Sweden's Portrait returns with their sixth album, The Host, their first ever concept album, set for release on June 21 via Metal Blade Records.  In advance of its official unveiling, today the band reveals the latest single, "From The Urn".


Founding guitarist Christian Lindell describes the new offering as "an occult tale of sword and sorcery, accompanied by some of the most passionate heavy metal ever recorded. The story takes place in seventeenth century Sweden and revolves around an unnamed protagonist who, because of his experiences with the injustice and hypocrisy of this world, decides to seek truth and strength through its 'Adversary.'"


On the musical side, Portrait's co-founding drummer Anders Persson adds that the album "is a versatile entity, showing all sides of what has become our own style of heavy metal, identity, and sense of melody, yet with some new areas explored in several directions. There are songs that are our fastest and most 'extreme' so far along with songs of an almost semi ballad feeling. It blends perfectly together musically and fits the dramaturgy of the story."




Elaborates Lindell on the band's latest single, "'From The Urn' is a song in which the main character of the story realizes that he has stronger connections with the realm of the dead than with any person still alive. A lot of stuff going on in this one musically, showcasing a bit of our progressive side, but still filled with hooks that shall leave incurable wounds."





The story of The Host takes place in the Swedish Empire during the Era Of Great Power, an era of constant war. The church played a central role in Swedish society in those days and the task of choosing the men that would be sent out to war was given to the priests. All men above the age of fifteen were summoned to the church hill once a year, where the priest then decided who would be the "lucky" ones (the rule of guidance being that every tenth man was to be picked).


It was preached that the reason for war was all sins committed by common man, and to be part of the army during those times was to be considered something sacred. Biblical passages were often quoted as references in order to legitimize the conquering of enemy territory, and in order to establish a "fear of god" within the army, religious services were held in the military camps twice a day and anyone not attending would be punished.


But there are also court documents from this era showing that some soldiers stood accused of having made pacts with the Devil with the intent of receiving strength and protection in war, as well as luck and prosperity, in exchange for one's own blood and other offerings. A central part of this process was the sacrament of the Eucharist. Once consecrated by the priest, the bread of communion becomes the Host or body of Jesus Christ, elevated to something beyond its mere forms and imbued with magical powers.


There were different methods to employ the Host for sorcerous ends. One of the most common ways was to simply conduct one's magical rites after having partaken of the sacrament in church, as it was believed that one's own magical abilities were at their strongest by then. Another approach was to steal it from church and give it as an offering to the Devil or other spirits summoned for the work at hand.


The Host serves as Portrait's first album to feature guitarist Karl Gustafsson as part of the band's lineup and was recorded in JFK Studio in Sweden. Mixing and production tasks were handled by singer Per Lengstedt at his own Perilous Productions Studio while mastering was handled by Bart Gabriel.





The record will be released on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:


- Multicolored Splatter - Ltd. 200
- White Black Marbled - Ltd. 300
- 180-gram Black
- Burgundy Red Marbled


Pre-order here.





The Host tracklisting:


"Hoc Est Corpus Meum" (Intro)
"The Blood Covenant"
"The Sacrament"
"Oneiric Visions"
"One Last Kiss"
"Treachery"
"Sound The Horn"
"Dweller Of The Threshold"
"Die In My Heart"
"Voice Of The Outsider"
"From The Urn"
"The Men Of Renown"
"Sword Of Reason (The Steel Of Revenge)"
"The Passions Of Sophia"


"The Blood Covenant" video:





Portrait live:


June
29 - Pitcher - Düsseldorf, Germany
30 - Bambi Galore - Hamburg, Germany


July
7 - Time To Rock Festival - Knislinge, Sweden
31 - Wacken Open Air - Wacken, Germany


September
27 - L' Homme Sauvage Festival - Auzas, France





Portrait lineup:


Per Lengstedt - vocals
Christian Lindell - guitars
Karl Gustafsson - guitars
Fredrik Petersson - bass
Anders Persson - drums


(Photo - Stefan Johansson)

Swedish genre-blending power rockers Dampf will release their second album, No Angels Alive, on August 23 via Silver Lining Music.


Led by singer/songwriter A-TRON (Martin Erikson aka E-Type) and keyboardist/songwriter Beak, No Angels Alive is an all-in ten-song storytelling experience blending expansive yet tightly bound stylistic ingredients incorporating hard rock, thrash, melodic power metal, and electronic edges. Recorded at Yard Street Studios (Solna, Sweden) and produced by Jona Tee, be gloriously warned: Dampf’s second studio offering, No Angels Alive, is not - and never was - conceived to be for the faint of heart. Forged from deep personal fires within Erikson and Beak in 2021, Dampf is about sheer, bombastic, and brutal power fused with melodic journeys into spaces and places which most would fear to tread.


"In Dampf, we can dwell on all kind of stories: the dark, the weird, the eeriness... the rotten parts of the forest and nature or strange gods or weird people or small people living underneath the moss," explains Erikson. "We developed this band so that we can allow ourselves to go to all these places you’re not meant to. It’s so liberating to have a band where you can say, ‘yeah, let’s do this,’ and not be remotely concerned about whether it ‘fits’ or not."




Completed by vocalist Bhéara aka Olivia Thörn, drummer Haderajja aka David Wallin (HammerFall), bassist Bahari aka Pontus Egberg (King Diamond, The Poodles), guitarists Skaeggyxa aka Love Magnusson (Dynazty) and Sha-Zam’s aka Sam Söderlindh, and growler Arkoūda aka Björn Åkesson, Dampf engages in a theatrical journey through the timeless historical corridors of human darkness and their opus, No Angels Alive, plays like a grand collective performance piece, with an innate sense of beautiful, catchy melody finding ample room and context alongside the overall brutality of Dampf.


"Masquerade," the first single from the album, is released today. With its catchy melodic sensibilities, the track balances how in one specific historical story – and today’s society – illusion can be deadly.


Erikson elaborates, "The song explores the dark spirit and soul of Jacob Johan Anckarström, a disgruntled Swedish military officer whose anger and dissatisfaction with Swedish King Gustav III led him to attempt regicide at a Masquerade Ball before assassinating him at the Royal Stockholm Opera on March 16th, 1792. This happened 300 years ago, but the ‘evil eyes’ are still plotting in modern times: today’s ‘Masquerade’ is about keeping people in the dark, giving them bread, water, flour, and keeping them happy with what they see on the surface, which of course only allows darkness to flourish out of sight and in the shadows."


Dampf will gleefully stretch your sensibilities and boundaries, with Erikson, Beak, and the rest of the band reveling in the opportunity to do so. "We can go that dark, that black... We can go anywhere with this. I can just go in my own head and open up those doors that had been locked for so many years. There are no rules for Dampf, and that gives us all a whole lot to enjoy which is so very important. I don’t need people to say they love it; if they tell us they find it very different and very unique, that’s so much better."


Scary yet colorful, heavy yet catchy, listen to No Angels Alive with a genreless mind and an open heart; the rewards of this immense and unique album will be plentiful.


No Angels Alive will be released on CD digipak, 12” Gold And Black Splatter vinyl, digital formats, and special D2C products and bundles. Preorder here.





