During a recent appearance on the "The Ex-Man" podcast hosted by Doc Coyle (BAD WOLVES),KITTIE members Mercedes Lander (drums),Morgan Lander (guitar, vocals) and Tara McLeod (guitar) spoke about how they feel about the supposed nu-metal resurgence in recent years, partly thanks to a whole new wave of exciting revivalists as well as scene godfathers like LIMP BIZKIT and MUDVAYNE returning to headlining arenas.

Tara said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It just seems like every time there's a shift in music, everyone hates it at first. A big, popular shift, everyone has to hate it at first. And I think with nu metal, it's like a simplified form of music, but that doesn't make it a lesser-than form of music. And I think that oftentimes it takes a little bit of growth and perhaps some years for some of the music fans to catch up and look back and realize, like, 'Wow, okay, that was super catchy. And actually writing those riffs and the hooks and the vocals, that's actually not simple.' They're, like, simplified; it's not simple."

Added Mercedes: "Honestly, go and listen to any of [LIMP BIZKIT guitarist] Wes Borland's playing. That's not easy. Also, [LIMP BIZKIT drummer] John Otto, the GOAT. Have you ever watched John Otto play drums? He's amazing."

Morgan said that it takes restraint for skilled musicians "to not overplay. And I think that is a sign of real talent, and also being strategic about where you're putting things in and how you're writing," she added.

Mercedes continued: "I think a lot of people confuse busy playing with good music. 'Cause there's a lot of busy songs that I'm, like, 'This song sucks.' It doesn't have to be super busy or shreddy or whatever, it doesn't have to be like that to be good. It's the same thing as I like to say — just 'cause you can play fast, it doesn't mean that you should… Giving yourself that space can provide you with so much more. Keeping your music kind of simplistic even, and giving yourself that space, you can do more vocally or whatever the case might be. Less is more sometimes."

KITTIE will release its long-awaited new studio album, "Fire", on June 21 via Sumerian Records.

In a separate interview with Metal Hammer magazine, Morgan shot down any suggestion that KITTIE's comeback was timed to coincide with nu-metal's resurgence.

"We're not a nu-metal band, and we never will be again," she said. "We're not trying to recapture something that is long gone for us. There might be a riff or an idea that harkens back to who we were in the past, but that is married with the more modern ideas of KITTIE as well. It's probably the best-sounding album that we've ever recorded. It has its foot in many worlds. I feel like when we were writing this album, there didn't feel like there was anything to prove. So it's definitely heavy and more mature, and the songwriting is incredible."

"I feel like we could have phoned it in and done what people expected us to do, but we've never been that band," added Mercedes. "We've always defied everything and done our own thing, and I think we're going to continue to do that. And that is the beauty of this band."

Last month, KITTIE announced an exclusive run of North American headline dates. The long-awaited shows will see the band perform in five cities across the U.S. and Canada this July and August, giving fans a very special and rare chance to see the band play a full headline set that will include their recently released singles "We Are Shadows" and "Eyes Wide Open" as well as classic hits and some deep cuts not played live since the band's early days.

Last November, it was revealed that KITTIE was working on a new studio LP with producer Nick Raskulinecz at Nashville's Sienna Studios.

Raskulinecz, who moved to Nashville from Los Angeles around 16 years ago, had previously worked with such acts as RUSH, ALICE IN CHAINS, KORN, RISE AGAINST, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, SKID ROW and the DEFTONES.

KITTIE played its first concert in five years in September 2022 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.

Joining Morgan, Mercedes and Tara in KITTIE's current lineup is bassist Ivana "Ivy" Vujic.

Prior to Blue Ridge, KITTIE had not performed since its reunion show at London Music Hall in the band's native London, Ontario in 2017, celebrating the group's documentary "Kittie: Origins/Evolutions".

Vujic joined KITTIE in 2008 and appeared on the band's fifth studio CD, 2009's "In The Black". She also wrote and recorded bass for KITTIE's sixth album, 2011's "I've Failed You".

After KITTIE completed the touring cycle for "I've Failed You" album, the band entered a long period of inactivity during which Morgan focused on a marketing job for a chain of fitness clubs while Mercedes worked in real estate and more recently at a software company. The group also began work on a career-spanning documentary, "Origins/Evolutions", which finally saw the light of day in 2018 via Lightyear Entertainment in North America.

Photo credit: Dante Dellamore

Latin metal masters, Ill Niño, return with a vengeance this summer 2024 with new IllMortals Vol. 1 and 2 EPs, headlining tours of the US, Europe, Latin America, and Australia, and performances at Inkcarceration, Louder Than Life, and Aftershock festivals.


Hailing from the vibrant East Coast music scenes of NJ and NY, Ill Niño has solidified their position as a formidable force in the world of Latin metal. Their groundbreaking album Revolution Revolucion moving close to half-million copies, marked the beginning of a legacy that continues to thrive 25 years later.


Fuelled by an unwavering passion for their craft and an undying loyalty from their fans, Ill Niño stands strong as they embark on a global tour in support of their new release, IllMortals.







IllMortals Vol 1 (out June 29) and IllMortals Vol 2 (out July 26) can be pre-ordered on CD and vinyl, here.


Don't miss your chance to witness this legendary band live in action. Get tickets here, and see dates below.





