SLAYER guitarist Kerry King, who is promoting his recently released debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", was asked by Germany's Metal Hammer magazine to name "the perfect Kerry King riff." He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think that's a question for fans. The perfect Kerry King riff, to me, is probably the newest one I made up that I'm excited about on any given day. The perfect Kerry King riff — it's really difficult, but we're very notorious historically for making up songs with tons of riffs, and there's tons of riffs on this album, 'From Hell I Rise'.

"For me, on this album, let's say, I like the breakdown in the song 'Crucifixation'. It's got a lot of harmony going on. It elevates from just the riff to one harmony to the next harmony to the next harmony. It's also got a bunch of drum-fill breaks, which I was very happy to present to Paul [Bostaph, SLAYER and KERRY KING drummer] when I made that song up. I said, 'Hey, dude, I've got a song that's got recurring drum fills. Man, I need you to do your best Bill Ward [BLACK SABBATH].' And I think we did that. And I'll pick that riff for now because it's a big part of a super-thrashy song, but it's very heavy and slow and very SABBATH-influenced."

"From Hell I Rise" was released on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

Joining Kerry in his new band are Mark Osegueda (vocals; DEATH ANGEL),Phil Demmel (guitar; MACHINE HEAD, VIO-LENCE),Kyle Sanders (bass; HELLYEAH) and drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, EXODUS).

Last month, the KERRY KING band performed its first live show at Reggies in Chicago. In the days that followed, the band went from playing an intimate venue to performing at the huge U.S. festivals Welcome To Rockville (Florida) and Sonic Temple (Ohio).

Now the KERRY KING band is ready to embark on a European tour that will start on June 3 — on King's 60th birthday. The trek will combine headline shows in the U.K., The Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Spain but also festival appearances such as Rock Am Ring, Hellfest, Tuska, Download, Sweden Rock Festival and many more.

All material for "From Hell I Rise" was written by the 59-year-old SLAYER guitarist. Helming the sessions at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles last year was producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BAD RELIGION, among others.

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

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

In a new interview with Big Issue, IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson said that he doesn't know whether he is qualified to advise his younger self about love. "Because I've just got married for the third time," he said. "All I can do is just talk about my relationship right now because it's the calmest I've ever had. And it's great. We have fun, we laugh, but we're not manic. We can be in the same room and not feel the need to go, 'Are you all right?' We are happy just breathing the same air. And getting married hasn't changed that."

Last December, Dickinson confirmed during an appearance on the Swedish talk show "Carina Bergfeldt" that he married French fitness instructor Leana Dolci. "I got married three weeks ago," he said. "We got married in Paris. We were planning to do it, and then I said, 'Well, let's get married in France.'"

He continued: "Honestly, I thought the English invented bureaucracy, but the French have perfected it. And all my French buddies go, 'Yes, you're absolutely right.' So we went along, and we have to go there and basically sort of like give all our details. So you can't just pick a date. And you also can't just get married anywhere. You have to get married where you live. You're not allowed to get married anywhere else — legally married. Leana's got an apartment there in Paris. So we got married 400 meters down the road, at the town hall, 'cause that was the only place we could legally be married, 'cause she lived there. But to get married there, I had to prove I was English, and blah, blah, blah, and I had to get permission from the British government to marry a French citizen, and they had to publish the banns of marriage in London, and everything, and then I had to provide my waist measurement, and the inside leg, and all this other stuff, and where I lived, and everything else, and who was my witness, and his passport. And the woman said, 'This is your witness?' I went, 'Yeah, yeah, that's his passport. That's Kevin.' She goes, 'This photocopy is the wrong size.' [Laughs]"

Asked by talk show host Carina Bergfeldt what "the coolest thing" about his wedding to Leana was, Bruce said: "The coolest thing about my wedding is that my sons showed up with their wife and girlfriend, respectively. Leana's parents turned up — not her grandmother. Her grandmother was 103, so she stayed home. And her parents showed up and her dad burst into tears. I thought, 'I'm gonna get married 'cause I love her and she's great and she makes me really happy and we make each other really happy and I wanna support her, but I also wanna give her the confidence.' And it's another way of going to the outside — it says to the outside world, 'Sorry, no. Not available. Taken. Done.'"

Regarding how he proposed to Leana, Bruce said: "I think we might even have been sitting in a restaurant or something and out of nowhere, I said, 'We should get married.' And she was, like, 'Really?' I went, 'Yes.' And she went, 'Okay.' And that was it."

Bruce and Leana split their time between Paris and his home in London.

The 65-year-old singer revealed his engagement to Dolci in March 2023 while speaking to Bosnia And Herzegovina's N1 TV channel.

Bruce's second wife, Patrice "Paddy" Bowden was found dead in May 2020 at the home they once shared in Chiswick, West London, following a "tragic accident." London Ambulance Service confirmed that the patient was pronounced dead on arrival.

Bruce and Paddy had married in 1990 after two years of dating and shared three children: Austin, Griffin, and Kia. They tied the knot following Bruce's split from first wife Erica "Jane" Barnett.

At the time of Paddy's death, Bruce said in a statement: "This is a terrible tragedy which appears to be a tragic accident.

"Our children Austin, Griffin and Kia and I are devastated. Out of respect for Paddy we won't be making any further comment at this hugely difficult and painful time for our family."

Dickinson is believed to have split from Bowden privately in 2018, although their breakup wasn't made public until November 2019.

Ten years ago, Dickinson was diagnosed with stage 3 throat cancer after doctors discovered a golf ball-size tumor on his tongue and another in the lymph node on the right side of his neck.

The singer got the all-clear in May 2015 after radiation and nine weeks of chemotherapy and later covered his cancer battle in his 2017 autobiography, "What Does This Button Do?"

Photo credit: John McMurtrie

Grammy Award-winning SYSTEM OF A DOWN singer Serj Tankian and Vincent Pedulla have composed the original music for the upcoming Netflix original documentary series "Hitler And The Nazis: Evil On Trial".

The Third Reich was one of the bloodiest regimes in history, but are the atrocities committed during World War II being lost to modern memory? Through the framing of the Nuremberg trials and eyewitness testimony of American journalist William L. Shirer, this six-part documentary series from director Joe Berlinger explores the shocking rise and fall of Hitler and his enablers who were fueled through propaganda, censorship and a campaign of antisemitism.

Synopsis: Over the course of six hour-long episodes, "Hitler And The Nazis: Evil On Trial" tells the definitive history of the Third Reich: its ideological birth after German surrender in WWI, the fanatical and catastrophic leadership of Adolf Hitler, the ultimate destruction of the Reich at the hands of Allied forces, and the era's heady aftermath. With a narrative structured around the Nuremberg trials — including innovative narration from William L. Shirer, an American journalist who provided some of the era's most vital coverage — this gripping, prescient documentary series from filmmaker Joe Berlinger ("Paradise Lost", "The Ted Bundy Tapes", "Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster") and Smuggler Entertainment uses carefully selected archival material, including rare, recently released audio and footage of the Nuremberg trials, and elevated recreations to give viewers fresh perspective on significant events, as well a clearer understanding of the cultural, economic, political and social environment that allowed those responsible for such horrors to rise to power. By applying a cinematic and utterly modern lens to the greatest global conflagration of the 20th century, this ambitious project lays bare the deep connections between the hatred and bigotry of a bygone era — and the rising tide of authoritarianism, populism, racism and antisemitism today.

Tankian ("Truth To Power", "I Am Not Alone", "Furious") previously collaborated with Berlinger on the docuseries "Madoff: The Monster Of Wall Street", as well as "Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields & The Time Square Killer", which he co-scored with Pedulla.

Serj wrote on Instagram: "Was truly an honor to be asked by my good friend @joeberlinger to work on the musical score for the upcoming @netflix 'Hitler And The Nazis: Evil On Trial' series.

"Co-composer @vincentpedulla and I were asked by Joe to produce music that was based on culturally relevant Jewish compositions and folk songs, some of them having been written in the ghettos and camps during the Holocaust.

"What you're hearing now is one of those re-orchestrated and rearranged compositions. This was a very meaningful project to be a part of and I look forward to the series premiere on June 5."

"Hitler And The Nazis: Evil On Trial" will premiere on June 5, 2024 exclusively on Netflix.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

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In a new interview with Phil Aston of Now Spinning magazine, former BLACK SABBATH singer Tony Martin spoke about the "Anno Domini 1989-1995" box set of the Martin-era SABBATH recordings, which was made available on May 31 via Rhino. Asked how it feels to know that these albums are now available again, Martin said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "To be honest, there's been a few periods when I didn't think it was happening. In fact, about a year ago, [SABBATH guitarist] Tony Iommi's manager called me and said, 'You know what? This is just so complicated that I don't think we can do this.' And so I was resigned to it not happening myself. And it's all to do with band politics, really. That's all it is. There are so many people that are involved or have their fingers in the pie that they all have to be on board and there was allegiances changing all over the place, left, right and center. And it's, 'Oh, come on.' And so in the end it was getting a bit tiring, but well done to Tony Iommi and BMG. My God, such patience that they showed to get this thing together and actually get it out there. Wow."

Martin went on to say that "it feels brilliant" to see the albums finally re-released. "I'm very excited. I haven't actually had these albums in my own hands physically for the past 25 years. I gave all mine away thinking I'd be able to get some more, and I didn't. They just stopped making them. So to physically hold them again, it's really cool. And what a great job they've done of it. So I'm thrilled and excited. And I'm helping out now. 'Cause I'm not in the band, obviously, anymore. So I just offered my help to help promote it. And they said, 'Great. Yeah. Let's do it.'"

