Finnish-Australian metal quartet, The Eternal, recently returned to the screen with a bang - the announcement of their long-awaited new album, Skinwalker, which is set to be released on June 28 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM).


In contrast to the first single's title, "Deathlike Silence", the outfit's latest tune caused a stir among fans of melancholic and dark but also progressive metal. Today, the band invite listeners to explore another chapter of the album in the form of its intense title track.


Featuring the acclaimed Tuvan throat singer Albert Kuvezin (YAT-KHA) and Russian singer Emily Saaen, the song incorporates unearthly drones that add an otherworldly dimension to the track. Lyrically describing a shapeshifing entity, The Eternal have masterfully crafted a piece of profound heaviness, with Mark Kelson's almost chant-like vocals enhancing the haunting and eerie atmosphere created by the rest of the group.







Skinwalker promises a continuation of their rich musical legacy and yet is set to be a defining moment creatively for the band. The album features several notable guest appearances including Tomi Joutsen (Amorphis), Santeri Kallio (Amorphis), Sami Yli-Sirniö (Kreator) and award-winning Tuvian throat singer Albert Kuvezin (YAT-KHA) to name a few. Recorded at guitarist/singer Mark Kelson's Lucidity Sound Studios and drummer Jan Rechberger's Moon Unit Studios and produced by Kelson, Rechberger as well as guitarist Richie Poate, the record was mixed by Mark and Jan at Moon Unit before sending it off to Crystal Mastering in Melbourne, Australia. In the end, creative force Kelson was even responsible for the artwork, supported by the prominent skills of Travis Smith (Opeth, Amorphis).


Pre-order the album in the physical format of your choice (CD-digi, transparent/black marbled 2LP), pre-save it on your favourite DSP or pre-order it digitally to receive "Skinwalker" and “Deathlike Silence” instantly now at this location.





Tracklisting:


“Abandoned By Hope”
“Deathlike Silence”
“Under The Black”
“Temptation’s Door”
“The Iconoclast”
“When The Fire Dies”
“Fall Upon The Earth”
“Skinwalker”
“Shattered Remains”


“Deathlike Silence” video:





(Photo – AJ Savolainen)

One of Melbourne's most intriguing progressive metal bands, Teramaze, have revealed the video for the new single, "Step Right Up", from their upcoming 11th full-length album, Eli: A Wonderful Fall From Grace, set for release on May 24 via Wells Music. Pre-order the album here, and watch the video below.


Commenting on the concept behind the new song, vocalist/guitarist Dean Wells states: "'Step Right Up' begins with a mesmerizing melody that swirls like colorful circus tents under a starlit sky. The music carries you into Eli's world, where the towering big top beckons with promises of wonder and adventure. As Eli steps into the Halo circus, the music crescendos with a sense of anticipation, mirroring his excitement and apprehension.


"The progressive elements in the music reflect Eli's journey within the circus, where each act and performer unveils layers of complexity and mystery. The rhythm builds and shifts like the ebb and flow of the circus crowd, drawing listeners deeper into the enchanting world of Halo.




"Amidst the spectacle, Eli discovers a newfound sense of freedom, but beneath the surface, there's an undercurrent of uncertainty. The music reflects this duality, blending moments of exhilaration with hints of darkness lurking in the shadows.


"As Eli delves further into the circus's inner workings, the music evolves, incorporating intricate melodies and unexpected twists that mirror his journey of self-discovery. With each step, the music propels him forward, urging him to confront the secrets hidden within the Halo circus and ultimately, within himself.


"'Step Right Up' isn't just a song - it's a sonic odyssey that transports listeners into the heart of Eli's transformative experience, inviting them to join him on a journey of discovery, liberation, and ultimately, redemption."





Eli: A Wonderful Fall From Grace is a concept album that finishes the trilogy of their Halo storyline, following 2015's Her Halo and 2021's Sorella Minore.


Commenting on the album's thematic direction, the band states: "We began with a story of betrayal, love, and wonder told through the album Her Halo. We continued that tale through to a climactic finish with the epic suite Sorella Minore. And now, we have finally brought to you the third instalment of the Halo Saga, to bring the whole story together. We take you not forward in time, but to the very beginning...


“Eli - A Wonderful Fall from Grace takes us to A Place Called Halo, the circus where it all began in the height of it's popularity. Eli, a shipwreck survivor discovers the travelling tented landscape, and becomes the star attraction... but at a terrible price.


“Along with a full length concept album, we finally release the short story that sparked this spell binding concept all those years ago.


“Every story has a beginning, and so is Eli - A Wonderful Fall from Grace."





Tracklisting:


“A Place Called Halo”
“The Will Of Eli”
“Step Right Up”
“I Mantissa”
“Madam Roma”
“Standing Ovation”
“Hands Are Tied”
“A Wonderful Fall From Grace”


"Standing Ovation" video:





Teaser:

Trivium frontman Matt Heafy has shared  a new video to his official YouTube channel. The clip features the band playing "Torn Between Scylla And Charybdis" during their up-close-and-personal VIP Pig Pen experience, where a tiny handful of Trivium diehards can witness their heroes jam out a mix of rare and requested songs before the main show starts.





Bullet For My Valentine recently checked in with the following update:




"We are thrilled to announce that in 2025 we present to you The Poisoned Ascendancy UK Tour, alongside our brothers in Trivium. Both bands will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut albums by playing them in full. Get excited people, it's gonna be special and we can't wait to celebrate with you all."


Now, they have followed up with a message for their European fans:


"Europe, we didn’t forget about you. Excited to bring The Poisoned Ascendancy Tour to you next Feb. We’re also happy to be bringing Orbit Culture along for the ride. Your local pre-sales will start on April 24th, with a general sale at 10am CET next Friday!"


The Poisoned Ascendancy Tour dates are as follows:


January 
26 - Cardiff, UK - Utilita Arena 
27 - Cardiff, UK - Utilita Arena
28 - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro
30 - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live 
31 - Birmingham, UK -  Utilita Arena  


February 
1 - London, UK - The O2
2 - Düsseldorf, Germany - Mitsubishi Electric Hall
4 - Stuttgart, Germany - Scheleyer-Hall
5 - Zurich, Switzerlamnd -  The Hall
7 - Paris, France - Le Zenith
9 - Antwerp, belgium - Lotto Arena
10 - Hannover, Germany - Swiss Life Hall
11 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - AFAS Live
13 - Hamburg, Germany - Sporthalle
14 - Berlin, Germany - Max-Schmeling-Halle
15 - Frankfurt, Germany - Jahrhunderthalle
17 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz
18 - Munich, Germany - Zenith
19 - Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle
21 - Gliwice, Poland - Arena
22 - Prague, Czech Republic - Forum Karlin
23 - Luxembourg - Rockhal
26 - Lisbon., Portugal - Campo Pequeno
27 - Madrid, Spain - Vistalegre

In a new interview with May The Rock Be With You, HALESTORM drummer Arejay Hale spoke about the band's insistence on performing completely live — without the aid of backing tracks.

"We've always kind of prided ourselves by being one of the few bands that doesn't use any backtracks or any type of sound enhancement," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "We always felt it was more important for us to get the playing right within the four of us and to get the sound right with our playing. And that's always been a really — it's an uphill battle, but it's worth it, 'cause live, we don't even play to a click track, and without a click track, we're able to adjust the tempos and let the songs breathe and kind of react to the energy of the crowd. But it's also harder for me because I have to really focus on not playing too fast or too slow. So, I think that's always just kind of been a unique thing about us, is that we just don't want to [use tracks]. And also we're not very technologically savvy, so we know that if we start running backtracks and stuff like that, sure enough, something will go wrong. So that's kind of always been one of our main objectives, is just wanting to be as raw as possible."

