The melodic power metal band Signum Regis has released their new single "No Middle Ground". The single is mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Kamelot, Evergrey) and it's available on all digital platforms.





Ronnie König of Signum Regis comments on the new single:




"'No Middle Ground' is a song we recorded during the "Undivided" sessions. It has a slightly different vibe compared to the other Undivided songs, so we decided to release it as a dedicated single. This song is for fans of classic metal in the style of Judas Priest or Accept, featuring some fine riffing and sing-along parts. I think it sounds great and I hope you will enjoy it!!





The new Signum Regis album Undivided was released on CD, limited vinyl editions and digital on November 17, 2023 via Ulterium Records. Undivided have received excellent feedback from media and fans around the world and most agree that this is the strongest release from the band so far. 


Signum Regis was interviewed by BraveWords' Nick Balazs in November 2023 about the album - check out our feature here.

THE OFFSPRING first achieved worldwide success in the 1990s with the release of their album "Smash", which sold over 11 million copies. Following "Smash", they continued to release hit after hit, popularizing rock at a mainstream level.

Throughout THE OFFSPRING's career, they've sold over a staggering 40 million albums, and toured arenas, and built a global fan base.

In a new interview with the Colombian radio station Radioacktiva, THE OFFSPRING guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman stated about "Smash", which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's hard for me to place the songs as being part of that time. The songs, to me, are timeless. The songs are every bit as [relevant] today as they were 30 years ago. But I feel that way about a lot of the music I've loved throughout my life, and especially all the music we've made. I can think back to when I first heard 'Come Out And Play' on the radio and just thinking, 'Whoa, what is this? This is mind-blowing. This doesn't happen to bands like us.' That was a very exciting thing. And once we realized, 'Hey, man, we've gotta pick up this ball and run with it. Let's see. Maybe we can get a few years off playing music for a living.' But I don't think any of us thought 30 years later we would still be making music."

THE OFFSPRING will celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Smash" with a special concert on June 1 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The set will include a full-album performance of "Smash", as well as other OFFSPRING hits.

"Smash" featured the singles "Come Out And Play" and "Self Esteem" and was certified six-times platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America).

THE OFFSPRING is currently working on a new studio album with producer Bob Rock (MÖTLEY CRÜE, METALLICA),who previously helmed three THE OFFSPRING LPs, including 2021's "Let The Bad Times Roll".

"Let The Bad Times Roll" was a huge global success, hitting career-high chart debuts with seven Top 5 and ten Top 10 international debuts and nine Top 10 debuts in the U.S. The album peaked at No. 3 on the U.K. chart and hit No. 1 on the Alternative Albums chart in the U.S.

Originally formed under the name MANIC SUBSIDAL, THE OFFSPRING's lineup consists of singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland, Wasserman and bassist Todd Morse.

Last year, Holland told The Georgia Straight that he and his bandmates wanted to take the punk rock songwriting to a higher level than had been accomplished by their predecessors.

"The attitude was there," Holland said. "But there weren't a lot of classic punk songs. And I thought that maybe what we could do that was different from many other bands is we would try to write good songs. So there was almost, dare I say, a pop element — a little bit — in some of our music. And I think we've really expanded on that as time has progressed."

Israeli gothic doom metal band Tomorrow's Rain returns today with the release of their 3rd single, "Muaka," which features a guest vocal performance from Mayhem vocalist Attila Csihar. The song is found on the band's highly anticipated sophomore album, Ovdan, that's out April 19 from AOP Records.


Commenting on the song, vocalist Yishai Sweartz says: 


"‘Muaka’ means Distress, I think it's one of our darkest songs ever, almost black metal in some parts, being a part of the underground scene in the early 90's I was in touch with Mayhem (Oystein) via letters I kept all these years and fell in love with the sound of early Darkthrone/Mayhem and the Tormentor album Anno Domini, I think some parts in Muaka are inspired by them, I knew Attila pretty well from the time we spent in Tel Aviv so I asked him to do vocals with me, hear his voice in this songs sends a shiver down my spine, it's exactly the vibe I was looking for."




The band's sophomore album Ovdan, which is Hebrew for "Loss," marks the return of vocalist Yishai Sweartz who suffered a near fatal heart attack and open heart surgery in early 2023. After nearly losing everything, Swartz and crew have emerged with resilient spirit and creative force on their most dynamic and ambitious record yet.


The eagerly awaited record, Ovdan, features guest collaborators from Mayhem, Sol Invictus, Dark Funeral, Mercyful Fate and Sisters of Mercy to name a few.


Sweartz recently said of the record:


"The album was written and recorded during a dark period in our lives and the creative process was in fact our cure to get back to life after several traumatic events we faced, musically we pushed the boundaries and yet kept the vision started in our debut album Hollow (2020). We hope that Ovdan will light a candle at the edge of the tunnel for you as it did to us."


Preorder at the AOP Records webshop.





Tracklisting:


“Roads” (feat. Dark Funeral’s Andreas Vingback and Sol Invictus’ Tony Wakeford)
“Sunrise”
“Muaka” (feat. Mayhem’s Attila Csihar)
“Room 124”
“I Skuggornas Grav” (feat. Mickael Broberg of Unanimated and Anja Huwe of Xmal Deutschland)
“Burning Times” (feat. Depressive Age’s Jan Lubitzki)
“Turn Around” (feat. Mercyful Fate’s Michael Denner)
“Convalescence”
“Rainbow”
“Intensive C. U.”
“Turn Around” Gothic Rock Version (feat. Michael Denner of Mercyful Fate/King Diamond and Ben Christo of Sisters Of Mercy)


"Muaka" video:





“Sunrise” video:





(Photo – Anne C. Swallow)

Jäst is the new modern rock act featuring former Grave Digger guitarist Axel Ritt. Their first single, “Heartfelt”, is out today.


A press release states: “Behind the powerful melodies and stirring vocals is a talented group of musicians: Axel Ritt, known for his work with Grave Digger and Domain, brings his baritone guitar skills, while Steven Wussow, bassist for Orden Ogan and Domain, with his distinctive bass playing the fabulous addition. Timmi Breideband, formerly of Bonfire and Freedom Call, provides the solid rhythmic basis on the drums. The heart of the four-piece band is the charismatic singer Jessica Conte, whose impressive rock voice gives Jäst's sound its own distinctive sound.”







Jäst, whose name is made up of the first letters of the first names in the best ABBA tradition. Immediately after the band was founded, Axel Ritt started composing the new songs and developed a style that the band referred to as “80s AOR Reboot”, which can roughly be classified along the lines of “Ghost meets Def Leppard meets Tina Turner”. The songs were produced in his in-house Meadow Studios.

Ace Frehley has released a new video in which he talks about his decision to cover a song by French actress Nadia Farès called "Life Of A Stranger", which originally appeared in the 2002 action film "The Transporter". Ace's version of the track appears on his latest solo album, "10,000 Volts", which was produced by Ace and Steve Brown (TRIXTER) and was released on February 23 via MNRK Music Group (formerly eOne Music).

Frehley said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I heard that song over 20 years ago when that movie came out, and I always knew one day, if I did a cover of it, it would come out great. The only thing I was concerned about is whether or not I'd be able to hit the notes, because it's one of the only songs I've ever heard where the chorus modulates twice. I wasn't sure I'd be able to sing the end of the song. Steve said, 'Ace, you'll pull it off.' It's like a ballad. In the movie, it's like techno rock, Euro rock — it's just a drum machine and light stuff. And I envisioned it with Marshalls and big drums and a guitar solo. And so I did it a lot differently. I opened up with a guitar solo going into the vocals. I think it worked."

In a recent interview with VRP Rocks, Ace praised "10,000 Volts", saying: "I'm very happy with the way the record turned out. Now, a lot of times I've recorded records where sometimes you look at three or four songs on the album and you consider them not as good as some of the other ones and you kind of consider them as filler. But I don't think there's any filler on this album. I think every song has merit to it."

He added:  "I think it's one of the best albums I ever did. I mean, I think it's probably as good as my solo album in 1978, which everybody seems to think is my best album to date. But I think this new album is equally as good as my 1978 solo album, and I think there's more than one hit single on the album. So, if I was a KISS fan or an Ace Frehley fan, I'd go out and buy it immediately."

Ace's new all-original album is the follow-up to "Spaceman", which was released in October 2018 via eOne.

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons co-wrote two tracks on "Spaceman", "Without You I'm Nothing" and "Your Wish Is My Command", the latter of which also features Gene's bass playing.

Frehley recently revealed that his next release will be a third "Origins" volume, covering songs by artists who influenced him. He will once again work with Brown on the project, which is tentatively due in 2025.

In an interview with Billboard, Frehley said that he is at one of the best points of his career. "Y'know, here I am at age 72 and I'm putting out one of the best records I've ever recorded," he said. "The playing is great and the singing is some of the best vocals I've ever done. It really doesn't make any sense, but I'm the kind of guy that’s always broken rules, y'know?"

MEGADETH played its first concert in six months at the kick-off of the band's South American tour on Saturday, April 6 at Arena 1 in Lima, Peru.

The setlist for the show was as follows:

01. The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! (live debut)
02. Dread And The Fugitive Mind
03. Devil's Island (first time since 2014)
04. Hangar 18
05. Wake Up Dead
06. In My Darkest Hour
07. Sweating Bullets
08. Hook In Mouth
09. Trust
10. Tornado Of Souls
11. À Tout Le Monde
12. We'll Be Back
13. Symphony Of Destruction
14. Peace Sells
15. Mechanix
16. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

Fan-filmed video can be seen below.

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.

MEGADETH's sold-out shows at Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14, 2024 will be broadcast live on Veeps. Fans will also have the exclusive opportunity to snag MEGADETH merch, including a poster and a limited-edition tee, that will only be available for purchase on Veeps during the livestream. Veeps All Access subscribers can access the shows for free as part of their subscription. Otherwise tickets are on sale for $14.99 for each show or $24.99 for both shows on veeps.com/megadeth.

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.

"Megadeth: Live From Buenos Aires" will be available for free for Veeps All Access subscribers, or fans can buy an individual show ticket for $14.99 or a ticket to view both shows for $24.99 at veeps.com/megadeth. The shows will air live on Veeps on April 13 and April 14 at approximately 9 p.m. Argentina Time (ART). The shows will be available on Veeps for two years after the original air dates, with a seven-day rewatch period for individual ticket purchasers.

Amidst Wardruna's song-writing hibernation, the group resurfaces to offer a taste of their next album with the single release and music video for the song, "Hertan". The song is available on all digital streaming platforms now. Listen here, and watch a video below.


