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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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)

With Deicide's special Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest headlining set only a month away, Decibel is honored to reveal an exclusive beer collaboration between the Florida death metal legends and the Indiana craft beer institution, 3 Floyds.


The Light Defeated - named after the closing track from Deicide’s forthcoming new album, Banished By Sin (out April 26 via Reigning Phoenix Music) - will make its pouring debut on April 12-13 at the Philadelphia edition of Decibel’s long-running extreme metal and craft beer event.







“When I first heard the lambs bleating in the opening of ‘Satan Spawn, the Caco-Daemon’ I was hooked,” says 3 Floyds’ Brewmaster Chris Boggess. “Growing up in the buckle of the Bible Belt it was the sickest, scariest thing I'd ever heard. Deicide are one the classic American death metal bands. And The Light Defeated is brewed in their honor, our take on a classic American style stout with the ABV coming in at 6.66%.”


An extremely limited number of “Metal & Beer” tickets - a deluxe ticket that includes unlimited samples of all 15 of the breweries all weekend - granting access to The Light Defeated are still available. But unlike Glen Benton’s hatred of Christ, they won’t be around much longer, so grab yours now!


For a full list of ticket options, head here.


Banished By Sin looms on the horizon, ready to cement Deicide's legacy and influence in the death metal scene. The album is a testament to the band's unwavering commitment to their craft, promising a collection of tracks that are both ferocious and unapologetically blasphemous.


"I've been sitting in a dark corner for several years now," states Glen Benton. "A few things have come into my life that have shaken and changed me. I got inspired writing this new record—it was like flipping a switch. I no longer have the aggravation of other peoples' hangups interfering with what I have and want to do. I stopped chasing everybody else's happiness a long time ago. The guy who started this shit is back! And it's good to be back!"


"Musically, we're back to the 1990s style," Benton says. "There's modern stuff in there, too. It's Deicide the way it was meant to be. My hooky songs are there, Steve's prog-styled songs are there, and we got Kevin's theme-styled songs. Having Taylor in the band has impacted Deicide greatly. He's a fantastic songwriter and player. He can do anything. The four of us contributed three songs each. I'm back with the high screaming and layering. I'm just absolutely going off on this one. I've been told it's one of my best vocal performances. I'm like Rumpelstiltskin—here to spin your hay into gold. Everybody's going to be pleasantly surprised."


Deicide stands ready to challenge the faithful and reward the wicked. Join them in their blasphemous crusade and prepare to be Banished By Sin.


Banished By Sin will be available on:


- Limited edition vinyl, variants include:
- Opaque Red
- Opaque Gold
- Silver
- White & Black Marble
- Limited Edition Cassette
- Jewelcase CD
- Digital





Banished By Sin tracklisting:


"From Unknown Heights You Shall Fall"
"Doomed To Die"
"Sever The Tongue"
"Faithless"
"Bury The Cross…With Your Christ"
"Woke From God"
"Ritual Defied"
"Failures Of Your Dying Lord"
"Banished By Sin"
"Trinity Of None"
"I Am I…A Curse Of Death"
"The Light Defeated"


"Sever The Tongue" video:





"Bury The Cross…With Your Christ" video:





Originating from the depths of Tampa, Florida in 1989, Deicide were conjured by Steve Asheim and Glen Benton. Rising to infamy with their second album, Legion, they have since become a monolithic figure in the death metal universe. Their catalog of destruction includes twelve studio albums, a live album, two compilations, and two live DVD's. Notably, their first two albums, Deicide and Legion, stand as monumental achievements in death metal sales. Deicide, notorious for their relentless assault on the senses and unapologetic brutality, are on the verge of unleashing their thirteenth album - a testament to their undying legacy in crafting the most punishing soundscapes in death metal.


(Photo - Deidra King)

Rising hard rock outfit S.O.R.M has just dropped a powerful new single, featuring legendary Doug Blair of W.A.S.P. The track, titled "Under My Skin", showcases the band's signature blend of contemporary and traditional heavy music, with a touch of power ballad magic.


"I am very proud of a collaboration that began already 2 years ago, when Micke Holm asked if I'd contribute a lead to a track being recorded by his band S.O.R.M", says Doug Blair.
"I'd met Micke a while after he purchased the very last unsold 1990s Blair Mutant Twin double neck acoustic/electric guitar, which I delivered to his colleague in Stockholm. We've performed together quite a few times since then, in Sweden and Finland, as a duo and with the S.O.R.M Band. It's been great to know the guys, and be involved a bit in their growth!"







