Black Lodge Records proudly announces the signing of Thermality, a rising force in the realm of melodic death metal. Hailing from the heart of Sweden, Thermality brings a fresh and innovative approach to the genre, blending nostalgic elements with a contemporary edge.


To celebrate, the band shares a new track "Stranger", the first single from their forthcoming studio album, The Final Hours. Watch a lyric video below.


Since their inception in 2020, Thermality has ascended swiftly, garnering plenty of acclaim for their debut album, Before I Get To Rest, released in February 2023. Building upon this success, in June of 2023 the band unveiled their first EP, Tales From The North, which received widespread praise from fans and critics alike.




With their upcoming album The Final Hours, set to be released August 16, Thermality invites metal enthusiasts worldwide to embark on a journey of old-school aggression and modern innovation. Recorded at the esteemed Studio Fredman and expertly mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström, this album represents a pinnacle of the band's creative prowess.





The Final Hours tracklisting:


"MMXXIV"
"Weeping Angels"
"Thorns Of Salem"
"Fire Will Reign"
"Stranger"
"Windigo"
"Clones"
"Forsaken"
"Nightfall"
"The Hunter & The Nightmare"
"The Guardian"
"Divinity Pt.1"
"Divinity Pt.2"


"Stranger" lyric video:





Thermality are:


Hampus Sätterlund - Drums
Ludvig Sommar - Vocals
Noel Hoflund Jonsson - Guitar
Ture Skärfstad Stål - Bass
Walter Hamilton - Guitar


(Photo - Anna Synnerö)

In a recent interview with Brazil's Sonoridades Inc., singer Cristina Scabbia of Italian goth metal veterans LACUNA COIL weighed in on a debate about people using an A.I. (artificial intelligence) music generator as a tool to create melodies, harmonies and rhymes based on artificial intelligence (A.I.) algorithms and machine learning (M.L.) models. Cristina said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I still have to know more about A.I. My first impression is that I hate it deeply. I think that it could be interesting and useful in many ways. But what humans are capable of, it's never 100 percent good. So I know that it will go downward. I mean, we could use it to explore galaxies, we could use it to get better in medicines and science, but I know that a lot of people will be using it for bad reasons.

"Speaking about music, I am confident that the creativity that a human being with emotions, with a soul can have will not be comparable, hopefully ever, to A.I.," she continued. "I think about songs like — I don't know — the one of THE POLICE, 'De-do-do-do, de-da-da-da, is all I want to say to you.' And A.I. would be scratching the forehead, if it had one, and say, like, 'What is this? What does it mean?' But it sounds good. It's rhythmically good. It works with that voice.

"There are so many things you have to bring together to write music, to [put] emotion [across to] other people, to give the emotion that for A.I., it's difficult to bring this emotion because it doesn't have one — yet," Scabbia added. "But my actual opinion is just, like, I want to continue to write music without A.I. for a long time… Maybe it can be helpful. This is my first opinion because I don't know that much. Maybe I don't want to know that much about A.I. I just want to keep it there, just like, 'Eh. I don't know if I wanna know you.'"

During the same chat, Cristina revealed that she and her LACUNA COIL bandmates have completed the demoing process for their follow-up to 2019's "Black Anima" album. She said: "If everything goes as projected, before the end of the year [the new LP] will be released."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Burial Extraction provides listeners with five ruthless songs for their new EP, Expelled, to be released on June 17.


Serving as a bridge to close the gap between their debut, A Shadow Of Things To Come, and their next full-length, the tracks they unleash here include the acclaimed "Out Of The Way" and four more that will assault your ears with the sonic razing the new kings of old school death metal have come to be known for.


Not only was this recorded and produced at the renowned Corzine Studio, multi-instrumentalist Derek Corzine officially joins the ranks of Burial Extraction to add another level of ferocity to their sound.




"I also already have another full-length record done. I thought the songs on the EP worked together better, so I wrote those after I wrote the record. So the record is already written, but I side stepped it to write the EP. I think records and EP's should have some coherence, and so, if a song doesn't fit, I set it aside until there's enough other songs to fit it with," shared lyricist and chief songwriter Brian Lyda.


You can pre-order Expelled on CD/Digital here





Tracklisting:


"Out Of The Way"
"Behold"
"Maggot Infestation"
"Creeping In Unnoticed"
"Expelled"


"Out Of The Way" video:

Reverend Horton Heat released a cover of the Motörhead classic "Ace of Spades" on Fun-Guy Records on May 21st. It is now available on all digital platforms.


The band had a long relationship with Lemmy Kilmister, the lead singer and bassist for Motörhead. Frontman Jim Heath comments: 


"Lemmy was always at our L.A. and Hollywood shows which was really flattering for us Then, that friendship eventually led to us recording with him, having him join the band onstage for a tour and a North American tour with Motörhead. During our rehearsals for the tour where we backed up Lemmy, I asked him if we were going to play 'Ace of Spades'. Lemmy said in his somewhat gruff English accent, 'No, we won’t be doing that song!' I replied, 'C’mon Lemmy, 'Ace of Spades' is probably your biggest song, that’s just giving the people what they want!' Lemmy then said, 'Never give them what they want, give them what they need!' 




"Looking back on what he said, I still don’t think I understand what he was talking about! But we had worked up the song already – we knew it. So, we would play it sometimes with friends sitting in and singing, then I just decided one day that I would sing it. Now, it has become a staple of our set, so we decided to record it."


In April of 2024, the band with Jimbo Wallace on bass and Jonathan Jeter on drums went into Empire Sound in the Dallas area and recorded "Ace of Spades". It’s a rollicking and fast rendition with a bit of the Reverend Horton Heat’s own style mixed in with much of the same arrangement as the original Motörhead version. Heath says, "We did kind of morphed our approach more toward a metal type of feel, but it’s obviously still us. It’s fun. It’s all about fun."

Verikalpa has released a lyric video for "Noijan Sauna", a single from the new album, Tuomio, released in April via Scarlet Records. Watch below:





Tuomio is the most accessible record ever in Verikalpa's discography, and yet another intense and aggressive display of power. The new album showcases an exceptional guitar work and a pristine production, enhancing the majestic melodies for which they are known for and taking their songwriting to the next level.




Lyrically-wise, this is a mixed bag of fictional stories about drinking, partying, fighting, and of course a bunch of crazy Finnish folklore creatures setting up the stage. A very fun and easy collection of songs & tales to listen to, alongside rivers of beer and weird Northern liquors.


Artwork by Alvaro Valverde/AV Art Ilustracion (Unanimated, Night Crowned, Krilloan, Drown In Sulphur):





Tracklisting:


“Arvon Tuomari”
“Laulava Vainaja”
“Noijan Sauna”
“Sammalysnti”
“Tuhkakruunu”
“Tulimerten Taa”
“Hakkaa Hakkaa”
“Maat Hauraan Hautaa”
“Eksyneet”
“Veritonttu”
“Kaunan Valta”
“Tuomio”


“Arvon Tuomari” video:





“Sammalysnti” video:





Verikalpa:
Jani Ikonen - vocals
Sami Ikonen - guitar
Janne Niva - guitar
Jussi Sauvola - keyboards
Sami Knuutinen - bass
Jari Huttunen - drums


(Photo – Jani Kakko / Kaja Films)

In a new interview with the Nothing Shocking podcast, PARALANDRA vocalist/guitarist Casandra Carson spoke about the status of her THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT in which she is joined by STONE SOUR guitarist Josh Rand. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "As of just less than a week ago, Josh is back playing guitar. He had back surgery that he'd been out of commission for a little over a year at this point, so we've just kind of been waiting for his recovery. So now the plans are to continue writing. We've already got, like, five songs that have been written and recorded that we just haven't released 'cause we wanna be able to actually go out and tour and support it when we do release it. So, yeah, [we're] kind of getting back into the swing of things, but I'm super excited. It's some good music."

