Reunited San Francisco Bay Area thrashers VIO-LENCE have entered Trident Studios in Pacheco, California to begin recording their new EP, tentatively due in late summer via Metal Blade Records. Helming the sessions is producer Juan Urteaga, who has previously worked with TESTAMENT, MACHINE HEAD and EXODUS, among many others.

Earlier today, guitarist Phil Demmel shared an Instagram photo from the studio, and he wrote in an accompanying caption: "It's been just over 30 years since we've recorded an album together. I never thought this would be happening and that anyone would even care after so long. All of the support is so appreciated and we hope you enjoy the 5 new songs we are tracking. Perry [Strickland, drums] is working hard on his tracks and we'll start guitars next week. Going to be fun. Thanks again for joining us on this ride."

Singer Sean Killian previously described VIO-LENCE's new material as "a cross between 'Eternal [Nightmare]' [1988], 'Oppressing [The Masses]' [1990] and also our '93 demo. It's fast, it's heavy. We've got a couple of good chunk riffs and stuff like that," he explained. "We wanna get stuff in that's gonna start a pit up too. But we think people are gonna go crazy when they hear it. We've got some heavy lyrics, some heavy subjects. I mean, we're not a political band by any means, so when I say 'heavy,' it's just heavy shit that comes out of my demented head."

Last May, Demmel told EXODUS frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza's YouTube channel, Zetro's Toxic Vault, that VIO-LENCE was taking its time coming up with the best material possible. "When [the songs are] ready, they're ready," he said. "This [coronavirus pandemic] has given us more time. But still, it's gotta be fucking killer. I had a riff that the [other] dudes were kind of digging, and I'm all, 'I don't got a boner with this one.' I want a 10-foot boner with everything that we're doing now. It's gotta be better, it's gotta be fucking kick-ass… I don't wanna put out some crap."

In August, VIO-LENCE released a new digital single, "California Über Alles", a cover version of the DEAD KENNEDYS classic. The band also filmed a music video for the song with director Scott Kirkeeng.

In January, VIO-LENCE parted ways with guitarist Ray Vegas and replaced him with Bobby Gustafson (ex-OVERKILL). The band's current lineup also includes bassist Christian Olde Wolbers (ex-FEAR FACTORY).

VIO-LENCE released three studio albums between 1988 and 1993. The group reunited soon after Demmel left MACHINE HEAD in late 2018.

The band performed its first comeback concert in April 2019 at the Oakland Metro in Oakland, California and spent most of the ensuing months playing select shows in the U.S. and Europe.

Although MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn was part of VIO-LENCE's classic incarnation and played on the band's debut album, "Eternal Nightmare", he wasn't approached about taking part in any of the comeback shows.

Killian underwent a successful liver transplant surgery in March 2018. The year before, Killian was diagnosed with stage four liver cirrhosis, which was caused in part by a genetic condition called hemochromatosis.

VIO-LENCE's last album, "Nothing To Gain", was recorded in August 1990, but wasn't released until 1993.

Photo credit: James Willard
























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MÖTLEY CRÜE singer Vince Neil was a guest on this week's episode of Zane Griggs's "Hunger Hunt Feast" podcast⁠. Speaking about the immense public interest in the band's "The Stadium Tour" with DEF LEPPARD, POISON and Joan Jett, which was originally scheduled to take place this summer before being postponed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Vince said (see video below): "It's a nice feeling, that so many people want us to get back together. Because we basically broke up five years ago — we basically called it quits and said that it was a good run, it was a lot of fun, okay, we're done. So I continued to tour with my solo band up until COVID, and now I've had basically almost a year off because of not being able to tour with my solo band. 'Cause everything got shut down — everything. But it looks like it's loosening back up. I have a couple of solo shows coming up in the next couple of months. It's gonna be fun just to get back and sing a little bit. I've never gone this long without performing or singing in my entire life, since I was 16. So it'll be fun to just get back out there.

"A lot of people were pretty bummed out when we decided to retire, basically," he added. "The excitement around the tour has just been pretty amazing. We have fans that maybe we didn't know we had. [Singer] Carrie Underwood had her podcast the other day, and she was talking about her number one band that she loves is MÖTLEY CRÜE. And she's been singing MÖTLEY CRÜE since she was a kid, singing 'Smokin' In The Boys Room', 'cause her older sisters thought it was funny. So it's pretty cool. People like that and everything in between. A lot of different generations — there'll be people that grew up with us, and their kids are coming out."

The 30-date "The Stadium Tour" was originally scheduled to kick off this past June. Inspired in part by the success of MÖTLEY CRÜE's Netflix biopic "The Dirt", the trek was meant to run through the entire summer, hitting major cities including Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Detroit before wrapping up September 5 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

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

ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante has recorded a guitar cover version of the IRON MAIDEN classic "Revelations".

Benante uploaded the video to his YouTube channel (see below), and he wrote in an accompanying message: "I've always loved the IRON MAIDEN Song Revelations, I think it's the highlight off of #pieceofmind . I wanted to do a version with just an army of guitars, layer after layer . This is a shorter version than the one I am going to do but you get the idea. I changed it a bit and had fun with it."

Back in 1988, all of the members of ANTHRAX were big IRON MAIDEN fans. Not only did they love MAIDEN's music, but they appreciated and learned from the band's professionalism, the way they cared about their road crew and their fans, examples they apply to this day with their own crew and fanbase.

In support of ANTHRAX's then-new album "Persistence Of Time", the band did two major tours with IRON MAIDEN — the 1988 European leg of Monsters Of Rock, and the European and North American legs of MAIDEN's "No Prayer For The Dying" in 1990-91. Over the course of the two tours, Benante took over for MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain at one show, playing "Number Of The Beast", "Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter" and the show's closer, "Sanctuary". For ANTHRAX's final show of the "No Prayer For The Dying" tour on March 19, 1991 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the band joined MAIDEN on stage to perform "Sanctuary".

"We were always big IRON MAIDEN fans," Benante said. "The two camps always got along. I've known Steve Harris [MAIDEN bassist] since, like, 1982. That guy, to this day, is the same guy that I met back then. He's just a genuine person and just a great guy. I always wanted to model the band after them, 'cause I always felt that they were just so professional and they really cared about their fans and their crew. It's a good vibe with them.

"So we were on tour together. I was watching Nicko play. And I've always said I wanted to get up and play with them. And the one night I got up and played 'Sanctuary'. Fuck, I was on fire that night; I was just flying. I knew all the parts and all the little cues and stuff like that, and at one point, I was playing and I see Bruce [Dickinson, MAIDEN singer] turn around, and he gives me a 'thumbs up.' And I'm, like, 'I know IRON MAIDEN songs. C'mon.' And then, fast forward to about a year or two after that, we were on the 'No Prayer For The Dying' tour, and I got up and played with them again. This time I did two different songs, and the whole band got up and played.

"It was awesome. To be on stage with your heroes, you feel as if your feet are not touching the floor. It's just a weird thing.

"I remember just playing with them, and Steve was coming up and jamming with me.

"If a bubble could have come out of my head like in my comic books, the bubble would have just been, like, 'Fuck!' It was that amazing. And to this day, I love those guys."

Punk rock icons BAD RELIGION have just released "Emancipation Of The Mind", an outtake from the band's critically acclaimed 2019 album "Age Of Unreason". The track's upbeat messaging calls for reason and open-mindedness as a new administration is welcomed into the White House today. BAD RELIGION has always advocated for humanism, reason, and individualism, which has never been more essential.

"I think the song really is a celebration of enlightenment values that can be cultivated through enthusiastic learning and open-mindedness," says co-songwriter and vocalist Greg Graffin. "So often we're told what to think. But learning how to think (as opposed to learning what to think) is a true feeling of emancipation from the constraints of indoctrination that are so commonplace in our society."

Last month, BAD RELIGION celebrated its 40 years of making music with "Decades", a four-episode online streaming event captured live at The Roxy Theatre in Hollywood, California. The band felt it important to commemorate the conclusion of 2020 as a strange moment in history when they reached that 40-year milestone. The celebratory episodes included live performance footage, exclusive interviews, and a peek at their rehearsals leading up to the taping of "Decades".

