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1 июл 2024

Watch: NILE Performs At HELLFEST As Three-Piece After KARL SANDERS Falls 'Seriously Ill'

NILE founding mastermind/guitarist Karl Sanders was forced to miss the band's June 29 performance at Hellfest in Clisson, France after becoming "seriously ill." The other three members of NILE's current touring lineup — drummer George Kollias, guitarist/vocalist Zach Jeter and bassist/vocalist Dan Vadim Von — played the show as a three-piece.

Earlier on Saturday, Sanders released the following statement via social media: "I'm heartbroken to share that I became seriously ill after Graspop [Metal Meeting in Belgium] and have been in an emergency hospital this week in Belgium. As a result, I am going to have to miss NILE's performance at Hellfest.

"This is the first time in 19 years that I, personally, have not played a show due to illness, and it's incredibly hard for me to disappoint you all.

"Over the many years of my career with NILE, I have played shows while combating broken bones, neck injuries, back injuries, hand and wrist injuries, and all conceivable varieties of tour flu and infection sicknesses," he continued. "If there were any way at all for me to make the show at Hellfest, believe me I would be there to participate in Metal. It's just not possible this time. However, in the spirit of metal perseverance, the other members of NILE — George, Dan, and Zach — will be there to play the show as a three-piece. Please show them your support as they bravely give it their all to bring you the music that we in NILE love to share. Your energy and enthusiasm will make all the difference to create an unforgettable experience for everyone. It will make me happy to see videos of epic moshing and classic NILE chants at Hellfest from my sickbed!

"Thank you for your understanding and support," Karl added. "I appreciate all of you, and will see you back on tour with the guys in September."

After the Hellfest performance, Jeter took to his social media to write: "@hellfestopenair 2024 was one for the books, to say the least. Due to illness, our brother Karl was unfortunately unable to join us on stage. As much as we missed him, the show had to go on. Alongside @georgekolliasofficial and @danielvadimvon we crushed this show as a 3 piece!

"To the Hellfest crowd, you guys were fucking awesome and made it all worthwhile. We'll be back in Europe with Karl in September for 'The Underworld' tour, see you out there!"

NILE will release its tenth album, "The Underworld Awaits Us All", on August 23 via Napalm Records. The LP was once again produced and recorded at Sanders's own Serpent Headed Studios in Greenville, South Carolina. The band then returned to "Vile Nilotic Rites" engineer Mark Lewis (CANNIBAL CORPSE, DYING FETUS, WHITECHAPEL) for mixing and mastering.

"The Underworld Awaits Us All"'s art was once again envisioned and created by Michał "Xaay" Loranc, with reference to the cycle of life and judgment at its end.

I'm heartbroken to share that I became seriously ill after Graspop and have been in an emergency hospital this week in...

Posted by Nile on Saturday, June 29, 2024

@hellfestopenair 2024 was one for the books, to say the least.

Due to illness, our brother Karl was unfortunately...

Posted by Zach Jeter on Sunday, June 30, 2024

Nile

1 июл 2024

Watch: WOLFGANG VAN HALEN Joins MR. BUNGLE At HELLFEST For Cover Of VAN HALEN's 'Loss Of Control'

Wolfgang Van Halen joined MR. BUNGLE on stage on Saturday (June 29) at Hellfest in Clisson, France to perform a cover of VAN HALEN's "Loss Of Control". Video of his appearance can be seen below.

Wolfgang previously played the same song with MR. BUNGLE on June 22 at the Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium.

Last year, Wolfgang, who played three VAN HALEN classics during the Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts in September 2022, stressed the importance of establishing himself as a musician in his own right rather than trying to to gain recognition by merely playing other artists' music. He told the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast about the experience of playing VAN HALEN songs with FOO FIGHTERS' Dave Grohl and Josh Freese, and THE DARKNESS's Justin Hawkins: "It was wonderful. It was the exception where it was, like, 'This would be the time to do it.' Taylor was such a huge fan and to get my own satisfaction by doing a direct VAN HALEN tribute for Dad, it felt like the right thing to do in that moment. I'm really proud of it."

He added: "I'm happy to be able to prove myself. The important key distinction is that I'm not doing what my dad did, I'm my own person, I'm my own musician… It's why I don't play any VAN HALEN music or have a plan to play VAN HALEN music during my sets.

"Even my dad hated doing covers back in the day. His quote resonates with me all the time when he says, 'I'd rather bomb with my own music than succeed with somebody else's.' And that's exactly how I feel about playing VAN HALEN music. I'd much rather fail on my own than succeed heartlessly by playing 'Panama'."

MR. BUNGLE's current dates once again feature the lineup of Mike Patton, Trevor Dunn, Trey Spruance, Scott Ian and Dave Lombardo.

MR. BUNGLE released "The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo" in 2020, an album that saw the Eureka, California-born band record songs from their 1986 cassette only demo. The collection's release was preceded by seven February 2020 shows (Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York). The newly revamped version of the seminal band sees Trevor Dunn, Mike Patton and Trey Spruance joined by Scott Ian (ANTHRAX, S.O.D.) and Dave Lombardo (DEAD CROSS, ex-SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES). Rolling Stone dubbed the album "a feast of ingenious riffs… and pure manic energy," Stereogum said "MR. BUNGLE are reliving their very earliest days and kicking a whole lot of ass in the process," and Decibel declared it "one of the best thrash records of the year."

MR. BUNGLE was formed in an impoverished lumber and fishing town by a trio of curious, volatile teenagers. Trey Spruance, Mike Patton and Trevor Dunn beget the amorphous "band" in 1985 up in Humboldt County, California, sifting through a variety of members until around 1989 when they settled on a lineup that managed to get signed to Warner Bros. Records. No one really knows how this happened and it remains a complete mystery that even the algorithms of the Internet can't decode. Up until 2000, they released three albums ("Mr. Bungle" in 1991, "Disco Volante" in 1995 and "California" in 1999),toured a good portion of the Western hemisphere and avoided any sort of critical acclaim. Some argue that the band subsequently broke up but there is also no proof of this. What is true is that they took 20 years off from performing under said moniker while they pursued various other music that, in contrast, paid the rent.

Hellfest
Clisson, France

Mr Bungle European Vacation Tour couldn’t have ended on a higher note. Once again, Wolfgang Van Halen joined us on stage to perform the deep cut Van Halen classic Loss Control.
On the same stage Andreas Kisser of Sepultura joined us to perform Territory. A very special thanks to my amazing bandmates Mike Patton, Trey Spruance, Trevor Dunn, and the Malcolm Young of metal Scott Ian. The surprises were never ending. We would come up with an idea sometime in the afternoon. Discuss the idea, practice at soundcheck and perform it that evening.

Fearless genre dipping musicians!

Video by Mark Johnson
Wolfgang Van Halen MammothWVH
Andreas Kisser Sepultura
Mr. Bungle Scott Ian Mike Patton
Trey Spruance - Private page

Posted by Dave Lombardo on Sunday, June 30, 2024

Mr. Bungle

1 июл 2024

MR. LORDI: New LORDI Album Is 'Already Done, Mixed And Mastered'

In a new interview with Chaoszine, LORDI leader Mr. Lordi spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2023's "Screem Writers Guild" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We recorded the new album mainly before the tour started. And that was in March, I guess. So, like 99.9 percent of the album was recorded before the tour. Then we had that one percent to record after the tour, and we did. So it's already done, mixed and mastered. And hence why we are doing the new costumes and masks now."

Asked if he and his bandmates had a clear vision of where they wanted to go with the new material, Mr. Lordi said: "Kinda. I wanted to continue on the same track, in a way, so it's clearly a sister album or brother album to the 'Screem Writers'. But some people have said that it's a little bit harder, it's a little bit more… there's a little bit more balls. It's not as 'hair metally' as 'Screem Writers'. To me, it sounds, yeah, okay. I think that's a fair analysis of that. So, there are some songs that are a little bit harder… Because I thought it's the same, but some songs are a bit harder, some a little bit more metal than any of the songs on the 'Screem Writers', I guess."

Regarding when fans can expect to hear the first single from LORDI's upcoming album, Mr. Lordi said: "I do not know that, no. I don't know. I don't know. But my guesstimate is, I would say the last quarter of the year, probably. Yeah, [and the full album will arrive] at the beginning of 25, somewhere there."

LORDI caused a sensation by winning the 2006 Eurovision with "Hard Rock Hallelujah", which in turn made the band's third release, "The Arockalypse", a hit throughout Europe. On the back of their Eurovision win, they scored a lucrative series of promotions including LORDI-branded cola, boiled sweets and credit cards; and played live at the MTV European Music Awards. A square was renamed in LORDI's honor in the Lapland city of Rovaniemi; a LORDI-themed postage stamp was issued in Finland and the group starred in its first film, called "Dark Floors".

With their monster-movie stage persona, LORDI seemed a most unlikely choice to represent their country in the Eurovision Song Contest. So you can imagine how many people were shocked when the group not only claimed top honors, but also earned the most points in the venerable event's history.

In the days following LORDI's Eurovision win, Reuters reported that nearly 200,000 Finns signed an online petition to express their dismay after tabloid magazines published pictures of the bandmembers out of their trademark monster suits.

Even though Mr. Lordi and his bandmates had asked media not to run pictures of them out of character, two Finnish tabloid magazines went ahead, sparking an online backlash from the group's fans.

Last September, Mr. Lordi was asked in an interview with Czech Republic's Backstage TV if it's hard for him and his bandmates to maintain their anonymity after all these years. The 50-year-old musician, whose real name is Tomi Petteri Putaansuu, said: "[It's] really fucking easy, actually. It's not difficult at all anymore. Here's the thing: the mainstream media is not interested in us anymore, which is a fucking good thing. Because after Eurovision for a couple of years, that was a fucking pain in the ass. But it's not difficult for me at all. Not one tiny bit, because I have never been on social media my whole life — not one second. I've never been on Facebook or fucking, what are these fucking Twitters and shit, you know, Instagrams. I'm not there and I won't be there. I hate that whole thing. So easy for me. [Laughs]"

Back in 2017, Mr. Lordi admitted to MariskalRock that he was initially comfortable about LORDI's connection to Eurovision. "There was a time a couple of years ago — well, more than a couple — when I really, really, really hated that everybody's always asking about the goddamn Eurovision; there was a time," he said. "Nowadays I have come to terms with it. It's, like, okay, I'm actually proud that we are part of Eurovision history and I am proud that Eurovision is part of this band's history. I mean, it is a big part of our awareness. Because the awareness of the band would be so different, it would be so much smaller, without that one TV show ten years ago."

He continued: "I absolutely don't regret that — absolutely not. Because I have nothing bad to say about Eurovision itself, but the problem that we have had in the years is the people who actually don't know anything else except for the fact that we were on Eurovision. And that is a big stamp to get out of — it's like a fucking tattoo, you have a fucking tattoo on your forehead that says 'Eurovision.' And that is something that really, really, really drove me nuts some years ago; I was really struggling with that.

"I have come to terms with it — it's all right; I mean, it's cool," he said. "I am proud of it. And every May, when there's a new Eurovision, I know that my phone will start ringing and people will ask my opinions and then we get requests: 'Do you wanna come to this country's semifinals? Do you wanna come here?' And for years we said, 'No, we don't wanna. We don't want to.' But now, we're, like, 'Fuck it! Let's do it. What the hell?' I mean, c'mon, it's all fun, and it's part of our history, and the Eurovision, they really want us to come there, because, let's face it, we are one of those winners that people still remember."

"Screem Writers Guild" came out in March 2023 via Atomic Fire Records.

Lordi

1 июл 2024

DEATH ANGEL Is Preparing To Record Tenth Studio Album

San Francisco Bay Area metallers DEATH ANGEL will enter the studio in a few weeks to begin recording the follow-up to 2019's "Humanicide" album.

On Saturday (June 29),DEATH ANGEL drummer Will Carroll took to his Facebook page to write: "So….I'll be entering the recording studio in a few weeks to track drums for DEATH ANGEL's tenth studio album. It will be my fifth album with the band (seventh if you count the 2 live albums).

