In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, PAPA ROACH guitarist Jerry Horton was asked if he and his bandmates plan on releasing new music early next year. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're gonna have a new song before the [upcoming] tour. I can't exactly say when, but it'll be before the tour. And it's a banger."

Asked if PAPA ROACH is planning on putting out a full album or if the band will "drop songs here and there", Jerry said: "It's gonna be both, actually. We'll probably do song by song in a lead-up to putting out a record, but we're not gonna put the whole record out at once… Because we're our own label, basically, we don't have anybody telling us what to do. And I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but we're just gonna try it this way and see how it works. But, yeah, we'll do singles kind of like how things normally go and then kind of figure it out from there."

Regarding whether he is "a full-album kind of guy", Jerry said: "I like albums. But that's kind of old school, I guess, of me. I have a record collection and I still have CDs in the car and I do streaming stuff as well, but I still like to listen to a whole record."

Horton continued: "There's good to both ways of doing it. I think that because everybody's listening kind of in a mix environment, like a playlist type of environment, I think it's okay for us to explore different styles and sounds and kind of make it feel like a mix of things, but that then takes a little more work to make everything feel cohesive."

Asked if there will be any special guests on any of the new PAPA ROACH songs, Jerry said: "Not on this first [single], but we have talked about having a guest or two on a couple of the other ones… We've got some things in the works."

Last month, PAPA ROACH singer Jacoby Shaddix told "The Jasta Show" about his band's plans for new music: "We are the label now. So just this last go-around, we ended our contract with Better Noise Music, fulfilled our contract with them, and then we started taking meetings out there in the business. And we went and kind of met the wizard. And then I went and realized that I'm a fucking wizard. Come on — I'm a wizard. You can't be the only one. So then we realized we're gonna do this. We're gonna start our own label. So we get distributed through Warner ADA. And it's a label services, so we have a team of people that we access there, but then we also have our own team of people with our management and our independent staff that we hire as New Noize — marketing and social media and all that kind of stuff. And we've just built up something great together. And on this last album, 'Ego Trip', this was our first go as an independent. And we're on the heels of this thing now. We've had four No. 1s on rock radio, which, that blows my mind. We've been able to serve our fans up what they want and give give our people what they want. And that, to me, I'm like so fucking stoked. We just put the work in and we're seeing it happen. And now we're on the heels of that. We're promoting our song 'Leave A Light On'. And we're off the road right now, so now we're, like, 'All right, now it's time to pull the slingshot back.'"

He continued: "We've been getting in the studio for the last five months. I'd say probably about 10 days a month we're together. We'll go, write, create, step away, trip out on what we created and finetune it the next time. And now we've got seven or eight songs. And the first kind of go-around for us, we went in… 'Cause our current single, it's an acoustic song; it's very heartfelt. And we're, like, 'All right, let's flip the script. We need to go write the heaviest P-ROACH we possibly could ever write. Let's just go see what that sounds like. Let's go experiment in the studio.' And so we've done that a few times over, and some of the stuff that we're… We've drop tuned some of the stuff. We're messing with some of the tunings, which then adds even a heavier element to it. And you know I love heavy music. It's something that is in my blood as well. I'm a fan of many styles. And it just feels natural to wanna lean into that heavy sound for us right now. And I'm excited. I feel inspired about creating."

Regarding the possibility of collaborations on the new PAPA ROACH music, Jacoby said: "There's collabs that are gonna come together, but I think once we get to the end of the creative process, and then we look at the songs and we go, 'All right, what do we have as kind of like a body of work or what's gonna be the first single, and who can we get to collab on this or reimagine this song?'"

Shaddix also talked about how PAPA ROACH plans to promote its new music. He said: "Looking at this thing from not only an artist perspective, but as from a label exec perspective, it's exciting for me. It really takes my interest in what I'm creating to another level. Because after we get the art finished, it's like instantly I'm imagining in my mind, what could a video look like? Or what could a marketing campaign around this song look like? What are the pieces we can put together that make the song more than just it is, so we can just push it out into the world. And then once it's out, it's the world's. It's how do you make that those impacts? And we found a lot of different ways to do it. Social media has been a really big one for us. We pressed in really hard with that. And some of it, I'm just, like, 'Oh,' it's cringe and I hate it. And some of it I just do it and then I get to the other side of it, I'm, like, 'Actually, that was actually really cool.'"

PAPA ROACH recently united with eight-time Grammy Award winner Carrie Underwood on a new recording of the band's multi-format hit single "Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)". The official music video for the track — directed and filmed by Bryson Roatch and Jeff Johnson — was released in August.

PAPA ROACH will join forces with RISE AGAINST and special guest UNDEROATH to embark on the first North American legs of the "Rise Of The Roach" tour in the spring and fall of 2025,

PAPA ROACH are two-time Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling leaders in alternative hard rock music, who in 2025 will celebrate the 25th anniversary of their iconic album "Infest". PAPA ROACH are not unfamiliar with calling attention to mental health and have been doing so since the seminal release of their first hit-single "Last Resort". Since then, the band has gone on to create 10 studio albums, their most recent, "Ego Trip", on their own label New Noize Records. "Ego Trip" has garnered over 450 million global streams to date and has produced four No. 1 singles bringing the band's total to 26 career Top 10 hits, and 12 career No. 1s.

Photo credit: Bryson Roatch

Swedish high-energy rock 'n' roll royalty THE HELLACOPTERS have released the first single from their upcoming studio album "Overdriver", which will see the light of day on January 31, 2025, via Nuclear Blast Records. The aptly titled track "Leave A Mark" unites two styles that THE HELLACOPTERS have become known for over the course of their 30-year career — the full-blown guitar assault reminiscent of THE STOOGES and MC5 as well as the anthemic, hook-laden approach to rock 'n' roll, which is topped with a hint of melancholy.

Less than three years after their triumphant, chart-storming comeback record "Eyes Of Oblivion", which entered at No. 1 in their home country and at No. 3 in Germany, Sweden's most consistently great rock outfit is back with another banger of an album. "Overdriver" was recorded at Strawberry Studio and The Honk Palace and is the first HELLACOPTERS album entirely produced by Nicke Andersson. As you might expect from a HELLACOPTERS album, it's filled to the brim with roaring guitars and earth-shattering grooves, fist-raising energy and anthemic choruses, while keeping the variety richer than ever before. The striking cover for "Overdriver" was created by German illustrator Max Löffler.

Coinciding with today's single drop, a music video for "Leave A Mark" has been released. The video was directed and edited by Emil Klinta with whom the band has already worked on their most recent videos.

And since they're also celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2025, THE HELLACOPTERS will have a few more tricks up their sleeves to keep you boys and girls in line, so keep your eyes peeled! First off will be a run of "Overdriver" release shows in Scandinavia.

"Overdriver" track listing:

01. Token Apologies
02. Don't Let Me Bring You Down
03. (I Don't Wanna Be) Just A Memory
04. Wrong Face On
05. Soldier On
06. Doomsday Daydreams
07. Faraway Looks
08. Coming Down
09. Do You Feel Normal
10. The Stench
11. Leave A Mark

THE HELLACOPTERS released their eighth studio album, "Eyes Of Oblivion", on April 1, 2022. It marked the first full-length since the release of their temporary farewell record "Head Off" in 2008, which Nuclear Blast Records reissued in October 2024. "Eyes Of Oblivion" was met with massive acclaim from fans and media alike. Charting at No. 1 in Sweden, No. 3 in Germany, No. 6 in Finland, the band celebrated a triumphant return culminating in a show with the mighty IRON MAIDEN in Gothenburg in July 2022, and apart from their own string of shows, gigs with GHOST in Germany in June 2023. Eager to keep the rock flowing, February 16, 2024 saw THE HELLACOPTERS release not one, but two stunning versions of their classic "Grande Rock" album, which was originally released in 1999. "Grande Rock Revisited" included a remastered original version and a remixed and partially re-recorded version showing how the album could have sounded in a parallel universe with guitarist Dregen being in the band at the time. After making rock grande again, the group set sights on new material, debuting the phenomenal single "Stay With You" in May 2024 and releasing it as a limited seven-inch single via Lightning Records.

