UK bashers, Skindred, have released a video for "Our Religion", the opening track of their latest album, Smile, released last year via Earache Records.


A message states: "Ahead of Skindred playing Wembley tomorrow night, and Manchester tonight, and Birmingham on Saturday, we wanted to share this rehearsal room footage of the band performing 'Our Religion' from their new album Smile (filmed by Steve Clarke). For those of you travelling to see the band at Wembley tomorrow by car, leave early as the M25 is closed, or even better jump on a train. Finally there are still some tickets left for the show - grab them quickly from Ticketmaster."







Order the Smile album here.





Tracklisting:


"Our Religion"
"Gimme That Boom"
"Set Fazers"
"Life That's Free"
"If I Could"
"L.O.V.E. (Smile Please)"
"This Appointed Love"
"Black Stars"
"State Of The Union"
"Addicted"
"Mama"
"Unstoppable"


"If I Could" visualizer:





"Set Fazers" video:





"Unstoppable"

Norwegian black metal legends, Limbonic Art, have signed a multi-album deal with Kyrck Productions & Armour. The band will release their forthcoming ninth full-length via the label.


Limbonic Art comment: "It is with great pleasure that I can confirm my signing to Kyrck Productions & Armour", mastermind Vidar "Daemon" Jensen states. "Following two decades of friendship and collaborations, label founder Iannis Mantzoros kindly introduced me to the new owner Martin Koller from SPKR. Martin and his team have done an outstanding job on my upcoming new album. With such great backing, I am confident that this long-awaited offering will have a strong impact on the metal scene and maintain the legacy of Limbonic Art."


The collaboration between Limbonic Art and Kyrck Productions & Armour goes back a long way in time. True to its early mission statement to reissue ground-breaking works from genre-shaping bands, the label released the vinyl compilation Limbonic Art 1995 that contained the earliest recordings from the cassette demo Promo Rehearsal '95 in the year 2009. A year later, in 2010 and again on vinyl Limbonic Art 1996 combined the band's cassettes Rehearsal 1996 and Promotion Tape 1996. Tracks from both releases were also compiled on a CD entitled Limbonic Art 1995-199", which was released in 2009.




Those early tapes had captured the ear of Emperor guitarist Samoth aka Tomas Thormodsæter Haugen, who signed Limbonic Art to his label Nocturnal Art Productions in 1996. At the time, the band that was originally founded as a 4-piece in Sandefjord in the south of Norway had already been reduced to a duo that consisted of vocalist, guitarist and bass player Daemon alias Vidar Jensen and multi-instrumentalist and singer Morfeus aka Krister Dreyer.


In 1996, Limbonic Art released their regular album debut, Moon In The Scorpio. Their at the time unique combination of harsh Nordic black metal with cinematic elements inspired by romantic and classic orchestral music proved extremely influential in the following years. Despite their considerable success in the underground scene, the Norwegians began to reduce symphonic elements over time. The sophomore full-length In Abhorrence Dementia (1997) is also considered a classic recording of the band as well as the third album Epitome Of Illusions (1998), which contained new recordings of overhauled demo material.
 
Limbonic Art have always been an elusive creation that rarely appeared live, for example with a stunning performance at the Black Whitsun sub-festival of the doomed millennium year edition of the Wave Gotik Treffen (2000) in Leipzig, Germany. In the new century, the duo slowly began to drift apart. Daemon joined Samoth's band Zyklon for a while, and Morfeus began to focus on his own project Dimension F3H. In February 2003, Limbonic Art officially broke up.


However, Daemon and Morfeus reformed the band in 2006. With the latter soon out of the band again, Daemon continued on his own to release the albums Phantasmagoria (2010) and Spectre Abysm (2017) under the name Limbonic Art. Ending another long period of silence, the Norwegian cult act finally announce their ninth album to be released via Kyrck Productions & Armour this year!


(Photo - Sean Fulton)

Intelligent Music Project, the Bulgarian-based supergroup comprising world-famous rock musicians, is set to launch their eighth album, Miracles Beyond, on May 15.


The band has just released their first single, offering a fascinating preview of the musical journey that awaits. While the album boasts the presence of globally celebrated rock stars, it's noteworthy that the lead vocalist for the single, "Shine For You" is none other than Slavin Slavchev. Serving as the band's primary vocalist in live performances, Slavchev, also an X-Factor winner, emerges as the driving force behind the track with his exceptional and powerful vocal prowess.


"Shine For You" is available digitally via Amazon, iTunes, Deezer and Spotify.







Miracles Beyond features an ensemble of legendary musicians, including Simon Phillips (Toto, Protocol, The Who, Judas Priest), Joseph Williams (Toto), John Payne (ex-Asia), and Carl Sentence (Nazareth), each bringing their unique flair to the project. The artwork has already ignited curiosity and excitement, hinting at the magic Miracles Beyond is poised to deliver.





Intelligent Music Project captured attention as Bulgaria's representative at Eurovision 2022 in Turin, showcasing their versatility on the international stage with their song “Intention”.


Milen Vrabevski, MD, producer, songwriter, founder of the project, and the mastermind behind the band, expressed his joy at the collaboration with top-notch musicians. He shared, "I'm so happy to present our eighth album with yet another magnificent line-up!! So great to have all these musicians on board again. This is Simon Phillips’s 6th album with us, John Payne’s 5th and Joseph Williams’s 4th. Such a star turnout is a special privilege for me, and I hope I truly hope to bring to the audience some delight in those strange times. Enjoy our next world-class product!”


The Miracles Beyond lineup includes also the Grammy Award Nominee Ernest Tibbs and the producer's favourite Richard Grisman.


Besides the aforementioned musicians, over the years the band has seen a stellar lineup, including John Lawton (Uriah Heep, Lucifer’s Friend), Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, Michael Schenker’s Group), Nathan East (Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Toto, Stevie Wonder and more), Tim Pierce (Joe Cocker, Bon Jovi, Alice Cooper and more), Bobby Rondinelli (Rainbow, Black Sabbath), and Todd Sucherman (Styx).

Classical music has always been an influence — albeit limited — on ACCEPT's Teutonic approach to rock and heavy metal. However, it wasn't until 1997 during a extended hiatus from ACCEPT that guitarist Wolf Hoffmann finally had the chance to fully explore and fulfill this interest by recording his first astounding solo album "Classical", a record filled with his rock-guitar-driven interpretations of some of classical music's most loved compositions. A follow-up album, "Headbangers Symphony", arrived in July 2016 via Nuclear Blast.

Asked in a new interview with Colombia's Rock The House what motivated him to start a solo career, Wolf said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was basically a continuation of something I started almost 30, 40 years ago with ACCEPT when I introduced classical themes into heavy metal music, into our songs, and I recognized what a great potential that is, because most people have heard some classical themes in their life but not everybody is a die-hard classical fan. But there's many metal fans out there, and I'm a metal guitar player, so it seemed to be a natural thing for me to try to combine the two worlds in a more intense way, because I didn't wanna do it… ACCEPT is ACCEPT, and it should stay what it is, but with my solo albums, I was able to do a completely dedicated album with nothing but that kind of stuff, which I personally love. So I use that as a vehicle for me to express myself and see what it would be like if I made a complete album with nothing but instrumental music. And I have to tell you, it's quite a challenge. I find it's actually much easier to write songs where people sing than it is to write songs that are interesting with just guitars. It's a challenge."

Regarding whether he has plans to release another solo album at some point in the future, Wolf said: "I have plans, but nothing is really finalized yet. I'm currently working with my life partner, Ava-Rebekah Rahman. She's an amazing violinist. And the two of us are working on some songs for the two of us, and maybe someday we'll release something. We've already done a couple of YouTube clips and something will happen, but maybe we'll make another album together. I'm not quite sure yet. Like I said, it takes a long time and it's a lot of work and I need to have the free time in the ACCEPT schedule to even think about doing that. So I can only do these sort of solo projects when ACCEPT is not busy, and ACCEPT is always busy. So it's hard."

In April 2022, Rahman announced via Instagram that she had been romantically involved with Hoffmann for the previous three years, calling it a "mad, crazy messy, blissful, soaring, heart-breaking heart-healing union and love".

Wolf had previously been married to Gaby Hoffmann, who had served as ACCEPT's longtime manager, designer and lyricist virtually since the band's inception.

In July 2019, it was announced that Gaby was officially retiring, with an official statement on ACCEPT's web site explaining that she was "a bit tired after many years of intense activity, and she needs some rest and time for herself. It's not a farewell," the statement added. "Her heart will still be with us, but she won't engage in professional activities anymore."

ACCEPT will release a new album, "Humanoid", on April 26 via Napalm Records. The LP was once again produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by critically acclaimed heavy metal producer Andy Sneap.