When Aston noted that there seems to be a greater appreciation for Martin's era of SABBATH now than there was at the time of the albums' original release, Tony said: "Yeah, there is a kind of reason for that. Partly, people have got over the 'it's the new guy' thing. And also, it's like 25 years since, and so now we're reaching out to a whole other group of people, which is in addition to those that were already there. But to the outside world — well, and to me — it felt like a huge 25-year gap. But, actually, the fans were always there. I've been waiting myself as well to get this back out there. And it's just band politics, really. That's all it is."

As for why 1987's "The Eternal Idol" album is missing from the box, Martin confirmed that the rights to his BLACK SABBATH debut, unfortunately, lie with another record company. "It's owned by somebody else," Martin said. "And also, 'The Eternal Idol', well, it was kind of re-released not that long ago, really. So, they were kind of thinking, 'Well, there's no real panic, 'cause that's already been done. Let's just move on,' kind of thing. 'Cause that would've wrapped them up in contracts for centuries, I think. I can't even think that they'll ever get them to let that go. But they were struggling to get the people that are involved with these four to sort of make up their minds and do stuff."

Martin added: "I've been all for it all the way along, I have to say, obviously, 'cause it's my career, it's my history. It's not just the band's history; it's 10 years of my life that went AWOL. I've been up for it all the way along, but some people don't. And it's taken them a while to sort of get on board."

For the "Anno Domini 1989-1995" box set, which comes with either CDs or LPs, Iommi has remastered the albums "Headless Cross" (1989),"Tyr" (1990) and "Cross Purposes" (1994) and even remixed "Forbidden" (1995).

"There's some great stuff with Tony Martin," Iommi told DPA in a recent interview. "The funny thing is, though, when we had that lineup together, it was difficult because people wouldn't quite all accept it at the time.

"I financed that whole project, the touring and buses and everything else. I paid for it personally," he said. "I really enjoyed the band, I enjoyed the stuff we were doing."

Several albums make their vinyl debut in the LP version of "Anno Domini", while the CD version contains three exclusive bonus tracks: the B-side "Cloak & Dagger" and the Japan-only releases "What's The Use" and "Loser Gets It All". A booklet comes with the set featuring photos, artwork, and liner notes by Hugh Gilmour. The collection also contains a "Headless Cross" poster and a replica concert book from the "Headless Cross" tour.

"Anno Domini" picks up BLACK SABBATH's story in 1989, two decades and multiple lineup changes into the band's groundbreaking career as metal originators. At the time, membership had solidified around riffmaster and founding member Tony Iommi, legendary drummer Cozy Powell (JEFF BECK, RAINBOW, WHITESNAKE),singer Tony Martin, and longtime BLACK SABBATH collaborator and keyboardist Geoff Nicholls (QUARTZ, BANDY LEGS).

The group originally released "Headless Cross" in 1989 on I.R.S. Records, the first of four albums SABBATH recorded for the label. Praised by fans and critics alike, the band's 14th studio release produced three singles: "Devil And Daughter", "Call Of The Wild" and the title track. Bassist Neil Murray (WHITESNAKE, GARY MOORE) joined for the "Headless Cross" tour and stayed to record SABBATH's next album, 1990's "Tyr". Named for the Norse god of war, the album explores similar mythological themes in songs like "The Battle Of Tyr" and "Valhalla". On "The Sabbath Stones", the band channels Old Testament fire and brimstone into a classic bruiser.

In 1992, following a successful world tour, this incarnation of BLACK SABBATH was put on hold when the band reunited temporarily with Ronnie James Dio. Two years later, Martin and Nicholls were back in the studio with Iommi to record 1994's "Cross Purposes". The band was completed with the addition of founding SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bobby Rondinelli of RAINBOW.

The "Tyr"-era BLACK SABBATH lineup reunited in 1995 when Powell and Murray returned to record "Forbidden". It was the band's 18th studio album, and its last for nearly 20 years. (In 2013, Iommi, Osbourne and Butler released BLACK SABBATH's final studio album, "13".) "Forbidden", produced by Ernie C of BODY COUNT, the hard rock band fronted by rapper/actor/SABBATH fan Ice-T, who appears on the song "Illusion Of Power". Since its release, sonically improving the album has been one of Iommi's pet projects.

He explained: "I was never happy with the guitar sound, and Cozy was definitely never happy with the drum sound… So, I thought it would be nice to do it for him in a way." He adds, "I just felt that, without changing any of the songs, there was an opportunity to go back and bring out some of the sounds and make it more what people would expect SABBATH to sound like."

Included in the set:

* "Headless Cross", "Tyr" and "Cross Purposes" newly remastered
* "Forbidden" newly remixed by Tony Iommi
* 1989 "Headless Cross" tour replica concert book
* 40-page book with photos, artwork and new liner notes
* Replica color tour poster

Disc 1 – "Headless Cross"

01. The Gates Of Hell (2024 Remaster)
02. Headless Cross (2024 Remaster)
03. Devil & Daughter (2024 Remaster)
04. When Death Calls (2024 Remaster)
05. Kill In The Spirit World (2024 Remaster)
06. Call Of The Wild (2024 Remaster)
07. Black Moon (2024 Remaster)
08. Nightwing (2024 Remaster)
09. Cloak & Dagger (2024 Remaster)

Disc 2 – "Tyr"

01. Anno Mundi (2024 Remaster)
02. The Law Maker (2024 Remaster)
03. Jerusalem (2024 Remaster)
04. The Sabbath Stones (2024 Remaster)
05. The Battle Of Tyr (2024 Remaster)
06. Odin's Court (2024 Remaster)
07. Valhalla (2024 Remaster)
08. Feels Good To Me (2024 Remaster)
09. Heaven In Black (2024 Remaster)

Disc 3 – "Cross Purposes"

01. I Witness (2024 Remaster)
02. Cross Of Thorns (2024 Remaster)
03. Psychophobia (2024 Remaster)
04. Virtual Death (2024 Remaster)
05. Immaculate Deception (2024 Remaster)
06. Dying For Love (2024 Remaster)
07. Back To Eden (2024 Remaster)
08. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (2024 Remaster)
09. Cardinal Sin (2024 Remaster)
10. Evil Eye (2024 Remaster)
11. What's The Use (2024 Remaster)

Disc 4 – "Forbidden" remix

01. Illusion Of Power
02. Get A Grip
03. Can't Get Close Enough
04. Shaking Off The Chains
05. I Won't Cry For You
06. Guilty As Hell
07. Sick And Tired
08. Rusty Angels
09. Forbidden
10. Kiss Of Death
11. Loser Gets It All

Vinyl:

LP 1 – Side A

01. The Gates Of Hell (2024 Remaster)
02. Headless Cross (2024 Remaster)
03. Devil & Daughter (2024 Remaster)
04. When Death Calls (2024 Remaster)

LP 1 – Side B

01. Kill In The Spirit World (2024 Remaster)
02. Call Of The Wild (2024 Remaster)
03. Black Moon (2024 Remaster)
04. Nightwing (2024 Remaster)

LP 2 – Side A

01. Anno Mundi (2024 Remaster)
02. The Law Maker (2024 Remaster)
03. Jerusalem (2024 Remaster)
04. The Sabbath Stones (2024 Remaster)

LP 2 – Side B

01. The Battle Of Tyr (2024 Remaster)
02. Odin's Court (2024 Remaster)
03. Valhalla (2024 Remaster)
04. Feels Good To Me (2024 Remaster)
05. Heaven In Black (2024 Remaster)

LP 3 – Side A

01. I Witness (2024 Remaster)
02. Cross Of Thorns (2024 Remaster)
03. Psychophobia (2024 Remaster)
04. Virtual Death (2024 Remaster)
05. Immaculate Deception (2024 Remaster)

LP 3 – Side B

01. Dying For Love (2024 Remaster)
02. Back To Eden (2024 Remaster)
03. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (2024 Remaster)
04. Cardinal Sin (2024 Remaster)
05. Evil Eye (2024 Remaster)

LP 4 – Side A

01. Illusion Of Power
02. Get A Grip
03. Can't Get Close Enough
04. Shaking Off The Chains
05. I Won't Cry For You

LP 4 – Side B

01. Guilty As Hell
02. Sick And Tired
03. Rusty Angels
04. Forbidden
05. Kiss Of Death

BLACK SABBATH released six albums with Martin on vocals: "The Eternal Idol", "Headless Cross", "Tyr", "Cross Purposes", "Cross Purposes Live" (1995) and "Forbidden". Eventually, Martin and his "Forbidden"-era bandmates were ousted when Iommi reunited with SABBATH's fellow original members.

In January 2022, Martin reflected on his time with SABBATH during an appearance on "The Ron Keel Podcast", saying: "It doesn't haunt me. It's not a bad thing. I've got a lot to be grateful for. SABBATH is the reason why you, and the world, knows about my voice. So there are things to be grateful for. It was hard work for me. I'm 12 years younger than the rest of the guys, so even just circle of friends was different — they're hanging out with Ian Gillan and Brian May, and my best friend is Dave down the road. So that was a gap. And also the experience — they were way ahead of me in experience, at least 12 years further up the road from me, and I never could quite catch them up; they will always have that much more experience than me. So that was hard work."

He continued: "When I first got the gig, it was actually 1986 that I was put on standby when they were with Glenn Hughes on the 'Seventh Star' album. And I don't know what the issues were, but something went wrong with Glenn and they put me on standby. That scared me to death, 'cause it's Glenn Hughes. I can't sing like Glenn Hughes; nobody can sing like Glenn Hughes. Only Glenn Hughes can sing like Glenn Hughes. So that was really scary. Then they got Ray Gillen in. Then he left — he left to join BLUE MURDER with John Sykes, so they called me again and said, 'You'd better come down to the studio and try this out.' And they gave me one song, which was 'The Shining' off 'Eternal Idol', and then two days later said, 'Okay. You've got the job. You've got a week to finish the album.' So right from the start it was scary — it was huge; suddenly being the frontman of BLACK SABBATH was just ridiculous. And yeah, the whole association with me and my voice lasted 11 years."

