Punk rock band RISE AGAINST has released another track from its upcoming album "Nowhere Generation". For "The Numbers", the group worked alongside Indecline, an American activist collective comprised of graffiti writers, filmmakers, photographers, full-time rebels, and activists, to produce a suitably provocative visual to match the track's intensity.

The collective commented: "'The Numbers' has given our collective another opportunity not only to work with a band we've looked to for inspiration since their early records, but also a chance to create the kind of strong visual content that aims to inspire and educate.

"Beyond simply showcasing global protest movements, this video is to serve as a reminder that we are all living in a golden age of resistance and need to use our privileges to commit ourselves to wholeheartedly pulling the rope in the opposite direction. Or, to put it more bluntly, don't be like your parents' generation. Give a fuck and prove it."

"Nowhere Generation", RISE AGAINST's first new studio effort in four years, is set for a June 4 release via Loma Vista Recordings. On the upcoming release, the outspoken band points a finger at big business and politics for stacking the social and economical deck against Millennials', Gen Y's and Gen Z's pursuit of The American Dream. Musically, the album is blazing, aggressive punk rock; lyrically, the eleven songs were inspired in part by input from band members' young children and RISE AGAINST's community of fans.

Said frontman Tim McIlrath: "Today there is the promise of the American Dream, and then there is the reality of the American Dream. America's 'historical norm' that the next generation will be better off than the one that came before has been diminished by an era of mass social, economic, and political instability and a sell-out of the Middle Class. The brass ring that was promised by hard work and dedication no longer exists for everyone. When the privileged climb the ladder of success and then burn it from the top, disruption becomes the only answer."

For the "Nowhere Generation" project, the band worked with the Grammy-nominated creative director Brian Roettinger (Jay-Z, FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE, NO AGE) to craft an impressive and truly inspired capsule of album offerings. Those include:

* CD in a soft pack jacket with a multi-page lyric booklet

* 12-inch, limited edition vinyl picture disc (exclusive to the band's webstore)

* Deluxe album edition with a distinctive spinning wheel gatefold jacket with die-cut front cover; a 12-page album art booklet insert, and a bonus 7" featuring two "Nowhere Session" versions of album standouts "Nowhere Generation" + "Broken Dreams, Inc."; special vinyl color variants for retail worldwide as well as the band's webstore.

* Standard vinyl format that includes a single sleeve, dorado paper-wrapped jacket, with lyric insert featuring metallic ink; multiple special vinyl color variants for select retailers as well as the band's webstore.

* Exclusive versions of the album, on vinyl and CD available at Target. A jacket with exclusive interchangeable inserts and special colored vinyl for the LP and a bonus "Nowhere Session" song on the CD.

RISE AGAINST — McIlrath, Joe Principe (bass), Brandon Barnes (drums) and Zach Blair (lead guitar) — recorded "Nowhere Generation" at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado, under the tutelage of Jason Livermore, Andrew Berlin, Chris Beeble and longtime producer/engineer Bill Stevenson (BLACK FLAG, THE DESCENDENTS). Stevenson has worked with the band on nearly all of their acclaimed releases since their sophomore effort, 2003's "Revolutions Per Minute", and is often described as RISE AGAINST's fifth member. "Bill is our not-so-secret weapon," Principe explained. "He really has helped shape the band; he gets what we want to do and will go with us when we think outside the box. He's the perfect producer for the style of music we play because he has an insane pop sensibility and the hardcore side to him as well."

In addition to the communal call to arms embedded in "Nowhere Generation"'s dynamic title track, there's the fast and furious anti-establishment manifesto "Broken Dreams, Inc.", the moody ballad "Forfeit", "Sudden Urge", a true nod to the band's rock'n'roll side with an overall punk-vibe, the simplicity of "The Numbers" with a melody that will stick in your head, and the surprise pop candor in "Talking To Ourselves", a standout song about wanting to be heard and wondering if anyone is listening. "It describes a lot of what RISE AGAINST does," says McIlrath, "to speak and scream when we feel there are things that are happening that aren't being addressed."

"When I was growing up," said Principe, "I listened to bands like 7 SECONDS, BAD BRAINS, MINOR THREAT and BAD RELIGION. All of those bands' music had a sense of hope with the world, a truly positive global view of what life can be. From the beginning, we've wanted RISE AGAINST to have that same positivity, to have our music be an inspiration for people to bring about change in their own lives, they just have to put forth the effort and speak up."

Photo credit: Wyatt Troll

Germany's Ben Blutzukker has released a new single, "Metalhead", featuring Snowy Shaw (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Dream Evil). Check out the LEGO video below.

Blutzukker: "This is an homage to many cool metal bands, and for this I have recreated more than 20 CD artworks by Megadeth, Manowar, Motörhead and Co. with LEGO and brought them to life!"

The single is available on digital platforms found here.

In April 2020, Blutzukker released a metal cover of Army Of Lovers' 1991 hit "Crucified", feat. Liv Kristine. You can stream and download the single here.

 

 

 

 

Blutzukker rebuilt and reshot the entire music video with LEGO. Check it out below, along with behind-the-scenes footage.

 

 

 

 

 




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Cyhra guitarist Euge Valovirta has shared anouther playthrough video, this time show the live arrangement for "Out Of My Life" for two guitars. Check it out below.

"Out Of My Life" is taken from Cyhra's second album, No Halos In Hell, released in 2019.

Loaded with melodic vocal hooks and heavy yet dynamic guitars that stay nailed to the brain for days, Cyhra's No Halos In Hell album proves Jake E (ex-Amaranthe), Jesper Strömblad (ex-In Flames), Euge Valovirta (ex-Shining) and Alex Landenburg (Kamelot) are a band ready to take the world by storm.

No Halos In Hell is available as 2 CD digipak, black vinyl or download. The bonus CD included in the limited digipak includes six additional songs, three of them being exclusive acoustic versions. You can order the format of your choice here.

Tracklisting:

"Out Of My Life"
"No Halos In Hell"
"Battle From Within"
"I Am The One"
"Bye Bye Forever"
"Dreams Gone Wrong"
"Lost In Time"
"Kings Tonight"
"I Had Your Back"
"Blood Brothers"
"Hit Me"
"Man Of Eternal Rain"

"Dreams Gone Wrong" video:

"Battle From Within" lyric video:




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Crushingly brutal tech death veterans Cognitive have premiered a lyric video for their song "Omnicide". The track is off of the groups new album Matricide which will see an October 26th release date on Unique Leader.

Guitarist Rob Wharton said of the track, "Speaking about the total obliteration of mankind and life on the planet.  The final flashes from nuclear war, destruction, calamity, etc. The final fleeting moments of the age of man. This song is one of our more straightforward songs off this album, which features lyrics that are on the new merch for pre-orders, so it seemed fitting to use this song as a single."

Preorder bundles for Matricide will be available very soon.

The massively heavy ten track effort was recorded by AJ Viana at Sylar Sound Studios, mixed and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music (Six Feet Under, Hate Eternal, Revocation), and features artwork by the incredible Pedro Sena (Ingested, Analepsy). 

Tracklisting:

"Omnicide"
"Architect Of Misery"
"Matricide"
"False Profit"
"With Reckless Abandon"
"Clouds Of Rust"
"Fragmented Perception"
"Vessel Of Violence"
"Torn From The Void"
"Denouement"

"Omnicide" lyric video:

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons says it is "disgusting" that IRON MAIDEN has yet to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal groups like MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that band's first year of eligibility.

IRON MAIDEN was on the ballot for Rock Hall induction this year, but failed to receive enough votes to make the class of 2021.

Having been eligible for induction for a decade and a half, IRON MAIDEN is one of the biggest bands on the planet. Since the arrival of its self-titled debut album, MAIDEN has released a further 15 full-length studio records, and sold over 100 million copies.

After BLABBERMOUTH.NET tweeted on Wednesday that MAIDEN was snubbed by Rock Hall this year, Gene shared the tweet and included the following comment: "RR Hall of Fame is a sham not to include MAIDEN. Disgusting!"