In August, BAD RELIGION released its autobiography, "Do What You Want: The Story Of Bad Religion", written with the group's full cooperation and support. It reveals the ups and downs of the band's 40-year career, from their beginnings as teenagers experimenting in a San Fernando Valley garage dubbed "The Hell Hole" to headlining major music festivals around the world. The book predominantly features the four principal voices of BAD RELIGION in a hybrid oral history/narrative format: Graffin, Brett Gurewitz, Jay Bentley and Brian Baker. It also includes rare photos and never-before-seen material from their archives.

In September, Graffin spoke to "The Five Count" radio show about what keeps him inspired to make new music four decades into the veteran punk band's career.

"That's the thing that's unique about BAD RELIGION, is our long catalog, our extensive catalog of songs and albums," he said. "Even though a lot of bands are 40 years old, most of them are playing songs or hits from 30 years ago, because they don't put out new music.

"When BAD RELIGION decides to put out new music, it's not just because the world is in turmoil; I don't think that's very inspiring as a songwriter," he explained.

"We write music that we hope speaks to some kind of a sentiment of optimism, even though our music is rather pessimistic. [Laughs]"

He added: "It's funny, 'cause a lot of fans say, 'Your music is about such serious stuff. A lot of it is tragic stuff about the human condition. But it always makes me feel so good.' [Laughs] And these are not dark people — they're not negative, nihilistic people.

"There's something hopeful and uplifting about our music, and that's something that I do feel a great sense of artistic satisfaction about."

In early 2016, Ricardo Escobar (lead guitar) and Antonio Valdés (bass) arrived in Finland, finally realising their dream of moving to Finland to make metal music. By this point they had been working on a band project that would become Ulthima for 6 years, first in Mexico and then a couple years in France. In Finland they went through several candidates, before finally establishing a stable lineup in late 2018 with Jon Welti on rhythm guitar, Niko Sutinen on keys, Ville Nummisalo on drums and Tuomas Antila on vocals. Last year Ulthima recorded their debut album out of material that has been in the making since the early days of the band in Mexico.

Ricardo’s greatest source of inspiration when writing music for Ulthima has been Finnish death metal of the early 2000’s like Children of Bodom and Kalmah. They have been said to sound a lot like Norther. Ulthima’s music is all about epic melodies, rough vocals and fast riffs.

Ricardo Escobar: "'Tears of Fire' marked the beginning of Ulthima as one of the first songs made for the band while we still performed in Mexico. In my mind it's perhaps the most iconic song of the band, combining epic melodies with some more aggressive riffing."

The band's forthcoming album will be released through Inverse Records. A release date will be revealed soon.

Check out Ulthima's official Facebook page here.

Photo by Juho Suni

SOEN, the progressive heavy rock group featuring world-renowned drummer Martin Lopez (formerly of AMON AMARTH and OPETH), will release its fifth album, "Imperial", on January 29, 2021 via Silver Lining Music. The official music video for the latest single, "Illusion", which follows the tale of a father and daughter in their quest for survival in a dystopian universe, can be seen below. The song is described in a press release as "an addictive ballad brimming with bewitching guitar riffs, powerhouse-soaring chorus and a poignant message for all of us to reflect on."

Says Lopez: "'Illusion' is a song about the shared responsibility amongst us if we wish to improve the world, change has to be made by us, you and me... the people. It's about the frustration of feeling powerless but also the hope in realizing that things can be changed for the better, if we stop criticizing each other and making enemies of ourselves by blindly following the ideas of politicians and their media."

Vocalist Joel Ekelöf adds: "We can't just sit around and wait for those in power to help. They are preoccupied with battling each other in matters of greed and power."

Video producer Daniele Zed Berretta says: "The 'Illusion' video is about dreamers. There are people who are ready to lose everything to follow their dreams, no matter the cost. Others are afraid of making dreams come true, so they stop right before fulfilling them, just to keep dreaming."

"Imperial" continues SOEN's unique journey through the psyche of our species and the conundrum of our times. Founding members Ekelöf and Lopez, along with Lars Enok Åhlund (keyboards and guitar), Oleksii "Zlatoyar" Kobel (bass) and Cody Ford (lead guitar) have never shied away from challenging perceptions of life and humanity and have conjured eight crisp and supremely constructed songs spanning themes of frustration, reflection and hope. "Imperial" is the most fierce and dynamic release of SOEN's journey, one which continues to be deeply therapeutic for both the group's dedicated followers and the band themselves.

Lopez states: "In my life, I try to be as real as possible, but I think that the music, and nature, of SOEN are the only place that I really, really feel I can be myself. When you're home, doing music, writing lyrics, that is where you really get to express yourself without any judgement and with total freedom."

Produced by Iñaki Marconi and the band, "Imperial" was mixed and mastered by Kane Churko, who has worked with the likes of Ozzy Osbourne and Bob Dylan, giving songs such as "Illusion", "Modesty" and the epic closer "Fortune" a dimension and richness which will reach yet more ears and minds. The power and poetry of SOEN's dynamics are honed more now than ever, something which is perversely a product of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It has obviously been a crazy, terrible thing for everyone, and for us as a band it has been really frustrating not being able to play shows," says Martin, "but also it has given us a clear window of opportunity to realize this album completely. We were able to spend 12 hours a day for many months bringing 'Imperial' to the place we truly wanted, mainly working on the groove and flow of the album."

Lead single "Antagonist" storms through the gates with a massive heavy riff of intent, followed by an epic blend of strength, beauty and defiance of all the world's darkest power mongers, captured in the lyrics "Dependency dampens the wild / Inequity weighs down the motion of progress / Life isn't just to survive."

"We will always be a band that has the old will to fight for freedom and all the important things in life, the people, the underdog," says Lopez. "You have to take on the big question marks such as what the fuck are we doing with our lives and where's the empathy. Why do we keep on testing and crushing ourselves as a species?"

"Imperial" track listing:

01. Lumerian

02. Deceiver

03. Monarch

04. Illusion

05. Antagonist

06. Modesty

07. Dissident

08. Fortune

"Imperial" is an album which will engage the listener immediately and sustain long after this crazy time has passed, its rich details destined to make it a classic metal album of this era.

"As we continue, we find inspiration in the sad fact that the world is getting more and more polarized, that it's more complex and it's not consensus or people getting along" says Ekelöf. "We continue to try and understand why and how that will affect us all."

Suzi Quatro, the 70-year-old pioneering female rocker who burst on to the scene in the 1970s, will release a new studio album, "The Devil In Me", on March 26 through SPV/Steamhammer. The disc's first single will arrive on February 19.

The reasons for Suzi's remarkable creative explosion: on the one hand, the lockdown, which kept her from her usual touring life in spring 2020, and on the other another collaboration with her son Richard Tuckey, which had already worked out extremely well on her predecessor album "No Control".

Says Suzi: "Starting spring 2020, almost one hundred of my shows were canceled, and Richard would also have been on tour with his band had not all concerts been canceled or postponed. So I said to him, 'We should make the most of our free time, write new material and allow ourselves to be inspired by the things that are currently going on in the world.'

"I already knew that Richard and I make a brilliant team; after all, 'No Control' had been a major success and a very special recording for us. Although I would never have thought that we'd be able to surpass it. But everybody who's heard 'The Devil In Me' and all the people who had worked on the previous album have told us, 'This album is even stronger.'"

"The Devil In Me" presents Suzi's full range of musical diversity plus a number of surprises. From rock tracks such as "The Devil In Me", "Get Outta Jail", "Motorcity Riders" and "Hey Queenie" to fairly unusual numbers such as the pub atmosphere-inspired "Loves Gone Bad", with its intimate mood, or "In The Dark", which is accompanied by elegant piano and provocative saxophone sounds, Suzi presents herself from a whole range of different aspects.

Suzi says: "Richard wanted this album to have a through line, so that you could put any track on, and it just fit… He also said he wanted this album to be as important and groundbreaking as my first one. So that is how we approached this project, and that is what we accomplished."

Track listing:

CD Version

01. The Devil In Me

02. Hey Queenie

03. Betty Who?

04. You Can‘t Dream It

05. My Heart And Soul (long version)

06. Get Outta Jail

07. Do Ya Dance

08. Isolation Blues

09. I Sold My Soul Today

10. Love‘s Gone Bad

11. In The Dark

12. Motor City Riders

2 LP Version:

Side A:

01. The Devil In Me

02. Hey Queenie

03. Betty Who?

04. You Can‘t Dream It

Side B:

01. My Heart And Soul (long version)

02. Get Outta Jail

03. Do Ya Dance

04. Isolation Blues

Side C:

01. I Sold My Soul Today

02. Love‘s Gone Bad

03. In The Dark

04. Motor City Riders

Side D:

01. Can I Be Your Girl (bonus track)

02. Desperado (bonus track)

LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT, the instrumental progressive rock/metal project featuring DREAM THEATER keyboardist Jordan Rudess and guitarist John Petrucci, alongside ex-DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy and progressive rock icon Tony Levin (bass) of KING CRIMSON and PETER GABRIEL fame, will release its third album, "LTE3", on March 26 via InsideOut Music. The effort will arrive 22 years after the release of 1999's "Liquid Tension Experiment 2".