Einar Selvik comments on the new song: "'Hertan' is the proto-Scandinavian word for “heart” and that is exactly what we explore in this song and film. The duality of the heart with the rhythm, flow and pulse we can see, hear, and feel in nature and in all forms of life – and the more abstract idea of the heart, The rudder on the ship of emotions, our decisions, and our true desires.”


Once again, Wardruna teamed up with Finnish director and photographer Tuukka Koski for the video production of Hertan. Koski has previously directed Wardruna's videos for "Raido", "Voluspá", and "Grá". This time, the production mainly took place during some freezing nights in northern Finland at the island of Hailouto.




Einar about the video shooting process: “It is always a true pleasure to create art with Tuukka and his colleagues at Breakfast Helsinki! His experience and eye for detail as well as the ability to always conjure up next-level material, is very inspiring to be part of. Three days, three locations, no sleep but a lot of heart. This is how it went down. Hope you will enjoy the result!”





Hertan, the proto-Scandinvian word for heart, is steeped in Wardruna tradition. With this new song, Wardruna announce the beginning of a vibrant new cycle, pulsating with life. The song explores the rhythm of pulse, a flow visible in all forms of life and in nature, and the heart as the rider of decisions.


Making room for something new to come into being, the Norwegian group ends the Kvitravn touring cycle in a remarkable way. During the autumn equinox on September 21, 2023, Wardruna performed at the world heritage site Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Acropolis, Athens. The event sold out quickly, with fans from all over the world attending.


The concert at the Acropolis is the culmination of an intense period of touring, with successful shows in the United States, Norway, Iceland and the United Kingdom. In 2022, Wardruna headlined the festivals Wacken Open Air in Germany and Hellfest Open Air in France and saw the group perform at historic sites, such as Ancient Theater in Plovdiv and Castle Devin, Bratislava during the Nordic Night Tour. In 2023, the second leg of the Kvitravn touring cycle took place throughout the summer with Wardruna playing (festival) shows in Germany, France, The Netherlands and a concert at Borgholm Castle in Sweden.


At the heart of Wardruna lies the vision of sowing new seeds and strengthening old roots, a concept that main composer Einar Selvik, Lindy-Fay Hella and former member Gaahl bought to life in 2009. The first three albums formed the Runaljod trilogy and featured musical renditions based on the Nordic runes. Each of the three releases focused around eight of the twenty-four Proto-Norse runes, more commonly known as the Elder Futhark. The trilogy consists of Runaljod – gap var Ginnunga (2009), Runaljod – Yggdrasil (2013), Runaljod – Ragnarok (2016).


After years of acoustic concerts and lectures, performing Wardruna songs and creations made for the TV-show Vikings, Einar Selvik recorded Skald (2018). The album was recorded live with the intention of capturing the raw and uncompromising energy of the live performance. It set out to give a voice to the ancient craft that once lay at the foundation of the Norse oral traditions, presented as it takes shape in the hands of a humble contemporary skald today.


Wardruna’s fifth full-length Kvitravn (White-Raven) was released in January 2021. The album musically continues where the Runaljod trilogy left off, yet it marks a distinct evolution in the group's sound. Throughout eleven songs, Kvitravn discusses Northern sorcery, spirit-animals, shadows, nature and animism, the wisdom and meanings of certain myths, various Norse spiritual concepts, and the relation between sage and songs. The record charted in 13 countries, including #1 in Canada and Austria, and #2 in Germany. A year later, the band presented a virtual live experience in the form of First Flight of the White Raven, also landing in the official German Album Charts.


The period between First Flight of the White Raven and Hertan, is not without creative output. A new rendition of Voluspá (live with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra) came out in June 2023. Einar Selvik also performed on national Norwegian television with electronic dance music DJ Matoma and joined Faroese singer-songwriter Eivør and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra for a symphonic concert series. One of the duets, Voluspá (live with Eivør) shall be released physically on Record Store Day in April 2024, in the United States, Canada and Germany. Now a new cycle begins with Hertan and Wardruna soon announce new live dates in support of this new release.


As a live band Wardruna operates in various constellations of personnel but the standard configuration the last years has been as follows:


Einar Selvik - Vocals, Taglharpa, Kravik-lyre, Bukkehorn
Lindy-Fay Hella - Vocals
Arne Sandvoll - Percussion, Backing vocals
Sondre Veland - Percussion, Backing vocals
Eilif Gundersen - Bukkehorn, Lur, Flute, Backing vocals
HC Dalgaard - Drums, Percussion, Backing vocals
John Stenersen - Mora-harp

Cainites has signed a multi-album deal with Scarlet Records.


Under the same mark of Cain and within the same universe filled by the eternal night, Cainites is the name of the melodic death metal duo oozing darkness and blood from every pore.


Two orthodox vampire priest have risen from the ashes of the Italian gothic-doom masters Motus Tenebrae: Andrea Falaschi, aka Frater Orion (Deathless Legacy), on vocals, drums and keyboards, and Daniele Ciranna, on guitar and bass.




They lurk in the shadows they have been locked in for centuries, as punishment – the shadows of the vampires. They can’t end their endless lives, but just follow the most brutal survival instinct that makes them feed on human blood.


Through their dark, gloomy melodic death metal (influenced by Insomnium, The Vision Bleak, Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, Tribulation and Septic Flesh), Cainites create their own mystique, portraying the curse and the mark they have to carry – that of those longing for the light they’ve been forever banned from.


The Cainites debut album is expected to be released in June by Scarlet Records.


(Photo – Frater Orion)

In a new interview with Riff X's "Metal XS", JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill spoke about the musical direction of the band's latest album, "Invincible Shield", compared to its predecessor, 2018's "Firepower". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "This one is a lot busier. The songs are more complicated than they have been.

"Your latest album is always your favorite because you've just spent months putting it together," he explained. "But with each album that we've done, ever since day one, we've always tried to move forward and keep learning and keep current. Anything modern that comes along — a recording technique or some kind of gadget or an effect — we'll give it a go. If it works, great; if not, well, we don't go there again. But we've always tried to keep moving forward. So this is a natural step from 'Firepower'. With the extended time we had because of COVID, we might've taken two steps on this one, 'cause we had time to do it. But it keeps you current and it keeps you relevant.

"We go to concerts and we see people in the audience, and there's young people there as well as people our own age, and I think it's the reason we wanna keep up with the times and, like I say, keep ourselves modern and relevant, and then you attract a new audience in," he added.

Asked what advice he would you give to a 19-year-old musician who is just starting out now, Ian said: "You've gotta have patience. And [it doesn't happen] overnight. Sometimes you'll see a band that'll just burst out of nowhere, but I guarantee that they've been there for a while working [on their craft]. So you need to have self-belief, of course, you have to have a bit of talent and you have to have patience and work whenever you can, wherever you can. And like I say, if you have talent and you've got something to offer, people start to notice and they'll start to travel to you. But patience is a virtue, yeah, and it's very important in showbiz, really. You're not gonna get [noticed] overnight. Very rarely."

On the subject of his age and how he and his PRIEST bandmates are able to connect with younger audiences, the 72-year-old Hill said: "Personally, I just take things as they come. It's great to see young faces there. But none of us are acting our age, really. I mean, up here [in my head], I'm still 12 years old. So is Rob [Halford, PRIEST singer]. You never get old. It is something that keeps you young, mentally young. So it is something that, personally, I don't consider that much. If somebody points it out to you, [there's] three generations [of fans out there]. I'm old enough to be that person's grandfather.' But no. We're stuck in the age that's necessary for us to continue, mentally. [Laughs] Physically is another question altogether."

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

"Invincible Shield" arrived on March 8 via Sony Music.

Vocalist Ken Tamplin, founder of the Ken Tamplin vocal academy, has shared a new performance video along with the following message:


"Originally sung by David Coverdale with Glenn Hughes on the choruses and bridge, this is really an amazing tune from the days when rock was heavy and musicianship was at the forefront. The vocals are not for the faint at heart, either. Come with me on this fun, action-packed joyride, and watch out for the flames!"







Previously, vocalist Gabbi Gun teams up with  Ken Tamplin for a vocal cover of the Iron Maiden classic  "Two Minutes To Midnight".


Ken Tamplin: "Taking on Iron Maiden is no small task, and especially songs like 'Two Minutes To Midnight'. But Gabbi and I did not stop there: we decided to raise the key higher to make it even more challenging!


I have heard Bruce Dickinson say many times that one of his greatest vocal influences was Ronnie James Dio, and I found that to be especially true on 'Two Minutes To Midnight', so I tried to play into the spirit of that, as much as seemed appropriate and as best as possible.


Gabriela also did an incredible job of singing in the spirit of Bruce while still sounding like herself!"

In a new interview with American Musical Supply, PANTERA bassist Rex Brown spoke about the decision to tour with a reformed version of the band, also featuring fellow surviving member Philip Anselmo (vocals),alongside Zakk Wylde (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE) on guitar and Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) on drums. The lineup has reportedly been given a green light by the estates of PANTERA's founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott.

Speaking about how touring with PANTERA in 2024 is different from how it was in the band's heyday, Rex said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "This is a completely different thing, man. We have Charlie and Zakk now, and they're just — number one, they've been great friends of ours for all these years. We get along extra super cool. Charlie and I went down, probably put about 80, 100 hours on tape of all the songs we were gonna do for the set, and others that we would want to do. Charlie and I worked on this for six months before we ever got into a rehearsal room. That's just how good friends we are. Charlie has been one of my best friends for years. So, this is another band. It's hard to fill the shoes of the brothers. At the same time, this has become a really tight unit. And Zakk just puts the extra… Dime was a very unique guitar player, and he was my best friend, and it's good to see those boys up on the screens and with us. And that's what this is about tonight, for me."

Regarding how he and the rest of the current PANTERA lineup have balanced honoring the band's legacy with any new creative goals they might have, Rex said: "There's many ways that we wanna keep this legacy alive, 'cause the music is still played all over. We have a whole new generation of fans that, they probably wouldn't have heard this stuff if we weren't playing out here playing these shows. And so, that generation of fans — let's say the 15-to-18-year-old kids that come out — they'll shortly have children, and that keeps that new generation alive. And Phillip even says it in the set, the parents of the '90s, which I'm a parent of the '90s, it's a very important statement in the set because it's about the gratitude.

"We're not doing this for ourselves; we're doing it for the name and the brand PANTERA," he continued. "And by God, this music needs to be heard again. It does. It needed to for a long fucking time. And that's what we're here doing tonight… It's just wonderful to be able to do this and pay homage to my music, the riffs that I wrote, or the riffs that Dime wrote, or the patterns that Vinnie played, and for what Phil came up with — tremendous impact on this music."