"Rob [Cavestany, DEATH ANGEL guitarist] and I have been working our asses off demoing and rehearsing these songs to get them as tight and as well thought out as possible.

"This is the longest preproduction I've ever been a part of and the longest for the band since I've joined.

"We've been jamming to the songs live while listening to the demos (with drums and second guitar taken out) along with a click. It took some getting use to but things are flowing great now.

"This is the most prepared I've ever been for a recording.

"These new songs are a wild Thrash Metal ride and beyond.

"Let's do this."

This past March, DEATH ANGEL guitarist Ted Aguilar told El Planeta Del Rock that he and his bandmates had "a bunch of songs, a lot of skeletons" for their upcoming LP. "We spent the first three months of this year writing. We didn't do any activity — just writing. And I actually saw Rob a couple of nights ago, and it's going well. There's a bunch of skeletons, as we call it. There's a lot of ideas that we're waiting for [singer] Mark [Osegueda] to put some vocals on. But we're taking a break right now, because I think next week we start rehearsals for [our tour of] South America. So we have to [go], 'All right, let's stop the writing.' We've gotta get back and put together a really good setlist for South America and do the tour. Then, when we come back, we'll probably take a week off, then we go back into writing. Which is perfect timing, because when we get back from South America, Mark's gonna be busy [touring] with Kerry King [SLAYER]. So it's perfect timing 'cause while Mark's doing the Kerry King thing, we're gonna be at home and just — the priority is the new record."

Osegueda is the featured singer on King's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", which arrived on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

Earlier in March, Osegueda told El Planeta Del Rock about the songwriting process for DEATH ANGEL's next LP: "It's going great. And we're excited about it. That's where DEATH ANGEL is right now, writing the new record… I think I was at [Rob's] house on Thursday and I laid down vocals to a demo of a new DEATH ANGEL song. And there's more songs I've gotta start writing the lyrics and melodies for, 'cause him and Will are in the studio and Rob has been tracking Will's drums on these songs for demos and now it's time for me to catch up and write more lyrics and melodies. It's happening. And the only thing that's gonna slow it down — and I don't mind; we're all excited about it — starting next week, we'll switch the gears into rehearsing for the Latin American 'Humanicide' tour. So we'll be rehearsing for the Latin American 'Humanicide' tour, go on that tour, which we're not trying to rush, then we'll come back, take a moment to breathe, and then it's right back into writing. That'll be the main focus after that."

Asked if there is any chance of DEATH ANGEL releasing a new single this year, Mark said: "That's a good question. I don't know. We're more of an album band. 'Cause we wanna write a whole bunch of music and cherry pick the best songs that we think will make a solid, solid, vicious record, especially after — [it being] the follow-up to 'Humanicide' and being that it's already been, we're going on five years since the last [studio album]. So I think we wanna get the best product possible."

In a separate interview with Elevar, Cavestany confirmed that new DEATH ANGEL music was in the works. "I don't like divulging the 'play by play'; I'd rather news came out when there is substantial information to speak of," he explained. "That being said, I can tell you there are around seven songs we are currently working on and I'm currently getting deep into the writing zone, which is my happy place. If we can manage to stop saying yes to every tour offer (we love to tour),then maybe we can finally get this new album done. The plan is to record it this year."

Also in March, Carroll said that he was "stoked" about how DEATH ANGEL's new music was shaping up. "The creative juices are flowing and things are moving along at a very productive rate," he wrote on social media. "One more song and we'll have reached our goal we set for ourselves before rehearsing the songs we're doing down in South/Central America in April. Once that tour is over and we're back home we get straight back to making these demos."

He added: "I can't wait for the DA fans around the world to hear this new material and hopefully we'll make some new ones along the way. Exciting times indeed."

Five months ago, Will said that he and his DEATH ANGEL bandmates were "hard at work getting" the band's next album "written and completely demo'd."

"It felt good to get back to work with Rob Cavestany," Will wrote on January 26. "It's a real challenge to not rehash the same ideas and beats from previous albums but I think so far things are sounding fresh and inspired."

Last July, Aguilar told Vikram Chandrasekar about the band's songwriting process: "Well, when it comes down to writing, it's all Rob. It's all Rob. It starts with him. He comes up with a basic structure and him and Will get together and they hash it all out and they record it. And when they get it to a point where, 'Oh, yeah, this is great,' then they send it off to everyone else. And Damien [Sisson, bass] does his parts and Mark [Osegueda, vocals] will listen to it and try to write lyrics and melodies. And I'll listen to it and I'll touch base with Rob: 'What do you want me to do here? Do you want me to play something here? Or do you want me to do something different?' 'Cause Rob has a vision and you kind of wanna see his vision. And as soon as the song comes together to where we play it quite a few times, then we could throw in our ideas, like, 'Hey, maybe that part should be a little longer,' or, 'Maybe cut that out,' or Will will go, 'I wanna do something different here instead.' So, you know, Rob has a vision, we listen, we play along with it. Then if we feel like there needs to be changes, we express our concern, and Rob is really good at, 'Yeah, let's give it a try.' So we try everything. And it comes down to, 'All right, this is what works.' So it starts with Rob. And with regarding the lyrics, every now and then Rob will pick out a song: 'I wanna write lyrics for this song.' And Mark goes, 'Go ahead.' But Mark writes all the lyrics, and what he does is with the music, he'll listen to it over and over by himself. I don't know where he goes. He goes into the far corners of the earth by himself, with the headphones and music, and he'll come up with so many types of different melodies and stuff, and then come up with the ones he's happy with and lay it down on the demo form. Then when we get into the real studio, then things start to evolve 'cause we've played it so many times or we listened to it so many times that when we get in there, [we go], 'All right, let's try this.' It's always evolving to the point where it's handing it in to get mastered. Some songs stay kind of the same from what it was, but we just put more energy into it. Some songs have been rewritten quite a few times, so it differs. Rob's the songwriter, and on the last album I wrote one song. Yeah, it's how it is. And right now I'm writing some stuff, and how it goes is I'll write some stuff, I'll send it to Rob. I always tell him, 'If it's good, use it. If not, if you find parts are good, use it. If it's not good, it's okay, dude.' I'm just throwing some stuff out there, 'cause he knows what the DEATH ANGEL sound should be. And if he likes it, he'll use it. If he doesn't, my feelings are not broken."

DEATH ANGEL released a live album titled "The Bastard Tracks" in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast. Recorded live at The Great American Music Hall in their hometown of San Francisco on May 22, 2021, and streamed live soon after, "The Bastard Tracks" was described in a press release as "a deep-cuts collection of rarely and never performed songs from the band's catalog" that was released digitally and on CD, vinyl and Blu-ray.

In October 2020, DEATH ANGEL released a four-song EP, "Under Pressure". The effort included a cover of QUEEN + David Bowie's "Under Pressure", followed by a new track titled "Faded Remains", plus acoustic versions of "Act III"'s classic "A Room With A View" and "Humanicide"'s "Revelation Song". The EP was mixed by Max Norman (OZZY OSBOURNE, MEGADETH, BAD COMPANY) and mastered by Ted Jensen (LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD, HALESTORM).

Released in May 2019 via Nuclear Blast, "Humanicide" saw DEATH ANGEL returning to producer and friend Jason Suecof (DEICIDE, TRIVIUM) of Audiohammer studios for the recording and mixing, along with the mastering of the legendary Ted Jensen (SLIPKNOT, PANTERA) of Sterling Sound, who added the final touches and brought it all to life, with artist Brent Elliott White (LAMB OF GOD, MEGADETH) providing the ominous cover artwork.

In March 2020, Carroll spent almost two weeks on a ventilator in an intensive care unit at a Northern California hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. He first got sick when he and the rest of DEATH ANGEL spent more than a month on the road in Europe with TESTAMENT and EXODUS as part of "The Bay Strikes Back 2020" tour.

DEATH ANGEL was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the "Humanicide" title track. It was the group's first Grammy nomination.

Carroll joined DEATH ANGEL in 2009 as the replacement for the band's original drummer, Andy Galeon.

Will can be heard on the last four DEATH ANGEL studio albums: "Relentless Retribution" (2010),"The Dream Calls for Blood" (2013),"The Evil Divide" (2016) and the aforementioned "Humanicide".

Death Angel

1 июл 2024

Watch: DAVID ELLEFSON And JEFF YOUNG Perform MEGADETH Classics With KINGS OF THRASH In Glendale, Arizona

The edwardlaws YouTube channel has uploaded video of KINGS OF THRASH, the band featuring former MEGADETH members David Ellefson (bass) and Jeff Young (guitar),performing on June 21 at The 44 Sports Grill And Nightlife in Glendale, Arizona. Check out the clips below.

KINGS OF THRASH, which also includes drummer Fred Aching as well as guitarist/vocalist Chaz Leon, performs select cuts from MEGADETH's classic albums "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good", "So Far...So Good... So What!" and "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?"

KINGS OF THRASH recently completed a couple of tours during which it performed "Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!" and "So Far, So Good… So What!" in their entirety. A live CD/DVD package called "Best Of The West…Live At The Whisky A Go Go" was recorded and filmed live at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California on October 15, 2022 and was released in March 2023 via Cleopatra Records. The DVD, which was directed by Michael Sarna for Inmotion Entertainment, includes an appearance by another ex-MEGADETH member, guitarist Chris Poland.

"Let me put it this way: What's happening now is a win for all of us — Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader] included," Young told Metal Edge in August 2023. "He gets to make money off the publishing from the MEGADETH songs we play. Dave knows that, so he's very aware of us."

Young continued: "He hates what KINGS OF THRASH is doing. But it doesn't matter because, eventually, we'll delete a lot of the MEGADETH from our set, and we'll keep writing new stuff. But Dave is feeling the heat because we're getting attention, and the KINGS OF THRASH album will be better than anything MEGADETH has done recently. And we're playing all the MEGADETH songs better than he has in years. It's not just me saying that — read the reviews."

In January 2023, Young told Ultimate Guitar that he and Ellefson had not received any feedback from Mustaine about their new band or their recent live shows. "We couldn't care less… and it's a win-win for him," Jeff said. "Because all the publishing, for example, on the 'Best Of The West', he's getting all that money. We're making him money and he doesn't have to do anything. So, we're performing the songs because they're part of our history and the fans want to hear them and we will benefit from that, and so will he, so it's a win-win. How much cooler can anything be than that? So, if he has something to say about it… I wouldn't imagine it would be very objective… not that anything he's ever said has been objective."

Jeff's recent comments were similar to those he made in 2022 when he told Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of the Rock Interview Series that he and Ellefson were "really not concerned" about Mustaine's reaction to KINGS OF THRASH. "I don't pay attention," he said. "I haven't really paid attention or followed MEGADETH since, I think, I heard the 'Rust In Peace' album a couple of times, and then what you might hear on the radio or in the press.

"For us, this isn't about any spite or retaliation; it's a celebration of the music that we were all a part of, that we helped create," he explained. "And it's fun for us to do this.

"People said, 'You should do this.' And we said, 'Hey, yeah, you're right. We should do this.' It's a win-win — it's a win for us, and it's a win for [Mustaine], because any performance royalties, anything… If we did include live tracks, he would make money off that. It's promoting albums that hopefully fans will go back and buy, which is putting money right in his pocket. Especially 'Killing Is My Business', I think a lot of people are gonna go back and wanna rediscover that album after this tour.

"For us, it's all about positivity," Young added. "We're all in this moment — we're living in the moment, and we're not looking beyond. We're not reading any of the comments on Blabbermouth or any of the stuff. Because we know what our intent is, and intent is everything. And our intent's positive. We like playing together. We know we're crafting original music. We're not relying on this; we don't need to ride the coattails of this. This is just something that the fans wanted, and you wanna give fans what they want."

Ellefson told Yes! You CAN Play Guitar! that the intention behind KINGS OF THRASH is not to stick it to his former bandmates. "This is a celebration, not a retaliation," he explained. "This is a good moment. This is a happy moment, to celebrate these songs and these tracks and these records. So we go at it with just fun… It's, like, 'Wow. Wouldn't it be fun if we went out and played these records?' And we're doing it. So it's meant to be this celebration and bringing people together. And honestly, that was kind of always my role in MEGADETH. Dave [Mustaine] always called me 'The Ambassador', and I was always that guy, and I am that guy. So it's, like, let me just continue that role in our community and have one of good will."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH three years ago after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

David was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Mustaine, alleging the MEGADETH leader shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.