The official music video for the first single from the album, "The Passage of Time", created by Christian Rios, can be seen below.

Said Portnoy: "'The Passage Of Time' was the very first song we composed together when we reunited this past summer.

"It was so exciting to be back in a room creating together again after so long (22 years for all four of us and over 10 years for the three of us since being together in DREAM THEATER).

"This serves as a great first taste for the listeners as it combines so many of the musical elements that makes LTE unique."

Added Petrucci: "This was the first song we worked on, and when it was done, we all knew once again how amazing it was to be working together. We knew we were on to something and that this was going to be a really amazing album. Nothing about the passage of over two decades could've done anything to change that. To me, this song truly reflects the collaborative songwriting efforts of all four of us."

Rudess stated: "There is an undeniable chemistry that happens when the four of us are together.

"Entering the studio and starting work on 'The Passage Of Time' after 22 years literally gave me a whole new perspective on these important musical (and personal) relationships and the way time is so relative. We just jumped right in — it was like no time had passed at all — and we created a song that has so many of the elements that make LTE unique.

"Not a day has gone by since our last release when I wasn't asked, 'When is LTE getting back together again?' Now we can finally deliver, and I can't wait for everybody to hear our creation."

Levin said: "From the murky depths of the lockdown, LTE has re-emerged, galvanized, dripping with ideas, and taking no prisoners. 'The Passage Of Time' is just the beginning."

"LTE3" track listing:

01. Hypersonic (8:22)

02. Beating The Odds (6:09)

03. Liquid Evolution (3:23)

04. The Passage Of Time (7:32)

05. Chris & Kevin's Amazing Odyssey (5:04)

06. Rhapsody In Blue (13:16)

07. Shades Of Hope (4:42)

08. Key To The Imagination (13:14)

The bonus disc includes almost an hour of improvised jams.

The album will be available as:

* Limited deluxe hot pink 3LP+2CD+Blu-ray Box Set (including a poster and 4 artcards, Blu-ray includes a 5.1 surround mix with visuals, and full band interview from the studio)

* Limited 2CD+Blu-ray Artbook

* Limited 2CD Digipak

* Gatefold black 2LP+CD

*Digital album (2CD)

Last May, Rudess addressed the prospect of a LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT reunion while filming a video message on Cameo, which lets users hire celebrities to record brief, personalized video messages about virtually any topic.

Asked if he thinks LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT will ever get back together, Jordan said: "Well, the answer is we are looking at our schedules, we are organizing a time. With the [coronavirus] pandemic, it's been a little difficult to coordinate personal kind of gatherings, but it looks very good, my friend."

In February 2019, Portnoy and Rudess reunited on stage during the Cruise To The Edge to perform "Instrumedley" from DREAM THEATER / LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT. They were joined by NEAL MORSE BAND guitarist Eric Gillette and HAKEN bassist Conner Green.

Back in April 2015, Portnoy and Rudess both joined the British progressive metal band HAKEN on stage in New York City. Three months earlier, they were photographed having what appeared to be friendly banter at the 2015 NAMM show in Anaheim, California.

Four years ago, Portnoy posted a photo of him hanging out with Petrucci in a move that clearly represented a thawing of tensions between the two musicians who had been friends for more than three decades. More recently, Portnoy laid down the drum tracks on Petrucci's second all-instrumental solo album, "Terminal Velocity", which was released in August through The Orchard Music on John's Sound Mind Music record label.

In February 2019, Rudess discussed his Cruise To The Edge encounter with Portnoy during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation", which is hosted by Eddie Trunk. The keyboardist said: "I think it's really nice. People whose music you love, you wanna see them getting along. So, even from my perspective, I see John and Mike together, and I'm, like, yeah, that makes sense. They were so close. They made so much music together."

He continued: "I told Mike the other night. I said, 'The way I look at our relationship is that we've toured around the world together numerous times, we've written all this music together, we've been on tour buses everywhere. How many people in this lifetime that we're in can you be that close to and have that many experiences with?"

Although Portnoy and his former bandmates in DREAM THEATER engaged in a public war of words following his exit from the group, Rudess said that he harbors no resentment toward his longtime friend.

"When Portnoy left the band, there was tension — natural tension — because it was a big deal," Jordan told "Trunk Nation". "But what's really important to me is finding that… especially somebody who I care about, who I had so much life experience with. And he's a really great guy. There are so many wonderful things about him. So I wanna enjoy that.

"People will say, 'Oh my God! DREAM THEATER is gonna have Portnoy back in the band.' That's not what it's about," Rudess added. "This is about people and people who spent a lot of time together being able to be close together and be friends."

Rudess acknowledged that some of his other DREAM THEATER bandmates have "their own feelings" about maintaining a connection with their former drummer. "But Mike and I enjoyed hanging out and chatting about old times and all the stuff," he said. "So it was really cool."

In November 2017, Mike told Loud that he left DREAM THEATER because he wanted to expand his musical horizons. "[I didn't] want to go to my grave and just be the drummer from DREAM THEATER," he said. "I knew there was way more to what I had to offer."

Photo credit: Tony Levin

Transatlantic - the prog supergroup of Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt & Pete Trewavas - will release their fifth studio album, The Absolute Universe, on February 5. In this new video, Portnoy performs "Looking For The Light":

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:

Initial tracking began in September 2019 when the band met up in Sweden to write and arrange the new material. As Portnoy explains: “Over a period of 10-14 days, we mapped out the songs. Then we all went back to our home studios and did the recording. That's the way we always do it. At one point, though, it was suggested that instead of doing what was by that time going to be a double album, we should just be content to do a single CD.”

“What happened was that everything kept expanding and expanding,” recalls Stolt. “Therefore we decided it made sense to make it a double album. It was Pete and Neal who then came out and said they felt this would be too long, and we should reduce it to one…But we were already recording, and it didn't seem feasible to cut it back. There were so many pieces that each of us loved in what we were planning and didn't want to lose. That's when we ended up in discussions over the best way forward.”

This album also marks a return to the concept album for Transatlantic. “Well, the idea of Transatlantic deciding to do a concept record this time around won't shock anyone, right?” laughs Portnoy. “What we have is essentially one giant composition, split into chapters. The storyline is about the struggles facing everyone in society today.” “We didn't start out with the idea of this being conceptual,” admits Stolt. “The way things work with us is that we have a load of ideas, and these are developed spontaneously when we meet up. Everything happens in the moment.”

So, how does this new ground-breaking album compare to Transatlantic's previous four albums?

“I always try not to compare albums as much as possible,” insists Morse. “It’s very difficult when you’re trying to be creative, because your natural instinct is to constantly compare. But in order to create you have to kind of step away from that. Having said that, I would say this would have more in common with 'The Whirlwind' album  (the band's third, from 2009) than others that we’ve created.” For Trewavas, 'The Absolute Universe' is a momentous project.

“I think it is right up there with the very finest albums we've done. As the others have said, it compares very well to 'The Whirlwind', which I believe represents Transatlantic at our best. As on that album, we took our time to write and arrange everything, and that shines through. I am very excited for people to hear it.”

Transatlantic were originally formed in 1999, releasing their debut album SMTPe the following year as well as its follow-up Bridge Across Forever in 2001. Following a 7-year hiatus, the band reconvened to record and release the much-acclaimed epic 77-minute, single-track album The Whirlwind followed by a world tour in 2010 which included an appearance at High Voltage Festival in London where they were joined by legendary Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett. The band’s fourth album Kaleidoscope arrived in 2014, going on to win ‘Album Of The Year’ at the Progressive Music Awards.

Frontiers Music Srl will release "One Shot", the new solo album from Danish vocalist Ronnie Atkins, album on March 12. The official music video for the disc's second single, the title track, can be seen below.