Photo credit: Christoph Vohler

The release of Riot V's new studio album, Mean Streets, have been postponed. The record will now be available on May 10 via Atomic Fire Records.


Heavy metal was born on the streets. A dangerous din, the calamitous sound of chains and leather, of motorbikes, of recklessness and lawlessness. On their ripping new album Mean Streets, NYC legends Riot V take heavy metal back to the streets. Back to where it was born. Back to where it belongs.


“Riot was born and raised on the streets of New York,” bass veteran Donnie Van Stavern says of the band that was started by iconic guitar overlord Mark Reale. “Mark and the guys would play block parties and concerts and ended up meeting the first producers and management that helped them take off so to speak. This new record represents growing up on the streets of Brooklyn.”




He must know: Joining the band in 1986, he’s the longest running Riot V member. Founded in 1975 - almost a whooping 50 years ago - by Reale, the band all but dominated the US metal scene in the ‘80s, bursting out of New York City with ground-breaking albums Fire Down Under [1981] and Thundersteel [1988], swiftly becoming one of the biggest metal bands in the world.


Early landslide performances in the UK at Castle Donington (where else?), in Wacken or as support for some of the biggest names ever like Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Rush, Rainbow or KISS - to name but a few - made them become pioneers of power metal. Riot quickly rose to one of the pivotal acts worldwide to herald the triumph of steel. After the tragic death of figurehead Reale back in 2012, the surviving members reformed the band to Riot V, honoring his legacy and continuing to spawn world-class, hard-hitting, gritty heavy metal in the way it was meant to be played. With amps on eleven and the pedal to the metal.


Mean Streets tells about this legacy. And about the undying love for an immortal genre. Today, Riot V combine their early days street-style heavy metal with their triumphant power metal force, patching together their various body parts to a Frankenstein’s monster kind of record that will please fans of each and every era. “Mean Streets is an album that we put a lot of passion into for our legacy and fans,” notes Van Stavern. And that’s not lightly said for a band looking back at a storied and tumultuous career like theirs. “Throughout the years I have learned what the listener expects from the band,” he continues. “We had some time off so we really wanted to make the fans happy with our return. We always write with Mark in mind and what he might have done. This one will represent all eras of the band from the rock beginnings of Rock City to our last power metal release Armor Of Light.” He promises: “We always unleash the ‘fire down under’!”


Written in the chaos of these past years and recorded in their various home studios as well as in Michigan, Texas and New Jersey, already the first seconds of Mean Streets make good of that promise. Only take churning album opener "Hail To The Warriors", a banger that will make present-day Judas Priest and Iron Maiden look pale in comparison: The power, the vigor, the zeal - it’s as if the ‘80s had never ended! After two albums without founding figure Mark Reale, Riot V truly come into their own on their overall 17th record. “We knew continuing wouldn’t be an easy task because Riot V fans deserve what they to came to know and love,” the bassist says and adds: “Luckily we were well received and soldier on for the family.”


What’s extraordinary about Riot V is that this band is all but an estate manager of past glories. Instead, with a stable line-up since 2012, they continue the saga and honor the legacy of one of the biggest and most influential bands ever to come from the States. In fact, there has never been a longer time with the same line-up. Seems the fellowship of vocal tornado Todd Michael Hall, Donnie Van Stavern, Mike Flyntz (guitars), Nick Lee (guitars) and Frank Gilchriest (drums) has finally broken the curse of this endlessly rotating cast of members. “I am very proud that the band continues on and I do all in my power to make us the best we can be in this ever changing musical world,” bassist and manager Van Stavern says. “Mark used to say ‘longevity of a band is achieved through good music’... so as long as we keep putting out good music we will keep the fire burning for the Riot legacy.”


Oh and how wild this fire is burning. From "High Noon", a quintessential Riot V anthem in the vein only Mark Reale could write, to Priest-like banger "Feel the Fire" or the dirty daredevilry of title track "Mean Streets", Riot V never lose their nerve, their verve, their bite. “Heavy metal is a passion. It’s impossible to give up after doing it for so many years,” Van Stavern says with a crooked grin. “As long as you can perform and compose it will be ingrained deep in your heart and soul.” There’s really nothing to add here.


Mean Streets contains 12 tracks which were recorded by Bruno Ravel in New Jersey. Ravel also mixed the album while Bart Gabriel took care of its mastering.


Artwork was provided by Gyula Havancsák, who captured the galloping style of the new material skillfully - without missing the band's typical seal style, of course.


Mean Streets will be available in the following formats:


- CD-digipak (EU)
- jewelcase CD (US)
- coloured vinyl [black | "electric blue" (transparent/blue/red-transparent) | yellow/black splatter | "seal white" (white; US-excl.)]
- digital


Pre-order the album in the physical format of your choice, pre-save it on your favourite DSP or pre-order it digitally, here.





Tracklisting:


"Hail To The Warriors"
"Feel The Fire"
"Love Beyond The Grave"
"High Noon"
"Before This Time"
"Higher"
"Mean Streets"
"Open Road"
"Mortal Eyes"
"Lost Dreams"
"Lean Into It"
"No More"


"Feel The Fire" video:





"High Noon" lyric video:





Riot V have announced a series of eleven European live shows in support of the new record - including stops at Rock in Rautheim and prestigious Rock Hard Festival - for May this year. Support on select dates will come from one of the hottest current upcoming heavy metal acts, UK based band Tailgunner.


Donnie van Stavern states: "We are extremely excited and ready to hit the road and tour again as the the world normalcy returns! It will be great seeing all of our fans/friends in support of our 17th new release Mean Streets! We will perform hits from our long career with classics to our new tunes and a few surprises! Europe always holds a special place in our metal hearts, so see you soon metal warriors... Are you ready to Riot?"


Tailgunner add: "We're thrilled to announce we open for heavy metal heroes Riot V this spring! Bringing our mission to put British heavy metal back on the map to Germany once again plus Switzerland, the Netherlands n' Belgium for the first time! We can't wait to see all of you out there, we'll be 'Road Racin'' to get to you in May! Grab your tickets now for what's sure to be a Metal Mäyhem assault - fuelled on a diet of 'Swords n' Tequila'! Don't miss this! In for the kill…with 'Thundersteel'! HEAVY METAL FOR ETERNITY!"





Tour dates:


May
8 - Warsaw, Poland - Hydrozagadka
9 - Selb, Germany - Rockclub Nordbayern*
10 - Aarburg, Switzerland - Musigburg*
11 - Braunschweig, Germany - Rock in Rautheim
12 - Hamburg, Germany - Bambi Galore*
15 - Mannheim, Germany - 7er Club*
14 - Oldenburg, Germany - MTS*
16 - Enschede, Netherlands - Metropool*
17 - Drachten, Netheralnds - Iduna*
18 - Bilzen, Belgium - South Of Heaven*
19 - Gelsenkirchen, Germany - Rock Hard Festival @ Amphitheater


* with Tailgunner


Riot V are:


Todd Michael Hall - vocals
Mike Flyntz - guitars
Nick Lee - guitars
Don Van Stavern - bass
Frank Gilchriest - drums


(Photo Collage Credit: Randy Caballero | Doug Julien | Anthony Lopardo)

Grammy-nominated extreme power metal frontrunners DRAGONFORCE have unveiled the official music video for their new single, "Burning Heart". The track is taken from the band's latest album, "Warp Speed Warriors", which is being released today (Friday, March 15) via Napalm Records.

DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li comments on "Burning Heart": "'Burning Heart' is another DRAGONFORCE song we are extremely proud of. It's another epic anthem with our signature sound with 10 guitar solos!

"It's been five years since we've released a new album. We are super excited for the fans to hear 'Warp Speed Warriors'!"

On "Warp Speed Warriors", DRAGONFORCE — composed of of guitar virtuosos and founding members Li and Sam Totman, singer Marc Hudson, bassist Alicia Vigil and drummer Gee Anzalone — explore a wider range of varying musical styles than ever before, evolving their sound throughout the exciting musical journey while still staying true to their roots.

Herman stated about "Warp Speed Warriors": "After four years of creative incubation, we are beyond excited to release what we believe to be our most ambitious and grandiose record yet. This album showcases multiple facets of our artistic abilities, and we invite metal aficionados from every corner of the genre to discover something captivating within its layers. We can't wait to share this chapter of our musical journey with you, it's going to be EPIC!"