Simmons is not the only member of KISS to argue that IRON MAIDEN deserves to be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Last month, Paul Stanley tweeted: "Regardless of whether it matters to them, MAIDEN not being in the @rockhall of Fame is INSANITY. Regardless of who is writing in or not, the Committee must induct them. They have helped spawn an entire genre of music. What else do you need to do?? @IronMaiden"

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

Just two weeks after KISS's induction, Stanley once again slammed the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, saying that the organization "hates" the band and that the Hall Of Fame had "no choice" but to induct KISS after the group's fans demanded it.

Immediately following the event, Stanley's feud against the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame turned personal against the Hall's co-founder, Rolling Stone owner and publisher, Jann Wenner. Most KISS fans were expecting that with the honorable way all four co-founding members acted towards each other during the band's induction, that the controversy between Stanley — who rejected the Hall's insistence that only the four original co-founders be inducted — was put to rest.

During his brief acceptance speech, Stanley couldn't help but take a few shots at the Hall and its voting committee, who had passed over inducting KISS every year since 2000, saying: "Here we are, basically inducted for the same things that we were kept out for. The people are speaking to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and what they're saying is that they want more. They don't want to be spoon-fed with a handful of choices. The people buy tickets, the people buy albums, the people who nominate do not. Let's not forget that these are the people who make it all possible. We just benefit from it. I am here tonight because of the people who inspired me, but I am also here because of the people I inspired. So God bless you all. It's a wonderful night."

Stanley's two tweets from two days after the induction took a decidedly unforgiving and personal twist, first saying: "Our treatment at the RRHOF confirmed my worst suspicions. Wenner and the rest are spineless weasels."

He went on to post: "Jann Wenner & his RRHOF made sure to treat us as uninvited guests. No passes. No schedule and on. We were great and he remains a small man."

Paul told The Pulse Of Radio that ultimately what the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and what KISS choose to celebrate are two very different things. "I certainly want to celebrate what we continue to do and what we have developed. What the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame decides they want to celebrate is purely up to them. But it doesn't dictate how I picture this, 'cause as far as I'm concerned, we've always been in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Not a private club, not a place with a self-appointed board, we've been in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame because of the millions of fans who believe that's where we belong."

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2016.

PRIEST was on the ballot for Rock Hall induction last year, but failed to receive enough votes to make the class of 2020.

Having been eligible for induction since 1999, PRIEST was previously on the ballot for the 2018 class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but was ultimately left out of the inductee list.




RR Hall of Fame is a sham not to include Maiden. Disgusting! https://t.co/WbNYr42lBI

— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) May 13, 2021








Regardless of whether it matters to them, Maiden not being in the @rockhall of Fame is INSANITY. Regardless of who is writing in or not, the Committee must induct them. They have helped spawn an entire genre of music. What else do you need to do?? @IronMaiden https://t.co/gGKmYYpbWE

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) April 22, 2021

During a recent appearance on "Another FN Podcast With Izzy Presley", former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Gilby Clarke was asked if it was any different playing with Slash and Duff McKagan at the 2012 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony compared to how it was when they were at the height of their addiction to drugs and alcohol in the early 1990s. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't really think it really is any different, because it's a musical thing. Look, there was a point towards the end of that GUNS N' ROSES tour, the '[Use Your] Illusion' tour, where Duff was looking pretty ragged — [due to] the alcohol abuse. And granted, his playing wasn't at its best, but I have played when he was at his best, even in those days.

"There's a certain feel that GUNS N' ROSES had about their music, and I just feel like when we play, it clicks," he explained. "I had actually played with Steven [Adler, drums] before, so [the Rock Hall ceremony] wasn't the first time playing with Steven. When Steven steps in, even though it's songs that Matt [Sorum] has played or whatever, we locked — we just clicked. So I don't think there really is a difference between the two musically."

Asked if Matt and Steven's drumming styles were noticeably dissimilar, Gilby said: "Absolutely. Look, Matt is a powerhouse. There's nothing Matt can't do. Matt hits harder — he's got more snap — so the snare sound different. Steven doesn't hit as hard as him, but Steven has this kind of swing. And Steven plays with the guitar, where Matt, we play to Matt. Matt lays it down and we play to Matt."

Clarke, along with Slash, McKagan, Adler and Sorum, played three "Appetite For Destruction" songs with Myles Kennedy at GUNS N' ROSES's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in April 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio, although Gilby himself was not inducted as part of the group. Kennedy, who handles lead vocals in Slash's solo band and ALTER BRIDGE, sang "Mr. Brownstone", "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Paradise City", with "Use Your Illusion"-era member Sorum sitting behind the drum kit on "Brownstone" and the man he replaced in GN'R, Adler, pounding the skins for the other two songs.

Clarke joined GUNS N' ROSES in November 1991, replacing Izzy Stradlin, who quit the group in the middle of a 28-month world tour. Gilby has also played with ROCKSTAR SUPERNOVA, HEART, NANCY SINATRA, Kathy Valentine (of THE GO-GO'S) and the reformed MC5 on their 2005 European tour.

Gilby released his first solo album in two decades, "The Gospel Truth", on April 23 via Golden Robot Records.

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman, who has been living and recording music in Japan since 2003, spoke to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about how the Asian country is handling the coronavirus crisis. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't think it was ever as serious as what I heard going on in L.A., where almost everything is closed and things like that. It's actually really been fine as far as convenience and normal life. The only thing that's not normal is the limiting of events where a lot of people show up and doing concerts. There are some agencies that do them and some agencies that don't do them. And it's really just a matter of the policies of the agencies that are willing to take those risks."

Marty, who completed a short Japan tour in January, continued: "Believe me, it felt great to finish an actual tour with absolutely no problems — all safe; everybody was happy; [we] followed all the regulations. There's a lot of regulations for things, but I think there's nothing like a real strict lockdown here, like in some countries, with curfews and things like that. This all being said, we're far from being cured from COVID here. The vaccine is not really a thing yet like I hear it is in America, and it seems to be working very well. I'm not educated enough on the issue to know anything about it, really, but I can just tell you that it's not uncomfortable here in Japan, but I definitely do miss international travel. And that's about the size of it. Everything else is really pretty much normal over here."

According to Japan Today, only around 3 percent of Japan's population of 126 million has received at least one shot of vaccine.

The country's rollout of COVID-19 vaccines didn't begin until mid-February, months behind the United States and many other countries.

Marty's latest album, "Tokyo Jukebox 3", received a North American release on April 16 via The Players Club/Mascot Label Group. The record, which was made available in Japan last October, is the third in a series that began with "Tokyo Jukebox" in 2009, and then "Tokyo Jukebox 2" following in 2011. The trilogy presents Friedman's inspired performances to Japanese repertoire he's chosen to cover.

Marty has spent the last few years working on a documentary called "Spacefox". The film, which is being directed by Jeremy Frindel, the founder of Substratum Films, follows Friedman's reinvention from lead guitarist in MEGADETH to one of the most famous TV personalities in Ja

BUCKCHERRY singer Josh Todd says that the departure of founding guitarist Keith Nelson was "three years in the making" before it finally happened.

Nelson's exit from BUCKCHERRY was announced in May 2017. At the time, no reason was given for his split with the group. He was replaced by Kevin Roentgen, who had previously played with AMERICAN PEARL and SOUL. Roentgen left BUCKCHERRY in July 2020 and was replaced by JETBOY's Billy Rowe.

Asked in a new interview with "The Crash Report" podcast if it was a difficult transition having to continue without Nelson, Todd said: "We'd already been through a few departures from bandmembers. So, at that point, we got really got at kind of — our radar was up. All of us — not just Keith. All of us have [our] radars up now because we've dealt with a few transitions in that department. And we had been on the road. And when you're on the road, you're in close quarters with people, and so you just know when things are about to go down."

He continued: "I feel like [Keith's departure] was three years in the making to actually happen. And I'm sure it was a hard decision for him to make. But everything happens for a reason, and people have to do what they've gotta do for themselves to be happy. And I think that's ultimately what happened. But you'd have to ask him about all his reasons and why he wanted to do what he had to do.

