New Zealand's rock powerhouse Black Smoke Trigger has uploaded an in-studio performance video of their latest single. "K.M.T.L." Have a look at how the band recorded the song. 





“K.M.T.L.” speaks to the relentless drive and sometimes dizzying pursuit of making dreams a reality. Partly written at Nashville's historic Sienna Studio and recorded by producer Nick Raskulinecz at his Rock Falcon Studio, the band channelled the grit and determination required to achieve success against the odds into their latest offering. The track sprang to life in the jam room, the initial riff playing out almost as if by instinct.




Guitarist and band leader Charlie Wallace recounts, "‘K.M.T.L.’ began in the jam room, I was talking to the band I noticed my hands were playing the beginning motif of the song, I just kept playing it and we started jamming. It felt like it was building to something so we wanted to write a chorus with tons of energy and I think we got just that by the end of the jam session."


The music video for “K.M.T.L.” is an adrenaline-fueled, visual spectacle. "The opening line 'It all keeps spinning' was the inspiration for what was a highly energetic shoot on a circular camera dolly track," explains Wallace. Filmed on a massive theatre stage next to the Auckland SkyTower, the video features continuous rotation, mirroring the song's theme of pushing through the spin of life's challenges to come out victorious on the other side. "It's lit up like a big stage because we just wanted to show what people can expect when they see us play this track live."





Black Smoke Trigger continue to ride the high of their bombastic rock, anchored by the distinctive guitar work of Wallace and the commanding vocals of Baldrick combined with their pummelling rhythm section courtesy of bassist Dan Fulton, and drummer Josh Te Maro. Fast becoming known for not only churning out certified 10/10, arena ready rock bangers, Black Smoke Trigger are also quickly garnering a reputation for creating incendiary and often death defying music videos. 


"K.M.T.L" follows the success of their previous singles "Proof Of Life", "Perfect Torture" and “The Way Down”, the video for which saw the band perform atop the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere whilst Wallace jumped off the edge, shredding a guitar solo whilst plummeting 630ft, clocking up over 1.3 million views on YouTube. The release sees Black Smoke Trigger continue to deliver on their promise of high-energy rock music that's both entertaining and deeply relatable.


Prior to this new string of singles, the band put out track “Caught In The Undertow”, the video for which was also a feat of extreme conditions. Filmed at Muriwai beach in Auckland, New Zealand and at a helicopter crash testing facility in a 3.6M deep pool, the whole band performed much of the song underwater creating a stunning visual that has clocked up 3.2 million YouTube views and highlighting the band’s dedication to creating unforgettable visual accompaniments for their hard-hitting rock anthems.


Black Smoke Trigger hit the road to support Bruce Dickinson in the UK, France, and the Netherlands this month. For full dates and tickets head to blacksmoketrigger.com.





For additional info, visit Black Smoke Trigger on Facebook.


 

Riley's L.A. Guns digitally released their new album, The Dark Horse, on January 22, 2024 via Golden Robot Records. The release date would have been the band's leader and drummer Steve Riley's 68th birthday. Riley passed away on October 24, 2023 at the age of 67 following a battle with a severe case of pneumonia.


Earlier today, May 6, 2024, Riley's L.A. Guns posted the following message on social media:


"What’s up everybody? I wanted to give you all an update on the Vinyl & CD for The Dark Horse since they were supposed to be shipping mid April. But April has come and gone with no answers from Golden Robot Records, so I can’t. We have no idea what is happening with it. We don’t know if it’s been made, being made or never coming because Golden Robot Records won’t tell us. They won’t answer my emails so we are all left in limbo. I re-did the art 3 times to fit their changing templates. So the art was done over a year ago. Believe me that was a lot of work and we (the Band) were also looking forward to seeing the finished product. But like I said, as of now we don’t know. I will try to keep you all posted if I hear anything. Very disheartening..."







Several hours later, Golden Robot Records issued the following statement:


"In regards to the release of Riley's L.A. Guns The Dark Horse on vinyl and CD. We have been diligently working with our manufacturers to ensure that we deliver the highest quality product to the fans, especially to commemorate Steve Riley's final piece of work.


We didn’t want to make a public statement until the release date was iron clad and today, we are thrilled to announce that the CD and special edition vinyls will be fully prepared to ship and available for sale on August 16th, 2024.


We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time. Your support means the world to us, and we cannot wait to share this special release with you.


This is the second album Golden Robot Records has had the pleasure in releasing for Riley’s L.A. Guns, and we believe it to be their best work to date.


Thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support."





Moments ago, Riley's L.A. Guns announced: 


"Parley... Happy to say that we have made progress regarding the release of The Dark Horse on Limited Edition Vinyl and CD.


Golden Robot Records has cleared up this issue and we are looking forward to the release date of August 16th. Golden Robot Records has also written us a letter explaining their position which I have posted on our Official Website. All we wanted was a little information. You all especially had a right to know. Glad we could clear this up, thanks everyone!!!"


The Dark Horse is currently available to stream/buy on all digital platforms.





Tracklisting:


"Overdrive"
"Rewind"
"The Dark Horse"
"Somebody Save Me"
"Sweet Summer Girl (Florida)"
"The Truth"
"Changing Lights"
"It's The World"
"Downday Drag"
"While I'm Away"


Riley's L.A. Guns has etched a compelling narrative in the annals of rock history. Their meteoric rise began when they signed with Polygram Records in 1987, leading to the creation of their debut album, L.A. Guns, which soared to platinum status, selling over a million copies. This marked the outset of their musical journey, establishing them as a formidable force in the music industry and fan favorite.


Following their spectacular debut, the band toured with rock legends like AC/DC, Iron Maiden, and Def Leppard, solidifying their rock dominance. Their second album, Cocked And Loaded (1989), continued the success with chart-toppers like "Rip And Tear", "Never Enough", and "The Ballad Of Jayne", going platinum and paving the way for a global tour. In 1990, they released Hollywood Vampires, another platinum album with the hit "Kiss My Love Goodbye". Throughout the years, the band's musical odyssey has evolved, punctuated by memorable albums and electrifying performances that continually capture critical acclaim and foster a devoted fan base. Their journey is a testament to their enduring passion, resilience, and their unwavering commitment to the artistry of rock 'n' roll.


In the year 2020, Riley's L.A. Guns underwent a monumental rebirth, reaffirming their unwavering commitment to the pulse of rock 'n' roll. The band proudly embraced its roots with the return of original member Kelly Nickels on bass, fortified by the rhythmic force of the late Steve Riley on drums, the guitar mastery of Scott Griffin, and guided by the commanding lead vocalist, Kurt Frohlich.


This rebirth marked a significant moment in the band's trajectory, coinciding with a robust multi-album partnership with Golden Robot Records. As they stand on the cusp of yet another triumphant chapter in their storied career, The Dark Horse emerges as the inaugural step on this exhilarating journey. Fans can anticipate nothing short of the high-octane rock 'n' roll prowess that Riley's L.A. Guns has long been celebrated for.


​​With the sad loss of Steve Riley, this album is a testament to his passion and love for rock and roll and his rich music legacy left behind.











(Photo - Mark Weiss)


 

"A Pact Unholy" is the latest single from technical death metal architects, Cognitive's Abhorrence full-length, set for release on May 17 on Metal Blade Records. The band has shared this guitar playthrough video for the track:





Abhorrence carries on tradition with its a maniacal fusion of relentless riffs and thoughtful, devastating lyrics. A raging, draining, and ultimately fulfilling experience, Abhorrence finds the New Jersey powerhouse quintet at their brutal best.




The band's fifth full-length album and a tremendously worthy successor to 2021's Malevolent Thoughts Of A Hastened Extinction, Abhorrence finds the New Jersey powerhouse quintet at its brutal best. Unrelenting riffs leave the listener stunned, while a wave of thoughtful, devastating lyrics washes over. The album is a raging, draining, and ultimately fulfilling experience.


