Ottawa’s brutal duo, Deformatory, has crafted a maniacal and unconventional approach to extreme metal that has garnered the devotion of fans worldwide ever since their debut EP, A Prelude Of…, in 2011. This year, they are releasing their third album, Inversion Of The Unseen Horizon, with a sci-fi concept that picks up where 2016’s Malediction left off. Over time, as members joined and left the band, their sound has been reworked and redefined.

Deformatory explains further: “Initially, there were so many different ideas and flavours trying to get crammed into Deformatory that it never felt locked in. It’s safe to say that the new songs, especially for this album, are the closest Deformatory have ever been to truly sounding like itself.”

When asked what fans can expect from Deformatory, they reply: “No frills. No bullshit. Just straight-up death metal. The goal is to leave people wondering what the hell just happened. A maniacal frenzy.”

The lyrics for this album are partly inspired by The Scarlet Gospels by Clive Barker’s and guitarist and vocalist Charlie Leduc’s own interpretation and expansion of the Hellraiser mythos. This is the foundation block that helped to propel the entire concept, which was uniquely crafted and independently developed.  The single and final track on the record, “Beyond The Abhorrence” starts to draw a conclusion to the predicament of an evil race of inter-dimensional light devourers find themselves in.

A sonically relentless death metal experience, Deformatory is recommended for fans of Morbid Angel, Origin, and Hate Eternal.

The music video for “Beyond The Abhorrence”, which was created by Riivata Visuals (who did the recent “Disruptor” music video for Fear Factory) can be viewed below:

Inversion Of The Unseen Horizon will be released on September 3. Pre-order on Bandcamp.

Tracklisting:

Chapter I – Inception: The Cyru’xilean Nexus
“Within The Astral Abscess”
“Behold, The Apex Of Decay”
“Engineering The Wvrmhorde”

Chapter II – Incursion: The Prototypal Eschaton
“Summoning The Cosmic Devourer”
“Masticated By An Infinite Shadow”
“In The Embervoid Where Dead Stars Reign”

Chapter III – Inversion: The Horizontal Reflection
“Deciphering The Archetype”
“Impaled Upon The Carrionspire”
“Beyond The Abhorrence”

“In The Embervoid Where Dead Stars Reign”:




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India-based metal trio MIdhaven has revealed the first single, “Primal Song", from the forthcoming Of The Lotus & The Thunderbolt concept album, scheduled for release on July 8. Watch the video for “Primal Song,” which premiered yesterday via Rolling Stone India to coincide with the Summer Solstice, below.

The three-piece Mumbai-based band fuses traditional metal with progressive and modern rock to create earth shattering, heavy music with soaring guitars, operatic vocals, guttural growls and war track ready drums, polished off by deeply fascinating lyrical concepts.

“Of The Lotus & The Thunderbolt is extremely complex and revolves around concepts of time and rebirth,” the band says. “We follow the single but universal soul on its journey to realization, with symbolisms that are deeply rooted in the collective Indian subconscious. They are curated in a manner wherein each song appears as though it’s a chapter in a book, conveying individual meanings that when heard together form a holistic understanding of the universe.”

The melancholic and anguished tracks “Codeman” and “Para Brahman” focus on the existential search for “the reason why,” while the screams and cries of the past echo through “Primal Song” with its rage-induced lyrics and grimy vocals, conjuring images of man’s animalistic need to maraud and destroy. “Zhitro” and “Mahakaal” are the heavyweights of the album, ushering in Indian elements of dark, experimental sounds that are at once groundbreaking and heavy. Riddled with references to the ancient past, “Mahakaal” is the running theme of the album - consuming the world we exist in.- and an homage to Shiva, the Hindu god known as the Destroyer.

Of The Lotus & The Thunderbolt’s artwork, brought to life by prolific indie artist Gaurav Basu (aka Acid Toad), reflects the theme of the album, presenting a gorgeous visual representation of the album’s concept. The record was mixed and mastered by ARIA nominated and internationally renowned Australian producer Forrester Savell (Animals As Leaders, Make Them Suffer, Karnivool), who adds a touch of polish and refinement while not straying far from the raw, analog recording process.

Of The Lotus & The Thunderbolt tracklisting:

"Para Brahman"
"Primal Song "
"Codeman"
"The Immanent Effervesence Of Sorrow"
"Zhitro"
"Mahakaal"
"Bhairav"

"Primal Song" video:

Formed in 2012, MIdhaven grew quickly with the launch of their first release, the 2013 EP Tales From The Tide. The trio soon became one of the first major signings of an Indian metal band to a worldwide record label, Universal Music Group (UMG), which release MIdhaven’s debut full-length, Spellbound, in 2014. Like Of The Lotus & The Thunderbolt, Spellbound was also a concept album and featured re-recorded tracks from Tales From The Tide. MIdhaven has been nominated for the VH1 Sound Nation awards in the category of Best Metal Act, performed live on VH1’s Indian Music Diaries, and was nominated for Radio City’s Best Metal Live Act in 2015.

Lineup:

Aditya Mohanan – Guitars/Vocals
Aviraj Kumar - Drums
Karan Kaul - Vocals/Guitars
Jason D’Souza – Bass (live)

(Photo - K.U. Mohanan)




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Society 1 founder and lead vocalist Matt Zane is in the process of filming and editing a documentary about recently deceased former bassist DV Karloff entitled The Altered Noise. The short film, which will be comprised of archived footage from the band’s history as well as new interviews with band members and friends, will focus on Karloff's 15 years in Hollywood.

"His life really was interesting, regardless if you're a fan or not. He was this young guy from the corn fields of Indiana that came out to Hollywood and within eight months he's touring the world and that was just the beginning of the story," said Zane

The movie follows Karloff through various phases of his career, which spanned between his two main bands, Society 1 and Sin Quirin's 3 Headed Snake. It also touches upon his incredibly successful profession as a tattoo artist that saw him inking up celebrities such as Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, and Steve-O.

"Probably the most interesting thing about the film is that a subplot emerged about the band KISS. DV absolutely loved KISS, and as I pieced together all the different portions of his life, KISS was there from the beginning to the end in one interesting way or another."

The film will debut at Karloff's Hollywood tribute memorial and then be made available to view on-line the next day. The date of the premiere showing has yet to be announced, but is expected to be within the next two months.

Zane closes his thoughts about the project saying, "The craziest thing about all this is that DV always told me he wasn't going to make it past 50 years old. We used to talk about the film I was in charge of making about his life after he left, because I had the most footage of him. We would always joke about it. The last time we discussed it he said...it's going to be FUCKING cool!"

Follow @lordzane on Instagram for updates and information regarding a release date.




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Wett Cherry and former Steel Mountain Crossing guitarist, Dennis DiNunzio, have released their new EP, out now via Dragon City Demo. Listen below, and get your copy of the EP here.

Says the band: "We are incredibly excited to announce the release of a brand new Wett Cherry EP. The EP includes 3 classic AC/DC songs."

Tracklisting:

"Whole Lotta Rosie"
"Down Payment Blues"
"Ride On"

Whole Lotta Rosie Down Payment Blues Plus 1 by Dragon City Demo




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In a new interview with "The Garza Podcast", hosted by SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Chris Garza, SEPULTURA guitarist Derrick Green was asked where he sees the music industry going in the future. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's a good question. I can't really predict the future. I just hope that artists are gonna be able to really control of the situation of where this money is going for digital plays — just to figure out; more unified and getting more money for the artists from Spotify and things like that. It's just completely unfair that these outlets are there where they're just a monopoly on that — where they're making the money and the artist is getting virtually nothing from them. Millions of plays and things like that. And the labels are getting money from them too. These deals, I just hope that the future is better for artists, that in the future we have more control of that and are unified in a way where we can go after the money that we deserve from digital plays.

"I'd love to see the technology improve for sound, especially headphones and things like that, for the consumer — get off of the MP3-type sounds, compressed and everything," he continued. "As an artist, it drives me crazy, hearing [the finished product and going], 'This doesn't sound like the studio at all.' Or just hearing certain sounds compressed, and I just hope the technology gets better for that, which it will.

"Like I said, I think it's important that the artists are respected more in the game as far as the business end and get what they deserve, because it's really bad at the moment. It's always been really bad for the artists for some horrible reason. With publishing, it took a while for people to be aware, 'Wait a minute. They own this song?' People are still learning. It's just, like, 'Damn. We got fucked.' So I would love to see a unity with artists where it's, like, 'Wait a minute. We should all get together and use our power in order to gain what we deserve.' I just don't know what that plan would be.

"And also maybe health insurance for artists and musicians — a special thing," Derrick added. "A union for musicians where it's, like, 'Hey, I'll pay this due if we're covered.' Every musician that we know would have their own artist health insurance. It would be great. Things like that I think would be great. And also for artists for their future — retirement. Something to be organized, to be a part of that, and to put their tour money towards that. Like, 'Hey, I pay this each month and I'm gonna be taken care of when I'm older, after playing so many, many, many years.' I think those things can be put together. I don't see why not. There's bands and artists out there that suffer from, you know, if you get hurt, you're screwed. Hospital bills are crazy and things like that. Then you hear about these musicians, 'Why is that guy living in a shack and he did so much incredible music? How does that happen?' I'd love to see artists take care of each other more."

Last year, SEPULTURA launched "SepulQuarta", a weekly event where the band gave insight into its colorful history, took part in question-and-answer sessions with fans and performed music while in quarantine. Some of the musical collaborations, including those with members of MEGADETH, TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, TRIVIUM and SACRED REICH, will be released as a full-length album, also titled "SepulQuarta", on August 13.