"That being said, I've known Stevie [Dacanay, a.k.a. Stevie D.] since I was 19, way before I even met Keith," Josh added. "Stevie never was in a position to where he got to be a part of a lot of the songwriting, so for him to take over that role was really exciting for him, and for me, because we have a really good friendship on top of it. And we did the JOSH TODD & THE CONFLICT record [2017's 'Year Of The Tiger'] first before we even did a BUCKCHERRY record, and that was a lot of fun. We went back to the heaviness of my roots, and we had a lot of fun making that record, and it's a really good record. So by the time we got to the 'Warpaint' songwriting sessions, we were in what I like to call full song, and it was just a labor of love at that point. And so it was pretty smooth transition — honestly."

In a December 2019 interview with "Trunk Nation: L.A. Invasion" on SiriusXM, Nelson stated about his exit from BUCKCHERRY: "I never actually spoke of my reasons [for leaving], 'cause it wasn't just one." He added: "I'm really proud of what I did. We achieved a lot — way more than we thought we could — and I have no hard feelings. I'm just moving forward."

Todd told the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast that things "got really weird" in the three years prior to the departures of Nelson and drummer Xavier Muriel. "It just wasn't a band anymore. We weren't aligned; we weren't all focused on the same things; we didn't all want the same things," he said. "Everything happens for a reason, and it's been nothing but great things for all of us. I can't speak for Keith or Xavier, but I just hope that they are really happy in their lives. That's all I care about, really, because at the end of the day, that's all you want for people. I can't harbor resentment or anger towards anybody. At the time, there was a lot of stuff that rubbed me the wrong way, but since then, I've really worked through it a lot, and now, looking back, it just needed to happen. Now, everything's really amazing. With every lineup change in BUCKCHERRY's history, it's always gotten better, so I had that to kind of reflect on when all this was going down, so I was just optimistic about the whole thing."

In March 2019, Todd said that he had yet to rekindle his friendship with Nelson, despite the vocalist's attempt to bury the hatchet. "I can tell you this. I really gave him an opportunity to set himself up for that, and he didn't take that opportunity," Todd said. "I can only personally tell you that I've done a lot of work on the subject and I can say this that I hope he's happy, and that's it. And I hope everybody who's had any kind of issue with [BUCKCHERRY] and had to leave is happy, 'cause that's all that matters at the end of the day. I don't hate him and I don't hate anybody."

BUCKCHERRY will release their new album, "Hellbound", on June 25 via Round Hill Records. The follow-up to 2019's "Warpaint" was recorded last fall in Nashville, Tennessee with producer and songwriter-for-hire Marti Frederiksen, who has previously collaborated with AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, Jonny Lang and Sheryl Crow, among many others.

EXODUS singer Steve "Zetro" Souza says that drummer Tom Hunting is "doing really good," a month after he started treatment for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the stomach.

A GoFundMe campaign to help Hunting with medical expenses has already raised nearly more than $89,000 — including $5,000 from Tom's former EXODUS bandmate, current METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett, and $1,500 from FOZZY singer and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho.

Souza offered an update on Hunting's health during the latest episode of his Zetro's Toxic Vault YouTube series. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I was actually with the whole band last Tuesday. We had a photo shoot. And I've gotta say Tom looks great. And from all of us, and him as well, we wanna thank all of you guys for all of your kind words, all of your financial support. And I want you guys to know that he's one of the strongest individuals I've ever met in my life. That's why he got so much love. He's just such a great, amazing player, as that goes. He's an awesome drummer — an innovator at what he does — and just an overall great dude, and everybody loves him."

He continued: "[Tom's] cut his hair off, and I thought he looks great, dude. I was walking up to him, going, like, 'Hi, I'm Tom Hunting. I'll be selling your house.' He looks so professional. I told him, 'Fuck, dude. I wouldn't grow it back, if I was you.'

"Anyway, he's great, and he looks great, and he's beating this thing. Like he said in the press, he's gonna beat it like a snare drum that owes him money, and he's doing that right now. When you guys hear what he's done on the new record and see him live, it's gonna be really exciting for everyone. It makes it even that much more special as that comes out."

Souza added: "I don't wanna tell too much, because he's very reserved on these types of things and he doesn't really want me to talk about it. I just wanna let you guys know that he's doing really good, and he looks really good, and his attitude and everybody around him is very positive. And that's all I can say. He's gonna lick this thing, no problem. And we'll see you guys back with him right out on the road."

The 56-year-old Hunting revealed the diagnosis in a statement released on April 13. He said at the time: "Today I will be starting treatment for a squamous cell carcinoma. It's a gastric tumor that was diagnosed in my upper stomach in February.

"I'm making this public to raise awareness for people to pay attention to symptoms of stomach and esophageal issues. If they persist, please go get it checked out.

"I'm not gonna be sheepish talking about it. I feel that if I can help someone with what I've learned, or someone out there has information to share with me, it's a win-win! When you can name the enemy, it's empowering, and you're 1 step closer to killing it!

"Ok, you've heard the bad news. The good news is he feels great physically! I'm gonna beat this like a fucking snare drum that owes me money!!! I've had great doctors and a great support system that is an army in itself. I'm ready for the fight!"

After Hunting went public with his diagnosis, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt said that the band will "delay" the release of its recently completed new album, "Persona Non Grata", "so that when Tom has defeated this, he will be back to full strength to hit the road and pummel his drums like only he can! When he has kicked cancer's ass like we know he will, we will resume kicking YOUR asses with the sickest record yet!" he said.

The squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach is a very uncommon entity, with worldwide incidence of 0.04% to 0.07% of all gastric cancers.

"Persona Non Grata" will be the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was the San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' first release since the departure of the group's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

"Persona Non Grata" was recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California and was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS. It was produced by EXODUS and was mixed by Andy Sneap.


























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DC Comics and Loma Vista Recordings have announce the "Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack". Executive produced by Tyler Bates ("Guardians Of The Galaxy", "Watchmen", "John Wick"), the soundtrack will be released digitally on June 18 and physically on July 16.

Just as the lauded DC "Dark Nights: Death Metal" series isn't the typical superhero storyline, this musical counterpart isn't the typical superhero soundtrack. Acclaimed composer Bates here unites an array of artists across various genres — including MASTODON, Denzel Curry, MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA, Chelsea Wolfe, IDLES and SOCCER MOMMY — forming his own musical super crew to create a first-of-its kind companion piece of original music, which adds further dimension to the acclaimed series through a multimedia experience including custom limited-edition comics, videos, and more.

MASTODON's album-opening buzzsaw "Forged By Neron" is the lead single and sets the tone by name-checking a demon lord of Hell who appears throughout the series.

Says Brann Dailor of MASTODON: "We are super excited and honored to be part of the 'Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack'! We've all been fans of DC Comics and the Batman universe since we were kids, so it really means a lot for us to be able to add something to that world."

All artists involved took a hands-on approach with "Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack", contributing songs — and in the case of a few, collaborating together for the first time — inspired by the text that depicts a hellish Earth twisted beyond recognition, wherein the Justice League is at the mercy of the Dark Multiverse and a diabolical Batman Who Laughs.

The soundtrack is available to pre-order on digital download, CD, and 2xLP — with exclusive Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman vinyl variant covers, 11 limited-edition character trading cards, and more.

Additionally, DC and Loma Vista Recordings will announce special edition soundtrack variants of "Dark Nights: Death Metal" issues 1-3, featuring RISE AGAINST, Denzel Curry and GREY DAZE (the late Chester Bennington's pre-LINKIN PARK band) on custom comic covers, and released alongside each artist's respective flexi singles.

"This soundtrack and motion-comic series was made by fans of comics, for fans of comics and music," enthuses Bates, who is beloved for his previous soundtrack work on several of the most influential superhero/graphic novel films of modern times. "'Dark Nights: Death Metal' is next-level storytelling by two incredibly talented artists in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. The visual aspect of this comic is entirely compelling, and resonates throughout each song on the soundtrack."