Cognitive started work on Abhorrence while touring in support of Malevolent Thoughts Of A Hastened Extinction, sending tracks back and forth while trekking from one intense gig to the next. "There were riffs and ideas that didn't make Malevolent Thoughts…," notes guitarist Rob Wharton. "We just kept toiling away with it. And then we recorded the 'Rot Eternal' single in between touring. So, it's been just nonstop writing."


Drummer AJ Viana has his own studio (he's previously worked with bands as prestigious as Hath) and recorded, tracked, and mixed the album, before Ryan Williams (The Black Dahlia Murder, John Frum) at Metal Blade Records mastered it. To the album's immense benefit, it was a collaborative process and everyone brought their A game.


Abhorrence is an exercise in aural turbulence, each track taking its listener on a magnificently traumatic journey. "Our lyrics for this record are all over the place," says Wharton. "There's some stuff about video games and addiction and mental health. To me, that's the kind of subject matter that hits home because everyone's got stuff going on in their lives. It's relatable."


Relatable much like the album title itself. Peer at the state of the world in recent years and "abhorrence" seems like an entirely appropriate world. "We were going through all the song titles and wondering which is the strongest song," Wharton says. "We decided to go with Abhorrence. Everyone's so mean and cruel to each other and the world is terrible. We just felt like it kind of encompassed everything. We had put a lot of time into that one specifically because there are so many repeating parts, but it was mostly about depression, anxiety attacks and mental health."


The title track also serves as the record's opener and first single. Wharton elaborates, "'Abhorrence' is a groove-filled song with a melodic chorus. Heavily syncopated drums make every chug hit harder and harder. It's a song filled with tension and aggressive vocal patterns screaming about anxiety, panic, and depression all at once."





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


- Crimson Void (US retail)
- Gilded Abyss (EU + US Metal Blade Webstore - Ltd. 400)


Pre-order here.





Abhorrence tracklisting:


"Abhorrence"
"Insidious"
"A Pact Unholy"
"Ivory Tower"
"As The Light Fades"
"Savor The Suffering"
"Containment Breach"
"Rorschach"
"Lunar Psychopathy"
"Cold Dead Hands"


"A Pact Unholy" video:





"Abhorrence" video:





Cognitive is:


Rob Wharton - guitars
Harry Lannon - guitars
Shane Jost - vocals
Tyler Capone-Vitale - bass
AJ Viana - drums


(Photo - Chris Hosey)

Whom Gods Destroy, the formidable progressive metal group formed by keyboardist Derek Sherinian, guitarist Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal, and vocalist Dino Jelusick, along with the potent rhythm section of bassist Yas Nomura and drummer Bruno Valverde, recently released their debut album, Insanium, worldwide via InsideOutMusic.


Today, the band share a bass playthrough video for album track, "Crucifier". Watch below:







Insanium is available on Standard CD Jewelcase, Digital Album, Ltd. 2CD Mediabook (with the bonus track “Requiem”, as well as the entire album as bonus instrumental disc) and as Gatefold 2LP & LP-Booklet on 180g. vinyl in the following variants:


- Black 2LP
- Dark Green 2LP (Ltd. 500x copies from www.insideoutshop.de & various other retailers)
- Custard Colored 2LP (Ltd. 1000x copies at all US outlets)


Order here.





Insanium tracklisting:


"In The Name Of War"
"Over Again"
"The Decision"
"Crawl"
"Find My Way Back"
"Crucifier"
"Keeper Of The Gate"
"Hypernova 158"
"Insanium"


“The Decision” lyric video:





"Crawl" video:





"Over Again" video:





"In The Name Of War" video:





Whom Gods Destroy lineup:


Bruno Valverde - Drums
Yas Nomura - Bass
Dino Jelusick - Vocals
Derek Sherinian - Keyboards
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal - Guitars

In a new interview with The Jesea Lee Show, AVENGED SEVENFOLD bassist Johnny Christ was asked if he thinks his band will ever get inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't know, first off. That is up to the powers that be, the fans, I guess, and whoever votes on that shit. I don't actually even know who votes on that. Do I care? Um, no, not really, because it's not on the radar in that sense. Would I be honored and humbled if we were? Would we be happy about that? Uh, sure. Yeah, that would be a huge honor. Absolutely. When you think of all the other artists that have been inducted over the years, to put AVENGED SEVENFOLD's name in a place next to theirs would be a huge honor. Absolutely. But it wouldn't make or break my life, I'll put it that way. But it'd certainly be a notch on the old belt if we were ever put in there. Absolutely. It'd be a huge honor."

Christ's bandmate, singer M. Shadows, discussed the possibility of AVENGED SEVENFOLD being inducted into the Rock Hall during a 2017 interview with the 102.7 WEBN radio station. He said at the time: "The thing with the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is it's a lot of bands that are… they have a lot of success but also a lot of critical acclaim, and I don't think AVENGED SEVENFOLD has really had much of its due in terms of that [from] the people that vote for it or bring these bands up. But I think with [then-latest AVENGED SEVENFOLD album] 'The Stage', we've seen that kind of change a little bit. There's actually major publications that are respecting us now, where they didn't really respect us or the genre for a long time. So who knows, at some point? And it would be awesome, because fans love that kind of thing."

There haven't been that many metal or hard rock acts inducted into the Rock Hall: BLACK SABBATH, METALLICA, AC/DC, DEEP PURPLE, GUNS N' ROSES, VAN HALEN, LED ZEPPELIN, KISS and JUDAS PRIEST, to name a few.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible 25 years after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Despite being eligible for induction since 1999 — 25 years after the release of its first disc — KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2016.

JUDAS PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at the 2022 Rock Hall event, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

In a new interview with Janne Innanfors of the Swedish radio station Rockklassiker,  GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash was asked about the recent announcement that Ozzy Osbourne will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame later this year as a solo artist in its 2024 class, marking his second entry into the organization following BLACK SABBATH's induction in 2006. Slash said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think it's great. I think Ozzy is one of the most influential people in rock and roll — period. And there's legions of fans out there that will agree with me on that. So it's a no-brainer that he should be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame — as Ozzy. Because BLACK SABBATH is one thing, but when Ozzy went out on his own and did 'Blizzard Of Ozz' — I think it was 1980 or '81, that record came out, right around the same time that [AC/DC's] 'Back In Black' came out, that was a huge year in fucking music. And Ozzy went on to become one of the biggest record sellers in the business. So, yeah, I think that it goes without saying that he should be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame."

Regarding the fact that Ozzy is finally getting the nod in 2024, despite being eligible since 2005, Slash said: "All things considered, there's a lot of people that haven't been inducted that have been way due for a long time. I don't know exactly how all that sort of works, but I'm now a voting member. So I vote."

When Ozzy was honored with the Global Icon Award at the the 2014 MTV EMA (MTV Europe Music Awards) at the SSE Hydro arena in Glasgow, Scotland, the BLACK SABBATH frontman collected the award from Slash, who later performed Ozzy's 1980 hit "Crazy Train" with MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS and BIFFY CLYRO's Simon Neil.

"For four decades the Prince Of Darkness has rocked anyone who dared to listen," Slash said in his speech. "This is a guy who does not know how to do ordinary. He scares the hell out of most people and all bats. But to me is a gentle man and a gentleman."

Slash added in a pre-show interview: "Aside from being one of the mavericks of heavy metal, [Ozzy is] also one of the greatest entertainers, performers I've ever seen. He has amazing control over his audience. It's actually stunning to be on the side of the stage and actually watch the command over his audience. It's pretty intense."

The 2024 Rock Hall 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.

Artists are eligible to be inducted into the Rock Hall after at least 25 years have passed since their first record was released.

In 1999, Ozzy attempted to take BLACK SABBATH's name off the Hall Of Fame's nomination list that year, deeming the institution's nod "meaningless."