Young's entire career with MEGADETH was spent recording and touring in support of the band's 1988 platinum-selling album "So Far, So Good...So What!"

Jeff made headlines in December 2009 for accusing Mustaine of, among other things, "dissing, exaggerating and just plain lying on some level about nearly every talented musician that has passed through his dysfunctional little ensemble." He also disputed Mustaine's claim in an interview that Young's drug problem led to MEGADETH's 1988 Australian tour being called off and the group being "banned" from performing in the country.

In some recent interviews, Ellefson suggested that the upcoming original material from KINGS OF THRASH may be released under a different moniker. "Because, look, it doesn't have to be thrash," he told KNAC.COM. "It doesn't even have to be from a MEGADETH origin, really. Even though that was kind of the origin story, it doesn't have to sound like that. It should be us, who we are now today, I think. So, we've decided KINGS OF THRASH, for sure, is this [touring project] playing the music of yesterday. And then we're just deciding now, okay, this new music, to fit within that, should it be Jeff Young and David Ellefson doing something together? You know — ELLEFSON-YOUNG."

Posted by The 44 Sports Grill and Nightlife on Friday, April 12, 2024

Kings of Thrash

1 июл 2024

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's ZOLTAN BATHORY: Metal Fans 'Hating' On 'Gatekeeper' Bands Are 'Shooting Themselves In The Foot'

Five Finger Death Punch

1 июл 2024

Ex-FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Guitarist JASON HOOK Doesn't Have To Run His Ideas By A Committee For Approval In His New Band FLAT BLACK

In a new interview with the On The Road To Rock podcast with Clint Switzer, former FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Jason Hook spoke about the blend of melody and aggression on the upcoming debut album from his band FLAT BLACK, "Dark Side Of The Brain", which will arrive on July 19 via Fearless Records. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "FLAT BLACK is all about creating a balance. I love really aggressive music and the energy that comes from that, but I'm also a fan of good melody. So it's really just trying to always work out that blend. It's impossible to satisfy everyone's palate, so you might as well just let go of that right out of the gate. And what I tried to do is I wanted to make songs that I like. I have the freedom now. It's just, like, if I like it, it gets used. If I don't like it, we don't use it. It was really important for me to satisfy my own heart. And so there is that variety. I like really aggressive stuff, but I don't think you can… I think the balance has to be there. If it's just too brutal, then you're shutting off people that like not that."

Asked if he thinks FLAT BLACK is almost like a natural progression from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in terms of where he is now as an artist, Hook said: "Yeah. I had a pretty heavy hand in those [FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH] records. I was the one that would feel the stress and the pressure of… That thing was moving at Mach 10 at all times. So, we would come off tour and they'd be, like, 'You're gonna start a record in three weeks.' And I'd be, like, 'Fuck.' So out of panic, I would just sit up here and just prepare, prepare, prepare. It was a group effort — I'm not trying to take any credit away from anyone else — but I took those records dead serious, and I put a lot of work into those records. So if you're hearing anything that sounds familiar, that's why. And the only difference is that when I do something now, I don't have to run it by a committee for approval, which was — I found that frustrating."

"Dark Side Of The Brain" was produced by Hook and Chris Collier (KORN),and recorded at both Hook's home studio and The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Hook is joined in FLAT BLACK by singer Wes Horton, bassist Nick Diltz and drummer Rob Pierce.

In an interview with Jake Daniels of the Rock 100.5 The KATT radio station, Hook stated about how FLAT BLACK came together: "Well, I was pretty hell-bent on starting a new band. Music's in my blood. It's a part of my DNA, and I just knew that… I didn't really care how long it took. It just had to be potent. And so, one [musician] at a time… I found Rob first, and he's awesome. And then, of course, Nick; he's from Los Angeles. All my guys are just stellar players. And I wanted to have a good pack of songs. And so here we are."

Regarding the importance of getting along with his bandmates on a personal level, Hook said: "Well, it was a bit of a prerequisite to find guys that were mentally stable and free of drama and that we could hang. It's all about the hang. When you're on tour, you're stuck in this submarine, this rolling submarine, for 18 months. It's important that everyone is compatible. The personalities, I wanted to be very specific about that this time around… We're getting along great."

FLAT BLACK made its live debut on August 24, 2023 at the FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine, California as the support act for GODSMACK.

In October 2020, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH confirmed that it had officially parted ways with Hook eight months earlier during the band's sold-out European arena tour. He has since been replaced by renowned British virtuoso Andy James, who made his recording debut with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH on "Broken World", a song that was included on the second installment of the group's greatest-hits collection, "A Decade Of Destruction - Volume 2".

After his recovery from emergency gallbladder surgery at the end of 2019, Hook had to leave midway from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's tour of Europe to address further complications.

Jason, who joined FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in 2009, said about his exit from the band: "As for the reason I'm leaving… well, there really isn't just one. I've been in bands my entire life and I feel like I've done all the good that I can here. It's time to pass the baton and move on to new challenges."

Flat Black

1 июл 2024

DISTURBED's DAVID DRAIMAN Records A Cappella Version Of 'The Sound Of Silence' With Israel's HELLSCORE

During his recent visit to Israel, DISTURBED frontman David Draiman entered a Tel Aviv studio and recorded an a cappella version of the SIMON & GARFUNKEL classic "The Sound Of Silence" accompanied by HELLSCORE, a Tel Aviv-based choir that adapts heavy metal songs. According to The Jerusalem Post, he spent another day filming a video for the song, which is expected to be released in the next few weeks.

"He was the warmest person; you could tell that he was 100% invested in the cause that we're all fighting for," HELLSCORE choir director Noa Gruman told The Jerusalem Post. "He's so genuine, open, and friendly. It felt like he was just one of us working on the same level. It was heartwarming and an honor to work with him."

Draiman told The Jerusalem Post that he was pleased by the results of the hastily planned project.

"It was challenging to try and get together so last minute, but it came out really beautifully," he said. "It's poignant and haunting."

Last month, the official music video for DISTURBED's cover of "The Sound Of Silence" officially topped a billion views on YouTube.

The clip, which was uploaded to YouTube in December 2015, marked DISTURBED's first song to reach the milestone.

"The Sound Of Silence" originally appeared on DISTURBED's sixth studio album, "Immortalized", which was released in August 2015.

In November 2019, video of DISTURBED's performance of "The Sound Of Silence" on the March 28, 2016 episode of Conan O'Brien's nighttime talk show, "Conan", surpassed 100 million views on YouTube, becoming the first "Conan" clip to reach the milestone.

DISTURBED's studio version of "The Sound Of Silence" went to No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Hard Rock and Mainstream Rock charts and became the band's highest-charting single ever on the Top 100. It's also been used in the soundtrack for "The Blacklist" and the video game "Rock Band 4".

Draiman told the Colorado Springs Independent that he and his bandmates didn't have a clue that any of that would happen when they recorded the song and decided to issue it as a single and music video.

"How could we?" he asked. "It really, within the genre, was unprecedented. Never in a thousand years would I have dreamed it would be that massive and be used in all the places I've heard it used, figure skating, 'Dancing With the Stars', with the 9-11 Memorial and getting the blessing from Paul Simon, when we met him on Maui. The thing, surreal doesn't cover it."

This past March, a remix of DISTURBED's cover of "The Sound Of Silence" by Australian DJ/producer Cyril Riley landed at position No. 34 on Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. A month earlier, the same version of the tune reached the Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart.

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Hellscore

1 июл 2024

Watch: HALESTORM's LZZY HALE Surprises Cover Band By Joining Them For 'Here's To Us' Duet

HALESTORM singer Lzzy Hale surprised a cover band at JBJ's Nashville Thursday night (June 27) by joining them on stage for a version of the HALESTORM song "Here's To Us".

YouTube user xSacramentofLove, who uploaded video of Hale's appearance, wrote in a description accompanying the clip: "Stopped in to check out Jon Bon Jovi's new Nashville bar last night, this really awesome cover band was playing. They started playing a crowd request for HALESTORM's 'Here's To Us', when Lzzy Hale herself surprises the band and they end up doing a duet!"

Lzzy herself later shared a video of her appearance at JBJ's Nashville and wrote in an accompanying message: "I had an amazing day yesterday! Workout, vocal training, rehearsal with the boys, Sushi dinner with @thejoestorm and then we headed to downtown Nashville to meet up with some of the most golden humans in my life, Mz @shannongunz and Vin of @siriusxmoctane . It was amazing to catch up and deep dive into stories of our battles and triumphs.

"Then, before heading home we thought we'd stop for one more drink and seek out some joy downtown in Nashville. Turns out they spread it at Jon Bon Jovi's @jonbonjovi new bar…. After walking into the place I was approached by a local talent, Lily and she told me that the band performing right now had just covered a HALESTORM song. Bummed I had missed it, I got a drink to watch the rest of thee band's set. After a few songs the band started playing 'Here's To Us', and I don't know what came over me, but I made my way to the stage, surprising the band and the lead singer CoCo @theadventuresofcocogroves ( who is an OG HALESTORM Freak btw). We traded lines, harmonized and brought the whole bar together. This was the first time I've ever jumped up on stage on broadway, so thank you to Coco, the band, the staff and the amazing fans for letting me crash the party and for all the kind words and conversations I had with freaks from Canada, Texas, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Washington!

"The stars aligned last night, and reminded me that we are all just humans who are reaching out for connection. No matter how scary this world seems, music, art and connection always outshine everything else.

"P.S. But wait…there's more to the story….. after I walked off stage I fell immediately into the embrace of @shiftingrachel …a die hard day 1 HALESTORM fan, and amazing warrior soul that I am honored to call a friend! Haven't seen her in a lifetime, and the universe just happened to put us in the same place last night. I love this Magic shit!"

The members of HALESTORM are also no strangers to covering other people's songs, having released three cover EPs so far, including the latest one, "ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP", which came out in January 2017.

In the summer of 2022, HALESTORM shared its covers of Adele's "Hello" and Dolly Parton's "Jolene" via social media.

In 2011, HALESTORM released the six-track "ReAniMate: The CoVeRs eP", which saw them take on tracks by SKID ROW, Lady Gaga, TEMPLE OF THE DOG, GUNS N' ROSES, HEART and THE BEATLES. Two years later, the "ReAniMate 2.0: The CoVeRs eP" featured covers of JUDAS PRIEST, DAFT PUNK, AC/DC, Pat Benatar, FLEETWOOD MAC and Marilyn Manson.

The aforementioned "ReAniMate 3.0: The CoVeRs eP" saw HALESTORM covering classic songs by WHITESNAKE, Sophie B. Hawkins, JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS, TWENTY ONE PILOTS, SOUNDGARDEN and METALLICA.

Back in 2017, HALESTORM bassist Josh Smith spoke to RingRocker.com about how he and his bandmates go about picking which songs to record for their series of covers EPs. "We start out with basically everyone… Our team… Oh my God! My dad finds out that we're doing a cover album, all I get is texts: 'Oh, you should do this.' But anyone… anyone who finds out we're doing a covers album, all of a sudden you're just getting this crazy list," he said. "So it literally starts out with e-mails of lists and lists, and somehow, over months, we kind of whittle down our list until we get to a short list of maybe ten songs or less. And then we record 'em and see what works and see what we like."

He continued: "Now, after the first one, we sort of followed a similar formula with the second one in that it's very generational — we have a song from '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, a contemporary pop song… So that was a nice way to pick our songs. Really, that has been the template."

According to Josh, there is at least one added benefit to covering other people's songs when it comes to HALESTORM working on original material. He explained: "What's really cool is that when we do pick these songs, they really do influence us, because it's Songwriting and Performing 101. Where you have to deconstruct a song — a legendary song, essentially — you deconstruct it, and then rebuild it to how it works for us. And it really influences us in a lot of ways."