KORN bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu will sit out the band's upcoming tour in order to "heal" after "falling back" on some of his "bad habits."

Fieldy broke the news of his absence from the trek in a social media post earlier today. He wrote: "To all KORN fans worldwide. The past 6 years I've been dealing with some personal issues that at times have caused me to fall back on some of my bad habits and has caused some tension with the people around me. It's been suggested to me to take some time off to heal. I'm going to respect what was asked of me and take that time. Unfortunately you will not see me on stage with my band. I will be working towards getting the bad habits out of my system. In the meantime I will be staying creative to keep my mind & soul in a good place.

"I'm thankful for all of your support, patience & understanding as we all have something that we deal with.

"Jonathan, Munky, Ray and Head, I love you and I don't want to bring any tension or bad vibes to the circle."

Last month, KORN announced a U.S. summer tour featuring special guests STAIND on all dates. Produced by Live Nation, the coast-to-coast 28-city outing will kick off August 5 in West Palm Beach, Florida and make stops in Long Island, Detroit, Irvine, Phoenix, Austin and more, before wrapping up with a performance at Dallas' Dos Equis Pavilion on September 21. Furthermore, both bands will perform at Louisville, Kentucky's Louder Than Life festival on September 23.

Back in 2017, METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo's then-12-year-old son Tye Trujillo filled in on bass for KORN's South American tour after Fieldy was unable to make the shows due to "unforeseen circumstances."

Fieldy's 2009 memoir, "Got The Life: My Journey Of Addiction, Faith, Recovery And Korn", detailed his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction during KORN's early years and how he became a born-again Christian to help get his life together and get sober.

Fieldy's STILLWELL side project released its third album, "Supernatural Miracle", last September.

KORN's latest LP, "The Nothing", arrived in September 2019 via Roadrunner/Elektra. The follow-up to 2016's "The Serenity Of Suffering" was once again produced by Nick Raskulinecz.


To all Korn fans worldwide.

The past 6 years I’ve been dealing with some personal issues that at times have caused me to...

Posted by Fieldy on Monday, June 21, 2021

Former AC/DC drummer Chris Slade has once again praised Axl Rose's performance with the band, saying that the GUNS N' ROSES singer "was tremendous from the start."

AC/DC postponed the last ten dates of its North American tour more than five years ago after doctors told singer Brian Johnson he faced a total loss of hearing if he did not stop touring immediately. AC/DC completed the tour in the summer of 2016, with Rose as a "guest vocalist."

Slade, who played drums for AC/DC's "Rock Or Bust" world tour after Phil Rudd was arrested for drug possession and threatening to kill an employee, spoke to Andrew DiCecco of Vinyl Writer Music about how Axl ended up fronting AC/DC. He said: "Yeah. Well, for me, it was quite a long time. Me and my Mrs. had to spend a lot of time in Miami, Florida. Towards that break, which ended in Florida, Brian was really unhappy with what he was doing. And I could hear him perfectly; I was using in-ears and I could hear the band, and him, perfectly. To me, it didn't sound as bad as he thought it was. I kept saying to him, 'Brian, you're doing fine.' But he didn't like it. I don't know the circumstances, but all I knew is that Tim, the tour manager, said, 'Brian's not here anymore. We just gotta hang around.' I went, 'Oh, okay.' It took some time; maybe a month or more. Then we went to Atlanta, Georgia and there was some auditions. I said to [the drum tech] Dick Jones, 'What's tomorrow? Is it a day off?' He said, 'No. It's Axl Rose tomorrow.' I went, 'What!?' I couldn't believe it; I heard all the stories about Axl. The next day, there he is. I shook his hand and thought, 'This guy's not bad at all,' and he was telling jokes. And then he sang and I didn't know he had that voice. I really had no idea he could sing like that. It was tremendous from the start. Within the next day, he was in the band."

Asked if Axl meshed with the band rather seamlessly, Chris said: "In my opinion, yes. People may disagree with me, but again, I could hear him perfectly, too. Some of those notes he hit were unbelievable. He used to warm up for two hours every day. And I know he did because we were either on the same floor or very close. You could hear him on his piano, doing the scales and everything. And as I say, he was quite a funny guy. I know it's not the opinion that a lot of people have of it, but that's my experience of Axl.

"I know in the past he's had his problems, but the guy that I met was a really nice guy, really talented on the case," he added. "He was never late, ever. That's what I was afraid of, more than anything, because AC/DC is never late, not even to the second. If it's an 8:30 show, it's an 8:30 show. On that tour, by the way, there was one night where there was a glitch. I don't know what it was, exactly — a guitar wasn't working properly — and we were about a half an hour late going on. I found out afterward that was the only time that AC/DC were ever late for a show. They're pretty conscientious like that; everything has to be spot-on."

Slade followed Simon Wright in AC/DC's lineup, joining in time to play on 1990's "The Razor's Edge" album. When Rudd returned in 1995, Slade was shown the door and harbored some bad feelings about that for a while. Although he's 74, he still hits the drums as hard as ever.

Slade has been busy touring with his band THE CHRIS SLADE TIMELINE, which finds him performing selections across his five-decade career.

RESIST & BITE, the new band featuring former TESLA guitarist Tommy Skeoch, has released the official music video for its second single, "Fate". Joining him in the group are ex-LYNCH MOB lead vocalist Nathan Utz, guitarist Steve Stokes, drummer David Parks and bassist Brian Powell.

RESIST & BITE is currently mixing its debut album, which was recorded over a 21-period at Sound Stage Studios in Nashville, Tennessee with producer and engineer Michael Rosen.

RESIST & BITE's debut single, "The Myth I'm Livin'", came out in March 2020.

Skeoch left TESLA in 2006 and went on to receive treatment for substance-abuse issues. He has since been replaced by Dave Rude. Asked in an interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" if he exited the group of his own accord or if he was asked to leave, Tommy said: "I was fired. I was getting fucked up and I was definitely in the wrong about a lot of stuff, and they put up with it for a long time. But at the same time, none of us were angels, and we put up with a lot of stuff from the other guys for a long time too, and they're still there. So I felt like a little scapegoated by the thing. And the other thing is they didn't want people — I guess for the benefit of my family, so it wouldn't look bad — they said, 'Tommy's just gonna spend time [with his family].' That's why nobody knows, and that's why you're asking this question. Everyone's confused on even what happened. Basically, I was fired. I was getting fucked up, and I kept fucking up, and I kept telling 'em I wouldn't, and I just couldn't stop."

Skeoch added that he accepts responsibility for the circumstances that led to his departure from TESLA. "I do, of course," he said. "But I also believe we put up with a lot of shit for a long time from almost every other guy in the band, and they're still there. So I don't know what's up with that; that's a little weird to me."

Last September, TESLA guitarist Frank Hannon was asked by Detroit's WRIF radio station if the band will ever work with Skeoch again. Hannon said: "When we were kids, Tommy Skeoch and myself, I was 16 and he was about 19 or 20. I used to really look up to him — I was a huge fan of his style, and still am, a great fan of his guitar playing. We were like best buds. And then we would collaborate and write songs like 'Modern Day Cowboy' or any of those TESLA songs, we'd write 'em together. But as time went on, man, the egos and the problems — myself included — throughout the years, the competition, it really drove a wedge between us. And the drugs and alcohol just really destroyed our relationship, I've just gotta be honest. We weren't supposed to talk about this stuff, but now I figure it's been long enough.

"I don't see that TESLA will ever go back, because we love Dave Rude, and Dave has really been a great addition to the band. And it would be disrespectful to him to go backwards to a toxic thing, a relationship that really got very toxic.

"Unfortunately, I don't think that TESLA will work with Tommy again — ever," Frank reiterated. "But I will say that myself, personally, I have always loved Tommy and I just wish him the best. I'm so glad that he's still alive, and I know he's got a new band out [RESIST & BITE] that put a song out called 'The Myth I'm Livin''. It was kick-ass; it had Tommy's guitar. Look, I'm getting goosebumps right now. Every time I hear Tommy Skeoch play, it brings a smile to my face, 'cause he's freakin' awesome. As a musician, I have nothing but love and respect for the guy. But I don't think TESLA will ever work with him again. But I do wish him the best."

In a 2011 interview with Noisecreep, TESLA singer Jeff Keith stated about Skeoch: "Look, everyone in TESLA has been through their own substance-abuse issues. But Tommy got in too deep again. So the band told him that the only way we would be able to make this work is if he was clean and sober. I felt like we couldn't ask him to do that if we weren't going to commit to it too. So I was the first one to say that I wouldn't drink, or do anything else, on the tour. The next thing you know, the other guys did the same thing. Troy [Luccketta, drums] has been clean and sober for over 20 years, so it wasn't even an issue for him... Tommy couldn't stay off the stuff he was doing. It broke my heart to see it, but we knew we had to replace him."

The New Black guitarist / Who Brought The Dog frontman Fabian "Fabs" Schwarz has launched a new thrash project dubbed Monoskull. He has checked in with a teaser accompanied by the following message:

"It was about time to make some serious noise again, so here is my new project, Monoskull; a simple thrash three piece without any fancy bullshit. Just riffs and fun played with my buddies Sven and Philipp!"

Check out a teaser below. Go to the official Monoskull Facebook page here.