When BLACK SABBATH finally earned its induction in 2006, the band went in with LYNYRD SKYNYRD, Mike Davis and BLONDIE.

Legendary Ozzy guitarist Randy Rhoads was posthumously inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame during the 2021 ceremony. Rhoads, who played in Ozzy's band more than four decades ago, received the Musical Excellence Award at the October 2021 event.

Slash photo credit: Gene Kirkland / Ozzy Osbourne photo credit: Ross Halfin

The Georgia Thunderbolts have announced their highly-anticipated sophomore album, Rise Above It All, set for release on August 23rd via Mascot Records. Featuring the quintet's signature blend of Southern rock, blues, and heartfelt Americana, the 13-track album showcases the band's ability to navigate a vast array of musical terrains, while also capturing the profound emotional and artistic growth fostered by their years on the road. “When you cut back on being a tough guy, more emotions can come through, and you hear that on this record,” says TJ Lyle, lead vocals, harmonica, and keyboards. “This album travels all musical genres,” he adds.


To celebrate the announcement, the band released the album’s latest single, "Stand Up", accompanied by a music video directed by Jim Arbogast. The video captures the band in their element, performing this powerful track that combines slithering guitar riffs and soaring vocals with a Southern rock flair. "I believe this song is relatable to many. It was written with the mindset of overcoming an obstacle I was facing at the time. I hope the listeners can feel that. Perseverance, faith in yourself, and perspective is the key," says Lyle about the new single. 







The road to being hailed as the new torchbearers of Southern rock hasn’t been as glamorous as you might imagine for The Georgia Thunderbolts. It wasn’t many years ago that the guys busked at gas stations, fumbled through covers, and drove four hours to Alabama to play to a bartender and a three-legged dog sitting on a barstool.


These days, however, the Rome, Georgia-based quintet is a critically acclaimed and internationally touring band fending off the sophomore slump with its latest release. The Georgia Thunderbolts are rounded out by Zach Everett, bass, classical guitar, harmony vocals; Bristol Perry, drums; Logan Tolbert, guitar; and Riley Couzzourt, guitar. The quintet’s earthy and emotive aesthetic spans late 1960s singer-songwriter intimacy, the yearning of the blues, the mythological stories of country, and a bracing dose of arena-ready classic hard rock. 


 “I was raised by my dad and my grandma. He loved 1980s rock, and my grandma loved classic country, like Hank Williams Jr., Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard,” Riley says. “As soon as TJ opens his mouth you know we’re from the South.”


Rise Above It All artwork and tracklisting:





"Gonna Shine"
"Rock And Roll Record"
"Rise Above It All"
"Moonlight Play"
"Ain't Got No Money"
"Wait"
"Crawling My Way Back To You"
"She's Gonna Get It"
"Little Jim"
"It Ain't Easy"
"Stand Up"
"Whiskey Talkin'"
"Pricetag"








Previously, The Georgia Thunderbolts released their debut album, Can We Get A Witness, smack in the middle of the pandemic. Despite not having the opportunity to tour, the album amassed over six million streams across digital platforms.


 Raring out of lockdown, the guys made up for lost time, performing alongside a who’s who of rock icons. Select live performance highlights include sharing stages with: Black Stone Cherry, Deep Purple, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Allman Betts Band, Blackberry Smoke, The Kentucky Headhunters, The Steel Woods, and The Outlaws. 


“We’ve learned a lot from our heroes. Playing with these bands made us better musicians,” TJ says. “Also, seeing the world opens up your perspective as a songwriter—you encounter people from all walks of life.”


However, the most transformative experience for the band has been the month back in 2022, The Georgia Thunderbolts spent touring Europe with Black Stone Cherry. None of them had been across the pond before, and it was the longest they had been away from home.


Playing historical European theaters and seeing firsthand how their music translated overseas was eye opening. “Hearing people sing our songs back to us felt like we were in the Twilight Zone. We never thought this was possible—it’s a long way from getting beer bottles thrown at us,” TJ says laughing. All the growth and maturation over the past two and half years can be heard on Rise Above It All. The 13-song collection is a flag-planting album, setting the stage for an exciting new chapter as The Georgia Thunderbolts continue to rise and resonate with audiences worldwide.


Catch The Georgia Thunderbolts live at the following shows:


May
25 - Coalfest 2024 - Brilliant, AL


June 
1 - The Grove - Glasgow, KY
28 - Summer Concert Series - Denison, TX


July 
5 - First Friday's - Rome, GA
26 - Georgia Mountain Moonshine Cruiz-In - Dalton, GA (with The Kentucky Headhunters)


August 
10 - Beaver Dam Amphitheater - Beaver Dam, KY (with Ace Frehley and Foghat)





(Photo credit: Jim Arbogsast)


 

Former JOURNEY singer Steve Perry has released a new version of the band's song "It Could Have Been You" with THE EFFECT, the group featuring Trevor "Trev" Lukather (son of TOTO's Steve Lukather) on guitars, Nic Collins (son of Phil Collins) on drums and Steve Maggiora (TOTO) on keyboards.

Perry announced his collaboration with THE EFFECT in a social media post on April 30. He wrote: "In 1986 the JOURNEY 'Raised On Radio' record was released and in it was a song I've always felt was a diamond in the rough.

"I've known Trevor Lukather since he was 9 years old and he is a very gifted musician. One day we were talking about his new band, THE EFFECT… He surprisingly mentioned 'It Could Have Been You' is one of his favorite tracks from that record, I told him I felt the same. I then said, why don't you record it? He asked if I would sing on it if they did, I said... 'Of course my most precious!'

"I must say, singing on their powerful track brought out a vocal experience in me from years ago ! So now... Releasing on May 7th on all socials and streaming is a very powerful reimagined version of, 'It Could Have Been You' by... THE EFFECT. Have a listen!"

Trevor added: "Steve and I go way back. Other than my Pop, @steveperrymusic has been a mentor to me. When he heard @theeffectband he called me and expressed how much he really loved what we were doing. It meant the world. On that same call, I started raving about a deep cut #Journey tune 'It Could Have Been You'. The idea came up about THE EFFECT doing our own version of it. I asked Steve if he would sing on it and he was in. Even though we were done with our album, it was just too good of an idea to pass up. Any chance to work with my dear brotha Steve is one I'll happily take.

"I built up the production with [singer] Emmett's [Stang] lead vocal to really present to him our vision of what we had in mind. Steve came by the studio while we were tracking drums. I'll forever bottle up his first reaction after the playback. His excitement that we could resurrect an overlooked JOURNEY song with new life obviously connected to the pipes because Steve came in the next day and shook the house with his vocal performance. I think our neighbors thought it was the Northridge earthquake all over again.

"The power of Steve's vocals is on another level. One of a kind. That's why he’s the GOAT.

"To add to the pressure of doing it justice, not only did I want to knock it out of the park for my friend and mentor but for my father in law, @jonathancainofficial who is the co writer on this epic tune. I sent him the master when we finalized. He called me stunned and blown away. He praised the arrangement and performances and he said how SP sounded like a million bucks. To get the approval from them both was everything but we have a feeling the world will connect to our version the way we all did making it.

"Thank you SP for not only for the honor, but for your belief in us and what we do. That is never taken for granted!"

In the fall of 2018, Perry made his long-awaited return with the release of "Traces", the legendary musician's first new album in 25 years. The LP's personal expression of love, inspiration and renewal resonated with both critics and fans around the world, thrilled to have their "voice of a generation" making new music once again.

Two years later, Steve released "Traces (Alternative Versions & Sketches)" via Fantasy Records. On that LP, Perry revisited several of his favorite tracks, stripping away the grand production touches, taking the songs down to their essence. Presented acoustic and raw (including some in sketch form),tracks like "Sun Shines Gray", "No Erasin'", "No More Cryin'" and "Most Of All" took on new and richer meaning.

