During an appearance on "The Riffhard Podcast", ARCH ENEMY guitarist Jeff Loomis revealed that he has spent much of his coronavirus downtime recording a new solo LP. "It's my third solo album for Century Media," he said (hear audio below). "It's gonna be an all-instrumental thing. So, really, I've just been keeping busy doing that [and] doing guest solos for people. I'm actually writing a little bit of music for video games."

Loomis also said that is he is "doing solos for the new ARCH ENEMY album." He added: "I don't even know when we're going to release that yet, but I'm gonna start work on that very soon. We have a tentative tour coming up for September, if that happens. Let's hope so."

Jeff, who was the main songwriter in his previous group, NEVERMORE, joined ARCH ENEMY in late 2014, but was not involved in the writing for the latter act's latest album, 2017's "Will To Power".

In a 2018 interview with All That Shreds, Jeff said that he had "a lot of musical ideas" that he was hoping to contribute to ARCH ENEMY in the future. "I did write three or four songs for ['Will To Power'], but they didn't make it, only because it wasn't in the style that they were looking for," he said. "Fortunately enough, I was able to play guitar solos on the latest album, so that makes me happy."

Four years ago, ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott said that Loomis is "a strong songwriter" in his own right, "but not in the style of ARCH ENEMY, I feel. He's always writing and recording with his own stuff," he explained. "He has a project called CONQUERING DYSTOPIA, he has his solo stuff, [and] he obviously wrote most of the NEVERMORE stuff. I've always respected him, and continue to respect him, as a guitar player — he's amazing and an amazing human being; he fits in perfectly. [There's] a great chemistry [between us]. But, you know, I've always written most of the music, so it's difficult to… I don't really wanna change the sound of the band too much. The band sort of started around my songwriting and my ideas, and those continue to be the most dominant ones, I guess. But, you know, who knows [what can happen] in the future?"

The special tour edition of Loomis's latest album, "Plains Of Oblivion", was released in April 2013 via Century Media.

"Plains Of Oblivion - Tour Edition" featured three bonus tracks, in addition to the original "Plains Of Oblivion" disc that was released in 2012.

Loomis's second solo record, "Plains Of Oblivion" was produced by Aaron Smith (7 HORNS 7 EYES) and featured cover artwork by Colin Marks of Rain Song Design, who had previously worked with ALL SHALL PERISH, THE END and XERATH.

Former PANTERA bassist Rex Brown has once again claimed that his memoir contained passages that were published without his consent.

Four years after "Official Truth, 101 Proof: The Inside Story Of Pantera" was released in 2013, Brown was publicly critical of the way his autobiography turned out, saying in interviews that the book's publication was partly to blame for the deterioration of his relationship with another former PANTERA member, the band's late drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott.

in a brand new chat with Mark Dean of Antihero, Rex, who is currently promoting the 20th-anniversary reissue of PANTERA's final opus, "Reinventing The Steel", was asked about the writing process for "Official Truth, 101 Proof: The Inside Story Of Pantera" and how it compared to making an album. He responded: "Oh, man, I wish I would've just waited on that book, put it out like 10 years from now. These guys came to me and then they only wanted to put in what they wanted to put in. It's my truth, it's my words, but there was a lot of stuff that I didn't want in there that was put in. I offered to give them the money back for the fucking advance. I was just, like … But hell, it's on it’s fucking 11th pressing. You know, I think it's done all right. It was just timing that was not good for that thing. But it did something. It's just my story. The other guys [in PANTERA] had their chance to write a book; they could have."

Brown's latest comments echo those he made in August 2017 when he told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that "there was a bunch of shit in my book that was not supposed to be in that book, and I went through ten different edits and they put it in there anyway, and it left a fucking bit of sour in some people's mouths."

A month earlier, Rex pushed a similar narrative during an online chat. Asked what inspired him to write his memoir, Brown said: "That was just at a time where someone had come to me about a book offer and I said, 'I don't really wanna do one.' But I had a lot of stuff, being one that really didn't ever say anything to the press or… To me, it's all about the songs, about the jam." He continued: "It was [written] at a time of my life, and some of the stuff that was said in there shouldn't have been printed; it was taken off the cuff. But I think, in general, that's where I was at that time."

Last October, Brown's "Official Truth, 101 Proof" co-writer, Scottish author Mark Eglinton, addressed Brown's claims during an appearance on "Drag The Waters: The Pantera Podcast". Asked if there was any truth to Brown's assertion that the book included "shit that was not supposed to be" there, replied: "That's not true. And I said so at the time [in an August 2017 tweet]. And the agenda for [Rex saying] that was that I think Rex was talking to Phil [Anselmo, ex-PANTERA singer], and perhaps Vinnie at the time, [about] the possibility of getting back together to do something. And I think he needed to distance himself from what was in the book — simple as that. And I think that he was quite happy to throw me and the publisher under the bus by saying that."

He continued: "I'm loyal to everyone I work with, but when I'm put in that position, I have to stand up for myself, and I also have to stand up for the publisher, because, at the end of the day, I'll work with other people, and I have done. And I would never want anyone to think that I would put something in a book that they didn't sign off on. I would never do that. I make it very clear that anything that goes in there, they must sign off on. And I knew it was signed off. So I'm afraid that that was just wishful thinking and an attempt to sort of distance himself, maybe in retrospect, from some of the things he said. But everything that was in that book was signed off."

In a 2013 interview with MetalSucks, Anselmo was asked for his opinion of "Official Truth, 101 Proof: The Inside Story Of Pantera". He said: "Honestly, [Rex's] assessment of me [in the book] — I don't care. Egotistical, self-centered, everything is always about me. Y'know what? I'm a lead singer and he's a bass player. That's his perception. So I'm fine with it. I don't hold any fucking grudges. But I think he did take some angry swipes and I don't need to be specific. There is a great deal of mythology when it comes to his 'quitting' DOWN. That particular chapter is a little disturbing."

Anselmo also commented on the fact that Vinnie Paul was at times painted in a very negative light in Rex's book.

