SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan joined HALESTORM on stage on Friday (July 26) at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey to perform the SKID ROW classic "Slave To The Grind". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

Lzzy Hale, who has fronted her band HALESTORM for more than two and a half decades, handled the vocal duties for SKID ROW for four shows in late May and early June after the group's fourth frontman since Sebastian Bach's departure — "Swedish Idol" contestant Erik Grönwall — quit the band to focus on his health.

On June 3, Hale took to her social media to share a few photos of her time with SKID ROW and she included the following message: "My soul is still buzzing from the crazy ride I was just on.

"Thank you so much to Rachel, Snake, Scotti, Rob, their amazing crew and the entire SKID ROW fan base for putting your trust in me. Thank you for bringing me into your tribe, and allowing me to live inside your legacy for a moment.

"What started out as friends helping out friends, bloomed into something bigger than any of us could've imagined.

"I'm overflowing with gratitude.

"This experience of getting to deep dive into SKID ROW has given me a rare opportunity to deepen my love for these men I get to call friends. And the soul bonding moments we created together musically will live with me forever.

"And even though this particular time in my life prevents me from committing to a permanent role in SKID ROW…I am sending in my official request to the universe that we will be able to join forces again down the road.

"With Love and Loud Music, Lzzy Hale".

During an appearance on the May 23 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Lzzy stated about what it was like to play her first two shows as the vocalist of SKID ROW: "The response has been amazing. And I'm hearing from people that have been seeing SKID ROW since 1987 and are just raving about what I bring to the table. So, for me, it is friends helping out friends, but it's also this beautiful milestone in my life where I'm literally being challenged to fill in the shoes that I've always wanted to fill from being a kid. So it's wonderful."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Since bursting on to the music scene in the early 2000s, SICK PUPPIES — Bryan Scott (guitars/lead vocals),Emma Anzai (bass/vocals) and Mark Goodwin (drums/vocals) — have sold over one million albums, including a gold certification for "Tri-Polar", had five rock radio hits, including "You're Going Down", which reached No. 1, amassed over 310 million global streams, and have had their music featured on hits shows like "NCIS" and WWE.

The band kicks off the next era of its career by partnering with ONErpm for its next album, "Wave The Bull", which arrives in early 2025. SICK PUPPIES has also shared the video for the first single "There Goes The Neighborhood".

"We are all familiar with what it means to 'take the bull by the horns,' but to 'wave the bull' is a different take on approaching life's most difficult times," the band states. "To wave the bull is to provoke, embrace, and surrender to the battles that will inevitably scar us — a battle cry for the emotional masochist. Antagonizing adversity, afraid of nothing. This is the central theme, and philosophy behind our fifth studio album, 'Wave The Bull', as we reflected on the thick skin grown from the trials, and tribulations of our band's history and hardships, both professionally and personally."

SICK PUPPIES continue: "This concept album is a collection of songs that thematically, lyrically, musically, and sonically double down on the narrative that it's not about what life throws at you, it's about the way in which you face it. So, wave the bull!"

"Wave The Bull" track listing:

01. There Goes The Neighborhood
02. Friends Like You
03. Creature
04. Going Places
05. Fix Me
06. Knock Your Lights Out
07. Find A Way
08. Feel Again
09. Hurricane
10. Dead & Buried
11. Fuck 'Em All
12. Halfway Home

In addition to being known for their extensive range of pivotal accomplishments, SICK PUPPIES are a formidable live act that has clocked in over 1,000 live shows in the U.S. alone over time, sharing the stage with the likes of MUSE, THE KILLERS, BREAKING BENJAMIN, INCUBUS and TOOL. Notable festival plays include Rock On The Range, Carolina Rebellion, Welcome To Rockville, Louder Than Life, Download (U.K.) and Aftershock.

Igniting HELLOWEEN's 40th-anniversary celebration, the German power metal pioneers will re-release their early albums represented by BMG. Remastered by Sascha "Busy" Bühren, mastering engineer of the band's self-titled No 1 album "Helloween" from 2021, the albums will contain additional bonus tracks and the original artwork restored.

HELLOWEEN guitarist and founding member Michael Weikath comments: "It was important for us to present our fans the work of the early days in a contemporary acoustic and visual form. Sascha did an exceptional job and adapted the recordings to today's quality standards."

The first batch of albums, released July 26, 2024, contains some real heavyweights, rightly described as genre-defining milestones:

* "Walls Of Jericho" is the debut full-length studio album by the German power metal band, initially released in 1985 . It is the only full-length album featuring Kai Hansen as the lead vocalist. On 2 CDs, this classic also contains the songs of the mini-LP from 1985 and several bonus tracks.

* "Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I" is the band's second studio album, released in 1987. It marks the first appearance of vocalist Michael Kiske and is considered the album that created the genre of European-style power metal.

* The band's third studio album, "Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part II" from 1988 was hugely successful worldwide and went gold in Germany. It includes the singles "Dr. Stein" and "I Want Out", the latter remains the band's best known song until today.

Further release dates are:

August 30, 2024

* "Pink Bubbles Go Ape"
* "Chameleon"
* "Master Of The Rings"

September 27, 2024

* "Time Of The Oath"
* "Better Than Raw"
* "Metal Jukebox"

For more information, click here.

This past February, he reunited expanded classic lineup of HELLOWEEN signed with Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM) for the release of their next studio album. The band will enter the studio this summer to begin work on the follow-up to 2021's acclaimed self-titled effort, with plans to issue the LP in 2025.

After playing 60 extremely emotional shows in support of their chart-topping album "Helloween", returning singer Michael Kiske and guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen along with Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel Löble are now working on material for their next album.

HELLOWEEN's recent "United Forces" world tour took the band to 26 countries on three continents, bringing together more than 800,000 fans. The trek included sold-out headline shows in Los Angeles, New York and São Paulo, as well as highlights like the show at the Prague O2 Arena, the Schleyer-Halle in Stuttgart, or in front of 14,000 metalheads in Santiago de Chile and HELLOWEEN's first-ever sold-out concert at the iconic Budokan in Tokyo, Japan — the Holy Grail and the ultimate accolade for every rock band. Without a doubt, there were tears in everyone's eyes at the bombastic Hell & Heaven festival in Mexico City, which closed the tour.

Upon its release in June 2021, "Helloween" landed in the Top 10 in more than 10 countries, including Germany, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria. The cover artwork for the LP was painted by artist Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, among others.

Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, the latest HELLOWEEN LP was recorded in part at the H.O.M.E. Studios in Hamburg (where everything started in 1984). The same recording console used for such HELLOWEEN albums as "Master Of The Rings", "Time Of The Oath" and "Better Than Raw" was utilized to record the band's new material. The effort was mixed at the Valhalla Studios of Ronald Prent (IRON MAIDEN, DEF LEPPARD, RAMMSTEIN).

"Helloween" saw the legendary German power metallers going "back to the roots," with the band recording fully analog and Daniel Löble playing the drum kit previously used by HELLOWEEN's original drummer, the late Ingo Schwichtenberg, on the legendary "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" recordings.

The "Pumpkins United" tour marked the first time Kiske had played live with HELLOWEEN since 1993. Hansen, who departed HELLOWEEN in 1988, had been joining the band onstage on various tours and festival appearances throughout the years. The set featured several duets with Kiske and his replacement, Deris, along with many rarely played songs, including "Kids Of The Century", "Rise And Fall" and "Livin' Ain't No Crime". Hansen — who fronted HELLOWEEN until late 1986 — sang a medley of several early HELLOWEEN classics, including "Ride The Sky", "Judas", "Starlight" and "Heavy Metal (Is The Law)".

During an appearance on Thursday's (July 25) episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Joe Satriani spoke about his participation in Sammy Hagar's summer 2024 tour, which kicked off on July 13 at the 20,000-capacity iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida.

For "The Best Of All Worlds" tour, Hagar and his bandmates in THE CIRCLE — ex-VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony and drummer Jason Bonham — are being joined by Satriani, who has recorded and performed with Hagar and Anthony in the band CHICKENFOOT, and multi-instrumentalist Rai Thistlethwayte.

The 21-song setlist for the tour consists largely of VAN HALEN material, including the opening track "Good Enough", from 1986's "5150" album, as well as two songs from 1991's "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge", "Poundcake" and "Runaround", and a pair of David Lee Roth-era VAN HALEN classics, "Panama" and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", as well as a section of "Jump".

The rest of the set includes Satriani's "Satch Boogie", the rousing rock-swing guitar instrumental that put him on the map in 1987 and helped propel his second album, "Surfing With The Alien", to platinum status. and several of Hagar's solo classics, such as "There's Only One Way To Rock", "Eagles Fly", "Heavy Metal" and "I Can't Drive 55".

Asked by "Trunk Nation" host Eddie Trunk how the first few shows on "The Best Of All Worlds" tour have gone, Joe said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, it's a thrill. It is so difficult to explain the complexity of emotions that I have playing this role in the band. First of all, they're just fun shows. They're just completely rock and roll fun shows with an amazing setlist to play with every night. I mean, that's obvious, and the fans are right there with us celebrating all this great music with us. But just me being with my buddies, celebrating Sam's legacy and Mike's legacy — we have a lot of years together, so there's this great feeling of friendship, and I'm just happy to be there to help them celebrate. And I'm a huge Eddie Van Halen fan, as you know, and so I approach this gig with this feeling of a huge responsibility to do it right, to be respectful, but to keep the spirit that Eddie invented alive when I play these songs."

Satriani went on to admit that, while preparing for "The Best Of All Worlds" tour, he watched YouTube videos of other guitarists playing Eddie Van Halen's parts. Asked why he chose to do that rather than focus exclusively on studying videos of Eddie playing the same songs, Joe explained: "Well, here's the interesting point about some of the simplest pieces that Eddie would do, is he'd do the album version, and from the stories that I've heard from the bandmembers there was that Eddie and Alex [Van Halen] would work on these things, let's say, one song for two or three weeks, and then the other guys would come in to add to the track. And so the recordings would be like this culmination of the brothers jamming. And then once they took it out on the road, I couldn't find one live clip of Eddie playing the same song that was remotely similar. He was just so creative, every show he would just do it a little different. And so I thought, 'Okay, I should just embrace every different version. And I really do wanna see how other guitar players work around the fact that their hands are not Eddie's hands.'"

