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4 июл 2024
THIRTEEN GOATS Release “Murder Lives In The Heart” Music Video
 Capricorn Rising is the upcoming concept album and extreme metal rock opera from Thirteen Goats, which will be released for metalheads around the world next month. Is it thrash? Death? Groove? Thirteen Goats don’t care, and neither should you. This Vancouver four-piece tramples all over subgenre conventions to create an alchemical style of infernal riffs, huge hooks, and uniquely theatrical songwriting.
They have a music video out now for the single “Murder Lives in the Heart”, which lead vocalist and guitarist Graham K. Miles comments on:
“The song is about the nature of vengeance. Vengeance feels good when you’ve been wronged. But just because something feels good, that doesn’t make it right.
“I wrote the song after getting my heart broken, to remind myself that the pain would make me a monster if I let it. In the story we’re telling on the record, our main character Shepherd experiences that when he loses his faith in humanity and sells his soul to become the Antichrist.
“The video explores the same theme from a different perspective. It’s about three women who murder the members of the band one by one and reanimate them into zombies. Their reasons are never shown, but we get a strong sense that they feel justified in what they’re doing.
“Whether it’s right or wrong is left up to the audience. We’re not here to tell you when revenge is okay or not—but we want to show that it always has a spiritual cost.”
It’s been two years since the release of their debut, Servants Of The Outer Dark, and the band has worked their asses off to bring everything fans loved about that record back with a vengeance—the frenzied fretwork, the humongous hooks, and the subtly humorous lyrics that mask much darker and more serious subjects. Two songs (including this one) also feature guest vocals by Carly Ellen Jones. Thirteen Goats is recommended for fans of Carcass, Lamb of God, and Mastodon.
Due out on July 12, 2024, Capricorn Rising is available from Exitus Stratagem Records for album preorder at exsrmusic.com.
Tracklisting:
“Sign Of The Goat”
“Murder Lives In The Heart”
“A Wolf In Shepherd’s Clothing”
“Global Fuckup”
“Beheading Zoo”
“Permission To Die”
“Beating The Disease”
“Goats Of War”
“Animal Kingdom”
"Murder Lives In The Heart":
"Sign Of The Goat" video:
In additional news, following their performance at this year's Armstrong Metal Fest (July 12/13), Vancouver's Thirteen Goats will be hitting the road this month and August for their first Western Canadian tour. They will be co-headlining the Planet Of The Goats Tour with Edmonton's Fall Of Earth.
Dates:
July
19 – Red Deer, AB - The Vat
20 - Edmonton, AB - Starlite Room
21 - Lloydminster, SK - The Sticks
23 - Brandon, MB - Eastside Eatery
24 - Winnipeg, MB - Bulldog Event Center
25 - Regina, SK - The Exchange
26 - Lethbridge, The Slice
27 - Calgary - Rec Room
31 - Kelowna, BC – Revelry
August
1 – Kamloops, BC – The Blue Grotto
2 – Penticton, BC – Clancy’s
3 – Vancouver, BC – The Fox Cabaret
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4 июл 2024
METALLICA Share Official Live Video For "Am I Evil?" Featuring DIAMOND HEAD's BRIAN TATLER
 During Metallica's performance at the Tons Of Rock festival in Oslo, Norway on June 26, the band were joined on stage by Diamond Head guitarist Brian Tatler for a performance of his band's classic song, "Am I Evil?" Metallica have released the official live video of the performance, which can be viewed below.
Metallica famously covered Diamond Head's "Am I Evil?" for the B-side of their "Creeping Death" single in 1984. The song was later featured on Metallica's covers album, Garage Inc., released in 1998.
"Relive the June 26 concert from Tons Of Rock with the ultimate souvenir... an official live audio recording on CD," states a recent message from Metallica. "The show is available now for pre-order in the Met Store and includes an extra heavy version of “Am I Evil?” featuring the amazing Brian Tatler from Diamond Head. Thanks again for an amazing show in Oslo. We hope to see you all again soon!"
Pre-order here. Expected availability is August 30.
Setlist:
"Whiplash"
"Creeping Death"
"For Whom the Bell Tolls"
"Enter Sandman"
"72 Seasons"
"If Darkness Had a Son"
"Fade to Black"
"Shadows Follow"
"Am I Evil?" (Diamond Head cover with Brian Tatler)
"Nothing Else Matters"
"Sad but True"
"Lux Æterna"
"Seek & Destroy"
"One"
"Master of Puppets"
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4 июл 2024
THE SPIRIT Announce Songs Against Humanity Album; First Single “Spectres Of Terror” Streaming
 Revered German blackened death battalion The Spirit has announced the impending release of their fourth album, Songs Against Humanity, on October 25 with AOP Records. The record follows the band's critically, chart breaching 2022 album, Of Clarity And Galactic Structures, and marks the anticipated next chapter in their celebrated career of masterful brutality.
Today, The Spirit has revealed the record's first single, "Spectres Of Terror", an epic, blistering track that will undoubtedly whip the pit and airwaves.
Commenting on the song guitarist/vocalist Matthias Trautes says:
"It's the first time, that we had trouble to decide what song we want to release first, because they are all so strong. We ended up with ‘Spectres Of Terror’. A fast track that will most likely become a real banger at future live shows."
Available Formats:
Limited coloured vinyl in Trifold Jacket with exclusive bonus track & poster
- lim. 99 Blue marbled (The Spirit exclusive)
- lim. 199 Clear with Iridescent Blue (The Spirit & AOP Records exclusive)
- lim. 99 Bleach marbled (AOP Records exclusive)
- lim. 199 Olivegreen/Bronze with Black splatter (AOP Records exclusive)
- lim. 99 Green against Black (Napalm Records exclusive)
- Gatefold LP (without bonus track)
- Jewelcase CD
Preorder here.
Tracklisting:
“Against Humanity”
“Room 101”
“Cosmic Rain And Human Dust”
“Spectres Of Terror”
“Death Is My Salvation”
“Nothingness Forever”
“Orbiting Sol IV”
“Spectres Of Terror”:
The Spirit is:
Matthias Trautes, Guitar/Vocals
Manuel Steitz, Drums
Stanley Robertson, Guitar (Live)
Linus Klausenitzer, Bass (Live) | +1 | |
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4 июл 2024
STRYPER's MICHAEL SWEET: 'As Long As You're Performing Live And Using' Backing 'Tracks Sparingly, It's Totally Fine'
 STRYPER's Michael Sweet has once again weighed in on bands who rely heavily on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances.
In recent years, more and more artists have been given a pass for relying on pre-recorded tracks, drum triggers and other assorted technology that makes concerts more synthetic but also more consistent. For better or worse, pre-recorded tracks are becoming increasingly common for touring artists of all levels and genres and they're not just used in pop music — many rock artists utilize playback tracks to varying degrees.
Sweet addressed rock bands who use pre-recorded tracks in a social media post earlier today (Tuesday, July 2). He wrote: "It's a bit odd when bands speak out against tracks when they actually use tracks isn't it?
"The truth is many bands use tracks. Even if you think they don't. Most musicians can hear when tracks are being used verses when they're not. What's really odd is when some people say adamantly that it's live when tracks are actually running.
"We've always used some tracks," he continued. "I've always spoken about that and been pretty transparent about it. We also don't rely on tracks. We can still play if our computer goes down or gets lost. We certainly wouldn't cancel any shows based on that. We have 2 guitar players in the band and we have 3 vocals going live at all times, on all songs. We only use tracks (very limited) for certain songs. Songs like Yahweh, Honestly and so on. Songs that have huge production with choir like choruses and or keys/piano. We don't typically travel with a keyboardist or a choir;-)
"QUEEN was using tracks back in the 70's to pull off songs like 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Can you imagine if they tried to perform such an epic song with just 4 guys? It probably would have sounded nothing like the recording."
Sweet added: "Regardless, it seems to be quite the controversial topic these days but I think there's a lot of miscommunication and confusion based on the subject. Some saying 'if it's not 100% live then you're talentless and a joke'. Really? Some bands have much bigger productions than other bands and I think it's perfectly acceptable and respectable to use a few tracks here and there to make the same statement live as you did in the studio. As long as you're performing live and using tracks sparingly, it's totally fine.
"To the guys out there who disrespect any band for using tracks - some of your favorite bands do! And have done so for years. That doesn't make them any less of a band. If they're miming and faking it completely (often the term 'Milli Vanilli' is used) and or didn't even play on the recordings and or can't play the parts recorded, then I get the frustration. I just think it's a dead horse that some people so often beat".
Michael previously offered his opinion on the use of backing tracks in a 2019 interview with MA Entertainment Global. At the time, he said: "I'm going to be honest — we do use some [backing] tracks on a few songs like 'Yahweh', [where] we have these big vocals to start the song and we have these big choruses that [sound] like a choir," Sweet said. "We still sing, always. We never, ever go up and lip sync and fake it. We're always singing on stage, but we do have some tracks that help us. Another song is 'God', which isn't in the set right now. We have a track on 'Honestly', because that's a piano ballad and we don't travel with a keyboard player these days. Things like that.
"I try to be open and honest, and I don't want people thinking that we're not using those if we are," Sweet continued. "I come from the school of, 'It's okay if it's done right.' In other words, if it's there to enhance what's already there, or if you've got some huge production... I'm okay with that. I'm okay when it's done right and it's limited, just to enhance certain things on certain songs. But when you have bands that go out and literally it's every song, and they're up there and they're not even singing the background vocals — because there are bands that do that. They're up there mouthing it, and then you get into the mouthing of the lead vocals on every song, and you're thinking, 'Man, there has to be a line that's drawn.' You've got to be real cautious of that, or it's not live — you're not giving people a live experience."
Even with the backing tracks, Sweet believes that STRYPER's concert performances are "live." "I would go out on a limb and say that we're in the category of one of the most live bands that you'll see now," he said. "Like I said, we've got a few tracks on a few songs just to enhance, but we're up there playing live. We're banging it out, doing it live, night after night, still in the same tuning. Will we drop back at some point? Maybe. We might have to. I know most bands — our peers — already have. They're already back a half-step; some of them, a whole step; and a few of them, a step-and-a-half. That's getting crazy to me.
"Sometimes, I go and see a band and you'll hear a song, and it's hard to even recognize [because] it's so low in tuning," he continued. "I get it. You do what you've got to do, but there comes a point in time... Let me put it this way — if STRYPER is ever tuning down a step and a half, we're done. We're going to hang it up. If it gets to a point where I can't sing these songs and I'm struggling that much and I've got to sing so much lower than the old days, I really don't want to do it anymore. Or I want to go out and just play guitar, and then we'll get a new kid who can come out and sing the songs like they're supposed to be sung. I'm not going to let my pride get in the way of that — it's not going to happen."