He continues:


"Cautiously agreeing to take a listen to a song (always being naturally skeptical), 'Under My Skin' enthralled on first listen! Micke's vocal delivery, the lyrics and dynamics of the arrangement all made me PUMPED UP to craft something cool for the emotional solo section. Last year, we finally found time to meet and mix the song in Stockholm - as I had requested (and demoed) a few effective overall arrangement/dynamics ideas, which I thought would improve the results! If you enjoy my leads on ‘Heaven's Hung’, ‘Miss You’, etc., you WILL enjoy this song and lead! Give these guys a listen, and soon I’ll announce an upcoming appearance with Micke again!"


Guitarist and vocalist Micke Holm about the track:


"This version of 'Under My Skin' was the original version of the song from the beginning. It was meant to be on the album but unfortunately was not finished in time. That's why we did a piano version for the record. In this power ballad version, we have the honor to work with Doug Blair from the legendary W.A.S.P and Anna Brygård from The Nightflight Orchestra."


Furthermore, this song in particular is a very special piece of music for guitarist and singer Micke Holm, as the band reveals: “‘Under My Skin’ is a very personal song to Micke. It’s about him battling with depression and suicidal anxiety for many years. And it’s also a reminder to all you who have anxiety or know someone who has, that you’re not alone! We are all brothers and sisters battling the same war!"

Phil Demmel, who is a member of Kerry King's solo band, says that he was caught off guard by the recent announcement that SLAYER was reuniting for several festival shows this year.

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

Asked in a new interview with Good Company if it's "weird" for SLAYER to have announced the band's comeback so soon after King's solo project was first publicly revealed, Demmel said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Um, yeah, yeah… Yeah, it caught me off guard. I didn't know anything about it. To have a SLAYER gig announced before we've even played a show [with Kerry King's solo band] was really weird to me."

He added: "SLAYER's none of my business — the 'why's and the 'when's, it's none of my business. I had questions when I first heard [SLAYER was coming back], and they were answered. And I'm a hundred percent at peace and good with everything that's happening."

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

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

The SLAYER guitarist's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", will be released on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music. All material for the LP was written by the 59-year-old musician, who was accompanied during the recording sessions by Demmel, Bostaph, bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH) and vocalist Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL). Helming the sessions at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles last year was producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BAD RELIGION, among others.

In an Instagram Live video, Demmel spoke about how he ended up being approached to join Kerry's new band. He said: "The way that this came about on my end was SLAYER was on its way through the [San Francisco] Bay Area [during the band's farewell tour] and they played San Jose. I think it was with maybe — NAPALM DEATH opened that one and LAMB OF GOD, and maybe even TESTAMENT played. I think it was maybe the last day of [that leg of] the tour. And this was maybe the summer of [20]18. And I knew that I was on my way out of MACHINE HEAD, and I had approached Kerry kind of, like, 'Hey, what are you doing after SLAYER ends? What do you got going?' And he was kind of, like, 'Ah, I'm sure I'm gonna keep playing with Paul. I'm probably gonna ask [then-SLAYER guitarist] Gary [Holt to play with me in my new band as well].' And that was about it. And so fast forward to my announcing that I was quitting MACHINE HEAD [in September 2018], and the same day Kerry shoots me a text, like, 'That's why you were asking me what I was doing next.' So it was no secret to Kerry that that's what I was interested in doing after. And when the call came to fill in for Gary [at several SLAYER shows in Europe in December 2018] and the way that I came through in that spot really showed those guys a lot. So, Kerry [and me], I remember we at a Raiders game against Denver, which was probably 2019, that he had said, 'Hey, this is what I'm thinking,' and where he committed to me being in the band. So it was pretty fucking awesome."

Phil continued: "So I've been waiting since August of 2019 to be able to announce [that I was in Kerry's new band]. A couple of people knew. [Kerry] wanted it to be a secret, so we didn't kind of share. So that was four and a half years of holding on to the secret. Some would say that it was the best worst-kept secret or the worst best-kept secret. But we're all pretty stoked to get this started."