"To be honest, I initially had no intention to do a solo album to begin with, but for various reasons, and in particularly my own personal health situation, I finally decided to have a crack at it," says Atkins.

"Around Easter 2020, and only some six weeks after I was told that everything seemingly looked very positive for my health, I was, unfortunately, diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and told it was incurable, which was devastating news for me. Needless to say, that was a total game changer and I went into kind of a panic situation for a while. But when the dust had settled, I realized there were two ways to approach the situation. I could sit down, accept the facts, and feel pity for myself or I could pull myself up, set some goals, pursue my dreams, and carry on living. And with fantastic backup from my family and true friends, I went for the latter."

With the global pandemic shutting down touring for the foreseeable future, Atkins knew a tour promoting the latest PRETTY MAIDS album, "Undress Your Madness" (2019), was not going to be in the cards anytime soon. Suddenly, the timing for working on a new solo album seemed to have presented itself.

"Well, I couldn't change the way things were, by any means," he says. "The whole world was on a lockdown and the future prospects of concerts were very uncertain and still is to this day. Basically, that meant that if I was gonna carry out the idea of a solo album, it had to be now since I don't necessarily have all the time in the world. I had all these ideas recorded on my iPhone that I felt were too good to never see the light of day and I was writing a lot at the time to help ease my frustrations."

Ronnie's next step was to hook up with good friend and PRETTY MAIDS bandmate and producer Chris Laney to begin the work of putting these ideas together into songs. Chris is overseeing production, Jacob Hansen will mix, and musicians/singers appearing on the album include, in addition to Laney, Allan Sørensen, Morten Sandager, Pontus Egberg, Pontus Norgren, Kee Marcello, Olliver Hartmann, John Berg, Anders Ringman, Linnea Vikström Egg and Björn Strid.

"Not being able to handle the recordings myself since I'm old school and a complete idiot when it comes to IT, Pro Tools, etc. I hooked up with my PRETTY MAIDS friend and firesoul Chris Laney, who literally cheered me up and convinced me to go ahead with it," Ronnie says. "So, I decided to get moving and literally recorded my ideas on either piano or guitar and with a mellotron click to keep the beat and the accompanying vocal. Then I would send these along to Chris, who did the instrumentation in Stockholm and would then send back demos to me. Then I recorded the vocals first, which is totally the opposite of what you'd normally do, but based on the uncertainty of my health situation, I wanted to get them down. After that we did the basic tracks, drums, guitars, keys, backing vocals, etc. Odd way of doing it, for me at least, but it worked. And so, this procedure slowly moved on during the summer and finally turned into an album of 12 new songs."

"I wouldn't have been able to carry out this project without the enthusiasm of Chris, who has been my constant partner in this project from day one," Atkins adds. "On top of that, I had the pleasure of working with a variety of great musicians/singers such as Pontus Norgren, Kee Marcello, Olliver Hartmann, Pontus Egberg, Linnea Vickström Egg, Björn Strid, and at last, but not at least, my PRETTY MAIDS relatives Allan Sørensen and Morten Sandager.

"Musically and lyrically, this album has been a different process for me, considering everything going on. Musically, it could have gone in various directions. It's always a question of what you want it to be. A good song is a good song, so it's really a matter of how it is packaged. But I decided to make it appeal to the fans, the supporters who've been following me for almost 40 years, so this is basically a melodic rock album with a heavy twist. Lyrically, it also has a different approach. I found it hard to write about sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll, etc. due to the situation I'm wrapped up in, so I guess it turned out a bit more personal and maybe melancholic at times. But it reflects my thoughts at the given time these lyrics were written."

"One Shot" track listing:

01. Real

02. Scorpio

03. One Shot

04. Subjugated

05. Frequency Of Love

06. Before The Rise Of An Empire

07. Miles Away

08. Picture Yourself

09. I Prophesize

10. One By One

11. When Dreams Are Not Enough

Lineup:

Ronnie Atkins: Lead and backing vocals

Chris Laney: Rhythm guitars, keyboards and backing vocals

Allan Sørensen: Drums

Morten Sandager: Keyboards

Pontus Egberg: Bass

Acoustic guitars: Anders Ringman

Lead guitars/solos: Pontus Norgren, Kee Marcello, Olliver Hartmann, John Berg, Chris Laney

Additional backing vocals: Chris Laney, Linnea Vikström Egg, Olliver Hartmann, Björn Strid

Produced by: Chris Laney

Mixed by Jacob Hansen

The 56-year-old Atkins was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2019 and underwent at least 33 radiation and four chemotherapy treatments in the fall of that year before being declared cancer-free. In October 2020, he announced that his cancer had returned.

Photo credit: Tallee Savage

Canadian producer Bob Rock, who has been responsible for some of the biggest rock and metal albums of the last 30 years, including all of METALLICA's studio output during the 1990s and early 2000s, has sold his share of rights from a catalog of 43 songs to Hipgnosis Songs Fund.

Rock first teamed with METALLICA for the band's self-titled 1991 album (a.k.a. "The Black Album"). The Elektra set debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 281 weeks. Rock helmed METALLICA's subsequent albums, through 2003's "St. Anger".

"The breadth of Bob Rock's enormous successes are almost impossible to match by any creator in the history of music," said Hipgnosis Songs founder Merck Mercuriadis. "From METALLICA's most famous Black Album to Michael Bublé's 'Christmas', he has produced some of the biggest albums of all time that continue to be evergreen, year in and year out.

"Everyone who has worked with Bob knows he is a difference maker, which is why the artists he has produced end up making multiple albums with him which are almost always their biggest successes.

"Bob is very special and as a fellow Canadian, it is a pleasure to welcome him and his incredible productions to the Hipgnosis family."

Rock was represented by longtime manager Bruce Allen and lawyer Mark L. Kovinsky.

Rock said: "I put my heart and soul into these recordings.

"I know how much Merck loves music, so it was an easy deal to put together.

Allen said: "I've known Merck for years. He has a passion for music and those who make it. I look forward to working with Hipgnosis."

"Metallica" was the pivotal moment in METALLICA's evolution into the premier heavy metal band and, as one of the bestselling albums of the last 30 years, launched the group into true mainstream global superstardom. Debuting at No. 1 in 10 countries, the LP spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard Top 200 and in December 2019 became the fourth release in history to enter its 550th week on the Billboard 200. Achieving widespread commercial acclaim, "The Black Album" was named No. 255 by Rolling Stone in its "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" chart. Its five singles — "Enter Sandman", "The Unforgiven", "Nothing Else Matters", "Wherever I May Roam" and "Sad But True" — are all considered to be among METALLICA's best-known songs. Songs from the album have been streamed more than seven billion times across all services, just in time to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

In 2014, "Metallica" became the first album to sell 16 million copies since Nielsen SoundScan started tracking sales in 1991.

"Metallica" in 2009 surpassed SHANIA TWAIN's 1997 record, "Come On Over", as the best-selling CD of the SoundScan era.

Rock, 66, told Reuters in 2006 that he felt "20 years younger" after his split with METALLICA, whose last studio effort, "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", was helmed by Greg Fidelman.

During the making of 2003's "St. Anger", a petition that some 1,500 fans signed subsequently was posted online calling for METALLICA to dump Rock, claiming he had too much influence on the band's sound.

"The criticism was hurtful for my kids, who read it and don't understand the circumstances," Rock told Reuters. "Sometimes, even with a great coach, a team keeps losing. You have to get new blood in there."

METALLICA co-manager Peter Mensch argued that Rock "nursed METALLICA out of almost complete collapse on that record. Bob is one of the five best producers on the planet. But it was time to shake things

FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares says that his vehicle was struck by a bullet earlier today.

The 54-year-old musician, who lives in Los Angeles, took to his Twitter this afternoon to share a photo of his car windshield, with the bullet still stuck in the glass.

He wrote in an accompanying message: "Bullet hole in my windshield today, Los Angeles Police Department asked me if I have any enemy's I said 'yes' and named 3 people. Let's see where this investigation goes. LAPD said it looks like a 45 caliber, it's a big bullet."

When one Twitter user commented that it's "interesting" that the bullet "didn't go all the way through," Cazares responded: "The metal bar that's part of the frame that holds the front dash stopped it from going all the way through".

Last weekend, Dino revealed in an interview that the new FEAR FACTORY album will arrive in the next "two or three months." A single will precede the full-length effort "soon."

