In July 2022, guitarist Steve Morse officially left DEEP PURPLE to care for his wife, Janine, who was battling cancer. He was replaced by Simon McBride. Morse's announcement came four months after the guitarist said that he would be taking a hiatus from the band, in the hope of rejoining his bandmates once his wife's health improved.

Asked in a new interview with Pete Pardo of Sea Of Tranquility if he thinks it was time for him to leave DEEP PURPLE anyway, even if it hadn't been for his wife's cancer battle, and move on to other projects, Steve responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, that's a really impossible question to know the answer to. I think when you're close to a situation, you don't see it the same as when you're away from the situation. As I've been away for actually now a couple of years, I can see that my, I guess, natural inclination and talent and drawbacks and everything just fit the instrumental — well, the stuff I do with FLYING COLORS, [THE DIXIE] DREGS and STEVE MORSE BAND, all that fits me… It's an easy fit, that's what I'm saying. However, I don't think think I would have just quit because I thought we were going to go a little more, maybe one more album project and tour and be done. So I wanted to finish with the band. That was my mantra. And I thought by being part of the band for so long that I'd be able to, and welcome to be part of things, future events involving DEEP PURPLE, whether they be a celebration of all the little splinter groups that were associated with DEEP PURPLE — you know, family tree kind of thing. So, yeah, I wasn't saying, 'No, I'm glad I'm out of here.' But the situation happened the way it did, and having stepped back, I think I'm in a better place musically that fits me. And I think Simon, he's fitting them better than I was, as far as… They're churning out gigs. And I was always the guy that said, 'This is a really long tour. There's a point where tour fatigue comes in. We could make shorter legs. 'And nobody wanted to hear that, especially not management."

He added: "But I think they're exactly where they wanna be. And they're a great rock and roll band and will continue to make great music."

When Pardo noted that it's "kind of weird not seeing DEEP PURPLE with Steve Morse at this point in time", Steve said: "Well, because the band decided to go everywhere they hadn't been, as well as continue to play the places they had been, we met a lot of young people along the way that had never seen the band. So I was glad to be part of that, opening up the access of the world to the band. But I guess with the Internet, now that that in itself does that job. But back then there wasn't the instantaneous super access to full shows."

Last May, Morse told the Beaver County Times that he "quit PURPLE because the tours were too long and we had a health emergency in my family with my wife having Stage 4 cancer. I told those guys 'I can't do this' and they were upset for like three to four seconds and then moved on. That's life, I and I wish them well and they're doing great."

Morse effectively took over Ritchie Blackmore's DEEP PURPLE slot in 1994 and had been in the group longer than Ritchie.

Morse had written and recorded eight studio albums with DEEP PURPLE, including their latest and 21st full-length effort, 2021's covers collection "Turning To Crime".

McBride previously toured with DEEP PURPLE singer Ian Gillan and keyboardist Don Airey, among many others.

Simon recounted the initial call he received to fill in for Morse in an October 2022 interview with Andrew Daly of Vinyl Writer Music. At the time, he said: "Well, there was talk of me stepping in for Steve temporarily towards the end of 2021, but I never really thought much of it. I never thought much of it because it was always a case of, 'It may happen or it may not happen,' because it depended on Steve's wife's condition as to whether he would be able to tour. But it just got to the stage where Steve decided enough was enough, and he needed to look after his wife, which is an amazing thing he's doing. So, I knew it was possible, but I didn't know for sure; I only really found out recently that I was being confirmed as a permanent replacement."

Chicago rock band The Outfit have released their new album, entitled Go. This is the band’s third studio album, following Viking in 2020. Go was engineered by Chicago music veteran Matt Mercado at Sonic Palace Studios in Oak Park, Illinois. Mixing was handled in Los Angeles by Grammy nominated, multi-Platinum producer and mixer Ulrich Wild (Pantera, Static-X, White Zombie, Deftones, and Breaking Benjamin).


Listen to Go here.


Guitarist Matt Nawara says, “What I like about the album is the diversity we put into it. Each song stands on its own. From the aesthetic feel of ‘The Arrival of Jane’ to the hard rock push of ‘Go,’ there is a song for everyone.”




Go features nine tracks, including the Billboard charting single “Monster,” as well as the standout tracks “Big Eyes” and “Arrival Of Jane.”


For fans of traditional media, The Outfit have physical CDs of Go available. There are also limited edition signed copies while supplies last.





Tracklisting:


“Monster”
“Arrival Of Jane”
“Big Eyes”
“Mountain”
“Elo Kiddies”
“Go”
“Fire Eye”
“You Say”
“God Save The Queen”


The Outfit live:


May
18 – Aurora, IL – Patriots Fest


August
3 – Carpentersville, IL – Rock The Fox Music Fest


More dates to be added.


The Outfit is:
Andy Mitchell - Vocals
Matt Nawara - Lead Guitar
Mark Nawara - Drums
Mike Gorman - Bass

In 2006, The Rolling Stones made their debut performance in mainland China, bringing one of the most renowned rock and roll live acts to the other side of the world.


Watch the band perform "It's Only Rock 'N' Roll" live at Shanghai Grand Stage:







Featuring interviews with long-time production manager Dale “Opie” Skjerseth and the godfather of Chinese rock, Cui Juan, the From London To Shanghai documentary explores behind the scenes of the historic concert. Watch below:

Last Temptation, the rock sensation known for their electrifying performances and timeless sound, is making a triumphant return with their latest single, "Get On Me". Stream/save the single here, and watch a music video below.


"Get On Me" showcases Last Temptation's commitment to reviving the essence of hard rock by blending the iconic sounds of the 70s and 80s, injecting a breath of fresh air into today's music scene. In an era where authenticity is cherished, it's inspiring to witness bands like Last Temptation strive to reignite the genuine joy of rock 'n' roll.


Led by the energetic vocals of frontman Loup Malevil, "Get On Me" instantly captivates with its rock-solid rhythm and infectious melody. Whether interpreted as a love song, an invitation to live, or a call to dance, each listener will find their own connection to the track's vibrant spirit.




Behind the mixing console stands the legendary Mike Fraser, renowned for his work with icons such as AC/DC and Van Halen. With an unparalleled track record, Fraser brings his expertise to "Get On Me," promising an authentic sonic experience that will satisfy even the most discerning hard rock enthusiasts.


Last Temptation has successfully evolved and explored new musical directions while remaining true to their roots. With "Get On Me," they deliver on their promise with an irresistible new single that is bound to leave a lasting impression on listeners.

Gene Simmons and his solo band will perform at the grand opening of the Rock & Brews restaurant at the Ilani dining and entertainment destination in Ridgefield, Washington on April 23. It will mark the KISS bassist/vocalist's first live appearance since the legendary rock act concluded its "End Of The Road" farewell tour at New York's Madison Square Garden in December.

The GENE SIMMONS BAND will take the stage at Rock & Brews at 8 p.m., with the ribbon-cutting ceremony taking place eight hours earlier.

Simmons and his KISS bandmate Paul Stanley co-founded Rock & Brews with a team that also includes entrepreneur, restaurateur and hotelier Michael Zislis, who is behind some of Southern California's most well-known establishments like The Stand House and Shade Hotel, as well as concert industry veteran Dave Furano and Dell Furano. The team opened the first Rock & Brews near LAX airport in Southern California in 2010. Since then, they have quickly expanded the growing franchise to include over 20 of locations in California, Florida, Kansas, Missouri and Texas, with more coming soon.

Simmons told ABC Audio about the upcoming show: "There are no rules, which is my favorite thing in life. Anything is bound to happen. I may jump off the stage and get into the audience. We may pull some folks out of the audience. You wanna sing 'I Was Made For Lovin' You'? Here's the mic. Good luck."