Regarding how "From Hell I Rise" came together and his contributions to the album, Phil said: "Kerry wrote all the music. He wrote all the lyrics. They had pretty much all of it done for a while. Him and Paul worked on everything. He sent me parts. It was the slowest of the slowest rolls that I've ever been involved with, just due to the quarantine and the singer search. So it took a bit, and it's taken a bit for all of the reasons. I mean, there was a reason for all of it. So it got to a point to where all of us, the guys in the band, were, like, 'Have you heard anything?' 'No, I haven't heard anything.' It was almost like the swimming instructor when you're learning how to swim, and then the instructor keeps backing up. 'Come on, you can make it.' And you're swimming and you're swimming and you're swimming, and they keep backing up. And [it was] all worth it. They recorded the record. I was structuring solos at home. I have a home studio, and I was constructing my leads. And I had 'em done for a bit. And he'd give me a couple of more: 'Hey, why don't you see if you can come up with something over here?' And I wrote a couple of little harmony bits that you don't hear a lot in SLAYER. So I think that that's what sets this band apart, other than Mark's vocals, of course, is the melody in some of my solos. I wrote a few things and I sent 'em to him, and the solo you hear in 'Idle Hands' is the first one that I wrote. And so I had to ask him, I said, 'Are you gonna be okay with my style?' It's kind of different than from what [late SLAYER guitarist] Jeff [Hanneman] and Gary had done, and he was digging it. So I was glad that that was [the case], 'cause it's kind of what I am and what I can bring."

In the aforementioned interview with Rolling Stone, Kerry stated about how Phil came to his new project: "Demmel came out with SLAYER at the end of 2018 to fill in for Gary for four shows. What he did for us, I don't think I could do for any band on the planet. He had basically two days to watch [SLAYER] play so he could know where the pyro was and the tempo of our set. I couldn't do that for JUDAS PRIEST, and I'm a giant PRIEST guy. With this, Bostaph said, 'Hey, what about Demmel [for the new band]?' I texted him. He's like, 'Yeah, I just got done with MACHINE HEAD the day before yesterday.' I went, 'Well, that's kind of perfect.'"

Asked how he and Phil play off each other, Kerry said: "He's more technical than I thought he was. He comes from California thrash like I do. He'd be, like, 'Do you think this solo is too melodic?' I'm, like, 'It's your lead. Unless it's offensively lame, I'm not going to squash it.' I like what he brought to the record, even though it wasn't much, since I didn't let him play rhythm guitar."

KERRY KING will be special guest on the upcoming LAMB OF GOD/MASTODON North American "Ashes Of Leviathan" co-headline tour. The six-week run will launch on July 19 in Grand Prairie, Texas and will wrap on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska. KERRY KING will make the band's 2024 concert debut in May, first at the Welcome To Rockville festival (May 9),followed by Sonic Temple Arts & Music Festival (May 16).

Polish heavy metal act, Crystal Viper, will release their new studio album, The Silver Key, on June 28 via Listenable Records. It will be available as a vinyl record, compact disc, cassette, and digitally.


As all the lyrics are once again inspired by the works of the father of cosmic horror, Howard Phillips Lovecraft, the album is a natural continuation of the previous full length release, The Cult, which came out on Listenable Records in 2021. In fact, working title of the new album was The Cult II. However, The Silver Key is an album with very own identity and character, and is without a doubt the most intense release that Crystal Viper ever recorded.


The new album is heavier, faster and darker, but at the same more epic and melodic than their previous works. In the past the band was very often balancing between power metal and heavy metal, but here, there’s no doubt that we are talking about pure heavy metal. The band had very unique approach to songwriting and production, which was almost like a tribute to classic Metal acts such as Iron Maiden or Judas Priest, but except that Crystal Viper decided to show their love for the metal culture, and incorporated in their songs several new elements, characteristic for other subgenres.




So don’t get fooled by the term “female-fronted” which is usually associated with softer genres: Crystal Viper, founded and led by the vocalist and bassist Marta Gabriel (who for the last few years played rhythm guitar for the band), is simply as that METAL, and very serious about it.


The Silver Key was produced and mastered by the heavy metal veteran Bart Gabriel, and was recorded and mixed by Rafal Kossakowski. Its cover artwork was painted by respected Guatemalan artist Mario Lopez, who was also responsible for the cover artwork of the previous album, The Cult.


Like before, CD and vinyl version of the album will include different bonus tracks. "I guess everyone expected us to record another classic heavy metal cover songs, but we have decided to do something unusual this time, and we recorded Bathory and Misfits covers," says Marta Gabriel. "Both bands had huge influence on me, Quorthon was an amazing composer, and I actually even named my horse after him! And as our new album has both this very in-your-face energy and horror vibes, we thought that the Misfits song will also be a very good choice" she adds.