Regarding how she balances PARALANDRA and THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT, Casandra said: "It's difficult. PARALANDRA is my baby and I live in Springfield [Missouri], and that's where everybody lives for PARALANDRA. So it's much easier to get together twice a week to have practices. And we write songs organically right there in the garage, whereas with Josh, it's, like, you send off the track to get drums recorded and then you send it off to get the bass done. It's a very different process. So I'm kind of in two different worlds, but I do try to do both of them at the same time as often as I can."

In September 2022, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT released a new single, "Dying Of The Light".

Earlier that year, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT completed a run of U.S. dates as the support act for ALICE IN CHAINS, BREAKING BENJAMIN and BUSH.

THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT made its live debut on April 30, 2022 at The Riff in Springfield, Missouri.

In an interview with HardDrive Radio's Lou Brutus, Rand stated about THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT: "In a sense, it was just something that I started doing a [few] years ago, just writing music myself. And then I just decided I wanted to get a female vocalist, basically, to work on these songs and sing on them. And I found Casandra through a mutual friend — actually, STONE SOUR's [then-]A&R person, Dave Rath — and we hit it off. And then we've just been working on stuff kind of just here and there.

"So, that's really what it's about," he continued. "It's just me musically trying different stuff, but also getting back to where I originally came from, as far as my musical journey. So it's kind of getting back to my roots and just having fun with it. That's what THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is for me — it's a different vehicle to express myself, I guess, artistically with truly no boundaries, but leaning more towards, musically, I think, coming at it as an educated teenager. What I mean by that is it's the fire of that teenager — that drive, that style of music that I was playing 30 years ago — but now doing it with the experience, the knowledge and all that. So it's kind of like revisiting the past, in a way, or going home in some ways."

THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT released a four-song EP, titled "Big F.O.U.R.", in March 2022 via Bloodblast. The collection featured a clutch of cover versions, one each from heavy music's pioneering icons METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX.

Rand previously stated about the EP: "Recording a 'Big F.O.U.R.' cover EP is something that I have wanted to do for a very, very long time, and [in the] fall [of 2021] I decided to finally do it with THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT.

"Without these four bands (METALLICA, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX and SLAYER),my musical career wouldn't be where it is today. In some ways, you could say this project is paying homage to them or, how I see it, a return to where it all started in my parents' house as a teenager trying to learn just a piece of the music.

"Each of the four songs that I picked were pivotal in my development as a musician, whether it was learning the intro to 'One' on guitar, drums on 'Symphony [Of Destruction]' or bass lines in 'Caught In A Mosh'.

"This EP was a true love and passion project for myself. I feel I captured the vibe and the spirit of the original but with THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT sound. Hopefully you hear it too!"

Stylistically, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is a fluid combination of classic metal sensibility and Rand's penchant for pushing the boundaries of contemporary heavy.

THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT's debut self-titled EP came out in the summer of 2021 and was made available exclusively through the band's webstore or via the Nuclear Blast store.

Josh and Casandra's debut single, "The Nothingness", was featured on several major playlists across streaming platforms, including Rock Hard on Spotify, Breaking Metal on Apple Music, Break Through Rock on Amazon and Metal Radar on Deezer. "The Nothingness" was also included on SiriusXM Octane's "Test Drive" show on release.

“This is not a side project. It’s a new touring and recording band, and with Forever We Burn, our debut studio album, we’re showing our love for all things gothic and grand, along with a collective belief that dark music doesn’t have to be confined to the shadows.” - Aaron Stainthorpe


Behold the revelation! Behold the birth of ‘death pop'! High Parasite emerges into the light, unveiling its debut album, Forever We Burn, set for release via Candlelight / Spinefarm on September 27.


Lighting the way is the inaugural single, "Let It Fail", a nihilistic anthem fusing big riffs, choruses, and grooves with electronic and industrial influences, whilst the ethereal vocals of Heather Thompson (Tapping The Vein) nod to her previous work with Paradise Lost. This cry of anguish to a world scarred beyond repair is accompanied by a video directed by Shaun Hodson (Loki Films).




Listen to the track here, watch the video below.


Forever We Burn features 10 new tracks, all produced by Gregor Mackintosh (Paradise Lost), who also adds some signature guitar lines; as a body of work, it both delves into the darker recesses of the human condition and heralds the arrival of a new name and a familiar, formidable voice.


The name (an acknowledgment of mankind as parasite-in-chief) is High Parasite; the voice is Aaron Stainthorpe – longstanding frontman with doom metal maestros, My Dying Bride.


As a revered and founding pillar of My Dying Bride, with a legacy spanning over three decades, the spotlight will doubtless focus on Aaron’s distinctive profile, initially at least; pull back the red velvet curtains, however, and another force emerges in the form of bassist/vocalist/songwriter Tombs – a key player in the creation of High Parasite as a livin’, breathin’ entity.


Every song bears the indelible stamp of Stainthorpe and Tombs, their collaboration forming the dark, pulsating core of this five-piece ensemble, fleshed out by Sam Hill (rhythm guitar), Jonny Hunter (lead guitar), and Dan Brown (drums).


Comments Aaron, “The band has been lurking in the shadows, developing, growing, and evolving, and is now ready to unveil its own brand of darkness to the world. Skating the lines between metal, gothic rock and dark synth-pop, High Parasite is here, and death pop is born!”


Pre-order Forever We Burn here.





Forever We Burn tracklisting:


"Forever We Burn"
"My Syndrome"
"Grave Intentions"
"Wasn’t Human"
"Concentric Nightmares"
"Hate Springs Eternal"
"Parasite"
"Let It Fail"
"Widowmaker"
"We Break We Die"


"Let It Fail" video:





High Parasite will take their realm of dark music to major venues across the UK and Ireland in October and November in support of Cradle Of Filth. Don’t miss the special Halloween performance at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town on October 31. Check out the full list of dates below.


October
27 - Bristol, England - O2 Academy
28 - Bournemouth, England - O2 Academy
29 - Birmingham, England - O2 Institute
31 - London, England - O2 Forum Kentish Town


November
1 - Swansea, Wales - Patti Pavilion
2 - Manchester, England - Damnation Festival
3 - Nottingham, England - Rock City
5 - Belfast, Ireland - Limelight
6 - Dublin, Ireland -Academy
7 - Glasgow, Scotland - SWG3
8 - Newcastle, England - NX


(Photo - Andy Ford)

In a recent interview with Brazil's Headbangers News, guitarist Andrew Craighan of English doom metal pioneers MY DYING BRIDE was asked when fans can expect to see him and his bandmates on tour in support of their latest album, "A Mortal Binding". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm sorry. I really, really don't have a real answer for that. To try and give you some understanding that MY DYING BRIDE is not a full-time band. We all have very much normal jobs and sadly that drags on our time, as you can imagine. And, obviously, it means we have to ask permission to leave work and all those kind of things. So that's one difficulty. And also the distance, because we would need more than one gig for the promoters to make it make sense and all those kinds of things. So the sad and real answer is I don't have an answer. But on the plus side on this, if there is a light at the end of this well, we do think about it. We do try, and our agent does listen to various promoters and tries to get things going. But like everybody else, we're at the mercy of how it all works and how our professional jobs keep us sort of — not necessarily held back, but it's all got to align."