Dates:


June
11 - Las Vegas, NV - Sinwave *
12 - Los Angles, CA - Whisky A Go Go **
13 - Glendale, AZ - The 44 Sports Grill and Nightlife
14 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick ***
15 - Tucson, AZ - The Rock *
16 - El Paso - The Rockhouse *
18 - Lubbock, TX - Jake's Sports Cafe and Backroom *
19 - Austin, TX - Come And Take It Live ****
20 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar ****
21 - Corpus Christi, TX - House of Rock ****
22 - Dallas, TX - Trees *
23 - Oklahoma City, OK - OKC ****
25 - Sioux Falls, SD - Remedy at 611 *****
26 - Iowa City, IA - Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon *
27 - Urbana, IL - Canopy Club *****
28 - Joliet, IL - The Forge *****
29 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave *****
30 - Ringle, WI - The Q & Z Expo Center *****


* With Flaw And A Killers Confession
** With The Crowned And A Killer's Confession
*** With Flaw, The Crowned And A Killer's Confession
**** With Flaw, Redefind And A Killer's Confession
***** With Flaw, Scarlet View And A Killer's Confession


US festival appearances


July
19 - Mansfield, OH - Inkcarceration Festival


September
29 - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life 2024


October
13 - Sacramento, CA - Aftershock 2024


(Photo - Jeremy Saffer)

Hansi Kürsch says that ICED EARTH's Jon Schaffer "deserves a second chance", more than three years after the BLIND GUARDIAN frontman quit their collaborative side project, DEMONS & WIZARDS.

Kürsch announced his departure from DEMONS & WIZARDS two weeks after Schaffer was arrested for his involvement in the January 6, 2021 insurrection attempt at the U.S. Capitol. The now-56-year-old ICED EARTH guitarist has since pleaded guilty to his role in the Capitol riot and is continuing to cooperate with authorities while on pre-sentencing release.

During an appearance on a recent episode of "The Jasta Show", the podcast hosted by HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta, Hansi was asked if he has heard from Jon in recent months, with Jasta opining that "everybody deserves a second chance." Hansi said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I agree. He certainly deserves a second chance. That is the main message which should be spread out in general. And other than that, he's facing his trials. So, it's a very open situation he's in. And, yeah, let him express himself first before anyone else is saying anything about it. That's my opinion, and this is how I treat it."

Asked if he thinks there's a road back for Schaffer in terms of ICED EARTH's ability to secure tours in the future and whether European promoters will be willing to book him, Hansi said: "Um, I have no idea. I really have no idea. I haven't spoken to anyone, and that basically is not my business."

When Hansi announced his exit from DEMONS & WIZARDS in February 2021, he said in a statement: "I notified Jon and Century Media [DEMONS & WIZARDS' then-record label] on Monday that I was leaving the DEMONS & WIZARDS project with immediate effect. My collaboration with Jon in DEMONS & WIZARDS is over."

Back in December 2022, Hansi declined to discuss DEMONS & WIZARDS while speaking to Metal Hammer magazine, saying: "It's an open case. I believe [Jon] deserves the right to express himself, to explain his side, and we wouldn't want to interfere with that."

DEMONS & WIZARDS released its third studio album, "III", in February 2020 via Century Media Records. The LP marked the band's first collection of new material in 15 years.

In a 2019 interview with The Greene Room Magazine, Hansi stated about how DEMONS & WIZARDS was formed: "It started with a friendship. [Jon and I] met each other for the first time in 1991 when we toured together with ICED EARTH and BLIND GUARDIAN, and an immediate friendship came to happen because we were alike — in many ways, spiritual brothers from the beginning. And that goes for the two of us, but also for the two bands in general. We had a blast, and ever since, we established a very close friendship. We were not even talking about making music together. By whatsoever reason, more or less seven years later, Jon came to visit me, and we had a hangover morning he started playing guitar. I started humming to it, and we thought, 'Well, that might be the creepy melody to work on. Let's go to the BLIND GUARDIAN rehearsal room and try to do something with it.' Then we called it a song within a short amount of time; it was maybe three, four hours. That song was 'My Last Sunrise' which ended up on the very first album. When doing this song, we just recognized that there's not only a friendship, but a strong spiritual, creative chemistry between the two of us. We said, 'We may want to use that later on for whatever reason or purpose.' We thought about it for a while, and then we said, 'Well, let's use that creativity and do an album.' Then we started working on DEMONS & WIZARDS."

Schaffer talked about his collaboration with Kürsch in a 2020 interview with Myglobalmind. He said: "This is an exercise in brotherhood first and foremost. Hansi and I were very dear friends before we realized that we could write songs together. Writing together actually happened by accident. When it happened, the next question was, what are we going to do with it? The first song we wrote was 'My Last Sunrise' and it was the last song on the first DEMONS album. Initially, we talked about BLIND GUARDIAN and ICED EARTH, each doing a version, but at some point, I just said to Hansi, 'Let's just do our own thing and write a bunch more together.' It has always been about having fun and spending time together, but we do hold the pressure to ourselves in delivering something we are happy with. Nine times out of ten, the fans will be right on board. It's all about satisfying yourself as an artist first; then we let the dice roll."