"Dark Nights: Death Metal Soundtrack" track listing:

01. MASTODON - "Forged by Neron"

02. CHELSEA WOLFE - "Diana"

03. HEALTH, Tyler Bates - "ANTI-LIFE (feat. Chino Moreno)"

04. MARIA BRINK, TYLER BATES - "Meet Me In Fire (feat. Andy Biersack)"

05. GREY DAZE - "Anything, Anything"

06. RISE AGAINST - "Broken Dreams, Inc."

07. MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA - "Never Ending"

08. DENZEL CURRY, PLAYTHATBOIZAY - "Bad Luck"

09. CARACH ANGREN - "Skull With a Forked Tongue"

10. STARCRAWLER - "Good Time Girl"

11. GUNSHIP, TYLER BATES - "Berserker (feat. Dave Lombardo)"

12. GREG PUCIATO, TYLER BATES, GIL SHARONE - "Now You've Really Done It"

13. SHOW ME THE BODY - "Stone Cold Earth"

14. IDLES - "Sodium"

15. SOCCER MOMMY - "Kissing in the Rain"

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Roy Mayorga was asked about the current status of STONE SOUR, the band he has played with for the past decade and a half. The drummer responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's on hiatus. It's too early to say. Corey's [Taylor, STONE SOUR and SLIPKNOT singer] just getting his feet wet with his solo project right now, so we'll have to see after that. And after he's done with his solo thing, he's probably gonna go back to SLIPKNOT and make a new record and do touring. They have a lot of touring to do that got cut off during the pandemic as well, so it's gonna be a while [before] STONE SOUR gets back together. I can't really tell you when that's gonna happen."

Mayorga also touched upon his recent decision to rejoin MINISTRY for the band's fall 2021 tour. Speaking about the high-energy nature of the industrial metal group's live performances, he said: "It's full-on relentless; there's no dynamic in there. It's just fucking plug and go. You've gotta punch and move, like heavyweight boxers do — just stick and move, as they say. It's a full-on set. It's a good hour-and-15[-minute] set, and I think, from what I see of the tour dates, three days in a row, four days in a row of that set. And we're gonna be doing a lot of the old stuff, 'cause I think this is a tour that was postponed from a year ago, and it was a celebration of 'The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste' and 'The Land Of Rape And Honey'. So anyone who knows the songs off those records, I'm basically copying the drum machine and playing it as solid and steady as I can, like a drum machine, but you're gonna get more of a live feel."

Mayorga previously played with MINISTRY from 2016 to 2017 and appeared on the "AmericaKKKant" album, which came out in March 2018.

Last August, Taylor said that he was open to doing more recording and touring with STONE SOUR in the future. But he admitted that there had "been some contention here and there" between the members of the band in the past and added that it was "time" for him to "step away" and pursue his solo project for a while.

In June, Corey told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that STONE SOUR is "kind of [on] the backburner. We all kind of felt that we did exactly what we wanted to do on [2017's] 'Hydrograd' [album] and we're just giving it a minute. I talked to the guys in the band about the solo thing and what I wanted to do, and they were all totally onboard with it. Everybody else has kind of got things going on, so they're all cool. So, yeah, I think STONE SOUR is kind of on hiatus right now, which is fine. If someday we wanna get back together and do some stuff, it'll be bigger than it was. But for right now, we're all kind of focused on kind of doing our own thing. But you never say never in this business."

STONE SOUR has been off the road and out of sight since completing the touring cycle for "Hydrograd". Taylor has been working with SLIPKNOT since then, recording and touring behind that group's sixth effort, "We Are Not Your Kind", as well as making his solo album, "CMFT".

Chalice Of Sin is a sensational new heavy metal machine masterminded by vocalist Wade Black (Crimson Glory, Seven Witches, Leatherwolf), who started working on new music for the project in 2019.

After sharing some music with the Frontiers label, Serafino Perugino President and A&R director of Frontiers Records, hooked him up with the label’s in-house powerhouse producer Alessandro Del Vecchio and work really began in earnest on Chalice Of Sin. Once guitarist Martin Jepsen Andersen and drummer Mirkko De Maio joined the fray, the unit was solidified. The resulting album is a tremendous example of classic heavy metal sounds akin to Savatage, Crimson Glory, and Metal Church. An absolute must for all lovers of classic heavy metal music from the '80s/early '90s.

The self-titled debut is due out June 18, and today, fans can get a taste of the album with the song "Sacred Shrine". Listen below, and pre-order/save Chalice Of Sin here.

"My writing partner, Rich Marks, and myself had a grand vision of how we wanted to approach this record.  Our inspiration came from a lot of different things.  Mostly the things affecting the world over the last year, as well as the challenges we face as humanity and the hardships that come with it.  Forging forward, the best that we can," says Black. "I was given an opportunity to work with a group of talented musicians in Alessandro Del Vecchio, Martin Jepsen Andersen, and Mirkko De Maio. The planets were aligned, and together, we created a stellar record that we are all very proud to be a part of.  We hope that everyone enjoys the album as much as we enjoyed creating it!" adds Black.

On the first single, "Chalice Of Sin", Black says, "As a whole, it is more of a statement that people of all standings in life go through hard times. No matter if you are a King or a commoner, we all go through bad times and the temptation to do the wrong thing is always there. You know it is sort of like the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other shoulder analogy. It's not the problem, it is how you solve it."

For more than two decades, Wade Black has cemented a name for himself in the heavy metal genre by fronting bands like Crimson Glory, Seven Witches, Leatherwolf, Leash Law, and War of Thrones. His voice is featured on more than a dozen albums and he has toured the world, performing at multiple metal festivals.

Wade first came to the attention of the metal community with his band Lucian Blaque, which formed in 1990 and had an initial run through 1995. When Lucian Blaque was put on pause, Wade put his knowledge of vocal techniques to work as an instructor at a music conservatory in Tampa, FL. His ability to soar through a three octave-plus range made him an in-demand instructor for aspiring vocalists of all genres of music.

In 1999, Wade took over as vocalist for the reactivated Florida metallers Crimson Glory, releasing the Astronomica album with them. Following a tour in support of the album, the band went on hiatus; however, not being one to rest on past glories, Wade forged ahead. His skills as a vocalist and frontman kept him in demand and he recorded and performed with established underground metal acts such as Seven Witches and Leatherwolf, as well as other collaborations within the metal community.

Now in the 21st century, Wade is prepared to bring the metal to the masses once again with his new project Chalice Of Sin.

Tracklisting:

"Chalice Of Sin"
"Great Escape"
"Whisky"
"Miracle"
"Sacred Shrine"
"Ashes Of The Black Rose"
"Through The Eyes Of A Child"
"I Stand"
"The Show"
"The Fight"
"Nightmare"

"Sacred Shrine":

"Chalice Of Sin" video:

Lineup:

Wade Black - Vocals
Martin Jepsen Andersen - Guitars
Alessandro Del Vecchio - Bass, Keyboards
Mirkko De Maio - Drums




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Minotauro Records presents The Mugshots' new single, "Children Of The Night / The Call", printed in a limited (300 copies) 12'' vinyl version, due for release on Friday, May 21. Pre-order here.

"Children Of The Night" features a guitar solo by Jeff “Mantas” Dunn from Venom Inc, while on "The Call" Attila Csihar (Mayhem, Tormentor) declaims some verses by legendary English poet William Blake.

"The Call" lyric video:

The Mugshots, this year celebrating their 20th anniversary, are now recording the new LP, which will feature many renowned special guests.




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Boston-based dark melodic power/thrash group, Let Us Prey, are debuting their new music video, for the song "In Suffering", exclusively via BraveWords. Watch the clip below:

Let Us Prey incorporates numerous sub-genres of metal into their style while still sounding organic. The group's adventurous music sees elements of thrash, death, power and progressive metal meld seamlessly with industrial samples and symphonic keyboards. The drumming is surgically precise and blisteringly fast without sounding mechanical; the guitars mix crushing, down-tuned brutality with dense harmonies and ripping leads; and vocalist Marc Lopes - best known as the front man of Manowar/The Dictators co-founder Ross Friedman's group Ross The Boss - shifts effortlessly from thrash/death metal growls to soaring melodic vocals and searing alford-esque highs with layered harmonies.

After self-releasing their acclaimed debut EP The Saint Of Killers, Let Us Prey signed with M-Theory Audio in 2020 to release their first full-length, Virtues Of The Vicious. Recorded by Pete Rutcho (Revocation, Havok, Bury Your Dead) and Nick Bellmore (Hatebreed, Toxic Holocaust, Five Finger Death Punch), the album includes a number of notable guest musicians, including Jon Donais (Anthrax, Shadows Fall), “Metal” Mike Chlasciak (Halford, Testament), Jimi Bell (House of Lords, Autograph) and the late Oli Herbert (All That Remains).

