"Upon This Shore" marks the second single unveiled by the pioneering British black metal band, Winterfylleth. It comes ahead of their new album, The Imperious Horizon, set for release on September 13 via Candlelight / Spinefarm.


The stirring new single is complemented by a lyric video from renowned producer and VFX artist, Killian Monson.


Guitarist/vocalist C. Naughton commented on the new single: "The song is about thinking beyond the normal constraints of society and about taking personal responsibility for yourself and those closest to you. It speaks about trying to create a peaceful existence by taking back control from all the subversion, misinformation, and division going on within society. It’s about trying to cut through the prevailing winds and noise that we as people are bombarded with everyday and getting back to what truly matters. Home, friends, family, and the meaningful connections we derive from our interactions with other people."







Forthcoming album The Imperious Horizon features nine new tracks of intense, atmospheric black metal, that further deepen the strength of material in the Winterfylleth arsenal. It's set to be one of the darkest, most enthralling, and most essential records to be released in 2024 and is the first album to feature guitarist and backing vocalist Russell Dobson as a writing member. Russell, who joined the group in 2020 and is also actively involved in the black metal band Necronautical, stepped in following the departure of Dan Capp shortly after The Reckoning Dawn.


The album also features a remarkable guest vocal performance by AA Nemtheanga from Primordial on the track "In Silent Grace.” Alan has had a longstanding connection with the band, and his various projects (Primordial/Dread Sovereign) have shared the stage with Winterfylleth on numerous occasions over the years. After discussing collaboration, the opportunity arose on this album when it became evident that the mood and atmosphere of "In Silent Grace" would be a perfect fit for working together. The result is a powerful and expansive track that showcases Alan's distinctive vocal abilities alongside Winterfylleth's emotive songwriting style.


The album was recorded and produced once again by the legendary Chris Fielding (Primordial, Napalm Death, Conan, Electric Wizard, Fen) at Foel Studios in Central Wales, while the post-production & mastering was overseen by Mark Mynett (My Dying Bride, Rotting Christ) at his Mynetaur Productions suite in Manchester, UK.


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


“First Light”
“Like Brimming Fire”
“Dishonour Enthroned”
“Upon This Shore”
“The Imperious Horizon”
“In Silent Grace” (feat. AA Nemtheanga)
“To The Edge Of Tyranny”
“Earthen Sorrows”
“The Insurrection”
“The Majesty Of The Night Sky” (Emperor cover) (Deluxe bonus track)
“In Silent Grace” (AA Nemtheanga solo version) (Deluxe bonus track)


“Dishonour Enthroned” video:





(Photo – Lee Barrett)

Defiled have released a video for "Smoke And Mirrors", the opening track of their upcoming new album, Horror Beyond Horror. Watch the video below:





When it comes to Japanese death metal, there is no shrewder sensei than Defiled. Since they started their training in the world's most vulgar of art forms back in the early '90s, the band have toured everywhere from their native Tokyo to Milwaukee Metal Fest with the likes of Mayhem, Incantation, Morbid Angel and Cannibal Corpse.




Now, after 30 years of destroying the opposition at the highest level, these self-proclaimed samurai of death metal are back with their eighth album. Horror Beyond Horror is the kind of good ol' fashioned ass-kicking that only a true master can deliver.     


Horror Beyond Horror is out September 20 via Season of Mist. Pre-save / pre-order your copy now at this location.


After they first took to the stage in 1995, Defiled needed nearly a decade before finally erupting with wrath on their debut album. But ever since the band's lineup solidified around original member Yusuke Sumita, they haven't  stopped to look back and admire their war path. Horror Beyond Horror comes hot on the heels of the album they released just last year.


Anyone who took The Highest Level at face value will be pleasantly surprised to hear that Defiled have only added another grimy coat of blood to their blade. "To See Behind The Wall" is the final boss on Horror Beyond Horror, but the album's first single wastes no time charging into the fray behind a barrage of old-school death metal. Whether they're slicing, dicing or leaping into a furiously fast solo, the riffs take no prisoners.   


"The path to your elimination", Shinichiro Hamada cries, digging in amidst a flurry of blast beats, before unleashing an ungodly war cry.


"What is behind the wall?", Defiled ask on their new single. "The truth that has been hidden? Our sanity as human beings? Are we, who are inside the wall, now in a world of deceit and madness?"





Tracklisting:


"Smoke And Mirrors"
"Horror Beyond Horror"
"Syndicate"
"The Alchemy"
"Demagogue"
"The Terminal Phase"
"Trojan Horse"
"Spectrum Of Fear"
"The Crook And Flail"

"Replicator Dynamics"
"Equinox"
"The Chains"
"Psychopomp"
"To See Behind The Wall"


"To See Behind The Wall" video:





From the depths of Tokyo's darkest alleys, Defiled have emerged once again, claws sharpened, eyes bloodshot, ready to unleash a fresh dose of unadulterated savagery with their latest full-length studio album, Horror Beyond Horror. Marrying the grotesque with technical prowess, these samurais of sickness are poised to carve another notch into the archives of death metal's sordid history.


Since crawling from the primordial soup of the underground scene in the early '90s, Defiled have forged a path littered with broken souls. Their journey of destruction first sank its teeth into the international jugular with Erupted Wrath, mixed by the masterful Jim Morris in Tampa, Florida. This brutal assault opened gates to a global bloodletting, from leveling stages in South Korea to crushing skulls at the Milwaukee Metalfest, and not even the November to Dismember fest could foresee the carnage they'd bring.


Commandeering the technical tightrope between anarchy and precision, Defiled evolved, much like an aberrant spawn isolated on the Galapagos, grotesque yet ultimately superior. Their subsequent onslaughts — Ugliness Revealed, Divination, and the sheer violence of In Crisis — built a monument to atrocity that ascends to new heights with Horror Beyond Horror.


Taking no prisoners in their three-decades-long campaign of terror, Defiled have become the indestructible behemoth of Asia's death metal scene, powered by the relentless engine of their old school roots and the twisted wreckage of technical thrash and progressive rock innovation.


But enough with the history lesson, you came here for the carnage, didn't you? Horror Beyond Horror is a 14-track massacre, riddled with riffs sharp enough to slit your throat and a rhythmic onslaught that'll pulverize your pathetic bones. Each track, from the visceral "Smoke And Mirrors" to the haunting "To See Behind The Wall", is a calculated strike, precision-engineered to leave no survivors. Let's not forget the eponymous "Horror Beyond Horror", a track that cements Defiled's legacy as harbingers of the apocalypse.


With a sound as raw as exposed nerve endings and as unrefined as a mass grave, Defiled stands defiantly apart from the polished poseurs and shameless sellouts. They don’t peddle in cheap gimmickry or nostalgia; they deal in the currency of pure, unfiltered destruction. As they look out upon the charred landscape of the genre they’ve helped to define, Defiled is not content to rest on their laurels. Horror Beyond Horror sees them, once again, ascending to the blood-soaked throne of death metal sovereignty.

Mexican Ape-Lord have released a video for "Highway 88", a track from the band’s third full-length album, Blunt Instrument, available via Unable Music Group’s new label imprint, 10-31 Records.


Order the album here, and watch the new video below:







From the impact crater of its opening chords to the final subterranean refrain, Blunt Instrument is an exercise in mayhem and madness. The record features the original lineup, with producer Peter Rutcho once again at the controls.





Check out the tracklisting with commentary below:


“Blunt Instrument”: “Evolution, extinction… and sleep paralysis.”
“Kentucky Meat Shower”: “A maniac, inspired by the real Kentucky meat shower of 1876, plans an explosion.”
“Highway 88”: “Alien abduction, the Pig Man, and a demonic hearse.”
“Worm Moon”: “New England settlers bury their winter dead.”
“Down The Mine”: “Desperate men in a hostile landscape.”
“Day Of The Hunt”: “Wild hogs and moonshine in the Smoky Mountains.”
“The Shovel”: “The homicidal caretaker of an abandoned insane asylum is having a bad day.”
“Faraday Cage”: “Havana syndrome meets Theremin's infamous listening device “The Thing.” It ends with a guy guarding a frozen head deep underground because ROCK.”


"Worm Moon" lyric video:





"Kentucky Meat Shower":





"Blunt Instrument":





In 2012 Meliah Rage guitarist/songwriter Anthony Nichols and The Bags vocalist/bassist Jon Hardy teamed up with drummer Steve Fry and lead guitarist Dan Dykes to form Mexican Ape-Lord. The band’s debut album, The Late Heavy Bombardment (Unable Records, 2014) made a slew of top ten lists. BraveWords called it “a balls-out metal album” and True Metal Lives declared “It proudly stands up and gives genre labeling the big middle finger.”


Friends since high school, Nichols and Hardy found success in different branches of the Boston rock scene in the late eighties. After signing to Epic Records in 1988, Meliah Rage went on to release nine albums and built a loyal following over the course of numerous international tours. The Bags won the Boston Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble in 1989, released six albums, and had their song “Cavemen Rejoice” featured on the PlayStation 2 game Guitar Hero.


Just days after completing work on The Late Heavy Bombardment, Nichols suffered a brutal wrist injury and was told he would never play guitar again. After multiple surgeries and years of rehab he returned to writing music and gradually worked his way back into top form. That material became the basis for Mexican Ape-Lord’s second album, Survival Cannibalism (Unable Records, 2020).


The songs on Survival Cannibalism were inspired by a true story of shipwreck and cannibalism that took place on Boon Island, Maine in 1710. “I wanted to get inside the heads of these tormented guys, whose suffering drove them to do the unthinkable,” says Hardy. “It’s an grim subject, obviously, but a great one for Tony, Dan, and Steve, because they are masterful at covering the full range, musically – from utter darkness to the thrill of cheating Death.”


In 2022 the band released Burn Pit (Unable Records), a four song EP exploring some classic Mexican Ape-Lord themes: inner demons, dangerous work, ritualistic bloodshed, and apex predators. “We weren’t about to stop making music just because the world was coming to an end,” says Nichols.

In a recent interview with Metal Swap Meet, Vinny Appice was asked what it was like to work with legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio in BLACK SABBATH, DIO and HEAVEN & HELL. The 66-year-old drummer responded (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "It was amazing. He'd be sitting there in the rehearsal room, writing lyrics. We'd be jamming on something, both with SABBATH and DIO, and then he'd go up to the mic and sing a couple of lines. I'd go, 'Holy shit. This sounds like the record's finished.' It was so spot-on and strong, I was, like, 'Oh, man.' And then I watched him the way he worked with the fans. One of the first things I remember, we pulled out of an arena with SABBATH. We had two limos, Ronnie and I in one, and Tony [Iommi, SABBATH guitarist] and Geezer [Butler, SABBATH bassist] would leave early. We would stay and hang out. We pull up, go out of the arena, go up the hill and go to the gates and let us out and there's a whole bunch of fans there. And it's freezing cold out. It's January in upstate New York. Ronnie says, 'Stop,' gets out of the limo, walks over to the fans, starts signing stuff for them. [I thought] 'Wow, that's cool.' So I did the same thing. I wasn't that known back then, but now that's somebody who cares. He cares about his fans. He remembers your name. And it's just amazing. The next year or tour, you'd go see Ronnie, he'd go, Hey, Brian. How are you doing, man?' He remembers your name. And I'd be going, 'Hey, Bob, it's really good to see you.' He remembered everybody's name. It was incredible. He loved his fans. He loved the music."