This past March, a federal judge agreed to push back Schaffer's sentencing hearing to July 19 from the previously announced April 5.

U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta had previously moved the date from February 20, as the ICED EARTH guitarist was scheduled to undergo an undisclosed medical procedure "with the need for a recovery afterwards."

In January 2022, Mehta granted the U.S. government's request to share sealed materials from the case involving Schaffer's role in the U.S. Capitol riot case as discovery to the three main Oath Keepers cases.

In May 2023, Mehta handed down an 18-year prison sentence for the leader of the Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes, for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election that ended with the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol.

As part of his April 2021 plea deal, Jon entered into a cooperation agreement with the government.

The government agreed not to oppose Schaffer's release during the sentencing phase.

Although Schaffer was initially charged with six crimes, including engaging in an act of physical violence and targeting police with bear spray, he pleaded guilty to only two charges: obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress; and trespassing on restricted grounds of the Capitol while armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon. The first charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, while the second carries up to a 10-year prison term. Each of the charges carry fines of up to $250,000. The Department Of Justice said it would recommend a sentence between 41 and 51 months in prison and fines somewhere between $15,000 and $250,000.

In his plea agreement, Schaffer acknowledged that on January 6, 2021 he was in Washington to attend the "Stop The Steal" rally at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. to protest the results of the presidential election, which he believed were fraudulent. Schaffer wore a tactical vest and carried bear spray, a dangerous weapon and chemical irritant used to ward off bears. When the rally finished, Schaffer joined a large crowd that marched from the Ellipse to the Capitol, where a joint session of Congress, presided over by Vice President Michael Pence, was in session to certify the electoral college vote results. Shortly after 2:00 p.m., members of the mob forced entry into the Capitol building, disrupting the joint session and causing members of Congress and the Vice President to be evacuated from the House and Senate chambers.

In his plea agreement, Schaffer admitted that after arriving on Capitol grounds, he walked past barriers intended to restrict access to the public and to a set of locked doors on the Capitol's west side. At approximately 2:40 p.m., Schaffer positioned himself at the front of a crowd that broke open a set of doors being guarded by four U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers wearing riot gear. Schaffer admitted to being among the first individuals to push past the damaged doors and into the Capitol building, forcing officers to retreat. Schaffer and others advanced toward five or six backpedaling USCP officers while members of the mob swelled inside of the Capitol and overwhelmed the officers. The officers ultimately deployed a chemical irritant to disperse the mob. Schaffer was among the people who were sprayed in the face, after which he exited while holding his own bear spray in his hands.

As part of the plea deal, Schaffer agreed to cooperate with investigators and potentially testify in related criminal cases, according to CNN. In return for Schaffer's assistance, the Justice Department might later urge the judge to show leniency during his sentencing.

Also as part of the agreement, the Justice Department has offered to sponsor Schaffer for the witness protection program.

The 56-year-old musician was the first Capitol riot defendant to reach a plea deal.

The Indiana chapter of the Oath Keepers distanced itself from Schaffer after his arrest, claiming he was not a member of the local group. But the national organization, which sold lifetime memberships for $1,200, had not commented on his alleged affiliation with the group.

At a November 2020 Donald Trump rally in Washington, D.C., Schaffer was videotaped walking behind a Florida couple, Kelly Meggs and Connie Meggs, who were accused of being among 10 members of the Oath Keepers to have played a leading role in the Capitol assault. In May 2023, Kelly Meggs was convicted of seditious conspiracy for his participation in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol and was sentenced to spend 12 years in prison.

Following the initial reports that Schaffer was involved in the riot, his ICED EARTH bandmates distanced themselves from his actions. Singer Stu Block and bassist Luke Appleton later posted separate statements on social media announcing their resignations. The allegations also apparently affected Schaffer's relationship with his longtime record label Century Media, which had released albums from both ICED EARTH and DEMONS & WIZARDS. As of mid-January 2021, the Century Media artist roster page did not list either band.

German thrash legends, Kreator, played a headline set at Bloodstock Open Air Metal Festival on August 14, 2021. Kreator delivered a masterclass in thrash metal, enthralling the audience with a setlist spanning their illustrious career, highlighted by the electrifying "Satan Is Real". a track that epitomizes their live performance prowess and enduring appeal. Watch below:





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




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


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





Box contents:


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

In a new interview with Real Music With Gary Stuckey, LYNYRD SKYNYRD guitarist Rickey Medlocke spoke about the band's decision to go on following the death of Gary Rossington, the last original member left in the iconic southern rock group, in March 2023. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We hear a lot of, 'Oh, it's nothing but a tribute band.' Well, they even said that when Gary was still alive. But here's the way I look at it. You've got the original singer's youngest brother [Johnny Van Zant] that has been in there almost 37 years. You've got me. That's my second go-round with the band, and I was in the original group, the formidable group. And you had Gary, an original founding member. Well, to us, us three guys standing upfront, we were, like, 'No, no, no, no, no, no.'"