It's a bit odd when bands speak out against tracks when they actually use tracks isn't it?
The truth is many bands use...
Posted by Michael Sweet on Tuesday, July 2, 2024
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3 июл 2024
KERRY KING On Announcement Of SLAYER Reunion Shows: 'I Was Very Surprised'
 In a new interview with Guitar World magazine, Kerry King spoke about the fact that SLAYER's upcoming reunion shows were announced just weeks after he told Rolling Stone magazine that a SLAYER comeback was unlikely. He said: "I was very surprised. I made my comments [about SLAYER being finished] based on [SLAYER bassist/vocalist Tom Araya] not wanting to play anymore. As far as I was concerned, we were done and never going to play again. To be honest, I don't know what switched.
"We've been turning down offers to play shows for at least three years. So, one came up that, I guess, enticed Tom to the point where he wanted to roll the dice and try a couple. I don't know, but that's all it is."
Kerry added that he would be open to more SLAYER gigs in the future.
"There could be an instance where there's another one-off,” he said. "It just has to be the right offer at the right time, maybe someplace everybody loves to go. But touring, no, I don't see touring. But, you know, who's to say a one-off can't happen again?"
King, who is currently touring with his solo band, previously told Total Guitar magazine about SLAYER's reunion shows: "It caught me off guard too. Do I wish the timing was different? Absolutely, but that's completely out of my hands."
King went on to say that fans shouldn't get their hopes up about a full-scale SLAYER reunion.
"Everyone thinks SLAYER are getting back together, but that couldn't be further from the truth," he explained. "We've been turning down gigs ever since we stopped. This one came and I thought, 'If we're ever going to do one, this could be cool because it's the five-year anniversary of our final tour.'
"We're not going to record anymore," he added. "That final tour was definitely our final tour. This is just a reason to have some fun the guys, play a few shows and then jump back in the coffin…"
Last month, King was asked by Jonathan Clarke, host of "Out Of The Box" on Q104.3, New York's classic rock station, about how SLAYER's upcoming reunion shows came about, five years since the completion of what was being billed as the band's farewell tour. He responded: "I'll put it in the perspective everybody can understand. We've been turning down offers since beginning of 2020, pandemic and all. And then it started getting near the five-year anniversary of us stopping playing, so I'm, like, 'You know what? This is a three-show package. I think it would be fun to do.' It's kind of a five-year anniversary of our last tour. We're never gonna tour again — it ain't gonna happen. We're never gonna record again; that's not gonna happen either. But to do commemorative shows, I think that's kind of fun. I don't have to be married to it for a long time. Kids don't have to worry about it coming around on tour because we said we wouldn't. There's not a whole lot of weird diabolical shit going on here. I think people have just gotta say, 'Hey, it's anniversary celebration shows.' That's gonna be the end of it."
Kerry also discussed the SLAYER comeback in May in an interview with Andrew Daly of ClassicRockHistory.com. Asked for about his outlook on the reunion shows, he said: "It's not really much different at all. It's the same heads, same cabs, same pedals, same guitars. You know, there will be a lot of fire when SLAYER plays, and I think, yeah, those shows will just be fun. It'll be fun to play with Gary Holt [SLAYER guitarist] for a few gigs; I haven't seen him in almost five years, so that will be cool. And it'll be cool to get together with Tom Araya [SLAYER bassist/vocalist] and spit some hate out at people, but don't get used to this being a yearly event."
Earlier in May, King was asked by SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" if he thinks SLAYER's upcoming dates will have a positive or negative impact on the promotional efforts "From Hell I Rise", which arrived on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music. He responded: "I see it both ways. We've [SLAYER] been turning down [reunion] offers for the last four years. Unfortunately, when the right offer came around, this one, it was right as my project was releasing. So there's certainly people, like my management and booking agents, who say, 'Oh, that's great. It's gonna boost your solo thing.' And I'm, like, 'Well, I don't know the business side of it, but it is what it is.' And every time I talk about it to journalists and magazines and stuff, I say, 'Listen, SLAYER is not gonna make another record. SLAYER is never gonna tour again.' May SLAYER do a one-off here or there? Maybe. I told my [solo] band when [the SLAYER reunion shows] came up, I'm, like, 'Listen, this is a blip on the radar to me. This isn't a solo project that's gonna recycle musicians every record cycle. You guys are with me till you don't wanna be.'"
Asked if he envisions SLAYER as the type of thing where the band will do one or two shows a year when a great opportunity comes up, Kerry said: "I'm not even talking yearly. I'm, like, every two years, every three years, every five years. I don't know. 'Cause I'm gonna be super busy with [my solo band] once 2025 rolls around."
On the topic of whether he has spoken to Araya since SLAYER's reunion shows were announced, Kerry said: "I'll tell you the truth, 'cause you know that's how I roll. No, we haven't. But you know what's weird about that? It's not weird. [Laughs]"
He continued: "We'll go probably rehearse off and on for a couple weeks [before the first show], 'cause even though me and [SLAYER drummer] Paul [Bostaph, who is also in Kerry's solo band] will be sharp from playing, playing with different people, you've gotta get sharp together."
Elaborating on his belief that SLAYER's comeback shows will not lead into a full-fledged reunion for the legendary thrash metal act, Kerry said: "The way I look at it, and when I tell you this, it puts it into perspective for a lot of people, I see it as three five-year anniversary shows of our last tour."
Five years after SLAYER played the last concert of what was being billed as the band's farewell tour and just weeks after the SLAYER guitarist unveiled the details of his solo project, Kerry and his longtime bandmates announced that they will play at the Aftershock, Riot Fest and Louder Than Life festivals in September and October.
King also talked about the SLAYER reunion while speaking to Revolver magazine about "From Hell I Rise". Asked if he had known about these shows well before they were officially announced, King said: "If you ask promoters, they're going to have another answer. If you ask booking agents, they'll probably have a third answer. But to me, it kind of came out of nowhere. Have we been getting offers the past few years? Yeah, we turn down offers every year, probably every month of every year. These three festivals are right around the five-year anniversary of our last tour, which I thought was kind of cool. So, I thought this might be the right time to test the water. It will be great to play for the fans again."
Regarding whether the upcoming SLAYER shows will steal some of the thunder away from the touring his solo band will do in support of "From Hell I Rise", Kerry said: "Well, time will tell, and my answer would be, 'hopefully not'. The funny thing is, it never occurred to me until the day the SLAYER announcement came, but [Phil] Demmel [guitarist in Kerry's solo band] said, 'Dude, is this real?' And I'm, like, 'It's just a few weekends and that's it.' Of course, Paul knew. But I didn't tell Phil, I didn't tell Kyle [Sanders, KERRY KING bassist] and didn't tell Mark [Osegueda, KERRY KING singer] — and I said to the guys, 'There's no master plan here.' I didn't want anybody to start getting cold feet. I said, 'This is a little moment in time, and yeah, KERRY KING is going to be touring, you know, hopefully later in the year, as well. But SLAYER is an entity and I'm just a person.' But hopefully, we drive on with the solo project."
King also spoke about the SLAYER reunion in an interview with U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine. Admitting that the announcement of SLAYER's comeback "was not my favorite timing", Kerry said that the SLAYER reunion "is not going to translate into recording and it's not going to translate into touring. For me, it's three shows marking five years since our final shows, a fun, 'Hey, remember us from before the pandemic?' celebration."
Kerry also explained in more detail why he still has not spoken to Tom since the news of SLAYER's reunion was announced. "It's not like I'm angry with him or anything," King clarified. "We're very different people, and we evolved into business partners at the end of the day. He has very different interests from me, and very different outlooks. Does that make me hate him? No. But I don't need to talk to him every day… We just don't have much in common. When it comes time to rehearse, I'll have no problem showing up. We're professionals, and that's what we do."
When Kerry's solo project was first announced, King told Rolling Stone that he was almost positive he and Tom would never resurrect the band. "I can pretty much a hundred percent say no because I have a new outlet, and it's not SLAYER, but it sounds like SLAYER," King said of a potential SLAYER reunion.
The lineup for SLAYER's comeback will be the same as the one which last toured in 2019: Araya and King, along with guitarist Gary Holt (also of EXODUS) and longtime drummer Paul Bostaph.
Days after SLAYER's reunion was announced, Tom Araya's wife wrote on social media that she "harassed him for over a year" before he "agreed finally" to play more shows with the band. "We shared that news with SLAYER's awesome managers and they did the rest!" she explained. "So yes without Tom it wouldn't have happened.. without me BUGGING HIM it wouldn't have happened."
Both Gary and his wife Lisa Holt were among the hundreds of people who "liked" Sandra's Instagram post, with Lisa sharing three heart emojis in response to Sandra's message.
In a statement confirming SLAYER's return, Tom said: "Nothing compares to the 90 minutes when we're on stage playing live, sharing that intense energy with our fans, and to be honest, we have missed that." King added: "Have I missed playing live? Absolutely. SLAYER means a lot to our fans; they mean a lot to us. It will be five years since we have seen them."
The same day that SLAYER's comeback was announced, Holt's wife Lisa Holt took to her social media to write: "Yes, it's true..and an exciting adventure for the band and fans !
"To all the people saying 'they are liars' 'they must have ran out of money' 'its not SLAYER without so and so' ..I have an idea for you all...DON'T GO.. and for all the people who did go to the final tour dates and enjoyed it...awesome!!
"This isn't a 'TOUR' it's some dates..and GREAT NEWS!!!" she added. "And everyone that thinks they know all the inside info..you can't possibly know. so just enjoy the fact that this amazing band will play some amazing shows this year...go or don't..nobody cares!!!!!"
Three weeks before SLAYER's reunion was announced, Kerry told Rolling Stone that he didn't foresee SLAYER coming back together for the foreseeable future.
"Will SLAYER tour again? I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen. Could SLAYER play a show again? I'm sure there's a scenario," King said, adding that he hadn't spoken to Araya since that final show. "Am I looking for it? No, I'm just getting ready to start my [solo] career. So if that happens, it happens. But I'm going to be doing this for the next 10 years at least."
SLAYER played the final show of its farewell tour in November 2019 at the Forum in Los Angeles. One day later, Kerry's wife Ayesha said that there is "not a chance in hell" that the thrash metal icons will reunite for more live appearances.