Tracklisting:


“No Angels Alive”
“Masquerade”
“Ghost”
“Might As Well Have Died”
“Heart Of Darkness”
“War With The World”
“Hellfire”
“Away”
“Mists Of Avalon (Don’t Wake Me Up)”
“Dark Side Of My Moon”


“Masquerade” video:





Dampf:
Martin Erikson [A-TRON] – vocals
Olivia Thörn [Bhéara] – vocals
Beak – keys
David Wallin [Haderajja] – drums
Pontus Egberg [Bahari] – bass
Sam Söderlindh [Sha-Zam’s] – guitar
Love Magnusson [Skaeggyxa] – guitar
Björn Åkesson [Arkoūda] – growls


(Photo – Ted Lindén)

Century Media Records is excited to announce the signing of the UK’s Love Is Noise. Their new track, “Soft Glow”, is a first taste of the band reaching for a plane beyond loud and quiet, the sound of a band indulging in its harshest and most gentle impulses.


Love Is Noise began its journey in 2021 as a collaboration between Cameron Humphrey and guitarist Tom Mellon balancing the ethereal and intense. While sonic signposts include modern-day shoegaze as well as the likes of Glassjaw and Deftones, the band’s 2022 EP, Euphoria, Where Were You? (released on Fever 333 frontman Jason Aalon Butler’s 333 Wreckords) pointed towards a soul-crushing sonic heartache all their own. A string of singles led to this inking with Century Media and beginning on their debut album.


Love Is Noise comments on signing with Century Media Records: "We're incredibly excited to be a part of the Century Media Family, a label full of rich musical history. We're proud to join a roster of so many amazing artists. This will be the start of something incredibly special."




Mike Gitter, Century Media VP of A&R adds: “Love Is Noise has made that rare sort of debut that grabs you and doesn’t let go from start to finish. It’s the beginning of what will be a long career that we’re proud to be a part of.”





Watch the video for "Soft Glow" below, and stream the single here.


About the new single, the band adds: "'Soft Glow' glides you through the appreciation we have for the world we live in and the people who make our lives greater every day. Whether it's a loved one, a partner, a friend, or a companion, this song was created for you."





Love Is Noise are:


Cameron Humphrey – Vocals, Guitar
Thomas Mellon – Guitar


(Photo - Carl Battams)

Paralydium, the progressive metal powerhouse hailing from Sweden, has announced the release of their upcoming studio album Universe Calls, out on August 23 via Frontiers Music Srl.


Preorder/presave Universe Calls here.


The first single and accompanying music video “Sands Of Time” are out today, offering a taste of the unique sonic atmosphere that defines the next chapter in the band’s journey.




Talking about the new single, guitarist John Berg said "Sands Of Time takes you on a journey through vast deserts where a man rises to power, destined to dominate the world. This powerful track blends mighty melodies with hard-hitting riffs and grooves, setting the tone for the album and hinting at what's to come".


Universe Calls – Paralydium’s upcoming second release on Frontiers Music - promises a diverse palette of hard-hitting riffs, atmospheric textures, seamless transitions, and the complexity of distinct songs interwoven, therefore offering an extraordinarily immersive listening experience for listeners.


"In this album, we've delved deeply into our progressive roots” - the band explained. “Long-time fans will recognize the expansive, open-world qualities reminiscent of our EP, now featuring longer tracks and broader arrangements. The album is a blend of 'Worlds Beyond' with a more epic approach, while also fully exploring our progressive side with complex time signatures and immersive sections.”


Describing the themes of the album, Paralydium had to say: “Lyrically, the album focuses on characters navigating their destinies through conquests, restoration, and exploration. They face the challenges of time, striving to shape a hopeful future. Themes of time, destiny, and the pursuit of truth and hope highlight the resilience and determination of these characters.”


Paralydium emerged under the guidance of John Berg, a visionary with a passion for blending powerful riffs, melodic landscapes, cinematic atmospheres and hypnotic grooves.


Their music blends metal and prog, combined with influences from classical film scores, creating a sonic journey that transcends the boundaries of space and time.


After releasing the three-song EP, The Paralydium Project, in October 2015, the band swiftly headed to the forefront of progressive metal. Basking in the glow of positive reviews and acclaim, Paralydium began the writing process for a full-length album and, after nearly four years of meticulous work, Frontiers Music released the band’s long-awaited debut album, Worlds Beyond, on June 12, 2020.


After the gloomy years marked by the pandemic and global lockdowns, John - desiring to transcend previous achievements - aimed to amplify the progressive elements that defined Paralydium's essence. With the addition of the new vocalist, Alexander Lycke (ex-Astrakhan), the ensuing chapter unfolded as a landscape of vast progressiveness, resulting in explosive musical outcomes. The synergy of accomplished musicians and Alexander's immersive performances has ushered Paralydium into an exciting new era: Universe Calls.





Tracklisting:


“Prelude”
“Sands Of Time”
“Forging The Past”
“The Arcane Exploration Pt. 1”
“Caught In A Dream”
“Interlude”
“The Arcane Exploration Pt. II”


“Sands Of Time” video:

During an appearance on the May 29 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless was asked for an update on his health, nearly 10 months after he underwent a successful surgery to treat two herniated discs and a broken vertebra. Lawless said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's been a long road. Anytime you go through rehab, and we've done it for 35, 40 years, every time you have an injury, you've gotta go through rehab. And any athlete will tell you that it's a lonely walk. Nobody can help you when you do it. You're with your trainers two hours a day. That leaves you 22 hours of every day to just sit and think in rehab. And a lot of funny things go through your head when you're doing that. And, like I said, it's a lonely walk. And it's incremental, the healing process — you don't see it all overnight. And when you start with the trainers, they tell you, 'Just be patient, just be patient,' because, as any warrior will tell you, your natural instinct is to run, and you just cannot do that when you've gone through something that's pretty serious like that. But we're getting there. And we're pretty much up to speed now."

Confirming that W.A.S.P.'s first show back will take place next week at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden, Lawless said: "Like I said, you've gotta remember, I've been in rehab for nine months now. What those guys do to you, that's a torture chamber. It really is. And they're making sure that I'm up and running because… I mean, the guys that I'm working with here are also part of the U.S. Olympic team, the doctors. And the best way to put it is they're quite thorough with what they have you do, but I would strongly suggest to anybody that's had any kind of physical injuries like this, don't try to do rehab on your own. You really need some professionals to work with, because you can go online and look at those exercises all you want, but until you've got somebody with you monitoring you, correcting you, keeping you in line, it's natural for the body to cheat, especially if it's had an injury. And these guys will stand there and they will not let you cheat. And that's really for your own good, because they'll tell you that they have people that will come to them three, four months after that person's had an injury and has been in the gym the whole time and wasted their time for that three to four months because they weren't doing the exercises right and they weren't seeing any results. So it's really important that you get some pros next to you that… I mean, I know everybody's not gonna be able to get Olympic doctors to look after 'em, but still, there's qualified folks out there. You've gotta really get somebody that knows what they're doing."

2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the release of W.A.S.P.'s first album. To celebrate this classic metal album, W.A.S.P. will, for the first time in 40 years, play the entire album from top to bottom, start to finish, on a fall 2024 North American tour, dubbed "Album ONE Alive", this fall. Support on the trek will come from DEATH ANGEL and UNTO OTHERS.

Along with bassist Mike Duda and lead guitarist Doug Blair, whose tenures in the band are 29 and 26 years respectively, W.A.S.P. is joined by longtime drummer extraordinaire Aquiles Priester.

The 39-city run kicks off on Saturday, October 26 in San Luis Obispo, California, making stops across North America in Vancouver, British Columbia; Toronto, Ontario; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Dallas, Texas; New York City; Orlando, Florida; and more before wrapping up on Saturday, December 14 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.