The Silver Key tracklisting:


"Return To Providence"
"Fever Of The Gods"
"Old House In The Mist"
"The Key Is Lost"
"Heading Kadath"
"Book Of The Dead"
"The Silver Key"
"Wayfaring Dreamer"
"Escape From Yaddith"
"Cosmic Forces Overtake"
"Gods Of Thunder Of Wind And Of Rain" - CD bonus track
"Scream!" - LP bonus track


The album will be promoted on a European headlining tour, on which Crystal Viper will be joined by the US heavy metal act, Savage Master.





Tour dates:


September
21 - Zabrze, Poland - CK Wiatrak *


October
4 - Wurzburg, Germany - Keep It True Festival
6 - Salzburg, Austria - Rockhouse
8 - Berlin, Germany - Lido
9 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Beta
10 - Oldenburg, Germany - MTS
11 - Hamburg, Germany - Bambi Galore
12 - Selb, Germany - Rockclub Nordbayern
13 - Ostrava, Czech Republic - Barrak
15 - Munchen, Germany - Backstage
16 - Kassel, Germany - Goldgrube
17 - Mannheim, Germany - 7er
18 - Turin, Italy - Ziggy Club
19 - Colmar, France - Le Grillen
20 - Bilzen, Belgium - South Of Heaven


* no Savage Master


More tour dates and festival appearances to be announced shortly.


Crystal Viper is:


Marta Gabriel - vocals, bass guitar, guitar, piano
Lukasz ″Andy Wave″ Halczuch - lead and rhythm guitars
Kuba Galwas - drums and percussion
Eric Juris - lead and rhythm guitars

Rock legend Billy Idol is set to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his landmark album, Rebel Yell, with a deluxe expanded edition due April 26 via Capitol/UMe.


Available for pre-order here, the reissue includes a selection of previously unreleased songs and demos, the Poolside remix of Idols smash hit "Eyes Without A Face", and the never-before-heard Billy Idol/Steve Stevens original "Best Way Out Of Here" from the original sessions.


Idols never-before-released cover of the Rose Royce single "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" from the albums original recording sessions is available to download/stream now, and you can find a visualizer for the track below.




Originally released in November 1983, Rebel Yell is the twice-platinum follow-up to Idols self-titled debut. The album features the iconic singles "Eyes Without A Face", "Flesh For Fantasy", "Rebel Yell", and "Catch My Fall". The reissue is available in 2xLP, 2xCD, and digital formats. See below for complete tracklistings.


Idol recently released the concert film Billy Idol: State Line, a Vertigo Live concert film documenting his April 2023 show at the famed Hoover Dam the first-ever concert performed at the location on DVD and Blu-ray following a successful limited theatrical run. The film highlights the history and significance of Hoover Dam and includes performances from two unique sets of Billy Idols iconic hits: a full band concert at sunset with special guests that electrified and illuminated the surrounding Black Canyon, and an acoustic duo set on the roof of the powerhouse at the foot of Hoover Dam straddling the Colorado River, directly on the Nevada/Arizona state line. For both sets, Idol is joined by his longtime collaborator and guitar player Steve Stevens, as well as special guests Alison Mosshart (The Kills, The Dead Weather), Steve Jones (Sex Pistols, Generation Sex) and Tony Kanal (No Doubt).


For 46 years, Billy Idol has been one of the definitive faces and voices of rocknroll. Between 1977 and 1981, Idol released three albums with Generation X as their camera-ready frontman. In 1982, he embarked on a transatlantic/trans-genre solo career that integrated the bold and simple lines of punk and rock 'n' roll decadence. Touring consistently around the world for the last ten years and showing no signs of slowing down, Idol released both The Roadside EP in 2021 and The Cage EP in 2022 on Dark Horse Records, earning praise from fans and critics alike. In January, Idol cemented his name among Hollywood legends with the first Walk of Fame Star of 2023.