Joe continued: "Eddie held his guitar in a certain place. A lot of guitar players don't hold it like that these days. He would hold his pick in a different way. He would pick in a different way. And there were all these things that were part of his physicality that were quite different. So when somebody does, like you go and you check out a VAN HALEN tribute band, you're looking at a different person with a different body and they have to deal with the fact that they're different, they hold their pick differently, they position the guitar and their body at a different height or something. It all makes a difference. It all adds up to creating that right vibe, the rhythm, the tone. And then then there are the amps. I mean, my god. There's a great picture of Eddie's rig from in the mid-to-late '80s, and it's insane what he put together. He was so gifted in pushing the envelope of how he put his gear together to attain this really unique sound. And I think that there's that — I'm gonna say maybe 50 percent; maybe this is a bold statement, but I think 50 percent of what we hear really came from his hands, because when you really do the deep dive into the amps and you realize, well, he's played all these different amps in the course of a couple of decades, but he never lost that intensity, the snap, just the overall aggressive-yet-beautiful sound that he created. So it was in his hands. And so you can get the amp — the EVH amp, the Soldano, the vintage Marshalls — but you're not gonna be there; you're not gonna be able to really do a great impression of Eddie Van Halen without his hands. He was that special, that unique. And I would think anyone who's done it, and I saw it online, which is basically anyone who's decided, I'm gonna try to play, let's say, the first VAN HALEN record live in front of an audience for a tribute, they realize this right away that it's impossible to copy that element of him. So you learn the songs, you try to learn the fingerings and then you go, 'Now, how am I gonna do it, 'cause these are my hands?' And I think Eddie would have wanted anyone who played any of his music to inject a healthy portion of their own personality and not to try to imitate him. So maybe that's the thing — don't imitate, but pay homage, be respectful. Try to memorize the stuff, but at the same time celebrate it the way it was intended. Don't be like a parrot."

Produced by Live Nation, the 28-date "The Best Of All Worlds" tour will conclude on August 31 in St. Louis, Missouri.

During an appearance on the July 18 episode of "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Hagar stated about Satriani's approach to performing the material originally written and recorded by Eddie Van Halen: "Oh, I gotta tell you, Joe is a scholar. I can't tell you how good of a musician Joe Satriani is. He's as good as any musician on the planet. He's got his own style. It's a little different than Eddie's. Eddie was a genius musician too, but he had a different style and he had his thing. Joe's got his thing. Joe went in the closet. Well, not in the closet — he went into the woodshed, and since the announcement [of the tour on 'The Howard Stern Show' last November]… I threw a couple songs at him and said, 'Hey, why don't you just learn this song or that song?' And then Stern laid songs on us, that we're going, 'Well, shoot, we didn't think about those. Joe, do you know that one?' He goes, 'Oh, I'll try it.' He's that good. So now he's dialed them in."

Hagar continued: "What [Joe has] done, for any of you guitar players out there that wanna come and see what Joe's doing, or wanna criticize Joe or wanna praise Joe, whatever you want to do, he has taken the essence of Eddie's guitar solos and parts and he plays the necessary parts to make sure it sounds just like the record, the way it's supposed to. The solo on a song like 'Jump' — I hate to use that one 'cause it's not my song, but we do 'Jump'; we do a piece of 'Jump' on the encore. We do a five-song encore that's got a little bit of 'Jump' in it. And when he plays that solo, he plays it like the record. And then he'll go off in the middle somewhere. He'll do a little tiny thing. He'll do little things that says, 'No, this is Joe Satriani playing Eddie,' but he's doing Eddie right. No one could complain. He's hitting all the right notes that make the essence of what Eddie invented. And he puts his own heart and soul into it, which makes it so much different and so much better, in my opinion, than a guy just mimicking him exactly. And his tone is different. It's kind of like Eddie's, but I don't know — Joe's just so good. I don't know how he's doing this. I really don't know how he's doing this."

Regarding the setlist for the tour, Sammy said: "This setlist is deep, brother. We're playing two hours and 20 minutes. We're only playing like five of my songs, one CHICKENFOOT and one MONTROSE. The rest is VAN HALEN. Get out of here, man. That's a hour and a half, about a buck 40 of VAN HALEN. In VAN HALEN, we didn't play as many songs as we're playing, 'cause Eddie did a big 20-minute solo, Al [Alex Van Halen] did a 20-minute solo, Mike did a 15-, 20-minute solo, and I did 'Eagles Fly' by myself. So, you add that together, we did about 12 songs."

As for how the tour has been going so far, Hagar said: "Honest to God, I haven't felt like this about a show since walking off the stage at some of the greatest VAN HALEN shows in my life. And I'm telling you — I'm not just saying that, I'm not trying to hype nobody, and 90 percent of these shows are sold out, so it's not like that. It's from the bottom of my heart. Mike and I walk off stage so exhausted — 2:20 in Atlanta the other night; we played two hours and 20 minutes — and I just haven't done that. I just haven't had this deep of a setlist. I haven't had this big of a production. I don't know. I've been having fun, but now I've stepped it up and Mike and I, like I said, we look at each other every night walking off stage, and we hug backstage for about 20 minutes. It's just fantastic. The whole band is — they came to the party. Joe came to the party. Jason came to the party. Rai came to the party. The people are happy, we're happy, and I just never felt like this walking off stage since VAN HALEN. I can say that. I can honestly say that."

Hagar and Anthony previously worked with Satriani in the supergroup CHICKENFOOT. They recorded two albums between 2009 and 2011 and toured across America but never performed any VAN HALEN material. More recently, Hagar and Anthony have played some of the VAN HALEN catalog with guitarist Vic Johnson and Bonham in SAMMY HAGAR AND THE CIRCLE.

Hagar mended his relationship with Eddie Van Halen months prior to the legendary VAN HALEN guitarist's October 2020 passing.

Sammy, Eddie, Alex Van Halen and Michael last teamed up in 2004 for a U.S. summer tour. In exchange for taking part in the tour, Anthony reportedly had to agree to take a pay cut and sign away his rights to the band name and logo.

Eddie Van Halen died in October 2020 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. The iconic VAN HALEN axeman passed away from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

Professionally filmed video of QUEEN guitarist Brian May joining forces with THE OFFSPRING for a performance of "Gone Away" and a cover of QUEEN's "Stone Cold Crazy" can be seen below.

The unique collaboration was held on Day 3 (May 15) of the Starmus VII festival at the Tipos Arena in Bratislava, Slovakia as part of the "Sonic Universe" concert following the Stephen Hawking Medal Ceremony.

May joined the Dexter Holland-fronted pop-punk band for a performance of THE OFFSPRING's 1997 track "Gone Away" and followed that with a cover of QUEEN's classic "Stone Cold Crazy".

Confirming itself once again as the world's most ambitious science and music festival, Starmus, in partnership with ESET, brought the most inspiring debate on the future of the planet to Bratislava turning the Slovak capital into the world's science capital for a whole week.

The multi-day event brought a spectacular opening concert, four days of exclusive lectures; its exclusive musical program with the Starmus signature night events "Sonic Universe" concert and the popular Star Party; the open campus Starmus Camp, with which science took to the streets of the city, and its prestigious award, the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication.

The prestigious Starmus festival kicked off with a spectacular performance, followed by a four-day program of the unique Starmus exclusive talks with more than 50 world-class speakers and world-renowned artists in the popular Ice Hockey Stadium, Ondrej Nepela Arena.

This was the first edition of Starmus which focused on Planet Earth, as the most amazing planet in the universe. As in previous editions, the festival brought together a large cast of Nobel Prize winners and world icons such as Dr Jane Goodall DBE and the music legend Brian May, also co-founder of the festival. The festival also brought an unprecedented musical program with exclusive performances by the popular Californian punk-rock band THE OFFSPRING, Tony Hadley — the former lead singer of the British pop icon from the 1980s SPANDAU BALLET — and more one-off live performances.

As if this were not enough, the festival brought to Bratislava its signature prestigious Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication which awards excellence across four categories: Music & Arts, Science Writing, Films & Entertainment, and Lifetime Achievement. The winners are selected by the Starmus Advisory Board made up of a prestigious cast of eminent figures such as Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Peter Gabriel, David Eicher, Emmanuelle Charpentier, Richard Dawkins, Tony Fadell, Jill Tarter and Starmus co-founders Brian May and Garik Israelian.

In addition, the Starmus organization signed agreements with the main Slovak universities and academic institutions, like the Comenius University in Bratislava and the Academy Of Fine Arts & Design, the Slovak Academy of Sciences, the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, the Alexander Dubcek University of Trencin and the Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia. Through these academic collaborations, Starmus carried out its "City Program" with exclusive activities between the speakers and the Slovak academic environment as well as several volunteer programs to be part of the festival.

Since the very first homo sapiens looked up at a star-filled sky, we have been awestruck by the vastness of the cosmos. Even today, we remain humbled by the sheer immensity of space, especially as progress in physics and astronomy has made us aware of the tremendous distances involved — even to our closest neighboring stars.

Created by Garik Israelian PhD, astrophysicist at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC) and Sir Brian May PhD, astrophysicist and the lead guitarist of the iconic rock band QUEEN, Starmus is a festival of science, art and music that has featured presentations from astronauts, cosmonauts, Nobel Prize winners and prominent figures from various scientific disciplines and musical backgrounds. Starmus brings Nobel laureates, eminent researchers, astronauts, thinkers and artists together to share their knowledge and experiences, as we search for answers to the great questions.

Ozzy Osbourne and Billy Morrison — the longtime rhythm guitarist in Billy Idol's band and former bassist for THE CULT — have released the latest episode of their new Internet TV show, "The Madhouse Chronicles".

Episode description: "Join Ozzy Osbourne and Billy Morrison in this episode of 'The Madhouse Chronicles' as they dive into the evolution of fashion over the years. From David Bowie's controversial album cover to the glam rock era's spandex to punk and hair metal styles, they reminisce about iconic fashion moments and personal experiences. Featuring clips of Vivienne Westwood, discussions about the influence of musicians like Alice Cooper and SLIPKNOT, and hilarious anecdotes on personal style from the 1960s to now. Don't miss the rapid-fire questions on fashion preferences and discover the story behind some of Ozzy's most memorable looks."

00:00 - Introduction to "The Madhouse Chronicles"
00:36 - Fashion icons and influences
01:44 - Rock and roll fashion evolution
03:31 - Punk and the 1970s fashion scene
03:59 - Vivienne Westwood and the SEX PISTOLS
06:14 - Personal fashion stories
08:21 - Fashion rebellion and parenting
11:46 - Fashion through the decades
12:38 - Ozzy's 1980s fashion highlights
17:43 - The Met gala and outrageous fashion
19:38 - Rapid fire fashion choices
22:11 - Conclusion and farewell

Morrison spoke about "The Madhouse Chronicles" in a recent episode of "The Osbournes Podcast", saying: "Our new show, 'The Madhouse Chronicles', is dropping this April. Join us as we sit back in the Osbourne madhouse, reacting to the wildest Internet clips and diving into topics like aliens, drugs, conspiracies, and rock and roll. Visit osbournemediahouse.com for early access, limited-edition merch, and more — even the re-release of iconic 'Osbournes' TV show in 4K. Don't miss out, and see you in the madhouse."