Perry's first solo album in more than two decades, "Traces", was released in October 2018 via Fantasy Records (a division of Concord Records/UMG). He credited his late girlfriend, psychologist Kellie Nash, who died more than 11 years ago, with helping him want to sing again; she'd made him promise he wouldn't go back into isolation when she passed.

In 2019, Perry told "The Jim Brickman Show" that the response to "Traces" had been "really great. It's been an interesting experience to release a record in this age that we live in. Meaning, it's such a different landscape… Now we're streaming, now we've got everything… all this stuff. And so it's been such an interesting experience to release music into the new landscape of what it all means. We're streaming, we're still selling some on iTunes…. Nobody sells records anymore; everybody's streaming. But I didn't do this to sell records. If people wanna own it and take it with them, then that's beautiful. But if you wanna listen to it, that's also beautiful, 'cause all I wanted to do — and I said this to many of my friends… The reason I make music again was, number one, to keep a promise that I wouldn't go back into isolation. And number two, I wanted to just see if I was viable as a songwriter, singer, arranger, mixer, producer. I wanted to see if I could even remotely do some sort of creative involvement with all that. And in the beginning, it was challenging, because of the new technologies. But now I've embraced the living crap out of all of it. I have a great studio."

Perry dated Nash for nearly two years before she died in December 2012 after being diagnosed with breast cancer. He mourned for two years, and then began recording again.

Upon its release, "Traces" was met with wide acclaim and tremendous excitement from fans and critics all over the world. The album entered the Billboard 200 Albums chart at No. 6, Perry's highest debut as a solo artist and earned the Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer his best-ever chart entries in the U.K., Germany, Canada and Japan.

Perry reunited with JOURNEY for the first time in years as they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2017. The iconic singer appeared onstage with his former bandmates as they each gave speeches, but did not perform with the group later in the event.

In 1986 the Journey “Raised on Radio” record was released and in it was a song I’ve always felt was a diamond in the...

Posted by Steve Perry on Tuesday, April 30, 2024

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Progressive death metal outfit, Dååth, today unveil their video for "Unwelcome Return". The track comes by way of the band's latest full-length (and first new studio output in fourteen years) The Deceivers, released last Friday via Metal Blade Records.


The Deceivers is at once a devastating reminder and giant leap forward that showcases the technical wizardry and brutal intensity that the Atlanta, Georgia-bred band is capable of. Band founder/guitarist Eyal Levi has overseen an overhaul of the lineup, though importantly Dååth still features force-of-nature vocalist Sean Zatorsky, who has fronted the band since 2007. Together they are now joined by Kerim "Krimh" Lechner on drums, Jesse Zuretti on orchestration and guitar, Rafael Trujillo on lead guitar, and David Marvuglio on bass.


"Now Dååth is more orchestrated, more over the top. We have more melodies and they're beautiful," Levi says. That's what The Deceivers is: Monstrously heavy but beautifully orchestrated, blessed with melodies that will haunt anybody fortunate enough to hear it. The nine tracks were produced by Levi, with Andrew Wade doing vocal production, John Douglass engineering, Jens Bogren mixing, and Tony Lindgren mastering.




Guest guitar solos are contributed across numerous tracks by Jeff Loomis (Nevermore, Arch Enemy), Mark Holcomb (Periphery), Dean Lamb (Archspire), Per Nilsson, (Scar Symmetry, Meshuggah), Spiro Dussias (Platonist), and Dan Sugarman (Ice Nine Kills), with renowned video game composer Mick Gordon (Doom Eternal) contributing sound design and synth to "Purified By Vengeance".


Comments Zuretti on "Unwelcome Return": "What if Tim Burton's 1989 Batman were scored by an epic orchestral metal band and not Danny Elfman? You can find out by listening to 'Unwelcome Return' - a vigilante track that lives in darkness, punishes offenders, and disappears into the night. It's the sound of gothic era classical music fused at the lungs with furious vocals, pummeling drums, razor sharp guitar riffs, infernal orchestral composing, and wicked sound design. If someone tried stopping this track from playing, 'Unwelcome Return' would eviscerate anything standing in its way."


Watch Dååth's "Unwelcome Return" video, directed by Gaui H Pi, below:





The Deceivers is available on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:


- Mineral (US - Ltd. 300)
- Transparent Blood Red Base w/ Opaque Black Smoke + Heavy White Splatter (US - Ltd. 200/EU - Ltd. 500)


Order here.





The Deceivers tracklisting:


"No Rest No End"
"Hex Unending"
"Ascension"
"With Ill Desire"
"The Silent Foray"
"Unwelcome Return"
"Purified by Vengeance"
"Deserving of the Grave"
"Into Forgotten Dirt"


"Ascension" video:





"Hex Unending" video:





"No Rest No End":





Dååth began their journey in 1999 and stayed busy for just over a decade before its 2011 hiatus. In that time, the band released four studio albums - Futility in 2004, The Hinderers in 2007, The Concealers in 2009, and their self-titled LP in 2010. Tours with Cattle Decapitation, Dark Funeral, Cynic, Nile, Slayer, Dragonforce, Goatwhore, Chimaira, Dying Fetus, and Devildriver followed. Dååth also landed a coveted spot on Ozzfest playing before tens of thousands of fans in outdoor amphitheaters across the US, in addition to the infamous and long-running metal tour Summer Slaughter.


After twelve years on hiatus, Dååth found their ideal new home at Metal Blade, signing to the label and wasting no time creating new music, cover songs (Death's "The Philosopher" and Morbid Angel's "Where the Slime Live") and reissuing previous albums. The first new song from the revitalized Dååth, "No Rest No End" (released ahead of the album in February 2023), features guest solos by Spiro Dussias and now-Dååth member Trujillo, who impressed Levi so much while guesting on the track that he was invited to join the band.


Dååth lineup:


Eyal Levi - guitar
Sean Z - vocals
Krimh - drums
Jesse Zuretti - orchestration, synth, guitar
Rafael Trujillo - lead guitar
Davis Marvuglio - bass


(Photo - Stephanie Cabral)

VENDED, the band fronted by Griffin Taylor, the 21-year-old son of SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor, has released a new single, "Nihilism". The song was produced by Chris Collier, while accompanying music video was directed by Derek Rathbun.

VENDED's lineup is completed by Simon Crahan (son of SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan) on drums, Connor Grodzicki on rhythm guitar, Jeremiah Pugh on bass and Cole Espeland on lead guitar.

VENDED said: "This song represents the momentum for what's to come, continuing with the energy from our last single. It brings that same energy and pushes the limit even more. The whole meaning of the track is to not fear what doesn't really matter, so do what YOU want and not what you think will hold you back."

Two months ago, VENDED released the official music video for the previous single "The Far Side". At the time, VENDED said that the track "represents a new era of the band; a new level of aggression and rawness. It was recorded live in the studio, nothing but raw power and pure energy in the room. It fully encapsulates the intensity you would hear in a live setting. Whether you're seeing us in a club or an arena, the energy you hear live was put directly into this record."

In an interview with Andy Hall of the Des Moines, Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3, Corey spoke about Griffin's work with VENDED, saying: "I cannot tell you how proud I am of that boy. And, of course, being a typical Taylor, on one hand I'm super proud of him, but I still can't get him to clean anything, dude; he's just such a nightmare.

"The funny thing is you and I were talking the day after he was born. And I keep going back to that night, going, 'What's he gonna be? Who's he gonna be in life?' And now [21] years later, , and he is this crazy metal pirate, just like I was," Corey continued. "And I'm just, like, 'Oh, I failed as a father. What did I do?' I kept trying to push him to be anything other than what I do. And, yeah, dude, he's crushing.