Vinny has recorded and co-written songs on several dozen albums and CDs, including many multi-platinum records. Vinny's drumming can also be heard on numerous movie soundtracks, including "Wayne's World 2", "Heavy Metal", "Iron Eagle" and "Bedazzled". Vinny, the author of drum instruction book "Rock Steady" and DVD "Hard Rock Drumming Techniques", has performed incredible powerhouse drum clinics around the globe. Numerous books have been written about BLACK SABBATH and DIO with the authors always mentioned Vinny's drumming style.

Vinny's unique drumming approach has influenced many artists over the last few decades. Never one to rest on his laurels, he is constantly putting out new music and is currently recording and touring with LAST IN LINE.

Vinny currently endorses Sawtooth drums, Evans drumheads, Istanbul Mehmet cymbals and Chromacast drumsticks.

The collective of renowned musicians from Norway's west coast henceforth known as Whispering Void is releasing their first ever video single “Vi finnes” (“We Exist”) taken from their forthcoming debut full-length At The Sound Of The Heart. The album has been slated for release on October 18, 2024 via Prophecy Productions. Preorder here.


"The main lyrics in this song are in Norwegian, more specifically in an Eastern dialect of Norwegian, and this creates a slippery and almost untrustworthy character", vocalist Kristian Espedal writes. "The title, 'Vi finnes' means 'we exist', but the lyrics are about us never existing. The words are about the morning, which is an opportunity, and about the hours, which are the repetition of everything that happens all the time but is never the same. There is much hopefulness in this song, and at the end even a bit of suffering. When the lyrics move into English, they steer into a different direction. Ferrucio came up with the idea for the video. The lady in this film is observing life from the past. I like the very subtle connection to the lyrics." 


Lindy-Fay Hella adds: "I love the vibe of the video", the vocalist enthuses. "I like that there is a connection with the song's lyrics, but it also adds a new dimension to it. The haunted house in this video is situated in my neighbourhood and the lady in the video is one of my best friends. She really fits this song. I feel somewhat reminded of the fairy tale 'Goldielocks and the Three Bears'."




It was well known in Nordic traditions that the voice holds magical power. With their debut album At The Sound Of The Heart, a collective of renowned musicians from the west coast of Norway explores and embodies these ancient ways. Guided by music created by guitarist Ronny Stavestrand, each of its members have brought a part of their own background to Whispering Void.


Many different musical strands have been woven into a sonic entity that is both new and greater than the sum of its parts. The distinctive voices of Wardruna vocalist Lindy-Fay Hella and her male counterpart Kristian "Gaahl" Espedal spellbind the listener with an enormous range of techniques and sounds. Ronny Stavestrand and Enslaved drummer Iver Sandøy combine ambient, psychedelic prog, and rock with notes of dark folk and metal on "At the Sound of the Heart" into something essentially Nordic but extending beyond already explored dimensions. 


The ancestry of Whispering Void obviously goes back to the Norwegian metal scene that has been highly productive ever since the so-called second wave of black metal began its triumphant victory march around the globe in the early nineties. Over the following decades, this groundbreaking genre saw several bands rising from underground obscurity to headlining positions at festivals.


The creative spark that lit the fire of Whispering Void burning came from a long time of creating new music by Ronny Stavestrand. The guitarist had shared many years in the legendary underground black metal act Trelldom with outstanding vocalist Kristian "Gaahl" Espedal, who rose to fame with Gorgoroth and has meanwhile also established Gaahls Wyrd as a channel for his creativity. Therefore, it was only natural that Stavestrand asked Espedal to contribute to Whispering Void – to which the latter chose to agree.


While exploring new musical territories together, the need for a female voice arose. Having been part of Wardruna in the early years, Espedal was quick to note that vocal powerhouse Lindy-Fay Hella with her characteristic voice and unique contributions, which she has also shared in her own projects, was the perfect match for Whispering Void. Hella was duly invited and luckily heeded the call.


The quartet was completed by Iver Sandøy on battery and bass, who had put his impeccable musical sensitivity and timing into the service of Enslaved some years back but already made himself a name with the progressive outfit Emmerhoff & The Melancholy Babies.





Tracklisting:


“Vinden vier”
“Vi finnes”
“Whispering Void”
“At The Sound Of The Heart”
“Lauvvind”
“We Are Here”
“Flower”


“Vi finnes” video:





Line-up
Ronny Stavestrand – guitars
Lindy-Fay Hella – vocals
Kristian Eivind Espedal – vocals
Iver Sandøy – drums & percussion, bass, guitar, keyboards 
 
Guest musicians
Ole André Farstad – guzheng, Indian slide guitar on “Vinden Vier”,”Lauvvind”
Matias Monsen – cello on “Whispering Void”, “At The Sound Of The Heart”, “We Are Here”
Silje Solberg – Hardanger fiddle on “Vi finnes”, “The Vines”

In a new interview with Pierre Gutiérrez of Rock Talks, former EXODUS guitarist Rick Hunolt was asked for his opinion of the band's last five studio albums that were recorded after he left the group. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, dude, what do I think about them? I think they're heavy as hell. I think [EXODUS guitarist] Gary Holt is by far one of the best songwriters in all of thrash metal bar none, for sure. He's a beast; Gary's a beast. I will say that I was kind of disappointed when he left to join SLAYER. I will say that. But in the long run, it's done EXODUS a lot of good. It's gotten a lot more fans, yada yada yada. But anyway, to answer your question, I love the material. [EXODUS's latest album] 'Persona Non Grata' is insane. The music is awesome."

Asked what he thought of the Rob Dukes-era EXODUS albums, Rick said: "Rob Dukes brought another level to EXODUS. I think it made it — I'm not gonna say new metal, but I will say more aggressive, over the top, angry. Rob's one of my favorite singers. And, honestly, for the record, if I ever do another thrash band, guess who's gonna be my singer. He already said [he would do it]. I already nailed him down. So, it's all good."

Hunolt — the other half of the famed EXODUS "H-Team" who is on every studio recording from 1985 through 2004 and co-wrote some of the band's best-known songs such as "A Lesson In Violence" and "Deliver Us To Evil" — left EXODUS after the band's highly acclaimed 2004 reunion album, "Tempo Of The Damned". Following his departure, Hunolt was replaced by HEATHEN guitarist Lee Altus.

Rick previously discussed his exit from EXODUS during a November 2021 appearance on "Put Up Your Dukes", the podcast hosted by Dukes. He said at the time: "During the recording of 'Tempo', Gary had just gotten clean a little while prior to that, and I was still using. But I've gotta say, Gary Holt — my hat's off to the man for… He never sweated me. Not once did Gary say, 'Dude, you're a piece of shit. I'm gonna fire you from the band if you don't get your shit together.' He never said nothing. He let it take its course, you know what I mean?

"I was a mess," Rick continued. "We all were, but everybody got better, and I didn't. I fell down the rabbit hole even worse, I think, because I was just so depressed. I couldn't stop. I don't know what was up… To the point where I was gonna lose my position in the band I'd been in for over 20 years — my best friends, my life. Yeah, it was dark as fuck.

"One day, after spending my life, giving everything that I had and the whole world to EXODUS, one day I woke up and I wasn't in EXODUS anymore," Hunolt added. "And that morning was, like… Dude, I can't even describe the emotions that I [was feeling]. I woke up and I wasn't in EXODUS anymore, dude. It damn near took me out, bro."

Rick revealed that he went through a particularly difficult period after splitting with EXODUS. "I had to reinvent myself at 40-plus years old, [with] two little kids," he said. "I ended up moving out of Oakland. I had to get the fuck out of there, 'cause we were living at the studio; it was bad. And then we moved in with my wife's mom and I got a job at the [discount chain] Dollar Tree and I ended up working there for, like, two or three years. I mean, I can go on and on and on. But long story short, I met a guy who knew who I was and offered me a job on his ranch. And the rest is history. He taught me how to live my life and make money."

Hunolt makes a guest appearance on "Persona Non Grata", which was released in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records.

The San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' latest disc was the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was their first release since the departure of Dukes, the group's lead singer of nine years, and the return of Steve "Zetro" Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

Back in April 2019, Hunolt rejoined Holt and other EXODUS members Tom Hunting (drums) and Souza to perform several of the group's classic songs during a METAL ALLEGIANCE concert in San Francisco, California. More recently, Hunolt joined EXODUS on stage in August 2021 at Psycho Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The original lineup of EXODUS consisted of guitarists Kirk Hammett (now in METALLICA) and Tim Agnello, Hunting and vocalist Keith Stewart. Holt joined the band in 1981, while Kirk left two years before EXODUS's debut album, "Bonded By Blood", saw the light of day.

In a new interview with Metal Hammer magazine, SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser and vocalist Derrick Green were asked about their plans for after the completion of the band's ongoing 40th-anniversary "farewell" tour. Andreas said: "I don't know, and it feels great. I want to study acoustic guitar, and to create instructional material on the SEPULTURA music. I've done small things here and there, but not a complete overview of my guitar playing and writing. I will decide when the time comes, but right now it is time to celebrate the moment."

Derrick added: "I want to do a lot more with the TV show I'm working on, 'Highway To Health'. I've also been interested in doing voiceover work in animation or commercials. Musically, I'd like to do something outside of metal with more singing, but if somebody approaches with something I think is intriguing, I'm definitely open to that, because I never want to step away from music."

Asked if Andreas and Derrick will still work together in the future, Kisser quipped: "Nah. We only talk to each other by contract. When the contract is done, we're done. [Laughs] No, of course there are a lot of possibilities. I would love to work with Derrick outside of SEPULTURA. We have the idea for a reggae project on the cards, which we have a great name for. The comfort zone is the worst thing that can happen to an artist. It would be boring to stop SEPULTURA and do something else that is SEPULTURA-like."

As part of their massive "Celebrating Life Through Death" farewell tour, SEPULTURA will hit the road in North America this summer and fall. Joining SEPULTURA on the trek will be Florida-based death metal veterans OBITUARY, iconic New York hardcore pioneers AGNOSTIC FRONT, and São Paulo, Brazil's death/thrash metallers CLAUSTROFOBIA.

SEPULTURA's new touring drummer Greyson Nekrutman officially replaced SEPULTURA's longtime drummer Eloy Casagrande in February.

SEPULTURA kicked off its farewell tour on March 1 at Arena Hall in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The sold-out show marked the band's debut performance with Nekrutman, who previously played with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES.

The 22-year-old Nekrutman is one of the most explosive young players in the drumming world, having garnered a legion of fans since bursting on to the international music scene just a few short years ago.