Fabs kept himself busy during lockdown with more musical experimentation. He recently released a full album of '80s-inspired synth wave tunes under the moniker SixMixSix. Prior to the album release, Schwarz unleashed a lyric video for the non-album track "Third Eye" featuring vocalist Alen Ljubic.

Following is Schwarz's announcement for the SixMixSix debut:

"It is finally here! Grab your headphones, choose a platform and have a nice 40 minute trip. I would recommend Bandcamp because of the best available quality out there. If you want to support this project, tell it to your synthwave friends and share the album. Peace out."

Check it out via the player below. The album is also available via Soundcloud and Spotify.

SIXMIXSIX by SIXMIXSIX

Tracklist:

"The Howler"
"Antarktos"
"Evening Star"
"Continuity"
"Star Winds"
"Azathoth"
"Night Gaunts"
"Nyarlathotep"
"The Gardens Of Yin"

The New Black is a hard rock band hailing from Würzburg, Germany, launched in 2007 by Schwarz and guitarist Christof Leim. They have released four albums to date via AFM Records: The New Black (2009), II: Better in Black (2011), III: Cut Loose (2013) and A Monster’s Life (2016).




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The Indian old school metal institution Kryptos returns with the sixth studio album, Force Of Danger, out October 1 via AFM Records. A video for the title track is streaming below. Preorder at the AFM webshop.

Kryptos stay true to their roots in old school metal: It's old school or no school. Prepare for termination because this metal juggernaut is coming in for the kill.

Tracklisting:

“Raging Steel”
“Hot Wired”
“Dawnbreakers”
“Thunderchild”
“Nighthawk”
“Omega Point”
“Force Of Danger”
“Shadowmancer”

“Force Of Danger” video:




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The Finnish hard rock act Brother Firetribe released their acclaimed album Feel The Burn, filled with charming vibes from the ‘80s, last September. After the pandemic wiped out their touring schedule, the band took on a new venture by releasing the short movie Night Drive, starring renowned Finnish actors and singer Pekka Heino. Now the group is at it again, but this time, instead of cruising with big American cars, it's time to look up in the sky, as Brother Firetribe release a phenomenal flight video to go along with their new single “Thunder Rising”.

"Living in these weirdest of times we sat down one night, lit a few candles, opened up a nice bottle of red and had a long talk about what to do. It was clear that we really had no other options than to write a song about… fighter planes. Get ready – thunder’s rising!" singer Pekka Heino jokes around.

The actual story behind the song is that it all started with a fan request: the aerobatic pilots of SKYTEXTER contacted the band, asking them about the possibility of getting a theme song to use in their performances. Brother Firetribe took the request seriously and went one step further, and ended up composing a Top Gun inspired fighter plane song called Thunder Rising. The rock song, climaxing to a marvelous guitar solo and oozing with kerosine, needed a matching music video – and the band got what they asked for.

"Filming this kind of material is very expensive, but the project was done as a collaboration: the band wrote the song and SKYTEXTER shot the footage exclusively for Brother Firetribe. We then filmed the band's parts on a runway, and the result of all this can be seen on the video. The group of SKYTEXTER are the absolute cream of the crop in acrobatic flying in the world, so this is definitely a breath-taking, stunning and a phenomenal video", the video's producer Jani Wilund says.

Brother Firetribe's summer gigs are starting up in about a month's time. The band is touring in Finland as follows:

July
24 – Lappeenranta, Finland – Rock In The City
30 – Kerava, Finland – Rock In The City

 August
7 – Joensuu, Finland – Rock In The City
13 - Jyväskylä, Finland – Rock In The City
20 – Tampere, Finland - Satamaravintola Kaisla
21 – Pori, Finland – Rock In The City
28 – Nokia, Finland – Tuhdimmat Tahdit
30 – Tampere, Finland – Yo-talo 




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Irish metal band For Ruin has released a ten track CD today titled Set In Stone. The CD will be available from today as a special limited edition from the band's Bandcamp.

Set In Stone features two brand new and previously unreleased tracks, unique to the Set In Stone physical CD release along with the eight songs that were previously released digitally as the Elapse and Relapse EPs during the past year.

The ten songs have been mastered by Marko Tervonen (The Crown) at Studio-MT, in Sweden.  Artwork for the CD comes from Ken Coleman (Morbid Angel, The Cranberries).

Tracklisting:

“Wrack & Ruin”
“Set In Stone”
“Elapse”
“Fuel To The Fire”
“The Worm Turned”
“The Measure Of A Man”
“Devout”
“Only The Dead”
“In Vain”
“Bastion”

“Set In Stone”:




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German heavy metal supergroup Hellryder released their full-length album The Devil Is A Gambler on May 28, 2021 via ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records. Order here. A lyric video for speedy and sinister "Sacrifice In Paradise" is streaming below.

Since 2017, Chris Boltendahl and Axel Ritt have been thinking about bringing a project to life which deals with the origin of metal. Usually extensively involved in their main band Grave Digger, unfortunately and due to the pandemic, 99% of all activities became canceled or postponed overnight. This unexpected time window of opportunities opened up and was finally used from Boltendahl and Ritt.

The first songs were recorded in September 2020 and Hellryder took shape; an idea led into a project and in November 2020 to a real band. With drummer Timmi Breideband (Gregorian, ex-Bonfire, ex-Freedom Call) and bass player Steven Wussow (Orden Ogan, ex-Domain, ex-Xandria), two absolute thoroughbred musicians could be won and complete the line-up into a real German metal supergroup. Hellryder stand for straightforward, metallically hard, diabolical and uncompromising traditional heavy metal.

Formats:

-Digipak CD
-Limited digipak CD & T-Shirt Bundle
-Black Vinyl (LTD. 150) incl. signed A3 poster
-Transp. Yellow Vinyl (LTD. 150) incl. autograph card
-Orange/Red Splatter Vinyl (LTD. 200) incl. autograph card
-Digital streaming/download

Tracklisting:

“Hellryder”
“Sacrifice In Paradise”
“Night Rider”
“The Devil Is A Gambler”
“Jekyll & Hyde”
“Faceless Jesus”
“Chainsaw Lilly”
“I Die For You”
“Bad Attitude”
“Passion Maker”
“Harder Faster Louder”
“I Don’t Wanna Die” (Bonus Track)

"Sacrifice In Paradise" lyric video:

"The Devil Is A Gambler" lyric video:

"Hellryder" video:




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Video of GREAT WHITE singer Mitch Malloy performing a solo acoustic cover version of the JOURNEY classic "Open Arms" can be seen below.

Mitch is perhaps best known for his brief stint with VAN HALEN after the band split with Sammy Hagar. In 1996, Malloy was invited to Eddie Van Halen's studio to try out for the group and recorded a demo of the classic "Panama" before being told by Eddie he got the gig. However, his joining VAN HALEN was reportedly overridden by then-manager Ray Danniels, who wanted Gary Cherone (EXTREME) as Hagar's replacement.

Malloy's involvement with VAN HALEN is the focus of a short documentary, "Mitch Malloy: Van Halen's Lost Boy", which was uploaded to YouTube in 2013.

Malloy joined GREAT WHITE as the replacement for Terry Ilous, who was fired from the group in July 2018.

Mitch, who relocated to Destin, Florida from Nashville, Tennessee in 2019, told Destin Life about how he landed the GREAT WHITE gig: "I had a friend who knew some guys in the band, and one day he and I were talking, and he just mentioned, 'Hey, I think GREAT WHITE could really use you. They're looking for a new singer.' It just all worked out. It's been great, and it also allows me to pursue my solo projects."

The 59-year-old's influences include AEROSMITH, CHEAP TRICK, HEART, FOGHAT and DEEP PURPLE.

Founding JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing says that it is "absolutely" not true that he retired from the music industry after his exit from the band a decade ago.

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance. He was replaced by Richie Faulkner, nearly three decades his junior.

The 69-year-old Downing, who wrote about his departure from PRIEST in his 2018 autobiography, "Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest", discussed his split with the group in a brand new interview with "The Ex-Man" podcast hosted by Doc Coyle (BAD WOLVES).

"I kind of skirted through that period in my book, really; I didn't really go into that much detail," K.K. said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

"No, I didn't retire — absolutely didn't.

"In 2010, things were coming to a boil; things were happening. I wasn't happy with the previous tour because… I love Glenn [Tipton, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist] and I respect him a lot, but he used to have too many beers before and during the concerts at the time. And I don't know what was going on. We had words about it. But musically, we weren't as footsure as I felt I wanted to be. I wasn't really happy with that. It was rock and roll. It's one of those things — it's rock and roll, or you're a band that really wants to lock it in tight. And that's what I used to get off on musically — was being really solid and locked in with those kick drums. You're either Keith Richards, and he's got a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other but you're still playing the guitar, or you're really digging deep.

"It's a long-winded thing, but Rob [Halford, vocals] was doing a lot of things with his own band — touring, doing the Ozzfest," Downing continued. "He released two studio albums the year I left — in that year, 2010. And then I was getting pressured to do an EP, and I'm going, 'We're not an EP band.' And it was the farewell tour. We were all retiring. That was the deal. I saw the press release, saying it was the end of the band and all of this. And I don't know. Maybe I just had some kind of breakdown, and I went, 'You know what? Have it. You want it? It's yours. Have it.'