"I'm not sure that type of beating [on Vince] was necessary," Anselmo said. "Vince is a difficult guy and was always a different type of guy. But did he deserve that type of beating? I don't think so. It's a shame."

He continued: "Rex has many faults, just like anyone else. But it sure seems like he wants to put fault on other people to take away from his humanity. We're all full of faults. Maybe it's easier for some of us to admit."

Brown defended his comments about Vinnie Paul during a 2013 interview with the "Energize With Lonn Friend" podcast. After revealing that he sent his book to Anselmo and Vinnie Paul, the bassist said: "Apparently, Vinnie isn't very flattered by it. Vinnie, then, he can write his own fucking book, you know. With Philip, I haven't heard any rebuttals, but I didn't say anything in the book that wasn't already out there, you know what I'm saying?!"

He added: "I think the reason they haven't talked to me is 'cause it is the fucking truth. And sometimes you don't wanna tell the truth. And I didn't go out of my way to maliciously hurt any individual. But at the same time, if you're gonna tell the truth, by God, you'd better be on the skinny. And I think Mark Eglinton, that did this thing with me, he really just kind of…. He put me down… You know how you have your dreams that you had in high school when you're just… you're in your underwear. That's the way I felt with this book. If [you're] not [being completely truthful in your memoir], I think it's all a bunch of charade… And why would you wanna do that?"

Asked about the way he was depicted in "Official Truth, 101 Proof", Vinnie Paul told "Rover's Morning Glory": "All I can say is that… I'll refer to Philip's comment about Rex's book. A bunch of mythology, man. We don't know where he came up with all this. More power to him, man."

On page 172 of "Official Truth, 101 Proof: The Inside Story Of Pantera", Brown had the following to say about Vinnie Paul: "You need to understand that Vinnie is just a strange person — that's all there is to it — and it's either his way or the highway. I think he got most of that asshole-ishness from his old man, because in many ways they are very much alike. Vinnie was always all about the 'party, party, party!' and 'eat that pussy!' type of shit — to the extent that he thought he was fucking David Lee Roth. And him a drummer, can you imagine? But the truth is that he only got laid maybe one out of ten times and that's if he was lucky. Being in a platinum-selling band is meant to be a head start when you're trying to score with chicks, but he negated that by having no idea whatsoever how to treat or approach a woman. He'd just walk up and immediately start groping them, so it was no surprise that his strike rate was so pitiful. He acted like meeting him was a sexual audition and that just turned them off straightaway." He continued: "And as if that wasn't bad enough, when he didn't get laid (ninety percent of the time, I'd estimate) he was the most miserable fucking guy on the planet. I just couldn't live with him. He'd walk in the room in the morning and I'd just know. He'd be all snappy and pissed off with everyone and there was nothing anyone could do to change his mood. That became really boring."

In November 2017, late PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott's longtime girlfriend Rita Haney criticized Brown's book as full of inaccuracies and described the PANTERA bassist's portrayal of Vinnie Paul as "pretty hateful." In an interview with Metal Forces, Haney stated about "Official Truth, 101 Proof: The Inside Story Of Pantera": "Good lord… It's not good to write a book when you don't remember things, and you have other people telling you in your ear, 'This is how it went down,' when it didn't. I got to chapter three, and I felt like I needed to get a highlighter out for things I knew were incorrect. [Laughs] I know where Rex is today, and where is head is. I know he regrets a lot of the things that are in that book. It's kind of a… I don't know. How can you write a book when there's shit you don't remember?"

Haney also commented on the fact that "Official Truth" seemed to paint Vinnie Paul in a particularly unfavorable light.

"It seemed [to be a] potshot, like, 'Let's try to take some potshots and stab at you,'" Rita said. "And yeah, it was pretty hateful. It's the pot calling the kettle black. How can you throw stuff out there when you're just as guilty or guilty of worse things? Some of the stuff is not yours to tell, or yours to judge. And yeah, it was pretty shitty, I would say. I know [Rex] has regrets about that. If he doesn't, he needs to."

Vinnie Paul died in June 2018 at the age of 54 in his sleep at his home in Las Vegas. The official cause of death was dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart, as well as severe coronary artery disease.

Dimebag, who was Vinnie Paul's brother, was shot and killed by a crazed gunman while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at a Columbus, Ohio rock club in December 2004.




I’m tired of this. As I said before, it was all signed off. I have the emails (and a few voicemails) - and at no point was there conversation about the advance being returned. Very sad. https://t.co/F7aenuaf9t

— mark eglinton (@MarkEglinton) February 7, 2021

QUEENSRŸCHE vocalist Todd La Torre was interviewed on the latest episode of the GUNS N' ROSES-centric "Appetite for Distortion" podcast. You can now listen to the chat below.

Asked if it's true that he used to perform GUNS N' ROSES covers in his earlier days as a musician, Todd said: "Back in my teens, when 'Appetite For Destruction' came out, I was playing in a band as a drummer. And so we would cover 'Rocket Queen', we would cover 'Mr. Brownstone' [and] 'Paradise City'. But I always liked to sing, even though I wasn't the singer in the band, and there was a lot of stuff that I could mimic really well from, like, the song 'Patience' and experimenting with, 'What makes this singer sound the way he sounds?'

"When that record ['Appetite For Destruction'] came out — and keep in mind, I was a big metalhead, and GUNS N' ROSES, they're not a metal band — the glam scene, I wasn't into that, and so GUNS N' ROSES wasn't that to me," he continued. "They came out with this sound that was, like… Everyone was playing pointy guitars or Strats, and then here comes this guy with a top hat and a Les Paul, and you're, like, 'A Les Paul? C'mon.' And then they played, and it was, like, 'Okay. This sounds like nothing else right now. There's something different here.' And they were edgy and raw, and goddamn, the melodies of those songs are just — they're perfect. And it's one of my all-time favorite records still, and worldwide, it's a very coveted album.

"That was a very influential album for me in many ways, and I loved drumming it," Todd added. "But the singing on it was — Axl Rose has a very identifiable sound.