Back in June 2020, Arejay's sister, HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale, told "Offstage With DWP" about why she and her bandmates choose to play live: "We do it more selfishly, not necessarily as a statement. But it has kind of become this interesting statement. We're very proud of that. But also, just again selfishly, I don't think I'd enjoy myself. I've guested with people — I've dueted with people and got up onstage where they have those things and I can hear it in my in-ear monitors — and some of it is, like, 'Chorus in one, two, three, four…' I'm, like, 'Oh my gosh! This would drive me nuts.' And also, I would rather have us sound imperfect than have somebody figure out that I'm miming, or a shaker goes awry — 'Where's the tambourine coming from?'

"I'm not a fan of when I find out my favorite bands do that," she continued. "And, like I said, I'm not knocking anybody who does it — you do you. But for us, that's just not our M.O. And there's nothing more fun that going out on stage and knowing that you're responsible for either we're gonna be tight, we're gonna be loose, something's gonna go wrong, we're gonna have to pull the train back onto the tracks, but that's cause we're listening to each other.

"And also, if we weren't actually playing, we would just get worse as musicians," she added. "We've been to shows where somebody's computer went down — the tracks are no longer there — and then they don't play anymore. And we're, like, 'Can't you just plug the instruments in?'

"I honestly think you would get so used to kind of like doing a music video and just miming along that maybe you can't [play live] anymore. So we've become better musicians because we challenge ourselves in that way."

HALESTORM is currently working with producer Dave Cobb on the band's next studio album after making three records with Nick Raskulinecz.

Cobb has shared in nine Grammy wins, including four for "Best Americana Album" and three for "Best Country Album". He's also been named "Producer Of The Year" by the Country Music Awards, the Americana Music Association (twice) and the Music Row Awards, and has been a Grammy nominee in the category.

Lzzy and Arejay formed HALESTORM in 1998 while in middle school. Guitarist Joe Hottinger joined the group in 2003, followed by bassist Josh Smith in 2004.

Last May, HALESTORM teamed up with country singer Ashley McBryde for a reimagined version of the band's song "Terrible Things", which was originally featured on HALESTORM's latest studio album, "Back From The Dead".

In December 2022, HALESTORM released a deluxe edition of "Back From The Dead". "Back From The Dead: Deluxe Edition" includes seven previously unreleased B-sides, including "Mine", a 1980s-inspired rocker. "Back From The Dead: Deluxe Edition" is available digitally, on CD, and cassette tape, marking the first time that the album has been offered in those physical formats.

In a new interview with Istanbul, Turkey's Metal Oda, JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill was asked what piece of advice he would give to himself if he could go back in time 50 years ago to the beginning of the band's career. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, I don't know. I mean, back then, you hope you're gonna make it and hope you're gonna get on in the world and become popular. You don't ever believe it until it happens [laughs], but you just keep on, and it's really just patience and persistence more than anything. Just keep at it. If you've got something to offer… It's what I'd say to anybody who's starting off today, although it is a little bit more difficult getting on today. Not that it was ever easy, but it's a little bit more difficult today, because the system has changed beyond all recognition from when we started. But, yeah, it's persistence and keep at it and self-belief."

Hill also spoke about the significance of the title of JUDAS PRIEST's latest album, "Invincible Shield". He said: "We've had a lot of stuff thrown at us over the years. I mean, people have been trying to kill heavy metal now for about 35, 40 years, so it's always been a bit of a struggle against the establishment, if you know what I mean. But we've always sort of managed to survive and come through it. And then we've had court cases with people trying to screw us out of a lot of money for absolutely no reason whatsoever. And then the personal struggles of the members of the band. I mean, Rob's [Halford, vocals] had cancer scares. Richie [Faulkner, guitar] almost died on stage a few years ago. And, of course, Glenn's [Tipton, guitar] problems with his Parkinson's disease. And even that he can still get up on stage and play a couple of the encores. It's almost like having an invincible shield out in front of you. Although I've just put a kiss of death on that probably. [Laughs]"

Back in 2019, Hill told Rob Rush Radio that he didn't think rock music would ever die. "The thing is, what are you gonna replace it with? It's been there since the '50s — rock and roll," he explained. "I mean, it's all coming from then, basically. And, like I say, if you're gonna kill it off, there's gonna have to be another alternative from your manufactured pop stuff that you've been getting all along. There's always been something else — it's either been blues or it's been jazz or now it's heavy rock, heavy metal. There's always been something there. And I definitely haven't heard anything that could possibly replace heavy metal at the moment… But it will never die. There's always people there who like different things. And heavy metal certainly is different to run-of-the-mill popular music you get in general."

JUDAS PRIEST kicked off the U.S. leg of the "Invincible Shield" world tour on April 18 at Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut.

Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003. Original guitarist K.K. Downing parted ways with the band in 2011, and was replaced by Faulkner.

"Invincible Shield" entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande's "Eternal Sunshine".

Prior to "Invincible Shield"'s arrival, PRIEST's highest U.K. chart achievement was with 1980's "British Steel", which reached No. 4.

PRIEST's 2018 album "Firepower" entered the chart at No. 5.

"Invincible Shield" is JUDAS PRIEST's fifth Top 10 album, after the aforementioned "British Steel" and "Firepower", as well as 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" (No. 6) and the 1979 live album "Unleashed In The East" (No. 10).

"Invincible Shield" landed at No. 1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as No. 5 in France, No. 8 in Italy and No. 16 in Australia.

On July 5 2024, Finnish death metal outfit Cryptic Hatred will release their second full-length, Internal Torment, via Time To Kill Records. First single and video for “Homicidal Intentions” is streaming below.


Inarguably the band’s most diverse work to date, Internal Torment ventures far beyond the conventions of old school death metal, without surrendering an ounce of viciousness. Strong nuances of doom and creepy melodies can be heard throughout the record’s ten tracks concluding fittingly with a suffocating wall of sound that leaves its listeners bruised, battered, and shaken.


The album highlights the band’s surgical and intuitive take on death metal mechanics - yet also channels eerie atmospheres and dimensions through moments of tension and tranquility, coexisting in a fragile balance. Between riffs born of primal rage, to melodies seemingly from other worlds, Internal Torment is an album that delivers on all levels of darkness in uncanny and transcendental ways. 




Preorder on Bandcamp.





Tracklisting:


“Death Is Upon You”
“Breeding Of Evil”
“Chasm Of Void”
“Homicidal Intentions”
“Mesmerized By The Malignant Gaze”
“Tomb Of Desecration”
“Mauled To Flesh”
“Beyond Hatred”
“The Passage”
“Internal Torment”


“Homicidal Intentions” video:

Today, German metalcore act Rising Insane shares new single "Burn," the third track from their upcoming new album, Wildfires. The new track follows previous singles "Reign" and "Malicious" and is accompanied by a new music video.


Rising Insane's fourth studio album, Wildfires, (out August 23 via Long Branch Records) takes an in-depth look at the consequences of our collective abstinence from empathy and challenges listeners to ignite their inner flame for change. It is an urgent call to break out of the darkness. 


While Rising Insane remains true to their post-hardcore and metalcore roots on Wildfires, the band has grown collectively and individually, an evolution clearly reflected in their fresh, new sound.