Last month, Rex told Rolling Stone Australia about performing with PANTERA in 2024: "Two of our beloved brothers that just aren't here anymore man, that's life, you know? They're just not with us man. That's just fate; it's the way the ball rolls, dude."

He added: "This is no tribute band — Philip and I get to play these songs of ours that we haven't played in 23 years. And to be able to do that and connect with the enormity of what's happened is just extraordinarily fucking insane, you know?"

Regarding PANTERA's latest additions, Rex said: "We knew who would fit and who wouldn't. We knew what the obstacles were in front of us, and we knew after… I'll put it this way — Charlie and I came down in September [2022] before we played that [first] show in December [2022], and we have probably one hundred hours of tape of us playing every fucking PANTERA song that I could remember. And so, you know, me and Charlie lockin' in like that… the drummer and the bass player, that's your foundation. So when Zakk came in, there were certain things we had to go over and over and over, to get tight. And today, this band is about as tight and about as badass as I fucking want. You know what I mean, and that's all I'm gonna say on that."

"But, man, this band is on fuckin' fire, and I couldn't be happier, man," he added. "I just can't explain that as much as I need to, I could not be happier."

Rex previously told AndrewHaug.com that he was "absolutely" open to writing new music with the reformed version of PANTERA. "Yeah, I could tell you more but I'm not going to," he teased.

Earlier in the chat, Brown talked about what is has been like to go out and perform as PANTERA to a whole new generation of fans.

"You can't see it on the YouTube. You can't feel that vibe until you actually come to the show," he explained. "And we haven't been doing interviews just for the fact we want people just to come to the show. It's not about anything prior past or present that I wanna talk about today — just the show tonight.

"We're pinching ourselves over these new fans that have never seen this before, and it's a whole another generation that we either didn't know a) that were out there, b) that were still listening to us, and the turnout has just been unbelievable," Rex continued. "Of course, at first you had the naysayers and all that stuff, and as we played gig by gig, it's made us tighter. And I've been trying to rehearse this band as much as I can within schedules, and we'll just go down for no fucking reason and just jam. That's what makes a band tight."

The reformed PANTERA is headlining a number of major festivals across North America, South America and Europe and staging some of its own headline concerts. They are also supporting METALLICA on a massive stadium tour in 2024.

It was first reported in July 2022 that Anselmo and Brown would unite with Wylde and Benante for a world tour under the PANTERA banner.

Asked how it feels playing those "timeless" songs again, Rex told AndrewHaug.com: "You just said it — they're timeless. So getting to play them again is a… These were a big part of Philip and I's songs too. Of course, respect to the brothers. I think that looking down on us and giving us a big — and they're with us. It's just uncanny. That's the glue. Those guys are hanging around with us.

"Look, I'm not some crazy old man, man. I know that we're here for reasons," Rex added. "And this time he gave us a heavy load, and we have come through in spades. And I'm very proud of Charlie and Zakk and Phillip for stepping up… All of us [were very close back in the day]. We were intertwined. There was a close-knit family of friends — Jerry Cantrell and all those guys, ALICE IN CHAINS. We were all brothers and we all had each other's backs — even as fucked up as we got. We're fine now, I'll put it that way. But it's just such a different time and we're older men and can appreciate this more. And I feel 25 years younger, man. It's just insane."

Addressing complaints from some fans that Brown and Anselmo are going out and touring under the PANTERA name even though Dimebag and Vinnie Paul are not involved, Rex said: "I don't call it anything. I call it PANTERA. The show itself is a celebration of the lives of all four of us. Two are sadly not with us, and we cannot bring them back. God, do I want them back. But that's just not possible. So we're doing the best thing that we can to keep our music alive. And I think they're smiling down and saying, 'You guys are doing all right, man.' And they're with us. And I'm not shittin' you."

Asked what his initial thoughts were when he was first approached about relaunching PANTERA as a touring act, Rex said: "Philip and I talked for several months before. He got on the phone and said, 'Hey, man, you wanna do it? I didn't have — maybe a six-second… not a hesitation, but just to wrap my head around the full gravity of the enormity of it. I went, 'Okay, I've got a couple of questions.' And, man, ever since that call we've worked really, really hard to get this thing going. And we've jumped over a lot of mountains."

In February, Zakk spoke about the possibility of the reformed lineup of PANTERA making new music during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Asked if he would be open to working on new material with PANTERA, Zakk responded: "No. I think you would have to call it something else. You know what I mean? PANTERA is those four guys. So, yeah, you can't replace that."

Pressed about whether he would want to do it under an altered name rather than calling it PANTERA, Wylde said: "Yeah. If that was ever a bridge we crossed, we'd have to wait until we get there. But right now, it's just the four of us celebrating what the fellas [from the classic lineup] created."

Zakk went on to say that he was open to making new music with Anselmo, Brown and Benante, provided that it was presented differently than just PANTERA. "Yeah, of course," he said. "I mean, how could you call it PANTERA unless it was just pre-existing material and we were gonna record it — stuff that was in demo state or whatever, and it is songs that the guys wrote. But as far as new songs, it would have to be — you'd call it something else."

Back in January 2023, longtime PANTERA producer Sterling Winfield, who is reportedly one of the people who control PANTERA drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott's estate, told Reckless Rock Radio 89.3 KNON FM about the possibility of the reformed PANTERA recording new music: "It's not unheard of, it's not blasphemous. I will say that it is entirely plausible, it is entirely possible, but at this point in time, I don't know that anybody's looking that far down the road. They've got a world tour to tackle, man, for the next two years, and they are gonna be busy doing that. Now, could it happen? Yes."

Asked if he "would be cool" with Brown, Anselmo, Wylde and Benante making new music together, Sterling said: "It depends, man. Again, it has to be done right, like this whole thing; the whole tour that's happening has to be done properly. And I don't really feel comfortable — if it were to happen, I would not feel comfortable calling it PANTERA. I don't think that would be classy. I'll put it that way. And I'll just leave it at that for now. [But] this lineup could make some very badass music. And the music is all that matters."

In 2016, Vinnie Paul said that he would eventually release music that was planned for DAMAGEPLAN's second album.

The drummer formed DAMAGEPLAN with his brother "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott after PANTERA's split in 2003 and released the debut DAMAGEPLAN album, "New Found Power", a year later.

Vinnie Paul told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk": "The first [DAMAGEPLAN] record, I think, was pretty diverse. We wanted to do something that didn't sound exactly like PANTERA, and with [the material that was written for] the second record, it was really focused, man. I've got the demos and someday they'll come out. But I really feel like we had turned a corner. We'd been out, the fans had seen us, and they'd accepted the fact that this was our new thing at this point."

Anselmo and Brown spoke about PANTERA's return to the stage during an appearance on the seventeenth episode of "The Metallica Report", the podcast offering weekly insider updates on all things METALLICA. Philip said: "It's empowering. It is incredibly beautiful, and you feel so much love when you're up there. And if you take it in, it's a great feeling, man. These days, man, that's where me and Rex, you know, we get to dig the shows more."

He continued: "When we were younger, we were at war and when we were on stage; we were just angry and at war, man. Now it's — the songs are there. I can concentrate on singing the fricking songs, number one. Geez, that's a relief for me, man. I don't have to break my fricking body in part anymore."

Anselmo and Brown also talked about Charlie and Zakk being part of the PANTERA team. Philip said: "Them two dudes, so enthusiastic. And they got their damn thing and they got their own damn legacy, both of them, without us. It's an honor to play with them. They're the nicest frickin guys in the world, man. I'm just so... [Laughs] Zakk, he's a crack-up, man. He's a sweetheart. And fricking Charlie, we've known Charlie since '87, man. It's a long time."

Rex chimed in: "The way [Charlie] plays Vinnie's parts is uncanny. I don't think there's any drummer out there that could play the way that Vinnie did. I would close my eyes, because I was trying to get tight, and sometimes if I close my eyes, I can hear a little better; I think I can. And there'd be a tear of joy just coming down, because that was so close to what Vinnie and I used to play. So you have the foundation."

Philip concurred, saying: "The low end sounds so PANTERA, man. It's freaking me out."

When the interviewer suggested that PANTERA in 2023 had Vinnie Paul and Dimebag's "spirit inside it", Philip said: "Only thing I can say is, man, I know for a damn fact Vince and Dime would want us to do this, hands down. They would want the PANTERA brand or the legacy to go on. And I don't know what you believe in, but sometimes, you know, you would like to think that them old fellas are looking down on us, giving us the thumbs-up."

While he was alive, Vinnie Paul had repeatedly dismissed talks of a PANTERA reunion, telling Germany's EMP Rock Invasion in 2014: "People are selfish, man. They want what they want; they don't care what you want. And it's unfortunate that people go, 'Oh, wow, man, they can get Zakk Wylde to jump up there on stage and it's PANTERA again.' No, it's not, you know. It's not that simple. If Eddie Van Halen was to get shot in the head four times next week, would everybody be going, 'Hey, man, Zakk, go play for VAN HALEN. Just call it VAN HALEN.' You see what I'm saying? I mean, it's really selfish for people to think that, and it's stupid. It's not right at all."

He continued: "They call it a reunion for a reason. It's called bringing the original members back to what it was. So there's a lot of these things that they call reunions that aren't really reunions. They've got one dude from the band floating around in them, you know. That's not a true reunion. With PANTERA, it'll never be possible."

He repeated those same sentiments a few months later, telling PlanetMosh in a separate interview: "Without Dimebag Darrell, there is no [PANTERA] reunion. And that's all there is to it. We were a very influential band, and we touched millions and millions of people with that band, but it's over. People really have to come to grips with that, and that's all there is to it. If all of us were still here, then the possibility would truly be there, but since it's not, you know… It's selfish of the fans to want something that they can't have. And they don't ever understand that, and I get it. There's things I want in this world too. You know, people in fucking hell want ice water, but they're not gonna get it."

Up until his passing in June 2018, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for Dimebag's death.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Dimebag's longtime girlfriend Rita Haney in 2011 called on Vinnie and Philip to settle their differences in honor of Dimebag.

Vinnie, who was Dimebag's brother, and Anselmo had not spoken since PANTERA split in 2003. But the relationship got even more acrimonious when Vinnie suggested that some remarks the vocalist had made about Dimebag in print just weeks earlier might have incited Dimebag's killer.

Haney told the producers of "Behind The Music Remastered: Pantera" that she forgave the singer after they found themselves unexpectedly face to face at a concert in California.