"Yeah, [they're a] great band. It's cool to see them still playing."

Todd's debut solo album, "Rejoice In The Suffering", was released on February 5 via Rat Pak Records. Todd created the LP with his songwriting partner Craig Blackwell and producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris.

La Torre joined his first band BLACKWELL as the drummer, performing in high school talent shows and entering into the club rock music scene in Tampa Bay, Florida. In 2009, Todd was suggested to CRIMSON GLORY guitarist Jon Drenning by a mutual friend to help with some vocal rehearsals in preparation for a CRIMSON GLORY memorial concert. This would pave the way for more collaborations with the band, with Toddeventually joining CRIMSON GLORY as the group's new vocalist. La Torre was the lead singer for CRIMSON GLORY from late 2010 until resigned from the band in early 2013. In 2012, Todd became a household name in the metal world when he officially became the new lead vocalist of QUEENSRŸCHE. The band immediately began touring globally and started writing new material for the self-titled 2013 album "Queensrÿche". To date, QUEENSRŸCHE has released three studio albums with La Torre: "Queensrÿche", "Condition Hüman" (2015) and "The Verdict" (2019). Currently the band is writing new material for a fourth release for Century Media Records.

French-Norwegian symphonic metal institution, Sirenia, will unveil their tenth studio album, Riddles, Ruins & Revelations, this Friday, February 12 via Napalm Records. The 11-track album skilfully portrays the band's multifaceted nature and offers a versatile symphonic metal vortex through splicing heavy sounds with modern influences.

After releasing catchy first single “Addiction No. 1” in late 2020, followed by smashing “We Come To Ruins” shortly after, the four-piece around mastermind, bandleader, multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter and producer Morten Veland now offers another surprise and presents the third single, “Voyage Voyage“, a cover of Desireless' 1986 hit. With this bonus track on Riddles, Ruins & Revelations, Sirenia once again successfully combine symphonic soundscapes with electronic vibes, showcasing a whole new facet of their ability while staying true to their roots at the same time. Presented in her mother tongue, the lyrics fit perfectly for France-based singer Emmanuelle Zoldan.

Mastermind Morten Veland on choosing “Voyage Voyage” for the album: "As our new album is influenced by the eighties to some extent, we thought it would be fitting to do a cover version from this era, and include it as a bonus track on the album. 'Voyage Voyage' by the artist Desireless is one of my favourite songs from this decade and it was a very interesting song to cover. In terms of covers, I love to find songs from a completely different genre and then put Sirenia's touch and sound to it. It never made any sense to me to do a cover version of a different rock or metal band, as the versions would end up too similar anyway."

Dive into some ‘80s vibes with “Voyage Voyage”:

On Riddles, Ruins & Revelations, Sirenia remain as true to their album title word-play as they do to their dedication to symphonic soundscapes, drawing the listener into a pounding narrative about the darkest aspects of life. All eleven songs accumulate step by step to an integral sound artwork, where the versatile mezzo soprano voice of singer Emmanuelle Zoldan always shines in high-profile. In addition, there are many enchanting, instrumental surprises lurking on the way that absolutely need to be discovered: With the opening "Addiction No. 1" the formation delivers an immense and catchy tune that will have fans of bands like Beyond The Black and Amaranthe falling in love immediately. "We Come To Ruins" is directed at all the headbangers out there and offers a contrast of harshness. With "Downwards Spiral", Emmanuelle is supported by the remarkable voice of long-time friend Joakim Næss on clean vocals, who has joined the band on previous releases.

Most parts of Riddles, Ruins & Revelations were recorded at Audio Avenue Studios in Stavanger, Norway, and mixed and mastered entirely by Morten Veland himself.

Morten Veland on the album: "Riddles, Ruins & Revelations is Sirenia's tenth studio album. The album is very diverse, as a Sirenia album should be. There's a lot of material that shows the band from a new side, and there is lots of material that is to be expected from the band musically. All in all the album will take the listeners through a journey that will cover both familiar and unexplored musical landscapes. We hope that you will enjoy the journey.”

Riddles, Ruins & Revelations will be available in North America in the following formats:

- CD Digipack
- Digital Album

Pre-order Riddles, Ruins & Revelations here.

Riddles, Ruins & Revelations tracklisting:

"Addiction No. 1"
"Towards An Early Grave"
"Into Infinity"
"Passing Seasons"
"We Come To Ruins"
"Downwards Spiral"
"Beneath The Midnight Sun"
"The Timeless Waning"
"December Snow"
"This Curse Of Mine"
"Voyage Voyage"

"We Come To Ruins":

"Addiction No. 1" video:

Sirenia is:

Morten Veland - guitars, bass, vocals, keyboards, programming
Nils Courbaron - lead guitar
Emmanuelle Zoldan - vocals
Michael Brush - drums

(Photo - Richelle ter Heege)

PLUSH has released the official music video for its first single, "Hate". The song is very personal for singer/guitarist Moriah Formica. She says: "It's about somebody who broke my heart in a very bad way. I was just so angry and sad, but I couldn't bring myself to actually say 'I hated you' to that person, because the truth is I really, really loved that person, and I just hated that I loved them."

PLUSH is composed of four talented musicians, all under the age of 21, whose accomplishments and talent eclipse their age. This female rock force features Formica, drummer Brooke Colucci, lead guitarist Bella Perron and bassist Ashley Suppa.

Reflecting on the "Hate" video shoot, Moriah says: "It was amazing as a newly formed band to play in a historic theater, especially during a pandemic where we haven't had the opportunity to play a live show yet. We also had the chance to really bond as a band, spending the whole day together."

Moriah skyrocketed to national recognition when she appeared on NBC's "The Voice". Miley Cyrus referred to her as a "rock goddess." Brooke, also known by her moniker Rock Angel, has even earned a nod from John Lennon's official Facebook page, as she built her social media empire. Together, Moriah and Brooke have over 28 million views on their videos across social media platforms in 2020.