Tracklisting:

"Above The Vaulted Sky"
"Virtues Of The Vicious"
"In Suffering"
"Halo Crown"
"Murder Thy Maker"
"The Saint Of Killers"
"Ghost Echoes"
"The Cruel Creation Of Me"
"Prey"
"And Hell Followed With Me"

"Virtues Of The Vicious" video:

"Ghost Echoes" lyric video:

"The Saint Of Killers" lyric video:

"Halo Crown" video:

"Above The Vaulted Sky" video:




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FOO FIGHTERS, JOURNEY and LIMP BIZKIT are among the artists who have been confirmed for this year's Lollapalooza, set to take place July 29 through August 1 at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois.

Tickets go on sale at noon CT on Lollapalooza's web site. Four-day general admission passes are initially going for $350, with prices set to increase in phases as the festival's start draws closer.

In accordance with current local public health guidance, full COVID-19 vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results will be required to attend Lollapalooza 2021. For patrons who are not fully vaccinated, a negative COVID-19 test result must be obtained within 24 hours of attending Lollapalooza each day. Details on the festival entry process will be available in early July. Lollapalooza is excited to partner with the City of Chicago to encourage vaccinations in Chicago in the weeks prior to the festival.

If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccines or to find a vaccination location near you, please visit www.vaccinefinder.org.

"Here in Chicago, the word 'Lollapalooza' has always been synonymous with summer, great music and four days of unforgettable fun — which made last year's decision to postpone it all the more difficult," said Chicago mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. "Now, less than a year later and armed with a vaccine that is safe, effective and widely available, we are able to bring back one of our city's most iconic summer music festivals. I want to thank the Lollapalooza team for working closely with the city to create a reopening strategy that prioritizes safety and can’t wait to see festivalgoers return to Grant Park this summer."

"We've made tremendous progress in containing the spread of COVID-19, with all of our leading metrics stable or on the decline. This is a reason to celebrate and why we’re able to make this announcement," said CDPH commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D. "To ensure we celebrate safely this summer I encourage everyone to continue to be safe and smart; if you're sick, stay home; wash your hands frequently; wear a mask if you're traveling or using public transit; and most importantly get vaccinated if you haven't already."

Lollapalooza was created by Perry Farrell in 1991 as a farewell tour for JANE'S ADDICTION. Since its dissolution as a touring festival in 1997, Lollapalooza has become one of the biggest destination festivals in the world.

MR. BUNGLE has released "Loss Of Control", a VAN HALEN cover that the band debuted during its Halloween 2020 streaming special "The Night They Came Home". The single is available now, while a live performance video of the song was can be seen below.

"MR. BUNGLE tried to play this song in the '90s and we scrapped it because we sucked at it," explains Trey Spruance. "I think it worked this time for a lot of reasons. My own is that, thanks to the new 'Raging Wrath' era, I've had to re-approach the guitar like I did when I was 13 and 14. It was all about Eddie Van Halen for me back then, so circling back at this moment felt really natural. Those riffs and lead parts at least are super fun! I'm just glad Scott took the palm-mute breaks. Jesus!"

Scott Ian adds: "I generally don't get nervous about learning someone else's riffs. When it's an EVH riff, it's a whole different story! I was terrified! With 'Loss Of Control' I did my best to just hold on and go for the ride. What a riff!!! As a fan, I'd have to say it's a perfect song for MR. BUNGLE to cover. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I did getting to play it."

Due on June 11 via Ipecac Recordings, "The Night They Came Home", which was directed by Jack Bennett, is available as a CD, Blu-ray, CD + DVD, VHS and digitally. The CD portion features remastered audio, while the film features MR. BUNGLE's performance, Neil Hamburger's opening set, three official music videos ("Raping Your Mind", "Eracist", and "Sudden Death"), as well as extended behind-the-scenes footage. The VHS release, limited to 1000 collectible copies, is an edited, performance-only portion of the film.

"The Night They Came Home" track listing:

01. Won't You Be My Neighbor (Fred Rogers cover)

02. Anarchy Up Your Anus

03. Raping Your Mind

04. Bungle Grind

05. Methematics

06. Hell Awaits/Summer Breeze (SLAYER/SEALS & CROFT medley/cover)

07. Eracist

08. World Up My Ass (CIRCLE JERKS cover)

09. Glutton For Punishment

10. Hypocrites/Habla Español O Muere (S.O.D. cover)

11. Spreading The Thighs Of Death

12. Loss For Words

13. Sudden Death

14. Loss Of Control (VAN HALEN cover)

News of "The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo" arrival, the band's first new music in over 20 years, was received with great fanfare. The album news followed a spate of sold out 2020 live performances, which saw MR. BUNGLE playing to some of its biggest audiences ever. The album, which is a proper recording of MR. BUNGLE's much-traded-yet-unreleased 1986 demo cassette of the same name, was declared "one of the best thrash albums of the year" by Decibel, Rolling Stone said "their reboot is a feast of ingenious riffs, unexpected tempo shifts, and pure manic energy…," and Stereogum offered "MR. BUNGLE are reliving their very earliest days and kicking a whole lot of ass in the process." Revolver featured Mike Patton on its fall cover, saying "After 15 years of inactivity and 21 since their last album, avant-metal weirdos MR. BUNGLE reappeared from the mists of time to re-record their 1986 demo. Not content to merely rehash their high school days, core trio Mike Patton, Trey Spruance and Trevor Dunn enlisted help from ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian and former SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo. The result is — in the words of super fan Eric Andre — pure, awesome 'carve 666 into your desk and get in detention' metal."

MR. BUNGLE was formed in an impoverished lumber and fishing town by a trio of curious, volatile teenagers. Trey Spruance, Mike Patton and Trevor Dunn beget the amorphous "band" in 1985 up in Humboldt County, California, sifting through a variety of members until around 1989 when they settled on a lineup that managed to get signed to Warner Bros. Records. No one really knows how this happened and it remains a complete mystery that even the algorithms of the Internet can't decode. Up until 2000, they released three albums ("Mr. Bungle" in 1991, "Disco Volante" in 1995 and "California" in 1999), toured a good portion of the Western hemisphere and avoided any sort of critical acclaim. Some argue that the band subsequently broke up but there is also no proof of this. What is true is that they took 20 years off from performing under said moniker while they pursued various other musics that, in contrast, paid the rent.

MR. BUNGLE has also confirmed its first live outing of 2021, performing at Riot Fest in Chicago in September. The festival marks the first time Mike Patton has performed on the same bill with both MR. BUNGLE and FAITH NO MORE, and marks the band's first tour date since the fall album release.

Photo credit: Buzz Osborne

When psychedelic rock icons MONSTER MAGNET got off the plane in the USA after their "Powertrip" tour of Europe in February 2020, they already realized that they'd dodged a bullet. The band members were all healthy, despite having spent the last week of the month-long excursion gigging overseas, and at that point, many of those countries were in total lockdown. Part two of that tour, North America, was scheduled to begin three weeks later, but the rest is history… no live music, anywhere. So, what's a band that's been touring regularly for 30 years to do with this newfound downtime?

Frontman Dave Wyndorf tells the inspired tale below, but without further ado — Napalm Records is pleased to present the next chapter of MONSTER MAGNET's rabbit hole deep dive, "A Better Dystopia" (out May 21, 2021): a delightfully (and psychotically) curated collection of '60s and '70s proto-metal and late-era psych obscurities covered by the heavy New Jersey legends themselves.

While the album marks a new frontier for MONSTER MAGNET as their first covers record, this is not your typical set of standards released to pass time. "A Better Dystopia" sees the band pay homage to some of their favorite songs of all time, while reflecting on the paranoia, dystopia and revolution of both now — and then.

Fans can experience another taste of "A Better Dystopia" via a lyric video for MONSTER MAGNET's cover of classic TABLE SCRAPS track "Motorcycle (Straight To Hell)".

Wyndorf says: "I'm psyched to unleash our version of 'Motorcycle (Straight To Hell)'. TABLE SCRAPS are a truly great band and prove again and again that garage punk fury lives!"