Regarding the setlist for the concert, he said: "We get a chance to play songs KISS has never played and some songs have never been recorded. So it's a very exciting event."

Located on the Cowlitz Reservation, Ilani, developed by the Cowlitz Tribe and Salishan-Mohegan, a partnership that includes Mohegan Sun, one of the world's foremost gaming and entertainment developers and operators, is the Pacific Northwest's premier gaming, dining, entertainment, and meeting destination. With nearly 400,000 total square feet, Ilani includes more than 100,000 square feet of gaming space with nearly 3,000 slots and 75 gaming tables; 18 different restaurants, bars and retail outlets; and a 2,500-seat meeting and entertainment venue hosting nationally recognized performances.

After the Ilani performance, GENE SIMMONS BAND will play the Summer Breeze Open Air festival in São Paulo, Brazil on April 26 before launching a European tour on July 27 in Kuopio, Finland.

In addition to Simmons, the GENE SIMMONS BAND members include guitarists Brent Woods (WILDSIDE, SEBASTIAN BACH, VINCE NEIL) and Zach Throne (COREY TAYLOR) alongside drummer Brian Tichy (LYNCH MOB, THE DEAD DAISIES, WHITESNAKE, BILLY IDOL, FOREIGNER, PRIDE & GLORY, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT).

Back in 2017 and 2018, the GENE SIMMONS BAND played a number of shows with a lineup that consisted of Simmons alongside guitarist/bassist Jeremy Asbrock, guitarist Ryan Cook, guitarist Phil Shouse and drummer Brent Fitz.

Six years ago, Simmons stated about his solo shows: "Doing these smaller concert halls, which hold a thousand to three thousand people, means they get filled up by real diehard fans. They don't want to hear the 'same old, same old.' They want to hear nuggets, as they say. It's a hoot for me because I've never really had a chance to do this stuff live. It's been a lot of fun." Gene told the Chicago Sun-Times: "By the end, I get the chance to bring as many people from the audience as we can fit on the stage to sing with me."

Regarding how the idea for a solo tour came about, Simmons told Australia's Advertiser in a 2018 interview: "The GENE SIMMONS BAND was not a plan or anything. About a year ago, a corporate event asked me to be keynote speaker … then they said, 'Won't you get up and sing a few tunes?' I explained that you can't just do that, you've got to have a band and rehearse and all that. They said, 'Well, we'll pay you X dollars more,' and I said, 'I like you!' "So I put together a band from Nashville — these guys back up Kid Rock and lots of other people — and without a single rehearsal, I just told them which songs I wanted to do and they learned them. It just sounded natural — there is such a thing called chemistry. They don't teach that anywhere — I mean, they do teach 'chemistry' but not the kind I'm talking about. It felt right and as soon as the videos went on YouTube and such, people were calling. This little GENE SIMMONS BAND never tried to be KISS… It was just a little bit of fun and stuff. Now all of a sudden, we're headlining festivals in the Czech Republic, Canada, Germany… It's crazy."

KISS played the final concert of its "End Of The Road" farewell tour on December 2, 2023 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Regarding why now was the right time for KISS to call it quits, Simmons told USA Today: "The touring band that is KISS with the makeup and the dragon boots and fire-breathing, that has to stop and that has to do with Mother Nature and Father Time. If we were a blues band or I was blessed to be Keith Richards in THE ROLLING STONES, I'd show up in my comfy sneakers and T-shirt and stand still and play. But we're different bands. Physically, we are the hardest-working band on the stage. We idolize [Mick] Jagger and Bono and the great showmen, but if you put those guys in my outfit, they would pass out in half an hour. It's 40 pounds of armor and studs and seven-inch dragon boots that are about the weight of a female bowling ball. So you've got 20 pounds on your feet and then you've got to spit fire, fly through the air and the entire band is doing that for two-plus hours. If you have any love for the fans, get off the stage before it's too late. How many boxers have stayed too long in the ring? We're doing the right thing."

Perfect in time for their performance at this year's Wacken Open Air, August 2, 2024 will see Swedish modern metal unit MISTER MISERY release their much-awaited, self-titled studio offering! The band's third album will be issued via AFM Records. Furthermore and in support of their upcoming release, MISTER MISERY will embark on a headlining tour in October 2024. Find all dates and ticket infos listed below!

Their brand new album single, "Erzsébet (The Countess)" is now streaming via
https://mistermisery.bfan.link/erzsebet-the-countess

The band comments:
Sometime during the writing process of last year we realized that we have a habit of writing songs about specific characters, and one that we had not done yet was the infamous blood countess known as Elizabeth Bathory. This was felt like a perfect choice since our bass player Alister had actually traveled to Slovakia to see her castle ruins!

Fun fact: The voice of ‘the Countess’ and some other sound effects such as laughter and walking was recorded in the actual castle ruins in Cachtice where Erzsébet Bathory allegedly resided during her reign of terror."

"Blacktop Mojo have been kicking ass for over a decade and their music catalog is insane, with a cover of Aerosmith's "Dream On" racking in over 22 million streams on Spotify alone," begins Matt Green from Southbound Sessions.


"They walk a thin genre blending line of hard rock and Texas country, and we're stoked to have featured them on the Southbound Sessions channel this week. 'Like Wild Horses' is a single from their latest album, Pollen. Big thanks to the folks at Victory Guns and Guitars in Lindale, Texas for letting us shoot at their spot."







Blacktop Mojo released their fifth studio album, Pollen, on April 5th. 


With inspirations ranging from Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bill Withers and Stone Temple Pilots. to Bob Seger and Etta James, Blacktop Mojo’s music has elements of heavy rock, grunge, soul, blues, and a little splash of southern twang.


Pollen artwork and tracklisting:





"The End Is Gonna Come"
"Weary I Roam"
"I Can't Tell"
"Please Don't Call"
"Red Enough"
"Rise"
"As The Light Fades"
"Something's Changed"
"Shoulda Just Gone To Sleep"
"Born To Lose"
"Like Wild Horses"














In live news, Clutch have announced their upcoming New World Samurai Tour 2024, with support from Blacktop Mojo and The Native Howl. The trek kicks off on April 26th in Richmond, VA, and concludes on May 19th in Columbus, OH.


“When you come see us, you’re seeing rock and roll the way it used to be. A group of people on stage playing their instruments right in front of your face. No laptops, no backing tracks. What you see is what you get,” says Matt James, lead singer of Blacktop Mojo.


Dates and a video trailer can be found below.





April
26 - Richmond, VA - The National
27 - Wilmington, DE - The Queen
29 - Bloomington, IL - The Castle Theatre


May
1 - Colorado Springs, CO - Black Sheep
2 - Estes Park, CO - Stanley Hotel
3 - Estes Park, CO - Stanley Hotel
4 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up Aspen
5 - Grand Junction, CO - Mesa Theater
7 - Lubbock, TX - The Garden
9 - Pelham, TN - The Caverns
10 - Columbia, SC - The Senate
11 - Daytona, FL - Welcome To Rockville
12 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
14 - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note
15 - Fayetteville, AR - JJ's Live
17 - Sioux City, IA - Anthem at Hard Rock
18 - Belvidere - IL - The Apollo Theatre
19 - Columbus, OH - Sonic Temple





For further details, visit Blacktop Mojo on Facebook.


 

Calva Louise have revealed the extraordinary cinematic sci-fi video for their new song, "Under the Skin", and the news they have also signed to Mascot Records.


Feast your eyes on the video for "Under the Skin" below; stream the song here


Calva Louise are storming into 2024, playing Download Festival, 2000Trees, and Primordial General Mayhem. In May, they'll take on a 10-date co-headline tour of the US with Vukovi and play So What!? Festival, Welcome to Rockville, and Sonic Temple. They'll also perform at Vainstream Rockfest (Germany) and Dynamo MetalFest (Netherlands). Calva Louise are gearing up for an explosive 2024, with even more shows on the horizon.