He continued: "A tribute band is a band of all strangers that love to play cover songs and decide one day they're gonna be a LYNYRD SKYNYRD tribute band. There's a ton of 'em on YouTube. When you come to see LYNYRD SKYNYRD, when you come to see us, it's full-on tilt original-sounding, as close as you could ever possibly get. So the people sitting there behind their little computer keyboards and talking shit, they can talk that shit all they want to. My word is if you can do better than me, step up. You know what I mean? Come on. Come on with it. Because Johnny and I right now promised Gary — Gary made us promise that we would never, ever let the integrity of the band and the music history of the band, never let it be forgotten. Just all of a sudden, he's gone, the band's gone, and you might hear it on radio every once in a while, or people get together for a barbecue and they play the music or whatever. We got so much corresponding comments, letters, notes, e-mail, text messages, and the one deciding factor was, 'Please, don't let this be the end of it.' Well, okay."

Medlocke added: "If you really stop to think about this, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards is the only original members in THE ROLLING STONES. I mean, Ron Wood's been there a long time, but Mick Jagger and Keith Richards is the original guys standing there. And they've got all different musicians playing with them now.

"So, look, it's what we do. We play music. This is what we do. And you know what? Nothing is better than standing on that stage looking at that audience and looking at their faces. They're happy. They have forgotten their troubles, their blues, they've forgotten about world crisis. They're in the moment and they're loving it."

Medlocke's latest comments echo those he made last summer in an interview with the MediaNews Group. At the time, he said about LYNYRD SKYNYRD's decision to carry on: "I've been here over 27 years now. I've been here to see quite a few members move on, pass away, and it doesn't get any easier. We had been at a crossroads several times about whether to go on or whatever and had always maintained that it wasn't about each individual or anything like that. It was about the music that was created by those guys — Ronnie [Van Zant, Johnny's older brother], Gary, Allen [Collins]. So we made the decision to carry on with the music because, bottom line, the music is what is important."

After four SKYNYRD members were killed in an October 1977 plane crash, Rossington recruited Johnny to fill his brother's shoes a decade later.

Medlocke, who played drums in SKYNYRD in 1970-71 before leaving to lead his own band BLACKFOOT and coming back to SKYNYRD in 1996, previously defended LYNYRD SKYNYRD's decision to continue, telling Cleveland.com in May 2023: "People have beat us up over the years: 'Ah, you guys ain't nothin' but a freakin' tribute band' and blah, blah, blah.

"There's a lot of tribute bands out there to LYNYRD SKYNYRD, but none of them holds it as dear to their hearts as the guys who have been there as long as we have," he explained. "We have the history; I played on the first (recording) sessions. We just know that we have to portray the music with the integrity and the sound and the love as close as we can to when it was originally created."

Rossington was the last surviving founding member of LYNYRD SKYNYRD. On March 5, 2023, his bandmates announced the news of his death in a statement shared on their social media.

The guitarist had previously dealt with various heart problems throughout the years, including emergency heart surgery in 2021.

Fan-filmed video of Corey Taylor's May 30 concert at Arena Sofia in Sofia, Bulgaria can be seen below.

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

01. Post Traumatic Blues
02. Made Of Scars (STONE SOUR song)
03. Black Eyes Blue
04. We Are The Rest
05. Song #3 (STONE SOUR song)
06. Beyond
07. Before I Forget (SLIPKNOT song)
08. SpongeBob SquarePants Theme (PAINTY THE PIRATE & KIDS cover)
09. Snuff (SLIPKNOT song)
10. From Can To Can't (Corey Taylor, Dave Grohl, Rick Nielsen & Scott Reeder cover)
11. Talk Sick
12. Home
13. Midnight
14. Through Glass (STONE SOUR song)

Encore:

15. The Killing Moon (ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN cover)
16. 30/30-150 (STONE SOUR song)
17. Duality (SLIPKNOT song)

The SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman's solo album of covers and B-sides from the "CMF2" album sessions, titled "CMF2B… Or Not 2B", was recently released digitally. The effort was previously made available on April 20 via BMG as part of this year's Record Store Day.

Corey spent much of the last half of 2023 touring in support of his sophomore solo album, "CMF2", which was released in September. Taylor's first album for BMG and the first on his own label imprint, Decibel Cooper Recordings, was produced by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER, AMON AMARTH),who also helmed STONE SOUR's 2017 LP "Hydrograd" as well as 2020's "CMFT".

In a 2023 interview with Rock Sound, the SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman spoke about the solo album of covers and acoustic recordings, titled "CMFB…Sides", that he released in 2022 via Roadrunner Records. "CMFB…Sides" comprised nine previously unreleased B-sides, covers of tunes that influenced Taylor, acoustic renditions, and live versions. Asked if he used "CMFB…Sides" as an opportunity to tip his hat to artists that had inspired him growing up, Corey said: "Oh, absolutely. I mean, there are so many people I have not had the chance to nod to, to acknowledge, to thank. Let's not forget music kept me alive. Music was the only source of happiness for me for the longest time, from when I was a kid all the way up until even into my twenties, for God's sakes. Music was the only thing that made me feel something other than horrible about myself. So there were so many voices in my head and so many people kind of holding me up that I am just really scratching the surface. Obviously, I've had a chance to show my respect over the years — 'cause of SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR, I've been able to kind of talk about my influences, whatnot — but there's still so many out there that I really want to acknowledge. And the cool thing about doing the B-side stuff is getting to show those little hints and bursts of — doing everything from 'Lunatic Fringe' [RED RIDER cover] to 'Shakin'' [Eddie Money cover]."

