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28 июн 2024
ILLDISPOSED Celebrate New Album Release With Music Video For "Lay Low"
 Danish death metal heavyweights, Illdisposed, have released their new studio album, In Chambers Of Sonic Disgust, via Massacre Records. In support of today's release, the band has unleashed a music video for the track, "Lay Low". Watch below:
In Chambers Of Sonic Disgust is the first release of new music from Illdisposed since 2019. It is definitely not normal to see a gap like this between their releases, but several events slowed down the process. First, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the music industry and made the band focus on other things for a while. Then guitar player Rasmus Henriksen was diagnosed with brain cancer. Rasmus has now left the band to focus 100% on the treatment. Former guitar player Ken Holst is back in the band, replacing Rasmus.
Now, Illdisposed are finally back to show the world how years of crisis and struggle have been transcribed to music. In Chambers Of Sonic Disgust is full of anger and frustration, and the most ambitious and creative Illdisposed album – ever!
In Chambers Of Sonic Disgust features a guest performance by Sandie The Lilith (Defacing God), and was mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studio. The album artwork was designed by Timon Kokott of Art-Work.
Order the album here.
Tracklisting:
"Spitting Your Pain"
"I Walk Among The Living"
"Lay Low"
"The Ill-Disposed"
"Flying Free"
"Start Living Again"
"For Us"
"I Suffer"
"And Of My Hate"
"All Electric"
"Pain Suffer Me"
"I Walk Among The Living":
"Spitting Your Pain":
Find the band's tour itinerary here.
Lineup:
Bo Summer – Vocals
Jakob Batten – Guitars
Ken Holst – Guitars
Onkel K. Jensen – Bass
Rasmus Schmidt – Drums  | +1 |  |
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28 июн 2024
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28 июн 2024
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28 июн 2024
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28 июн 2024
LAMB OF GOD's MARK MORTON Says Chapter About Passing Of His Daughter Was 'Hardest' One To Write In Memoir
 LAMB OF GOD's Mark Morton has just released a memoir, "Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir", via Hachette Books. Co-written with Ben Opipari, the book explores both Mark's life in music and his tumultuous path through addiction and into recovery.
In a new LiveSigning discussion with Opipari to promote "Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir", Mark revealed that the "hardest" chapter for him to write for the book was the one about the passing of his daughter. In 2009, Morton's baby, Madalyn Grace Morton, died the day after she was born after developing an infection during delivery. He wrote about the loss on the song "Embers" which came out on LAMB OF GOD's 2015 album, "VII: Sturm Und Drang", and in an essay that Noisey published.
Regarding why that chapter was especially difficult for him to write, Mark told LiveSigning (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's not because I discovered anything new about that situation. I just think that I struggled to honor it and word it just right. And I remember telling you, 'I don't want a lot of notes on this one.' That was one of the things I was, like, 'If there's grammatical stuff…' I spent some time with that one. I was in a really bad mood those few days. So, in that sense, it just drummed up stuff. It's not something I bury. It's not something I forget. It's not something I wanna commodify either. I didn't want this to be a book about that, but I can't tell my story without touching on that. So it was more about finding the balance of all those things and kind of making it feel like I honored that, but didn't exploit it and told my authentic version of that. And I think that's what we did."
Morton also talked about the chapter that was "the most fun" for him to write, saying: "I really, really enjoyed kind of going through all the memories of the BURN THE PRIEST era of LAMB OF GOD and then the early LAMB OF GOD stuff and just really trying to characterize what an absolute just cyclone of chaos and idiocy we were back then. And that was fun to explore and to revisit. And even with the stuff before that, like my high school bands, I did a lot of checking in with folks and seeing if I was remembering this right. I even — when I talk about some of the early LAMB OF GOD days when we were playing, like, squats and warehouses in Philly and that kind of underground punk metal scene that we were a part of down there, I had a guy that I spoke to — he had reached out via one of my social media platforms and was saying he was at certain shows that I was kind of referencing as a touchstone from that point in time. And we got on the phone and I just checked my memory of that show versus his, and he gave me some real insight. And that was pretty cool. I thanked him in the book."