Singer Aaron Steineker comments:


"'Burn' was the last song we wrote for Wildfires. We were somehow still missing a song with that certain something that you could start a show with. I can still remember the situation: I was getting dressed when the idea for 'Burn' popped into my head out of nowhere. I had to sprint upstairs to my cell phone before the idea got lost again and then made a three-minute video explaining the entire song to myself so that none of it would be forgotten. Within 2 hours, Sven and I finished the instrumental, and after another day I recorded the vocals. It was by far the most fluid songwriting process we've ever had and we can't wait to open our shows with that song."


Steineker comments on Wildfires:


"Over the last two years, I have felt that there is a huge source of strife lurking around every corner. All we have to do is pick up our cell phone and we're immediately thrown into a hate-filled sea of conflict, there's so much hate everywhere. You get the feeling that the world around us is on fire when you add war, global warming, inflation, and depression to the mix. That's how this album got the title Wildfires. Each song on the album is about a specific trouble spot, themes, and stories that have weighed on me while writing. Our goal is to create awareness through our music of how much we burden ourselves and each other instead of focusing on things that connect us and create positivity."


Wildfires will be available in the following formats:
• Exclusive LBR Shop LP Edition incl. orange-red marbled vinyl
Limited to 300 copies
• LP Edition incl. white-black marbled vinyl
Limited to 300 copies
• CD Edition in digipak
• Exclusive LBR Shop Bundles
• Standard Stream & Download


Preorder here.





Tracklisting:


“Reign”
“Monster”
“Lighthouse”
“Malicious”
“Bet On Me”
“Warning”
“Counting Regrets (Interlude)”
“Carousel”
“Burn”
“The Door”
“Wildfires”


“Burn” video:





(Photo – Jana Kuhs x Coregraphy)

New Sepultura drummer Greyson Nekrutman - who replaced Eloy Casagrande - has shared live drum cam video of "Escape To The Void", shot during the band's recent 2024 Latin American Tour. Check it out below. 





Sepultura kicked off their Celebrating Life Through Death farewell tour on March 1st at Arena Hall in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Fan-filmed video from the show, featuring new drummer Greyson Nekrutman (Suicidal Tendencies), can be viewed below.




Setlist:


"Refuse/Resist"
"Territory"
"Slave New World"
"Phantom Self"
"Dusted" 
"Attitude"
"Kairos"
"Means To An End"
"Cut Throat"
"Guardians Of Earth"
"Mind War" 
"False" 
"Choke"
"Escape To The Void" 
"Kaiowas"
"Sepulnation"
"Biotech Is Godzilla" 
"Agony Of Defeat"
"Troops Of Doom"
"Arise"


Encore:
"Ratamahatta"
"Roots Bloody Roots"











Sepultura's Celebrating Life Through Death farewell tour itinerary can be found here.

In the clip below, Swedish heavy metal masters, Tribulation, perform on the iconic Ronnie James Dio Stage during Bloodstock Open Air Metal Festival on August 13th, 2023. Known for their atmospheric blend of black metal and gothic horror, Tribulation delivers a compelling show, filled with tracks from their critically acclaimed albums. Dive into a live set that showcases their unique style, marked by intricate guitar work and dark, melodic overtones, making their performance a highlight of the festival. 


Setlist:


"Trollens Brudmarsch"
"Melancholia"
"Hamartia"
"Rånda"
"Nightbound"
"In Remembrance"
"Leviathans"
"Strange Gateways Beckon"







Forged amid the grubby depths of the Swedish death metal scene, Tribulation have always been the shadowy outlaws of the underground - and with Hamartia, they're poised to begin a new chapter in their sinister story. The group's songwriting powers have undergone a vigorous rejuvenation; new guitarist Joseph Tholl replaced the departing Jonathan Hultén, which in turn led to the creation of an EP's worth of material. Recorded in Stockholm with Robert Pehrsson at Studio Humbucker as well as Linus Björklund at Studio Ryssviken, before being crafted in mix by Tom Dalgety in the UK and then returning to Stockholm for mastering by Magnus Lindberg at Redmount Studios, Hamartia is a riotous encapsulation of everything that diehard fans demand from the Swedish crew - but, sharper, darker and laced with venom. These four new songs showcase a band in a robust state of health.


"The plan going forward is that Joseph and I will split the writing duties, just as me and Jonathan did before," says guitarist Adam Zaars. "The other difference this time is that we did work a bit closer with each other on these songs. On the last couple of albums, we've basically written our material separately. This time, even though Joseph wrote 'Axis Mundi' and I wrote the other two songs, I still went to Stockholm every other weekend for the entire Spring leading up to the recording, and we sat together and tried different things out. We've worked closer this time than we've done at least since 'The Children of The Night'. Comparing it to the last album, I'd say the new songs are a bit more cynical, harsher in a way."


Additionally, Zaars is already considering Tribulation's next move. “Fairly soon, I hope we can record something - an album before anything else," he concludes. "In some ways, I've already started writing, but I don't have a complete song to show anyone yet. I've got a lot of material, so we just need time to piece it all together... We did a tour with Watain, Abbath and Bölzer last year and that was great, and this year we're going to focus on festivals...and writing new material!"


Order Hamartia here.





Hamartia tracklisting:


"Hamartia"
"Axis Mundi"
"Hemoclysm"
"Vengeance (The Pact)" [Blue Öyster Cult cover]


"Vengeance (The Pact)" video:





"Axis Mundi" video:





'Hamartia" video:

Richie Sambora has shared his thoughts on the new BON JOVI docuseries. During an appearance on the 50th episode of "The Allison Hagendorf Show", the 64-year-old former BON JOVI guitarist stated about "Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story", which dropped on April 26 via Hulu (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Hey, look, this obviously was [BON JOVI singer Jon Bon Jovi's] personal perception. And this documentary was his perception, his baby. I really had nothing to do with it. And there were some incongruencies about time periods and this and that, and it continues on. But, yeah, I think that… I disagree with a lot of stuff or whatever, but I'm not really shaken by it at that point. And it gave me a platform to go, 'Yeah, here's some new music now,' where now it's relevant because I think a guy that's been around a block like me in my age needed a platform."

When host Allison Hagendorf noted that the docuseries is a celebration of BON JOVI, Richie said: "It could have been more of a celebration. We could have cut that down to about two hours, because, to me, the celebration would have been the great songs that we wrote and how we sold all those millions of records and played for people for… I was in the band for 32 years, which is unbelievable anyway. [That] five guys could be married for 32 years, it's incredible. That celebration of those great songs that people really took into their lives, that's what I believed the 40-year celebration would be myself. But, like I said, it was his baby."

Hagendorf also spoke to Sambora about his quote in the documentary that he didn't regret his departure from BON JOVI but that he regretted how he did it. Asked what he would have done differently if he could go back, Richie said: "I probably would have left earlier. I might have left a couple of albums before because… I think Jon was moving into a place where he wanted to not really be a band.

"When we first met, he was thriving to be a kind of a solo artist in a Bruce [Springsteen] way or a Rick Springfield way," Sambora explained. "And quite frankly, it was an ultimatum for me when I just, before [BON JOVI's 1986 album] 'Slippery [When Wet]' [was made], I went, 'Come on, man. Let me in. We have to do this. We have to make this a band situation if we wanna invade the planet and have people accept it.'"

Asked what he feels isn't in the docuseries that not he really wishes people would know, Richie said: "Everything. There's one thing that's not in there, and it's everything. Like I said, to me, this is Jon's baby."