The British based band is truly international with its members hailing from across the globe and has been ripping through the UK underground for the past few years, driven by the creative vision of the Venezuelan songwriter Jess Allanic (Vocals/Guitar/Keyboard) along with French bassist Alizon Taho (Bass/Backing Vocals) and New Zealander Ben Parker (Drums/Backing Vocals).


"Under the Skin" was co-written by Jess Allanic and Pendulum's Gareth McGrillen and is a mesmerizing blend of raging metal riffs, swirling electronica, and Jess' extraordinary ability to flit between ethereal vocals and demonic howls. It swoons in and out of a stunning narrative, with melodic twists along the way that are punctured by an attack of hypnotic assertiveness.


This first single release is accompanied by Calva Louise's most ambitious music video production, including a sci-fi movie-style short film, telling a story about intertwined dimensions where the characters are looking to perpetuate their consciousness beyond the real world.  


The lyrics of "Under the Skin" follow a complex sci-fi narrative and is the introduction of a conceptual storyline consisting of characters called "Travellers" and their counterparts called the "Doubles."


Allanic says, "The lyrics deal with the obstacles that arise in the human duality as one is looking for freedom and the other is looking to perpetuate their consciousness, but the expectations are not the same for both sides."


The music video shows the Travellers and their Doubles transporting energy capsules which they recovered from the Hybrids-Scorpions (the story's villains) to the Main Hologram Generator, the maker of the "Realworld."


The story focuses on one of the Doubles Vic, that betrayed Commander Jonnie, also a Double, and his crew composed of both Travellers and Doubles, after being infected (and therefore under the control) of a Hybrid-scorpion that sneaked into Jonnie's Hedron-Ship. Jonnie's plans had been interrupted due to the anticipated invasion of the Hybrids that kidnapped multiple Hedron-Ships back in the Mother-Hedron-Ship, where their city was built. Meanwhile, the infected Doubles began to abandon their counterpart Travellers and started to usurp their lives in the holographic "Realworld." The Hybrids then got a free pass to continue sucking the energy of the countless Travellers who had been getting trapped in the "Dreamworld."


The video is a feast for the eye and was directed, edited and with VFX by Allanic.

Mandoki Soulmates - the international and inter-generational supergroup consisting of rock and fusion grandmasters surrounding founder and mastermind Leslie Mandoki - release the third single, “We Stay Loud”, from the upcoming album, A Memory Of Our Future. The album will be released on May 10, and can be pre-ordered here.


Says the band, "'We Stay Loud'  is actually the most contemporary statement to say “let’s swim against the current” in this black-tie devil’s masquerade. This is no peaceful resistance, no love-parade. As Soulmates, we’re always trying to find a musical way to express ourselves, to give a comment to our world, and musically it’s probably the hardest rock song on the album. It’s a very clear statement, a revenge of analog in a digital world."







A Memory Of Our Future will be available in the following formats:


- 180g black 2LP wide spined Gatefold & extensive 12-page booklet
- Ltd. CD Edition PocketPac with noble matt/gloss finishing, Vinyl-look disc and extensive 24-page booklet
- Standard CD Jewel case (US Version)
- Digital album
- Dolby Atmos Version





Tracklisting:


"Blood In The Water"
"Enigma Of Reason"
"The Wanderer"
"The Big Quit"
"Devil's Encyclopedia"
"A Memory Of My Future"
"I Am Because You Are"
"My Share Of Your Life"
"Age Of Thought"
"Matchbox Racing"
"We Stay Loud"
"Melting Pot"


"The Big Quit" lyric video:





"Blood In The Water" lyric video:





After their successful 30 Years Anniversary Tour through Europe, the Soulmates will be performing a special open-air concert in the courtyard of the Munich Residenz on August 15, and play the new album live. Get tickets here.


Mandoki Soulmates are:


Leslie Mandoki
Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull)
Mike Stern
Al di Meola
Randy Brecker
Till Brönner
Bill Evans
John Helliwell (Supertramp)
Cory Henry
Richard Bona
Steve Bailey
Simon Phillips (Toto)
Tony Carey (Rainbow)
Nick van Eede (Cutting Crew)
Jesse Siebenberg (Supertramp)
Mark Hart (Supertramp)


(Photo - Till Brönner)

New Heaven, Inter Arma’s new album (out April 26th on Relapse Records), is a compelling testament to perseverance, top to bottom. Its thicket of ever-dense layers of doom, death, and black metal occasionally let bits of light slip in, fleeting reminders to keep going amid the tumult. The record marks a sharp turn for Inter Arma, showcasing some of the most extreme and angular songwriting the band has ever laid bare. Known for their cinematic take on sludgy, extremely cavernous and borderline psychedelic Metal, the Richmond band broadens their dynamics by seesawing between piledriving momentum and swirling oblivion. New Heaven crushes and conquers, and illustrates what Inter Arma can truly be.


Listen to the new track, "Desolation's Harp", below:







Though New Heaven is indeed another triumph for the band, it is not a triumphant album, meant to offer some glib or naïve assurance that everything will be fine.


They call it the 'Inter Arma Curse': for nearly two decades, the band has emerged as one of the most inspired and fearless acts in or around American metal.  They’ve also endured an endless parade of complications, hurdles, and slights: visa problems in Russia, stolen passports in Europe, unexpected member turmoil in their ranks, accidents and near death experiences, and a pervasive paradoxical sense that they have either been too metal or not metal enough. It’s been forever Sisyphean, except that Inter Arma has sporadically crested the hill to make a series of visionary albums.


As New Heaven started to take shape, the curse roared to life. Worldwide pandemic that squashed tours and writing sessions aside, Inter Arma churned through four bassists before finding salvation in Joel Moore, a guitar-and-engineering whiz who had never before played bass in a band.  With the addition of Moore, drummer T.J. Childers admits that New Heaven features some of the kind of music Inter Arma could have never executed. Listen for the uncanny keyboards wedged between Paparo and the band, for the ways Steven Russell and Trey Dalton coil and collide with Moore, for Childers’ way of slipping some Southern soul into what borders on truly brutal prog.  Paparo’s keen and empathetic lyrics explore arduous facets of the human experience, from innocent victims of war, to addiction, and social apathy.  New Heaven is a record about enduring brambles and curses and lasting long enough to make something profound, honest, and even affirming about it all every now and again..


Childers comments, "New Heaven is the culmination of four years worth of adversity ranging from near death experiences, multiple member changes and of course a global pandemic. It marks a new chapter for us musically as we feel we've taken our songwriting to places we've never explored before. We're excited to have come out of the madness relatively unscathed and feel as though we've created something completely unique that will stand apart in the sometimes homogenous extreme music community."  Guitarist Trey Dalton continues, "This record, maybe more than our previous efforts, more fully represents what we're trying to accomplish. It's still very much us - you know, music made by dudes coming from disparate musical backgrounds and perspectives, but with a more collective and defined sense of purpose. Clarity in direction, maybe. Your mileage may vary, but we like it a lot, and we hope you do too."


Pre-order New Heaven at this location, or direct from Relapse Records here.