Bella is a freshman at Berklee College Of Music and a guitar virtuoso. She adds to the band's ferocious melodies with amazing backing vocals and a no-holds-barred brand of uncompromising leads. Ashley adds an undeniable bass undertow to PLUSH's sound. She has been noticed by Ace Frehley (KISS), who requested her skills on backing vocals for his "Anomaly" solo album.

PLUSH wants to bring back the heart of rock to the mainstream with a new and fresh spin on the sounds you already love. It has been quite awhile since an all-female rock act has hit the mainstream, and PLUSH hopes to inspire young women everywhere to follow their dreams, regardless of whatever challenges may get in the way.

Michigan rockers POP EVIL have debuted the official music video for their latest hit single "Breathe Again". The clip marks the first set of visuals from POP EVIL's sixth full-length album, "Versatile", due out this spring via Entertainment One (eOne). The futuristic and partly animated video, directed by Johan Carlén captures POP EVIL in a new light as they dive into their greatest stylistic shift to date, striking on some of their heaviest moments as a band while still balancing their unflinching groove with cinematic melody.

After surprising their fanbase with the most significant stylistic shift in sound to date with "Work", POP EVIL championed that success into the explosive catharsis found on their new single. More dialed in than ever, Leigh Kakaty flexes his songwriting growth and vocal capabilities across one of the band's most uplifting and soaring choruses to date. Channeling the groove of their latest Top 10 single "Work" and the chugging riffs of its companion track "Let The Chaos Reign", "Breathe Again" marks one of POP EVIL's most diverse and captivating releases to date.

POP EVIL has been a staple at major festivals and in theaters and clubs for over a decade, despite the group's relative youth. As they've ruled the roost with No. 1 Billboard Rock singles like "Trenches", "Deal With The Devil", "Torn To Pieces", "Footsteps" and "Waking Lions", they've taken their inspired message to the people, on tours with modern rock titans and veteran acts alike. The band bunkered down in Los Angeles in the winter of 2019 to put the finishing touches on the LP. POP EVIL also enlisted new creative teams of producers and collaborators to emphasize the band's sound's uniquely varied aspects.

As "Breathe Again", "Let The Chaos Reign" and "Work" might suggest, the contrast and fearless genre-defying cross-cultural pollination have never been more pronounced than on album number six. The pre-production process yielded close to 30 songs, whittled down to the most potent 12 representing everything about POP EVIL.

Collectively, POP EVIL's previous five albums account for over 600 million worldwide streams.

POP EVIL is: Leigh Kakaty (lead vocals), Nick Fuelling (lead guitar), Dave Grahs (rhythm guitar), Matt DiRito (bass) and Hayley Cramer (drums).

Photo credit: Amber Paredes

According to Billboard, Marilyn Manson's latest single, "Don't Chase The Dead", has fallen off Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, a week after several women came forward accusing the rocker of abuse and assault.

"Don't Chase The Dead", a track from Manson's 2020 album "We Are Chaos", fell out of Mainstream Rock Airplay's top 40 after spending 12 weeks on the chart. Last week, it had been at position No. 34.

As for Manson's total on-demand streams, they were up 7% in the week ending February 4 to 6 million. His digital sales reached 2,000, a 40% increase.

Last week, "Westworld" actress Evan Rachel Wood named Manson as the previously anonymous abuser she referenced while testifying before the California Senate in relation to the state's Phoenix Act, which extends the statute of limitations on domestic violence from three years to five.

On February 1, Wood claimed in a social media post that Manson "groomed" and "horrifically" abused her for years. After she shared her accusations, at least four other women posted their own allegations against the singer. The women claimed to have endured "sexual assault, psychological abuse, and/or various forms of coercion, violence, and intimidation" at the hands of Manson.

The 52-year-old Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, later released a statement denying the abuse allegations leveled against him, writing on Instagram: "Obviously, my art and my life have long been magnets for controversy, but these recent claims about me are horrible distortions of reality. My intimate relationships have always been entirely consensual with like-minded partners. Regardless of how — and why — others are now choosing to misrepresent the past, that is the truth."

In the days since Wood came forward with her allegations, Manson was dropped by his longtime manager Tony Ciulla, his label, Loma Vista Recordings, as well as the talent agency CAA, which provides representation for individuals across various mediums. Future scenes of "American Gods" and "Creepshow" featuring Manson have also been pul

Roses are red, violets are blue and ICE NINE KILLS has a blood-soaked Valentine's surprise for you.

The horror-themed, theatricore pioneers have put their uniquely hellish spin on a cover of the Elvis Presley classic "Can't Help Falling In Love" accompanied by a suitably undead, gore-filled video.

Speaking on his band's bloody Valentine's offering, ICE NINE KILLS fearless leader Spencer Charnas shares: "I've always been a big Elvis fan so the idea of taking this classic and splattering it with some signature INK bloodshed struck me as a match made in hell!"

ICE NINE KILLS had a bumper year in 2020. When the pandemic hit and their touring plans got cut short, the band, guided by Charnas, quickly pivoted and got to work finding new ways to continue to engage with and entertain its fans. Starting with the ingenious "Jason's Mom", a "Friday The 13th"-themed cover of "Stacey's Mom" by FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE and going on to include a mini-documentary "The Disney Revenge Show", a full-length live album "I Heard They Kill Live!!" recorded at their 2019 sold-out show at the Worcester Palladium, a killer livestream event featuring concert footage cut with an original slasher movie co-written by Spencer and starring horror icon Chop Top Moseley and the hugely successful launch of their killer new fan-based community and app The Psychos Only Club. The band also saw staggering, record-breaking merch sales with their continuing monthly Nightmare On The Ninth-themed capsules.

Ending the year with a bang, Spencer guested on the HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD hit "Heart Of A Champion" along with Jacoby Shaddix and appeared as part of the HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD House Party livestream. Continuing this momentum in 2021, Spencer has also guested on the rabble-rousing new Hyro Da Hero track "Retaliation Generation".

IRON MAIDEN, FOO FIGHTERS, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and NEW YORK DOLLS are among the nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's class of 2021. The top vote-getters will be announced in May and inducted in a Cleveland, Ohio, ceremony in the fall.