SEPULTURA announced Eloy's departure on February 27, explaining in a statement that he was leaving to join "another project", with Eloy later confirming that he is the new drummer of SLIPKNOT.

The news of Eloy's exit from SEPULTURA came just two months after the band announced it would celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2024 by embarking on a "farewell tour" which will cover the entire globe.

In SEPULTURA's statement, the remaining bandmembers expressed their shock over Casagrande's departure, saying they were "taken by surprise" that their now-former drummer would "abandon everything related to SEPULTURA" less than a month prior to the start of the tour.

Tony Iommi and Xerjoff launch the second chapter of the Xerjoff Blends venture, with the release of Deified, the brand new perfume, accompanied by a new track of the same name written by Tony Iommi together with a mind-blowing music video, directed by Donato Sansone.

Xerjoff's founder and CEO Sergio Momo worked alongside BLACK SABBATH's Tony Iommi in the second experiment between sound, scent and sight on the creation of a new scent to enter the Xerjoff Blends collection, while Tony Iommi wrote the new song, produced by Iommi and Mike Exeter, with Sergio Momo also playing on the track which can be seen in the mostly animated music video.

Iommi says: "Here we go again, another collaboration with my dear friend Sergio Momo (Xerjoff) with a new perfume called Deified. I'm really excited about our new perfume and after the success of our last one (Monkey Special) I hope that you'll like Deified as much as I do. We've gone through the same process of trying different samples of perfume over the last year until we came up with this one and I really like it."

Momo adds: "Everything has its own cycle. A riff, a melody, a perfume. In the '70s, playing a vinyl backwards was a phenomenon that became a popular way to hide subliminal messages. The palindromic nature of a riff and backmasking became the catalyst for the creation of this journey with Tony."

Mystery possesses the mind in a dark and decadent experience that casts subliminal shadows on the wearer.

"Deify: to worship or regard as a god." A forceful combination of multisensory elements that play on the palindromic nature of sound, scent and sensorial sequences see the theme of back and forth in the music, scent and video. Tony Iommi Deified is the second perfume to be created by the duo after a huge success with the first Xerjoff Blends perfume created together, Monkey Special.

Created on a duality of leather and spice, Deified perfume plays in a loop with no beginning and no end, its notes hitting emotions in the same way a music track uses notes to hypnotise and mystify the senses. Authentic and warm accents of saffron meet powdery and leathery facets that dance with the delicate touch of gourmand freshness. Cinnamon exalts spicier notes, complemented by gentle rose at the heart. The woody base of papyrus and patchouli leaves the senses longing for more in a rhythmic exchange of back and forth.

The scent can be purchased on Xerjoff.com and in Xerjoff boutiques worldwide. After the crystal collector's edition, Deified Tony Iommi Signed Edition, sold out, Deified was released in a dark and gothic flacon following the limited edition of the signed flacons.

Especially for the release of the music video on July 26, another 25 Tony Iommi Signed Edition Crystal flacons will be available to purchase on Xerjoff.com.

"Deified", the new track written by Tony Iommi and produced by Iommi and Mike Exeter, is a heavy and mysterious masterpiece that, like the scent, possesses the mind in a dark and decadent vortex of mystery and wonder.

Iommi says: "'Deified' is a heavier, more medieval track than 'Scent Of Dark'. We've added voices and beefed up the overall sound."

With a heavy and hard riff throughout the track, Iommi sparks incredible heights with the intricate and mystifying bridge which leads to haunting voices, drawing the whole composition to a climatic close.

"Deified" music and video credits:

Guitar, producer - Tony Iommi
Keyboards, producer - Mike Exeter
Drums - Karl Brazil
Bass - Laurence Cottle
Orchestration - Ben Andrew

Animation director - Donato Sansone
Production and art direction - Sergio Momo, Xerjoff Group CEO

Recorded at Tone Hall and Pig Music Studios

In an animated music video starring Tony Iommi and Sergio Momo, directed and animated by Donato Sansone, "Deified"'s concept is given strength and delivers a powerful message that implies a theme that continually repeats itself throughout history.

The video's foundation is that of the entire project, the way man destroys itself is witnessed through a child's eyes. The story unfolds only for the child to want to go back to the beginning. The concept for the music video was created by Donato Sansone and Sergio Momo.

Sansone says: "The 'Deified' music video born from the Xerjoff and Tony Iommi collaboration is a strong and powerful experience that I had the opportunity to personally experience as director of the project. The meeting with Sergio Momo, a brilliant scent artist with whom I have been collaborating for some time, led us to develop a video concept that was the visual and narrative extension of a truly powerful perfume and musical track. When I listened to the piece, I had the feeling of being faced with something threatening and fascinating at the same time and in the little brainstorming session we had with Sergio we felt the need to tell something "dramatic" and emotionally strong without losing hope towards the future. Thus a story is born that somehow tells of a disastrous event, like that of the wars that infest our world, with notes of positivity and optimism towards the future. Deified is a palindrome word that can be read in both directions and the idea of the video lies precisely in this mirror game whereby it ends as it began, with the idea of being able to start rewriting a human story that seems to have a continuous decline towards the abyss."

Iommi and Momo recently chatted about "Deified" — the new track, perfume and music video — with Julian Marszalek and Suzy Nightingale. Check out the discussion below.

Regarding how the "Deified" song came together, Iommi said: "Well, it's the same way as I've done most stuff, really. I come up with a riff, and then [my engineer] Mike Exeter, I'd put the riff down, and he'd put a programmed-drum thing to it. And he'd play bass or keyboards or something, just to make it something to present, really. And then, in our case, then it would go to Sergio and see if he likes it, and then he'd do his part. And then we'd go in the studio with the drummer, and he'd put the drums on and bass. So we do it that sort of way, really."

He continued: "Doing the [recordings] live [in the studio], I haven't done [anything] where we all played live for a good many years. Well, the last album, '13', when we'd done that with SABBATH, was all live. But you tend to sort of, especially in our state, where Sergio's in Italy and we're here in England. It works just to send the ideas and see what he thinks. Or when he's come over, play him something. And he said, 'Oh, I like that.' As we did with [our first collaboration] 'Scent Of Dark'. We played a few things. And that's it. And he went away and came up with some bits."

In a November 2021 interview with Rolling Stone, Iommi stated about his interest in cologne: "Ever since [BLACK SABBATH] went on tour to the States, really, I started getting more and more into it. I'd go to the mall or stores, and I'd buy some different perfumes and scents until I'd find one that I really like. And then I'd stick to one for a while. Then I'd change, from Cartier to Tom Ford, or whatever. I've been doing that for years. Now I've got my own custom ones — an abundance of them now."

Asked which aromas he liked best when he first started working with Sergio, Tony said: "Oh, God. I think some of them threw him because a couple of the samples were horrible. But others were great. I like the smell of when you get in a new car, the leather smell, and obviously coffee and just stuff like that. Patchouli is the main ingredient in this perfume, which just goes back to the '60s. I knew the smell of patchouli in them days; they used to use it to mask the smell of people smoking dope. [Laughs]"

More than just a perfume collection, Xerjoff Blends is a journey which transports the wearer into universe that plays with all the senses, creating a space for sensory projects that break ordinary social patterns. Part of Xerjoff's uniqueness lies in the exploration and creation of multisensory experiences through blending perfumes with various forms of art, including; music, cuisine, art, automotive and much more, each perfume containing its own unique chapter in the Xerjoff story told through multisensory experiences to embrace in their totality.

Founded in Turin in 2007, Xerjoff was launched by Sergio Momo and Dominique Salvo with the aim of blending the most luxurious raw materials to complement the most affluent global lifestyles through the combination of old world craftsmanship, the finest raw ingredients and a contemporary artistic sensibility resulting in a collection of some of the most exquisite, unique scents available in the world today.

ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell will release a new solo album, "I Want Blood", on October 18 via Double J Music.

"This record is a serious piece of work. It's a motherfucker," Cantrell says of the collection. "It's hard, no doubt, and completely unlike 'Brighten'. And that's what you want, to end up in a different place. There's a confidence to this album. I think it's some of my best songwriting and playing, and certainly some of my best singing."

A preview of "I Want Blood" comes with today's release of "Vilified". The album opener showcases an energy that rivals any of Cantrell's previous work — powerful, nuanced, and electric — setting the tone for the 45-minute album.

"'Vilified" travels a lot of places in just four and a half minutes," Cantrell continues. "It's got a ferocity and really aggressive vibe to it."

"I Want Blood", co-produced by Cantrell and Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, MELVINS),was recorded at Barresi's JHOC Studio in Pasadena, California. The album also features contributions from bass heavyweights Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES) and Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),drummers Gil Sharone (TEAM SLEEP, STOLEN BABIES) and Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE),and backing vocals from Lola Colette and Greg Puciato (BETTER LOVERS, ex-THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN).

"I Want Blood" track listing:

01. Vilified
02. Off The Rails
03. Afterglow
04. I Want Blood
05. Echoes Of Laughter
06. Throw Me A Line
07. Let It Lie
08. Held Your Tongue
09. It Comes

Album pre-orders, which include CD, digital and multiple 2LP variants are available here. Exclusive to the 2LP vinyl versions of "I Want Blood" are atmospheric, spoken-word versions of each song on the album.

Cantrell kicks off a North American tour this evening, joining BUSH for a seven-week trek across the continent.

Cantrell's latest solo album, "Brighten", came out in October 2021. The LP was Jerry's first project without ALICE IN CHAINS in 19 years. "Brighten" was co-produced by Jerry with film composer Tyler Bates and Cantrell's longtime engineer Paul Figueroa. They welcomed a dynamic cast of supporting players, including drummers Gil Sharone and Abe Laboriel, Jr. (Paul McCartney),pedal steel master Michael Rozon, Vincent Jones on piano, Wurlitzer, and organ. Other rock legends added to the fun of this LP, including Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES) on select bass tracks, Puciato handling all of the background vocals and Barresi overseeing the mixing of "Brighten". Together, they recorded eight originals and the LP closes with an approved-by-Elton John cover of his classic "Goodbye" as the finale.

Cantrell's band for his 2022 "Brighten" solo tour consisted of Tyler Bates (guitar),Greg Puciato (backing vocals),Gil Sharone (drums),George Adrian (bass),Michael Rozon (pedal steel) and Jason Achilles (keyboards). The set included songs from "Brighten", along with favorite hits from Jerry's catalog.

Jerry's career outside of ALICE IN CHAINS has consisted of two other solo albums and contributions to major film soundtracks. Cantrell's first solo album, "Boggy Depot", was released in 1998, followed by his second album, the aforementioned "Degradation Trip". In addition to his solo artist work, Jerry has released music on soundtracks for several films, including "Spider-Man", "The Cable Guy", "John Wick 2", "Last Action Hero" and "The Punisher".

ALICE IN CHAINS regrouped in 2006 with William DuVall joining the band, and released its third LP with DuVall in the lineup, "Rainier Fog", in August 2018.