New Heaven tracklisting:


"New Heaven"
"Violet Seizures"
"Desolation’s Harp"
"Endless Grey"
"Gardens In The Dark"
"The Children The Bombs Overlooked"
"Concrete Cliffs"
"Forest Service Road Blues"


"Concrete Cliffs" video:





"New Heaven":





Catch Inter Arma on tour with Pallbearer and The Keening at the following shows:


July
11 - St. Louis, MI - Off Broadway
13 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theater
15 - Calgary, AB - Dickens
16 - Edmonton, AB - The Starlite Room
18 - Vancouver, WA - Rickshaw
19 - Seattle, WA - Substation
20 - Portland, OR - Star Theater
23 - Sacramento, CA - Harlows
24 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
26 - Santa Cruz - The Catalyst Atrium
27 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
28 - Los Angeles, CA - Terragram Ballroom
29 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom
30 - Albuquerque, NM - Sister Bar


August
1 - Dallas, TX - Trees
2 - Austin, TX - The Parish
3 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall


(Photo - Jonah Livingston)

Australian rock powerhouse The Dreadful Tides have unleashed their latest single, "Fire In The Hole," electrifying fans with a sound that harkens back to the golden age of '70s rock, combined with the raw power of today's heavy hitters. Known for their fierce riffs and captivating live performances, the Melbourne-based quartet is firing on all cylinders, promising to make 2024 a landmark year.


Since their debut in 2021, The Dreadful Tides have redefined the rock landscape, blending classic influences from Black Label Society and Black Sabbath with a modern twist that resonates with fans of heavy, compelling music. The band's dedication to the rich, dynamic sounds of the Les Paul and Marshall amp combo, coupled with deep, resonant drums and journey-like bass lines, creates an audio experience that's both nostalgic and refreshingly contemporary.


"Fire In The Hole" showcases Jimmy Black's powerful vocals and the band’s knack for crafting songs that are as anthemic as they are gritty. The single captures the essence of The Dreadful Tides' unique sound, which has already earned them over 100,000 streams and a solid presence on Australian radio.







"The energy we bring to 'Fire In The Hole' is a testament to TDT’s journey so far and a preview of where we're headed," says The Dreadful Tides. "This track is for anyone who loves their rock loud, heavy, and full of soul."


"Fire In The Hole" is currently available on all major streaming platforms. Fans can also look forward to more single releases throughout the year, each promising to deliver the hard-hitting, heart-pounding rock that The Dreadful Tides are known for.





For further details, visit The Dreadful Tides on Facebook.


 

Future alternative metal greats Defences present their stunning new single "The Curse". The track follows up strong support in the form of millions of streams across their catalog, and the band from Hertfordshire, UK, is excited to be partnered with Long Branch Records. The release of "The Curse" includes a new music video, available below.


"'The Curse' is a song about feeling like the universe is against you, trying to sabotage your every endeavor despite your best efforts to achieve something," comments singer Cherry Duesbury. "The feeling of being just a little too late, or pipped to the post, and having to start over again. To demonstrate this, it references the individual struggles of trying to be creative in an oversaturated industry, focusing on the internal fortitude required to not only persevere but to enjoy creativity for its own sake. By making these fears and inadequacies into a character, we wanted to show how powerful this feeling of being cursed can seem, and the importance of recognizing and accepting it as part of yourself."







Singer Cherry Duesbury comments on the new video: "The video shoot was really fun - it was the first time Shadow Cherry was on set for anything. She's an idea I've had in my head for some time, so it felt quite surreal to have her come to fruition in front of the camera. A really liberating side of me comes out when I'm made up like that, which I think we've started to capture in this video."


"It was an exciting shoot for us; we hadn't shot a music video for a couple of years. It was our first official shoot with Owen on bass and Will on keys, and we were all stoked to finally bring the ideas we'd been working on to life!"


"We used more props and cool visual elements for this video than I think we ever had before. So many candles, which I really enjoyed! I always have candles lit at home. We're really leaning into the witchy aesthetic for this era, which is right up my street. I was sat in a circle of them for one of the shots, it felt like I was having a seance, I loved it!"





Defences has completed numerous UK tours with multiple sell-out headline shows, not to mention numerous festival appearances including Download, Takedown, Turbulence, and Burn It Down. These shows and releases, combined with the online community being cultivated in their #TheHeart fan page, ensure that the band remains connected with their constantly growing fanbase as they move into their upcoming release.


For further details, visit Defences on Facebook.


(Photo courtesy of Fordtography)


 

Heavy act Doomcrusher have just released their sophomore single "Reflect", out now worldwide via Arising Empire.


In the crucible of the apocalyptic atmosphere that envelopes our world, Doomcrusher were forged. Born out of the deepest desire to be the harbinger of change, the band emerged with a resolute mission: to defy the impending doom that looms on the horizon.







Founded by Andy Posdziech (Any Given Day), Jean Bormann (Rage), Marv Kinkel, and Rob Lee, Doomcrusher's sound is a powerful fusion of stomping and heavy mid-tempo industrial riffs, seamlessly intertwined with uncompromising gutturals that resolve into unfolding and uplifting hooks.


The band's sound is further enriched by sophisticated electronic elements, adding depth and complexity to their musical tapestry. The ambition is clear — to redefine modern core music while staying true to the roots of the metal genre. Their music is not merely an auditory experience; it's a journey through the realms of sound, a deliberate exploration of the boundaries of heavy music.


Doomcrusher stand as a defiant force against the inevitable, a rebellion that crushes the darkness of doom with an unwavering belief in the transformative power of music.





For further details, visit Doomcrusher on Facebook.


 

During a March 2024 question-and-answer session at the Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp, Michael Anthony spoke about the upcoming summer tour featuring him, vocalist Sammy Hagar, guitarist Joe Satriani and drummer Jason Bonham that will focus largely on the music of VAN HALEN. Asked how the tour came about, he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, Sammy and I figured it's 20 years ago this year that we did the last VAN HALEN reunion. And Sammy and I were talking about it. We're always reminiscing and stuff like that, and we thought, 'Gosh, 20 years.' And who knows what's happening now? We obviously can't wait much longer. Sammy's an old man now. But we didn't wanna wait any longer. And with Ed [Eddie Van Halen, VAN HALEN guitarist], unfortunately, passing away the other year. And Alex [Van Halen, VAN HALEN drummer], he's still pretty much — I know he still grieves and stuff like that. And he doesn't really get out; he doesn't get out and play. And so Sammy and I wanted to get the music out to everybody. And we thought what a better way… Let's get together and take it and play it. Someone's gotta play it."

Asked if he has any relationship at all with VAN HALEN's original singer David Lee Roth, Michael said: "Uh, I haven't spoken with Dave in quite some time. The last time I actually spoke with him was when [there was talk] about a possible reunion thing. It's really crazy because I hadn't heard anything about Jason Newsted [METALLICA] coming into the fold [and doing the tour]. And I got a call from Alex and Dave from [manager] Irving Azoff's office some years back asking about my thoughts on doing a reunion, a tour. And Joe Satriani was gonna be the guitar player. And that was probably the last time I talked to Dave. That was — God, I don't know — about a few years ago now. I forget — something like that.

"Dave's kind of a crazy guy," he continued. "It's hard to explain Dave. We don't have enough time. But, no, other than that, no. I mean, I don't have anything against Dave. And I've said this in the past to different people, whatever, that if the chance ever came up or whatever, I would definitely be willing to jam with him or whatever. In fact, I think the last time he did his last [residency] shows at the House Of Blues in Vegas some years back. I was actually gonna come to one of those shows and surprise him and come up and jump on stage, but, unfortunately, we were playing a gig somewhere else — Sammy and I were. But to answer your question, [it was] probably a few years ago [that I last spoke with Dave]."

Eddie died in October 2020 at the age of 65. The legendary VAN HALEN guitarist passed away at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California.

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

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

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

Produced by Live Nation, the 28-date "The Best Of All Worlds" tour will commence on July 13 in West Palm Beach, Florida and will conclude on August 31 in St. Louis, Missouri.