"But what actually happened was a friend of mine was really encouraging me to do the [final] tour, and he was saying the right things, I guess: 'You've been there this long. It's just one more tour. You've gotta complete the journey.' And so I started to talk to Ian [Hill, JUDAS PRIEST bassist] over a period of about a week, saying, 'Ian, I think maybe I'll do it.' I'd ordered some guitar processors from Germany to do the tour; I was gonna do it. And I was talking to Ian about doing it. And I fully expected to get a message from the management saying, 'Are you gonna do it? Is it true you wanna do it?' But I never heard anything. And I didn't get the right feedback from Ian. My friend was giving me all this encouragement, but I wasn't getting the same sort of thing back from Ian. 'Cause me and Ian went to kindergarten together. We've been there every minute of this journey. But he wasn't saying the things that my friend was saying. But he would have been relaying things back to camp, back to base, but they weren't coming through. They sent a press release they were gonna release, saying, 'We're gonna release this tomorrow. Are you okay with the wording?' And I said to Ian, 'Can you e-mail me the setlist over? Let me see the setlist.' Which he did. And I phoned him back, saying, 'Ian, it looks great. I thought it would be all Glenn's choices. And [I said], 'It looks great.' But the next morning, they sent a press release saying I retired. So I sent in my second [resignation] letter [to PRIEST and the management] saying that — this is the truth — 'forget everything I said in my previous letter.' 'Cause I was trying to bail out amicably. And also knowing that those guys would have the purse strings. And I was a director of the company [that handles PRIEST's business affairs], and everything, and I knew I was gonna speak to 'em. But in the second letter, I just flipped and I told the truth why I really quit three months earlier. But they still told the fans and the world that I retired to look after my golf course. No, I didn't. I had professional managers. It had been open six years. It wasn't true. And I hated it, because I've had to carry this burden now with the fans thinking, 'K.K.'s an a-hole, because he deserted us. He did this to look after his golf course or retire.' Not true."

Downing added: "Straight away [after leaving PRIEST], I went in to produce the VIOLENT STORM album with [producer] Roy Z. I asked Roy Z to help me out on that one, because I was doing some other things as well. Straight away, I did the arranging for all of the songs, helping out. And that album turned out pretty good. And that was a band called VIOLENT STORM with Mick Cervino from BLACKMORE'S NIGHT and Yngwie Malmsteen. And then I went to do other things — mentoring younger bands. I was recording. I recorded [a version of PRIEST's] 'Beyond The Realms [Of Death]' again [for the DEVILSTAR project] with Les [Binks, former JUDAS PRIEST drummer]. And Ripper [ex-JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim Owens] was on that as well, wasn't he? So, I continued to do things all the time, but always expecting that there would be an opening. And when Glenn retired, I fully expected that that would be the opening. But they never called me. So, essentially, those guys are going out there playing my songs and stuff like that. So if they can call themselves PRIEST, I feel totally entitled to be a PRIEST also, and to be able to play my songs."

Last year, Downing announced the formation of KK'S PRIEST, in which he is joined by Owens, guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE), bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

KK'S PRIEST's debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", will be released on August 20 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records. The LP's first single, "Hellfire Thunderbolt", came out last month. The title track followed last week.

Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease seven years ago — after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier — but announced in February 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of PRIEST's latest album, "Firepower". He was replaced by "Firepower" album producer Andy Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.

Fan-filmed video footage of VIXEN's June 17 performance at The Ranch Concert Hall & Saloon in Ft. Myers, Florida can be seen below.

Earlier this month, VIXEN guitarist Brittany Denaro (a.k.a. Britt Lightning) spoke to Talking Metal about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's next studio album. "Well, it's going a little bit slower than we had anticipated," she said. "Before COVID, we had a bunch of writing sessions — in person — scheduled, where we all just get together and hang out and work on stuff.

"We all live in different states across the country, actually — from L.A. to Michigan to Florida — we're very spread out," she explained. "So it's not easy to travel. And honestly, nobody is super jazzed about sending tracks back and forth, trying to record it separately and everything like that. So we got a little bit slowed down. But we've got some great ideas. We're gonna be seeing each other in a couple of weeks, so we're really looking forward to getting back on track and just finishing the writing so we can get in the studio and bang this thing out. I'm very anxious to have it done. I know we've been talking about it for a while."

Asked about the musical direction of the new VIXEN material, Britt, who has been in the band since 2017, said: "Definitely it will be traditional VIXEN. When you hear it, I think you're gonna know it's VIXEN. We're gonna keep with the big three-part harmonies, the big, catchy choruses, cool, rocking riffs and solos and that thumpin' bass and, of course, Roxy's [Petrucci, drums] awesome sound. I think it'll be a slightly modern twist maybe — I think maybe I bring that a little bit, but I've been so influenced by VIXEN and other bands from that era that I think it's gonna stay consistent. And we want that — we don't want fans to be, like, 'What the heck is this? This isn't the band that I love.' But I think it's gonna be a good mix."

Britt's comments echo those made by VIXEN singer Lorraine Lewis, who told Metal-Net last November that the band's new material is "always going to sound like VIXEN as far as harmonies — [which is] really important to us — but really fresh. Lots of messages, lots of what our journey has been as individual women. And we're all just kind of putting our horses together, and I'm really excited. I'm just stoked to be in the studio again.

"We don't have it a hundred percent mapped out," Lorraine admitted. "Right now, we're still in writing process, we're still working on stuff — lots of lyrics and just kind of sharing them with all of us. Sharing choruses with [producer] Fred [Coury from CINDERELLA]. He says, 'Yes, this is a great chorus. Let's work on this.' So we're really, really happy and proud to be working with him. He believes in us, and he believes in me, which I really, really love. We've had a really great couple of talks in the studio and otherwise, like with Britt there, and him just saying, 'You guys have everything going for you. You have an amazing band. You're a legacy band. And you've got Lorraine doing vocals for you.' And I'm so appreciative that he believes in me and he thinks I can sing anything. When Fred tells you that you can do anything, you believe it. So I'm really excited to go into the studio and work with him. And I'm really honored that he has said some of the things that he said to me. So the sky's the limit here.'

Lewis added: "I wanna release a really powerful, amazing record. And let's get a couple of singles out there, and let's revise the VIXEN legacy and keep on rocking."

In January 2019, VIXEN recruited Lewis as its new lead singer following the departure of Janet Gardner.

Lewis had already performed with VIXEN in March 2018 in Durant, Oklahoma while Gardner was recovering from surgery.

Prior to Lewis's addition to VIXEN, Petrucci, Ross and Denaro vowed to "expand upon the VIXEN legacy while remaining true to our musical roots."

Gardner, who released her debut self-titled solo album in 2017, broke the news of her exit from the group on January 16, 2019.

Gardner, Petrucci and Ross are considered to be part of VIXEN's classic lineup, along with founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund, who died of cancer in October 2013.

Gardner contributed lead vocals to VIXEN's most commercially successful studio albums — "Vixen" (1988), "Rev It Up" (1990) and "Tangerine" (1998) — as well as the group's latest release, 2018's live album "Live Fire".

DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen went on "Side Jams With Bryan Reesman" to talk about his painting and photography work. He also addressed what his life has been like under the pandemic, including reconnecting with an old friend who became a famous golfer.

Allen is known for his charity work with people suffering from PTSD, notably military veterans, through his Raven Drum Foundation. He recently made appearances at various Wentworth Gallery locations in May and June to sell paintings, raise funds, and meet fans. Having coped with PTSD during his adult life, he understands that quarantine has been difficult for many people like him.

"Isolation is a terrible thing," said Allen. "The thing that we talk about when I'm together with wounded warriors is isolation. Use technology. You've got it all at your fingertips. Reach out to somebody that you feel is worse off than you, and then reach up to somebody that you feel is further along than you. The thing about the whole COVID thing is veterans would start to isolate again, and that's dangerous. I felt that early on in the pandemic. And then [my wife] Lauren came up with this idea of 'Big Love' benefit concerts. That really helped me because it gave me a focus, and that just kind of carried through to where I was like, just be of service and just whatever you can help do it. It doesn't cost me anything to make people feel happy or inspired. So, that's been a huge topic. Mental health awareness and suicide prevention — those two months are back to back. It should be every day. It shouldn't be just one month is dedicated to this or another month dedicated to this. The whole year should be dedicated to that because I've seen so much suffering during this time. I just opened my little way I can help. And that's one of the things that music, particularly the artwork, during COVID has really helped me with. It's kept me focused."

There have been bright spots too. Allen found himself reconnecting with an old friend during lockdown, a successful golfer named Mark Roe. "He's played some of the some of the most famous golf courses on the planet," said Allen. "He became a TV presenter, and I just spoke to him recently and remembered that he was actually the first person that introduced me to the first VAN HALEN album [back in 1978]. I was just blown away [by it]. It was incredible. Hopefully, we're gonna stay in touch. It was lovely to hear him. And he basically said to me, 'As I get older, I started to think about people that were significant in my life, and you came up.' He knew me before I was a rock star or any of that, so it meant a lot to me that he reached out."

Rick also talked about his love for photography. "Sometimes I'll go back through the archives and go back through old photographs — things that I didn't think were very, very impressive at the time," he said. "Just conjure up that moment in time where I go back and it conjures up so many other memories of what was going on in my life at that particular moment in time. So I find photography very useful. I love video, I love cinematography. But there's something really unique about still images and trying to instill some sort of movement, something that brings up an emotional response in people. And that carried through to my artwork."