W.A.S.P. will again offer fans VIP tickets that give fans a chance to meet Blackie Lawless, get a personal photo with Blackie, autographs and take part in a very personal question-and-answer session with Blackie. VIP tickets can be purchased at waspnation.myshopify.com.

Because of the extensive back injuries Lawless suffered during the European leg of W.A.S.P.'s 40th-anniversary tour, the band's previously announced 2023 U.S. tour was canceled.

W.A.S.P.'s massive European leg of the 40th-anniversary world tour wrapped on May 18, 2023 in Sofia, Bulgaria at Universidada Sports Hall.

W.A.S.P. wrapped up its first U.S. tour in 10 years with a sold-out show on December 11, 2022 at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. This marked the 18th sold-out shows for the U.S. tour, which kicked off in late October 2022. W.A.S.P.'s performances included the return of the band's classic song "Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)", which hadn't been played live in over 15 years.

W.A.S.P.'s latest release was "ReIdolized (The Soundtrack To The Crimson Idol)", which came out in February 2018. It was a new version of the band's classic 1992 album "The Crimson Idol", which was re-recorded to accompany the movie of the same name to mark the 25th anniversary of the original LP's release. The re-recorded version also features four songs missing from the original album.

W.A.S.P.'s most recent studio album of all-new original material was 2015's "Golgotha".

In a new interview with Greg Prato of Ultimate Guitar, former VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony was asked if he is still in contact with Alex Van Halen and why he thinks the VAN HALEN drummer doesn't want to perform music anymore. He responded: "I haven't spoken to Alex in a while, probably about a year. And I actually texted him on his birthday this month [May 2024], and I didn't hear anything back from him. But yeah, I was pretty surprised when I heard about this auction [via Backstage Auctions] that he's going to be holding in the beginning of June. Somebody had sent me the link to it, and it appears like he's selling everything right down to his last drumstick. So, I don't know. I really couldn't tell you. I know that he continues to grieve today over Eddie's [Van Halen, VAN HALEN guitarist] passing. And basically, Eddie was the only person that he actually ever played music with."

Michael continued: "I never really knew Alex to be a person to go out and jam with other people or other bands. Unless Eddie was a part of it. Maybe he feels that... Since his brother's gone, he doesn't feel the desire to go out and play anymore. But I can only speculate. When I found out about this auction and started checking it out, it is pretty sad, because it truly means that it's the end of anything that that could have been as far as tribute-wise, you know?"

Asked if he is looking forward to reading Alex's upcoming book, Michael said: "Yeah, I actually am. I heard that the title is 'Brothers'. And knowing Alex, he'll probably speak about the band and everything. But I think that he might be focusing more on just his and Eddie's relationship growing up and moving here with their family to the States. And just the relationship that he had with his brother."

"Brothers" will be released on October 22 via HarperCollins Publishers. The 384-page book is categorized under "Biography & Autobiography" and currently has a list price of $32.00.

Told with acclaimed New Yorker writer Ariel Levy, "Brothers" is the 71-year-old drummer's love letter to his younger brother, written while still mourning his untimely death.

"Brothers", which includes never-before-seen photos from the author's private archive, will also be made available as a 720-minute audiobook and an eBook.

Alex and Eddie formed a band called MAMMOTH in Pasadena, California in 1972, then renamed it VAN HALEN when singer David Lee Roth joined the group and, later, Anthony.

VAN HALEN was one of the biggest rock bands in the country in the 1980s, with hits like "Runnin' With The Devil", "Dance The Night Away", "Hot For Teacher", "Panama" and "Jump". The group, which later featured Sammy Hagar on vocals, was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

The Van Halen family moved to Pasadena after emigrating to the U.S. from the Netherlands in 1962.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

According to Modern Drummer, Alex was instrumental to VAN HALEN's electrifying, dramatic sound, leading the rhythm section on standout hits like "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", "Unchained" and "Panama". His double-bass pedal work throughout "Hot For Teacher" was deeply influential, combining technical prowess with a restless, thoroughly original drum composition.

Back in 2021, Hagar said that he had tried to reach out to Alex after Eddie's death but that he was rebuffed.

"Alex just seems to he just doesn't want to communicate with anybody," Sammy told Ultimate Classic Rock. "You know, Mike has reached out, and I reached out many times. I don't know. I'm sure he's still in pain from the whole thing, but I'm not dogging him. I'm just saying he just really doesn't want to be friends or doesn't want to communicate. I don't know why, but we've still got the rest of our lives to work this out."

When Alex turned 68 in May 2021, he commemorated the occasion by sharing the following statement: "First birthday without you, Ed. The view from my drum set will never be the same. VH forever!"

Eddie passed away in October 2020 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. Alex was by his side, as was Eddie's son, Wolfgang. The axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

Eddie's final Instagram post was a tribute to Alex. On May 8, 2020, the guitarist shared a black-and-white photo of him and his brother to his followers to wish the drummer a happy birthday.

He captioned the picture: "Happy Birthday Al!! Love Ya!! #vanhalen #alexvanhalen #birthday #may #drummer #musician #musicians #family #rock #classicrock #rockband #love".

In early 2022, it was confirmed that Alex had been in talks with Roth and guitarist Joe Satriani to put on a special show in honor of Eddie. However, Wolfgang later said that it was "in such an early stage that it never even got off the ground."

On October 24, 2022, SKID ROW took to the stage at 02 Forum Kentish Town and bottled lightning with "Live In London", the band's first official live album and concert film that captures unforgettable, definitive performances of their timeless classics including "18 And Life", "Monkey Business" and "I Remember You", as well as new fan favorites like "Time Bomb" and "Tear It Down" from their latest, Nick Raskulinecz-produced album "The Gang's All Here".

A dream for the band and fans — in the heart of the city that so inspired the members of SKID ROW.

SKID ROW says: "As teens, we dreamt of playing places like the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, and CBGB in New York City… our dreams became bigger with London, England at the forefront. We fantasized one day to headline a show in the very city where so many of our favorite bands came from."

SKID ROW crossed the Atlantic to find a fierce crowd awaiting them to experience the power of a band truly committed to rock 'n' roll, past present, and future. "Live In London" is a classic live album from a band that continues to innovate, grow and fire up audiences around the globe.

Set opener "Slave To The Grind" has been chosen as the first single and video. From the moment the band hits the stage, the energy is undeniable. And it just gets more intense from there. "Live In London" is the live album SKID ROW fans — old and new — have been waiting more than 35 years for… and this show, this instant, is what they've delivered.

SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan says: "London has always been a home away from home for us. We are very excited to finally capture a live show on video for the rest of the world to see."

SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo says: "After the release of 'The Gang's All Here' album, we realized that something special was happening. This record perfectly captures that moment in time. Thank you, London! You always deliver!! Onward and upward."

"Live In London" track listing:

01. Slave To The Grind
02. The Threat
03. Big Guns
04. 18 And Life
05. Piece Of Me
06. Livin' On A Chain Gang
07. Psycho Therapy
08. In A Darkened Room
09. Makin' A Mess
10. The Gang’s All Here
11. Riot Act
12. Tear It Down
13. Monkey Business
14. I Remember You
15. Time Bomb
16. Youth Gone Wild

"Live In London" marks SKID ROW's final release with Swedish singer Erik Grönwall, who quit the band three months ago.