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

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

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

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

Pressed about whether there is any chance of a reconciliation with FEAR FACTORY down the line, Burton said: "I'm done. I haven't spoken to Dino in three years. I haven't spoken to Raymond [Herrera, drums] and Christian [Olde Wolbers, bass] in longer than that, and I have no intention to. I'm just moving forward with my life."

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

In explaining his reasons for starting a fundraising campaign, Cazares said that all donations will go toward covering newly incurred production costs involved with the making of the new FEAR FACTORY LP, including re-recording the drums, guitars, bass and keyboards, as well as mixing and mastering by Andy Sneap. Burton's original lead vocals, which were recorded in full in 2017, will remain on the new version of the album.

FEAR FACTORY's fundraising campaign marked the first public activity from the band since it completed a 2016 U.S. headlining tour on which it performed its classic second album, "Demanufacture", in its entirety.




Bullet hole in my windshield today, Los Angles Police Department asked me if I have any enemy’s I said “yes” and named 3 people. Let’s see where this investigation goes. LAPD said it looks like a 45 caliber, it’s a big bullet. pic.twitter.com/VArPo8i9XV

— Dino Cazares (@DinoCazares) January 21, 2021








The metal bar that’s part of the frame that holds the front dash stopped it from going all the way through https://t.co/GlGF649hex

— Dino Cazares (@DinoCazares) January 21, 2021








The bar that’s part of the frame that holds the dashon the inside stopped it from going all the way through https://t.co/GlGF649hex

— Dino Cazares (@DinoCazares) January 21, 2021

In the two years since Memoriam released Requiem For Mankind, the band haven't rested on their laurels. Their fourth studio album, To The End, is due for release on March 26th via Reaper Entertainment. Today, the band presents the first digital single "Onwards Into Battle". The song is available on every major streaming platform now. The official lyric video can be viewed below.

Vocalist Karl Willetts comments: "'Onwards Into Battle' is the opening track from the new album, To The End. A powerful introduction that sets the tone of the album and gives the listener a taste of what is to come. Lyrically, the track provides continuity from the previous album, Requiem For Mankind, and is similar in many ways to the track 'Fixed Bayonets'. 

The lyrics focus on the start of battle Zero Hour which is appropriate for the start of the album, within the theme of war the lyrics explore the brutally of trench warfare specifically. 

The war continues. Let battle commence."

Marking the beginning of a second trilogy of albums, To The End serves as something of a prologue to the first three Memoriam albums. Working backwards and narrating the life story of the leader whose demise was depicted in the first trilogy, the lyrics on the album may play out in a fictional realm, but they incorporate inspiration from real life. A central theme of war is coloured with political fulminations and everyday experiences that combine to create a cohesive and enthralling chronicle.

The four-piece returned to producer, Russ Russell, for the recording of To The End. For the first time, the band demoed the songs and entered the studio with a new level of preparedness. Coupled with their close relationship with Russell, this created an environment that allowed for greater experimentation, as demonstrated by the diverse array of textures and sounds present on the nine tracks on the album.

From the earliest days of the band, they had their eye on the art Dan Seagrave (Benediction, Dismember, Hypocrisy, Suffocation etc) as an accompaniment to their music. Having created the artwork for the first three Memoriam albums, he has also created the cover for To The End.

The band comment:

"We are really chuffed to be collaborating with Dan, his vision and interpretation of ideas are totally unique and its fantastic to be involved in the creative process with him - seeing the ideas that we have transformed into stunning images that we are proud to have as artwork for our albums. His style is second to none, so much so that using any other artist at this point would seem like a compromise; his attention to detail is incredible. To The End is the first album of this trilogy and features the events that led up to the scenes depicted on our first album, For the Fallen. The art shows the king leading his troops into the last battle in which he was killed. It looks bloody killer."

Seagrave elaborates:

"In this moment we’re capturing the dawn of the onslaught of the city; visible from the industrial outskirts, as the forces descend with a pincer movement into the valley, spreading destruction towards their goal. The king character to me at this stage has become something of a creature - beyond human. There is an elemental shift in its DNA and a detachment of its ordinary senses. Held together by earthly materials, I feel its presence brings with it a surrealistic sickness that affects the immediate environment and those who tread within its boundaries.

"My aesthetic look of this was to combine the retro military tech of the early 20th century with the memory of renaissance times art. For example, tanks that have bas relief sculpture, and inventions such as the flying wingsuit - a metallic armoured vehicle contraption worn by the foreground figure. There's less of a literal darkness in the depiction. Here there seems to be a permeating flow of dust particles, like a concocting mist of specular ice and grey concrete. The dawn of a bright day reacting with it, both illuminating and deadly."

Memoriam is:

Karl Willetts - vocals (ex-Bolt Thrower)
Frank Healy - bass (ex-Benediction)
Spike T Smith - drums (Sacrilege, Conflict, Killing Joke, The Damned)
Scott Fairfax - guitars (As The World Dies, ex-Benediction)

Helsinki-based symphonic death/black metal band Abstrakt released their second single Etherstorms from the upcoming second studio album, Uncreation. The album is set to be released on February 25th via Inverse Records. 

The band comments: "Even though 'Radiant Darkness' left you missing some teeth and with blackened eyes, it was just a calm before the storm. The esoteric rage of 'Etherstorms', massive choirs and overwhelming orchestrations will expand the listener's mind and open a portal to another dimension."

 
  
Following is a brief band history:

"Abstrakt was formed by Nightderanger and Azul Corax in spring of 2008. Abstrakt was a two-man project and our first demo was recorded with session musicians in February 2011. Progress was slow but steady and after two more demos, we began to create our first album, Obsidian and to recruit more musicians. Obsidian was published in November 2013 and finally in spring of 2014 it was time for our first gig. Shortly after our first gigs, we were again without a drummer and bassist. Nightderanger, Azul Corax and Apostate continued composing new material. In August 2016 we recorded our last demo, which included three songs which all are included in our second album. We regained a full line-up and some gigs were played. In January 2019 the final recordings of our second album had begun, slowly but surely, and the recordings were completed in October 2020. Now our second album, Uncreation, is finished and Abstrakt is in its best shape ever, hungrier, angrier and better than ever before."

Tracklist:

"Ex Vanitas"
"From Chaos to Creation"
"Etherstorms"
"The Great Chasm of Humanity"
"Prophet of Fire"
"The Ascendant"
"Inferno"
"Radiant Darkness"
"Screaming for Vengeance"
"Uncreation"

Bitter Loss Records has announced April 30th as the international release date for Within Death - the debut album from Australian old-school death metal band The Plague - on CD and Vinyl LP formats.

Formed in 2016 in Sydney, The Plague self-released their debut EP, Mass Genocide, in 2017 and thereafter spent a great deal of time as a force on the live front, supporting Angelcorpse, Master, Entombed A.D., and Ensiferum among many others. And while Mass Genocide is a monster in its own right, The Plague make their ultimate first statement on Within Death.

Brimming with both crush and clarity, Within Death is as aptly titled as it comes: this is death metal for death metal maniacs by death metal maniacs. Each song literally explodes with intensity and focus, fiercely sharpened to a lethal degree by The Plague. And each of those ten songs gets in, gets out, and fucking destroys! Simply put, Within Death is a stunning 34-minute display of deadly economy - no fat, no filler, no escape!

Find out for yourself with the brand new video for "Spawn Of Monstrosity":

Pre-order your copy of Within Death at this location.

Tracklisting:

"Mind Eraser"
"Torment The Living"
"Spawn Of Monstrosity"
"Effigy Of The Rotten"
"Hand Of Greed"
"Drones"
"Slave To Addiction"
"Dismal Solitude"
"Within Death"
"Festering In Sickness"

For further details, visit The Plague on Facebook.

 

One week ago, "An Epoch Ellipsis", the second single of The Amenta's forthcoming album Revelator, was unveiled. Now, Debemur Morti Productions presents a sinister and horror-esk video clip for the composition. The black and white visual components of The Amenta's art complete the nasty and unrelenting, yet often complex sonic approach. Together, the moving pictures and the aural attack form a tantalizing unity.

In contrast to the video clip for the first single "Sere Money", The Amenta decided to craft moving pictures in black and white for "An Epoch Ellipsis". This has a reason, as composer and keyboard player Timothy Pope explains elaborately:

"The black and white style for this film clip seemed to suit the track well, which is a much nastier affair than the last single ‘Sere Money’. Where that clip was a multi-coloured fever dream, this time we wanted to show something that was a bit darker and grimier, and the black and white style seemed the perfect way to show this while differentiating the two clips.