Rebel Yell (Expanded Edition) tracklistings:





2xLP:


Disc 1, Side A
"Rebel Yell"
"Daytime Drama"
"Eyes Without A Face"
"Blue Highway"


Disc 1, Side B
"Flesh For Fantasy"
"Catch My Fall"
"Crank Call"
"(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows"
"The Dead Next Door"


Disc 2, Side A
"Best Way Out Of Here"
"Love Don't Live Here Anymore"
"Daytime Drama" (Demo)
"Flesh For Fantasy" (Demo)


Disc 2, Side B
"Catch My Fall" (Early Version)
"Crank Call" (Demo)
"(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows" (Demo)
"Eyes Without A Face" (Poolside remix)





2xCD/Digital Album:


Disc 1
"Rebel Yell"
"Daytime Drama"
"Eyes Without A Face"
"Blue Highway"
"Flesh For Fantasy"
"Catch My Fall"
"Crank Call"
"(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows"
"The Dead Next Door"


Disc 2
"Best Way Out Of Here"
"Love Don't Live Here Anymore"
"Daytime Drama" (Demo)
"Flesh For Fantasy" (Demo)
"Catch My Fall" (Early Version)
"Crank Call" (Demo)
"(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows" (Demo)
"Rebel Yell" (Session Take)
"Blue Highway" (Original Demo)
"Flesh For Fantasy" (Session Take)
"Catch My Fall" (Original Demo)
"Motorbikin" (Session Take)
"Eyes Without A Face" (Poolside remix)


"Love Don't Live Here Anymore" visualizer:

During an appearance on the March 11 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer was asked if he has commenced work on material for the follow-up to his sophomore solo album, "Rise", which was released in September 2019 via Cleopatra Records. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, at some point there'll be [a new album]. Inspiration hits at the oddest times. When the first solo record [2013's 'The Way Life Goes'] was released, we were so focused on touring that I just thought, 'Man, I'm never gonna write another song again. The inspiration's not coming, and I don't know when we're ever gonna get another record done.' And then, for some strange reason, when we got off the road in 2018. we just ended up in the studio and all these songs just fell out and we had 'Rise' in about six months' time, between the writing and the recording and mixing and all. So I feel that coming again."

He continued: "I think that we all want to make another record, and there's definitely some ideas for some songs starting to drift into the antenna. That's how it always starts for me, is you get ideas for songs and you sing them into a voice memo or you jot down a line. I don't usually finish them when they come to me that way; I just kind of store these ideas, and then at some point you've got a pile of them, you go, 'Let's go make a record.' And then you finish out the songs and you record them. So, yeah, that process is going on all the time, of just collecting the ideas. You get an inspiration driving down the road, and you pull out the voice and then when you sing a chorus line into something and then don't come back to it for who knows how long, but usually you come back to when you have a pile of those. And then you finish them out."

Keifer went on to say that he usually blocks everything else out and just focuses on finishing the songs when it's time to make an album. "Yeah, that's kind of when it gets serious," he explained. "And that comes when you feel like you've got a bunch of ideas, because you don't wanna go with the first 10 ideas you have. So then you feel, like 'Whoa, this is really starting to pile up.' Okay, then you go through and you pick, like, what are the best ideas here? And with the solo stuff, I write most of it with [my wife] Savannah, and she writes the same way, and she stockpiles ideas, and we just get to a point where we, like on 'Rise', we just started kicking ideas back and forth at each other, and then, before we knew it, they were finished. But, yeah, that's the point where you've got to block the rest of the world out. And that's what happened when we got off tour in 2018 and I had a ton of ideas and Savannah had some ideas and we kind of were going through 'em. And boom, it's, like, we just started finishing 'em. It was, like, 'Man, that's a great idea. Let's finish that one.' And then next thing I know, I'm up in the studio with the band and we're tracking them. And that record went really fast, compared to the first one, which was the better part of 10 years putting that one together, and it was recorded with session musicians and stuff. And there were a lot of obstacles that came into play with that record, but we eventually got it done and sounding the way we wanted it. And then, very pleasant surprise when we made 'Rise', it was the opposite experience. I mean, it was, like, no obstacles. It was, like, 'All right, we're making a record. Block the world out.' Boom, all of a sudden it's done. Every record's different."

Tom's #KEIFERBAND is rounded out by Savannah Keifer, Tony Higbee, Billy Mercer, Kendra Chantelle, Jarred Pope and Kory Myers.

Last year, Keifer told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he hadn't "recorded anything" new since "Rise". "Some song ideas are starting to bubble," he said.