He continued: "The B-sides that we have for this album ['CMF2'], people are gonna freak out. We've got everything from Alice Cooper to ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN. I mean, it's that level of fucking radness. And I also have a band who can play anything, and I'm really, really, really spoiled when it comes to that. So I'm really looking forward to putting that out next year. It's one of those things that I want the audience to kind of get to the point where they expect that, just like, 'Oh, man, this album is great. There's also going to be this album that comes out next year with like all the B-side stuff.' And the cool thing with this is that in addition to the covers — it's not just acoustic versions, it's actually leftover originals that didn't make this album. So it's changed up even more from that side of stuff, so it's evolving. And it just feels great. It's everything that I've ever wanted to do. It's everything I've tried to do with SLIPKNOTandSTONE SOUR, and I'm finally getting to do it now because I'm the boss and I get to fucking make the decisions."

Throughout "CMF2", Taylor sings, plays lead and rhythm guitar, piano, and mandolin.

The 13-track opus packs the energy, experimentation, and forthrightness that's defined a career which has seen him sell more than 12 million albums with his Grammy-winning band SLIPKNOT and several million with chart-toppers STONE SOUR.

Taylor began tracking the follow-up to 2020's "CMFT" LP in early January 2023 at The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada with Ruston. Joining Corey in the studio was the rest of his solo band — bassist Eliot Lorango, drummer Dustin Robert, along with guitarists Christian Martucci and Zach Throne.

Twenty-six songs were recorded for "CMF2", including "Beyond" and "Post Traumatic Blues".

"CMFT" featured the No. 1 Billboard mainstream rock single "Black Eyes Blue" and streaming sensation "CMFT Must Be Stopped" (feat. Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie). The LP hit No. 6 on Billboard's U.S. Top Rock Albums chart.

Hellbutcher is pleased to unleash their fiery new video for "Inferno's Rage". The track comes by way of the band's self-titled debut, released last Friday via Metal Blade Records.


As the frontman of legendary Swedish maniacs Nifelheim, Hellbutcher stands among the most elite figures of the black metal underground, and with his eponymous new band, Hellbutcher, his frenzied mission continues conjuring sounds of pure blasphemy and absolute musical Armageddon.


Teaming up with old compadres in evil, guitarists Necrophiliac and Iron Beast, bassist Eld, and drummer Devastator (ex-Nifelheim), Hellbutcher quickly set about bringing their new vision to life. Recording in various locations around Sweden, such as Devastator's own Red And Black Hall Drum Studio and Iron Beast's Chrome Studios, and producing and mastering everything themselves - "No need for an outside producer since we knew exactly how our band should sound" - it is a record that stands proud and unambiguous as a work or pure, metallic mayhem.




From the album's opener, the crazed "The Sword Of Wrath," Hellbutcher's intent is loud and clear: Channeling the spirit of Venom, Bathory, Iron Maiden, Exciter, Motörhead, Mercyful Fate, and the aggressive spirit of true heavy metal. It's an explosion of diabolic evil, performed relentlessly by true masters of the form.


Notes Hellbutcher on "Inferno's Rage," "This one holds a special place because, unlike other songs, I wasn't part of the music-writing process; I solely penned the lyrics. Guitarist Necrophiliac took charge of crafting this song. I've known him since the early '90s, and his musical style aligns closely with mine. This track stands as proof that he understands the very essence of Hellbutcher! 'Inferno's Rage' is an unrelenting onslaught of speed, coupled with touches of heavy metal in certain parts. It also shows the insane drumming of Devastator who is acknowledged as one of the best drummers in the metal scene!"





With an enviable musical pedigree and a killer album to their name, Hellbutcher are certain to scorch a mark onto the black metal scene. The man himself believes this could be even more devastating than his previous output. "I believe this band has the potential to surpass Nifelheim; we've accomplished more in a year than I did in the last decade with Nifelheim," Hellbutcher states. "The key difference lies in the fact that this band shares a common goal. I am now filled with tremendous inspiration, and I plan to create new songs, records, and gigs at a completely different pace than before."


Insisting in so many words that posers should die, and promising that their live shows "will be a neck-breaking experience," the underground is about to be hit with an outbreak of evil unlike anything it has seen for a long time. Time to turn the cross upside down: Hellbutcher is here, and they mean evil business.





Hellbutcher is available digitally and in the following physical formats and special editions:


- Jewel Case (EU + US)
- "Metal" Vinyl (EU + US)
- Special Edition (EU - CD, DVD, Patch)
- Special Edition (EU - LP, DVD, Patch) Orange Yellow Marbled Vinyl
- 180g Black Vinyl
- Ash Grey Smoke Vinyl (EU - Ltd. 300, Sound Pollution excl.)
- Blood Stained Ice Splatter Vinyl (EU - Ltd. 300)
- Red "Black Dust" Vinyl (EU - Ltd. 200, Sweden Rock Mag excl.)


Order here.





