In a new interview with Serbia's Agoraphobic News, THE EXPLOITED frontman Walter David "Wattie" Buchan was asked about the possibility of a new studio album from him and his bandmates. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've got loads of songs written, but I never do anything unless it's a hundred percent. It's gotta be a hundred percent better than the last one.

"I wanna do an album before I die, or before I pack the band in, so within the next two years I hope to record an album, for sure, for sure," he added.

Founded in 1978 in Edinburgh, THE EXPLOITED's last studio album, "Fuck The System", came out in 2003.

Back in 2018, Wattie told Metal Underground that a new THE EXPLOITED album was in the works but warned that it might take a while to complete it.

"We told the label six years ago that we had an album almost ready," he stated at the time. "We've got at least sixteen brilliant songs written, I just need to put lyrics to them, but with my health problems I've not been able to do it. We've got a couple of songs written but it's hard to get us together once a week for practice because we all live far away and our guitarist and bassist have jobs. Hopefully with my health being better, we'll try and get something done, but I'll never do anything unless it's a hundred percent. We could go into the studio tomorrow and I could throw out some some lyrics, but it wouldn't be hundred percent and that would be exploiting the punks."

In December 2022, Wattie was rushed to hospital after collapsing on stage due a suspected heart attack during THE EXPLOITED's concert in Colombia.

The now-67-year-old punk legend, who has a history of heart problems, was performing the song "Army Life" with his bandmates at La Estrella Roja Calle 66 when he started feeling unwell, clutching his chest and bending down before dropping to his knees.

In February 2014, Buchan suffered a heart attack on stage in Lisbon, Portugal. Shows in August 2018 and September 2019 also had to be canceled due to Buchan's health problems.

A year after Wattie underwent a quadruple heart bypass surgery in 2014 following an onstage heart attack, the singer told I Probably Hate Your Band: "I thought I wouldn't be able to do gigs anymore, so I'm just glad I can still do gigs." He later told Tattoo.com about his heart procedure, "They cut my leg went right through my tattoo and put it back together," and added: "The most important thing in life is your health. If you don't have your health, you don't have fuck-all."

PAPA ROACH singer Jacoby Shaddix joined SHINEDOWN on stage Friday night (July 26) at The Venue at Thunder Valley in Lincoln, California to perform a cover of LYNYRD SKYNYRD's "Simple Man". Fan-filmed video of his appearance, as well as SHINEDOWN's official footage of the collaboration, can be seen below.

SHINEDOWN recorded a cover of "Simple Man" in 2004 as an acoustic "thank you" to LYNYRD SKYNYRD singer Ronnie Van Zant's widow Judy Van Zant and later included it — in both acoustic and hard rock versions — on the re-release of the band's debut album, "Leave A Whisper".

SHINEDOWN singer Brent Smith spoke about how the band's cover of "Simple Man" came about in an interview with Metal Hammer magazine. He said: "Our original guitar player, Jasin Todd, was married to Melody Van Zant [Ronnie Van Zant's daughter]. When I was writing 'Leave A Whisper', Judy [Van Zant, Ronnie's widow] put me up in her guesthouse, and our first show in front of an audience there to see us was at a club Judy and Melody owned. After we started touring, we played 'Simple Man' on a radio show in Boston. They released it as an MP3 and it got downloaded 500,000 times. After that, we recorded the song in the studio in three takes."

PAPA ROACH will celebrate its only U.K. appearance in 2025 with the band's first-ever headline show at London's OVO Arena Wembley, on February 7, 2025. It will see PAPA ROACH and their biggest-ever production journey deep through their vast catalog of music, including a celebration of the 25th anniversary of their iconic breakthrough album "Infest".

"Infest" peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and has been certified triple platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for sales in excess of three million copies in the U.S. alone. The album featured the iconic hits "Last Resort" and "Broken Home" plus fan favorites "Blood Brothers" and "Between Angels & Insects".

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In a new interview with Clint Switzer of On The Road To Rock, journeyman Welsh drummer Chris Slade, who has spent the past 60 years playing with everyone from Tom Jones to MANFRED MANN, THE FIRM and AC/DC, was once again asked if he was disappointed about the latter band's decision to recruit Matt Laug — and not Slade — to sit behind the kit for the Brian Johnson-fronted outfit on AC/DC's spring/summer 2024 tour. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No. You know what? Would I have done it, is the next question. I would say yes, I would do it, of course. Angus [Young, AC/DC co-founder and guitarist] probably wanted a change and thought maybe I couldn't do it. I'm the same age as Brian. So, you can't be ageist and say, 'Slade's too old now,' 'cause [Angus is] a spring chicken himself, you see. He's only about 69, I think. I'm not quite sure how old he is — 66, 69, something like that. But, yeah, so he couldn't be ageist on me."

Chris continued: "I know Matt Laug, by the way. I used to know him when I lived in California. So I used to see Matt and talked to him many times. We have mutual friends who had a band in a place called Pancho's in Manhattan Beach in California. And they used to play every Friday. So I used to go and sometimes sit in, but always went to see them, watch them. And they're a fantastic band. And Matt was one of the drummers that sat in. So I saw him a few times down there, and we talked and he told me about… Alanis [Morissette] offered him the tour in the beginning, 'Jagged Little Pill' tour, and he wanted to concentrate on his studio work in L.A. So he said 'no' to Alanis. So he might've learned his lesson this time. [Laughs]"

Earlier in the month, Slade was asked by Real Music With Gary Stuckey if he would go back to playing with AC/DC if the band asked him to rejoin. Slade said: "Yes, I would. I would. I'm still playing with [THE CHRIS SLADE] TIMELINE. I'm playing every week. We do gigs. Last Saturday we were in France, in Lyon. In two weeks' time, we go to Italy. We were in Poland about two months ago, Chechnya, Eastern Germany. We work all over Europe. We were in Spain a couple of years ago. We haven't been back since. And so I'm playing with my guys, and I'm quite happy to do that. It's a really, really great band. And there's no need for me to go back with AC/DC, to be honest, but if they wanted, Angus knows he could ask me any time.

"I can't see it happening," Slade went on to say. "I couldn't see it happening the second time it happened, to be honest. People kept saying to me, 'Have you heard anything? Have you heard anything yet?' Friends and family. And I said, 'Look, they're not gonna call. Okay?' This was before 'Rock Or Bust'. 'They're not gonna call. They've had enough of me. They're not going to call.' And then I was on the road in Switzerland with TIMELINE. Ring, ring, and it's a AC/DC. [Laughs] And this is three months after these rumors have been flying around. And I was shocked. I spoke to the manager for about half an hour, and I said, 'Yeah, of course I'd do it.' And at the end, I said, 'Can I ask you a question? Did this come from the guys? Did this request come from the guys?' He said, 'Of course, it came from the guys. I wouldn't be making this call without their say-so.' Which is true. But I still wanted confirmation that it was the guys that was putting this offer out to come back. So I was there for another two, three years."

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

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

Slade originally followed Simon Wright in AC/DC's lineup, joining in time to play on "The Razor's Edge". When Rudd returned in 1995, Slade was shown the door and harbored some bad feelings about that for a while.

Slade is promoting the new album from THE CHRIS SLADE TIMELINE, "Timescape", which arrived on July 19.

Slash has shared a heartfelt letter that he has written to his stepdaughter Lucy-Bleu Knight to help process her loss.

Earlier today, the iconic GUNS N' ROSES guitarist took to his Instagram to share a photo of Lucy-Bleu Knight and he included the following message: " My heart is permanently fractured. I will never ever stop missing you & remembering what a beacon of happiness, laughter, creativity & beauty you have always been. & still are. The brightest light in the lives of so many that loved you so much. I find solace in the hope that you are at peace now. I will love you eternally. #LBK".

Lucy-Bleu Knight died on July 19 at the age of 25.

The iconic GUNS N' ROSES guitarist canceled four tour dates of his "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." blues festival tour to grieve his devastating loss.

Slash first dated Lucy's mother Meegan Hodges in the 1980s before they rekindled their relationship years later following his split from Perla Ferrar.

Meegan shared her late daughter Lucy-Bleu with Mark Knight.

Slash and Meegan announced Lucy's passing in a social media post on July 21. The statement read: "Lucy-Bleu Knight (December 6, 1998),beloved daughter of Meegan Hodges and Mark Knight, stepdaughter of Samantha Somers Knight and Slash, sister of Scarlet Knight, stepsister of London and Cash Hudson, passed away peacefully in Los Angeles, CA on July 19, 2024.

"Lucy-Bleu was an incredibly talented artist, a passionate dreamer, and a charming, lovable, sweet soul. The family asks for privacy at this time and requests that social media speculation be kept to a minimum as they grieve and process this devastating loss.'."

According to Daily Mail, Lucy boasted 35,000 followers on Instagram and reportedly worked at Electric Lady Management, the talent arm of the recording studio.

The "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." tour will resume in Toronto on July 28 at Budweiser Stage.

The "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." tour features Slash and his blues band, consisting of Johnny Griparic (bass),Teddy "ZigZag" Andreadis (keyboards),Michael Jerome (drums) and Tash Neal (vocals/guitar).

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 lineup that will vary.

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 are WARREN HAYNES BAND, Keb' Mo', Larkin Poe, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Samantha Fish, ZZ Ward, Robert Randolph, Eric Gales and Jackie Venson.

The trek will wrap up on August 17 in Grand Prairie, Texas.

For more information and tickets to the festival, visit www.serpentfestival.com.

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During an appearance on the latest episode of the Joshua Toomey Interviews podcast, ALL THAT REMAINS frontman Phil Labonte discussed KORN's unmistakable influence on the metal scene, particularly how the latter band's 1994 debut album introduced important staples of the nu-metal subgenre that have remained relevant for the past three decades. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "One of the weird things was in the '90s, when KORN came out, they had a massive impact, clearly. I mean, that's obvious. But I don't know if people today understand exactly how impactful KORN was back then. When they hit, metal bands that were riff-heavy metal bands, they were, like, 'Well, that's a new kind of heavy.' And it was something that people wanted to emulate.