In a new interview with The Archive Of B-Sox, Ace Frehley was asked what keeps him going as a recording artist and performer after all these years. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've been playing guitar 60 [years]. I started when I was 13. I'm 73. Professionally I've been playing for around 60.

"I really enjoy performing," he explained. "I get so much pleasure out of making people happy, and when I perform and I get a good audience response, it makes my day. Plus, for an hour and a half, I give my fans a treat to see me perform live without any backing tracks or any of that nonsense that other people I've worked in the past have used. No names [mentioned]. And I just get out there and kick ass. And I've got a great band — I've got Scot Coogan on drums, Jeremy Asbrock on lead guitar vocals and Ryan Cook on bass. And the four of us just kick ass. We do new stuff, FREHLEY'S COMET stuff and we do KISS stuff. It's a well-rounded show, and I think the fans will be pleasantly surprised."

The original KISS guitarist is continuing to tour in support of his latest solo album, "10,000 Volts", which was released in February via MNRK Music Group (formerly eOne Music). The LP was produced by Ace and Steve Brown (TRIXTER).

Frehley recently revealed that his next release will be a third "Origins" volume, covering songs by artists who influenced him. He will once again work with Brown on the project, which is tentatively due in 2025.

Frehley, who co-founded KISS in 1973, left KISS twice — in 1982 and again in 2002.

When all four original KISS members concurrently released solo records in September 1978, Ace's LP was the most successful, yielding the top 20 single "New York Groove".

In 2016, Frehley collaborated Paul Stanley on a rendition of FREE's "Fire And Water". That track appeared on Frehley's covers LP "Origins Vol. 1", released that year.

After two decades of silence, Dry Kill Logic - the hard-hitting, genre-defying band known for their unique blend of nu-metal, hardcore, and metalcore sounds -have returned to the music scene in explosive fashion.





The group has announced their long-awaited return to live performance, with an appearance at the prestigious Welcome To Rockville 2025 festival, where they will play their first live show in 19 years on Sunday, May 18.




The band is also preparing the release of their highly anticipated new single, marking the first new material since their last release, "Don’t See Ghosts", in 2020.





A Legacy Reborn:


Formed in late 1994, Dry Kill Logic quickly established themselves as a force in the heavy music scene. Under their initial moniker of Hinge, the band garnered a dedicated fanbase with their aggressive sound and straightforward lyrics. Produced by Eddie Wohl (Primer 55, Ill Niño) and Rob Caggiano (Anthrax, Volbeat, Cradle of Filth), their 2001 debut album The Darker Side of Nonsense was an essential part of the alternative metal landscape, with tracks like “Nightmare” and “Rot” still echoing in the memories of fans worldwide. The band built their live show on worldwide tours and festivals alongside Fear Factory, Slayer, Killswitch Engage, Spineshank, Mastodon and many more.


In 2002 the band parted ways with Roadrunner Records and was joined by guitarist Jason Bozzi who took the bands signature sound to the next level. Once again with Wohl and Caggiano at the helm, the band released their sophomore album, The Dead and Dreaming on Repossession Records in the US and SPV Records globally.  Seamlessly traversing the lines of metalcore, post – hardcore and alternative metal the band stretched their wings, embracing melody, dynamics and more complex songwriting. Tracks like "Paper Tiger", "200 Years", "Neither Here nor Missed" and "With Deepest Regrets…" showcases the depth and character of the new lineup, as well as a newfound live ferocity after years of nonstop touring. Co-headline US tours with Nonpoint, Drowning Pool, and Hed PE followed, along with a slot on the inaugural 2005 Gigantour featuring Megadeth, Dream Theater and many others. The band wound down the album cycle with a run of headline shows in the US and shows supporting Disturbed and Corrosion of Conformity in the US.


In 2006, the group was joined by bassist Brendan Kane (100 Demons, A Thousand Falling Skies) and released both their live DVD The Magellan Complex and their third album, Of Vengeance and Violence. Produced by Wohl and Caggiano and mixed by legendary engineer Paul Orofino (Blue Oyster Cult, Bleeding Through, Ahmad Jamal), the band again evolved, pushing the limits of metalcore aggression with songs like "My Dying Heart", "Dead Man's Eyes" and "Boneyard". It was at this time the band found itself as a headline act across the US and Europe, returning twice in the year due to demand. The band also played its first shows in Australia as support for Fear Factory and DevilDriver.


Following a series of challenges within the ever-evolving dynamics of the music industry, the band went on hiatus in 2007. Despite sporadic rumors of a reunion, Dry Kill Logic remained silent, with fans wondering if they'd ever see the band return to the stage.


A New Chapter: The Return of Dry Kill Logic:


In 2018, the group surprised their fans by releasing "Vices", the ferocious first single from the group in 13 years. Produced by Greg Thomas (End, Misery Signals, Shai Hulud) the track was celebrated by fans worldwide as a triumphant return to form. In 2020 the band worked with Thomas and released "Don’t See Ghosts", a hauntingly relentless track filled with the group’s signature guitar work and pummeling breakdowns.


In 2025, Dry Kill Logic also plan to unveil a new single alongside a music video capturing the dark energy of the music. The new track blends their signature explosive riffs with atmospheric acoustic elements, creating an aggressive yet melodic experience. It's a declaration of intent—a bridge from the band's past to a bold future.


"We’ve been away for a while but have always enjoyed the process of creating new music together," says vocalist Cliff Rigano.  "Our new music is an accurate articulation of who we are individually and collectively, and we’re excited to share it with everyone.”


The Long-Awaited Return to the Stage: Welcome to Rockville:


Dry Kill Logic will also be making their triumphant return to the stage with a performance at Welcome to Rockville 2025, the biggest rock festival in the US. The band’s first live performance in almost 20 years is set to be a monumental moment in the history of the group, as they perform on the biggest stage of their career alongside other legendary acts from across the rock and metal spectrum.


"The excitement a

Burning Witches performed in Dallas, TX at Sundown at The Granada on November 10th. Fan-filmed video of the entire show can be viewed below.


Ssetlist:


"Unleash the Beast"
"Sea of Lies"
"Dance With the Devil"
"We Stand as One"
"Lucid Nightmare"
"Evil Witch"
"The Dark Tower"
"Necronomicon"
"Hexenhammer"
"Flight of the Valkyries"
"The Witch of the North"
"Burning Witches"
"Holy Diver"







Burning Witches bring back the vibe of 80s heavy metal and update their powerful force with renewed sonic clarity on their upcoming maxi-single, The Spell Of The Skull, set for release via Napalm Records on December 10. With screaming guitars, the Swiss band is back for a heavy metal blast session in the snow.


This time, they curse their audience with two new songs from their latest conjuring of witchcraft. Witchqueen Romana Kalkuhl hypnotizes your mind with her melodic riffs, while diabolic priestess Laura Guldemond conquers your soul with crowd pleasing shouts. Title track “The Spell Of The Skull” starts off with a short but mighty heavy guitar intro that perfectly sets up Laura’s powerful vocals, which especially shine in the chorus of the song, making it a true sing-a-long experience and creating an epic atmosphere pleasing every fan of heavy metal.