In a March 29 video message, Erik, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021, offered a lengthy explanation for his decision to leave SKID ROW, saying: "The main reason why I've decided to leave the band is because it's been very hard and it's proved very challenging to prioritize my health and full recovery being the lead singer of the band. And it's not like I woke up yesterday and decided to go, 'Ooh. That's a horrible idea. What time?' This is something I've been considering for a long time. The first time I brought it up and requested a better balance in the touring was in 2022.

"So most of you guys who follow me, you already know this, but for those of you who don't, let me give you some background info," the 36-year-old continued. "In 2021, I was undergoing treatment against leukemia, and as a result of the treatments and the bone marrow transplant that I did, my immune system was impaired. You can think of my immune system as a four-year-old kid bringing home all kinds of shit and viruses from preschool. So I pretty much get everything. It takes a while for the immune system to build up that resistance again, but my immune system is getting stronger every day. So that's the good news. However, I'm still doing regular checkups, like blood tests, at the hematology department at my hospital in Sweden. But that part has proved very challenging while keeping up with the SKID ROW schedule and demand. And as I'm sure you all understand, I have way too much respect for my medical history and for my health to push myself to the limit.

"But I also wanna say that this illness came with a lot of good things. And one of the best things that I want to mention here is that it gave me a superpower called perspective. I remember sitting at the hospital, and I was in a really fucking dark place. And I was looking out my window and I saw all these people going to work in a hurry, stressing. And I remember asking myself, watching all these people, and I was, like, 'What are we stressing about? What are we chasing?' So right there I felt like I had so much perspective on things and actually a gratitude towards — it's weird to say it, but a gratitude towards my illness. I remember going, 'Thank you for giving me this perspective this early in life.' Anyway, so I was sitting there, and I remembered that the samurai had a code of honor that they called Bushido that they lived by. And so with the perspective I had at the time, I wanted to create my own Bushido. My goal was always, okay, 'I'm gonna get through this and I'm gonna get healthy,' but I wanted to remember the perspective, that feeling of gratitude and perspective I had at the time, because I know that we're human beings and we move on and we forget things, but I didn't wanna forget this; I wanted to remember this for the rest of my life. So what I did was I created my own Bushido at the hospital, and on top of that list, it says 'health first'. And back to SKID ROW, that's exactly why I had to make this decision.

"I've had to look at that list a lot of times this last year," Erik added. "Actually, to be honest, since I joined the band. And I've been questioning myself if I'm really living according to those values. And at the end of the day, I realized that the answer was no.

"And I just wanna say, before the media starts with all this fucking clickbait shit, let me be perfectly clear. Listen carefully: I am not sick. And it's not like I don't wanna tour. I love being on the road. I just need a better balance. And, of course, we have tried to find the right balance together as a band multiple times. But at the end of the day, I realized that it was better for me to just step aside.

"There's a lot of people that are relying on making a living from SKID ROW. And being on the road is mainly where the money is nowadays. So, I totally understand that people have to keep touring. And I feel like it's hard to say this without sounding like, um, like a martyr. Is that the word I'm looking for? Yeah, I think so. But I feel like I need to say it to let you guys know the thoughts I've had recently.

"It's actually been a bit of a burden to tour with a new immune system — not only knowing that I'm intentionally pushing myself, but also knowing that if I get sick on the road, which I'm more likely to with a new immune system, there is no one who can fill in for me. We've had our amazing guitar tech, and I can't express how much I love this guy enough, but our guitar tech, Casey, he filled in for both Snake [Dave Sabo, guitar] and Rachel [Bolan, bass] when they got sick. But when I got sick on the road, we had to cancel, reschedule shows, and, honestly, it's not a fun position to be in. So, wait? All of this is happening because of me? It's not good for the band, it's not good for the crew, it's not good for the fans, it's not good for the promoters, it's not good for the SKID ROW team. All of that also made it less fun for me. I didn't really enjoy myself out there.

"I love singing," Erik concluded. "I love being an artist. I love touring, but I wasn't happy. I understand and respect that SKID ROW is a touring band, but like I told the guys, if I can't prioritize my health, then I'm not the right guy for the job."

SKID ROW's longtime friend Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM) handled lead vocals for the band's four concerts in late May and early June.

The SKID ROW members said in a statement that they are "proud of what they have created and accomplished with Erik over the past two years" and "wish nothing but the best to him and his health."

Grönwall, who was a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T. for nearly a decade before exiting the group in October 2020, announced in September 2021 that he was cancer free after receiving a bone marrow transplant one month earlier.

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

SKID ROW played its first show with Grönwall on March 26, 2022 at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada as the support act on the rescheduled dates for SCORPIONS' "Sin City Nights" residency.
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Sebastian Bach says that his "assholes" comment during his concert in Detroit was directed at his former bandmates in his pre-SKID ROW group MADAM X and not the New Jersey band where he found fame three and a half decades ago.

The 56-year-old singer's outburst came during last night's (Tuesday, June 4) performance by his solo band at Saint Andrew's Hall. After Bach noticed somebody in the audience wearing a t-shirt of the singer's former group, he called out the fan, saying into the microphone: "Yeah, that's the band that kicked me out. Yeah, killer. Great. Fucking assholes."

Later in the show, Bach took issue with somebody in the crowd wearing a SKID ROW shirt from one of later eras of the band that did not include him. He pointed out the piece of merchandise from the stage and said into the microphone: "I'm fascinated by this shirt right here. This is SKID ROW with what number singer? Seven? Eight? Nine? What number is that guy? Huh? What number? Is that replacement number seven? Or number eight? Or number nine? And before you say, 'Well they don't have nine,' I can fucking name every fucking one of them. How do you even wear that? It's like, ridiculous. Is that the guys from DRAGONFORCE? Or fucking TNT? Or whatever the fuck. Fucking embarrassing."

Earlier today, Bach shared a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story about the Detroit show headlined "SEBASTIAN BACH Blasts SKID ROW, Says He Can 'Name Every F***ing One' Of Their 'Nine' Replacement Singers ", and he included the following message: "'BACH BLASTS MADAM X, Celebrates 35 Years of the 1st Album Skid Row' is the actual title of what happened that show. Instead of tripping over yourself to put words in my mouth that I mever said why dont u get the story straight for once"

He added: "Daily Horseshit. Hey Internet the horseshit never stops! Last night in Detroit I was confronted by a dude proudly wearing a MADAM X shirt. A band, whom, as you can read in my book, spit in my face & kicked me out when I was 16 years old. So I commented on that. Not mad at the guy for wearing it but not thrilled at staring at it either. Then there was some goof ball wearing a SKID FAUX shirt staring at his phone in the front row the whole show thinking somehow that would be appropriate. If you're gonna wear a SKID ROW shirt to my show, it would be appropriate to sport the Original SKID ROW. Not some other band that lasted 6 months or whatever. The music we celebrate at these shows has lasted the test of time for 35 years and will do so forever. That is what these shows are about. Come celebrate 35 years of the 1st Album 'Skid Row' with us. But realize this is a real rock show and you never know what's gonna happen".

Formed in 1981 by sisters Roxy and Maxine Petrucci, MADAM X recruited bassist Chris "Godzilla" Doliber and vocalist Bret Kaiser, who released their classic, Rick Derringer-produced Jet Records debut, "We Reserve The Right", in 1984, spawning the hit rock single "High In High School". Four years later, after Roxy departed to join future arena rock superstars VIXEN, and original vocalist Kaiser was briefly replaced by a then-unknown Canadian singer named Sebastian Bach, MADAM X disbanded, and would remain mostly inactive until 2014, when the original lineup reunited at the Sweden Rock Festival.