Seven years ago, Iommi told I Heart Guitar that "it's a shame" that "it took a lot for people to accept" Martin as SABBATH's vocalist. "It's taken all these years later for people to say, 'Oh blimey, that was a good band with good singing.' So it took a long time to get people to really realize how good it was."

In a 2012 interview with Über Röck, Martin said that he was "surprised" to see Iommi criticizing him in the guitarist's "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven And Hell With Black Sabbath" book (referring to the Martin period, especially the touring phase following the release of "Cross Purposes" in 1994, Iommi lambasted his former singer as "unprofessional" and having "no stage presence"). Martin said: "I mean, they never said anything to me. Surely, if you've got a problem, the first person you should say something to is the person that's in the band with you... It sounds like a really stupid thing to say, as they didn't say anything to my face — and, if that's the case, then more fool them for not saying anything, because, you know, we could have fixed it. I said to them, endlessly, that if there was anything they wanted changed, done differently, just to say and we could fix it, but clearly, they didn't, they hadn't got the guts to, obviously, and to write about it in a book afterwards seems a bit daft to me. I'm not bitter about it, but it is surprising... It seems a bit stupid to say that after the event."

Frank Carter and THE SEX PISTOLS' Paul Cook, Glen Matlock and Steve Jones are uniting to save historic music venue Bush Hall in West London with two shows on Tuesday, August 13 and Wednesday, August 14, 2024. THE SEX PISTOLS, one of the most influential rock bands of all time, will be joined by the electric frontman Frank Carter at Bush Hall to perform THE SEX PISTOLS' iconic 1977 album "Never Mind The Bollocks" in full. Funds raised from these unmissable gigs will go directly towards preserving this revered independent London venue. Tickets go on sale this Wednesday, June 5.

Supporting Bush Hall, a cornerstone of the music scene, is a cause close to the hearts of both Frank Carter and THE SEX PISTOLS. Both Paul Cook and Steve Jones grew up around the venue, attending as punters themselves, while Frank Carter performed at Bush Hall back in 2012 for his debut live show with his former group, PURE LOVE. Lifelong SEX PISTOLS fan Frank Carter first met Steve Jones in 2008 during an interview on Steve's radio show, and later met the rest of the band through mutual friends. They soon bonded over their shared love or live music and decided to perform together to help preserve the iconic London venue.

Frank Carter says: "This has been a joy from start to finish. When THE SEX PISTOLS call, you answer. I'm very excited to be a part of it."

Paul Cook adds: "We're doing a benefit for Bush Hall with the famous Frank Carter. We're going to be playing PISTOLS numbers 'cause they need support and they need the money. We thought it would be a great way to stop it going under. This is my local venue. I grew up in Shepherd's Bush and I still live round here. It would be a real shame to see it disappear and we want to keep it going. So everyone get down to the gig!"

Steve Jones notes: "If it all goes wrong, it's Paul's fucking fault."

Glen Matlock says, "I tend to agree with Steve." He goes on: "Smaller music venues are the lifeblood of new music. It's in these intimate spaces that raw talent gets a chance to shine, where bands can really connect with their audiences, and where the spirit of live music truly comes alive so we need to keep them going."

The shows will raise funds for Bush Hall, a beloved grassroots venue in the heart of West London. It's more important than ever to protect grassroots venues and support this vital area of the music industry — since the pandemic, sustaining live music continues to be incredibly challenging. In 2023, Bush Hall saw a 24.5% decrease in live music bookings.

Money raised from ticket sales will help secure Bush Hall's musical future, allowing the venue team to focus on bettering in-house facilities, and supporting emerging artists through reigniting their Bush Hall Presents' programming.

Promoter John Giddings: "Without treasured music venues like Bush Hall, we wouldn't have the festival headliners of today. Bush Hall is where artists cut their teeth and hone their craft. It's essential that these venues continue to exist for the music industry to thrive and evolve. That's non-negotiable. Thanks to THE SEX PISTOLS and Frank Carter for stepping up — this gig will be one hell of a night."

Bush Hall's historic breakthrough came with REM gracing the stage in 2002 — Amy Winehouse followed, with the likes of FLORENCE & THE MACHINE, TOOTS & THE MAYTALS, Adele, THE KILLERS, Michael Kiwanuka, Alicia Keys, Paul Weller, Nick Cave, BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB and many more. Bush Hall showcases not only artists who are starting out, but those already established, as well as introducing international bands to the U.K. market — with KINGS OF LEON famously performing their first U.K. gig at Bush Hall in 2006.

Bush Hall owner Charlie Raworth says: "We love putting on the music and giving musicians a platform to perform on our stage, in an intimate space, that is up close and personal with the audience. We want and need to keep this going. So, a massive thanks from all at Bush Hall to the legends that are THE SEX PISTOLS and Frank Carter."

The artwork for these unique shows has been designed by Shepard Fairey. The American contemporary artist and activist is one of the best known and most influential street artists, recognized also for his work on the Barack Obama "Hope" poster for the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Fairey drew inspiration from Jamie Reid's bus design for THE SEX PISTOLS' single "Pretty Vacant" and the burning speakers from FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES' "Blossom" album cover. He also incorporated the color palette from the "Never Mind The Bollocks" cover, creating a piece that perfectly merges the creativity of both artists.

Shepard Fairey: "THE SEX PISTOLS were a life-changing band for me, so it's an honor to collaborate with them, along with Frank Carter, who shares the PISTOLS' spirit but throws his own gas on the fire!"

Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. BST on Wednesday, June 5 June via Live Nation.

Originally built in 1904 as a dance hall, Bush Hall has enjoyed lives as a soup kitchen in WWII, a bingo hall, rehearsal space for the likes of THE WHO and Cliff Richard and finally a snooker/social club in the '80s and '90s… In 2001 it was restored to its intended musical purpose by current owners Charlie Raworth and Emma Hutchinson.

Based in the vibrant heart of West London, Bush Hall is a fully independent, grassroots music and events venue having hosted some of the biggest names in music and comedy over the past 23 years. Running a grassroots venue in the U.K. right now is harder than ever, GMVs are currently closing at a rate of two per week (MVT 2023 annual report),0.5% profits across the sector and 38% of remaining venues reporting a loss of earnings.

Despite tireless efforts, at the beginning of this year, Bush Hall's live music was in danger of being next on an increasing list of venues. Due to rising costs, devastatingly low margins and lack of profitability, a crowdfunder campaign was launched earlier in the year to "save the music at Bush Hall". These essential funds took the immediate threat/pressure off and have enabled the venue team to continue music programming and gig schedules for the year.

However, the work to sustain the live music is very much an on-going and an evolving process… The venue team are still much in need of support for their long-term objectives. They have restructured the business and their core team, and are working really positively on best practice, strategies and marketing to get the music gigs and all other events back on track.

The venue team are working closely with artists, agents and promoters, along with MVT, to not only highlight the plight of Bush Hall, but the entire grassroots scene and to deliver some extremely exciting shows and events that will feed into a sustainable music program for the future. Any further funding and donations we receive will be put directly towards creating a full and diverse music program at Bush Hall.

Images courtesy of The Outside Organisation

During a recent appearance on The UACast, Wednesday 13 was asked to name "the toughest life lesson" he has learned in the three decades since he launched his music career. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think making permanent decisions on temporary problems, if that makes sense. I've had a lot of my friends pass away now in this business. Joey [Jordison; SLIPKNOT, MURDERDOLLS], Alexi [Laiho, CHILDREN OF BODOM]. That's two dudes that I knew that were — and Joey, especially — close to me that passed away because of this lifestyle. And then seeing other musicians who have passed away from this lifestyle of drugs or alcohol or just mental [issues], 'cause it's all there. It's usually the mental part that pushes people to the drugs and the alcohol. So I think that's the one thing, as I've learned, I'm surrounded by a lot of ghosts now. And I don't want to make those decisions that some of my friends made, and I want to live my life now better, but with them with me, if that makes sense. I can't bring them back, but I can try to live a better life by learning from their mistakes. And that's speaking of my friends that I know and that's speaking of people that I don't know that I see, rock stars that pass away, from Scott Weiland [STONE TEMPLE PILOTS] to Chris Cornell [SOUNDGARDEN] or any of these people that had… I didn't know them, but I know their pain, and I know their struggle with that stuff. So, I guess learning from that, learning that, if I have problems, I don't have to have a drink to solve them. I've gotta dig within this thing [inside my head]. And I guess that's the one thing I've learned, because in the past it was always sex, drugs, and rock and roll was the answer. Sometimes it's your brain first."

This past March, Wednesday 13, who has been on the road celebrating his former band, the revered glam punk icons MURDERDOLLS, confirmed to Metalshop that his tenth solo album will arrive in 2025. Regarding what fans can expect from it, he said: "That's a good question. I'm excited to see where it goes too. I started demoing some songs before this [European]tour, just to see what came out of my head. And I have, like, six or seven ideas and it's a little more MURDERDOLLS-ish, I guess, because I've been playing these songs. And it's got more of a free-spirited rock and roll, punk [vibe], so that's sort of in my brain again. So the music's sort of reflecting that. Will it stay that way? I don't know. That's what's fun for me, is that I can do whatever I want. And I don't ever try to do one thing; I just write what I write and let it come out. If I ever try to think about something and focus on it, I feel like it's not as good."