Earlier this month, it was announced that STONE SOUR and MINISTRY drummer Roy Mayorga will sit behind the kit for Cantrell during the ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist's summer 2024 tour.

The trek, which will be headlined by BUSH, will launch on July 26 at Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend, Oregon and will conclude on September 15 at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Also appearing on the bill will be CANDLEBOX.

Mayorga announced his addition to Cantrell's band in a social media post on July 8. He wrote: "Super excited to announce that I'll be hitting the road this summer with Jerry Cantrell supporting BUSH for their 'Loaded: The Greatest Hits' tour, which means I'll be taking break from MINISTRY for a while, but I shall return at some point. Look forward to rocking out with you all this summer."

Mayorga joined STONE SOUR in 2006 and was a touring drummer for HELLYEAH after Vinnie Paul Abbott passed away in 2018. Five years ago, he played drums on three tracks on LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton's solo album.

Mayorga played on MINSTRY's last two studio albums and has toured with the group since 2021.

Photo credit: Darren Craig

SYSTEM OF A DOWN frontman Serj Tankian has released the official music video for his new solo single "Justice Will Shine On". The track is taken from Tankian's upcoming solo EP, "Foundations", which is due on September 27 via Gibson Records.

The 56-year-old Lebanese-born Armenian-American musician and songwriter, who spent the last few months promoting his autobiography "Down With The System", told Metal Hammer magazine about the EP: "It's five songs. We just shot five videos for it with members of the FCC, my back-up band, which was really fun, and we're going to put it out in September."

He added: "The reason I'm putting it out is that archival nature of writing a book made me look into songs from different periods of time. So one of the songs is from early SYSTEM days, for example, that I've never put out, that I'd never worked with SYSTEM on. A couple of the songs are from my early 2007-2008 solo record period, but didn't fit the record ['Elect The Dead', released in October 2007].

"It's an interesting retrospective of rock music that I've never released from different times, and it's called 'Foundations' basically because it's the founding of my musical life," Serj added. "They're very interesting songs, very different from each other: one is really heavy, one is like, really progressive, there's just different elements to each of them. But I think they work in tandem."

The first single from "Foundations" , a song called "A.F. Day", was made available on May 17 digitally everywhere via Gibson Records.

"Down With The System" was released on May 14 via Hachette Books.

Tankian is best known as the lead singer of the Grammy Award-winning rock band SYSTEM OF A DOWN, but he is also a solo artist, composer, activist, painter, poet, and filmmaker. Since launching on to the rock scene in 1993, he's performed for millions of fans and sold more than 42 million albums worldwide. He's also a proud Armenian-American and a dedicated activist; along with Tom Morello, Tankian co-founded the non-profit organization Axis Of Justice, which strived to bring together musicians, music fans, and grassroots political organizations to fight for social justice. He has composed scores for many films and television series, had his paintings exhibited in galleries in the U.S. and New Zealand, and released two books of his own poetry. He has also been an executive producer on multiple documentaries, including "I Am Not Alone", which tells the story of Armenia's 2018 revolution and which won awards at the Toronto International Film Festival, DOC NYC, American Film Institute Festival, and the Palm Springs International Film Festival, among others. Tankian lives with his wife and his son, splitting their time between Los Angeles and New Zealand.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN has toured intermittently since ending its hiatus in 2011, but has only managed to record two songs in the last 19 years, "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz". Released in November 2020, the tracks were motivated by the conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, with all proceeds supporting humanitarian efforts in SYSTEM OF A DOWN's ancestral homeland of Armenia. Along with other donations from fans on their social pages, they raised over $600,000.

SYSTEM OF A DOWN co-headlined the second installment of the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas on April 27.

The quartet will next co-headline a one-off concert with DEFTONES at the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California on August 17.

POWERWOLF has shared the official music video for the third single, "We Don't Wanna Be No Saints", from its new studio album, "Wake Up The Wicked", which is being released today (Friday, July 26) via Napalm Records.

POWERWOLF's cinematic new video showcases their iconic style, combining striking church visuals with sinful, sacral atmosphere, shot in the same monastery, where classic movie "The Name Of The Rose" was filmed. This high-quality production captivates the senses, perfectly complementing the release of "Wake Up The Wicked" and indulging in a taste for sin.

POWERWOLF guitarist Matthew Greywolf comments: "'Wake Up The Wicked' is not only the next POWERWOLF album, but also a chapter of the band where we focus even more on perfecting our trademarks, especially within the individual songs. The orchestral side of us is still omnipresent, but this time the heaviness of the album is given even more space. We've also tried out completely new elements, such as in 'We Don't Wanna Be No Saints', which features a children's choir for the first time and underlines the theme and atmosphere of the song in a completely new way. In general, there's a hell of a lot to discover on 'Wake Up The Wicked', so get ready for a wild listening experience!"

"Wake Up The Wicked" — the highly anticipated follow-up to the extremely successful "Call Of The Wild" (2021) — comes a little over a month before the launch of the award-winning band's first-ever full North American tour, starting in August 2024, followed by their biggest European headline tour to date, the "Wolfsnächte 2024".

"Wake Up The Wicked" was once again produced by Joost Van Den Broek at Sandlane Recording Facilities and marks a new benchmark and undisputed career highlight for the band. The new album is hard, surprising and full of variety. While staying true to their established, loved sound, POWERWOLF go one step further and showcase a different facet of their deft musical and technical skills. This is evident, for example, on the outstanding single "1589", which is based on a true story from the 16th century.

20 years after their formation in 2004, POWERWOLF are expanding their repertoire with the highest quality and adding many future live hits to their extraordinary discography. "Wake Up The Wicked" is yet another statement cementing the status of the band as a leading force in the world of heavy metal.

The first single from "Wake Up The Wicked", "1589" tells the story of Peter Stump, who lived near Cologne, Germany in the 16th century and is known today as the Werewolf Of Bedburg. After being defamed as a werewolf, the farmer confessed to several murders under torture and was cruelly executed on October 31, 1589. This morbid story has fascinated people all over the world ever since and has been picked up by National Geographic, among others.

For the video for "1589", POWERWOLF traveled to England to stage Stump's fate in the dark woods in a cinematic way. With carefully selected locations, countless actors and crew members, and impressive special effects, it marks the most elaborate music video production in the band's history to date.

"Wake Up The Wicked" track listing:

01. Bless 'Em With The Blade
02. Sinners Of The Seven Seas
03. Kyrie Klitorem
04. Heretic Hunters
05. 1589
06. Viva Vulgata
07. Wake Up The Wicked
08. Joan Of Arc
09. Thunderpriest
10. We Don't Wanna Be No Saints
11. Vargamor

POWERWOLF are undoubtedly one of the most celebrated and successful heavy metal bands of the last decade. Multiple No. 1 album chart entries, gold and platinum records, huge sold-out arena shows, as well as headline slots at the biggest festivals have paved their way. In less than 20 years of band history, POWERWOLF has made it to the very highest league of heavy metal.

POWERWOLF has conquered countless stages at the world's biggest summer festivals, and their last "Wolfsnächte" headline tours (2019, 2022),as well as their aforementioned North American debut in early 2023, were almost completely sold out — resulting in a massive triumph. They have performed headlining sets at Wacken Open Air and Summer Breeze, as well as held premium slots at genre festival giants such as Hellfest, Graspop Metal Meeting, Masters Of Rock and many more, captivating enormous audiences. No other German metal band has been able to write a success story even remotely comparable in recent years.

Following their onslaught of North America, POWERWOLF will embark on their most impressive European tour yet in celebration of their highly anticipated 2024 studio album. Amid 16 shows in total, the tour will visit colossal venues in Munich, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Hamburg and Antwerp. POWERWOLF will be accompanied by Swedish heavy metal legends HAMMERFALL as special guests, with support from viral rising stars, dwarven metallers WIND ROSE.

The story of the frontrunners of today's German metal scene, POWERWOLF, began in 2004 and only knows one direction: ever upwards. Their trajectory may seem like something out of a fairytale, but it is the result of the band embodying the highest quality of heavy metal in the universe. Outstanding album production, bombastic live shows and a tireless drive for perfection on and behind the stage are what this exceptional band is known for around the world.

Over the course of their career, the band has not only fascinated metal fans, but has also won over international press and critics. Countless cover stories in the most important magazines, critics' awards such as the Metal Hammer Award, and effusive album and concert reviews underpin POWERWOLF's outstanding international status.

POWERWOLF is:

Attila Dorn - vocals
Falk Maria Schlegel - organ
Charles Greywolf - guitar
Matthew Greywolf - guitar
Roel van Helden - drums

Photo credit: VDPictures

In a new interview with Colombia's El Expreso Del Rock, CLUTCH drummer Jean-Paul Gaster spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to the "Sunrise On Slaughter Beach" album, which was released in September 2022. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "At the moment, we have about eight or nine new song ideas, and our friend Tom Dalgety, the same producer from before, he's gonna come and hang out with us next week. And we're gonna start working through those ideas. And we will not record an album [next week], but we will work on these ideas and sort of refine them, perfect them, and then at that point, we're gonna set those songs aside and then we'll write another batch. And then from there, we will make the record."

Gaster also talked about his relationship with his CLUTCH bandmates, saying: "We see each other all the time. This week we are off because some people are off on vacations and holiday. But on Saturday afternoon, we get back together again. We will rehearse, and then we will get ready for Tom to come in, 'cause he will come in on Monday and we will work all week. Typically, we will finish a tour and maybe take a week, maybe two weeks off. We just kind of go home and do home stuff, but then we're back in the jam room again, and it's usually three times a week. And usually when we get together, we're writing new music. Unless there's a show coming up, we just start playing riffs. And we have all the equipment always mic'd up, the computers, they're ready to go. So the minute somebody has an idea, boom, I go push 'record' and we document that idea. And sometimes that idea becomes a song, and sometimes that idea is just something that we did for an hour. But it's okay, because you have to keep playing."

He continued: "Sometimes I play with musicians in projects and stuff, and they become sort of very focused on one idea: 'Oh, this is the song and this is the idea, and this is the only one that there is.' We try not to do that. We try to come up with many ideas. 'Okay, that idea is cool. Great. Let's try something else. Let's see what this idea will be like.' And we just try to put as many of these things together. And then when it comes time to make a record, then we go through those things. We say, 'Oh, well, that thing we did last month was really cool.' And then, 'Neil [Fallon, CLUTCH singer], you have this new riff. Okay, well, let's put those together. That might be cool.' And that's the way it works. It's very organic. There's not a set way that things come together."