Photo credit: Epiphone

UXB Press has released the video below, featuring professionally-filmed video from Anvil's appearance at Super Rock '84 Festival, held at Seibu Stadium in Tokorozawa (Tokyo), Japan on August 11, 1984.





Anvil have scheduled a rare concert at the El Mocambo, the legendary venue in Toronto, ON (Canada), this Saturday, April 6. Support will be provided by Devilwitch and Buffalo Bill.




About the event: The legends return! The Canadian trio Anvil belongs to one of the most distinctive bands of their genre, often cited as having influenced notable metal acts such as Slayer, Megadeath, Metallica or Anthrax! After 40 years in the music industry, touring the world in sold-out venues, and garnering critically acclaim for Anvil! The Story of Anvil - the number #1 music documentary of every metalhead.


El Mocambo is a fully accessible venue, and only 375 tickets are available for the 19+ event. Doors open at 8 PM.


Get tickets here.

In a new interview with José Luis Mata Sanchez, original AC/DC frontman Dave Evans was asked if it's true that he offered his services to his former band when the legendary hard rockers postponed the last 10 dates of their spring 2016 North American trek after singer Brian Johnson was advised to stop playing live or "risk total hearing loss." The band went on to complete the European and North American legs of its "Rock Or Bust" tour with GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose as a "guest vocalist." At the time, Johnson had been AC/DC's singer for 36 years, ever since replacing the late Bon Scott in 1980 and making his debut on the classic "Back In Black" album.

"We call that in Australia bullshit. Okay. Bullshit," Dave said in reference to rumors that he wanted to temporarily rejoin his former band. "It was just somebody just trying to get a headline. No, of course not. I was doing my own thing. I wouldn't be going back there to do that. And Axl Rose was a friend of Angus [Young, AC/DC guitarist]; they were friends. And he just asked Axl if he could fill in — that's all — as a friend, and Axl said, 'Yeah, cool.' And that's why he did it. He just filled in while Brian was not in the band. The fans were reading a lot out of it: 'Axl has joined the band,' blah, blah, blah, all this bullshit that was going on. He was just helping out so that they could finish the tour. They could have canceled, of course, but Angus wanted to keep playing. So he just asked his [friend], 'Could you do me a favor and fill in?' Axl said, 'Yeah, of course. Why not?' And that's all it was. That's all it was."

Asked if he would be interested in playing with AC/DC again if he was approached, Dave said: "That won't happen. It's water under the bridge. And the songs are different, too, now. I do some songs of Bon Scott's when I do my show; people wanna hear those. And Brian Johnson also does songs of Bon Scott's too. [Bon's] not with us.

"We're all part of the family, whether we fight or not," Dave explained. "Most families fight. That's the way it is. But yeah, I do some of Bon's stuff. And Brian also does some of Bon's as well. But that's gone, long gone.

"I do my own stuff and I love my own music, of course, and the fans want me to sing my own stuff," Evans added. "It's the most important thing. But I don't mind doing some AC/DC songs for the crowds. Bon Scott used to do all of my songs — remember? — when he joined the band. He did all of my songs. In fact, he re-recorded some of my songs. So, yeah, that's cool."

Pressed about who he thinks is a better AC/DC singer, Bon Scott or Brian Johnson, Dave replied: "Well, first, Dave Evans is the best, of course. That's me, okay? Of course. And most of my fans will tell you exactly that, too. I'm not just making it up. After concerts, if you come to one of my concerts, you can make up your own mind, okay? But they call me maestro, which I love. So it's nice to be called maestro.

"But they're both completely different," he continued, referencing the original question about Bon and Brian. "And you can't compare them. You can't compare me either with Bon Scott or Brian Johnson. So that's an unfair question. You'll only get a Bon or a Brian from someone who's biased.

"If you're an AC/DC fan, you must embrace the whole band, because first of all, there was the five founding members, and I'm one of 'em," Evans explained. "Without us, there's no AC/DC at all. So if you're an AC/DC fan, then you must be a fan of the whole band. And if you're biased against one or the other, then you're not really an AC/DC fan. If you're a Bon Scott AC/DC fan or a Brian Johnson AC/DC fan, you're a fan of part of the band. But if you say you're an AC/DC fan, then you must embrace the whole band. Otherwise you're not an authentic and real AC/DC fan.

"So, yeah, the real AC/DC fans, they love AC/DC," Dave added. "And it's changed so much over the years. We had three bass players by the time I split from the band. We had three drummers by the time we split from the band. We had three managers. Without all that history, there's no Bon Scott era. There's none. And without Bon — he was there for six years, I think, before he died. And then the Brian Johnson era came. So without Bon and Dave, there's no Brian. Without Dave, there's no Bon. And so that's the whole band. It must be celebrated by all the fans and any fan that disparages any one of us can't call themselves AC/DC fans, and they should be completely ashamed of themselves."

Dave recorded AC/DC's first two singles, "Can I Sit Next To You Girl" and "Baby, Please Don't Go". But in October 1974, less than a year after AC/DC's first gig, Evans was out of the band. He was replaced by Bon Scott, who sang on AC/DC's first six studio albums and became a legend himself after his death in 1980.

Evans discussed his time with AC/DC in an interview with Brazil's Guarda Volume podcast. Speaking about the way his time with the band ended, Dave said: "We were very young — we were all very, very young. And our ambitions were forever. I didn't go, 'Oh, I'm gonna be in a band.' No. I had my whole career, my whole life to sing. I've been singing since I can remember. It ain't gonna stop because of a band I was with, I split from. I was in bands before AC/DC, of course. I was with bands before AC/DC. I split. VELVET UNDERGROUND [not to be confused with Lou Reed's group] I was with, a top band. AC/DC, Okay, I kept going. RABBIT, my own career. I never thought about splitting or stopping to sing. It was just another band I was with, but a very successful band. We had a hit record, 'Can I Sit Next To You Girl' was named as the best Australian group record of the year. First up. Great. Fantastic. It was a hit record. And to have a young band, first record, against all the other bands in Australia, [named] the best Australian group record of the year. That was fantastic. But there were different reasons why I split from the band, mostly because I wasn't getting paid any money."

He continued: "The manager was the third manager at that time. We weren't getting paid for the shows, and we were doing the biggest shows in Australia. The Sydney Opera House, the famous Sydney Opera House, Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, Festival Hall down in Melbourne, all the shows. Where's the money? Show me the money. No money. We toured with Lou Reed from the USA. [We played] the biggest venues, sold out — all sold out. How about some money? No money. So in the end, I couldn't stay with the band, because I was paying off my car in Sydney, paying my car off, my flat, and I'm working hard. So we had a bit of a meeting one night and had a few drinks and stuff. And the manager was there. And he was making money because he was getting money off the top. The rest of the money, I don't know what happened to it. We didn't have any. So, the manager, nice new permed hair, new jeans, bell bottom jeans, leather valise, flying around the country, us in trucks. He had the money. We had no money. So at, I said to him, 'What's happening here?' I confronted him. We were all bitching about it. And he got up and smart-mouthed to me. So I got up and bang, knocked him down. And the other boys got me and pulled me off the manager. So it was decided that when that tour we were on finished that this had to be resolved. This had to be resolved. I said, 'If I'm not getting paid, I am not gonna go on tour again.' So I said, 'I'm not going.' Who would? I'm not stupid. So at the end of the tour, no resolution. They weren't gonna give me what I wanted. So I split from the band. I said, 'Well, that's it.' I said, 'Okay. See you later.' I wasn't gonna take it."

Elaborating on his reasons for walking away from AC/DC, Evans said: "It's like any job. If you're a carpenter or you're a teacher or something, and they don't pay you, what are you gonna do? 'Oh, it's okay.' No. How are you gonna feed your children? No children for me, but if you had children, how would you feed your children? How would you pay your car off? You can't. And you're working hard. [AC/DC founders] Malcolm and Angus Young lived at home with their parents. They lived at home with their parents. They didn't have to pay any money. I did. I had my apartment in Sydney, so I had to pay. Otherwise I was gonna lose it. My car, they'd come and take it away. But Malcolm and Angus, [they had] no car. And they lived at home with their parents. So it didn't matter so much to them, but it mattered to me. And I wasn't gonna take it. So I stood up for myself."

Regarding the iconic singer who replaced him, Dave said: "Poor Bon Scott. Bon Scott joined the band and he went through a lot of crap too. And he ended up dead. He was working, working, working, working, working, working. And he was depressed, sad. He looked happy, 'cause he was drunk all the time. Bon Scott drank all the time. Alcoholic. You see photographs of Bon Scott, he's always got a bottle or a drink all the time. Sad. Sad. But it killed him in the end. But he was going through a lot of hell, too, with the band.

"I spoke to Bon Scott after he joined [AC/DC]," Evans revealed. "We had a private conversation about things, which will remain private. And so when I found out what happened to Bon Scott, when I read about it, and I spoke to his wife about it too — I saw his wife who told me what happened and stuff — I wasn't surprised. I was not surprised."

Evans previously talked about his exit from AC/DC in a 2021 interview with DJ Grant from New Zealand's Galaxy 107 FM. At the time, he said: "You've gotta remember that Bon Scott did a lot of the songs that I already did, like 'Baby, Please Don't Go', we already did that. That's the song that I got Angus up on my shoulders, and, of course, he used to watch us doing our show, so he copied that. I understand that he copied what I was doing. And the songs too, and re-recorded them and re-wrote the lyrics to some of the songs that I had already put down. But he was told to do that. I know that he was under instructions to do this, so I don't really hold it against Bon Scott for that, because when he joined the band, he was washed up at the time, and he got a great chance to do something, and he did too. He did a great job, but his lifestyle just let him down."

Evans also talked about the enduring popularity of "Can I Sit Next To You Girl", which was originally released as a single in July 1974 and featured drums by Colin Burgess and bass by George Young (older brother of AC/DC co-founders Malcolm and Angus Young).

"It's one of those songs, I play it around the world — I still do, of course, every show I do — and people love the song," he said. "And it's amazing how many people say to me that's their favorite AC/DC song. I can't believe it. [AC/DC has] 'T.N.T.' and all those great songs, 'Highway To Hell' and all these other great songs, and fans come up to me and say that that's their favorite song."

Earlier in 2021, Dave was asked in an interview with The Rocker Diaries if he thought "that would be it" for AC/DC after Bon's death in 1980. He responded: "No, not at all. I mean, we all keep going. And AC/DC has had that many players through [the history of] the band. I don't know how many. 20? And three singers, plus a stand-in singer as well.