In a recent interview with Joe Rock of Long Island's rock station 102.3 WBAB, Bach, who recently released his first solo album in a decade, "Child Within The Man", was asked if he thinks a reunion of SKID ROW's classic lineup is ever going to actually happen. He responded:  "I do, but when I read myself talk about this, I kind of cringe 'cause it's not up to me. Those guys are currently on their eighth or ninth replacement for me. And there's been a miscommunication from my camp to theirs that I will attempt to clear up, but I am way too focused on what I'm doing in my career to even really even think about that right now, to be honest with you. I'm just not thinking about the old days right now. I'm thinking about the fact that I've got a new song on the radio. 'What Do I Got To Lose?' is on FM radio across the country. That video is almost two million views in 2024. And in my day, two million views was double platinum. [Laughs] So, I'm not thinking about 1989; I'm not thinking about 1991.'

He continued: "I am overjoyed to hear my voice on the radio in 2024. That is more important to me than thinking about what happened in '91. I just don't think about that, really. Not to say that I wouldn't get the band back together, but I'm just focused like a laser beam on what I'm doing right now. So that's gonna have to take a back seat, like for real. This is more interesting to me. My album, the way it sounds and the reaction that people are giving it is more exciting and interesting, and creating new music instead of just playing the same old songs over and over. I love having new songs to play, even though I haven't learned how to play them yet. [Laughs]"

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

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

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

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

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

Three months ago, SKID ROW's latest frontman — former "Swedish Idol" contestant Erik Grönwall — quit the band to focus on his health.

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

Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY. In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Dave "Snake" Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger. SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I. Theart was fired from SKID ROW in February 2022 and was replaced by Grönwall, who was previously a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T.
BACH BLASTS MADAM X .
Celebrates 35 Years of the 1st Album Skid Row
is the actual title of what happened that show. Instead of tripping over yourself to put words in my mouth that I mever said why dont u get the story straight for once pic.twitter.com/0NaKdMrbyM

— Sebastian Bach™️ (@sebastianbach) June 5, 2024

In a new interview with El Planeta Del Rock, POSSESSED frontman Jeff Becerra spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2019's "Revelations Of Oblivion" LP. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm about halfway done — a little more than halfway done with the next album. We had that stall 'cause I got sick and had to have a surgery and COVID. But COVID would have been the perfect time to write, but then I had to go to the hospital. So I'm back from the surgery. Everything's cool. So between touring we're writing."

Regarding the musical direction of the new POSSESSED material, Becerra said: "I think this one, we're kind of taking some turns, which is always dangerous, but people are like that with POSSESSED no matter what we do. So, yeah, I'm just kind of taking my time at writing, coming from the heart and really working on it. But it's definitely a different kind of album."

As for how he looks back on "Revelations Of Oblivion" five years after the LP's release, Jeff said: "I really liked it. It's weird. When you make new music, you're like, 'Oh, this song's gonna go over like gangbusters,' but then it's always the songs that you didn't expect [that] statistically do better. So I've lost track of trying to pay attention or trying to guide the machine. I'm just playing what I want, and I think with 'Revelations', I had to kind of stay in my own lane, which was great. It was straight-forward."

POSSESSED originally split in 1987, leaving behind a short but highly influential legacy, most notably 1985's "Seven Churches" album. Internal tensions after the release of 1987's "The Eyes Of Horror" EP led to the band's dissolution, with guitarist Larry Lalonde joining Bay Area tech-thrashers BLIND ILLUSION, then PRIMUS, while Becerra, guitarist Mike Torrao and drummer Mike Sus each going separate directions.

Two years after POSSESSED's split, Becerra was the victim of a failed armed robbery attempt, leaving him partially paralyzed and wheelchair-bound and sending him into a spiral of drug and alcohol abuse. POSSESSED was reactivated by Torrao in 1990 with a completely different lineup, but only released two demos before dissolving in 1993. Becerra then reformed POSSESSED in 2007 with his own lineup, which released its first studio album in 33 years, the aforementioned "Revelations Of Oblivion".

Photo credit: Hannah Verbeuren (courtesy of Nuclear Blast Records)

In a new interview with the Iron City Rocks podcast, Lita Ford spoke about her decision to release an autobiography, "Living Like A Runaway: A Memoir", eight years ago. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I just kind of had a lot to say and wanted to put it out with HarperCollins, who were the publishers on that book. And it was great, and it was a bestseller, and everybody kind of got insight of Lita. I mean, you can't put your whole life in a little book, because I have a lot more to say than that. But it kind of gave everybody an idea."

Asked if she would consider writing a follow-up book at some point in the future, Lita said: "I don't know. I just wrote the foreword to Jack Russell's new book, [of] GREAT WHITE, so that should be coming out in June.

"Having to revisit a lot of painful memories is difficult," she explained. "Did I enjoy revisiting painful memories? Not really, no. I like to look forward to my future and not so much look back to the past. But some things just need to be addressed, and I think writing a book is a good way to address them — or writing a song or anything like that."

"Living Like A Runaway: A Memoir" was released in February 2016 via Dey Street Books (formerly It Books),an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

In a January 2014 interview with PureGrainAudio.com, Ford stated about her book: "It's an autobiography about, well, my life, the paths I've taken, all the different musical eras. It's got all my favorite stories in it. It covers everything really from me growing up to THE RUNAWAYS to Lita and all the things I've been through and experiences I've had."

She added: "The hardest thing was how things kept popping out and I'm going crazy thinking, 'Hell, I've got to include that... oh no... that needs to go in as well and... hey, do you remember that time...' — every time I think I've got everything, one of us remembers something else and we're back where we started. It's never-ending."

Asked how writing a book is different from composing music, Lita told PopCultureMadness.com: "It's completely two different animals. Just trying to come up with something that captures the reader and keeps the interest flowing. You don't wanna lose the reader's interest. So I think I did that; I think I was able to do that on this book. It starts off in a time in a period and you have to get into it a little bit, and once you do, you can't put it down — you can't put it down. What happens next? You can't wait for the next chapter. It's really cool."

Regarding whether it was hard to revisit certain episodes in her life while writing the book, Lita said: "Well, things are emotional. There's deaths, there's divorce, there's things that are so goddamn funny that you can't help it but cry laughing. It's just a very emotional book. And you have to really go there mentally — you have to go there in order to be able to put it down on paper and in a book for people to read. So it was a challenge. And you really don't have a choice as to when… 'I don't feel like doing it right now.' Fuck that! Go there. You have to go there [and] get it done. So it was tough."

Ford recently completed work on her new studio album. The upcoming follow-up to 2012's "Living Like A Runaway" was once again helmed by guitarist/producer Gary Hoey, who contributes some guitar playing to the disc, alongside the rest of Lita's longtime backing band, consisting of guitarist Patrick Kennison, drummer Bobby Rock and bassist Marty O'Brien.

In May 2022, bassist Marten Andersson (STEELHEART, LIZZY BORDEN, LYNCH MOB) officially joined Lita's touring band. Andersson replaced O'Brien who became the touring bassist for DAUGHTRY.

Ford's last release was 2016's "Time Capsule", a collection of songs that were recorded by Lita in the past, but never before made available.

UMe has announced "Pete Townshend Live In Concert 1985-2001", an expanded 14-CD box set and digital set featuring seven long-out-of-print live albums by THE WHO guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend.