He added: "I mean, we have some problems to sort out. Some people have some personal problems that we need to sort of overcome. It's not insurmountable… I know people are concerned because obviously people, they care for the band in ways that we didn't expect. But I reckon we'll be okay. Everything's a little bit messy right now. We have some things that we have to organize and iron out, let's say, but it's not insurmountable."

Last month, MY DYING BRIDE issued an official statement regarding the recent revelation that they were canceling all of their previously announced 2024 tour dates, including an appearance at this year's Maryland Deathfest. The band said: "The production of this latest album was arduous and challenging to such an extent that it has revealed fractures within the band. These tensions had already been observed during the creation of the previous 2 albums and were only exacerbated during the Covid period. Over the past few months, they have intensified, causing a profound sense of discontent among the band members. The resulting stress and the pervasive feeling of burnout, along with the physical and mental malaise it creates, necessitated a period of time off which unfortunately impacts on live shows.

"The reason for the lack of an official statement until now is because the band has truly hoped to resolve these internal issues and perform some shows this year while trying find a resolution in time to satisfy all parties involved. Sadly, this resolution is yet to be found.

"Regrettably, a lack of understanding and poor communication from our professional partners has resulted in an untimely and chaotic mess from which a recovery is challenging. However, the promoters have now been officially contacted and it is hoped that steps can be taken to minimise the impact on you all.

"We apologise for keeping you in the dark, but these are indeed challenging times."

The follow-up to 2019's "The Ghost Of Orion", "A Mortal Binding" came out on April 19 via Nuclear Blast Records.

MY DYING BRIDE hired "The Ghost Of Orion" studio wizard Mark Mynett to produce, mix, and master "A Mortal Binding". The group holed up at Mynett's Mynetaur Productions (PARADISE LOST, ROTTING CHRIST) in Manchester, U.K., where they tracked the album consecutively from July to September 2023.

MY DYING BRIDE is:

Aaron Stainthorpe - vocals
Andrew Craighan - guitars
Lena Abé - bass
Shaun MacGowan - keyboards, violin
Neil Blanchett - guitars
Dan Mullins - drums

My Kingdom Music is proud to announce the signing of French evocative black metal duo, Berlial. Their sophomore album, Nourishing The Disaster To Come, will be released in the early days of 2025 on digipakCD, LP & digital format.


Here is what the band says: "We are happy to announce our agreement with My Kingdom Music and above all to present our new album soon because behind it there has really been a huge amount of work, full of details that make it an extremely personal and unique creature."
 
Nourishing The Disaster To Come was built with a sort of cinematic narrative. Its atmospheres, the samples, the spoken speeches, the music built like a wall of sound, make everything extreme, oppressive and delirious but at the same time with a truly unique oniric dimension.


What Berlial offer with it is a polymorphic and very iconoclastic black metal with electronic, post-rock and dungeon synth elements which brings them alongside bands such as Dødheimsgard, Akhlys, Blut Aus Nord, Deadspace, Afraid Of Destinity, Raven Throne, Decline Of The I.







Lineup:


Hsod - guitars, bass, programing, back vocals
CzH: lead vocals, keyboards


Special guest: Bargnatt XIX (Ophe, Område, Ecr.Linf) - additional voice

After a ten-year hiatus, Birmingham’s heavy metal heavyweights, Under Blackened Skies, are back with a thunderous return. Marking their resurgence, the band is set to re-release "Part Together", a track that has remained a fan favorite since its original debut in 2010.


"Part Together" captures the essence of Under Blackened Skies' powerful sound and profound lyrical depth. The song delves into themes of chaos, self-discovery, and unity, resonating deeply with listeners through its intense and evocative lyrics that remind listeners that We are together, WE STAND AS ONE!!


The re-release of "Part Together" not only celebrates the band's legacy but also introduces their raw and potent sound to a new generation of metal fans. The track's intricate composition and powerful message exemplify Under Blackened Skies’ mastery in blending fierce instrumentation with thought-provoking storytelling.




Under Blackened Skies is a metal band formed in Birmingham, UK, in 2008. Known for their intense live performances and thought-provoking lyrics, the band has garnered a dedicated following worldwide. With a renewed lineup and a passion for pushing musical boundaries, Under Blackened Skies continues to make waves in the metal scene.


"We are excited to bring back Under Blackened Skies, a huge piece of our lives, we are revitalised and itching to show you what we have been working on." says lead vocalist Manu. "‘Part Together’ is about the journey of self-discovery and the power of unity. In a world that often feels divided, we hope this song brings people together, reminding them that they are not alone in their struggles."


"Part Together" will be available on all major streaming platforms starting Friday, May 31. A visualiser video will premiere that morning.





To celebrate their comeback, Under Blackened Skies will perform a special return show at Dead Wax in Birmingham on Saturday, July 13t with Hands Of Attrition and Elyrean also joining the lineup.


Under Blackened Skies are:


Manu Patel - Vocals
Aaron Sheldon - Guitar
Chris Locke - Guitar
Dan Carter - Bass
Andy Davies - Drums

In a new interview with Andrew Daly of ClassicRockHistory.com, Kerry King was asked about his outlook on SLAYER's upcoming reunion shows. He said: "It's not really much different at all. It's the same heads, same cabs, same pedals, same guitars. You know, there will be a lot of fire when SLAYER plays, and I think, yeah, those shows will just be fun. It'll be fun to play with Gary Holt [SLAYER guitarist] for a few gigs; I haven't seen him in almost five years, so that will be cool. And it'll be cool to get together with Tom Araya [SLAYER bassist/vocalist] and spit some hate out at people, but don't get used to this being a yearly event."

Earlier this month, King was asked by SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" if he thinks SLAYER's upcoming reunion shows will have a positive or negative impact on the promotional efforts for his debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", which arrived on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music. He responded: "I see it both ways. We've [SLAYER] been turning down [reunion] offers for the last four years. Unfortunately, when the right offer came around, this one, it was right as my project was releasing. So there's certainly people, like my management and booking agents, who say, 'Oh, that's great. It's gonna boost your solo thing.' And I'm, like, 'Well, I don't know the business side of it, but it is what it is.' And every time I talk about it to journalists and magazines and stuff, I say, 'Listen, SLAYER is not gonna make another record. SLAYER is never gonna tour again.' May SLAYER do a one-off here or there? Maybe. I told my [solo] band when [the SLAYER reunion shows] came up, I'm, like, 'Listen, this is a blip on the radar to me. This isn't a solo project that's gonna recycle musicians every record cycle. You guys are with me till you don't wanna be.'"

Asked if he envisions SLAYER as the type of thing where the band will do one or two shows a year when a great opportunity comes up, Kerry said: "I'm not even talking yearly. I'm, like, every two years, every three years, every five years. I don't know. 'Cause I'm gonna be super busy with [my solo band] once 2025 rolls around."