Tracklisting:


"The Sword Of Wrath"
"Perdition"
"Violent Destruction"
"Hordes Of The Horned God"
"Death's Rider"
"Possessed By The Devil's Flames"
"Satan's Power"
"Inferno's Rage"


Album stream:





"Hordes Of The Horned God":





"The Sword Of Wrath" video:





Unboxing video:





Hellbutcher lineup:


Hellbutcher - vocals
Necrophiliac - guitars
Devastator - drums
Eld - bass
Iron Beast - guitars

The new Tony Martin-era Black Sabbath box set, Anno Domini 1989-1995, was released on May 31. The set features remastered versions of Headless Cross, Tyr and Cross Purposes, as well as the first-ever remix of Forbidden, the 1995 album produced by Body Count guitarist Ernie C.


Tony Iommi - the only original member of Black Sabbath to perform on all four of these albums - recently joined Chuck Armstrong on Loudwire Nights to dive deep into Anno Domini. The following except focusses on how Black Sabbath ended up working with Ernie C...


Besides the simple act of reissuing the four albums with Martin as the frontman, Anno Domini also provided Iommi with the opportunity to do something he's been wanting to do for nearly 30 years: Remix Forbidden, Black Sabbath's last album until the release of 2013's 13.




"It was the first time for me that I've not been involved with the production and it was really difficult," Iommi revealed about the experience of working with Ernie C on Forbidden.


"It was a thing from the record company. They wanted to bring some fresh blood into the fold and Ice-T was going to be singing on ["The Illusion of Power"], but we didn't know about Ernie C, and then the record company said they'd like him to produce it. Bring a different look to the music."


Even though Iommi couldn't have said nicer things about Ernie C, he was honest about how hard it was working with him in the studio, because Black Sabbath didn't really know him and it seemed like he didn't really know Black Sabbath.


"We've got [drummer] Cozy Powell in there and Ernie C is trying to tell him to play something different, a different style of drumming," Iommi said. "Well, Cozy Powell is an iconic drummer and to tell somebody to play something of a different style, it just didn't go down well and Cozy was not happy at all. None of us were."


Remixing and reissuing Forbidden wasn't merely so Iommi could feel better about the sound, but he wanted to do this for his friend, Powell, too, who passed away three years after the album came out.


"He would have been full of joy if he knew that we could remix it again."


Read more at Loudwire, and listen to Loudwire Nights here.


The Anno Domini 1989-1995 set also includes a 1989 Headless Cross tour replica concert book, a 60 page book with photos, artwork and liner notes, and a Headless Cross poster. A vinyl LP version of Anno Domini 1989-1995 is also available, and three exclusive B-side bonus tracks are included with the CD version: "Cloak & Dagger", and the Japan-only releases "What's The Use" and "Loser Gets It All".


Order the set here.





Tracklistings:


Headless Cross (2024 Remaster)


"The Gates of Hell"
"Headless Cross"
"Devil & Daughter"
"When Death Calls"
"Kill In The Spirit World"
"Call Of The Wild"
"Black Moon"
"Nightwing"
"Cloak And Dagger (bonus)


Tyr (2024 Remaster)


"Anno Mundi"
"The Law Maker"
"Jerusalem"
"The Sabbath Stones"
"The Battle Of Tyr"
"Odin's Court"
"Valhalla"
"Feels Good To Me"
"Heaven In Black"


Cross Purposes (2024 Remaster)


"I Witness"
"Cross Of Thorns"
"Psychophobia"
"Virtual Death"
"Immaculate Deception"
"Dying For Love"
"Back To Eden"
"The Hand That Rocks The Cradle"
"Cardinal Sin"
"Evil Eye"
"What's The Use" (bonus)


Forbidden


"Illusion Of Power"
"Get A Grip"
"Can't Get Close Enough"
"Shaking Off The Chains"
"I Won't Cry For You"
"Guilty As Hell"
"Sick And Tired"
"Rusty Angels"
"Forbidden"
"Kiss Of Death"
"Loser Gets It All" (bonus)


"Get A Grip" HD video:





"Anno Mundi":





"Headless Cross" HD video:





Anno Domini 1989-1995 unboxing video:

In a new interview with Germany's Rock Antenne, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory spoke about how far ahead he and his bandmates have to plan out their schedule, particularly as it relates to touring. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "About a year. Yeah, about a year. Sometimes, like, for example, the METALLICA tour [with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH as one of the support acts], that was a two-year schedule. So the moment we were announcing what's happening with METALLICA, we knew our schedule for two years ahead. 'Cause you're moving an entire city around the world, like trucks and hundreds of people — I mean, it's a big production moving around the world — so the logistics… And nothing can fail — nothing can fail. One mistake can end the show. So these things have to be planned out, and that takes time.

"Usually, we have about one year, maybe 18 months that we see what's happening in 18 months," he continued. "That's about it. That's the schedule. Now, as for what we're gonna do, I could probably tell you, like, what our next record and the record after that will be, and that's like about a six-year schedule. We kind of have an idea of what we're gonna do, what we wanna talk about."