"We're gonna go deep into the VAN HALEN catalog," Hagar told "The Howard Stern Show". "If you're gonna go deep into the VAN HALEN catalog, you need Joe Satriani."

Although Hagar and Anthony normally play five or six VAN HALEN songs" on the road with THE CIRCLE, Sammy told Stern they are planning to only play "five or six of my songs" alongside VAN HALEN classics and deep cuts.

"When we go out in July, it will be almost exactly 20 years since Mike and I did a reunion with Ed and Al in '04," Hagar said. "Mike and I just said, 'We can't wait another 20 years. How long can I even sing these songs? How long can I do this stuff? I just thought it's time to serve the fans."

"There's stuff we're going to do on this next tour that we haven't played since that tour in 2004," Anthony added.

Regarding the challenge of learning legendary VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen's parts, Satriani said: "There are things that are so iconic, you have to nail it. But if you go deep with what he did live, he never played the same thing twice. He kept evolving; he kept pushing. He'd do the recorded version a little bit, but then he moved on.

"It's a daunting task when you do the deep dive into what he did," he continued. "But it's good to start at the beginning, and then you just learn all his little improvs and you get the idea of what he was trying to do. It's thrilling; it's fun."

The US melodic power metal band Millennial Reign just released a music video for their new single "Bring Me To Life", the first single from their new album World On Fire.        


World On Fire will be released on CD, limited vinyl editions and digital via Ulterium Records on June 14.


After completing their previous album The Great Divide, plus all show and festival commitments, Travis Wills (Crimson Glory, Infidel Rising) stepped down as fill in vocalist for the band. The band found their new full time vocalist in Tiffany Galchutt, a fantastic female vocalist with an impressive range and tons of experience from performing with bands around the Dallas, TX area. Pedro Cortes also stepped in as the band's new drummer alongside current members Neil Bertrand (bass) and Dave Harvey (guitars, band founder).




Millennial Reign have over the years shared stage with bands like Accept, Stryper, Delain, Sonata Arctica, Hammerfall, Petra, Y&T, Theocracy and many others, and also played at Exodo Fest in Mexico twice. Last year they played their debut show in Europe at Elements of Rock in Switzerland together with Majestica, Wytch Hazel and others.


World On Fire was recorded, mixed and mastered by Dave Harvey at The Upper Room Studio and the artwork was created by Jan Yrlund (Battle Beast, Apocalyptica, Delain).


The new album has everything you expect from Millennial Reign, and more! Powerful vocals, impressive musicianship, a solid production, epic symphonic elements, memorable melodies and uplifting lyrics! The album should be perfect for fans of power metal, melodic metal and female fronted metal bands. Led by vocalist Tiffany Galchutt and with a really strong new album behind them Millennial Reign are ready to hit the stage and show the metal scene that they are a force to be reckoned with.





Tracklisting:


“Exousia”
“Bring Me To Life”
“Wandering”
“Trust”
“We Follow On”
“Eternity”
“Parousia”
“Crack The Eastern Sky”
“Tongues Of Fire”
“World On Fire”
“Onward To Victory”
“Allied Forces”


"Bring Me To Life" video:

Get lost in Blood Incantation’s interstellar new video “Luminescent Bridge” – available today ahead of their performances at the renowned Roadburn Festival. "Luminescent Bridge" pivots to the introspection of infinity. Created entirely in the studio, the nine-minute track plays out like a dying star—ominous, forlorn, yet hopeful of rebirth. 


Blood Incantation tells, “Originally conceived as an acoustic interlude in the tradition of ‘Meticulous Soul Devourment’ and ‘(Mirror of the Soul)’, ‘Luminescent Bridge’ quickly became something entirely different upon entering Rocky Mountain Recorders in March 2023. Compelled by a tangible air of creativity, we forwent acoustic instruments entirely and ended up implementing several spur-of-the-moment ideas - such as drums, grand piano and even trombone - to create a vast, dynamic tapestry of textures both alien and familiar, yet remaining quintessentially Blood Incantation in feeling and atmosphere. Drenched in analog and digital synthesizers, multiple tape echoes and soaring electric guitar, this intended outro to a subsequently abandoned 7” EP became a towering landscape of otherworldly sonics, earning its place as the title track for our latest maxi-single release.”


“With this expansive energy in mind, we knew the eventual music video would similarly have to be something completely new for us, further evolving our imagery and aesthetic into new realms as we make our way towards our imminent third album. Thanks to the masterful VFX and cinematography of our friends Miles Skarin and Alex Pace who also worked on the music videos ‘Inner Paths (to Outer Space)’ and ‘Obliquity of the Ecliptic’, and the ‘Timewave Zero’ live Blu-Ray, respectively  - we are able to present to you the official video for ‘Luminescent Bridge’.







Of the video, director and visual effects artist Miles Skarin says, “When the Stargate Research Society asked us to help visualise a recent extrasolar communication they had received, we knew this would be a project of epic proportion. The data packet they sent to us from Colorado contained footage of Blood Incantation's interstellar expedition to a distant star system. What we saw after decompressing the video stream blew us away, not only had they captured a beautiful cinematic exploration of the exoplanet's sand dunes, but we can see their journey across the expanse of space was successful. Alex Pace's cinematography from this location was stunning and provided us with everything we needed. Due to the solar radiation exposure, the data from the interstellar voyage was difficult to decipher, so we have used our artistic abilities in VFX and 3D animation to reconstruct the visual of crossing the Luminescent Bridge, first depicted by the artist Steve R Dodd."


Blood Incantation telegraphed their love of and respect for kosmische musik with their acclaimed instrumental album, Timewave Zero – shortly followed by the mind bending Luminescent Bridge 12-inch maxi single which was released as the next stepping stone into the group's final form. Side A features "Obliquity Of The Ecliptic" - voidward death metal—crushingly opaque, mysterious – met by its inquisitive, ethereal Side B – “Luminescent Bridge”. 


Luminescent Bridge was recorded at Rocky Mountain Recorders Studio (Denver, Colorado) with Chris McNaughton. It was mixed and mastered by Arthur Rizk (Kreator, Cavalera Conspiracy, Power Trip). The release builds off the finer points of Blood Incantation’s Starspawn (2016) and Hidden History of the Human Race (2019), but the cosmogonic regality adds new dimensions to the cosmic death metallers' ever-widening framework. 


(Photo – Joe Dilworth)

RivetSkull has announced that their new album, Absence Of Time, will be released on June 14. To kick it off, the band is sharing the album's second single "Eyes Of A Fallen Angel." The track is accompanied by a new lyric video and follows up the first single, "Hellbound."


About the single, the band shared these words:


“‘Eyes Of A Fallen Angel’ tackles the concept of the universal 'fight' – the personal struggles we all face, big or small. The lyrics encourage understanding another's perspective but remind us that time waits for no one.




"Musically, (this song) marks a fresh direction for the band. While our signature heavy riffs remain a driving force, the addition of lush keyboards and vocal harmonies infuse the track with a modern, crossover appeal. It's a powerful blend of heavy metal energy and catchy pop sensibilities – a perfect 2nd single to introduce a new sonic chapter for RivetSkull.”





The band spends the month of June on tour with Artillery as part of their 40th anniversary tour. They will be opening the dates alongside fellow support Vapor and War Curse.


RivetSkull shares this about the album:


"Absence Of Time feels like a culmination of everything we've been building towards. It's not just a collection of songs, it's a unified statement of who we are. Heavy metal has always been a lifeline for us, a way to channel our struggles and find strength in a community of like-minded souls. With this record, we want to extend that lifeline to our listeners. We want them to hear the experiences they share, the battles they've fought, and know that they're not alone.


"This is heavy metal as catharsis, as connection, and as a celebration of the power of shared experience."