Earlier in the month, CLUTCH bassist Dan Maines told Chile's iRock that he and his bandmates were "in the middle of some deep writing sessions. We've been getting together quite a bit, but it's all focusing on new material, trying to write songs for a new album," he revealed. "It's going really well. We get together in a studio and we are just recording every single idea that we have. If it gets to the point where we've got two parts together that kind of resemble a verse and a chorus, and everyone's happy with it just music-wise, we'll record those ideas. And then we put that aside and move on to something else. And we upload those files so that all four of us can listen to them at home. And Neil will take a good hard listen to them and think about vocal ideas for those parts. And we start piecing together things. Sometimes he'll listen to something from one day that he thinks might work really well with something from the previous week. And if it requires tempo changes or key changes to kind of blend those two parts together, we'll work on that. But, yeah, it's kind of a very organic process. Right now I would say we have probably about a solid 10 ideas that you could call songs, but they definitely need a little more fleshing out. But, yeah, it's exciting."

Offering a rough timetable for the rest of the writing sessions for CLUTCH's next LP, Maines said: "We'll go down to South America for the week's worth of shows [in late July 2024] and then come back and try to do some more writing before we get into full kind of tour mode, which is summertime. We're heading over to Europe for European festivals, and then we have a lot of touring that picks back up in the fall here in the U.S. So we're trying to get all of our writing done now as much as possible. And it's going pretty good."

Asked what music inspires him and his CLUTCH bandmates these days, Dan said: "Anything, everything. Between the four of us, we kind of draw from a lot of different sources and we try to take those influences, whether it's blues or something more heavy, doom-oriented or something funky, and just kind of put it in a blender and create something new out of it. But sometimes, like the last time we got together, we were thinking, 'Well, let's try to write something uptempo, something above 100 beats per minute.' And at the end of the day, we came out with something that we all thought was great, but the tempo was, like, 70. So you can go in with one idea or one direction, but at the end of the day, what you end up with could be completely different. You just never know what's gonna come out."

"Sunrise On Slaughter Beach", which was recorded at the The Magpie Cage Recording Studio in Baltimore, Maryland, was produced and mixed by Grammy-nominated producer Tom Dalgety (GHOST, ROYAL BLOOD, PIXIES),with additional engineering by J Robbins (JAWBREAKER, AGAINST ME!, THE SWORD).

This past April, Fallon confirmed to TotalRock's "Hobo On The Radio" show that he and his bandmates were working on new music. "I am definitely the slowest out of the bunch as far as writing lyrics, 'cause I try the same lyrics on different songs and try to find out where they can live," he said.

He continued: "We probably — we won't be recording until next year. And I'm gonna say hopefully the album will come out in the third quarter or fourth quarter of 2025. Which sounds like it's far away, and I guess it is, to a degree, but that's gonna come around pretty quick for us. We're gonna do it with Tom Dalgety again. He was awesome. But that never stops us from playing these [new songs] live, which they'll inevitably will be everyone's favorite version and they'll hate the record's version, but that's just the way it goes."

In a new interview with the Brutally Delicious podcast, Carmine Appice spoke about the guest appearance of Ted Nugent on CACTUS's latest album, "Temple Of Blues - Influences & Friends", which was released on June 7 via Cleopatra Records. Carmine said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "He's a really great guitar player, in my eyes. And people put him down for his politics. But you know what? He's very vocal about it, and I kind of agree with him. To be that vocal… It's America. To be able to have your freedom to say whatever you want and do whatever you want. And his audience is right with him. I mean, I saw him play a gig [where he changed the lyrics to his song 'Come And Take It' to reflect his disdain for the current U.S. president]. It was, like, 'Fuck Joe Biden.' The whole audience was saying 'Fuck Joe Biden.' I said, 'Wow.' I said, 'That's ballsy.' I mean, the guy's got balls. I appreciate that."

Last October, Tom Werman, who produced several of Nugent's classic early albums, was asked by Greg Prato of Songfacts if he thinks Ted's guitar talents tend to get overlooked due to his publicized political beliefs. He responded: "Yes. I do think he's among the better guitarists I've worked with — or the best. He has his own unique style. I think he was respected in the beginning, but when he started being political, that definitely overshadowed his guitar playing. You say Ted Nugent's name now and people only think of one thing, which is his political posture."

He continued: "I'm a Democrat, and sometimes my friends will say, 'You still talk to Ted Nugent? How can you even work with him?' And I explain that we got along really well musically and otherwise. We didn't talk about politics. He's got a lot of integrity, especially compared to some of the other individuals I've worked with. He's a talented guy and he loves life. I think he's way too outspoken, but that's what he feels he must do. We don't relate on that level."

In May 2023, Derek St. Holmes, the legendary guitarist and vocalist known for his time working with Nugent in the 1970s, was asked by AL.com if he thinks Ted's politics have diminished his guitar legacy. Derek responded: "The answer to your question is yes, I do. I was leery of doing an interview with somebody in Alabama because didn't he have a gig banned or boycotted or something there [recently]? I think it hurts us a little bit. It hurts the brand to get yourself involved in politics and try to play music and rock and roll."

He continued: "I want to go to a concert and have a good time — I don't want anybody to bring the six o'clock news by me again, especially over a loud mic. All I want to do is play music and have fun, and to make everybody else have fun. I think that's why we were so big. Now when I go back and listen to the 'Double Live Gonzo!' album and I think, wow, if we could have just gone back to that, to everybody having a good time. And if you're not having a good time, well, then you can turn around and get the bleep out of here. That raucous kind of stuff. It just made us huge."

Touching upon Ted's exclusion from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Derek said: "Should we be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? Oh, yeah. But we won't be in this because of politics and rhetoric. But maybe one day they'll pull their heads from underneath their armpits.

"Do I think it [being far-right politically outspoken] hurt Ted's legacy? Yes, I think it did a little bit. But hopefully his guitar-playing and his attitude will supersede all that craziness as time goes on."

Ted has repeatedly said that his political views are one of the main reasons he hasn't been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

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

Believe. !!

Posted by Carmine Appice on Sunday, July 14, 2024

In a recent interview with Romania's Rock FM to promote his acoustic shows in the country with RAINBOW frontman Ronnie Romero, Greek guitar virtuoso Gus G., who joined Ozzy Osbourne's band a decade and a half ago, spoke about how he looks back on his time with the legendary heavy metal singer. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was a big step up and a big challenge to go from one level to another as a performer, as a guitar player. I came from a background of having my own bands and kind of like always feeling secure in that, but getting a gig like that, for me, was a big challenge, obviously, and intimidating. So I had to step up my game very quickly. I had to dissect my own playing style and figure out what it is and try to improve it. It made me a better professional, so to say, better performer. I just one-upped everything that comes together with being not only a musician, but as an entertainer and performer. So it definitely, that gig helped me to bring out the stage persona a bit more to the front — because that stuff only exists on stage, in my opinion, not off stage. So it made me work hard on that and develop that. It was a great opportunity."

Less than two years ago, Gus told Czech Republic's Backstage TV that he had some "really good times" playing with Ozzy. "It was a really highlight of my career, obviously, playing at such a big level and, of course, to play with one of the fathers of this music, heavy metal," he said. "So, just to be a part of that legacy is incredible; it's mindblowing. I still cannot believe it happened. I learned a lot.

"I'm not a guy who thinks so much about the past," Gus explained. "I think I have evolved since then; I have become a better musician, better person, better performer. That was a big stepping stone for me. I look at those days with a lot of joy, and I have nice memories, nice feelings about Ozzy and Sharon [Ozzy's wife and manager] and the [rest of the] Osbournes; they treated me very nice. And it was some of the best years of my life with them; I got to see and experience things that not many musicians do, so I was lucky in that sense. But I'm doing my thing now and I've had my own thing for a long time. And I'm happy where I'm at in life right now."

In 2021, Gus was asked by Guitar World how he found out he was no longer in Ozzy's group. "Sharon called me at home," he said. "I was kind of expecting it. They had announced a festival, and I was waiting to hear back what was going to happen. And then eventually, she gave me a call. I think it was in the middle of the night, because we have such a time zone difference. She called me in Greece, and said, 'I just wanted to let you know personally, so you don't find out online, we're going to do the farewell tour, and Zakk is coming back for that.' And I was, like, 'No worries at all. No problem.' And I thanked her for everything they had done for me. We're still on good terms, so, no problem at all."

Asked if he would ever consider working with Ozzy again, Gus said: "I think that's more of a question that you have to ask him. [Laughs] It's pretty obvious, I wouldn't say no if he called me up and wanted to play a show or for an album. I loved my time with him, and of course I would do it again. I think it's more of a question for him — because he gets to pick and choose who he works with. I don't think there is a guitar player on earth that would turn that down…or maybe there would be, I don't know. [Laughs]"

Back in 2018, Gus told TrueMetal.it that "it was a little bit of a relief" to find out that Ozzy was getting back together with his longtime axeman Zakk Wylde. "I was just kind of tired of waiting around for all these years, not hearing anything about potential tours or recording activities," Gus said. "Of course, [Ozzy] was very busy with BLACK SABBATH — I understand that — but then in between of all that, there would be all these one-off [solo Ozzy] shows popping up and I had to make myself available for that. But there was never any… I felt like there was no… I didn't see stuff coming up for the future, you know? So, as much as I loved being in that band and working with him, in a way, it was a little bit of a dead end for me, speaking personally. Of course, now he's gonna go on a big tour again and do his farewell thing, and that's great for him, but it was not a creative thing for me."

It was announced in April 2017 that Wylde would be rejoining Ozzy's backing group for all his upcoming solo show dates. Osbourne's most recent touring lineup also included Rob "Blasko" Nicholson on bass, Tommy Clufetos on drums and Adam Wakeman on keyboards.

Gus, who played on Ozzy's latest studio album, 2010's "Scream", told TrueMetal.it that part of his frustration stemmed from the fact that he wasn't told far in advance when his services would be needed by Ozzy, making it difficult for the guitarist to make long-term plans with any of his other projects. "There was never any definite announcement, like, 'Hey, guys, we're gonna see you next year' or something; it was always, like, 'We'll see what happens,'" he said. "So that's a bit of an uncertainty right there, and, of course, I had my own band [and] I had stuff to do, but I could never really book stuff too far ahead into the future just in case something [with Ozzy] came up. So it was really hard to get some info at some points… Anyways, you know, that's how it is; that was the situation. So, yeah, in a way, like I said, it was a relief, because now I can totally control what I'm gonna be doing, and that's a much nicer feeling."

Wylde originally joined Osbourne's band three and a half decades ago and backed the legendary frontman from 1987 to 1995, then again in 1998, from 2001 to 2004 and also from 2006 to 2009.

Fan-filmed video of MASTODON's entire July 21 performance at the 713 Music Hall in Houston, Texas can be seen below.

Featured songs:

"Leviathan" album:

01:10 Blood And Thunder
05:10 I Am Ahab
08:10 Seabeast
13:05 Ísland
17:21 Iron Tusk
20:56 Megalodon
25:47 Naked Burn
30:07 Aqua Dementia
35:35 Hearts Alive
49:42 Joseph Merrick

54:02 More Than I Could Chew
1:00:37 Circle Of Cysquatch
1:05:08 Steambreather

MASTODON launched its "Ashes Of Leviathan" co-headlining tour with LAMB OF GOD on July 19 in Austin, Texas. The trek, dubbed "Ashes Of Leviathan", also features openers KERRY KING and MALEVOLENCE.