On the topic of whether he has spoken to Araya since SLAYER's reunion shows were announced, Kerry said: "I'll tell you the truth, 'cause you know that's how I roll. No, we haven't. But you know what's weird about that? It's not weird. [Laughs]"

He continued: "We'll go probably rehearse off and on for a couple weeks [before the first show], 'cause even though me and [SLAYER drummer] Paul [Bostaph, who is also in Kerry's solo band] will be sharp from playing, playing with different people, you've gotta get sharp together."

Elaborating on his belief that SLAYER's comeback shows will not lead into a full-fledged reunion for the legendary thrash metal act, Kerry said: "The way I look at it, and when I tell you this, it puts it into perspective for a lot of people, I see it as three five-year anniversary shows of our last tour."

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

King previously addressed the SLAYER reunion while speaking to Revolver magazine about "From Hell I Rise". Asked if he had known about these shows well before they were officially announced, King said: "If you ask promoters, they're going to have another answer. If you ask booking agents, they'll probably have a third answer. But to me, it kind of came out of nowhere. Have we been getting offers the past few years? Yeah, we turn down offers every year, probably every month of every year. These three festivals are right around the five-year anniversary of our last tour, which I thought was kind of cool. So, I thought this might be the right time to test the water. It will be great to play for the fans again."

Regarding whether the upcoming SLAYER shows will steal some of the thunder away from the touring his solo band will do in support of "From Hell I Rise", Kerry said: "Well, time will tell, and my answer would be, 'hopefully not'. The funny thing is, it never occurred to me until the day the SLAYER announcement came, but [Phil] Demmel [guitarist in Kerry's solo band] said, 'Dude, is this real?' And I'm, like, 'It's just a few weekends and that's it.' Of course, Paul knew. But I didn't tell Phil, I didn't tell Kyle [Sanders, KERRY KING bassist] and didn't tell Mark [Osegueda, KERRY KING singer] — and I said to the guys, 'There's no master plan here.' I didn't want anybody to start getting cold feet. I said, 'This is a little moment in time, and yeah, KERRY KING is going to be touring, you know, hopefully later in the year, as well. But SLAYER is an entity and I'm just a person.' But hopefully, we drive on with the solo project."

King also spoke about the SLAYER reunion in an interview with U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine. Admitting that the announcement of SLAYER's comeback "was not my favorite timing", Kerry said that the SLAYER reunion "is not going to translate into recording and it's not going to translate into touring. For me, it's three shows marking five years since our final shows, a fun, 'Hey, remember us from before the pandemic?' celebration."

Kerry also explained in more detail why he still has not spoken to Tom since the news of SLAYER's reunion was announced. "It's not like I'm angry with him or anything," King clarified. "We're very different people, and we evolved into business partners at the end of the day. He has very different interests from me, and very different outlooks. Does that make me hate him? No. But I don't need to talk to him every day… We just don't have much in common. When it comes time to rehearse, I'll have no problem showing up. We're professionals, and that's what we do."

When Kerry's solo project was first announced, King told Rolling Stone that he was almost positive he and Tom would never resurrect the band. "I can pretty much a hundred percent say no because I have a new outlet, and it's not SLAYER, but it sounds like SLAYER," King said of a potential SLAYER reunion.

The lineup for SLAYER's comeback will be the same as the one which last toured in 2019: Araya and King, along with guitarist Gary Holt (also of EXODUS) and longtime drummer Paul Bostaph.

Days after SLAYER's reunion was announced, Tom Araya's wife wrote on social media that she "harassed him for over a year" before he "agreed finally" to play more shows with the band. "We shared that news with SLAYER's awesome managers and they did the rest!" she explained. "So yes without Tom it wouldn't have happened.. without me BUGGING HIM it wouldn't have happened."

Both Gary and his wife Lisa Holt were among the hundreds of people who "liked" Sandra's Instagram post, with Lisa sharing three heart emojis in response to Sandra's message.

In a statement confirming SLAYER's return, Tom said: "Nothing compares to the 90 minutes when we're on stage playing live, sharing that intense energy with our fans, and to be honest, we have missed that." King added: "Have I missed playing live? Absolutely. SLAYER means a lot to our fans; they mean a lot to us. It will be five years since we have seen them."

The same day that SLAYER's comeback was announced, Holt's wife Lisa Holt took to her social media to write: "Yes, it's true..and an exciting adventure for the band and fans !

"To all the people saying 'they are liars' 'they must have ran out of money' 'its not SLAYER without so and so' ..I have an idea for you all...DON'T GO.. and for all the people who did go to the final tour dates and enjoyed it...awesome!!

"This isn't a 'TOUR' it's some dates..and GREAT NEWS!!!" she added. "And everyone that thinks they know all the inside info..you can't possibly know. so just enjoy the fact that this amazing band will play some amazing shows this year...go or don't..nobody cares!!!!!"

Three weeks before SLAYER's reunion was announced, Kerry told Rolling Stone that he didn't foresee SLAYER coming back together for the foreseeable future.

"Will SLAYER tour again? I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen. Could SLAYER play a show again? I'm sure there's a scenario," King said, adding that he hadn't spoken to Araya since that final show. "Am I looking for it? No, I'm just getting ready to start my [solo] career. So if that happens, it happens. But I'm going to be doing this for the next 10 years at least."

SLAYER played the final show of its farewell tour in November 2019 at the Forum in Los Angeles. One day later, Kerry's wife Ayesha said that there is "not a chance in hell" that the thrash metal icons will reunite for more live appearances.

SLAYER's final world tour began on May 10, 2018 with the band's intention to play as many places as possible, to make it easy for the fans to see one last SLAYER show and say goodbye. By the time the 18-month trek wrapped at the Forum, the band had completed seven tour legs plus a series of one-off major summer festivals, performing more than 140 shows in 30 countries and 40 U.S. states.

All material for "From Hell I Rise" was written by King, who was accompanied during the recording sessions by Bostaph, Demmel, Sanders and Osegueda. 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.

Swedish metallers SABATON will release "The Tour To End All Tours" concert film in partnership with All Things Live!The film will hit theaters on October 11, 2024, and tickets will be released on August 26, 2024.

Titled "Sabaton - The Tour To End All Tours", this concert film holds a special place in SABATON's hearts. It was recorded at the sold-out Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, where thousands of fans gathered to watch the band. For those who know SABATON well, you'll understand the profound significance of this concert. When SABATON first performed in the Netherlands six years after the formation, they played to a small crowd — only a handful of people. Reflecting on this incredible contrast from then to now truly blows SABATON's minds.

Now, SABATON invites you to embark on a heavy metal journey like no other and celebrate the largest tour to date! "Sabaton - The Tour To End All Tours" will throw you straight into the heart of their explosive live performance. If you're looking for energy, pyrotechnics and heavy metal with a side of history, look no further. SABATON's got you covered.

Watch the trailer for "Sabaton - The Tour To End All Tours" below.

SABATON bassist and manager Pär Sundström says: "In 2023, we embarked on our biggest tour ever, and in Europe alone, we covered over 50,000 kilometers with a dedicated team of 170 amazing people, nine buses, 12 trucks, and even a tank! 'The Tour To End All Tours' was an unforgettable journey for each of us — unique, thrilling, and deeply eye-opening. We wanted to share this extraordinary experience with everyone, especially those who couldn’t attend our live shows for whatever reason."