SLAYER's final world tour began on May 10, 2018 with the band's intention to play as many places as possible, to make it easy for the fans to see one last SLAYER show and say goodbye. By the time the 18-month trek wrapped at the Forum, the band had completed seven tour legs plus a series of one-off major summer festivals, performing more than 140 shows in 30 countries and 40 U.S. states.
All material for "From Hell I Rise" was written by King, who was accompanied during the recording sessions by Bostaph, Demmel, Sanders and Osegueda. Helming the sessions at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles last year was producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BAD RELIGION, among others.
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3 июл 2024
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3 июл 2024
MÖTLEY CRÜE's NIKKI SIXX Celebrates 23 Years Of Sobriety
 Nikki Sixx is celebrating the 23rd anniversary of his getting sober.
The 65-year-old MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist credited a treatment program with giving him the tools to help him live his life without drugs or alcohol.
Earlier today (Tuesday, July 2),he Instagrammed an image revealing he had been sober for 23 years, 276 months, 8,402 days or 201,623 hours.
He later shared a message in which he wrote: "23 years sober today. Had a few runs at it before but I wasn't ready to surrender completely to my addiction. Today I am the happiest I've been in my whole life.
"Thank you to those that shared their experience to help me understand the simple process of letting go. Nothing makes me happier than to see people who have lost hope to find themselves and change not only their life but their family's too.
"#SobrietyRocks".
When Nikki celebrated the 22nd anniversary of his getting sober a year ago, he wrote: "It has been one hell of beautiful and sometimes difficult journey. People always say 'GOOD FOR YOU' like some kinda pat on my head. I do understand what they are trying to say. Truth is-Nobody held my hand while I was kicking heroin, in fact nobody even called to even check on me. Nor did anybody hold by hair while I was vomiting blood. I had to make the decision alone to change my life but it wasn't until I finally found the program that my life truly changed and I learned the tools for a beautiful life even in the face of adversity. That's where I found people who understood my addiction. Obviously you have to want to do it for YOU but untangling the messy past takes more than willpower.
"People don't always understand addiction, they think we have some kinda moral affliction when the truth is we are simply allergic to drink and drugs. You are not alone. Seek others out with some sober time under their belt who will understand where you're at. Isn't that what we need, to be understood? Sure we can blame it in our family ( etc ).
"My mom and dad failed me and I carried that pain til I almost killed myself but I also couldn't see all the beauty around that I had growing up. My grandparents raised me and took care of me. I got to spend a lot of time in country. I'll forever be in debt to their unconditional love.
"When you are ready there will be a spiritual awakening waiting for you. Simply admit you are powerless over drugs and alcohol ( etc ). Otherwise your ego will kill YÖÜ. The beneficiaries are the people you love plus the never ending joy of feeling alive in this short life. Do it for you and pass it on to the people you love and those in need.
"Since I got sober I've had people try to stab me in the back, lie about me, steal from me and kick me in the nuts. Do you know how Ive been able to handle it? By STAYING sober. Sobriety gives you a chance to be strong yet also to do the next right thing.
"I don't want a pat on the head or a good job Nikki. I would love to just pass this BEAUTIFUL message on to those in NEED of a positive program ( AA) and the message of LOVE.
"For those still suffering there is hope. I am a work in progress. I still have work to do but I try to mitigate my life one day at a time.
"I love you. Love yourself back too. God bless."
Sixx struggled with substance abuse for years and was even supposedly declared clinically dead after a heroin overdose in 1987 made his heart stop for two minutes. He has since become actively involved in a recovery "program," which he credits for helping him transform his life and relationships.
"By letting go of self and ego, working a program that connects you to a higher power and giving back to those still struggling are just some of the important things you learn through sobriety," Sixx wrote when he celebrated nine years of sobriety in July 2013. "You get to repair the damage done from drink, drugs and horrific behaviors (that broke people's hearts who loved you."
The rocker, who detailed his near-fatal drug addiction in the best-selling book "The Heroin Diaries", added: "For me, taking away the substance just gave [me] an honest view of who I had become and then the healing started. I do believe without any program to help, many are just dry drunks and there is always a danger of them going out again. I've been there. It's not pretty. This is no joking matter to me, so I take it seriously."
Asked by The Guardian about a diary entry in "The Heroin Diaries" where he described himself as an "alcoholic heroin and coke addict getting into pills" and how he spent Christmas Day 1986 naked under the Christmas tree, clutching a shotgun, Nikki said: "Well, if you shoot enough cocaine, you go into a kind of psychosis, and I believed people were coming to get me. Scary place, let me tell you. It reads like some kind of a dark horror story or bedtime thriller. But in real life, the trauma that psychosis puts your body through is on a cellular level. You believe that you’re going to have an experience even though it's not really happening. I can remember those, because you come out of them, and it's scary. But you can only imagine what it would be like to be insane and not come out of it, or a version of that, like dementia."
Sixx is not the only member of MÖTLEY CRÜE who has battled alcohol addiction. Singer Vince Neil's 1984 drunk-driving accident killed HANOI ROCKS drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley and seriously injured two others. He spent 15 days in jail and received five years probation.
"It was rough for everybody after that accident," Neil told USA Today in 2020. "I tried to stay sober for a few years, but it's tough when there's no support system around you. They were still doing coke and drinking and carrying on, and I just couldn't be a part of it."
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A post shared by Nikki Sixx (@nikkisixxpixx)
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A post shared by Nikki Sixx (@nikkisixxpixx)
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3 июл 2024
ZAK TELL Explains Why CLAWFINGER No Longer Performs One Of Its Biggest Songs Containing Anti-Racist Message
 Vocalist Zak Tell of the long-running Swedish rap/metal combo CLAWFINGER spoke to France's Loud TV about why he and his bandmates no longer perform their controversial single "N****r", an anti-racism statement that caused quite a stir and was a massive success. The track was included on CLAWFINGER's debut album, 1993's "Deaf Dumb Blind", which sold over 600,000 copies worldwide and was critically acclaimed in Swedish press.
"It's just a matter of being respectful to the fact that times have changed," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "There's a new political climate. You've got the whole Black Lives movement. You've got a completely different awareness. And out of respect for the way things are in the world right now, it's not the right song to play. And it's a much bigger issue than just a three-and-a-half-minute song. So it's almost making it too easy or making it too… It's too serious of a topic and a problem to let a song be more important than the big picture.
"So no, we don't play that song anymore. And it's not because we don't stand by it, 'cause we stand by those lyrics in that song 100 percent, but it's to be respectful to the way the world is right now. And maybe that's sad, but it's also the reality. And we're not one of these MÖTLEY CRÜE bands who just says, 'Fuck you. We're gonna do whatever the fuck we want because we're MÖTLEY CRÜE.' We're a bit more respectful than that, and we like the idea of changing with the times. Yes, in our world, we're the most important band in the world, of course, but in reality, we're just a small stupid fucking rock band. And this topic is so much bigger than that. So, as of now, it's not a song we play, unfortunately."
Tell also expressed his belief that humans are our own worst enemies when it comes to what it will take to deal with existential risks.
"Grown-up human beings are fucking stupid and overrated a lot of the time," he said. "We're a pretty basic species when it comes down to it. We're not as evolved as we think we are. This is just my personal opinion. I think we're pretty fucking stupid a lot of the time — myself included. I'm not sitting on any high horses thinking I'm fucking perfect or amazing. It's pretty fucking scary when you look at the world, what we're doing to each other. We have a long way to go if we wanna survive as a race. And I'm not sure we'll be the last race standing on earth. I think the animals may very well outlive us."
In March 2022, CLAWFINGER released the official music video for its new single, "Environmental Patients". The track marked the first new music from CLAWFINGER in more than two years.
Prior to the arrival of "Environmental Patients", CLAWFINGER released a single called "Tear You Down" in September 2019 and "Save Our Souls" in 2017. "Save Our Souls" was made available four years after CLAWFINGER announced it was calling it quits.
During the break from the studio, the members of CLAWFINGER were reportedly taking care of their families while performing sporadic reunion shows, mostly at European festivals. "CLAWFINGER no longer is our main job," the band explained at the time. "We all have other jobs and families to love."
CLAWFINGER's last studio album, "Life Will Kill You", was released in the U.S. in July 2008 via Locomotive Records. The CD, which entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 89 upon its European release in 2007, was recorded and produced at Sweden's Fear And Loathing Studios, a facility that CLAWFINGER runs along with the members of MESHUGGAH.
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3 июл 2024
VELVET CHAINS Strikes Celebrity Deathmatch Style With "Enemy"; New Single & Music Video
 Velvet Chains, known for their soul-stirring hard rock music, takes a daring leap with their latest release, "Enemy". Mixing the grit of grunge with nu-metal intensity, the track delves deep into raw emotion and inner turmoil, offering a visceral journey into the shadows of the mind.
Produced by Heavy and mixed by Josh Wilbur, "Enemy" is a sonic powerhouse. Accompanied by a captivating music video produced by TFP Studios depicting a clay character brawl that reminds us of MTV's Celebrity Deathmatch, the band maintains their intensity while embracing a creative approach.
"Enemy" is now available on all major streaming platforms, inviting listeners to join Velvet Chains in embracing the darkness and unleashing their inner demons with this powerful new single. The band's current lineup features: Ro Viper on vocals, Nils Goldschmidt on bass guitar, Lahi Cassiano on lead guitar, Von Boldt on rhythm guitar & backup vocals, and Jason Hope on drums.
Fresh from touring with Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators in South America, Velvet Chains is currently captivating audiences on radio-sponsored shows across the Southwest, Northwest, and Midwest. With their previous single "Stuck Against The Wall" spending nine weeks on Mediabase and Billboard Top 40 Active Rock charts, Velvet Chains continues to rise as a formidable force in rock music.
For further details, visit Velvet Chains on Facebook.
(Photo by Fred Morledge)
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3 июл 2024
Watch: SEPULTURA's ANDREAS KISSER Performs 'Territory' With MR. BUNGLE At France's HELLFEST
 SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser joined MR. BUNGLE on stage during the latter band's June 29 set at Hellfest in Clisson, France to perform the SEPULTURA classic "Territory". Video of his appearance can be seen below.
MR. BUNGLE's current lineup consists of original members Trevor Dunn, Mike Patton and Trey Spruance, along with Scott Ian (ANTHRAX, S.O.D.) and Dave Lombardo (DEAD CROSS, SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES).
Patton and KORN singer Jonathan Davis were the featured guests on the song "Lookaway" which appeared on SEPULTURA's classic 1996 album "Roots".