"Ashes Of Leviathan" celebrates the 20th anniversary of MASTODON's "Leviathan" and LAMB OF GOD's "Ashes Of The Wake" albums, both of which were released on the same date in 2004 (August 31).

"Ashes Of Leviathan" will take MASTODON and LAMB OF GOD through the U.S. and Canada, culminating on the exact 20th anniversary of each album on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska at the Astro Amphitheater. The tour will notably make stops at iconic venues such as Denver, Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Los Angeles, California's Kia Forum.

In addition, both bands are supporting a charity of their choice throughout the tour, and fans have the opportunity to opt-in to donate at check out when buying their tickets.

MASTODON is supporting the Hirshberg Foundation For Pancreatic Cancer Research. After their manager Nick John tragically passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2018, MASTODON partnered with the organization and has raised nearly $60,000 to fight the disease and support researchers and patients around the globe. The Hirshberg Foundation For Pancreatic Cancer Research is focused on finding a cure for pancreatic cancer, and empowering patients and families whose lives are touched by this disease. Founded in 1997, the Hirshberg Foundation funds groundbreaking scientific research, provides patient education and support, and sustains hope that this cancer will be eradicated once and for all.

"Leviathan", released on Relapse Records, was MASTODON's first concept album, loosely based on the 1851 novel "Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville. Three magazines named the LP "Album Of The Year" in 2004: Revolver, Kerrang! and Terrorizer. In 2009 and 2015, MetalSucks named "Leviathan" the best metal album of the 21st century. "Leviathan" was also released with an audio DVD in a limited-edition set with a black-and-gold slipcase.

In a recent interview with Chuck Armstrong of Loudwire Nights, MASTODON drummer Brann Dailor was asked what is next for him and his bandmates after the completion of "Ashes Of Leviathan". He said: "Riffs. Drum beats and riffs. I can't really divulge too much. It's a hush-hush operation, very top secret.. I don't wanna spoil it.

"There's lots of music, that's all I can say," he continued. "There's tons of music. We've been writing pretty much this whole time that we've been off since we got home from South America [in November 2023]. And after we got home from South America with GOJIRA, we opened Christmas presents and then, since like February or so, we've just been working hard making two different projects — not a double album, but two different projects. So that's the nugget I can share with you. Whatever those projects are, nobody knows. But there's riffs involved. Some of the riffs are, like, really heavy and tasty and I really like 'em. I'm the metalhead in the band, so when we get some real heavy stuff, I'm, like, 'Oh, yeah, I like that. It's cool.'"

MASTODON's latest studio album, "Hushed And Grim", a double LP recorded at the band's Atlanta studio, West End Sound, was produced by David Bottrill (TOOL, RUSH, MUSE, PETER GABRIEL). This album, their most expansive song-cycle to date, features 15 distinct tracks and achieved their third consecutive No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart. "Hushed And Grim" also earned them a Grammy Award nomination for the track "Pushing The Tides". Additionally, the album's single "Teardrinker" secured a top 10 position on the rock radio charts, a further testament to the band's widespread acclaim.

In a recent interview with Matt Pinfield of 95.5 KLOS's "New & Approved" show, legendary GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash was asked to name his favorite AC/DC album starting out. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[1978's] 'Powerage'. Still probably one of my favorite AC/DC records. But at the time when I got into 'em, the record that came out was [1979's] 'Highway To Hell'. And that's how I became familiar with them. And then, because of that record, I heard 'Powerage', and I was like, 'Whoa, this record.' That was, really, that got me into the whole AC/DC catalog. And then [AC/DC singer] Bon Scott died. And that was just… It was, like, 'I just got into these guys.' And then really in pretty quick succession, Brian [Johnson, current AC/DC singer] came into it."

Slash continued: "One of the biggest years for metal in the '80s was 1980, and you had 'Back In Black' come out and then you had Ozzy's [Osbourne] 'Diary Of A Madman' come out and all that. And [BLACK] SABBATH's 'Heaven And Hell'. It was a huge, huge year for rock.'

Circling back to his love for "Powerage", Slash said: "'Down Payment Blues' was the song that really stuck with me. It's still, to this day, one of my favorite all-time rock and roll songs."

Back in November 2020, Slash praised the then-just-released AC/DC album "Power Up", calling it "a really inspired" effort.

The GUNS N' ROSES guitarist was asked for his opinion on AC/DC's latest LP during an interview with Consequence Of Sound. He said: "I obviously have a long history with AC/DC, and then Axl [Rose, GUNS N' ROSES frontman] was singing with them for a minute when Brian was out, so we got reacquainted during that period. So, the first bit of great news, I talked to Brian and he was telling me about this hearing [device] that he got, and that he's back in AC/DC. And that was just fucking awesome news."

He continued: "And the tragedy of losing Malcolm [Young, AC/DC's founding rhythm guitarist]… the fact that Angus [Young] and company would survive that and keep it going, in the spirit of probably what Malcolm would have done, was great. I just love those guys because as far as rock 'n' roll is concerned, they just are driven.

"They're a great influence on people who think that rock 'n' roll is sort of just fun and games, and then as soon as any kind of mishap happens, [bands] break up or they fall apart or they quit," he said. "AC/DC is a great example of longevity. They're a great example of tenacity and perseverance, a great example of talent, and a great example of what rock 'n' roll is all about. So, I'm so stoked that they just continue to do it."

Touching upon "Power Up" specifically, Slash said: "Then, on top of it, they make such a great fucking record at this point in the game. It's a really inspired album. I've had it in the car for the last couple of days and it's probably gonna sit there for a while. It's exciting for me. I'm happy for them, and I can't wait for this virus situation to end so we can go check them out on tour somewhere."

In a new interview with Spain's Mariskal Rock, SCORPIONS guitarist and founder Rudolf Schenker spoke about the band's upcoming 60th anniversary in 2025. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "60 years of SCORPIONS. Sounds like very old band. Maybe on one hand it is, maybe. But on the other hand, we always kept our mind fresh, to be on the spot. That's the very important point. Many bands came up and exploded and were so successful. But the problem is success is a very dangerous thing because the egos fighting in the band together. [THE] BEATLES, as an example. [THE ROLLING] STONES managed to stay together. So, and the same with the SCORPIONS. We started from Germany, very slowly. It was not easy for us to go in other countries then, but we managed it. By doing this, we made our personal SCORPIONS logo so strong that we, as people, Klaus [Meine, SCORPIONS singer] and me, and Matthias [Jabs, SCORPIONS guitarist], we became partners in crime, partners in friendship. And because we know how difficult it is to go around the world and make it, make success happening, but we made it with our own power, not make big managements or stuff like this in the first place. No — we did by our own. Out of that, we know what success is all about, and I think that's the important point. And that's the situation, is that when we celebrate next year's 60 years of SCORPIONS, there will be some interesting things happening."

Earlier this month, Jabs told Graspop Metal Meeting about the secret to SCORPIONS' longevity: "Uh, we don't know when to finish. No, we tried. In 2010, we announced the final tour, which lasted only two and a half years. And then, you know, nobody wanted to let us go, which is nice. All the promoters from around the world said, 'You can't leave us now.' And the fans especially said, 'SCORPIONS, don't stop.' And that's 12 years ago [since the completion of the 'final' tour]. And we have so much fun doing what we are doing. And this year is the 'Love At First Sting' anniversary tour, a great new show. And then we are looking forward to next year where we are planning a few things like the big birthday parties with SCORPIONS and friends, but nothing definite yet."

Jabs also talked about the importance of making new music for a band like SCORPIONS, which released its latest studio album, "Rock Believer", in 2022. He said: "It's always to have good song material when you go out on the road, because, of course, we have to play the hits again and again and again; we couldn't do it without it. But for us it's nice, and I think for the fans too, to hear one or the other new songs. The 'Rock Believer' tour, we started with five or six new songs from that album. Now, since it's the 'Love At First Sting' anniversary tour, 40 years of 'Love At First Sting', we concentrate more on those songs and cut out a few of the 'Rock Believer' ones. But it's for us also — to keep being creative and play something that is new on stage."

During an April 2024 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Schenker confirmed that there was no more talk of retirement within SCORPIONS, as there was back in 2010 with what was purported to be a final album and a farewell tour that never quite took hold. He said: "You have to think about that what we didn't know when we made [that] farewell tour [almost 15 years ago], it was exactly the time when WhatsApp came up, when all this new technology [on the] Internet came, that people watching the SCORPIONS on WhatsApp and seeing young kids between 16 and 24 or whatever, [they were] finding [out about] the SCORPIONS. So, and what was happening on the final tour, on the tour, kids were in front of the stage. We said, 'What's happening here?' The older [fans] were up in the balcony or whatever, and we said, 'Hey, it's a complete new feeling on stage.' So then 'MTV Unplugged' came and then we said, 'Hey…' The chemistry was right, no question about this. That's a very important point, when the band has a great chemistry. And then you have fun when you go on the road."

Last September, Rudolf also seemingly dismissed any talk of possible retirement but acknowledged that SCORPIONS would not be able to continue indefinitely. The 75-year-old guitarist told Vikram Chandrasekar of Tales From The Road: "It's not a never-ending road. The road will be finished sooner or later; it's up to you and to our gods. But in 2025, that could be a great time for our 60th anniversary. 2025, it's the time when SCORPIONS is 60 years old. So, then, to celebrate 60 years of SCORPIONS could be a possibility, because I'm in contact with our very old drummer, who was playing on [SCORPIONS' 1972 debut album] 'Lonesome Crow', and the bass player, and use them also on stage to see the different kind of states we went through. Because we are very much connected still in all the different musicians, and that shows again, when we can make it, that music is always there for making friendships."

Back in May 2022, Meine told Jorge Botas of Portugal's "Metal Global": "We scratched that word [retirement] out of our [vocabulary]. It's not there. We don't think about it and we don't talk about it and we take it as it comes.

"We're just growing older and we do what we do and we hope our fans enjoy it as much as we do," the now-76-year-old Klaus continued. "But who would have thought we're still around after celebrating 50 years of being recording artists — our first album came out in 1972 and now 'Rock Believer' looks like it hits the big time with the fans and so many positive reviews from all over the world. And after all these years, who would have thought? And it's a wonderful thing.

"But all we know is [that] the road ahead is way shorter than what's behind us," Meine added. "And we never take it for granted — we never take success for granted. We work hard on what we do because we still love it and we still enjoy it. But it's what it is. And I think every artist knows what I'm talking about, because to go out there, play a great show for the fans and not let 'em down, it takes a lot of preparation, takes a lot of work. And being the singer, you try to make sure your pipes are in a good condition.

"It's a lot of things," Meine said. "And we don't know what the future will bring. Take a look at the next corner, and you never know what's going on. But right now, life is good. We have a great new album out there. And we have a lot of fun. We enjoy it."

Meine previously discussed SCORPIONS' aborted retirement in a 2018 interview with SiriusXM. "The thing is we have a much different view now," Klaus said. "And it's a young generation — that's the fuel that keeps us going, and it's really motivating.