"The pandemic kind of threw a wrench in everything, obviously," he explained. "We were in the middle of working 'Rise'; we were on the second single, 'Hype', and were about to go out on that 'Big Rock Summer Tour' [with RATT, SKID ROW and SLAUGHTER]. And 'Hype' was kind of moving up the charts, and then everything got shut down. All the creative juices, all the energy during that couple of years just kind of… I know some people got creative; some people didn't. I didn't. [Laughs] So, it's starting to come back now. I think getting back out on the road last year kind of ignited that spark again. But, yeah, we definitely wanna do a follow-up to it.

"I would say records come in their time; I don't like to rush them," Keifer added. "But, yeah, there will for sure be a follow-up. And that antenna is starting to go up and song ideas are starting to kind of come in. Yeah, it's coming."

According to Tom, the pandemic-related break from touring came just at the right time. "I kind of needed it," he said. "We toured so much with this band leading right up to the last tour, right before the pandemic. We were actually out early that year, in 2020, 'cause the 'Rise' tour was still kind of continuing; we were still working the record. So it was 10 years straight for me — or not quite 10 years at that point. But there were three CINDERELLA tours prior to that. So I'd been on the road, like, 12 years straight. So I was crispy by the time that pandemic hit. None of us wanted that forced on us, obviously, but I guess it forced me to take a break, which I probably needed."

Although CINDERELLA hasn't released a new studio album since 1994's "Still Climbing", the band started playing sporadic shows again in 2010 but has been largely inactive for the last few years while Keifer focused on his solo career.

In March 2022, Keifer said that he was "not prepared" for the 2021 passing of CINDERELLA guitarist Jeff LaBar. Jeff was found dead by his wife in July 2021 inside his apartment in Nashville. He was 58 years old.

The Treatment, the quintessential rock band from the heart of Cambridge, UK, proudly unveils their sixth studio album, Wake Up The Neighbourhood. Set to release on May 10, this album marks a new pinnacle in the band's illustrious career.


The band’s new single and video, "Let’s Wake Up This Town", is out today, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the electrifying energy and unapologetic rock 'n roll spirit that defines the album.


"We wanted to create an album that pays homage to the golden era of rock 'n roll while infusing our own modern twist," says the band. "With 'Wake Up The Neighbourhood', we've pushed ourselves to new heights and crafted an album that we're truly proud of."




Watch the video below, and pre-order Wake Up The Neighbourhood here.


Since their inception in 2008, The Treatment has consistently delivered high-octane performances and infectious songwriting that sets them apart from the rest. Wake Up The Neighbourhood stands as a testament to their evolution as musicians and showcases their relentless drive and passion for rock music.


With influences ranging from the timeless melodies of Def Leppard to the raw energy of AC/DC and Thin Lizzy, Wake Up The Neighbourhood is a masterclass in classic rock revivalism. From blistering rock anthems to soul-stirring ballads, the album offers a diverse range of styles that will captivate audiences worldwide.





Tracklisting:


"Let’s Wake Up This Town"
"Back To The 1970's"
"When Thunder And Lightning Strikes"
"This Fire Still Burns"
"Man On The Highwire"
"I Can't Wait No Longer"
"Don't Make No Difference"
"Fire Me Up"
"Free Yourself"
"Kick You Around"
"I've Got My Mind Made Up"


"Let’s Wake Up This Town" video:





Lineup:


Vocals - Tom Rampton
Drums - Dhani Mansworth
Guitar - Tagore Grey
Guitar - Tao Grey
Bass - Andy Milburn

It’s been four years since American thrash metal band EvilDead unleashed their comeback album, United States Of Anarchy, much to the delight of their fans and the media. In those four years, the world has changed in many respects, while EvilDead - solid as a rock - has held on to their typical strengths and continuing to evolve their dynamic style in a controlled yet targeted manner.


The result is entitled Toxic Grace and will be available via Steamhammer/SPV as of May 24 on CD, LP, and for digital download. To ease their fans’ wait for the album’s arrival, two singles "Raising Fresh Hell" (see below) and "Subjugated Souls", along with lyric videos, will be released beforehand. Both tracks are heavy metal statements by a band with a wealth of experience who have never lost the zest and energy of their early years.


The new cover artwork for Toxic Grace was created by Dan Goldsworthy (Haken, Accept, Corpsegrinder, Alestrom).




Vocalist Phil Flores describes Toxic Grace as, "an album featuring a wide range of different styles and sounds, from doom to melodic metal, from traditional heavy metal to our characteristic old-school thrash style.”