Newly remastered by Jon Astley, the set gathers together for the first time all of the live solo recordings that were only available via Pete Townshend's web site, Eel Pie. All of the albums have been out of print for two decades.

The box set features expanded deluxe packaging in a CD sized box with new art by longtime Townshend collaborator Richard Evans, sleeve notes by band archivist Matt Kent, a new exclusive Pete Townshend interview, and rare photos and memorabilia in a hard-backed book.

The live shows included in the box set are Pete Townshend's Deep End, live at Brixton Academy in London recorded on November 1 and November 2, 1985 featuring David Gilmour from PINK FLOYD on guitar; a live full rendition of Pete's album "Psychoderelict" and more recorded at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York on August 7, 1993 during Pete's only full solo tour; an intimate show from The Fillmore in San Francisco on April, 30, 1996 around the time of his first solo compilation album "CoolWalkingSmoothTalkingStraightSmokingFireStoking"; Pete's return to his old stomping ground for the first time in 30 years with Live At The Shepherd's Bush Empire, recorded on November 9, 1998; two nights at London's Sadlers Wells Theatre, usually home to ballet and modern dance shows, presenting music from "Life House", marking the only time a full "Life House" show has been attempted and the only times some of those songs were ever performed; and finally, two shows from La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, where the "Tommy" musical first ran, on June 22 and June 23, 2001.

The shows included in this box set were all previously released online through Pete's company, Eel Pie, there was only one run of each CD, and they all quickly became collector's items. While Townshend has often performed short solo sets for charitable reasons for, amongst others, Amnesty International, The Prince's Trust and Pete's own Double O charity which helps victims of domestic abuse and those suffering from addiction, full solo shows have been few and far between. When Pete has put on an entire solo show, the setlists have been picked from his own output, specific WHO songs, and cover versions of artists who have influenced him over the years.

Speaking of performing solo or performing with a band that wasn't THE WHO, Pete Townshend said: "I always have too much to do, too much responsibility, and not enough time. I have to live enough life to provide me with inspiration and context for my songs, I have to then spend enough time in my home studio finessing songs so they feel worthy of my band (THE WHO),then I have to re-record them with that band, then speak eloquently about them to the media, justifying my creative divergences, then I must tour endlessly behind the new music, continuing to celebrate the old stuff as well, and then start all over again. The idea that I would do all that for THE WHO and then do it for myself as well is simply plain insane. And yet for a while I tried. It didn't go well. One career is enough."

As THE WHO and Townshend archivist Matt Kent puts it: "When Pete Townshend plays a solo show it isn't just a concert, it is an event. These CDs represent just how good these events are."

For more information, including full track listing, visit shop.thewho.com.

Fan-filmed video of AC/DC's June 5 concert at Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam, The Netherlands can be seen below.

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

01. If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
02. Back In Black
03. Demon Fire
04. Shot Down In Flames
05. Thunderstruck
06. Have A Drink On Me
07. Hells Bells
08. Shot In The Dark
09. Stiff Upper Lip
10. Shoot To Thrill
11. Sin City
12. Rock 'N' Roll Train
13. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
14. High Voltage
15. Riff Raff
16. You Shook Me All Night Long
17. Highway To Hell
18. Whole Lotta Rosie
19. Let There Be Rock

Encore:

20. T.N.T.
21. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

The "Power Up" European tour marks AC/DC's first with the band's new touring lineup consisting of singer Brian Johnson, guitarists Angus and Stevie Young, drummer Matt Laug and the latest addition to the group's touring lineup, bassist Chris Chaney.

The 24-date trek will run through August. The trek will hit Germany, Austria and Switzerland before landing at London's Wembley Stadium for a pair of shows on July 3 and 7, then moving on to Germany, Slovakia and Paris and winding down at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. The European tour is the first run of gigs since AC/DC's return to the stage at last year's rock Power Trip festival in Indio, California.

AC/DC's last tour took place in 2015 and 2016 and had a $180 million gross, with 2,310,061 sold tickets reported to the Pollstar box office.

Laug is an American drummer who has played with many bands/artists such as Alanis Morissette, Alice Cooper, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT and Vasco Rossi. Matt moved to Los Angeles after graduating from South Florence High School in 1986 and after attending college in L.A., Matt became a sought-after studio drummer.

In 2001, Laug supported AC/DC as part of SLASH'S SNAKEPIT on the North American and European legs of the "Stiff Upper Lip" tour.

In its announcement about Laug's addition to the band's Power Trip lineup, AC/DC offered no explanation for the absence of the band's longtime drummer Phil Rudd, who rejoined AC/DC for the recording of the group's comeback album, "Power Up", which came out in November 2020.

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

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

AC/DC postponed the last 10 dates of its spring 2016 North American trek after Johnson was advised to stop playing live or "risk total hearing loss." The band went on to complete the European and North American legs of its "Rock Or Bust" tour with GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose as a "guest vocalist." At the time, Johnson had been AC/DC's singer for 36 years, ever since replacing the late Bon Scott in 1980 and making his debut on the classic "Back In Black" album.

To enable him to perform live with AC/DC again, the now-76-year-old Johnson worked with audio expert Stephen Ambrose, who said he could help resolve the singer's hearing problems.

Ambrose, who invented the wireless in-ear monitors that are widely used by touring artists today, claimed to have invented a new type of ear-bud that would allow Johnson to perform without causing further damage to his eardrums. After three years of experimenting and "miniaturizing" the equipment, Johnson previously said the technology could allow him to tour again.

Chaney is best known as the bassist of JANE'S ADDICTION and as a member of Alanis Morissette's touring and recording band. Chaney was also a member of TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS and CAMP FREDDY, as well as being a prolific and versatile session musician, having played with artists including Joe Cocker, Shakira, Slash and Avril Lavigne to Sara Bareilles, Gavin Degraw, Cher, SHINEDOWN and Celine Dion. Chaney is also a founding member and partner in the all-star supergroup ROYAL MACHINES along with Dave Navarro (JANE'S ADDICTION),Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY),Josh Freese (FOO FIGHTERS) and Billy Morrison (BILLY IDOL).

Bassist Cliff Williams announced his retirement at the end of AC/DC's 2015-2016 "Rock Or Bust" tour, which also saw Johnson leaving. However, Williams — and Johnson — took part in the recording sessions that resulted in "Power Up". Both of them were also part of the AC/DC lineup that performed at Power Trip.

During an October 2020 interview with Dean Delray's "Let There Be Talk" podcast, Cliff was asked if Johnson's departure from the road was what led to his desire to stop touring. Cliff responded: "It was before then. I spoke to Angus about it initially. I was at a point — and this is at the beginning of the 'Rock Or Bust' tour — that I just felt, for me, it was time to hang it up. I knew that I didn't wanna keep doing these two-year tours, and I didn't wanna hold them back, so I made them aware of the fact that this was gonna be my last go-round. It was a tough tour to finish. God bless Axl for coming in and helping us out, finish it up. He did a great job. And at the end of that, I was definitely — that was it for me. Done — just done. That compounded the whole thing."

According to Williams, he wanted to take part in the recording sessions for "Power Up" as a tribute to Angus's late brother, founding AC/DC rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, who died in 2017 from effects of dementia at age 64. Malcolm is credited as a writer on all 12 tracks on "Power Up".