"Power Of The Triforce" keeps the volume high before DRAGONFORCE temporarily slows it down for the ballad "Kingdom Of Steel". Rapid drum patterns and thrilling guitars carry the catchy "Burning Heart", while chanting "Space Marine Corp" features a strong and uplifting chorus. Electronic influences on grandiose power metal anthem "The Killer Queen" hypnotize, as singer Marc Hudson's vocals reach for the skies. On "Doomsday Party", 1980s rock influences meet captivating retro video game soundscapes and epic guitar solos in true DRAGONFORCE manner. The last original track on "Warp Speed Warriors", "Pixel Prison", is followed by DRAGONFORCE's unexpected yet brilliant cover of Taylor Swift's "Wildest Dreams (Taylor's Version)" as a bonus track that wraps up the epic adventure.

"Warp Speed Warriors" was produced, mixed and mastered by Damien Rainaud at Mix Unlimited in Los Angeles, California with Sam Totman and Herman Li. This album is a matchless, innovative listening experience that continues the band's legacy with songs that will, without a shadow of a doubt, become instant classics in and beyond the DRAGONFORCE canon.

"Warp Speed Warriors" track listing:

01. Astro Warrior Anthem
02. Power Of The Triforce
03. Kingdom Of Steel
04. Burning Heart
05. Space Marine Corp
06. Doomsday Party
07. Prelude To Darkness
08. The Killer Queen
09. Pixel Prison

In November 2022, DRAGONFORCE released a music video for the song "The Last Dragonborn". The track is taken from "Extreme Power Metal", which came out in September 2019. Produced in Los Angeles, California by Damien Rainaud at Mix Unlimited, the LP was also recorded, in part, on Li's livestream channel on Twitch with participation from the fans.

"The Last Dragonborn" was the first DRAGONFORCE music video to feature Vigil, who first joined the band as a touring member in January 2020.

DRAGONFORCE's platinum-selling single "Through The Fire And Flames" brought the London-based Grammy-nominated extreme power metal group international acclaim and was featured as the most challenging song on "Guitar Hero III".

In March 2019, the "Through The Fire And Flames" music video reached a new milestone: it surpassed one hundred million views on YouTube — DRAGONFORCE's first music video to do so.

"Through The Fire And Flames" is the leadoff track from 2006's "Inhuman Rampage" album, which was officially certified gold in July 2017 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of half a million copies.

In August 2019, DRAGONFORCE parted ways with longtime bassist Frédéric Leclercq. He has since joined German thrashers KREATOR.

DRAGONFORCE is:

Herman Li - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Sam Totman - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Marc Hudson - Vocals
Alicia Vigil - Bass, Backing Vocals
Gee Anzalone - Drums, Backing Vocals

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST played the second concert of their "Invincible Shield" world tour Wednesday night (March 13) at First Direct Arena in Leeds, United Kingdom.

The band's 17-song setlist included three tracks from PRIEST's latest album, "Invincible Shield" — the title track, "Panic Attack" and "Trial By Fire" — along with the second performance of "Love Bites" in nearly a decade.

PRIEST's setlist for the Leeds concert was as follows:

01. Panic Attack
02. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
03. Breaking The Law
04. Rapid Fire
05. Lightning Strike
06. Love Bites
07. Saints In Hell
08. Trial By Fire
09. Turbo Lover
10. Invincible Shield
11. Victim Of Changes
12. Metal Gods
13. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) (FLEETWOOD MAC cover)
14. Painkiller

Encore:

15. The Hellion / Electric Eye
16. Hell Bent For Leather
17. Living After Midnight

In a recent interview with Metal Pilgrim, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford spoke about the setlist for the European leg of the band's "Invincible Shield" tour with SAXON and URIAH HEEP. He said: "We've had this conversation before as far as trying to put the setlist together. And after 19 studio albums, it's, like, 'Oh my God. Where do we go?' If we didn't play 'Breaking The Law', there'd be a riot. If we didn't play 'Painkiller', there'd be a riot. There are certain songs that you are indebted to your fans to play, because they're part of the fabric of who you are as a band. Without naming names, there are certain bands where you know you wanna hear that song when you go to a show. So there's a portion of the setlist that already writes itself. Having said that, yeah, we are gonna go quite deep, and we found some songs from previous albums that we're gonna work with and we're gonna bring out. So there'll probably be at least two or three deep cuts on this setlist."

Rob continued: "At any given moment, we've got 60 to 70 songs we can play — at any given moment. And then we're gonna add more into the mix. It's fun to see the texts and the e-mails flying through: 'Well, I'll give you this one if you give me that one.' 'Cause you've gotta find a balance. When a band plays on stage, every single bandmember has to agree on the set list. There's no place for, 'Oh, dude, I've gotta play this one.' There's no place for that. You've all gotta be believing in that particular song as you go through the show. And it's gonna be fantastic. And this is gonna be a really eventful tour as we're about to kick off in Europe, with our friends SAXON and URIAH HEEP."

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

Bassist Ian 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.

Former SLIPKNOT drummer Jay Weinberg played his first concert with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES earlier tonight (Thursday, March 14) in Osaka, Japan. Fan-filmed video of the show can be seen below.

Weinberg confirmed his addition to SUICIDAL TENDENCIES in a social media post on March 5. The 33-year-old Nashville-based musician wrote: "When I think of the culture and community of heavy music that I've loved and considered my creative home for 20 years, I think of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES: a foundational pillar and source of inspiration ever since I fell in love with punk, metal, and hardcore.

"Having toured and played shows together all over the world, I've been so fortunate to become friends with my musical heroes who have been a part of this band's incredible history.

"It's an absolute honor and privilege to play with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, and I can't wait to start this incredibly exciting new chapter in just one week! See you all in the pit!"

Weinberg will play one more concert in Japan with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES (March 16 in Chiba). The band is also slated to perform at the No Values festival on June 8 in Pomona, California, with a series of European festival dates scheduled for June and July.

In addition to Weinberg and Muir, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' current lineup features lead guitarist Dean Pleasants, rhythm guitarist Ben Weinman (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) and bassist Tye Trujillo (son of METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo).

Weinberg's pairing with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES came less than two months after he was announced as the new drummer of INFECTIOUS GROOVES, the long-running outfit formed more than three decades ago by Robert Trujillo alongside Robert's then-SUICIDAL TENDENCIES bandmate Muir.

INFECTIOUS GROOVES has scheduled two U.S. shows this month — March 23 and March 24 at the Garden Grove Amphitheater in Garden Grove, California — before embarking on a short tour of Australia in late March and early April.

Weinberg was recruited by INFECTIOUS GROOVES for the band's first live appearances since a one-off show in 2019 due to longtime drummer Brooks Wackerman's commitment to AVENGED SEVENFOLD.

In a recent interview with Australia's Metal-Roos, Muir stated about how Weinberg came to join INFECTIOUS GROOVES: "We wanted to get somebody that you know could carry that torch and was there. It's funny 'cause we were kind of saying… well, I told Robert, 'You put a list [of drummers] together, I'll put a list together and then we'll kind of see who's touring and who's available and try to do it.' And my middle son, who's 14, was asking, he goes, 'If Brooks can't do it, who are you gonna get to play drums?' And I'm, like, 'We're not sure. We're putting a list together.' He goes, 'You're gonna ask Jay?' So my son, his two favorite drummers are Lars [Ulrich] and Jay Weinberg and stuff. And I was, like, I hadn't even thought of Jay. And I knew that he had surgery. And I looked [on his social media] and I go, 'It's January 1st.' And he goes [in a social media post], 'I'm walking for the first time [since surgery], and I'm like, 'Ooh.' And my son said, 'You should get Jay. I saw him. He's playing the drums again. You should get him. Talk to him.' And I go, 'I don't have his number.' He goes, 'You could get it. Robert's probably got it.'"

Muir continued: "The first tour that that Jay did in SLIPKNOT, SUICIDAL opened. I, obviously, have been around a lot of drummers, a lot of musicians, and I'd heard the drummer they got is really good. As I always say, I don't judge, I observe. And I was watching him play at soundcheck, going, 'Oh, dude, this guy's actually really good. He mixes it up really well. And he's really versatile.' And it always stuck out to me because, I go, 'He obviously kills it in SLIPKNOT,' but I go, 'He's actually a really versatile drummer and really good.' And it stuck out to me and stuff. So I knew that he could definitely do it, obviously. It's a matter of would he want to do it and then physically could. So I got his number and I texted him. And he goes, 'I'm at my physical therapist's right now. I'm not even supposed to be starting to play until the middle of April.' But he goes, 'I think I'm way ahead of my schedule.' And he goes, 'Let me get back to you. I'm gonna be there on Monday.' And it was the weekend… But he goes, 'Yeah, I think it's gonna be all right,' and this and that. So anyhow, we talked a lot and then were, like, 'Let's fly out and get together.' And when we practiced, I was going, 'You cannot tell that he's just had two major surgeries.' It's funny because my kids went to the practice and they were, like, 'Dude, Robert was smiling ear to ear the whole practice. He looked like a little kid just having a ball.' And it was just so much fun in a good way. Jay on drums, he's driving that sports car, and he's got a really good edge and he's able to actually showcase a lot more on the INFECTIOUS songs, which he was really appreciating. I think people, they're gonna trip. Because everybody knows Robert's great bass player; they know the bass lines in INFECTIOUS. Whether you know the music or not, you hear it, you're, like, 'Oh, dude, that bass player is insane,' especially for the time. But I think, when Jay's up there, they're gonna go, 'Wow, that's really powerful.' So we're super excited, as you can tell."