The last clip was filmed by our vocalist, Cain Cressall, in Perth where COVID was less of a concern and he was able to bring together a larger crew and cast. This time, we filmed in all the home states of the band and we were forced to be a lot more economical with our production as we had recently had some resurgence of the virus and couldn’t get out as much, but I don’t think that held us back. All it did was force us to dig into our subconscious to pull out images that are perhaps simpler, but effective on a gut level."

Taking a closer look at the perfomance of frontman Cain in this video clip, one cannot help but notice that some similarities to the rite of crucifixion exist:

"Cain’s shots were inspired by religious iconography, particularly Catholic images of the crucifixion, as they speak to even the irreligious on a primal level. I think that may be mixed in with some inspiration for films like Begotten and Andres Serrano’s Piss Christ images. All that inspiration goes into our brains and gets spewed out, alchemically changed as something new. When we are talking about imagery and themes, especially this time around, we’re less interested in what they mean, more interested in how the 'feel'. If the juxtaposition of images feels true in some primal sense then the meaning is inherent, even if it isn’t clear. Which is a fancy way of saying that the imagery is there to spark interest and confusion in equal measure. To shoot Cain’s parts, we once again worked with Garth Hurley (who also edited the film clip) who shot and directed the ‘Sere Money’ clip as well. Cain and Garth created a pool filled with blackened water. I don’t know what substance they used to blacken the water. Considering Cain’s predilection for maggots and rot, I’m too afraid to ask. The room was blacked out with black plastic, as all our shots were, and Cain tried to sing while drowning himself in the black pool," narrates Timothy Pope about the genesis of the clip.

Revelator will be released on CD, vinyl, tape and digitally on February 19th. Pre-orders can be placed now in both the band's EU shop and US shop.

Recorded by the band and mixed by guitarist Erik Miehs, Revelator is the most openly organic and crushing the band has sounded to date. Mastering has been meticulously crafted by Maor Applebaum (Faith No More, Sepultura) and the album features artwork by the legendary Metastazis (Morbid Angel, Behemoth). Graced with an incisively dynamic pummeling from drummer-extraordinaire David Haley (Psycroptic, Pestilence) and an avowedly contemporary, genre-defying performance from vocalist Cain Cressall, Revelator sees a band always dead-set on boundary-pushing reveling in a fresh sense of renewal as they combine harrowing concepts, inventively virtuous musicianship and immediate song craft into the landmark record of a lauded career.

Tracklisting:

"An Epoch Ellipsis"
"Sere Money"
"Silent Twin"
"Psoriastasis"
"Twined Towers"
"Parasight Lost"
"Wonderlost"
"Overpast"
"Parse Over"

"Sere Money":

 

Black Lion Records has announced the signing of The Unnamed Horrors and the upcoming release of their debut album, Lullabies For An Unsound Mind, later this year. 

Partly inspired by the tales of H.P. Lovecraft, the album conjures emotions of a visceral nature, projecting psychological trauma and detachment beyond the fringes of sanity. 

Founded by Grammy-nominated English guitarist Paul Allender (formerly of Cradle Of Filth and White Empress), The Unnamed Horors create a sense of existential dread by giving listeners a soundtrack to the void. Also joining Allender is Ken on vocals, Ben on drums, Todd on bass, Jeremy on guitar, and Adrian on keyboards, orchestra, and choirs.

Guitarist Paul Allender comments, "I'm excited to be working with Oliver and Black Lion Records. Oliver is a longtime friend whom I have known for many, many, years. This partnership will be fantastic, and I know he will do an amazing job with the TUH debut!"

Black Lion Records Founder Oliver Dahlbäck comments, "I am thrilled to announce the collaboration as it's been a bond slowly formed over the years. I've heard bits and pieces of the album, and everything is sounding super dark and nasty. Working with Paul is, in many ways, a dream come true as I've followed his career since my early teens and have been a massive fan. We're very excited to add Paul and The Unnamed Horrors to our family, and I'm sure everyone will be very eager to hear this one."

 

Paradise Lost released their 16th studio album, Obsidian, in May 2020. To commemorate the occasion, the band announced a very special, one-off gig at The Warehouse in Leeds, where they would play Obsidian live, in full, for the one and only time. 

That concert was originally scheduled to take place on September 17, 2020. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was pushed back to May 1, 2021. Now, sadly, with COVID-19 case numbers still rising at an alarming rate, the show has been rescheduled to February 5, 2022. A statement from Paradise Lost reads:

"Once again we regret to announce the postponement of our 'Obsidian' show at The Warehouse Leeds. Due to the uncertainty of live shows returning by May and travel restrictions, we have come to conclusion that it would be safest to reschedule for 2022. We hope by then things will have returned to some kind of normality and we will be able to be in the same room again! Original tickets remain valid."

On a brighter note, continuing the celebrations for the 25th anniversary of Draconian Times, Paradise Lost has premiered a brand new lyric video for "Last Desire".

The long-awaited 25th anniversary re-issue of the much adored Draconian Times by Paradise Lost was released in December 2020 via Music For Nations. Available lovingly pressed onto heavyweight audiophile approved vinyl, housed in a gatefold artwork sleeve, and presented on select and limited vinyl variants.

To celebrate this landmark, Paradise Lost  released a lyric video for the album's opening track, "Enchantment".

The special 25th anniversary edition also sees the vaults opened to provide a deluxe CD version that comes with a definitive disc of bonus, rare and unreleased material from the Draconian Times era. Furnished with new liner notes, never seen before deep dive into the album’s lyrical themes, and exclusive memories from Paradise Lost this is a must for fans and completists alike.       

Tracklisting:

Disc 1

"Enchantment"
"Hallowed Land"
"The Last Time"
"Forever Failure"
"Once Solemn"
"Shadowkings"
"Elusive Cure"
"Yearn For Change"
"Shades Of God"
"Hands Of Reason"
"I See Your Face"
"Jaded"

Disc 2

"Shadowkings" (BBC Live Session)
"Sweetness" (BBC Live Session)
"Once Solemn" (BBC Live Session)
"Yearn For Change" (BBC Live Session)
"The Last Time" (Demo)
"Forever Failure" (Demo)
"Shadow Kings" (Demo)
"I See Your Face" (Demo)
"Hallowed Land" (Demo)
"Hand Of Reason" (Demo)
"Last Desire" (Demo)
"Masters Of Misrule" (Demo)
"Walk Away" (Sisters Of Mercy Cover)

The remastered HD videos for "The Last Time" and "Forever Failure" can be seen below.

 

Progressive heavy metal vehicle, ​Interloper, recently released their debut EP, ​A Revenant Legacy. Stream/download the EP here, and watch a drum playthrough video for "Glasshouse" below.

Aaron Stechauner comments, "This is probably my favorite track to both play and listen to on the record. It has such a strange structure - no real chorus, no hook repeats - yet is so compositionally sound. There are a lot of callbacks, as well as some big developments throughout the song that make you feel 'at home,' even without those traditional (and rather necessary) song elements… for example, uhm, a fucking chorus! [laughs] In a way this song feels very much like one of those half-hour long 'prog epics,' all in the span of four and a half minutes."

A Revenant Legacy was recorded and produced in house at Sewn Shut Sounds by the band themselves, with mixing and production from producer, friend, and honorary ‘4th member’ ​Joey Virrueta. With a full length album completed and set for release in the near future, this EP serves as a stepping stone in the development of Interloper​ as a whole.

Tracklisting:

"An Emerald Flame"
"Silence"
"Wishful Thinking"
"Hand In Hand"
"Glasshouse"

"An Emerald Flame" drum playthrough video:

"Silence" visualizer:

Interloper is:

Miles Dimitri Baker ​| Guitar
Aaron Stechauner ​| Drums
Andrew Virrueta |​ Vocals, Guitar

Chicago-based power metallers, Redd Barron, will soon release their new album, Sands Of Time, via Heaven And Hell Records. The album consist of 11 tracks written back in the late 1980s/early 90s and finally recorded properly over 2019.

Redd Barron formed in February of 1987, in Romeoville, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago; Brian Lee (vocals) and Pete Alvarez (guitars), friends since their school days, formed the band with the intent of writing and performing the music they loved, classic metal. Rod Gardner (drums) and Rick Tampier (bass) rounded out the original lineup. After establishing themselves as a top Chicago live act, they added guitarist Greg Eichelberger. Later bassist Frank Masterson would join the band.