To be eligible for this year’s ballot, each nominee’s first single or album had to have been released in 1995 or earlier.

"This remarkable ballot reflects the diversity and depth of the artists and music the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame celebrates," Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Foundation chairman John Sykes says in a statement. "These nominees have left an indelible impact on the sonic landscape of the world and influenced countless artists that have followed them."

According to the Hall Of Fame, the IRON MAIDEN members that would get inducted would include the current lineup of singer Bruce Dickinson, bassist Steve Harris, drummer Nicko McBrain, and guitarists Adrian Smith, Dave Murray and Janick Gers, along with former singer Paul Di'Anno, former drummer Clive Burr, and former guitarist Dennis Stratton.

The FOO FIGHTERS members to be inducted would include the current lineup of Dave Grohl, drummer Taylor Hawkins, bassist Nate Mendel, keyboardist Rami Jaffee, and guitarists Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett.

As for the NEW YORK DOLLS, it would be frontman David Johansen, bassist Arthur "Killer" Kane, guitarists Johnny Thunders and Sylvain Sylvain, and drummers Jerry Nolan and Billy Murcia.

A voter pool of more than 1,000 artists, historians, journalists, and members of the music industry will select the new class. Starting Wednesday, fans will also have a chance to take part in the process by voting at Rockhall.com or at an interactive kiosk at the museum in Cleveland. Their selections will count as a single "fan ballot" that gets tabulated along with the others.

Nominated artists:

Mary J. Blige

Kate Bush

DEVO

FOO FIGHTERS

THE GO-GO’S

IRON MAIDEN

Jay-Z

Chaka Khan

Carole King

Fela Kuti

LL Cool J

NEW YORK DOLLS

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE

Todd Rundgren

Tina Turner

Dionne Warwick

Two years ago, IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris said that he didn't care that his band has yet to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame despite the fact that it has been eligible since 2004.

"I don't mind that we're not in things like that," he told Rolling Stone. "I don't think about things like that. It's very nice if people give you awards or accolades, but we didn't get into the business for that sort of thing. I'm certainly not going to lose sleep if we don't get any sort of award, not just that one, any award. I don't think we deserve to have this or that necessarily. With what we do, whatever comes of it is great. Whatever doesn't come of it is great, too."

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

MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson made headlines in 2018 when he referred to the Rock Hall as "an utter and complete load of bollocks" during a spoken-word gig in Australia, insisting that the Cleveland-based institution is "run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn't know rock and roll if it hit them in the face."

Bruce later told The Jerusalem Post that he was "so annoyed with that coverage because they took my statement out of context to make it seem like I was upset that we weren't in the Hall Of Fame.

"I'm really happy we're not there and I would never want to be there," he continued. "If we're ever inducted, I will refuse — they won't bloody be having my corpse in there.

"Rock and roll music does not belong in a mausoleum in Cleveland," Bruce added. "It's a living, breathing thing, and if you put it in a museum, then it's dead. It's worse than horrible, it's vulgar."

Harris previously said that he wasn't concerned about whether IRON MAIDEN will eventually be inducted into the Rock Hall. "I don't really think about it, to be honest. I think awards are things that are nice to have when you get them, but it's not something you're really striving for — it's not what it's about it," he said. "It's never been about that. It's aways been about just trying to make good music and go out and play good live shows, and that's it, really. Hopefully people will appreciate it. It's probably nice when people give you awards — don't get me wrong; I think it's great — but it's not something that you would lose sleep over if you didn't get any.

"It's the way that I am," Harris added. "I don't know. Maybe the rest of the guys [in the band] might think differently to me, but that's the way I think. It's not that I don't care about [awards]. It's just… And it's not that they're not meaningful when you do get 'em — it's nice. But I certainly don't worry about it or anything like that. I think other people are the ones that make a bigger deal out of it than us, about whether we got one or not."

Having been eligible for induction for a decade and a half, IRON MAIDEN is one of the biggest bands on the planet. Since the release of their self-titled debut album, the British heavy metal legends have released a further 15 full-length studio records, and sold over 100 million copies.

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

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

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


Nominee Announcement for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2021 Induction

The Nominee ballot for #RockHall2021 Induction has been released and the fan vote is now open. Watch the full announcement here, then vote daily at vote.rockhall.com

Posted by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Legendary rock musician Ann Wilson has released released the official music video for her latest single, "Tender Heart". The clip, which features American figure skater Gracie Gold, can be seen below.

"'Tender Heart' came out of a personal struggle," says Wilson, "but quickly evolved into a greater, more universal meaning. We as the human race are coming to realize realities we never dreamed we'd have to face — environmentally, culturally, financially, and health-wise. Humanity is coming to terms with uncomfortable, heartbreaking, terrifying truths. This song is for the soul whose heart is blindsided by reality, but is still soft and innocent. I hope people will identify with this song and feel they are not alone."

"Tender Heart" follows last year's release of "The Revolution Starts Now", available now at all DSPs and streaming services; an official video is streaming now via YouTube. Written and originally recorded by Steve Earle, the track — which marked Wilson's first new music in more than two years — was met by universal acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone, which praised it for "a sense of urgency that arrives like a jolt to the heart." "With thrumming guitar and crashing high hat/kick drum combination, 'The Revolution Starts Now' is propulsive," agreed American Songwriter. "Classic hard rock, it swells on the chorus, then falls away. Her voice is strong, somewhat dusky, retains its power."

"The Revolution Starts Now" — which features original artwork by renowned American street artist and activist Shepard Fairey — is also being offered on limited edition signed seven-inch vinyl, available now for pre-order via AnnWilson.com. The single includes the exclusive B-side "Rooster", originally performed by ALICE IN CHAINS; a live performance from last year's "MoPOP Founders Award Honoring Alice In Chains: A Benefit For The Museum Of Pop Culture" is streaming now at the official Ann Wilson YouTube channel.