In an interview with ARTISTdirect, former SEPULTURA frontman Max Cavalera recalled working with Patton and Davis during the "Lookaway" sessions. He said: "Mike Patton was on the song, and Jonathan's a huge FAITH NO MORE fan. He was actually freaking out that Patton was there. He was really nervous, which was actually kind of funny. He kept chewing on his hair the whole time he was in the studio. Ross Robinson teased him at one point and told him to calm down. [Laughs]"
He continued: "'Lookaway' came out of a jam. It's a really heavy riff. Patton started singing this Indian chant, and it gave me goosebumps in the studio when he did that. It was so intense. He showed up in the studio with a Samsonite briefcase. I was like, 'Mike, what's up with the briefcase?' He said, 'It's what I need to record.' It had an echo pedal inside for his voice and a bottle of wine. He opened the wine and we drank it. At one point, the three of us were on the floor of the studio going crazy and making weird noises and sounds. Jonathan took it to another level. He's singing about people with a fear of pussy, which is a crazy concept. It came out as a really cool, obscure song on 'Roots'."
"Roots" was certified gold in 2005 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for U.S. shipments in excess of 500,000 copies.
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3 июл 2024
SLIPKNOT's ELOY CASAGRANDE Shares 'Unsainted' Drum-Cam Video
 SLIPKNOT's new drummer Eloy Casagrande has shared a drum-cam video of him performing the song "Unsainted" with his bandmates during one of their recent festival appearances. Check it out below.
In an interview with Tone-Talk, SLIPKNOT guitarist Jim Root spoke about how Casagrande came to join SLIPKNOT and his impact on the band's overall sound. He said: "We didn't even try anybody else. Eloy's name came up. He contacted us, actually, about wanting to be a part of it and started sending a bunch of videos in. I think him and our bass player [Alessandro 'Vman' Venturella] might've had a little bit of a relationship before. I think they knew each other. They had mutual friends. And Vman's really in tune with a lot of really great, proggy, heavy musicians that are passionate about their instruments. And it just seemed like a no-brainer. And he's really respectful of the legacy of [SLIPKNOT's original drummer, the late] Joey [Jordison], and Joey was a huge influence on him. And he's so humble. The dude has so much humility. And you could tell he just lives and breathes his craft, to the point where I see his passion and it ignites my passion for my instrument. And Brazilians, South Americans in general, are so passionate about what they do. Our manager told me, he was out to dinner with four or five promoters from South America, and they were all really stoked. They're all, like, 'It's so good you've got a Brazilian drummer in SLIPKNOT now. We kind of feel like we've won the World Cup.' It's a cool feeling. And God, he just fits in so well. I don't know, man. I mean, there's a lot of things I can say about it. I'm just glad it happened when it did. And we're lucky to have him — we are really lucky to have that dude."
For its 2024 gigs so far, SLIPKNOT adopted a classic look, bringing back the 1999 red jumpsuits and elements of their early masks into their modern versions, tying into the fact that SLIPKNOT is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
After parting ways with Jay Weinberg last November, SLIPKNOT teased fans with a hint about a new drummer more than three months ago, posting a photo of a single broken drumstick online with the caption "Rehearsal."
The band explained in a statement that the split with Weinberg was a creative decision. Jay followed up with a statement of his own, saying that he was "heartbroken and blindsided" by his dismissal.
Weinberg has since joined SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and INFECTIOUS GROOVES.
Casagrande abruptly quit SEPULTURA five months ago, shortly before he was supposed to begin rehearsals for the band's recently launched 40th-anniversary farewell tour.
"February 6th, a few days prior to the first rehearsal, drummer Eloy Casagrande informed the band that he was leaving SEPULTURA to pursue a career in another project," the band said in a statement.
Casagrande joined SEPULTURA nearly 13 years ago as the replacement for Jean Dolabella.
SLIPKNOT's latest album "The End, So Far", arrived in August 2022. It marked the band's the last full-length LP before the departure of both keyboardist Craig Jones, who left the group in June 2023, and Weinberg.
SLIPKNOT recently announced the North American portion of the "Here Comes The Pain" tour. The band is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its seminal debut album, "Slipknot", which catapulted the band back in 1999.
In addition to the already announced dates across the globe, the "Here Comes The Pain" tour, produced by Live Nation, includes arena plays nationwide this summer. Highlights include New York City's Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles's Intuit Dome, Austin's Moody Center and more with direct support from Kentucky's young and vibrant hardcore/metal forerunners KNOCKED LOOSE. ORBIT CULTURE and VENDED are confirmed as support on select dates.
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3 июл 2024
MICK MARS - Full Episode Of Life In Six Strings With KYLIE OLSSON Streaming
 Music journalist and author Kylie Olsson has shared the full episode of Life In Six Strings, featuring former Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars, shot in 2023. Check it out below.
Kylie: "I got to spend the day with Mick Mars, and in the full episode of Life In Six Strings he invites me into his home to check out his guitar collection, discuss life on Mars, and then we go for a drive where he shows me around his town in Nashville and so much more."
Life In Six Strings is powered by the Music Drives Us charity, which gives the gift of music to under privileged children.
Orders for Mick Mars' debut solo album, The Other Side Of Mars, can be placed at this location. Available configurations include a 180G LP and CD, signed and unsigned.
Tracklisting:
"Loyal To The Lie"
"Broken On The Inside"
"Alone"
"Killing Breed"
"Memories"
"Right Side Of Wrong"
"Ready To Roll"
"Undone"
"Ain't Going Back"
"LA Noir"
"Undone" video:
"Right Side Of Wrong" video:
"Loyal To The Lie" video:
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3 июл 2024
VIOLENCE SYSTEM Releases New Single / Video "Chronophobia"
 Dark Sails Entertainment announces the release of "Chronophobia", the title track from Violence System's new EP, set to drop on July 5, 2024.
Formed in 2015, Violence System has rapidly become a dominant force in the melodic death metal scene, captivating fans with their unique blend of beauty and brutality. Their latest single, "Chronophobia", exemplifies their signature sound and sets the stage for the upcoming EP. Fans of Thy Art Is Murder, Decapitated, and Dimmu Borgir will find much to appreciate in this powerful track.
Chronophobia was recorded at True Fiction Audio & Sawyer Sound Studio and mixed and mastered by Aaron Pace at AP Audio. The EP's striking artwork, crafted by Armaada Art, perfectly encapsulates the band's intense aesthetic.
For further details, visit Violence System on Facebook.
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3 июл 2024
DIRK VERBEUREN Is 'Very Excited' To Work On Next MEGADETH Album
 In a new interview with Portugal's Look Mag, MEGADETH drummer Dirk Verbeuren was asked how he feels about Dave Mustaine's recent revelation that he has already commenced work on material for the follow-up to "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm happy about it. I'm very excited to do that again. It was a lot of fun creating 'The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!' And whenever he's ready, I will be there. I'm happy to start working with Teemu [Mäntysaari, new MEGADETH guitarist], who's now joined the band. I think he will contribute a lot of cool stuff. And, of course, James [LoMenzo, MEGADETH bassist] also, who is an amazing bass player with a lot of history. He's already been on a couple of MEGADETH albums before, so he also knows what MEGADETH sounds like. And so, yeah, it's gonnabe really cool to be with those two guys. And, of course, with Dave, just get together and see what we can come up with."
Dirk also talked about the songwriting process for "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!", explaining that Mustaine was open to outside input from the start. "Dave invited us from the beginning to bring ideas, whether it's a guitar riff, a drum beat, a lyric — anything," he explained. "Any ideas we had, he said, 'Just put it in this…' We have some folders, some Dropbox folders. 'Just put it in there.' Then, as we were working together in 2019, we were all together in this house. And he would just listen to some of the stuff. And if something came up that he was, like, 'Oh, this is cool,' then we would work on it together. And that's how Kiko [Loureiro, then-MEGADETH guitarist], of course, ended up writing quite a good portion of the album — some songs that he brought and then also some ideas that ended up in songs together with Dave's riffs. And the same for me. I have one riff in the song 'Night Stalkers'. And then the song 'Life In Hell', which is the second song on the album, is based on a demo that I also put there. And Dave just liked it. He thought, 'Oh, there's a cool idea there.' So he started learning it and kind of improving the guitar riffs and eventually it turned into the song you know. So he was very open, and he still is — he's always very inviting for us to work as a band. He doesn't want it to be, 'Oh, I'm Dave. I'm gonna tell you what to do.' Of course, in the end, we do everything together with him, so he makes the final decision, because this is only normal. But it's very much a band process."
Asked if it's true that Dave has a box with riffs from the 1980s that he sometimes revisits while working on new music, Dirk responded: "Yes, he has. There's a folder that he has that has everything he's ever recorded. He's sitting in 1984, maybe, on his couch in his apartment and, like, 'Oh, this is a cool riff. I'm gonna record it.' It's there. So he has a massive collection of stuff, and we actually went through a bunch of those while we were writing and used some of them. Like some of the riffs in 'We'll Be Back', which is the first single from 'The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!', they go way back to the '80s. So, yeah, it's pretty crazy."
As for whether he feels he left his mark on "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" with his own sound, Dirk said: "I mean, I like to think so. It was my goal to respect also and honor the MEGADETH sound, because all these years of music, I know as a fan myself of the band, I wanna hear that. I don't wanna hear somebody completely ignoring what Nick Menza did with the band or what Gar Samuelson did with the band or any of the drummers that have been there. They have all contributed to the sound and it's all been part of the vision that Dave had from the beginning for the band. So I did adapt the way I would usually play based on what I learned in my years touring with the band and really getting very intimate knowledge about all the classic songs, the ones we play live, and learning all the parts. But at the same time, of course, I've injected some of my own flavor and my own style and my ideas. So hopefully I found a good middle ground."
"The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" sold 48,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked MEGADETH's eighth top 10-charting album. Of "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!"'s 48,000 units earned for the week, album sales comprised 45,000, SEA units comprised 3,000 and TEA units comprised a negligible sum.
MEGADETH's previous top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 were "Countdown to Extinction" (No. 2, 1992),"Youthanasia" (No. 4, 1994),"Cryptic Writings" (No. 10, 1997),"United Abominations" (No. 8, 2007),"Endgame" (No. 9, 2009),"Super Collider" (No. 6, 2013) and "Dystopia" (No. 3, 2016).
MEGADETH recently announced a North American tour "Destroy All Enemies", produced by Live Nation. Support on the 33-city trek, which includes stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Boston and St. Louis, will come from MUDVAYNE and ALL THAT REMAINS. The tour begins in Rogers, Arkansas on August 2 and runs throughout the month before wrapping in Nashville, Tennessee on September 28.