In 2018 Heaven And Hell Records would release a limited compilation CD consisting of all the band’s previously released material all remastered. That same year Redd Barron would make their triumphant return to the stage performing at the annual Legions Of Metal Festival in Chicago.
 
Now Redd Barron flies once again with a brand new album.

Tracklisting:

"King Of The Hill"
"The Edge"
"Shadowman"
"Not Enough Time"
"The Game"
"Sands Of Time"
"Same Old Story"
"Full Circle"
"Nightmare"
"Caution To The Wind"
"Man With Two Faces"

Dutch progressive rockers, Kayak, have announced they will return with their 18th studio album, Out Of This World, on May 7. Following the bands return in 2018 with a new lineup, new record label and first new album since 2014 in Seventeen, the band are excited to reveal its eagerly awaited successor.

Founding member Ton Scherpenzeel comments: “Many people seem to consider the past year as a lost year, due to COVID. I don’t. I am not saying it was great, but it made me realize, once more, how fragile we all are. How connected everything and everyone is, with actions and consequences that touch us all. And that, on a smaller scale, and much closer to home, the new Kayak album could only have turned out the way it did. More than ever, it is clear that working with each other on this level can never be taken for granted. It requires dedication, and respect for each other’s talents and input. That’s the foundation upon which Kayak in 2021 is built.”

Watch a short teaser for the new album below. The first single from Out Of This World and the album pre-order will launch February 19.

Out Of This World, the band’s eighteenth studio album, with 15 new tracks, spanning 70 minutes of energetic and incredibly diverse material- though still very much recognizable as Kayak. It is clear that the new found energy has gained even more momentum since Hans Eijkenaar rejoined the group. Although they were forced to cancel all tours because Ton Scherpenzeel suffered a heart attack at the end of 2019, and immediately after that because of the Covid pandemic, we’re hearing a band that, since the demise of Pim Koopman in 2009, has not sounded more together, balanced and motivated.

The current lineup of the band is as follows:

Ton Scherpenzeel - Keyboards, lead and backing vocals
Bart Schwertmann - Lead and backing vocals
Marcel Singor - Guitar, lead and backing vocals
Kristoffer Gildenlöw - Bass, lead and backing vocals
Hans Eijkenaar - Drums

German melodic hardcore outfit SETYØURSAILS have signed an official contract with premier Austrian rock and metal label, Napalm Records.

In November 2018, the four-piece released their smashing debut album, Enough, instantly garnering attention from genre-relevant press outlets. In 2019, the band went on to prove themselves via their energetic live performances on the main stages of popular Reload Festival and Traffic Jam Open Air, sharing the stage with bands like Walls Of Jericho, Jinjer and Hatebreed.

Fronted by powerful vocalist Jules Mitch, the band’s trademark sound floats between clean vocals, forceful shouts and truly catchy lyrics. SETYØURSAILS are just getting started - more to be announced soon.

SETYØURSAILS on the signing: “We couldn't be happier to work with the amazing team from Napalm Records. This signing means a lot to us and we can't wait to release new music with such a strong partner by our side. Since we've worked really hard to get to this point, it finally feels like it all paid off and our family just got bigger. Thanks to our entire management team and everyone who supported us. Rock's not dead, metal's not dead and never will be. Let's do this!”

SETYØURSAILS are:

Jules Mitch - Vocals
André - Guitar
Dominic - Bass, Backing Vocals
Dizzee Pascal - drums

(Photo - juliekeyphoto)

Devil Sold His Soul will release their fourth studio album, Loss, via Nuclear Blast Records on April 9. The album will be available in various formats. Pre-order here.

In this new video trailer, Ed Gibbs & Paul Green discuss sharing vocal duties on the album:

Singer Paul Green on the new album: "We're incredibly excited to announce the release of our 4th album, Loss, through Nuclear Blast Records. Loss comes from a dark place for us, life was cruel in the years before and during we wrote this record, this was our fuel for the songs. Loss is an honest snapshot of that time in our lives, and it is our way of paying respect to those we loved and who are no longer with us. We couldn't be more proud of these 10 songs and where they have pushed our songwriting, and we hope they truly connect with the listener. I don't think any of us imagined when we were writing this album, that we would end up signing to the biggest metal label in the world. It's given us that added validation that we've created something special, and we now have the platform to push it to where it needs to be.The belief that the team at Nuclear Blast has shown in the record is truly humbling, we're extremely proud to be a part of this great label, and to be on a roster alongside so many bands we love and respect."

Tracklisting:

"Ardour"
"Witness Marks"
"Burdened"
"Tateishi"
"The Narcissist"
"Beyond Reach"
"Signal Fire"
"Acrinomy"
"But Not Forgotten"
"Loss"

"Beyond Reach" video:

Devil Sold His Soul begin a new chapter in their highly-acclaimed career, signing to metal heavyweights Nuclear Blast Records. 2021 will see the band release their fourth studio album Loss, their first with the dual vocal attack of Ed Gibbs and Paul Green.

Devil Sold His Soul burst onto the UK underground metal and hardcore scene in 2004 growing a cult following from their first record, Darkness Prevails EP released through Visible Noise in 2005. Their debut album, A Fragile Hope, saw the band take their position as one of the most respected underground bands in the UK with their visceral and captivating live shows. Devil Sold His Soul’s sophomore album, Blessed And Cursed, elevated their sound and audience to new heights.

With Ed Gibbs departing the band early in the year, 2013 saw the first new material featuring singer Paul Green with single "Time", followed by 2014’s Belong Betray EP and 2016’s The Reckoning. After welcoming Gibbs back to sing on the 2017 A Fragile Hope anniversary tour, the band asked Gibbs to continue the dual vocals with Green for the remaining festivals and tours that year, with the lineup then becoming a permanent fixture.

2018 saw the band travel beyond Europe with their first touring in Asia, they also began to put the foundations down on what would become their new record Loss. Written about the struggles faced in recent years, Loss’treads familiar ground and explores exciting new territories for Devil Sold His Soul, including for the first time the dual vocals of Gibbs and Green on record. Recorded, engineered and mixed by guitarist Jonny Renshaw at his UK based Bandit Studios, Devil Sold His Soul have poured heart and sincerity into every atom of this their fourth album, with song writing elevated to new levels.

Devil Sold His Soul is:

Rick Chapple – Guitar, Piano
Jonny Renshaw - Guitar
Alex Wood - Drums
Jozef Norocky - Bass
Paul Green – Vocals
Ed Gibbs - Vocals

In a recent interview with Finland's Kaaos TV, ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann was asked how the coronavirus pandemic has affected his "daily life." He responded (see video below): "It hasn't, really, to be honest. I'm a bit of a recluse myself anyhow. In my day-to-day work, I usually work by myself in my studio or in my office or in my house. I don't go out much. I don't go to many concerts, so it really is pretty much the same as always, except for when you go out, you have to put the mask on and do all that stuff. But of course, from the business side, it's terrible, because the tour to coincide with the release of this [new ACCEPT] album ['Too Mean To Die'] has been pushed back one year to 2022 now. So who knows when we the fuck we can go on the road again? And since the road is not only the main part of our income, it's also what we do — we're not really studio musicians; we're a live band — so right now, we're fucked. It's terrible."

Asked if he thinks if touring will return to how it was before the pandemic or if it will be different, Wolf said: "I have no idea, man. Everybody thinks it's going back to normal at some point, but sometimes I wonder. Is it ever gonna be like it was before, or is there gonna be a slow transition to a new normal? I wonder if there's ever gonna be a day when everybody says, 'It's over. We're done.' It might never come. It might always be some say it's over, some says it's not, and some people are gonna wear a mask, and some are not. Who knows, man?"

He continued: ""[It's] a given [that] there won't be any serious concerts before we have a vaccine [widely distributed], but even when there is a vaccine, there might be people who are not vaccinated yet. What I'm saying is there's never gonna be a day that somebody punches a clock and declares the virus to be over for good worldwide. There's gonna a little bit of this and little bit of that, and it's a gonna be a slow transition to God knows what."

"Too Mean To Die" will be released on January 29 via Nuclear Blast. The LP will be the group's first without bassist Peter Baltes, who exited ACCEPT in November 2018. He has since been replaced by Martin Motnik. ACCEPT's lineup has also been expanded with the addition of a third guitarist, Philip Shouse, who originally filled in for Uwe Lulis during 2019's "Symphonic Terror" tour, before being asked to join the band permanently.