"Without KORN, I don't think you'd get deathcore bands that you have today," Phil continued. "I think that they had a really, really strong influence on what it meant to make heavy music and what was heavy. The breakdown and downbeat stuff, there was some of that stuff in death metal before KORN and in metal before KORN, but KORN really brought that kind of out. And I don't even know that you would have metalcore breakdowns that you do without bands like KORN. I'm not sure. Maybe you would, but I'm not sure."

Outlining how he personally was affected by KORN's rise, Phil said: "When KORN hit the scene and music really changed, for me, I was looking for the European stuff, I guess. And that's when I saw SHADOWS FALL and I was, like, 'That's the kind of stuff that I wanna do.'"

Back in 2015, KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer told the Montreal, Quebec, Canada radio station CHOM 97 7 about his band's influence on the heavy music scene: "When we're doing festivals and I have other bands, or other musicians, come up to me and say, 'You had a big influence on me playing guitar,' or, 'You had an influence on our direction,' or whatever, then it starts to be, 'Wow, that's really cool.' Then you start to realize the impact that you made, and [you feel] the gratitude, because we still get to do it — we still get to create and reinvent ourselves on each album. But it's still a challenge, man. And then now, with the record industry changing, you're trying to find new avenues to discover new music from bands. Even [for] established bands, it's tough."

Four and a half years ago, Shaffer and fellow KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch were asked how the band was able to rise above being tagged "nu-metal" during the 1990s and early 2000s and remain such an influential act for so long. Head responded: "We have a darker edge than a lot of those bands did back in the day. Also, we were never a rap-metal band. We had some guests that rap. But Jonathan [Davis, vocals] never rapped. He was always darker. He was into THE CURE growing up, and he had a NINE INCH NAILS influence. I feel like he stood on his own."

Added Munky: "There's always those purists that say, 'That's not what metal is about.' But I felt, like, 'Well, hey, man, we're doing what we love to do. It sounds good, and it feels good to create something different.'

"Through the years, we kept our heads down and tried not to pay attention to what everybody else was saying and doing. It just continued to evolve and work. We just really care that our fans are loving it."

Asked why they think KORN's sound has resonated with so many people for so long, Munky replied: "I think as we all got older and started to write heavier music, then Jonathan started to dig deep and find his voice. It's very real, and it resonates with people. It helps them through hard, difficult times and makes them feel like they're not alone.

Added Head: "KORN is therapy to Jonathan, and I think it's therapy for a lot of our fans.

Continued Munky: "We didn't know we were doing this, and that's the beauty of it. I think that's why it's lasted so long. It's only now that we realized that we've helped so many people through music."

ALL THAT REMAINS recently released two singles from the band's upcoming studio album: "Divine" and "Let You Go". Both tracks were produced by Josh Wilbur (PARKWAY DRIVE, LAMB OF GOD, TRIVIUM, A DAY TO REMEMBER).

The "Let You Go" video was directed by Tom Flynn (I PREVAIL, AS I LAY DYING, LAMB OF GOD).

"Divine" marked ALL THAT REMAINS' first original new material since the passing of their longtime guitar player Oli Herbert. "Divine" also ushered in a period of rebirth for ALL THAT REMAINS, which is, for the first in its career, 100 percent independent and will be releasing future material on its own label — All That Remains Records.

A year ago, longtime ALL THAT REMAINS drummer Jason Costa announced his departure from the group, citing "deeply personal" reasons that "have nothing to do with any drama or anything within the band."

Jason was the featured drummer on the last six ALL THAT REMAINS albums: "Overcome" (2008),"For We Are Many" (2010),"A War You Cannot Win" (2012),"The Order Of Things" (2015),"Madness" (2017) and "Victim Of The New Disease" (2018). He is notable for being one of the few heavy metal drummers to play solely with the "traditional grip."

Back in March 2022, Costa left ALL THAT REMAINS' U.S. tour in order to "deal with some personal matters." He was temporarily replaced by Anthony Barone, who had previously played with BENEATH THE MASSACRE and SHADOW OF INTENT.

Earlier last year, ALL THAT REMAINS's breakthrough album "The Fall Of Ideals", was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA) for sales in excess of 500,000 copies in the United States.

In 2022, ALL THAT REMAINS embarked on "The Fall Of Ideals" 15th-anniversary tour.

"The Fall Of Ideals" was reissued in November 2021. The best-selling title features such fan favorites as "This Calling", "Six" and "The Air That I Breathe".

Oli was found dead on October 16, 2018 at the edge of the pond on his Stafford Springs, Connecticut property. He was reported missing by his wife about 3 p.m., and his body was found by police face down at the edge of the pond where the water was only a few inches deep. The medical examiner's office conducted an autopsy showing that Oli had three prescription drugs in his system — the antipsychotic olanzapine, the antidepressant citalopram, and Ambien. It also said: "Mr. Herbert's past medical history is reportedly significant for marijuana use."

ALL THAT REMAINS and MUDVAYNE will support MEGADETH on a 33-city, nationwide tour, "Destroy All Enemies", this summer. Produced by Live Nation, the trek will begin in Rogers, Arkansas on August 2 and run throughout the month before wrapping in Nashville, Tennessee on September 28.

In a new interview with Greece's metal TV show "TV War", OPETH leader Mikael Åkerfeldt was asked if he is "allowed" to speak about the band's rumored follow-up to 2019's "In Cauda Venenum" album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm allowed, but I won't. What I can say is that we haven't made like an official announcement of a release date or anything like that. But I can say over the year and a half that we've been off the road, we haven't been doing nothing; we've been working on stuff. Actually a lot of work has happened over the years. But we will still keep the cards close to our chest for a little while longer. But, I mean, yeah, there will be stuff coming at some point."

Åkerfeldt also talked about his songwriting process, explaining: "When I write music, most of the time, in the best scenario for me, I have an idea of what I want to do. But usually it's hard for me to stick to that idea, because I write music, it's very stream of consciousness in a way. I just write… So I write fast. And I decide fast what's good, what's shit, what to keep and what to throw away and that kind of stuff. And in the end, it's, like, 'Hmm, [I have] no memory writing that song.' So I don't really know how it works. But usually I'm set off by an idea that I want to try out… I try everything and I try to, so to speak, polish turds, if you know what I mean. I might have an idea, like I hear something that's good, but it's really sounding bad to me. I still continue working with it for a little while and then, three weeks later, I [am], like, 'It's still shit. I'm gonna throw it away.' But I have to exhaust every idea."

After "TV War" asked Åkerfeldt about the fact that JETHRO TULL founder Ian Anderson recently revealed that he will make a guest appearance on OPETH's next album, Mikael said: "No comment. I love Ian. Of course, he knows. He talked a little bit about it. It's better that he spilled the beans than we. We're still gonna wait for a little while. But, yeah, Ian is involved. There has been some e-mails going back and forth between Ian [and us].

Asked if he has met Ian in person, Mikael said: "Yeah, I met him in person. But I didn't meet him in the studio… I did reach out to him 15 years ago or so for the 'Heritage' [2011] record. There was like a flute thing on that record and he didn't reply then. So we got another flutist, a Swedish guy, which, it was a happy accident, actually, that Ian didn't reply. We got this Swedish guy, a got guy called Björn J:son Lindh. He worked closely with ABBA. He was an arranger, a great pianist and a great flute player. And he has since passed, passed away. So our recording, 'Heritage', was his last recording. So I'm happy that we got to work with him. He was some type of genius, a proper idol for me. So I'm really happy Ian didn't reply, actually, then."

Asked if he has ever experienced the so-called "writer's block", Mikael said: "Pretty much all the time. But you persevere and you continue writing. For me, a great idea doesn't have to be a complex idea or an elaborate idea. I like to have what I call stupid riffs next to a very elaborate, experimental piece. I like both aspects of music. For some reason, I like the really complicated shit, but not only."

On the topic of using artificial intelligence (A.I.) during the songwriting process, Mikael said: "I don't like it. Of course, I would say that. I haven't tried [it]. I haven't even sent one question to ChatGPT or whatever it's called, or used A.I. for anything. I don't really know how it works, to be honest. But I heard A.I.-constructed music. My girlfriend, she was working as a journalist and she was interviewing Swedish folk musicians who were playing A.I.-generated folk songs. And I was, like, 'Oh my god. It sounds good. Sounds great.' But for me, I don't want to know about it, because that's one of my favorite aspects of being in this band, is to write music. So a writer's block, I welcome writer's blocks. You go through those hard times, you come out at the end and you have something. It's very rewarding. Besides, A.I., I mean, no matter how you fucking turn it, it's cheating. It's shit. It's not music. It's just someone picking, like a computer picking sounds. So a real musician would not be interested in A.I. Only if you're interested in making money, and if you're a complete idiot."

Anderson, who will turn 77 in August, revealed his contribution to the upcoming OPETH LP in February while talking to Italy's "Mystery Tour" radio show. Asked about his non-JETHRO TULL musical activities, Ian said: "Well, from time to time I play on other people's records, if they're interesting to me. I just did — last week I played on three or four tracks from a prog metal band called [OPETH]. [They're] Swedish."

"In Cauda Venenum" was released in September 2019 via Moderbolaget / Nuclear Blast Entertainment. Recorded in 2018 at Stockholm's Park Studios, the effort was made available in two versions, in both Swedish and English languages.

In May 2022, OPETH issued "In Cauda Venenum (Extended Edition)" via Atomic Fire Records. This release, available on digipak, contained the English and Swedish versions of "In Cauda Venenum", with new illustrations by internationally renowned Travis Smith in the booklet. In addition, there was also a third CD including three previously unreleased bonus tracks, both in English and Swedish: "The Mob" / "Pöbeln", "Width Of A Circle" / "Cirkelns Riktning" and "Freedom & Tyranny" / "Frihet & Tyranni".