Mäntysaari joined MEGADETH last September after Loureiro, announced earlier that month that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland. It was later revealed that Mäntysaari would continue to play guitar for MEGADETH for the foreseeable future, with Loureiro seemingly having no plans to return.
The 37-year-old Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.
MEGADETH played its first concert with Mäntysaari on September 6, 2023 at Revel in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Loureiro officially joined MEGADETH in April 2015, about five months after Chris Broderick's exit from the group.
Since its inception in 1983, MEGADETH has ascended from its raw thrash metal roots to become an unstoppable force in the heavy metal world. With founder Dave Mustaine at the helm, MEGADETH's journey has been marked by a penchant for pushing the boundaries of speed, technicality, and complexity in their music. 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 triumph, "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" in 2022. MEGADETH's status as part of the "Big Four" of thrash metal underscores their trailblazing role in the genre, laying the groundwork for countless bands and musicians who have followed in their wake.
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3 июл 2024
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3 июл 2024
YNGWIE MALMSTEEN Explains Why He Doesn't Work With Co-Producers And Co-Writers Anymore
 During a press conference at Hellfest in Clisson, France, legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen was asked if it is difficult for him to co-produce his albums with other people and whether he prefers to produce his albums entirely on his own. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I have a funny story to tell you guys. When I was a very young man, I came to America. I lived in America most of my life, and I spoke very, very good English coming to America, but there were some terms I didn't understand; I didn't get 'em, really. So I'm in the studio, and there was a producer there. And I'm doing a solo, and he goes, 'Oh, wow. That was really good, man. Yeah. Can we do one more? A little slower. Remember: less is more.' And I looked at him, like, 'Oh, you mean more is more, right?' And that was an honest reaction because I didn't know that stupid way of saying things, because less is not more; more is more.
"Basically, what a lot of people might not know is that I started playing when I was five years old — seven, really. I got my first guitar was five, but I started playing when I was seven," he continued. "And I was so extreme that I was having bands put together where I wrote the songs, I was the singer and a guitar player. I was a little kid, like fucking Michael Jackson or something, and I had a 20-year-old bass player and a 20-year-old drummer or whatever. From day one I did that. I was always a solo artist — always. And I never had a question about what I wanted. I never had a question about what I wanted to go with things, how I wanted to sound. I knew what it was. I knew what I wanted to play. I know what I wanna write. I know what kind of sound I want.
"I'm not knocking producers. I think they've done a lot of good things for a lot of bands. Mutt Lange is amazing. He made great music with the group — great direction, all this stuff. Martin Birch — a lot of people like that. The difference is that I already have this in [my head]. It's already there. So when I have someone else coming in, it doesn't add — it dilutes. Same thing with songwriting. And some people might think that, oh, I'm an egotist, whatever. No. The music is done. It's finished. All I do is to play it and record it. That's all I do.
"So I've been trying to explain this to so many people because in rock and roll, that doesn't happen," Yngwie added. "In rock and roll, even if you're a solo artist, like Ozzy Osbourne or whoever, they have songs written for them, they have producers and stuff like this. I don't do that. I do everything. I actually do everything. And it's not because I'm an egotistic person that I don't want anybody else to take the credit. No. It's because instead of what you would say a traditional rock and roll [songwriting partnership], Lennon-McCartney, Keith Richards-Mick Jagger — I love all them guys; I think they're fucking great. Instead of what they did, I work more like an author, like let's say Stephen King or Johann Sebastian Bach. Johann Sebastian Bach, 'Brandenburg Concertos', he would give the sheet music to all the musicians, and the cellist in the first row goes, Hey, can I play C sharp instead of C?' No, he didn't say that. He played the note that he was told, because that was what is written by him. So, basically I'm like a painter or an author like this. Like a painter, I paint half the big painting and I call my friend and I say, 'Hey, can you come and finish my half of my painting?' No, I don't do that. And that's why I don't have producers. That's why I don't have co-writers and so on. Because when I did have that, every single time I came out unhappy and I wasn't pleased with the result. And I only live once. So what I wanna leave behind, what I wanna create, what I wanna put out on records, what I wanna perform on stage is something that is purely my expression. Because I have so much inside. I want pure expression of myself. Not diluted by having Elvis Presley in the band. Most singers think they're Elvis Presley. They're not. They're just another instrument in my orchestra."
Yngwie will embark on a 40th-anniversary tour this fall. Support on the trek, which will kick off on September 26 in Fort Myers, Florida and conclude on November 18 in New York City, will come from singer-songwriter Kurt Deimer.
For more information, visit www.yngwiemalmsteen.com/tour.
Yngwie's latest album, "Parabellum", was released in July 2021 via Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group. Only four of the songs on the LP feature vocals. The album title is Latin, translating as "Prepare For War".
After working with some of the top hard singers of the past four decades, Yngwie now handles much of the lead vocals himself in his own band, backed by a lineup that includes keyboardist Nick Marino, bassist Emilio Martinez and drummer Kevin Klingenschmid.
In 2017, Malmsteen gave an interview to Metal Wani in which the iconic axeman said that he had no interest in collaborating with vocalists like Jeff Scott Soto, Joe Lynn Turner and Tim "Ripper" Owens ever again. "I'm very comfortable singing myself, first of all," Yngwie said. "Secondly, there's a certain disconnect when you write the song and you have someone else sing it for you. And it's kind of like a fakeness about it. I always wrote everything — I wrote all the lyrics, I wrote all the melodies, everything; it's just somebody else sung it. And to me, the singer is nothing else than a different… like a bass player or a keyboard player — they're not more important than any other musician. And they, unfortunately, seem to think that they are. And I've kind of had it with their sort of… self-absorbed sort of way, and I'm very much against it. No. I don't like that. I don't like any of those people, and I don't like to do anything with them ever again."
In the days after Yngwie's original interview with Metal Wani was published on BLABBERMOUTH.NET, several of the guitarist's former singers — including Soto, Turner and Owens — responded on social media, with Turner describing Malmsteen's statements as "the rantings of a megalomaniac desperately trying to justify his own insecurity." This was followed by a retort from a member of Yngwie's management team, who wrote on Malmsteen's Facebook page that the three vocalists "came out enraged, spitting insults and profanities" at the guitarist because "Yngwie said something that they didn't like." The management representative added: "It's very unfortunate that these past hired vocalists must resort to mudslinging and insults to elicit any kind of media attention towards them. Such classless, puerile words are ungentlemanly at best and absolutely disgraceful at worst."
Video courtesy of Loud TV
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3 июл 2024
DEEP PURPLE Releases New Single 'Lazy Sod' From Upcoming '=1' Album
 Following the success of their last two singles "Portable Door" and "Pictures Of You", legendary British hard rockers DEEP PURPLE have released "Lazy Sod" today, the third song from their upcoming album "=1".
"Lazy Sod" is now available for streaming and as instant gratification track with all digital download pre-orders for "=1". Alongside the single release, the official music video for "Lazy Sod" can now be seen below.
Asked about the song's inspiration, DEEP PURPLE frontman Ian Gillan explained in an interview with Rocks magazine: "Recently a young journalist asked me how many songs I had written in my life. I replied that the last time my assistant counted, twenty years ago, it was over 500. I felt quite accomplished until she pointed out Dolly Parton's 5,000 songs, calling me a lazy sod. I couldn't help but agree and wrote down the exchange in my notebook."
"=1" is due on July 19 via earMUSIC. The LP marks DEEP PURPLE's first material with new guitarist Simon McBride, who stepped in two years ago following Steve Morse's departure.
McBride said: "The new album will reflect what the five of us create in the rehearsal room. Many of the songs, like 'Portable Door', were written in the first sessions and literally came together in 5 or 10 minutes. It all was so easy and natural."
Gillan added: "Throughout DEEP PURPLE's history, our best songs have always been those that were written in no time at all. We've played what felt good and developed songs as we have always done."
DEEP PURPLE continues its charge of recent years, releasing hit albums and filling arenas around the world, adding yet more layers to its 100-million-album-selling legacy. The band is credited as one of the key originators of heavy rock and has constantly progressed its boundaries of music. They are fronted by Gillan, whose vocals have defined generations, accompanied by the masterful bassist Roger Glover, the powerhouse drummer Ian Paice, and the maestro on keyboards Don Airey.
"=1" is the band's first album with McBride, who seamlessly slotted in when longtime member Morse left due to personal circumstances. Since 2022, Simon has already played to DEEP PURPLE audiences totaling more than half a million people.
But DEEP PURPLE is more than just their members and "=1" embodies the essence and attitude of their 1970s incarnation possibly more than any other album in recent memory. With the legendary Bob Ezrin once again producing, the record evokes the pioneering band's classic sound, without relying on nostalgia.
The enigmatic title "=1" symbolizes the idea that in a world growing ever more complex, everything eventually simplifies down to a single, unified essence. Everything equals one. Its full meaning will be revealed in the coming weeks, with the artwork also playing its part. Fans have already been speculating after mysterious equations and depictions of multiverses appeared in London, Paris and Berlin in recent days.
With three consecutive No. 1 albums in their back pocket and a resurgent new energy powering them forward, this is DEEP PURPLE at their pinnacle. "Now WHAT?!" (2013),"inFinite" (2017) and "Whoosh!" (2020) have sold over one million copies worldwide, making DEEP PURPLE one of the most successful rock bands currently active. The latest studio album, "Whoosh!", reached No. 1 on the album charts in seven countries and charted in the top 10 in another 12.
"=1" will be released as a limited CD+DVD (digipak),CD (jewel case),2LP gatefold (black, 180g),limited purple 2LP gatefold (180g),limited crystal clear 2LP (180g) and limited box set (CD+DVD digipak, 2lp black gatefold, 3x exclusive 10" vinyl editions feat. live recordings from DEEP PURPLE's 2022 tour, exclusive collector's T-shirt, 2x exclusive guitar picks, 1x exclusive art print, 1x exclusive lanyard, and the chance to win a Golden Ticket giving access to all shows on the DEEP PURPLE "=1 More Time" tour). All LPs include a rich 12-page vinyl sized booklet. The bonus DVD features the approximately 60-minute documentary "Access All Areas" joining DEEP PURPLE backstage on tour and providing an exclusive look behind the scenes.
"=1" track listing:
01. Show Me
02. A Bit On The Side
03. Sharp Shooter
04. Portable Door
05. Old-Fangled Thing
06. If I Were You
07. Pictures Of You
08. I'm Saying Nothin'
09. Lazy Sod
10. Now You're Talkin'
11. No Money To Burn
12. I'll Catch You
13. Bleeding Obvious
There simply aren't enough superlatives to properly acknowledge the contribution DEEP PURPLE has made to rock music. Having sold more than 100 million albums and filled global arenas for decades, there's little wonder that the respected British radio station Planet Rock named the group the "Fifth Most Influential Band Ever". The band were also presented the Legend Award at the 2008 World Music Awards and were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2016. DEEP PURPLE truly are "rock royalty".