Ozzy and Billy are longtime friends who co-host the "Ozzy Speaks" show on SiriusXM. The BLACK SABBATH singer also makes an appearance on Morrison's star-studded new album, "The Morrison Project", which features additional guest contributions from the likes of SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor, MINISTRY's Al Jourgensen, MÖTLEY CRÜE's John 5 and others. The LP arrived on April 19.

Ozzy previously appeared on Morrison's 2015 song "Gods Of Rock N Roll".

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Osbourne stated about Morrison: "Billy Morrison has been a good, good friend for such a long, long time. He's helped me out a lot of times over the years."

Asked what he and Morrison have in common on a musical level, Osbourne laughed and said: "Well, we're both fucking crazy."

Primary Wave Music, the leading independent publisher of iconic and legendary music in the world, announces today its partnership with keyboardist, songwriter, composer and one of the founders of the legendary rock band TOTO, Steve Porcaro. Terms of the deal include Porcaro's music publishing catalog, artist royalties, and neighboring rights. The multi-million-dollar deal includes royalties for some of TOTO's biggest hits, as well as rights to all songs Steve composed for film and television, including his work for the award-winning FX show "Justified".

As one of the founding members of the band TOTO, Porcaro wrote some of and performed on all of the band's groundbreaking repertoire. Their songs not only shaped the landscape of pop and rock music but also are timeless, with new fans finding their music every day. The band's greatest hits such as the Top 5 singles "Rosanna" and "Hold The Line", as well as their No. 1 classic "Africa" are all included in this new partnership with Primary Wave. "Hold The Line" was the band's first single off their self-titled debut. It soared to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, was an international success, and has since been certified double platinum. Released in 1982, "Rosanna" reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying there for five weeks. In 1983, "Rosanna" won the Grammy Award for "Record Of The Year". TOTO's most well-known hit "Africa" was released in October 1982 and was the third single off the band's multi-platinum and Grammy-winning album "Toto IV". The single shot to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it their only Billboard No. 1. "Africa" also went to No. 1 in Canada and reached the Top 10 in the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Switzerland.

The deal also includes rights to a select number of compositions purchased jointly with the estate of Michael Jackson, including Jackson's mega-hit "Human Nature", a song Steve co-wrote for Michael Jackson which was released in July 1983 as the fifth single from Jackson's critically acclaimed "Thriller" album. After release, the single immediately shot to the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also reached the Top 5 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, peaking at No. 2. Music critics raved about the single, with Slant magazine saying the song was "probably the best musical composition on the album." In a 2012 article for the Los Angeles Times, Randall Roberts wrote "it's the song that I never tire of hearing."

Of the deal, Primary Wave's David Weitzman said: "We are thrilled to welcome Steve Porcaro to the Primary Wave family. His career arc from being a first call touring and session musician, to co-founding TOTO, to writing songs with Michael Jackson in his home studio is a story for the ages."

Additional terms of the partnership will also now give Steve access to the company's marketing team and publishing infrastructure, working closely on new marketing, branding, digital, and synch opportunities, as well as film and television projects.

Co-writing "Human Nature" on Michael Jackson's Grammy-winning album "Thriller", solidified his individual mark on the music industry. A sought-after session musician, Steve has worked extensively with music producer icons Quincy Jones and David Foster and many of music's most successful artists, including Don Henley, YES, Elton John, Boz Scaggs and many others.

Steve Porcaro's touring career began with Gary Wright, in support of Wright's hit album "The Dream Weaver" and then with Boz Scaggs along with the other original members of TOTO, prior to that band's 1977 inception. Steve's older brothers, Mike Porcaro (bassist) and Jeff Porcaro (drummer),also members of TOTO were highly respected session musicians and their father Joe Porcaro is regarded was one of the world's most influential session percussionists and educators. In 2010, Steve toured with TOTO when the decision was made to reform the band in support of his brother Mike, during Mike's lengthy battle with ALS.

Along with his work on "Human Nature", Steve Porcaro performed as a musician on other "Thriller" tracks, including "Beat It", "The Girl Is Mine", "PYT", "The Lady In My Life" and composed the song "For All Time", which was included on the "Thriller" 25th-anniversary edition. A testament to his compositional influence, "Human Nature" has been covered and/or sampled by many artists, including Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, SWV, Nas and Chris Brown. He has written or co-authored music on each of TOTO's first six albums and most recently, performed on the band's highly acclaimed 2015 album "Toto XIV", also co-writing and singing lead on "The Little Things" and "Bend" which is featured on the Japan edition of that release. After many years of success, TOTO continues to play to sold-out audiences in Europe, U.S. and Japan.

In 2016, Steve was thrilled to bring his highly anticipated solo album "Someday / Somehow" to fans across the globe and is putting the finishing touches on its follow-up.

Photo courtesy of Primary Wave Music

GHOST has released an animated video for the song "Mary On A Cross" taken from the band's recently released hit debut feature film "Rite Here Rite Now". Check it out below.

"Rite Here Rite Now" premiered globally in cinemas on June 20 through 23, with additional screenings added due to insatiable fan demand. It's an unforgettable, immersive event that combines narrative storytelling with live performances from the sold-out two-night finale of the band's "Re-Imperatour" U.S.A. 2023 at Los Angeles's iconic Kia Forum.

A phantasmagorical blend of live performance and cutaway sequences that immerses viewers in the technicolor melodrama of GHOST's vaunted live rituals, the film picks up plot threads from the band's long-running Chapters webisode series. It captures flesh and bone renditions of fan favorites from all five of GHOST's albums, as well as the RIAA platinum-certified "Mary On A Cross", interwoven with the silver screen debuts of familiar faces — all interacting behind the scenes with GHOST's Papa Emeritus IV, as his future and fate lay in the hands of the Ministry.

Whether a devoted disciple reliving treasured memories of the GHOST live spectacle or a curious newcomer, "Rite Here Rite Now" transports viewers into the heart of the performance. The film captures the essence of living in the moment, with a shadow of uncertainty looming, leaving the audience completely spellbound and enthralled by this bombastic yet intimate cinematic portrait of GHOST.

For its theatrical run, which was distributed by Trafalgar (Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour and Beyoncé's "Renaissance"),"Rite Here Rite Now" entered the Top 10 of the North America box office with a cumulative total gross of $2.65 million, making it the highest-grossing hard rock cinema event ever in North America. After its opening weekend, it entered the worldwide Top 10 box office at No. 9 with a total gross of $5.04 million worldwide. Regional highlights also included U.K. and Ireland with a $606,000 gross and No. 5 at the box office, Germany with a $332,000 gross and No. 3 at the box office, Mexico with a $326,000 gross and a No. 5 box office position for the weekend, and Australia with a $178,000 gross and No. 6 at the box office. The film has captivated audiences, receiving a stellar 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

"Rite Here Rite Now: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack", mixed by Rich Costey, will be released worldwide on July 26 via Loma Vista Recordings. A fitting 18-song complement to GHOST's debut feature film, the band's first ever original soundtrack will be available on all formats (digital, CD, 2xLP). Pre-orders are live now, and include the brand new studio recording "The Future Is A Foreign Land", revealed to the world during the film's opening night, and the live version of "Absolution" as instant-grat tracks.

Last October, Forge confirmed that footage from the band's September 2023 two shows at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California would be used as part of the film.

"When I first started putting it together, I was, like, 'Oh my god, I'm going to faint because there's so much to think about,'" Forge told Metal Hammer magazine. "Then it was, like, 'No, no, just don't think about it at all.'"

Both GHOST shows at the Forum were device-free experiences. Use of phones and smart watches was not permitted in the performance space. Upon arrival at the venue, devices were secured in individual Yondr pouches that were opened at the end of the event.

"I have never seen a crowd interact the way that they did since I was in a club band," Forge said. "They were the best shows I've ever done with GHOST, just because I didn't have to see those fucking mobile phones."

At the Forum shows, GHOST performed the song "Twenties" live for the very first time live. They also played their cover of Roky Erikson's "If You Have Ghosts", which was originally reimagined by GHOST for their 2013 EP "If You Have Ghost". The band's version of the track at the Forum featured two cellists with a piano playing, and it was performed on a separate stage from the rest of the set.

In a new interview with Ethan Dometrius, FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson was asked how he and his bandmates came to a decision to embark what is being billed as the group's "farewell" tour. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, Kelly [Hansen, FOREIGNER singer] came to me a couple years ago and said he wanted to start winding down. And I said, 'Yeah, I get that. I totally get that.' So, then he discussed it with Mick [Jones, FOREIGNER guitarist and founder], of course, and kind of worked a plan out to go forward. So, yeah, I was in on it fairly early. Like I say, it started with Kelly, mainly because he feels like it's getting more difficult every year for him to sing this catalog of songs. I mean, these are rough songs to sing. And he does not wanna be the guy that goes up there and sucks — he won't do that. That's not in his blood, which I respect a lot. And so he said, 'Look, I need to get out because I wanna go out before my voice does' [laughs], and I get that. So that was kind of where that all started."

Pilson clarified, however, that FOREIGNER is "not going away. We're not falling off the face of the earth," he explained. "We're just not gonna be doing the nine- and 10-month tours like we used to. But we'll still be around, and you'll still hear us."

Asked how he and his FOREIGNER bandmates prepare for what could be a three-year farewell tour, Pilson said: "Well, because we are looking at it, like, 'Well, let's just see what happens' — we know, for instance, that next year we're gonna do some shows, but we're gonna do a lot less. So we just kind of sit down and say, 'Well, how long do we wanna go? When do we wanna go? How many shows do we wanna do?' And that way we can kind of wind it down nicely over the next few years. No absolute end date. That's not the objective. There is no absolute end date yet. That's not the plan. It's a wind-down right now. But again, we call it a farewell tour because this is the last time we're gonna really be touring, touring, touring."

After one last show with STYX and John Waite in Memphis on September 20, FOREIGNER's farewell tour is set to continue on September 23, 2024, at West Virginia's Charleston Civic Center. FOREIGNER will be joined by LOVERBOY and Lita Ford.

This past February, Jones revealed that his ongoing absences from FOREIGNER's farewell tour, which began in 2022, have been due to his battle with Parkinson's disease. The 79-year-old musician added that he is "still very much involved in the background with FOREIGNER" and remains "a presence."

FOREIGNER's current incarnation includes Jones on guitar, Michael Bluestein on keyboards, Bruce Watson on guitar, Luis Maldonado on guitar, Hansen on vocals, Pilson on bass and Chris Frazier on drums.

