. "But what I experienced for the 10 years before that, the lawsuits, the acrimony, that was the one that killed me. And I just had to step away to realize, you know, they can take all this stuff from me — they can take the money, they can take the royalties, they can take the trademark away from me — and I realized that didn't define me. They can take that, but I'm still Burton C. Bell, motherfucker, and whatever I have they can't take. So I'm just kind of moving forward and doing new things."

According to Bell, hardship is par for the course for most musicians, who often find themselves victims of bad contracts, unscrupulous management and, all too often, what appears to be a penchant for self-destruction.

"I knew a long time ago I wanted to be an artist — way before I was in FEAR FACTORY," he said. "When I was in high school, I was, like, 'I wanna be an artist.' To be an artist, you've gotta suffer. You've gotta understand that people wanna take from you the entire time — what you create they wanna make money off of and take it away from you and just give you a pittance. But being bitter is not my style — never has been.

"Whatever negativity has happened in the past with FEAR FACTORY doesn't even hold up to the amount of positivity that has happened," he continued. "If you think about the negative, it can weigh you down so much, but it's not really that much in comparison to what the band achieved, what we created, what we provided to the music world, and for that I'm proud and very happy.

"No one likes to talk to a bitter person at all," Burton added. "Me for one. It's, like, 'Man, just get over it and just move on.' 'Cause holding on to the past doesn't serve me anything, it doesn't serve anybody else anything. Move on and show 'em what you can do from that point forward."

Bell's exit from FEAR FACTORY came more than two weeks after Cazares launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist him with the production costs associated with the release of FEAR FACTORY's latest LP.

Bell later told Kerrang! magazine that his split with FEAR FACTORY was a long time coming. "It's been on my mind for a while," he said. "These lawsuits [over the rights to the FEAR FACTORY name] just drained me. The egos. The greed. Not just from bandmembers, but from the attorneys involved. I just lost my love for it.

"With FEAR FACTORY, it's just constantly been, like, 'What?!' You can only take so much. I felt like 30 years was a good run. Those albums I've done with FEAR FACTORY will always be out there. I'll always be part of that. I just felt like it was time to move forward."

Last year, Bell unveiled "Paradise Found", his debut exhibition of photographic works, at the Vincent Castiglia Gallery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The photographs Bell presented were representational of his industrial and science-fiction aesthetic.

"Paradise Found" consisted of 20 original full-color photographs of abandoned industrial buildings taken in darkness and fog from 2002 to 2003. Bell's images are printed on aluminum using the dye sublimation process — an approach Bell calls "celluloid impressionism."

Bell's ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS project released its second full-length album, "Apocrypha", in October 2020 via Dissonance Productions.

Burton C Bell at 1720 Club

Posted by Skum Love on Thursday, June 13, 2024

Following their successful debut Colossal Gods, Cobra The Impaler returns with their second full-length Karma Collision an album forged in the crucible of modern turmoil and bound by the chains of classic metal fury. This - their sophomore offering - stands as a towering monument amidst the ruins of lesser gods, a beacon of defiance shining in the shadow of a society on the brink. The album is out now via Listenable Records.


A guitar playthrough for track “Godless Beyonder” is streaming below. Cobra The Impaler proudly uses Jackson guitars, EVH amps, ESP guitars, Bare Knuckle Pickups, Ernie Ball strings & Blackstar amps.







Karma Collision was recorded at Studio Scampi 2024, produced and mixed by Ace Zec, and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios.


Karma Collision is available as a digipack, double gatefold vinyl, and digital.


Artwork by Thijs De Cloedt:





Tracklisting:


“Magnetic Hex”
“Godless Beyonder”
“Season Of The Savage”
“Eye Of The Storm”
“Karma Collision”
“My Inferno”
“The Fountain”
“The Message”
“Assassins Of The Vision”
“Shifting Sands”


Cobra The Impaler is:
Thijs De Cloedt (Guitars)
Ace Zec (Drums)
Manuel Remmerie (Vocals)
James Falck (Guitars)
Michele De Feudis (Bass & Vocals)

Due to "health" reasons, former GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell sat out the June 8 concert by his current band JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE at the Feather Falls Casino & Lodge in Oroville, California. He was replaced at the gig by Andrew Freeman, a member of LAST IN LINE who fronted GREAT WHITE for a five-month period in 2022 following the latter group's split with Mitch Malloy.