When asked by Hagendorf about the prospect of him rejoining BON JOVI, Sambora seemed to be open to the possibility. "The fans would just love it," he said. "It's not finance. It has nothing to do with that. The world could use it. But, as Jon said, he's been having problems with his voice. And now he had that operation with some plastic thing in his larynx. And it's an iffy thing at best. I don't know if there's anybody that has ever had that be successful. I'm not really sure about that. And I went to his house and we talked about it. I said, 'How is that now? What's going on?' Physiologically, it doesn't seem almost possible, where your brain teaches this plastic thing how to… almost like you've gotta relearn speech in a way, and things like that. So, like I said, first time I've ever really heard of that operation or something like that. So, I would definitely go. [My new solo single] 'I Pray' was earmarked almost for BON JOVI. It was almost gonna be that 'It's My Life' moment. So if he gets [his voice] back, I'll go play. I got songs."

The four-part "Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story" series was directed and executive produced by Gotham Chopra. Jon Bon Jovi is not credited as a producer on the project.

Before the premiere of "Thank You, Goodnight", Jon revealed to People that he and Richie watched some of it together. "He came over and watched three parts of the docuseries at my house," Jon said, adding, "There's never animosity."

The BON JOVI frontman also shared that "there was nothing but love" when Sambora left the band to focus on raising his daughter Ava, now 26, amid his divorce from ex Heather Locklear.

"There was never a fight," the singer said. "Ultimately being in a rock band is not a life sentence. He had to deal with his other issues."

Hosted by renowned music journalist and media personality Allison Hagendorf, "The Allison Hagendorf Show" has consistently provided fans with intimate and insightful interviews with some of the biggest names in entertainment. This week's episode follows a string of captivating interviews, including conversations with iconic figures such as Ringo Starr, St. Vincent, Chris Robinson, Landon Barker, Kelly Osbourne and more.

"The Allison Hagendorf Show" is presented in partnership with Danny Wimmer Presents, the premier producer of some of the largest rock, metal, and alternative music festivals in the country. The show is sponsored by functional sparkling beverage company Cloud Water, which has celebrity investors including Liev Schrieber and Karma Sauce, as seen on the YouTube talk show "Hot Ones".

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

Episode description: "ALIENS - More ink, words, thoughts, and video have been poured into this topic than perhaps any other -- are we alone in the universe? But perhaps the better question is, "What are alien d**** like?" And if alien visitors are demonic as some suggest, then who better to ask than the Prince of the Underworld?"

Featured topics of discussion:

00:00 - Aliens! Are they here?!
00:30 - What is The Madhouse Chronicles? When did Ozzy, Billy meet?
03:01 - Do you believe in Aliens?
03:45 - David Grusch testifying to US Congress
08:26 - John Lennon's UFO sighting
12:25 - The Tic Tac UFO video
14:45 - A real ALIEN sighting?!
18:53 - Project Blue Beam alien takeover
20:20 - Are aliens a government misdirection?
22:58 - Visit OsbourneMediaHouse.com

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

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

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

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

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

Canadian metal legends ANVIL will release their 20th studio album "One And Only", on June 28 via AFM Records. The effort was recorded late last summer 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).

The LP's second single, "Truth Is Dying", can be streamed below.

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."

"One And Only" track listing:

01. One And Only
02. Feed Your Fantasy
03. Fight For Your Rights
04. Heartbroken
05. Gold And Diamonds
06. Dead Man Shoes
07. Truth Is Dying
08. Rocking The World
09. Run Away
10. World Of Fools
11. Condemned Liberty
12. Blind Rage

In a recent interview with rob wog, Lips spoke about the band's upcoming 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 January 2023, MVD Marquee Collection released the "Ultimate Edition" Blu-ray and "Standard Edition" DVD of ANVIL's acclaimed documentary, "Anvil! The Story Of Anvil". The new version of the film features remastered picture and sound, as well as a new exclusive epilogue interview with director Sacha Gervasi and Lips and ANVIL drummer Robb Reiner moderated by former MTV host Matt Pinfield.

In the fall of 2022, Lips spoke to the French metal radio show "Metal Zone" on Oxygène Radio about ANVIL's unwillingness to pay attention to music trends while working on new songs. He said: "It was never about radio play. It was never about being posers. It was always about high-integrity, as-heavy-as-possible music. And that's what it was really about. And we didn't wanna become one of the bands that puts out a couple of heavy albums and then goes soft and tries to get on the radio; that was not our idea. We wanted to stay true to what we started and continue to do."

Asked how he has evolved as a songwriter since ANVIL's inception more than four decades ago, Lips said: "Yeah, I would say I've learned a lot of things. One thing I've learned more than anything else is about self-recognition. I think that I lacked my own belief in myself and didn't realize that, really, I shaped and formed everything all along and I didn't really need the help and that help generally was more of a hindrance than actually helping. And that's what I've kind of discovered more in the later years, that I probably could have done a better job in earlier records had I taken the bull by the horns and been a tyrant and overstepped everybody who was trying to get their two cents in. Because what generally happens [is] I have a vision, I have an idea and I have the whole song in my mind, and if I come into rehearsal and if it's not completely settled with me, it ends up going off topic and off target, because I've allowed other people into the equation that they're not gonna know what's gonna happen or how to really do it. It's a much more pure place that I'm coming from now. I sit down and write all the music, I create all the guitar parts before I go in. Then I present it to the other two guys, and they write their accompaniment to it. That seems to be the best format. I don't have to have a discussion with the singer, because I am the singer."

Photo credit: W. Cliff Knese

Founding MC5 drummer Dennis "Machine Gun" Thompson died Wednesday, according to The Detroit Free Press. He was 75.

An exact cause of death has not been revealed, but Thompson had reportedly suffered a series of medical issues in recent months, including a heart attack in April.

Draped in red, white and blue, the MC5 were a high-watt onslaught of musicians: guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, Thompson and brain-shattering lead singer Rob Tyner. The Motor City 5 kicked out the jams and politicized every bystander in sight. Their powerful sound was a unique combination of R&B, psychedelia and garage rock with dominant political messages. Invited by Abbie Hoffman to play to the masses of young protestors outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, MC5 were the only band brazen enough to play onstage. They became the soundtrack to a cultural tipping point, played over scenes of tear gas and police brutality.

With proud anti-establishment credentials, the MC5 prefigured much of American punk rock and even influenced heavy metal. After releasing "Kick Out The Jams", the band broke new ground with their second album, "Back In The USA", produced by then-rock critic Jon Landau. The record combined Chuck Berry riffs with lyrics that remain prophetic to this day. Just listen to "High School" and you'll hear the pop-punk sound that was later perfected by the RAMONES. Each album's relentless qualities drive listeners to the brink of sensory overload while remaining rooted in melody and groove.

Thompson's death comes three months after the passing of Kramer. Wayne, also 75, died at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, according to Jason Heath, a close friend and executive director of Kramer's nonprofit Jail Guitar Doors. Heath said the cause of death was pancreatic cancer.

Just weeks ago, it was announced that MC5 will finally be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in the fall.

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

Iggy Pop has said the MC5 belong in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame "for their contributions to American music and its politics… They were hugely charismatic and influential. Their beliefs and approach had to do with things much larger than music and these things are coming to light more and more today on the world revolutionary stage. There is no band that I know of as dangerous as the MC5."

Image courtesy of UnitedEarthFund

Former DISINCARNATE drummer Tommy Viator has died.