"I've heard the new stuff that he just recorded with [producer] Chris Collier, and it is so good," Corey added. "VENDED, their new stuff is so rad. Not only Griffin, man, but Simon's [Crahan] drumming sounds incredible. All of the guys — Cole [Espeland] and Grod [Connor Grodzicki] sound great [on guitar]. The guitars have just gone above and beyond. J.J.'s [Jeremiah Pugh] crushing it on bass. I'm really, really proud of those guys, man. And then to be able to watch my boy get out there and just be himself and crush. It's so easy for him, and it just makes me angry. Because he's got all the great stuff that I never had when I was… He can wear anything. It's just criminal. I'm just, like, 'You don't know how good you've got it, kid. The carbs haven't caught you yet.'"

VENDED's five-track debut EP, "What Is It / Kill It", arrived at DSPs in November 2021. The collection was recorded with Griffin Landa of THE ACACIA STRAIN. The two singles bookended VENDED's first U.S. headline tour, after which the band went on to open the day's proceedings at the huge Knotfest Los Angeles show at the Banc Of California Stadium, playing alongside SLIPKNOT, BRING ME THE HORIZON, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, FEVER 333, CODE ORANGE and CHERRY BOMBS.

Formed in February of 2018 in Des Moines, Iowa, VENDED had its first mainstream exposure in 2020 when they performed as part of Knotfest.com's virtual "Pulse Of The Maggots" festival.

VENDED played its first headlining show in March 2020 at the iconic local club Vaudeville Mews in Des Moines, Iowa.

Griffin, who looks a lot like his father, previously showcased his skills when he joined Corey onstage during STONE SOUR shows in 2017 and 2018. He's also played cover tunes with Simon Crahan, while Clown's daughter Alexandria Crahan-Conway has snapped some of VENDED's previous press pics.

Kelly Clarkson covered METALLICA's "Sad But True" for the "Kellyoke" segment on today's episode of "The Kelly Clarkson Show".

The "American Idol" winner's piano-ballad version of the METALLICA classic came three months after actress Isla Fisher appeared on Clarkson's talk show and convinced Kelly to cover the iconic metal band for a future segment. "You should do 'Sad But True'. Your voice would be amazing," Fisher said at the time.

Clarkson is one of the most popular artists of this era with total worldwide sales of more than 25 million albums and 40 million singles. The Texas-born singer-songwriter first came to fame in 2002 as the winner of the inaugural season of "American Idol". Clarkson's debut single, "A Moment Like This", followed and quickly went to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100, ultimately ranking as the year's best-selling single in the U.S. Further, Clarkson is one of pop's top singles artists, with 17 singles boasting multi-platinum, platinum and gold certifications around the world, including such global favorites as "Miss Independent" and "Because Of You".

Clarkson was recently honored with the 2,733rd star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and is the recipient of an array of awards, including three consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for "Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host" for "The Kelly Clarkson Show", three Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, one MTV Movie & TV Award, two Academy Of Country Music Awards, two American Country Awards and one Country Music Assn. Award. She is also the first artist to top each of Billboard's pop, adult contemporary, country and dance charts.

German power metallers, Freedom Call, will release their new album, Silver Romance, out May 10 via Steamhammer/SPV. Chris Bay unboxes the new album in the video below:





Chris Bay and bandmates Lars Rettkowitz (guitar), Francesco Ferraro (bass), and Ramy Ali (drums), the latter having returned from a private hiatus, have recorded more than a dozen new tracks for Silver Romance, resulting in the most diverse and colorful album in the band’s history to date.




Silver Romance is an album title that fits perfectly for the band on this, their 25th anniversary. Wryly referred to by singer/guitarist and band founder Chris Bay as “our silver wedding anniversary”, the title also applies to the content of the recording.


“Qualities such as clarity, freedom, and lightness are attributed to silver as a precious metal,” explains Bay, adding: “Silver is also said to strengthen your self-confidence and imagination. These are all features that also suit Freedom Call and that we’ve incorporated into our new material, both musically and lyrically.”


Silver Romance will be released on May 10 worldwide through SPV/Steamhammer in the following formats:


- CD digipak
- 2LP gatefold version
- Download and stream


Pre-order here.





Silver Romance tracklisting:


"Silver Romance"
"Symphony Of Avalon"
"Supernova"
"Infinity"
"Out Of Space"
"Distant Horizon"
"In Quest Of Love"
"Blue Giant"
"Meteorite"
"Big Bang Universe"
"New Haven"
"High Above"
"Metal Generation"


"High Above" video:





"In Quest Of Love" lyric video:





"Silver Romance" video:





Live dates:


May
9 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
10 - Memmingen, Germany - Kaminwerk
11 - Stuttgart, Germany - Im Wizemann
16 - Nürnberg, Germany - Hirsch
17 - Wacken, Germany - LGH
18 - Siegburg, Germany - Kubana
23 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos-Saal
24 - Leipzig, Germany Hellraiser
25 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Substage
30 - Augsburg, Germany - Spectrum
31 - Duisburg, Germany - Rage Against Racism


June
1 - Burglengenfeld, Germany - VAZ


August
17 - Moravský Krumlov, Czech Republic - Rock Castle
23 - Pindelo Dos Milagres, Portugal - Milagre Metaleiro Open Air
30 - Wennedach, Germany - Rock am Glois


September
21 - Dotternhausen, Germany - Upper Saw Festival

EPICA singer Simone Simons will release her debut solo album, "Vermillion", on August 23. The LP's first single, "Aeterna", which was co-written by Dutch songwriter, singer, musician and record producer Arjen Lucassen (AYREON),will make its online debut on Tuesday, May 7 at 9:00 a.m. PDT / 12:00 p.m. (noon) EDT.

Earlier today, Simone took to her social media to share a teaser for the "Aeterna" music video, and she wrote in an accompanying message: "May 7th everything will turn RED. At 18.00 CEST my first single AETERNA will go live.

"@ayreon_official and I created some masterful melodies for you! We will go live on Instagram tomorrow at 18.30 to hang with you all and let you in on all the details of my solo album."

For more than 20 years, ever since she was a teenager, Simone has been spearheading the world of female fronted metal. As a lead singer, icon, and role model for a whole generation of female metalheads, the EPICA lead singer remains one of the most prominent key figures in all things metal. After eight albums and countless global tours with her band, Simons finally found the time to release her first solo album, "Vermillion", showcasing her many different influences ranging from prog rock to film scores to metal to electronic elements.

Simone chose not to rush her solo project, opting instead to thoughtfully consider how she wanted to present herself. Enter stage right Arjen Lucassen. Her musical partner and longtime collaborator is no stranger to her soaring operatic voice. And while many would use their solo effort as a radical, even provocative departure from everything they stood for, Simone remains true to her love for epic melodies, huge choruses and monumental, intelligent music.

"Vermillion" track listing:

01. Aeterna
02. In Love We Rust
03. Cradle To The Grave (feat. Alissa White-Gluz)
04. Fight Or Flight
05. Weight Of My World
06. Vermillion Dreams
07. The Core
08. Dystopia
09. R.E.D.
10. Dark Night Of The Soul

This past March, Simone told Mexico's Summa Inferno that EPICA's follow-up to 2021's "Omega" album will likely be released in 2025.

"I love the songs so far that we've written," Simone said. "There's more [songs that have been written] than fit on the album. So it's gonna be cool. And we won't tour that much this year. So we are focusing on the EPICA album and the 'Symphonic Synergy' shows [where EPICA will play alongside an orchestra], which is a lot of work."

In November 2022, EPICA released "The Alchemy Project" through Atomic Fire Records. The EP was co-written and performed with diverse guests ranging from extremists like FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, Niilo Sevänen (INSOMNIUM) and Björn "Speed" Strid (SOILWORK) along with melodic masters like Tommy Karevik (KAMELOT),keyboard legend Phil Lanzon (URIAH HEEP) and Roel Van Helden (POWERWOLF) to a once-in-a-lifetime song with Simons, Charlotte Wessels and Myrkur.