"If 'Back In Black' has [late AC/DC singer] Bon Scott all over it, for me, 'Power Up' has got Malcolm Young," Cliff said. "This is for him. And it's the band that we played together with for 40-plus years. And I wanted to do that — I wanted to come back and do that.

"We did some rehearsals earlier [in 2020] before this darn COVID thing popped up, and we had great rehearsals," he continued. "The band was playing really well. So [they asked me], 'Do you wanna do a few shows? 'Sure'. A few shows. We were planning on doing that. Everyone goes home to their respective homes, and bang, we've been here ever since [because of the coronavirus-related shutdown]."

Cliff went on to confirm that his commitment to AC/DC was only for "a few" dates in support of "Power Up".

"For both [my mental and physical] health," he said. "I definitely have some physical issues, which I won't bore you with the details of. But, yeah, it's tough. I'm very grateful for everything. It's been fantastic. But I just don't wanna do that anymore."

Williams previously revealed that a "terrible" bout with vertigo contributed to his 2016 retirement. He also admitted the return of both Johnson and drummer Phil Rudd convinced him to rejoin the group. "It was like the old band back together," he told Rolling Stone. "It was not like starting over again, but as close to the band that's been together for 40-plus years as we can possibly make it. I didn't want to miss that."

The follow-up to 2014's "Rock Or Bust", "Power Up" was recorded over a six-week period in August and September 2018 at Warehouse Studios in Vancouver with producer Brendan O'Brien, who also worked 2008's "Black Ice" and "Rock Or Bust".

Today, on International Day Of Slayer, Igloo announced an all-new Slayer Cooler Collection. Following the success of their previous collaborations, this new release channels some of SLAYER's most loved albums on to Igloo's latest cooler and drinkware innovations.

Jon Sinko, global VP of partnerships and licensing at Igloo said: "I've been a big fan of SLAYER since the late '80s, having seen them live as early as 1991 at MSG in New York City up through their final tour in 2018. Like many other fans, it's hard to say which record is better, 'Reign In Blood' or 'South Of Heaven'.

"Last year, we launched our Igloo partnership with the band by releasing a 'Reign In Blood'-focused collection. So, this year, it only made sense for us to balance things out with a 'South Of Heaven' album art embellished all-black KoolTunes, which launches today on Igloocoolers.com. Then, we're releasing a broader collection in early August, including brand-new SLAYER 16-ounce stainless steel cans, a novelty softside cooler and fresh inventory of last year's bestsellers."

Available 6/6, the SLAYER "South Of Heaven" KoolTunes, $174.99, is an all-black Playmate cooler (holds up to 26 cans) with wireless, water-resistant Bluetooth speakers and graphics showcasing the band's fourth studio album "South Of Heaven".

In August 2024, Igloo will release the SLAYER "Reign In Blood" Sling, $34.99, a wearable 6-can single-barrel sling cooler bag. It features all-over artwork, an adjustable crossbody strap and Igloo's GRS (Global Recycled Standard) polyester exterior fabric made from recycled post-consumer and post-industrial materials.

Rounding out the collection — also available August 2024 — are three 16-ounce stainless steel vacuum-insulated cans, $19.99 each, with long-lasting temperature retention, removable lids, sliders for easy sipping and built-in coasters. Each 16 Oz Can includes a "Reign In Blood", "South Of Heaven" or graveyard design.

Shop the current Slayer x Igloo Cooler Collection — including upcoming releases — at igloocoolers.com/slayer.

After making some of the most brutal, breathtakingly aggressive, all-hell's-a-breaking-loose music ever created, being one of the four bands that defined an entire musical genre and being the band that other heavy acts are measured against and aspire to...after four decades, releasing 12 studio albums, multiple live recordings, compilations, live video and two box sets, playing nearly 3000 concerts in all corners of the world, receiving countless awards including five Grammy nominations and two Grammy Awards, gold records and other accolades...having its own exhibit in the Smithsonian Institute, gracing hundreds of magazine covers, experiencing the devastating loss of a founding brother, and even appearing on "The Tonight Show", the Age of Slayer, one of the greatest thrash/metal/punk bands of this or any age, came to an end on November 30, 2019 when the band wrapped up its final world tour with two sold-out nights at the Los Angeles Forum. On its final tour, SLAYER performed more than 140 shows in 20 countries and 40 U.S. states, and this fall, they announced a rare return to the stage as the headliners of three major festivals: Riot Fest, Louder Than Life and Aftershock.

HALESTORM and I PREVAIL are gearing up to embark on summer 2024 co-headlining tour. Produced by Live Nation, the trek kicks off on July 9 in Raleigh and runs through August 17 in Las Vegas. HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD and FIT FOR A KING will serve as support. The tour is also the catalyst and the creative spark for HALESTORM and I PREVAIL's collaborative track "Can U See Me In The Dark?"

"Can U See Me In The Dark?" is an epic and explosive pairing, just like the tour itself, thanks to the vocal chemistry between I PREVAIL's Eric Vanlerberghe and HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale, stormy riffs, and unforgettable chorus. It will go down as one of the smash hits of summer 2024. Watch the lyric video below.

"We're excited to finally have a song come out," says Vanlerberghe. "It was a fun challenge to blend the HALESTORM and I PREVAIL sounds together. We really focused on creating a music bed that felt very much I PREVAIL and letting Lzzy just shine and do what she does best. I feel we found a very sick way to blend the two identities of our bands into one massive song. I'm really looking forward to this tour and possibly playing this song live together for everyone."

"In celebration of our upcoming tour together, we joined forces with the boys of I PREVAIL and wrote an original song together," says Hale. "'Can U See Me In The Dark?' is written for our collective fan bases, our community, our family. We want you to know that you are seen and you are not alone shining through life's myriad of joy and pain. We can't wait to feast our eyes on you this summer!"

HALESTORM has partnered with mental health organization Sound Mind Live to engage fans to pledge support that will provide free-to-the-community mental health programming across the country for fans and the broader community.

Regarding the inspiration for "Can U See Me In The Dark?", Lzzy told "The Mistress Carrie Podcast": "We were talking a lot about the analogy of we're all in the same circus together, as in this is all of our shows. It's not just we're saddling up our wagon against a band, 'We're playing. Here's your set. Here's my set.' We really wanted to create this this haven, this sanctuary for our collective fan base, be, like, 'Hey, he's my buddy too. We come from different walks of life, but here's how we come together,' [and] really showcase that togetherness, especially considering, we all have this different flavor and these different influences. And so it's a really beautiful, powerful song that we're gonna be able to just kind of, like, 'Hey, here's something special for the tour.' So we're very much looking forward to being out with each other. And those guys inspire me to no end. Every time I hear their songs the radio, I'm, like, 'How did they do that?' I want a drop like that' — you know, that kind of stuff. So I'm looking forward to being inspired every night and hanging out with all those boys."

Having amassed over 2.5 billion streams globally, the Grammy Award-winning band HALESTORM has grown from a childhood dream of siblings Lzzy and Arejay Hale into one of the most celebrated rock bands of the last two decades. Most recently, the band released "Back From The Dead", their fifth full-length studio album which has tallied over 100 million streams worldwide. Rolling Stone called the title track "a biting but cathartic howler about overcoming all obstacles," and that song as well as "The Steeple" marked their fifth and sixth number ones at rock radio, respectively. Associated Press said the album "will definitely be in the running for best hard rock/metal album of the year." Their previous album, "Vicious", earned the band their second Grammy nomination, for "Best Hard Rock Performance" for the song "Uncomfortable", the band's fourth #1 at rock radio, and led Loudwire to name HALESTORM "Rock Artist Of The Decade" in 2019. Fronted by the incomparable Lzzy Hale with drummer Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger and bass player Josh Smith, HALESTORM's music has earned multiple platinum and gold certifications from the RIAA, and the band has earned a reputation as a powerful live music force, headlining sold-out shows and topping festival bills around the world, and sharing the stage with icons including HEAVEN & HELL, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett and JUDAS PRIEST. Additionally, Lzzy was named the first female brand ambassador for Gibson and served as host of AXS TV's "A Year In Music".