Jones, the sole remaining original member of FOREIGNER, hasn't played a full show with the band for at least a couple of years.

After singer Lou Gramm left FOREIGNER in 2003, Jones took some time off before regrouping a couple years later with an entirely new lineup, featuring Hansen and Pilson, among others.

Gramm was the voice on FOREIGNER's biggest hits, including "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice" from the band's eponymous debut in 1977, and later songs like "Hot Blooded" and "I Want To Know What Love Is".

In April, it was revealed that FOREIGNER is among the 2024 inductees into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

The induction ceremony will be held on October 19 at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio. It will air live on Disney+. An edited version will run on ABC at a later date, and will be available on Hulu the day after.

In a new interview with "The Dark", an active rock music program that airs nightly from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. on 94 Rocks KFML, POP EVIL singer Leigh Kakaty was asked if he and his bandmates still like putting out full-length albums or if they are starting to think about maybe focusing on singles going forward. Leigh said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we're still a little old school with putting out an album. It's selfish, right? I grew up with albums, so putting out an album, especially as an artist perspective, it's still the dream. When you get it done and you open the booklet, you smell it, and seeing your visions come to fruition, there's still something very appealing about that. And certainly it's whatever your record label wants you to do. And for POP EVIL, it's make an album. So as long as we get to make albums, I wanna go all in. But if it was me, yeah, I'd make singles. It's more fun for me personally, 'cause I don't have to… Trying to put together a collection of work, it can be very daunting. It's very hard. It's very challenging. And then all these great songs, especially if you're only pushing one to three to four of them, somewhere in that vein, depending on how many singles get pushed, what do you do with these other great songs? So streaming has at least given bands an opportunity to have songs that don't even — some hit harder than singles… Every band's different with their journey, and whatever works best for you to be able to pay your bills so you can continue to do that, I'm all about it. But for us, for POP EVIL — obviously, I can't speak for other bands; I can speak for me — we're in a blessed position to make albums. So until we are not able to do that, we're gonna try to make the best albums that we can for our fans. But, yeah, if it was up to me, I have no problems making singles. I don't care. It doesn't matter to me. As long as I'm able to make the art that I'm trying to make in the way, at the highest level I can, it's a win for me. It still doesn't make it any less stressful. One song or 10, you still want it to be the best of the best, and you're still gonna stress in that way."

He continued: "But, yeah, man, it's interesting how it's changing. We're in this time or this kind of moment in music history that, we're shaping it now. It's so weird. It's not like it was even when we started, so it'll be interesting. Hopefully we're doing our part to pave the way for that next set of bands to come up, which is our kids' generation to come up, and hopefully it's a little bit more figured out and a little more ironed out where they can take what we did and hopefully it's a little more enjoyable, their road, with the hard work that we've put out here now. So we'll see."

This past May, Kakaty was asked by Rocking With Jam Man if he was "shocked" by the recent departure of the band's drummer Hayley Cramer. The U.K.-based musician, who joined the Michigan rockers in 2016, announced her exit from POP EVIL in a social media post last December. Leigh said: "[It was] shocking, for sure. We all go through things that we're going through personally. And she's got her family, she's got her friends and she's from another country, so there's a lot of variables for her and reasons for her, why she probably didn't wanna be here anymore. But definitely to lose a band member is always shocking for me. But you've gotta go on. Our personal families, everyone's counting on the band to provide. And the fans wanna see you keep going, so we just knuckle up and face adversity. You've gotta just meet it head on and keep going."

Asked how new POP EVIL drummer Blake Allison is adjusting to the band, Leigh said: "Blake's been incredible. I mean, he's learned the whole catalog in about two months. So to have Blake here, he's been so helpful to POP EVIL on and off the stage for the past three or four years now, so now to have him in the band hopefully as long as we can keep him is an honor. And he's just such an incredible talent on and off the stage. And we're looking forward to seeing how long we can run with this lineup now."

When Hayley announced her exit from POP EVIL, she wrote in a statement that "reached a point" where she wanted "to branch out and find new paths and adventures - into the unknown!"

Cramer joined POP EVIL in May 2016 as the replacement for Josh "Chachi" Marunde, who exited the group in April that year.

POP EVIL's latest album, "Skeletons", was released in March 2023 via MNRK Heavy.

Cory Marks will release his second full-length album, "Sorry For Nothing", on October 11 via Better Noise Music. The LP offers an unapologetic double-barreled blast of 13 songs, equally divided between Marks's breakthrough blend of arena-rock and roots country alongside kindred spirits such as Eric Church, Zach Bryan, Hardy and Brantley Gilbert.

Marks has today (July 26) released the album's no-apologies track "(Make My) Country Rock". It notably includes features from Sully Erna of multi-platinum hard rock group GODSMACK, legendary guitarist Mick Mars (MÖTLEY CRÜE),and multi-platinum selling and award-winning country artist Travis Tritt. "(Make My) Country Rock" — produced by Andrew Baylis (Jelly Roll, Brantley Gilbert) — rallies together fans of both country and rock alike with the opening line "I've been known to piss some people off / From the Sunset Strip to small town honky tonks / I've been behind both kinds of bars", while its chorus proudly proclaims: "Ain't ever gonna stop/ I'm gonna make my country rock."

"What can I say… I'm country, I'm rock," shares Marks. "That's exactly what this song is and what I sing about. It may piss people off, but I know a lot more listeners out there are gonna be happier when they hear it. I can say that my friends and features on this track agree too! I'm gonna make my country rock!"

"Sorry For Nothing" is the follow-up to Marks's successful debut, "Who I Am". It generated the hit single "Outlaws & Outsiders", which charted at No. 1 in the U.S. on Billboard's Rock Digital Song Sales chart and No. 5 on iTunes Country Songs, while making history as the first-ever Top 10 rock radio-charting single from a Canadian country act.

Produced by longtime collaborator Kevin Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, SHANIA TWAIN, PAPA ROACH),Kile Odell (NITA STRAUSS, DAVID DRAIMAN),and Andrew Baylis (JELLY ROLL, BRANTLEY GILBERT),"Sorry For Nothing"'s 13 songs range from Haggard-like country and virtual bluegrass to straight-up arena rock anthems, EAGLES-like acoustic country-folk and almost PANTERA-like hard metal.

"They're all Cory Marks," says Marks. "I'm very familiar with both genres. I try to mix country music with rock and a dash of metal, mash it all up and that's my sound. This album features the best songs I've written since COVID. It's a kick in the ass, the good, the bad and the ugly, the ups and downs of life, adding that little bit of fuel to the fire to keep you fighting, to keep your eye on the prize. There are songs for partying, songs to look back on life and have a good cry, love songs… something for everyone. Whether you're a rock fan, a metal fan or a country music fan, my mission is to reach anyone who feels a little different."

Marks will be headed to the U.S. this fall opening for multi-platinum rock THEORY OF A DEADMAN. The tour stretches from October 29 to November 23 and will see Marks performing an acoustic set featuring music from "Sorry For Nothing" alongside past hits. Marks has previously toured North America with a blend of artists including FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ZZ TOP and Brantley Gilbert, while also having joined NICKELBACK on the main stage at the annual Boots And Hearts festival in Toronto in 2023.

"Sorry For Nothing" track listing:

01. (Make My) Country Rock (feat. Sully Erna, Travis Tritt and Mick Mars)
02. Guilty (feat. DL of BAD WOLVES)
03. Whiskey For Sale
04. Sorry For Nothing
05. Drunk When I'm High
06. 17
07. Fast As I Can
08. Tough To Be Strong
09. A Lot Like Me
10. 1949
11. Lit Up
12. Late Night Of Drinking Again
13. Learn To Fly

Photo credit: Ed Regan

GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose joined Billy Joel on stage at the final show of Joel's run at Madison Square Garden in New York City Thursday night (July 25) to perform three songs: covers of WINGS' "Live And Let Die" and AC/DC's "Highway To Hell", as well as Joel's 1980 hit "You May Be Right". Fan-filmed video of Axl's appearance can be seen below.

Rose previously performed "Highway To Hell" with Joel at a 2017 concert at Los Angeles's Dodger Stadium.

Thursday night's concert marked Joel's 150th show at the iconic New York City venue.

In December 2013, Joel was named Madison Square Garden’s first-ever music franchise, joining the ranks of the storied venue's other original franchises — the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. The record-breaking residency began in January 2014 with Joel playing one show every month at the Garden for, as Joel said at the time, "as long as the demand continues."

Billy said: "When this franchise run at Madison Square Garden began in January 2014, I said I'd play one show a month 'as long as the demand continues.' I never imagined I'd still be playing one show a month 10 years later. It's a testament to my amazing fans, and the 1.6 million people from around the world who have already been part of this historic residency. Now, after ten incredible years, it feels right to conclude this journey with my 150th lifetime show at the Garden."

Billy first played at the Garden nearly 46 years ago.

Joel holds two performance-related records at MSG. He has set the record for the "Most Lifetime Performances By Any Artist," with a tally of 136 shows. Additionally, he holds the record for the "Most Consecutive Performances By Any Artist," having completed 90 shows in a row.

During an appearance on Sweet Potato Pod With Todd Royce, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH bassist Chris Kael reflected on a recent "fanboy moment" involving one of his musical heroes. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I am a huge METALLICA fan. We are out on tour with METALLICA, doing shows with them and then doing dates in between those shows. But I've had the chance to interact with the guys from METALLICA. And people will say, 'Don't meet your heroes.' Fuck that. METALLICA is awesome. Those dudes are great.

"To see them, haven't done it for — what? — 40 years, I think, at this point, and to still be as actively involved in the fan experience as those guys are, it's amazing," he continued. "It gives hope for me down the road and lessons to be learned to stay humble, to stay involved and be on top of everything. Don't let other people do stuff for you. I'm very hardcore punk rock DIY. They are as well. Hands in everything that they do. Very oversight. And I love seeing that.

"There was one day I was in catering with my tech, and [METALLICA frontman] James Hetfield walked in," Chris added. "He was on his phone talking to somebody. And I see him put [the phone] down. He goes, 'Hold on a second.' He said, 'Hey, Kael. You doing good? Having a good time? Is there anything that you need?' All that other stuff. And then he's, like, 'Okay, I'll talk to you in a minute.' He got back on his phone. I looked at my tech. I was, like, 'Did James Hetfield just get off the phone to say hi to me?'

"So I'm still very much aware of how wonderful this whole experience is, to be able to rub elbows with people I grew up admiring, people who are the reason that I play music. We opened up for KISS. I got Gene Simmons tattooed on my shin. Just to be able to be on those same stages, playing those same shows — yeah, it's crazy."