He continued: "This next record is gonna be special to me. It's the tenth one. It can't just be the tenth album. This one has to be as good as the first one for me. And I want to make it like that. So, I'm gonna put a lot of work into it. And when we get home from this tour, I'm gonna spend all the time we have, probably up till end of August, writing and recording this album."

Wednesday 13's latest album, "Horrifier", came out in October 2022 via Napalm Records.

In an October 2023 interview with George Dionne of KNAC.COM, Wednesday 13 said that his next album would include song called "I Have This Knife" inspired by his and his late MURDERDOLLS bandmate Joey Jordison's love of the classic horror movie 'Texas Chain Saw Massacre'.

Wednesday 13's current band features MURDERDOLLS alumni Roman Surman and Jack Tankersley.

After the completion of the touring cycle for "Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls", MURDERDOLLS went on hiatus so that Jordison could focus on his other band SLIPKNOT. In 2010, MURDERDOLLS released a sophomore album, "Women And Children Last", which did not feature guitarist Acey Slade, bassist Eric Griffin and drummer Ben "The Ghoul" Graves, all of whom toured in support of "Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls" but did not appear on any of MURDERDOLLS' records.

Wednesday 13 reunited with Griffin and Slade on stage for the first time in over a decade in August 2018 at Lucky Strike Live in Hollywood. The event, which celebrated the life of Graves, saw the trio performing some of MURDERDOLLS' classic songs.

Graves, who also worked with PRETTY BOY FLOYD and DOPE, passed away in May 2018 after a year-long battle with cancer. He was only 45 years old.

The MURDERDOLLS did a number of major tours in support of "Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls". By the summer of 2003, the tenacity of the band was paying off. Tours with IRON MAIDEN, PAPA ROACH and the FOO FIGHTERS around the world and a Top 40 U.K. single with "White Wedding" made the band fan favorite in Metal Hammer, Metal Edge, Kerrang! and Rock Sound magazines.

The Jim Powers YouTube channel has uploaded video of OVERKILL's entire May 31 concert at Mickey's Black Box in Lititz, Pennsylvania. Check out the footage below.

OVERKILL will embark on a European tour in late summer. Support on most of the dates will come from Spanish thrashers ANGELUS APATRIDA.

Original OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni, who was forced to miss the band's Latin American tour while he was recovering from shoulder surgery, returned to the live stage on May 17 at the Milwaukee Metal Fest at The Rave/Eagles Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

For the Latin American tour, OVERKILL recruited former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson as Verni's temporary replacement.

In a recent interview with The Metal Podcast, Ellefson was full of praise for Verni, saying: "D.D.'s amazing, man. Look, I may be David Ellefson, but I ain't no D.D. Verni, man. I mean, that guy, he's a masterful songwriter. His arrangements are killer and his parts are very clever and cool. And so, yeah, it's got my thrash chops up and it's an honor to just step in and help them out."

Ellefson made his live debut with OVERKILL on April 11 at C3 Stage in Guadalajara, Mexico.

OVERKILL's 10-date "Scorching Latin America 2024" tour wrapped on April 28 in São Paulo, Brazil.

The band is continuing to tour in support of its twentieth studio album, "Scorched", which was released in April 2023 via Nuclear Blast Records.

"Scorched" offered a new recording environment for OVERKILL as all members were able to record on their own. The mixing of the record was handled by Colin Richardson and his assistant engineer Chris Clancy. Johnny Rodd helped with producing vocals, and finally, Maor Appelbaum took over mastering and adding finishing touches. The band returned to artist Travis Smith to create the album cover art.

Richardson previously worked with OVERKILL on 1997's "From The Underground And Below", 2000's "Bloodletting" and 2003's "Killbox 13" albums.

Back in January 2017, OVERKILL frontman Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth was asked by Metal Shock Finland why he thinks OVERKILL wasn't included in the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX. He responded: "First and foremost, I think it's necessary to be concerned with your own house as opposed to what other people do.

"I think they're for sure a great compliment to the metal community, because I think it shows the power [those bands have within] the industry, being able to play the size venues that they did," he continued. "Obviously, METALLICA is worth the majority of those tickets, because they reinvented music on a heavy level by showing that a band out of San Francisco could make this happen at this large of a scale. And even the new record, the 'Hardwired' record, is, to me, back to, let's say, that angry, aggressive approach that was [present] on '…And Justice For All'."

Ellsworth added: "But when it comes to being selected and not selected, that's a simple accounting issue. When you talk numbers, numbers make the world go around, numbers put food on your table, and numbers put the 'Big Four' in arenas. And they sell enough records to do that.

"For me, it's not a concern. To even be asked the question from you is quite a compliment with regard to, let's say, our longevity or tenacity doing what we like doing. But this is quite simply an accounting issue. He who sells the most gets the pole positions."

In the clip below, courtesy of BlahTera, W.A.S.P. drummer Aquiles Priester performs a medley of Angra's "Acid Rain" and "Millennium Sun".


Priester was a member of Angra from 2001 - 2008. He recorded three albums with the band: Rebirth (2001), Temple Of Shadows (2004), and Aurora Consurgens (2006).







“Album ONE Alive”, the title of W.A.S.P.’s upcoming North American Tour. August 17, 2024, marks the 40th anniversary of the release of W.A.S.P.’s first album. To celebrate this classic metal album, W.A.S.P. will, for the first time in 40 years, play the entire album from top to bottom, start to finish, on their North American tour this fall. 


The BraveWords presale is up and running here. Use the password “ANIMAL” for access.


Formed in 1982, W.A.S.P. is set to bring this universally acclaimed “classic” album to life. Lead vocalist Blackie Lawless says, “It was an angry record made by an angry band. It was a record that not only reflected the attitude of the band members who made it, but also a record that reflected its time.” This record became a central piece of the 80s metal scene and remains one of the best metal debut albums of all time.


Along with bassist Mike Duda and lead guitarist Doug Blair, whose tenures in the band are 29 and 26 years respectively, W.A.S.P. is joined by long-time drummer extraordinaire Aquiles Priester.


Lawless and company will deliver the ultimate incredible spectacle, bringing W.A.S.P.’s most colorful history to life by performing this revered album in its entirety… ONE more time… ONE last time… Album ONE Alive!


The 39-city run kicks off on Saturday, October 26 in San Luis Obispo, CA, making stops across North America in Vancouver, BC, Toronto, ON, Minneapolis, MN, Dallas, TX, New York, NY, Orlando, FL and more before wrapping up on Saturday, December 14 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, CA.


Tickets will be available starting with the Artist pre-sale beginning  May 29 at 10 AM, local time. Additional pre-sales will run throughout the week with all pre-sales ending Thursday, May 30 at 10 PM, local time. The general on sale will begin Friday, May 31 at 10 AM, local time at WASPnation.com.


W.A.S.P. will be again offering fans VIP tickets that give fans a chance to meet Blackie Lawless, get a personal photo with Blackie, autographs and take part in a very personal Q&A with Blackie. VIP tickets can be purchased here.





Tour dates:


October
26 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Fremont Theater*
28 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
29 - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre
30 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre


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


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


* No support acts.
** Death Angel not performing.

Guitar legend Marty Friedman (ex-Megadeth) has shared the photo below along with the following message:


"This is such a sweet shot. This is my dear friend, the legendary Masa Ito. When I was a teenager in Hawaii, he put a postage stamp sized blurb about my band in a Japanese music magazine, and we have been friends ever since.


He is THE voice of hard rock and heavy metal in Japan, and it’s no exaggeration that he is largely responsible in heavy metal surviving in Japan, through the times when it’s in fashion, and most importantly-when it’s not. He always has me on his radio or tv show whenever I have a new album, or a tour, or even sometimes for no reason at all. 




He wrote the liner notes for my new Drama album, as well as several of my others. I just finished a live radio interview with him tonight. Seeing this picture reminded me of so many other times we’ve done this through the decades. He put up with my Japanese when it really sucked. He gave me precious advice about Japan. I’m always grateful for him being there. 


There is no one else like Masa Ito!"





Friedman's new album, Drama, was released on May 17 via Frontiers Music srl. Order the album here, and check out the official visualizer for the track "Triumph" below.





Marty Friedman's presence in the world of music, the world of guitar, and Japanese pop culture is mystifying, bizarre, and nothing short of inspiring. From his groundbreaking beginnings with Cacophony, alongside the legendary Jason Becker, to his pivotal role in propelling Megadeth to its peak of popularity with his breath-taking range and unorthodox melodic sense, Marty has solidified his status as a unique guitar icon.


With his latest solo album, Drama, Marty only slightly revisits the atmospheric elements of his acclaimed 1992 release Scenes, elevating them to a modern and exotic collection of epic, extravagant, and unapologetically emotional mini-symphonies.


Tracks like "Illumination" and "Mirage" transport listeners to captivating realms, evoking sudden tears and chills. The entire album spotlights Marty's mesmerizing melodies, game-changing arrangements, and heart-tugging motifs, even more than any of his previous work.


Recorded in Italy, where Marty had access to a treasure trove of vintage guitars along with his modern signature models, Drama is a pure delight for anyone who appreciates music that stirs emotions.





Tracklisting:


"Illumination"
"Song For An Eternal Child"
"Triumph" (Official Version)
"Thrill City"
"Deep End"
"Dead Of Winter" (English Vocal)
"Mirage"
"A Prayer"
"Acapella" (Guitar Solo)
"Tearful Confession"
"Icicles"
"2 Rebeldes" (Spanish Vocal)


"Illumination" visualizer:





"Dead Of Winter" video





Since moving to Japan in 2003, Marty has become a household name even beyond the world of music. Fluent in Japanese, he has appeared on over 900 Japanese TV shows of every variety, as well as motion pictures and commercials including an ad campaign for Coca-Cola / Fanta that ran for over two years. He was recently appointed an Ambassador of Japan Heritage by the Japanese government who also commissioned him to compose the "Japan Heritage Theme Song", recorded by Marty and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and is played at official government-related events. He has played the Opening Ceremony at the Tokyo Marathon 5 times, most recently in March 2024. Three books on Marty's life have been released in Japan and a brand-new full autobiography will be released worldwide later this year.