"Desolation" was described by the publisher as "the story of Morton's lifelong quest for clarity and self-acceptance, and shows how the pressures of career success and personal battles eventually came into conflict with Morton's dedication to the creative process. Intertwined with addiction, self-destruction, and the path to eventual surrender and recovery, Morton also reveals the greatest personal tragedy of his life: the death of his two-day old daughter, plunging Morton further into hopelessness. Surrounded by bandmates living their wildest dreams, Morton wanted nothing more than to disappear, ingesting potentially lethal cocktails of drugs and alcohol into his system on a daily basis.
"And yet, amidst the harrowing heartbreak, there were moments of triumph, hope, and incredible personal connection. Morton developed close relationships with his bandmates and crew members, sharing experiences that have made for some strange and hilarious tales. He's also gained a greater sense of purpose through interactions with his fans, who remind him that his work reaches people on a deeply personal level. Through the highs and the lows, Morton learns how to find presence and gratitude where he once found fear and resentment, a process that he considers a gift of spiritual awakening.
"'Desolation' is, at its core, about Morton's journey as a musician navigating self-doubt, anxiety and the progressive disease of addiction, and ultimately finding relative serenity. Perfect for fans, new and old, as well as anyone who has ever been tested and brought to their limits, "Desolation" is a highly satisfying, full-throttle investigation of the human experience."
When the book was first announced, Morton commented: "Initially, I started writing this book just to see if I could do it. But as the writing process unfolded, it quickly took on much more meaning. Unpacking my story, I was able to observe events in my life with an objectivity that I hadn't experienced while I'd lived them in real time.
"Through a lens of hindsight and recovery, I made friends with my past and found value in my most difficult days," he continued. "I hope that by offering my experiences, I can create a point of connection and commonality. There are a lot of fun stories in here and a few really sad ones. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to share them."
Morton co-founded LAMB OF GOD, which was initially called BURN THE PRIEST, in 1994.
In 2019, Morton released his debut solo album, "Anesthetic".
LAMB OF GOD's latest LP, "Omens", came out in 2022.
Morton and the rest of LAMB OF GOD will embark on the "Ashes Of Leviathan" tour with MASTODON this summer. | +1 | |
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28 июн 2024
SHARON OSBOURNE Is Working On 'Cartoon' Of OZZY And LEMMY As 'Superheroes': 'It's Irreverent And Funny'
 In a new interview with The Entertainer! magazine, Sharon Osbourne revealed that she is working on a cartoon of Ozzy and the late MOTÖRHEAD frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister.
"They are superheroes," she said with a laugh. "It's very, very funny. It's irreverent and funny. Hopefully somebody will buy that and that'll go out. We're excited about it."
Earlier this year, Ozzy provided the afterword to "No Remorse: The Illustrated True Stories Of Lemmy Kilmister And Motörhead", a graphic novel chronicling the life and times of Lemmy and MOTÖRHEAD.
Presented in an oral history format, "No Remorse: The Illustrated True Stories Of Lemmy Kilmister And Motörhead" features contributions from Ozzy, Dave Grohl (who wrote the foreword),Slash (GUNS N' ROSES),Lars Ulrich (METALLICA),Lita Ford, Chrissie Hynde, Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER) and Dave Navarro (JANE'S ADDICTION),among others. Lemmy's bandmates Phil Campbell, Mikkey Dee and Slim Jim Phantom are also included.
Lemmy, who celebrated his 70th birthday on December 24, 2015, learned two days later that he was afflicted with an aggressive form of cancer. He died two days later, on December 28, 2015, at his home in Los Angeles.
A little over two years ago, Ozzy spoke to Classic Rock magazine about his final conversation with his longtime friend.
"He was a good man, Lemmy was," Ozzy said. "All the guys from MOTÖRHEAD have gone now, from the original band. It's hard to lose anyone you love. I was talking to Lemmy on the morning that he died, but I couldn't understand what he was talking about. I wanted to talk to someone else who was there, but they kept giving the phone to Lemmy."
A day after Lemmy's death, Ozzy talked about the MOTÖRHEAD frontman's passing on SiriusXM's Ozzy's Boneyard. At the time, Osbourne said: "[MOTÖRHEAD and Ozzy's solo band] did South America together in April [2015], and then I noticed he didn't look too well. I remember saying to him, 'Are you okay?' And he said, 'I've got kidney problems.' I didn't realize he was as sick as he was."