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

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH played its first show as the support act for METALLICA on the "M72" tour in August 2023 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

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

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

Back in 2016, Kael told Loudwire that METALLICA's classic third album, "Master Of Puppets", represented a turning point in his music tastes. He recalled: "I went to a place called Disc Jockey Records back in Lexington [Kentucky] and I had in my hand 'Master Of Puppets' and RUN-DMC 'Raising Hell' and I had to make that decision. Which one? I've heard about this band METALLICA through Circus magazine and whatnot, but I haven't heard the music, but I know RUN-DMC."

He continued: "I ended up picking up METALLICA and 'Master Of Puppets', and right from the first notes of 'Battery', hearing that beautiful guitar piece into crushing and everything that Cliff Burton did on that basically shaped me melodic-wise on bass right from the very beginning. So that album is probably one of the most influential in terms of making me want to play bass. I'll never be able to get to the same level talent-wise that Cliff Burton was, but it was a challenge."

In 2015, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's then-drummer Jeremy Spencer said that Lars Ulrich was a huge influence on him as a drummer and credited the METALLICA sticksman for inspiring him to play double bass.

"['Master Of Puppets' is] definitely my favorite, probably, metal album ever," Spencer said. "It's gotta be top two for sure. It's a toss-up between that and… I actually like 'South Of Heaven' by SLAYER too. But when I first heard 'Master Of Puppets', man, the drumming and the double bass, I never heard anything like that before as a young kid. It made such an impression on me that I just kind of wanted to do all things double bass. There's some really fast moments in 'Damage Inc.', and it just stuck with me and made such an impression on me as a drummer when I was younger; I instantly fell in love with it."

Asked what was so special about "Master Of Puppets" in particular, Spencer said: "I think they blended… They kind of had some European melody going on in the guitars, especially in the early records. That was different. But it was just… It was a different beast at that time; nothing sounded like it. There was an energy coming from that, and I think the riffs and the arrangements of the songs, it made such an impression on me and on so many other people."

Regarding how much of an impact Burton's contributions had on the way "Master Of Puppets" turned out, Spencer said: "I really don't know, but, obviously, he had some serious influence on them, 'cause their sound drastically changed [after his death]. But I love it. I think the first three records are incredible, to me."

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

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

Infrared is back with a vengeance, releasing their classic thrash video for “Demon’s Blood” – premiered exclusively through BraveWords. This is the first single off their upcoming album Manifestation, which is slated for a September 6, 2024 release. Hailing from Ottawa, Canada they are a blast from the past with their genuine ‘80s sound. 


The comment on what to expect from the track:


“This ripper of a song delves into the addict's life and mind and how every day is a rinse and repeat of self-abuse. Was one of the first songs written for the album and helped set the tone for the album’s intensity. We all have our demons and vices and this song captures just how harrowing and controlling it can be to be a victim to your own addiction.”




“Demon’s Blood” is a prime example of Infrared's ability to blend their classic thrash roots with contemporary themes. The band has matured and refined their sound, delivering high-energy, concise tracks that resonate with both longtime fans and new listeners. With their polished performance and engaging stage presence, Infrared remains a force to be reckoned with in the metal world. Be sure to check out the "Demon’s Blood" video and experience the raw power of Infrared.


Infrared has been together for a long time (10 years with the current lineup) and is very in sync with each other musically. This experience together gives the audience a polished and professional-sounding band. Audience participation is always a part of an Infrared show with the crowd singing along during the choruses. They are recommended for fans of Slayer, Metallica, and Testament.


Preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Cataclysm”
“Temple Of Sin”
“Nikko”
“Demon’s Blood”
“Pressure Syndrome”
“The Manifest”
“Manifest Nation”
“Concuss”
“Reforma”
“My Dreams Are Real”
“Parasite Patrol”
“Then The Earth Goes Black”


(Photo: Carissa Broeren)

In a new interview with Joe Rock of Long Island's rock station 102.3 WBAB, MR. BIG frontman Eric Martin admitted that he is "second guessing" the announcement that that the group's ongoing "The BIG Finish" farewell will in fact mark the last time he and his bandmates hit the road together. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Now since we're all getting along perfectly and the band's so super tight, I'm thinking, why are we dissolving our partnership? I'm second guessing now. I hope we do more records, but I get it. Paul [Gilbert, MR. BIG guitarist] probably doesn't want to tour as much, just like I don't. We've been on this road trip for a year. I don't wanna do the really lengthy tours. I'm not 30 years old anymore. I'm not even 40. I'm not even 50 anymore."

Eric continued: "I love people when they go, 'Oh, what about THE ROLLING STONES? Yeah, what about THE ROLLING STONES? They're super butt rich. They play one gig a week and they fly in, in a jet and five-star hotels. They're a little older now and they still rock out, but I'm thinking Mick Jagger gets carried to the stage. Come on."

Asked if he and his MR. BIG bandmates have considered the idea of doing a residency type of thing somewhere in the future, Eric said: "Well, I would. I would. I know that we've all agreed that — I hope there's a one-off here and there, but after August 23rd, that's all she wrote. And we're gonna stick to our guns — try to stick to our guns. I hope that we do one or two more shows. It's funny that you say residency because our drummer, our new drummer, Nick D'Virgilio, that's his idea lately, going we should do a residency — in Japan, for God's sake. We could do that. Las Vegas, move over Elton [John] and Celine Dion, and we could just maybe get in on the off strip and do a month or do a couple of weeks a year. That would be — in the immortal words of my father — that would be swell."

MR. BIG's tenth studio album, "Ten", was released on July 12 via Frontiers Music Srl. The LP features 11 new original tracks written by Martin and Gilbert, along with André Pessis and Tony Fanucchi. "Ten" was produced by Jay Ruston and MR. BIG.

D'Virgilio is missing most of the final European leg of MR. BIG's "The BIG Finish" tour due to his commitments with his band BIG BIG TRAIN. He is being temporarily replaced on the trek by Edu Cominato, an experienced drummer from São Paulo, Brazil who has previously played with Sheehan and Martin, Jeff Scott Soto and Geoff Tate (QUEENSRŸCHE),among others.

MR. BIG recently completed the European leg of "The BIG Finish", which saw the veteran band performing MR. BIG's 1991 album, "Lean Into It", in full, along with other cuts from the group's history.

When MR. BIG announced "The BIG Finish" tour last year, the bandmembers said that it was "time to mark the end of this chapter of their legacy" after drummer Pat Torpey lost his battle with Parkinson's disease in 2018. The first leg kicked off in Japan and Southeast Asia in July and August 2023, where the band performed for hundreds of thousands of loyal fans at 11 sold-out shows including Budokan in Tokyo, Japan.

As a session musician and touring artist, Nick has worked with many different kinds of artists and bands, from TEARS FOR FEARS, Sheryl Crow and Kevin Gilbert to Peter Gabriel and Eric Burdon and the ANIMALS. In 1996, Nick took Phil Collins's place in GENESIS and played on their "Calling All Stations" album. He has also carved out a major presence in the progressive rock world with his bands, SPOCK'S BEARD and BIG BIG TRAIN.

Before joining the Sweetwater team, Nick spent almost five years touring with Cirque Du Soleil's "Totem" as drummer, vocalist, and assistant bandleader.

MR. BIG's last-ever live album release will be "The BIG Finish Live", which is due out September 6 via the Evolution Music Group.

"The BIG Finish Live" is a brand-new live album and concert film of MR. BIG's "The BIG Finish" farewell tour, where the band played their million-selling "Lean Into It" album in its entirety, plus additional MR. BIG classics. Filmed in 4K at the Budokan in Tokyo, Japan on July 26, 2023, this historic performance will be available in many different multiple high-quality formats: 180g black vinyl (3-LP),Hybrid Stereo Multi-Channel SACDs (2),MQA-CDs (2),MQA-CDs + Blu-ray (2),4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (featuring behind-the-scenes and interview footage),and cassette (2). All of these formats will come with a booklet/insert that includes previously unreleased photos from their Budokan performance, as well as a sticker or postcard gift for fans.

One of the most instantly recognizable — and successful — rock bands of the '70s was THE SWEET, who scored a string of hit albums and singles due to their highly melodic and anthemic sound and glam look. And now, the group is proud to announce the July 25 release of their new hot single/video "Little Miracle" on Dark Star Records, via Sony/Orchard.

This pop rock funky love song is another example of THE SWEET's departure from the norm. Model Dominique Mercedes makes her stunning debut appearance in the video, and her innocent-yet-enticing beauty captures the essence of true love. Singer Patrick Alan Stone along with his band mates deliver the goods, with a catchy tune that has the legs to go all the way.

THE SWEET's classic '70s line-up was comprised of Brian Connolly on lead and backing vocals, Steve Priest on bass, backing and lead vocals, Mick Tucker on drums, backing and occasional lead vocals, and Andy Scott on guitar, keyboards, backing and lead vocals.

After the passing of Connelly (in 1997) and Tucker (in 2002),Priest wanted SWEET to carry on and for its line up to possess the talent, feel and high energy that THE SWEET had in its glory days. Priest's new lineup was an instant smash success, playing hundreds of concerts across the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, and many other countries around the world for well over a decade, until Priest's passing in 2020.

Shortly after, it was decided that THE SWEET should continue onward, as Stevie and Richie were part of that line up and were asked to carry on by Steve. SWEET 2024 is comprised of frontman Patrick Alan Stone, guitarist Jimmy Burkard, keyboardist Dave Schulz, bassist Stevie Stewart and drummer Richie Onori.

The original SWEET band achieved massive commercial success around the globe in the '70s, including such hits as "Ballroom Blitz", "Fox On the Run", "Love Is Like Oxygen", "Little Willy", "Blockbuster", "Action", "Teenage Rampage" and "AC/DC", among many others.

"Little Miracle" is just the beginning of the group's ascension into a whole new demographic listening audience, with many new songs yet to come.

This new release with the aforementioned lineup demonstrates the same driving force and unpredictable musical quality that has always been the hallmark and essence of THE SWEET's iconic sound.

Upcoming live shows:

July 25 - Hollywood, CA - The Bourbon Room
August 23 - Regina, SK - Shake the Lake
August 24 - Toronto, ON - Sobey's Stadium
September 6 - St. Charles, IL - Arcade Theater
September 7 - Wisconsin Dells, WI - Crystal Grand Music Theatre
September 8 - Nashville, IN - Brown County Music Center
November 8 - Warren, MI - Andiamo Celebrity Showroom

SWEET 2024 is:

Vocals: Patrick Alan Stone
Guitar: Jimmy Burkard
Bass and backing vocals: Stevie Stewart
Keys and backing vocals: Dave Schulz
Drums: Richie Onori

This version of SWEET is not to be confused with the Scott-led version of SWEET which will release its new studio album, "Full Circle", on September 20, 2024 via Metalville Records. According to a press release, the LP will be SWEET's final studio album ever.