Allen became the drummer for DEF LEPPARD at age 15. At the height of worldwide fame in 1984, he had a car accident that changed his life. Rick lost an arm, but turned personal tragedy into spiritual transformation and continued his musical career. While he was already a hero to millions of young people, he soon added millions of new admirers. Since then, Rick has been reaching out and giving support to others all over the globe by sharing his personal experiences and his love of drumming. Over the past 17 years, Rick has reached out to teenage cancer patients, children with special needs, at risk youth in crisis, families of domestic violence and veterans who have served in Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. He was awarded the Humanitarian Award by Maria Shriver's Best Buddies in 2002 and in 2012, was also awarded the prestigious Wounded Warrior Project's Carry It Forward Award. Rick continues his work helping wounded warriors through Project Resiliency's Warrior Resiliency Program sponsored by his charity foundation the Raven Drum Foundation.

An integral part of Rick's creative life went public in 2012. After years of personal photographic work, Allen ventured into the fine art world with a blockbuster debut collection of abstract artwork built from rhythm. Allen has become a pioneer in the new medium, utilizing drumsticks and rhythm to dictate abstract visuals on canvas.

Todd La Torre, who joined QUEENSRŸCHE in 2012 as the replacement for original vocalist Geoff Tate, spoke to BigMusicGeek.com about the fact that some fans continue to be reluctant to embrace him as a full-fledged member of the band. "I still get [resistance from some of them]," he admitted. "People are, like, 'This guy's a hack', 'He sings like a dead cat', 'He screams', 'He doesn't sing and he has no control', 'He has zero stage presence', 'Geoff is the only voice at QUEENSRŸCHE'. But you know what? There are also a lot of people that were, like, 'Damn, he hits those high notes,' 'Wow, they're not downtuning,' 'Man, I haven't heard 'Child Of Fire' in forever,' and 'They're playing 'The Warning' and all of these other deep cuts like 'Roads To Madness' in their entirety instead of just doing a medley.' A lot of people were positive about it, but as a fan, if you take the emotion out of the equation and just look at the records, you might say I was a huge QUEENSRŸCHE fan, but after 'Empire', I didn't have any interest anymore. I wasn't hearing the vocals I wanted and I wasn't hearing the cool music that I loved them to have."

He continued: "I think there were a lot of fans who jumped ship [toward the end of Geoff's tenure with QUEENSRŸCHE]. When I got into the fold, it was, like, 'Hey guys, show me all the music you've got. I'm never going to tell you anything's too heavy. We're not going to go in an adult contemporary direction, so let's get back to what QUEENSRŸCHE is known and loved for.' I was, like, 'Let me tell you what I love about this band and let me tell you why I quit listening to your band and this is what your audience loves.' With me, they no longer had any restraints placed on them, so they were sending me song ideas for new material that were totally killer. I was, like, 'Did you just make this up?' and they'd be, like, 'Oh, no. This was stored on a hard drive. I showed this to our old singer and he thought it was too heavy.' And I'm, like, 'Listen, man. Show me everything you have and I'm going to give it my all.''

He added: "I am not perfect, and as we all already know, Geoff sang brilliantly on the old records."

When the interviewer noted that "it's amazing how people react whenever an original member of their favorite group is forced to 'move on,'" Todd said: "But I think that it's worked to my advantage as well as the band's advantage. Most people are, like, 'Hey, here's a younger guy that can hit all the notes and that's getting all the inflections. He's a true fan of metal and this band and respects the legacy.'"

He continued: "We're working on album number four [with me on vocals], but there are still people that hate me just because I'm not [Geoff]. They don't see the band as anything else other than the original lineup. I've always said, 'Yes, this lineup has fewer original members, but it's putting out better music than the band did when it had more original members.' Let's get serious here. You know what? We're loving it and we're having a great time. We're writing the new album and the stuff we have brewing right now is really awesome, ya know? I know you can't please everybody, but I do feel as if there's always been these targets on my back with some of the people."

Read the entire interview at BigMusicGeek.com.

QUEENSRŸCHE played its first concert in 15 months on May 21 at the Chiefs Event Center at Shoshone-Bannock Casino in Fort Hall, Idaho. Guitarist Parker Lundgren was absent from the gig and was temporarily replaced by Mike Stone, who joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the group for six years. Mike was eventually replaced by Lundgren, a former member of Tate's solo group who was also briefly married to Geoff's stepdaughter Miranda.

Guitarist Michael Wilton and bassist Eddie Jackson are the sole remaining original members of QUEENSRŸCHE, which has released three albums thus far with La Torre — 2013's "Queensrÿche", 2015's "Condition Hüman" and 2019's "The Verdict".

In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name. Original QUEENSRŸCHE members Wilton, Jackson and Scott Rockenfield (drums) responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform the albums "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety live.

Rockenfield hasn't performed with QUEENSRŸCHE in more than four years. The band has used former KAMELOT drummer Casey Grillo for touring purposes since April 2017.

The drum tracks on "The Verdict" were laid down by La Torre

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "2020'd" podcast, TESTAMENT's Alex Skonick was asked for his opinion of younger "shred" guitarists who sound like they've done nothing but sit in front of the computer learning Eddie Van Halen's tricks since they were six. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I can respect it. It's very different from where I'm coming from. I don't need that. There is music where the technicality is a part of that, and I love it. There's people who hear me and they think I'm like this super-technical player. But I think when you listen to the guys like you're talking about, that's a whole other thing; there's this whole other scientific level of shredding and two-handed stuff that I'm not that interested in. I'm sure I could devote a bunch of time — if I said, 'Okay, I'm gonna take a year and I'm gonna learn these new tricks and these new techniques,' that's fine. I just don't have it in me. There's music I like that is really not that technical, but it's emotional. When it is technical and emotional, that's great too.

"To me, Van Halen, who inspired me to play lead guitar in the first place — the early VAN HALEN stuff — that's sort of old school now compared to some stuff that's happening," he continued. "And I would still rather listen to somebody like him, because there's just so much soul, and I like soul. To me, Van Halen, and maybe a few others who came after, are about as fast as they get with still having soul that interest me. And I'm not knocking the super-perfect technical stuff; it's not really for me. There is some guitar out there that sounds like videogame music to me."

Skolnick went on to say that he was into some of the other early "fast" players like Randy Rhoads and Yngwie Malmsteen. "I did like the first couple of albums that Yngwie did; I was a fan, and I was learning his stuff," Alex said. "When [Yngwie] came out, nobody sounded like that. So I give props to Yngwie. But there's a whole following that started after Yngwie. And some players did really interesting things with it. There's guitar players who I can't imagine them doing their thing without [the influence of] Yngwie, which would be Paul Gilbert, for example, or Buckethead. And these are super-fast [players]. But those guys brought this quirky personality into it, and I think they made it more interesting… But I do think for every person like that, there's so many other players that sounded so similar — the whole post-Yngwie neoclassical thing. And now you've got a similar thing happening with more modern players.

"I think with any movement, there's the original, and then it starts to get watered down," Skolnick explained. "After VAN HALEN, in L.A., every commercial hard rock band had a soloist now. And a few were definitely great soloists and should have been featured — Warren DeMartini of RATT, those solos still sound great; George Lynch, for example. There's others — I won't name them — they were trying to do the same thing, but it wasn't quite working. It became this cliché — you had to have that; you had to have the big solo. And I think that's happened in various shred movements, whether it was people that followed Yngwie or people who tried to play like Guthrie Govan, who I think is an incredible player doing some very different stuff; I don't even touch the stuff that he does. But there are the imitators that follow along. And I think it's just better not to try to be an imitator. I take what I can from different players. Eddie was certainly a big influence, but I try not to make it too obvious, and I try to base it on what I like. And there's a lot of music I like that's not technical at all that might come out while I'm playing technical music, because I want a melody that's memorable and something that fits the song. That's another thing that was so great about Eddie and the early technical players — no matter what, it fit the song. And some players seem to forget about that."

A televised performance of the MILES DAVIS ELECTRIC BAND in the late '90s led Skolnick to New York City, where he immersed himself in the jazz world. For the past decade and a half, Skolnick has led a double life as a member of TESTAMENT and as leader of his own jazz-oriented group, the ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO. Three years ago, the ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO — comprised of Skolnick, bassist Nathan Peck and drummer Matt Zebroski — released "Conundrum", its first album since 2011.

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has once again said that it's still possible that original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss will make guest appearances during the band's "End Of The Road" tour.

In the two years and a half after KISS announced its farewell tour, fans wondered openly if Frehley and Criss would be involved in the trek, especially considering the apparent recent goodwill between Stanley and Simmons and Frehley. Ace's latest collection of original material, "Spaceman" — a title suggested by Simmons himself — features two songs the pair wrote together, and the duo completed a joint summer 2018 tour of Australia, after which Frehley fired his solo backing band and hired Simmons's.

Asked in a recent interview with Brazil's "Inside With Paulo Baron" if there is a chance Frehley and Criss will take part in any of the shows on "End Of The Road", Stanley said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Anything is possible. I don't rule anything out. I have to say that we wouldn't be here today if not for our past. If Peter and Ace hadn't been there at the beginning, we wouldn't be here today. But I will also say that if Peter and Ace had stayed with the band, we also wouldn't be here today. So you have to put it into some sort of balance and perspective."

Paul continued: "If there is a way to include them in celebrating the final tour, yeah, I'm open to it. It has to make sense and it has to feel right, because the band has existed far, far, far too long without them to let anybody spoil this or make it less than it should be. If there's no joy in it, I'm not interested."