In addition to Weinberg, Muir and Trujillo, INFECTIOUS GROOVES' 2024 lineup includes guitarists Dean Pleasants (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) and Dave Kushner (ex-VELVET REVOLVER).

INFECTIOUS GROOVES was formed soon after Trujillo joined SUICIDAL TENDENCIES in 1989. Muir and Trujillo got together with some friends to write song that centered more around the bass, but with the intent of giving everyone else a whole lot of freedom.

On November 5, 2023, SLIPKNOT released a statement via social media in which it said it had "decided to make a creative decision and to part ways with Jay."

Six days later, Weinberg, who replaced Joey Jordison, SLIPKNOT's original drummer, in 2013, shared on Instagram that he "was heartbroken and blindsided to receive the phone call", "the news of which, most of you learned shortly after."

Jay played his final show with SLIPKNOT on November 3 at the Hell & Heaven festival in Toluca, Mexico.

When SLIPKNOT announced Weinberg's departure, the band thanked Jay "for his dedication and passion over the past ten years." The group added: "No one can ever replace Joey Jordison's original sound, style or energy, but Jay honored Joey's parts and contributed to the last three albums and we, the band, and the fans appreciate it. But as ever, SLIPKNOT is intent on evolving. We wish Jay all the best and are very excited for what the future holds."

Jay discovered SLIPKNOT when he was a pre-teen, through his father, Max Weinberg, of Bruce Springsteen's E STREET BAND, and leader of the house band on Conan O'Brien's talk show. He was hooked immediately and was a huge fan of SLIPKNOT by the time he was invited to Los Angeles to try out as replacement for Joey Jordison in 2013.

For the first few months after the release of 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter", the members of SLIPKNOT had declined to name the musicians who were playing drums and bass on their tour, despite the fact that their identities were revealed as Weinberg and bassist Alessandro "Vman" Venturella by a disgruntled former drumtech for SLIPKNOT who posted a picture of a backstage call sheet on Instagram.

".5: The Gray Chapter" went on to score a trio of Grammy nominations, including two for "Best Metal Performance" and a nomination for "Best Rock Album".

Weinberg also played on 2019's "We Are Not Your Kind" and 2022's "The End, So Far", both of which topped Billboard's rock albums chart.

SLIPKNOT has yet to announce a replacement for Jay.

Welcome to the Church of Suicidal

See you tonight, Osaka 🔥🇯🇵🔥 @mv_namba

📷: @melhummel

Posted by Jay Weinberg on Wednesday, March 13, 2024

As a legendary rock band, Suicidal Tendencies formed in 1980, but tonight was my first time seeing their performance. So...

Posted by Chunze Piao on Thursday, March 14, 2024

VENDED, the band fronted by Griffin Taylor, the 21-year-old son of SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor, has released a new single, "The Far Side". The track follows the arrival of previous single "Am I The Only One", the video for which has now racked up over half a million views on YouTube.

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

VENDED comments: "'The Far Side' shows another side of VENDED that hasn't been seen before. The focus of this song was pushing our boundaries and abilities to the limit.

"'The Far Side' represents a new era of the band; a new level of aggression and rawness. It was recorded live in the studio, nothing but raw power and pure energy in the room. It fully encapsulates the intensity you would hear in a live setting. Whether you’re seeing us in a club or an arena, the energy you hear live was put directly into this record."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BON JOVI, Grammy Award-winning, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame band, and one of history's most iconic acts, continues its 40th anniversary celebration, with the release of "Legendary", new single and video out now via EMI. The monumental new track sets the stage for BON JOVI's upcoming 16th studio album, "Forever", arriving on June 7. The new album is now available for pre-order where fans can find exclusive colored vinyl options, CDs, cassettes, and limited edition signed copies. An extremely limited run of Ocean Waves colored vinyl will include a one-of-a-kind instant photo of Jon Bon Jovi.

In conjunction with last month's 66th annual Grammy Awards, Jon Bon Jovi was named 2024 MusiCares Person Of The Year and was honored with an all-star tribute concert at the L.A. Convention Center featuring Bruce Springsteen, Shania Twain, Melissa Etheridge, Sammy Hagar, Jason Isbell, Jelly Roll, Pat Monahan of TRAIN, and many others.

"This record is a return to joy. From the writing, through the recording process, this is turn-up-the-volume, feel-good BON JOVI," said Jon Bon Jovi.

"Forever" features Jon Bon Jovi once again alongside fellow founding BON JOVI members, keyboardist David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres. They are joined by bassist Hugh McDonald and guitarist Phil X.

"Forever" track listing

01. Legendary
02. We Made It Look Easy
03. Living Proof
04. Waves
05. Seeds
06. Kiss The Bride
07. The People's House
08. Walls Of Jericho
09. I Wrote You A Song
10. Living In Paradise
11. My First Guitar
12. Hollow Man

"Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story", the first-ever docuseries on the band's history with full cooperation from all past and present members of BON JOVI, premieres Friday, April 26 on Hulu in the U.S. and coming soon to Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ in all other territories. Following one of the world's most iconic bands and its frontman, Jon Bon Jovi, the documentary gives us a view behind the music and the man.

The docuseries is a ROS production, the banner of filmmaker Gotham Chopra, and celebrates the band's 40th anniversary of its self-titled debut album which was released on January 21, 1984 via Polygram/Mercury Records, less than a year after forming in their home state of New Jersey.

Guitarist Richie Sambora left BON JOVI mid-tour in 2013 in order to spend more time with his family. His exit came after he missed 13 shows on the band's 2011 tour when he entered rehab.

Sambora joined his former bandmates onstage in 2018 when they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Last November, Sambora told People that a BON JOVI reunion tour was not out of the question.

"There's a documentary that's being done about the band and stuff that I've participated in, and people want to come see us play, and it's going to make everybody happy," the guitarist said. "I mean, essentially, that's why you do it at this point."

He continued: "I think that we wrote a lot of songs that changed a lot of people's lives just by letting them have a good time. I know that's what music did to me … kept me company. And I hope that I can reflect that in what I do.

"So yeah, it definitely could happen," he added of a reunion. "It's just a question of when everybody's ready to go do it. It will be a big, massive kind of undertaking."

Photo credit: Mark Seliger

In a new interview with Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", SOULFLY leader Max Cavalera was asked if guitarist Mike DeLeon, who has been touring with the band for more than a year, will be featured on the next SOULFLY studio album. Max responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm leaving it open for now. Mike is gonna jam with us. We have some festivals in the U.S. I think we're doing [Welcome To] Rockville and another one, and we're also doing the LAMB OF GOD boat [Headbangers Boat], the cruise. That should be fun as hell. And Mike will play with us for that. He's a great guy. I love Mike."

He continued: "I don't know. It's too early to know where I'm gonna go with this record — if I'm gonna try to find somebody else to record or if we're just gonna roll with Mike. We don't know yet. I haven't even — I [only] have a few riffs written [so far]."

Asked if he writes music for I whatever record or project he is working on or if he puts riffs aside for certain records, Max said: "When I lock in on a project, I get very obsessed with the project. I become so obsessed that everything I'm writing is for this and I know exactly what it needs, what kind of sound I'm looking for. And SOULFLY, I'm kind of planning a little bit of a return to the early sound. The big-groove tribal sound will return to SOULFLY. I think a lot of fans want that. I love that. I think it's kind of like a trademark of SOULFLY that kind of got lost in the shuffle through the years. We went more into the trashier side of stuff. But now I have [my side project] GO AHEAD AND DIE that I can trash all I want in it. I can have SOULFLY be a little bit more what it was in the beginning — more about that, the whole tribal thing, which is really cool and unique. It's a unique thing that SOULFLY has. So we're gonna probably go back more to that, which should be really cool."

Prior to hooking up with SOULFLY, DeLeon had been a member of PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo's solo band PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, which he joined in 2015 as the replacement for Marzi Montazeri. More recently, Mike filled in for Zakk Wylde at the first rehearsal for the fall 2022 PANTERA shows.