With a body of work spanning seven decades, DEEP PURPLE has helped pioneer and define the hard rock genre while progressively moving into new areas, both keeping their sound fresh and attracting new fans to the legions who have remained loyal since the band's inception. The celebrated MKII line up of Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore were responsible for creating many of the defining rock albums of the early 1970s, including "Made In Japan", universally accepted as one of the most important and influential live albums of all time.
Known as one of the hardest working bands ever, DEEP PURPLE has continued to release No. 1 albums and tour globally since forming in 1968, with little rest. In 2007 (almost 40 years after being formed),the band performed 40 dates in France to an award-winning audience, and they continue to spend much of their year on the road selling out arenas across the globe.
DEEP PURPLE has stayed true to its musical roots taking from an eclectic mix of styles to create a distinctive sound that defines the band today, but which in turn, has created a legacy that very few bands could ever hope to replicate. The band has written and produced so many "classic", well-known songs, that its audience range widely in age and background — something the band has readily embraced.
DEEP PURPLE's recent studio album "Whoosh!" (2020) followed their worldwide chart-topping albums "inFinite" (2017) and "Now WHAT?!" (2013). 2024 sees the release of their brand-new album "=1". On all albums, DEEP PURPLE joined forces with producer Bob Ezrin, who has worked with the likes of KISS, PINK FLOYD, Lou Reed and Alice Cooper.
Furthering their collaboration with Ezrin, in 2021 and during the pandemic the band recorded a collection of cover songs from their own homes (normal for most bands nowadays, revolutionary for a band that records everything together in the studio),creating an eclectic and celebratory history of their roots in music, in the shape of "Turning To Crime".
In 2022 came the sad news of Steve Morse's departure due to personal circumstances, but DEEP PURPLE, never a band to let a set back throw them off course, sought out the masterful skills of guitarist Simon McBride and played the year out in style, exciting crowds with a new energy and excitement.
Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Don Airey and Simon McBride continue with renewed vitality, pushing the boundaries of hard rock to audiences around the globe, proving that DEEP PURPLE are very much here to stay.
Photo credit: Jim Rakete (courtesy of The Outside Organisation
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3 июл 2024
ROT COVEN To Release Debut Nightmares Devour The Waking World In August
 Rot Coven have announced the release of their debut album Nightmares Devour The Waking World, due out August 15, 2024 via Aesthetic Death.
Rot Coven is a 2-piece, noise-drenched industrial death metal/sludge band.
MZ sings and plays bass and drums while DD focuses more on guitar, then both members slather everything in layers of noise boxes, scrap metal, ritual drums and processed field recordings. This duo has been creating music together in various bands for around twenty years.
Born of a lifelong love of cosmic horror, heavy riffs, and creeped-out industrial noise, the band that would become Rot Coven first saw the light of day during the COVID-19 lockdowns of spring 2020.
The initial idea was to fuse ominous dark ambient synth textures with pounding "doom" style drums, but bass, guitars, vocals, and scrap metal percussion were quickly added to the mix resulting in a room-shaking cacophony equal parts Autopsy, Chu Ishikawa and the slow crawling No-Wave dirges of early Swans.
Rot Coven's first physical release Nightmares Devour The Waking World pairs two full-length albums: Phase I (initally self-released through the duo's Bandcamp) and the unreleased follow-up Phase II. Phase I builds colossal sludge riffs out of lurking death industrial dronescapes with the final track erupting into a supernova of scorching psychedelic leads and almost "doomgaze" melodicism, while Phase II descends deeper into the abyss, adding elements of unrelentingly ugly death metal to their apocalyptic scum-dirge.
Both albums explore a planet ravaged by cataclysms - storms of poison ash, churning acidic seas, and deserts that spread like a sentient organism. Colony collapse disorder on a galactic scale. A world where nature is so thoroughly gutted that reality itself starts to corrode, letting something seep in from "outside." A hostile consciousness so massive and utterly alien that the last remaining humans begin to worship it as a god:
Hideous rituals of blood and fire.
Cathedrals sculpted from scrap metal and the shattered bones of the dead.
The soul slowly, inexorably, replaced by void.
Tracklisting:
Phase I
“Blood Pours Out Of The Sun”
“Feast Of The Rotted Mother”
“Antimatter Halo”
“Queen Of The Void”
“Those Who Worship The Fallen”
Phase II
“Inverted Chasm”
“Psychological Contamination Zone”
“Accretion Disk Necropolis”
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3 июл 2024
LITA FORD Says Her Upcoming Album Is 'A Concept Record': 'There's A Big Story Behind It'
 In a new interview with Joe Rock of Long Island's rock station 102.3 WBAB, '80s hard rock queen Lita Ford spoke about her long-awaited new studio album. Ford's upcoming follow-up to 2012's "Living Like A Runaway" was once again helmed by guitarist/producer Gary Hoey, who contributes some guitar playing to the disc. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The studio, for me, has always been trying to teach everybody what I wanna hear. And a lot of that is because they basically don't know themselves as a producer or an engineer. I've had some of the greatest engineers and I've had some of the greatest producers, and this album — we're finished with it now — [was produced by] Gary Hoey. Gary Hoey is a great musician, great guitar player. And Gary and I — I can throw any idea at Gary, and he would try and make it happen. And the thing about being in the studio is you try and make things happen, and if they don't happen, then they don't happen. You can only try. And so we got real creative with guitars and we played — there's a lot of great guitars on this new record. I'm really excited about it."
Asked if she has a target release date for her new album, Lita said: "No, not yet, because I went round and round with some record labels. I just wanted to find the record a really good home, as I think it deserves after decades of rock and roll. It's a really great record and it just deserves a good home. And I know some of the labels are — they are not enough for me. And so I had to sort of hold off and try to negotiate with the biggest and the best labels I could possibly find. So, nothing's signed yet, but we're working on it. So that's a step in the right direction, and we're on the right path."
Lita went on to say that the creation of her new album was completely in her control. "There were no songwriters that I had to work with because somebody else wanted me to work with them," she explained. "This is strictly Lita and what Lita wanted to do. And it's a concept record. There's a big story behind it. And so it's gonna open a lot of doors for a lot of things. And a lot of people are gonna be able to relate to this record. And it has some great musicians. Bobby Rock played drums on it. Jean Beauvoir wrote one of the songs with me. And it's just a great record. And Gary Hoey, of course, produced it. Max Norman, who mixed it — Max Norman did a lot of stuff for Ozzy [Osbourne] and MEGADETH, and he's just a metal guy. So it's all in the right hands. I've got all the badass people behind me. Got a new manager, and it's all good."
In May 2022, bassist Marten Andersson (STEELHEART, LIZZY BORDEN, LYNCH MOB) officially joined Lita's touring band. Andersson replaced Marty O'Brien who became the touring bassist for DAUGHTRY.
In a 2023 interview with "THAT Rocks!", the YouTube series hosted by Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson, Lita stated about her next LP: "The problem is we've had so many things happen over the last few years. Our manager died; George Marshall died [in] '22. And then my songwriting partner died. And it's just been devastation. But we take all that pain and everything and we just put it right back into the album. And then we recorded the drum tracks in Minneapolis during Black Lives Matter and COVID. Everything was locked down and the place was boarded up and the guys had shotguns and Rottweilers. And then we went in and did drum tracks. And it was awesome. Just memories of just pure badassery."
Regarding what her plans are for live shows in support of her upcoming LP, Lita said: "Well, what I would like to do is put together a theatrical show, sort of like a rock guitar opera kind of thing. It's been done before and different bands have done it before, but I think in this case, it might be a little different and just to bring the whole show not to life just for audio, but for visual reasons also."
In January 2021, Lita told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that her new album contains "some of the best guitar playing" she has heard "in decades." She added: "And I'm not blowing smoke up my own ass, but Gary and I just nailed it with the guitar playing on this record.
"I'm a huge fan of people like Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter from Alice Cooper's 'Welcome To My Nightmare'. I mean, there's some really great duo guitar players — [JUDAS PRIEST's] Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing… Those guitar players don't exist anymore — they just don't exist. If you wanna hear them, you have to go back in time a little bit and dig them up into your favorite library, favorite music catalog. But I think Gary and I really nailed it on this next record. It's, like, oh my God. I'm crying — I'm just, like, crying listening to this stuff. It's so badass."
Ford's last release was 2016's "Time Capsule", a collection of songs that were recorded by Lita in the past, but never before made available.
Eight years ago, Lita released an autobiography, "Living Like A Runaway: A Memoir", via Dey Street Books (formerly It Books),an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. | +1 | |
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3 июл 2024
AGAINST THE GRAVE Presents "Living The End" Guitar Playthrough Video
 Against The Grave is an aggression soaked, vigorously infectious, groove metal band from Los Angeles, California, expanding the metal genre in a direction very few go.
"Living The End" is the latest single from the group. Against The Grave has, for the third time, teamed up with the director of their "Killing Us Slowly" and "Anthem Embattled" videos, Nathan Karma Cox. The band and director were able to take their collective vision to an even more visually powerful height with the dark, mysterious nightmare-scape metal music video for their aggressive, viscous track “Living The End”, which premiered at BraveWords on June 21st.
Now comes the playthrough by ATG guitarists Andrea Martis and George Arguello.
"The main riff is so powerful, one of those songs that is so fun to play because you get to headbang the whole time. Simple, punchy, catchy.... pure, and simple." - Andrea Martis
"It's like playing a violent car crash on guitar, the riffs are sick." - George Arguello
Guitarist Andrea Martis says, “We started out using 'Living The End' as an intro for our shows, a punch in the face to kick things off, but after that, we soon knew we had to expand it into a full song.” For the video, Martis explains, "We brought back the monsters again! This time we went for a very dark, evil vibe to match the darkness of the song."
Vocalist Jordan Gaw shares, "Dark curiosity, massive aggression, and this evil mystery thing with our monsters gave us visuals that feel like a haunted metal nightmare." Regarding the latest single 'Living The End," Gaw adds “This is one of those tunes that wrote itself, it persisted to be recognized, lyrically a metaphor for the times we’re currently in with a stylistic direction of industrial metal."
“Bleeding You", their second single, is another glimpse at the horsepower and pure hook resonating from the depths of a grimy downtown Los Angeles rehearsal studio.