Ann Wilson is a true icon, known far and wide as lead singer and songwriter of the groundbreaking rock band HEART. Led by Wilson's extraordinary vocal power, HEART has thrilled audiences for more than four decades, earning sales of more than 35 million and well-deserved induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2013. Wilson's second solo album, 2018's "Immortal", saw her putting her unique stamp on songs made famous by a number of hugely influential artists, including David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Tom Petty, Amy Winehouse, and more. Produced by longtime HEART collaborator Mike Flicker, the album earned widespread critical acclaim, with Associated Press declaring it "an exciting, eye-opening look at largely obscure songs by big-name artists" and Goldmine praising Wilson for "her mighty vocal firepower and a far ranging creative spirit."

Photo by Criss Cain

Doomers Clouds present a renovated line-up with Daniel Neagoe (still) in the leading role. From now on Alin Iordache and Mihai Dinuta will be handling guitars, Alex Costin bass, Casian will take over the drums and Andrei Oltean the woodwinds.

Statement from the group: ''We are proud to present you with a brand new line-up in the year of our Doom 2021. In this formula we have had a private show this past weekend, a wonderful opportunity for two very lovely people (she said YES 😃) and it went amazingly. These amazing musicians are now part of our family and we can only hope things will clear out with the world so we can get on the road and play our hearts out to you!''

U.S. Customs And Border Protection officers at Washington Dulles International Airport seized 36 counterfeit guitars recently that if authentic, would have had a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $158,692.

The guitars arrived in 36 different shipments from China on December 15. Officers suspected the guitars to be counterfeit and detained them to continue their investigation. The collection consisted of 27 Gibson, six Fender, two CF Martin and one Paul Reed Smith guitars.

Many of the Gibsons were of the Les Paul line of custom guitars. Even Jimmy Page's Gibson double neck made the collection, as did an axe purportedly autographed by GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash. The most expensive was a Gibson Ace Frehley guitar valued at an MSRP of $9,000. The collection of counterfeit guitars included two acoustic models as well.

The guitars were destined to address in 21 states and to Australia.

CBP import specialists worked with the trademark holders and confirmed the guitars to be counterfeit. CBPO officers completed the seizure on January 20.

Counterfeit consumer goods are illegal, violate lawful property rights, result in job loss, steal tax revenues from our nation's economy, and are often constructed in unregulated facilities with potentially harmful materials that could threaten consumers' health. CBP encourages consumers to protect themselves and their families by always purchasing safe, authentic goods from reputable vendors.

"Transnational criminal organizations will counterfeit anything that generates illicit revenues, and unscrupulous vendors line their pockets by preying on unsuspecting consumers," said Keith Fleming, CBP's acting director of field operations in Baltimore. "Protecting intellectual property rights is a Customs And Border Protection trade enforcement priority, and CBP officers will continue to seize counterfeit and potentially unsafe consumer goods when we encounter them."

CBP officers have not encountered any additional guitars since these 36 arrived.

CBP protects businesses and consumers every day through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement program. Importation of counterfeit merchandise can cause significant revenue loss, damage the U.S. economy, and threaten the health and safety of the American people.

On a typical day in 2019, CBP officers seized $4.3 million worth of products with Intellectual Property Rights violations.

CBP officers and Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) agents seized 27,599 shipments containing counterfeit goods in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, down from 33,810 seizures in FY 2018. However, the total estimated manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of the seized goods, had they been genuine, increased to over $1.5 billion from nearly $1.4 billion in FY 2018.

E-commerce sales have contributed to large volumes of low-value packages imported into the United States. In FY 2019, there were 144 million express shipments and 463 million international mail shipments. Over 90 percent of all intellectual property seizures occur in the international mail and express environments

The People's Republic of China (mainland China and Hong Kong) remained the primary source economy for seized counterfeit and pirated goods, accounting for 83 percent of all IPR seizures and 92 percent of the estimated MSRP value of all IPR seizures.

Courtesy photos / U.S. Customs And Border Protection

Pictured below: Counterfeit Slash, Ace Frehley and Jimmy Page guitars

Ultimate Guitar caught up with guitarist Roine Stolt (Transatlantic, The Flower Kings) to discuss the new Transatlantic record, The Absolute Universe, which is out now. Following is an excerpt from the interview.

UG: What was it like working with Mike Portnoy, Neal Morse, and Pete Trewavas again for the first time since the last album, 'Kaleidoscope,' in 2014? How did it turn into essentially two albums?

Roine: "We have certainly found a method of working - and we always end up with a great result. The creativity is indeed stunning, we're the rather odd combination of characters - and that's probably the strength. We've become a team over the years - however geographics and the difference in our personalities also means that we may not be the natural 'hang' while not working together - but as Transatlantic, we're indeed a strong and magic team."

The 'long version' was the initial recording - what we started working on, in September 2019 - that went on until summer 2020 - then Neal felt that the album was 'too long.' But myself and Mike wanting to keep the long version - 'Forevermore' because it was just brimming with crazy and cool ideas - while Neal and Pete felt we should do a shorter more digestible album 'The Breath of Life.'

So it was Mike who suggested, 'Let's do both' ... let us do two albums at once! Crazy, right?"

UG: For those of our readers who are new to the Prog genre, what are five essential prog records they should listen to?

Roine: "Oh, that isn't easy... all depending on taste and what you classify as 'Prog.' "I would say King Crimson, Red; Yes, Relayer; Frank Zappa/The Mothers, Live At The Roxy; Soft Machine, Bundles - with Allan Holdsworth; and Jon Anderson, Olias of Sunhillow.

I know these are not really into the more metal side of prog - these are all truly classic old school and daring music with fantastic playing and inventive writing."

Read more here.

Transatlantic - the prog supergroup featuring Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt & Pete Trewavas - released their fifth studio album, The Absolute Universe, on February 5th. Below is a clip from "The Making of The Absolute Universe," available on the Blu-ray and the Ultimate Edition.

Representing the band’s first new music since 2014’s Kaleidoscope, with The Absolute Universe the band have done something unique and created two versions of the record: The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version) & The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version).