OPETH played its first concert with new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen (PARADISE LOST, BLOODBATH, BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT) in September 2022 at Helitehas in Tallinn, Estonia. Väyrynen replaced stand-in drummer Sami Karppinen who had been the temporary replacement for Martin "Axe" Axenrot since the fall of 2021.

Axenrot officially joined OPETH more than a decade and a half ago as the replacement for Martin Lopez, who left the band in May 2006 after being plagued by illness and anxiety attacks, which forced him to miss several of OPETH's tours.

Photo by Scott Robinson

Fan-filmed video of Ted Nugent's July 28 performance at the York State Fair on the Bobcat Of York Grandstand Stage in York, Pennsylvania can be seen below.

In 2023, the now-75-year-old outspoken conservative rocker completed his "Adios Mofo '23" farewell tour. The trek saw him backed by his most recent solo band consisting of drummer Jason Hartless and bassist Johnny Schoen.

In an interview with "THAT Rocks!", Ted spoke about his decision to embark on what was billed as his last-ever tour. Regarding why he doesn't want to spend time on the road anymore, Ted said in part: "Hotels are jail. I hate jail… I will always play music. The music still has fire. I still crave it. I've got new songs. I'm gonna go in the studio with these killer musicians that are always at my side. But traveling, I tell you… A hotel room is jail… The travel and the hotels… And I don't even have to go to TSA [Transportation Security Administration]; I mean, I gave the finger to them in 2009. If somebody doesn't send a jet, I don't go anywhere. My friends are better than your friends, 'cause my friends have jets. So, I'm not TSA and I'm not gonna let somebody fondle my Glock [gun] and ask me questions about gun laws. And hotels are so painful for me."

Ted went on to clarify that he is not retiring from playing live. "The fire, the music, it will always go on," he said. "I play my guitar every day… And I get to collaborate with the best musicians in the world. So it's always a challenge, it's always intriguing, it's always stimulating. I'm an old man — I'm 75 this year — but the stimuli factor… I hope that somebody else in this world is as stimulated by the music as I am, because it's still very much alive and well."

Asked if he will miss the audience and the live interaction on stage, Ted said: "Yes. Of course I will. But again, I won't miss it because I'll still do it… I'm not going out for months or even weeks. I'll do the occasional special events. I do a lot of corporate stuff… Yeah, I'm an energized son of a bitch, but I am 75, and I'm not swinging from ropes and I'm not wearing a loincloth and I'm not jumping off the amplifiers with my new knees. So I will miss it, but, again, I've got 12 grandkids and I don't wanna go away someday and not make an imprint on them, teach them about the important things in life. In a world that's really gone really stupid, I think my grandparenting responsibilities are more important now than ever."

Nugent's self-titled debut album in 1975 was certified double platinum in the United States, while "Free-for-All", "Cat Scratch Fever", "Weekend Warriors" and "State Of Shock" all reached the Top 30 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Nugent has reportedly sold over 40 million albums and was named Detroit's greatest guitar player of all time by readers of MLive.

The conservative rocker, who been eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a solo artist since 2000, has enjoyed a remarkably successful and eventful musical career over the past five decades, but his music is increasingly overshadowed by his political outbursts.

Nugent's latest album, "Detroit Muscle", was released in April 2022 via Pavement Music. The follow-up to 2018's "The Music Made Me Do It" was recorded with Ted's previous touring band, which included bassist Greg Smith and Hartless.

In May 2023, Smith, who had played bass for Ted for 16 years, announced his departure from the legendary rocker's touring band. He explained in a statement: "It was a difficult decision but one that I really had no choice in. With Ted no longer touring I had to accept an offer from a tour that will continue for the next several years. I tried to get someone to cover for me for the 2nd half, so I'd be able to do Ted's tour, but I was unfortunately unable to."

Yawza! Come Rock Out!
Ted Nugent is joining the 2024 York State Fair Concert Lineup! They will be on the Bobcat of York...

Posted by Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild on Friday, July 26, 2024

Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild 7/28/24
York State Fair
Merch table
NUGE autographed flags were $75
NUGE autographed hats were $50

Posted by Rock N Roll Experience on Sunday, July 28, 2024

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach appeared in seasons 4 through 7 of "Gilmore Girls", the beloved series that ran on The WB and CW from 2000 to 2007, as the guitarist who replaced Adam Brody's Dave Rygalski in the band HEP ALIEN. He returned in the 2016 revival, "Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life".

During a recent appearance on Fox 5 Vegas's "More" show, Bach was asked what it was like "doing the acting thing" and whether he liked it. Sebastian responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I really enjoyed it. It's an hour-long show, and there's a lot of dialogue. And the director would always say, 'Okay. Do it one time as fast as you can.' So I'd be like an auctioneer [speaking really fast]. And then one time my agent calls, he goes, 'Sebastian, the show 'Law & Order' wants you to be a DJ, like a drug dealer or something. I go, 'Law & Order'. That's my dad's favorite show. And so I went to audition for 'Law & Order' and I did my lines as fast as I could because [of my 'Gilmore Girls' experience]. And the guy goes, 'Dude, slow down.' I go, 'Oh, Jeez. Well, I'm on the show the 'Gilmore Girls'."

He added: "So I love the 'Gilmore Girls'. And now it's on Netflix, and I'm on the new one on Netflix, 'A Year In The Life'. And my next TV appearance, I'm gonna be on a show on Food Network called the 'Worst Cooks In America'."

In a 2016 interview with US Weekly, Bach was asked to name his favorite "Gilmore Girls" memory. He said: "My favorite 'Gilmore Girls' memory was when the lead singer of RUSH, Geddy Lee, came to the set with his daughter. I'm the biggest RUSH fan in the world and I couldn't believe it. I talked to the producers like, 'You gotta get them in the show!' So Helen Pai wrote a scene where Geddy and his daughter are in the background [in season 7's 'Will You Be My Lorelai Gilmore?']. You can't really see them, but they're there."

Regarding what filming the revival was like in comparison to the original, Bach said: "Filming the 'Gilmore Girls' revival was like stepping into a time machine. That is the best analogy I could give you. It was like time travel. They hired the exact same cast, but they also hired the exact same crew, the same dialogue coach, the same wardrobe girl. Everything was the same as the original series. So walking around there, it was like it's 2004 again! It's a very rare thing to have in life, to be able to revisit something that is so important. That show is important to a lot of people. It's an honor to be on it."

On the topic of his favorite song to play with HEP ALIEN, Sebastian said: "That's got to be 'Hollaback Girl'! Everybody thinks that's hilarious. When we did that shoot, the director, Dan Palladino, was like, 'Hey, do you want to do a key lower because it's Gwen Stefani and you're a dude?' I was, like, 'Who you talking to? We don't change the keys! We don't do that in HEP ALIEN! We do it in the original key. That's the way we roll.' [Laughs]"

Sebastian went on to say that he "would like to actually play a real, live" HEP ALIEN "show sometime for the 'Gilmore Girls' fans. I think they would really like that. We get a lot of HEP ALIEN fans coming to my concerts across the country, and between songs, I'll start 'Hollaback Girl' and the whole crowd finishes it for me. The whole place sings it. I think there's a demand for that."

In early 2016, Bach discussed his television work in an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock. He said: "Honestly, the way I look at [my appearances on] television is to promote my music. I know that's silly, but, to me, the albums last forever, more than any TV show. MTV doesn't play rock videos, but if I'm on 'Gilmore Girls', it's like, 'Who is this dude? I'm going to check out his albums.'"

He continued: "Netflix has given that show a whole new thing. I walk around and I always hear [about] 'Gilmore Girls'.

"I get noticed for different things in different parts of town," he added. "If I go to [famous Los Angeles rock club] the Rainbow, it's SKID ROW. If I go to a mall, it's 'Gilmore Girls'. If I walk around in the country of Canada, there is one thing that they like about me and that's 'The Trailer Park Boys'. Everywhere I go! I just consider myself lucky that I can do different things."

The Chris Slade Timeline’s new album Timescape is now available worldwide on BraveWords Records. Timescape contains completely original new tracks and some of Chris Slade's  favourite covers. Purchase/stream here. BraveWords is premiering the new music video for track "Back With A Vengeance" - watch below!





The physical preorder includes a limited edition postcard autographed by Chris Slade. Order at thestoreformusic.com.




During an era that some bands don’t even want to build a record, Chris Slade still believes believe in creating an actual album.


“Well, I’m a bit old-fashioned I’m afraid,” he admits. "It’s probably down to my age, but I’m of that generation that an album is the culmination of a previous time in the business. And this album has been that. It has two CDs as you know, one full of originals and the other features covers of all sorts of things that I’ve played on. So it’s a good mixture and it’s also the way that we do our shows. But the original album is very diverse. There’s some heavy rock in there, some prog and there’s actually a ballad. And I’m afraid that’s my taste. I can’t apologize for it because that is what I wanted to do. It wasn’t intentional, those were just the strongest songs that came out of our writing. But the guys were an enormous help, because I don’t play a chordal instrument or any instruments apart from the drums. I can hum pretty good though!”





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


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


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





Timescape tracklisting:


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


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


Trailer:





The Chris Slade Timeline is:


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


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


About Chris Slade:


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


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


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


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


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


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

German thrashers Eradicator have released their new single, "Kill Cloud". The song is the second to be revealed from The Paradox, the band's forthcoming new studio album to be released on September 20th via Metalville Records. The official video for "Kill Cloud" can be enjoyed below.


The term "Kill Cloud" stands for the military use of the civilian internet and the information that our networked smart devices collect and transmit. The song lyrics are explicitly inspired by an interview with a female drone pilot who participated in several real theatres of war at the same time. She killed de facto people on the other side of the globe from her home office, in a country whose culture was foreign to her. The metaphors are reminiscent of a computer game and, together with the pilot's greatest concern, whether her hot coffee will be on her desk in the morning, represent the absurdity of the situation - the abstract military dehumanization of killing.