“That drum fill leading to the gallop with the groovy riff is so sick, and such a great hook, this song is one the first things that drew me to the band." - Michael Morrone
Against The Grave premiered a video for the track "Anthem Embattled” in November 2023, showcasing ATG’s signature style... blood pumping and adrenaline inducing riffage with pummeling rhythms and beats.
“After tearing up stages around Hollywood with this track, we’re finally ready to unleash 'Anthem Embattled’. Psyched to not only be releasing a sonically kick ass recording but also an insanely wild video. It’s just simply furious, a groove metal track with a truck load of energy and immersive visuals of the desert just north of us! Blessed to have had Nate bring that energy to our eyes and Nicky & Ulrich to have cranked it for our ears. Check it out!" – Jordan Gaw
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3 июл 2024
PALACE Share “Girl Is An Angel” Video
 Lithuanian-born Swedish artist Michael Palace shares the new single and accompanying video “Girl Is An Angel”, taken from his upcoming new record Reckless Heart, set for release on July 12, 2024.
Preorder Reckless Heart here.
The unofficial soundtrack music video for "Girl Is An Angel" was made with clips from the cult classic 1996 movie "Barb Wire" featuring Pamela Anderson. Set in a dystopian future, "Barb Wire" stars Anderson as a nightclub owner and bounty hunter in Steel Harbor. Directed by David Hogan, the film blends noir and cyberpunk elements and is known for its gritty aesthetic and action-packed sequences. Despite mixed initial reviews, it has gained a cult following for its ‘90s charm and iconic style.
Describing the track, Michael commented: "‘Girl Is An Angel’ is a driving AOR rocker powered by a pumping synth bass and a scorching guitar solo! This is my personal favorite from the new album, so I wanted to make something special and made an edit of the movie ‘Barb Wire’ to accompany the song and give you the full soundtrack experience!”
This explosive musical journey of Reckless Heart resurrects the essence of the 1980s, each track pulsating with the potential to score a classic action blockbuster or drive the adrenaline of a training montage.
“It was time to go back to the roots, as they say, and finally make that true '80s AOR album that I’ve dreamt of creating since I started Palace. It's the missing link between 1985 and 2024,” said Michael.
Inspired by genre-defining icons such as Aviator, FM and Dare alongside contemporaries Chez Kane and Crazy Lixx, Michael Palace meticulously rebuilt the Palace sound from the ground up, returning to the true origins and inspiration of the project. Reckless Heart is an essential cornerstone in any AOR and melodic rock aficionado's collection.
Michael Palace embarked on his journey with Frontiers as a songwriter and guitarist for various projects such as First Signal, Cry Of Dawn, Toby Hitchcock and Kryptonite. These successful collaborations paved the way for a deal with Frontiers, enabling Michael to deliver songs aligned with his vision under the name Palace. Reckless Heart marks the fifth release, maintaining a bi-annual album release schedule since 2016. Recently, Michael has produced albums for Kent Hilli and Nevena and done work across diverse genres while taking on various roles such as a songwriter, musician, producer, and engineer.
Embracing a hands-on approach, Michael has written all of the songs, played all instruments, produced, mixed and mastered the new album. Reckless Heart stands as a testament to his ongoing musical evolution, inviting fans of Master Of The Universe, Binary Music, Rock and Roll Radio, and One 4 The Road to plunge into the captivating world of AOR and the iconic soundscape of the 1980s.
Tracklisting:
"Reckless Heart"
"The Widow’s Web"
"Back In Your Arms"
"Girl Is An Angel"
"You Give Me A Reason To Live"
"Back To ‘85"
"For The Love"
"Turn This Car Around"
"Weightless"
"Move Me"
"Stronger By The Day"
"Girl Is An Angel" video:
"Reckless Heart" visualizer:
"The Widow’s Web" video:
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3 июл 2024
HEART's ANN WILSON Undergoes Cancer Treatment; 'Royal Flush' Tour Postponed
 HEART has postponed its "Royal Flush" tour so that singer Ann Wilson can undergo cancer treatment.
The 74-year-old musician said in a statement Tuesday (July 2) that she recently underwent an operation to remove "something that, as it turns out, was cancerous."
"The operation was successful & I'm feeling great but my doctors are now advising me to undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy & I've decided to do it," she added. "And so my doctors are instructing me to take the rest of the year away from the stage in order to fully recover."
Wilson said she "absolutely" plans to return to the stage in 2025 and will share details with fans "as soon as we can."
"Thank you for all the support. This is merely a pause. I've much more to sing," Ann concluded.
HEART announced on social media that it was postponing the remainder of the tour "due to medical reasons." The band said tickets will be honored for the rescheduled dates, with more information to be announced in the coming weeks.
The current members of HEART feature Nancy Wilson (rhythm, lead and acoustic guitar, backing and lead vocals),Ann Wilson (lead vocals and flute),Ryan Wariner (lead and rhythm guitar),Ryan Waters (guitars),Paul Moak (guitars, keyboards and backing vocals),Tony Lucido (bass and backing vocals) and Sean Lane (drums and bike).
Last December, HEART played its first three concerts in more than four years — in Highland, California, at Greater Palm Springs in Palm Desert, California, and in Seattle, Washington.
Prior to HEART's December 27, 2023 show in Highland, the band's last performance took place in October 2019 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
"Royal Flush" featured CHEAP TRICK as support on most of the North American leg. HEART was also scheduled to join DEF LEPPARD and JOURNEY for summer stadium shows in Cleveland, Toronto and Boston.
Since HEART's formation in the early 1970s, the band has sold 35 million albums, including seven that made the Top 10, and notched 20 Top 40 singles. The band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2013.
Posted by Ann Wilson on Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Posted by Heart on Tuesday, July 2, 2024 | +1 | |
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3 июл 2024
CATEGORY 7 Feat. OVERKILL, EXODUS, ARMORED SAINT And Ex-MACHINE HEAD Members: 'Mousetrap' Music Video Released
 CATEGORY 7, the new band featuring former MACHINE HEAD and current KERRY KING guitarist Phil Demmel, ex-ADRENALINE MOB guitarist Mike Orlando, ARMORED SAINT/ex-ANTHRAX singer John Bush, OVERKILL/SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner and EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson, will release its self-titled debut album on July 26 via Metal Blade Records. The official music video for the LP's third single, "Mousetrap", can be seen below.
Comments Bush: "The music for this one felt like a mysterious caper to me. I drew inspiration from 'The Three Musketeers' where a police tactic was used to apprehend someone who went to the residence of a person who was previously arrested. The whole thing feels like a black-and-white movie with scenes of entrapment, interrogation, and a corrupt warden. Even though it feels like something old, it also feels like it could be applied to what is happening in our modern justice system. Round and round we go."
With veteran musicians from so many legendary bands, it's hard not to think of CATEGORY 7 as a supergroup.
"I think we're pretty super," jokes Demmel, who has also earned mega-metal cred over the decades as a member of VIO-LENCE and has played as a fill-in road guitarist for SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD, OVERKILL and others. "Really, I feel like this is a band, not a side project. And I feel like we have written this incredible piece of music, and we're not done. I'm so proud of the way this came together and the people who were involved. And I think we all feel super positive about this and what else we can do with it going forward."
The songs on the band's self-titled debut speak for themselves. As crushing and confrontational as an armed rebellion, as rhythmically thunderous as a storm of golf ball-sized hail, and as fiercely melodic as infectious riffs and aggressive vocals can be, CATEGORY 7 is a new breed of metal that lives up to the storied histories of its members. They're as heavy as a battleship, yet the songs are meticulously structured, skillfully balancing thrash beats, New Wave Of British Heavy Metal rhythms, punk metal attitude, blistering and ferocious dual guitar work, and scar-inflicting vocals.
"It's all about big verses and big songs, and it has a lot of the elements we've explored in our other bands," explains guitarist and main songwriter Mike Orlando (ADRENALINE MOB, SONIC UNIVERSE, NOTURNALL).
Take the upbeat album opener "In Stitches", which starts with piledriving double-bass drums, a feral thrash passage, and a fiery lead before toning down just enough for the distinctive vocals to stand out.
"It gets heavy, it's thrashy at times, but it opens up in the verses, and then the double-bass drums come in and knock you off your chair, but in a great way," Orlando says.
Bush further elaborates, "I read an article on an unhoused pregnant woman named Stitches who resided in Los Angeles obviously living a very difficult life that was compounded by mental illness and drug abuse. The encampment situation in my beloved city drives me bats. I balance between serious empathy and complete anger. The combination of imagining her life as well as my own internal turmoil led me to an almost humorous insanity state while writing this scathing album opener."
"Land I Used To Love" is slightly slower and more melodic, with guitar chords that complement the harmonized vocals and a searing guitar fill over the chorus that ups the temperature on the molten riffage. Then there's the propulsive, piledriver "Exhausted", which features blazing guitar licks, a punchy riff, and hammering thrash beats that climax with another unforgettable chorus.
The album closes with the explosive eight-minute instrumental, "Etter Stormen", in which Orlando and Demmel engage in a contest of dueling guitar leads over volleys of battering beats and riffs that see-saw between pounding metal and whiplash-inducing thrash.
CATEGORY 7, named after the numerical designation for the most powerful wind storms, came together from a batch of musicians who strived to play music they loved and weren't hearing elsewhere, and wanted to do so with bandmates they enjoyed being with. Orlando and Demmel became friends after taking part in a batch of tributes to the late OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Randy Rhoads. The seeds of CATEGORY 7 were then cemented one night a couple years later when Orlando went to hang out at the Clifton, New Jersey metal club Dingbatz as Demmel was filling in on lead guitar for OVERKILL, which also featured SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner.
"We were hanging out and tearing it up, and between beers we were like, 'Hey, we need to do something,'" recalls Demmel. "We need to write some new music. We've got three-fifths of a band here. Let's get together and do some songs."
Since OVERKILL was practicing in New Jersey for a couple days before launching a tour, Demmel and Bittner were hanging out in the area. So, the day after the Dingbatz conversation, the guitarist got back in touch with Orlando, and the two decided to get together after the show and jam to see if their playing styles meshed.
"We just started throwing around some riffs, and it was pretty incredible, but different," Orlando says. "We immediately clicked together as writers. And to me, it was such a joy because the bands I have been in have always been just one guitar player. I never had a partner. So, to have a dude I liked, who plays really well, to bounce ideas around with was freaking awesome."
"Mike had this idea of doing stuff that was a little more mainstream than the heavier stuff that I've done. But we didn't want anything to sound contrived," adds Demmel. "So, the first thing we did had all these different parts and crazy tempos and it kind of sounded like RACER X-meets-PANTERA. But we liked it and had fun doing it, so it was a great start."