"We were always ambitious when we first started," he continued. "We always wanted to be the best in the world — all of us. And after me, Bon Scott got his chance. He did great with the band. And when he died, I just thought, 'Who are they gonna get?' I never thought [I would be approached about it] myself, because that's water under the bridge. And I was busy with bands as well at the time, and doing my own music and recording. I was just wondering who it would be. I had heard of [Brian Johnson's pre-AC/DC band] GEORDIE — just the name GEORDIE. I'd never heard of Brian. And then Brian popped up and, of course, the 'Back In Black' album came out, which was a massive album around the world, and they were off and running with Brian. But if Brian quit, they'd get another singer, and another singer. [They've gone through] different bass players [and] different drummers.

"The drive was always Malcolm Young," Dave added. "I remember Malcolm when I first met him. He was such a driving force. Just a tiny little guy — just a little touch over five foot tall — but, boy, he had a big heart and a big personality. And he was tough, too — Malcolm was very tough. And no matter what, he was AC/DC through and through. And, of course, once he passed away, which is very sad, AC/DC, of course, will never, ever be the same without Malcolm. How can it be?"

In May 2021, Evans released a new compilation album called "BADASS Greatest Hits". The effort contained "20 massive hits on one album," including Dave's version of "Rockin' In The Parlour", the song that originally appeared as the B-side of the "Can I Sit Next to You Girl" single.

The JIM SYMINGTON YouTube channel has uploaded 4K video of former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate's April 3 concert at El Mocambo in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Check out the footage below.

In a recent interview with Finland's Chaoszine, Tate spoke about what it has been like to celebrate the 35th anniversary of QUEENSRŸCHE's classic "Operation: Mindcrime" album on tour in 2023. He said: "At first I was sort of, do I want to go out and tour this record? And in retrospect, I'm very happy I did. Because I've gone out on the 30th anniversary, and now it's the 35th anniversary, and it does take me a while to get everywhere in the world. And we try to take it to places where smaller towns and cities, where people can come and see the show and not have to travel a long distance. And I like that. I like being close to the audience and in a smaller venue where people can feel it more and they can see the look on your face when you're performing. It just seems so much more personal."

He continued:  "The record, to me, is a very personal record. It's about the transition of this guy who goes through a lot of challenges and heartbreak. And I try to portray that with the performance as well. And if you're in a big giant place, I don't think people pick up on that. They don't see it that way. And so I like the smaller venues where people get to see that and feel it. But I love performing the record and I'm happy that all these different promoters around the world asked for it, 'cause I probably wouldn't do it if they hadn't asked for it."

Joining Tate in his backing band at some of his recent shows were James Brown on guitar, Amaury Altmayer on guitar, Jack Ross on bass and Danny Laverde on drums.

In August 2023, Tate told Mike Hsu of the 100 FM The Pike radio station that he was "on the second round of writing" his autobiography.

Last month, Geoff, who celebrated his 65th birthday in January, embarked on a co-headlining tour with VANDENBERG, the band led by former WHITESNAKE guitarist Adrian Vandenberg.

In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012.

Tate was replaced in QUEENSRŸCHE by former CRIMSON GLORY singer Todd La Torre.

In the summer of 2022, Tate underwent an aortic valve replacement at the Universitäts-Herzzentrum Freiburg-Bad Krozingen (University Heart Center Freiburg) in Bad Krozingen, Germany.

CONTEST TIME! Win a Meet & Greet with Geoff Tate at The El Mocambo in Toronto, ON on April 3rd! Two tickets included....

Posted by Ontario Concerts and Events on Friday, March 22, 2024

Six Feet Under have released a guitar playthrough video for "Know-Nothing Ingrate", the first single from their pulverizing fourteenth studio album, Killing For Revenge, out on May 10 via Metal Blade Records. Watch Jack Owen rip through the track below:





From the opening moments of first single, "Know-Nothing Ingrate," which kicks off the record, it's immediately clear that Six Feet Under focused their energies into something that's as brutal, lyrically visceral, and musically dazzling as one would hope for from the ground-breaking Tampa-bred death metal. Killing For Revenge, a gnarly beast of a record that's not for the faint-hearted, dishes up nightmare-inducing imagery courtesy of frontman Chris Barnes via the vocalist's trademark guttural vocals. Both the album title and darkly detailed red-hued album cover by artist Vince Locke are perfect containers for the brutality within.




"I chose the title Killing For Revenge after we completed writing and noticed that all the lyrics and storylines had a common theme of revenge. Revenge by human or revenge by nature," Barnes says. "The album title describes the flow of the stories within the lyrics perfectly."


Killing For Revenge marks the second album that Barnes and guitarist Jack Owen (ex-Cannibal Corpse) have created together since reuniting for 2020's Nightmares Of The Decomposed. Owen also produced Killing For Revenge. "We worked well together in Cannibal Corpse," recalls Barnes. "I loved him to death as a friend and a musician, so I'm really comfortable giving him the reins because I just have such great respect for him as an artist."


Six Feet Under was initially formed as a side project for Barnes during his final years with the band that he co-founded, Cannibal Corpse. It became the frontman's sole focus in 1995, coinciding with the release of their debut, Haunted. Only Barnes remains from Six Feet Under's original incarnation, but the quality has remained remarkably consistent. The current lineup of Barnes, guitarists Owen and Ray Suhy, bassist Jeff Hughell, and drummer Marco Pitruzzella make for a devastating unit.


The songs on Killing For Revenge dive headfirst into subjects that are as gleefully vile, graphic, and downright grotesque as you might dream of from a Barnes/Owen project. After all, the two men were vital cogs in the Cannibal Corpse band that released such delightfully offensive death metal classics as Butchered At Birth and Tomb Of The Mutilated. Six Feet Under also recorded a cover of Nazareth's "Hair Of The Dog," which appears on all formats of Killing For Revenge with the exception of vinyl.





Killing For Revenge, which features a guest appearance by guitarist Jason Suecof on "Neanderthal," was mixed and mastered by Chaz Najjar at Badlands Recording in Denver, Colorado. The record will be released on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:


- Clear w/ Red Bloodshot (US)
- 180g Black (EU)
- Crusted Blood Marbled (EU)
- Khaki Brown Marbled (EU - Ltd. 300)
- Blood Red Splatter (EU - Ltd. 300)
- Gold "Black Dust" (EU - Ltd. 200)


Pre-order here.





Killing For Revenge tracklisting:


"Know-Nothing Ingrate"
"Accomplice To Evil Deeds"
"Ascension"
"When The Moon Goes Down In Blood"
"Hostility Against Mankind"
"Compulsive"
"Fit Of Carnage"
"Neanderthal" (Guest Lead Guitar Solo - Jason Suecof)
"Judgement Day"
"Bestial Savagery"
"Mass Casualty Murdercide"
"Spoils Of War"
"Hair Of The Dog" (Nazareth Cover - CD + Digital Only)


"Know-Nothing Ingrate" lyric video:





Six Feet Under lineup:


Chris Barnes - vocals
Jack Owen - rhythm guitar
Ray Suhy - lead guitar
Jeff Hughell - bass
Marco Pitruzzella - drums


(Photo - Stephanie Cabral and Dark Photography)

In a new interview with Ryan Tubridy of U.K.'s Virgin Radio, NICKELBACK rhythm guitarist/keyboardist and backing vocalist Ryan Peake and bassist Mike Kroeger spoke about "Hate To Love: Nickelback", a feature-length documentary film which explores why "the most hated band in the world" has been the subject of so much vitriol. Regarding why NICKELBACK has been dragged through the mud by so many people, Peake said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it's the thing that is that isn't sometimes. I think people talk about it these days where, the phrase I keep hearing is 'the Internet isn't real.' Because the things that become big on social media — especially social media — sometimes it's a really motivated, loud minority. I mean, not always, but a lot of times, there's a lot of hoopla about something that really isn't. And that was the disconnect this whole time for us is that when we would see the jokes and memes — and funny's funny. Don't get me wrong — I like a good, funny meme online, but things started to kinda get outta hand just about being a bit of a punching bag in a sense. And you grow thick skin."

Asked by Tubridy what he thinks the reason was for NICKELBACK getting so much hate, Peake said: "Well, I don't know. And then that's the thing, and that's the part we talk about in the documentary, and then we would try to be as honest as we can. Is it about some of the lyrics and some of the lyrical content? Sure. Fair enough. If there's some fair criticism leveled at us, we'll be fine with that. Is it something about how the band looks? Is it the type of songs? Is it the songs might be a certain style, formulaic? Sure, you can say all that kind of stuff. And you hear that, and you go, 'Well, there's other bands that do the same thing. Why are we getting all of this? Why are we the target?' And it just felt like it was something. And whether it was or not, it felt like it was something. And it was just across the board, just not necessarily positive. But if the people just stopped coming to shows, I'd be, like, 'Wow, this is very real.' But it never happened. We always had lots of fans and people bought albums and listened to music. And we're, like, 'I don't really get it.'"

Added Mike: "It's Roman in nature. Everybody wants to see the man bleed in the arena — as long as it's not them. That's what makes it very interesting."

Continued Ryan: "But it made us think about it a bit, and whether these are direct reasons or not — I mean, there's probably a confluence of many things probably that happened at the same time — we saw some serious success with our album 'All The Right Reasons' in 2005, 2007. In 2007, the iPhone comes out. We thought about that — we're, like, 'Is that the reason?' Well, I don't know necessarily, but that's when you began to start hearing what everybody wanted to say on the Internet and everybody's opinion mattered. And that's the mob mentality."

Trafalgar Releasing, Gimme Sugar Productions and Submarine Entertainment will bring "Hate To Love: Nickelback" to cinemas worldwide for two nights only on March 27 and March 30.

Premiering last September at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF),the film tells the authentic story of the band from their humble beginnings in Hanna, Alberta to their explosive global success in 2001 and the highs and lows that followed. Directed by Leigh Brooks and produced by Ben Jones, the film celebrates the loyalty of NICKELBACK fans and delves into the years of online vitriol while exposing the personal impact it had on each of the band members. The film also unveils the rock group's decision to return after a five-year break with a new record and a hugely successful sold-out tour, finding themselves riding a sudden wave of online love that has introduced their music to an army of new fans and audiences worldwide.

"Hate To Love: Nickelback" offers fans and audiences 90 minutes of translucence — an unvarnished and emotionally revealing look into the career of one of the world's biggest rock bands. Combining never-before-seen archival footage, concert footage, interviews and enthusiastic celebrity advocates like actor Ryan Reynolds and SMASHING PUMPKINS' Billy Corgan, NICKELBACK's Chad Kroeger, Ryan Peake, Mike Kroeger and Daniel Adair don't shy away from the band's topsy-turvy legacy as they share compelling and real-life stories alongside life-changing moments that have never before been divulged publicly.