The news of Tommy's passing was shared by DISINCARNATE founder James Murphy, who has also played with DEATH, OBITUARY and TESTAMENT.

DISINCARNATE only released one album, 1993's "Dreams Of The Carrion Kind", through Roadrunner Records. It was reissued in 2004 with bonus tracks.

Earlier today (Wednesday, May 8),Murphy took to his social media to share a 1993 promotional photo of DISINCARNATE and he wrote in an accompanying message: "RIP DISINCARNATE drummer Tommy Viator, pictured here to the far left in 1993. I have no idea what happened, I just know that he is gone.

"Tommy was a key element to the band's sound, with a drumming style all his own... he helped make the 'Dreams Of The Carrion Kind' album heavy as hell without a single blast beat, at least not as that technique is known today. He was wearing my leather in this pic, I don't really remember why.

"We just spoke back at the beginning of April, and he seemed to be in good spirits and having some positive musical activities and plans with musicians local to him near his home in Louisiana. I'm glad we had that conversation, and I'm very glad that I let him know that I appreciated him at the end of it. I would've said so much more if I had known, but we never know."

James added in a separate message: "Tommy was a genuinely nice guy, who went out of his way to stay in touch over the years, despite his various health issues and the way I kind of dumped him unceremoniously to run off and play with TESTAMENT… a development he was very supportive of, by the way. That was Tommy, just a good old southern boy who we all affectionately referred to as 'Cajun Man', a reference to Adam Sandler's famous (at the time, anyway) 'SNL' character."

A few years ago, Murphy told KKDowning.net about how DISINCARNATE came together: "It was meant to be my band, helmed by me as the main writer, the main visionary, the captain of the ship. Real members. I created DISINCARNATE. It was my plan from the moment I left OBITUARY. I wasn't going to join anyone else's band; I was going to try to get a deal for my group. That way I can put out my own music and then I don't have to worry about it anymore. I had DISINCARNATE signed with Roadrunner before I even found a member. I sent Roadrunner my demo tapes of my songs. I made pretty detailed demo tapes with programmed drums, layered guitars."

Regarding why DISINCARNATE didn't last longer, Murphy explained: "A couple of things happened to DISINCARNATE all at once. A convergence of three factors. One is the youth factor. I thought if I get young guys that don't have wives at home, don't have jobs they're afraid to leave, they still live at home with their parents, they're like 18-19 and don't have a lot of obligations, they can go off and go on the road for months, no big deal. I wanted guys that had open minds to learn. Well, that came back to bite me. We had a bit of a rough time, and they wanted to bail. They wanted to go back to mommy. Maybe go back to college and get a career. Another factor was grunge. Grunge was starting to explode. The labels that had traditionally put out metal for all those years just started clearing house. We were up on the chopping block at Roadrunner. They were only going to hold on to a couple of death metal bands. They held on to DEICIDE and OBITUARY for a while. They didn't drop us, but they wanted to hear demos. We thought we were past the point of demos. Turns out we weren't, they wanted to hear demos of the new material before they made their mind up. A third factor was as I'm trying to negotiate the first two factors, trying to keep our deal with Roadrunner going, getting them a demo of new material to convince them we were deserving of another record, was that I got a call from Mike Gitter who I had known as a music journalist. He had interviewed me when I was in DEATH and OBITUARY. He said he was working for Atlantic Records in A&R and asked me how I would feel about playing for TESTAMENT. I told him I felt good about it right about this point because I love TESTAMENT, I was a huge thrash fan, one of my routes to death metal was thrash. That first TESTAMENT album, 'The Legacy', I got that while I was on tour with AGENT STEEL in Europe in 1987 when I was 19. I was, like, 'This album is sick! This band is sick!'"

He added: "By the time I was talking to DEATH in that empty lot in Tampa, I was listening by then to TESTAMENT's second record, 'The New Order', and loving it. By the time I got the call and was brought in to DEATH, I was rocking their third album, 'Practice What You Preach'. So, I was a fan already. So, I went for it. Things were going a little rough with DISINCARNATE."

RIP Disincarnate drummer Tommy Viator, pictured here to the far left in 1993. I have no idea what happened, I just know...

Posted by James Murphy on Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Limbonic Art's ninth full-length album, Opus Daemoniacal, will be released on June 28 via Kyrck Productions & Armour. A visualizer for the new single, "Consigned To The Flames, can be found below.


Opus Daemoniacal is black as a raven, fierce as a wolf, majestic as an eagle, and mighty as the legendary Norwegian black metal pioneers that mastermind, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Vidar "Daemon" Jensen founded in 1993 have always been.


Opus Daemoniacal continues along the more straightforward black metal path that the Norwegian has chosen for his last releases yet this album also deliberately harks back to the dense atmospheric and cinematic feel of Limbonic Art's groundbreaking early works.




Limbonic Art released their debut album, Moon In The Scorpio, in 1996 via Nocturnal Art Productions, the label of Emperor guitarist Samoth, aka Tomas Thormodsæter Haugen, after the band's early tapes had captured his ear. Their at the time quite unique combination of harsh Nordic black metal with cinematic elements inspired by romantic and classic orchestral music proved extremely influential in the following years.


A duo at the time, Limbonic Art had considerable success in the black metal underground. Despite their growing reputation the Norwegians began to reduce symphonic elements. This development is already audible on the sophomore full-length, In Abhorrence Dementia (1997), which is still considered a classic recording of the band as well as the third album, Epitome Of Illusions (1998), that contained new recordings of overhauled demo material.


Limbonic Art have always been an elusive creation that rarely appeared live, for example with a stunning performance at the Black Whitsun sub-festival of the doomed millennium year edition of the Wave Gotik Treffen (2000) in Leipzig, Germany. In the new century, Daemon also joined Samoth's band Zyklon for a while, but in February 2003, Limbonic Art officially broke up.


However, Daemon reformed the band in 2006. He continued on his own to release the albums Phantasmagoria (2010) and Spectre Abysm (2017) under the name Limbonic Art. Opus Daemoniacal ends another extended period of silence. With this strong album the Norwegian cult act is bound to appeal to friends of their early material as well as a new generation of classic Norse black metal connoisseurs.





Tracklisting:


"Ad Astra et Abyssos"
"Deify Thy Master"
"Consigned To The Flames"
"Vir Triumphalis"
"I Am Your Demon"
"The Wrath Of Storms"
"Ars Diavoli"


"Consigned To The Flames" visualizer:





"Ad Astra et Abyssos" video:





(Photo - Sean Fulton)

In a new interview with Dave Ling of Classic Rock magazine, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian was asked if he was as astonished as everyone else when SLAYER recently came out of retirement. He responded: "I wrote to Kerry [King, SLAYER guitarist] and said: 'Thanks for making me look like a liar.' We were on SLAYER's goodbye tour for over a hundred shows. During that year and a half together, I got the sense that if they said were ending, then that's what was happening. Personally, I felt it was too soon — the world needs SLAYER — but I took them at their word on that. I really felt that they would be the one band that when they said they were retiring, they'd be done for good."

Asked how Kerry responded to his e-mail, Scott said: "He wrote back saying: 'Hahaha. Hey, it's just three shows.' I replied: 'Yeah, we'll see.'"