Added drummer Arejay Hale: "When we did 'Slave To The Grind' [from SKID ROW], we were, like, 'Oh, man! We need a song like this.' And then we wrote 'Love Bites', which is pretty much just off the feel of 'Slave To The Grind'. It's cool, 'cause we used to do that. We used to do three- or four-hour shows with covers and originals. And you're right — it is like training. And I always recommend that for newer artists, younger artists that wanna learn how to play drums or guitar. I always say the best way to really get good and learn how to develop your own style is to learn the styles of other people and learn other songs that you like or that challenge you. And it kind of makes you think differently. It's, like, 'Oh, this guy did these chords,' or, 'This guy played this kind of groove.' 'I bet I can do that in an original song.' So, yeah, it's kind of like training."

Arejay and his sister Lzzy (vocals, guitar) formed the band in 1998 while in middle school. Guitarist Joe Hottinger joined the group in 2003, followed by Smith in 2004.

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Halestorm

1 июл 2024

BODY COUNT's 'Merciless' Album Features 'One Surprise Guest Who's Gonna Blow Everyone Away'

BODY COUNT guitarist Ernie "C" Cunnigan spoke to France's Loud TV about the band's upcoming album, "Merciless", which is tentatively due this summer.

"I have to say we have a lot of guests on the album," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And we have one surprise guest that's gonna blow everyone away. And it's very unexpected. And I'm not at liberty to say. So, it's only gonna be one month [before you find out who it is]. So you'll find out. When you listen to the record and you see that person on the record, you're, like, 'Wow, that's way out of the blue.'"

Ernie went on to say that "Merciless" will continue BODY COUNT's tradition of including covers on almost every release. "And the cover on this album has the guest on it on the cover," he revealed. "The guest is the cover; it's his song. He happens to be on the song. So, it's him. So you narrowed it down to 50 percent. It's not a female; it's a male. So you're down to 50 percent. [Laughs]"

BODY COUNT recently released the official music video for "Psychopath", its first new single since 2020's "Bum-Rush", which won a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance". The new track, which features FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY vocalist Joe Badolato, shows Ice-T and crew on maximum killing overdrive and primed for the next chapter of the legendary Los Angeles-based band's 35-plus-year career. Longtime collaborator Will Putney (KNOCKED LOOSE, THE GHOST INSIDE) produced the song, which was released via Century Media Records.

Directed by Jay Scorsese, the "Psychopath" video pulls inspiration from fictional and real-life horrors, with references spanning from Jason Voorhees to Ted Bundy. Check it out below.

"Psychopath" is taken from "Merciless", the follow-up to "Carnivore", which was released to critical acclaim in March 2020, just a week before COVID shut the entire world down.

BODY COUNT's European "Merciless" tour kicked off on June 5 at Mystic festival in Poland and will bring the band to some of the world's biggest festivals and venues, across more than a dozen countries. After returning to the States, they will perform at Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky and Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California.

For BODY COUNT, it's been a history of being both respected and feared — a barbed-wire thread that stretches back to the band's origins as a project between Ice-T and Crenshaw High friend Ernie C. Their first shot fired, the song "Body Count", was a mission statement on Ice-T's 1991 "O.G. - Original Gangster". That's the blueprint they've been running on for more than 35 years.

They touched a nerve with their first, self-titled 1991 album and its divisive track "Cop Killer", which inspired hatred, fear, and paranoia, but also inspired generations of bands to follow. What they took from growing up with BLACK SABBATH and being inspired by fellow L.A. legends like SLAYER and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES has only upped the ante for generations of homies and hardcore fans.

BODY COUNT's current line-up includes surviving O.G.s Ice-T, Ernie C. and Sean E. Sean joined by bassist Vincent Price, drummer Will "Ill Will" Dorsey, Juan "Juan Of The Dead" Garcia and backing vocalist Little Ice.

"Carnivore" continued the path of its uncompromising and critically acclaimed predecessors, "Bloodlust" and "Manslaugther", in pairing Ice-T's impassioned and socio-critical lyrics with thick guitar riffs and nods to metal and hardcore greats like SLAYER, METALLICA, PANTERA, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. Guest musicians on the LP included Amy Lee (EVANESCENCE),Dave Lombardo (ex-SLAYER),Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) and Riley Gale (POWER TRIP).

BODY COUNT was honored with a Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards, which was held in March 2021 in Los Angeles. BODY COUNT was nominated for "Bum-Rush", a track from "Carnivore".

Body Count

1 июл 2024

ROBERT FRIPP & TOYAH Perform New Original Single "Roses In Chains" For Sunday Lunch (Video)

King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, are back with Sunday Lunch, premiering a special version of Toyah's new single, "Roses In Chains", to mark the day that the duo play live at Glastonbury Festival's Field Of Avalon stage (Sunday, June 30, 2024). Check it out below.

CHeck out the official video for "Roses In Chains" below. The single was released on June 21st and is available here.

Robert Fripp & Toyah

1 июл 2024

TONY IOMMI Photo Book Coming From RUFUS PUBLICATIONS

Rufus Publications has announced "Iommi - The Photographs". Tony has collaborated with renowned photographer Ross Halfin to produce a 340-page luxury book encompassing the very earliest days of BLACK SABBATH through to his most recent partnership with the Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Featuring exclusive written contributions from Sir Brian May, Ozzy Osbourne, James Hetfield and Philip Anselmo, the book will be available in both Standard and Deluxe signed limited editions.

Each copy of the Deluxe signed edition is personally hand-signed by Tony Iommi. This deluxe edition is numbered from 1 to 500 copies worldwide. The book measures 245mm x 345mm, with a luxury slipcase and gold foil embossing, and features a recycled black leather spine. Each book comes with a 3D lenticular suitable for framing. The book sells for £250 plus shipping and, if pre-ordered before July 31, 2024, will be discounted to £200.

The Standard edition features the same content as the Deluxe edition with a printed hardback cover and slipcase. This edition sells for £99 and, if ordered before July 31, 2024, will be discounted to £80 plus worldwide delivery.

Iommi is synonymous with heavy rock; his innovative, de-tuned, dark riffs are considered to be the blueprint for hundreds of bands that followed. As Anselmo says: "With a thick sound and crushing, bending riffs — riffs that paint the insides of our memory banks black with sacred knowledge — Tony changed the landscape of what was acceptable for a mere guitar to sound like."

For the last two years, Tony has been working with renowned music photographer Ross Halfin to compile this luxury 340-page, photographic book of his musical career; from the very early days of BLACK SABBATH through to the opening of the Birmingham Royal Black Sabbath ballet in 2023. This suitably heavy tome is a celebration of one of music's most innovative guitarists and, as Ozzy notes in his exclusive epilogue: "If someone asked me, who was the leader of BLACK SABBATH, it'd have to be Tony, wouldn't it? We all contributed, of course, but without Tony's riffs, we wouldn't have had a chance."

The book is a compendium of carefully selected images compiled from all eras of Tony's career, many from Ross Halfin's own archive, and the book also features further exclusive written contributions from some of music's leading talents and friends of Tony. These include Sir Brian May, James Hetfield and Philip Anselmo. As Sir Brian May notes in his introduction: "Ross Halfin has captured images of Tony in a huge number of settings over the years, as you will see in this book. The pictures show a man of great power and presence, as befits a giant riffmeister."

Iommi himself says: "I really appreciate all the work Ross has put in, both as a photographer and editor of the book. These photographs represent my career and the memories they conjure up remind me what a fantastic journey we've been on. So often I'd look down from the stage and there in the middle of the moshpit would be Ross fighting his corner to get just the right shot. Cheers, Ross, the book is a testament to our long friendship and the many defining moments in my life you've captured."

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Iommi

1 июл 2024

KITTIE's MORGAN LANDER: 'Maybe We Were Just A Little Bit Ahead Of Our Time'

In a new interview with Ned of the Rock 108 radio station, guitarist/vocalist Morgan Lander of Canadian metallers KITTIE spoke about their decision to reunite, initially for a couple of festival appearances before beginning work on new music.

" Yeah, I mean, it truly is a really, really wild feeling," she said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I often have a hard time putting it into two words. There's so many emotions involved in the experiences that we've had in the past. And yeah, I think when we were young and wild and our first album came out, there was a lot of people that were interested in the band, a lot of people that loved the band, but I have heard a lot of people say things like, well, we just never really got to the heights, maybe, that some people thought that we possibly should have. And I think that maybe we were just a little bit ahead of our time as far as that kind of acceptance. And we definitely slugged it out year after year since then. And sometimes taking a little bit of time away to reevaluate and sort of be able to appreciate all of the things, the good and the bad. Sometimes that's needed in order to really put things into perspective, and I think this decade-plus that we were away, we really were able to do that and heal a lot of the things of the past to be able to return feeling as strong and powerful as ever."
Speaking about bands like MÖTLEY CRÜE and KISS, who have both announced farewell tours, only to "unretire" within a relatively short period of time, Morgan said: "Yeah. Well, I think it's hard. Like those instances, like a MÖTLEY CRÜE or a KISS, those people have been doing this a long time. It is their identity. And sometimes it's hard to let go, and so I can understand why the pull of the stage and the pull of creating and the pull of making music can sometimes pull people out of retirement like that. As far as MÖTLEY CRÜE, in comparison to us going away and coming back, didn't they make a big announcement? They signed some stuff saying they were never gonna come back and then they went back on that a few years later. So for us, it was different because we didn't make an announcement. And that was, I would say, intentional. For us, KITTIE is a big part of who we are, and we wanted to be able to keep the legacy alive, whether or not we were actively making music and touring and stuff like that. And so there was always a little glimmer of hope in the future that maybe one day something could potentially happen. But we didn't wanna make any grand declarations because we ourselves were not entirely sure that that was going to be the end of things. Sometimes life pulls you in a different direction, and I think that's okay. You find out more about who you are and what you really want out of life. And then, when things are right again, like they are right now, it's the right time."

Referencing a band like DISTURBED, which announced more than a decade ago that it was taking a hiatus and returned to activity a few years later, Morgan said: "I think that there's nothing wrong with that. I think sometimes you can find a lot of growth and a lot more about yourself. And, in the time that we were away, we also focused on other projects and writing with other people. And sometimes doing something else can really help to broaden your horizons. And then you all learn something more and you come back to do KITTIE, and you're, like, 'Wow, why does everything feel so great?' It's, like, all that time and all that learning that you've done and those experiences you're pouring into this project."

KITTIE's first LP in over 13 years, "Fire", was made available on June 21 via Sumerian Records.

In April, KITTIE announced an exclusive run of North American headline dates. The long-awaited shows will see the band perform in five cities across the U.S. and Canada this July and August, giving fans a very special and rare chance to see the band play a full headline set that will include their recently released singles "We Are Shadows" and "Eyes Wide Open" as well as classic hits and some deep cuts not played live since the band's early days.

Last November, it was revealed that KITTIE was working on a new studio LP with producer Nick Raskulinecz at Nashville's Sienna Studios.

Raskulinecz, who moved to Nashville from Los Angeles around 16 years ago, had previously worked with such acts as RUSH, ALICE IN CHAINS, KORN, RISE AGAINST, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, SKID ROW and the DEFTONES.

KITTIE played its first concert in five years in September 2022 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.

Joining Morgan and Mercedes in KITTIE's current lineup guitarist Tara McLeod and bassist Ivana "Ivy" Vujic.

Prior to Blue Ridge, KITTIE had not performed since its reunion show at London Music Hall in the band's native London, Ontario in 2017, celebrating the group's documentary "Kittie: Origins/Evolutions".

Vujic joined KITTIE in 2008 and appeared on the band's fifth studio CD, 2009's "In The Black". She also wrote and recorded bass for KITTIE's sixth album, 2011's "I've Failed You".

After KITTIE completed the touring cycle for "I've Failed You" album, the band entered a long period of inactivity during which Morgan focused on a marketing job for a chain of fitness clubs while Mercedes worked in real estate and more recently at a software company. The group also began work on a career-spanning documentary, "Origins/Evolutions", which finally saw the light of day in 2018 via Lightyear Entertainment in North America.

"I've Failed You" sold 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 178 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Kittie

1 июл 2024

SICK OF IT ALL Frontman LOU KOLLER Diagnosed With Esophageal Tumor; European Tour Canceled

New York hardcore legends SICK OF IT ALL have canceled their summer European tour after vocalist Lou Koller was diagnosed with an esophageal tumor.