"Hate To Love: Nickelback" is produced by Ben Jones for Gimme Sugar Productions and directed by British filmmaker Leigh Brooks, who has previously worked on films about LIFE OF AGONY and TERRORVISION.

Brooks finished working on "Hate To Love: Nickelback" in June 2023. At the time, he wrote on LinkedIn about the experience: "Wow. 6 years filming the NICKELBACK doc and today was the last day, NICKELBACK and everyone one of the Nickelteam are fine fine people," he wrote. "Eternally grateful the band let us document this amazing film. There were times I didn't think this day would come, and although it feels like a freight train grinding to a halt, I'm really excited for what is pulling up at the station as we speak."

In a February 2023 interview with "Rock Hard With Phil And Tish", Brooks stated about how he got involved in the NICKELBACK documentary: "Well, basically, funnily enough, I just finished TERROVISION when a friend of mine that I work with quite a lot got a call from Ben, the radio presenter, and he was the first person to play 'How You Remind Me' in the U.K. And [he] said, 'Look, I've gotta do this. I got an EPK to do — electronic press kit — about the [then-]new [NICKELBACK] album 'Feed The Machine'. Do you know anyone that could come over and shoot with me and do a piece about the album? So through the TERROVISION doc, it actually landed me this gig.

"At the beginning, I knew nothing about NICKELBACK," Leigh admitted. "I knew 'How You Remind Me' and I remember I loved the tune at the time. I was one of those people that thought… I didn't, didn't agree with [NICKELBACK frontman] Chad's [Kroeger's] hairstyle, I didn't agree with some of his dress sense. To be honest, looking back at some of my hairstyles and dress sense at the time, I had no right to throw shade, man… And that was really all I knew. 'Cause I was [into stuff like] BIOHAZARD, I was [into] LIFE OF AGONY. I was [into] METALLICA, which, ironically, these guys [in NICKELBACK], when they grew up, they, they were bang into SLAYER and ANTHRAX and METALLICA. And yeah, we went over and did this thing on 'Feed The Machine', and it quickly turned out, it looked like we [were] gonna do like a longer version about all of the albums. And then that morphed into, 'Ah, let's go back and shoot a bit more concert stuff.' And then I found out the guys were going back to Hanna [Alberta, Canada], which is their hometown. And I'm, like, 'What for?' And they're, like, 'We're gonna go play a gig?' I'm like, 'Really?' 'Yeah. The place we used to play when we were really, really young. It was like two and a half thousand people in Hanna. That's it. And I was, like, 'We should be going to film that.' And then all of a sudden it just went from there. Every opportunity, there was a bit more to film or a bit more to explore. But, yeah, the controversy [surrounding NICKELBACK] definitely intrigued me, 'cause I was, like, 'Well, there's gotta be more to this that meets the eye.' And man, there is a lot more to it than meets the eye. They paved the way for everyone else to get their asses handed to them on the Internet, basically."

In an interview with Robin Nash of Tucson, Arizona's KFMA-FM radio station, Chad Kroeger was asked why he thinks so many people love to hate his band. He responded: "That kind of used to be a thing. I shouldn't say 'that kind of used to be' — that was definitely a thing for a long time. And I think there's been a softening — there really has, thankfully. I'm not sure if it's because we receive a ton of love on TikTok or whatever the hell it is, but for whatever reason the teeth have kind of been removed. It's really nice, it's really nice to not be Public Enemy Number One.

"I think that with the range of songs that we write — from rock to all the softer, melodic stuff, all the way down to… Well, I know that 'Far Away' got played on country stations even and I know that 'Rockstar' — the heavily redacted version — got played on CMT," he continued. "So when you're going that far and the scope is that wide, it makes it tough to get away from the band if you're not into the band. And if you're trying to switch the radio station three times, and it's just, like, 'Ah, there they are. There's their rock song on the rock station. There's their pop song on the pop station. And oh my God, I can't even go to the country station and get away from these guys.' That type of oversaturation could piss people off. But at the end of the day, we're just a band that makes music.

"I can't stand a couple of bands, but I don't go online and turn into a keyboard warrior and just start hating on them," Chad reasoned. "I just change the channel or I put on something that I wanna listen to."

In February 2023, Chad told "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, that all the negative attention surrounding NICKELBACK has actually contributed to the band's longevity. "Well, I've been saying that for years," he said. "All the detractors, all the haters, all the keyboard heroes, they have no idea how much they keep us in the press loop. It's hilarious. Those people that would love to see us go away, if they really wanted to see us go away, they would just shut up. Because all those bands that came out with us at the same time are all gone, because nobody said anything about them. They all just sort of disappeared. But we've really kind of spun this whole negative thing into a positive thing. And here we are. [Laughs]"

Kroeger also talked about all the memes poking fun at NICKELBACK that regularly pop up on the Internet, explaining that "if it's music oriented and we think it's funny, we just leave it there, 'cause the band, collectively, has a great sense of humor. I mean, funny's funny. Just rude and ignorant, that's different. And yeah, obviously, there's tons of that too. But funny is funny. And as the Brits would say, we have no problem taking the piss out of ourselves."

Arguably the most disliked band in America, NICKELBACK has earned a type of hatred so potent it's hard to fathom what they did that was so terrible to the public consciousness. It's gotten to the point that people who enjoy NICKELBACK are denying their fandom and hiding their CDs like criminal contraband.

Asked by Jorge Botas of Portugal's "Metal Global" if he understands how NICKELBACK came to be so disliked by so many people, Chad said: "I think I've got a pretty good grasp of where things kind of went off the rails for us. I think that because we write so many different kinds of music, I think that if you were listening to a radio station any time between 2000 and 2010, '11, '12 even, we were kind of tough to get away from," he explained. "'Cause if you didn't wanna hear it and you changed to a different radio station, you'd probably hear it on there, and then changed to a different radio station, you probably were gonna hear it in so many different places. And we were really tough to get away from. And that's not my fault. [Laughs] We just write the songs. And so with that comes backlash. And then what happens is then comedians start making jokes, and then it starts making it on to TV, and then it makes it into movies and stuff like that. And then it just turns into this wave of, it's fun to pick on and it's an easy joke. And I get it. I understand. There are bands that when I hear them on the radio, I… And they're very popular bands… I mean, we all have those. No one is exempt from that. There are certain bands where you just hear them and you just don't like 'em. And other people may — half the world may love them, and I'll just be, like, 'No. I just cannot hear this band one more [time].' And just like everyone else does, I just change the channel. But we became the whipping boy of the music industry for a while there. But whatever. It's just part of the history of the band."

According to Chad, NICKELBACK is not the first group to experience the kind of severe backlash that has earned him and his bandmates the title of "the most hated act in the world."

"It's funny because we were at the American Music Awards, and we were presenting, and we presented to DEF LEPPARD," Chad recalled to "Metal Global". "And when we walked backstage afterwards, Joe Elliott and Phil Collen turned to me, and they were just, like, 'Dude, thank you so much.' I'm, like, 'For what?' They were, like, 'For taking the trophy. We get to pass the baton to you for being the most hated band in the world now.' And I was just, like, 'Oh, yeah. 'Cause I want that.'

"And it's funny — we went for dinner with AC/DC in Chicago years and years and years ago," Chad added. "And this whole thing came up. And Brian Johnson said when they released 'Back In Black', they were the most hated band on the planet. So I feel like we're in good company. [Laughs]"

In December 2022, Mike Kroeger was asked by Germany's Rock Antenne if he pays attention to all the online comments about his band. He responded: "I don't really do social media anymore. I have my own Instagram, but I got off Twitter. I never did Facebook, thank God, but I got off Twitter a couple of years ago — three years ago, I guess, now. I'm thinking about getting back on, just because since Elon Musk bought it, it looks like a hilarious, fun time. All these people are so scared, I love it. I might even rejoin, just to see what happens with that guy at the helm, so to speak.

"I'm not scared of comments 'cause I think sometimes even the ones that are assholes can be really funny," he continued. "To me, if something is truly funny, it's funny. Obviously, just to throw hate at something, like us, that's not kind of funny; that's just negative. But sometimes the haters can say some pretty funny things.

"There's a lot of times when you see people… And that's one thing that the Internet kind of has fostered with sites like Reddit, et cetera, is giving people a platform to try to be funny," Mike added. "And a lot of people try to be funny, and that's kind of the problem, because a lot of people aren't funny. So I have to kind of weed through the amateurs to get to the good ones, 'cause there are some good ones in there. There are people who make fun of our band and are funny about it — I'll have a great laugh when I see that — but there is also a contingent of people online who, they want to be funny, but they're just not. And that's just very sad to me."

Back in 2016, a student named Salli Anttonen at the University of Eastern Finland conducted a study to find out why there is so much hate directed towards NICKELBACK. Anttonen analyzed Finnish reviews of the band from 2000 through 2014 for her paper, which was titled "Hypocritical Bullshit Performed Through Gritted Teeth: Authenticity Discourses In Nickelback's Album Reviews In Finnish Media".

Anttonen found that critiques of the band became harsher as they became more popular, noting: "It became a phenomenon where the journalists were using the same (reasons) to bash them, and almost making an art out of ridiculing them."

Even though the study was based solely upon Finnish reviews of the band, the critics' animosity toward the group has been a global phenomenon.

Anttonen concluded: "NICKELBACK is too much of everything to be enough of something. They follow genre expectations too well, which is seen as empty imitation, but also not well enough, which is read as commercial tactics and as a lack of a stable and sincere identity."

NICKELBACK's latest album, "Get Rollin'", was released in November 2022 via BMG.

The Riff Crew have shared professionally-filmed video from Exhumed's 2023 tour of Australia. The video below captures the band's final set on what was a memorable tour for the band and fans alike.





The Riff Crew capture some of the best live shows in the underground. In the past year they have filmed the likes of Obituary, Riot City, Midnight, DRI, Kings Of Thrash, The Night Flight Orchestra, Exhumed, GBH, The Exploited, Unto Others, and are scheduled to film Carcass on their current tour of Australia.

Polish death metal band, Spirits Way, will release their new album, Attendite a Falsis Prophetis, on May 31 via Teufelszeug Records


The band's third studio album, Attendite a Falsis Prophetis, is a dark, brutal death metal soundtrack to a collapsing universe, full of hatred and contempt for the lies of humanity and religion.


Says the band: "It took Spirits Way to a new level of creativity and we're sure you'll love the new album as much as we do. As with our previous albums, we started working on this one with the same passion and focus as we were going to record our first album. We have never taken anything for granted, not only keeping in mind the standards our fans expect, but also striving to refine our sound.