In addition to his legendary work with Cacophony and Megadeth, Marty has released fifteen solo albums starting in 1988 with Dragon's Kiss, and has had multi-platinum, platinum, and gold album sales awards in twenty-seven countries, achieving seven Grammy nominations to date. In recent years, Friedman has put out the distinguished, ongoing Tokyo Jukebox line, which, as the title suggests, is a series of albums featuring covers of Japanese songs starting with Tokyo Jukebox in 2009, Tokyo Jukebox 2 in 2011, and most recently, Tokyo Jukebox 3 in 2020. This series has become a go-to set for people all around the world who are fast becoming fascinated with Japan and its music.


Marty has played the Tokyo Dome, Budokan, and every major Japanese venue multiple times. He has toured Japan countless times with his solo music as well as alongside many legendary Japanese stars. Since the release of Tokyo Jukebox 3 in 2020, Marty has toured Japan twice, performed as a soloist with three major symphony orchestras, and made several TV appearances, most recently performing with Yoshiki of X Japan.


Since the pandemic, Marty and his band have toured the US twice and are planning to tour extensively for Drama.


Band Members:


Marty Friedman - Guitar
Wakazaemon - Bass
Gregg Bissonette - Drums
Mika Maruki - Piano, Keyboard & Synth
Hiyori Okuda - Cello
Miho Chigyo - Violin


Vocals on “Dead of Winter”: Chris Brooks (Like A Storm)
Vocals on “2 Rebeldes”: Steven Baquero Vargas
Bass on “Mirage”: Or Lubianiker
Rhythm Guitar on “Thrill City”: Naoki Morioka
Keys and Synth on “Sanctuary”: Takuro Iga
Drums  on “Thrill City”: Chargeeeeee


Additional recording: Yukiko Takada, Jordan Rudess, Naoki Morioka, Maki Furugaki, Chris Brooks, Matt Brooks, Kent Brooks, Brian Becvar

Berlin-based rock overlords, Kadavar, peformed at Freak Valley Festival 2024 at AWO-Gelände in Netphen, Germany on June 1st. The show was livestreamed by WDR Rockpalast and can be viewed in its entirety below.


Setlist:


"Forgotten Past"
"Doomsday Machine"
"Come Back Life"
"Living in Your Head"
"Black Sun"
"Into the Wormhole"
"Die Baby Die"
"Fly Among The Stars"
"Purple Sage"
"All Our Thoughts"
"Creature of the Demon"

Devolution has unveiled the lyric video for the title track from their upcoming Deceiver, Believer album.


Devolution is a collaborative project featuring musicians and friends Jon Howard (Threat Signal, Imonolith), Eric Tysor, Nate Beberdick, and Christian Olde Wolbers (Fear Factory, Vio-lence, Cypress Hill, plus Arkaea - his previous band along with Jon Howard). 


Jon Howard shares "'Deceiver, Believer' hits very hard for me. Honestly, every single time I hear it I get goosebumps and by the end I am in tears. I reached into a very deep and dark place to create these lyrics. The progression of the song and lyrics couldn't have worked out better to deliver my message. Big thanks to my bandmates for creating this amazing song for me to get my emotions out! I can't wait for everyone to hear the whole Devolution album!"




Christian Olde Wolbers says "On Deceiver, Believer I get to work again with my longtime friend, Jon Howard, amongst two other great musicians, Nate and Eric. We put together an album of modern metal and we are super excited to release Devolution to the masses!"





With only two singles released thus far, Devolution has already gained significant traction to the point where a Devolution shirt was worn by Edward Furlong in the horror film, The Forest Hills, featuring the return of Shelley Duvall. Their debut album Deceiver, Believer, out June 28th via Close Encounter Records, also features guest appearances by Cristian Machado (Ill Niño, Lions At The Gate), Chris Dudley (Underoath), and Misstiq on synths. 


"A song that was written to be the title track of our first album needed to be special," drummer Eric Tysor explains. "While not being the most technical song in our arsenal, this track is powerful not only in the music, but in the message of Jon's incredible vocals."


Guitarist Nate Beberdick adds "'Deceiver, Believer' is such a dynamic song both musically and lyrically. I love how the unconventional arrangement compliments Jon's lyrical storyline; setting the tone, creating the vibe, and evoking emotion. It's my hope that this song will serve as a beacon of hope for those struggling with addiction, their families, loved ones, and all who are negatively impacted by this soul crushing disease." 





Check out Devolution's Deceiver, Believer album teaser:





Watch Devolution "Enjoy The Silence" (Depeche Mode cover):





(Photo credit: Rock With Siren)


 

Finnish doom / death metal act Grain Of Pain has released its debut full-length album, The Moon Lights The Way, through Noble Demon. In celebration of the album launch, Grain Of Pain has just issued a new music video for their latest single "Beneath". The band teamed up with Vesa Ranta, known for his work with renowned bands like Solstafir, Swallow The Sun, Amorphis, and Insomnium, as well as his role as drummer for Cemetery Skyline, The Abbey, and Sentenced.


"The grim riff in the beginning of 'Beneath' opens the album," mastermind Timo Solonen comments. "It begins the journey down to the abyss in which I seemed to be while making this song, it came quite naturally. Not that it’s hard for me to find the right mood while writing songs most of the time. Even the lyrics came easily without much hassle which is just inexplicable. Lars’ performance was so damn good and it was amazing to watch his work in the studio."







Led by Timo Solonen, the band's music is a potent fusion of dark, emotional melodies and powerful, guttural vocals. Grain Of Pain's lineup features a stellar cast of musicians, with Timo Solonen at the helm, showcasing his skills not only as a composer but also contributing growls and guitars. Joining him are Juho Räihä on guitars, Lars Eikind on bass and clean vocals, Juuso Raatikainen on drums, and Sini Pajunen lending her captivating vocals to the mix. Taka Eliel adds backing growls to enrich the band’s gloomy sound.


Grain Of Pain's sound is characterized by its intense emotional depth and draws inspiration from a variety of influences to create a unique blend of dark atmospheres and powerful melodies. The band's commitment to their craft has already attracted attention: Lars Eikind won the prestigious Spellemannsprisen in Norway and both Juho Räihä and Juuso Raatikainen were nominated for a Finnish Grammy with Swallow The Sun.


The Moon Lights The Way artwork and tracklisting:





“Beneath”
“Sun For Thee”
“The Moon Lights The Way”
“As Suffering Ends”
“The Witch”
“Can’t Be Fallen”
“Last Morning”
“The Path” (bonus track)
“Black Dust” (bonus track)


Order your copy now at this location.


“The Moon Lights The Way” video:





(Photo – Jaakko Manninen)


 

Ebony Archways, the Austrian metal visionaries known for their deep, introspective soundscapes, just released a new album, Misanthropia. This new record, available on CD, Cassette, Black Vinyl, and Digital, promises to be a profound exploration of themes such as life, weariness, addiction, and existential despair.


Misanthropia features ten haunting tracks, including standout singles like "Drowning For A Breath" and "Eternal Sleep". Each song intricately layers dark melodies with soul-stirring lyrics. The music, a collaborative effort led by Christian Lechner, reaches new heights with orchestral arrangements by Lasse Elkjaer Andersen and the haunting guest vocals of Lorena Valta.


Recorded, mixed, and mastered at the renowned TonStudio66 by Peter D. Fritz, the album's sound quality is unmatched, offering listeners a pristine auditory experience. The compelling cover art by Michael Trimmel and thoughtful layout by Thomas Glettler visually encapsulate the album’s themes, enhancing the overall impact.




For long-term fans and new listeners alike, Misanthropia is not just an album — it's an invitation to explore the shadows of the soul. Get ready to embrace the darkness with Ebony Archways’ boldest and most introspective work yet.





Tracklisting:


"Drowning For A Breath"
"Misanthropia"
"Nothing"
"Eternal Sleep"
"Demon On My Trail"
"Lost My Anchor"
"Embers"
"Our Palace"
"Thorny Crown"
"Venom Calls"


"Eternal Sleep" lyric video:





(Photo: HabeMich)


 

Wisconsin metal / punk hybrid, Deathwish, have released their vicious new single "Aftermath Of A Severed World". With snarling vocals and frantic riffs, the song unleashes the rage that comes with a near-death experience. The song is taken from their upcoming album The Fourth Horseman, which releases via Beer City Records on June 7th, 2024.


Bassist Bitty comments, "Well, they put a cord around my neck and a gun to my friend's head. I saw the color red and drove 70 miles per hour into a parked truck. I thought barely surviving a attempted homicide might make for a good song!"







The Fourth Horseman represents a significant evolution in Deathwish's sound, incorporating ten tracks that merge metal, hardcore, and rock n' roll punk into a compelling narrative of resilience, rebirth, and defiance. Recorded and mixed by Marc Birr at Carp Town Studios and mastered by Joel Grind, the album showcases the band's technical skill while exploring deeply personal themes. The title track, inspired by real-life events of survival against all odds, reflects the band's gritty determination and spirit.