Adds Bittner: "The funniest part about that was me and Phil were rehearsing for OVERKILL in New Jersey, and I had no idea I was two rooms over from you writing this song. So, after we practiced for five hours you guys worked on a song for another two hours. I couldn't believe that. And I went, 'Okay, next time you guys do something, count me in.'"
As a staple of the Bay Area thrash scene, EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson was the natural choice to expand CATEGORY 7, and he was intrigued by the idea of stepping into a new pair of shoes. "When I first heard the song they did, I really liked that it was heavy and melodic, which is very different than the stuff I play with EXODUS, which is very rhythmic and chromatic."
By far, the greatest challenge for CATEGORY 7 was finding the right singer. Not that the members couldn't agree on who they wanted. They all wanted ARMORED SAINT and ex-ANTHRAX vocalist John Bush; there wasn't even a second option. But getting him to agree to join the band was an exercise in patience and persuasion. When he was invited to join CATEGORY 7, Bush wanted to hear the band's music. But the only song they had recorded was the RACER X-meets-PANTERA-style instrumental, which they feared wasn't going to vibe with Bush's interest or ability. So, they put a couple more demos together, which were far more melodic, and they sent them to Bush, then waited on tenterhooks for him to get back to them.
"I listened to the music they sent me, and I was like, "Wow, this is pretty scathing stuff,'" Bush recalls. "It's awesome, but the question was, what could I do with it vocally that would fit? As Jason said, 'These guys are riff maniacs.' So, I wasn't totally sure right away that I was the right guy for it. But I started tinkering around with it and writing, and, to my satisfaction, everything came out relatively easy."
With Bush onboard, CATEGORY 7 went into overdrive. Now that they had a vocalist locked in, they were able to structure the songs to work with his melodic vocal style. Orlando worked separately and then together, assembling dynamic riffs and rhythms that peaked in complexity and heaviness during the intros, midsections and outros, and settled into a sparser, more melodic pocket for the verses and choruses.
"There was a cognizant effort to give the verses some space and to let John create his vocal melodies for them and the choruses," Demmel says. "Because he's the 'Bush hooks man.'"
CATEGORY 7 quickly realized the best way for Orlando and Demmel to combine their considerable talents as songwriters was for Orlando to write the skeletons for the tunes and have Demmel contribute fills, middle eight sections and leads. For Orlando, writing for the band became far easier once he had a vocalist in mind for his songs.
"When John Bush entered the picture, I knew who I was writing for and that helped me immensely," he says. "I wasn't just writing for the sake of writing; I was writing parts specifically for John Bush to sing. That was great for me not only because gave me a goal to strive for, but because, as a fan of John Bush's vocals for decades in ARMORED SAINT and ANTHRAX, it was exciting to know he was gonna be on these songs."
Even though CATEGORY 7 purposely wrote songs that gave Bush the room he needed to make the material shine, they stopped short of writing together anything that sounded like the bands Bush was best known for. That left Bush filtering through the complex rhythms and sometimes unconventional melodies to find the right spots in which to sing and the tone for those passages. While the work was sometimes challenging, it was equally rewarding and imbued songs like "Land I Used to Love", "Exhausted" and "Through Pink Eyes", with urgency and immediacy.
"Working on these songs opened up a big part of my brain to just be real creative," Bush says. "It all came out sounding very fresh and new. And it was really liberating for me because I was able to open up a whole new door for myself. Because working with these guys was just different than what I've done before because they're different people and the way they write, the way they create, and the way they play is new for me. And that compelled me to gravitate to what they were doing, which created this fresh sound that's unlike anything I've done or heard."
Bush also entered new territory with his lyrics. While he has addressed current events and the downfall of society in the past, with CATEGORY 7 he wrote about the desperation that pervades society and the destructive divide that has evolved and separated people for decades but is now worse than ever. As much as anything, Bush wanted songs like "White Flags & Bayonets", "In Stitches" and "Land I Used To Love" to inspire thought while being open to interpretation.
"I just say it's social commentary, man," Bush says "There's a slew of information there to choose from and it's all in there. Obviously, every single day you could wake up and check out the news and have conversations with people and friends and feel a lot of the way I did when I was writing these songs. So, I just ran with that. But there's a certain ambiguity to some of the lyrics because I don't want to spell out exactly what these songs are about because they could be about a lot of things. And I want people to use their imagination. I want to touch on all these particular topics and scenarios that feel very current without telling people what they need to think."
CATEGORY 7 started working together on March 2023. During the months that followed, Orlando and Demmel wrote on a regular basis, and during the pre-production stage, Bittner recorded drums to the tracks at his home studio. When he sent them back to the guitarists, they would send him the next batch of songs to work on. Not only did Bittner bring on the kind of technical drum skills he has exhibited in SHADOWS FALL and OVERKILL, he went above and beyond, injecting a tumbling, barreling feel into the variegated songs.
"Jason is not only technically incredible, his parts are musical, and his feel is musical," Orlando says. "He's the ideal drummer for this band because he exudes this fire and passion which I love because that's the only way I play guitar."
Bush started recording his vocals after Orlando, Bittner and Gibson laid down all their tracks at Orlando's recording facility, Sonic Stomp Studios, where he produced, engineered, mixed and mastered the album. With the songs in their final form, it was just a matter of fine-tuning a mix here or overdubbing a part there. And Orlando had almost as much fun finishing the album as he did writing it.
"One thing I love to do is to be able to take the guitar player hat off and become the producer and studio guy," he says. "And it was easy with these guys because we all had the same vision, and we were so prepared. But it took a little bit of tinkering because I wanted this album to sound big - not in the sense of overly produced but big in a way that it knocks you out of your shoes and off your feet. And we all wanted the same thing, so there was no conflict whatsoever."
In the end, CATEGORY 7 have created an album that is fresh and familiar. The mixture of NWOBHM, thrash, punk-metal and traditional metal is cohesive and sonically rewarding, establishing an eclectic musical backdrop for Bush's instantly identifiable vocals. At the same time, the diversity of styles creates its own template that's ideal for headbanging, moshing, and voluble sing-alongs.
"I think the sound of this band really comes down to the odd connection that all of us have," Bittner says. "We've known each other for years as friends and peers. And we've all looked up to each other and know that one day we'd have to work together. It's taken almost two decades for that to happen, but lo-and-behold, once it did there was no stopping us."
"Category 7" features art and layout by Carlos Fides at Artside Studio (ANGRA, EVERGREY, KAMELOT). The record will be available on CD and digital formats as well as several vinyl color variants.
"Category 7" track listing:
01. In Stitches
02. Land I Used To Love
03. Apple Of Discord
04. Exhausted
05. Runaway Truck
06. White Flags & Bayonets
07. Mousetrap
08. Waver At The Breaking Point
09. Through Pink Eyes
10. Etter Stormen
Demmel spoke about CATEGORY 7 in an August 2023 interview with former EXHORDER and PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS guitarist Marzi Montazeri. Regarding how the musicians first came together, Demmel said: "I [was] doing a one-off [show], [filling in as the guitar player for] OVERKILL, and this is just right after things are opening up. It's in Jersey, so we go up to Dingbatz, or what's… there's the bar and then there's the venue. So whatever the bar is, we go to the bar. And Orlando comes and meets us, and it's Corey Pierce from GOD FORBID. And so we're there all getting loaded. And at a certain point, it was just, like, 'Man, we got the band right here, man. Why don't we do something? Why don't we write music together?' And we're all, 'Yeah, let's do.' And then the next day, we're kind of hung over, going, 'Hey, man, did we mean it? Did we mean that? Yeah, let's see can happen.' And I came back [to the East Coast]. I forget what I was doing when I came back. And me and Orlando got together and we just got in the room and started throwing riffs at each other and came up with, like, a dozen or so riffs that he took back. And you know Mikey O — he's got his own studio, and he gets behind something. And he's got such a great ear. He's a phenomenal guitar player. And he's got a great ear for music and melody. So he starts putting the shit together. And we're, like, Damn, this is fucking cool.' … And then so we're thinking, it's, like, all right, well, bass player and vocalists. Vocalists, who would you guys want? Let's make our list. Start at the top.' And then bang, bang, bang. All at the top was 'John Bush', 'John Bush', 'John Bush'. We're, like, 'Hmm.' I said I know him from [playing together in] METAL ALLEGIANCE. We broed down a little bit — we talked sports and stuff — so I said, I know him enough to call him up and ask him. So I did. And he was super… We were in the friend zone for a while — you know, non-committal. And it's been bit by bit by bit."
Phil went on to describe the new band's musical direction as "heavier than the early VAN HALEN and the early PANTERA stuff that's on the — you know, the shuffle beat. It's on the upbeat; a lot of it's on the upbeat, not on the down. So it's the head-bobbing type of type of BPMs, you know? So it's different. Nobody's really doing that now."
Orlando was the guitarist/founding member of the hard rock group ADRENALINE MOB. As owner of his own recording studio, Sonic Stomp Studios, he handles everything from engineering, producing, mixing and mastering.
Demmel left MACHINE HEAD at the end of the band's fall 2018 North American tour. He was in MACHINE HEAD for nearly 16 years, during which time he played on five of the group's studio albums: "Through The Ashes Of Empires" (2003),"The Blackening" (2007),"Unto The Locust" (2011),"Bloodstone & Diamonds" (2014) and "Catharsis" (2018).
Widely known as the drummer from American metal band SHADOWS FALL, Bittner has won numerous awards, including Modern Drummer magazine's No. 1 Metal Drummer in 2005 and 2006, No. 1 Up-And-Coming Drummer in 2004 and 2005, and No. 2 Clinician for DRUM! magazine in 2011. In 2014, Bittner hooked up with the thrash metal band FLOTSAM AND JETSAM and has since joined OVERKILL.
Bush continues to record and tour with ARMORED SAINT, which he co-founded in 1982.
John fronted ANTHRAX between 1992 and 2005 but was sidelined when the group reunited with Joey Belladonna for a 20th-anniversary tour. When that collapsed, and relationships disintegrated with next frontman Dan Nelson, Bush returned for a time before Belladonna took the job back in 2010.
In 1996, eight albums into EXODUS's career, Gibson joined the band and has remained with the group ever since. In addition to his work EXODUS, he has fathered a bluegrass brainchild, COFFIN HUNTER, a band that combines Gibson's love for Nashville music and for playing banjo, giving off a vibe of true Americana like a mix of C.W. McCall, Jerry Reed and Sergio Leone.
Photo by Rob Shotwell
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Thirteen Goats