"Too Mean To Die" was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee with British producer Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, MEGADETH), who has been responsible for the magnificent studio sound of ACCEPT since 2010.

ACCEPT's last album, 2017's "The Rise Of Chaos", marked the band's first release with Lulis and drummer Christopher Williams, replacing Herman Frank and Stefan Schwarzmann, respectively.

Ex-W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes says that he would never consider returning to the band unless Blackie Lawless agreed to pay him the publishing royalties that he allegedly owes him.

Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982 and remained with the group until 1990. In 1996, the guitarist returned to W.A.S.P. and stayed with the band until 2001. Chris has not played with W.A.S.P. since.

In a new interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, Holmes spoke about his reasons for launching a fundraising campaign for his upcoming solo album. He said: "A lot of people think I made money from W.A.S.P. I've never gotten my royalties, or even my songwriting. All the stuff that I wrote, I've never gotten paid one penny. And you know whose fault it is? It's my my fault for not knowing the business, how it is. I trusted somebody.

"After every album, when the album is done, how they split up the publishing with the publishing contracts, the publishing companies — that's where the money comes from," he continued. "I was never told about when that meeting was. Because the other guys in the band never wrote — I was the only one [other than Blackie]. So I'm the only one that they have to screw over to get all the publishing. So I was never told. Then when I dug into it in about 2006 or [2007], I went into Sanctuary Music, had a lawyer go in to find out where all my publishing is, and I was written in as a session player into all the records. And if you don't know about it, and you're not told, and you don't see, you don't know. So I trusted Blackie Lawless about that. And when I found out, it really kind of yanked me wrong. It yanks me wrong — it makes me see he was sticking a knife in my back from the first day, from the first album, and not telling me, and being my best friend."

As far as Holmes is concerned, Lawless is solely to blame for him not getting his due from the W.A.S.P. records that he was involved with.

"If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't be where he's at — I guarantee you that," Chris said. "And then he screws me like that. It's all right. It's been a long time. It's something that I will never, never get over. I'll take that to the grave with me. I'm pissed thinking about it.

"Anyway, that's the kind of person he is. Everybody thinks, 'Wow! He's got the greatest…' Yeah, he's got an outrageous voice, Blackie, yeah, but he turns his back on his bandmembers real bad — he screws 'em. I'm the only guy in the band that ever came back to get screwed twice, which I did. I came back for 'Kill.Fuck.Die', and I was promised half publishing on that album. Didn't get crap. Knowing that I couldn't get in to see what was written in the contracts, of course. That's why I wrote the song 'Two Faced Mother Fucker'. It's about him. It's on 'Shitting Bricks'. And I've got one on the new album. It's called 'The Truth'. It says, 'You can't handle the truth.' It's on my new [album]. I'm gonna write a song about him on every album."

Addressing the possibility of his return to W.A.S.P., Holmes said: "Everybody asks me about a W.A.S.P. reunion. Sure, I'd love to play a W.A.S.P. reunion — if he pays me my publishing. If it doesn't, then he can have a reunion with Randy Piper, Johnny Rod and [Steve] Riley and everybody else. I'm not gonna play it. It's not worth it.

"I came back to W.A.S.P. in '95. I got screwed again," he added. "Screw me once, screw me twice — you're not gonna screw me a third time."

During a November 2017 press conference in Moscow, Russia, Lawless was asked what he would say to those W.A.S.P. fans who continue to call for the band to reunite with Holmes. He responded: "People get divorced for certain reasons, and there's times when the kids want the parents to get back together, but sometimes it never happens. And this is one of those [times]. Sorry."

GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash recently joined Sweetwater's Nick Bowcott for a special interview via Zoom. Asked how he has been dealing with the coronavirus crisis, Slash said (see video below): "I've been really busy. If anything, this whole episode has afforded me a lot of time to be creative. So it's been good."

Pressed about whether his creative endeavors have involved playing live with other musicians or it's been mostly virtual, Slash said: "I do a lot of stuff on my own, and then Todd [Kerns, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS bassist/vocalist] will drive in from [Las] Vegas and put bass on everything. And then I'll send that out to everybody. On occasion, we'll all get together and jam. We've done that a couple of times over this period."

According to Slash, being at home for most of the last year, has "definitely given me a lot of opportunity to write and to focus and to not be rushing out the door all the time. So it's been good," he said. "There's been a lot of good material that's come up through this."

Last month, Slash confirmed that SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS was putting together ideas for a new album. The effort will be the follow-up to "Living The Dream", which came out in September 2018 via Slash's own label Snakepit Records, in partnership with Roadrunner Records. The disc was Slash's fourth solo album, and third with Slash and his CONSPIRATORS bandmates Kerns, Myles Kennedy (vocals), Brent Fitz (drums) and Frank Sidoris (guitar and vocals).

In September 2019, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS released "Living The Dream Tour" on DVD+2CD, Blu-ray+2 CD, 3LP black vinyl, limited-edition 3LP red vinyl, digital video and digital audio via Eagle Vision. The set was shot on location on February 20, 2019 at London, England's Eventim Apollo.

GUNS N' ROSES' next studio album will be its first since 2008's "Chinese Democracy" and the first to feature Slash, bassist Duff McKagan and singer Axl Rose since 1993.

GUNS N' ROSES' has spent most of the last five years touring with classic-lineup members Slash, McKagan and Rose backed by guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Frank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

James Durbin says that he wanted to stay with QUIET RIOT long enough to play shows in support of the last album he recorded with the band.

In September 2019, QUIET RIOT parted ways with Durbin and replaced him with Jizzy Pearl. Pearl previously fronted QUIET RIOT from 2013 until October 2016, when he was briefly replaced by Seann Nichols, who played only five shows with the group before the March 2017 arrival of "American Idol" finalist Durbin.

Durbin recorded two studio albums with QUIET RIOT — 2017's "Road Rage" and 2019's "Hollywood Cowboys" — during his three-year stint with the group.

Asked about his abrupt departure from QUIET RIOT just two months before the release of "Hollywood Cowboys", Durbin told Dr. Music (see video below): "There's just certain ways that some people do business. And I'm the type of person that is good to my word. I told them I'd make the commitment for this as long as I could and do it as long as I was still having fun. And I wanted to stay on board and promote that album and finish out the year, as I had promised. But that's not how they go about it. So to each their own, and I have to respect that decision, which I do. They made the decision that they thought would be the decision that was necessary for them to make. And business is business. We just couldn't come to an agreement on new terms or anything."

A month after Durbin's exit was made official, QUIET RIOT drummer Frankie Banali told LA Weekly that it wasn't odd for him and his bandmates to play shows in support of a new album when the group had just undergone a vocalist change. He said: "I reached out to Jizzy Pearl before looking at any other potential singers because I always thought that Jizzy was a really good fit for QUIET RIOT and is a total pro. He welcomed the opportunity to return to QUIET RIOT which made me very happy and we replaced our former singer in less than 24 hours."

Banali resurrected QUIET RIOT in 2010, three years after the death of founding member and singer Kevin DuBrow.

QUIET RIOT went through two vocalists — Mark Huff and Scott Vokoun — before Pearl's first three-year run with the band.

Banali, who joined QUIET RIOT in 1982 and played on its breakthrough album, 1983's "Metal Health", the first heavy metal LP to top Billboard's album chart, died in August 2020 after a 16-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

QUIET RIOT announced in September that it will carry on touring following Frankie's death. The band, which now features drummer Johnny Kelly (DANZIG, TYPE O NEGATIVE), played a couple of shows in October and has a string of dates booked in 2021.

QUIET RIOT initially featured the late guitar legend Randy Rhoads and went through some early lineup shifts before securing the musicians that recorded "Metal Health".

Durbin will release the debut album from his solo band, DURBIN, "The Beast Awakens", on February 12 via Frontiers Music Srl.

UXB Press has unearthed two Metallica rarities. In the first clip, Lars Ulrich calls in to Toronto radio station CHUM FM in late 1984. Listen below:

The second clip features Metallica playing "Whiplash" at the Concert Hall in Toronto on January 19, 1985. Says UXB Press: "W.A.S.P. were the headliners of this show, Armored Saint opened. You can tell by the audiences reaction on this recording which band most of them were there to see." ;)