In April 2020, Ace said that he was up for a reunion of the original KISS lineup, but only if the price was right. "Everything's cool," he told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation with Eddie Trunk" about his relationship with Stanley and Simmons. "What's gonna happen is gonna happen. But everything is delayed at this juncture, so who knows? … I'm doing my own thing. Unless they come forward and the price is right, you're not gonna see me anywhere close by."

Three years ago, Frehley told VintageRock.com that "the only way" he would "seriously consider" taking part in "End Of The Road" is "if I took back my make-up and costume and my character — which I designed." He added that current KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer "is not a bad guitar player, but he basically just mimics everything I wrote, and tries to imitate my persona. He's been doing it for 15 years," he said. "But the reality is I'm the original guy. And nobody can really copy the way I play guitar."

Asked if he would still consider participating in the tour if Criss was not involved, Ace said: "I think it would be great if Peter was involved. Obviously, at this point in his life, he wouldn’t be able to do a two-hour show. But I can see if we worked out a situation where Peter came out at the end and did three or four songs — sang 'Beth', did 'Black Diamond' and a couple of others, I think that would be fun."

"End Of The Road" was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City but is now expected to last well into 2022.

KISS's current lineup consists of original members Simmons and Stanley, alongside later band additions, Thayer (since 2002) and drummer Eric Singer (on and off since 1991).

Formed in 1973 by Stanley, Simmons, Criss and Frehley, KISS staged its first "farewell" tour in 2000, the last to feature the group's original lineup.

According to City News Service, AS I LAY DYING frontman Tim Lambesis has been sued by a woman who claims she suffered second-degree burns when he sprayed a flammable liquid into a fire pit at his parents' house at the end of last year.

The incident occurred on December 12, 2020 when Vivienne Barcena was allegedly standing near the fire pit and Lambesis squirted an accelerant into it, causing flames to "explode out" and up her arm, back and mid-section.

Lambesis's parents were also named as defendants in the lawsuit, which as filed last week in a San Diego Superior Court.

Tim himself sustained burns to 25 percent of his body in the incident, which he first revealed in an Instagram post on December 16, 2020. At the time, the 40-year-old singer claimed that he was pouring gas into a bonfire when the top slipped off and the liquid ended up getting all over his clothes. He later said that he lost 20 pounds from being bedridden for almost three weeks and suffered some nerve damage. He also assured fans that his "man parts" were not harmed during the incident.

Last month, Lambesis revealed that he lost another five pounds after being diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this year.

Tim was famously convicted in 2014 for his role in a murder-for-hire plot against his estranged wife.

In May 2014, Lambesis was sentenced to six years in jail after pleading guilty to paying a San Diego police officer posing as a hitman $1,000 to kill his wife. Approximately two and a half years later — on December 17, 2016 — he was discharged from a California detention facility and was transferred to the Division of Adult Parole Operations.

In June 2018, AS I LAY DYING played its first show with Lambesis in five years and released a new single. Lambesis also owned up to his crimes in a long apology on the band's Facebook page after his release.

In September 2019, AS I LAY DYING released its seventh full-length album, "Shaped By Fire", via Nuclear Blast.

Although most AS I LAY DYING fans have welcomed the group's return, some resistance remains; in late 2018, the band was dropped from the lineup of Spain's Resurrection Fest, and in early 2019, a venue in Memphis, Tennessee called off AS I LAY DYING's performance after it faced online backlash.

The return of AS I LAY DYING raised some questions, particularly since guitarist Nick Hipa categorically denounced the band's disgraced frontman as a "sociopathic narcissist in definite need of rehabilitation" in a social-media post back in 2014.
























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Vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva (Torn Between Two Worlds / ex-Cradle Of Filth) recently revealed she is re-recording two tracks from her 2010 solo album, A Sign Of Sublime. She has checked in with the following update:

"Dave Pybus (ex-Cradle Of Filth) has now finished his bass and next up is Lindsay Schoolcraft (Antiqva, ex-Cradle Of Filth). Hopefully she can start next week. I am so grateful to all who are making this happen. We don't gain anything from this, other than to show you what should have been. I've made it no secret that I and others think the metal tracks on A Sign Of Sublime were utterly trashed and frankly embarrassing for all. I still remain proud of the non-metal tracks and even the title track, but even that should have been better. 

I am very lucky that my brilliant mate Dan is stepping in to edit, mix and master these two songs ( "A Sign Of Sublime" and "They Called Her Lady Tyranny"). I wished he had been there from the beginning because then this album would have sounded a million times better, but such is life. That album will be with some of us forever, nothing we can do, but re-recording some of it DOES heal a bit of a wound. They will go up on Bandcamp and maybe other streaming sites, so bear with me for me updates.

Thank you also Ken for wanting to take a chance again.

This is what music should be about.... no ego.... no drama... people helping people."

A Sign of Sublime is Sarah's debut solo album, released in February 2010 on Rising Records.

Torn Between Two Worlds, featuring former Angtoria bandmates Sarah Jezebel Deva and Chris Rehn, recently released their debut single, "The Beauty Of Deception". The follow-up single, "All Eyes On Me" is now available here. Check out the official video below.

Sarah: "The video and song  is about how we are judged, how we let negativity hold us back. How people’s vindictive actions can change our path  in life, sometimes resulting in the worst possible outcome. As an example, online bullying and trolling can take its toll on children, which has lead to an increase in child suicide.

I wanted a bunch of people to come together without a fear of being judged.   I wanted people to be themselves and not give a damn. It seems these days we are afraid of being stupid, afraid of just letting ourselves go!

From experience, I have let peoples views get the better of me, we all have. Being told I wasn’t good enough, being dictated to so it holds me back and destroying my dream. Suddenly something or someone wakes you up, some one woke me up, followed by a lot of other people agreeing with her and then supporting me. You learn not to give a damn anymore and you understand that confidence is envied. Don’t hurt any one or anything, but don’t let nastiness destroy you."

Go to the official Torn Between Two Worlds Bandcamp page here. The official lyric video for "The Beauty Of Deception" is available below.

Photo by Tim Tronckoe




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Napalm Records has announced that Swedish/American duo Silent Skies - featuring Evergrey vocalist Tom S. Englund and pianist/multi-instrumentalist Vikram Shankar – have signed an official worldwide contract with the premier Austrian label.

The differing musical backgrounds and previous experiences of the musicians have formed a creative space of development for Silent Skies, taking the listener on a touching, melancholic journey and convincing with captivating talent. They are currently working on a successor to their stunning 2020 debut full-length. More details to be announced soon.

Silent Skies on the signing with Napalm Records: “Silent Skies are thrilled to be joining the Napalm Records family for our upcoming second studio record! We have a lot of admiration for the team behind this label, as well as the diversity and strength of their roster. We can't wait to work with Napalm to bring more music and content to the fans, develop a wider promotional reach together, and look forward to a fruitful partnership with one of the most cutting-edge labels on the forefront of modern music!”

Dive into Silent Skies’ atmosphere and watch “Solution” below:

Silent Skies are:

Tom S. Englund
Vikram Shankar

(Photo - KJ Melgoza)




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UK melodic rockers Blood Red Saints have returned to the Frontiers label, who originally worked with them in 2015 on their debut, for their next studio album. August 6 will see the release of the fourth studio album from the English rockers, Undisputed.

Musically, the album is a return to the melodic rock style as heard on the band's debut, Speedway, which earned them fan and critical praise from the broader melodic rock community. Today, fans can get their first look at the album with the release of the single and video, "Heaven In Headlights". Watch the video below, and pre-order/save the new album here.

"'Heaven in the Headlights' is the song that defined this album's direction. We wrote this and knew we had the first single. It's us trying to bring a feel good vibe in a world that is in need of a little fun," says vocalist Pete Godfrey. "The new album, Undisputed is Blood Red Saints doing what we do best and we could not be more proud of this album," he adds.

Written during the Covid-19 pandemic, the recording of Undisputed took place at guitarist Lee Revills' home studio. "We didn't set out to write a certain type of record, we brought ideas to the table and they happened to be melodic. As we lived through the process and can reflect on these songs, this feels like it is shaping up to be our strongest album to date," says Revill.

Adds vocalist Pete Godfrey, "Undisputed is the idea behind the artwork being boxing themed, but for sure it's no concept album. We loved the analogy of the music industry being a fight to get your music heard, to get it out there, and to fight back against the people who want to knock you down. We are back and we're coming for you!"

Blood Red Saints were formed at the end of 2014 by singer Pete Godfrey and bassist Rob Naylor from the band Angels or Kings. They quickly got to work writing their debut album. Their search for a name ended with the chance discovery of a semi-legendary Speedway team “The Blood Red Saints”, who were formed in the late 1920s in Brooklyn, New York. Their leader 'Freddie Rendetti' became synonymous with the team and was a fiery, colorful character who ultimately lived the fast life a little too fast. The band loved the name and ran with it.

James Martin of Vega came along and was instrumental in getting the band signed to Frontiers Music Srl for their debut album, Speedway. James and his twin brother Tom also co-wrote two songs on the album and none other than Harry Hess (Harem Scarem) took care of the mastering of the album.

The band’s debut album was an impressive slice of classic British AOR, following in the traditions of early Dare, FM, and Newman. The band then went on to record two well-received albums, Love Hate Conspiracies and Pulse, for AOR Heaven, but have now returned to Frontiers for their forthcoming fourth album, Undisputed.