Just one day after the release of its anniversary reissues "We Still Take You With Us" and "Live At Paradiso", EPICA celebrated 20 years of existence live in September 2022 at 013 in Tilburg, Netherlands, the same place where they played their first show (supporting ANATHEMA) back in 2002.

EPICA was formed by guitarist/vocalist Mark Jansen after leaving AFTER FOREVER in 2002, and the band quickly gained attention outside their home country, taking big steps towards becoming the leading symphonic metal superpower they have long proven to be. After their ambitious debut "The Phantom Agony" (2002) and the surprisingly eclectic sophomore work "Consign To Oblivion" (2005),the road took them to new heights via their first concept masterpiece "The Divine Conspiracy" (2007) and their global breakthrough "Design Your Universe" (2009). 2012's opus "Requiem For The Indifferent", 2014's bedazzling "The Quantum Enigma" and "The Holographic Principle" (2016),cemented their reputation as not only one of the hardest-working metal bands in the business but also as one of the best. With "Omega", the final part of the metaphysical trilogy they began with "The Quantum Enigma", they reclaimed the throne without so much as the blink of an eye, amassing three million-plus streams during the first week of the album's release.

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Sepultura drummer Greyson Nekrutman has shared live drum cam video of "Slave New World", 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.

Back On Black has announced the September 6 release of Marduk - Beast Of Prey: Brutal Assault on 2LP Black Vinyl, 2LP Clear Vinyl with Whermacht Camo Splatter, and CD+DVD.


This stunning live album comes from the band's killer performance at Brutal Assault Festival 2015. The band perform the whole of Panzer Division Marduk, plus additional set.


- Ltd Vinyl comes in a Whermacht Camo slipcase and Whermacht Camo splatter vinyl.
- CD/DVD - Double Disc set with superb DVD of the show.




Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"Panzer Division Marduk"
"Baptism By Fire"
"Christraping Black Metal"
"Scorched Earth"
"Beast Of Prey"
"Blooddawn"
"502"
"Fistfucking God's Planet"

DISTURBED's David Draiman has shared a video of him singing the METALLICA classic "Enter Sandman" at the wedding of Nita Strauss, the guitar shredder for the ALICE COOPER band, and her longtime boyfriend, drummer and manager Josh Villalta, which was held on Saturday, May 4 at The Hollywood Roosevelt hotel in Los Angeles, California. Joining Draiman for the performance were Villalta and DISTURBED bassist John Moyer. Draiman's girlfriend Sarah Uli also shared a short clip of him singing the LED ZEPPELIN classic "Whole Lotta Love" at the same event. Check out both videos below.

Among the other guests at the wedding were Nita's Cooper bandmates Alice Cooper and Chuck Garric, pop-rock singer Demi Lovato and her fiancé Jordan "Jutes" Lutes, and celebrity chef Chris Santos and his wife, actress Natalie Makenna.

In a 2018 interview Kerrang! magazine, Draiman singled out METALLICA's 1984 full-length "Ride The Lightning" as one of the most important releases during his formative years.

"The power, the complexity, the aggression — there's so many things that would attract anyone to METALLICA," Draiman said. "I think that they are the prime example of a metal band.

"'Creeping Death', that was a special song for me as a kid, because that was the one that every single Jewish kid thought, 'Oh, METALLICA wrote a song for us. He wrote it about the exodus of the Jews from Egypt under slavery,'" he continued. "We all used to get into that. I remember just the glee we all used to experience when [we heard], 'Hebrews born to serve, to the pharaoh.' That line alone was just, like, 'Yes! Vindication!' We were recognized in a METALLICA song.

"That one, [and] 'Fade To Black', certainly — those have to be my top two favorites on the record," David added. "I love 'Trapped Under Ice' too. But 'Fade To Black', just this amazing construct — a song that defied the definition of what METALLICA was perceived to be at the time. [I] love it.

"Other music that 'Ride The Lightning' led me to discover was to start really kind of sinking my teeth into some of the thrash of the era that I literally had no exposure to — whether it was SLAYER, whether it was TESTAMENT, whether it was MEGADETH. It was the opening of a doorway, for me, to a whole new palette of music.

"When I hear the album now, it still makes me feel the same burst of excitement and energy and power that it did when I first heard it.

"The album changed my life [in that] it gave me a very rude awakening to the heavier side of music, and I'm very happy to be awake."

Asked if he ever had a chance to hang out with the METALLICA members over the years, Draiman told "The Metal Hammer Magazine Show" in a 2015 interview: "Yeah, quite a few times. They are an incredible bunch of guys — they really are. Very gracious, humble and warm and just so supportive of the other upstarts in the hard rock and heavy metal community. They are such a pillar in the community. We respect them beyond words."

DISTURBED's latest album, "Divisive", was released in November 2022.

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Posted by Dean Karr on Sunday, May 5, 2024



Posted by Dean Karr on Sunday, May 5, 2024



Posted by Sarah Uli on Sunday, May 5, 2024

Fan-filmed video of LAST IN LINE's entire May 4 performance at the M3 Rock Festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland can be seen below.

Earlier this month, LAST IN LINE bassist Phil Soussan confirmed to the "Iron City Rocks" podcast that he and his bandmates — frontman Andrew Freeman and original DIO members Vivian Campbell (DEF LEPPARD) and Vinny Appice (ex-BLACK SABBATH) — have commenced work on material for their fourth studio album. "We got together recently and started banging around new ideas," he said. "And there's a whole bunch of them. There's about 22 or 23 possible little cool snippets of things that we need to work on, and about three or four which are in very fairly advanced stages of completion. So, yeah, we're not wasting any time."

Phil went on to say that the plan is to work on new music "over the summer. Now that we know we can do a lot of this stuff very remote," he said. "There's a book I have here, which is — I think it's called 'Two Rooms', but it was the story and all of the lyrics that were written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. And they wrote everything — they never wrote anything together in the same room. And so you can do that. It worked for them. And we can certainly do that. I know that Vinny and myself, we can always get together. We don't live too far from each other. We can get in [the studio] and start working. Even if Viv doesn't happen to be around, we can always work that way. And with a goal late autumn or towards the end of the year of going back out on the road and starting to play live shows again during that time. So that's the plan; what's the master plan."

LAST IN LINE's third album, "Jericho", came out in March 2023 via earMUSIC. The LP was helmed by Chris Collier, who has previously worked with KORN and WHITESNAKE, among other bands. LAST IN LINE's first two albums were produced by former DOKKEN and current FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson.

Last year, Vivian told Classic Rock magazine about the "Jericho" songwriting process: "One thing we insist on in LAST IN LINE is that we have to be in the room together when we cut the tracks, old school, because that's how we did the early DIO records with Ronnie [James Dio]. We started this record in January 2020 in L.A., intending to finish it that April, and then obviously COVID happened and things got… discombobulated. It wasn't until February 2022 that we were able to get back into the studio, but that break only made the record stronger."

In 2022, LAST IN LINE surprised fans by releasing a unique version of THE BEATLES classic "A Day In The Life", which was made available on the limited 12-inch silver collector's EP with the same name.

Formed in 2012 by Appice, Campbell and bassist Jimmy Bain — Ronnie James Dio's co-conspirators and co-writers on the "Holy Diver", "Last In Line" and "Sacred Heart" albums — LAST IN LINE's initial intent was to celebrate Ronnie James Dio's early work by reuniting the members of the original DIO lineup. After playing shows that featured a setlist composed exclusively of material from the first three DIO albums, the band decided to move forward and create new music in a similar vein.

LAST IN LINE's debut album, "Heavy Crown", was released in February 2016 via Frontiers Music Srl, landing at No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart. Initially, the release had been preceded by tragedy when Bain unexpectedly died at the age of 68 on January 23, 2016. LAST IN LINE, honoring what they knew would be Bain's wish to keep the band moving, brought in Soussan and committed to sustained touring in support of the album before beginning work on the follow-up release, 2019's "II", which was also made available through Frontiers Music Srl.

