Progressive metal artist Austin Taft has released a video for his song "Just Above Zero". The track is from his album Skeletons which will be issued on CD on May 28th 2021.

Austin commented: "In my view, songs should reward the listener for listening to the whole thing. If the listener hears one minute of a song and wouldn't miss much in the way of new information by skipping the rest, it feels like a missed opportunity. So with that philosophy in mind, this song (and the album it is sourced from) aims to be exciting, challenging and unpredictable. The lyrics are about how frequently opportunities to improve situations for humankind seem to be squandered, whether at the ballot box or otherwise."

Skeletons artwork and tracklisting:

"Skeletons" 
"Endless Sky" 
"A Winning Strategy" 
"The Ladder" 
"Diminishing Returns (All Around)" 
"Just Above Zero"
"The Line" 
"Unraveling" 
"The Road To Happiness"

Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.

 




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On June 21st, CRS (aka Cirrosis) from the northwest of Mexico lashes out with the release of new material entitled Live In Isolation. It's a four track EP recorded in an exclusive live session for the online festival Moshfest in September 2020, which includes a previously unrealesed song "The Daydreamer's Nightmare" premiered on this EP with a guest singer Quetzalín Dominguez from the Mexican band Lost Nebula.

CRS is still as impressive as it was in the '90s. Sir Oz lets out angry screams of despair, Chucky sits on his throne as one of the greatest metal guitarists in Mexico proving that it's not all about complexity, but about good and powerful riffs and well-structured solos, going from style to style, and coloring with amazing acoustics and melodies, Tavo Ramírez shows the technical and precision level that a Latin American drummer can have, blast beats, good nuances but above all good taste. As if that were not enough, they have an extraordinary collaboration, the virtuoso and famous bassist Kello Gonzalez (Parazit, Nata) accompanies them providing innovative bass arrangements that show that great musicians end up recognizing themselves.

The EP was recorded, mixed and mastered by its guitarist and multi-nominee Grammy: Francisco “Chucky” Oroz. But not everything ends there, the EP offers two live songs as bonus tracks recorded in 2000 in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, “Fariseos” and “Negando lo No Negadi” in both tracks it's possible to appreciate why they were the kings of the stage.

Tracklisting:

"Kill My Name"
"Tan Lejos De Dios" 
"The Daydreamers Nightmare" 
"I Am The Universe" 
"Fariseos" (bonus track only on CD)  
"Negando lo No Negado" (bonus track only on CD)

For further details, visit CRS (Cirrosis) on Facebook.

 




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David Ellefson's longtime business partner Thom Hazaert says that he had nothing to do with the leak of the MEGADETH bassist's messages and videos featuring a woman who is not his wife.

Over the weekend, sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the 56-year-old Ellefson were posted on Twitter. The longtime MEGADETH member later released a statement on Instagram denying all social media chatter that he "groomed" an underage fan.

On Tuesday (May 11), Hazaert took to his Instagram to share a photo of him with his middle finger extended, and he included the following message: "This one goes out to the chatty fuckers trying to whisper that I had something to do with what happened to David. David Ellefson is a grown fucking man and fully and solely responsible for his own decisions and judgment. But know... #ISeeYouMotherfucker".

When one person commented under Thom's photo that David should be commended "for getting out in front of it like a real man should" and "own[ing] up to his behavior", Hazaert responded: "absolutely.. which for the record.. I actually helped him do."

In his statement on Monday, Ellefson wrote: "As you may or not know, some private and personal conversations and interactions have surfaced online, released with ill intention by a third party who was not authorized to have them or share them. While certainly embarrassing, I want to address it as openly and honestly as possible.

"As much as it's not something I'm proud of, these were private, adult interactions that were taken out of context and manipulated to inflict maximum damage to my reputation, my career and family," he continued. "The other party involved has made a statement which you can see below. I thank her for doing so and hope that this clarifies that the situation was not at all as presented."

Ellefson's statement was accompanied by a screenshot of a social media post from the woman involved, who denied any suggestions that she was underage at the time. The woman also revealed she recorded the intimate moments and shared them with a friend without Ellefson's permission, calling herself "naïve" for doing so and claiming that the contact between her and the musician was "all consensual and all online." She also called assumptions that she was "groomed" by Ellefson "misinformation".

"Yes, those video calls did happen, but I was the one to initiate it and never was I underage, I was always a consenting adult. Nothing inappropriate ever happened before that. It was all consensual, I'm not a victim and I have not been groomed in the slightest as I was the one to initiate it," the woman stated.

David, who became a Lutheran pastor nearly a decade ago, and his wife Julie Ellefson have been married for 27 years. They reportedly dated for six years after getting together in 1988. After two days of engagement, they married on April 2, 1994. They have two children, Roman Alexander (25) and Athena Grace (22).

Ellefson, who has lived in Scottsdale, Arizona since 1994, is also an author and entrepreneur, with Hazaert, holding the reins of EMP Label Group, Combat Records, Ellefson Coffee Co., and more, in addition to a diverse portfolio of brands and signature products. Ellefson was also inducted into the 2018 class of the Iowa Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame, just over the border from Jackson in Spirit Lake, Iowa.
























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Dear friends,
after more than 26 years of band history, we unfortunately have to inform you that for the time being we will be traveling with only 6 members. Boris “Yellow Pfeiffer” has decided to go other ways and will no longer be part of the band from now on.
Over the many years of working together, living conditions, perspectives and priorities change. At the many intersections where we stood together as a band during the entire time, we always managed to decide on a path that the individual and the band could live with. Unfortunately this time it was no longer possible and we could not find a consensus.
Nevertheless, we will not despair and continue to hunt for the sun. Our compass shows us the way and we do not give up hope that we will soon be able to rock the stages with you again.
We thank Boris for the many years together and wish him all the best on his future path!
Stay healthy and take care of yourselves
Your 6 In Extremos

STAIND frontman Aaron Lewis has railed against the U.S. government, saying that we are "allowing the dumbest fucking people in this country to dictate what our lives are and aren't."

The outspoken conservative rocker, who reinvented himself as a solo country artist in the last decade, voiced his views before performing a new song called "Am I The Only One" during a recent livestream.

He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I feel like my fucking chest is gonna explode when I hear these fucking idiots that call themselves experts about anything.

"I swear to God, I don't know what has happened to this country, but we are listening to and allowing the dumbest fucking people in this country to dictate what our lives are and aren't. We've allowed a federal government that has the given authority to do eighteen things efficiently and properly, and look where we are. Eighteen things, people — eighteen. Those are the powers they're given by the Constitution. Eighteen. Everything else is supposed to happen at the state and local level, so that it's connected to you.

"How many people actually know the Constitution — outside the people that are watching this thread right now, because if you're watching this thread, then you don't hate me for the things that I say.

"See, here's the problem," he added. "And this is it in a nutshell. And it applies to so many of you out there that are listening, that aren't listening. I'm about to turn 49 years old. I was alive for, let's call it, 40 years before this incessant assault on our history, on our culture, on everything, for political purposes. They're attacking our character so that they get further in their political life, and we're allowing it to happen.

"I'm gonna paraphrase Einstein right now. Einstein said that — and I say 'paraphrase' because I don't know if I'm gonna get it exactly right — he said that this country and this world, it won't be destroyed by evil men; it'll be destroyed by good men that stand idly by while evil men do what they do. I want you to think about that."

Lewis originally performed "Am I The Only One" in March at a solo concert in Texas — a state which removed all pandemic restrictions that same month.