"[His death] left a big hole in rock and roll. Lemmy was not only my friend, he was everybody's friend.
"I knew he was ill for a long time, and even when Phil [Taylor, former MOTÖRHEAD drummer] died a couple of months [earlier]. I wouldn't speak to him too much; I'd correspond with him on text. And I said to him, 'Sorry to hear about Phil. You must be sad. If there's anything I can do, please let me know.' And he texted me back saying, 'Thanks for caring.' I would always keep a correspondence with Lemmy. Lemmy was a dear friend of mine. A good man. A good guy.
"The industry has lost a rock and roll hero. He was what rock and roll was all about. He lived the lifestyle. And I can't tell you how sad we all are. I'm sad that he died. I'm really sad that he died. In my life, it's such a terrible loss for me. I mean, I think more about Lemmy than most people I've lost."
He continued: "I was saying to my wife this morning… He worked right up to the very end, and I honestly think it was important for him to keep going. If he hadn't been doing more gigs and traveling… His band must be fucking brokenhearted. I'm so glad I'm not in his band; I wouldn't know how to fucking handle it. But he worked to the bitter end. And I think it was the reason that he got out of bed every day. Had he said, 'I'm sick. I'm not doing it anymore,' perhaps he would have died quicker. But I'm sad that he died when he did. I really am.
"If somebody were to say to me, 'Which one person would you say epitomizes sex, drugs and rock and roll?' And it would have to be Lemmy Kilmister. He was everything that people think.
"I don't drink anymore, I don't do dope anymore… I don't do any of that stuff. It gets you in the end. But Lemmy says to me, 'If I didn't drink and have fun in my life, I probably wouldn't live that long; I'm gonna be bored shitless. So I'm living my life like I wanna live it.' And he lived on his own most of the time, apart from when he had a girlfriend there. But most of the time, he lived on his own."
Ozzy added: "I will never forget Lemmy. He was a very influential guy in my life. He wrote me a bunch of lyrics. I remember when I was doing the 'No More Tears' album, and he wrote me a bunch of lyrics for that album. I think he wrote lyrics to 'Mama, I'm Coming Home', 'Hellraiser'…"
Osbourne also talked about why he connected so much with Lemmy. He said: "[Lemmy] was born not far from Liverpool, I believe. And he loved THE BEATLES. I loved THE BEATLES. He was really interested in World War II. I was really interested in World War II. And I would buy German daggers. I even got him [Adolf] Hitler's autograph at one point, I think. But it wasn't that we were Nazi [sympathizers]. It was just the fact that we were both born around that time in England, and we grew up in the environment of post-War… just as the war had finished. Lemmy was born at the end of '45, you know. And he was very knowledgeable about a lot of things. He was so well read. You would look at Lemmy and you would think he was a yob who didn't know shit about anything, and that couldn't be any further away from the truth, if you tried. 'Cause Lemmy was… He would read books quicker than you could read a newspaper. He knew so much about so many things in the history."
He went on to say: "If someone was to say to me, 'Ozzy, what one person would you say you identify your music with?' And I would have to say Lemmy from MOTÖRHEAD. MOTÖRHEAD were far bigger than they realized they were, I think. But Lemmy was a simple guy. He lived just around the corner from the Rainbow [in West Hollywood]. I said, 'Why do you live there?' He goes, 'You know why? Because I can get out and walk around to the Rainbow, sit at the Rainbow and I don't have to drive. I don't wanna drive.'"
Lemmy had dealt with several health issues in the few years before his death, including heart trouble, forcing him to cut back on his famous smoking and Jack Daniel's habits.
The band was forced to cancel a number of shows in 2015 due to Lemmy's failing health, although they did manage to complete one final European tour just two weeks prior to his passing.