In a new interview with Diario El Salvador, MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine was asked for his opinion about the future of heavy metal. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I think as long as people make good records, there's nothing to worry about. It went through a period in the '90s when a lot of musicians tried to jump into the metal community and say they were metal players and they weren't, really; they were just kind of normal players, and you could tell, and it really hurt our community. But these things correct themselves all the time, and I'm glad to see the community's looking strong right now."

Last month, Mustaine was asked by Lucía Sapena of Paraguay's Trece channel how he views the thrash metal genre today. He said:  "Well, it's hard to say how I view the genre, because there are so many different subsections of heavy metal. When it first started, it was hard rock and then heavy metal came, and then The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal came and then there was power metal and speed metal and thrash metal and black metal and white metal and death metal and core metal and true metal. God, how many metals can you possibly have? So for me, what I'm aware of is what MEGADETH is doing."

Regarding what the secret to MEGADETH's and his longevity is, Mustaine said: "The secret, I think, is being honest with yourself. And I don't try and act like I'm better than other people, because I know I'm not. I know there's a better singer out there than me. I know there's a better guitar player out there than me. So I enjoy what I possess, the gifts I have. I enjoy the friends that I've made, and I love my job, so I can't wait to do it."

MEGADETH recently announced a North American tour "Destroy All Enemies", produced by Live Nation. Support on the 33-city trek, which includes stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Boston and St. Louis, will come from MUDVAYNE and ALL THAT REMAINS. The tour begins in Rogers, Arkansas on August 2 and runs throughout the month before wrapping in Nashville, Tennessee on September 28.

Finnish guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari joined MEGADETH last September after the band's longtime axeman Kiko Loureiro, announced earlier that month that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland. It was later revealed that Mäntysaari would continue to play guitar for MEGADETH for the foreseeable future, with Loureiro seemingly having no plans to return.

The 37-year-old Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.

MEGADETH played its first concert with Mäntysaari on September 6, 2023 at Revel in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Loureiro officially joined MEGADETH in April 2015, about five months after Chris Broderick's exit from the group.

Since its inception in 1983, MEGADETH has ascended from its raw thrash metal roots to become an unstoppable force in the heavy metal world. With founder Dave Mustaine at the helm, MEGADETH's journey has been marked by a penchant for pushing the boundaries of speed, technicality, and complexity in their music. Their groundbreaking album "Rust In Peace", released in 1990, is frequently cited as a seminal work in the thrash metal genre. Along with the critically acclaimed "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?", it cemented MEGADETH's place in the annals of metal history.

Over four decades, the band's discography has earned numerous certifications, including platinum and multi-platinum awards, with albums like "Countdown To Extinction" and "Youthanasia" achieving widespread critical acclaim. 2016's "Dystopia" not only marked a high point with their first Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" after twelve nominations but also set the stage for their latest triumph, "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" in 2022. MEGADETH's status as part of the "Big Four" of thrash metal underscores their trailblazing role in the genre, laying the groundwork for countless bands and musicians who have followed in their wake.

The Crosscut Films YouTube Channel has taken the official videos for Queensrÿche's "I Don't Believe In Love" and "Empire" and superscaled them to 4K. Check them out below.










On April 26th, Queensrÿche landed in Albany, NY to perform their 1982 self-titled EP and their 1984 full length album, The Warning. in their entirety and in chronological order at Empire Live. Fan-filmed video of the entire show can be viewed below, courtesy of LiveCuttz.


Setlist:


"Queen Of The Reich"
"Nightrider"
"Blinded"
"The Lady Wore Black"
"Warning"
"En Force"
"Deliverance"
"No Sanctuary"
"NM 156"
"Take Hold Of The Flame"
"Before The Storm"
"Child Of Fire"
"Roads To Madness"


Encore:
"Prophecy"
"Empire"





Running until May 12 in Ft. Meyers, FL, The Origins Tour will see Queensrÿche - singer Todd La Torre, guitarists Michael Wilton and Mike Stone, bassist Eddie Jackson, and drummer Casey Grillo - joined on most dates by Armored Saint.


Tickets can be purchased here. Remaining dates listed below.


May
3 - The Paramount - Huntington, NY
5 - The Fillmore - Charlotte, NC
7 - Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
9 - Jannus Live - St. Petersburg, FL
10 - The Plaza Live – Orlando, FL
11 - Culture Room - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
12 - The Ranch - Ft. Meyers, FL

Industrial music pioneer Author & Punisher has announced the official reissues of their classic albums Drone Machines, Ursus Americanus and Women & Children. All three, long-out-of-print albums are available & shipping now via relapse.com. Stream the albums here.


Additionally, Author & Punisher returns to the UK/EU in August 2024 with select co-headlining dates with KEN Mode. Full list of tour dates are available below


Author & Punisher Comments: “Half of Drone Machines was essentially a guitar and drum machine industrial album and I played those songs live from 2005-2008 or so. I was slowly realizing that being stuck within the drum machine and midi click framework was limiting creativity and I could be more organically brutal if I played everything live…so I built everything from the machines, the speakers, the pedals, the tables, my microphone and even completely gutted my 2004 Sprinter so that everything would fit in there including a bed (and a surfboard or two). The sonic path of these albums was the result of time in the machine shop and warehouse, grinding out metal parts, soldering electronics, programming and tuning speakers. I think if you listen to the progression from tracks like Doppler and Burrow Below (on Drone Machines), which I regard as my favorite guitar/drum machine based A&P tracks, to tracks like Terrorbird, Set Flames, Flesh Ants and Women & Children, you can hear things get a bit more loose.  These tracks were all written on the machines, bourne from time on the road honing in on a certain type of heaviness I felt was powerful and meaningful to play.”




Dates:


August
3 – Newcastle, UK – Cluny 2
4 – Glasgow, UK – Core. Fest
5 – Belfast, UK – Voodoo
6 – Dublin, UK – Grand Social
7 – Limerick, UK – Dolan’s Kasbah
9 – Sinzendorf, Germany – Void Fest
10 – Nijmegen, Netherlands – Doornroosje*
12 – Brighton, UK – Chalk*
13 – London, UK – New Cross Inn*
14 – Manchester, UK – The Bread Shed*
15 – Bristol, UK – ArcTanGent
16 – Francavilla al Mare, Italy – Frantic Fest
18 – Gyongyos, Hungary – Feketej Zaj


*co-headline with KEN Mode





What started out as the design and build of his Masters thesis at the University of California, San Diego, Drone Machines soon became the subject matter of Tristan Shone's work as the enigmatic Author & Punisher, an industrial doom metal, one man band utilizing primarily custom designed and fabricated machines and speakers.


After developing a cult following for his approach to the genre, Shone's next album Ursus Americanus followed thereafter, receiving praise from both the underground and tastemakers alike; Shone found his footing in a space uniquely his own; his devices drew heavily on aspects of industrial automation and robotics, focusing on tactile, hands-on interaction with machines, which made Author & Punisher an entity needed to be seen and heard. 


Women & Children saw Shone take another step forward into harsher, more robust sonic landscapes.

While conquering the world's stages on their current Crank It Up! tour, French metal phenomenon Rise Of The Northstar send a massive musical statement into the universe today. 


The group, who have perseveringly paved their way to become a leading force in the genre since the release of their first EP in 2010, will do all but NEVER forget where they come from: the underground! Therefore ROTNS have launched a brand new digital single entitled “Underrated,” a powerhouse collaboration with no less than Hyro The Hero. The track infects fans with its unbridled energy, deep aggression and lyrical depth, heralding a dream union of genre defining talents, and adds another shiny chapter to the hit arsenal of the Frenchmen. 