"To be honest, every other year, you take a look around the corner: 'Can we do this?' 'Can we still deliver on the same high level, the way we used to do it?'" he admitted. "And that's the only way, and it's only fun if you can go out there and play a great rock show, wherever you do it. Like in the last couple of weeks, we had so much fun. But then you get sick on the road, like I did last year with the severe laryngitis. What can you do? There's not a chance. And then sometimes, of course, you ask yourself, 'How long can we do this?' Especially for singers — and I know I'm not the only one. But it's always, sometimes you ask yourself, 'Klaus, c'mon, how long can you keep up this level?' And then you go out there, everything feels good."

Circling back to SCORPIONS' 2010 "farewell tour" announcement, Klaus told SiriusXM: "Of course, we had our moment of doubt when we said, 'Okay. Maybe we should retire. Maybe this is a good moment.' And then we realized we were wrong, because there's still a lot of sting in the tail, so to speak, and it still feels good. There's such a demand for the SCORPIONS, and we're one of the few bands who play this global stage. If there wasn't this kind of demand, of course, there's no point after so many years, and you'd better go, 'Well, I go home and take it easy.' But there's such a strong demand and that really feels good and challenging — it's a challenge. Of course, you don't do it for the business. It's a good business, yes, but you don't do it for the business and for the money — you do it for the fun, you do it for what's inside of you, what's in your blood, what's in your veins, and that's the rock and roll music. And you wanna go out and play in front of an audience, because that's what it's all about."

SCORPIONS' only continuous member has been Schenker, although Meine has appeared on all of the band's studio albums, while Jabs has been a consistent member since 1978, and bassist Paweł Mąciwoda and drummer Mikkey Dee have been in the band since 2003 and 2016, respectively.

"Rock Believer" was released in February 2022. The album was recorded primarily at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

Canadian metal legends ANVIL kicked off their summer 2024 U.S. tour on July 10 at Stone Church in Brattleboro, Vermont. Fan-filmed video of the entire concert can be seen below (courtesy of Airrick Nh).

ANVIL released its 20th studio album "One And Only", on June 28 via AFM Records. The effort was recorded in the summer of 2023 with longtime producer Martin "Mattes" Pfeiffer and Jörg Uken at Uken's Soundlodge studios in Germany. The same production team was responsible for ANVIL's last four albums, "Anvil Is Anvil" (2016),"Pounding The Pavement" (2018),"Legal At Last" (2019) and "Impact Is Imminent" (2022).

When it comes to the most influential bands in the history of heavy metal, authorities on the subject regularly vote ANVIL among the top positions. The group from Toronto, Canada, with its two masterminds, guitarist/vocalist Steve "Lips" Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner, and bassist Chris Robertson, not only looks back at an impressive career with countless highlights — as well as a number of well-documented difficulties — but has also had a lasting influence on lots of internationally renowned musicians, from METALLICA to SLAYER and beyond.

ANVIL are and will always be one of a kind and are continuing to shape the contemporary metal scene just as impressively as they did at the beginning of their career. How they achieve this? Thanks to their straightforward metal fueled by cutting riffs and catchy hooks, which the musicians continue to celebrate with admirable effortlessness and great passion.

"We're more like our old selves than weve been in years," comments Lips on the new album, adding: "We've dropped all our more modern aspects, particularly the '90s version of ANVIL. No sexual topics and no thrash speed songs like they featured on past albums."

"One And Only" sees the band provide first-rate ANVIL entertainment: While Lips is considered to be one of the most creative and interesting storytellers of the metal genre, Robertson and Reiner keep the up the pace with their usual confidence, providing the perfect rhythm section for Lips. Although they have experienced the tough and frequently merciless side of the music industry on a number of occasions, ANVIL never lost their idealism, motivation and energy, which is immediately evident on "One And Only".

Regarding ANVIL's continuing collaboration with Pfeiffer and Uken, Lips said: "[Pfeiffer and Uken are] our one and only choice. As usual, Mattes and Jörg did a great job in choosing our best playing and making sure it has top notch sound. Great guys who understand the band and know what suits us best."

In a recent interview with rob wog, Lips spoke about the band's new LP. He said in part: "What's really fascinating, this particular album, and I'm not gonna be like most musicians, you always hype up what you've done most recent. Usually I don't — usually, and most usually, like on the last album, I just said it's another ANVIL album. What the hell do you want? And the album, a couple of albums ago, [we called it] 'Anvil Is Anvil'. Fuck it. You know what I mean? You want something different? You're not gonna get it. It's almost like tongue in cheek. And after 45 years, you're not thinking about things like you did when you're 20."

He continued: "This particular time, I went about it from a different perspective. And what do I mean by that? In going in, instead of going into rehearsal with bits and pieces and then work my way through it, I put everything together at home before I went there. I knew exactly how many riffs go in the verse, how many choruses, where they go. The songs were totally written before I went in and showed the other guys. And that's something that I never really — only the last two albums have I done that with. And the difference is they're pure, and they're not interrupted, because they're uninterrupted writing.

"When you write with a group of guys, there's interruptions. And I can give examples. And not only are there interruptions, but also interjection of parts and stuff that doesn't actually really belong, and you end up with early ANVIL. Well, actually, middle-era ANVIL where I've got — there's too many cooks. There's just too many cooks. And it's actually so true. But I'm two in one — I'm the vocalist and the guitar player. That's usually what writes in a band. Why are you asking a bass player for parts — unless you're gonna have the song really predominantly be bass. And having said that, it's the same thing as you're expecting the drummer to write the songs, or help you write the songs, but there's no musicality. It's only arrangement or tempos or segments of songs or bridges. So it's not like asking the vocalist, which is the most important guy to ask when you're writing a song. Where does the singing go? That's what you're doing. The singing is the most important thing. Why are you putting the thought for singing in last? It's a great instrumental, and now you're gonna stick some vocals on it and hope it works… [But] you don't say intervention is bad. It depends on what it is. But as the main songwriter, it's gonna have to be up to me. And you have to take the bull by the horns and you have to take the responsibility for this shit. Plain and simple."

In a new interview with Razor of the Tucson, Arizona radio station Rock 102.1 KFMA, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx clarified his recent comment about not seeing "a reason right now to go" back "in the studio" with his bandmates and record more new music. He explained (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't have a lot of respect for the way media handles themselves in general, whether it's political or rock media or whatever it might be."

Nikki continued: "When somebody takes a conversation of mine and they say, 'Hey, are you planning on going in the studio?' And I say, 'We don't see a reason to go in the studio right now.' 'Cause we just recorded three songs [in April 2023]. We were just in the recording studio. We have a second single coming. We have a third single coming. So we're not in a rush to… Vince [Neil, MÖTLEY CRÜE singer] lives in Tennessee. I live in Wyoming. We're on tour. So what I said was, like, well, first of all, we're always creating — always creating. And I was working on something this morning. I was just playing bass. My daughter was getting ready for school and I'm, like, 'Whoa, what's that?' And I put it on my little voice messages and I will eventually show it to the band or [our longtime producer] Bob [Rock] or whatever.

"But that's what I don't like about media is they don't do their research," Sixx continued. "And then people are going, 'Oh, MÖTLEY CRÜE is not going in the studio.' We didn't say that. We said we just got out of the studio. So if LED ZEPPELIN just got out of the studio and you ask Jimmy Page, 'Hey, when are you going back to the studio?' and he goes, 'Well, I don't really see the need to. I just recorded an album.' And they're, like, 'Jimmy Page says LED ZEPPELIN's never gonna make music again.' It's really messed up. But I hate that for the fans."

Sixx also addressed his recent tongue-in-cheek comment that new music from his band had been described as "a powerful cross between country and hip-hop". The 65-year-old CRÜE bassist, who is the band's chief songwriter, said: "I have a personality disorder called sarcasm, and sometimes it doesn't come across in a tweet or a Facebook post. And somebody just asked me, 'What's the new MÖTLEY CRÜE record sound like?' And I said, 'Country and hip-hop.' And I think I even put a smiley face, and it took off.

"Now what's really interesting is when we were doing the media for [MÖTLEY CRÜE's new single] 'Dogs Of War' coming out, that was the main question for everybody. So here's the question to you: is maybe not doing stupid stuff the only way to reach people now? It's, like, crazy. So you struggle — you struggle with it."

Sixx's original comment about not seeing a reason for MÖTLEY CRÜE to return to the studio at the moment came during a June 2024 interview with Riff X 's "Metal XS". He said at the time: "We have a few singles [already recorded], so I don't see us [recording any new music right now]… We're not gonna be around. I live in Wyoming and Vince lives in Tennessee, two guys in California, so I don't… I don't actually see a reason right now to go in the studio, 'cause we've got two more singles [recorded and ready] to [release]. And I always wanna be sure that if we go in the studio, we have a reason or we have something we're really inspired by, but it's a lot of scheduling, and we tour and we have families. For me specifically, I have a five-year-old daughter, and I really wanna be with her as much as possible. So when the time came to go do these demos of these three songs and then go in the studio with [producer] Bob Rock, it was like a perfect time. And that time will happen again, but there's no rush."

Nikki previously explained the "country and hip-hop" comment as it relates to MÖTLEY CRÜE's new music in a June 2024 interview with Janne Innanfors of the Swedish radio station Rockklassiker. He said at the time: "When we were doing some interviews, when we were getting ready to drop the ['Dogs Of War'] single, I said to Tommy [Lee, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer], I said, 'You know…' 'Cause we kept getting asked that question [about the sound of the new CRÜE music]. And I said, 'Man,' I go… I'm the most sarcastic human being I know. And that sometimes doesn't always come across in a tweet or something. And I said we got so much media because it was such a lark, such a weird thing that was a joke. And I'm, like, God, that's really kind of fucked up where we're at today. No media checked, nobody called the office and said, 'What's going on? I hear they got new music. It sounds like country and hip-hop.' I mean, everybody at the label and management company would have just started laughing. They would have gone, 'You fell for one of Nikki's jokes.' But the irony is, isn't that how people get pressed now? People just love negativity. And I find it interesting. I don't wanna play in to it, to be honest with you, but that was a fun one… People run with whatever they think they can get some juice out of, and it's okay. Hey, if you're talking about our band, that's a good thing, negative or positive."

Regarding the mixed response to "Dogs Of War" from the MÖTLEY CRÜE fans, Nikki said: "We like the fact that there was kind of a knee-jerk reaction, because at least people were listening. It's a very strange time now where, whether it's a news cycle or socials, everybody has turned into a critic. And I always say, they've never erected a statue of a critic. It's never happened, right? It's always the artist. But now everybody's a critic. So within a short amount of time, we get, 'We love it.' 'We hate it.' 'You're over.' 'You've reinvented yourself.' 'It sounds like 'Shout At The Devil'. 'It sucks.' And we just kind of sit there and go, 'That's cool, guys, but we didn't really ask for any input from you.' We're just artists writing music, and we're pretty cool. I'm happy with it. I like it."