Tracklisting:

"This Ain't A Love Song"
"Love Like War"
"Heaven In The Headlights"
"Breathe Again"
"Caught In The Wreckage"
"Karma"
"Come Alive"
"Alibi"
"Undisputed"
"Complete"
"All I Wanna Do"

"Heaven In The Headlights" video:

Lineup:

Pete Godfrey - Vocals, Bass
Lee Revill - Guitar
Neil Hibbs - Guitar
Andy Chemney - Drums




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For their upcoming Atavistic Black Disorder / Kommando EP, the most notorious black metal band have reflected on their influences by covering songs from bands like Discharge, Dead Kennedys, Rudimentary Peni and Ramones with an impressive bursting and darkened sound.

Members of Discharge comment in this new video trailer:

In addition to the mentioned cover versions, Mayhem have issued a previously unreleased track called "Voces Ab Alta", which was recorded during the Daemon session.

The video was done by high the praised artwork and video wizard Costin Chioreanu (Ghost, Opeth, Napalm Death) who impressively captured the atmosphere and the darkness of this performance visually.

The video can be seen below, and the song is also available on all major streaming platforms, here.

The Atavistic Black Disorder / Kommando EP will be released on July 9.

The visual concept was once again handled by Italian designer Daniele Valeriani (Lucifer’s Child, Dark Funeral) who already took care of the artwork for their previous long player Daemon.

The band comments: “I always had some punk influences,” says Attila. “I guess it comes from my childhood when we were constantly looking for more extreme music. That’s how I discovered Dead Kennedys, GBH, The Exploited, Sex Pistols, U.K. Subs, Discharge, Rudimentary Peni and so on, in the early 80’s, alongside heavy metal. But then I discovered Venom, that was a game changer!”

Necrobutcher further adds: “We got some extra time in the studio recording the Daemon album two years ago, all band members were asked to punch in two cover tracks for some extra material. I chose songs by Deathstrike (The Truth) and Death (Evil Dead) which were both used as the bonus tracks on the album. My other contribution was to bring in two old members because of their obvious connection with punk: Maniac on the Dead Kennedys track and Billy (Messiah) on the Discharge track and some of the others.”

“Atavistic Black Disorder / Kommando” EP is available in the following formats:

* Deluxe silver 180g LP + CD Box Set (incl. 3 Art Prints + Slipmat)
- The 3 available graphics make up the overall concept from the already released visuals of the  Daemon Box Set. The total of 6 graphics were considered as an alternative cover versions of the Daemon album and will not be reproduced after this limited edition run.
- The Slipmat contains a special print of the back cover (Punk-Head) of this EP!
- Limited to 1,000 units

(500 CM Distro Wholesale & CM EU Shop / 300 Band Shop / 200 CM US Shop)

* CD Digipak

* 180g LP (double sided album cover!)
- Black LP (all outlets)
- Grey LP – 300 units (CM Distro Wholesale & CM EU Shop)
- Tangerine LP – 200 units (CM US Shop)
- Creamy white LP – 300 units (EMP)
- Dark Green LP – 300 units (Nuclear Blast)
- Deep Blood Red LP – 300 units (Mayhem Webshop)
- Aqua LP – 500 units (US Indie Stores)

* Digital EP

Pre-Order for all formats starts today and can be made here.

Tracklisting:

Side A
"Voces Ab Alta"
"Black Glass Communion"
"Everlasting Dying Flame"

Side B
"In Defense Of Our Future" (Discharge cover)
"Hellnation" (Dead Kennedys cover)
"Only Death" (Rudimentary Peni cover)
"Commando" (Ramones cover)

Mayhem is:

Necrobutcher – Bass
Hellhammer – Drums
Attila – Vocals
Teloch – Guitar
Ghul – Guitar

(Photo - Ester Segarra)




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Sigh will release a 20th anniversary edition of their album Imaginary Sonicscape via VisionMerch on September 24. The album was originally issued by Century Media and showed the Japanese band taking their experiments to a new level by mixing black metal with jazz and psychedelic music. Preorder at VisionMerch.com.

The 20th anniversary edition is limited to 1000 pieces worldwide on double LP, gatefold jacket:

-Black LP: 350 pieces
-Neon green with white splatter: 200 pieces (Revolver Records Exclusive)
-Neon orange: 100 pieces (Gimme Radio Exclusive)
-Neon green: 150 pieces (PHD Exclusive for Europe)
-Neon green/neon orange with white splatter “Butterfly” vinyl: 200 pieces (Sigh Webstore Exclusive)

Tracklisting:

“Corpsecry – Angelfall”
“Scarlet Dream”
“Nietzschean Conspiracy”
“A Sunset Song”
“Impromptu (Allegro Maestoso)”
“Dreamsphere (Return To The Chaos)”
“Ecstatic Transformation”
“Slaughtergarden Suite”
“Bring Back The Dead”
“Requiem – Nostalgia”

Lineup:
Mirai Kawashima - Vocals, Bass, Keyboards, Piano, Organ, Minimoog, Mellotron, Samples, Programming
Shinichi Ishikawa - Guitars, Guitars (acoustic)
Satoshi Fujinami - Drums, Percussion, Tambourine, Handclaps




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Within the first ten seconds of their new single “Hypercube Necrodimensions”, wizard metal-supergroup Wizardthrone, featuring members of Alestorm, Gloryhammer, Aether Realm, Forlorn Citadel, Nekrogoblikon and more, goes full throttle with their multi-layered synth and guitar riffs, combined with gut-busting vocal deliveries. The title track from the band's debut full-length, Hypercube Necrodimensions (out July 16 via Napalm Records), is a speedy burst through time and space that will catapult the listener through alternate realities.

With their new track, the five-piece once again demonstrate what they are made of musically, combining their various genre influences with sonically refined finesse to create a fast-paced cyclone of extremes.

M. Archistrategos Barber (guitars) elaborates: "With the title track, 'Hypercube Necrodimensions', we stripped down the core elements of Wizardthrone to their bare essentials, culminating in a compact and furious number. Unconventional harmonies, dense orchestration and blazing thrash metal provided a fitting bed for lyrics that had lain dormant for at least a thousand aeons - exploring cryptic themes that the shrewd and astute will of course recognise as containing the blueprints to reality itself. Extraordinary!"

Featuring guest appearances from Aleksi Munter (Swallow The Sun, Insomnium), Florian Magnus Maier (Dark Fortress, Aldaloid ) and Evan Berry (Wilderun), Hypercube Microdimensions is a spectacular display of Wizardthrone’s musical finesse, constantly pushing the boundaries of heavy metal and thus offering a one-of-a-kind extreme wizard metal listening experience.

Hypercube Necrodimensions will be available on digipack CD bundled with an exclusive shirt and as a black gatefold LP, as well as marbled curacao/green vinyl (limited to 300) and as a digital album. Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Black Hole Quantum Thermodynamics"
"Frozen Winds Of Thyraxia"
"Incantation Of The Red Order"
"Forbidden Equations Deep Within The Epimethean Wasteland"
"The Coalescence Of Nine Stars In The System Once Known As Markarian-231"
"Of Tesseractual Gateways And The Grand Duplicity Of Xhul"
"Hypercube Necrodimensions"
"Beyond The Wizardthrone (Cryptopharmalogical Revelations Of The Riemann Zeta Function)"

“Forbidden Equations Deep Within The Epimethean Wasteland” lyric video:

"Frozen Winds Of Thyraxia" video:

Wizardthrone is:

V. Morbistopheles Jones // Vincent "Jake" Jones (Aether Realm) - Bass/Lead Vocals
M. Archistrategos Barber // Mike Barber (Gloryhammer, Deathcode Society) - Guitar/Vocals
M. Xaviculus Bell // Matthew Bell (Forlorn Citadel) - Guitar
C. Hyperiax Bowes // Chris Bowes (Alestorm) - Keys/Narration
E. Wizardthrone Brown // Eric Brown (Nekrogoblikon, Vale Of Pnath) - Drums

(Photo Credit: Triumph 3 Obliterator-XXT, Tina Korhonen, Randy Edwards, Ann-Marie Bell, Bryce Chapman)




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Dutch death metallers, Pestilence, will release their new album, Exitivm, on June 25 via Agonia Records. The band has released a music video for a new track titled "Sempiternvs". The video was recorded at Paard in the Netherlands with post production by Stratos Kountouras (Varathron).

A new album, on a new label armed with a whole new lineup and a new dynamic: no matter what, Pestilence - or more specifically their maestro Patrizio Mameli - is like the phoenix, rising from the ashes, over and over again. An official website has been launched for Exitivm, providing access to all relevant information surrounding the new album, here.

Back in 1986, in the small town of Enschede in the Netherlands, nearby the German border, a true metal phenomenon was born. More than three decades later, not only is Pestilence alive and well, but about to once again reaffirm their place in the extreme metal pantheon, with their ninth studio album entitled Exitivm, which is Latin for "total destruction".

As controversial as he can be to some, nobody will ever deny the band’s undisputable driving force, Patrizio Mameli, and his constant ability to reinvent himself. Unlike most of the bands in the scene, Pestilence just keeps evolving. From the raging thrash leanings of their cult 1988 debut Malleus Maleficarum to the jazz-infused versatility of 1993’s Spheres or 2009’s Resurrection Macabre frontal assault, not to mention the fans’ favorite and Scott Burns-produced Testimony Of The Ancients from 1991, he never did the same record twice. No matter who playes with him on any Pestilence album, Mameli always gets the best out of the musicians he is working with. But first and foremost, the man has a one-of-a-kind vision, instantly recognizable style and yet always stretching musical boundaries. And it’s never more true than on Exitivm.  