Only a few years after their foundation, these five witches had already performed at fully attended shows at the biggest and most important festivals of the entire metal universe, like Wacken, Summer Breeze and Rock Harz Open Air in Germany. After five attention-grabbing albums, Burning Witches prepare for another attack in 2025.


Guitarist Romana Kalkuhl on “The Spell Of The Skull”: “We are busy bees and in between all the shows we managed to write the first new songs with Courtney on guitar. We are so excited to present you some fresh music and this keeps us all entertained till the next album.  Working on this was such a blast, "The Spell of the Skull“ could be a new Witches anthem, what do you think?  Lean back and enjoy & get enchanted by your favorite Witches!"


Watch the official music video for “The Spell Of The Skull” below.





The Spell Of The Skull will be available in the following formats:


- 1LP Slipcase Solid Gold(strictly limited)
- 1LP Slipcase Solid Red (strictly limited)
- 1LP Slipcase Marbled Orange Red Black (strictly limited)
- Digital Single


Pre-order your copy here.





The Spell Of The Skull trackliisting:


"The Spell Of The Skull"
"Mirror, Mir

On October 25, AVENGED SEVENFOLD played a special throwback show featuring a setlist composed of songs from the band's breakout 2003 album, "Waking The Fallen", and its 2005 follow-up, "City Of Evil". Headlining the concert at Santa Ana, California's Observatory venue was the long-running Southern California hardcore punk band DEATH BY STEREO.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD's official video recap of the show can now be seen below.

In the spirit of Halloween, AVENGED SEVENFOLD vocalist M. Shadows appeared in a skeleton jumpsuit and skull makeup for the rarities-packed setlist, which saw the band perform some of the tracks for the first time in at least six years.

The setlist for the show was as follows:

01. To End The Rapture (first time since 2017)
02. Chapter Four (first time since 2018)
03. Burn It Down (first time since 2018)
04. Blinded In Chains
05. Remenissions (first time since 2016)
06. Seize The Day
07. Second Heartbeat (first time since 2018)
08. Desecrate Through Reverence (first time since 2004, first performance with Brooks Wackerman)
09. Unholy Confessions
10. Beast And The Harlot (first time since 2018; fans playing with band)
11. M.I.A. (first time since 2018)

Tickets to the show were made in August exclusively for members of the Deathbats Club, a next-generation fan club and community built around AVENGED SEVENFOLD, priced at $25 each (there was a two-ticket limit on orders).

AVENGED SEVENFOLD and DEATH BY STEREO have a long history together, having toured together two decades ago. In addition, AVENGED SEVENFOLD singer M. Shadows contributed guest vocals to two songs — "Entombed We Collide" and "This Is Not The End" — on DEATH BY STEREO's 2005 album "Death For Life".

This past June, AVENGED SEVENFOLD guitarist Zacky Vengeance told NME that he and his bandmates were making plans to celebrate the anniversaries of their albums "City Of Evil" and "Nightmare", which are turning 20 and 15 in 2025, respectively. He said: "I think those albums are really monumental and fans have grown with them. They've meant a certain thing to people at a certain place in their life, so I think it's important that we do something."

Explaining that he didn't want AVENGED SEVENFOLD to be a "nostalgia act", Vengeance added: "I've always wanted to be as proud of whatever we put out today as I was when we put out those albums." But, he said, "I'm totally cool with celebrating those albums because it was such a great place and time. Plus, it's actually fun to relive and play those songs and get those reactions. To bank our entire career off past successes, we can't do it, but we'll definitely do something to celebrate those albums though. For us, the most exciting thing about looking back is recalling where our heads were at when we were young and writing them. Remembering that they're part of who we are."

"City Of Evil", AVENGED SEVENFOLD's third album, produced the singles "Bat Country" and "Beast And The Harlot", while "Nightmare", the band's fifth studio LP, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in the United States. Both records have since been certified platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for shipments in excess of a million copies in the U.S. alone.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD has spent much of the past year and a half touring in support of its most recent album, 2023's "Life Is But A Dream…"

Setlist Waking The Fallen & City Of Evil Celebrating 25 years show Avenged Sevenfold at California in The Observatory Orange County 25th October 2024

Posted by A7x Videos on Saturday, October 26, 2024

Cabal have announced their second album, Everything Rots, with the new single, "End Times".


Everything Rots features 13 brand new tracks and shows once again what the hardest band in Denmark is built for - brutal deathcore. The album will be released on April 11 via Nuclear Blast Records.


Singer Andreas Bjulver comments: "'End Times' is our soundtrack to the end of the world, it's fast and aggressive and marks a new era of Cabal and the announcement of our next album, Everything Rots. We are back and we are angrier than ever."




Stream "End Times" here, and watch the video below.


Cabal has through the years proved themselves as one of the heaviest and most uncompromising metal acts hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark. The bands sound is visceral and destructive and aims to bring forth absolute chaos by drawing inspiration from everything from crushing death metal, contemporary metallic hardcore and metalcore to unnerving soundscapes and dark electronic music.


Since the release of  their first album in 2018 the band toured most of the planet, from Europe and North America to Japan and Australia, as well as renowned festivals like, Roskilde Festival, Copenhell, Summer Slaughter, Brutal Assault and many more, and they have no intention of slowing down. All of the above combined with features from some of the modern metal scenes most prominent names like; Matt Heafy from Trivium, Jamie Hails from Polaris and Joe Bad from Fit For An Autopsy, the band has shown the world that Denmark has something to offer when it comes to bone crushing heaviness.


The band are now gearing up for the release of their 4th studio album, Everything Rots. Everything Rots is the most focused and ferocious Cabal has ever sounded, while still expanding on the sound that fans expect from the band. Ear piercing electronic parts and unsettling soundscapes fuse together with bone-rattling riffs and uncompromising breakdowns to create a sonic attack on the senses that’s sure to please and surprise any fan of extreme heaviness. Just like instrumentals the lyrics are dark and direct as they detail the cyclical nature of depression, addiction and trauma, as they work through and detail deeply scarring life experiences and invite the listernes inside a dark world were everything everything rots and falls apart again and again and again.


Tracks like ’Still Cursed’ dives into the struggle of dealing with depression and feeling eternally cursed, while the title track is an anthem for the generations born into a world of crushing uncertainty, that feels like it could collapse around them at any time. "No Peace" describes the harrowing real life ordeal of finding a dying suicide victim in the streets of Copenhagen, and powerlessly watching the life drains from their eyes. "Unveiled" and "Forever Marked" deals with two sides of the same experience of having an abuser close to you. One describes the intense anger and feeling of betrayal, that comes from finding out that someone you considered family could commit such acts, while the other the feeling of guilt in knowing that this happened so close to you without you catching on to it.


The album will be released through Nuclear Blast in April and like a rabid hell hound on a chain, this album is foaming at the mouth to be released and unleash the rot upon the world.


Pre-order Everything Rots here.





Tracklisting:


"Become Nothing"
"Redemption Denied"
"Everything Rots"
"No Peace" (ft. Jamie of Viscera)
"Hell Hounds"
"Still Cursed" (ft. Aaron of Ten56)
"Unveiled" (ft. Matthi of Nasty)
"Forever Marked"

On December 13 internationally, Personal Records will issue August Moon's debut album, Something Eldritch And Macabre on CD format. Preorder at personal-records.com.


The origins of August Moon can be traced back to the year 1993, when a couple of Finnish pimple-faced heavy metal teenagers playing in a band called As Serenity Fades decided that there was more to explore in the metal universe and teamed up with likeminded good friends to form another band in parallel - basically, to get to play more and try out ideas not that suitable for the "main band" at the time. 