Wyndorf says about the birth of "A Better Dystopia": "We all agreed that we would be bored out of our minds within a month of lockdown. MONSTER MAGNET loves the road. It's a lifestyle. So, I considered our options. Rather than panhandle on the Internet, hawking masks and Zoom-rocking practice sessions for dollars, I suggested we record a 'bunker record.' A total DIY affair (band only) recorded and mixed in Bob Pantella's small-but-potent Freak Shop Studios/rehearsal space right here in New Jersey. But what to record?

"I didn't feel much like writing, but working on anything was better than watching the news as hospitals filled up, people died, and American politics went bat-shit crazy. The world roared 'Dystopia! Apocalypse! Revolution!' I'd heard those words before, and they brought to mind my childhood in the late '60s/early '70s… and the music… and short playlist of songs (just one of many) that I'd been carrying around with me on my whatever device to listen to before shows. Of course, these tunes have also been in my head for more or less my whole life. These were not the popular hits of the time. This was like a playlist from the fourth dimension… strange bits of musical obscurity, mostly dredged up from that inglorious and freaky 'twilight zone' time that preceded arena rock, heavy metal, reggae and disco. A no-man's land of hard rock that still had remnants of psychedelia and garage punk but had abandoned any notion of 'flower power' or frat house fun. And of course, they rocked.

"Yeah, these songs were it."

Wyndorf is at the top of his game on "A Better Dystopia", delivering each lyric in his own inimitable style, and musicians Phil Caivano, Bob Pantella, Garrett Sweeney and Alec Morton own the sound — vintage and old school, dense and heavy, with searing fuzz leads and pounding bass and drums all played in a deft style that's almost been lost in modern music. The album opens with "The Diamond Mine", as Dave Wyndorf recites a classic monologue by Dave Diamond, an American radio DJ whose programs in the late '60s and early '70s helped popularize many psychedelic and acid rock bands. At this point the real trip begins, as the opening chords of the HAWKWIND classic "Born To Go" gear up for launch. Tracks like standout "Mr. Destroyer" (POO-BAH) spur visions of some untold freak revolution — or perhaps dinosaurs battling on a burning planet at the end of time — creating a perfect blend of hard rock and psychedelia. Feverish "Motorcycle (Straight To Hell)" (TABLE SCRAPS) is pure punk fury of the old-school tradition, evoking a cross between Iggy Pop and MOTÖRHEAD as Wyndorf wails "I'm gonna drive it straight to HELL!" Falling even further down the mind-bending rabbit hole, MAGNET offers their stunning, whirlwind take on the often-overlooked hard rock classic "Learning To Die" (DUST) and a masterful version of the STOOGES-meets-goth epic "Solid Gold Hell" (THE SCIENTISTS). The album closes with a bonus nuclear cover of MORGEN's "Welcome To The Void", inviting you to restart the ride again and again.

Wyndorf concludes: "The great bands whose music we lovingly interpret here were (and some still are) on the fringe, underrated, and in our opinion, really, really cool. I think that's reason enough for us to do this album. Furthermore, 'A Better Dystopia' is a collection of songs that I think reflect (knowingly or unknowingly) a paranoid time in history, but also deflect that same paranoia by owning it, fully. And of course, it ROCKS."

"A Better Dystopia" track listing:

01. The Diamond Mine

02. Born To Go

03. Epitaph For A Head

04. Solid Gold Hell

05. Be Forewarned

06. Mr. Destroyer

07. When The Wolf Sits

08. Death

09. Situation

10. It's Trash

11. Motorcycle (Straight To Hell)

12. Learning To Die

13. Welcome To The Void (bonus track)

MONSTER MAGNET is:

Dave Wyndorf - Vocals, Guitar

Phil Caivano - Guitar

Garret Sweeny - Guitar

Alec Morton - Bass

Bob Pantella - Drums

Photo credit: Gonzales Photo / Per-Otto Oppi / Alamy Live News

The Jimi Hendrix Experience, featuring Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell & Billy Cox, performed live at the Temple Stadium in Philadelphia, PA on May 16, 1970. You can now listen to the full concert, below.

Although a rough sounding recording, these performances are provided for your enjoyment and to help present further context into Jimi Hendrix's incredible performance legacy.

Setlist:

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
"Johnny B. Goode"
"Machine Gun"
"Lover Man"
"Foxey Lady"
"Red House"
"Freedom"
"Fire"
"Hear My Train A Comin'"
"Keep On Groovin'"
"Purple Haze"
"Voodoo Child (Slight Return)"




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Extreme Management Group (EMG), home to bands like Suffocation, Cattle Decapitation, Rings Of Saturn, Misery Index and more, has announced their partnership with Japanese melodic metallers, Murashita.

Masaki Murashita first showed his scorching riffs and powerful songwriting, along with his blistering and aggressive vocal style with the critically acclaimed modern thrash band Hemoptysis in 2007 and he has been clawing his way to the top ever since. Combining elements of melody, thrash and modern extreme metal, Masaki has molded his own razor sharp brand of metal that is moving into the next stage of metal evolution.

Murashita released the first solo EP, Inescapable Damnation featuring some of the top players in Metal including David Ellefson (Megadeth), Kevin Talley (Suffocation, Six Feet Under, Chimaira), Kelly Conlon (Death, Monstrosity), Rodney McGlothlin (Voice of Dissent), and mixed by award winning producer Ryan Greene (Megadeth, NOFX). Inescapable Damnation EP received many positive reviews by top metal reviewers across the globe. In support of Inescapable Damnation release, Murashita performed on EMGtv, began touring in Japan in 2015 and continued through 2017 into the United States.

Recently, Masaki has appeared with a guest solo with VON, also featuring Dr. Mikannibal (Sigh) and Chris Cannella (Deicide); and has completed many gear demos for companies like Friedman Amps, EMG Pickups, ISP Technologies, Rivera Amps, and Providence Pedals. Masaki also has done production work with Flotsam and Jetsam, Beasto Blanco, Hi-Standard, Implants and others.

With an upcoming full-length album, an online presence in gear demoing, and subsequent tours being planned, Murashita plans to cover more territory and expand their style of melodic death metal.

Now, having inked a worldwide deal with Extreme Management Group (EMG), the band says: "I am super excited to partner with EMG and take this project to the next level. I can’t wait to get back on the road again and see you all in the pit."

EMG said, "We are thrilled to be working with Murashita and look forward to a great partnership!"




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Icelandic black metal formation, Auðn, have released a video for the title track of the studio album Vökudraumsins fangi, available via via Season Of Mist. The clip contains stunning historic images of the band's native Iceland, provided by the National Film Archive of Iceland // Kvikmyndasafn Íslands. The video was edited by Andri Björn Birgisson.

Auðn comment: ""Vökudraumsins fangi" is the title song of our new album and deals with what we perceive to be real until our minds decide otherwise. Waking up in another time, feeling someone else's presence within your being with memories foreign to you, feeling trapped in a perpetual nightmare, you begin to wonder if the life you believe you've led even existed at all."

Order the album here. Artwork by Mýrmann.

“Einn um alla tíð”
“Eldborg”
“Birtan hugann brennir”
“Verður von að bráð”
“Drepsótt”
“Næðir um”
“Horfin mér”
“Á himin stara”
“Ljóstýra”
“Vökudraumsins fangi”

Album stream:

(Photo - Daria Endresen)




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Czech sophisticated black metal force, Somniate, have spawned a brand new video for the song "In Bone Incorruptible".The track is featured on the band's debut album, The Meyrinkian Slumber, available via Lavadome Productions and Cloven Hoof on CD/LP/MC/Digital formats.

Arcane visuals and the album concept were forged under the influence of Gustav Meyrink's esoteric novel Der Golem (1915). Video was produced by Zdeněk Klekner, the lead vocalist of the band.

The album's five tracks represent a sophisticated black metal flight above the esoteric plot of the writer´s masterpiece. A tale of searching for the ascension through identity shifts, alchemical concepts and suffering, all set in a distorted vision of Prague. Mixed and mastered at the infamous BST Studio (Aosoth, The Order of Apollyon, Totalitarian).