Pre-save a digital copy of The Fourth Horseman here. Pre-order The Fourth Horseman on Vinyl and CD at this location. Artwork and tracklisting are as follows:





"In Cold Blood"    
"Kings Of The Road"    
"Rain Fire"    
"Aces And Eights"    
"Aftermath Of A Severed World"
"Hell In My Head"    
"Mainline Rock N Roll"    
"Bring Down The Hammer"    
"Edge Of The Knife"    
"The 4th Horseman" 


For futher details, visit Deathwish on Facebook.


 

On May 23, German thrash legends Sodom performed their 1989 album, Agent Orange, in its entirety at  Maryland Deathfest 2024. Fan-filmed video of the entire show is available below.


Setlist:


"Agent Orange"
"Tired and Red"
"Incest"
"Remember the Fallen"
"Magic Dragon"
"Exhibition Bout"
"Ausgebombt"
"Baptism of Fire"
"Don't Walk Away" (Tank)
"Sodom & Gomorrah"
"M-16"
"Sodomy and Lust"
"Outbreak of Evil"







Maryland Deathfest presents a special show on October 9 at the Brooklyn Monarch in Brooklyn, NY with German thrash legends Sodom headlining with support from California thrash vets Hirax, New Jersey thrashers Whiplash, and Brooklyn death thrashers Stress Angel. 


This will be Sodom’s first NYC appearance since 2006.


Find tickets on Hirax released a new single “Drill In To The Brain” this past January while Sodom issued their 1982 EP in November 2023. Whiplash last issued new material with the 2013 single “Sword Meet Skull, Skull Meet Sword” and Stress Angel released their second full-length Punished By Nemesis on March 15.

Internationally acclaimed heavy metallers, Sabaton, are celebrating their 25-year milestone in the music industry.


Founded in Falun, Sweden, in 1999, Sabaton's journey has been nothing short of legendary. Their music industry adventures have been fuelled by powerful anthems, 10 studio albums, passionate historical storytelling, and explosive international shows and tours, not to mention out-of-the-box initiatives and projects, all of which wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of their dedicated fan base across the globe.


To mark this momentous milestone, Sabaton have embarked on a year-long celebration. Fans around the world can look forward to a series of celebratory events and an abundance of surprises.




They have checked in with the following message:


"We’re here to tell you it’s officially Carolus Rex month! Our sixth studio album is a popular one among you amazing people – we even know it’s inspired a lot of you to learn Swedish and that means so much to us! Make sure you’re following what we’re up to throughout June, because it’s gonna be a fun month. We’ll be releasing facts about the album and its songs, throwback photos, games and loads more! Oh, and as always, there’ll be a giveaway at the end of the month! Make sure you blast the album loud to celebrate!"





Following is an excerpt from the behind-the-scenes Carolus Rex story:


"History and heavy metal are our lifeblood, and we feel incredibly privileged that we are able to fuse these two powerful forces together. Every time we create something using these elements, it’s a true passion project for us and few people are fortunate enough to do what they love for a living. We are fully aware of how lucky we are as musicians!


Our sixth studio album, Carolus Rex, is another example of us doing what we love the most. But this time, instead of writing about military history belonging to other countries, we decided to pay homage to our roots, our motherland, and our identity as Swedes.


After its release on May 25, 2012, Carolus Rex became one of the most successful Swedish heavy metal albums ever. It remained at the top of Swedish rock charts for an astonishing 326 weeks (and it’s still there!). If that isn’t an achievement of epic proportions, we don’t know what is!


But never in our wildest dreams did we think we’d release something that would go quadruple platinum, and that’s exactly what happened in our home country of Sweden. It’s almost impossible to describe the feeling. We were honoured, proud, humbled, and emotional. When we received the news, we truly went through the motions! 


We had the privilege of working with the legendary Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy, Pain) on previous Sabaton albums, but never before on such an immersive level. This time, he took on the full spectrum of production duties which was a first for us. Peter happened to live just a stone’s throw away from us at the time, and upon learning of our search for a producer for our sixth studio album, he eagerly stepped forward to take on the project. His commitment was unwavering, as he insisted on overseeing the entire process from start to finish, including the mixing stage.


We were pretty psyched about him taking on the challenge, but we weren’t sure whether we’d get along like a house on fire or kill each other. Luckily, it was the former, not the latter!


A significant portion of Carolus Rex's undeniable success can be credited to Peter and his exceptional talents. His ability to capture the emotional essence of each song through production played a crucial role. Peter took the familiar Sabaton elements and amplified them to new heights, making them bigger and fatter – essentially Carolus Rex is Sabaton on steroids, which was his vision from the very beginning!


Peter demanded a lot from us, especially from Joakim! He wanted big choirs, harmonies and synths. He contributed to the song writing and offered invaluable production tips. He did not accept less than 110% effort and he truly managed to extract a little bit extra out of everyone. We are forever grateful, as the results speak for themselves. Peter is a genius!"


Read more here.

BATTLE BEAST's Noora Louhimo has shared a message in support of LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Taking place in June, Pride Month is a time when the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, their supporters, and allies come together to celebrate love, diversity, acceptance, and unashamed self-pride.

On Saturday (June 1),Noora took to her Instagram to write: "WONDERFUL PRIDE month for LBTGQ+ communities and everyone who agrees for equal love, self and sexuality. I hope that one day we could live in a world where equality would be the norm in all communities.

"As a woman, I unfortunately still face unequal treatment and a certain kind of sexism seems to be built into people's core behavior (which comes from home education) and some don't even realize they are sexist. Also women towards other women and themselves. For example, it is really sad to see/hear women criticizing other women and their sexual expression or showy appearance/dressing. EVERYONE'S OWN LOOK has been the only way for women to express themselves and their own values since time immemorial. The cloak of shame was not invented by women. But unfortunately, instead of encouraging self-expression, we bark and be mean. What one says about another comes from how you see yourself and your own fear.

"Let's take off those cloaks of shame and burn them at the stake. Let's be on each other's side. Let's be on the side of those who need it. Let's jump into other people's shoes and understand that equal treatment is not an everyday life for everyone, but a struggle for it every day.

"The fact that I dress the way I want, demand respectful and equal treatment, am strong-willed, ambitious and determined, speak up for others and myself does not make me a 'bitch'. Crying, talking about my feelings/thoughts and being emotional to everyone doesn't make me weak. It makes me strong and happy when I am openly myself. At the same time, I want to encourage and support others to do the same.

"THIS IS WHY I HAVE THE BATTLE VITCH HORNS OF COURAGE. And I will always continue to fight for equality. In this world, evil is putting oneself above others, narrow realities and being greedy.

"I hope that I can have at least a little influence on how people treat each other with my own example.

"LOVE AND PEACE AND PRIDE

"#pride #equality #humanity #goodvalues #selfesteem #thecloakofshame #proudtobeme #proudofyou"

Louhimo revealed in November that she had been diagnosed with a ruptured left carotid artery, causing the postponement the band's tour. The 35-year-old Finnish musician has since said in an interview that she has "definitely started doing more warm-up before any singing and warming down and taking care of my overall health even more than before." She added: "I really appreciate life more now. I'm thankful for each and every day and every moment that I get to live, I get to love, I get to see. I get to see people. I get to be with my loved ones and with my animals here at home. And now I get to tour in the places that I've always dreamed of. And it's not something that you should take [for] granted."

When Louhimo first revealed her diagnosis seven months ago, she wrote on her social media: "I went to be examined because of a weird pain in the left side of my neck, throat, ear and chin. At ultrasound examination the doctor found the rupture that had already started healing, and he saved my life. I was hospitalized for more exams and finally got confirmation of the situation. I was ordered to have a break on everything that might stress or increase my blood pressure for the next month. Otherwise, I could have a stroke. As you know how passionate I am as a singer and performer, the blood pressure getting high is a guarantee. So, I did not want to take the risk to die with my boots on, not quite yet".

Louhimo joined BATTLE BEAST in 2012 with no previous experience as a metal vocalist but quickly acclimated herself as the replacement for Nitte Valo (a.k.a. Nitte Vänskä).

Less than two years ago, Noora, who in 2021 released her debut solo album, "Eternal Wheel Of Time And Space", under the NOORA LOUHIMO EXPERIENCE banner, admitted publicly that she had been struggling with eating disorders and her weight since she was "a little child" and said that she was "still trying to find a balance." She added that she had "been depressed and anxious sometimes 'without a reason'."

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Cyhra guitarist Euge Valovirta has released his third solo album, Hardtones out via Gramophone Records. To celebrate, he shares a new single "Flesh From The Bone" (feat. Samy Elbanna); check out the official video below.


About the single, Valovirta had this to say:


"I saw a dream about 'Flesh From The Bone', or actually just from the easy middle section, where the camera is zooming to Samy’s face and he is singing with eyes closed, and just before the song kicks in again he opens his eyes and then we both rock out with our axes like we’d be in a medieval battle. I called director Joel Korhonen / Noisemedia and he was on board, so we did the video. The song is one of the few arranged for two guitars so it seemed natural that we both play guitar in the video."




Samy Elbanna: "I really loved doing this track, because it’s very different from a lot of the stuff we’ve done with Euge before - we dive deeper into a modern metal soundscape and there’s a certain sense of frailty in the track and lyrics that I really like. We wanted something simple and powerful for the video, and the end result absolutely blew me away, it really captures the essence of the song perfectly!"





Tracklist:


"Testify" (feat. Samy Elbanna)
"The Game" (feat. Joonas Kosonen & Ben Varon)
"Gone Without A Trace" (feat. Nico Hartonen)
"⁠Pasadena ’78" (feat. Jules Näveri)
"⁠Rock & Roll Unites" (feat. Jake E)
"Fast Living, Slow Suicide" (feat. Olli Herman)
"⁠Going Down The Hole" (feat. Nico Hartonen)
"⁠⁠Not My Time" (feat. Joonas Kosonen & Ben Varon)
"Wake Up" (feat. Pekka Heino)
"⁠Flesh From The Bone" (feat. Samy Elbanna)
"⁠Road Song II" (feat. Nico Hartonen)


"Flesh From The Bone"





"The Game"





"Testify"

Former Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has shared his weekly cover, this time putting a metal twist on E-Type's  hit from 1999, "Angels Crying".