Koller broke the news of his diagnosis earlier today (Friday, June 28) in a video message posted on social media. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "What's up, everybody? Lou here. As you may or may not know, we had to cancel our full European tour this summer. There's some rumors going around as to why, and we're here to set the record straight. But we wanted to wait till we got all the information before making an announcement.

"The reason it's canceled is because they found a tumor in my esophagus that goes into my stomach, and I'll have to be getting treatment all summer — and of course, with full support of the band. As soon as they heard it, they were, like, 'Forget the tour. Just get healthy.' And we're not happy about it, seriously. But, like I said, they're all behind me staying home and us staying home. We really feel sorry. I feel sorry for the fans. All of our crew was banking on the [fact that] we were all gonna have another fun summer together and all the promoters, but everyone who knows has been very supportive. And now everybody knows. So that's the reason. No other reason you heard is the truth. This is the truth.

"So, yeah, just thanks for all your support and I'll hopefully beat this thing and see you at the end of the summer. Or maybe the winter. [Laughs] Take care."

SICK OF IT ALL's latest album, "Wake The Sleeping Dragon!", was released in November 2018 via Century Media. The follow-up to 2014's "The Last Act Of Defiance" was produced by Jerry Farley (EVERY TIME I DIE, DEMON HUNTER) over a two-and-a-half-week period at Nova Studios in Staten Island, New York and was mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen (MESHUGGAH, THE HAUNTED, MADBALL). The cover artwork was created by Ernie Parada.

"Wake The Sleeping Dragon!" featured guest appearances by RISE AGAINST vocalist/guitarist Tim McIlrath and HOT WATER MUSIC frontman Chuck Ragan.

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Sick of It All

1 июл 2024

ENSIFERUM Live At Wacken Open Air 2023; Pro-Shot Video Released

Ensiferum played the 2023 edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival. Professionally-filmed footage of the band performing "Rum, Women, Victory", "In My Sword I Trust" and "Andromeda" can be viewed below:

Ensiferum will release their long-awaited new studio album, Winter Storm, on October 18 through Metal Blade Records.

The Finnish folk-metal melodeath sensation has maintained a prolific release schedule since their first demo in 1997, gradually increasing in stature until eighth album Thalassic crowned their ascent in 2020. The nautical opus went on to top Finland's album chart, reaching #3 in Germany, and top ten in Switzerland, Canada, and the United States. Eventually, Ensiferum would take Thalassic on two massive world tours and to festivals like Wacken, Hellfest, Summer Breeze, and Ragnarök, but the global Covid pandemic ensured that the four-year wait for Winter Storm would be the longest in the band's near-thirty-year history.

Much of the new material emerged in the lockdown era, when Ensiferum's founding guitarist Markus Toivonen set himself the challenge of finding new ways to make music - eventually composing every song except the rousing, anthemic "Fatherland," written by bassist Sami Hinkka. The addition of singer/organist Pekka Montin's crystal-clear melodic high notes provided a tremendous boost on Thalassic. But on Winter Storm - a fantasy concept narrative penned by Hinkka - Montin's super-strong voice finds its optimal place in Ensiferum's sound. Bringing to life such grandiose, heroic material, the singer emerges as one of the greatest vocal discoveries of the decade.

"The way I see it, this album is more like a 'musical' than a traditional album," says Hinkka. "The lyrics of Winter Storm are based on part of my unpublished fantasy book. One day it will be out… I don't want to reveal the plot or details too much but 'Winter Storm Vigilantes' and 'Fatherland' tell of two factions in this long tale. The Vigilantes have gained knowledge to utilize certain rare elements, and even though there was already magic in this world, with this new epiphany they have reached a completely new level. This element seems to interact with living things in a way that even the wisest men don't completely understand. And through generations of trial and error, they have refined a skill to expose their horses to the element and managed to break the law of gravity, making their steeds fly. But they became ruthless and greedy on their quest to gain more of this element. A small tribe in the north keep on fighting for their land, which the Vigilantes plan to take over. These North Folks will literally fight until the last man…

"Other characters include a Vigilante castaway, the last shaman of the North Folk, and a mysterious widow. The album ends with a great battle against the Vigilantes and the unholy alliance of the castaway and the North Folk shaman, who has transcended into a spirit wolf. Who will prevail? Will this be the final battle of the book? Time will tell… I understand that all this sounds very far out -- well, it is a fantasy book -- but believe me, it will be truly an epic story!"

Adds Hinkka of Ensiferum's first single from the offering, "Winter Storm Vigilantes": "Markus had quite grandeur visions of the song and it turned out to be even more heroic than we expected. It was an obvious choice to open the new album. This epic song serves as one faction of the big story. The song pushes forward with the might of a thousand horses and will surely be a great song in the future setlist."

Watch the new video below.

Ensiferum's Winter Storm was produced by Janne Joutsenniemi, mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren, and includes guest appearances by Lassi Logrén on Nyckelharpa and violin and Mikko Mustonen on orchestration as well as Eleine's Madeleine Liljestam who provides all vocals on "Scars In My Heart".

Winter Storm will be available on jewel case CD, special edition CD featuring two additional bonus tracks, and digitally as well as vinyl in the following color variants:

- Frost (US)
- 180g Black (EU)
- Light Blue Ice Marbled (EU)
- Light Blue Ice Marbled w/ Signed Cover (EU - Ltd. 100 - Amazon EU excl.)
- Blood Red Marbled (EU - Ltd. 500)
- Pic-LP (EU - Ltd. 500)
- Red Opaque Blackdust (EU - Ltd. 200 - Band Shop excl.)
- Blood On Ice Splatter (EU - Ltd. 300 - EMP excl.)
- Frosty Blue Splatter (EU - Ltd. 200 - Levykauppa excl.)

Pre-order here.

Winter Storm tracklisting:

"Aurora"
"Winter Storm Vigilantes"
"Long Cold Winter Of Sorrow And Strife"
"Fatherland"
"Scars In My Heart" (feat. Madeleine Liljestam)
"Resistentia"
"The Howl"
"From Order To Chaos"
"Leniret Coram Tempestate"
"Victorious"
"Six Ribbons" (Jon English Cover) *
"Lambada" (Kaoma Cover) *

* Special Edition Bonus Track

"Winter Storm Vigilantes" video:

Ensiferum lineup:

Petri Lindroos - vocals, guitars
Markus Toivonen - guitars, vocals
Sami Hinkka - bass, vocals
Janne Parviainen - drums
Pekka Montin - keyboards, vocals

Ensiferum

1 июл 2024

CYHRA, DEAD BY APRIL, And THE DAY WE LEFT EARTH Collaborate On New Single "Parasite"

June 28 marked an electrifying moment in the metal music world as three of the
genre's most influential bands - Cyhra, Dead By April, and The Day We Left Earth - united to release their highly anticipated collaborative single, "Parasite". This groundbreaking track is now available on all major digital music platforms.

"Parasite" showcases the unique strengths of each band, blending Cyhra's melodic mastery, Dead By April's signature mix of metalcore and electronic elements, and The Day We Left Earth's atmospheric intensity. The result is a hard-hitting, adrenaline-pumping anthem that pushes the boundaries of modern metal.

Fans can expect an explosive blend of intricate guitar riffs, powerful vocals, and relentless rhythms. The lyrics of "Parasite" delve deep into themes of struggle, resilience, and overcoming inner demons, resonating with listeners on a profound level.

Jake E of Cyhra commented: "Working with Dead By April and The Day We Left Earth has been an incredible experience. 'Parasite' is a testament to our shared passion for music and our desire to create something truly special for our fans."

Pontus Hjelm of Dead By April added: "This collaboration allowed us to explore new musical territories and challenge ourselves creatively. We're thrilled with the outcome and can't wait for everyone to hear it."

Martin Bjerke of The Day We Left Earth stated: "Bringing together the distinct sounds of each band has resulted in a track that is powerful, raw, and honest. 'Parasite' is a reflection of our collective energy and commitment to our art."

"Parasite" is now available for streaming and download on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and all other major platforms here.

Cyhra

1 июл 2024

TRISTANIA - Limited Edition Widow's Weeds Album To Be Re-Issued In September; Debut EP Available For The First Time On Vinyl

Tristania's classic gothic metal 1998 debut, Widow's Weeds, is available now as a limited deluxe viny LP edition including the band's debut EP, which has never been released on vinyl.

There are a lot of bands with good debut albums. There are also a lot of bands with excellent debut albums. And then, occasionally, there’s a band, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, that completely eclipses all their peers.

Such is the case with Tristania’s debut full-length, Widow's Weeds, which upon its release took the metal world by storm and raised the bar for gothic metal to unimaginable heights. What’s so striking about this album, is how it managed to capture, perhaps even revive, gothic metal’s purest essence: to invigorate sorrow and sadness, to highlight the beautiful energy that can be found in melancholy.

Musically, Widow's Weeds is a near-perfect gothic album, from start to finish. Intros and outros are always risky business, seldom having real added value on any album. Not this time though; they fit in perfectly with the orthodox approach that Tristania is taking. The intro on this album literally opens the door to Tristania's cathedral of sorrow, with the choir guiding you to album opener, "Evenfall", as you are immediately immersed in the band’s beautiful dark and wintery scenery. And for the next 50 minutes, you won’t get out.

This album is meant to express the deepest levels of sorrow and sadness. To be your only lonely companion at the heart of winter. To make you yearn for nightfall. To be the soundtrack to your stroll through desolate meadows. Widow's Weeds is stripped of all possible joy. Tristania delivered the ultimate gothic metal album, now and forever. Every other gothic metal release, past and future, needs to be benchmarked against
Widow's Weeds.

The re-issue is available as a CD digipak and 2-LP clear glitter, transparent red, black / grey marble, and black vinyl. Pre-order here. Street date is September 20th.

Tracklist:

LP 1 - Widow's Weeds

"Preludium..."
"Evenfall"
"Pale Enchantress"
"December Elegy"
"Midwintertears"
"Angellore"
"My Lost Lenore"
"Wasteland’s Caress"
"...Postludium"

LP 2 - Tristania EP

"Sirene"
"Midwintertears"
"Pale Enchantress"
"Cease to Exist"

"Evenfall"

Tristania

1 июл 2024

VEIL OF THE SERPENT Returns With New Single Inspired By The Jonestown Massacre

Heavy metal masters Veil Of The Serpent make their crushing return, as the band releases their first new music since their breathtaking Gallery Of Sin II EP in October 2023.

Inspired by the horrific happenings in Jonestown, "Death Cult" is another intense metal anthem in the band's discography, that takes listeners down a merciless dark path, back to the traces of the cruel happenings on November 18, 1978 in Guyana.

Singer James about the song:

"The Jonestown Massacre was a traumatic event in United States history. Though it occurred around 50 years ago, the underlying factors that led to their demise are still in present in the world today. Power, greed and megalomania fuel cult leaders and their flock to attempt to transcend being human. We tried to write this song as historically accurate and respectful to the victims as possible. Becoming a victim of a cult is not something people do on purpose. It is our duty as family, friends, and neighbors to save as many victims of cults in the future and those who do not realize they are in one today."

Drummer Felix adds:
"We worked for quite a while on this one and we're proud that ‘Death Cult’ is finally unleashed. Actually it's the only stand alone release from Veil Of The Serpent for 2024. I don't want to give away any details to spoil the surprise, but trust me, we have something huge planned for later this year. Stay tuned!"

Stream here.

Veil of the Serpent

1 июл 2024

MISTER MISERY Unleashes Brand New Single "The Doomsday Clock", New Album Arrives On August 2, 2024

August 2, 2024 will see Swedish modern dark metal act MISTER MISERY release their hotly-anticipated, self-titled studio album via AFM Records. To shorten your wait, today, MISTER MISERY shared a new single taken from their forthcoming, third album. "The Doomsday Clock" is now streaming below, while the band tells us:

"This song is quite different from what we usually write about. The Doomsday Clock is about the violent human nature and how we as a society and individuals are so divided. It’s about the observation of the state of the world as it is today, and that is quite different for us to write about. We felt we wanted to step in to that territory as well."