He adds: "Coming from humble beginnings, performing at the sold-out Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam was a surreal and monumental achievement for us. We hope you enjoy the SABATON experience and we're confident you won't be disappointed! October 11th. Mark that date on your calendar."

In the more than two decades since the band's launch, SABATON has achieved quadruple-platinum sales, headlined major festivals and sold-out arena concerts across the globe, and earned a legion of loyal fans by carving out a reputation as one of the hardest working bands in rock. SABATON combines standout stage design and production with epic concept albums, linking real-life historical war events with classic kick-ass metal. To date, the band has released ten studio albums, amassed six gold, two platinum, and one four-times-platinum awards, seen eight of its albums score Top 10 international chart status, and six claim the Top 5. The band has earned eight Metal Hammer/Golden Gods Awards nominations, taking home the award for "Breakthrough Artist" in 2011 and "Best Live Band" in three different years, and a Grammis nomination (Swedish equivalent to the U.S. Grammy) as "Best Heavy Metal" band. SABATON has also accumulated more than two billion streams across all streaming platforms.

PUSCIFER has unveiled a brand new original track. Titled "The Algorithm", the new release is crafted exclusively for the soundtrack of Sumerian Comics' hugely popular "American Psycho" comic book series. This dynamic partnership between musical and visual storytelling realms provides an enhanced and immersive experience for fans of the comic book series, delivering an atmospheric, sensory depth.

Watch the music video for "The Algorithm" below.

Nathan Yocum, president of Sumerian Comics, expressed his excitement about the collaboration, sharing: "Joining forces with the legendary rock band PUSCIFER for our soundtrack to the 'American Psycho' comic book series is an electrifying collaboration. This original song brings an intensity and depth to the narrative, elevating the experience for fans and readers alike. We're thrilled to amplify the story's impact with PUSCIFER's signature sound, creating a fusion of music and storytelling that will further captivate audiences."

The "American Psycho" comic book series by Sumerian Comics is a bold reimagining of Patrick Bateman's notorious saga. The five-issue series delves into a dual storyline format; one tracing the chilling exploits of Bateman, and the other introducing a contemporary narrative featuring Charlene Carruthers — a social media-savvy millennial whose descent into violence mirrors the chilling escalation of her predecessor. This innovative take reinterprets the iconic tale with a story written by Michael Calero ("Quested"),vivid artwork by Piotr Kowalski ("The Witcher", "Bloodborne", "Sex") and striking colors by Brad Simpson ("Kong Of Skull Island", "Stray Dogs", "Blade Runner Origins").

"The Algorithm" by PUSCIFER, joins previously released tracks from the soundtrack from UNLIKE PLUTO who covered EURYTHMICS' "Sweet Dreams", PERTURBATOR, who covered "Dangerous" by DEPECHE MODE and RAMSEY, who covered LEADBELLY's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". Between them, the previously released tracks have racked up over 677,000 streams with current sales for the graphic novel series topping 80,000 units.

Fans of the "American Psycho" franchise can look forward to more from the accompanying soundtrack for the comic book series that perfectly complements the visual frenzy and deepens the narrative's impact, making each issue a multifaceted experience of sight and sound.

Sumerian is an American comic book and graphic novel publisher headed up by Behemoth Comics co-founders Nathan Yocum and Ryan Swanson, alongside Sumerian Records founder and film director Ash Avildsen. Sumerian's titles are distributed worldwide by Diamond Comic Distributors to the comic market and Simon & Schuster to the book market. Sumerian averages over half a million physical comic books sold yearly.

When he's not fronting TOOL and A PERFECT CIRCLE, Midwest-bred singer/songwriter Maynard James Keenan exorcizes his demons with a third project dubbed PUSCIFER. As an outlet for the darker and more personal musings that don't quite fit into the TOOL and APC molds, PUSCIFER blends introspective reflection and sophomoric humor in a way that is distinctly Keenan, apparent in the titles of releases such as the 2007 debut "V Is For Vagina", 2013's "Donkey Punch The Night" and 2015's "Money $hot". By 2020, in light of world events, Keenan and company buckled down and got a little more serious for their fourth set, "Existential Reckoning".

PUSCIFER is:

Maynard James Keenan - Vocals
Mat Mitchell - Guitar/Keyboards
Carina Round - Vocals/Keyboards

In a new interview with Larry Mac of the 96.1 KLPX radio station, WARRANT singer Robert Mason spoke about the challenges of the touring lifestyle, particularly since much of WARRANT's schedule nowadays consists of fly-in dates. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The travel is the only part, I think, that can get on our nerves. This is not like a commercial or an advertisement; it's not fantasy. That's my commute to work. So if you slug it out on the freeway with so many other people, just to get to your office or your job or wherever that is, and throughout the day you deal with that, rush hour, whatever, I wake up at two, whatever time zone I'm in, or earlier sometimes in the morning. That's when your day starts. Your alarm rings. You're, like, 'Oh.' If you're in a hotel, it's, like, shower, vans, race to an airport, hopefully get a little something to eat or relax, and then you're on a plane or two or three to either go to work or come home or to go to your next show from the last show."

He continued: "I'm not bitching by any means because I love my job — I really do love my job — but the thing that everyone else finds… This is the tie-in — the things that everyone else finds exciting, like packing your luggage, going on a trip. Like, you're going to Hawaii or you're going to whatever — you're going to Disney World or whatever you're doing, like, even growing up as a kid., those things are for a traveling salesman, which is basically what I am, those are the things that you become accustomed to that you have to do for your work. And like a delay in a flight or crap weather, and you're sitting in an airport and for how many hours before you actually get on a plane to then go to your next city, then you go there and [you check in to] a new hotel.

"I have to take cell phone pictures sometimes of the hotel door to know what room number I am," Mason admitted. "'Cause I will get in the elevator and go to floor six instead of floor eight and walk right up to my yesterday's hotel number and go, 'Oh, this is yesterday. Sorry.' And I go back to my room. It's not that I have a terrible memory, but it's that cliché of, like, 'What city am I in today to go to work?'"

"Everything runs uphill towards the culmination of your entire day, which is getting on stage," Robert added. "And as a singer, I have a little bit more maybe precaution to take, and I have to take it easy. I don't drink, and I've never been a drug guy — I was raised an athlete — and maybe that gives me somewhat of an advantage to be kind of a little bit more together by the time I have to go to work. But, yeah, man, it's funny 'cause everything leads to that… I sometimes refer to it to friends or people that don't understand your job, like, 'What do you do?' Half the time I don't wanna tell 'em, but if they ask, it's, like, the 22 and a half hours of total B.S. to get on stage for an hour and a half. And everything else is just that other time, which is hotels, a workout, the shower, warming up, show prep, all that stuff that leads up to, like I said, your day schedule from that wake-up in the morning, whenever that might be, to be able to do the flights, do the van rides, do the whatever that all leads up to, we're sitting in the dressing room and everybody's warming up and I go… I'm always looking at my watch, like, 'Eight minutes,' and that's eight minutes till the time the intro tape runs. Or Joey [Allen, WARRANT guitarist] will go, like… It's funny. He's, like, 'Mason, what time is it?' 'Cause he's been noodling and warming up, and everybody's getting ready and we're all — the five of us and very few other people, if ever… We lock down the dressing room the last little bit before the show and kind of get that last little bit of bonding and all that stuff off stage. And then we do the walkup. It all leads up to that moment where the lights go on."