"Dogs Of War" was made available on April 26 via the band's new deal with Nashville's Big Machine Records

The "Dogs Of War" music video is an animated, all-CGI affair directed by Nick DenBoer.

In addition to "Dogs Of War", MÖTLEY CRÜE's April 2023 recording sessions with Rock produced a new song called "Canceled" and a cover of BEASTIE BOYS' "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)", the latter two of which have not yet been released.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's deal with Big Machine sees the band and the label working together again after making the 2014 project "Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute To Mötley Crüe", which featured CRÜE tracks covered by country stars RASCAL FLATTS, FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE, Darius Rucker and more. Big Machine also partnered with MÖTLEY CRÜE's new guitarist John 5 for the release of his 2021 album "Sinner".

MÖTLEY CRÜE's last studio album was 2008's "Saints Of Los Angeles", which was followed by a 2009 "Greatest Hits" compilation.

In 2018, MÖTLEY CRÜE recorded four new songs for "The Dirt" movie, including the single "The Dirt (Est. 1981) (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)", "Ride With The Devil", "Crash And Burn" and the band's own spin on Madonna's "Like A Virgin".

John 5 joined MÖTLEY CRÜE in the fall of 2022 as the replacement for the band's co-founding guitarist Mick Mars. Mick announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues.

CHEVELLE drummer Sam Loeffler has told TribLive.com that the band's new album is tentatively due in September or October. The follow-up to 2021's "Niratias" will mark CHEVELLE's first release through Alchemy Recordings following a long run with the Epic label. Alchemy Recordings is a record label created in partnership between Dino Paredes, former American Recordings vice president of A&R, and Danny Wimmer, the founder of Danny Wimmer Presents, the premier production company for rock music festivals in the United States.

"We kind of did expect to have it done [already]. It's like pulling teeth," Sam told TribLive.com about the progress of the recording sessions for the new LP. "This is what I described: Writing an album and doing all that is like pulling your hair out and then trying to put it back in. Writers love having written, is what I learned. It's just torturous on my brother [CHEVELLE frontman and main songwriter Pete Loeffler]. It's torturous because there's just so many factors to making something great. And then the longer you can live with it, the more changes you're gonna make. So that makes you never want to put it out. You never want to pull the pin and throw the grenade because you're like, well, it gets better every time I look at it."

As for what the 10-song album — which was produced by the CHEVELLE members themselves — sounds like, Sam said: We're always skewing towards heavy. [But] these [last] two songs that we've been working on right now are definitely different from everything we did, although 'Niratias', our last album, I think was a really important snapshot of what we've been learning about writing and about music and stuff. This one definitely sounds different than just rock music, definitely different."

Back in 2022, Sam told Knotfest's Cori Westbrook about CHEVELLE's songwriting process: "Well, Pete's our songwriter so he's our lyricist and everything. Basically, he just writes about what's going on around him. If he's taking the garbage out that night or has a bad day driving, he's watching a documentary that really affected him, he hears a podcast — so he's writing about those kinds of things. So if you're able to internalize that kind of a thing, I think you have a lot to write about. It doesn't just have to be a relationship that — a relationship with your dad or your significant other. I think those are some pretty powerful feelings — I get it — but if you are able to bring in all those other things in from your everyday life, there's a lot more to write about. So as far as inspiration goes, it's not hard to find; it's everywhere; it's all around you. And especially nowadays, we have so much access to what's going on around us that there's even more ideas to pull from."

In a separate interview with Heavy New York, Sam said that he and Pete had "a whole bunch of music written... Because that's what we do — you put music out, you write… It'll be our first record in a long time not with a major label, which is just neither here nor there," he added. "Epic Records did a lot of good stuff; we were with them for a long time, but we're finished with that contract now. So now we're doing something different. And we'll see how different it is."

Released in March 2021 via Epic Records, "Niratias" was recorded throughout 2019 and 2020 with longtime producer Joe Barresi (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE). The album artwork was designed by Boris Vallejo — the famed and award-winning artist is responsible for the posters used for films like "Knightriders" and "National Lampoon's Vacation", as well as iconic '70s and '80s science fiction novel covers and magazines (such as Heavy Metal).

Over the course of its career, the Chicago rockers have generated nearly half a billion streams, notched seven No. 1 hits, and sold out shows worldwide. Their catalog spans the double-platinum "Wonder What's Next", which boasts the double-platinum smash "The Red" and the platinum hit "Send The Pain Below". "This Type Of Thinking (Could Do Us In)" attained platinum status, while "Vena Sera" was certified gold. CHEVELLE has landed four Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200, including "Sci-Fi Crimes" (2009),"Hats Off To The Bull" (2011),"La Gárgola" (2014) and "The North Corridor" (2016). The latter two each captured the No. 1 slot on the Top Rock Albums chart.

Reunited California thrash metal pioneers DARK ANGEL have officially entered the studio to begin recording their long-awaited new album.

Earlier today, DARK ANGEL shared a video message from drummer Gene Hoglan from the studio, in which he said: "Hey, everybody. It's your big buddy Gene here, and I just wanna let you know that I just finished the drums to the new DARK ANGEL record. It's coming."

This past May, Hoglan told Rocking With Jam Man, Gene Hoglan that he had "been working diligently for the last couple of years on some projects that are gonna make DARK ANGEL fans really happy, I think. So, everybody, just sit tight," he said. "I just don't wanna nebulously announce something and then have circumstances beyond my control come along and make things delayed. I just wanna be able to be able to say, 'Yes, this is gonna be a solid date that we can announce for people, and we're gonna be able to stick to that date.' That's what I'm all about. So, keep your eyes and ears peeled, everybody."

Asked what it has been like making new DARK ANGEL music more than 30 years after the release of the band's last album, 1991's "Time Does Not Heal", Gene responded: "Well, that's one thing. It's like we had a choice. I had an entire DARK ANGEL album written that was ready to start getting recorded after the 'Time Does Not Heal' record, and circumstances occurred where the band just had to dissolve. So, I had a bunch of material written. And when [DARK ANGEL guitarist] Jim Durkin and myself — Jim is no longer with us, but when we put DARK ANGEL back together and we started talking about, like, 'What do we wanna do for the future? Do we wanna write some new material?' And 'I've got some ideas, Gene, and you probably have some ideas.' And I have a number of songs that I sent to Jim. And when Jim heard that — I sent it to him on a CD — he freaked out and he was, like, 'My God, here's our new album. This is gonna be our next record. Hell yeah.' And he got really excited about that material. But I was, like, 'Hey, Jim, tell you what. I feel really strongly about my writing chops, and the songs I'm hearing from you right now are crushing. So how about we just write new stuff, get together and start writing new material?' And so we kind of went that route."

He continued: "For my elements of what I wanted DARK ANGEL to sound like, Jim Durkin is a huge influence on my writing style. So I wanted this to have a lot of the Jim Durkin influence on it. In terms of riffs, there's not as many from Jim as we were hoping for, but Jim's entire presence is all over the new DARK ANGEL material that I've been working on. And he's a huge guitar influence on me, as well as a lot of people. So, there's definitely gonna be a pretty hardy Jim Durkin influence. And I just wanna write a kick-ass metal album. So what I've tried to do is not go back 35 years or 37 years or whatever, 'Darkness Descends' or even 'We Have Arrived', those early albums, or 'Leave Scars' or 'Time Does Not Heal', I've not tried to duplicate anything from any of those albums, but I tried to put myself in the mindset of what if DARK ANGEL just kept writing albums for the last 30-whatever years, 32, 33 years, where would we be at now? And so that has been my approach on the new DARK ANGEL material."

Durkin died on March 8, 2023 at the age of 58. An original member of DARK ANGEL, Durkin played on the band's first three albums — 1985's "We Have Arrived", 1986's "Darkness Descends" and 1989's "Leave Scars" — before departing the group in 1989. He was part of DARK ANGEL's lineup when the band reformed in 2013, and had been playing with them, on and off, ever since.

Prior to his death, Durkin had been sitting out some of DARK ANGEL's gigs. He was replaced at the shows by Hoglan's wife Laura Christine, who has since joined DARK ANGEL as a permanent member.

DARK ANGEL released two albums with Don Doty on vocals — the aforementioned "We Have Arrived" and "Darkness Descends" — before he exited the group and was replaced by Ron Rinehart (after a brief stint with Jim Drabos in 1987). The band issued two more studio LPs — "Leave Scars" and "Time Does Not Heal" — before calling it quits in 1992.

Hoglan previously talked about DARK ANGEL's upcoming LP in May 2023 in an interview with Friday 13th. He said at the time: "Jim and I, we had gotten together a number of times to write some new material for DARK ANGEL. And we weren't able to get it down on tape too much. If DARK ANGELhas any new material, there's a song that he's got on there that is pretty darn DARK ANGEL-esque.

"In tribute to Jim, DARK ANGEL's new material will have a ton of his spirit all over it — his feel. Whether he actually wrote stuff on the new stuff or not, his spirit is very there. His imprint is felt throughout thrash metal, I feel. Even before I was in DARK ANGEL, I'd see Jim's influence on bands. Absolutely. So his legacy will live forevermore in the realm of extreme metal. His style will always be a part of DARK ANGEL, absolutely, big time."

Asked how the next DARK ANGEL album will compare to the band's previous efforts, Hoglan said: "Well, I can't really even comment on the fact that there might or might not be an album yet. But put it this way — if I were to have any new DARK ANGEL material, I would want it to be an extension of where the band is at now and where I'm at now. And I would probably approach the writing of it in a way as if DARK ANGEL never disappeared for a decade, two decades, three decades, or whatever it's been. It's just like we just kept doing what we do, and this would be where we're at right now. Which I would want to be putting out the most savage, heaviest material that DARK ANGEL could. And I'm no slouch with writing psychotic, heavy material. So I would be very, very excited with where DARK ANGEL's new material would be if that would be able to confirm."

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GHOST has released an animated music video for a new song called "The Future Is A Foreign Land".

The Swedish band's "newly uncovered 1969-era" track is featured on the soundtrack to GHOST's debut film, "Rite Here Rite Now".

According to GHOST, "The Future Is A Foreign Land" was penned by the fictional character Papa Nihil, who also "wrote" previously released GHOST songs "Mary On A Cross" and "Kiss The Go-Goat" but the track but had never been made available — until now.

While its wicked twangy guitar figures and portentous lyrics of an impending 1984 render the song instantly recognizable as an artifact of the era, "The Future Is A Foreign Land" is suffused with presciently modern signatures of the contemporary GHOST sound. Ending with an optimistic nod to 2024, "The Future Is A Foreign Land" was revealed to the children of the world during the end credits of "Rite Here Rite Now"'s world premiere, and is the sole previously unreleased studio track to be included on the movie's original soundtrack.

"The Future Is A Foreign Land", like the animated video for "Mary On a Cross", was directed by animator Sean Donnelly.

"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, GHOST mastermind Tobias 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.