Mister Misery

1 июл 2024

BLACKIE LAWLESS On Some Fans' Belief None Of W.A.S.P.'s Performances Are 'Live': 'If They Genuinely Feel Like That, Then Don't Go'

In a new interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless once again spoke about complaints from some of the band's fans about the use of backing tracks during the group's live performances. Asked about some fans' belief that none of W.A.S.P. concerts are actually live, he responded: "Well, if they're crazy enough to believe it, that's their business. But if they genuinely feel like that, then don't go.

"Listen, God blessed me with this foghorn in my throat. Like anybody who's got one, we like showing 'em off — and I'm no different.

"I'm sorry if this sounds arrogant, but there will be times where I'm up there and I hear what's coming out of me, when I'm sustaining a note or something. I'm thinking to myself, 'Wow, that's pretty cool,'" he continued. "I'm not sure most people would have the opportunity to experience something like that in their lives. So from my perspective, I'm pretty appreciative of it. As I said, when you've got this thing that really not a lot of people can do, you like to show it. [Laughs]

"Let me add one more thing. I grew up listening to 'Live At Leeds' [by THE WHO]. Even though I didn't realize it at the time, there are overdubs on it. But it's pretty raw. It sounds like it was done by a three-piece band. For the most part, it's pretty realistic. But they don't do it like that anymore. What they were doing was giving you a reflection of 1970. They were giving you a snapshot of that timeframe. And that's what bands did. But when technology changed and we had the ability to make it sound bigger and better, who's not going to do that? I mean, you can do the 'Live At Leeds' version. We used to. Was it good? It was okay for what it was. But you know, if I'm going to see a show — and this is my personal opinion — I want that thing to sound like the record. I don't care what QUEEN says, or any of these other bands, 'Oh, we're doing that live.' No, you don't have 20 guys behind that stage singing. [Laughs] You just don't. They're all getting help out there. The bottom line is to give the audience a good show. Who cares how it gets there?"

Lawless added: "There's the argument that some of these girl singers out here now, they don't sing a note and they probably don't. Hey, listen, if I'm going to go see Yngwie [Malmsteen], I want to see Yngwie play. But there are some guys in some rock bands that if they didn't play and it was recorded, it wouldn't bother me one iota. Because I'm not going there to see that. I would be going to see the songs. But if somebody's got a dangerous instrument that they're really good at and can do something that few people can do? Yeah, I wanna hear 'em do it. So in my opinion, I'm giving them that, but I'm also giving them the best of both worlds."

Blackie previously addressed W.A.S.P.'s alleged reliance on backing tracks last November in an interview with Canada's The Metal Voice. At the time, he said: "The conclusion that I came to was this. Up until about five years ago, we did everything — it was literally a four-piece band; what you heard is what you got. And I came to the conclusion that we did the anniversary tour for 'The Crimson Idol'. We then brought in all that orchestration. And I stood in the middle of the room and I listened to that in rehearsal for the first time. It was like an out-of-body experience. I mean, it was unbelievable. And I remember thinking, 'I've never heard this sound like this other than the record.' And I thought, 'this is what I wanna do from now on. I want it to sound exactly like the record.'"

He continued: "When you listen to a record like 'Live At Leeds' [from] THE WHO, that's a rock band doing a three-piece musical version of 'Tommy' or some of the other earlier songs. It's great for what it is, but it doesn't sound like 'Tommy'. What they do now with all the pieces that they take out, those performances sound like the record. And so you have to make a decision as an artist: what do you want that performance to sound like?"

Lawless added: "Now as a singer, I take a lot of pride in what I do. When you've been given a gift like I've been given, most singers I know wanna show that thing off, and I'm no different. So, yeah, that's me singing out there. But as far as any other orchestra tracks or backing vocal tracks, I'm sorry, there's just not enough of us on stage to make it sound like that record — it's impossible. So, again, the artist, the individual artist has to make the decision of what do they wanna sound like when they go out. And from that first time, like I said, I stood in the middle of the room, and I listened to that orchestration, it blew me away. And I thought, 'This is what I'm doing from here on out. Now I know why THE WHO do it, or other bands like that. They want them to sound like the record."

Blackie also talked about W.A.S.P.'s alleged use backing tracks during a May 2023 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said: "About 10, 12 years ago, we did 'The Crimson Idol' the first time in its entirety with orchestration. Now, prior to that, we had just done — I call it the 'Live At Leeds' version… Because if you look at what THE WHO did with the 'Live At Leeds', which we all thought was live at the time, and we now realize there are overdubs on those as well, like most live records. We would take the bare-bones approach to doing it. Well, we decided to take an approach where we tried to make it sound exactly like the record. And we had never used orchestration or anything like that. So we went in the studio, we took all the tracks off the record as far as the orchestration, we took the background vocal tracks, we took doubles on leads — we did everything. And we took it and we tried to make it sound as much like the record as we could. I stood in the middle of the room that first night in rehearsal, and I swear to you it was like an out-of-body experience. I had never heard anything sound like that before. I had never played with a live orchestra before. And so this was the closest thing you would get to doing something like that.

"Listen, I understand both sides of the argument on it," he continued. "For me personally, when I'm up there, I'm singing my ass off. But what's wrong with having enhancement to make something sound exactly like the record? Because you're not gonna get a band like QUEEN or any other band that does big productions like that… Four guys cannot go out there and reproduce that record. It's impossible. It won't happen. So do you want it to sound like the record or do you want it to be just a general live performance? And that's a question of taste.

"If you're gonna start making records where you have a lot of orchestration and things like that going, it is impossible to make it sound like that record unless you have that," Lawless added. "And you can also make the argument, which has been going on Broadway for the last 20 years, the musicians' union has been fighting this fiercely but technology rolls on and it's not gonna stop, where they no longer have live music in Broadway productions. And the musicians' union has had a fit over that. Well, even before that happened, when you had keyboards introduced that had entire orchestras in them, you've got one guy now replacing a hundred and twenty different people. So where do you draw the line?

"Like I said, I understand if somebody wants a true, organic experience, but from my perspective, I looked at it and I said… Once I heard it sound exactly like the record, I thought, 'I cannot go back to this again.' I mentioned THE WHO a second ago, the 'Live At Leeds' approach. THE WHO used tapes for years until they started hiring all these other guys to go out with them. But even still, a lot of the keyboard stuff — 'Won't Get Fooled Again', things like that — that's all on tape."

"When I go out on that stage, I take a lot of pride in this gift that God's given me," Blackie added. "And I like to show it off; I'll just be flat-out honest with you. But I think people wanna see that or they wanna hear it. So I don't think there's anything wrong with it. If you've got a guitar player that is really, really good, people are going there to see that. But again, when I went into rehearsals that one night and I heard what it sounded like when it sounded like the record, I thought, 'I can never go back.' Like I said, it was a flat-out out-of-body experience."

Asked what percentage of the vocals during W.A.S.P.'s live concerts are on tape, Blackie said: "You mean from my lead vocals? For my lead vocals, I would encourage people to go… We did five shows where I was sitting. Go look at those last couple. You're gonna hear it loud and clear. 'Cause when we were in Sofia, I cracked a couple of times, which I normally don't do. But it was getting towards the end of the tour. I mean, it wasn't anything catastrophic, but for me, I don't normally crack. But it happens. It's part of the live experience. But when we start doing the choruses and things like that, myself and Mike Duda and Doug Blair, we're all out there singing, but we're using backups behind that too. Because when we did it in the studio, we were using three and four tracks at a time to create that. You cannot make those choruses sound huge like that with just individual vocals creating that, because when you're doing it in the studio, you double and triple tracks. I mentioned QUEEN a while ago — they were using 24 tracks of vocals to create those sounds. You cannot create those chorus sounds by two or three guys doing that. It is impossible… Unless there's 20 guys in that room doing that, it ain't gonna sound like that… If you're doing 24 tracks of vocals to create that chorus effect, a handful of guys cannot do that, even with electronic doublers. And then you can get into that argument — okay, you're using mechanical effects to enhance one guy out there. I mean, where do we draw the line with this now?"

W.A.S.P. has been criticized for the group's supposed use of backing tracks, including for Blackie's lead vocals, for at least several years, as Metal Sludge pointed out in 2019 after Lawless and his bandmates performed at the Helgeåfestivalen in Sweden.

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.

W.A.S.P.

30 июн 2024

200 STAB WOUNDS Release “Gross Abuse” Video; New Album Out Now

Manual Manic Procedures, the anticipated new full-length from Cleveland death metal behemoths 200 Stab Wounds, is out today on Metal Blade Records.

A superlative sophomore effort that follows their tour de force debut, 2021's Slave To The Scalpel, Manual Manic Procedures is a brutal slab of old-school death metal with a contemporary edge. Not for the faint-hearted, the record may well be the album that puts classic gore-themed ferocity back into the metal community's collective consciousness. The album's artwork - graphically depicting radical surgery on somebody who may or may not be conscious - is an immediate indicator of what this record is all about. No punches pulled, no holds barred, just blood-soaked death metal.

The songs on Manual Manic Procedures are not safe for work - perhaps unsafe most anywhere. But that's it's dark charm in a world where even heavy music can play it too safely. 200 Stab Wounds have crafted Manual Manic Procedures for themselves and like-minded brethren: thrill-seekers, carnage cravers, horror fans, and aficionados of the most extreme metal. Above all, 200 Stab Wounds created a future death metal classic.

In celebration of the record's official release, today the band delivers a video for "Gross Abuse."

Describes vocalist/guitarist Steve Buhl, "'Gross Abuse' is a basic death metal torture song. It's so simple, heavy, and groovy. It's heavy as fuck and just brutal - so we needed lyrics to match that. It's your standard torture-fucking-murder-fucking-death metal song about killing somebody."

200 Stab Wounds will return to the road this August on a North American headlining tour! The Manual Manic Procedures Tour begins August 16 in Houston, Texas and runs through September 10 in Ottawa, Ontario. Support will be provided by Balmora, Upon Stone, and Stabbing.

From there, 200 Stab Wounds will join Nails for ten dates leading up to a performance at this year's edition of the New England Metal And Hardcore Fest in Worcester, Massachusetts, followed by four more shows with Alluvial, Torture, and Killing Pace. Tickets are on sale now! See all confirmed dates below.

200 Stab Wounds with Balmora, Upon Stone, Stabbing:

August
16 - White Oak Music Hall - Houston, TX
17 - Trees - Dallas ,TX
18 - Parish - Austin, TX
20 - The Nile - Phoenix, AZ
22 - 1720 - Los Angeles, CA
23 - Brick By Brick - San Diego, CA
24 - The Cornerstone - Berkeley, CA
26 - Dante's - Portland, OR
27 - Neumos - Seattle, WA
28 - The Pearl - Vancouver, BC
30 - Starlite Room - Edmonton, AB
31 - Commonwealth Room - Calgary, AB

September
2 - The Exchange - Regina, SK
3 - Park Theater - Winnipeg, MB
5 - Turf Club - Minneapolis, MN
6 - X Ray Arcade - Milwaukee, WI
7 - Full Terror Assault - Cave In Rock, IL
10 - Rainbow Bistro - Ottawa, ON

200 Stab Wounds with Nails:

September
11 - Club Soda - Montreal, QC
12 - Axis Nightclub - Toronto, ON
13 - Tangent - Detroit, MI
14 - Avondale Music Hall - Chicago, IL
15 - Off Broadway - St. Louis, MO
16 - Exit/In - Nashville, TN
17 - The Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
18 - Hangar 1819 - Greensboro, NC
19 - Baltimore Sound Stage - Baltimore, MD
20 - Brooklyn Monarch - Brooklyn, NY
21 - New England Metal & Hardcore Fest - Worcester, MA

200 Stab Wounds with Alluvial, Torture, Killing Pace:

September
24 - Canal Club - Richmond, VA
25 - New Brookland - Columbia, SC
26 - Eulogy - Asheville, NC
28 - The Roxy - Lakewood, OH

Tracklisting:

“Hands Of Eternity”
“Gross Abuse”
“Manual Manic Procedures”
“Release The Stench”
“Led To The Chamber / Liquified”
“Flesh From Within”
“Defiled Gestation”
“Ride The Flatline”
“Parricide”

(Photo – Bailey Olinger)

200 Stab Wounds

30 июн 2024

WHITE STONES Feat. OPETH Bassist MARTIN MENDEZ Launches “Vencedores Vencidos” Lyric Video

Opeth bassist Martín Mendéz' second musical playground, White Stones, have released their third studio album, Memoria Viva, today via Reigning Phoenix Music (North American CD release - July 26; Vinyl - August 9).