Absence Of Time was recorded by Jonathan Plum at London Bridge Studio (Queensryche, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains) and produced by the Matt Hyde (Deftones, Slayer, Hatebreed, Seether), with album artwork by Josh Graham at Suspended in Light (Soundgarden, Eagles of Death Metal).


Preorder at this location.





Tracklisting:


“Hellbound”
“Isolation”
“Not Gonna Run”
“My Darkest Hour”
“Eyes Of A Fallen Angel”
“The King Is Dead”
“Swimming In Mortality”
“Time Will Tell”
“The Unwinnable War”


“Eyes Of A Fallen Angel” lyric video:





(Photo – Mike Savoia)

The weather may be warming up for spring, but there's a bitter frost hanging in the air, courtesy of the death metal crew known as Frozen Soul. Today, the band share their cover of White Zombie's "Creature Of The Wheel". Watch the video below.


The visual certainly pays homage to the instantly familiar, DayGlo green aesthetic of White Zombie, while the band puts its uniquely shivery spin on the sonics.


"We wanted to cover a song outside of death metal that we could give justice to in our style and 'Creature Of The Wheel' felt perfect," the band says. "We slowed it down and made it even heavier, all the while staying true to the groove White Zombie is known for. We got outside of our comfort zone and even used a theremin to add that old school horror feel!"







Frozen Soul — vocalist Chad Green; guitarists Michael Munday and Chris Bonner; bassist Samantha Mobley; and drummer Matt Dennard — unleashed its latest album Glacial Domination via Century Media last year. The album was produced by Trivium vocalist/guitarist Matthew K. Heafy and co-produced by Daniel Schmuck.


Frozen Soul will return to the road with frigid force this spring, supporting Amon Amarth, Cannibal Corpse, and Obituary on the epic Metal Crushes All tour.

From the depths of the black metal underground, comes one of its most elite figures with a new band and an even more evil attitude. As frontman of legendary Swedish maniacs Nifelheim, Hellbutcher upheld the bad name of real black metal with an iron fist. Now, with this eponymous new band, the frenzied mission continues: nothing less than total metal mania will do.


Following the end of Nifelheim, who played their final show in late 2022, Hellbutcher himself wasted no time in forging forward. "I realized I needed to create my own band to uphold the true spirit of metal. I was incredibly inspired!" Teaming up with old compadres in evil, guitarists Necrophiliac (also of Mordant) and Iron Beast, bassist Eld, and drummer Devastator (ex-Nifelheim), Hellbutcher quickly set about bringing this vision to life.


In a short time, they had amassed enough material to record their raging, hellish, self-titled debut album. Recording in various locations around Sweden, such as Devastator's own Red And Black Hall Drum Studio and Iron Beast's Chrome Studios, and producing and mastering everything themselves - "No need for an outside producer since we knew exactly how our band should sound." - it is a record that stands proud and unambiguous as a work or pure, metallic mayhem.




From the album's opener and first single, the crazed "The Sword Of Wrath," Hellbutcher's intent is loud and clear: Channeling the spirit of Venom, Bathory, Iron Maiden, Exciter, Motörhead, Mercyful Fate, and the aggressive spirit of true heavy metal. It's an explosion of diabolic evil, performed mercilessly by true masters of the form. "It kicks off with an epic intro and then dives into a frenzy of thrashing guitars, followed by a powerful chorus and an obscure yet heavy middle section with shredding guitar solos - everything you'd want in a metal song, in my opinion," explains Hellbutcher. "The song's lyrics are somewhat metaphorical, inspired by my decision to continue the path I started decades ago with Nifelheim."


Watch Hellbutcher's "The Sword Of Wrath" video below.


With an enviable musical pedigree and a killer album to their name, Hellbutcher are certain to scorch a mark onto the black metal scene. The man himself believes this could be even more devastating than his previous output. "I believe this band has the potential to surpass Nifelheim; we've accomplished more in a year than I did in the last decade with Nifelheim," Hellbutcher states. "The key difference lies in the fact that this band shares a common goal. I am now filled with tremendous inspiration, and I plan to create new songs, records, and gigs at a completely different pace than before."


Insisting in so many words that posers should die, and promising that their live shows "will be a neck-breaking experience," the underground is about to be hit with an outbreak of evil unlike anything it has seen for a long time. Time to turn the cross upside down: Hellbutcher is here, and they mean evil business.





Hellbutcher will be released on May 31 digitally and in the following physical formats and special editions:


- Jewel Case (EU + US)
- "Metal" Vinyl (EU + US)
- Special Edition (EU - CD, DVD, Patch)
- Special Edition (EU - LP, DVD, Patch) Orange Yellow Marbled Vinyl
- 180g Black Vinyl
- Ash Grey Smoke Vinyl (EU - Ltd. 300, Sound Pollution excl.)
- Blood Stained Ice Splatter Vinyl (EU - Ltd. 300)
- Red "Black Dust" Vinyl (EU - Ltd. 200, Sweden Rock Mag excl.)


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"The Sword Of Wrath"
"Perdition"
"Violent Destruction"
"Hordes Of The Horned God"
"Death's Rider"
"Possessed By The Devil's Flames"
"Satan's Power"
"Inferno's Rage"


"The Sword Of Wrath" video:





Hellbutcher lineup:


Hellbutcher - vocals
Necrophiliac - guitars
Devastator - drums
Eld - bass
Iron Beast - guitars


(Photo - Soile Siirtola)

LedZepNews has posted previously unseen video of Led Zeppelin performing at the Richfield Coliseum in Ohio on January 24, 1975. The footage is publicly available for the first time following work by LedZepNews and LedZepFilm.


Nine minutes of 8mm footage of Led Zeppelin performing at the show was filmed by concert attendee Don Andree, and the full video, synchronized to a an audience recording of the concert, is now available to watch below.


The video shows Led Zeppelin performing songs including “Rock And Roll”, “The Song Remains The Same”, “The Rain Song”, “No Quarter”, “How Many More Times” and “Stairway To Heaven”. LedZepFilm synchronized the video to an audience recording of the concert.




Says LedZepNews: "LedZepNews discovered the uncirculated footage in the archives of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Andree donated a copy of his footage to the archive in 2018 and the archive provided LedZepNews with a digital copy of it for research purposes. However, the archive was unable to allow us to publish the footage publicly as it only owned copies of it – not the copyright.


"Once we had a copy of the footage, we began trying to track down Andree to ask him for permission to publish the footage since he retained the copyright for his film. Using public databases in the US, we found Andree’s contact information and he kindly agreed to allow us to release his film publicly for the first time."

During an appearance on the April 12 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", SCORPIONS guitarist Rudolf Schenker commented on the recent passing of the band's longtime drummer James Kottak. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "James was a fantastic person. We called him the brother from another mother. And it was great to play with him and it was fantastic. But when he was starting to struggle, it was hard. We had to send him to [the island of Antigua to Eric Clapton's Crossroads drug and alcohol treatment center]. And we tried everything we could, but the moment you turned your back around, he was already gone. And in the end, we were only playing to click, and we said we can't do that. And then [MOTÖRHEAD leader] Lemmy [Kilmister] died and then Matthias [Jabs, SCORPIONS guitarist] had the idea to call Mikkey [Dee, MOTÖRHEAD drummer] and we started rehearsing with him. And Mikkey was great on drums. He was also as a person very nice. We said, 'Okay, we have to make a decision.' And then we said, 'It's very hard. We can cry, but we have to stick to the future.' And we tried everything. And now we make it with Mikkey. And Mikkey is a fantastic person as well in a different way. He's playing more straight-forward. James was a little bit more, playing around a little bit, which was very nice as well. He was also a good singer for backing vocals. But it was time to make a change."

Added Jabs: "We lost a very good friend."