In August 2021, SOULFLY parted ways with longtime guitarist Marc Rizzo due to personal differences. FEAR FACTORY's Dino Cazares played guitar for SOULFLY on the band's 2021 and 2022 run of shows.

Last month, Max told Ghost Cult 's Keefy that SOULFLY's follow-up to 2022's "Totem" album likely wouldn't arrive before 2025.

"Totem", came out in August 2022 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2018's "Ritual" was recorded at Platinum Underground in Mesa, Arizona by John Aquilino and Arthur Rizk with assistance from John Powers. Produced by Max Cavalera alongside Arthur Rizk (KREATOR, MUNICIPAL WASTE, CODE ORANGE),the LP boasts guest appearances from John Powers (ETERNAL CHAMPION),Chris Ulsh (POWER TRIP),and John Tardy (OBITUARY). Rizk was also responsible for playing lead guitar on the record. The artwork for the album was created by James Bousema.

Photo credit: Jim Louvau

In a new interview with Eric Dahl of Fox 17 Rock & Review, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars spoke about the musical direction of his debut solo album, "The Other Side Of Mars", which as released on February 23. The effort was made available via Mick's own label 1313, LLC, in partnership with MRI. After Dahl noted that Mars clearly didn't want to repeat what he had already done with CRÜE on his solo LP, Mick said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No. Absolutely not… There's a lot of diversity in what I listened to when I was growing up — every[thing] from blues to GENTLE GIANT, KING CRIMSON and [KING CRIMSON guitarist] Robert Fripp and all between. A lot of blues, that kind of thing."

Mick went on to say that it was important for him to cover a lot of different ground on "The Other Side Of Mars". "Diversity, I felt, was — or is; not always — but is missing nowadays in [a lot of the music]. I purposely wrote this way, in this manner, to take you on a little short journey. Every song you hear, you're imagining or seeing a different landscape or whatever; it's a music scape, I guess. But I wanted to put that across to show that I'm not just this [one-dimensional player and songwriter]."

When Dahl suggested that Mars's recent revelation that he was already working on his second solo album was "a heck of a pace" for someone who has just released his solo debut, Mick said: "Not really, because things have been floating around for quite a while. I was very dedicated to my band. And so it's, like, when I'm freed up to do what it is that I can do, 'The Other Side Of Mars' comes out of it."

Birmingham, Alabama rocker Jacob Bunton collaborated extensively with Mars on "The Other Side Of Mars".

Bunton had previously worked with former GUNS N' ROSES drummer Steven Adler and CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer, and has songwriting credits with Mariah Carey, Steven Tyler and Smokey Robinson, among others.

Bunton sings lead on all but two of the 12 songs on "The Other Side Of Mars".

Other guests on the LP include WINGER/ALICE COOPER keyboardist Paul Taylor, KORN drummer Ray Luzier, and Brion Gamboa, who handled lead vocals on the songs "Undone" and "Killing Breed".

Bunton previously fronted the Alabama bands MARS ELECTRIC and LYNAM.

Last month, Mick told Joe Rock of the WBAB radio station that he wanted to take the music on his second solo album in a slightly different direction from what he did on "The Other Side Of Mars". "Another level. It has to be that way," he explained. "I'm not a youngster. And I'm not a depressed dark guy or nothing like that. But when you start getting older, you start going, like, 'I don't wanna do that again. Let's try this or move up or go a different level,' instead of putting the same repetitious kind of thing, which is [what you sometimes do when you are stuck in an] album-tour,-album tour [cycle]. And a lot of times, when that does happen, you find yourself kind of repeating yourself, and it gets to be pretty much samey after a while. So I'm fortunate enough to be old — I made it to here — but to be able to change my music, my next step. I don't wanna stay on this level. I have to take it up a notch every time. And if I get to do a third [album], it'll be a notch again, of course."

Regarding which guest musicians he would like to possibly approach about appearing on his second solo album, Mick said: "I think of different things, I guess. I was, at one point, just kind of like fantasizing about it. I don't even know if it would work. But I was thinking, like, Slash [GUNS N' ROSES] is a bud, and calling Slash in and going, 'Hey, come on in there and goof around.' And Doug Pinnick [KING'S X], just to play bass — not to sing, but for his bass playing. And I think that the fans would kind of dig that, but I don't know what would come out of it. But I'm willing to take the chance, of course.

"As far as other things go, let's take it back a bit and go, a lot of people were expecting more of a blues album [from me this time around]," he continued. "Maybe I could throw a blues song on there, but the 'cry in your beer' kind of blues, but the kind that you just wanna get up and fight. After having a couple beers, I'm gonna beat up this [guy]. But, yeah, I can do that kind of stuff. I'm so open, and I have so much freedom to take my project anywhere, of course, and any direction. It's all open. It's a great feeling, really a great feeling just to express myself any way I want. I could go out and get, let's say, an unknown female singer and just totally have something that's so different than what you would expect from me. I don't know if people do know what they expect, 'cause I don't what I'm doing next. I do know what I'm doing next, but I don't know."

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, he has since filed a lawsuit against MÖTLEY CRÜE in Los Angeles County's Superior Court, claiming that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting.

Mars — whose real name is Robert Alan Deal — served as MÖTLEY CRÜE's lead guitarist since the band's inception in 1981.

In a new interview with Rock Feed, Zakk Wylde was asked about his involvement with the reformed PANTERA, in which he is joined by the band's surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass),alongside ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante. The guitarist said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm honored every night I get to honor my buddies and to honor [late PANTERA members] Dime ['Dimebag' Darrell Abbott] and Vinnie [Paul Abbott] and Philip and Rex with what they created. Like I always say it, every night when we're up there playing, everyone's having a trip down memory lane. Everyone that saw the original PANTERA, to be able to hear the music again… I mean, Philip says it every night. It's pretty crazy when he just says — obviously, you have the PANTERA faithful. And then he says, 'How many people, this is their first time seeing PANTERA?' And it really, truly is mind-blowing how many [of the people in the audience had never seen PANTERA play]. It's awesome that there's younger kids [coming to the shows]."

He continued: "I never got a chance to see [LED] ZEPPELIN back in the day. So, if you had Jason Bonham out there playing with the original guys, it would have just been, like, 'Wow, this is pretty amazing.' 'Cause we never got a chance to see ZEPPELIN back in the day. So, just to hear those songs again live, it's a beautiful thing, man."

Zakk previously discussed his involvement with PANTERA in a February 2024 interview with Chuck Armstrong of Loudwire Nights. At the time, he said: "Everybody in the whole camp, it's all great people. And it's crazy, because we've known each other for years, but you end up knowing, even with the crew and everything like that, all these people you've known for years — I mean, people that I've been with when I started with Ozzy [Osbourne] and everything like that. So, it's just a great time out there, man, for sure. And then, obviously, celebrating Vinnie and Dime every night, it's just awesome.

"The beautiful thing about music is, all the bands that we love, whether it's ZEPPELIN or [BLACK] SABBATH, THE ALLMAN BROTHERS or Elton John or PANTERA or whatever, everybody has their connection to that music," he continued. "That's the most powerful thing about music. I mean, you hear stuff, it just transports you back to when you were 13 years old, 14 years old, where you were and what you were doing when that music was going on. So, for so many people — it's amazing 'cause Phil always does it at like almost every night, he's just, like, 'How many people saw PANTERA back in the day?' And everybody, obviously, you have all the PANTERA faithful. And then he goes, 'How many people, this is their first time seeing PANTERA?' It's mind-blowing. I mean, I'd say it's almost like 60-40, 70-30 sometimes, where it's, like, 'Wow. That is amazing.'

"I never got a chance to see ZEPPELIN back in the day, so to see… When I went and saw the [Jimmy] Page and [Robert] Plant thing with the orchestra and everything, that was just amazing, because I never got a chance to see them back in the day. So, just the power of the music, to see it live was just… I saw 'em at Brendan Byrne Arena [in East Rutherford, New Jersey in April 1995] when we were working on [Ozzy Osbourne's 1995 album] 'Ozzmosis'. I got tickets and we went down to the gig that night, and it was amazing — 'cause I never I never got a chance to see it back in the day. So, it's pretty much the same, 'cause I know I was getting chills when I was watching it. So, yeah, it's a beautiful thing, man."

Zakk was also asked if he would be open to working on new material with PANTERA. He said: "Nah, I don't think so. Whenever Phil says that and all the younger kids are screaming and yelling, when they put the house lights on and everyone's got their fists up in the air 'cause that's the first time [they're seeing PANTERA live], I just look at like Vinnie and Dime, if they were on the side of the stage, and go, 'See what you guys created.' So it's just, like, yeah, it's awesome. It truly is, man. But, no, I don't think [the plan is] to record [as PANTERA]. I mean, it'd be like if [Eric] Clapton was playing with [drummer] Mitch [Mitchell] and [bassist] Noel [Redding], honoring Jimi [Hendrix], they're not gonna go in and record [and call it] THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE with Eric Clapton. [Laughs] I don't think anything like that. Obviously, if we were ever to do anything, it would be under a different name. Like Jimmy Page, if he was playing with Paul Rodgers and everything, it's THE FIRM; they're not going out as LED ZEPPELIN."