During this first short stint, lasting 1993-1994, August Moon recorded two demos, Rosegardens in 1993 followed by an untitled two-track demo in 1994, before splitting up with other life interests taking over. These demos were later released by The Crypt label in 2011 as part of the As Serenity Fades / August Moon - Earthborn / Lowering Sunset / Rosegardens split LP.




Come the year 2014 and August Moon started their second leg, now as manly men and in trio format, with bassist Mikko Sorja taking over the main vocal duties from drummer Tom Henriksson and guitarist Peter Viherkanto continuing with the songwriting. This time, it took 10 years to release anything. 


In 2024, August Moon finally started releasing the end results of their work with the self-produced four-song EP Something Eldritch Up In The Heavens Soon To Wreak Havoc Down On Earth, released in January and then followed up by the single "Summoning Of The Feathered Serpent" the following month. Unbeknownst to all but the band themselves, these five songs plus four more would soon comprise their debut album, Something EldritchAand Macabre.


Tellingly titled, Something Eldritch And Macabre is indeed a throwback to ancient times - again, this is authentically '90s-vintage Finnish melodic death metal before the term "melodic" became used & abused beyond belief - but one deceptively forward-thinking, if not "modern" in the non-pejorative sense. Right from the opening seconds of the album, August Moon literally explode with a flurry / fury of unorthodox yet totally metal ideas. 


From the righteously world-eating vocals to the strangely addicting organs working magick with the skewed-yet-still-linear riffing, from the complex-yet-catchy songwriting to the alternately raw / slicked-up production, nearly every element of Something Eldritch And Macabre walks its own weird path, but they all meet as a pentagram of powerful totality. 


Put another way, August Moon here reinvigorate all that the original melodic death metal scene of the '90s represented - and all that the modern iterations of the style are lacking today. Further, they carry on the unfinished business of their original formation by reestablishing the Finnish sound of that era, totally untouched, which is rare nowadays with newer releases. 


For those still pining for a logical through-point from Sentenced's North From Here to their all-time-classic Amok, look to Something Eldritch And Macabre. 





Tracklisting:


“In The Gallery Of All Things Macabre”
“Exitus”
“As Cataclysms Swept Across The Cities”
“Journey To Other-Worldly Realms And Beyond”
“Summoning Of The Feathered Serpent”
“Constellations Dislodged From The Night Sky”
“Oannes – He Who Emerged From The Sea�

Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the upcoming release of reissues of Brazen Abbot’s studio albums, Eye Of The Storm and Bad Religion, out on December 6.


"Wake Up Everybody" featuring Thomas Vikström and taken from the Eye Of The Storm album is available below. Pre-order Eye Of The Storm here, and Bad Religion here.


Talking about Eye Of The Storm, Nikolo Kotzev says: “Here’s the second Brazen Abbot album. As always - a labour of love with many memorable tracks. The great Joe Lynn Turner and the Europe guys gave it a special flavour. With this re-release Brazen Abbot comes to life once again! Enjoy!”




“Here’s the re-release of the third Brazen Abbot album. It saw the light of day in 1997, and now, almost 30 years later, it still shines bright as a sunny morning! As usual - brilliant singers and top notch musicians in this musical gem. Rock on!”, he adds in regards to Bad Religion.


Brazen Abbot was originally conceived as a studio project by Bulgarian guitarist, producer, and songwriter Nikolo Kotzev. The band has since performed live on several occasions, particularly in the early 2000’s.


A unique feature of Brazen Abbot is its use of multiple singers on each album. Göran Edman and Joe Lynn Turner have contributed with vocals on most of their records. Initially, Kotzev planned to work with a single vocalist, Göran Edman (ex-Malmsteen) but, due to contractual restrictions, he could only record two songs for the debut album. The “Voice of Rock” Glenn Hughes was then lined up to sing the remaining tracks, but similar issues limited him to three songs.


To complete the album, Thomas Vikström (Talk Of The Town and later on Therion) was brought in, and Kotzev was so satisfied with the outcome that he decided to continue the multi-singer approach for future albums. However, during live performances, Joe Lynn Turner (ex-Malmsteen, Rainbow, Deep Purple) usually handled all lead vocals.


Several Brazen Abbot members also participated in Kotzev’s rock opera Nostradamus (2001). During the rock opera’s development, Brazen Abbot was temporarily on hiatus. Former members of the band include Mic Michaeli, John Levén, and Ian Haugland, all of whom are also members of the legendary rock band Europe.


Eye Of The Storm is the second album from Brazen Abbot. Released originally in 1996 on the Japanese label Zero/JVC and shortly after by the German label USG Records, Eye Of The Storm sees the addition of the awesome singer Joe Lynn Turner to the line-up.


His influence is particularly evident on songs like “Twist Of Fate”, “Line Of Fire”, and “Road To Hell”, while the Europe influence can be found in “Wake Up Everybody”, with a great vocal performance from Thomas Vikström. Göran Edman also appears on lead vocals stamping his mark especially on the power-ballad “Everything's Gonna Be Allright”.


The album cemented the reputation that Brazen Abbot managed to achieve with their first album and offers a truly solid and brilliant melodic hard rock release for all the fans of the genre.


Bad Religion is Brazen Abbot’s third studio album, released in 1997 simultaneously by the Japanese label Zero/JVC and by the German label USG Records.


The record builds from where the previous album left off, offering a hard rock sound heavily influenced by Rainbow, Deep Purple, Yngwie Malmsteen, Whitesnake and of course Europe, with a slight symphonic edge which came from the mastermind’s Nikolo Kotzev classical training.


Bad Religion sees again three members of Europe in the lineup of musicians, while singers Joe Lynn Turner, Göran Edman and Thomas Vikström put their own stamp on some truly amazing hard rock belters.





Eye Of The Storm tracklisting:


"Eye Of The Storm" (Joe Lynn Turner, vocals)
"Twist Of Fate" (Joe Lynn Turner, vocals)
"Fool In Love" (Göran Edman, vocals)
"Line Of Fire" (Joe Lynn Turner, vocals)
"Wake Up Everybody" (Thomas Vikström, vocals)
"Everything's Gonna Be Allright" (Göran Edman, vocals)
"Common People" (Göran Edman, vocals)
"The Road To Hell" (Joe Lynn Turner, vocals)
"Restless In Seattle" (Göran Edman, vocals)
"Highway Cindy" (Thomas Vikström, vocals)
"Devil's Allegro" (instrumental)
"I'll Be There For You" (Göran Edman, vocals)


"Wake Up Everybody":





"Eye Of The Storm" feat. Joe Lynn Turner:








Bad Religion tracklisting:


"The Whole World's Crazyv (Joe Lynn Turner, vocals)
"Nightmares" (Thomas Vikström, vocals)    
"Two Of A Kind" (Göran Edman, vocals)
"I Will Rise Again" (Joe Lynn Turner, vocals)
"Day Of The Eagle" (Göran Edman, vocals)
"We Don't Talk Anymore" (Thomas Vikström, vocals)
"Wings Of A Dream" (Joe Lynn Turner, vocals)
"Bad Religion" (Göran Edman, vocals)
"Father To Child" (Thomas Vikström, vocals)
"Love Is On Our Side" (Joe Lynn Turner, vocals)
"The Empire Of The Sun" (Göran Edman, vocals)


"Bad Religion":

InsideOutMusic is excited to announce the signing of the Italian progressive metal band, Benthos. Alongside the signing announcement, the band has unleashed their new single, “Fossil”, which marks the first song from their upcoming album with InsideOutMusic. It will be Benthos’ second full length record and will be released in spring 2025.    