The hammering, Tyrolean tom runs and double-bass rhythms in the intro, verse, and bridge are a special musical stylistic device here. In the choruses, Eradicator slow down in favor of the melody and groove. The attentive listener will certainly not miss the jazzy vibes in the drumming before the accelerator pedal is pressed down again in the bridge, and the vocal line that closes the chorus brings you back into the world of unbridled thrash metal. The extended C section contains a special guitar solo that you immediately want to hear several times and reminds you of Megadeth-esque compositions. Eradicator's joy of playing sweeps you away in the instrumental interlude of "Kill Cloud", until the musical finale triumphs in thrashy style at the end of the song with increased drum and guitar parts.


The cover of the single shows a uniformed fighter from an elite unit, surrounded by ominous drones that only know the command "KILL." The bombed-out backdrop visualizes the cruelty of war. The young Ukrainian artist Alina Volnianska is responsible for the illustration, having created this work of art with an awareness of the sad reality of a destructive war of aggression to which her homeland is falling victim. The single, as well as the entire album, was mixed and mastered by Sebastian "Seeb" Levermann (Orden Ogan, Asphyx, Brainstorm) and produced together with Seba Stöber. 





The Paradox is undoubtedly the most versatile album by thrashers Eradicator. It will be released in the year of the band's 20th anniversary. The ten new songs deal lyrically with the contradictory nature of being human and present many musical facets, not only of thrash metal. 


The Paradox bears the signature of Eradicator and shows their unbroken joy of playing. The band has now also made a name for itself live. However, the four guys from the Sauerland region in Western Germany are not afraid to refine and develop their new compositions stylistically. On The Paradox, Eradicator begin atmospherically with "Beyond The Shadow's Void": The track develops into a pounding headbanger, only to finally erupt into a thrash thunderstorm. In addition to death metal growls, including in the title track, "The Eleventh Hour (Ramble On)" is the first half-ballad in the band's repertoire. However, Eradicator have by no means forgotten how to swing the thrash club, as they tirelessly prove with "Drown In Chaos", "Hell Smiles Back" and "Fake Dealer," among others. 


The lyrical themes on The Paradox reflect the dichotomy and ambivalence of human action and thought. "Perpetual Sacrifice" is about denigrating the weaker in order to make oneself feel greater and about the reversal between victim and perpetrator. "When The Shooting Begins" is about the paradox of wanting to create peace through war - whereby the truth is usually one of the first victims after the outcry of the weapons. The concluding "Debris Of Demise" is a fictional tale of mankind having to evacuate the planet due to environmental destruction, but the saving ark being unable to leave orbit due to the large amount of space debris. Singer / guitarist Seba Stöber comments: "We don't want to make a name for ourselves as moralizers, but rather reflect the issues and problems of our time. As artists, our task is also to stimulate a discourse!"


Like its predecessor, the album was mixed and mastered by Sebastian "Seeb" Levermann (Orden Ogan, Asphyx, Brainstorm), who once again managed to give Eradicator an authentic sound. After 20 years, the four musicians know what they want to sound like, and that's exactly what The Paradox sounds like. 





Tracklist:


"Beyond The Shadow's Void"
"Drown In Chaos"
"When The Shooting Begins"
"Kill Cloud"
"The Paradox"
"Hell Smiles Back"
"The Eleventh Hour (Ramble On)"
"Perpetual Sacrifice"
"Fake Dealer"
"Debris Of Demise"


"The Paradox" video:





For further details, visit Eradicator on Facebook.


 


 

Legendary Swedish death metal veterans Centinex has inked a deal with Sweden-based Black Lion Records.


"Little did I know six-seven years ago, when I was rehearsing and playing Centinex covers with various bands, that I would end up working with what I consider to be some of the finest bands in the Swedish death metal scene," comments Black Lion Records' Oliver Dahlbäck.


"This is an exciting development, as Centinex's impact on the genre is undeniable. Their unique sound and influential discography, which was previously released via the legendary label Agonia Records, have inspired countless musicians over the years. Memorable songs such as 'Flesh Passion' and 'Dismember Supreme' have cemented Centinex's status as a revered act in the Swedish death metal pantheon. To have the opportunity to work with them is a true honor, and the pressure is high."




The partnership between Centinex and Black Lion Records - a true testament to the power of Swedish death metal - will see the release of a two-track EP later this year. Centinex is working on a new full-length album, due out in 2025.


The band comments, "Centinex has always been about not having any boundaries nor limiting ourselves to some pre-made formula, especially not musically but also 'businesswise,' and for the coming years this will certainly be more evident than ever."


"As everyone knows, metal today is universal and so is Centinex, but we can’t deny it feels great to 'bring it home' and sign with a label based in our home country of Sweden."


Centinex is:


Henka Andersson - vocals
Jörgen Kristensen - guitars & backing vocals
Martin Schulman - bass
Florian Rehn - drums


For further details, visit Centinex on Facebook.


 

The cat's out of the bag! Faster Pussycat vocalist Taime Downe just lent his voice to the upcoming, as yet untitled album from Wednesday 13.


A social media post from Faster Pussycat, which included a pair of photos, and was subsequently shared by Wednesday 13 follows: 


"Great day in Burbank, CA today - Taime Downe threw down some lead vocals on a killer new Wednesday 13 track called 'No Apologies'.




Sam Bam Koltun and Slim Tender threw in some gang vocals on the track as well.


Wednesday’s new rock ‘n’ roll monster-piece will be coming to you in 2025 from Napalm Records, produced and engineered by Alex Kane."





Wednesday 13 recently issued the following update regarding his next album:


"Week three here in the studio. Half way through the lead vocals, then we will add the lead guitar and finishing touches on the record this weekend.


The new music is turning out beyond my expectations, and it has very old school feel to it. I was using my first album Transylvania 90210 as the blueprint for this, and I think I may have made something just as good or even better. Every song feels like a single or worthy of a video, I haven’t had that feeling about an album ever. Big thanks to our producer and engineer Alex Kane for making these songs even better.


Stay tuned for more studio updates, and look for the new album from Napalm Records coming in 2025."


In live news, Wednesday 13 has announced a UK & European tour celebrating 20 Years of Murderdolls, his iconic former band with Joey Jordison. Wednesday and his current solo band – which features former Murderdolls alumni Roman Surman and Jack Tankersley – will be performing a full set of Murderdolls songs, chosen from their celebrated 2002 debut album, ‘Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls’ and their triumphant 2010 return, ‘Women And Children Last’.


Wednesday explains: “After 21 years since its release, and the recent sad and premature passing of Joey, it only feels right to go out and celebrate these songs. We made two amazing albums that I was very proud of, and unfortunately much of the world didn’t get a chance to hear the songs live. In 2018, we all got together at Joey's house and discussed ideas and possibilities for the future, but we both had other immediate plans.


After an amazing run through the US performing these songs, we will now take the tour where the band began, in the UK and Europe this October/November. We will be performing tracks from both Murderdolls albums and celebrating the legacy of the band. Joining us on a handful of dates in the UK will be Sweden's rock n' roll saviours, Hardcore Superstar, and we will join them as support throughout dates across Europe.. We can’t wait to bring this tour to the UK and Europe later this year.”


Amid a 2002 musical landscape full of baggy pants, backwards caps and tracksuits rose Murderdolls, a metallic glam punk band that defied the prevailing trends and brought back hard, fast rock ’n roll. They dug up the corpse of rock and injected pure undead, unadulterated life back into it. And it was glorious! Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls and its successor, Women And Children Last, were like nothing else - fast and dirty, raw and macabre. Drawing lyrical inspiration from classic macabre, each track is full of tongue-in-cheek horror, executed to perfection. Led by the 'Duke of Spook' Wednesday 13 and the late, great Joey Jordison, Murderdolls slithered their way to the horrendous heights of rock amassing a colossal cult-following along the way.


The sinister, sneering vocals, huge hooks, gang vocal choruses, pounding rhythms and some of the catchiest riffs ever penned, Murderdolls wrote songs for arenas and played them in theatres, making their adrenaline-fueled odes to darkness that much more thrilling.


UK / EU tour dates below. Tickets are available here.


Tour dates:


October
24 - Newcastle, UK – Riverside
25 - Glasgow, Scotland - Slay
26 - Belfast, N. Ireland - Limelight 2
27 - Dublin, Ireland - Opium
29 - Chester, UK - Live Rooms
31 - Manchester, UK - Club Academy


November
1 - Bradford, UK – Nightrain
2 - Bristol, UK – Thekla
3 - Wolverhampton, UK - KK's Steel Mill
5 - Southampton, UK - Engine Rooms
7 - Great Yarmouth, UK - Hard Rock Hell
8 - Nottingham, UK - Rock City *
9 - London, UK - Electric Ballroom *
10 - Northampton, UK – Roadmender *
12 - Sint Niklaas, Belgium - De Casino *
14 - Munich, Germany - Backstage Werk "
15 - Milan, Italy - Live Club *
16 - Rome, Italy - Orion Club *
17 - Padova, Italy - Hall *
19 - Solothurn, Switzerland - Kofmehl *
20 - Lucerne, Switzerland - Konzerthaus Schurr
21 - Cologne, Germany - Essigfabrik *
22 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos Saal *
24 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg Oz *


* w/ Hardcore Superstar





 

During a question-and-answer session at this past weekend's Days Of The Dead horror and pop culture-themed convention in Indianapolis, SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan was asked about the band's current activities. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're always writing, throwing ideas at each other. Right now we're in the middle of looking for a singer. I hear all you guys rolling your eyes already. Our [last] singer, Erik [Grönwall], left to prioritize his health, [which was] understandable. So right now we're just taking our time, because we have time. And we've got a couple guys on the radar that we're gonna audition. And there's also a couple of our friends that wanna do what [HALESTORM's] Lzzy Hale did and sit in [on lead vocals] for a few [SKID ROW] shows. And that's fun too. That was so much fun doing those [four] shows [with Lzzy in late May and early June]."