Guitarist Juan Garcia (Body Count) adds: “We took our time with the new songs, really focusing on the arrangements, tempos, and how the riffs flowed together. There’s plenty of hyper moments; one of my favorite tracks is ‘Reverie.’ We wanted the new songs to be powerful, and not just fast for the sake of speed. I’m proud of everyone’s contribution; there’s lots of bangers on this album.”


Bassist Karlos Medina adds: “The songs came in with the guitars as a focus, giving me the room to record bass lines with a rhythmic-minded groove. Our recent 2023 summer European tour helped bring some of the live show vibe to inspire a musical union for your metal thrash ears. Enjoy!”


Drummer Rob Alaniz adds: "EvilDead has finally come full circle. Each of our influences is firmly laid out; from death to other extreme forms and of course requisite thrash, it's all on this new record. Very excited for this new release. We still have lots of gas in the tank!"


Toxic Grace will be available in the following formats:


- CD digipak
- LP
- Download and Stream


Pre-order Toxic Grace here.





Tracklisting:


"F.A.F.O." *
"Reverie" *
"Raising Fresh Hell" *
"Stupid On Parade" **
"Subjugated Souls" **
"Bathe In Fire" **
"Poetic Omen" *
"World ov Rats" *
"Fear Porn" *
"The Death & Resurrection Show 2024" ** (bonus track for vinyl and digital)


* Produced & mixed by: Dave Casey at Phase 66
** Produced & mixed by Rob Hill at X Music Studios
Mastered by: Dave Roman at 4130 Mastering


"Raising Fresh Hell" lyric video:





"Bathe In Fire":





EvilDead are:


Phil Flores - Lead Vocals
Albert Gonzales - Lead/Rhythm Guitars
Juan Garcia - Rhythm/Lead Guitars
Rob Alaniz - Drums
Karlos Medina - Bass

May 17 will see the release of Lucassen & Soeterboek's Plan Nine album, The Long-Lost Songs, via Music Theories Recordings / Mascot Label Group.


Arjen Lucassen has issued the following update: "Howdy y’all! I’m proud to present you the second Plan Nine videoclip and single, 'Ice On Fire'. It was very hard to pick a second single, because we love them all! And they are all so different from each other. So we had the label pick this one. As you can hear his track is quite different from the first bluesy song 'Before The Morning Comes'. I think you’ll agree that this track sounds quite 80’s. Which is no surprise…  because we wrote it about 35 years ago! The clip is illustrated by Elan Lopez and edited by Dionne Mokkenstorm at Mascot Label Group. We hope you will enjoy all the silliness, have a real good time and let us know what you think!"







It was the early nineties, and musical polymath Arjen Lucassen had begun working on several projects: a solo album, a progressive-rock opera and a rock album. Around this time, he watched singer Robert Soeterboek perform live with Bodine, his former early-eighties heavy metal band. "His vocals truly impressed me, a rarity!" Lucassen recalls. "He had the charisma and power of singers like David Coverdale and Robert Plant. Discovering that we really got along personally, we decided to collaborate on some songs, just for fun."


"We started writing songs together and found a natural flow, leading to a wealth of ideas," remembers Soeterboek. "Our friendship grew as we spent more time together, and I remember that there were lots of shenanigans and laughter."


Fast forward to 2022, and they revisited those recordings. The album encapsulates a glorious treasure trove of 11 original songs with a loving 70s and 80s nod. It's a blistering romp through the good time rolling rocker of "Let It Ride", the Beatles-esque "Doctor Robert's Medicine Show," the bluesy groove of "Annie Moore," the chugging glam stomp of "High-Speed Chase" to the 80s metal of "Ice On Fire”, whilst "The Preacher" would fit on a number of Arjen's back catalogue records. The bonus disc features all the demos and some more newly recorded tracks.


The Long-Lost Songs are lost no more. Plan Nine is reborn, giving the long-lost songs a second life!


Pre-order the album here.