Stream/download “Fossil” here, and watch the video below.


Benthos is an experimental progressive metal band from Milan, Italy. Formed in 2018, the quintet gained recognition in the Italian metal scene by opening for The Contortionist in 2019 in their home country. Their debut album, II, released in 2021, is defined by its technical edge, complex rhythms, and heavy, dynamic guitar work balanced with serene, melodic interludes. Benthos’ live performances, described as hypnotic and chaotic, have taken them across Italy and Europe, including a notable appearance at Milan's Dissonance Festival in 2023. While working on their sophomore record, Benthos signed with label InsideOutMusic, which marks a significant milestone for the Italian band.




The band shares about the signing: “Signing with InsideOutMusic marks the start of an exciting new chapter for the Benthos family. This announcement symbolizes a monumental change, where our courage to break free from conventions brings a powerful sense of hope for our future. Now is the time to share our music with the world, with all the passion that has united us since the first moment we played together.”


Thomas Waber, label-head of InsideOutMusic, adds: "We are delighted to welcome Benthos to the InsideOutMusic family. Their modern and daring approach to music caught our attention and we are looking forward to developing this young ambitious band!”


Daring might be the perfect description for their first single with InsideOutMusic, “Fossil”. The immersive song delves into themes of memory, identity, and time. Anchored in the themes of Benthos’ upcoming record, “Fossil” draws on the idea that our present selves are intricately shaped by fragments of the past — fossilized memories embedded deep within our souls. Musically, Fossil is a whirlwind of chaotic, fuzzy tones with atmospheric, space-driven sections, mirroring the disorientation and clarity within the lyrics. Frenetic drumming and unpredictable guitar tones add to the sense of cyclical chaos, while moments of calm draw listeners into a surreal space where time seems to suspend. Shifting from organic vintage sounds to futuristic synthetic tones, Fossil exemplifies Benthos' no-holds-barred approach to music, where boundless creativity reigns.





The band share about the single “Fossil”: “Fossil is the most extravagant track we’ve ever created. A persuasive, energetic, dynamic and primordial journey where the instruments know no boundaries, projecting the listener into an abstract dimension that blends various soundscapes. The song delves into the confrontation between the

Metalhead Zone is reporting that Sebastian Bach has issued an apology after a series of Instagram posts hinted at possible issues in his marriage to Suzanne Le. The posts have since been deleted.


“I sincerely apologize for my posts on social media last night,” Bach wrote alongside a photo of himself with his wife. “I came home to an empty house and had a very strong emotional reaction to that. I am very sorry for posting anything when I am in serious pain. I apologize. I am just so in love with my wife; a world without her in it is very difficult to envision.”


Reflecting on his ten-year marriage, Bach added, “To be honest, when I am not with my wife, I get extremely jealous of anyone who is actually with her. I know that is a flaw, and I am sorry I am not perfect; that is for sure. When I am away from my wife, I get insecure because I love being in the same room as her more than anything in this world.”




He continued, “I would be very upset if anyone thought anything negative about my wife. That is not my intention in any way. It is my jealousy that caused these emotions. My love for Suzanne makes me very jealous, but that is my fault and my fault only.”


The post concluded with, “I love you, Suzanne & I hope you are well. I hope you allow me to love again.”


Read more at Metalhead Zone, and see Bach's post below:




 

 
 

 


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Earlier this month, Bach released a new video - his fifth from his current album Child Within The Man - for “Future of Youth” with special guest performer, singer, songwriter and guitarist, Orianthi. Watch the video for the musically explosive and lyrically unflinching single below.


"I am so excited to share this song and video with the world!,” says the singer, songwriter, author, Broadway star, and actor. “This collaboration with my friend Orianthi began many years ago. The song 'Future Of Youth' has always been very listenable to my ears due to the musicians involved and also the unbeatable combination of Elvis Baskette and Robert Ludwig. The chorus is something I could hear on the radio.”


In tribute to the song’s title, “Future Of Youth” features the Las Vegas Academy Of The Arts Choir from BACH’s recently adopted hometown of Las Vegas.


“To have the Las Vegas Academy Of The Arts Choir perform and sing in the video makes my heart pound with emotion,” Bach says, “because I fell in love with singing in my own church choir many, many years ago. It has always been a dream of mine to have an actual choir in one of my rock videos—to have one of the top choirs in the country rock out in 'Future of Youth' is exactly what the message of the song is about. The Future of Youth belongs to the Youth and no one else!”





Child Within The Man was recorded in Orlando, Florida; produced and mixed by Elvis Baskette; engineered by Jef Moll, assistant engineered by Josh Saldate; and mastered by Robert Ludwig/Gateway Mastering. Bach wrote or co-wrote all the album’s 11 tracks and sang all lead and backing vocals. Child Within The Man features guest appearances from John 5, Steve Stevens, and Orianthi - who all co-wrote their respective tracks with Bach - and two tracks co-written with Myles Kennedy (“What Do I Got To Lose?” and “To Live Again’); Devin Bronson on guitars, Todd Kerns (bass) and Jeremy Coulson (drums) round out the players on the album.


The album is available on CD (Jewelcase), cassette and double LP in a variety of color options. The album artwork holds special meaning since it was designed by Bach's father, noted visual artist David Bierk. “This album artwork was started in 1978 and finished in 2024!” Sebastian says.


Order/save the album here.





Child Within The Man tracklisting:


"Everybody Bleeds"
"Freedom" (featuring John 5)
"(Hold On) To The Dream"
"What Do I Got to Lose?"
"Hard Darkness"
"Future of Youth" (featuring Orianthi)
"Vendetta"
"F.U." (featuring Steve Stevens)
"Crucify Me"
"About To Break"
"To Live Again"


“Freedom”:





“(Hold On) To The Dream” video:





"Everybody Bleeds" video:





"What Do I Got To Lose?" video:

Following on from their #1 lockdown single “Get Up", Talia Dean and Brian May have collaborated again for "You Made Your Bed". 10% of proceeds, this year, will be donated to Crisis homelessness charity.


The track is a powerful post-break-up song with a new twist that will resonate with millions. The lyrics turn heartbreak into a powerful vision of the future, all overlaid on an irresistibly up-beat music track with unforgettable hooks.  


Talia's vocals are rich, empowering and fuelled with raw emotion as she belts out the lyrics, “You made your bed – now lie in it!”, with May’s period-style tremolo guitar licks providing responses to every chorus line.  He also takes a landmark 16 bar solo in the same style.




The tune is lively and irresistibly catchy - an uplifting pop song that instantly inspires us all to run faster, dance harder and sing out.


Talia Dean says: "I see this song as a firm reminder that the world is a huge place with a population of 8.2 billion. Nobody should never stay in a relationship with a person who treats you badly. Know your worth. It’s better to stay single than with a person who doesn’t respect you. No matter what age you are, where you are in the world, or what your situation is - it's NEVER too late to break free and strive for happiness. In recent times I’ve come to realise that I deserve love, attention and respect. I put up with toxic behaviour longer that I should have. I deserve to be with someone who cherishes me and so do you. Live your life and strive for true love. It’s defiantly out there.”


Bri

Although the echoes of the release of their acclaimed comeback album, Skinwalker, have not died down yet, The Eternal today unveils a new standalone single, “Everlasting – MMXXIV”.





The track is a reimagining and re-recording of their classic song “Everlasting,” originally featured on their Sleep Of Reason album. Years later, the upgraded version ‘‘Everlasting - MMXXIV’’ stands strong with its dark, brooding, gothic overtones and signature epic chorus lead by Mark Kelson’s unique and melodic vocal style. The track features strong rhythmic contributions from drummer Jan Rechberger (Amorphis) and bassist Niclas Etelävuori (ex-Amorphis, Flat Earth), and the energetic lead guitars of longtime guitarist, Richie Poate.