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

Back in January 2018, just a week after SLAYER announced its "final world tour" via a 30-second video, including what was being billed as the band's last-ever North American run of dates with support from ANTHRAX, among other acts, Ian told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about how he felt about SLAYER pulling the plug on what at the time was its three-and-a-half-decade career: "We've obviously been friends for a very long time, and even in the last seven or eight years, we've played quite a few shows together — a couple of major tours in the States and Europe. So when we got the call a couple of months ago asking if we'd like to be a part of this… At the time, when I first heard about it from our agent, there was no inkling that this was going to be some type of goodbye tour; it was just, like, 'Do you wanna be part of this sick metal package with SLAYER and LAMB OF GOD and BEHEMOTH and TESTAMENT?' And I was, like, 'Yeah.' I got excited. I'm always excited about touring, but that e-mail comes in, and I got excited like a kid, like, 'I can't wait to get tickets for this.' 'Cause that hasn't happened in a while. The Mayhem tour's been gone now for a couple of years, so there hasn't been a major summer metal tour in a long time, and this obviously fills that void in a big way. And I got really excited."

According to Ian, he was unaware that the 2018-2019 tour would mark SLAYER's final run "until the day they publicly announced" it. "I saw that just like everyone else out there, that this was the beginning of the end," he told WRIF at the time. "And I was, like, 'Wow!' I had no idea. I mean, I've known… Obviously I'm friends with the guys and I know from speaking to them that this day was going to come and their schedule had slowed down as compared to what it had used to be. But I didn't know it was happening now. My only hope is that their goodbye tour will take about three or four years to finish. My hope, as a fan of SLAYER, that they really, really pound it into the ground because there's a lot of people that are gonna wanna see 'em a couple of times before it's over, probably."

At the time of the WRIF interview, Scott said that he "got" why SLAYER would want to end its touring career five years after the band's co-founding guitarist, Jeff Hanneman, died from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver. Hanneman is credited for writing many of SLAYER's classic songs, including "Angel Of Death" and "South Of Heaven". "I understand," Ian said. "I've been around those guys long enough; I get it. And look, obviously, losing Jeff a couple of years ago, that's something that… as great as it's been, and [Hanneman's replacement] Gary's [Holt] a motherfucker on guitar and there's nobody else that could have filled that role better than Gary Holt, but still, they lost Jeff, and I understand how, after that, certainly for Tom [Araya, bass/vocals] and Kerry [King, guitar], nothing will ever be the same. I can understand that they were able to come to what was obviously a very tough decision to say, 'All right. Let's put an ending on this.' And you know what? All the best things have a great ending, whether it's a book, a movie, a TV series. If you don't stick the ending, it's almost like what was the point in the first place? And I like the way they're doing this and I really think they're gonna go out in a big way and really stick the ending."

Ian believed at the time that SLAYER was making the right decision by going out on top and not just hanging around way past its expiration date. "It's the way you've gotta do it — especially being in a band," Scott said. "People ask me all the time, 'How long can you do this for?' and I'm, like, 'I can do it for as long as I feel like I'm giving everything I have every night.' The last thing I want is being on stage and not being able to perfom at what I consider to be my level of performance, let's say. I never wanna be on stage and someone in the audience can look at me and say, 'Oh, man. He's phoning it in,' or, 'He doesn't even move around anymore.' I would hate to ever disappoint anyone in that way. Playing live for me, being on a stage is that sacred ground, man. That's such a privilege to be there in front of an audience, and for me, if I can't give what I feel like I need to give, then I shouldn't do it anymore."

King addressed the SLAYER reunion earlier this month while speaking to U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine about his upcoming debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", which will be released on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music. Admitting that the announcement of SLAYER's comeback "was not my favorite timing", Kerry said that the SLAYER reunion "is not going to translate into recording and it's not going to translate into touring. For me, it's three shows marking five years since our final shows, a fun, 'Hey, remember us from before the pandemic?' celebration."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Southern California metalcore titans BLEEDING THROUGH have made their awaited return with a brand new single today, aptly titled "Our Brand Is Chaos". The track is a ruthless new track is their first taste of something the band is currently brewing behind studio doors.

Commenting on the single, lead vocalist Brandan Schieppati states: "'Our Brand Is Chaos' is a statement. This is about our unrivaled support by our fans, friends and families. Together we are imperfectly perfect, pure chaos and all love. Let this be our anthem through dark time. Fuck with us and find out."

Destined for great achievement ever since their formation in 1999, BLEEDING THROUGH's career has been a lengthy and star-studded one, dedicated to delivering a devastating, yet melodic and entrancing, infusion of metal and hardcore to fans worldwide. But, above all else, the band has stayed true to themselves. A testament to their momentous impact on the genre, the quintet has influenced several generations of artists since their inception and will no doubt continue to inspire fans and artists for many years to come.

Having already triumphantly reclaimed the spotlight after their biggest collective hurdle — the 2014 hiatus which many anticipated would be the end of the band's career as a cohesive unit — the Orange County quintet, consisting of Brandan Schieppati (vocals),Derek Youngsma (drums),Marta Peterson (keyboards),Brian Leppke (guitar) and Ryan Wombacher (bass),clearly know what it takes for a successful resurgence.

With five Top 50 U.S. charting records, 100 million catalog streams, over 400,000 physical album sales, and tours with SLIPKNOT, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, LAMB OF GOD and UNEARTH under their belts, there's no arguing with the BLEEDING THROUGH's methods and widespread appeal.

In a 2018 interview with Alternative Press, Schieppati reflected on BLEEDING THROUGH's hiatus, saying: "There was a dark cloud plaguing us toward the end. We became a stepping-stone band; we lost respect from the media, our management, our booking agent…it was like people didn't take us seriously anymore. We were still pulling people to shows and selling a good amount of records, but other people's interests were ahead of ours when it came to BLEEDING THROUGH."

Asked why he felt BLEEDING THROUGH lost the respect of the industry, Schieppati said: "BLEEDING THROUGH were old news to people. The music industry has always been a case of 'out with the old, in with the new.' Metalcore gave way to deathcore, and then deathcore gave way to whatever the fuck, and then that gave way to [popular Maryland hardcore punks] TURNSTILE. And now I'm, like, 'How did we get here?' What I mean is that TURNSTILE will be hot for four years and then gone — something else will come up. It's unfortunate, because I really like that band, but I feel that hardcore got so big that people started turning on it, and I can see that happening again. BLEEDING THROUGH fell victim to that, which was really tough."

KITTIE will release its long- awaited new studio album, "Fire", on Friday, June 21 via Sumerian Records. Heralding the exciting news is the release of brand new single "Vultures" and its accompanying music video featuring live footage of the group's mainstage performance at this year's Sick New World festival in Las Vegas on April 27.

KITTIE vocalist/guitarist Morgan Lander states: "10 years ago, if someone would have told us that we would be releasing new KITTIE music in 2024, we'd have dismissed them right away. It feels like something deeper than fate that's brought us together again, allowing us to create something fearless and magical for you. We've worked incredibly hard over the past year, and surrounded ourselves with the ultimate dream team to make this album a reality. We cannot wait for you to lose yourselves in the passion and strength of 'Fire'.

"'Vultures' is a bold musical declaration, signaling our new beginnings as a band. 'Vultures' is a warning to those with hidden agendas, who thrive on deception. It's a proclamation of breaking free of the chains of exploitation and a reckoning for those who pick at the bones of those who suffer in silence."

"Fire" is available to pre-order now with a variety of merch bundles including exclusive vinyl colorways, t-shirts, a cassette tape, a sticker pack, guitar pick pack, laminate and two metal lunch box designs.