Added SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo: "We also have a live record ['Live In London'] coming out, too. In the next couple of months it'll be coming out. And we did it in London, which was really special for us because that city holds a place in our hearts since the beginning of the band. So, it was a place where we could have a moment in time sort of in perpetuity. And it was a really fun show. And I'm so happy that, after all this time of having SKID ROW, that we were able to capture finally a live record. It's something we're very proud of it."

A little over a month ago, Rachel confirmed to Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station that he and his bandmates have been talking to singers about potentially stepping in to replace Grönwall. He explained: "No one, really, with a name. But, yeah, we've been talking to a few guys that piqued our interest, for sure."

Asked if he has been working on any new music for a possible follow-up to 2022's "The Gang's All Here" album, Rachel said: "We've been writing. I've been writing a lot when I can. I've been writing in between moving from Nashville back to New Jersey and all that kind of stuff. But, yeah, I always write. Whenever I could hear something in the supermarket, then I just kind of check out real quick and drive home as fast as I can and fire up the Pro Tools [get the ideas down]."

In May, Sabo ruled out a reunion with SKID ROW's former singer Sebastian Bach telling The Hook Rocks podcast: "It's not gonna happen. And I say the same thing every time. I'm thankful that people have such an interest in wanting to see that happen, but I also have to reiterate that this is about being happy in the situation that you're in. So I'll speak for myself personally.

"First of all, I do need to say something too, is that the reason that this isn't happening is because there's three of us — myself, Scotti [Hill, SKID ROW guitarist] and Rachel — who've had conversations about this, and we've all been on the same page that we don't wanna go down that road again. We just — we don't.

"Rachel has taken a beating over this through the years," Sabo continued. "He's the one who's been blamed for this. 'Oh, it's Rachel's ego.' 'It's this and that.' No, that's a load of bullshit. That is not true. And I feel bad because he's really, really had to shoulder that blame and has never said anything derogatory or anything like that. But you know what? The truth of the matter is that Rachel, Scotti and myself have continually felt the same way, that we enjoy being happy in this band and we're really happy.

"It's been such a great experience for the last however, 35 years, everything, all the ups, all the downs, everything, but we just don't wanna revisit that particular aspect of our history," he explained. "I love the songs, [I] love a lot of the memories, [I am] not fond of some of the memories, but just as individuals and as a collective, that's just how we feel. So this is not on Rachel. And this has nothing to do with anyone's ego or anything like that. So that's just gotta be clear. Again, for anyone to sit there and make assumptions that this is Rachel Bolan saying 'nope,' it's not. It's the three of us, and we've all collectively sat there and just said that we don't wanna do it. We just don't wanna do it. And we wish everybody all the best."

Snake added: "We've been just ripped apart by ex-members of the band and stuff — ripped apart. Some really shitty stuff [has been] said about all of us. And we just choose not to [respond]. It's not who I am. It's not who we are. We won't go down that road. We just wanna play music and be happy. This has really never been about a monetary aspect of things because it's known that we've been offered a good amount of money to do shows together and to reunite [with Sebastian] and whatever, but it's just never been about the money, man. I choose my happiness, my willingness to continue to be a really good friend to my best friends and a really good husband and a really good dad and bandmate and person. And I don't wanna endanger that in any way. So the people that we choose to play with, those choices are made in order to keep those particular things in line for all of us."

Four months ago, Grönwall quit SKID ROW to focus on his health.

Erik, who was SKID ROW's fourth frontman since Bach's departure, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021. As a result, he is immunocompromised, which made touring difficult.

Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY. In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Dave "Snake" Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger. SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I. Theart was fired from SKID ROW in February 2022 and was replaced by Grönwall, who was previously a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T.

Four years ago, Bolan also confirmed that he and his bandmates "were entertaining the idea" of reuniting with Bach following Harnell's departure. But Rachel shot down the possibility of a rekindling of his friendship with Sebastian, explaining: "Well… Here's the soundbite for Blabbermouth. I wouldn't say we were friends [when we were in a band together]. We were bandmates. You know what I mean? We're two very different people." Bolan added that he hadn't seen Bach "in years."

Five years ago, Bach was asked by Rolling Stone what it would take for SKID ROW to be reunited. He responded: "It would take those guys to realize that I have a lifetime manager. His name is Rick Sales. I've been with him since 2006. They don't want to deal with a guy like that. They want to give some singer who doesn't have a manager $700 to $800 bucks a week. I've got a team that's worked with me and don't allow me to get fucked around. I didn't have that team when I was 19 years old."

In response to Bach's statements about the earnings of SKID ROW's singer, Sabo told Rolling Stone in an e-mail: "I guess fact-checking isn't in his skill set… The five of us go on that stage as a band and we all get paid equally. We're in this together. There's no egos."

Sebastian went on to say that SKID ROW was "close to reuniting, but then it didn't happen. The fact that it didn't happen obviously makes me somewhat bitter, because life is only getting shorter, as the song says," he added.

"I wouldn't say 'came close,'" Bolan told Rolling Stone in an e-mail response to Bach's account of the reunion talks. "We entertained the idea. Snake and I went as far as talking with agents and promoters about money. But we quickly learned after a few text conversations, why we fired him in the first place. Nothing is worth your happiness and peace of mind."

Sabo added: "It was already a miserable experience, and we didn't even get on the phone."

On September 13th, Canadian bashers Sven Gali will play the legendary El Mocambo in Toronto, Ontario, where they will record the show for a live album release. Go to this location for details and ticket information.





Sven Gali have released a music video for "Coming Home", the new single from the band's Bombs And Battlescars album. Watch below:







Sven Gali's trademark blend of heavy riffs, gritty vocals, and anthemic melodies span decades. Cutting their teeth in the bar circuit of Southern Ontario, Canada in the late 80’s, Sven Gali’s live show was a full on circus of sex, drugs and rock n’ roll.


Emerging with a record deal with BMG, Sven Gali released their debut self-titled release in 1992. From the first chord of “Under The Influence” Sven Gali made their mark. Follow up singles “Tie Dyed Skies” and “In My Garden” paved the way for the ballad number 6 CanCon song of 1993 that also went Top 10 nationwide, “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.” As the album went Gold, Sven Gali won the MuchMusic Best Metal Video Award in 1993 for “Under The Influence” and was nominated for two Junos. With a worldwide release, Sven Gali toured with the likes of Def Leppard, Foreigner and April Wine.


Sven Gali’s follow-up, Inwire, was partly recorded in in Seattle with producer Kelly Gray and saw the band take on a more alternative experimental tone. The band broke up soon after the album’s release and played sporadic shows before solidifying a new lineup with original members Dave Wanless (vocals), Andy Frank (guitar) and TT (bass) bringing in guitarist Sean Williamson and drummer Dan Fila from former BMG labelmates Varga.


Sven Gali’s new release, Bombs And Battlescars, through Canadian label, Music In Motion Ent, combines the best of both Sven Gali eras. The album contains five new originals. “One Gun” is a relentless driver that sets the battlefield ablaze with its blistering guitar work and commanding vocals. The massive groove of “Coming Home” and fierce anthem “Monster” showcase Sven Gali's unapologetic attitude while the sonic prowess of “Life Inside” stands side by side with any current alternative metal peers. Closer “Nothing New” showcases the melodic side of the band with a catchy acoustic groove.


Bombs And Battlescars also brings the band full circle with a cover of Triumph’s “Spellbound.” Recorded at Toronto’s Metalworks studio where many of Sven Gali’s early songs were recorded and demoed, acclaimed Coney Hatch frontman Andy Curran produced the track bringing the song into the modern age. Triumph drummer Gil Moore also appears in the video. The album is filled out with three remastered unreleased tracks from the band’s 90’s recording vault.


Order the album here.





Tracklisting:


"One Gun"
"Coming Home"
"Spellbound"
"Life Inside"
"Monster"
"Hang Me Out"
"Hogs"
"All"
"Nothing New"


"One Gun" video:





"Monster" video:





Sven Gali lineup:


Dave Wanless - Vocals
Andy Frank - Guitars
Shawn Minden - Bass
Sean Williamson - Guitars
Dan Fila - Drums

Metallica have released more footage from their concert at PGE Narodowy in Warsaw, Poland, on July 7. The official live video for "Blackened" joins the previously posted clip for "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)". Watch both below:










Metallica also performed at PGE Narodowy in Warsaw on July 5. The band shared official live videos for "If Darkness Had A Son" and "Fuel" from the show. Watch below:

Following the overwhelming positive reaction to the video for "Shine On", Jon Anderson and The Band Geeks today premiere the second video from their forthcoming album True, for the song "True Messenger".


"True Messenger", along with "Shine On" and album track "Thank God" have been part of the live set since the first date of the current summer tour. Additionally, one of the album’s epic tracks, "Counties And Countries", is played nightly during the intermission of the show over the venue’s PA system.


The video for "True Messenger" was directed by Tom Flynn and shot in the same New Jersey location as "Shine On". Watch below:







True, scheduled for release on August 23, is available for pre-order here. The nine-song album was produced by Jon and Richie Castellano with the centerpiece being the 16-and-a-half-minute track “Once Upon A Dream” which will stand amongst other classic Jon penned epics such as “Close To The Edge”, “Ritual”, “Gates Of Delirium”, and “Awaken”.





Tracklisting:


"True Messenger"
"Shine On"
"Counties And Countries"
"Build Me An Ocean"
"Still A Friend"
"Make It Right"
"Realization Part Two"
"Once Upon A Dream"
"Thank God"


"Shine On" video:





Jon and The Band Geeks remain on the road through September 27twith recently added shows in Beverly Mass, Montclair NJ, and Staten Island NY. All tour dates are below.