In a haunting exploration of change and impermanence, “Everlasting - MMXXIV’” reflects on personal transformation and the ephemeral nature of life. The song grapples with the shifting sands of existence, pondering who has evolved and who has been left behind. As they confront their own evolving self, they are haunted by the ghosts of past connections and memories that fade with time.


The Eternal will also be presenting a unique Dolby Atmos version of the song on Apple Music - an advanced audio technology which creates a three-dimensional sound experience.


Kelson elaborates, “It has been a great opportunity to re-record and reimagine this song with the current lineup of the band. I feel we have really taken this song much further than I could have nineteen years ago and it is fantastic to present this new version of ‘Everlasting’ in the Dolby Atmos format and give our fans the chance to have an immersive experience with The Eternal.”


Rechberger adds, “This song caught my ear already back in 2013 when The Eternal was supporting Amorphis on an Australian tour. I was super excited to re-record this epic song with the current lineup of The Eternal and could not be happier about the result. It's groovy, melancholic, catchy, heavy, massive, and Mark's vocals are packed with so much emotion on this one. It’s definitely a must listen for fans of The Eternal.”


Stream/download the single here, and watch the official lyric video below:

Jimmy Kay from Canada's The Metal Voice recently spoke to Impellitteri guitarist Chris Impellitteri and singer Rob Rock about the band's new album, War Machine. Watch the video below.


In the chat Chris Impellitteri explained their decision to name one of their new songs "Wrathchild".


Says Chris: "This is not Rob's fault, this is actually my fault because I gave him that lyric. So actually, where you say 'Wrathchild' and it's funny the way you pronounce it, is almost actually originally what it was going to be. Originally it was about Rothchild. What I thought of in a capitalistic society we're really driven unfortunately by greed, we want more more more more more. And I think we have this misconception, if you have a ton of money then you have power and with power you have influence, and to a lesser degree that's true. So I had this vision when I was writing it, believe it or not, about this child obsessed as he evolved in life with acquiring wealth, fortune and power, so he could rule the world. But then inevitably finding out that it's a shallow grave you're digging. There's going to be no self-fulfillment at the end, it ends badly for you. And at that point something magical happens and all of a sudden this child is able to put the wrath upon those forces. Greed, power, manipulation whatever... And I thought, 'oh that's cool it's the wrath of this child back on those forces of capitalism.' So I said, 'oh that'd be great', but I was like, 'you can't call it 'Wrathchild' it's a Maiden song right?' So I knew that but I remember telling Rob, maybe we should change to Rothchild right, because like you know the Vanderbilts, Carnegies, Rothchild whatever... I thought that'd be cool but then I thought, you know screw that, let's call it 'Wrathchild' because also I'm a huge fan of Maiden and I think in a some way, in a weird way, it's an ultimate kind of like homage or tribute cause we love Maiden."







Impellitteri's War Machine is out now via Frontiers Music Srl.


With legions of fans worldwide, Impellitteri is known for exciting music, addictive riffs, and mesmerizing melodies. New album War Machine features guitar hero Chris Impellitteri’s guitar virtuosity and lead singer Rob Rock’s vocal range powered by the incredible rhythmic foundation of bassist James Pulli, and former Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph.


With War Machine, the Impellitteri band presents a mind-blowing, highly energetic, and thrilling new musical adventure.


Order War Machine here.





Tracklisting:


"War Machine"
"Out Of My Mind (Heavy Metal)"
"Superkingdom"
"Wrathchild"
"What Lies Beneath"
"Hell On Earth"
"Power Grab"
"Beware The Hunter"
"Light It Up"
"Gone Insane"
"Just Another Day"


"Wrathchild" video:

According to Billboard, MEGADETH's Dave Mustaine has agreed to pay his former manager $1.4 million to end the litigation over accusations the band still owed commissions after the manager was "unceremoniously" fired.

In his June 2023 lawsuit, which has been obtained by BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Cory Brennan and his Five B Artist Management claimed that they were approached by Mustaine in late 2014 to manage the MEGADETH leader's career "and get it back on track. Mustaine and Brennan had a preexisting friendship from when Brennan was the General Manager of Sanctuary Records, which had released three successful records for Mustaine and MEGADETH. Over a few phone calls and an in-person meeting, Mustaine and Brennan agreed that Brennan and 5B would manage Mustaine's career in exchange for a 15 percent commission on all gross proceeds earned by Mustaine and his entities from products released during Plaintiffs' management term (songs, albums, merchandise, etc.),and all contracts executed or substantially negotiated during the management term, regardless of when those proceeds were received," the lawsuit stated. "Mustaine also agreed to reimburse Brennan and 5B for all customary costs they incurred to render their management services, including travel and other management-related expenses.

"Under the Agreement, Plaintiffs began managing Mustaine's career in early 2015," the lawsuit continued. "Plaintiffs successfully managed Mustaine's career for the next nine years, and helped re-establish his band, MEGADETH, as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Plaintiffs worked tirelessly as Mustaine's manager during that time, helping him with his personal struggles, looking out for his health and well-being at home and on the road, protecting him from bad influences, managing his personal and professional conflicts, and guiding him creatively to produce some of his best music. Plaintiffs were available to Mustaine 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During Plaintiffs' management, the band won its first Grammy, released two of its highest charting records, and saw its demand rise from playing small clubs to arenas and amphitheaters all over the world. Plaintiffs' role in this success cannot be disputed. As recently as December 2022, after Brennan helped advise Mustaine and his booking agents in building a lucrative summer and fall tour schedule, Mustaine wrote to Brennan: 'Excellent work Cory! No one can manage as successfully and professionally as you.'

"Despite this success and their long-term relationship, on April 28, 2023, Mustaine, through his lawyer, unexpectedly and unceremoniously terminated Plaintiffs, stating no reason for the termination," the lawsuit added. "On information and belief, the decision was made to help send business to Mustaine's son, who has been trying to build a career in artist management. The letter also wrongly asserted that, from its date forward, Plaintiffs would have no right to collect any commissions in connection with the products released and contracts entered into or substantially negotiated before the termination."

In a statement to Billboard on Wednesday, Brennan's attorney, Howard King, said that while his client was "displeased at having to sue an artist," he was “gratified" by the settlement payment.

"Dave Mustaine, who has a known history of firing advisors, terminated Five B Artist Management after 9 years of their having resurrected his failing career," King said. "Ignoring the success Five B had helped Dave achieve, including a campaign to help him win his first Grammy, the release of two hit albums, and the elevation of his touring from small clubs back to arenas and amphitheaters, Dave simply refused to pay commissions owing and forced 5B to file a lawsuit."

Still unresolved is the countersuit Mustaine filed against Brennan last year, in which the MEGADETH frontman accused his former manager of "continuous and repeated management failures throughout their professional relationship with Mustaine and MEGADETH. These failures — the result of [Brennan and Five B's] conflicts of interest, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty — have, in addition to their monetary injuries, dealt serious blows to MEGADETH's reputation and even David Mustaine's physical health," the cross-complaint, which has also been obtained by BLABBERMOUTH.NET, reads. "Far from an alleged 'successful nine-year relationship' that helped guide MEGADETH back to prominence and success, as [Brennan and Five B] assert, [Brennan and Five B's] management was inattentive and careless, plagued with missteps and mistakes that were at best amateurish and unprofessional, and at worst dangerous and harmful. This mismanagement pervaded all aspects of [Brennan and Five B's] representation; months after firing Brennan for his managerial failures, [Mustaine and MEGADETH] are still discovering and attempting to resolve problems created by Brennan and 5B."

Citing one example of how "the health of Mustaine and the MEGADETH crew was jeopardized and indeed harmed by Brennan and 5B's mismanagement," Mustaine's attorney wrote in the cross-complaint: "In 2023, MEGADETH was scheduled to perform in Australia at Knotfest, a music festival created by the heavy metal band SLIPKNOT, whose manager was Brennan. Before MEGADETH performed, Brennan was notified that the stage lacked the 21 feet of stage space between the front edge of the drum riser and Mustaine's microphone — the distance required for Mustaine to perform safely without damaging his hearing. Instead, the stage at Knotfest Australia only had approximately twelve feet between the drum riser front edge and the microphone — over nine feet less than was safely required. Brennan was already aware of the necessity of this stage space, as it was specified in the band's rider.

"In an attempt to resolve this problem and perform safely, [Mustaine and MEGADETH] asked Brennan to move SLIPKNOT's production back to allow for more space on the stage. Brennan refused.

"After performing two nights with this limited and unsafe stage space, Mustaine's hearing sustained damage, requiring medical attention from Australian paramedics. This injury has caused significant harm to Mustaine's hearing; he continues to suffer hearing loss, and is in the process of seeking further treatment."

According to Mustaine's complaint, Brennan and Five B "also failed to pursue revenues that were owed to Mustaine. In 2017, Mustaine informed [Brennan and Five B] that he intended to pursue his interest in songwriting credit and royalties for songs that he wrote or co-wrote as a member of METALLICA, and for which he was owed royalties. [Five B] participated in discussions with Mustaine regarding these credits and royalties, and were aware that they were responsible for pursuing this matter to ensure that Mustaine was appropriately credited and compensated for his work, they failed to do so. After broaching the topic in 2017, they never received any updates on the matter. Instead, upon information and belief, [Five B] simply failed to act. Through their inaction, [Five B] failed to appropriately pursue or protect [Mustaine's] interests."

MEGADETH recently completed the "Destroy All Enemies" U.S. tour with MUDVAYNE and ALL THAT REMAINS.

Launched on August 2 at Walmart AMP, Rogers, Arkansas, the trek, produced by Live Nation, hit 33 cities, including Las Vegas, Boston and St. Louis, before wrapping up on September 28 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Since its inception in 1983, MEGADETH has ascended from its raw thrash metal roots to become one of the biggest bands in the heavy metal world. Their groundbreaking album "Rust In Peace", released in 1990, is frequently cited as a seminal work in the thrash metal genre. Along with the critically acclaimed "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?", it cemented MEGADETH's place in the annals of metal history.

Over four decades, the band's discography has earned numerous certifications, including platinum and multi-platinum awards, with albums like "Countdown To Extinction" and "Youthanasia" achieving widespread critical acclaim. 2016's "Dystopia" not only marked a high point with their first Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" after twelve nominations but also set the stage for their latest LP, "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" in 2022.

DIRKSCHNEIDER, the band featuring former ACCEPT members Udo Dirkschneider (vocals) and Peter Baltes (bass),along with drummer Sven Dirkschneider (Udo's son) and the talented guitar duo of Andrey Smirnov and Fabian "Dee" Dammers, celebrated the 40th anniversary of "Balls To The Wall", which was originally released in late 1983 and is the most commercially successful and best-known album by ACCEPT, by performing the LP in its entirety at the Rock Al Parque festival on November 9 at Parque Simón Bolívar in Bogota, Colombia. Professionally filmed video of the concert is available below.

The full setlist was as follows:

01. Balls To The Wall (ACCEPT song)
02. London Leatherboys (ACCEPT song)
03. Fight It Back (ACCEPT song)
04. Head Over Heels (ACCEPT song)
05. Losing More Than You've Ever Had (ACCEPT song)
06. Love Child (ACCEPT song)
07. Turn Me On (ACCEPT song)
08. Losers And Winners (ACCEPT song)
09. Guardian Of The Night (ACCEPT song)
10. Winter Dreams (ACCEPT song)
11. Fast As A Shark (ACCEPT song)

In a recent interview with Eric Blair of The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show, Udo spoke about his plan to celebrate the 40th anniversary of "Balls To The Wall". He said: "I think next year we make a break with U.D.O., and now we start in November in South America, the 40-years anniversary of the 'Balls To The Wall' album. And that means I think we continue until the end of next year. I mean, there's already booking stuff. and it goes very well. So that means, of course, I play the whole 'Balls To The Wall' album. And I'm really looking forward to this. Also now I have Peter [Baltes, former ACCEPT bassist, playing] with me."

Asked what he loves about playing with Peter again, Udo said: "[It's] fantastic. We have a really good relationship. So when he left ACCEPT in 2018, we were working together on an album with the German army, a classic album. We were writing songs together, and that was the first time we were working together again. And then the problem came for [U.D.O.] when we had this 'Game Over' tour in Europe. The other bass player that we had at this time felt very sick. And then for me it was, like, 'Hmm, hmm. What am I doing? I need a bass player who can do everything very quick.' I was calling Peter. I asked him, 'Can you help us on this tour?' And then, I think in South America, the bass player that we had before, he said, 'Yeah, I don't wanna do it anymore. I'm out of U.D.O.' And then we were sitting there in a restaurant, and I said, 'Oh, no. We have to look for a new bass player.' And Peter said, 'Maybe I would love to join U.D.O.' So here we go. And it's good. I mean, I'm really looking forward also to work with him on the next U.D.O. album."

Nine years ago — in 2015 — Udo announced that he would embark on a special tour during which he would perform ACCEPT songs one last time under the DIRKSCHNEIDER banner before closing that chapter for good. Since then, the former ACCEPT frontman has continued to play ACCEPT material at select shows, including at the September 18, 2020 U.D.O. concert in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, which was released on DVD and Blu-ray.

When he first announced the original DIRKSCHNEIDER tour in 2015, Udo said that had "to make a clear break for myself — close the book and this is it. And I have the problem that people come to me and ask me to play more ACCEPT songs," he explained. "Other people ask me why I play ACCEPT songs at all, because there are [more than] fifteen U.D.O. records. I want to avoid such things and avoid the repeating questions concerning ACCEPT. I just can't stand that anymore. There is nothing more to be said. U.D.O. exists longer than ACCEPT. We have more records than ACCEPT."

While acknowledging that some ACCEPT fans want to hear the band's classic songs performed by the group's original singer, Dirkschneider explained that "you always have these comparisons [between how these songs are played by ACCEPT and U.D.O.]. I don't want this anymore either. [The current lineup of ACCEPT] also play 'Metal Heart', they play 'Balls To The Wall' and 'Princess Of The Dawn'. And then some people tell me, 'Oh, [current ACCEPT singer Mark Tornillo] is doing it better than you.' And I go, 'That's fine. Enjoy yourself.' But I don't want this anymore. And to avoid all of this in the future, I said, 'We are doing this one more time.'"

Dirkschneider said that his vow to never play ACCEPT material again came with one caveat. "If the band ACCEPT dissolves one day in the near future and I am still around with U.D.O., then there is a chance that I put ACCEPT songs back in the setlist," he said. "But currently there is ACCEPT, so go see them [if you want to see those songs performed live]. They are playing these songs."

Udo previously said the original plan was for DIRKSCHNEIDER to only "a few shows," and "then [the tour] got bigger and bigger [due to demand]." But, he added, "I don't want to complain about that."