"Fire" track listing

01. Fire
02. I Still Wear This Crown
03. Falter
04. Vultures
05. We Are Shadows
06. Wound
07. One Foot In The Grave
08. Are You Entertained
09. Grime
10. Eyes Wide Open

Last month, KITTIE announced an exclusive run of North American headline dates. The long-awaited shows will see the band perform in five cities across the U.S. and Canada this July and August, giving fans a very special and rare chance to see the band play a full headline set that will include their recently released singles "We Are Shadows" and "Eyes Wide Open" as well as classic hits and some deep cuts not played live since the band's early days.

Last November, it was revealed that KITTIE was working on a new studio LP with producer Nick Raskulinecz at Nashville's Sienna Studios.

Raskulinecz, who moved to Nashville from Los Angeles around 16 years ago, had previously worked with such acts as RUSH, ALICE IN CHAINS, KORN, RISE AGAINST, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, SKID ROW and the DEFTONES.

Regarding the overwhelmingly positive response to KITTIE's live shows and music since the band's return in 2022, Lander told Metal Hammer: "I just think that the world is ready for us now. A lot of the things that we were doing 25 years ago were still... I don't want to say controversial, but they seemed so new. It definitely has a lot to do with a shift in thinking and acceptance and representation in the years since the very first time that KITTIE came out. Sometimes it just takes the world a bit of time to catch up and appreciate those things."

In March, Morgan told The MetalSucks Podcast about KITTIE's plans for the rest of 2024: "To be honest with you, this all just feels brand new again. I know that we're veterans of the music industry and whatnot, but we've sort of stepped into a new age and a new era of music releasing and record labels and things like that. So I think the goal is just to just enjoy — for us, for sure — enjoy the process and just — I don't know — put some smiles on people's faces, really. All of the things that come along with releasing new music and an album, like new merch and shows, headlining stuff, album-release stuff, all of that is definitely coming down the pike. But I think ultimately the goal for us is just to sort of enjoy the ride. All of those tangible things will come. It all feels so new and exciting again. So, yeah, we're just here to enjoy the ride."

Asked how she views all the platforms, with social media and music streaming services, now compared to how it was when KITTIE last released new music nearly a decade and a half ago, Morgan said: "Well, I feel like in 2011 [when 'I've Failed You' came out] and 2009 [when 'In The Black' was released], those last two albums, I actually really don't know that Spotify and music and streaming platforms were catching on. And so it was this weird sort of interim period where they may have existed but nobody cared and people were definitely still buying tangible CDs. And, yeah, so now we're in this new era of streaming, and I really feel like music is more accessible than ever and I think more people are listening than ever before, because things are just so easy to find; everything that you need is on a streaming platform. And so I definitely think that it does have its benefits. I mean, as far as being an artist and on the serving-the-artist side of things, it doesn't pay great, but I feel like the audience is greater than ever before. Way back, when we were active, I guess you could say the first time, the industry was definitely a different beast. And this time around, I feel like a lot of people, since we put out our last albums, have discovered the band, a lot of young people as well. And so because streaming [is so widely available], they've had this ability to discover and listen to our old catalog and continue to keep those songs popular and alive. And ultimately, it's that sort of simmering growth that's allowed us to have this opportunity that we have today. So, I don't think that it's a bad thing. I'm excited for the weirdness of the future."

In a recent interview with Knotfest's "She's With The Band" podcast, KITTIE drummer Mercedes Lander and Morgan spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the long-awaited follow-up to the Canadian metallers' 2011 album "I've Failed You". Mercedes said about the musical direction of the new KITTIE material: "I'm gonna say that we are just really stoked to write 1,200 percent bangers. I think that's just where we're at now. We want people to feel good. We want people to feel what we're feeling. I feel like bangers, that's what we're good at."

Asked by host Tori Kravitz about the possibility of KITTIE combining some of the old-school sound from the band's early days and mixing it up with a fresh approach, Morgan said: "I think marrying some of the ideas, 'cause I don't think we're ever going to put our JNCOs [jeans] on again. But, yeah, the idea of marrying some of those ideas — like who we are now with the ideas of who maybe we used to be and kind of being able to meet somewhere in the middle, but in a way that will just create something brand new again. I'm excited for it to be unleashed upon the world."

KITTIE played its first concert in five years in September 2022 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.

Joining Morgan and Mercedes in KITTIE's current lineup guitarist Tara McLeod and bassist Ivana "Ivy" Vujic.

Prior to Blue Ridge, KITTIE had not performed since its reunion show at London Music Hall in the band's native London, Ontario in 2017, celebrating the group's documentary "Kittie: Origins/Evolutions".

Vujic joined KITTIE in 2008 and appeared on the band's fifth studio CD, 2009's "In The Black". She also wrote and recorded bass for KITTIE's sixth album, 2011's "I've Failed You".

In January 2022, the original lineup of KITTIE — Morgan, Mercedes, Fallon Bowman (guitar) and Tanya Candler (bass) — reunited for an online chat to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of its gold-certified 2000 debut album, "Spit".

Candler left KITTIE after the release of "Spit" in order to finish high school and was replaced by Talena Atfield.

Bowman exited KITTIE in 2001 and started her own industrial/electronic project, AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT.

After KITTIE completed the touring cycle for "I've Failed You" album, the band entered a long period of inactivity during which Morgan focused on a marketing job for a chain of fitness clubs while Mercedes worked in real estate and more recently at a software company. The group also began work on a career-spanning documentary, "Origins/Evolutions", which finally saw the light of day in 2018 via Lightyear Entertainment in North America.

"I've Failed You" sold 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 178 on The Billboard 200 chart.

KITTIE will play multiple other North American festivals this year, including Welcome To Rockville, Sonic Temple and Havoc Fest.

Photo credit: Dante Dellamore

In a new interview with Martha Wingen of the Bleeding Metal podcast, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King was asked to name "the most important message" on his upcoming debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't know that there's a message on the album. I'm not that kind of person. I like to bring things to a conversation. Say, for instance, I've been talking today about, I think a lot of people are born into a religious belief based on being handed down from their parents, friends, whatever. What I like to present to people is ideas that if that makes them question what they believe, what they were taught… I think everybody should make up their own mind. And at the end of the day, that would be my message. Make up your own mind, be it politics, be it religion. Just be your own self."

Asked if he was able to realize something in his music he always wanted to do, like new influences or new styles, on "From Hell I Rise", Kerry said: "Realistically, my influences were influences 40 years ago and they still are my influences. And along that way, did I pick up more? Yeah, absolutely. But I think in doing this project, it's just the next record for me. I didn't have anything that I wanted to achieve that necessarily I hadn't achieved. I just wanna make up the next batch of music for people that I think are my fans, that I think they would like, because SLAYER has a gigantic amount of fans, and if I make 95 percent of them happy with what I do, I think I had a good day."

Pressed about whether there is anything he wants to achieve musically and personally with his solo project, King said: "Musically, not really. Just keep putting out music that translates between me writing it and the fans liking it. The thing that I can't wait for, which is a lot closer than I expected — I was told today our first show is in, like, 10 days [laughs], so I gotta go home and rehearse. But I'm looking forward to playing with the guys, 'cause even though we've done a video, we've never actually played together all at once. So, that's gonna be pretty exciting. And that happens Sunday. I fly home Saturday, and then I gotta fly to the West Coast Sunday and start rehearsing. So I've got a big week, but that's what I look most forward to these days, is getting in the rehearsal room and then finally getting on stage and showing the new band to everybody."