This past April, Zoltan spoke to Audacy Check In about what it's been like for him and his bandmates to support METALLICA on a massive stadium tour in 2023 and 2024. He said: "That's great. Eighty, ninety thousand people in a stadium, that's massive. And it's one of those things where, obviously, we have a big fanbase that overlaps. So, METALLICA is such a huge band; they had four decades to gain that fanbase, so you're gonna have three generations of people in there. And it's such a big band now that — and in some ways they're growing, believe it or not, METALLICA, still; it's crazy. And so it's such a big band that even if you're not necessarily into metal, you've gotta come; you have to come and see. And so that means there are gonna be a lot of people in that arena that, hearing a band named FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, they're probably not gonna us a chance because they have no idea what that would be. So that means that we are playing to a substantial amount of people who never heard of [us] before. And I can tell that we're turning them, I can tell, especially after the show. You can definitely see it, because we have, obviously, statistics and online we can measure that. After every show, there's a jump in visitors and a jump in downloads and a jump in statistics, so I know that we're hitting a massive amount of people with that."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH played its first show as the support act for METALLICA on the "M72" tour last August at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH was originally supposed to support METALLICA on several European shows in the spring of 2023 but ended up canceling the dates in order to allow singer Ivan Moody to fully recover from his recent hernia surgery.

When FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH played a few shows in Europe as the support act for METALLICA in July 2022, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH shared a video report on the pairing in which Moody said of the experience: "Everyone sets goals, as you should. But you have to understand, for us, this is the apex, this is the climax, this is the top of the fucking hill. And it's amazing to me that we've been on tour for almost 15 years and never crossed paths with this band. And I've gotta tell you, they paved the road for any of us, and anyone that argues that fact is out of their fucking mind. The one and only METALLICA."

Last month, Bathory told The Metal Podcast that FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH will "probably" release a new studio album in 2025.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH recently announced a headlining U.S. tour this summer with support from MARILYN MANSON and SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL. The trek will kick off on August 2 in Hershey, Pennsylvania and run through September 19 when it will conclude in Houston, Texas.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has just embarked on a tour of Europe for more stadium dates with METALLICA on the latter act's "M72" world tour in addition to headlining shows with special guest ICE NINE KILLS and select appearances at major festivals.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is continuing to tour in support of its ninth album, "AfterLife" which was released in August 2022 via Better Noise.

On April 5, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH released the digital deluxe edition of "AfterLife", featuring the original 12 tracks recorded with the band's longtime producer Kevin Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE) in addition to four bonus tracks: three acoustic versions of the album's songs "The End", "Judgement Day" and "Thanks For Asking" plus a brand new song, "This Is The Way", featuring the late rapper DMX.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

Fan-filmed video of Ace Frehley's May 31 concert at the Ohio Bike Week in Sandusky, Ohio can be seen below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ace is back at it this weekend at Ohio Bike Week!! 🤘 Ace will be hitting the OBW stage for the first time ever on Friday...

Posted by Ace Frehley on Tuesday, May 28, 2024

German metal commandos PRIMAL FEAR have officially signed a deal with new record label Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM) for the release of their next studio album.

PRIMAL FEAR bassist/vocalist Mat Sinner states: "We are looking forward to continuing and rejuvenating our successful work with Sven, Jochen and their great team. We have big plans and we know that we have the right partner at our side at RPM!"

Jochen Richert, RPM managing director, adds: "It is an honor for us to welcome one of the most internationally successful bands from Germany to RPM! Mat and Ralf could certainly have worked with any label in the world. But they chose RPM. We see this as confirmation of our previous work, but at the same time also as a mandate and incentive. We will do everything we can to live up to this trust!"

While fresh material is being written, PRIMAL FEAR is about to kick off a summer full of exciting happenings: the band has been confirmed to play at various prestigious European festivals, including a special appearance at Wacken Open Air to commemorate their 25th band anniversary. But that's not all: in addition, their jubilee shall be celebrated in the form of a career-spanning vinyl box set, with further details to be shared soon.

PRIMAL FEAR's latest album, "Code Red", came out last September through Atomic Fire. The 11-track follow-up to 2020's "Metal Commando" included the single, "Cancel Culture", themed around a topic that has been heavily discussed in recent years.

Recorded in Germany at Sebastian "Basi" Roeder's Backyard Studios, with the helping hands of singer Ralf Scheepers as well as Mitch Kunz, "Code Red" was produced by bassist Mat Sinner and co-produced by Scheepers and guitarist Tom Naumann. Longtime PRIMAL FEAR collaborator Jacob Hansen once again took care of mixing and mastering at his own Hansen Studios in Denmark. Additionally, Stan W. Decker, who created previous works for the band, including 2017's "Angels Of Mercy - Live In Germany", 2018's "Apocalypse" and 2021's "I Will Be Gone", provided the record’s magnificent artwork.

Back in August 2021, PRIMAL FEAR announced that it was scrapping all of its previously announced dates for 2021 and 2022 "due to a serious illness issue." Four months after canceling the concerts, Sinner revealed that he had spent the previous eight months in eight different hospitals.

In April 2021, PRIMAL FEAR released a five-track single called "I Will Be Gone". Also made available was the official music video for the title track, featuring a guest appearance by former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen.

Formed by Sinner in 1997 as an outlet for Scheepers (who had left GAMMA RAY and was a rumored candidate for the then-open JUDAS PRIEST vocal spot, but was considering early retirement from metal),PRIMAL FEAR has emerged as one of the most consistent European metal bands, rarely straying from its core PRIEST-styled power metal sound.

For more than a decade, Sinner had been the musical director and co-producer for the prestigious European arena tour "Rock Meets Classic".