"We invited our friends to the recordings this album who supported us with a piece of their soul...


- Dave Suzuki (Churchburn ex-Vital Remains)
- Jim Ross (Bandwhore, Nader Sadek)
- Paweł Cymerman (Symbolical)
- Amira Gaafar (Vephar)


"Recording and production was handled by our new drummer and producer Shaun Black (Digital Demon Forge)."





Tracklisting:


"Attendite a Falsis Prophetis Pt.1"
"Body Decomposition Engineering "
"Anatomy Of Decay" (feat. Amira Gaafar)
"Morbid Might"
"Master Of Deception" (feat. Paweł Cymerman)
"Attendite a Falsis Prophetis Pt.2"
"My Throne Is Made Of The Bones Of Jesus" (feat Jim Ross)
"Paradox Of Anger" (feat Dave Suzuki)
"The Dismemberent of Christ"

The Metal Voice recently spoke to former KISS guitarist and solo artist Ace Frehley about his new album 10,000 Volts. Here are few excerpts from the chat which can be viewed below:



When asked if his new solo album after being released and the feedback he got did it embarrass Gene Simmon and Paul Stanley?

"I think I did  (laughs). Honestly I didn't try to make a great record just to show them up. It was ironic that the album got finished mixed and mastered around the time they were retiring. Which I don't believe is going to happen. I'm sure they're going to reform in one way or another or with different people. I think Gene (Simmons) already put together a band and has some shows happening in South America. But be that as it may you know I wish them all the very best and any of their new Endeavors  because we're all Brothers in rock and roll and you know we created something really special. And  believe it or not even though we argue and disagree you know we're still all friends."


When asked about touring with Rush when they opened up for KISS in the 70’s:

"I would say more times than not every night while we were on the road, me and Peter and those three (Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart) guys would end up hanging out and doing stupid stuff.  Alex used to put a bag over his head (with) a joint. Peter would get up and do his routine sometimes. I'd do some kind of silly routine. In those days when I was drinking I could rattle off 50 or 75 jokes nonstop one right after the other for some reason I can't remember them anymore. At one point in my life I wanted to be a standup comedian but it never panned out because I never had the time to do it."




When asked if he regretted quitting in the Creatures Of The Night era:

"I had already committed to leaving the group and I started looking for band members and stuff and jamming with other people.  It was just too late I had already made the decision because you know I could never trust those guys. I don't know what hair brain scheme they come up with. I mean if I was still in the band I would have never agreed to do these avatars.  Something maybe kids would enjoy but I don't think a long time kiss fan is going to enjoy that stuff.  I wish them well like I said good luck but you know in my humble opinion  I don't think it's going to be a successful endeavor."


Does Ace believe in aliens?

"Yeah. I've seen UFOs multiple times. They've already done polls and more than 50% of the population believes in aliens so I don't think it would be that big a shock. You know that whole thing about well if an alien ship landed somewhere and aliens walked out everyone you know would throw off the idea of religion. I don't buy that. You know God could have created aliens as well and on a different planet and they ended up making it here. It could have been the other way around. I mean for us to believe in a universe this size with billions maybe trillions of planets we're the only one that has life on it that's pretty ridiculous."



KISS’ Alive! album being touched up in the studio:

"A lot of it was touched up, 50% of it. At least 50% was re-sung and replayed. I mean and I remember (producer) Eddie Kramer had loops of tape going around microphone stands, going back into these two inch tape machines and each one had three faders and they were dedicated to crowd response. One was really crazy (crowd response) one was midway and one was more subtle. I mean if you listen closer to the album you can hear that it's faked. I didn't fake my live guitar solo  that was real. I mean sometimes you sing off key a little in those days, we didn't have auto tune. So if Paul, Gene, Peter or myself sang something a little off,  we'd re-sing it in the studio. We just wanted to put out the best product possible. Today in the studio that stuff like that is done without even a thought. So many groups today that are performing live and have backing tracks, not just Kiss, plenty of other groups and I don't want to name them because I know them and they're friends of mine. I rather not spill the beans I don't want to  disappoint the fans but yeah I I there's a lot I know because I know everybody and I know engineers and guys who do sound for these bands and they tell me the real deal. It used to be like a big a big crime to do that I mean you remember when Milli Vanilli got like booed because they will found out they were lip synching. Things change over the years you know now it's accept it. I don't believe in having backup tracks because I'm too spontaneous."


Watch:

Trivium frontman Matt Heafy has shared  a new video to his official YouTube channel. The clip features live footage of "Like Callisto To A Star In Heaven" performed at an undisclosed location on tour.





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




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


Trivium, meanwhile, posted the following message:


"Bullet for My Valentine’s The Poison and Trivium’s Ascendancy are two records whose influence can be heard to this day - in the DNA of modern metal. It’s incredible to think of the impact the albums had when they came out in 2005. They were both like bolts of lightning. Both bands grew up independently of each other in different countries and separately from any movement or scene but both shared a common love of melodic heavy metal at the core; and both had similar meteoric rises right out of the gate. Trivium and BFMV were in such whirlwinds when our respective albums came out that we each never truly got to play together or sit back and celebrate during the maelstrom of constant touring, recording and globetrotting. But that’s what this anniversary tour is. It’s a celebration by the bands to the fans of an important era, and most importantly it’s an invitation to fans come and have an epic night with us and sing and rage and celebrate the awesome power of the music. Tickets on-sale next Friday, March 1."

São Paulo-based old-school thrashers Sacrifix have debuted their new lineup and release the very first official music video.


"Rotten", one of the more aggressive and violent songs from the band's second album, Killing Machine, released in the second half of last year, was chosen to introduce this new phase and the band's lineup, which now consists of Diego Domingos on guitar, Filippe Tonini (bass, WarAge, Carraz), Fábio Moysés (drums, The Anger, Malevolent Age, Pigmachine, Distância Social, ex-Chaosfear, ex-Genocídio), alongside founding member Frank Gasparotto (vocals/guitar).


Filmed, recorded, edited, and produced by Starship Videos (@starshipvideos)
Audio production by Frank Gasparotto
Audio mixed and mastered at Tori Studios/SP by Marco Nunes (@marconunestoristudios)
Video filmed at the Cultural Institute Bolivia Rock, in São Paulo/SP







The lyrics of "Rotten" were inspired by the daily horrors of millions of innocent people dying in wars because of human stupidity, while those interested sit in their comfortable homes, sipping champagne and deciding their fate. Nothing could be more appropriate than to bring the human factor into the music video and show the atmosphere of chaos and energy of a Sacrifix show.


"The crowd was amazing. It was a lot of fun. Everyone got into the chaos vibe", said Filippe Tonini. "On the day we filmed it, we felt like a real concert because we shot the footage while the band was playing live, no lip-syncing, just pure intensity", added Diego Domingos. "I felt like I was officially debuting as a Sacrifix drummer. The videographers were excellent, the crowd was hyped, friends, fans, it was very special for me", concluded Fábio Moysés.


Leader Frank proudly commented on the final result of "Rotten": "It was difficult at first because we were trying to lip-sync the music, but we're neither actors nor a lip-sync band. So we just turned everything on and chaos ensued. We just have to thank everyone who was involved, especially Cátia from the Bolivian Rock Cultural Institute for giving us the space to do our ‘Toxic Waltz' (laughs)."


Killing Machine, like its previous release World Decay 19, has been highly acclaimed by the Brazilian and international press. Available on all digital platforms, the album is also sold on physical CD through partnerships with Impaled Records, Sangue Underground Records, Gerunda Produções, Artes Negras, Rocketz Records, Cossoco Records and Gate Of Doom Records.


(Photo – Paulo Navarro)

Internationally acclaimed heavy metallers, Sabaton, are celebrating their 25-year milestone in the music industry.


Founded in Falun, Sweden, in 1999, Sabaton's journey has been nothing short of legendary. Their music industry adventures have been fuelled by powerful anthems, 10 studio albums, passionate historical storytelling, and explosive international shows and tours, not to mention out-of-the-box initiatives and projects, all of which wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of their dedicated fan base across the globe.


To mark this momentous milestone, Sabaton have embarked on a year-long celebration. Fans around the world can look forward to a series of celebratory events and an abundance of surprises.




They have shared a look back on the making of their fourth album, The Art Of War, released in May 2008. An excerpt is available below.


"Our fourth studio album, The Art Of War, is a fundamental part of Sabaton’s history. Why? Firstly, this album resulted in a breakthrough moment for us in Europe. Upon its release, The Art Of War was well received by both metalheads and critics spanning the continent, and gained numerous glowing reviews in the press. 


But beyond the accolades and the recognition lies something truly groundbreaking. This specific record was the genesis of a whole new era for the band. It marked the start of our entry into the realm of concept albums and it was the first release that took listeners on a cohesive and thematic journey through history. The Art Of War  really pushed Sabaton to new heights!


We were very well acquainted with The Abyss recording studio, where we recorded The Art Of War. We had recorded our previous albums there and had a lot of fond memories connected to that place. It felt like our second home, not only because we were familiar with it, but also because of our close bond with the incredibly talented Tommy Tägtgren and his brother, Peter – a famous producer.


Tommy had been an integral part of our previous albums, but this time things played out a little differently. In the making of The Art of War, his brother Peter Tägtgren was pivotal in infusing our creative process with a fresh perspective – something that’s incredibly valuable during the making of a record. 


Peter took the reins when it came to the mixing of the album, and both Peter and Tommy were extremely helpful. During the mixing, Peter doubled the number of channels we had for the drums – to put things in perspective, we’d usually have 13 channels for drums, and this time we had 26. It made a huge difference! We know some bands use way more than that and we’re aware that it’s not the amount of channels that makes the sound. Our first recordings were on a total of 4 tracks, so for us at that time it was so exciting to almost fill a whole mixing console with just drums!Looking back on those moments, we can affirm that our studio experience was nothing short of brilliant. Of course, there were hurdles along the way, particularly with songs like 'Cliffs Of Gallipoli' which demanded precise tempo changes. In those days, the recording process was mostly analogue, devoid of the digital conveniences we now take for granted. Yet, therein lies the beauty of it all – the craftsmanship required in every step. It was a bygone era, one marked by its own unique challenges and triumphs, but it shaped the essence of our journey in unforgettable ways."


Read more here

The long-awaited second volume in the “Aerosmith On Tour” book series is available now via DeJulien Publishing. Aerosmith On Tour: 1985 - 2000 covers Aerosmith’s mega-successful Geffen era.