Kottak's daughter Tobi told TMZ her father passed away on January 9 in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was born and lived until 1987, although further details about the exact circumstances weren't available.

In addition to SCORPIONS and KINGDOM COME, Kottak had toured with such bands as WARRANT and even DIO for a short run. James was also involved in various other projects, including the 1990s band KRUNK in which he sang lead vocals and played guitar.

Kottak spoke about his alcohol issues in an April 2023 interview with Tulsa Music Stream. He said in part: "I've had a few bouts with booze over the years. But what people don't know is all the years that I was sober. 2008 to 2011. And here a year, and there a year. And when our kids [with his ex-wife Athena Lee, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee's sister and acclaimed drummer in her own right], were in the oven. I spent a lot of time not drinking. And then I had my moments when I did drink. And that doesn't mean I'm falling down drunk, walking around with a bottle around the house."

James, who said in a separate interview that he had been sober since October 2022, added that he hadn't been able to completely give up drinking. "Well, I'm not gonna say I haven't drank anything," he said. "When I go out [and] I see some guys playing, I'm standing there and everybody wants to buy me a drink. And I go, 'No, no,' and finally I take it and I have a couple of glasses of white wine. And then I'm pissed at myself. And so there you go."

He added: "I wish I could say, 'Oh, yeah, I've been sober for six years.' It hasn't worked like that for me. I've been in and out and in and out and in and out — and mostly 'in', meaning not drinking. But I've had my moments. And it's an ongoing process. It's progress, not perfection, as we say."

In a June 2022 interview with "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell", Kottak denied that his battle with alcoholism was the primary reason he was fired from the SCORPIONS in 2016. He has since been replaced by former MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee.

"I hate to say it, but Blabbermouth's kind of been the worst James basher," Kottak said. "They always say — any article about SCORPIONS, they say, 'Yeah, ever since James Kottak was released for alcohol abuse.' So I e-mailed them one day and said, 'Man, stop saying that.' We parted ways. It wasn't just from alcohol, dude. We went through five years of negotiations, 'cause the manager and tour manager both died within six months of each other. Then the band decided to self-manage, which is cool. But I'll tell you what, man — that's when it was a super-bumpy road and we were just not on the same page anymore. And that happens with bands."

Six years ago, Matthias said that he and his bandmates "had to make" the decision to fire Kottak, explaining that they gave the drummer "all the chances" to get better. During an appearance on "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon", the guitarist said: "James was a real good friend — and he still is — but we couldn't continue with him. We gave him all the chances, and 10 more. And it was something that developed over the years — the drinking habit. It came in waves — sometimes it was good for four weeks, and then [there] was drama, and if you know him, you know what that's like. Then if it affects the show, you have to go, 'Hmmm…' Because our drum riser goes up 21 feet, or 24 feet sometimes, if the venue allows it, and the production manager, or stage manager, goes, 'I can't have him go up there. It's too risky.' If you can't really walk down the stairs straight, you can't have that. So that affects your intro of the show, and that's not good — it's not professional."

He continued: "We were helping him — we were sending him to Antigua, and we paid for it, and we did everything we could, because we are extremely loyal. It's always hard if you work with somebody for almost 20 years to say, 'Okay, you've gotta go.' We'd rather do the opposite and try to keep him and help him. But we reached the point — or he reached the point — where it was just not worth it. After three months or four months even — they gave him an extra month in Antigua, the rehab — he'd come home, we'd start again, and you can't even talk to him. So we had to make that decision. We had Mikkey on the road, so [James] didn't notice. So I rehearsed with [Mikkey] and Paweł [Mąciwoda, bass] in the afternoon, just a backup; that was the original plan. But then there was no way we could continue with James, so we started with Mikkey."

Four years ago, Kottak, who joined the SCORPIONS in 1996, told the SCORPIONS official fan club Crazyscorps about the circumstances that led to his departure from the legendary German hard rock band: "I always liked a drink here and there. And then I always also take a pain medication called Aleve. It's what all the baseball players take, all the footballers, and it works like a charm. You take those of those and you don't feel anything. But on top of that, I'm a rock drummer in a rock band, and you've got the green light to drink.

"From 2008 to 2011, I didn't drink," he explained. "I just woke up one day and said, 'I just don't wanna drink anymore.' I didn't go to rehab; I didn't do any of that stuff. I just didn't wanna drink anymore.

"If you have any knowledge of A.A. [Alcoholics Anonymous] or any type of program or rehab, it only lasts so long and then you have what we call in recovery a relapse. I would go through these phases of a year or maybe two years of no drinking, and then you gradually…

"SCORPIONS, we play our show, we go back to the hotel, [and] 45 minutes later, we're all downstairs having dinner," he continued. "And everything's just the right price — free. All these flights back and forth from Europe, from L.A. — I was just flying constantly. Which I'm not complaining about, but it's always business or first class, and once again, all the booze is at the right price. I'm going, 'I've got the next two days off. I might as well have a drink.' And that's what triggered me to start drinking again sometimes. It's a typical alcoholic way of thinking: 'Well, I may as well have a drink. Why not?' And that's typical alcoholic disease thinking. 'Cause it is a disease."

Photo credit: Oliver Rath / B|W|R PR (2015 press photo)

Legendary Florida death metallers, Obituary, begin their spring North American tour with select headline dates. The band joins Amon Amarth & Cannibal Corpse on April 21 for the Metal Crushes All Tour. A full list of tour dates is available below.


To celebrate the tour kickoff, Obituary share the official “Barely Alive” music video. Watch below.


The “Barely Alive” video was filmed during the band’s 2023 UK tour by Natalie Wood (Wondergirl Photo). Edited by Frank Huang (Maximum Volume Silence).







Obituary headline dates:


April
18 - Birmingham, AL - Workplay
19 - Little Rock, AR - Rev Room


May
6 - Chicago, IL - Metro
8 - Millvale, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre*
28 - El Paso, TX - Lowbrow Palace* 5/30 Lubbock, TX @ Jake's Sports Cafe*
31 - Dallas, TX - Trees


June
1 - Baton Rouge, LA - Chelsea's Live
2 - Destin, FL - Club LA


* with Frozen Soul





Obituary, Amon Amarth, Cannibal Corpse, and Frozen Soul tour dates:


April
21 - Revel Entertainment Center - Albuquerque, NM
22 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Denver, CO
24 - The Complex - Salt Lake City, UT
26 - Alaska Airlines’ Theater Of The Clouds - Portland, OR
27 - PNE Forum - Vancouver, BC
29 - Edmonton Convention Center - Edmonton, AB
30 - Grey Eagle Event Center - Calgary, AB


May
3 - Steelhouse - Omaha, NE
4 - The Sylvee - Madison, WI
5 - GLC Live At 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, MI
7 - Rose Music Center At The Heights - Huber Heights, OH
9 - The Wellmont - Montclair, NJ
10 - Toyota Oakdale Theater - Wallingford, CT
11 - Videotron Centre - Quebec City, QC
13 - The Fillmore Philadelphia - Philadelphia, PA
14 - The Fillmore Silver Spring - Silver Spring, MD
16 - ExploreAsheville.com Arena - Asheville, NC
17 - House Of Blues - Myrtle Beach, SC
18 - Yuengling Center - Tampa, FL
20 - Bayou Music Center - Houston, TX
21 - Boeing Center At Tech Port - San Antonio, TX
23 - Arizona Financial Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
24 - Pearl Concert Theater At Palms Casino Resort - Las Vegas, NV
25 - Honda Center - Anaheim, CA





(Photo - Tim Hubbard)

Polish blackened death metal practitioners, Hate, performed at Max Watts in Melbourne, Australia on May 26, 2023, and The Riff Crew have released pro-shot video from the show. Watch below.