After a vast reissue campaign in between 2015 and 2018 and an acclaimed new album Hadeon, the band got seemingly stopped in their mission to conquer the death metal scene in early 2020, like everybody else, by the global pandemic, going as far as forcing some of the band’s Hadeon line-up members to drop the towel. But what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger and instead of letting that whole situation drag him down, Mameli chose to do the exact opposite and write the best and darkest album possible to date. And he just did that. With its ambitious lyrical concept about "global domination", "induced mental illness", "inner and outer demons" and  malicious external entities, Exitivm is propelling the band one again to the forefront of the death metal movement with yet another original and brilliant artistic overhaul.

Mind you, as soon as you’re past the very cinematic introduction "In Omnibvs", you’re instantly caught up by "Morbvs Propagationem" whose intense riffing will take back to the Testimony days. Except that their core sound has been revived, with now extra layers of ominous soundscapes ingeniously suggesting an atmosphere of suspence and horror, boosted by Mameli’s jazz-fusion impressive solo works and a renewed sense of urgency. This rejuvenation, with emphasis on "new musical landscapes but also sick and twisted riffs" as stated by Mameli himself, is no accident though. Not only has Mameli been extremely inspired by the turmoil humanity had to face since March 2020 but with a line-up once again, entirely based in the Netherlands and made up of only super-seasoned players – besides former Dew Scented and Creepmime Joost van der Graaf on bass and Bleeding Gods’ Rutger van Noordenburg on lead guitar, former God Dethroned Michiel van der Plicht joined on drums last year – Pestilence is more than ever a BAND where everybody feeds off of each other's musical talent. And it definitely shows.

With the exception of the drums - tracked down by van der Plicht himself at his home studio - the album was recorded over a period of two months in between June and August 2020 at Pitchnote Productions. The album has been produced, like all Pestilence albums, by Mameli and is co produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Jory Hogeveen (Shinigami and Ancient Rites). Last March, the band filmed their second ever official video – three decades after Land Of Tears – for the song "Morbvs Propagationem". Exitivm will be available in various formats, including supra-limited picture, pin-wheel, "firebreath" and clear vinyl versions. The cover artwork once again brought the band’s iconic sphere and was done by Michal "Xaay" Loranc, known for his various cover for Nile, God Detheroned or Evocation and who had already worked on "Hadeon".

Both a reinvention and a confirmation of everything the band has been standing for since 1986, thirty-five years later Pestilence are more than ever breaking new grounds and exploring the further outposts of the extreme metal sound on Exitivm.

Formats:

- Jewelcase CD
- Digi CD
- Box CD
- Black LP
- Ultra Clear LP
- Blood Vanilla LP*
- Picture LP**
- Pinwheel LP***
- Firebreath LP***
- Digital

* Bandcamp exclusive
** With antistatic all-print slipmat only at Agonia Webshop
*** Agonia Webshop exclusive

Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"In Omnibvs" (Intro)
"Morbvs Propagationem"
"Deificvs"
"Sempiternvs"
"Internicionem"
"Mortifervm"
"Dominatvi Svbmissa"
"Pericvlvm Externvm"
"Inficiat"
"Exitivm"
"Immortvos"
"Personatvs Mortem" (Outro)

"Deificvs" video:

"Morbvs Propagationem" video:

Lineup:

Patrizio Mameli - vocals, lead guitars
Rvtger van Noordenbvrg - lead guitars
Joost van den Berg - bass
Michiel van der Plicht - drums

(Photo - Marc van Peski)




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Frontiers Music Srl has released the debut solo album from Perfect Plan vocalist Kent Hilli, entitled The Rumble. Find a lyric video for the song "Cold" below, and order/save the album here.

Kent Hilli’s debut solo album, The Rumble, is the culmination of the musical path that the Swedish singer started journeying down since he debuted with Swedish melodic rock upstarts Perfect Plan. To craft the album, Kent joined forces with Mike Palace, who produced the album. This musical partnership has turned out to be a “match made in heaven”. Mike is an amazing talent and together with Kent they have developed an incredible chemistry that really caught the sound Kent was envisioning for the album.

"My goal with this album, musically, was to find a classic yet modern feel and sound and to differ a bit from what I'm known for with Perfect Plan. I also wanted to make a diverse album containing everything from rockers to ballads. I am a huge fan of Giant, Foreigner, Survivor, Starship, Whitesnake, etc. and I wanted these influences to shine through as well as bringing my own sound and identity to the songs. Mike Palace had the exact same vision for the music and we have the exact same influences, so it was an immediate match made in heaven. Mike is a real genius and just a dream to work with. I also co-wrote with the great Alessandro Del Vecchio and Pete Alpenborg on two songs, with Mike on one song, and with my talented sister Tina on one song, which was really great fun. I am so very thankful and blessed to have had the chance to work with these talents," says Hilli.

As mentioned above, Kent wrote all the songs on the album himself, except for four songs which were co-written. One with Palace, two with Alessandro Del Vecchio and Pete Alpenborg, and one with Kent's sister Tina.

A diverse album with both rockers and ballads, The Rumble is going to be a true delight for melodic rock fans. It is also a very “relationship oriented” album, with lyrics that are coming from a place of personal experience

"The first single is about the joy, the expectations, the promises, the disappointments, and struggles in a relationship where one party is giving it a 100% and the other party is not. It is also about living in the here and now and enjoying life 'cause it will not last forever. Taking care of one another and enjoying and being thankful for what you have. Musically, it came together when I was jamming one day and found this great hook on the chorus and I immediately got the theme of the song. Mike Palace did a wonderful arrangement to the song after I had sent him the acoustic version of the song," Hilli says of first single "Don't Says It's Forever".

The album resounds with the inspiration and influences from Kent's idols like Giant, Foreigner, Survivor, Whitesnake, and Europe, to name a few. That musical style is built in Kent's DNA by now. The legendary voices of Lou Gramm, Jimi Jamison, Dann Huff, David Coverdale, Joe Lynn Turner, and Joey Tempest are Kent's true inspirations and have influenced his vocal style. But anyone following along knows that Kent is very much his own singer and one of the finest to emerge in the melodic rock scene in quite some time.

Needless to say, if you love any of the classic bands mentioned above and certainly if you are a fan of Kent's work in Perfect Plan, then this record is for you!

Tracklisting:

"The Rumble (Never Say Die)"
"Cold"
"All For Love"
"I Can’t Wait"
"Don’t Say It’s Forever"
"Miss Up To No Good"
"Heaven Can Wait"
"Does It Feel Like Love"
"Love Can Last Forever"
"Never Be Mine"
"Still In Love"

"Cold" lyric video:

"I Can’t Wait":

"Don't Say It's Forever" video:

Lineup:

Kent Hilli - Lead vocals and backing vocals
Michael Palace - All instrumentation and backing vocals




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In celebration of 35 years of WARLOCK's "Triumph And Agony" album, Doro Pesch will release "Triumph And Agony Live" in various formats, including CD, vinyl, cassette, DVD, Blu-ray, and a huge box set, on September 24 through Doro's own label, Rare Diamonds Productions.

Doro says: "It was always my dream to play the 'Triumph And Agony' album in its entirety live. The first time we did it was at Sweden Rock followed by a big tour in the USA and Spain, and more large festival shows like Graspop and Norway Rock."

Regarding "Triumph And Agony Live", Doro says: "It's one of my favorite records we've ever done! It includes some of our big classic anthems like 'All We Are', 'Für Immer' and 'I Rule The Ruins' as well as fan favorites like 'Metal Tango', 'Three Minute Warning', 'Kiss Of Death' and 'East Meets West', not to forget headbanging album opener 'Touch Of Evil'. I'm super excited to let the fans hear and see it!"

The cover and track listing will be revealed shortly.

Prior to an appearance at the 2017 Sweden Rock Festival, Doro stated about why that was the right time to go out and play the "Triumph And Agony" songs again: "Well, because we have our 30th anniversary of this big record. It was called 'Triumph And Agony', and it was the biggest record. I think it was one of the best records. And I thought, 'Man, we have to play one time the whole album in its entirety,' and we never did before. And then I called my old guitar player, Tommy Bolan, and he played on the whole record, he played all the solos. And I asked him if he was into that idea, doing a couple of shows with just the 'Triumph And Agony' album and then some encores. And he said, 'Oh, let's do it. I'm ready.' And then we were rehearsing all, yeah, the last week, and I think it sounds really good. We are playing some songs we've never played before, but I think they will sound really amazing. And I'm very excited."

In a 2000 interview with Metal Rules, Doro stated about WARLOCK: "I loved that so much and my heart and soul was so much into it. I was totally devastated when it broke up and it broke up not because of the band but because of all the bullshit around it. It was the record companies, the management, everything. The band had no control anymore — everybody else had, and the band did not. It was really tough and there were a lot of problems and I was totally heartbroken about it. But those times were awesome, man, it was awesome! I will always treasure them. I love to think about the great times."

Doro told Get Ready To Rock! that "everything fell into place" for WARLOCK after "Triumph And Agony" was released. "The record company was totally behind it, MTV put our song 'All We Are' on heavy rotation, which was a big plus, I must say, the fans were there and metal was at its peak between 1987 and 1988. Sometimes you do wish for everything to fall into place, but it's very rare that this happens as things need to work like a watch."

Doro is currently working on material for a new studio album, tentatively due in 2022. The LP will be the follow-up to "Forever Warriors, Forever United", which came out in 2018. The double album featured 19 regular tracks and six bonus songs.

Photo credit: Tammy Green