The as-yet-unreleased track, which finds Aaron asking if he is the only one fed up with the state of the country right now, features such lyrics as: "Am I the only one, who can't take no more, screaming if you don't like it there's the fucking door, this ain't the freedom we've been fighting for, it was something more, yeah, it was something more."

Apparently addressing the removal of Confederate statues, Lewis sings in the song: "Am I the only one willing to fight for my love of the red and white, and the blue, burning on the ground as the statues coming down in a town near you, watching the threads of Old Glory come undone, Am I the only one. I can't be the only one."

Lewis also criticized Bruce Springsteen at the end of the track, singing: "Am I the only one, who quit singing along every time they play a Springsteen song."

Springsteen can best be described as Lewis's political polar opposite, having been a vocal opponent to former U.S. president Donald Trump on many occasions. Last August, Bruce went as far as to allow the use of his song "The Rising" in a video that aired during night one of the Democratic National Convention.

Lewis, who is widely considered to be one of the most politically conservative musicians in rock, told the Anchorage Press in a January 2020 interview that he considered the first Trump impeachment by the House Of Representatives as the clearest representation of what's wrong with America these days.

Lewis was a staunch critic of President Barack Obama, telling a crowd at one of his solo concerts in 2016: "Barack Obama should have been impeached a long fucking time ago. Every fucking decision he makes is against the Constitution, it's against what's good for our fucking country, and he is truly the worst fucking president that we have ever had in the history of this fucking country."

That same year, Lewis told Billboard that he would support Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential race, even though he was "disappointed" by the real estate mogul "with the bickering and the name-calling." Lewis added that he voted for Senator Ted Cruz, Trump's closest competitor in the Republican nomination race, in the Massachusetts primary.

DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen spoke to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about the postponement of the band's "The Stadium Tour" with MÖTLEY CRÜE, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS. The trek, which was originally planned for 2020 and later moved to 2021, will now take place in 2022.

"I knew that [another postponement] was a possibility, but that news couldn't come from me," Rick said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I think whether it's sports, whether it's music, whether it's theater, all of the promoters, it was their call. I happen to think they made the right decision, because I think the primary focus has gotta be people's health and well-being. So I understand why they made that decision.

"I think if we had gone out this year, it may have been a bit more of a patchwork of a tour as opposed to being able to play the whole thing from start to finish," he added. "So, it's a bummer, but here we are.

"I kind of knew it was coming, because when I saw RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, when I saw their tour get pushed, I was, like, 'You know what? It's a bummer, but I think we're probably gonna be next.'"

Allen went on to say that he and his DEF LEPPARD bandmates are disappointed that they won't be able to perform live again in the U.S. until next year. "We're really bummed, 'cause, obviously, we wanted to get out there," he said. "It's been a long time. And I know — our fans are so loyal. It's incredible. The fact that we got the largest vote for the [Rock And Roll] Hall Of Fame — the fan vote. So our fans are just particularly special; I mean, they've always been a rock. So I feel for them. And I feel for us. But I just want people to come out and be safe."

Prior to the latest postponement, "The Stadium Tour" was slated to kick off on June 19, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee and conclude on September 12, 2021 in San Diego, California.

The trek will now launch on June 16, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia and run through September 7, 2022 in San Francisco, California.

As of January 30, 2020, "The Stadium Tour" had already grossed $130 million from one million tickets sold, plus another $5 million worth of VIP seats, according to Billboard.

Tickets ranged from $150 to $400, not counting some varied pricing that reflected demand as part of "dynamic pricing."

When it happens, "The Stadium Tour" will mark the CRÜE's first live dates since wrapping its 2014/2015 farewell tour. CRÜE toured with POISON back in 2011 and DEF LEPPARD teamed up with POISON for a string of road dates in 2017 — but the upcoming jaunt marks the first time all four acts have hit the road together for an extended tour.

In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of concerts and festivals have either been postponed or canceled, as social distancing and self-quarantining make performing live music and attending live shows all but impossible.

U.S. officials have repeatedly urged Americans to heed what federal, state and local officials are asking of them in order to curtail the spread and dampen the impact of the virus on the populat

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "Thunder Underground" podcast, WARRANT singer Robert Mason was asked if there has been any talk of a follow-up to 2017's "Louder Harder Faster" album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Not as far as a defined schedule, but we're always writing. In all candor, the focus for 2019 was the 30th anniversary of 'Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich' and that tour. And then, on the heels of that, in September of 1990, 'Cherry Pie' was released, so 2020 was the 30th anniversary — or is, [and] has been — for the 'Cherry Pie' record. So, in early 2020, we revamped the stage set, staging — everything — and were all set, like '1, 2, 3, go.' We stopped to do a 30th-anniversary-of-'Cherry Pie' tour, playing all, if not damn near all, of those songs as the focus. And, like I said, the light, staging, the whole vibe of it was kind of to pay tribute to the 30th anniversary and all the fans that love the 'Cherry Pie' record so much. So, I think we're just taking a mulligan — if you play golf, we're just taking a mulligan on 2020 and we're going straight in in June and beyond and go right forward to do a 30th-anniversary-of-'Cherry Pie' tour. So, once we feel that we've gotten that out of our system enough, we'll probably end up writing songs."

A year ago, WARRANT guitarist Erik Turner told the "Talking Metal" podcast that the group was "throwing some ideas around" for a new LP. He said: "I've been sending Robert some riffs, and Robert's been working on songs. I've got a song going with Jerry [Dixon, bass]. So it's a slow, long process for us, but the seed of a new record has been started. Now, that doesn't mean the seed will grow into a record. We've got a long way to go. We don't have one finished song. We've got a couple of things cooking, and we're actually sending ideas around back and forth to each other."

"Louder Harder Faster" was released in May 2017. The disc was recorded with producer Jeff Pilson — a veteran bassist who has played with DIO, FOREIGNER, DOKKEN and T&N, among others — and was mixed by Pat Regan, except for the song "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink", which was mixed by Chris "The Wizard" Collier (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, PRONG, LAST IN LINE).

Mason replaced original WARRANT frontman Jani Lane in 2008 and has brought a degree of stability to the band after Lane's unceremonious departure and subsequent 2011 death.

WARRANT is rounded out by original members Joey Allen (guitar) and Steven Sweet (drums).

Dino Cazares spoke to Finland's Kaaos TV about FEAR FACTORY's recently launched search for a vocalist to replace the band's original lead singer, Burton C. Bell. The guitarist said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We have a lot of people who sent in video submissions, and I wanna thank them all for that. The love that we were getting from people who wanted to fill Burt's shoes was enormous. But I can tell you this: no announcement is going to be made for a while. We wanna get along with the person; we wanna see if we have the right chemistry.

"[There are] some really good talented [candidates] — male and female," he continued. "And my decision will not be based off gender at all whatsoever. Gender does not play a role in my decision. So if it's a female and she can do the job, great. If it's a male, they can do the job and they're ready to commit, they're ready to go on tour, on the road, and they can handle it, great."

Asked if he is looking for a singer who will sound very similar to Bell or someone with a completely different approach, Dino said: "Whoever we pick has to know the style. And they have to be able to do both. No, they don't have to sound like Burt. Some people might want that. Some people might want them to be identical — kind of like what JOURNEY did. That guy [Arnel Pineda] — that guy sounds identical [to Steve Perry]… I think that in the JOURNEY sense, the original [singer] was better years ago. But that doesn't mean he's better now, because he's aged and his voice has changed. Whereas if you get a new, young replacement that sounds identical from way back when the original sounded really good way back, then it can be a plus. I mean, look at Todd La Torre with QUEENSRŸCHE; that guy sounds amazing. He does sound like Geoff Tate, but he also has other elements — fresher elements — that he brings to the band. So it can work. 'Cause as you know, we have different eras to FEAR FACTORY. Some people love the 'Demanufacture' / 'Obsolete' era, and some people like the later era. And if you noticed, over the years, obviously, [Burt's] voice changed. So, what era do you want the guy to sound like? So, my decision will based off the guy who can do all the different eras."

FEAR FACTORY's new album, "Aggression Continuum", will be released on June 18 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP, which was recorded primarily in 2017, features Cazares and Bell alongside drummer Mike Heller. It was produced and engineered by Damien Rainaud (DRAGONFORCE, ONCE HUMAN), with keyboards by Igor Khoroshev (ex-YES), and programming on two songs from longtime collaborator Rhys Fulber (FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY). "Aggression Continuum" was mixed by A-list rock and metal producer Andy Sneap (MEGADETH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, TRIVIUM), who also mixed FEAR FACTORY's previous album, 2015's "Genexus".

Last September, Bell issued a statement officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY, saying that he "cannot align" himself with someone whom he does not trust or respect.

Bell's exit from FEAR FACTORY came more than two weeks after Cazares launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist him with the production costs associated with the release of FEAR FACTORY's new LP.

Bell later told Kerrang! magazine that his split with FEAR FACTORY was a long time coming. "It's been on my mind for a while," he said. "These lawsuits [over the rights to the FEAR FACTORY name] just drained me. The egos. The greed. Not just from bandmembers, but from the attorneys involved. I just lost my love for it.

"With FEAR FACTORY, it's just constantly been, like, 'What?!' You can only take so much. I felt like 30 years was a good run. Those albums I've done with FEAR FACTORY will always be out there. I'll always be part of that. I just felt like it was time to move forward."

In October, Dino issued a statement in which he said that the door for Burton to come back to FEAR FACTORY wouldn't "stay open forever." The guitarist also revealed that Burton "lost his legal rights" to the FEAR FACTORY name "after a long court battle" with drummer Raymond Herrera and bassist Christian Olde Wolbers. "I had the opportunity to do something right, and I felt that obtaining the name in full was the right thing to do for the both of us, so after nearly four years we can continue as FEAR FACTORY, to make more records and to tour," he said. "That is why it is sad to hear that he decided to quit and, in my opinion, for whatever issues he has it seems like it could've been worked out."

Josh Rand, multi-instrumentalist, veteran songwriter and long-tenured guitarist of the Grammy-nominated rock outfit STONE SOUR, and his THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT partner, co-songwriter and vocalist Casandra Carson, have dropped a new song, "Ignite". It is the second track to be released from THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT's debut, self-titled EP, which will be released on July 9. Pre-orders are available now exclusively here. Vinyl, CD and cassettes are all hand signed and numbered with an exclusive gold variant available only from Nuclear Blast and an exclusive glow in the dark variant available only from MerchNow.

"Ignite" is accompanied by a lyric video and pays homage to the heavy riffing of KORN thanks to the special guitar Rand used to play the song. In his own words, he says: "'Ignite' is the first time I've written and recorded a song with a seven-string guitar. I got this guitar in a trade with Munky from KORN when we were out on tour with them 2017. I gave the song a KORN-like vibe in the main riff as an homage to the band."

Speaking on the lyrical content of the song, Casandra adds: "'Ignite' is all about allowing yourself to be happy. Personally, sometimes I feel bad about doing well or having success when the people I love are having a rough time."

"Ignite" follows THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT's debut release "The Nothingness" which was featured on several major playlists across streaming platforms, including "Rock Hard" on Spotify, "Breaking Metal" on Apple Music, "Break Through Rock" on Amazon and "Metal Radar" on Deezer. The track was also included on SiriusXM Octane's Test Drive the week it was released.

Nurturing the project from concept to execution, the instrumentation was written, arranged, recorded and produced by Rand in his home studio and mixed by Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH, LAMB OF GOD, PARKWAY DRIVE). Completing the collaborative effort with the addition of Carson, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT presents an important milestone in an already decorated career for Rand, one that was punctuated with the addition of a one-of-a-kind vocal lead that understood how to compliment the music with her lyrical pen. The resulting introduction of THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is a five-track EP that offers a complete presentation of a songwriter asserting his stride after more than two decades steeped in his craft. Building off the sonic stamp he established during his six albums, twenty-year tenure with STONE SOUR, Rand's current iteration holds true to his track record, without relying on it, all while penning a new chapter in his artistic anthology.

Stylistically, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is a fluid combination of classic metal sensibility and Rand's penchant for pushing the boundaries of contemporary heavy. From the ethereal, cinematic soundscape of the piano-latent ballad in "Worthwhile" to the sonic sledgehammer of "A World On Fire", the broad spectrum resonates as especially impressive. Between Rand's instrumental framework, accentuated by Carson's ability to articulate poignant stanzas, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT remains a passion project culminating in perfect collaboration.

"The L.I.F.E. Project" EP track listing:

01. Ignite

02. Purgatory

03. The Nothingness

04. Worthwhile

05. A World On Fire

STONE SOUR has been off the road and out of sight since completing the touring cycle for its 2017 LP "Hydrograd". Singer Corey Taylor has been working with SLIPKNOT since then, recording and touring behind that group's sixth effort, "We Are Not Your Kind". He also released his debut solo album, CMFT", last October. Rand has been promoting STONE SOUR's new live album, "Hello, You Bastards: Live In Reno", which came out in December 2019.

Last August, Corey said that he was open to doing more recording and touring with STONE SOUR at some point down the line. Asked if there is "a future" for STONE SOUR or if it's "kind of up in the air," Corey told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation Virtual Invasion": "It's kind of up in the air. I'm certainly not mad at STONE SOUR. [My solo album] is just something that has my attention; this is what I wanna do for a while.

"There's been some contention here and there, in the past — nothing that I'm gonna get into too much detail about — but it was just time for me to step away and do [the solo thing] for a while," he continued. "It was time for me to kind of do something different, and do it in a way that doesn't have the connotations of either band, to be honest.

"I'm still friends with everybody in STONE SOUR. Everybody in STONE SOUR is doing their own thing, and if the opportunity arose, I would absolutely do something with STONE SOUR. But for right now, this is really where my energy's at; this is where my focus is.

"I'll never say never, because, obviously, the best way to make God laugh is to announce your plans out loud," he added. "But this is what my focus is right now."

Corey's latest comments echo those he made in June, when he told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk": "Yeah, [STONE SOUR is] kind of [on] the backburner right now. We all kind of felt that we did exactly what we wanted to do on '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. Josh is actually working on a solo thing of his own, which is great. 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."

PSYCHOSEXUAL, featuring former FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH drummer Jeremy Spencer on vocals as the Devil Daddy character, has shared another new song, "The Torture Never Stops". Listen and watch the (slightly NSFW) lyric video below. The track is taken from PSYCHOSEXUAL's second album, "Unholy Hymns For The Children", which has had its release date pushed back to the fall from the previously announced July 2. The exact date will be announced shortly.

"'The Torture Never Stops' is a bit of a heavier track," Spencer says. "It's decent for releasing hate while working out at the gym. Or for the haters, it's a perfect title and it's self-descriptive! Enjoy!"

Regarding the upcoming LP, Spencer says: "'Unholy Hymns For The Children' is just as unholy for everyone else, but we wanted to piss off Walmart, so we named it that. This record is the first of many, so haters get ready to hate and fans get ready to experience what's been missing from rock 'n' roll for a long time."

Last month, PSYCHOSEXUAL released the official music video for its previous single, "Devil From Hell".

"It announces we're basically coming here to kill it as much as we can," Spencer said about the track. "I found my own way and made my stance. This is the best way to introduce the world to this band. We're ready to make a fucking wave."

In March, Spencer spoke to "Drag The Waters: The Pantera Podcast" about his decision to remove all the previously released music and videos from PSYCHOSEXUAL ahead of the arrival of "Devil From Hell".

"When you make records, they're like snapshots in time," Jeremy explained. "We made the first thing pretty fast, and I just threw it out independently. And we had started the next record right away, and 'Devil From Hell' happened. And I'm, like, 'Fuck, man. I really like this. I wish this would have been the first thing that we dropped.' So it's, like, you know what? Nobody even really knows much about the other music, which I do like, but I think this is more appropriate of where we kind of wanna debut; this is what I wanted to be the first thing. So it's kind of like a reboot — we're starting over. I'll release the other music down the road again, but this second record will technically be our first. [Laughs]"

Regarding "Devil From Hell", Jeremy said: "It's a little different than the previous material that we've been working on. It's a little heavier. We do all kinds of stuff — it's not just metal or whatever; it's kind of eclectic. But this one's definitely a stomper. I'm pretty happy with it. The video turned out really cool too."

Spencer, who handles lead vocals in PSYCHOSEXUAL, also addressed the negative reaction the band's early music videos received from the FIVE FINGER fans, some of whom were turned off by the new project's theatrical presentation and goth-flavored sound.

"That's okay," Jeremy said. "Not everyone's gonna dig what you do. I mean, it's how it is in DEATH PUNCH too; we would release stuff, and you get hated on. You can't please everyone. We always made records for ourselves, and then you hope people like it. You can't control it. And we were fortunate enough to have a large fanbase that did appreciate what we did. And I think we'll find the audience for this as well. It's not for everyone, but I'm doing what I love to do, and I'm a big fan of theatrics. I do like goth music, I do love metal. I'm gonna put it all in a blender, [and] it's gonna be a lot of fun. And I hope that people wanna join us on the journey. And when we finally get to play freakin' shows, hopefully people can come out and have a good time and see what we're all about."

PSYCHOSEXUAL released its debut album, "Torch The Faith", last July. It was co-produced by Spencer and Shawn McGhee (DROWNING POOL) and released via Spencer's 6eX Records. The debut premiered at No. 150 on the Billboard 200 chart, reaching No. 5 on the Hard Music Albums, No. 12 on Top New Artist Albums and No. 30 on Current Rock Albums.

Prior to the arrival of "Devil From Hell", PSYCHOSEXUAL's last release was the covers EP "Songs To Stalk You By", which came out last November. The EP reunited Spencer with former FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Jason Hook, who contributed solos on the KISS classic "Watchin' You" and QUEENSRŸCHE's "Gonna Get Close To You". The recordings marked the first time the pair had worked together since both parted ways with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH.

Spencer, who sports a Mephistophelian mask as Devil Daddy, is joined in PSYCHOSEXUAL by guitarist Crucifer, bassist Astaroth and drummer Volac.

Jeremy, who co-founded FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH with guitarist Zoltan Bathory, left the band so that he could undergo back surgery in the fall of 2018 that required a significant recovery period.

Spencer's replacement in FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is Charlie "The Engine" Engen. Engen made his recording debut with the band on the "F8" album, which came out in February 2020.

BEARTOOTH has released another new song "Fed Up". The track, which can be streamed below, is taken from the band's fourth studio album, "Below", which will arrive on June 25 via Red Bull Records.

"'Fed Up' was written mid lockdown," says singer Caleb Shomo. "I really couldn't think of what to write about so I just started thinking, 'What am I fed up with in life at the moment?' and wrote it down. The vibe of this song is garage rock with muddy, blown-out tones. We mixed that with the more pop styling on the vocals, and it made for a really special track."

Shomo previously stated about the "Below" LP: "'Below' is by far my favorite album I've made to date. It covers the dark side of dealing with mental strain during the last year. I gave it all I had — musically and lyrically. Is it too dark? Possibly, but it was as honest as I could be about how I felt. I hope everyone is ready to strap in for a wild ride of headbanging and rocking."

"Below" track listing:

01. Below

02. Devastation

03. The Past Is Dead

04. Fed Up

05. Dominate

06. No Return

07. Phantom Pain

08. Skin

09. Hell Of It

10. I Won't Give It Up

11. The Answer

12. The Last Riff

Last July, Shomo told "Mosh Talks With Beez" about the writing and recording sessions for "Below": "I worked on a lot of this album on the road — a whole lot of this record. We honestly could not have been luckier with the way our record cycle laid out.

"The 'Disease' tour in Europe was our last tour of the cycle, and that finished on March 6th, I believe. And then the next week, everything got shut down. So we already planned to kind of take most of this year off. We planned on not taking it all off, like we're probably gonna have to.

"I'd already worked on a ton of the record, just writing out on the road; I brought a studio rig out there. And that was great.

"When it first started, the whole lockdown thing, I just kind of emotionally shut down for a month," he continued. "But then I just kind of caught a second wind, and I've just been ripping through songs. It's pretty cool."

Asked if the BEARTOOTH songwriting "formula" is still present in the band's new material, Caleb said: "I think that something about the BEARTOOTH sound is sort of that formula. BEARTOOTH has a song structure — it's the classic pop structure of intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, out. But with this one, I've just been trying to amp up everything. 'Cause with the last record, I really wanted to go for that super-raw, live-rock-and-roll-in-the-old-school-studio and old-school-console sound, and it was rad, and I loved doing it. And it was proving to myself that I can make a real record without computers — well, [without] heavily relying on computers. But I don't know… I just kind of realized, like, you know what? That's what I learned as a producer. I came up in the era of mixing in the box and recording in the box, which means using plug-ins and emulations and things like that. I've just been kind of using that to try and push it a little further. The formula is still there, but I don't think it's in a bad way. I think it's the formula people want from a BEARTOOTH record.

"This one is just jacked," he explained. "Everything is amped up to 11. I am so, so pumped. Obviously, this is what you wanna think when you're making a record, but damn, this is the best one yet. Not even close. This is the heaviest record. This is my best work — the most proud I've been of these songs. It's wild. It's some heavy-duty shit."

Speaking about the musical direction of the new BEARTOOTH songs, Shomo said: "The easiest way I've been trying to explain this record to people without giving too much away is if 'Disease' was AC/DC, this record is BLACK SABBATH. It's a lot more influenced in dark stoner rock, heavy power groove. Obviously, there's still a lot of fast [stuff] and some punk rock and all that, but I've really been exploring with the stoner metal side of guitars and guitar tones and doing different tunings and lots of fuzz and chaos and layering the fuck out of my guitar tracks.

"The whole point, for me, of this mix and the sonics of this record is as big and loud and fucking sonically devastating as I can possibly get it," he said. "So on a breakdown, for example, where on 'Disease' it would just be left guitar, right guitar, bass down the middle, this is literally… That little clip I posted [on Instagram ] is I think eight guitars, three bass tracks. Just experimenting — just doing dumb stoner shit and just trying my fucking best. Yeah, that's the goal — is just sonic devastation, for sure."

BEARTOOTH's latest release was the folk- and country music-inspired "The Blackbird Session" EP, which came out in September 2019.

The band's third album, "Disease", was released in September 2018 via Red Bull Records. The disc was recorded at BlackBird studio in Franklin, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz (DEFTONES, KORN, FOO FIGHTERS).

TIMES OF GRACE, featuring Adam Dutkiewicz and Jesse Leach of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, returns after a 10-year hiatus with its second album "Songs Of Loss And Separation", out July 16 via the band's own imprint label, Wicked Good Records, distributed by ADA worldwide.

Today, the band has shared the video for the new song "The Burden Of Belief". The clip, directed by Nick Hipa, can be seen below.

Churning depths of plaintive sorrow, stark self-examination, and moving soundscapes unfold in TIMES OF GRACE, with flashes of cathartic power and an undercurrent of insistent urgency. It's all a meditation on absence, grief, bewilderment, and rebirth — summoned with harrowing authenticity. "The Burden Of Belief", the opening track on "Songs Of Loss And Separation", is a dark and melodic slow burn that gives an epic sense of what's to come.

"This song is the spark of the oncoming fire," says Leach. "It foreshadows the journey of this album. This song is an unveiling of who we, TIMES OF GRACE, have become after all of these years. This is a testimony of falling apart, losing faith, letting go, and the desire to kill and purge the past. It is the unraveling, the catharsis and the rebirth. So it begins...."

"It almost feels strange finally releasing the songs on this record, especially this one," says Dutkiewicz. "I started writing this song over 10 years ago, so it's been around for quite some time. I really hope you guys dig it, and I hope we will get the opportunity to play it for you guys live someday. Thanks, everyone!"

The band's debut album "The Hymn Of A Broken Man" arrived in 2011, nearly a decade after Leach's exit from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, the pivotal New Wave Of American Heavy Metal band the duo co-founded with friends in 1999. The first music from TIMES OF GRACE materialized during Dutkiewicz's arduous recovery from near-crippling back surgery. A collection of songs the multi-instrumentalist and producer knew would suit his once and future bandmate. The first album earned acclaim from BBC Music, The Aquarian and Rock Sound. It willfully upended expectations, with flourishes of shoegaze and ambiance in its songs.

Now, 10 years after TIMES OF GRACE first surfaced, the eagerly awaited follow-up arrives.

Comfortably stretched beyond the parameters of what came before, without sacrificing an ounce of integrity, TIMES OF GRACE weaves between pensive, heavy, midtempo rock, riffs, and atmosphere. The pair's vocal interplay makes for a rich, dense, and enthralling concoction, powering through various trips through dark nights of the soul and mind-expanding excursions into the wild. "Songs Of Loss And Separation" benefits wildly from the powerhouse performance of ex-ENVY ON THE COAST drummer Dan Gluszak, who toured behind the first album and is now an official member of the band.

The sprawling second album from TIMES OF GRACE, with a stunning album cover painted by John McCormack and album art layout by Tom Bejgrowicz, channels a dissonant, menacing, and unrelenting depression. Haunting romanticism and deep spiritual yearning collide in beautiful melancholy. It's a diverse but singular statement, like the most beloved work of classic bands. "Songs Of Loss And Separation", insistent in its bluesiness, bleeds distortion and emotion, like a nerve, exposed.

"Songs Of Loss And Separation" track listing:

01. The Burden Of Belief

02. Mend You

03. Rescue

04. Far From Heavenless

05. Bleed Me

06. Medusa

07. Currents

08. To Carry The Weight

09. Cold

10. Forever

Last December, Leach said that he and Dutkiewicz were "finalizing" things for the new record's release. He also blamed the album's delay on the fact that 2020 was "a shitshow," in part due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. "We just wanna make sure it comes out properly — the way that we want it to be presented, and have some good visual ideas and some good artwork," he explained. "And we found a good home at a label. So all of that is wrapping up."

Back in August, Dutkiewicz told the Metal Blade Live Series that he was "really excited" about the new TIMES OF GRACE material. "There's some pretty mellow vibes on that record, for sure," he said. "It's definitely one of the darkest things I've ever written topically."

In July, Leach told the "BREWtally Speaking Podcast" that the new TIMES OF GRACE album is "leaps and bounds better [than 2011's 'The Hymn Of A Broken Man']. It's more creative, it's more genuine, I feel," he said. "I feel like there was definitely a bleed-in of KILLSWITCH influence on that first record, and how could there not be, with me and Adam working together. And I feel like this new record sort of pulls away from that and really sort of defines us and our sound as TIMES OF GRACE, where I listen back to 'Live In Love' [from the first TIMES OF GRACE album] and certain songs like that, and you can hear the KILLSWITCH influence. And that's cool, and fans, I'm sure, appreciated that, but I'm very happy to pull away from that and do something different for this new record."

Leach went on to speak in more detail about TIMES OF GRACE's musical progression and the band's plans to release a full-length album and a separate EP.

"It's a mixed bag [of musical styles]," he told "BREWtally Speaking Podcast". "There's definitely some of that sort of bluesy [stuff] — definitely a lot of blues, I should say. But it comes in different forms. I'd say there's a mixture of a touch of some stoner vibes going on there. There's definitely a touch of, like, I guess the term would be 'post metal,' atmospheric metal — guitars with a lot of delay and space with big, heavy bass and slow-moving stuff. There's more rock and roll, more indie rock. And there's still traces of the metal that we're known for here and there."

He continued: "I think with the direction we're heading in, and why there's gonna be two releases, this first release we wanted to make sure it sort of didn't really have any of that heavy KILLSWITCH-y vibe to it. So the first record is going to be what I feel is our signature sound that we've sort of embraced, and it just kind of happened through Adam's writing. And then the EP will be a little bit more of the metal that you have come to know and reflect on the first record. So it's a real mixed bag. And I'm glad to say I don't think you can really put a genre on us because of that. We'll see. I'm sure people are gonna still call it metalcore. I don't even know what the fuck that term means anymore. But I'm happy to say that I think that we are no longer going to be called that style of music, because I think we're more of a heavy metal/rock band, if you will."

"The Hymn Of A Broken Man" was released in January 2011 via Roadrunner Records. The CD sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 44 on The Billboard 200 chart.

QUEEN guitarist Brian May underwent eye surgery this afternoon.

Earlier in the day, the 73-year-old musician took to his Instagram to share a mirror selfie for his 2.8 million followers, showing himself in his facemask and hospital gown. He wrote in an accompanying caption: "One Vision ! All prepped and waiting ... for a little bit of eye surgery.

"I'm in good hands. No need to worry. All in a day's work ... it should really improve my focus - AND my stereoscopic vision."

After the operation, he returned to the platform, sharing a new mirror selfie showing himself with a bandage over his left eye. He wrote: "And .... all done !! I really didn't feel a thing. It was all done with local anaesthetic and a tiny bit of sedation - So I was conscious throughout the whole thing - and fascinated by this amazing procedure. Only about 20 mins.

"The patch stays on until tomorrow morning. It's an iPatch ! So obviously I’ll soon have to take it off and put it back on again. Big thanks to my eye surgeon the brilliant Robin Hamilton, and my anaesthetist Con, and all the lovely folks at the London Clinic who have taken care of me so kindly."

May's eye surgery came after several health scares in 2020, including a heart attack, a stomach hemorrhage and other complications.

Last October, the guitarist told The Express that he thought coronavirus was to blame for his terrifying health ordeal because he was "the fittest person on that last QUEEN tour we did” and "didn't tick any of the boxes to get a heart attack."

"I have one theory, which is: I'm conscious that I had a pretty bad cough most of the way through that tour. And some of the time I felt pretty grim and I thought I was just feeling tired," he said at the time.

"I think it's possible that I had the COVID virus early on in the tour of Korea, Japan and Australia in January [of 2020], and got through it, but it's thickened the blood, which apparently it does, and that could have been the trigger that gave me the heart attack," he continued.

"I thought it was too early to get it [COVID] but the evidence now seems to be that the virus was around," May added.
























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The reunited expanded classic lineup of German power metallers HELLOWEEN will release its much-anticipated album on June 18 via Nuclear Blast Records. The official lyric video for the disc's second single, "Fear Of The Fallen", can be seen below.

The cover artwork for "Helloween", which can be seen below, was painted by artist Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, among others.

The "Pumpkins United" lineup features returning singer Michael Kiske and guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen alongside current singer Andi Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel Löble.

"Fear Of The Fallen" is a fast-paced, melodic track done the way only Deris can do it.

"I had so much fun not only writing a song for my voice but also for one of the greatest singers out there. I always have an extremely broad smile on my face when I hear Michi singing my melodies," says Deris.

Kiske adds: "The whole process, including the spirit, was just ideal. If I had the feeling that one of the parts would not be really fitting, I asked Andi if he would sing it and vice versa. There was no competition whatsoever — what counted was what is best for the respective song. I am thankful to be (again) a part of this crazy family. I love them all."

Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, the new HELLOWEEN LP was recorded in part at the H.O.M.E. Studios in Hamburg (where everything started in 1984). The same recording console used for such HELLOWEEN albums as "Master Of The Rings", "Time Of The Oath" and "Better Than Raw" was utilized to record the band's new material. The effort was mixed at the Valhalla Studios of Ronald Prent (IRON MAIDEN, DEF LEPPARD, RAMMSTEIN).

Said Löble: "This record is the coronation of the 'Pumpkins United' journey. I have always been fascinated by the different character traits and facets of HELLOWEEN's history. For example, the legendary voices of Michi, Andi and Kai. To enjoy them now together on one record, under one flag, is the ultimate HELLOWEEN experience."

"Skyfall" begins with a bang. The epic track describes an alien landing on earth and a dramatic chase, while Kiske, Deris and Hansen duel with each other in a truly breathtaking manner. Produced by Martin Häusler, it is the most elaborate video clip in the history of the band. Portrayed via truly cinematic 3-D animation, this clip is a real high-end experience.

Bauerfeind said: "After 30 years with different lineups of the band, I really thought I was well prepared for another extreme challenge, but I was wrong. My expectations were highly exceeded in every way with this super-sized package of creativity."

Musical dexterity aside, it is also the immense passion of the band that defines HELLOWEEN. Weikath describes it thusly: "It is the incomprehensible encounter of seven musicians who are working as friends and even family who have created something that no one would have thought could be possible. It is like awaking from a sleep but still being in an incredible dream."

Hansen reflects: "Being in the studio with my old companions after 30 years away was very emotional for me. But at the same time, it was a completely different experience with the 'new' boys. The collaboration of different songwriters, each of them strong characters in their own right, has made the album very special. A unique mix which draws from all chapters of the band's history.

"HELLOWEEN is a big part of my life and I am looking forward to celebrating the songs live for and with our fans!"

Grosskopf agrees: "For me, being one of the last 'survivors' who played every note from the beginning, it was a fantastic experience and a very emotional process. I think everyone can hear it on this album. I love it."

HELLOWEEN's new album saw the legendary German power metallers going "back to the roots," with the band recording fully analogue and Löble playing the drum kit previously used by HELLOWEEN's original drummer, the late Ingo Schwichtenberg, on the legendary "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" recordings.

Track listing:

01. Out For The Glory

02. Fear Of The Fallen

03. Best Time

04. Mass Pollution

05. Angels

06. Rise Without Chains

07. Indestructible

08. Robot King

09. Cyanide

10. Down In The Dumps

11. Orbit

12. Skyfall

The "Pumpkins United" tour marked the first time Kiske had played live with HELLOWEEN since 1993. Hansen, who departed HELLOWEEN in 1988, had been joining the band onstage on various tours and festival appearances throughout the years. The set featured several duets with Kiske and his replacement, Deris, along with many rarely played songs, including "Kids Of The Century", "Rise And Fall" and "Livin' Ain't No Crime". Hansen — who fronted HELLOWEEN until late 1986 — sang a medley of several early HELLOWEEN classics, including "Ride The Sky", "Judas", "Starlight" and "Heavy Metal (Is The Law)".

HELLOWEEN's European "United Alive World Tour Part II", which was originally scheduled to take place in September and October will now take place next year.

The "Pumpkins United" lineup of HELLOWEEN already released one new song — aptly titled "Pumpkins United" — in October 2017.

THE DEAD DEADS, the Nashville-based power trio that combines elements of alt rock, punk rock, and metal into a fingerprint-distinct blend, will release its new album, "Tell Your Girls It's Alright", on August 20 via Rumble Records.

To herald the news, the band has dropped the video for "Murder Ballad II", featuring iconic and inimitable SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR vocalist Corey Taylor. The song is a power ballad that builds to gnarly crescendo before fading out and leaving you wanting more. So. Much. More.

"My little brother was teasing me the other day about the juxtaposition of our poorly-attended first gig playing a benefit show of DEAD MILKMEN covers to now releasing a duet with Corey Taylor," says guitarist Meta Dead. "I know most people's question is probably going to be: How did this happen? And the answer is: CMFT is nice as hell, and likes the kind of songs we write."

Bassist Daisy Dead furthers: "It went from, 'Yay, we're on tour with STONE SOUR' to 'Yay, Corey might want to co-write for the new record' to 'Yay, here's a single and a video with CMFT,' and it all felt pretty natural and also a bit surreal. I mean, our band dressed as SLIPKNOT for Halloween once, so, yeah! It's wild."

Taylor himself spoke about the track and working with the band during an interview with Matt Pinfield. He said: "I got turned on to [THE DEAD DEADS] by their album 'For Your Obliteration'... which is such a great album and is some of the best songwriting I've heard in years. We had the chance to have them on some STONE SOUR shows, and me and Tish hit it off as songwriters. She said, 'I've got this idea for a follow-up to 'Murder Ballad', which was essentially 'Murder Ballad II'. Through video, we went back and forth, building this song and working it out. It became something really really cool."

"The song is a continuation of our song 'Murder Ballad' from a previous record," Meta shares. "It was one of Corey's favorite songs of ours, so when he and I were talking about what to write about, the idea surfaced to tell the continuing story of the two lovers from that song. At the end of the other song, they were both dead. This song picks up with them as ghosts. You can take it literally that way, or find your own meaning. Corey and I both really enjoy using colorful language that can be interpreted multiple ways. In fact, our sound engineer had no idea it was even about dead people, so that's a good sign."

Drummer McQueen points to the song's roots rock vibe, saying, "It's a place I can be very at home as a drummer, but Corey's unique arrangement ideas kept it fresh and challenging."

"Tell Your Girls It's Alright" track listing:

01. Sea Beast

02. Thinkers And Preyers

03. First Tooth

04. Hey Girlfriend

05. Dead Inside

06. Murder Ballad II (with Corey Taylor)

07. Wait And See

08. In For Blood

09. Murder And Ballad II Reprise

10. Deal With Me

11. Out Of The Sky

12. Cure For Life

13. Wounded Without Wounds

14. What It Is

15. Golden Showers

16. Hearsay

NEON CHRIST, the cult hardcore luminaries featuring William DuVall (BL'AST!, COMES WITH THE FALL, ALICE IN CHAINS), Jimmy Demer (GARDENS OF.., ACCIDENTS), Danny Lankford (GARDENS OF.., GODEVILS, ACCIDENTS) and Randy DuTeau (GARDENS OF), have shared the entertaining new video for "Neon Christ" which features the band's children, and gleefully conveys the appreciation of this music across generations.

The group comments: "We all had a lot of fun making this video with the kids. They did a fantastic job. It was a wonderful full-circle moment. And much hilarity ensued on set."

Southern Lord and DVL Recordings will release a deluxe edition of NEON CHRIST's 1984 sessions on June 12 for Record Store Day. Digital format will also be available via Bandcamp only, and non-Record Store formats will follow at a later date via Southern Lord.

To remaster the original tapes using an all-analog process, DuVall made multiple trips to Nashville to one of the few remaining studios (Welcome To 1979) maintaining the vintage technology to play and process the audio. Side one of "1984" features the original NEON CHRIST seven-inch EP, and side two contains the four songs of the Labor Day session, all on heavyweight vinyl at 45 RPM for maximum fidelity. The package includes a full-colour gatefold sleeve and a 12-page oral history booklet featuring dozens of never-before-seen photographs.

About the remastering process, DuVall reveals: "The studio I went to in Nashville to remaster the audio is called Welcome To 1979, aptly named because it's like entering a time warp in the best possible way.

"It's becoming increasingly rare and miraculous to find a facility anywhere in the world that can do all-analogue audio mastering for vinyl LPs. What's additionally amazing (for all my fellow audio nerds out there) is that Welcome To 1979 also does lacquer plating right there on-site. I know of no other place in America that does recording, mixing, mastering, lacquer cutting, and lacquer plating all under one roof. As if that's not enough, they also manufacture and refurbish tape machines. Pretty incredible.

"Remastering the 1984 NEON CHRIST recordings has been very enlightening and fulfilling. I hadn't listened to that music in a studio atmosphere since back when it was originally recorded. It was nice hanging out with those kids again. I was sixteen writing those songs.

"NEON CHRIST is quintessential youth music from a tumultuous time, both in our own lives and in the world at large. It documents the birth of a new music and culture that would influence everything that came afterward. We loved being a part of that emerging scene. We're even more proud now of the contributions we and so many of our friends made. The energy and emotions we captured remain timeless.

"I had planned to do a proper NEON CHRIST reissue through my label, DVL Recordings, this year. It must have been the right time because, as soon as I'd made up my mind to do it, Greg from Southern Lord reached out about doing exactly the same thing. I suggested we join forces. I admire what the Southern Lord label has achieved. Suffice it to say, all of us in NEON CHRIST are extremely honoured that there's any interest at all in what we did so many years ago."

NEON CHRIST formed in the fall of 1983 with DuVall on guitar, Demer on drums, Lankford on bass, and DuTeau on vocals. They made their debut in the early morning hours of New Year's Day 1984. That March, they recorded their eponymous debut 10-song EP. Released in June '84, the EP's songs exemplify the band's signature musical diversity, from D.R.I.-style thrashers like "Parental Suppression" to the atmospheric improv of "After". A short East Coast tour followed. On Labor Day 1984, the band recorded four tracks in the home studio of Nick Jameson of FOGHAT fame. A few months later, "Ashes To Ashes" was included on the International Peace/War compilation released by MDC's R Radical Records, bringing the band worldwide exposure.

NEON CHRIST shared the stage with legends of '80s hardcore including the DEAD KENNEDYS, CIRCLE JERKS and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY. In 1985, the band added Shawn Devine on second guitar, as their sound and songs became slower, heavier, and more melodic. DuVall wrote an album's worth of songs in 1985, but only "Savior (Drawn In)" was ever recorded in what would be the band's final studio session on December 26, 1985 (the master tapes were lost). Returning to the four-piece original lineup, the band played a handful of Atlanta shows and then took a break in March of 1986. A few months later, William moved to Santa Cruz, California to join BL'AST!, and Jimmy, Danny and Randy formed GARDENS OF… William later founded jazz/punk/world improvisers NO WALLS. In 1999, he would form COMES WITH THE FALL and move the band to Los Angeles, where he struck up a friendship and musical collaboration with Jerry Cantrell. William joined ALICE IN CHAINS as vocalist and guitarist in 2006. On February 2, 2008, NEON CHRIST reunited to headline the Ratlanta Punkfest 2.

To this day, the band members maintain a close friendship, as well as a desire to honor the legacy of the group. So when longtime fan Greg Anderson of Southern Lord contacted them about reissuing a deluxe edition of NEON CHRIST's 1984 sessions, "1984" quickly came to life.

"1984" track listing:

01. Parental Suppression

02. The Draft Song

03. Winding

04. Bad Influence

05. Neon Christ

06. We Mean Business

07. Yoof

08. It's Mine

09. Doom

10. After

11. The Knife That Cuts So Deep

12. Ashes To Ashes

13. Blind Patriot

14. The Death They'll Give You

Artist photo by Chuck Gill

Nikki Sixx (MÖTLEY CRÜE), Rob Zombie, John 5 (ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON) and Tommy Clufetos (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK SABBATH, ROB ZOMBIE) have joined forces in a new project called L.A. RATS. The quartet came together expressly to record a cover of "I've Been Everywhere" for the soundtrack to the upcoming movie "The Ice Road". "I've Been Everywhere" is a song written by Australian country singer Geoff Mack in 1959, and made popular by Lucky Starr in 1962.

When Scott Borchetta called his friend Sixx, he knew he needed something with velocity, power, and speed. Charged with helming the soundtrack for "The Ice Road", the visionary label founder wanted a rocking "psycho-billy" track to anchor an eclectic collection of songs sampling the American roots music tableau. Talking to the full-tilt bass player and songwriter about a dream collaboration between Sixx, Rob Zombie and John 5 possibly writing and executive producing a song for the film, Sixx asked Borchetta to send him an example of the kind of song he envisioned for the soundtrack. Johnny Cash's thumping "I've Been Everywhere" was already earmarked as a hopeful to be included in the film as it really synthesized everything the film was about. Nikki listened and then sent it to Zombie. Both rockers felt the iconic Cash track was the perfect song for them to record. Sixx called Borchetta back and said, "Why don't we just cut this?"

The guys were all in on the song that name-checks cities across the nation — and Zombie had the vocal gnarl to bring that weathered, long-haul tone to the song that spent 22 weeks at No. 1 for Hank Snow in 1962. Opening with an ominous audible cloud and industrial noise, a hellish train beat emerges from the lumbering aural wave. Zombie's voice slices through the ballast, authoritative and churlish. Commanding the ride that begins "I was totin' my pack along the dusty Winnemucca road," his guttural delivery morphs Cash's intensity with drummer Tommy Clufetos's crashing attack.

Laughing, Sixx says of the L.A. RATS and their affinity for this song of hard traveling, "Isn't it ironic? This song that's so rock and roll, that's so country, that's so all of it — it's the traveling circus, city to city, riff to riff, greasy cheeseburger, rinse and repeat. It's poetry based on reality — and it's something every one of us has lived.

"We wanted to bring that fire that's Johnny Cash, but it's also how do we flip it?" he continues. "So John 5 and I brought in this ZEPPELIN-y half-time thing from the beginning with Rob talking on the outro. But I also did some stuff (that suggested the original) like those big walks through the guitar parts upright player style, which is something I don't do in MÖTLEY or SIXX:A.M. We all had that freedom to go other places, and we did."

Collaborating for the track, the union of Zombie, Sixx, John 5, who was raised on "Hee Haw", and BLACK SABBATH/TED NUGENT/ALICE COOPER drummer Clufetos created a chemistry that was more than the sum of their parts. With a frisson that comes from equal parts rebellion, aggression, fierce musicianship and deep respect for the song, "I've Been Everywhere" embodies the intensity of "The Ice Road" and Neeson's performance.

"We all grew up thinking great bands don't follow the rules or drive the speed limit," Sixx explains. "When I called Rob up, he said, 'I've always loved Johnny Cash, and I've always loved this song.' I think that's what we all share: we all play live and know there's this magic (that comes from that); there's the swagger you can feel, that energy you can smell. This song has all that, and that's what we went after."

"I've Been Everywhere" is available on May 21 via Big Machine Records. You can watch the official lyric video for the track below.

Written and directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, "The Ice Road" premieres in the U.S. on Netflix on June 25. Liam Neeson, Benjamin Walker, Amber Midthunder, Marcus Thomas and Laurence Fishburne bring to life the story of a "big-rig" ice road driver (Neeson), who must lead an impossible rescue mission over a frozen ocean to save the trapped miners after a remote diamond mine collapses in far northern Canada. Contending with thawing waters and a massive storm, they discover the real threat is one they never saw coming. It was produced by Code Entertainment, ShivHans Pictures and Envision Media Arts.

"The Ice Road: Music From And Inspired By The Netflix Film" track listing:

01. "All I Do Is Drive" - Jason Isbell

02. "Rubber Meets The Road" - Brantley Gilbert, Tyler Hubbard

03. "Eighteen Wheels and A Dozen Roses" - Carly Pearce

04. "I've Been Everywhere" - L.A. RATS

05. "We Got Fight" - Gary LeVox

06. "I’m Movin’ On" - Miranda Lambert

07. "Six Days On The Road" - THE CADILLAC THREE

08. "Don't Come Lookin'" - Jackson Dean

09. "Hurricane" - Luke Combs

10. "Heart Made Of Steel" - THE ASSASSINZS feat. John Carter Cash, Robin Zander

11. "All Coming Down" - Mark Collie, Allison Moorer

12. "Drive" - Tim McGraw

Clufetos was a member of Zombie's band on 2006's "Educated Horses" and 2010's "Hellbilly Deluxe" albums, both of which also featured John 5.

John 5 previously worked with Sixx on the three original MÖTLEY CRÜE songs featured on the soundtrack to the band's 2019 biopic "The Dirt".

According to Billboard, WHITESNAKE's classic track "Here I Go Again" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Hard Rock Songs chart dated May 22. The track drew 2.5 million U.S. streams, up 22%, and sold 1,000 downloads, up 178%.

"Here I Go Again" saw a renewed interest following the death of actress Julie E. "Tawny" Kitaen, who appeared in the song's video. Kitaen passed away at her home in Newport Beach on May 7 at the age of 59.

While WHITESNAKE was working on it 1987 self-titled album, the band's lead singer David Coverdale started dating Kitaen, who had recently starred opposite Tom Hanks in the movie "Bachelor Party". Kitaen soon appeared in several of WHITESNAKE's music videos, including those for "Here I Go Again", "Is This Love" and "Still Of The Night". Footage of Kitaen writhing around on the hood of a Jaguar in the "Here I Go Again" clip has been called one of the most iconic — and sexiest — video moments ever filmed.

Last June, Tawny told "Ouch, You're On My Hair" about how she ended up being featured in the WHITESNAKE videos: "Ironically, I started dating David. He was two million dollars in debt to David Geffen at that time. I was working and had more money than David at that time, so I kind of supported us a little. And when I heard the album and I was allowed to go in and help mix the album… You know how when you sing different tracks, they give you a piece of paper and you pick the word from the best track. So I was able to do that. And John Kalodner, who was the biggest A&R guy in the business, who works for David Geffen, in my 'E! True Hollywood Story' called me Yoko Ono — because I picked the album covers, I picked the single, I picked the photographer. I made the rule that no girls were allowed backstage, so the groupies must have hated me.

"I'll tell you how I came to be in the video," she continued. "Marty Callner, the director of all the WHITESNAKE videos, had it all planned out — had the girl, had everything. The night before the shoot, David said, 'Will you come with me to Marty, the director of the video's house? We have to go over the story boards.' So we went over to his Bel Air mansion, and he opens up the door, and without even saying hi or hello, he pointed at me and he said, 'You're her.' And I'm, like, 'I'm who?' And he said, 'You're the girl.' And I was already an actress. I had turned down a couple of bands from not being in their video, because I was an actress. 'I'm not gonna do a rock video. Are you kidding?' That was the mentality. But it was my boyfriend at the time's video, so I thought, 'All right, I've already helped my boyfriend on all the RATT album covers' — referring to her former boyfriend, late RATT guitarist Robbin Crosby — "why can't I help my boyfriend in his videos?' And so that's how it happened. And this poor girl got a call that she was no longer gonna be in it, and here I was."

In a 2019 interview with Consequence Of Sound, Coverdale confirmed that Kitaen was not the first choice for the female figure featured in the video. "Claudia Schiffer was supposed to be 'the WHITESNAKE woman,' when she was the Guess jeans girl," he said. "But that fell apart near the actual shoot. And I was taking Tawny out for dinner, when Marty Callner called me, and said, 'You have to stop by, we have problems.' We went to his house on the way to dinner, he opened the door, his jaw hit the floor — as you know, Tawny was an absolute beauty — and he said, 'That's her! She's the WHITESNAKE woman!' And I said, 'Marty, this is a friend of mine. She's an actress.' And she said, 'No, David. I'm happy to do it!' So, sorry Claudia — you did very well afterwards, too."

Coverdale and Kitaen tied the knot in 1989 but the union only lasted two years. Kitaen married Finley in 1997 and divorced him in 2002, not long after she was arrested for allegedly attacking her husband in their SUV a few blocks from their home. According to the Los Angeles Times, Kitaen pleaded not guilty to the charges of domestic violence, and the case was dismissed in 2003 after she attended court-mandated counseling. When she and Finley divorced, she released a statement saying she was being treated for a dependency on prescription drugs and vowed to become "the healthiest and the best mother possible" to her two daughters.

Prior to hooking up with Coverdale, Kitaen appeared in RATT's "Back For More" music video. She was also featured in several reality shows, including "The Surreal Life", "Botched" and "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew". She had several other run-ins with the law, including a charge for cocaine possession in 2006 and driving under the influence in 2009.

One of the Jaguars from the "Here I Go Again" video was dusted off for WHITESNAKE's clip for "Shut Up & Kiss Me", from 2019's "Flesh & Blood" album.