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."

Back 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."

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.

According to Billboard, the lineup has been given a green light by the estates of Vinnie Paul and Dimebag, as well as Brown, who in 2021 said Wylde wouldn't tour with PANTERA if a reunion were to happen. It's unclear what changed his mind.

Anselmo and Brown spoke about PANTERA's return to the stage during an appearance on the seventeenth episode of "The Metallica Report", the recently launched 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.

DREAM THEATER members Mike Portnoy (drums) and Jordan Rudess (keyboards) performed the band's song "The Spirit Carries On" with Charlie Griffiths (HAKEN) and That Joe Payne (vocals) aboard the juist-completed 2024 edition of the Cruise To The Edge sailing out of Miami, Florida March 8-13 on the Norwegian Pearl. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

Last month, DREAM THEATER officially commenced work on its sixteenth studio album. The upcoming effort will mark the progressive metal legends first LP since the return of Portnoy last October.

Portnoy co-founded DREAM THEATER in 1985 with guitarist John Petrucci and bassist John Myung. Mike played on 10 DREAM THEATER albums over a 20-year period, from 1989's "When Dream And Day Unite" through 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", before exiting the group in 2010.

In January, Petrucci told GuitarWorld.com editor-in-chief Michael Astley-Brown that he and his DREAM THEATER bandmates were "looking forward to" working on new music.

"It's really exciting to have [Portnoy] back in the band," John said. "We started the band together. I talked [earlier in the interview] about being 18 at Berklee [College Of Music]; that's where we met. And we've been friends ever since. So, having him back in the band is really special to all of us. I know he's really excited as well."

Portnoy attended DREAM THEATER's concert in March 2022 at Beacon Theatre in New York City. It was the first time he witnessed his then-former bandmates perform live since his exit from the iconic progressive metal outfit nearly 14 years ago.

Mike Mangini joined DREAM THEATER in late 2010 through a widely publicized audition following the departure of Portnoy. Mangini beat out six other of the world's top drummers — Marco Minnemann, Virgil Donati, Aquiles Priester, Thomas Lang, Peter Wildoer and Derek Roddy — for the gig, a three-day process that was filmed for a documentary-style reality show called "The Spirit Carries On".

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Posted by Cruise to the Edge on Wednesday, March 15, 2023

German metalcore band Rising Insane has resigned with Long Branch Records and is launching a new album campaign. The collaboration's first single is entitled, "Reign", and is a first taste of the new studio album which is scheduled for release this summer.





Singer Aaron Steineker commented:




"When people hide their true selves for fear of rejection and hatred, they get into an unsolvable conflict with themselves, to the detriment of their mental health. With, 'Reign', we want to encourage people to stand up for themselves and let go of what drags them down."


With over 20 million streams worldwide and top placements on some of the most influential playlists, including Kickass Metal, New Core, and All New Metal, Rising
Insane has recently created quite a buzz.


(Photo – Jana Kuhs x Coregraphy)

Supermodel Taxidermy, the dynamic force in thrash metal and hardcore punk, from Fort McMurray, Canada, is set to blow minds with their latest video single “Lipstick” from their upcoming second album At What Cost, which is scheduled for release this coming May 2024. The album promises an exhilarating fusion of intense guitar hooks, heavy drums, catchy bass lines, and thought-provoking lyrics that will entice metal enthusiasts around the globe. 





They share their thoughts on the upcoming album:




“The record is intense. Our singing stops right about the time we want to have a look into the mosh pit on the floor, but even those parts have heavy riffs. We don’t leave much room for separating the two, they drive each other. The first record has elements of a hardcore punk album with metal scattered all over it. Our new record is a thrash metal album that kept a lot of its punk rock elements.”


Supermodel Taxidermy emerged from the aftermath of the critically acclaimed EP A Whorer Story, which started as a solo project but evolved into a full-fledged band due to overwhelming support. The upcoming album, At What Cost, delves into personal topics such as addiction, death, suicide, and prostitution, intertwining them with empowering messages.


Supermodel Taxidermy prides itself on collaborative songwriting, with each member contributing their strengths to create a powerful and cohesive sound. The band's ethos revolves around pushing boundaries and tackling societal horrors through their music, all while injecting elements of fun and pop culture. They are recommended for fans of D.R.I., Suicidal Tendencies, and Iron Reagan.


At What Cost is due out on May 31, 2024; preorder on Bandcamp.


(Photo – Cold Williams)

Finnish symphonic power metal band After Infinity has finally released the long-awaited self-titled debut album via Mauste Records. Featuring 9 tracks for over 41 minutes playing time, “After Infinity” includes the song “Do What You’ve Got To Do” for which an official video is now available:





Zsolt Szilagyi, mastermind of the project, has stated about “Do What You’ve Got To Do”:




“The loss of a loved one is one of the saddest and most terrifying things we have to face during our lives, and there’s no escaping it. Sometimes the only thing we can do is say “goodbye”. In the music video, a widow finds a note from her late husband, who wanted to take his wife on one final date. Leonard F. Guillan's emotive lead vocals add a beautiful and powerful dimension to this compelling Finnish metal track.”


After Infinity seamlessly blends the raw energy of heavy metal, the epic allure of power metal, and the soulful melodies of hard rock, offering a dynamic and thought-provoking sonic journey. The choruses are catchy, the riffs are heavy, and the ballads are emotional. The 5 featured singers are sure to keep the sound fresh from start to finish.


The lyrical themes navigate the darker realms of life such as war, political turmoil, and loss, reflecting on the challenges faced in the world today. Despite the weight of these topics, the album strives to discover silver linings and illuminate the light at the end of the tunnel.


Crafted for a diverse audience, this album appeals to those who appreciate both the intensity of metal and the depth of meaningful storytelling. Whether you're a metal enthusiast or someone seeking profound narratives within music, After Infinity's debut promises an immersive experience that resonates long after the final chord.





Music, lyrics and arrangements by Zsolt Szilagyi. Mixed and co-production by Benji Connelly (Everfrost, Metal de Facto) and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox studios. Photo by Lauri “Läpä” Koivusalo. Logo designed by Musicpro1o1. Album cover by Zsolt Szilagyi.

In an interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" conducted aboard this year's Monsters Of Rock cruise, IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris was asked if he would ever like to write an autobiography of sorts. Steve responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'd love to write a book at some point, but it's just a question of time. 'Cause there's so many other things that I do when I'm not on tour. So to do a book — I couldn't do like Bruce [Dickinson, IRON MAIDEN singer] does; I mean, he just does 10 things at once. He told me that he was writing [his book] like even in the dressing room before shows… I can't do that. I need to sort of set it out and do it really more methodical than that. So I know it would take me quite a bit of time to do. But, yeah, I would like to do one. I mean, I probably would write a book just about the early days, really."

As for the possibility of an official MAIDEN documentary, Steve said that it was not out of the question. "I think there could be some bits and pieces we could do like that. Yeah," he said.

Back in October 2017, Dickinson's autobiography, "What Does This Button Do?", landed at No. 10 on The New York Times "Hardcover Nonfiction" best sellers list. It was released in the U.S. via Dey Street Books (formerly It Books),an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

"What Does This Button Do?" was Dickinson's third book. He has previously published two satirical novels, "The Adventures Of Lord Iffy Boatrace" about the English upper classes and "The Missionary Position" about televangelism.

Founded in 1975 by Harris, IRON MAIDEN has released 17 studio albums, 13 live albums and 47 singles which have sold in excess of 100 million copies worldwide. They have played over 2000 live shows in 59 countries and have been the recipients of a Grammy Award and a Brit Award, among others. The band's very own Trooper beer, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, has sold in excess of 35 million pints and is distributed in 68 countries.

MAIDEN's latest album, "Senjutsu", went to No. 1 in 27 countries and was crowned Rolling Stone's metal album of the year in the U.S.

The band's current tour, "The Future Past World Tour", completed 37 shows in Europe and North America and is set to continue throughout 2024 to a projected 1.5 million fans.

Harris is performing on this year's Monsters Of Rock cruise with his side project BRITISH LION, which released its second album, "The Burning", in January 2020 via Explorer1 Music (E1). The LP was recorded, engineered and mixed at Barnyard Studios by Tony Newton and produced by Steve Harris.