Description: "Aerosmith On Tour" focuses on the touring history of Aerosmith, based on local reviews of the shows and the contemporaneous critical perception of the band. This second volume of "Aerosmith On Tour" covers the band's post-reunion resurgence, as they sought to reestablish themselves on a changed rock 'n' roll landscape following their successful 1984 reunion. Also covered are additional tangents and the band's growing discography during the Geffen years through re-signing with Columbia. This is an unofficial & unsanctioned work fifteen years in the making! It's packed full of hundreds of tour ads, concert ticket stubs, set lists, and reviews. Spin your favorite Aerosmith CD, sit back, and take a trip back in time reliving memories you may have forgotten, show by show by show!


Available exclusively via Amazon, here.

American death metal juggernaut Skulldozer recently announced their partnership with Wormholedeath for the reissue of their debut album, Non Stop Ruthless Crushing. Set to detonate on May 3, 2024, this collaboration promises a cataclysmic eruption of pure metal fury.


The band has shared a live video for the track "Kingdom Ossuarium". Shot during the chaos of the Hell Awaits New Orleans Extreme Metal Fest at Siberia on July 8th, 2023, this montage captures Skulldozer's live energy in all its glory.







With thunderous grooves and a relentless onslaught of old-school death metal, Non-Stop Ruthless Crushing is a testament to Skulldozer's uncompromising sonic assault. Originally unleashed in 2023, this reissue breathes new life into a classic, delivering groovy hooks and traditional death metal punch with a heavy dose of southern sludge.


In a statement from the band, the members express profound gratitude for the opportunity to work with Wormholedeath: "Skulldozer is eternally grateful and honored to sign with Wormholedeath Records for the release of our debut album, Non Stop Ruthless Crushing. We are so excited to work with such a great label that will help us make 2024 a grand slam year. Huge thanks to Max, Carlo, and all at Wormholedeath for this amazing opportunity. Huge thanks to our manager Paul Andrejack of (EMG) Extreme Management Group. Huge thanks to all of our fans and supporters who continue to be a positive driving force. We love you all. Looking forward to crush your town in 2024."





Tracklisting:


"Non Stop Ruthless Crushing"
"Thy Enemies Driven Before Me"
"Kingdom Ossuarium"
"Hatesworn Shitstorm"
"Scum Beneath The Skin"
"Wolves Amongst Sheeple"
"Bastards Of Zeus"
"Bow To None"
"Deathblessed"
"Skullfucking Domination"

During an appearance on The Jesea Lee Show, MUDVAYNE frontman Chad Gray spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for their next studio release. The reunited metallers haven't put out any new material since 2009, which means a decade and a half has gone by without a single fresh MUDVAYNE song.

"We're just trying to figure out where we want it to go," Chad said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "Right now, we've got some, you can call them whole songs 'cause they have a start and a finish, but I feel like they're kind of half-songs. I just don't think they're realized yet. I don't think we have figured out exactly how we want this to play out with what we're doing in our business or how we want it to sonically sound."

Gray continued: "Nothing inside of me wants to be the MUDVAYNE of [the band's 2000 debut album] 'L.D. 50'. I think that the more albums we wrote, the better we got as songwriters. A lot of people would probably disagree with me, but [2008's] 'The New Game' is probably one of my favorite fucking albums. It's got like 'Dull Boy' on it, it's got just some really quintessential MUDVAYNE stuff that's not anything like anybody else was doing. I feel like we fucking finally had kind of found our groove. 'L.D. 50', to me, was a very gratuitous, individual workshop, and we put all four pieces together and called it an album."

Last October, Gray told Australia's Heavy that he and his MUDVAYNE bandmates had "started putting some new stuff together a little bit and people that have heard [some of the early demo] stuff are really excited about it. Only the people that are closest to us have heard anything, and, like I said, it's really rough; it's demos," he explained. "But you can tell it's special. And I think that we have to make sure it's MUDVAYNE. We have to make sure that it's what we want. So we'll just have to see. We were working on it, working on it, working on it a little bit here and there.

"We all live states away from each other — nobody lives even close to each other — so it makes it a little bit difficult," he explained. "But we were able to get some stuff demoed up or whatever, but with us being so far apart, it's a little slow going. And then we just kind of hit a wall. We were, like, 'Okay, we've gotta get back into touring.' So we put everything together and we went back out [last] summer."
In August 3034, Chad told The Oakland Press that he and his MUDVAYNE bandmates had "four [songs] in the pipe. I've written each one of them probably three different times, 'cause it's like nothing's good enough," he revealed. "We're gonna keep pushing. We're all getting along really good. We're all talking. Hopefully we all want the same thing from our music, so we'll see. It's definitely the thing that makes the most sense to do now."

MUDVAYNE completed its first headlining tour in over 14 years, "The Psychotherapy Sessions", last summer. Support on the 26-city trek, which was produced by Live Nation, came from COAL CHAMBER, along with GWAR, NONPOINT and BUTCHER BABIES.

Previously, MUDVAYNE made waves in 2022 when they embarked on the "Freaks On Parade" tour co-headlined with ROB ZOMBIE. This 2023 tour, however, marked MUDVAYNE's first headlining endeavor since 2009.

Gray told The Oakland Press that his "main motivation for putting [MUDVAYNE] back together and coming back was our fans", including those who discovered the band during its absence. "There's so many younger kids that are coming up and coming into our world, the metal world, and they're learning about MUDVAYNE," he said. "So you have this, like, the ground's kind of rumbling and it goes out and touches more and more people, but we weren't out there to scratch that itch. You still have your actual fan base but you're accumulating new people. So when we came back it was very exciting for us. It was about our fans and giving those new fans the experience."

MUDVAYNE formed in 1996 and has sold over six million records worldwide, earning gold certification for three albums ("L.D. 50", "The End Of All Things To Come", "Lost And Found"). The band is known for its sonic experimentation, innovative album art, face and body paint, masks and uniforms. MUDVAYNE is Gray, Greg Tribbett (guitar, backing vocals),Matthew McDonough (drums, synthesizer) and Ryan Martinie (bass).

Gray spent 15 years fronting HELLYEAH, which released its sixth studio album, "Welcome Home", in September 2019 via Eleven Seven Music. The disc marked the group's final effort with drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, who passed away six years ago.

MUDVAYNE did not tour behind its fifth album, which was barely promoted and sold weakly upon release.

Photo courtesy of Live Nation

With "Even It Up," the one and only Lee Aaron reveals the second single taken from her forthcoming new studio album, Tattoo Me, set for international release on April 26 via Metalville Records.





Says Lee about her version of "Even It Up": "Heart were a very big influence on me and my music journey. The Wilson sisters were the 'real deal' - bad-ass women playing instruments and writing their own music. I loved all their albums up until that point, but 'Even It Up' from Bebe Le Strange sent a really strong message about female equality that resonated with me. Songs like 'Even It Up' and 'Barracuda' were empowering both musically and lyrically and hugely influenced my later work. We slowed our version down and gave it a T-Rex groove, which I love. I think it makes it even tougher."







“Songs are like tattoos” - the famous first line of Joni Mitchell’s Blue – is a sentiment that has always resonated deeply for Canadian rocker Lee Aaron.


Eighteen albums into her career, Aaron has written, recorded, and produced music achieving gold and multi-platinum sales. Recognized as one of Canada’s top rock vocalists, she’s also made forays into jazz, blues, and even opera, receiving numerous awards and accolades and, most recently, a 2023 induction into Canada’s Walk Of Fame.


“The one thing I’d never done was a full covers album,” says Aaron. “It seemed like a really cool and super-fun project to tackle at this point…”


Taking a nostalgic journey, Tattoo Me pays homage to musical trailblazers who helped shape her own artistic path. As a reflection of her eclectic taste, yet in keeping with a profound respect for the greats, these 11 dynamic tracks are a unique tapestry of influences that transcend era and genre.


“It started out as a heartfelt nod to artists we’d been influenced by in our youth, but the truth is, we didn’t stop being influenced or being fans at 18, so the list kept evolving. It covers a few decades and a few unconventional choices, but it was incredibly rewarding to make!” she states.


Each track is a labor of love, infused with Aaron and her band’s signature rock ’n’ roll swagger, yet in keeping with a sense of reverence for the originals.


The album was produced by Aaron in her Vancouver studio and mixed by multi-media genius Frank Gryner (Rob Zombie, L7, Def Leppard, Larkin Poe, Ian Hunter, and more).


“One of the positive things that came out of the pandemic was that we all upgraded our home studios and got very good at engineering and recording ourselves. No one was under the pressure of a studio clock, so the performances are as genuine as they’re gonna get.”


From the sizzling blues-rock of 1960's Nina Simone’s “The Pusher,” to the rebellious energy of 1972 Alice Cooper’s “Is It My Body,” Aaron growls, purrs, whispers, and wails, sounding like she’s having an absolute blast infusing these songs with her own fiery spirit. Her voice is as versatile and powerful as ever.


Standout tracks include a rendition of Led Zeppelin's “What Is And What Should Never Be,” Heart’s “Even it Up,” and Hole’s “Malibu.” Stellar performances by Aaron’s long-term band - Sean Kelly (guitar), Dave Reimer (bass), and John Cody (drums) - effortlessly channel these '70s and '80s rock giants and seem to capture the original magic of each of the tunes.


Another gem is Aaron's take on Elton John’s “Someone Saved My Life Tonight”. Kelly’s gorgeous acoustic guitars create the soundscape, then strings and lush harmonies support her stirring vocal performance. The tribute is passionate and heartfelt. She reflects, “I spent hours and hours laying on my basement floor with headphones listening to 'Someone Saved My Life Tonight' on repeat. I desperately wanted someone to save me from my boring life when I was a teenager…music ended up being that for me.”


The album also takes some unexpected turns, with delightful interpretations of songs from a diverse range of artists, including mid '90s BritPop band Elastica, California’s 77’s, and the Undertones. Each track echoes the vibe of the era while seamlessly fitting into the lineage of Aaron's own storied career.


Tattoo Me is a sonic time capsule, bridging the decades. Once again, cementing her status as a rock ’n’ roll chameleon, Aaron blends the old and the new, proving not only that the transcendent power of music never stops, but that she herself isn’t ready to anytime soon.





Tattoo Me tracklisting:


"Tattoo"
"Are You Gonna Be My Girl"
"Even It Up"
"What Is And What Should Never Be"
"Is it My Body"
"Go Your Own Way"
"The Pusher"
"Malibu"
"Someone Saved My Life Tonight"
"Connection"
"Teenage Kicks"


"Tattoo" video:





Lineup:


Lee Aaron - lead vocals
Sean Kelly - guitars
Dave Reimer - bass
John Cody - drums