Tour dates:


August
2 - Bonner Springs, KS - Azura Amphitheater*
4 - La Vista, NE - The Astro Outdoors*
7 - Waite Park, MN - The Ledge Amphitheater*
10 - Denver, CO - Paramount
14 - Phoenix, AZ - Celebrity Theatre
16 - Thousand Oaks, CA - Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center


September
11 - Beverly MA- Cabot Theatre
13 - Glenside PA- Keswick Theatre
15 - Glenside PA- Keswick Theatre
19 - Portchester NY- Capitol Theatre
21 - Montclair NJ- Wellmont Theatre
27 - Staten Island NY- St George Theatre


* with Special Guests The Return of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Brazilian horror metal band Alchemia has released a live video of "Ashes", recorded at the Summer Breeze Open Air Brazil festival, which took place last April at the Memorial da América Latina in São Paulo.


"We decided to record this video at the festival to capture this extraordinary moment in our career this year. On August 16th, we will be playing at Summer Breeze Germany and we will also be recording the show there. Two Summer Breeze festivals in the same year is memorable for the band and marks a new phase, in which we are expanding our music in Europe," commented Victor Piiroja, vocalist and founder of the band, who is currently based in Germany.







"Ashes" is part of the repertoire of the band's debut album, Inception (2021), released in the Brazilian market by Shinigami Records and abroad by Italian label WormholeDeath Records. The album, mixed and mastered by Danish Tue Madsen, was critically and publicly acclaimed and led the band to an international tour that passed through Europe and Latin America.


The horror metal band Alchemia, which blends elements of symphonic music, and horror soundtracks with heavy metal, symphonic metal, gothic, industrial, black, and death metal, is currently producing its second album, Become Human.In addition, Alchemia has shows planned in China in the second half of the year and Latin America.

Fan-filmed video of FLAT BLACK, the band formed by ex-FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Jason Hook, performing the FFDP song "Burn MF" live on July 26 at Maine Savings Amphitheater in Bangor, Maine can be seen below.

FLAT BLACK's debut album, "Dark Side Of The Brain", was released on July 19 via Fearless Records. The LP was produced by Hook and Chris Collier (KORN),and recorded at both Hook's home studio and The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Hook is joined in FLAT BLACK by singer Wes Horton, bassist Nick Diltz and drummer Rob Pierce.

In an interview with Jake Daniels of the Rock 100.5 The KATT radio station, Hook stated about how FLAT BLACK came together: "Well, I was pretty hell-bent on starting a new band. Music's in my blood. It's a part of my DNA, and I just knew that… I didn't really care how long it took. It just had to be potent. And so, one [musician] at a time… I found Rob first, and he's awesome. And then, of course, Nick; he's from Los Angeles. All my guys are just stellar players. And I wanted to have a good pack of songs. And so here we are."

Regarding the importance of getting along with his bandmates on a personal level, Hook said: "Well, it was a bit of a prerequisite to find guys that were mentally stable and free of drama and that we could hang. It's all about the hang. When you're on tour, you're stuck in this submarine, this rolling submarine, for 18 months. It's important that everyone is compatible. The personalities, I wanted to be very specific about that this time around… We're getting along great."

Having left his prior band in February 2020, which was right before COVID-19 put the entire world on pause, Hook wanted to assume creative control and let his musical free spirit soar in a project that was truly his. He opted to gamble on himself. With great risk comes great reward and the decision to form FLAT BLACK clearly worked out in his favor.

"As a musician, I crave freedom and I wasn't ready to stop creating," Hook shared.

"Life is short," he continued. "We all want to feel satisfied and happy with what we are trying to accomplish in life."

The pandemic shutdown allowed him the opportunity to assemble the right musicians and carefully craft their debut album. FLAT BLACK is armed with an arsenal of riffs that'll rattle your teeth loose from your gums, stadium-sized hooks, arena-ready anthems, and choruses that are guaranteed to touch a nerve. All of those factors combined make FLAT BLACK poised for success.

The origin stories of the rest of the players are indicative of a lifelong love of music and plenty of road-worn experience. The desire to play courses through their veins and propels them forward, which is why they all meshed so well with Hook.

Horton was introduced to music at age 13, thanks to his sister and Guitar Hero. He honed his vocal chops by playing in local bands and making online videos. Various music industry friends and acquaintances would become the connective tissue between himself and Hook. Horton knew he wanted to be a frontman, and FLAT BLACK afforded him that opportunity. Wes loves the fact that his bandmates prioritize songcraft — and that allows him to be the singer he has always wanted to be.

Diltz, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, is the son of a legendary rock music photographer who brought him to concerts during his formative years. He recalls being inspired by watching a VHS video of U2 performing at legendary venue Red Rocks. Seeing fans clamoring for a piece of Bono in the footage is a vision that never left his head. This first exposure to the power of a true rock icon solidified Nick's destiny as a live performer.

Pierce hails from Nashville, a.k.a. Music City. His dad was a race car driver and his grandfather was a pastor. He grew up racing go karts and at first, wanted to follow in his dad's footsteps until he joined the fourth-grade band and was bitten by the music bug. He chose the snare drum over the saxophone and from that moment on, music was the only thing that mattered. Rob got his first drum kit at age 11, which he set up in his dad's car shop. He learned to play his instrument next to 1,000 horsepower engines, which influences his highly energetic style to this day.

FLAT BLACK made its live debut on August 24, 2023 at the FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine, California as the support act for GODSMACK.

FLAT BLACK is:

Jason Hook - Guitar
Wes Horton - Vocals
Rob Pierce - Drums
Nicholas Diltz - Bass

In October 2020, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH confirmed that it had officially parted ways with Hook eight months earlier during the band's sold-out European arena tour. He has since been replaced by renowned British virtuoso Andy James, who made his recording debut with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH on "Broken World", a song that was included on the second installment of the group's greatest-hits collection, "A Decade Of Destruction - Volume 2".

After his recovery from emergency gallbladder surgery at the end of 2019, Hook had to leave midway from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's tour of Europe to address further complications.

Jason, who joined FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in 2009, said about his exit from the band: "As for the reason I'm leaving… well, there really isn't just one. I've been in bands my entire life and I feel like I've done all the good that I can here. It's time to pass the baton and move on to new challenges."

In a new interview with Paul Cashmere of Australia's Noise11.com, BUCKCHERRY frontman Josh Todd was asked if he feels like his band has been around for a long time, having released its tenth album, "Vol. 10", in 2023. Josh responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I do. Yeah, it's 25 years and I feel the mileage on the odometer, for sure. I don't really look back too often, but I did on this tenth record because it is a milestone and kind of look back at all we've accomplished. And I'm very happy and pleased with that also. I am getting older and I feel it more than I used to, but other than that, when it's time to walk on stage, it's always the same."

Regarding how much it felt like the tenth album was a benchmark moment at the time when he and his BUCKCHERRY bandmates were recording it, Josh said: "Not when we were recording it, but when we started promoting it and having to talk about it and then talk about that it's our tenth record. 'Vol. 10' is the title of the record. And talking about the whole catalog and 25 years in the rock game. And it becomes really heavy. I start thinking about, like, 'Wow, it's what I dreamed about.' When I got into this, I wanted to be in one band and have a catalog of music. And that's what I dreamed about. And here it is. I worked very, very, very hard for it. And I'm just pleased that there's been so many peaks and valleys in the BUCKCHERRY story, and to weather the whole storm of rock completely being removed from the mainstream of music and all that kind of stuff, I'm pleased to say that basing our reputation on our live show, we still have this great fanbase worldwide that we get to go to and continue to make records. And I'm super proud of that."

Last November, BUCKCHERRY released a new holiday song called "Tell 'Em It's Christmas".

BUCKCHERRY previously released another holiday song, "Christmas Is Here", back in 2010.

"Vol. 10" came out in June 2023. The 11-song LP featured 10 new BUCKCHERRY originals and, as a bonus track, a cover of the Bryan Adams classic "Summer Of 69". The album was produced by Marti Frederiksen and recorded at Sienna Studios in Nashville. The album was released in North America by Round Hill Records, in Japan by Sony Japan, and by Earache Records for the rest of the world.

Frederiksen previously produced 2021's "Hellbound" as well as BUCKCHERRY's fourth album, "Black Butterfly", and co-wrote "Sorry", among other songs, with the band.

In the summer of 2020, BUCKCHERRY recruited JETBOY's Billy Rowe as its new guitarist. He joined the group as the replacement for Kevin Roentgen, who left BUCKCHERRY in July of that year.

In 2019, BUCKCHERRY enlisted Francis Ruiz as its new drummer. He joined the group as the replacement for Sean Winchester, who exited BUCKCHERRY after laying down the drum tracks on "Warpaint".

Journeyman Welsh drummer Chris Slade, who has spent the past 60 years playing with everyone from Tom Jones to MANFRED MANN, THE FIRM and AC/DC, says that he wasn't bitter about the latter band's decision to recruit Matt Laug to sit behind the kit for the Brian Johnson-fronted outfit on AC/DC's spring/summer 2024 tour.

AC/DC has offered no explanation for the absence of the band's longtime drummer Phil Rudd, who rejoined AC/DC for the recording of the group's comeback album, "Power Up", which came out in November 2020.

"I wasn't bitter when Phil came back [for the 'Power Up' album] or whatever — or [they] didn't use me, put it that way," Slade told Real Music With Gary Stuckey in a new interview (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "People said, 'Oh, he's bitter. Listen to the way he's talking.' I wasn't bitter at all — not in the slightest. I probably got used to it by now.

"When I lived in California, I used to know Matt Laug as a drummer," Chris continued. "So I was pleased that I knew the guy who was gonna be sitting in. And I knew he was a nice guy. I knew he was very capable and that he could do exactly what Angus [Young, AC/DC guitarist] wanted. I've just heard a rumor, actually, that Phil's coming back. I don't know. But that's a rumor, and those AC/DC rumors are… You never know."