Last week, Johansson shared his performance of the Eros Ramazzotti hit, "Più Bella Cosa".

In this week's episode of their ongoing Sunday Lunch series, King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, perform the iconic Guns N' Roses hit, "Welcome To The Jungle". Watch below:


A message from the couple: "Here at Toyah and Robert HQ, this is one of our faves!" 







On a recent episode of Rob Squad And The Creators featuring Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox is available for streaming below. During the episode with Rob Squad’s Jay + Amber Robinson, Fripp and Willcox react along with the hosts to their live rendition of Metallica's "Enter Sandman".


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


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


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

HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale played her fourth and final show as the vocalist of SKID ROW Saturday night (June 1) at the the Hard Rock Live Sacramento in Wheatland, California. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below (courtesy of The Nexus Chord).

During an appearance on the May 23 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Lzzy spoke about what it has been like to play her first two shows as the vocalist of SKID ROW. The 40-year-old singer, who has fronted her band HALESTORM for more than two and a half decades, handled the vocal duties for SKID ROW for four shows only after the group's fourth frontman since Sebastian Bach's departure — "Swedish Idol" contestant Erik Grönwall — quit the band to focus on his health.

"The response has been amazing," Lzzy said. "And i'm hearing from people that have been seeing SKID ROW since 1987 and are just raving about what I bring to the table. So, for me, it is friends helping out friends, but it's also this beautiful milestone in my life where I'm literally being challenged to fill in the shoes that I've always wanted to fill from being a kid. So it's wonderful."

Asked by host Eddie Trunk if Sebastian Bach's singing on SKID ROW's classic records had an impact on her as a vocalist, Lzzy said: "Oh, absolutely. All I wanted to be as a singer growing up was a dude in an '80s hair band. Not a chick in an '80s hair band, but I wanted to be the dude. I wanted to be Sebastian Bach, I wanted to be Tom Keifer [CINDERELLA], these men that held the world in their hands when they hit those high notes… But, yeah, it's crazy because I think about it. Then after it was made official, I'm feeling in for these dates, Rachel [Bolan, SKID ROW bassist] and Snake [SKID ROW guitarist Dave Sabo] sent me the set and 'here's all the songs we're gonna sing.' And this is such a beautiful opportunity because I get to deep dive. Now I am forced into having to deep dive on these records and the inflections of Sebastian Bach's vocals, the arrangements, the timing. So I was literally treating it like it was an Olympic sport. I'm on the stationary bike singing SKID ROW, making sure I can get through a set, making sure the high notes are there. And it was crazy, 'cause I've been annoying the hell out of my bandmates because they've been widowers to SKID ROW for the past couple weeks, 'cause that's all I've been doing and listening to. So they know all the words too. But, yeah, it's just really wonderful. And then to be able to perform these songs with these guys who are the same… It's the same thing. These boys are perpetually 15. We're all in a bus together. I'm on tour with the band. This is crazy to me. So my young self is screaming, because it's, like, 'Can you believe it?' And I also feel this immense calm and comfort with these guys. And to be able to deep dive with Rachel and Snake on the lyrics and how certain songs came about. We talked about 'Quicksand Jesus' and how 'Monkey Business' was made and recorded with [producer] Michael Wagener. So it's been a beautiful experience for me. And I would have done it just for the sake of helping somebody out, but now it feels almost selfish to me, because I'm getting so much out of this experience. [Laughs]"

Regarding what the most challenging aspect has been about performing with SKID ROW, Lzzy said: "I think the most challenging aspect for me — actually, there's a couple of things, because, really, in a whole, all of this has been a challenge for me. But a few things are… I really wanted to see what it was like to perform an entire set without playing an instrument except for vocals, which I've never actually done. I've guested with people and got up and sang songs without playing a guitar or a keyboard, but I've never — literally like stepping into somebody else's shoes. Not only am I getting up and singing these songs, but I'm also fronting the band. I'm in charge of keeping the energy levels up and the breaks in between the songs, making sure everything's said. And so that's a challenge. But I think that the biggest one for me is, in the moment, making sure that I'm not freaking myself out too much over… Songs like 'I Remember You', everybody knows that song inside and out. So there's a there's a fine line between… I really wanted to honor everything in that song and not take liberties and make it into my own these. These are songs that everybody knows. So really just kind of keeping conscious of that, whereas I'm not getting up and covering SKID ROW songs, I'm getting up and making them into the best versions of what they actually are. So that's been a beautiful challenge as well. And you know me, I like saying yes to adventure. [Laughs] I'll usually say yes to jump off the cliff before I know if there's a parachute. [Laughs]"

Lzzy made her live debut with SKID ROW on May 17 at Walker's Bluff Casino Resort in Carterville, Illinois.

Bolan spoke about SKID ROW's pairing with Hale during a recent interview with Fox 26 reporter Ruben Dominguez and Margot Hogan. Regarding how Lzzy was approached about doing the gig, Bolan said: "When we knew Erik made the decision that he made to prioritize his health and leave the band, I said to the [other] guys [in the band], I go, 'You know what? She's like a sister to me, and I'm just gonna ask Lzzy. I know they have a really busy schedule, and they just have a lot going on. We have these four shows. I'm just gonna ask her. And if she says no, no harm, no foul.' And Nick Raskulinecz, who produced our last record, produced a couple of HALESTORM records, and it was his birthday party. I happened to be in Nashville because painters were painting the inside of the house that I'm putting up for sale. So I was just there, and he's, like, 'Hey, dude, it's my birthday. We're having Lzzy, Joe [Hottinger, HALESTORM guitarist] are coming… Everyone's coming. You've gotta come by.' And I was, like, 'Okay, cool.' So I got the painters out of the house a little early, and I went there, and that's when I asked Lzzy. I just said, 'Hey, would you wanna fill in on vocals or you wanna come sing with SKID ROW?' And she thought I meant like at the Mercy Lounge [in Nashville] or something like that. It's, like, 'Yeah, we've jammed a million times. Sure. The guys gonna be in town,' type of thing. And it's, like, 'No, no. We have four shows on the books. And Erik can't do them. So would you come in?' She's, like, 'Hell yeah.' She's, like, 'Let me just double check with my team.' And I hit her up a couple of days later, I go, 'Hey, were you serious about that?' She's, like, 'I was dead serious. And I am good to go for that.'"

Rachel went on to say that he and his SKID ROW bandmates are "really excited" about performing with Lzzy, "because she is a powerhouse, without a doubt. And above all of it, above the band's name and everything involved, she's my friend," he explained. "And it means a lot to me. So far above anything cool someone could do for a friend, she's doing for us. And it means it really means a lot to me that she's doing it. And the reaction has been unreal. Unreal. It's great."

Elaborating on why Hale is the right singer to play with SKID ROW at these four shows, Bolan said: "Lzzy, she is her own person. We asked her not for any other reason than how good she is and how powerful she is and how much she means to people. And I've gotta be completely honest. I knew this was gonna get attention, but I didn't know people were gonna be snapping out. And it's making me, like, 'Wow, my mind is completely blown.' It's a matter of a friend coming in to help friends. And even though we came out before and may have influenced her with stuff, she's helping us a lot, a lot in a situation we're in, and it is becoming something bigger than both of us. And I'm using her words. She's, like, this has become really bigger than the both of us. And so everyone is really excited — her team is excited, SKID ROW team is excited. The fans are just losing their minds. And I can't wait. I just wanna get into rehearsal, man. I just cannot wait to hear her sing these songs. And I think what we're gonna put forth together is something really, really special that people are gonna dig."

A little over a month ago, Lzzy was asked in an interview with Terrie Carr of the Morristown, New Jersey radio station 105.5 WDHA how her pairing with SKID ROW came about. Lzzy said: "Well, first I'll give a statement for the beginning, because it just goes so much deeper for me than just helping out some friends.

"I'm from PA [Pennsylvania]. I know all about you Jersey boys. And I know we talk a lot about lifting up women and that's been very important in my life. But I can't forget about the men who raised me. And them being the SKID ROW boys, inadvertently, by my friends from Jersey who were listening to SKID ROW.

"I was always kind of an in-betweener in my interest in music," she explained. "So in the '90s, and like '96, it was BOYZ II MEN and Mariah Carey, BACKSTREET BOYS, Britney [Spears] was about to come out, that whole thing. I wasn't interested in that. I was interested in '80s, big hair, rock and metal. I loved Alice Cooper, BLACK SABBATH, CINDERELLA, JOURNEY, SKID ROW. And as that transition happened in the '90s, where all of a sudden I started getting into heavier music, a lot of the bands, except for a very small group of bands, helped me with that transition. And SKID ROW was one of them, because they were not so in their '80s bubble and in the time that came before that they couldn't see what was happening in the world and they couldn't see what the dark-seated underbelly that we were all feeling in the '90s. So they really helped bridge that gap for me.