PRIMAL FEAR is:

Ralf Scheepers - vocals
Mat Sinner - bass, vocals
Tom Naumann - guitars
Alexander Beyrodt - guitars
Magnus Karlsson - guitars
Michael Ehré - drums

Photo by Alex Kuehr

In a new interview with Consequence, Kerry King spoke about his tendency to write lyrics — with both SLAYER and his solo project — that are critical of organized religion. Asked what he sees in the real world that leads him to write songs on that topic, Kerry replied: "Well, I think it's a farce. When I was in grade school, I couldn't tell you what grade, but during the summer one year, my parents said, 'Hey, you want to go to Sunday school?' Because I did all kinds of extracurricular stuff at school. So I'm, like, 'Yeah, I'll check it out.' I didn't know what church was. And this isn't what gave me my hatred for it, but it's just a fun story. So I went to Sunday school, [and] like a week into it, I went to my parents. I'm, like, 'I don't think I want to go to this anymore.' Even that little kid knew it was a bunch of dog shit."

He continued: "It's like politics these days. What's said in the press is gone within 48 hours. All the things Donald Trump did as president, I remember seeing on the news how many lies he'd made in four years, and like 36 hours later, it's like it never happened. That's basically how religion is. You hear about all these priests around the world getting convicted for sexual assault or inappropriate conduct with minors, and a day later it's gone. But I remember that shit, and it's been fueling my lyrics for the last probably 40 years. So, thank you religion for keeping me occupied."

Last month, King talked to Germany's Moshpit Passion, about the increased prevalence of lyrics about religion and occult themes in heavy metal today compared to how it was when the band first started out more than 40 years ago. He said: "Yeah, I think people got desensitized over the decades, 'cause when we came out, it was far more taboo than it is now. And I think what I do is more like just putting opinions on the table."

He continued: "I think a lot of people are just born into their beliefs — they come down from their parents, their friends, whatever. And I don't believe in God or the devil — I don't believe in anything; I'm an atheist — but I like to put options on the table for those people that may never question what they believe or why they believe it. I don't care if you believe in God — good on you; have fun with that; that's a good story — but I just like to throw things on the table and say, 'Hey, have you ever thought of a different perspective? Have you ever thought of all the preachers that get arrested for fondling little boys?' This world isn't perfect. So I just put things out on the table and hopefully get people thinking about their own life and figure things out for themselves."

He later added: "That's why, first and foremost, I always say I am an atheist. I don't believe any of it. But I don't mind writing about it. [Laughs] I like to think of my songs as mini screenplays that give you visuals in your mind. And it just makes you think of things, makes you think like you're watching a movie in your head. Maybe someday somebody will make up a movie based on a short story by Kerry King, and that story is my song."

King's debut solo album, "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).

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

The KERRY KING launched a European tour on June 3 —King's 60th birthday – in Tilburg, The Netherlands. The trek combines 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 60-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.

Singer, songwriter, subversive performance artist, video director and purveyor of surrealist chaos Poppy returns with her latest genre-defying single, "New Way Out", released today via Sumerian Records. This track masterfully blends hard-hitting rock with captivating industrial pop, highlighting Poppy's dynamic vocals. Her seamless transition from pleading clean singing to passionate screams brings to life the song's message of self-growth and pulling oneself back from the edge, especially in the powerful chorus: "'cause they push to pull me down, and I'm forced to face who I've become, the silence screams so loud, I caught myself before the bottom... I need a new way, give me a new way out."

The new song follows on the heels of Poppy's recent successful collaborations: BAD OMENS' "V.A.N.", currently climbing the Active Rock Radio charts and has entered the top 15 at the format, and KNOCKED LOOSE's "Suffocate", which broke into the top 10 on Spotify's Viral 50 USA playlist. Poppy brings something special and very different to both releases, showing her versatility as an artist.

2024 is already a monumental year for Poppy's live performances. In January, she kicked things off by joining BAD OMENS on the "Concrete Forever" tour across Europe, followed by her headlining her own "Zig" tour throughout the region. In March, Poppy came back stateside and supported AVENGED SEVENFOLD on their month-long North American tour. This summer, she'll be opening for THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS on their North American run.

Originating from a dance background, Poppy's first steps in the creative world began with performance art video vignettes. These vignettes evolved, allowing the unique, multi-hyphenate performer to dig deep visually and experiment sonically to create something entirely new. After initially signing to Los Angeles's Sumerian Records, she released her album, 2020's "I Disagree", to much acclaim. Disregarding labels and genres, it tallied over 100 million streams, and the song "Bloodmoney" earned a Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance", the first-ever solo female artist nominated in the category.

Poppy's 2023 "Zig" is a reflection of an artist who has been in the public eye since her late teens coming into her own in her late twenties as a woman who knows what she wants and who she is. Pairing immersive, roiling electronics with candy-coated vocals, songs on "Zig" bubble just under the skin. At times, the music's cool lacquer gives way to Poppy's own lacerating screamed lyrics, the perfect complement to dislodging the songs' pointed pop edges. Since its release, "Zig" has earned over 12 million streams globally, launching Poppy to 663 million streams globally. It also reached No. 8 on Billboard's Current Alternative Albums chart and No. 9 on Billboard's Current Rock Albums chart.

Photo credit: Sam Cannon

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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