Hearing Hyro The Hero on “Underrated,” which was produced by ROTNS lead guitarist Eva-B and mixed/mastered by Johann Meyer (Gojira) at Silvercord Studio (New York), may also not come as a suprise as the US rapper has previously collaborated with Disturbed's David Draiman among others. But enough said: now it's the world's turn to Crank It Up.







Hyro The Hero enthuses about the joint work, "This track is full of energy and power. Working with Rise Of The Northstar is a dream come true for me and our styles blend effortlessly. From start to finish, you are in for pure chaos with a lyrical message to motivate the everyone who ever felt 'Underrated.'"


Rise Of The Northstar comment, "We met Hyro at one of our shows in Nantes, we were already familiar with his flow. He had a blast, and we invited him to open for us at the Elysée Montmartre in Paris. From there, the idea of a making a song together came naturally. We knowingly made it aggressive and close to our early material, it's rap meets metal meets hardcore with a good old thrash solo. No half-measures, it was made by and for the underground...forever underrated!"


Find tickets and tour dates here.





(Photo - Berzerker)

Influential Los Angeles rock band 96 Bitter Beings has announced their Return To Hellview with a new record featuring a collection of fan-favorite, re-recorded CKY tracks spanning founding guitarist, vocalist and primary songwriter Deron Miller’s time with the band. Set for release digitally on June 14th from Nuclear Blast, Return To Hellview gives nod in the title to the hostile town of Hellview Miller first sang about on CKY’s debut track ‘96 Bitter Beings,’ which the band takes their name from.


On the upcoming release Miller says:


“Revisiting these songs was a blast. I hadn’t heard the original versions in so long but I was able to get a lot of the re-recordings done just from memory. When the recording process got down to covering specific details of all the tracks, that’s when I went back and listened to the original versions. 




“I love all the songs but there’s always been issues that bothered me about the originals. A lot of my problems with them were arbitrary and not that important…things that I just wanted to fix that most listeners wouldn’t even notice. But there were some things I wanted to add to these songs and some things I wanted to take out. The goal was to challenge myself to redo these classic tracks in a way that they could be heard as remixes instead of re-recordings. I think we succeeded. 


“I hope a lot of fans will hear this album as remixes of the originals. Not many bands have access to the original masters that are owned by record companies and therefore don’t have the option to remix anything. We’re excited to see the response.”


96 Bitter Beings has revealed the first re-recorded single, “Flesh Into Gear,” that’s accompanied by a visualizer.


Miller adds about re-recording the beloved single:


“‘Flesh Into Gear’ was a sizeable hit for me and because of that I tended to always put it under a microscope. I was never fully happy with the original’s mix. I’m finally 100% happy with it. This whole process is the result of a nutty perfectionist trying to chase that feeling of total satisfaction. I achieved it. Basically, I’m saying I won’t be doing this again 20 years from now.”


Presave Return To Hellview here.





Tracklisting:


“Flesh Into Gear”
“Sink Into The Underground”
“Shock And Terror”
“Inhuman Creation Station”
“Suddenly Tragic”
“The Way You Lived”
“Dressed In Decay”
“Tripled Manic State”
“Shippensburg”


“Flesh Into Gear”:

Finnish doom/death metal act Grain Of Pain has officially inked a record deal with Noble Demon and is set to unleash the band's debut album, entitled The Moon Lights The Way, on May 31. Led by the prolific Timo Solonen, the band's music is a potent fusion of dark, emotional melodies and powerful, guttural vocals.


Grain Of Pain's lineup features a stellar cast of musicians, with Timo Solonen at the helm, showcasing his skills not only as a composer but also contributing growls and guitars. Joining him are Juho Räihä on guitars, Lars Eikind on bass and clean vocals, Juuso Raatikainen on drums, and Sini Pajunen lending her captivating vocals to the mix. Taka Eliel adds backing growls to enrich the band’s gloomy sound.


Grain Of Pain's sound is characterized by its intense emotional depth and draws inspiration from a variety of influences to create a unique blend of dark atmospheres and powerful melodies. The band's commitment to their craft has already attracted attention: Lars Eikind won the prestigious Spellemannsprisen in Norway and both Juho Räihä and Juuso Raatikainen were nominated for a Finnish Grammy with Swallow the Sun.




Patrick Walch, founder, A&R and digital marketer of Noble Demon, about the latest addition to the label roster: "It's apparently no secret that we at Noble Demon have a soft spot for solid, heavy, melodic and doomy Metal from Finland. So, after hearing the first highly addictive songs by Grain Of Pain we didn't hesitate but plan the debut album together with the super talented Timo to show the world once more why the rumors persist that the Finns are fed metal via mother's milk from day one!"


To get a taste of what's to come, listen to the album's title track and first single "The Moon Lights The Way", which is accompanied by a visually stunning lyric video.


Mastermind Timo Solonen about the track: "When you try to reach something which looks promising. Or if you try to get something back from your past life and it backfires badly. All the emotions run through your mind. Or is this really something else? Listeners will hear and experience this based on their life. I don't want to take that experience away."


The Moon Lights The Way will be released digitally on May 31s via Noble Demon. The album is now available to pre-save at this location.





Tracklisting:


“Beneath”
“Sun For Thee”
“The Moon Lights The Way”
“As Suffering Ends”
“The Witch”
“Can’t Be Fallen”
“Last Morning”
“The Path” (bonus track)
“Black Dust” (bonus track)


“The Moon Lights The Way” video:





(Photo – Jaakko Manninen)

"We live in a world of illusion these days. The world at times doesn't even seem real. If you don't want to play the game everyone looks at you like you're crazy," says alt-metal group Fire From The Gods vocalist Aj Channer.


Fire From The Gods thought-provoking track “Double Edged Sword” tackles modern day society’s self-righteousness and insincere leanings. The Austin,TX-based band has collaborated with vocalist Jayden Panesso of NYC metalcore outfit Sylar to add further vigor to “Double Edged Sword” and have today (May 3) shared a lyric video for the collaborative track which is included on their forthcoming digital deluxe version of 2022’s Soul Revolution, Soul Revolution Deluxe – The Collabs. Stream across digital platforms here.


"We are viewing our world through a very narrow scope,” says Channer. “We are out of touch with reality or what real life looks like. Some don't understand it nor want any part of it. When you don't want to join the proverbial party you get treated like a pariah. Then everyone comes up with a cheeky buzzword to describe you which causes further division. Double Edged sword."




Due May 31 via Better Noise Music, Soul Revolution Deluxe – The Collabs version will include five new tracks: a cover of Rage Against The Machine’s “Guerilla Radio” and four refreshed fan-favorite tracks with featured guests including Nate Vickers, Corey Glover (Living Colour), Yung Mo$h, and the above-mentioned Jayden Panesso (Sylar). 


Soul Revolution’s songs explored themes of self-realization and discovery amidst personal revolution, motherhood, and resilience. It was co-produced by Erik Ron (Godsmack, Motionless In White, Panic! At The Disco) and Fire From The Gods drummer Richard Wicander. Preorder here.


Fire From The Gods have relentlessly toured the nation with acts such as Sevendust, Of Mice & Men, Five Finger Death Punch, Megadeth and Norma Jean, as well as appearing on festival stages including Vans Warped Tour, Rock On The Range and Shiprocked. Catch them live this month at Welcome To Rockville (May 11) and Sonic Temple (May 16).





Tracklisting:


“Soul Revolution” (feat. Yung Mos$h)
“SOS” (feat. Nate Vickers)
“Thousand Lifetimes” (feat. Living Colour’s Corey Glover)
“Double Edged Sword” (feat. Sylar’s Jayden Panesso)
“| N |
“Be Free”
“The Message”
“World So Cold”
“Rapture (Fool Dem)”
“Collapse”
“8 Billion Rats”
“Love Is Dangerous”
“Guerrilla Radio” (Rage Against The Machine cover)


“Double Edged Sword” visualizer:





(Photo – Wombat)