"I can honestly tell you right now that I would not be the rocker that I am today without SKID ROW and those albums, because not only did they have those beautiful melodies and the vocal prowess and the riffs and the loud noise that I loved, but then the subject matter they were talking about was always very real and it hit me at the right time in the right place," Lzzy added. "And so this is just a beautiful example of that age doesn't matter. Time doesn't matter. Whenever you discover music, it doesn't matter. It's when it hits you. And so again, those men that raised me, the men from Jersey, the men from PA that all put these records in my hands. Then years later, I'm living in Nashville for the first time and I meet [SKID ROW bassist] Rachel Bolan and I meet [SKID ROW guitarist] Snake [Dave Sabo], and they're, like, 'Oh, man, there's more to Nashville than country. Let me introduce you to this guy.' Then I got to meet Tom Keifer from CINDERELLA and all those boys, and now I'm up playing AEROSMITH songs with all these weird guys that I grew up listening to. Then fast forward to a couple months ago when my good buddy Rachel — we were just at a birthday party, and Rachel's, like, 'Hey, would you ever consider singing with us?' And I'm, like, 'Oh, yeah, you mean like we do all the time down at Mercy Lounge?' He's, like, 'No, like actually be like our front person for some shows. There's some stuff going on.' And so I said, 'Well, yeah, sure. Just let me know when.' And then, you know, a couple of months later he goes, 'Hey, were you serious about that? Because this is going down now, and we've gotta know.' And so I cleared my schedule and I told everybody that that is on my team, 'Let me put up all these dates because I really wanna do this for these guys,' And so I'm helping my buddies out and they're helping me out and it's all full circle. But then we announced it, and I'm hearing from people I haven't heard from in 15 years saying, 'Oh my God, this is gonna save my life.' And we're bringing these two worlds together. It's giving everybody reason to smile and an event for someone to look forward to. And like generational gaps be damned. And it's just all gonna be great. And it's just wonderful.

"For me, I joked with the boys. I said, 'Oh, so my audition tape from '96 finally made it in the mail. Thanks for finally opening it up. My revised audition is in the mail.' So now I have all their songs on a playlist in the order of how they're doing their set. And I'm on the stationary bike trying to make sure I can hit the high notes. And I'm turning it like it's an Olympic sport. It's gonna be great."

Regarding the possibility of more SKID ROW shows with her on lead vocals, Lzzy said: "You never know. I will say something that most likely will happen is that these will not be the only four dates you ever hear. I will say that. As far as me being the permanent member of SKID ROW, we're gonna all have to find a plateau [laughs] in our schedules to do that. But you never know. Sounds like a pretty good gig for me, if I ever get to that point."

She added: "But, yeah, I'm just so grateful for the guys. And then think about it coming full circle. And it all comes from the right place. I mean, Erik, what an amazing voice and what a perfect fit for them and brought them into a whole new game changer. There's everything going on with his health, and how wonderful is it that amicably both parties can be, like, 'Hey, we're looking out for each other.' 'Hey, I can't give you what you need.' And also, 'Hey, us as a band, we can't give you what you need to look after yourself. So, hey, let's do that.' And 'Hey, let's bring in our buddy Lzzy.' I'm helping out my buddies. Everybody's doing it for the right reasons. And so it's a beautiful thing."

HALESTORM covered SKID ROW's "Slave To The Grind" for the 2011 EP "ReAniMate: The CoVeRs eP". The band has also performed the track live.

Grönwall, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021, is immunocompromised, which made touring difficult.

"I'm getting stronger and healthier every day but after consulting my doctor I need to allow myself more time to recover, which I can't do as the lead singer of SKID ROW," he said in a statement. "That's why I have reached the tough decision to move on."

The SKID ROW members said in a statement that they are "proud of what they have created and accomplished with Erik over the past two years" and "wish nothing but the best to him and his health. To celebrate the last two years, the band will be releasing a live album that perfectly captures this moment of time in the band's 35-plus-year history, to be announced soon."

In September 2021, just four months before he joined SKID ROW, Grönwall released his new cover version of "18 And Life" via all streaming platforms.

In late March 2022, SKID ROW released its first single with Grönwall, "The Gang's All Here". The song is the title track of the band's latest album, which arrived in October 2022 via earMUSIC.

SKID ROW played its first show with Grönwall on March 26, 2022 at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada as the support act on the rescheduled dates for SCORPIONS' "Sin City Nights" residency.

Five Finger Death have released the new video below; Episode 5 of their 2024 European tour. It features:


- That time Ivan ran naked through the crowd
- Warming up 5FDP style
- More In-Ear System Issues 
- Signing merch mid show
- Headlining the Hallenstadion In Zurich 







Find the band's tour itinerary here.


Five Finger Death Punch recently released the digital deluxe version of their acclaimed album, Afterlife, via Better Noise Records. Stream/download Afterlife: Deluxe here.


In the video below, FFDP take fans behind-the-scenes of their music video for "This Is The Way (Feat. DMX)":





The deluxe edition includes the original 12 tracks recorded with the band’s longtime producer, Kevin Churko (Ozzy Osbourne, Disturbed), in addition to four bonus tracks including three acoustic versions of the album’s songs "The End", "Judgement Day", and "Thanks For Asking", plus the brand new highly anticipated single, "This Is The Way", featuring the late legendary rapper DMX. Five Finger Death Punch recently shared the music video for "This Is The Way (feat. DMX)" directed by none other than highly influential filmmaker Hype Williams, a longtime friend and close collaborator of the late DMX. Hailed by the New York Times in 2024 as "The Nineties Wunderkind", Hype Williams is known for his seminal work with luminaries like Tupac, Wu-Tang Clan, and Jay-Z amongst others. Watch the video below.





“Music is meant to be universal and without boundaries, and it starts at the top with us, the artists,” says Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Zoltan Bathory. “We have always embraced the mixing of genres, whether it be the remake of LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out" featuring Tech N9ne as a guest, or our collaboration with blues warrior Kenny Wayne Shepherd, country star Brantley Gilbert, and Brian May, the legendary guitarist of Queen, on the song ‘Blue on Black.’”


“The idea of collaborating with DMX had been in discussion for years, and it was a long and winding road to turn this particular item on our wish list into reality. He was a lyrical warrior, a true original who spoke his mind incorruptibly. We have always viewed DMX as “the metalhead of hip-hop’ because of his aggressive, raw, and untamed style. He growled and snarled, aiming to rattle some cages–an attitude we share, as Five Finger Death Punch has always been drawn to the fearless and the real. It made all the sense in the world, but today this is more than just a song; it's a salute to a legend, a way to honor DMX's memory.”


When playing the song for other hip-hop legends, DMC of Run DMC, one of the originals to do it first with “Walk This Way” with Aerosmith said, “The sound of the music, what Ivan is singing about, and what X is talking about, is how X lived his life. The struggle, the dark with the light, the bad with the good, the pain with the joy. This song is very emotional, very musical, it’s very well rounded.”


Order/save AfterLife: Deluxe here.





AfterLife: Deluxe tracklisting:


"Welcome To The Circus"
"AfterLife"
"Times Like These"
"Roll Dem Bones"
"Pick Up Behind You"
"Judgment Day"
"IOU"
"Thanks For Asking"
"Blood And Tar"
"All I Know"
"Gold Gutter"
"The End"
"This Is The Way" (feat. DMX)
"Judgment Day" (Acoustic)
"The End" (Acoustic)
"Thanks For Asking" (Acoustic)


"Judgement Day" (Acoustic):

Fan-filmed video of KK'S PRIEST's May 15 concert at Colos-Saal in Aschaffenburg, Germany can be seen below.

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

01. Hellfire Thunderbolt
02. Strike Of The Viper
03. One More Shot At Glory
04. The Ripper (JUDAS PRIEST song)
05. Reap The Whirlwind
06. Night Crawler (JUDAS PRIEST song)
07. Sermons Of The Sinner
08. Burn In Hell (JUDAS PRIEST song)
09. Beyond The Realms Of Death (JUDAS PRIEST song)
10. Hell Patrol (Judas Priest cover)
11. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) (FLEETWOOD MAC cover)
12. Breaking The Law (JUDAS PRIEST song)
13. Victim Of Changes (JUDAS PRIEST song)

Encore:

14. Raise Your Fists

As previously reported, KK'S PRIEST, which features former JUDAS PRIEST members K.K. Downing (guitar) and Tim "Ripper" Owens (vocals),alongside guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE),bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE),and German/American metal legends ACCEPT will join forces this fall 2024 for a North American tour. Both bands are touring in support of their brand new albums, out now via Napalm Records.

The massive run will begin on August 31 in Los Angeles, California, visiting a slew of major cities in the USA and Canada — such as Toronto, Montreal, New York and Nashville — before coming to an end in San Francisco, California on October 7.

KK'S PRIEST's first-ever U.S. headlining tour, which featured support from L.A. GUNS and BURNING WITCHES, kicked off on March 7 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and concluded on March 24 at Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

KK'S PRIEST's sophomore album, "The Sinner Rides Again", came out in September 2023 via the Austrian label Napalm Records.

KK'S PRIEST made its live debut on July 6, 2023 at Downing's KK's Steel Mill in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.

K.K. formed KK'S PRIEST after JUDAS PRIEST turned down his offer to rejoin the band for their 50th-anniversary tour. It followed a couple of celebrated stage appearances, first with former MANOWAR guitarist Ross The Boss in the summer of 2019, then with a one-off lineup that included former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and former PRIEST drummer Les Binks later that year.

KK'S PRIEST released its debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", in October 2021 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

Downing spent four months writing and recording "Sermons Of The Sinner" and, along with new ideas, he even resurrected a few archived riffs from the 1980s.

Downing was reunited with JUDAS PRIEST for a performance at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in November 2022 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at the event, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance. He was replaced by Richie Faulkner, nearly three decades his junior.

In 2019, Downing said that he reached out to JUDAS PRIEST about taking part in the band's 50th-anniversary tour but that their response was that they were not interested in including him in the celebrations.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Glenn Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before PRIEST reunited with Rob Halford in 2003.