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28 июн 2024
MIKE PORTNOY: New DREAM THEATER Album 'Picks Up Right Where 'Black Clouds & Silver Linings' Left Off'
 In a new interview with Brazil's Marcelo Vieira and Matheus Ribeiro, DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy was asked if the band's upcoming sixteenth studio album picks up from where the last DT LP he played on, 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", left off or if it's a different thing entirely. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "If I'm being honest, I think it picks up right where 'Black Clouds' left off, to be honest. There's a certain style that the five of us have when we write together. And if you listen to the album with this lineup from 1999, '[Metropolis Pt. 2:] Scenes From A Memory', through 2009's 'Black Clouds & Silver Linings', if you look at that string of five or six albums, that's the sound and style of these five people. So I think that's a good indication of what you can expect with the new DREAM THEATER album. It definitely sounds like classic DREAM THEATER."
DREAM THEATER's upcoming effort will mark the progressive metal legends' first LP since Portnoy's return to the group last October.
Portnoy co-founded DREAM THEATER in 1985 with guitarist John Petrucci and bassist John Myung. Mike played on 10 DREAM THEATER albums over a 20-year period, from 1989's "When Dream And Day Unite" through 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", before exiting the group in 2010.
Mike Mangini joined DREAM THEATER in late 2010 through a widely publicized audition following the departure of Portnoy. Mangini beat out six other of the world's top drummers — Marco Minnemann, Virgil Donati, Aquiles Priester, Thomas Lang, Peter Wildoer and Derek Roddy — for the gig, a three-day process that was filmed for a documentary-style reality show called "The Spirit Carries On".
Earlier this month, Portnoy told The Prog Report about the writing and recording sessions for DREAM THEATER's sixteenth studio album: "It's going great. The writing is done. My drum tracks are done. Guitars are done. So, this week we're in bass land. I'm home at the moment. So I'm kind of jumping back and forth between the studio as needed. I'm not there 100 percent of the time. But I'm gonna go back for keyboards in a few weeks and then we're gonna start the vocals, I think, next month."
He continued: "So, yeah, it's a long process. I haven't spent this much time making an album in a long time, because usually [Mike's other projects] NMB [NEAL MORSE BAND] or FLYING COLORS or whatever, you kind of get together, do the writing and the tracking, and everybody does it at home. But DREAM THEATER is still old school where the band is in the studio the whole time. And it's not like anybody's doing anything at home separately. We do it all together, coming in one at a time to work and record. So, yeah, it's a longer process than I've had in quite some time. But it's great… It's the old way. It's the way I always made records with DREAM THEATER. I just hadn't done it that way in so long, but it is good. And the process is really detailed this way. All these other bands and projects, everyone kind of just does their own thing on their own time at their own place. But this really gives a real unified kind of band vibe. Even a couple of weeks ago, James [LaBrie, DREAM THEATER singer] flew back out, came down from Japan and we spent time collaborating on vocal melodies, so lyrics can be written to those melodies, which is kind of the way the process is in DREAM THEATER. So, yeah, it's nice to just be a part of each one of these steps, like the old days. It's been a while since I made a record this way."
Portnoy went on to say that he "can't give away much details" about DREAM THEATER's next LP, "but we are all just really, really excited about it, really proud of it. And just can't wait to unleash some info, but I can't do that just yet," he added.
This past April, DREAM THEATER announced the European leg of its "40th Anniversary Tour 2024 - 2025". The trek — presented as "An Evening With Dream Theater" — is the first outing since Portnoy's return.
The European leg of DREAM THEATER's "40th Anniversary Tour 2024 - 2025" consists of stops in 23 cities and kicks off on October 20 and runs through November 24.
In April, DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie was asked by Rolling Stone magazine why he and his bandmates wanted Portnoy to return. He said: "I think we had to return the band back to its strongest form." Petrucci added: "It wasn't one singular thing; it was sort of a series of life events that caused an organic conclusion. We all talked about it. It was like, 'Yeah, this makes sense right now.'" Keyboardist Jordan Rudess chimed in: "There's so many factors involved, and each of us has our particular relationships. And it was just a moment when everything seemed to come together, and we went, 'You know what? Let's do this. Now's the time.'" Myung concurred, saying: "It was a collective moment of certainty."