This past March, Allen told the "Rimshots With Sean" podcast that there was "nothing going on" with regard to WARRANT making the follow-up to 2017's "Louder Harder Faster" album.

Last December, WARRANT guitarist Erik Turner revealed to Robert Miguel of Uvalde Radio Rocks that he and his bandmates were "not sure" what they were going to do as far as new music was concerned. "It's just been a little bit — there's just been some stuff going on where we haven't really been doing any new music," he revealed. "We have some riffs [being thrown] around. We have some half-finished songs going on. Due to some personal stuff going on, we're just kind of on hold as far as the new record goes. Nothing horrible, but just band stuff."

Three years ago, Mason told the "Thunder Underground" podcast that there wasn't "a defined schedule" for WARRANT's next studio album, but he added that he and his bandmates are "always writing."

"Louder Harder Faster" was released in May 2017. The disc was recorded with Jeff Pilson — a veteran bassist who has played with DIO, FOREIGNER, DOKKEN and T&N, among others — and was mixed by Pat Regan, except for the song "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink", which was mixed by Chris "The Wizard" Collier (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, PRONG, LAST IN LINE).

Mason replaced original WARRANT frontman Jani Lane in 2008 and has brought a degree of stability to the band after Lane's unceremonious departure and subsequent 2011 death.

In a new interview with Richmond Register Music, SALIVA vocalist Bobby Amaru and bassist Brad Stewart confirmed that there are plans for the band to release new music as a follow-up to 2023's "Revelation" album. "Yeah, we're gonna release more stuff," Bobby said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "We're gonna drop something in a few months, for sure. We may actually work on a single soon, very soon, like in the next few weeks. But we're gonna release something in a few months — like another thing. I can't really say [what it is]. We're working on something."

After the interviewer brought up the prospect of SALIVA dropping singles as opposed to full-length albums going forward, Bobby said: "That's probably the next move, is to do something like that. Just kind of maybe focus on a single or two and then lead it up to [a full-length album]. That's what we did with this one ['Revelation'], though. We started working on this record in 2020, and then we were, like, 'Oh, we'll put it out in 2021.' 'No, we'll put it out in 2022.' [It ended up being] 2023, but we were working singles all up until that."

Brad chimed in: "[People have] such a short attention span, though, in the TikTok world. Afull album? People are, like, 'What am I gonna do with that?' You'd be lucky to get three and a half minutes of their time."

Bobby added: "We do that for the core fans and the hardcore fans that really love full-lengths. I can't imagine a band that I really like giving me one song every six months… And I love doing the vinyl — all that stuff's great."

"Revelation" came out last September. It marked the band's first release since the passing of SALIVA's founding guitarist Wayne Swinny, who died six months earlier while on tour with the group. The "Come Back Stronger" video was notably filmed on March 16, 2023 — just five days before Swinny's death — and was dedicated to the fallen guitarist.

On March 22, 2023, SALIVA shared a statement on Facebook in which the band said that Swinny had been found that morning "in medical distress." Paramedics were called and the musician was transported to hospital "where he was diagnosed with a Spontaneous Hemorrhage in his brain."

SALIVA was on the road in the U.S. as part of the "Spring Mayhem" tour with THROUGH FIRE and ANY GIVEN SIN and had played in Warrendale, Pennsylvania on March 21, 2023.

When "Revelation" was first announced in July 2023, Amaru said in a statement: "We started working on this record in 2020 during the pandemic shutdown. I felt like we had to get outside of the box with this one.

"I've been sober almost five years now and there are many songs on this record that are a reflection of it. I just wanted to connect with the listener and pull them into what I was dealing with but also shed some light on overcoming personal adversity.

"With the passing of Wayne in March [2023], I felt lost. Where do I go? I knew we had this record we were all stoked about. Wayne's influence is all over these songs and, in my opinion, his playing on this album is next level. It's the only right thing to do to honor him and all our hard work and release it. I just want to share with the world what we have worked on the last three-plus years."

SALIVA's current lineup consists of Amaru and Stewart alongside Sammi Jo Bishop (drums),Sebastian LaBar (guitar) and Josh Kulack (guitar).

SALIVA launched its career in 2001 with the release of "Every Six Seconds", a double-platinum selling album with hits that include "Click Click Boom" and "Your Disease".

The band has toured the U.S. with SEVENDUST, AEROSMITH and KISS.

SALIVA reunited with original singer Josey Scott for a one-off appearance at the 2022 edition of the Blue Ridge Rock Festival at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.

Scott left SALIVA at the end of 2011 after 15 years with the group, reportedly to pursue a solo Christian music career. He was quickly replaced by Amaru, who can be heard on SALIVA's last five releases: "In It To Win It" (2013),"Rise Up" (2014),"Love, Lies & Therapy" (2016),"10 Lives" (2018) and "Revelation" (2023).

SALIVA released six albums with Scott and tasted platinum success and a Grammy nomination for its first big hit, "Your Disease".

In May 2021, SALIVA celebrated the 20th anniversary of its breakthrough major label debut, "Every Six Seconds", with a special project called "Every Twenty Years", an EP of classic songs re-recorded with Amaru.

Baest are sharing an ominous vision about their new song, “Imp Of The Perverse”. “Our second single shows the dark sides of the human soul. It combines the heavy grooves with catchy rock melodies which forces the listener to both bang and boogie. It’s unreason, it’s chaos, it’s the ‘Imp Of The Perverse’.”


The video was and edited / directed by Jakob Printzlau, and filmed by Theis Mortensen and Martin Hagge, during two very special headlining shows in Aarhus and Copenhagen that Baest played in March 2024.


Looking back, the band is still buzzing about seeing so many smiling faces who came to party with them: “We broke the record for the largest sold-out headlining shows any Danish death metal band has ever played. Thank you to everyone who came out to support us and helped to make this become a reality. We love you all…”







“Imp Of The Perverse” is currently available on all digital platforms.


This past January, Baest released “Colossus” as a first appetizer for new material:





In November, Baest are set to embark on their “Beast Against Beast” European co-headline tour together with Benighted. Special guests will be Coffin Feeder. Baest state: “In the fall of 2024 we will return to the European roads wreaking havoc with a colossus of a co-headline tour: We will bring the Baest factor as you know it with an energetic heavy metal show with both oldies, goldies and maybe some fresh tunes. We’re teaming up with French brutal deathgrinders Benighted, and Belgium blasters from Coffin Feeder. We can’t wait to get back on the road! See ya.”





 

São Paulo, Brazil-based thrash metal band, Insane Hell, has released its new single, "Faith Deceivers", marking a new chapter in its musical and artistic evolution.


Amidst the flourishing Brazilian thrash scene over the past decade, the quintet, currently comprised of Neskau Magnarello (vocals, RxUxA, ex-Megaforce, Sensimilla Dub), Michel Soria (guitar, ex-Neurônios Alucinados), Césinha (guitar), Luciano Meira (bass), and Crisolito Reis (drums, ex-Hellcrusher), emerges as a prominent example of this vitality.


With only four years of history, facing numerous challenges, style changes, and lineup shifts during the pandemic period, the band has embraced the essence of old-school thrash metal, with nuances of crossover and hardcore, completely abandoning the acidic roots of its black metal beginnings.




For this triumphant return with a new and solid lineup, the single "Faith Deceivers" featuring the brutal participation of Alex Kafer (vocals, The Troops Of Doom) in a captivating duet with Neskau Magnarello, is available on all digital platforms


Listen on Spotify Spotify, or on your preferred digital platform here, and below.