Due on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music, all material for "From Hell I Rise" was written by the 59-year-old SLAYER guitarist, who was accompanied during the recording sessions by drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER),bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH),guitarist Phil Demmel (formerly of MACHINE HEAD) and Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL) on vocals. Helming the sessions at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles last year was producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BAD RELIGION, among others.

In a separate interview with with France's Loud TV, Kerry said about the prospect of launching a solo career: "It's kind of funny, right? It's kind of funny to have 40 years in this business at all, let alone be starting a new band. It's funny, our first show in Europe is gonna be on my 60th birthday at the only venue I've ever canceled in my life, which is super ironic."

Referencing the fact that SLAYER hasn't released a new studio album since 2015 and hasn't played any live shows since 2019, King added: "I'm obviously not done. I've got lots more music and lots more things to say, a lot more people to piss off and argue about. So, let's start this new endeavor now. Move on."

When the interviewer noted that it takes "courage" to launch a new project several decades into his career, King concurred: "It is a lot more difficult than I thought. I've been kind of pampered for the last at least three decades. And starting over, even though I have a gigantic history in SLAYER, starting over, you're still starting over — you're lower on the bills, you're not making the [same kind of] money. Having to figure out how to make sure everybody in my band makes money so it's worth their time. But, yeah, never for a second did I consider not going on, because at this point in life, any record could be your last. I don't think this is my last record, but I have to move on like it is. So put it out, hope the fans like it, hope the fans show up. I like it. I think the fans are gonna like it, and I think we're gonna have a lot of good times."

Asked if the lineup for his solo band is made up of "friends", Kerry said: "Absolutely. The thing that meant the most to me about moving forward in this project was getting my friends. I could get anybody in the biz — I can get people I don't know, people I've never met, but I have enough friends in this business to know that I could put a band together of outstanding musicians that are friends that, after the show, we can get on the bus and have a drink and just have fun. No drama. Nothing weird is gonna happen that we don't foresee. I look forward to getting out on the road with these guys and having a good time."

Pressed about which member of his solo band was "the most surprised" when Kerry called him to offer him a spot in the group, Kerry said: "I think the most surprising moment was when I finally gave Mark the gig. Mark put his name in the hat very early, and he's the only one that did demos with me and Paul. We had him come down every six weeks or so, and he would just come down and sing the songs he'd already sang and just every time he'd come down, make 'em better. But I didn't tell him until, like, 14 months ago that he got the gig. And I was super nonchalant about it. He was at my place in [Las] Vegas, and I said, 'Dude, if you still want the gig, I guess you can have it.' And he was super excited, super excited, like almost fan excited. He was so excited, he texted his mom and texted me by accident. [Laughs] And I said, 'I love you too, man. It's cool. It's cool.' So we went in and recorded, like, two months after that."

When the interviewer remarked that Mark sounds like he is really pushing himself vocally on "From Hell I Rise", Kerry said: "Like I said, we did demos, and we always made the demos better. And then we got to the studio in Hollywood, and I was in another room doing something, and he sang 'Residue'. And the producer got me and says, 'Hey, I want you to hear where the song is.' And I went, 'Okay, cool,' expecting to hear what I was used to hearing. And I hear the first verse and I'm going, 'How did you guys get to this register?' It's, like, I'd never heard that before. He was, like, 'Well, that's where he started singing and felt comfortable.' So I went to Mark immediately and I said, 'Hey, dude, you can recreate this, right?' It's, like, 'You're not setting yourself up to fail the first show and blow your voice out and be canceling shows all over the place.' And he assured me he can do it. So, he carried on and went on and did even crazier performances on the later songs that he sang. So, apparently, he's very confident in what he can do. And I think it sounds great. So, I'm anxious to get out and start doing it."

"From Hell I Rise" track listing:

01. Diablo
02. Where I Reign
03. Residue
04. Idle Hands
05. Trophies Of The Tyrant
06. Crucifixation
07. Tension
08. Everything I Hate About You
09. Toxic
10. Two Fists
11. Rage
12. Shrapnel
13. From Hell I Rise

King told Rolling Stone about the decision to call the band KERRY KING: "It was going to be KING'S REIGN for a long time, which is really cool. But even with that one, I went to the guys, like, 'I'm not a vain dude. I don't want my name to be a part of it.' We talked about BLOOD REIGN for a while, but it didn't work. Every time I came up with anything remotely cool, it was taken by some obscure band in Eastern Europe. It became KERRY KING because I love that logo."

King said the album is about "various religious topics, some war entries, heavy stuff, punky stuff, doomy stuff, and spooky stuff, with Herculean speeds achieved," adding, "If you've ever liked any SLAYER throughout any part of our history, there's something on this record that you'll get into, be it classic punk, fast punk, thrash, or just plain heavy metal."

King added there's more to come, too. "Even with a record in the can, I've still got so many songs that need to be finished," he said. "This is what I know how to do…number one being music, number two being metal. It's been a part of my life for 40 years, and I'm nowhere near being done."

KERRY KING will be special guest on the upcoming LAMB OF GOD/MASTODON North American "Ashes Of Leviathan" co-headline tour. The six-week run will launch on July 19 in Grand Prairie, Texas and will wrap on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska. KERRY KING will make the band's 2024 concert debut next month, beginning with a recently announced club show at Reggie's in Chicago on May 7 that will serve as a warm-up to the band's Welcome To Rockville festival appearance on May 9. KERRY KING will also play Sonic Temple on May 16.

Photo credit: Jim Louvau

MÖTLEY CRÜE played a "secret" club show Monday night (May 6) at New York's Bowery Ballroom. For the concert, the iconic Los Angeles rockers were billed as "1981". The year 1981 is a significant one in MÖTLEY CRÜE's history, as it represents the year they formed and released their debut single, "Live Wire", along with their first album, "Too Fast For Love".

MÖTLEY CRÜE's setlist for the show at the 600-capacity venue was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

01. Primal Scream
02. Too Fast For Love
03. Looks That Kill
04. Wild Side
05. Shout At The Devil
06. Live Wire
07. On With The Show
08. Dogs Of War
09. Rock And Roll, Part 2 / Smokin' In The Boys Room / Helter Skelter / Anarchy In The U.K. / Blitzkrieg Bop / (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)
10. Dr. Feelgood
11. Girls, Girls, Girls
12. Kickstart My Heart

CRÜE's performance at the Bowery Ballroom took place two days after the band played two back-to-back shows in Atlantic City, New Jersey on May 3-4, marking CRÜE's first live appearances of 2024.

This isn't the first time CRÜE has staged a "secret" club show. Last June, MÖTLEY CRÜE performed for 450 lucky fans at the Underworld in London, England. The streets of Camden came alive that night with the buzz that MÖTLEY CRÜE might be the band on the flyer listed as DÖGS OF WAR, with lines around the block for the most exclusive gig in town.

Late last month, MÖTLEY CRÜE released a new single, "Dogs Of War". The track was made available via the band's new deal with Nashville's Big Machine Records.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's new deal with Big Machine Records sees the band 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 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.

Mars suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS),a chronic and inflammatory form of arthritis that mainly affects the spine and pelvis. After years of performing through the pain, he informed the other members of MÖTLEY CRÜE in the summer of 2022 that he could no longer tour with them but would still be open to recording new music or performing at residencies that did not require much travel.

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, in early April 2023 the now-72-year-old musician filed a lawsuit against CRÜE in Los Angeles County's Superior Court claiming that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting.