German metal legends Helloween have checked in with some disappointing but understandable news:

"Sadly, but in the best interest of everyone’s health and safety, we have to postpone our European tour again. As we all know, touring is currently not possible. In order to guarantee a proper execution of the tour, we decided to postpone until spring 2022. 

We are working on the rescheduled dates and will announce them shortly. In addition, we’re close to announce big news, so stay tuned! Please hold on to your tickets as they stay valid for the rescheduled show dates. 

Stay safe, healthy and metal, everyone!"

Helloween are back with the spectacular single, "Skyfall", to be released on April 2. "Skyfall" will be available on CD, digitally and in two different vinyl versions. Pre-order here, and watch a teaser for the upcoming music video below.

The epic 12-minute track "Skyfall", written by Kai Hansen, has the long yearned Keeper Of The Seven Keys vibe,  but isn’t musically telling the whole story of the album - this has a musical arch spanning every era: from unforgettable times to glorious newer adventures all the way to the upcoming first album of Halloween's new age. "Skyfall" tells about an alien landing on earth and a dramatic chase, while Kai Hansen, Michael Kiske and Andi Deris duel with each other in a breathtaking manner and create a broadband adventure - including a lyric sheet with colored blocks identifying the singers, as well as a video that is formidable. Produced by Martin Häusler, it will be the most elaborate clip in the history of the band, the story to be shown with 3-D animation and having a cinematic look – in these times almost a dinosaur in implementation!

Single 1: Vinyl, CD, digital:

"Skyfall" (single edit)
"Skyfall" (exclusive alternative vocals mix)

Both are exclusive single versions and will not be on the album. Around 20 minutes playing time.

Single 2: Vinyl only:

"Skyfall" (single edit)
"Indestructible" (exclusive album track)

This is a strictly limited version of the new single with one exclusive album track.




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TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick has teamed up with ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Bentante, along with singer Jennifer Cella (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA), rhythm guitarist Randy McStine (MCSTINE/MINNEMANN), bassist Mark Menghi (METAL ALLEGIANCE, BPMD) and keyboardist Harry Waters to record a quarantine cover of Stevie Nicks's "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around".

Alex uploaded the video to his YouTube channel and wrote in an accompanying message: "Just in time for #internationwomensday, a classic song that's quite relevant today in which a woman tells it like it is (sometimes we need to just stfu & listen, amirite?). Originally by Stevie Nicks from her 1981 debut solo album 'Bella Donna', where she was joined by all of TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (except for the great session bassist Donald 'Duck' Dunn who played bass just on this one track). Here we have our same band that did 'Rhiannon' (see vid a few months back), which was so fun to do and well received that we thought we'd continue. As before, Stevie's part is channeled by the one & only Jen Cella, with Randy chiming in as Tom Petty (the late great, may he RIP) and the lineup augmented with Hammond B3 played by McNally Waters keyboardist Harry Waters, also a veteran of recent tours with his father (whom you may have heard of, his name's Roger).

"I tried a few guitars, including my LPs, SGs, but this AS sig ESP lemonburst just captured the right tone & sustain in this case. Original guitarist Mike Campbell (currently playing with Stevie in FLEETWOOD MAC) is someone not always as appreciated as he should be in guitar scenes, as his playing is not technically complicated, but it's nonetheless brilliant. I tried to capture the spirit of his original licks and, add a little bit of my own flavor but not deviate from the original too much (what Mike C did was perfect for the song, as usual).

"Enjoy the tune and for goodness sake, people (I'm not gonna tell you again): STOP DRAGGIN' MY HEART AROUND!!!"

SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan has just received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The 57-year-old rocker, who lives in Nashville, took to his Instagram to share a photo of him getting the shot, and he wrote in an accompanying message: "Guess what I got! One down. One to go. It was incredible easy and impeccably organized. Hopefully this puts us one step closer to being on stage safely. #vaccinate #shots #follow".

A new poll from the Pew Research Center showed that more than two-thirds of U.S. adults plan on getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

The poll, released on Friday, found that 69 percent of adults say they are going to receive the coronavirus vaccine.

The Pew poll showed that 19% of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, 32% say they will definitely get the vaccine and 17% say they will probably get it.

The nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has estimated that about 70-85% of Americans would need to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity.

America's two main vaccines have shown 95% efficacy against the coronavirus.

As of late January, the CDC discovered that only 11 per 1 million people experienced severe reactions from the Pfizer vaccine, and only 2.5 per 1 million people who received the Moderna dose.

Johnson & Johnson's vaccine, which became available in the United States earlier this month after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave it emergency use authorization, was tested with new variants of COVID-19, and has shown to be effective against them; Pfizer and Moderna were tested prior to the emergence of these variants.
























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CANDLEBOX will release its seventh album, "Wolves", on September 17 via Pavement Entertainment. It is the follow-up to 2016's "Disappearing In Airports", which had a fresh modernity, a vibe that is amplified and broadened on "Wolves". Lead singer Kevin Martin says: "It comes from where we are as humans right now, and what we’ve become. Yes, there's beauty in these wolves, but there's the pack mentality, and that lone wolf mentality on the other side."

The disc's first single, "My Weakness", can be streamed below. Martin says: "The song is kind of guttural and like 'The Summer Of '69' and Bruce Springsteen tunes; it's one of those love songs where you can feel the band just wants to take off with you the whole time."

"Wolves" is rife with brutal lyrical honesty and songs that run the gamut from dirty rock stompers to timeless, radio-ready pop-rock tunes. The album was produced by Dean Dichoso in Los Angeles's legendary Henson Studios.

In August of 2020, CANDLEBOX released the energized song "Let Me Down Easy", an aggro, blues-based rocker with a booming bass and edgy guitar riffing. The song was co-written with old Seattle pal Peter Cornell, Chris Cornell's older brother, and is also available on "Wolves".

"Wolves" track listing:

01. All Down Hill From Here

02. Let Me Down Easy

03. Riptide

04. Sunshine

05. My Weakness

06. We

07. Nothing Left To Lose

08. Lost Angeline

09. Trip

10. Don't Count Me Out

11. Criminals

"Disappearing In Airports" delivered the chart-topping single "Vexatious", and found the band touring for over two years in support of the release.

In a brand new interview with Pierre Gutierrez, former ANTHRAX and current ARMORED SAINT frontman John Bush was once again asked whether he is still open to the idea of embarking on a special tour during which he would perform material from his time as the singer of ANTHRAX. He responded (see video below): "Well, it was an idea that never really came to fruition, for various reasons. Probably it had something to do with me and my own slight laziness, because I think I would have to be the guy that would have to, obviously, carry it, because it would be my thing, and maybe I was just not really ready to give it the time at that time.

"It's something that I would like to do at one point, because I do love those records… And I have good relationships right now with the ANTHRAX camp — with the bandmembers and also Mike Monterulo, the manager," he continued. "So, who knows? We'll see. It's certainly in my mind to do something, and I would like to play some of those songs live at some point, because there are some great tunes. I was able to do it with METAL ALLEGIANCE at a couple of shows — we played 'Only' and 'Room For One More' — and that was really fun, and the crowd really seemed to dig it. But it's there in my mind to do something. I just don't know what yet. I'm kind of busy with this other thing, ARMORED SAINT, and other aspects of life. So it's just trying to fit it in somehow, someway."

Bush also once again said he wanted former ANTHRAX guitarist Paul Crook to be involved in the hypothetical ANTHRAX tour featuring material from his era of the band. "I talked to Paul about it," he said. "Paul and I text on occasion. I really love Paul as a person — he's just a great human being. He's just a good guy; he's one of the nicest guys there is. And a great player, great musician, of course, needless to say. And he was there. That's one of the reasons I always talk about Paul, is that he was there during 'Stomp [442]' and some of 'Volume 8', because he toured with us… I think he would be open to it, certainly as long as time permits. He's kind of busy doing the Meat [Loaf] thing, but I think he would love to do that. I think a lot of those songs are special to him because he performed them live. And like I said, it would just be fun. I'm sure it would be just a million laughs, because we would always goof around. I spent a lot of time on the road with Paul, and a lot of that was consumed by just cracking up about whatever, so we had a lot of fun.

"So, we'll see," he added. "These are ideas, and we'll see if any of these things can actually happen. I certainly don't wanna go out and do, like, 50 dates or anything like that. It would be more special if it was just selected shows. I think that would make it more fun and special."

Last September, Bush told Canada's The Metal Voice that he first talked to his booking agent about the ANTHRAX tour idea "several years ago." He said: "We talked about it, and I think he sniffed around for some feelers to see what people would think. And I don't think we got the response that we really wanted to. It wasn't like we were looking for millions of dollars or anything, but we wanted to make it worthwhile to do it, and do the proper shows. It's not like something I wanna go out and do six months of touring with. It'd be fun to do some sporadic shows. I'd have to put a band together to do it. I'm probably a little lazy about that, quite honestly. But that's what would be involved in doing it. And I don't think we were pleased enough with the response that we tried to push it ahead and make it happen."

Bush went on to say that he was "caught by surprise" by ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian's recent comment that was not opposed to taking part in a special concert featuring most of the singers that have fronted the band over the course of its nearly four-decade existence. "I was, like, 'Wow. Okay.' And I thought that's a great idea. That would be really cool," Bush said. "I think that would be an amazing thing for the fanbase. But what I keep saying is that Joey Belladonna is the singer of ANTHRAX, and Joey should be the singer of ANTHRAX, as far as I'm concerned. And if this happens, it needs to have his approval, really, quite honestly. Because I wouldn't want him to feel like, 'Well, this is not my idea, and I don't wanna do this,' because he is the singer who'd be sharing the stage [with the rest of us], quite honestly. So I think it would be something that Joey would have to give endorsement to, for that to happen, if that's an idea. And again, I think it would be a fun thing to do a couple of handful of shows, sporadic stuff."

ANTHRAX has had a number of vocalists — including Bush, Belladonna, Neil Turbin and Dan Nelson — over the last 39 years, with Ian and drummer Charlie Benante remaining the sole bandmembers who have appeared on every one of the group's studio albums.

Turbin sang on ANTHRAX's debut LP, 1984's "Fistful Of Metal", before getting booted and being replaced by Belladonna. Belladonna performed on four ANTHRAX albums, including the fan favorite "Among The Living" (1987) before he himself was fired over creative and stylistic differences. Bush fronted ANTHRAX between 1992 and 2005 but was sidelined when the band reunited with Belladonna for a 20th-anniversary tour. When that collapsed, and relationships disintegrated with next frontman Nelson, Bush returned for a time before Belladonna took the job back in 2010.

"You And Me", the title track of the debut solo album from HEART's Nancy Wilson, can be streamed below. Due 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.

"Being off the road last year from touring with HEART, and at home with my good guitars and amps out, I felt like I was once again able to reconnect with my pre-HEART self, my college-girl self, creating poetic, intimate and romantic songs, which pretty much is what I first brought in to HEART," she said.

Most of the tracks are originals, but Wilson decided to include a handful of covers by a few of her favorites, including a female perspective of PEARL JAM's "Daughter", 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. "During this horrific time in the world, with all this enduring loss, it seemed like the right time for an aspirational song about hope and perseverance," Wilson says.

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. Nancy came to know Eddie when HEART toured with VAN HALEN, and she once asked him why he didn't play acoustic. "I don't have one," he told her, which she immediately rectified. Eddie took the guitar she gave him and wrote a song on it that stole Nancy's heart. After his death last year, Nancy knew she had to return the favor.

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.

"I've known Sue since I was 12," Nancy says. "Back then she was a high school friend of Ann's. We've always worked well together."

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 considers this her first true solo album, a positive creative move amid a surreal year of loss; life during lock down.

"I don't know why it took me so long to do this," she laughs. "Maybe I was stuck in traffic, maybe I was stuck in the HEART vortex of it all." But in a year with "no traffic," Wilson finally found a place for the music she's been writing in her head for decades.

"You And Me" track listing:

01. You And Me

02. The Rising

03. I'll Find You

04. Daughter

05. Party At The Angel Ballroom (feat. Duff McKagan & Taylor Hawkins)

06. The Boxer (feat. Sammy Hagar)

07. Walk Away

08. The Inbetween

09. Dreams (feat. Liv Warfield)

10. The Dragon

11. We Meet Again

12. 4 Edward

Former MACHINE HEAD and current VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel has teamed up with singer Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X, ADRENALINE MOB, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA), drummer Stix Zadinia (STEEL PANTHER) and bassist David Ellefson (MEGADETH) to record a "quarantine" cover version of the DOKKEN song "Tooth And Nail" as part of Phil's series "Collab-A-Jam".

Phil uploaded the video to his YouTube channel, writing in an accompanying message: "Me and Stix has been wanting to jam on something for awhile and finally had the opportunity on one of my favorite tunes from this era.

"STEEL PANTHER took over the [MACHINE HEAD] practice gear in Germany after our sets at the Rock Am Park Festival in 2012 and were slaying a bunch of DOKKEN covers. This had to be one we did.

"I had realized that Dave hadn't guested on a ['Collab-A-Jam'] yet so he was a no-brainer. Dave and I have the same mind-set as things go and he's one of my favorites in the business. Always quick with the tracks and loves to get things done.

"Russell was the final piece and came through big. Such a huge talent and gave the song all the sprinkles.

"Paul Fig has been such a rad connection through all of this and beefed up our mix while Wayne Marsala is always on point with the vid edits.

"Thanks to George, Don, Mick and Jeff for creating such a ROKKEN tune and to all who had a part in bringing this cover to life."

German melodic death metal band Burn Down Eden has released the official music video for "Sadomasochists From Beyond the Grave".

With "Sadomasochists From Beyond The Grave", the band is opening their third album in typical Burn Down Eden style. Fast melodic leads and brutal riffs combined with angry growls and rapid blast beats. This is what they love, this is what they do. The band gives credit to the Hellraiser movies, a beloved genre for lead guitarist William. 

With their self-titled third album, Burn Down Eden pick up where they left off with their second album, Liberticidal, and even put a shovel on it again. The band continues to focus on the catchy choruses and melodies, brute, fiddly riffs and modulations, as well as rapid solos and classical elements. Nevertheless, all in all the third album seems to be more mature. And yet they also like to leave the genre and play happily with all elements from black to prog metal.

With Burn Down Eden, the guys make it crystal clear, that they are THE next big thing in the matter of melo-death from Germany. Kernkraftritter Records is convinced, "We will welcome Burn Down Eden to lots of festival stages in the post-corona times."

Burn Down Eden artwork and tracklisting:

"Sadomasochists From Beyond The Grave"
"A Prepper's Prophecy"
"Bizarre Circus"
"A Bloody Pool Of Angels"
"Witch's Scorn"
"Abducted Reality"
"Hurricane Of Greed"
"Law Enforcement Ubermensch"
"The Five Horsemen"
"Encounters Of The Unkind"

"A Prepper's Prophecy":

"The Five Horsemen":

Pre-order your copy of Burn Down Eden now at this location.

 




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Edged Circle Productions has announced the signing of Swedish black metallers In Aphelion. In Aphelion includes:

Sebastian Ramstedt - vocals, lead guitar
Johan Bergebäck - rhythm guitar
Marco Prij - drums 

Sebastian and Johan need no further introduction, being known for their work in Necrophobic and Nifelheim among other bands. Marco is an extremely talented drummer, also active in Cryptosis. The three met for the first time in 2019, playing at a German festival with their respective bands. In Aphelion is best described as black metal with elements of thrash and heavy metal: furious and epic - violent, ugly, and beautiful. 

In Aphelion will be recording 12 songs during the spring. These will be mixed by Fredrik Folkare at Chrome Studios. In the fall of 2021, In Aphelion will release first an EP and, at the end of the year, a full-length album.

Says Sebastian, "This is just the deal and collaboration we have been looking for. The drive and honest metal dedication of Edged Circle's Stian Smørholm is just perfect for us. We are beyond dedicated to the metal scene, and we need to work with people who are not into this because of the profit but because it is a way of life."

Adds Johan, "Our union with Edged Circle is a gateway into the dark depths of creativity and suits our needs in a great way. We are very excited to see where this communion leads us!"

To celebrate the deal, In Aphelion has released a lyric video for one of the demo songs that landed the contract. A raw, unpolished recording of the song "Let The Beast Run Wild" can be heard below. Additionally, a limited t-shirt can be ordered here. More news to be revealed shortly.

 




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Depths Of Hatred have released "Pulsating Rhythm", the fourth single from their upcoming new album, Inheritance, due out on March 19. "Pulsating Rhythm" showcases the Canadian quintet's signature blistering modern death metal sound, alongside their newfound penchant for memorable chorus hooks, as William Arseneau's vocal acrobatics crisply alternate between anger and melody.

Talking on "Pulsating Rhythm"'s themes, the band comment, "'Pulsating Rhythm' describes the night where our protagonist's view on life is forever altered. Witnessing an unforgivable act, he learns to replicate what he thinks is affection."

Keeping production duties in house and allowing themselves to work at their own pace has resulted in a polished, mature sounding collection of songs, which was then mixed and mastered at The Grid Studio by Christian Donaldson (Beneath The Massacre, Shadow Of Intent). 

A progressive slant to their rejuvenated sound means that they have stayed true to their definitive death metal roots, yet allowed themselves the opportunity to open up and explore metalcore and beyond. With ambitions to take their new material on the road as soon as they are able to do so, Depths Of Hatred have every intention of making this fresh start really count.

Inheritance artwork and tracklisting:

"Enslaved Through Lineage"
"Sadistic Trials"
"Pulsating Rhythm"
"Fastidious Imitation"
"Drop Of Red"
"Illusive Obsession"
"The Gift Of Consciousness"
"Shivers"
"Inheritance"
"The End Of Ourselves"
"Emerging As One"

Pre-order your copy of Inheritance now at this location.

"Sadistic Trials":

"Fastidious Imitation":

"Illusive Obsession":

(Photo credit: Dominic D.D.)

 




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German metal legends Helloween officially re-issued their The Dark Ride (2000), Rabbit Don't Come Easy (2003) and My God-Given Right (2015)albums via Nuclear Blast in Europe on March 5th in an assortment of coloured vinyl and CD digipak editions. They will be re-issued on March 12th in North America.

The Dark Ride tracklist:

"Beyond the Portal"
"Mr. Torture"
"All Over the Nations"    
"Escalation 666"
"Mirror Mirror"    
"If I Could Fly"    
"Salvation"
"The Departed (Sun Is Going Down)"
"I Live for Your Pain"
"We Damn the Night"    
"Immortal"
"The Dark Ride"

Rabbit Don't Come Easy tracklist:

"Just A Little Sign"
"Open Your Life"
"The Tune"
"Never Be A Star"
"Liar"
"Sun 4 The World"
"Don't Stop Being Crazy"
"Do You Feel Good?"
"Hell Was Made In Heaven"
"Back Against The Wall"
"Listen To The Flies"
"Nothing To Say"
"Far Away"

My God-Given Right tracklist:

"Heroes"
"Battle's Won"    
"My God-Given Right"
"Stay Crazy"
"Lost in America"
"Russian Roulé"    
"The Swing of a Fallen World"    
"Like Everybody Else"
"Creatures in Heaven"    
"If God Loves Rock 'n' Roll"
"Living on the Edge"
"Claws"
"You, Still of War"




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Jacksonville, Florida's black metal outfit The Noctambulant have shared the  video for their song, “Blackened Swords Of Satan”, from their new EP, Hellrazor. 

The Noctambulant comments on the track: "We are incredibly excited to release our latest single, 'Blackened Swords Of Satan'.This track is an homage to the things we loved growing up. Loud rock n roll, wizards, epic metal and clanging of steel. Featuring Mr. Damage of the incredible Chrome Division, let 'Blackened Swords Of Satan' take you to a time of knights and demons."

In February, The Noctambulant released the video for "Hellrazor". The title track of their new EP is the perfect representation of how the band has transformed from straightforward melodic black metal into an aesthetic more authentic to their southern Floridian roots.

Frontman E. Helvete commented, “For me personally, this rebrand and music video was very personal. The video was shot on our family property, of which I'm the fourth generation to live here. I spent so many years trying to fit into the Scandanavian/European motif, that it started to feel disingenuous. So after our last album, The Cold And Formless Deep, the band and I decided to look at what makes us unique in the Black Metal landscape, and that is our origin. From the swamps and bayous of the south, we found a love of extreme metal tempered with our own brand and influences.”

 




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Rising power metal force Adamantis has issued the official video for "Voron (The Ravensong)", a track from the band's Far Flung Realm debut album. The clip was directed by Yelena Kamenetskaya and Evgeny Gromovoy.

Cruz Del Sur Music will re-release Far Flung Realm on a limited edition Compact Disc and Vinyl (Gatefold LP + 7’’) on March 19.

Spawned by Helloween in the mid-1980s, then carried throughout the ensuing decade by the likes of Angra, Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray and Stratovarius, European power metal is a style few can master. Essential ingredients include a soaring vocalist, dueling guitars, a battering ram of a rhythm section and, most importantly, songs that both engage and inspire. It is rare when a young band displays such mastery of these skills, which is why Cruz Del Sur Music quickly swooped in and signed Massachusetts’ Adamantis barely a month after the self-release of their Far Flung Realm debut full-length for proper release in 2021.

Adamantis formed in 2016 when drummer Evgeny Gromovoy and guitarist Javier Estrada moved to Boston for work. They soon met guitarist Jeff Taft and former singer Ashley Caval via an Internet post calling for musicians sharing similar influences to start a band. The band played across New England and culminated their run with the release of the Thundermark EP. Soon after its 2018 release, Caval and original bassist Liz Cleary left and the trio continued working on new material, eventually adding bassist Cody Pelchat and vocalist Jeff Stark to complete the lineup.

Produced, mixed and mastered by Christian “Moschus” Moos of Spacelab Mixing, Far Flung Realm is the culmination of Adamantis’ democratic writing process — each member contributed to the album’s 11 tracks. Lyrically, Far Flung Realm tackles a wide range of themes: “Misbegotten Dream” is about Elric of Melnibone from Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion novels; “Puppeteer’s Bane'' is about a character from Steven Erikson’s Gardens Of The Moon. Songs such as “Journey’s End” and “Voron” tackle themes of facing death and mortality, “The Siege Of Arkona” details historical events, while fantastical themes are covered on “Unbound Souls.” Far Flung Realm also features a guest appearance from former Dark Moor singer Elisa C. Martin on “The Oracle’s Prophecy”.

(Photo - Eric Cerda)

 




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Former ENTOMBED and current ENTOMBED A.D. singer Lars-Göran Petrov passed away on Sunday, March 7 after a battle with bile duct cancer. He was 49 years old.

In a statement, his ENTOMBED A.D. bandmates wrote: "We are devastated to announce that our beloved friend Lars-Göran Petrov has left us. Our brother, leader, vocalist, our Chief Rebel Angel went on another ride last night. It's with the deepest sadness that we have to announce that Lars-Göran Petrov has left us. He was (is!!!) an incredible friend, and a person that has touched so many people. He has changed so many lives with his voice, his music, his character and his unique personality.

"LG's smile is something that we will carry forever in our hearts. When asked in an interview what he would like to have written on his grave and what about his legacy, he said: 'I will never die, it will never die'. And you didn't. You will live forever in our hearts."

Last August, Petrov told Metal Hammer about how he found out about his cancer: "A couple of months ago. I felt a lump in my solar plexus. And I was, like, 'Okay, I'll ignore it.' But then it started to hurt, so I went to the doctor, and they X-rayed it quickly and said, 'You have to go to the specialist.' That was weird. You can't imagine what it feels like. Your whole body goes warm. It's, like, 'Fucking hell.'"

Although Petrov revealed his cancer was "incurable," he said that the doctors were "hoping" they will be able to treat it. "I will find out when I meet my doctor, who is the best doctor when it comes to this particular cancer," he explained. "Being young, the doctor said there's hopefully a way to control it so it doesn't spread, or maybe even make it smaller."

AMON AMARTH vocalist Johan Hegg offered his condolences via Twitter, writing: "The word legend is to small to describe LG and what he meant for me as a friend and inspiration. Not only was he one of the best and original voices in metal, but the most kind, humble, funny and genuine person one could ever hope to meet. I will miss you my friend! R.I.P.".

HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta said: "Rest In Peace LG Petrov. What a legend & and a powerful voice. Inspiration to countless bands & singers. A true game changer. One of the first bands to take us on tour for which I am still grateful for. Someone you always looked forward to seeing. You will be sorely missed."

ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott said: "Just heard the awful news. This really sucks...

"Rest in Power LG! We had a lot of great times together, especially in the late 80 underground scene when we didn’t have record deals etc (simpler times). First time I stayed with you in your mums apartment I couldn't believe that you had a huge drum kit in your bedroom, and banged out KING DIAMOND songs in the middle of the night! You were a great drummer, maybe people didn't know that about you so much?

"We had a wicked time in London, U.K. when I played in ENTOMBED for a hot minute! We had even more fun in the early 90s when we did a few tours together with ENTOMBED and CARCASS, luckily there were no smart phones to capture all the nonsense that we got up to! I also remember the summer 2000, we shared a tour bus in Europe and opened for IRON MAIDEN - Fuck yeah, Metal dreams do come true!

"Was always cool to catch up at festivals in later years, like in this pic... Also reconnecting online recently and sharing pics and memories was fun and emotional.

"You fought hard my friend. You did your best. Thanks for the good memories, the laughs, the music! Cheers buddy, wish you a safe onward journey. See ya on the left hand path..."

ORANGE GOBLIN said: "We are all very saddened to hear of the tragic passing of LG Petrov of ENTOMBED / ENTOMBED AD. We had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with LG quite a few times over the years and he was always funny, caring and a great person to be around. His music and his legacy will live on forever and our thoughts go out to his bandmates, his family and friends at this terrible time. R.I.P LG, the Chief Rebel Angel."

ENTOMBED A.D. was formed in 2014 when Petrov and other members of ENTOMBED decided to change the band's name in order to avoid a legal battle with ENTOMBED guitarist Alex Hellid who didn't want his former bandmates to use the ENTOMBED moniker.

ENTOMBED A.D.'s latest album, "Bowels Of Earth", was released in August 2019 via Century Media.


⁣We are devastated to announce that our beloved friend Lars-Göran Petrov has left us.⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣

Our brother, leader,...

Posted by Entombed A.D. on Monday, March 8, 2021





The word legend is to small to describe LG and what he meant for me as a friend and inspiration.

Not only was he one of the best and original voices in metal, but the most kind, humble, funny and genuine person one could ever hope to meet.

I will miss you my friend!

R.I.P. ? pic.twitter.com/aUrrfTZR8T

— Johan Hegg (@AmonJohan) March 8, 2021








Rest In Peace LG Petrov. What a legend & and a powerful voice. Inspiration to countless bands & singers. A true game changer. One of the first bands to take us on tour for which I am still grateful for. Someone you always looked forward to seeing. You will be sorely missed. pic.twitter.com/kHnhDiBzRb

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Former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate will release the second album from his SWEET OBLIVION project, "Relentless", on April 9 via Frontiers Music Srl. The official music video for the disc's second single, "Another Change", can be seen below.

The self-titled SWEET OBLIVION debut album caused quite a stir in the international hard rock and metal scene since it brought Tate back to a musical landscape akin to the sound of the stone cold classic metal albums he released with QUEENSRŸCHE during the 1980s. But what made the album work so well was that instead of being a simple throwback, other different musical influences were thrown into the mix, allowing fans to hear Tate in a simultaneously familiar and new musical setting.

While the production and main songwriting on the previous record were handled by Simone Mularoni of DGM, this time the production was instead handled by his fellow Italian metal maestro Aldo Lonobile (SECRET SPHERE, TIMO TOLKKI'S AVALON, ARCHON ANGEL).

Not only does Aldo produce and handle the songwriting, he is also featured on guitar. Other musicians appearing on the album include Michele Sanna on drums, Luigi Andreone on bass and Antonio Agate on keyboards.

This time around, Tate was more involved in the songwriting and asked Aldo to draft a very special song for him, which he would ultimately sing in Italian. The song also features guitars from Walter Cianciusi and Dario Parente, who are now also in the OPERATION: MINDCRIME live band.

Musically, this album showcases the great songwriting and performing talents of Lonobile and his cast of musicians and also marks a very welcomed return for Tate to a style that he made famous along with his former band.

"Relentless" track listing:

01. Once Again One Sin

02. Strong Pressure

03. Let It Be

04. Another Change

05. Wake Up Call

06. Remember Me

07. Anybody Out There

08. Aria

09. I'll Be the One

10. Fly Angel Fly

"Relentless" recording lineup:

Geoff Tate - Vocals

Aldo Lonobile - Guitars

Luigi Andreone - Bass

Antonio Agate - Keys

Michele Sanna - Drums

Last month, Tate announced around a dozen U.S. dates in late summer and fall as part of a tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of QUEENSRŸCHE's "Empire" and "Rage For Order" albums.

For more information, including ticket links and links for meet-and-greet passes for purchase to meet Geoff and his band after the live shows, visit www.geofftate.com.

Early last year, Tate was forced to postone a number of his tour dates due to the coronavirus pandemic that is spreading across the globe.

Tate spent the first two months of 2020 performing the QUEENSRŸCHE albums "Rage For Order" and "Empire" in their entirety on the "Empire 30th Anniversary Tour", which kicked off in January in Norway. Prior to that, Geoff celebrated the 30th anniversary of QUEENSRŸCHE's "Operation: Mindcrime" album on European and U.S. tours.

Tate's post-QUEENSRŸCHE band OPERATION: MINDCRIME released three albums over three years as part of a trilogy: "The Key" (September 2015), "Resurrection" (September 2016) and "The New Reality" (December 2017).

Looking for a way to interact artistically during the COVID-19 lockdown last June, producer-songwriter LIBRA invited an impressive ensemble of metal artists, including members of Type O Negative, Paradise Lost, Apocalyptica, Within Temptation, My Dying Bride, Moonspell, Athanasia, Five Finger Death Punch and solo artist Anneke Van Giersbergen, to contribute to a stunning cover of “It Doesn’t Matter Two” by the legendary Depeche Mode.

Recorded individually at home by each artist, “It Doesn’t Matter Two (Lockdown Version)” features performances by Aaron Aedy (Paradise Lost), Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride), Anneke Van Giersbergen (solo artist, formerly of The Gathering), Caleb Bingham (Athanasia/formerly of Five Finger Death Punch), Don Aires Pereira (Moonspell), Eicca Toppinen (Apocalyptica), Kenny Hickey (Type O Negative), LIBRA (solo artist), Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation) and Shaun MacGowan (My Dying Bride). The track was produced, arranged and mixed by LIBRA at 13Eighteen Studio in Hollywood and mastered by the legendary engineer Ted Jensen (Metallica, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, David Bowie, Madonna), at Sterling Sound Studios in New York.

“Since I was a kid, Depeche Mode has been one of the biggest influences of my musical development,” Libra explains. “So I chose, and completely re-arranged, one of my favorite songs, called ‘It Doesn’t Matter Two’ from the album ‘Black Celebration.’ I only invited artists who I respect, admire, and even some of my personal heroes. I honestly felt I would be really lucky if only one of them agreed to be part of this project. So you can imagine how I felt when, one by one, almost everyone I invited replied saying yes (most of them without even knowing who I was), simply after hearing the demo I sent.”

“It Doesn’t Matter Two (Lockdown Version)” is available here.

“It Doesn’t Matter Two (Lockdown Version)” artists weigh in on the experience:

Anneke van Giersbergen: “Working with this group of amazing musicians on a song by one of my favorite bands has been truly amazing, especially in times like these.”  

Apocalyptica’s Eicca Toppinen: “I immediately got very excited about this project when Libra contacted me. During this lockdown it felt so nice to get connected with cool artists around the world. All musicians are in the same situation during these weird times, no matter where you live. The original song is great and I loved Libra’s arrangement and the passionate way of working on this project. The song turned out great and it is wonderful how the video shows the way we were able to be together even with the distance. Music has power!”

Athanasia’s Caleb Bingham: “When Libra sent it to me, I was impressed by his ability to take a classic Depeche Mode song and completely reinvent it into something all his own. Now, with all of this top tier talent on top of what was already a killer song, I think we’ve created a monster!”

Moonspell’s Don Aires Pereira: “I really enjoyed participating in this collaboration and seeing guys I hadn't seen in a while, as well as getting to know even if virtually new faces. It was a good initiative in these lockdown times and it also served to imagine what it would be like to play in a band with such illustrious musicians. Thank you very much to Libra for the invitation. I really enjoyed recording the bass and video in a very relaxed way. Thanks to today's technology, we can always create or materialize what we visualize and make it real. A hug and greetings to all who participated, and I hope you enjoy the final result. Life is an alchemical process in which we visualize and then materialize using the well-known formula: ‘Solve et Coagula.’”

My Dying Bride’s Aaron Stainthorpe: “Believe it or not but I was actually a member of the Depeche Mode Fan Club way back when ‘Violator’ was released. I adored the band and was the only person wearing a Depeche Mode sweatshirt in the notorious rock bar The Frog & Toad in Bradford. My Dying Bride also used a piece of music by DM as an intro to their gigs on one of their tours but my age won't allow me to recall which piece. When Libra asked me if I'd be interested in taking part in this project, a 'yes' was inevitable and I thoroughly enjoyed my little moment when, just for a short time, I was actually in Depeche Mode."

My Dying Bride’s Shaun MacGowan: “I’d heard good things about Libra and his work, so it was a real pleasure when he invited me to join this project. I'm a Depeche Mode fan but never actually heard this particular song before, but instantly the potential to make something great was there. It's also hard to say no to being alongside a list of fantastic musicians from across the metal genre. Obviously, it would be nice to visit a studio but, due to COVID restrictions, my living room had to do! The end result is far beyond my expectations and it's been a real pleasure to be involved.”

Paradise Lost’s Aaron Aedy: “I got the initial contact from Libra last year, halfway through our first lock down of 2020 here in the UK. At the time, we in Paradise Lost, like our fellow musicians, were getting emails of constantly moving or cancelled shows and festivals. The prospect of doing a Depeche Mode cover (a band I've loved since buying the ‘People Are People’ single, aged 14) purely for the joy of making music, seemed like the perfect distraction during a time of seemingly mostly bad news. I agreed, then upon hearing the bare bones version, was pleasantly surprised how good it was, even at that very early stage.

“Having been a part of this project from early on and watching it grow as more artists were added with Libra's energy driving it all forward, made this an absolute joy to work on, a truly wonderful escape from everything that's been going on in the world. I'm thrilled with the outcome, the amazing contributions from all the artists involved have really elevated this it to another level.

“The fact that this was born out of the hopeful and fun lockdown idea of one person, which is now able to raise money for The International Association for Suicide Prevention, a charity whose work is even more important during a time when we're all becoming more acutely aware of the mental health issues experienced by so many, makes me feel even more proud and privileged to be involved. Listen, enjoy and escape with us for a few minutes! Thank you.”

Type O Negative’s Kenny Hickey: “It was fun doing this!!”

Within Temptation’s Ruud Jolie: “I must admit I have never been into Depeche Mode but when I heard Libra’s arrangement I got all excited. The demo sounded really good already. And it’s a no-brainer when you learn that a lot of great musicians have joined the project. The end result sounds great and I feel lucky to be a part of this.”

Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Libra taught himself how to sing, play guitar, bass, drums, keyboard and studied music production and audio engineering. In addition to being a former Sony Music artist, where he released his solo album Até que a morte não separe, LIBRA has been worked as a music producer for film, TV and theater for over 20 years. Always proud to be eclectic, Libra’s influences range from metal to pop, rock to electronic, and classical to country.

“Music has been my life since I can remember,” says Libra. “But somewhere around 2014, due to a stream of traumatic disappointments (professional and personal), I lost the will to write and play music altogether and decided to turn my back on the music business. I moved to the US, where I slowly had to rebuild myself from the ground up, and when the time was right, I decided to let music find its way back into my life. This project was literally the first track I produced, after more than six years of artistic hibernation. The whole experience of having such talented artists trusting my vision was a wake up call, and the final result of this collaboration was a testament to the fact that I did the right thing when I decided to make music again.”




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Guitarist Toby Knapp is wrapping a new record from Where Evil Follows. Their debut, Portable Darkness, was released in 2015. 

Knapp comments: “I certainly didn't expect to be doing another WEF album, especially after just finishing my solo instrumental album (which is being prepared for release).

“Recording the solo album seemed to open up a lot of ideas; writing better arrangements, higher standard of performance, recording quality. The solo album felt like a preparation for the WEF album in hindsight.

“Although I do agree that you should write music for yourself, this one is for the listeners that want a specific traditional heavy/power metal sound from me. This time I was more than happy to oblige.

“I also worked quickly because I asked Moribund Records to give me a deadline in order to make their 2021 release schedule. I work better under a little pressure. So now it's onto recording bass, lead guitar and vocals. The fun part! Stay tuned and thanks for listening!”

For further details, follow Toby Knapp on Facebook.




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Former ACCEPT guitarist Herman Frank has released an official lyric video for the song "Eye Of The Storm". The clip, which was created by Hard Media, can be viewed below.

"Eye Of The Storm" is taken from Frank's fifth solo album, "Two For A Lie", which is due on May 21 via AFM Records. The disc was once again mixed by Arne Neurand at Horus Sound Studio in Hannover, Germany, while mastering duties were handled by Robin Schmidt at 24-96 Mastering in Karlsruhe, Germany.

"Two For A Lie" track listing:

01. Teutonic Order

02. Venom

03. Hate

04. Eye Of The Storm

05. Liar

06. Hail The New Kings

07. Just A Second To Lose

08. Danger

09. Stand Up And Fight

10. Open Your Mind

Frank's band lineup is as follows:

Rick Altzi (MASTERPLAN, AT VANCE) - Vocals

Herman Frank (ex-ACCEPT, VICTORY) - Guitar

Mike Pesin (MAGISTARIUM, VICTORY) - Guitar

Michael Müller (JADED HEART) - Bass

Kevin Kott (AT VANCE, MASTERPLAN, HEAVEN'S TRAIL) - Drums

Herman joined ACCEPT in 1982 shortly before the release of the band's "Restless And Wild" album and exited the group for the first time after the arrival of 1983's "Balls To The Wall" LP.

When ACCEPT reunited for festival appearances in 2005, Herman handled second-guitar duties alongside founding axeman Wolf Hoffmann, with Stefan Schwarzmann sitting behind the kit.

Frank and Schwarzmann were involved in ACCEPT's comeback with Tornillo and appeared on the reunited group's first three studio albums: 2010's "Blood of the Nations", 2012's "Stalingrad" and 2014's "Blind Rage".

Frank's fourth solo album, "Fight The Fear", was released in February 2019 via AFM.

Two years ago, Herman told All That Shreds about his decision to exit ACCEPT in December 2014: "It was just time to leave the band. Let's put it this way: I wanted to do music the way I started to. I wanted to have my own band. I wanted my own music and just wanted to just play my own leads. Not to follow somebody's guitar. I was getting too old for it. It's fine to be a backup, but after a couple of years, it's time for a different thing."

Asked how it was different playing with current ACCEPT singer Mark Tornillo after performing with Udo Dirkschneider during the band's early years, Herman said: "Mark is a really nice guy and really promising. It's kind of a different voice and Mark really doubles Udo in his personal way. I prefer the style of Udo's singing. He is original ACCEPT. There is this voice sticking in your head. On the new songs, which Mark sings for the first time in ACCEPT, it's a different character, but it's very good. You can't compare them, really. They are a match for certain things, but they are quite different people. I do like them both. I couldn't have the decision which one I would prefer. It would have been great if they would put a couple of albums with Udo and Mark together. That would be awesome."

Dutch metal trio Cryptosis has released a new single and video for “Death Technology”.

The band have checked in with the following quote: "For decades, people have tried to store their deceased bodies using low-temperature freezing techniques. This song is about a person who wakes up from cryosleep in the year 2149 and realises he is being detained and used as a test subject in a secret lab. The lyrics describe a technology that is very advanced and complex seen through the eyes of the test subject. The music is a reflection of that intricate technology. The riffs are built in a technical and extremely fast paced style. Whereas the structure of the song is built in the opposite direction, resembling the old yet simple world that this person is coming from."

Cryptosis will release their debut album Bionic Swarm on March 26. The album will be available in the following formats and can be preordered here:

-CD Digipak – all outlets
-Gatefold black LP+CD – all outlets
-Gatefold dark green LP+CD – CM EU Onlineshop (200 LPs) 
-Gatefold red LP+CD – Band Shop (200 LPs) 
-Gatefold neon yellow LP+CD – District 19 Shop (200 LPs) 
-Gatefold golden LP+CD – EMP & Nuclear Blast (100/100 LPs) 
-Digital Album

To celebrate “Bionic Swarm”, Cryptosis play a live stream show at Metropool on April 24, starting at 20:30 PM CET. The stream will take place here.

Cover art by Eliran Kantor / Cryptosis logo by Christophe Szpajdel:

Tracklisting:

“Overture 2149”
“Decypher”
“Death Technology”
“Prospect Of Immortality”
“Transcendence”
“Perpetual Motion”
“Conjuring The Egoist”
“Game Of Souls”
“Mindscape”
“Flux Divergence”

"Death Technology":

“Transcendence” video:




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A rehearsal recording of BLACK SABBATH playing a previously unreleased song apparently called "Slapback" in 1979 during the pre-production sessions for the band's "Heaven And Hell" album can be streamed below. The track, which features Ronnie James Dio on vocals, Tony Iommi on guitar and Bill Ward on drums, was uploaded to YouTube by Gary Rees, the stepson and executor of the estate of SABBATH's longtime keyboardist Geoff Nicholls.

The "Slapback" upload comes a month and a half after Rees shared a previously unreleased rehearsal recording of BLACK SABBATH playing the "Heaven And Hell" title track during the same sessions. That recording featured Nicholls on bass due to Geezer Butler's absence during the initial writing stage for the LP.

Rees stated about "Slapback": "This latest upload from the Geoff Nicholls estate I believe is called 'Slapback' from the scrawling on the cassette and the chorus. This is from the same cassette as the 'Heaven & Hell' upload on this channel. It doesn't sound like a typical SABBATH song if it is them but it does sound like Ronnie James Dio."

Dio joined SABBATH for the first time in 1979 and quickly found kindred spirits in Iommi, Butler, and Ward. When "Heaven And Hell" was released in April 1980, the album was met with effusive reviews for the band's return to form on metal masterpieces like "Neon Knights" and the title track. The album reached No. 9 in the U.K. and No. 28 in the U.S., where it was also certified platinum.

Released on March 5, "Heaven And Hell: Deluxe Edition" added several bonus tracks that have never been made available in North America, including versions of "Children Of The Sea" and "Die Young" recorded live in 1980 in Hartford, Connecticut. The set concludes with live rarities like "E5150" and "Neon Knights" that originally appeared in 2007 on the Rhino Handmade's limited edition collection "Black Sabbath: Live At Hammersmith Odeon".

In a recent interview with Songfacts, Iommi was asked how the songwriting compared to when Dio was the singer in SABBATH as opposed to Ozzy Osbourne. He responded: "It was different. With Ozz, we tend to jam usually, and then Ozzy would sometimes be in the room, sometimes he wouldn't. And sometimes he'd hear something and go, 'Oh yeah,' and start singing something to it. It depends on what periods. We'd play and come up with a format for a song, and then he'd listen to it and start coming up with a melody. With Dio, he was a little bit more involved because he played an instrument [bass] and was more musical. And that's not knocking Ozzy, because Ozzy was great at what he did, but Dio was a little more involved. I could sit down quietly and play something to Ronnie, and he'd say, 'Yeah, I like that.' He'd start singing, and then go, 'Can I go through a change now? What about that note there? Oh yeah, that's good.' We'd work together and bounce back with each other."

Nicholls died in January 2017 after a long battle with lung cancer.

Geoff, who played keyboards on all of SABBATH's albums between 1980 and 1995 and toured with them, was reportedly in remission from cancer at the time of his death but succumbed to the side effects of chemotherapy.

Nicholls's first appearance on a SABBATH album was on "Heaven And Hell". Although his main role with SABBATH was on the keyboard, Nicholls also played some rhythm guitar at concerts. In addition to not always being credited as a full member of the band, Nicholls rarely appeared on stage during SABBATH shows and would instead play on the side of the stage or backstage.

Nicholls's involvement with the band ended when Adam Wakeman (a member of Ozzy Osbourne's solo band) was chosen to play keyboards during SABBATH's 2004 and 2005 tours as part of Ozzfest.

In a new interview with "The Rhino Podcast", Tony Iommi reflected on his time recording and touring with Ronnie James Dio as his bandmate in both BLACK SABBATH and HEAVEN & HELL. The guitarist said (hear audio below): "It was really amazing. And it was going so good — the last [HEAVEN & HELL] album we did with Ronnie. We talked about doing another album. We were really focused, all of us, then. With any kind of egos or anything anybody had, it had all gone, and we could work together. And it was great fun — we had a great time doing that album, and we had a great time doing the tour. And we never put pressure on each other as far as, 'We've gotta do another album; we've gotta do this.' It was, 'If we wanna do it, we'll do it.' And we did talk about doing another album, and we would have done another album if Ronnie hadn't passed away. But at least we had that opportunity of being able to do that tour. And it was great."

Iommi went on to call Dio's 2010 death "a tremendous loss — absolute tremendous loss. He [had] such a unique voice, and the way he presented his voice was fantastic," he said.

Dio replaced Ozzy Osbourne in BLACK SABBATH in 1980, recording the "Heaven And Hell" and "Mob Rules" albums, plus "Live Evil", before leaving in 1982. He rejoined the group 10 years later for an album called "Dehumanizer", and again teamed with the group under the HEAVEN & HELL banner in 2006. HEAVEN & HELL released an album called "The Devil You Know" in 2009.

Ronnie passed away of stomach cancer on May 16, 2010 at the age of 67.

Dio was renowned throughout the world as one of the greatest and most influential vocalists in heavy metal history. The singer was diagnosed with cancer in late 2009. He underwent chemotherapy and made what is now his final public appearance in April 2010 at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles.

Ronnie's long-awaited autobiography, titled "Rainbow In The Dark: The Autobiography", will be released on July 27 via Permuted Press.

Iommi is currently promoting the upcoming deluxe editions of BLACK SABBATH's "Heaven And Hell" and "Mob Rules" albums.

QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Todd La Torre has criticized Gov. Greg Abbott over his decision to lift indoor capacity restrictions for Texas restaurants, bars, and businesses, and statewide mask mandates next week, saying his actions are the reason the concert industry "will be the last to open."

Effective March 10, all businesses in Texas will be allowed to open at full capacity for the first time in nearly a year, Abbott announced. Businesses may still limit capacity or implement additional safety protocols at their own discretion.

Earlier today, La Torre took to his Twitter to share an article about Abbott's decision to remove statewide mandates, and he included the following message: "Fucking asshole scumbag. This is why our industry will be the last to open. Zero lessons learned. Tick tock."

In announcing that he will end Texas' statewide mask mandate next week and allow all businesses to operate at full capacity, Abbott said: "It is now time to open Texas 100%." He added that he was rescinding "most of the earlier executive orders" he has issued over the past year to stem the spread of the virus. He said "all businesses of any type [will be] allowed to open 100%." A spokesperson later confirmed that includes sporting events, concerts and similar events. Masks will no longer be required in public for the first time since last summer.

Todd resides in Florida, where municipalities can impose their own mask rules and curfews, restrict beach access and place some limits on bars and restaurants, but some have virtually no such measures in place.

More than 3.5 million Texans have so far received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 1.8 million fully vaccinated.

Following Abbott's announcement, the Texas State Teacher Association issued a statement, warning it is too soon for Texans to let our guards down.

"Like Gov. Abbott, we believe we are making progress against the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are not there yet. Far from it," said Texas State Teachers Association president Ovidia Molina. "The COVID numbers have been coming down, but there were still 1,637 new confirmed cases of COVID in Texas yesterday and 59 deaths. More than 5,600 COVID patients were in Texas hospitals, and much is still unknown about the more-infectious variants of the deadly virus that have started striking our state.

"Gov. Abbott needs to quit obeying his political impulses and listen to the health experts, who are warning that it is too soon to let our guard down without risking potentially disastrous consequences," Molina continued. "The experts caution us to continue the safety practices that have worked against this disease, including widespread mask use and social distancing."




Fucking asshole scumbag. This is why our industry will be the last to open. Zero lessons learned. Tick tock. https://t.co/CdxEqwiSTH

— Todd La Torre (@ToddLaTorre) March 3, 2021

California metallers ATREYU have released two new songs: "Warrior" (featuring BLINK-182 drummer Travis Barker) and "Underrated". Check them out below. The tracks arrive five months after the release of "Save Us", which was the first taste of the band's music since the departure of vocalist Alex Varkatzas in September.

"Warrior", "Underrated" and "Save Us" all showcase ATREYU's current lineup consisting of drummer Brandon Saller focusing completely on singing after previously sharing lead vocals with Varkatzas for most of the band's two-decade-plus existence. Sitting behind the kit is Saller's HELL OR HIGHWATER bandmate Kyle Rosa, who had filled in for Saller on drums in 2019 after Varkatzas bowed out of the band's European tour while dealing with serious back and hernia issues.

Asked in a recent interview with the "RRBG Podcast"if fans have responded positively to ATREYU's new single and lineup change, guitarist Travis Miguel said: "For the most part, yeah. There's obviously naysayers and people who are bummed out. And that's totally fine — I mean, we all expected that. Because change in any shape or form, really, can be very uncomfortable. Especially for a band that loses their frontman, a lot of bands, they either thrive or it just doesn't resonate the same with the listeners. But luckily, it's not like we got a complete stranger coming in and moving up to the frontman spot. Brandon, obviously, did just about 50 percent of the vocals on all ATREYU stuff anyway. And he's been working his ass off kind of transitioning from literally the dude from behind the drums to into the front of the stage.

"That being said, not this past summer, but in 2019, we did a tour in Europe, and Alex, at the time, he had injured his back and he literally couldn't sit on a plane for 11, 12 hours to fly over to Europe, so he had to sit that one out," he continued. "So we went over to Europe with this lineup that we have now. So there wasn't a whole lot of thought [put into it]. It was kind of a no-brainer. Kyle Rosa, who is now playing drums for us, it was almost like that was his tryout, and we didn't even know it. So it's just kind of weird how things pan out."

Miguel also talked about ATREYU's upcoming album, which was completed last year.

"We were kind of eyeballing May for a release [for the album]," Travis said. "But who knows? Everything is up in the air… We actually filmed three videos over a weekend back toward the tail end of the summer, one of 'em being 'Save Us', which is, obviously, already out. And then we have two more kind of being prepped and ready to be served, so to speak."

Speaking about the musical direction of the new ATREYU material, Travis said: "There are definite heavy bangers on there. It's definitely ATREYU, which that could mean just about anything, really. A lot of people would consider that complete shitty music. Some people think it's the greatest thing on earth. It's all over the place, really, which is kind of what we've always done."

ATREYU spent the first couple of months of 2020 working on material for its eighth album with producer John Feldmann, who previously helmed 2018's "In Our Wake" and 2007's breakout LP "Lead Sails, Paper Anchor".

In August 2019, ATREYU released a deluxe edition of "In Our Wake" via Spinefarm Records. The new version featured the original "In Our Wake" album, along with seven additional tracks. The bonus material included B-sides from the sessions for both "In Our Wake" and 2015's "Long Live", along with alternate versions of the title track and "The Time Is Now" from "In Our Wake". The deluxe edition featured completely redesigned artwork and a total of 19 songs.

SCORPIONS' Mikkey Dee has just returned to Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany to resume recording the band's upcoming studio album. Tentatively due in 2021, the disc will mark the German-Polish-Swedish hard rock legends' first release since 2017's "Born To Touch Your Feelings - Best Of Rock Ballads", which was an anthology of SCORPIONS' new and classic material.

Earlier today, Dee shared a Twitter video message recorded in his Hannover hotel room, where he is quarantining for a week before rejoining his bandmates in the studio. The Swedish drummer said in the clip (see below): "We are gonna finish up the album, and we are working really hard on that. And it's coming together; we're almost done. So, I've got one more little run to go here, and that's about it. The other guys have been working while I've been in Sweden, of course, but there's a few more little things to do on the drums."

SCORPIONS originally intended to record the new album in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman, whose previous credits include SLIPKNOT and METALLICA. However, because of the pandemic, most of the work so far has been done remotely, with Fidelman taking part via Zoom.

Singer Klaus Meine recently told Talking Metal that the goal with using Fidelman to produce the new LP is to bring "the old vibe from albums like 'Blackout', 'Love At First Sting' or even 'Lovedrive'. We try to focus on those albums and this attitude," he said. "If we get there, who knows — it's so many years later. But it's the spirit and it's the whole vibe around this album. This time, the focus is on the harder songs."

According to Meine, SCORPIONS' new LP will feature "no outside writers at all," unlike 2015's "Return To Forever", which was largely co-written by the album's producers, Mikael Nord Andersson and Martin Hansen.

Fidelman began his career as the guitarist and songwriter for RHINO BUCKET before launching his career as a producer, engineer and mixer, finding an early mentor in Rick Rubin.

SCORPIONS' last full-length collection of new recordings was the aforementioned "Return To Forever", partially comprising songs the band had in the vault from the '80s. It was the final recorded appearance of SCORPIONS' longtime drummer James Kottak, who was dismissed from the band in September 2016. He has since been replaced by Mikkey Dee, formerly of MOTÖRHEAD.




Video update from Germany! pic.twitter.com/b0BPc9nbAX

— Mikkey Dee (@themikkeydee) March 3, 2021

Legendary rock band JEFFERSON STARSHIP released an EP, "Mother Of The Sun", via Golden Robot Records in August 2020 and now the band has shared the music video for the EP track "Setting Sun".

"Setting Sun" features David Freiberg on lead vocals and is highlighted by slide guitar by Jude Gold. The bluesy rock anthem penned by Cathy Richardson and David Freiberg tells the story of a fugitive on the run.

JEFFERSON STARSHIP features founding singer/multi-instrumentalist David Freiberg (who was also in JEFFERSON AIRPLANE during the band's final year), longtime drummer Donny Baldwin (who joined JEFFERSON STARSHIP in 1982 and also played and sang on many hits of the band's STARSHIP era), lead singer Cathy Richardson (whom Kantner recruited in 2008), 25-year member Chris Smith on keyboards, and lead guitarist Jude Gold, who joined in 2012.

The current lineup of JEFFERSON STARSHIP is dedicated to breathing new life into this timeless music in their live shows. Massive hits such as "Jane", "Miracles", "White Rabbit", "Somebody To Love", "Volunteers", "We Built This City" and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" continue to reverberate in pop culture all over the world. Whether in the studio or on tour, the five members still enjoy pushing sonic boundaries, passionately trying to change the world, and staying true to the original spirit of all things JEFFERSON STARSHIP.

The seven tracks on "Mother Of The Sun" include two songs co-written by original JEFFERSON STARSHIP/JEFFERSON AIRPLANE members — "It's About Time", co-written with Grace Slick, and another co-written with Marty Balin. The collection also features the return of original JEFFERSON STARSHIP member Pete Sears, who plays bass on three tracks.

"Paul Kantner was our bandleader and the visionary who kept JEFFERSON STARSHIP going through so many eras," says Richardson. "He inspired so much about this record, from the messages in the lyrics to the title and album art to the collaborative process of creating music as a band with some of his original muses — Grace, Marty and Pete. 'Mother Of The Sun' is dedicated to PK."

Florida death metal veterans OBITUARY have announced a new two-part spring livestream series. The band will perform its favorite songs on March 27 and run through its classic third album, 1992's "The End Complete", in its entirety on April 3.

Tickets, t-shirts and bundles are available beginning this Friday, March 5 at 1 p.m. EST at www.obituarylive.com.

OBITUARY comments: "For the past seven weeks, we have locked ourselves inside the studio to prepare for these next studio livestream sessions. Re-learning the now 29-year-old 'The End Complete' album and rehearsing many of the bands favorites. We are proud to announce that we are ready to bring our fans the goods and have picked a killer selection of classic songs, rare tracks and 'The End Complete' album performed in its entirety. We have been busting our asses preparing and now WE are ready. Question is...Are YOU? Here we Go!!!!!"

Last October, OBITUARY took part in a three-part "live stream concert series" featuring full-album performances of "Slowly We Rot", "Cause Of Death" and rare classics. The first two streams — a "Slowly We Rot" set; and a "Cause Of Death" set — were live from the ESI Streaming Studio in Tampa, Florida. The third stream, featuring rare classics and special tracks, was broadcasted live from OBITUARY's recording studio in Gibsonton, Florida.

In September, OBITUARY bassist Terry Butler told Heavy Culture that he and his bandmates had "started writing some new material for a new album. We have a handful of songs kind of written — a lot of rhythms getting kicked around," he said.

OBITUARY's latest, self-titled studio album was released in 2017 via Relapse.

Photo credit: Stefan Schippe

METALLICA's non-profit foundation All Within My Hands has donated $75,000 to Feeding America to ensure food banks in the communities affected by recent winter storms in the southern United States have access to the food they need. Feeding America is the nation's largest organization dedicated to fighting domestic hunger through a nationwide network of 200 food banks.

Feeding America is working with national donors to transport food and supplies to the most heavily impacted locations, with a focus on supporting communities in Texas and surrounding areas that dealt with the most significant power outages and water shortages.

METALLICA said in a statement: "The winter storm that struck Texas last month was beyond anything the state's residents could imagine preparing for. As temperatures dropped well below freezing and widespread power outages swept the area, families suffered. Grocery chains did the best they could to support their communities, but their supply was hit hard. While temperatures have risen and electricity has been restored in many areas, residents are still very much in the throws of a struggle.

"Texans running low on food are finding empty grocery store shelves. Food pantries are running out of supplies. And the freeze has wiped out substantial portions of the state's citrus and vegetable crops. As part of our commitment to fighting food insecurity, All Within My Hands has donated $75,000 to Feeding America to be distributed to Texas food banks."

Feeding America estimated that in 2020, more than 50 million Americans would not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

All Within My Hands is a 501(c)3 non-profit foundation established in 2017 as a way for the METALLICA family to give back to communities that have supported the band. In 2020, AWMH donated $645,000 to COVID-19-related relief funds including Feeding America, Direct Relief, as well as to charities assisting those in the entertainment and hospitality industries suddenly without work. The foundation also donated $350,000 to aid those affected by the West Coast wildfires.

METALLICA and All Within My Hands are committed to running an organization of the highest integrity where expenses are kept to a minimum and are paid for entirely by the band, the board, and friends who have worked with the band over many years and are excited to help in this mission.




As part of our commitment to fighting food insecurity, the @AWMHFoundation has donated $75,000 to @FeedingAmerica to be distributed to Texas food banks. Learn more and find out how you can help at https://t.co/kpdSIxhWkt. #MetallicaGivesBack #AWMH https://t.co/CejXJkJhnV

— Metallica (@Metallica) March 5, 2021

MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars has just received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The 69-year-old rocker took to his Instagram to share a photo of him getting the shot, and he wrote in an accompanying message: "One down one to go!!! F**k covid".

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll showed almost a third of U.S. adults are undecided on whether they'll get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The poll, released last month, found that 31 percent of adults are going to "wait until it has been available for a while to see how it is working for other people" before receiving the coronavirus vaccine.

America's two main vaccines have shown 95% efficacy against the coronavirus.

As of late January, the CDC discovered that only 11 per 1 million people experienced severe reactions from the Pfizer vaccine, and only 2.5 per 1 million people who received the Moderna dose.

Johnson & Johnson's vaccine, which became available in the United States earlier this month after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave it emergency use authorization, was tested with new variants of COVID-19, and has shown to be effective against them; Pfizer and Moderna were tested prior to the emergence of these variants.
























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A post shared by Mick Mars (@mr.mickmars)

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has told AXS TV's "At Home And Social" that he was "so excited and so thankful" to receive his second COVID-19 vaccine last month. "We have so much to be excited about with these vaccines, but people have to realize that the vaccine means nothing until you put it in your arm," he said (see video below). "So people who are just waiting around for herd immunity, you've got a long way to wait. And you want me to take the shot, but you want the benefit. Go get your shot.

"I'd like [to see] everybody just get back to a normal life," the 69-year-old continued. "A half a million people have died; it's been devastating for so many people. For us who are inconvenienced, it's minor compared to what some people have gone through."

Stanley also once again criticized people who are defiantly skeptical of mask wearing, saying they are posing a risk to themselves and to all those around them.

"I'd love to get back out and play [shows with KISS], and I think everybody would love to get their masks off," he said. "But let's face it: part of the problem is that we haven't adhered properly to what should be common sense restrictions. And as long as there are people who are negating what's being told to them, this [coronavirus crisis] is gonna extend further.

"We're supposed to be a community. And if there's the slightest possibility that it would be the right thing to do, shouldn't you do it?" he asked rhetorically.

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll showed almost a third of U.S. adults are undecided on whether they'll get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The poll, released last month, found that 31 percent of adults are going to "wait until it has been available for a while to see how it is working for other people" before receiving the coronavirus vaccine.

America's two main vaccines have shown 95% efficacy against the coronavirus.

As of late January, the CDC discovered that only 11 per 1 million people experienced severe reactions from the Pfizer vaccine, and only 2.5 per 1 million people who received the Moderna dose.

In recent months, Stanley repeatedly slammed people who refuse to wear a mask in public spaces to protect others from possible coronavirus infection. In December, the KISS frontman took to his Twitter to write: "Frankly, I've had enough of the self-serving & politically motivated mask misinformation & BS about this pandemic. I don't want to hear about 'my freedom' & 'my rights' that then infringe on so many other's. Those 'rights' & choosing to gather at Thanksgiving got us here. Wake up".

Three months earlier, he tweeted out a CNN article about an Idaho pastor who was hospitalized with COVID-19 after calling himself a "no-masker" during a service and repeatedly questioning the veracity of coronavirus case reporting. Stanley added in a message: "YOU figure this one out. I can't. A hoax and non-existent virus has put this guy in the ICU. If you're so concerned with a loss of your freedom , Why do you stop at red lights? Don't let the government control you!! Drive right through!!! PUT YOUR MASK ON."

In early July, Stanley shared a photo of him and his then-eight-year-old daughter Emily wearing masks, and he included the following message: "Sunset at the beach with Emily. WEAR YOUR MASK! Don't listen to conspiracy theorists or graduates of The Internet University Of Medicine. While the credible authorities and experts continue to learn more about Covid 19 they remain in agreement about safety protocols. End of story".

Three months ago, Stanley's KISS bandmate Gene Simmons also criticized ongoing complaints about having to wear masks in the middle of a deadly pandemic, telling the "Jeremy White Podcast": "Believe what you want, but don't hang out around me. Okay? If you're a denier, stay in the shadows. I don't wanna be around you. 'Cause I don't wanna catch what you've got. It's not about you. It's not whether you believe it or not."