Each album will be available on CD, LP & digitally. But there will also be what has been called The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition, which collects both versions together in one lavish package that includes 5LPs, 3CDs & a Blu-ray that contains a 5.1 surround sound mix with visuals & a behind the scenes documentary. All editions have unique artwork created by Thomas Ewerhard featuring the airship by Pavel Zhovba.

As Portnoy explains: “We've got two versions of this album. There is a two CD presentation, which is 90 minutes long, and a single one - that's 60 minutes. However, the single CD is NOT merely an edited version of the double CD. They each contain alternate versions and even in some cases, new recordings. We wrote fresh lyrics and have different people singing on the single CD version tracks as compared to those on the double CD. Some of the song titles have also been changed, while others might remain the same, but compositionally what you'll hear has been altered. You must appreciate that what we have done is unique. We revamped the songs to make the two versions different.” Pete Trewavas adds: “We did write some new music for the single CD, what's more, there are also differences in the instruments used on some of the tracks across the two records.”

The full list of formats is below, and you can pre-order here

The Absolute Universe: The Breath Of Life (Abridged Version):
- Special Edition CD Digipak
- Gatefold 2LP+CD
- Digital Album

Tracklisting:

"Overture"
"Reaching For The Sky"
"Higher Than The Morning"
"The Darkness In The Light"
"Take Now My Soul"
"Looking For The Light"
"Love Made A Way" (Prelude)
"Owl Howl"
"Solitude"
"Belong"
"Can You Feel It"
"Looking For The Light" (Reprise)
"The Greatest Story Never Ends"
"Love Made A Way"

The Absolute Universe: Forevermore (Extended Version):
- Special Edition 2CD Digipak
- 3LP+2CD Boxset
- Digital Album

Tracklisting:

Disc 1:
"Overture"
"Heart Like A Whirlwind"
"Higher Than The Morning"
"The Darkness In The Light"
"Swing High, Swing Low"
"Bully"
"Rainbow Sky"
"Looking For The Light"
"The World We Used To Know"

Disc 2:
"The Sun Comes Up Today"
"Love Made A Way" (Prelude)
"Owl Howl"
"Solitude"
"Belong"
"Lonesome Rebel"
"Looking For The Light" (Reprise)
"The Greatest Story Never Ends"
"Love Made A Way"

The Absolute Universe: The Ultimate Edition:
- Limited Deluxe Clear 5LP+3CD+Blu-Ray Box-set – contained within a foil-finished lift-off box with extended 16-page LP booklet & 60x60cm poster

Blu-Ray tracklisting:

"Overture" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Reaching For The Sky" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Higher Than The Morning" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"The Darkness In The Light" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Take Now My Soul" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Bully" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Rainbow Sky" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Looking For The Light" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"The World We Used To Know" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"The Sun Comes Up Today" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Love Made A Way" (Prelude) (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Owl Howl" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Solitude" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Belong" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Lonesome Rebel" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Can You Feel It" (5.1 Surround Mix)
"Looking For The Light" (Reprise) (5.1 Surround Mix)
"The Greatest Story Never Ends "(5.1 Surround Mix)
"Love Made A Way" (5.1 Surround Mix)
The Making of The Absolute Universe (Documentary)

"Looking For The Light" video:

"The World We Used To Know" video:

"Overture / Reaching For The Sky" video:

Trailer:

In a new interview with the "Nothing Shocking" podcast, former MEGADETH, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and WHITE LION bassist James LoMenzo commented on the recent trend of rock artists releasing new singles every few months as opposed to putting out an album every few years.

"I'm on both sides of that fence," James said (hear audio below). "When I was a kid — before I could actually play an instrument — I was delighted to go and pick up a 45. A 45 is, for you young kids out there, a little circular seven-inch disc with a giant hole in the middle… I loved singles when I grew up. I used to listen to AM radio, and AM radio was wonderful because you'd hear all kinds of music right next to each other. So you'd hear THE BEATLES right next to THE ROLLING STONES right next to Ray Charles right next to Frank Sinatra. And I could go on and on. And to me, that appealed to me — all these different styles of music coming at you [one after the other]. Now, having said that, as we moved into the '70s and '80s, when albums started actually saying things — I guess right after [THE BEATLES'] 'Sgt. Pepper's [Lonely Hearts Club Band]' is when you started making a statement with a whole collection of music — there was something almost spiritual about that; that was a church of sorts. You'd pick up an album and you'd go from cover to cover, and you’d listen to that album half a side. I mean, we used to just lay in our beds, individually in our rooms, and really get lost in these albums — especially when bands like PINK FLOYD came around and stuff like that, where it was really deep stuff. And that was an experience, And, like I said, it was sort of a religion. That got tossed out when MTV came along and lowered everybody's attention span — along with everything else."

Full-length albums seem to be a dying art these days, with streaming services like Spotify altering the way people consume music.

Even though digital downloads had a short run as the top-selling format in the music industry, they were overtaken by music streaming services just a few years later. As a result, an increasing number of artists no longer release full-length albums, but continue to issue singles in a time where iTunes, Spotify and YouTube are the primary access points for music.

LoMenzo joined MEGADETH in 2006 and appeared on two of the group's studio albums, 2007's "United Abominations" and 2009's "Endgame". He was fired from the band in 2010 and replaced with returning original MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson.

For the past seven years, LoMenzo has been performing with iconic rocker John Fogerty. James is also a member of FIRSTBORNE, which features ex-LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler, singer Girish Pradhan and guitarist Myrone.

Melodic death/doom metal band, Coldbound, have released their new single and music video, "Slumber Of Decay". Mastermind / multi-instrumentalist Pauli Souka, vocalist Liv Kristine (ex-Leaves' Eyes, ex-Theatre of Tragedy) and former Ensiferum keyboardist Meiju Enho spoke with BraveWords writer Carl Begai about the new single and plans for their forthcoming album. Following is an excerpt from the interview. 

BraveWords: Coldbound was launched as a project solely under your control. What do Liv and Meiju bring to the creative process that you couldn’t achieve on his own?