Back in 2018, ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann declined to comment on Dirkschneider's decision to embark on one final tour during which the singer would perform nothing but ACCEPT songs. "I have lots of thoughts about that, but I'm not gonna share 'em with you," he told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". "I'd rather not comment on that, because that seems so much 'back and forth,' and I think I should stay away from it… You can draw your own conclusions all day long, but I'm not gonna get into it; it's just not worth it.

"I get asked [about Udo] so many times, and, man, it's been so many years — it's such an old story by now," Wolf continued. "We've moved on way past that, and we've had [15] brilliant years [with Mark Tornillo], we're making cool albums; I think we're doing fine. So I don't spend any time thinking about it.

"I'm very proud of the history we have together and all that, but I'm just not gonna get into the current 'he said, she said' whatever — it's not worth it," Hoffmann concluded.

San Francisco Bay Area metal titans MACHINE HEAD have released a new single, "These Scars Won't Define Us". The official lyric video for the track, which features guest appearances by the other three bands which will accompany MACHINE HEAD on the Robb Flynn-fronted outfit's spring 2025 North American tour — Swedish metal icons IN FLAMES, Italian alt-metallers LACUNA COIL and American metalcore maestros UNEARTH — can be seen below.

The five-week jaunt will begin on April 5, 2025 in Oakland, California at the legendary Fox Theater, then heads south for a stop at Sick New World festival, then east, and back across Canada, before concluding on May 10 in Kelowna, British Columbia.

"These Scars Won't Define Us" is taken from MACHINE HEAD's upcoming album, which is slated for an April 2025 release.

MACHINE HEAD's current lineup includes former HAVOK guitarist Reece Alan Scruggs. Scruggs stepped in for MACHINE HEAD's previous guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka, who had been unable to make some of the group's dates due to his touring commitments with his longtime band DECAPITATED.

Reece made his live debut with MACHINE HEAD in November 2022 at Strummer's in Fresno, California at the opening show of the "Electric Happy Hour (Live)" tour.

Vogg joined MACHINE HEAD's touring lineup prior to the launch of the band's "Burn My Eyes" 25th-anniversary tour in late 2019.

The rest of MACHINE HEAD's lineup consists of guitarist/vocalist Robb Flynn, bassist Jared MacEachern and British drummer Matt Alston (DEVILMENT, EASTERN FRONT).

Earlier this year, MACHINE HEAD completed the "Slaughter The Martour" North American tour with support from L.A.'s FEAR FACTORY, Sweden's ORBIT CULTURE and Louisville, Kentucky's GATES TO HELL.

MACHINE HEAD has been touring in support of its latest album, "Of Kingdom And Crown", which came out in August 2022. The follow-up to 2018's "Catharsis" includes the three songs that were featured on the 2021 "Arrows In Words From The Sky" single: "Become The Firestorm", "Rotten" and "Arrows In Words From The Sky". Much of the latest MACHINE HEAD album was recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with engineer/producer Zack Ohren.

In November 2020, MACHINE HEAD released a single, "My Hands Are Empty", via Nuclear Blast. The song marked the first musical collaboration between frontman Robb Flynn and original "Burn My Eyes" guitarist Logan Mader in 24 years.

"My Hands Are Empty" was just one in a line of singles to be released by MACHINE HEAD, which issued "Do Or Die" in October 2019, "Circle The Drain" in February 2020, and the two-song digital single "Civil Unrest", consisting of "Stop The Bleeding" and "Bulletproof", in June 2020. "Stop The Bleeding" featured guest vocals from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, and was written and recorded just days after the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.

Photo credit: Jeremy Saffer

Rolling Stone is reporting that a new lawsuit alleges members of the legendary progressive rock band, YES, used a composition stolen from fellow prog-rock musician, Riz Story, as the basis for "Dare To Know", the second single off the band's 2021 album, The Quest.


The copyright infringement complaint, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles and obtained by Rolling Stone, alleges Jon Davison, the lead singer of YES since 2012, conspired with guitarist Steve Howe to pilfer protected portions from a song titled “Reunion”. While “Reunion” hasn’t been released as a standalone song, it was featured in A Winter Rose, Story’s 2014 indie movie starring Paul Sorvino, Billy Zane, Taryn Manning, and Edward Furlong.


Story, whose legal name is Rudolph Zahler, alleges Davison was familiar with his music because they met in 1990 through late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins and have worked together on-and-off for decades. According to Zahler, he, Davison, and Hawkins played together in the first version of his prog-rock band Anyone when they were in their early twenties.




Zahler alleges he helped Davison audition for his role in YES and that Davison asked him to co-write songs for YES in 2013. He claims Davison even agreed to pitch Zahler for a prod

Norwegian black metal outfit Old Man's Child, led by former Dimmu Borgir guitarist Galder, have shared a lyric video for "Enslaved And Condemned", taken fromn their 2005 album, Vermin. Check it out below.





Old Man's Child recently announced their first live performance since 2000. The band have confirmed their appearance at the 2025 edition of Oslo, Norway's Tons Of Rock festival, taking place June 25 - 28. Other acts on the bill include Emperor, Powerwolf, Alestorm, Jinjer, and more. Tickets here.







A day after Dimmu Borgir headlined the main stage at Dynamo Metal Fest in Eindhoven, Netherlands on August 17,

Norwegian avant-garde metal legends In The Woods... have penned their signatures under a multi-album deal with Prophecy Productions. 


In The Woods...  will release their upcoming new studio album via the label in 2025.


In The Woods... comment: "We are honored to announce our signing with Prophecy Productions, a label that we have felt connected to for many years already", drummer Anders Kobro states on behalf of the band. "Our paths have crossed before in the past, and it feels natural that our journey has ultimately led us to join forces again. 




“Prophecy Productions' dedication to supporting visionary artists resonates deeply with our own commitment to crafting immersive, atmospheric music that reflects the landscapes and spirit of our homeland around Kristiansand. We are looking forward to bring our new release and future creations to listeners worldwide together with the label, and to share the profound connection between nature, art, and the human spirit. This partnership feels like a homecoming, and we are excited about what lies ahead."


In The Woods... are preparing for the launch of their forthcoming new album, which promises to reflect the strength and artistic maturity of the band’s third incarnation. This re

11-year-old guitarist Maya Neelakantan from Chennai, India, who has gone viral for her "America's Got Talent" audition, joined EXODUS on stage on Monday, November 4 at the House Of Blues in Orlando, Florida to perform the EXODUS song "Brain Dead". Fan-filmed video of her appearance can be seen below.

This past August, Neelakantan went viral again for her rendition of METALLICA's "Master Of Puppets" at the "America's Got Talent" quarterfinals. The young guitarist had previously covered PAPA ROACH's "Last Resort" in front of a packed live audience at the "America's Got Talent" auditions.

Maya recently hung out with SLAYER and EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt. In addition, TOOL guitarist Adam Jones gifted her one of his own signature Gibson Les Pauls after coming across her rendition of TOOL's 16-minute masterpiece "7empest". In 2023 she went viral after playing a mashup of 22 TOOL songs all in one take.

"I have been listening to SLAYER, METALLICA, SLIPKNOT, EXODUS and LAMB OF GOD ever since I was two years old," she said. "I loved thrash metal because of how energetic it sounded. Every time it was playing, I always jumped up and down."

As for how she envisions her own music, Maya said: "My dream is to create a genre of my own. Something that merges all of my musical interests together. It'll be a combination of extreme thrash metal and intricate Carnatic music in its traditional form. And it will be something as crafted as TOOL music."

In September, Maya joined TESTAMENT on stage at the House Of Blues in Las Vegas, Nevada to perform the TESTAMENT song "Curse Of The Legions Of Death (C.O.T.L.O.D.)".