The nine tracks continue Mendéz' own approach to progressive death metal and take listeners into a soundscape which is graced with impactful Spanish-spoken lyrics. Another perfect example of White Stones' unique creation is their rendition of Patricio Rey Y Sus Redonditos De Ricota’s “Vencedores Vencidos.” The song's introduction seduces fans with uplifting melodies alongside Mendéz' clocklike bass playing before Eloi Boucherie's initially whispery vocal patterns pull each and everything into the driving maelstrom.

Comments Mendéz, "Patricio Rey Y Sus Redonditos De Ricota is a band that had a great impact on my youth. They're a mythical Argentinian rock band and very well known all over Latin America, in particular in the ‘80s and ‘90s. ‘Vencedores Vencidos’ is one of their all-time classics and I feel honored to have a cover by them on our album!"

Adds Boucherie, "'Vencedores Vencidos' is one of the great classical hits from the Argentinian rock music scene, and it was a real challenge and unforgettable experience to make a cover of this immortal song. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as we did reinterpreting it."

Pre-order the album in the physical format of your choice [CD-digipak; sepia marbled vinyl LP (eco-friendly recycled, every copy is one of a kind!)], pre-save it on your favourite DSP or pre-order it digitally now at this location.

Memoria Viva was recorded at Farm Of Sounds Studios (Barcelona, Spain), and mixed & mastered by Gerard Porqueres at Heartwork Recording Studios.

Martín adds, "Making an album in Spanish is something that I wanted to do for a long time. We tried it out with our second record Dancing Into Oblivion, but at the time we couldn't convince ourselves that it worked on that album. This time we did and I feel very proud of the result."

"One of the most notable aspects of this new album, apart from not setting any creative limits musically, has been the challenge of having proposed to sing in the Spanish language. It has been a very exciting experience and we believe we have found a new way to continue giving something new to the White Stones sound, and make this musical proposal something more unique!" comments vocalist Eloi Boucherie.

The lineup has been enhanced with the participation of the multi-faceted Joan Carles Marí Tur on drums. The guitar solos were the job of João Sassetti. Additional guests José Ignacio Lagos (flute) and Joakim Svalberg (keyboards) accentuated the album further with their sound facets.

Tracklisting:

“Memoria Viva”
“Humanoides”
“D-Generación”
“Zamba de Orun”
“La Ira”
“Somos”
“Grito al Silencio”
“Vencedores Vencidos”
“Yemayá”

“La Ira” video:

(Photo - Sandra Artigas)

White Stones

30 июн 2024

NOTHING MORE Land Second-Ever #1 Single; Release Video For “Stuck (Feat. Sinizter)”

Active rock heavyweights Nothing More mark the release of their new album Carnal via Better Noise Music today (June 28) by landing their second-ever #1 single on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay charts with “If It Doesn’t Hurt.” It follows the band’s debut #1 single, 2017’s “Go To War,” which recently became RIAA Gold-Certified and received two Grammy Award nominations (“Best Rock Song” and “Best Rock Performance”).

The 3x Grammy-nominated band—Jonny Hawkins (vocals), Mark Vollelunga (guitar), Daniel Oliver (bass), and Ben Anderson (drums)—have today also shared a compelling and ferocious music video for the album track “STUCK” featuring rapper Sinizter.

Carnal also features two previously released singles: the emotionally charged “Angel Song” (featuring iconic rock vocalist / singer-songwriter David Draiman of the 5x Platinum certified group Disturbed) and the defiant “House On Sand” (featuring I Prevail vocalist Eric Vanlerberghe).

Nothing More recently announced their headlining “Carnal Tour 2024” produced by Live Nation.

The late summer “Carnal” tour will kick off in the US on August 31 in Columbia, MO and stretch to September 24 in Cleveland, OH. It will feature direct support from rock outfit Set It Off along with special guests, alt-metal vanguards/Better Noise Music labelmates From Ashes To New and rock outfit Post Profit.

Tickets available via Nothing More’s website here.

“If the tour we just finished is any indication of what’s to come, this is going to be the best Nothing More tour yet,” says Nothing More frontman Jonny Hawkins. “The Carnal Tour will be a chain reaction of energetic release across the US. We’re bringing out Set It Off, From Ashes To New, and our good friends Post Profit. Don’t miss this one. Your future self will thank you.”

“I had the pleasure of meeting the guys in Nothing More at a show of theirs in Nashville recently, and they are just the kindest guys,” says Set It Off vocalist Cody Carson. “But on top of that, what impresses me is their relentless work ethic and their incredible talent on stage. We hit it off right away, and we are very excited to hit the road with them! The whole tour package is extremely talented and really cares about their live show so these cities are in for a hell of a night!”

“It’s been a long time coming and we’re excited to finally be hitting the road with our labelmates in Nothing More,” states From Ashes To New vocalist Danny Case. “The whole lineup is huge and we’re looking forward to sharing the stage with them and Set It Off as well.”

Dates:

August
31 - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note

September
3 - Little Rock, AR - The Hall #
5 - San Antonio, TX - Boeing Center at Tech Port #
6 - Houston, TX - Bayou Music Center #
7 - Dallas, TX - South Side Ballroom #
9 - Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle #
10 - Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works #
13 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues #
14 - Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues #
15 - St. Petersburg, FL - Jannus Live #
17 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel #
19 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore #
20 - Richmond, VA – Virginia Credit Union Live
23 - Buffalo, NY - Buffalo RiverWorks #
24 - Cleveland, OH – Agora Theatre #

# with Set It Off, From Ashes To New and Post Profit
* no Set It Off or From Ashes To New

Recorded with Grammy-nominated producer WZRD BLD (Disturbed, Motionless In White, A Day To Remember) with mixing and mastering by Zakk Cervini (Limp Bizkit, MGK, Bring Me The Horizon), Carnal unites Nothing More’s trademark introspective philosophical lyrics and unapologetically massive anthems with in-your-face rockers designed for an all-encompassing audience.

Order Carnal now via digital download, CD, vinyl, and cassette tape, here.

“Carnal feels like a perfect encapsulation of what Nothing More has always been,” says guitarist Mark Vollelunga. “From progressive introspection to steady-state rock ‘n roll, we felt like we’ve achieved the exact balance wanted for this next installment.”

“It’s a beautiful blend of memorable guitar riffs, illustrious chord progressions and heart wrenching lyrical performances all to the beat of a drum that palpitates with syncopated obsession,” states bassist Daniel Oliver. “There’s truly something for everyone on this record.”

Carnal tracklisting:

"Carnal"
"House On Sand" (feat. Eric V Of I Prevail)
"If It Doesn’t Hurt"
"Angel Song" (Feat. David Draiman)
"Freefall"
"Blame It On The Drugs"
"Head"
"Existential Dread"
"Heart"
"Down The River"
"Give It Time"
"Sight"
"Stuck" (Feat. Sinizter)
"Run For Your Life"
"Sound"

"Angel Song" video:

"House On Sand" video:

"If It Doesn’t Hurt" video:

(Photo - Travis Shinn)

Nothing More

30 июн 2024

SCORPIONS Perform “Dynamite” From Rock In Rio 1985; Classic Video Streaming

Germany’s greatest export Scorpions have uploaded classic footage performing Blackout track "Dynamite” from Rock In Rio 1985. “Dynamite" opens up side B of the album.

1985 was the first edition of the Rock In Rio festival. It was held from January 11-20 and an estimated 1.4 million attended. Scorpions performed on two days of the festival – Tuesday, January 15 and Saturday, January 19.

Check out previous footage of Blackout song "Can't Live Without You":

Watch previous footage of the Love At First Sting classic "Still Loving You":

Check out previous video of the Scorps performing Animal Magnetism track “Make It Real”:

Scorpions

30 июн 2024

MEGADETH Release Crush The World Tour Recap: Oberhausen, Germany; Video

Megadeth have released a video recap for their recent concert in Oberhausen, Germany. Watch below.

Says Megadeth, "Thank you for an unforgettable show!"

Following successful runs in Latin America (Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and México) and Europe (Sweden, Italy, France, Germany, and more), Megadeth will return to the North America this summer for their 34-date "Destroy All Enemies" trek.

The Live Nation-produced tour, with special guests Mudvayne and All That Remains, kicks off August 2 in Rogers, Arkansas before wrapping in Nashville, Tennessee on September 28. Additional tour stops include Los Angeles (two shows), Las Vegas, Boston, St. Louis and many more (the full itinerary is below). Tickets and additional information for all the dates is available here.

For the live shows, Megadeth founder and frontman Dave Mustaine and his bandmates will perform classic hits from Rust In Peace, Countdown To Extinction, and more from the band’s extensive catalog, along with material from their latest studio album The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! featuring some of Mustaine’s strongest-ever songwriting.

“We are all playing tight, and that has made it possible for me to really focus on solos and singing, we are playing more songs than ever before, and we are closer to each other, onstage AND off,” shares Mustaine. “I'm excited to see Mudvayne, and All That Remains. Join us as we DESTROY ALL ENEMIES."

Megadeth are renowned for their unparalleled energy and mastery on stage. In 2023, the band dominated arenas and festivals, reaffirming its status as one of heavy metal’s most formidable live acts. Megadeth enjoyed sold-out shows and critical acclaim on the latest run of the “Crush The World” Tour captivating audiences and showcasing the latest and greatest hits.

Tour dates:

August
2 - Rogers, AR - Walmart AMP
3 - Houston, TX - 713 Music Hall
5 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheatre
6 - Denver, CO - Ball Arena
8 - Phoenix, AZ - Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
9 - Los Angeles, CA - YouTube Theater
10 - Concord, CA - Toyota Pavilion at Concord
12 - Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheatre
13 - Bend, OR - Hayden Homes Amphitheater
15 – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater
16 - Las Vegas, NV - Bakkt Theatre at Planet Hollywood
17 - Salt Lake City, UT - Maverick Arena*
20 - Irving, TX - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
21 - Austin, TX - Germania Insurance Amphitheater
23 - Macon, GA - Atrium Health Macon Amphitheater*
24 - West Palm Beach, FL - IThink Financial Amphitheatre

September
3 - Tinley Park, IL - Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
5 - Huntington, WV - Marshall Health Network Arena*
6 - Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion
7 - Raleigh, NC - Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
9 - Reading, PA - Santander Arena*
10 - Albany, NY - MVP Arena*
11 - Boston, MA - Leader Bank
13 - Bethel, MY - Bethel Woods Center For The Arts
14 - Wantagh, NY - Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
15 - Richmond, VA - Virginia Credit Union Live!*
17 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE
20 - Noblesville, IN - Ruoff Music Center
21 - Clarkston, MI - Pine Knob Music Theatre
24 - Minneapolis, MN - The Armory
26 - St Louis, MO - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre STL
27 - Southaven, MS - Bankplus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove*
28 - Nashville, TN - Nashville Municipal Auditorium

*non-Live Nation Dates

Megadeth

30 июн 2024

DECEASED - More Details Revealed For Children Of The Morgue Album; Title Track Visualizer Streaming

Hells Headbangers Records has set August 30 as the international release date for Deceased's highly anticipated eighth album, Children Of The Morgue, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.

Today, the band reveal the title track, "Children Of The Morgue". Listen below.

By now, Deceased need no introduction. One of the longest-running American death metal bands, since 1985, Deceased have been there for it all: death metal's genesis, its creative peak, its commercial peak and subsequent sink into trendiness, the eventual fallout and "un-trendiness," its rebirth at the hands of a new generation, and on and on. There they have stood, simply and 100% always Deceased, not caring what year it is or what is hip - simply, always, DEATH METAL FROM THE GRAVE!