BRITISH LION's first U.S. tour took place in January and February 2020.

BRITISH LION comprises singer Richard Taylor, guitarists David Hawkins and Grahame Leslie, Harris on bass and keyboards, and drummer Simon Dawson.

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In a new interview with Australia's Wall Of Sound, JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill was asked if he would follow singer Rob Halford and former guitarist Kenneth "K.K." Downing in writing his memoir. Hill responded: "No, not really. I mean, like you say, Rob's got two books. Ken wrote a book. I didn't read Ken's, because I was there at the time. And what I've heard, you know, all seems to make sense. And I've been through Rob's books, of course. But what are you gonna say? You gonna say the same things again? And if there's anything that I didn't agree with in those three books, do I really want my legacy to be some whinging? … If there is a book, it'll probably be [about] the early days, my family days right up until probably Rob joins. Because that that that hasn't been covered a great deal. So that would be it."

Halford's autobiography, "Confess", was released in September 2020 via Hachette Books. The book was described by the U.K.'s The Telegraph as "one of the most candid and surprising memoirs" of that year.

In 2022, Halford released "Biblical: Rob Halford's Heavy Metal Scriptures". In the follow-up to "Confess", Halford ran his lively eye over all facets of the hard rock history and the heavy metal world via bite-sized reflections, opinions, and memories in scores and scores of areas, all linked by a biblical theme.

Downing released his autobiography, "Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest", in September 2018 via Da Capo Press.

In 2009, original JUDAS PRIEST singer Al Atkins released his autobiography, titled "Dawn Of The Metal Gods: My Life In Judas Priest And Heavy Metal". Hill penned the foreword to the book, which was written with Neil Daniels — a freelance rock writer and heavy metal fan who befriended Atkins during the writing of Neil's book "The Story Of Judas Priest: Defenders Of The Faith" (Omnibus Press).

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. Downing parted ways with the band in 2011, and was replaced by Richie Faulkner.

Hill married Rob's sister, Sue, in 1976 and they divorced in 1984. Together they have a son, Alex, who was born in 1980. Hill lived in Florida while he was married to his second wife, Letitia. They had a daughter with the same name.

Ian is joined in PRIEST's current touring lineup by Halford, guitarists Faulkner and Andy Sneap, and drummer Scott Travis.

One year on from the band’s triumphant #3 UK Top 40 Album Inhale/Exhale, South Wales' modern rock merchants, Those Damn Crows, now take the tempo down and showcase their mellower side, proving soothing sounds can still rock.


A new, expanded edition of that album will be released on April 5 via Earache Records, and features 7 previously unheard bonus tracks, in addition to the original track list in full, on CD format and with new artwork.


Inhale/Exhale (Expanded Edition) offers new, unheard, acoustic and piano re-workings of fan favourites across Inhale/Exhale plus one tune - "Set In Stone" (Acoustic Version) - taken from their previous album Point Of No Return.




One highlight is the soul-stirring “This Time I'm Ready" (Piano Version), which brings new gravity to the beloved ballad that both wrenches the heart and uplifts the soul. Additionally, the expanded edition presents fans with new kick-ass versions of select Inhale/Exhale tracks now mixed by legendary LA producer Jay Ruston (Meat Loaf, Stone Sour, Black Star Riders).


The bonus material culminates in a momentous 8-minute live rendition of their landmark anthem “Blink Of An Eye”, giving fans a front row spot at the band's sold-out Chepstow Castle show back in August 2022.


The expanded edition is available topre-order on CD now and is packaged in revamped artwork, featuring eye-catching, fairground carousel alternate cover art, shown below.





Inhale/Exhale (Expanded Edition) tracklisting:


"Fill The Void"
"Takedown"
"Man On Fire"
"Wake Up (Sleepwalker)"
"This Time I'm Ready"
"I Am"
"See You Again "
"Lay It All On Me"
"Find A Way"
"Waiting For Me"
"I Am" (Acoustic Version)
"Set In Stone" (Acoustic Version)
"This Time I'm Ready" (Piano Version)
"Wake Up" (Jay Ruston Mix)
"This Time I'm Ready" (Jay Ruston Mix)
"Takedown" (Jay Ruston Mix)
"Blink Of An Eye" (Live At Chepstow Castle)


"This Time I'm Ready" video:





"Find A Way" video:





"Takedown" video:





"See You Again" video:





"Man On Fire" video:





"Wake Up (Sleepwalker)" video:

Blackened master distiller and blender Rob Dietrich and METALLICA have shared "The Core Of Collaboration", a new episode in an exclusive series of conversations titled "The Blending Sessions" in which they reveal what goes into making music and whiskey. Tune in to learn more about their creative process, shared passions and the artistry behind every sip and riff.

Blackened Whiskey is born from METALLICA's spirit of innovation, steeped in science, and honed by seasoned experts. This award-winning whiskey is a blend of the finest straight bourbon and rye whiskeys and uniquely finished and sonically enhanced in brandy casks, using the Black Noise process to extract more flavor from the wood. The original recipe was envisioned by Blackened's founding master distiller Dave Pickerell. Blackened is now crafted and propelled onward by category disruptor and master distiller and blender Rob Dietrich. The result is a magnificently balanced whiskey ideal for sipping neat, on the rocks, or enjoyed in a classic signature cocktail.

Pickerell died suddenly in November 2018 in San Francisco where he was scheduled to take part in the annual WhiskyFest event.

Dietrich also has a connection to the music industry on his resume, with experience as a concert promoter and tour manager.

"When we needed to begin searching for our next master distiller, it was a priority to find someone who could honor and continue the magic that Dave started," METALLICA said in 2019 when Dietrich's addition to the Blackened team was announced. "Rob shares a great respect for craftsmanship that Dave had and that we have for Blackened and our music."

Blackened's whiskey has won numerous accolades, including Double Gold at the SIP Awards (2021),Double Gold at the PR%F Awards (2021),Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2020),Platinum at the Ascot Awards (2021) and Gold at the John Barleycorn Awards (2022). The band's limited-edition releases, including Rye The Lightning and Blackened's Masters Of Whiskey Series: Willett, have also taken home a number of Gold and Double Gold honors.

Formed in 1981 by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, METALLICA has become one of the most influential and successful rock bands in history, selling nearly 120 million albums worldwide and generating more than 15 billion streams while playing to millions of fans on all seven continents. METALLICA's catalog of multi-platinum studio albums includes "Kill 'Em All", "Ride The Lightning", "Master Of Puppets", "… And Justice For All", "Metallica" (commonly referred to as The Black Album),"Load", "Reload", "St. Anger", "Death Magnetic", "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" and the new "72 Seasons", released April 14, 2023, on the band's own Blackened Recordings label. METALLICA's awards and accolades include nine Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, multiple MTV Video Music Awards, a 2009 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and Sweden's Polar Music Prize. In 2017, METALLICA established its charitable foundation, All Within My Hands, to give back to communities that have supported the band. To date, All Within My Hands and METALLICA have provided nearly $16 million in grants to career and technical education programs, organizations combating food insecurity, and critical local services and disaster relief efforts.

Crashing Wayward has re-invented their latest single, "Stranger Days", not once but twice for their new Digital 45 "Stranger Days" (Unplugged), which offers two very different takes on this modern alternative rock ballad.


The acoustic version (referred to here as the A-Side) allows lead singer Peter Summit to shine, both vocally and lyrically, accompanied by a haunting piano part (supplied by guitarist David Harris). When Summit delivers lines such as “Like a painting by Dali...a knockout from Ali, ‘Confessions’ by Bowie...you’re my poetry” it’s hard not to be captivated by the passion behind the melody and the message.


The B-Side, the “Snakes Of Russia” remix, provides a sonically cinematic treatment orchestrated by Joseph Holiday. Holiday creates and releases music under the name Snakes Of Russia; his arrangement of “Stranger Days” employs a unique blend of synthesized textures and beats that approaches the song from a very different perspective.




The new Crashing Wayward Digital 45 "Stranger Days" (Unplugged) is released via RKF Media and available on all digital & streaming platforms.





The band’s debut album, Listen!, has garnered global praise from radio and high profile media, and crashed onto a multitude of Apple, Spotify and YouTube Music playlists.


Crashing Wayward recently received the “Best New Vegas Rock Band” award from Vegas Rocks! Magazine and completed a successful road run from California to Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and back to their home base of Las Vegas. More tour dates are on the horizon, including an appearance at Summerfest 2024 in Milwaukee.


Two songs from the album (“Velvets Drawn” and “Disco Kills”) can also be heard in the new feature film Road To Terzetto, recently seen on the big screen at major film festivals and coming soon to Amazon Prime.