Andy Scott (guitars/vocals) is joined in his version of SWEET by Paul Manzi (lead vocals),Lee Small (bass guitar/vocals),Tom Cory (guitars/keys/vocals) and Adam Booth (drums/percussion).

Before he died, Priest had the right to use the SWEET name in the U.S. and Canada, whereas Scott toured a version of the group in the U.K. The pair were estranged for decades, but resumed contact in the 2010s.

Kobra And The Lotus vocalist Kobra Paige has checked in with the following update:


"'Like No Other' is out now, and guess what … this is the title track to my album, available on August 30th. No take backs, this is the real deal; save the date!


Make sure to hit the pre-save at here.




This song is the heartbeat of the album and the distillation of what, I believe to be, life’s journey. It speaks to the recognition of our mind, body, and spirit as the one 'home' we truly have in this lifetime. We are its sacred keeper and there’s no limit to the number of times we can rebuild or change its path.


As we move through this song, you will hear a sonic blend of worldliness and familiarity. This is to express the beautiful paradox of our individuality in this world while simultaneously being plugged into the tapestry of a collective. Life can often feel lonely, despite being surrounded by so many others.


I want to remind you of your resilience and brilliance. This song brings an important affirmation deeply rooted in 'enoughness' and truth. 


'I Am Like No Other'.


You are the only one keeping you from yourself.


With great love."
KP xx





Like No Other was produced by Grammy Award winner Brian Howes (Skillet, Linkin Park, Simple Plan). It is mixed by Grammy Award winner Neal Avron (Machine Gun Kelly, Twenty One Pilots, Yungblud) and mastered by Grammy nominated Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound (Miley Cyrus, Muse, Drake).


Check out the previous singles "HOTT." and "Under One Sun" below.


"HOTT."





"Under One Sun"

With a bottle of whiskey and a love for metal, Bless The Dead was established in April of 2013. The band created a southern-feeling groove metal sound that harnesses all that rock and roll has to offer. Drums heavy and pounding like thunder floating across the country, followed up by bass that buries itself in your bones, highlighted by guitars that tear through the atmosphere with awesome heavy southern riffs of old. The harsh gritty vocals tie it all together with lyrics related to everyday life in the craziness that is our reality. Bless The Dead, with their sound and lyrics, celebrate their influences, past and present, the best way they know how. They celebrate the wins in life and relive the losses that have shaped each one of them.


They will release their new album, We Create This, on August 9th via Wormholedeath Records.







Tracklist:


"755"
"DFK"
"Dead Hearts"
"No Clue What For"
"Tracks In The Dust"
"Swinger"
"Slip Away"
"Wander"
"Watching Them Fall"
"Sorry My Dude"


Check out the single "755" below.

In a new interview with United Rock Nations, legendary guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen was asked if he spent "many hours each day practicing" his guitar playing when he was a kid. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I didn't practice. I never practiced — never practiced ever. I played as if I was performing. I wouldn't accept myself going [hums a scale]. Never. Only play perfect now. I [would be] telling myself, 'Don't sound like you're fucking trying to do something. Do it.' Mental focus so much that it became just every day more and better and better and better. I never practiced. I mean, it's inadvertently practicing, because I played so much. But I improvised. And I would say, 'I wanna improvise in A harmonic minor,' for instance. But there was no way I'm gonna play a wrong note; there was no way I'm gonna play a B flat in that scale. I just wouldn't do it. [I was playing] like crazy, improvising. Not scales. I mean, obviously scales. I'm very well aware of music theory — I know it super well — but I would never practice. That's the wrong word."

A little over a decade ago, Malmsteen told Classic Rock Revisited that he doesn't allow himself to get burnt out on music.

"I've been playing for so long that I don't practice much anymore," he explained. "I play guitar all the time but it's not like I'm practicing songs. When I get inspired, I go to the studio and when I'm on stage, I'm inspired because of all the people. But I don't go off stage on to the tour bus and listen to music. That intensity that I want to retain, I want it to be real because I can pull out the autopilot any day, but that's not the real thing to me. I don't like to do that. When I play, I need it to be honest and in the moment. That goes for being on stage or in the studio. For instance, if I go in to a studio to record a solo or whatever, and it doesn't happen right away, I just say, 'fuck it' and I'm out of there. I don't keep on doing it. I won't do another take. Either it happens or it won't."

Yngwie will embark on a 40th-anniversary tour this fall. Support on the trek, which will kick off on September 26 in Fort Myers, Florida and conclude on November 18 in New York City, will come from singer-songwriter Kurt Deimer.

For more information, visit www.yngwiemalmsteen.com/tour.

Yngwie's latest album, "Parabellum", was released in July 2021 via Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group. Only four of the songs on the LP feature vocals. The album title is Latin, translating as "Prepare For War".

After working with some of the top hard singers of the past four decades, Yngwie now handles much of the lead vocals himself in his own band, backed by a lineup that includes keyboardist Nick Marino, bassist Emilio Martinez and drummer Kevin Klingenschmid.

Following their successful debut Prey, symphonic death metal band Haliphron returns with their second full-length Anatomy Of Darkness scheduled for a release on October 25, 2024 via Listenable Records.


Haliphron's lyrical themes are consistently intertwined with their captivating and powerful sound.  


For Anatomy Of Darkness, the band has pushed their boundaries further than ever before.  
The album features shorter, more guitar and riff-based tracks, intense lead guitar parts, and an overall more aggressive tone.  




A key component is the vocal diversity, incorporating grunts, screams, growls, whispers, and even clean singing.  


These elements combine to make Anatomy Of Darkness a loud, epic, and aggressive metal album.





The band further elaborates on the album's cover artwork: 


"The cover artwork symbolizes the essence of darkness. It depicts a figure standing in a wheat field, representing the struggle against addiction. Darkness dissipates into small pieces, transforming into birds of freedom (which displayed on the back cover)."


Tracklisting:


“Opus Addicere”
“Silent Escape”
“Feasting On Flesh”
“Black Star”
“Buried Truth”
“Double Or Nothing”
“Epitome Of Perfection”
“Art Of The Blade”
“Anatomy Of Darkness”


Teaser:





Haliphron:
Marloes Voskuil - Vocals
Ramon Ploeg - Guitars
Jeroen Wechgelaer - Guitars
Jessica Otten - Bass
Paul Beltman - Drums

In a new interview with Brazil's Alma Hard, GREAT WHITE guitarist Mark Kendall reflected on the departure of the band's original singer Jack Russell nearly a decade and a half ago. Russell exited GREAT WHITE in December 2011 after he was unable to tour with the group due a series of injuries, including a perforated bowel and a shattered pelvis. Jack largely blamed these injuries on his alcohol and painkiller addictions as well as the prednisone drug he was prescribed.

"It was awful," Mark said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "We basically just said we wanted him to get well and be better, because he wasn't able to perform up to his potential because of addiction. And I myself have been sober for almost 16 years and I work with a lot of people that suffer and are struggling. I only work with people who need help. But some people, it's harder than others; the addiction just overwhelms them and they really have a hard time stopping. And I never take anyone's addiction personal."

Mark continued: "Jack Russell has never done anything to hurt me. He just had an addiction. He's still a brother. It's unfortunate because he's such a talent. He had one of the best rock voices ever. He could sing anything — beautiful ballads, anything hard, heavy-hitting. He had the range, good-quality voice — just the greatest ever. So it was a little tough because we made a band together, just me and him. When he first met me, he auditioned for my band and then he said, 'Why don't you and me get away from this deal and go make our own thing?' And so the brotherhood was just amazing from the get-go. And we created everything from nothing, just him and I, getting this bass player and that drummer and just plugging away and making music. So you hate for something to happen to where someone can't perform to their potential anymore. It's unfortunate. But we're just moving down the road. We, of course, wish him the best. I know he's really in a bad spot. So you've just gotta pray for people."

Asked if he thinks there is a chance Jack could make a guest appearance with GREAT WHITE at some point or play with the band again, Mark said: "I don't know. It hasn't come up. I think he's not well right now, from what I'm hearing and seeing on the Internet. So I don't know. Anything could happen. You never know. The opportunity hasn't came.

"I know, because I'm a fan myself, and I'd like to see all my heroes' bands all keep the same members their entire career," Kendall explained. "I don't even want the bass part to change. Sometimes you're in a position to where that's not possible, even though you know the fans would love it and so would we. You get somebody who's sick. I mean, I don't know what to do. And my whole life is my guitar. I love playing my guitar. I don't care how I have to do it, I'm not gonna stop playing guitar. I heard a friend of mine saying, 'Just like my neck tattoo says, I'm doing the best I can.' [Laughs]"

Earlie this week, Russell announced that he was retiring from touring.

"After a recent diagnosis of Lewy body dementia (LBD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) in May 2024, I am unable to perform at the level I desire and at the level you deserve," Russell said in a statement. "Words cannot express my gratitude for the many years of memories, love and support. Thank you for letting me live my dreams. You have made my life a wonder."

Lewy body dementia is the second most common cause of neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's disease.

Lewy body dementia impacts memory, decision-making and ability to solve problems. It has led to motor and muscle weakness and rigidity. It also can cause sleep disorders and hallucinations.

Lewy body dementia is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease due to its early similarity to those other neurodegenerative diseases.

After actor and comedian Robin Williams took his own life in August 2014, autopsy results revealed he was suffering from LBD.

Russell's long-awaited autobiography, now titled "The True Tale Of Mista Bone: A Rock + Roll Narrative", has just been released via Gatekeeper Press. Penned by author Katelyn Louise "K.L." Doty, it features a sentimental foreword by Lita Ford, with additional commentary from Eric Singer, Eddie Trunk, John Kalodner, Kip Winger and others. The book, with a cover photo by legendary rock photographer Mark Weiss, is available in paperback, hardcover and e-book form.

For more information, visit www.jackrussellbook.com.

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

In October 2022, GREAT WHITE officially named Brett Carlisle as its new lead singer. Carlisle joined the band as the replacement for Andrew Freeman, who sang for GREAT WHITE for only five months.

Carlisle made his live debut with GREAT WHITE on September 24, 2022 at the Cannery Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Progressive alternative rockers Pure Reason Revolution return with their sixth studio album Coming Up To Consciousness, released on September 6, 2024 via InsideOutMusic. Betrayal, deception, fear, grief, mortality, and questions of sanity: heady and primordial themes animate the latest conceptual LP from Pure Reason Revolution.