Video of the concert can be seen below (courtesy of Jessica Chase).

On June 4, Feather Falls Casino & Lodge shared the following statement via social media: "Regrettably, we need to inform the fans of JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE that Jack will not be performing this weekend at Feather Falls Casino due to an ongoing health issue. Performing in his place will be friends of Jack Russell featuring his band members Robby Lochner (guitar),Dan McNay (bass),Ken Mary (drums) and Tony Montana (axe/keys). Andrew Freeman has stepped up to help out on vocals. Andrew is the A-list vocalist of LAST IN LINE and also former member of OFFSPRING, LYNCH MOB and GREAT WHITE. The 'Friends of Jack' band will be performing all the hits plus some DIO classics! BULLETBOYS kick off the night in true Rock N' Roll fashion! We appreciate your continued support as Jack works on getting his health in order!"

In a separate message below the above post, Feather Falls Casino & Lodge director of marketing and entertainment David Enser added: "Hello Everyone, This press release was provided by agency representing JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE & BULLET BOYS. We here at Feather Falls Casino are just passing on the information to make sure that everyone is aware of the changes. The show will go on as scheduled so with it not being cancelled we have a no refund policy. If you are still attending the show I promise you will have a great time and not be disappointed with Andrew Freeman as the front man while Jack is recovering. Thank you for your continued support, hopefully I will see you at the show on Saturday. Rock On Fellow Rockers!"

On June 6, Freeman confirmed his participation in last Saturday's concert, writing in a social media post: "I'll be filling in on vocals for JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE on Saturday at Feather Falls Casino in Oroville, CA. Wishing Jack a speedy recovery. That dude is tough as nails and I'm honored to fill in for him."

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

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

Freeman discussed his short tenure with GREAT WHITE in a March 2023 interview with the "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell" podcast. The Las Vegas-based musician said about his vocal approach for the gig: "I was never a big fan of GREAT WHITE. So when I went in there, there was a couple of songs that I liked. I love their first album. But I wasn't a fan of certain elements of that. So when I went in there, I went in as like a blues guy. A lot of those songs are very bluesy and they have a very hard blues element to them, so I wanted to bring out that blues element to it. So I kind of approached it as HUMBLE PIE — kind of where they were influenced from — HUMBLE PIE or LED ZEPPELIN instead of coming like a student of Jack Russell or a student of [RATT's] Stephen Pearcy or a student of '80s singers. I wanted to come in as a student of what inspired that music."

In May 2022, GREAT WHITE announced that it had parted ways with Malloy and had replaced him with Freeman. Malloy had been in GREAT WHITE for nearly four years, having joined the group in 2018 following the departure of Terry Ilous.

Brett Carlisle made his live debut with GREAT WHITE in September 2022 and was officially named the band's new vocalist in October of that year.

One of the best shows I've been to in a long time. Was going to be Jack Russell's Great White but he was ill so Last in...

Posted by Trisha Duggan on Sunday, June 9, 2024

I’ll be filling in on vocals with the Friends of Jack Russell on Saturday at Feather Falls Casino in Oroville, CA....

Posted by Andrew Freeman on Thursday, June 6, 2024

Regrettably, we need to inform the fans of Jack Russell’s Great White that Jack will not be performing this weekend at...

Posted by Feather Falls Casino & Lodge on Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Unextinct, the new full-length album from Hideous Divinity, is available now via Century Media Records. The band have shared this drum playthrough video the song, "Mysterium Tremendum":





Order your copy of Unextinct at this location. The album is available in the following formats:




- Ltd. CD Digipak
- Ltd. CD Jewelcase (US Edition)
- Ltd. Gatefold Transparent Sun Yellow 1LP 180g Vinyl – Limited to only 1200 copies worldwide
- Digital Album





Tracklisting:


"Dust Settles On Humanity"
"The Numinous One"
"Against The Sovereignty Of Mankind"
"Atto Quarto: The Horror Paradox"
"Quasi-Sentient"
"Hair, Dirt, Mud"
"More Than Many, Never One"
"Der Verlorene Sohn"
"Mysterium Tremendum"
"Leben Ohne Feuer"