The iconography of the album's cover art was crafted by View From The Coffin:

Tracklisting:

“The Sleepless Stone”
“Rephaim”
“In Bone Incorruptible”
“A Penitentiary Triptych”
“Of Fragrance And Light”

“Of Fragrance And Light”:

Album stream:




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Slipknot co-founder, Clown has announced Clown Cannabis, a first-of-its-kind partnership with Hollister Cannabis Co. and Heavy Grass, the loudest weed brand in the world. The collaboration features special-edition HashBone packs featuring six half-gram pre-rolls with matches, packaged in a soft-touch, matte black case.

Clown has long been a major advocate of marijuana’s widely reported medical benefits. The plant has been known to aid people with a large spectrum of health issues including anxiety, nausea, muscle and joint pain, as well as assisting with a range of chronic and inflammatory conditions. Not only that, it is acknowledged that cannabis is a useful therapeutic tool that can amplify creative and artistic endeavors. Clown tells us; "Remember, it's just medicine."

Additionally, Clown was adamant he would not enter the marijuana business until he had found the right opportunity to create the very best product possible - he is thrilled to collaborate with Hollister Cannabis Co. and Heavy Grass for these exclusive Clown Cannabis pre-rolls.

Branded with original artwork, Clown's signature HashBone line contains a 75% potent, uplifting indica flower, hand-blended with 25% Paradise Citrus bubble hash. The signature premium indica flower features an earthy citrus-rich flavor profile, with sublime sedating effects. Paradise Citrus, made from crossing Tropicana Cookies and Tina, adds another layer of full-body relaxation with happy head highs and citrusy notes of orchard-fresh sour orange. Lab testing confirms the potency of these hash-infused pre-rolls with THC levels above 40%. It is currently available in California from DreamyDelivery.com, plus selected other retail dispensaries and delivery services. 

HashBone, the No. 1 hash-infused pre-roll in California, is one of Hollister's signature products, and Clown Cannabis represents the first collaborative release between Hollister, Heavy Grass and one of its artists. Carl Saling, the Co-Founder, CEO and Director of Hollister Biosciences tells us, "We are very excited to be launching our HashBone collaboration with Clown. We couldn't ask for a better partner and someone who is true to the plant. This partnership is our first step in combining hard rock/metal with cannabis in a truly authentic way. Additionally, we are happy that we get to bring Clown to market in tandem with our friends at Heavy Grass - leveraging their experience in music-inspired cannabis products will amplify our overall marketing efforts.”

In celebration of the release of Clown Cannabis, Heavy Grass are offering a once in a lifetime Green Ticket experience. The winner of Clown’s Green Ticket will receive unlimited entrance for two into any Slipknot shows in the world for the next three years. For entry details and rules, visit theheavygrass.com. 

 




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DISTURBED singer David Draiman was one of the speakers at last November's Immersia Connect virtual event from Immersia, a new comprehensive storytelling platform for people to engage and discover the benefits of cannabis and overall wellness. Draiman talked about his long relationship with the plant that he tributes his wellbeing to.

He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I guess I first tried cannabis when I was in seventh grade — way, way back in the day. Herb and I have a long history together. It has always been a perfect means of balancing for me — for being able to achieve clarity and peace. My brain can be a pretty busy and insane place, and my ability to be creative has been helped tremendously and aided tremendously through the calm and serenity achieved from a THC high. I would say 95 percent of the music that I've written was written under the influence of cannabis.

"From a health perspective, one of the things that has plagued me over the course of my life — it's hereditary — is high blood pressure," he continued. "If I'm doing cannabis on a regular basis, I don't even need to touch the blood pressure meds. It regulates it better than any pill I've come across and does it so much more comfortably.

"I can't even stress the amount of benefit I get from having a touring body that has suffered 24 years of this business to have something that has anti-inflammatory agents that continuously work to keep my inflammation and my pain that I have all over my body from what I've done to it over the course of my career in check. I don't have to take Advil on a daily basis, like a lot of other people do. I don't have to take my blood pressure meds. I don't have to worry about a lot of the things that people need other medication to worry about.

"Truth be told, it brings you, besides the mental calmness and serenity, the physical calmness and serenity that goes along with it," Draiman added. "I can't say enough about what cannabis can do."

DISTURBED's song "Fire It Up", which appeared on the band's 2015 album "Immortalized", opens with the sound of a bong hit and was inspired by the singer's pot-smoking routine.

Draiman told Revolver in a 2015 interview that marijuana plays a huge part in his songwriting process. "I'll have a very skeletal musical idea in my head, and then I'll light one up, go in the shower and let the steam kind of build up," he said. "It helps me relax, and I can see the gaps. I can see the holes in the rhythm and the melody and I'll know where I can go, and what the possibilities are. It helps me be able to perceive everything a little bit more clearly."

Draiman told The Pulse Of Radio that "Fire It Up" was inspired by a recording session where he sang DISTURBED's cover of SIMON AND GARFUNKEL's "The Sound Of Silence" while high. "I was done with the day and I wanted to relax, so I went ahead and I smoked a bowl," he laughed. "[I] came back and was high out of my mind and no, no, by no means ready to track vocals by any stretch of the imagination. And they all encouraged me to go into the vocal booth, and I was pretty blown away. I hadn't heard my voice that vulnerable in a very, very long time."

Asked what his favorite strain of marijuana is, Draiman told Artisan News: "If I can find Kush of any kind anywhere I go, that's the preferable… I love it. If I go to Amsterdam, I'll hunt down the master Kush over at the greenhouse the minute I get there, I still love White Widow too, I still love Bubblegum, I still love a bunch of 'em, but there is no substitute for Kush. Kush is just, to me, the be-all, end-all. I'm much of an Indica guy than a Sativa guy anyway, so I like the more stony kind of thing, 'cause that's what puts me in the right zone for creativity anyway. I'm not looking to wake up from it."

Sinhue "Sin" Quirin has announced his departure from MINISTRY.

The guitarist, who had played with the industrial metal pioneers, on and off, since 2007, confirmed his spit with MINISTRY in a post on his personal Facebook page earlier today (Friday, May 14).

He wrote: "Hey everyone, I hope you're having a great Friday. I wanted to let you all know something that's been on my mind for a while. I've decided to step down from MINISTRY. I'm in a much different place in my life right now and I feel the time is right for me to focus on my health, my personal life, as well as other projects and interests. MINISTRY will always be family to me. They all know I love them very much and that I want nothing but the best for them and much success. Thank you for your continued support everyone. Love you all!"

Quirin's exit from MINISTRY comes less than a year and a half after he was accused by two women of engaging in sexual intercourse with them while they were 15 and 16 years old. In a SPIN report published on Billboard, both women alleged that they each met Quirin following concerts by his band SOCIETY 1, which predated his time in MINISTRY.

Through his attorney, Quirin denied ever having had "any sexual relationship with anyone under the age of majority." He attorney also claimed that MINISTRY's Al Jourgensen was "unaware of any of potential nefarious activity by any member of MINISTRY during their respective tenure(s) with the band including but not limited to Mr. Sin Quirin."

Last month, Quirin's 3 HEADED SNAKE project released a new single, "Tyrants". Sin is joined in the group by former MINISTRY drummer Derek S. Abrams, guitarist Diego "Ashes" Ibarra of DEVILDRIVER, vocalist Johnny Ray and bassist D.V. Karloff.

Photo courtesy of Sin Quirin's Facebook page

HEART's Nancy Wilson has released a Jeremy Danger Pictures-directed music video for her cover version of PEARL JAM's "Daughter". She originally recorded the track for Netflix's "I Am All Girls", a South African film which shines a light on human trafficking,

Nancy said about the song, and its connection to the film: "I initially recorded 'Daughter' for the film, a powerful story about sex trafficking in South Africa. I was drawn to the global tragedy of human trafficking and the lyrics sung from a women's perspective also mirror the power of the girls' untold stories. This film is a revelation and sheds meaning and light on these realities. Trafficking is a global phenomenon that impacts women around the world. I recorded this version as an anthem to them."