Second single from the album, “Useless Animal”, is available below.


Jon Courtney comments of the track: “Very pleased to launch our next single, showing another side of ‘Coming up to Consciousness’. The song’s about how we don’t realise something’s worth until it’s gone.




Taking my dog to be put down & the emotional fallout, the unexpected impact. Grief is the price we pay for love. Written as a result of purposefully trying to avoid my usual repertoire of chords. This was the first track Guy Pratt played bass on, he did a wonderful job & his input spurred on further creativity.”  


Coming Up To Consciousness is the third of its post-hiatus renaissance records that began with 2020's Eupnea and continued in 2022's Above Cirrus. Like those two predecessors, the new record is intensely personal. Its eight tracks are all between four and seven minutes long - concise by PRR standards - and they grapple with darkness of various kinds.


Courtney, who lives in Berlin, shared writing duties on several tracks with US-based Greg Jong. The pair formed Pure Reason Revolution together in the early 00s at the University of Westminster, creating breakout hit "The Bright Ambassadors of Morning" as their third year project. They reconnected during the creation of Eupnea and have continued the partnership since then both in the studio and on stage. Legendary session musician Guy Pratt, who has worked with Pink Floyd among myriad iconic acts, provided bass guitar on seven of the eight tracks, resulting in more ambitious bass lines than any of Pure Reason Revolution's previous records. Meanwhile, Ravi Kesavaram, of My Vitriol fame, returns to the drums on this record after touring with the band in 2022.


Another newcomer on this record is vocalist Annicke Shireen, known for her work with Shireen and Heilung, as well as her solo project. Shireen stepped in after original PRR member and fan favourite Chloe Alper was unavailable for recent live shows. With Alper's schedule remaining packed for the foreseeable future, she has been unable to rejoin the lineup. She and Courtney agreed it made more sense for Shireen to sing on the record if she was going to continue appearing in shows. Both Courtney and Jong have nothing but enthusiasm for working with her:


"They're impossible shoes to fill in a lot of ways," Greg Jong says. "But we were just blown away with how good she is. We were really excited by the fact that vocally she does have a similar tone to Chloe, and yet she definitely holds her own.”


The band was equally thrilled to work with multiple members of prog icon The Pineapple Thief; the record was mixed by Bruce Soord, mastered by Steve Kitch, and sees Jon Sykes playing bass on one track. Coming Up To Consciousness is also the third PRR album to feature cover art by Jill Tegan Doherty, who Courtney originally met in Berlin on a German language course.


The album will be available as a Limited CD+DVD Digipak (featuring 5.1 Surround Sound & High Resolution Stereo Mixes), Standard CD Jewelcase, as well as a Gatefold ReVinyl LP (Recycled Vinyl), and digitally in both stereo and Dolby Atmos.


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Prelude: Coming up to Consciousness"
"Dig Till You Die"
"Interlude 1"
"Betrayal"
"The Gallows"
"Interlude 2"
"Useless Animal"
"Interlude 3"
"Worship"
"Interlude 4"
"Bend the Earth"
"Lifeless Creature"
"Interlude 5"
"As We Disappear"


"Useless Animal" video:





"Dig Till You Die" video:

Triumpher will release Spirit Invictus on October 25 via No Remorse Records. Lyric video for “Arrival Of The Avenger” is available below.


Striking while the iron is still hot, Triumpher already started planning their sophomore album by the time their debut Storming The Walls was released in March 2023. Bringing their power on stages, Triumpher also performed at Up The Hammers and Keep It True Rising festivals, while they also supported Tom Gabriel Warrior's Triumph of Death and Primordial. 


Spirit Invictus consists of eight songs of unbound, furious and dramatic epic metal that will lay its mark on the scene of today and will lead the future.




Spirit Invictus was recorded, mixed and mastered by George Emmanuel at Pentagram Studio. Produced by George Emmanuel and Triumpher. Cover and inlay art by Mars Triumph. Graphic and layout design by Anastasia Ziazopoulou.


Available formats:
- 180gr LP gold, limited 100
- 180gr LP silver marbled, limited 200
- 180gr LP black
- CD





Tracklisting:


“Overture To Elysian”
“Arrival Of The Avenger”
“Athena (1st Chapter)”
“Spirit Invictus”
“Alexander”
“Shores Of Marathon”
“Triumpher”
“Hall Of A Thousand Storms”


“Arrival Of The Avenger” lyric video:

As the story goes... In 1998, Swedish blackened death metal band Fatal Embrace recorded an album titled Hail Down Deep. Alas, the album never saw the light of day... until now.


26 years after its originally intended release date, Fatal Embrace has resurrected Hail Down Deep and is ready to unleash it upon the world. The album has now been re-recorded with new vocals by the band's lyricist, Henric Serholt. Hail Down Deep was mixed and mastered by drummer Christian Silver.


Fatal Embrace released their debut album, Shadowsoul's Garden in November of 1997. A few months later - determined to create a near-perfect record - the band recorded Halls Down Deep. However, the members soon got involved with other bands and Hail Down Deep remained unreleased for decades.




In 2023, the band wrote and released Manifestum Infernalis. This became the catalyst that led to the long-awaited unveiling of Hail Down Deep.


Black Lion Records will release Hail Down Deep on September 27. Preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Spirit Of The Fiend”
“Death Blessing”
“Through The Speaking Veil”
“Southern Malice”
“Drick Av Döden”
“Unholy Measure”
“Svärtan”
“Darkness Set And Done”
“Digging Up The Hatchet”
“Soul Of The Black Heart”

During an appearance on the Nothing Shocking podcast, TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2020's "Titans Of Creation" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The process has started. It actually started last year. Eric Peterson and I — he's the band's founder and the other guitarist — we started exchanging ideas and working on music last year. And then normally, he and I will get together. He'll work with the drummer. We have this new drummer, Chris Dovas, who's in his mid-20s and just sounds amazing. He's the right age — the age you should be to play drums in this type of music. And it's a lot of fun working with him. So we're at the point now where drums have been recorded, some guitar parts have been recorded. We're working on vocal ideas. And it's definitely — I wouldn't say it's in the homestretch yet, but I'd say we're over the hump and more than halfway there. And it should be wrapped up shortly, I would guess by the fall or at the end of the year at the latest. And then it's definitely coming out next year."

Last month, TESTAMENT singer Chuck Billy told Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco, California radio station 107.7 The Bone that the band's next LP will likely contain 11 tracks along with "some covers".

Regarding the timetable for the completion of the new TESTAMENT album, Chuck said: "We've took off from November last year to write the record. It took a while. We just got in the studio in May and June. So we're finishing up. And right now, once we leave [for tour] in July, we won't really have time until December, which is a good thing. We'll be busy, but we'll have like a week or two between tours to do any extra overdubs or anything. We're gonna live with the record, which is really the first time we get to do this, because usually we'll record it and it's written in stone where now we know… Usually we have Andy Sneap mix it and he's not available. So we kind of have some time to select somebody else. But in that time, we're gonna live with the songs and come between tours to make any adjustments or changes, if we have to… We go to Europe and we come home in August and we start the U.S. tour. So we have 10 days or 11 days there before we start. And then after that, we have about 10 days before we start a European tour with KREATOR and ANTHRAX, and that'll go through December 16th. And then we're home for the holidays. And then we'll start thinking about mixing and finishing, getting it out there next year."

Regarding when TESTAMENT fans can expect to hear the first taste of the new material, Chuck said: "We hope to have a single maybe, just towards the end of the year. Give whoever we select [to mix the album] one song, 'Let's see how you do, see if we're happy,' before we do the whole record maybe. It's a pain in the butt, but it's still a little more convenient for us this time."

As for the musical direction of the new TESTAMENT material, Chuck said: "The record is very aggressive. With this one, we have a new drummer, Chris Dovas, who's really putting a fire under Eric and really, really got some really heavy, fast — I don't know if it's the word 'modern', maybe. I don't know, but… 'Current', how about that? Current-sounding. So, Chris is adding to that.

"I never know what the record is gonna be until we mix it," he explained. "'Cause they're all just individual songs, and I go, 'Okay, they're great.' But until we mix it and listen to it as an album, that's when we realize, 'Wow, this came out better than I thought. Wow, this is really good.' But this one, I'm excited going in before the mix, because I just know each song is one step up from the last record, as far as aggression, maybe."

On the topic of the songwriting process for the new TESTAMENT record, Chuck said: "Chris has been coming out since probably December, maybe a little before that, and going to Eric's house; he's got an electric drum set there. So they've been working, writing, putting all this stuff together. And at the beginning of May, once Eric started tracking, we decided that, let's bring Alex and everybody in' except for Steve [DiGiorgio, TESTAMENT bassist], 'cause he's on tour, let's bring Alex and everybody here to the studio and let's just go through all the music, all the songs and make sure we're all happy with the arrangements. And every song got changed as well. Once Alex got here, we all started putting our heads together till we were all happy with the arrangements. And then he left and we said, 'Okay, Chris, now here's the new stuff. Let's do it and track it.' And he knocked it out last month, and now it's the rest of us that [are tracking our parts]. So we've been a little more thoughtful on this record. We have the time to do it. So I think it's gonna be a killer record."

Speaking about Dovas's involvement in the songwriting process with Eric, Chuck said: "A lot of it is Eric's riffs, but they're put in the proper places or cut out if we don't need it. And it's good for me because I didn't really get to sit with Eric. I just let them guys jam and just come up with as much as you can and we'll sort it out later, which that's what they did. But once Chris came out, then we knew, okay, it has to change or we're gonna just have the same record, and maybe we wouldn't be happy when it was all done. And also Eric's actually been going to New York — he actually went to work with Alex out there, which he hasn't done that in the past. And I think having Chris be available because like Gene [Hoglan, former TESTAMENT drummer] or whoever we worked with didn't have the time to come up as much as Chris has. Chris has spent a lot of time here, which has been good and really pushing Eric to make music. And we're at a point now to where Eric's, like, 'You know what? This has been fun. I think I'm just going to keep bringing Chris out. Let's just keep writing songs. Even after this record's done, let's just keep making songs,' which I think is great because that means we can get a jump on the next record. 'Cause not spring chickens. It's, like, let's get it done now while we can."