I PREVAIL have established themselves as the forerunners of the genre in the 21st century. Their latest release, "True Power", once again produced by Tyler Smyth, features the sort of stadium-sized riffs that will rattle your teeth loose from your gums and unforgettable, supremely catchy melodies that will camp out in your brain for weeks at a time. The band also alternately mixes screamed vocals that sound as though they crawled from the depths of hell with soaring, emotional vocals and heartfelt, intimate lyrics that go so deep, they hit marrow. The end result is an album that resonates with the listener in the most personal way. Rising to an arena level and receiving two Grammy nominations — "Best Rock Album" for "Trauma" and "Best Metal Performance" for crushing lead single "Bow Down" — I PREVAIL proved that they were built to last. To date, they've racked up more than 4.1 billion global streams, are approaching 716 million YouTube views, and saw both "Hurricane" and "Bad Things" singles top Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in 2020 and 2022, respectively. A number of their singles and album "Lifelines" have now been certified gold and platinum, and they have been praised by press far and wide, including Forbes, Billboard, Hollywood Reporter and NPR.

In a new interview with MetalMasterKingdom.com, Hansi Kürsch of German metallers BLIND GUARDIAN spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's next studio album. The singer said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We started songwriting a while ago, but I think we skipped all the ideas we've had. We do that from time to time, because if the span in between the real songwriting and the ones we did before is so big, then it doesn't make sense to keep on working on these songs because you do not get back into the mode, and so it's better to just put them aside. And some of this stuff really got forgotten over the years, and we never touched it again. So, we will start from scratch zero right now. We are still in the mode of 'live band' [due to all the touring we have done]. So I would expect the next songs to be heavy — heavy and aggressive."

Asked if the next BLIND GUARDIAN album will be musically similar to 2022's "The God Machine", Hansi said: "That's difficult to say, because 'The God Machine' is more of a production result than it is in the songwriting itself. The songwriting is not too different from what we did on [2015's] 'Beyond The Red Mirror', but the way we treated the songs in the studio is so different. So the result turns out to be, obviously, differently impressive to people. I would say, yes, we go for individual [songs]. With the lyrics, I am more focused on this than having a conceptual album. When having a conceptual album, you may go musically in one direction also. So we go freestyle."

This past February, Hansi was asked by Australia's Metal Roos if he thinks there will be "a shorter turnaround time" for the band's next studio album, considering that "The God Machine" was the first regular studio LP from BLIND GUARDIAN in seven years. He responded: "I'm pretty sure it's going to be…. I'm not sure how it will look like exactly. We did the re-recordings for 'Somewhere Far Beyond' for the anniversary album, and we did the live recordings in 2022, so this is something certainly to come up very soon. But we're talking about new material. That is still on hold then, because after that we do some acoustic playings, which we also worked on because we had to kill some time. And then, yeah, after Wacken [Open Air] and after these shows we're going to play within this year, we keep our focus on regular songwriting. And I don't know — I would be very surprised to find out that there's no new BLIND GUARDIAN album before '27, which is an accomplishment already, but I'm hoping for either late '25 or '26."

Asked how he and his BLIND GUARDIAN bandmates keep their songwriting fresh after all this time, Hansi said: "You gain a bit of expertise over the years. This is helpful. And then in addition, it's a passion on one hand, it's a profession on the other hand, which makes it a bit easier. And the excitement is still there. I believe maybe that's the central point in BLIND GUARDIAN. Everyone is feeling completely relieved because we have accomplished so much. But everyone is also focused because we build up a market in [a country like] Australia and we still see a development into the right direction. So that's encouragement, motivation, and we have plenty of that. What I have to say is I don't see the moment where we are running out of ideas."

BLIND GUARDIAN's "The God Machine" North American 2024 tour commenced on April 18 at The Fillmore in Silver Springs, Maryland and made its way to Dallas, Seattle, and Toronto before the final performance at Milwaukee Metalfest on May 17. Joining the band as support was NIGHT DEMON.

"The God Machine" was released in September 2022 via Nuclear Blast. The cover artwork for the CD was designed by Peter Mohrbacher.

Prior to "The God Machine"'s arrival, BLIND GUARDIAN's latest release was the all-orchestral album "Twilight Orchestra: Legacy Of The Dark Lands", which came out in November 2019 via Nuclear Blast. To create the concept, lead guitarist André Olbrich and Kürsch worked alongside German bestselling author Markus Heitz, whose novel "Die Dunklen Lande" was released in March 2019. The book is set in 1629 and contains the prequel to "Legacy Of The Dark Lands".

BLIND GUARDIAN's previous "regular" studio album, "Beyond The Red Mirror", was issued in 2015. It was the band's first LP since 2010's "At The Edge Of Time", marking the longest gap between two studio albums in BLIND GUARDIAN's career. It was also the group's first album without bassist Oliver Holzwarth since 1995's "Imaginations From The Other Side".

BLIND GUARDIAN's core trio consists of Kürsch, lead guitarist André Olbrich and rhythm guitarist Marcus Siepen. Drummer Frederik Ehmke has been with the group since 2005.

Drummer Thomen Stauch played on BLIND GUARDIAN's first seven albums before being replaced by Ehmke. Frederik made his recording debut with BLIND GUARDIAN on 2006's "A Twist In The Myth".

Photo credit: Dirk Behlau

Severe Torture, the Dutch masters of brutal death metal, are offering an advanced stream of their new album, Torn From The Jaws Of Death, out this Friday, June 7, via Season Of Mist. Listen to the full album below.


On Torn From The Jaws Of Death, Severe Torture stay committed to unapologetic brutality. Crawling out of the unholy pit that is Torture Compound Studios, the band's new single is a voracious beast, armed to the teeth with throaty growls and bloody, punishing riffs. But while a cold-embrace for the faint of heart, it's also full of vitality. The lyrics, steeped in the long shadow of suffering under a fractured psyche, speak to an eerie sense of desolation, threading the fine line between life and death. 


From the aggressive whirlwind of riffs in "The Death Of Everything", to the haunting black metal nuances of the title track "Torn From The Jaws Of Death", the album is a death metal cogitation on murder, torture, and the madness of organized religions. Crafted with an unwavering commitment to the genre, Torn From The Jaws Of Death is a grim reflection of the world, drenched in the band’s signature brutal death metal sound.




Pre-save Torn From The Jaws Of Death here. Pre-orders can be placed at this location.





Tracklisting:


"The Death Of Everything"
"Marked By Blood And Darkness"
"Hogtied In Rope"
"Torn From The Jaws Of Death"
"Christ Immersion"
"Putrid Remains"
"The Pinnacle Of Suffering"
"Through Pain And Emptiness"
"Those Who Wished Me Dead"
"Tear All The Flesh Off The Earth"


Album stream:





"Torn From The Jaws Of Death" video:





"The Death Of Everything" video:





(Photo - Thijs van Laarhoven)