Tracklisting:


Disc 1:
"Doctor Robert's Medicine Show"
"The Preacher"
"Annie Moore"
"Get Down To Bizniz"
"Before The Morning Comes"
"High Speed Chase"
"Let It Ride"
"Ice On Fire"
"Long Cold Night"
"Drunker Than Whiskey"
"Die With Your Shades On"


Disc 2:
"Stand Tall
"Gimme The Nighttime"
"Annie Moore" - Demo
"Get Down To Bizniz" - Demo
"High Speed Chase" - Demo
"Gimme The Nighttime" - Demo
"Magic Moments" - Demo
"Let It Ride" - Home Demo
"My Baby Loves Me" - Home Demo
"Stand Tall" - Home Demo
"Night On Fire" - Home Demo
"Life Goes On" - Home Demo
"Doctor Robert's Medicine Show" - Instrumental Demo
"Get Down To Bizniz" - Home Demo
"Magic Moments" - Home Demo
"Drunker Than Whiskey" - Instrumental Demo
"Long Cold Night" - Instrumental Demo
"Die With Your Shades On" - Instrumental Demo 1
"Die With Your Shades On" - Instrumental Demo 2
"Unnamed 1" - Instrumental Demo
"Unnamed 2" - Instrumental Demo


"Before The Morning Comes" video:

Norwegian black metal veterans DARKTHRONE will release a new album, "It Beckons Us All", on April 26 via Peaceville Records.

Pioneers of a sound that changed the world. Lifelong disciples of suspense and mystery. An enigmatic duo like no other, hell-bent on haunting souls through the eternities. There are many things DARKTHRONE have been called since forming in 1986 and these are but a few, having drawn from a creative well so potent and powerful it turned them into one of Norway's biggest musical exports. Following from their debut album "Soulside Journey", the next three full-lengths, often referred to as "the unholy three", set the benchmark for black metal in the early '90s, though in truth they've never been the kind to rest on such laurels — distilling elements of vintage punk, doom, thrash and death into their own sonic fingerprint and continuing to test that equation throughout the years. It's been quite the journey, having won cryptic pair Nocturno and Fenriz legions of loyal fans around the world. This tradition will only continue with latest masterpiece "It Beckons Us All".

The new music is an intense observation of the world around them — exciting and challenging the listener in equal measure, in the way only they can. Some of the riffs howl across a gallery of ice and snow while others crackle like a volcano awakening from its timeless slumber, Nocturno's demonic barks ricocheting across the intoxicating structures almost like it's beaming from long-distant galaxy. As DARKTHRONE have shown us so many times in the past, their music is as visual as it gets — evoking tangible imagery through the medium of sound. Whether the ideas are somber, reflective or incensed, they exist as emotional concepts you can see and feel as much as you hear.

"I am having difficulties putting into words my personal feelings around the existential title 'It Beckons Us All'. I can only hope others out there can feel the darkness that encompasses it," muses Fenriz.

Never afraid to venture beyond the confines of the extreme metal template they were paramount in creating, there are moments on "It Beckons Us All" that will dazzle and surprise, as well as satisfy fans of old. Nocturno comments: "We recorded in the manner we always do, live, meaning drums and guitar, with another guitar added later. We found a new twist during this process that surely benefited this album. Fenriz did stellar clean vocals on several songs, and his way of thinking creatively made it so good. We also shared the bass work this time around. We added a lot of extra layers like solo guitars… it was just a cauldron of ideas. Instead of finding a plug-in or choir synth patch, we both recorded four vocal tracks each. DARKTHRONE is an ever-evolving band, as many should know by now, and this album is touching a bit into the heavy genre. I have no idea what genre we are, and have really not cared much about it, but I know for sure it's metal."

In that sense, "It Beckons Us All" is very much demonstrative of two visionaries at their world-commanding best. They know what works but more importantly they choose to grow, throwing every ounce of their hearts and souls into evolving the jaw-dropping whirlpool of noise that could only ever have come from their collective minds. There are clean guitars, clean vocals and less typical instruments thrown into the mix, but the approach, intent and ethos at the heart of their fearless artistry remains very much the same. This is music for dreamers who find themselves paralyzed by the contrasting beauty and ugliness in the world surrounding them. Never ones to appease the faint-hearted, DARKTHRONE are as real and human as it gets.

"It Beckons Us All" was recorded in April and May 2023 at Chaka Khan Studios in Oslo, the same location used for the "Eternal Hails" and "Astral Fortress" albums, mastered by Jack Control at Enormous Door, with artwork courtesy of Polish artist Zbigniew Bielak.

"It Beckons Us All" track listing

01. Howling Primitive Colonies [06:30]
02. Eon 3 [05:43]
03. Black Dawn Affiliation [06:11]
04. And In That Moment I Knew The Answer [03:17]
05. The Bird People Of Nordland [07:27]
06. The Heavy Hand [04:18]
07. The Lone Pines Of The Lost Planet [10:03]

Nocturno Culto photo courtesy of Peer Olav Kittilsen