As for the lyrical themes covered in the new TESTAMENT songs, Chuck said: "[It's] not as focused [on], like, the aliens, creating mankind and that kind of stuff, but there is some of that. There's a lot. Each song definitely has its own identity lyrically. And again, we're writing stuff that is real, that happens with the environment; we're singing about that again. A.I., we're singing stuff about that. That's a big thing. So, there's always an inspiration for songs. I think it's a little easier. There's so much going on in our world to write about now. It's a crazy world today, so there's a lot of stuff to talk about. And I like singing about what's real and what's going on instead of some fantasy lyrics, because, for me, I think when I sing 'em, I have more conviction, I believe in 'em a little more. And maybe it's easier for me to remember the lyrics live. [Laughs]"

Naming specific tracks, Chuck said: "There's a song, 'Havana Syndrome', which is about the Havana Syndrome. People, look that up. There's 'Infanticide A.I.', which is another song going A.I. direction. And there's actually a slower song. We haven't done a slower song. I'm not gonna say 'ballad', but I'm gonna say a slower song that has a lot of groove and soul, called 'Meant To Be'. And it's like a classic TESTAMENT-type ballad, I guess, if you wanna use that word. But we've got a little bit of everything, but, again, I think it's really sticking to TESTAMENT, having to have some melodic stuff, even though there's some really brutal lyrics and real brutal, more of a death voice. I still put the hook in with more of a melodic hook or something. It's still classic TESTAMENT. If you listen to it, you'll go, 'That's TESTAMENT, but a little more octane to it.'"

Last month, Chuck told Canada's The Metal Voice that he writes most of TESTAMENT's lyrics with Del James. "Del, he works with GUNS N' ROSES," Chuck said. "He's been working with them and wrote with them a long time ago. I think he had big hits like 'November Rain' with them. And we've been working [together] for over 20 years. So I always go down and work with him because I come up with a lot of the ideas and concepts, but he really interprets and gets the right words, how to say what I'm thinking. And we work fast. When we get together, we'll knock out like two songs in a day. So we don't mess around. We get there, say hello to each other, we sit down and we go right to work. It's about what we do."

Chuck also talked about how TESTAMENT's songwriting approach has evolved in the last couple of decades. He said:  "I honestly have to say after I beat cancer [more than two decades ago] and we had the original lineup back together, everything kind of changed because… We've always been in a friendly competition with other artists, watching what's going on and who's doing what. And I think around that point, once we got together and I felt like… I didn't think I was gonna play music anymore, first of all, and once I had the chance to get back with the original band, I felt very blessed, like, 'Wow, I'm getting an opportunity to do what I love to do again, but also with the guys I started with. It's kind of odd that we're gonna go back at this now, maybe try to finish something that we all started together.' And once we did that, it was enjoying our company. We never fight. We never argue. It was just, like, relaxing. And the critics, we didn't care what the press thought or a lot of people. I mean, we wrote for ourselves. So a lot of those records were just making us happy. The songs we were writing, we weren't thinking about, 'Okay, this has to be, for this,' and 'where's our radio song?' and 'What's the fans gonna think if we went and did a ballad?' All that went out the door. And I think over the time, it's really just about making good music, having fun at this point. And every record is a challenge 'cause you always wanna do better and make the next record sound better, have better songs. And I think where we're at today, once again, especially having Chris, the new drummer, we are progressing. Me and Eric actually said, like, I don't know, about three weeks ago, we were hanging out and like I said, the music's pretty aggressive and we're doing some heavy stuff, and he said, 'Did you ever think, in our sixties, we're gonna be playing thrash metal music, writing songs like this?' And I'm, like, 'Actually, no,' but that's a good thing that we still feel young at heart and young in our minds and still we're not struggling to do it."

Last August, Dovas was asked by Pod Scum if it was "unnerving" to step into a group whose list of previous drummers includes such heavyweights as Lombardo and Gene Hoglan. He responded: "It was, especially at first because I knew that a lot of eyes were on me, and also I looked up to the band since I was a kid. Especially Lombardo and Gene — those are two of my favorite drummers right there. So to be put in that situation of taking over for them, I felt like I had a lot of responsibility and a lot of… I felt like I had something to prove a little bit, and I'm still practicing a lot and I just wanna do the best that I can do. Right now I'm not really nervous anymore because I've done two full tours with them now and we're working on the [new TESTAMENT] album and the friendship has been developing now and we all get along super well. They've welcomed me with open arms and it's been great and the fans have been great. I've been putting hours and hours of practice into it to make sure that I can do the best that I could do. And I look up to Dave and I look up to Gene as well, so, yeah, I just wanna play the songs well live and keep making the band sound good."

Asked what his role has been so far in the creative process for TESTAMENT's next album, Chris said: "I don't know exactly what I'm allowed and what I'm not allowed to share yet, but what you've seen publicly, though, right now is that Eric and I have been working on a lot of stuff together. And so it's been really cool to get into their brains, in a way, and how they write stuff. I'm used to people sending me tracks with scratch MIDI drums or programmed drums or something, and I've gotta put my drums to them and then hop on a Zoom call and we can edit things and move stuff around. But with them, Eric and I, he set a timer at one point for, like, 20 minutes and we would just jam random ideas. And then sometimes we'd make mistakes and stuff and that would be cool, and we could take that… It's very organic, though, and it's very involved, I guess. It's a different way of writing and I'm super excited to be a part of that method of writing. And I could see why they're so successful for all these years, now finally being a part of this current writing cycle, I guess."

Prior to joining TESTAMENT as a full-time member, Dovas filled in for Lombardo on the first six dates of TESTAMENT's summer/fall 2022 leg of "The Bay Strikes Back Tour".

US hard rockers, SteelCity, are excited to announce the release of their new studio album, Reverence, out September 20 via Frontiers Music Srl.


The first single and accompanying visualiser, “Walk Away” are out now. Watch the clip below, and pre-order the album here.


Bassist Jason Cornwell and guitarist Mike Floros describe the new single as “a song that will take you back to the late 80s. With its Whitesnake-ish verses and massive layers of harmonies, Walk Away is a song that will become a new favourite-all while giving you that nostalgic feeling of your favourite old school jams.”




“Thunder and Lightning: two words that can be used to describe the incendiary sound that is SteelCity. Thunder by way of a booming, monstrous rhythm section, lightning in the form of heavy, riff-driven guitars, soaring vocals, and lush harmonies” continue Jason and Mike.


This is hard rock music that truly mesmerizes the listener: brash yet sophisticated, unapologetic yet still heartwarming. SteelCity provides an unabashed homage to the golden age of hard rock.


Initially started as a solo project by founding member, principal songwriter, and guitarist Mike Floros, SteelCity evolved into the band that it is today. Their influences include such melodic and hard rock heavyweights as KISS, Europe, and Winger. The name SteelCity is derived from the hard-working, blue-collar, Mid-Western town of Youngstown, Ohio.


By carefully assembling the most skilled, talented rock musicians available, Mike molded a band that became a vaunted force in the melodic hard rock underground. Enter Roy Cathey, lead vocalist extraordinaire. As a member of the early-90s sensation Cold Sweat, his Herculean voice has been appreciated by audiences worldwide.


Holding down the bottom end is Jason Cornwell, an experienced studio and touring musician, “The Boston Bassman” has shared the stage with such luminaries as Eric Martin. Skilled drummer Anthony White, also of Cold Sweat fame, completes the rhythm section.


Rounding out the group is Tony Stahl, whose keyboards bring texture and depth to SteelCity’s songs, thus completing the shape of their sound.





“Reverence” Tracklist:


"I Ain’t Dreamin’ Bout You"
"Hammer’s Fallin’"
"No Angel"
"Dizzy"
"Walk Away"
"B.A.N.K."
"Midnight Dancer"
"Broken"
"Losing Control"
"Blinded"
"The Journey"


"Walk Away" visualizer:





Lineup:


Roy Cathey - Lead Vocals
Jason Cornwell - Bass
Anthony White - Drums
Tony Stahl - Keys
Mike Floros - Guitars


(Photo - Jimmy Taaffe)

About Us, the hard rock sensation hailing from Nagaland, India, have released a visualizer for "EVH", featured on their sophomore album, Take A Piece, out now via Frontiers Music. Watch the clip below:





Following the success of their self-titled debut album in 2022, the six-piece rock powerhouse is set to captivate audiences once again with their infectious sound and undeniable musical prowess: "This album represents a fusion of the influences and experiences we encountered in our journey as both avid art enthusiasts and songwriters. Crafting our second album was not only a euphoric and enjoyable process, but it also involved pouring a significant amount of heart, soul, and love into every aspect. Our sincere aspiration is that this latest release brings immense joy and love to our listeners, particularly our devoted fans, just as it did for us during its creation."




India, known for its rich cuisine, diverse culture, and the vibrant Bollywood film industry, is now making waves in the hard rock scene. About Us stands at the forefront of this movement, alongside other notable bands such as Girish & The Chronicles, and Fifth Note (also from Nagaland). The band has already earned recognition, winning the Best Rock Band category at the MG Nagaland Music Awards (June 23, 2021) and the Music Awards of Nagaland (October 16, 2021).


Take A Piece features ten infectious rock songs that elevate the band's signature sound with more guitars and a heavier approach. The album seamlessly blends immediate and hummable melodies with an energetic and technical instrumental prowess, a testament to the band's collective experience of over 15 years in the local music scene.


Lead singer Sochan Kikon emerges as a standout vocalist with remarkable versatility and interpretative skills. His captivating voice has earned him recognition, including an invitation to appear on a Michael Bolton tribute by the prestigious Frontiers label last year.


About Us once again proves their musical mastery with Take A Piece, solidifying their status as one of the most outstanding new bands in the hard rock genre. The album is a must-have for fans of Steelheart, Winger, Journey, and Boston.





Take A Piece tracklisting:


"Come To You"
"Endure"
"Legion"
"Fire With Fire"
"EVH"
"Reels For Eternity"
"Far Away"
"Hope"
"Beautiful Misery"
"Fortitude"


"Fortitude" video:

Blackened speed metal entity, Wormwitch, will unleash their eponymous fourth studio album tomorrow, Friday, July 26, via Profound Lore Records. The Canadian necromancers are now streaming the upcoming offering in its entirety. The record can be heard below.


Wormwitch sets out to combine a melodic blackened death assault with the ferocity and attitude of crust punk and classic rock and roll, jettisoning the burdens of ceremony and pomp that dominate the genre today.


The album can be pre-ordered in various formats here.




The cover artwork for Wormwitch's eponymous record was created by Abomination Hammer and can be found below along with the tracklisting.





Tracklisting:


"Fugitive Serpent"
"Envenomed"
"The Helm And The Bow"
"Inner War"
"Godmaegen"
"Salamander"
"Wormsblood Necromancy"
"Bright And Poisonous"
"Draconick Sorcerous Canadian Witchknights"


Album stream:





"Draconick Sorcerous Canadian Witchknights" video:





Wormwitch lineup:


Robin Harris: Bass, Vocals
Colby Hink: Guitars
Israel Langlais: Drums


(Photo - Lucien Cyr)