Asked if he would go back to playing with AC/DC if the band asked him to rejoin, Slade said: "Yes, I would. I would. I'm still playing with [THE CHRIS SLADE] TIMELINE. I'm playing every week. We do gigs. Last Saturday we were in France, in Lyon. In two weeks' time, we go to Italy. We were in Poland about two months ago, Czechia, Eastern Germany. We work all over Europe. We were in Spain a couple of years ago. We haven't been back since. And so I'm playing with my guys, and I'm quite happy to do that. It's a really, really great band. And there's no need for me to go back with AC/DC, to be honest, but if they wanted, Angus knows he could ask me any time.

"I can't see it happening," Slade went on to say. "I couldn't see it happening the second time it happened, to be honest. People kept saying to me, 'Have you heard anything? Have you heard anything yet?' Friends and family. And I said, 'Look, they're not gonna call. Okay?' This was before 'Rock Or Bust'. 'They're not gonna call. They've had enough of me. They're not going to call.' And then I was on the road in Switzerland with TIMELINE. Ring, ring, and it's a AC/DC. [Laughs] And this is three months after these rumors have been flying around. And I was shocked. I spoke to the manager for about half an hour, and I said, 'Yeah, of course I'd do it.' And at the end, I said, 'Can I ask you a question? Did this come from the guys? Did this request come from the guys?' He said, 'Of course, it came from the guys. I wouldn't be making this call without their say-so.' Which is true. But I still wanted confirmation that it was the guys that was putting this offer out to come back. So I was there for another two, three years."

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

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

Slade originally followed Simon Wright in AC/DC's lineup, joining in time to play on "The Razor's Edge". When Rudd returned in 1995, Slade was shown the door and harbored some bad feelings about that for a while.

Slade is promoting the new album from THE CHRIS SLADE TIMELINE, "Timescape", which will arrive on July 19.

Fan-filmed video of BUTCHER BABIES's July 27 performance at the Stonehenge festival in Steenwijk, The Netherlands can be seen below. The gig marked the band's first live appearance since the official departure of BUTCHER BABIES' co-founding co-vocalist Carla Harvey.

The band announced Harvey's exit in a social media post on July 20. BUTCHER BABIES wrote: "As you may have already guessed, it is confirmed that Carla Harvey and BUTCHER BABIES have officially parted ways.

"Carla has been an integral part of our journey, bringing her unique talent, passion, and energy to the band. We are grateful for the incredible memories we've made together and the impact she has had on our music and our fans. We will miss her greatly and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

"We deeply appreciate your support over the past 15 years," BUTCHER BABIES added. "We feel incredibly fortunate to keep making and playing music as our career, and we are excited for this new era of BUTCHER BABIES!

"See you on the road."

Carla added in a separate post: "Over the last 6 months You may have noticed my absence from BUTCHER BABIES posts. After 15 years of dedication, I wanted to let you know that I will not be rejoining the band for any future endeavors.

"I am super proud of my work with BUTCHER BABIES…2 EPS, 5 Full lengths albums and countless tours with our metal heroes! To all of our incredible BUTCHER BABIES friends and fans…you have provided me with some of the greatest experiences of my life! I have loved every second of writing and performing all over the world for you! I have loved meeting you. WOW. I still can't believe this kid from Detroit got so lucky.

"I am not done making music and performing. I WILL see you soon".

Last fall, BUTCHER BABIES completed a European tour without Carla, who sat out the trek in order to undergo emergency surgery on her left eye.

Harvey shared the news of her absence from the tour on October 26, 2023 in a social media post. The 47-year-old singer, who co-founded BUTCHER BABIES in 2010 with fellow vocalist Heidi Shepherd, posted a photo of her performing with her bandmates, and she included the following message: "Here's a picture of a girl in her happy place; unfortunately i won't be in that happy place on the upcoming @butcherbabies Euro run. Love you all but i have to sit this one out!

"I have a history of problematic vision and I had to have a major surgery about 10 years ago in my right eye for a retinal detachment. On our summer tour the telltale symptoms repeated themselves in my left eye. I've been hoping to avoid major surgery but it is clear that it must be done. My emergency surgery will include a healing process of laying face down for a number of days with a gas bubble in my eye."

Carla added: "This is the first time in fifteen years i won't be able to join my friends on stage but right now my health and sight take precedence for me. While I am gutted that I cannot make the tour the risk of me waiting till after a tour to do such a surgery is too great and includes permanent vision loss. The beauty of having two vocalists is that Heidi can cover for me until i'm better!

"Hoping to make it out for part of this euro run...go to the shows, have a blast and support my bandmates for me! I'll see you soon!"

In the comments section, Shepherd voiced her support for her then-bandmate, writing: "Sending all the love and healing. We'll hold down the fort while you heal. We need those beautiful eyes to work!!! Love you!"

BUTCHER BABIES' three-week European tour is scheduled to conclude on August 17 at the Czech Republic's Rock Of Sadská festival.

This past January, Harvey and ANTHRAX and PANTERA drummer Charlie Benante announced that they were officially engaged.

BUTCHER BABIES released a double album "Eye For An Eye..." and "…'Til The World's Blind", in July 2023. The double album celebrates the tenth anniversary of BUTCHER BABIES' critically acclaimed debut, "Goliath", released on July 9, 2013 via Century Media Records.

BUTCHER BABIES' previous album, 2017's "Lilith" was produced by Steve Evetts (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SEPULTURA, SUICIDE SILENCE) and marked the band's recording debut with drummer Chase Brickenden, who replaced Chris Warner in 2016.

In July 2019, longtime BUTCHER BABIES bassist Jason Klein announced his departure from the band. He has since been replaced by Ricky Bonazza.



Stonehenge 2024 - Butcher Babies

Posted by Richard Siebels on Saturday, July 27, 2024

Hachette Books has set a February 18, 2025 release date for "Just Beyond The Light: Living With The War Inside My Head", the second book from LAMB OF GOD frontman D. Randall "Randy" Blythe. It will be the follow-up to his 2015 book "Dark Days: A Memoir", which focused on his ordeal in a Czech Republic prison and his subsequent acquittal.

"Just Beyond The Light: Living With The War Inside My Head" is described by the publisher as "a riveting and revelatory memoir about self-development and maintaining proper prospective through difficult times."

In "Dark Days", Blythe unflinchingly wrote about some of the most harrowing episodes of his past. Now, in his highly anticipated follow-up, Randy shares how he works daily to maintain positivity in a world that feels like it is spinning out of control. In his own words, "Just Beyond The Light" is a "tight, concise roadmap of how I have attempted to maintain what I believe to be a proper perspective in life, even during difficult times." Written with a scathing balance of hard-edged reality offset by a knowing humor and a razor-sharp wit, voiced in in his inimitable, conversational, everyman-philosopher style, Blythe clearly breaks down his approach to life, which is a personal and idiosyncratic mix of sobriety, art, and surfing. He writes movingly of his childhood in the South, of fallen friends, of what he's learned touring the world as the vocalist of a successful heavy metal band, and of the very real ways he is doing what he can to leave the world a better place. Above all, he offers readers hope that balance, real balance, is possible, even (or especially) when things seem hopeless.

Compelling, compassionate, and refreshingly honest, "Just Beyond The Light" ultimately reminds readers that "as long as we keep our feet (and minds) planted firmly on the ground that is reality, the sky isn't falling — it never has been, and it never will."

Blythe told RVA Magazine about "Just Beyond The Light": "It is about trying to maintain a balanced perspective in the world right now, and in order for me to do that, I have to look to other people I admire. One of those people I write about is my grandmother, who was 94. I was beside her when she died, and I was grateful for that because it was post-COVID. I interviewed her over the course of two days and learned about her life. I asked her what the biggest difference is between [her generation] the modern age we're in right now — she didn't say computers or globalism; she said people are not as close as they used to be."

Asked if he feels like we've lost that sense of interpersonal connection between people," Randy said: "In many ways, but I don't think it's totally gone. I think it's dormant. I think it's buried under the iCloud of bullshit, and it's going to come back and bite us on the ass. In one way or another, you're going to need help. People don't know their neighbors; there's not the sense of community there used to be. In this hyper-connected world, people are lonelier than ever — particularly young people. They're interfacing with the world through this digital medium, and it's providing an illusion of connection, but real connection requires friction. There has to be a push and pull when you're in person, and that is absent via digital communications when there is a wall of anonymity."

Earlier this month, Blythe was asked by Chuck Armstrong of Loudwire Nights if the upcoming book is "a memoir of sorts", similar to "Dark Days". Randy said: "I don't know if you'd call it a memoir. It's a collection of — not essays, I would guess, but individual chapters that are self-contained stories. It was a lot harder to write than my last book. 'Cause the last book, there's a narrative arc and I knew exactly what was gonna happen. I knew the story. I had already lived it. When I started writing this book, I had ideas about what I wanted to say, but I wasn't exactly sure what ground I was gonna cover. So, it was a lot harder. The last one, I had the roadmap in front of me. This one, it was a little bit more open-ended. And it's a shorter book — thank God."

"['Dark Days' is] around 500 pages," he continued. "My contract called for 80 to 100 thousand words. I turned in 257 thousand words, so he had to amputate a bunch of shit. I can get a little bit longwinded. My editor reined it in this time, which I was very happy about. I need someone to rein me in. It's like in a band when you need a producer."

Blythe explained that he wanted "Dark Days: A Memoir" to be different from other rock autobiographies by not focusing exclusively on LAMB OF GOD and the band's touring lifestyle.