"Faith Deceivers" is a powerful critique of religious institutions that exploit faith for profit, a potent message echoing through the distortions and frenetic beats of thrash metal.


Alex Kafer comments on his participation: "Me and Neskau have known each other for many years. We're from the Paleozoic era of Brazilian metal (laughs). I was very happy to be invited to participate in one of Insane Hell's songs because, besides being his request, the song is a powerful old-school thrash metal, with lyrics that criticize the false religious sellers of faith. The combination of my more death metal style with Neskau's raw and thrashy vocals worked really well, and I was very pleased with the result. I hope the fans of 'brutality' enjoy it as much as we did! Thrash 'Till Death!"


Crisolito Reis (drums) comments on the song's lyrics: "In 'Faith Deceivers,' we address the religious institutions that exploit humanity's last hope, which is faith, to make a profit. These are the false prophets spread throughout the world. The lyrics are written by our former guitarist and founder of the band, Henrique Pavan, who was also responsible for the initial arrangements, with some new changes made by the new lineup and by Ciero."





"Faith Deceivers" is a glimpse of what's to come on Insane Hell's debut EP, promising an even more remarkable expression of this promising band's talent, which aims not to be just another one in the Brazilian thrash metal scene.


Recently, Insane Hell signed a full artistic management contract with Oitava Produções (@oitava_producoes), the first rock/metal band to be part of the roster of this innovative company that will provide complete partnership services for show sales, documentation, office structure, among other full support services for the prolific career of the quintet.


(Photo - Eduardo Firmo, @dufirmo)

In a new interview with MNPR Magazine, GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash was asked for his opinion on the current music scene. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I love what's going on in the blues scene. It's really vibrant right now. I wish the rock scene was similar. [Laughs] The blues scene's great. I think there's a lot of really exciting players in that area.

"I see that there is some — a lot of kids that are doing rock and roll on their own now, away from the record companies and away from all the bullshit that was going on in the '90s and in the first decade of the millennium," he continued. "They're creating their own music for themselves. No one's trying to make money from it. No one's trying to get a big record deal. No one's ambitions are limos and fucking hot chicks — it's all about the music, and it's really important because I think that's what's gonna bring the rock scene back around. And that rock scene will always be there. Anyway, but so that's sort of cool.

"All things considered, I'm still listening, more or less, to a lot of the artists I've been listening to," Slash added. "The new [THE BLACK] CROWES record's great, the new QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE record's great. And there's a couple other ones. So it's nothing super new and exciting, but there is new records coming out that I'm listening to."

Slash's blues album, "Orgy Of The Damned", was released on May 17 via Gibson Records.

This summer, Slash will bring his brand-new "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival to cities across the U.S. throughout 2024. S.E.R.P.E.N.T. is an anagram and stands for Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N' Tolerance. The festival is a celebration of the blues, featuring an all-star line-up that will vary. On all dates, Slash will perform alongside his blues band featuring bassist Johnny Griparic, keyboardist Teddy "ZigZag" Andreadis, drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.

Slash formed the "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival to bring fans together to celebrate the spirit of the blues, and to perform with other blues artists he admires who share his love of the genre. Slash also has a strong desire to give back to charities that he has supported over the years, as well as to help lift marginalized communities that share his restorative focus of elevating lives for the benefit of all. A portion of the proceeds from each VIP package and "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival ticket sold will directly benefit the following charities that Slash has selected: The Equal Justice Initiative, Know Your Rights Camp, The Greenlining Institute and War Child. "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival has partnered with Plus1.org to support these charitable endeavors.

Joining Slash at various stops on the tour will be WARREN HAYNES BAND, Keb' Mo', Larkin Poe, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Samantha Fish, ZZ Ward, Robert Randolph, Eric Gales and Jackie Venson.

The trek will kick off on July 5 in Bonner, Montana and wrap up on August 17 in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Slash will visit Amoeba Music in Hollywood, California to play a special acoustic set celebrating his star-studded new album "Orgy Of The Damned". On Wednesday, May 29 at 5:00 p.m., Slash and his blues band vocalist/guitarist Tash Neal will perform live at the legendary record store. Capacity is limited, and tickets are required for entry to the event.

Although Slash's latest LP is his second under the "Slash" banner, he has released a handful of albums with his long-running band SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS, in which he is joined by ALTER BRIDGE frontman Myles Kennedy.

In February, Slash resumed touring with SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS' latest album, "4", was released in February 2022 via Gibson Records in partnership with BMG.

"4" was Slash's fifth solo album and fourth overall with his band featuring Kennedy, Brent Fitz (drums),Todd Kerns (bass, vocals) and Frank Sidoris (guitar, vocals).

In a new interview with Ouest-France, IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson spoke about the evolution of his singing voice since he became a professional vocalist more than four decades ago. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm lucky I have a strong and powerful voice. I couldn't have done it 30 years ago because I was so busy in the race to see who could sing the highest, who could do this, who could say the words the fastest. 'Cause you're young and everything is a fight, battle, win, competition. And I'm not in competition with anything now except truth. What I want is authenticity of emotion. And that sounds boring, but, actually, if you put it in context with some like 'grrrr'-type metal, it's so powerful."

Regarding the connection he feels with the audience during his live concerts, Dickinson said: "The best thing in the world, the best feeling in the world, for me as a singer, is when you get a great sound for your voice and everything on stage and everything works. And you know that you're moving people with it. That's it — that's why you do it. That's the drug. Of course. The opposite is also true. It's the worst place to be when it doesn't work."

After playing two warm-up shows at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California, Dickinson officially kicked off his first solo tour in more than 20 years on April 15 at The Observatory in Santa Ana, California.

Joining the IRON MAIDEN singer on the trek is his current backing band, featuring Dave Moreno (drums),Mistheria (keyboards) and Tanya O'Callaghan (bass),alongside the group's latest additions, Swedish guitarist, songwriter and multi-platinum-credited producer Philip Näslund and Swiss session and touring guitarist Chris Declercq (who played on Dickinson's "Rain On The Graves" single). Bruce's longtime guitarist and collaborator Roy "Z" Ramirez is not part of the touring lineup.

Prior to the April 12 Whisky A Go Go show, Bruce last performed with his solo band on in August 2002 at the legendary Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.

Dickinson's latest solo album, "The Mandrake Project", arrived on March 1 via BMG.

Bruce and Roy recorded "The Mandrake Project" largely at Los Angeles's Doom Room, with Roy doubling up as both guitarist and bassist. The recording lineup for "The Mandrake Project" was rounded out by Mistheria and Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce's previous solo studio album, "Tyranny Of Souls", in 2005.

Dickinson made his recording debut with IRON MAIDEN on the "Number Of The Beast" album in 1982. He quit the band in 1993 in order to pursue his solo career and was replaced by Blaze Bayley, who had previously been the lead singer of the metal band WOLFSBANE. After releasing two traditional metal albums with former MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith, Dickinson rejoined the band in 1999 along with Smith.