Setlist:


Intro
"Sovereign Sanctity"
"Threnody"
"Valley of Darkness"
"The Wolf Queen"
"Luminous Horizon"
"Erebos"
"Resurrection Machine"
"Rugia"







No one combines death and black metal quite like Poland’s Hate. With unflinching viciousness and a sense of atmosphere unique to the band, Rugia, the band’s twelfth and most recent full-length released via Metal Blade Records, pushes the boundaries of their craft even further.





Rugia, which earned the #30 spot on Billboard’s Current Hard Music Albums chart and #33 on Billboard’s Top New Artists Albums chart in the US as well as the #25 on Billboard’s Current Hard Music Albums chart in Canada upon its first week of release, is currently available on CD, LP, and digital formats.

While appearing on the April 12 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", TESLA bassist Brian Wheat and guitarist Frank Hannon spoke about the band's new song "It's All About Love" which they have been performing during TESLA's just-completed Las Vegas residency (see video below). Brian said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We just recorded [it] a couple weeks ago. And it's done and we're playing it live and this summer we should have it out."

Frank added: "It's actually the first song that J.K. [singer Jeff Keith] and myself wrote after a dry spell of writing songs during the COVID lockdown. And the first lyric of the song is, 'I wanna get back to where I started.' That was influenced by how we were feeling during COVID. So we chipped away. We made a little demo of it, and then we just kind of shelved it for a while, 'cause I always knew that I wanted the band and BDub [Brian] to produce it and make it sound rocking. And the original demo was really chill and almost sounded like AIR SUPPLY. It was mellow. And I knew, and I told Brian, I go, 'I love this song, but it needs to be rocked out TESLA style.' So that's what we did. And we worked on it over the past six months at soundchecks during the gigs, practicing it and really developing it and turning it into a rock song."

Asked if the plan is for TESLA to release a full-length album after issuing "It's All About Love" as well as the two previously released singles "Cold Blue Steel" and "Time To Rock!", Brian said: "No, not particularly. Because it takes too much time. Here's the thing. It's no secret, we're getting older. Jeff is 65, 66 years old… In order to do an album, it takes so much out of the band — time and energy. And right now, I think we're all on the same page that we'd rather take that time and energy and go around and play while we're still able to play at the level we play at, because we still play very well. Jeff Keith still sings very, very well. And we can address making an album where you can be in a studio and you can do things 26 times and all that thing, if you have to, later. But to sit there and make an album right now… Frank told you, we've been working on this song ['It's All About Love'] for six months."

Frank added: "It's different now. See, what people don't realize, for a band to make an album that's really great, you have to get locked in a room for about a year and really hash it out and argue and make demos. And then what you're doing is you're fabricating 10 songs, and you'll usually have two great ones and then the other ones are kind of half-assed written unless you spend that time doing it. And that's what we did on the first four albums, or all of our albums that we did up to this point. Now what we're doing is creating singles and touring and playing live and getting them out while they're fresh."

Continued Brian: "Plus there's the whole economic thing about it. We're not a independently multimillionaire wealthy guys. It's a matter of we have to take the time off. We are a working band. Trust me, if we were millionaires, multi-millionaires, and we could afford to take two years off, we maybe would, but we can't. We have to work. We're a working band."

Wheat added: "Look, I would love to go make a record, but like Frank says, I think the songs get compromised because you don't… We spent six months on 'It's All About Love', and I think we got this one right. Honestly, I'm really, really proud of it. It's what I think a TESLA fan would expect from TESLA — right down the middle. Jeff sounds great. Frank's doing classic guitar licks again. But it took six months. We just didn't pull it out of our ass. We worked on it. And to do a 10-song album, even if it's two months a song, that's a year… And quite honestly, you've gotta look at things for supply and demand. Like, how many people want a new TESLA record, a whole new album?

"I'm a statistics guy," Brian said. "And if you wanna get into this, I can go people buying records versus buying tickets. And there are way more people that are buying tickets than are buying records. And they wanna hear all them hits. And then there's the hardcores, which is a much smaller percentage, and you have to go, you have to look at it realistically and go, 'How much gas is left in that tank?'"

Some fans criticized TESLA for adopting a 1980s-style polished production for its latest album, 2019's "Shock". The follow-up to June 2014's "Simplicity" was helmed by DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen, whose own group is no stranger to slicked-up, glossy-sounding recordings.

In September 2023, TESLA released the official music video for its cover of AEROSMITH's "S.O.S. (Too Bad)". The song is a bonus track on TESLA's live album, "Full Throttle Live!", which arrived in May 2023. The LP includes the band's "Time To Rock!" single, plus other songs, all recorded in August 2022 at Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, South Dakota.

In September 2021, original TESLA drummer Troy Luccketta announced that he would "take a little time from the road" to spend with family and friends. He has since been replaced at TESLA's gigs by Steve Brown, the younger brother of former DOKKEN drummer Mick Brown.

TESLA's debut album, 1986's "Mechanical Resonance", went platinum on the strength of the hits "Modern Day Cowboy" and "Little Suzi". The 1989 follow-up album, "The Great Radio Controversy", produced five hits, including "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)" and "Love Song", which hit the pop Top Ten.

Napalm Records is thrilled to announce the signing of acclaimed Swedish rock force, The Night Flight Orchestra.


Formed in 2007 by members of notable rock and metal bands such as Soilwork, Arch Enemy and Mean Streak, The Night Flight Orchestra have gone on to release six studio albums and land two Swedish Grammis nominations. From vibrant anthems to nostalgic ballads, the band’s versatile offerings pay tribute to the 80s with influences ranging from hard rock and disco to pop and prog.


Adding to the countless live shows they have performed to ecstatic audiences throughout their history, The Night Flight Orchestra is heading on a Latin American tour this week, followed by a summer of headline and festival shows across Europe, including festivals such Alcatraz Open Air in Belgium and Bloodstock Open Air in the UK. Time to prepare for take-off - stay tuned for news on The Night Flight Orchestra’s Napalm Records debut, coming soon.




The Night Flight Orchestra states: “We are really looking forward to taking this airborne orchestra to the next dimension together with Napalm Records! We have a new album in the works and cannot wait to launch a massive campaign together! Up, up and away!”


Sebastian Muench, Napalm Records Senior A&R, adds: “The Night Flight Orchestra manage to ingeniously interpret profound and innovative hard rock like an entertaining musical and deliver incredibly exciting concerts. Their six studio albums so far are all extremely exciting and we are very happy to help TNFO become even more successful in the future. I am very much looking forward to this great collaboration.”


The Night Flight Orchestra tour dates:


April
21 - Mexico City, Mexico - Circo Volador
22 - Bogota, Columbia - Ace Of Spades Club
25 - Santiago, Chile - Teatro Cariola
27 - São Paulo, Brazil - Summer Breeze Open Air
28 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - El Teatrito


May
16 - Tampere, Finland - Olympia Kortteli
17 - Helsinki, Finland - Tavastia
18 - Stockholm, Sweden - Downtown Riot


June
27 - Snina, Slovakia - Rock Pod Kamenom


July
11 - Neukirchen-Vluyn, Germany - Dong Open Air


August
9 - Falköping, Sweden - Nestorfest
10 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Open Air
11 - Walton-on-Trent, UK - Bloodstock Open Air


The Night Flight Orchestra is:


Björn Strid - Vocals
Sharlee D’Angelo - Bass
Jonas Källsbäck - Drums
Sebastian Forslund - Guitar, Percussions
John Lönnmyr - Keys
Rasmus Ehrnborn - Guitar
Anna Brygard - Backing Vocals
Åsa Lundman - Backing Vocals


(Photo - Linda Florin)