Bruce Dickinson’s brand-new album, The Mandrake Project, has become a global smash hit with huge chart success already announced across Europe and Latin America, with further major worldwide chart positions to follow this week.


In Germany and Sweden Bruce has topped the album charts, whilst in the UK the album has entered the Official Album Charts at #3, just behind Liam Gallagher & John Squire at #1, and narrowly pipped to the #2 spot by Rod Stewart and Jools Holland with a last-minute Mother’s Day surge of sales.


In the first week of sales in the US, The Mandrake Project enters the Billboard 200 and is Bruce Dickinson’s highest charting solo album, debuting at #5 on both the Top 200 Album Sales and Current Album Sales charts and #1 on both the Current Rock Album Sales and Current Hard Rock Album Sales charts. In Canada the album debuts at #1 on the Top Canadian Album Sales, Top Current Album Sales and Hard Music Album Sales charts concurrently.




Elsewhere the album is already a Top 10 success in many European countries’ national charts including Finland, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands and France. And in Latin America’s iTunes charts The Mandrake Project is Top 10 in both Brazil and Mexico, with many more countries following suit in the days to come.


Bruce – pictured above with his No.1 Award in Germany – comments; “I’m delighted that so many people love the record. It’s been incredible to hear directly from so many fans in the countries I’ve visited over the last week or so, and the chart positions are just icing on the cake to be honest. I can now focus on bringing The Mandrake Project & songs from my previous albums to life on the tour next month. See you on the road!”


Featuring the singles "Afterglow Of Ragnarok" and "Rain On The Graves", the ten-track collection has been receiving swathes of critical acclaim, with rave reviews running around the world.


As Bruce Dickinson and his band prepare for a massive headlining tour this spring and summer, with over 40 dates in Mexico, Brazil, the UK and Europe, The Mandrake Project continues to captivate audiences and solidify its place as a monumental release in the world of rock music.


The Mandrake Project is available worldwide on multiple formats. Across ten inventive, expansive and absorbing tracks, Dickinson and his long-term co-writer and producer Roy Z, have created one of 2024’s defining rock albums. Sonically heavy and rich in musical textures, The Mandrake Project sees Bruce bring to life a musical vision long-in-the-making, and features some of the finest vocal performances of his career.


Recorded largely at LA’s Doom Room with Roy Z doubling up as both guitarist and bassist, the lineup for The Mandrake Project was rounded out by keyboard maestro Mistheria and drummer Dave Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce’s last solo studio album, Tyranny Of Souls, in 2005.


Order The Mandrake Project here.





The Mandrake Project tracklisting:


"Afterglow Of Ragnarok"
"Many Doors To Hell"
"Rain On The Graves"
"Resurrection Men"
"Fingers In The Wounds"
"Eternity Has Failed"
"Mistress Of Mercy"
"Face In The Mirror"
"Shadow Of The Gods"
"Sonata (Immortal Beloved)"


"Rain On The Graves" video:





"Afterglow Of Ragnarok" video:

In a new interview with Greg Prato of Ultimate Guitar, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT guitarist Buck Dharma was once again asked about comparisons between GHOST's music to that of his own band. He said: "To the degree that there is a similarity, I think they're welcomed to it. I think GHOST is certainly paving their own way as far as how they've gone down their road. I wouldn't say they're really copying us. To the degree that there are some similarities, that's fine."

Back in 2019, Dharma said that he was aware that many rock fans had compared GHOST's music to that of BLUE ÖYSTER CULT. "I've also read interviews with the leader of that band where he says he's not really trying to sound like BLUE ÖYSTER CULT," Buck told Ultimate Guitar in a new interview. "But I don't think that they really do sound like BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, but I guess you could see some similarities."

GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge addressed the BLUE ÖYSTER CULT comparisons during an interview with Loudwire. He said: "I love BLUE ÖYSTER CULT. They are nowhere near as much of an influence as people think they are for me. Especially not back [in GHOST's early days]. I'd say I probably listen to them more nowadays than I did back then. But never, ever were they as much of a big influence as… I can list so many more things that would be way more obvious, where I can say, 'That riff is from that. That riff is from that. That riff is from that. That vocal bit is from that.' It's just that the combination of, basically, slightly more confrontational rock and sort of AOR vocals that makes everybody think that it's, 'Oh, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT.' Just because a lot of the other, sort of, 'occult rock' bands usually have just one singer, like all the TROUBLEs and all the SAINT VITUSes and all those — it's just one singer, so you don't have that sort of multi-layered vocals."

With a history spanning five decades, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT has sold more than 24 million records worldwide, including seven million in the United States alone. Songs like "Burnin' For You", "Godzilla", "Astronomy" and "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" are true classics and staples of the classic rock genre. Often cited as a major influence by some of the biggest names in hard rock and heavy metal (including IRON MAIDEN and METALLICA),BLUE ÖYSTER CULT's sound has evolved through the decades, touching hard rock, heavy metal, progressive, and psychedelic rock. BLUE ÖYSTER CULT is sometimes referred to as "the thinking man's heavy metal band," due to its often-cryptic lyrics, literate songwriting, and links to famous authors.

GHOST's latest album, "Impera", came out in 2022. GHOST leader Tobias Forge worked on the LP with producer Klas Åhlund and Swedish co-writers Salem Al Fakir and Vincent Pontare, whose credits include Madonna and Lady Gaga.

GHOST's two September 2023 shows at the Forum in Inglewood, California were professionally filmed and recorded and will be used as part of a future film project.

At the Forum shows, GHOST performed the song "Twenties" live for the very first time live. They also played their cover of Roky Erikson's "If You Have Ghosts", which was originally reimagined by GHOST for their 2013 EP "If You Have Ghost". The band's version of the track at the Forum featured two cellists with a piano playing, and it was performed on a separate stage from the rest of the set.

Verikalpa has released "Noijan Sauna", second single taken from the new album Tuomio to be released on April 19 by Scarlet Records.


Verikalpa says about the single: “‘Noijan Sauna’ is an educational tale why you probably shouldn't go to the sauna with a witch in the middle of the woods EVEN though beer is involved!”


Tuomio will be available in the following formats:




-jewel case CD
-vinyl LP
-digital


Presave / preorder here.


Tuomio is the most accessible record ever in Verikalpa's discography, and yet another intense and aggressive display of power. The new album showcases an exceptional guitar work and a pristine production, enhancing the majestic melodies for which they are known for and taking their songwriting to the next level.


Lyrically-wise, this is a mixed bag of fictional stories about drinking, partying, fighting, and of course a bunch of crazy Finnish folklore creatures setting up the stage. A very fun and easy collection of songs & tales to listen to, alongside rivers of beer and weird Northern liquors.


Artwork by Alvaro Valverde/AV Art Ilustracion (Unanimated, Night Crowned, Krilloan, Drown In Sulphur):





Tracklisting:


“Arvon Tuomari”
“Laulava Vainaja”
“Noijan Sauna”
“Sammalysnti”
“Tuhkakruunu”
“Tulimerten Taa”
“Hakkaa Hakkaa”
“Maat Hauraan Hautaa”
“Eksyneet”
“Veritonttu”
“Kaunan Valta”
“Tuomio”


"Noijan Sauna":





“Arvon Tuomari” video:





Verikalpa:
Jani Ikonen - vocals
Sami Ikonen - guitar
Janne Niva - guitar
Jussi Sauvola - keyboards
Sami Knuutinen - bass
Jari Huttunen - drums


(Photo – Jani Kakko / Kaja Films)

Japan’s Coffins return with their crushing new full-length album, Sinister Oath, out March 29 on Relapse Records. Third single “Things Infestation” is streaming below.


Preorder Sinister Oath on LP/CD/CS/Digital via Relapse.com.


Recorded ahead of the band's 25th anniversary in Tokyo, Sinister Oath further cements Coffins' legacy as one of the most putrid sounding and uncompromising old-school death metal bands in the world. 




From the chest-pounding, drudgy opening of "Spontaneous Rot" to the hammer-crushing riffage of "Things Infestation" thereafter, Sinister Oath creeps and crawls through a cavernous space firmly rooted in no-frills death metal. The band's signature sound is forever-present: equal parts bleak, doomy, crusty, disgusting, and wholly heavy. 


Featuring album art by Axel Hermann (Asphyx, Bloodbath, Demolition Hammer, Sodom, and more,) Sinister Oath is Coffins at their most vile.





Tracklisting:


“B.T.C.D.”
“Spontaneous Rot”
“Forced Disorder”
“Sinister Oath”
“Chain”
“Everlasting Spiral”
“Things Infestation”
“Headless Monarch”
“Domains Of Black Miasma” 


"Things Infestation":





"Forced Disorder":





“Spontaneous Rot”:





(Photo – Natsumi Okano)