Nancy's version of "Daughter" also appears on her debut solo album, "You And Me", which came out on May 7 via Carry On Music. The LP was recorded primarily in Wilson's California home studio, working with band members and special guests remotely. Most of the tracks are originals, but Wilson decided to include a handful of covers by a few of her favorites, including a stirring turn of SIMON & GARFUNKEL's "The Boxer" featuring Sammy Hagar, and an ethereal cover of THE CRANBERRIES' "Dreams", featuring Liv Warfield (Prince) from Nancy's previous band ROADCASE ROYALE. The first single from the album was Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising", which dropped last fall.

The other eight tracks are originals, mostly acoustic ballads, but there are also some rousing rockers like "Party At The Angel Ballroom" which features a superstar backing band, including Duff McKagan of GUNS N' ROSES and Taylor Hawkins of the FOO FIGHTERS. The album ends with a song that captures the full spectrum of loss, love and redemption in one instrumental coda. Titled "4 Edward", it is Nancy's tribute to Eddie Van Halen, whose 2020 loss still looms large over music.

The title track "You And Me", as with several of the songs on the album, reunites Wilson with longtime collaborator Sue Ennis, who co-wrote many of HEART's classics with Nancy and sister Ann.

With her band HEART, Nancy Wilson has recorded 16 albums, sold over 35 million albums worldwide and has four Grammy nominations. She had previously released one other album with just her name on it, "Live At McCabe's Guitar Shop", which captured her playing a set of covers and new songs in 1999. But Nancy considers this her first true solo album, a positive creative move amid a surreal year of loss; life during lockdown.

Though Stone Sour is currently in the midst of an indefinite hiatus, guitarist Josh Rand is anything but inactive. In fact, he's teamed up with Springfield-based vocalist Casandra Carson for a brand-new creative outlet, The L.I.F.E. Project, reports Sam Roche of Guitar World.

While we'll have to wait until later in the year to hear the duo's debut EP, their first single "The Nothingness" – which arrived in April – offers a taste of what's to come. Check out a newly released guitar playthrough video of that very song, followed by the official video.

Speaking with Behind The Vinyl in May 2020, Rand revealed The L.I.F.E. Project was in the works, although the name hadn't been decided on at the time.

Rand: "It definitely is different than what I think most people would expect. I decided if I was gonna do anything that I wanted it not to sound like tone Sour, because it's going to, to some degree. A lot of them are piano based, and I'm running with it like that. I've also started incorporating all these different instruments - all kinds of crazy percussion and stuff - because I just wanted to have fun and be creative and not try to write the next '30/30-150' or have that pressure of trying to do that."

For further details, visit The L.I.F.E. Project on Facebook.

 




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A Pale Horse Named Death have announced their new album, Infernum In Terra, for September 24th, 2021 via Long Branch Records / SPV.

Infernum In Terra is the fourth studioalbum by the band led by founding Type O Negative and Life of Agony member Sal Abruscato and has been mastered by Maor Appelbaum (Faith No More, Meat Loaf, Yes, Sepultura, Halford etc.) at Maor Appelbaum Mastering (California,USA) while the artwork was done by Kelvin Doran of Serpent Tusk Studios (Dublin, Ireland). 

"The album to me represents a new beginning, turning a new leaf shall we say with the same vibe from past albums but with a fresh open minded approach," says Abruscato. He adds: "There is no real concrete specific concept, it touches on some personal topics in my life long, my interest in the dark arts, that to have light you must have darkness to balance everything. With daylight comes nightfall, with heaven there is hell and at this moment the world seems to be in a very dark place hence the title of the album Infernum In Terra. This is a very dark album, but what else is new I always write dark music to sooth a dark soul!"

Infernum In Terra is available for pre-order here.

A Pale Horse Named Death have also announced their new single, "Believe In Something (You Are Lost)" for May 28th. You can pre-save the new single here.

Tracklist 

"Infernum"
"Believe In Something (You Are Lost)"
"Cast Out From The Sky"
"Shards Of Glass"
"Lucifer's Sun"
"It Is Done"
"Two Headed Snake (Propofol Dreams)"
"Slave To The Master"
"Devil's Deed"
"Reflections Of The Dead"
"Souls In The Abyss"




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Swedish guitarist and producer Ola Englund, renowned for his work with Six Feet Under, The Haunted and Feared, recently released his second solo album, Starzinger, on CD, vinyl and digital download. Mixed and mastered by Clawfinger’s Jocke Skog, Starzinger follows-up Englund’s debut solo album, Master Of The Universe, released in early 2018 and features Delta Empire on drums along with a number of guest appearances, including guitar virtuoso Jeff Loomis (Arch Enemy, Nevermore).

Check out a playthrough video of "Balegmah" from the album featuring Loomis in action.

Portraying the artwork of Costin Chioreanu (Paradise Lost, At The Gates, Emperor), Starzinger sees Englund merging influences of prog with '80s rock and metal.

Tracklist:

"Stars & Ponies"
"Cringy AF"
"Space Invaders"
"Demon(etized)"
"Bane of Skeletor"
"Bluesy McBluesface"
"Balegmah"
"Sun & The Moon"
"A Bid Farewell"

Stream Starzinger in full below:

"I’m extremely excited to see the release of my second solo album Starzinger, this album being a little bit more metal oriented than my first Master Of The Universe album. It’s a weird feeling because it’s basically just showing the current state of me and where I am in life. Hoping that the people that follow what I do can see the parallels. This one is for you," says Englund about this new effort.

With over 300K subscribers on his tech/music Youtube channel, over the last few years, Ola Englund has also built a strong reputation in the music scene by playing in several bands, most prominently in Feared and The Haunted. Just recently Englund also founded his own guitar company called Solar Guitars, which was meet with great success and currently sponsors artists like Exhorder, The Haunted and At The Gates.




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Frontiers Music Srl has announced the signing of Rubikon: a new collaboration featuring Turkish artist Cenk Eroglu (Winger, Xcarnation) and singer John Bisaha (The Babys). Through Frontiers, Eroglu was introduced to Bisaha and they started Rubikon, which is going to offer fans nothing but pure and unadulterated melodic rock harkening back to the glory days of AOR and bringing it forward to this day. They are currently recording their debut album with Eroglu's young son Efe (guitars, keyboards) and some special guest musicians like Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson, Mr. Mister), Ray Coburn (Honeymoon Suite), and Reb Beach (Winger, Whitesnake) among others. Rubikon's debut album is anticipated for release in 2022. 

"As a composer and producer I've worked on many different styles of music, but in my heart I have always been a melodic rock musician,” says Cenk Eroglu. "I recorded demos in this style between 1984 and 1998 and wrote more than 500 songs, all of which are pure, classic melodic rock. I tried to find the right singer/songwriter partner for years and it was an impossible mission. Meeting John Bisaha was a miracle. He is not only an amazing singer/songwriter, but also, spiritually, he was the missing piece for my reason to write songs. Together, we chose 11 songs for this album and I truly believe they are really unique. We called our band Rubikon (yes, that river in Italy that Caesar crossed - if you know the story). I was on the edge of that river for many years and I crossed it when John and I joined forces. If you are in love with real melodic rock, then this is it! I am so thankful that I found John and Frontiers to lead the way. I can't wait to share these songs with you!"

"As a child born in the early '60s, I have had the pleasure of being exposed to an extraordinary range of music and styles. "From Bach to rock", as many say. When I really started getting into music, I locked myself in my room in my teen years to absorb as much as I could and sing as many styles as I could. I naturally gravitated to the 'then' styles of rock, which are now considered 'classic/melodic/album-oriented'. We really had no genre name for it back then! When my 'style' of music left for a sabbatical when the flannel shirts and rap took over the airwaves, I knew I had to recreate myself and hoped the day would come for a rebirth of my style of music. I have followed Frontiers for quite awhile now and hoped for the day that I could become part of the family and bring a bit of myself (and my family!) to the party. Once I was contacted by Mario and put in touch with Cenk, all of the pieces fell together. It just felt right! I've partnered up with a great songwriter, musician, producer, but more importantly, a friend and partner, something that is found rarely in these days. Thank you Mario, Serafino, and the rest of The Frontiers Family for this opportunity. I think you'll enjoy what comes out of this," says vocalist John Bisaha. 

For further details, follow Rubikon on Facebook.

 

 




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