"Long after LAMB OF GOD is done, I will still be writing books," he said. "So when I wrote ['Dark Days'], I wanted to write it, and I know some people were upset there's not more stuff about LAMB OF GOD and heavy metal and all that other bullshit — I wanted the book to be able to be read by a much wider audience than just metalheads, and I wanted it to stand the test of time, be a sort of universal human story that people could read and think about. If I sit there and talk about nothing but touring with this band and getting drunk here and all that, it's gonna be, like, 'Ah, great, whatever. It's another fucking music story.' But one of the most gratifying things about that book to me was that a lot of the reviews said you don't have to be a metal fan to read this, to enjoy this, you don't have to know who the band is to read this, enjoy it. 'Cause I write records for the metal fans; I already do that. I wanna write books, although they [metal fans] are a sizable contingent of the people who bought the book — I wanna write books for everyone."

Back in November 2022, Blythe told Metal Hammer magazine that he was working on two new books. The first was said to be "a long-term project" called "Frontman", which, as its title suggests, focuses on other people who share his profession. The second was a sort-of sequel to "Dark Days: A Memoir".

"The last book was about personal accountability," Randy explained at the time. "The vehicle to that was the story about me getting arrested and going to trial. This book is about perspective — the core theme is perspective and changing it to a healthy one. In recent years, I've been listening to other people's perspectives rather than just trying to figure out everything myself, because I'm not going to. The book is a collection of stories about different experiences I've had with people and what I've taken away from those experiences."

In October 2022, Blythe told the Illinois Entertainer that he was working on a new "non-fiction book." He added: "I wanted to write fiction, but my agent said, 'You need another non-fiction book.' And he was pushing me toward what they call, I guess, an 'inspirational memoir' or whatever. So I'm writing this book, and it's about different perspectives from other people that I've tried to incorporate into my own life and take something from. Something positive from — things I have learned from people other than me. And it's been very difficult to maintain any sort of positivity for a while now. It really has."

In May 2022, Blythe was asked by Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show how writing prose is different from writing lyrics. He responded: "Well, they're two different things — two very different things. I always say that writing a book makes writing an album look like going to kindergarten. It is a much more intense, much more sustained [and] much more nerve-racking extended creative effort. There's pros and cons to it, of course. And the thing that I dislike about it, just as a lazy bum, is I'm having to do it all by myself. If there's something bad in the book or it doesn't work, then I can't blame it on my bandmates. 'Cause we're a democracy — we really are a democracy — and if someone is unhappy with something, then we won't move forward with it creatively, if they're really emphatic about that. That being said, we make a lot of compromises with each other in order to work as a band. So, if there's something that I don't particularly like in one of our songs or on an album or a song that I'm not particularly feeling great about but the rest of [the guys] love the song, then I'm, like, 'Oh well. So be it.' It's part of the business of being in a band. And then if it comes out and I still don't like it, I can be, like, 'Well it was their decision, not mine.' When you write a book, if you screw up something or something's not good or something later you review and it doesn't pass muster, that's on you. So it's a bit more nerve-racking. No, conversely, that's kind of the same thing I like about it, because I don't have to bounce my ideas off of anyone else. I say exactly what I want to say without having to go through any sort of filtration process with anyone else — it's just me. So, in a way, it's a much more creative process — or a purely creative process, I would say — because it's just you and the blank page. But it is nerve-racking — it really is. And also, as I get older, I just enjoy quiet more and more and more, and writing is a very quiet and solitary activity — at least it is for me. So I enjoy that. My ears don't ring after writing a book, but they sure as hell do after writing an album."

In July 2021, Blythe said in an Instagram post that he was about to begin writing his second book. The now-53-year-old singer wrote: "It's been six years since my 1st book, Dark Days, came out. I've been kinda busy but I can't screw around any longer- it's finally time to write a new one. The proposal is done, the publishers accepted it, & the contract is hammered out & in the mail.

"Shit- that means I actually have to write this thing! All I'll say is: A) it's another non-fiction book, & B) I just spent over two weeks utterly consumed by writing the freaking introduction. 2,296 words in 15 days- that not a lot, but I want it to be RIGHT. Plus, I'm just stretching the old muscles, getting back in shape for the brutal long haul that lies ahead. The sustained creative heavy lifting required to write a book makes writing the lyrics for an album look like preschool finger painting. Plus, if what you're doing is turning out shitty, you can't just blame the rest of your band. (sorry dudes)

"Most books on writing of are bullshit, collections of pointless 'exercises' from people who haven't sold any other books of their own (I should know, I've bought most of them.) No book on earth is gonna turn you into a good writer. There is no magic pill. Just like playing music, shooting photos, or pursuing any other creative endeavor- the ONLY way to find out if you're any good is to DO IT. You gotta write, & the hardest part of writing is sitting your ass down to do it, & then repeating that process day after day after day."

In 2012, Blythe was arrested in the Czech Republic and charged with manslaughter for allegedly pushing a 19-year-old fan offstage at a show two year prior and causing injuries that led to the fan's death. Blythe spent 37 days in a Prague prison before ultimately being found not guilty in 2013.

Blythe's prison experience inspired two songs on LAMB OF GOD's 2015 album "VII: Sturm Und Drang": "512", one of his three prison cell numbers, and "Still Echoes", written while he was in Pankrac Prison, a dilapidated facility built in the 1880s that had been used for executions by the Nazis during World War II. It also led him to write the aforementioned "Dark Days", in which he shared his whole side of the story publicly for the first time.

Texas thrashers POWER TRIP recently returned to the live stage for their first full performances since the tragic passing of frontman Riley Gale.

POWER TRIP's longtime friend and collaborator Seth Gilmore has stepped in for Gale to handle vocals for the band. Gilmore is embedded in Texas's hardcore and punk communities and is well known as the vocalist of SKOURGE and as the frontman of Dallas thrash metal band FUGITIVE, which he founded in 2021 alongside POWER TRIP guitarist Blake Ibanez.

Asked in a new interview with Metal Hammer, how the decision to return as POWER TRIP came about, POWER TRIP drummer Chris Ulsh said: "During COVID, we were still having bi-weekly or monthly Zoom meetings, and at one of those, we just came out with it, like, 'Hey, do you guys want to keep playing music together?' Everybody obviously still wanted to do that, but we didn't really know if it was going to be POWER TRIP or a different band or whatever. As those conversations progressed, we realized we wanted to keep doing POWER TRIP, but didn't really know what that would look like. As the COVID restrictions started lifting, Blake and I were getting together, working on some new music, just to keep busy. We tried out a couple things, with different people, just demoing vocals over it, just to kind of get a feeling for the full song. But initially nothing really came of it. It just didn't come as easily as maybe we would have thought."

Regarding Gilmore's addition to POWER TRIP, Ulsh said: "Yeah, during that time, Blake started FUGITIVE with Seth. He was someone that we reached out to at the beginning, but he wasn't ready. Somewhere along the way, I think he started feeling a lot more comfortable filling that role. We decided to test him out at that show in Austin [last December], since FUGITIVE were playing, and one of my other bands. So, we just had everyone get onstage."

In announcing POWER TRIP's return to the live stage, surviving members Ibanez, Nick Stewart (guitar, vocals), Chris Whetzel (bass) and Ulsh wrote on social media: "Nearly four years ago to the day, unbeknownst to us, we would perform for the last time as POWER TRIP. It has been a difficult road since then, marked by deep pain, grief, and everything else that came with losing our brother Riley.

"We know this can't be undone, and it will always remain part of us. We have thought deeply about the future of POWER TRIP and what always comes back to us is that this band was founded on resilience, perseverance, and most importantly: a love for the music and for all of the people it has brought us closer to along the way.

"We'll never have the words to convey our appreciation of the enduring support we've received over the years, and we feel as though the time is right to get back on stage for all of you who've been there throughout our existence as a band."

Regarding Gilmore's addition to the POWER TRIP lineup, the band said: "It feels right playing our songs with Seth, who's been a longtime figure in Texas hardcore, and we've had the pleasure of watching and playing alongside his bands since the origins of POWER TRIP. We're grateful for his dedication to this project and can't wait to see everyone."

Gilmore stated: "I'm honored to have the opportunity to contribute to the legacy of POWER TRIP and deliver these songs to the fans of past and current generations. I would not be who I am today without the massive influence that both the band and its members have had on my life, and I look forward to celebrating their work alongside them while giving it my all to honor the spirit of Riley's memory."

Ibanez, Stewart, Whetzel and Ulsh played a surprise five-song set with Gilmore on December 1, 2023 at Mohawk in Austin, Texas.

Riley died on August 25, 2020. An autopsy report for Gale ruled that he died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, while the manner of death was ruled accidental.

Following the news of Gale's death, a number of other artists shared tributes to the frontman, including members of CODE ORANGE, ANTHRAX and COHEED AND CAMBRIA.

Riley guested on the track "Point The Finger" on BODY COUNT's "Carnivore" album, released in March 2020, and BODY COUNT frontman Ice-T later suggested in an interview with Stereogum that Gale's death was opioid-related. Ice-T said in December 2020: "When we shot the video [for 'Point The Finger'], he looked healthy. It was a good vibe. That's why I got blindsided when I got the call from his dad, who said that Riley passed away. Apparently, he was dealing with the same bullshit everyone is — this opioid stuff. He'd gotten clean, and when you relapse, you go back to the same dose you're used to and it kills you. It was a really sad thing."

Gale's autopsy report noted that he died from pulmonary edema — a condition caused by excess fluid in the lungs. This was caused by "the toxic effects of fentanyl" in Gale's system. The fentanyl in Gale's blood was measured at 22.5 ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter),and he tested negative for all other drugs and alcohol.

The report went on to note that Gale had a "history of Xanax abuse" and a "history of depression," and revealed Riley was found "unresponsive on the floor at home."

In October 2020, plans were announced for the Riley Gale Library at the Dallas Hope Center — the city's sole shelter for LGBTQ+ youth.

POWER TRIP released two albums on Southern Lord, 2013's "Manifest Decimation" and 2017's "Nightmare Logic". A rarities compilation, "Opening Fire: 2008-2014", followed in 2018.

"Nightmare Logic" peaked at No. 22 on Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart.

POWER TRIP was said to be working on its third album at the time of Riley's death.

Photo credit: Adam Cedillo