And across their sizable-yet-succinct discography, at their heart, Deceased have always been a great heavy metal band. They proved it with 1997's landmark Fearless Undead Machines and continued to prove it with every album thereafter, with 2018's Ghostly White showing that even this many years on, their pistons are pumping harder and more creatively than ever.

During those past three decades, Deceased have not been without ambition. Even when stretching the limits of complexity like on 1995's The Blueprints For Madness, true-to-death storytelling has always been at the fore of their work, vividly illustrated by the characteristic throat of founder / former drummer King Fowley. And although Fearless Undead Machines was perhaps the apex of that storytelling, never before have Deceased attempted such an emotional, topically rooted-in-death album... until now!

Enter Children Of The Morgue, Deceased's darkest record to date. The album's concept is on dying and all that it entails, and suitably do the band integrate nearly every element of their past and present arsenal into its 55-minute runtime. "There will be fast parts, slow parts, melodic parts, noisy parts, and everything in between," Fowley claimed pre-release, and he's not wrong! But how Deceased manage to thread everything together so seamlessly speaks to the strength of their songwriting - always recognizable, but never resting on past laurels.

Here on Children Of The Morgue, moody-yet-melodic riffing and lead-work take center stage as Fowley narrates this epic-length tale of life and death. The album's exceptional pacing and engaging, always-going-forward song constructions heighten the sensation that the record is a lot shorter than it actually is; however, if one was to do some quick math, he'd surmise at least half these tracks are indeed epic - at or above the eight-minute mark. Nevertheless, the sum effect is mesmerizing and even majestic, unremittingly dark as the subject matter may be. The final icing on the cake (or slamming of the morgue's doors?) is the warm and rustic recording courtesy of Oblivion Studios, where the aforementioned Fearless Undead Machines and co-classic Supernatural Addiction were rendered onto tape.

Nearly 40 years since their formation, Deceased show no signs of stopping - and, in fact, are arguably more potent than ever. You can now add Children Of The Morgue to their list of undeniable classics... but this is not the end.

Pre-order info can be found here.

Children Of The Morgue tracklisting:

"Destination: Morgue"
"Children Of The Morgue"
"Turn To Wither"
"Terrornaut"
"The Reaper Is Nesting"
"Uninvited Dirge"
"The Grave Digger"
"Eerie Wavelengths"
"Fed To Mother Earth"
"Skull With The Vacant Stare"
"Brooding Lament"
"Farewell (Taken to Forever)"

(Band photo - Thirdexposurephotography)

Deceased

30 июн 2024

TURBOKILL To Release Champion Album In September; Lyric Video Posted For New Single "Wings Of The Thunder Hawk"

Turbokill, the Saxon-based band formed around ex-Alpha Tiger singer Stephan Dietrich, returns with their second album, Champion, out September 27 via Steamhammer/SPV. The album will be released worldwide digitally as well as on CD and vinyl. The new single, "Wings Of The Thunder Hawk", is out today alongside a lyric video. Watch the clip below.

Turbokill has dedicated itself to European power metal, characterized by strong melodies and Dietrich‘s memorable voice. A short tour at the beginning of the year, under the banner "New Wave of German Metal" with the bands Sintage and Fireborn in the package, highlighted the quintet‘s instrumental skills and first-class power metal.

Revitalized by the energy of their live performances, the band subsequently recorded a suitably inspired album under the direction of Lars Rettkowitz (Freedom Call) in his Emperial Sound Studio.

Stephan Dietrich comments on the new album Champion: "Our aim is to create a modern heavy metal sound that is catchy and captivates the listener. The right hooklines must not be missing. We want our audience to have a lot of fun listening and singing along at our concerts. We want our new album to have a lot of positivity and motivational vibes to encourage people to rise above themselves and become the best form of themselves. I think in times like these, which are characterized more than ever by negative headlines, this album is exactly what people need right now."

Champion will be released on CD digipak, LP version, download, and stream. Pre-order here.

Champion tracklisting:

"Inner Calling"
"A Million Ways"
"Time To Wake"
"Champion"
"Wings Of The Thunder Hawk"
"Tear It Down"
"Go Your Way"
"Mirage Mirror"
"Power Punch"
"Sons Of The Storm"
"Shine On"
"Overcome"

"Wings Of The Thunder Hawk" lyric video:

"Tear It Down" video:

Turbokill are:

Stephan Dietrich – Vocals
Ronny Schuster – Rhythm Guitar
Daniel Kanzler – Lead Guitar
Marco "Fox" Grünwald – Bass
Kevin Käferstein – Drums

Turbokill

30 июн 2024

DARWIN Feat. SIMON PHILLIPS, GREG HOWE, DEREK SHERINIAN And More Release "Hulks & Heroes" Music Video

DarWin, ongoing musical exploration featuring Simon Phillips, Mohini Dey, Greg Howe, Derek Sherinian and Matt Bissonette, have released a video for "Hulks & Heroes", a track from their new album, Five Steps On The Sun. Watch the clip below.

Five Steps On The Sun is available on CD and strictly Limited Heavyweight Vinyl including exclusive poster.

Tracklisting:

"Soul Police"
"Inside This Zoo"
"Be That Man"
"One Step On The Sun"
"Five Steps On The Sun"
"The Sun"
"Imitation Suede"
"Seasons Of A Life"
"Hulks & Heroes"
"What Do We Know"

"Hulks & Heroes" video:

"One Step On The Sun" video:

"Be That Man" video:

DarWin

30 июн 2024

ADEMA Signs With CLEOPATRA RECORDS; New Album Due In 2025

In a new interview with Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", ADEMA guitarist/vocalist Tim Fluckey spoke about the recent departure of the band's previous singer, Ryan Shuck, who joined the group in 2019. Asked what happened to cause the "divorce", Tim said: "I don't know if I would characterize it as a divorce. And Ryan — I'll start by saying we wish Ryan and Amir [Derakh, Ryan's bandmate in JULIEN-K] the best, for sure. It's nothing like that. And there's maybe a kind of a divergence of —and he can say what he wants to say — just kind of things like… We knew from the beginning, let's say, that he was in another band and that he was helping us out, and that we needed somebody in the band, including Amir, to be around. And for people don't know Amir was in ORGY with Ryan and they've been partners for years. And they don't just do music together; it's kind of definitely a package thing. But it just came to a point where, and even in his own words, he knew that it was somehow temporary. We just didn't know how temporary. And so it just came down to our band was heading in one direction as far as how we wanted to do what we're gonna do — like massive amounts of touring, get these new songs out and take advantage of what our band's about. And then his band was doing his thing. And it really was one of those things, we just [went], 'Do we do this now or do we do it six months from now? Do we do it two years from now? And so it was just pretty much, 'We're doing it now.'"

Regarding the progress of the songwriting sessions for ADEMA's long-awaited new album, Tim said: "We've been writing music for years now, and so we have a bunch of music. But also it was logistics of kind of putting it out. As soon as we parted ways with Ryan, we signed a record deal. And so we're on a timeline to do a record and get it done, and like any other record deal, get it out there. And so we've been sitting on a lot of music. And so we kind of focused on the timing of the Ryan thing and we were focused on the tour that we just did. And then now that we're back, we're doing some one-off shows. But most of what we're doing is concentrating on just getting this record done and making sure it's the best thing we can do."

As for a possible release date for the new ADEMA record, Tim said: "Yeah, we're trying to get it done by the end of the year. I mean, we're gonna get it done before the end of the year. What happens with us is, we've done a lot of independent stuff. And we're the kind of people, like, if you give us a date or something, then we can do that. We've always been able to do that. We somehow become organized and become the best pre-production band in history. But then when it's just up to us, we're, like, 'All right. Okay. Next week. Well, two weeks.' That tends to happen. I think probably most people do that. So now we're actually excited to have an actual deadline."

He continued: "You don't want normal people in a band, because that would be boring, that have normal habits and can actually function all the time, but when it comes to that, you kind of wanna be told, like, 'Hey, we've gotta get this done.' So, yeah, we're capable of that, I guess, is what I'm saying."

Asked which label will be releasing the next ADEMA album, Tim said: "Well, it hasn't been officially announced, and I said something on a radio interview last week that went up on Blabbermouth in, like, four minutes. But I don't think it's that big a secret. It's Cleopatra, and this is the first time I've announced it, so I'm sure that will be announced. We'll see if they're cool with that or not. But I'm sure they're fine with it. So it's Cleopatra."

Last month, Tim told the 97.7 QLZ radio station about the musical direction of the new ADEMA material: "I don't know if everybody knows, but everybody in the band is original members. So we really want it to be just an all-in ADEMA record where everybody goes, 'That's ADEMA.' We've strayed a little bit over the years, 'cause we had different members, but I think now that we're back together, it's gonna be back to those days of the real ADEMA sound."

Asked if he will be handling lead vocals on the upcoming ADEMA album, Fluckey said: "On the new one, I will be, yeah. We're done picking singers. We're terrible at it."

This past February, ADEMA "abruptly" parted ways with Shuck. A short time later, the remaining members of ADEMA — Fluckey, Dave DeRoo (bass),Kris Kohls (drums) and Mike Ransom (rhythm guitar) — posted a message on social media in which they said: "ADEMA has made the decision to move forward without Ryan Shuck. Our plan is to continue on indefinitely as a four-piece, and we sincerely wish Ryan all the best in the future."

In June 2022, ADEMA released a new song, "Violent Principles". It was the follow-up to ADEMA's first single in nearly a decade, "Ready To Die", which came out in August 2021. Both tracks were planned for inclusion on ADEMA's upcoming album, which was tentatively titled "360 Degrees Of Separation".

Original ADEMA frontman Marky Chavez first
left ADEMA in 2004 due to "creative differences" after two successful albums, "Adema" and "Unstable". The singer — who is the half brother of KORN frontman Jonathan Davis — quit ADEMA again in January 2011 in order to pursue his "solo project." He rejoined the group again six years later and played his first comeback show with ADEMA in May 2017 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

After Chavez's original exit from ADEMA, the other members of the band found their way with new lead singers Luke Caraccioli and later Bobby Reeves, while Mark founded MIDNIGHT PANIC with his cousin Peter Shubert. He also produced fellow artists.

ADEMA's last official release was 2013's "Topple The Giants" EP. The group's first CD since 2007's "Kill The Headlights" contained brand new tracks plus re-worked versions of ADEMA's chart-topping hits "Giving In" and "Unstable". A three-song EP, "The Cerberus", was sold exclusively on ADEMA's 2023 "Nu Metal Madness 2" tour.

Photo courtesy of ADEMA

Adema

30 июн 2024

VICTORY Premiere Music Video For New Single "American Girl", From Upcoming Album "Circle Of Life"

September 13, 2024 will see hard rock titans VICTORY strike back with their brand new studio album, entitled ‘Circle Of Life’, slated for a release on AFM Records.

‘Circle Of Life’ sees the five-piece surrounding founder and iconic guitarist Herman Frank not only effortlessly build on earlier feats, but also sounds stronger than ever. Frank describes the release with its first-rate production as “even more grown-up and mature than its predecessor, we’ve taken the new songs to a whole new level in every respect.” He knows what this optimised performance is due to: “The group operates as a tight unit, based on the experience of the many live shows we’ve played together. ‘Circle Of Life’ brings together what has grown together and belongs together.” ‘

Following the previously-released first album appetizer, "Count On Me", today, VICTORY are premiering a music video for their latest single "American Girl"!

All of the ten new album tracks were recorded by Herman Frank together with vocalist Gianni Pontillo, rhythm guitarist Mike Pesin, bassist Malte Frederik Burkert and drummer Michael Stein at Hanover’s famous Horus Sound Studios, featuring a mix courtesy of sound engineer Arne Neurand.

The album title and matching cover artwork, into which graphic designer Oleg (Voodoo) Shcherbakov has incorporated a philosophical “maths problem” by German artist Rune Mields, also deserve an explanation: They’re about the cycle of life mentioned in the moniker and what people leave behind at the end of their earthly existence. As far as Herman Frank is concerned, it’s pretty obvious that ‘Circle Of Life’ will be VICTORY’s powerful statement for posterity which their fans will continue to enjoy. He says: “For us, this recording is also the perfect ticket for even more and even more passionate Victory concerts.”

Victory

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