On May 9, American Musical Supply conducted an interview with SLAYER guitarist Kerry King at this year's Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked about the differences in the musical direction of his solo band compared to that of SLAYER, Kerry said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's certainly similar. A lot of things I've been asked in the press is, 'How do you feel to be compared to SLAYER? You're gonna be compared to SLAYER your entire career.' I'm, like, yeah, well, I was in SLAYER. I think that's pretty cool. I'd rather be compared to myself than somebody I don't like. And in a nutshell, I think, say for instance, I had horse blinders on when I was in SLAYER, I think for this project, maybe they opened five percent — not a lot. But like the punk song on the [debut KERRY KING] album ['From Hell I Rise'], 'Two Fists', I probably wouldn't have done it on a SLAYER album, but punk is one of my influences and this album's all about my influences, so I felt comfortable doing that and putting that on there."

Speaking about the first live performance from his solo band, which took place on May 7 at Reggies in Chicago, Illinois, Kerry said: "I watched some of the Chicago show last night and today, and it's better than I remembered it. [Laughs] I came right out of the gate and just [fucked] up. Right out of the gate. I got the first chord right, and then there was a count-off, and I played something else. But luckily you can't hear it on the recording. No one in the crowd knew, 'cause they don't know that song yet. I bought myself a week [until the album release]."

Asked if he is planning on adding more SLAYER songs to the upcoming live shows from his solo band, which also includes drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER),bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH),guitarist Phil Demmel (formerly of MACHINE HEAD) and Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL) on vocals, Kerry said: "Well, no, 'cause these guys — I mean, me and Paul probably know most of it, but these other guys don't. And I'm not gonna waste their time learning shit that we may or may not play. In Chicago, we played five or six SLAYER songs and more of this band's songs. Tonight [at Welcome To Rockville] we have a shorter set. There's only two SLAYER songs. And I think we yanked a couple of the the K.K. songs too. We're playing 50 minutes, so it's probably 10 songs. The SLAYER ones, I'm only playing stuff I wrote or co-wrote. Will I play 'Angel Of Death' someday? Absolutely. Will I play 'War Ensemble' someday? Absolutely. But for this year, I don't wanna give anybody ammunition to say, 'Oh, he's playing [late SLAYER guitarist] Jeff Hanneman's [songs].' I'm not, 'cause I don't wanna hear it. "

Kerry went on to say is that he may start including some cover songs in his band's set as the tour progresses. "Covers, it's in the mix," he said. "My spin on it is I want to — I wanna throw in a cover every show, once we get used to it and being out, and I wanna play stuff that people can't see or hear anymore, like say for instance, 'Ace Of Spades'. You're never gonna see MOTÖRHEAD again. So, I think that's cool to do. Or for instance, songs that bands don't play anymore, like 'Killers' from IRON MAIDEN. I don't think they're ever gonna play that again. I don't think METALLICA is ever gonna play 'Damage, Inc.' again. So I wanna do things that actually aren't just me having fun. I want it to be fun for the fans to where they see it, it's the only place they can see it."

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

The KERRY KING will 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.

All-star rock band KINGS OF CHAOS — with special guests — headlined the Day On The Ridge festival on Sunday, May 26 in Gilroy, California.

KINGS OF CHAOS, the brainchild of GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER drummer Matt Sorum, is an international all-star band with a revolving lineup of top rock-and-roll talent. The lineup for Day On The Ridge included guest vocalists Robin Zander (CHEAP TRICK) and Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW) alongside Lita Ford (THE RUNAWAYS),Gilby Clarke (GUNS N' ROSES),Orianthi (ALICE COOPER, MICHAEL JACKSON),James LoMenzo (MEGADETH) and Brent Woods (TAYLOR HAWKINS & THE COATTAIL RIDERS, VINCE NEIL).

KINGS OF CHAOS had recorded just one song prior to the release of 2022's "Judgement Day" single: a cover of DEEP PURPLE's "Never Before" for the 2012 tribute album "Re-Machined: A Tribute To Deep Purple's 'Machine Head'".

During an appearance on the "2 Hours With Matt Pinfield" podcast, Sorum talked about the project's formation. He said: "The music business is more difficult to navigate than ever, especially for a guy that's been around a while," he said. "I've had an illustrious career, but it's always been, like, super-high, super-low, like riding the wildest roller coaster ever known to man. [Laughs] Emotionally, it's been challenging. When VELVET REVOLVER broke up, for me, it was like, 'Oh my god, I can't believe I pulled off another band.' So it kind of knocked the wind out of me, and I didn't really want to jump back into doing another band or project right away.

"When I started doing KINGS OF CHAOS, it became strictly about fun," he continued. "I decided, 'I'm going to pull a bucket list, [and] I'm going to call guys that I never had the balls to call, and have no fear. There's one or two answers that you can get — yes or no. And you've got to be able to accept no. Don't take it personal. I called Keith Richards. I called Jimmy Page. I called [Robert] Plant. I didn't care. I was just, like, finding them and calling them. And some of them said yes — not Robert Plant, dammit [laughs] — but Steven Tyler, Robin Zander, Billy Gibbons, Joe Elliott, Slash, the DeLeo brothers. I go and play with my friends, and it's a blast."

Sorum, who replaced Steven Adler in GUNS N' ROSES, recorded the highly successful albums "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" (both 1991) and "The Spaghetti Incident" (1994). He also supported the group on the "Use Your Illusion" tour and can be heard on GUNS N' ROSES' "Live Era: '87-'93" (1999) and "Greatest Hits" (2004).

Sorum was among the GUNS N' ROSES members who were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2012. He, Adler, guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan attended the ceremony, while singer Axl Rose and founding guitarist Izzy Stradlin stayed home.

The 63-year-old musician, who has also played with THE CULT, VELVET REVOLVER and HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, is not involved with GN'R's hugely successful reunion tour, which features Rose, Slash and McKagan alongside drummer Frank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist Richard Fortus and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

Sorum's autobiography, "Double Talkin' Jive: True Rock 'N' Roll Stories From The Drummer Of Guns N' Roses, The Cult, And Velvet Revolver", arrived in May 2022 via Rare Bird Books.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Matt Sorum (@mattsorum)



May 26th Gilroy , Ca Let's Go !!!

Posted by Kings of Chaos on Sunday, May 19, 2024

Current and former members of ICE NINE KILLS and FROM ASHES TO NEW have formed a brand new band called HILLHAVEN. Today, they have shared the visualizer for the second single "The God You Think You Are".

"'The God You Think You Are' is a frontal assault on the manipulative narcissist," the band states. "At one point or another, we've all endured this type of personality — whether that be through family, friends or even within ourselves. It's an aggressive, forward, unapologetic ego killer of a song."

HILLHAVEN's lineup is comprised of Chris Kelly (ex-ICE NINE KILLS, ex-GALACTIC EMPIRE, and a rumored member of the BABYMETAL's backing band) on vocals, FROM ASHES TO NEW's Maty Madiro on drums, ICE NINE KILLS's Ricky Armellino on guitar, FROM ASHES TO NEW's Jimmy Bennett on guitar, and Jaime GoWell on bass.

When HILLHAVEN's first single, "Damned To Dream", was released last month, Kelly said in a statement: "HILLHAVEN is two and a half year's life experience distilled into a single body of work and bolstered by four monster-level players.

"We've all been in this business for a long time and releasing something new, outside of what we're all typically known for, is both exciting and nerve-racking.

"A lot of thought has gone into planning this year of releases and, in my opinion, 'Damned To Dream' is the best way to kick it off. It's loud, it's real, it's energetic, it's the perfect taste of what's to come and we're all really looking forward to seeing how listeners respond to it."