Pauli Souka: “That’s a very interesting question. For this album recordings I’ve had the privilege and honour to work with almost 43 people; 43 wonderful musicians and fantastic personalities. Some of these people had a huge impact on the way I see music. Two of them were definitely Liv Kristine and Meiju. The main reason I brought them into this is that I knew I could trust the project in their hands 100%. The results I received left me speechless, as the sounds they created were unique and definitely beyond any expectations I had. To be able to co-exist in the same project with these two fantastic ladies is a huge honour. They’re both unique and exceptional in their fields.”

BraveWords: I know that in Liv’s case, the whole Leaves’ Eyes fiasco from 2016 made the music business unappealing to her for a while. And I know that Meiju left Ensiferum to focus on other things. So, what convinced them that Coldbound was worth returning for?

Meiju Enho: “I really liked the megalomanic touch of the project a lot, combined with a progressive approach to make music. But what really caught my heart was the ambition to create a genuine and authentic flow of music together, as a tribe and a family without the traps of the ego.”

Liv Kristine: “The feeling of being at home with both musical compositions and my band members. This raises creativity immensely. Moreover, there is this fine, compassionate connection and communication between Meiju, Pauli and me. It’s a very healing process for me.”

Read the complete interview here.

Coldbound recently issued the following update:

"Upon discovering new ways to express our visions, finally we discovered this genuine portal of innocence, freedom but also of hardships. We have completed a very tough musical work for this release by capturing the moment and expanding our vision. A vision that resonates within our music in a mysterious way. A way that is capable of putting our audience into a unique trance of thinking through all kind of situations; whether these emotions are connected to a mysterious approach, freedom, fantasy or of inner struggles. This is 'Slumber Of Decay'."

Tracklisting:

"Slumber Of Decay" (album version)
"Slumber Of Decay" (radio edit)
"Slumber Of Decay" (Analogue Knobs & Orchestra Reprise)

Personnel:

The Band:
Liv Kristine - Vocals
Pauli Souka - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Orchestration, Keyboards, Drums
Meiju Enho - Keyboards, Orchestrations

Session musicians:
Markus Riihimäki - Kantele
Lotta Sofia Kyrönaho - Woodwinds
Pasi Sipilä - Lead Guitar

Main Crew:
Pauli Souka - Production, Recording, Mixing at 'Stairway To Sound'; Hudiksvall, Sweden
Antti Välimäki - Recording at 'Studio Sampolaaris'; Tampere, Finland
Øystein G. Brun - Stem Mastering at 'Crosound Studio'; Bergen, Norway.

Artwork/Photography:
Balsara Inc - Xeniya Balsara Photography

In a new interview with Guitar World, Gene Simmons was asked about KISS's much-maligned 1981 concept album "Music From 'The Elder'".

"It was a time of flux," he said. "A lot of bands were trying to figure out who they were and so were we. Sometimes if you do the same thing forever, you think, like that Peggy Lee song, 'Is that all there is?' We did try to fool around on some tracks like ['Destroyer' song] 'Great Expectations' [sings chorus in falsetto].

"Every once in a while, we would try a little off the beaten track kind of thing. 'I Was Made For Lovin' You' was really an experiment. We were not a dance band, but obviously it worked well around the world. We didn't go back to that because we'd heard it.

"Every once in a while, we'd stick out a ballad like 'Beth'. But the early '80s was a time of flux. People couldn't figure out what was going on. It was before the hair bands came in, the BON JOVIs and the WARRANTs; that was a movement where the guys in the bands looked sexier than their girlfriends. And we were affected by that as well, don't kid yourself.

"That's why you have to give your thumbs up to the bands that just never changed. [IRON] MAIDEN, AC/DC, METALLICA… they just didn't give a fuck what was going on around them. You've got to tip your hat to people who just say, 'This is who we are!' We believe in that and but there's some musical stuff in the band that we don't put in our records.

"Music is best served hot but varied. If you keep eating the same thing all the time, I think you get bored. 'Music From 'The Elder'' was a chance for us to show we could do other things and felt like we were tied to nothing. But soon thereafter, within an album or two, we got back to business and did 'Creatures Of The Night' and all that stuff."

Upon its release in November 1981, "Music From 'The Elder'" was confusingly received by both KISS fans and the general public. By the time the calendar turned to 1982, the album was essentially a commercial failure. And KISS were already ready to move on.

"My sense was always that KISS was about having no rules," frontman Paul Stanley later told journalist Jon Wiederhorn. "And although I hold the fans in the highest of esteem, I also expect them to understand that everything we do may not be to their liking, and the way they can show it is by not buying it. Well, they spoke loudly and clearly when that record came out."

Forty years later, "Music From 'The Elder'" has attained a cult-classic status among a segment of diehard KISS fans. A great part of the album's appeal lies in the mysterious conditions under which it was created. But the general consensus is that the record was a monumental disaster and by far the band's worst.

Two years ago, former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley stated about "Music From 'The Elder'": "During the recording process, I kept telling all those guys — [producer] Bob [Ezrin, Paul and Gene — I go, 'This is the wrong album for this period of time. I think fans want to hear a heavy hard rock album.' They just had a deaf ear to me. I said, 'It's not going to work,' and of course, the album bombed. I guess I had a handle on what was happening. Those guys never had any street sense. It's no fault of their own — Gene grew up in Israel, and Paul grew up in Queens, but he wasn't a guy like me who hung out on the corner and got into fights and did crazy stuff. I always had my pulse on what was going on, and I knew at the time — I would have bet a million dollars that the album was going to fail. I didn't want it to fail, and actually, if you take that album out of sequence with the KISS records, it's not a bad record. I did some great solos on it and there's some really good songs, but it wasn't the right record for the time. I was doing an interview with Billboard magazine, and they said, 'What would happened if 'The Elder' never happened, and you went from [1980's 'Unmasked'] to [1982's] 'Creatures Of The Night'?' I thought for a second, because I like 'Creatures Of The Night' — it's heavy, it's powerful, it's everything I said we should be doing when we recorded 'The Elder'. I may not have quit the band, but you can't rewrite history unless we go into a time warp or a black hole."