Asked if he was surprised when he was invited back into the band, Portnoy said: "Before the Covid pandemic, if you had asked me or any of these guys, 'Was a reunion in the cards?' I probably would've said I doubted that it could happen. I think if the lockdown hadn't happened, you guys probably would've been on tour, and I would've been on tour with one of my 48 bands. But once we were all locked down, John asked me to play on his solo album. Then, from there, Jordan, John, and myself did the LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT album. And then I did John's tour. So there were just these series of events of reconnecting us — not only on a musical level but also on a personal level for many years prior to that.
"All of our families are friends," he continued. "And my daughter and John's daughter shared an apartment together for many, many years. And John Myung lives right down the block from me, and his wife's at my house every night. There was just a series of events both personally and musically that started to feel like, 'Well, maybe this really is in the cards. Maybe this is the right time.'"
Asked if they see this reunion as healing a fractured band, Portnoy said: "I don't want to be over-philosophical about it, but as we're all getting older. Here we are in our 50s and 60s. You start to think of the reality of, 'How much time do we have left?' I would hate it if this were to become a Roger Waters-PINK FLOYD or Peter Gabriel-with-GENESIS situation where the fans want it, but it never happens."
Petrucci added: "When Mike left the band, it was traumatic for all of us. We had to figure out how we were going to move our career forward. And those years that went by, they were also healing years because you don't just have something like that happen, and all of a sudden, you're all best buddies a week later. There's some trauma there that had to heal. Thirteen years was enough time for that to happen and be, like, 'Hey, you know what, man? We love each other like we're brothers.'"
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28 июн 2024
DOWN Shares Video Recap Of Louisiana Pop-Up Concerts
 DOWN has shared a video recap of the band's two pop-up concerts in Louisiana. The gigs took place on June 20 at Southport Hall in New Orleans and on June 21 at Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge.
DOWN announced two pop-up shows for last week in Louisiana after the band's previously announced concert in Mescalero, New Mexico was postponed due to a pair of rapidly growing wildfires which are converging on a village inside a tribal reservation in the state.
The long-running heavy metal supergroup, which features vocalist Philip H. Anselmo, guitarists Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein, drummer Jimmy Bower and bassist Pat Bruders, was supposed to perform on Thursday, June 20 at Inn Of The Mountain Gods Resort And Casino in Mescalero, New Mexico. But the show was called off after thousands of residents in southern New Mexico were ordered to evacuate their homes and the fires prompted the partial closure of U.S. Highway 70 south of the village of Ruidoso.
The South Fork Fire started on June 17 on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, where president Thora Walsh Padilla declared a state of emergency.
In a message accompanying the recap video, DOWN wrote: "Excellent re-cap video of the pop-up weekend by @metal__dave
"NOLA, Baton Rouge & folks that came in from all over to jam & support a great cause…immense gratitude!!! Both nights were truly special! We hope to announce our re-scheduled date for our appearance at @innofthemountaingods very soon…stay tuned!
In the meantime time… The Mescalero Apache Tribe is graciously accepting donations.
"All items can be taken to Mescalero Community Center Gym 108 Central Ave Mescalero, NM 88340
"Monetary donations can be made by money order or check Mescalero Apache Tribe P.O. Box 227 Mescalero, NM 88340 Memo: June 2024 Fire Support
"Items may include, but limited to: water, snacks, Gatorade, hygienic items (men, women, kids 18 year old to infants) etc."
$5 per ticket from each of the DOWN pop-up shows went to Mescalero Apache Nation - South Fork Fire relief fund.
In a video message announced the pop-shows, Keenan said: "Hey, guys, this is DOWN. We're in a strange predicament right now and we were adapting by the minute as we talk here. But our show at the Inn Of The Mountain Gods clearly has been canceled because there's a horrific wildfire that is raging through the entire Apache reservation, the South Fork fire. So we have had to adapt and jump ship and try and figure another way to not only to not — postpone the show, but now we're trying to also help out as what we can. And being from Louisiana, we know how evil Mother Nature can be sometimes. So we are going to do two pop-up shows. One of them is on [June] 20th, Thursday, at Southport Music Hall in New Orleans. The second one will be on the 21st at the Varsity Theater in Baton Rouge, Louisiana."
When DOWN's concert at Inn Of The Mountain Gods Resort And Casino was first announced in April, the band said that Windstein would sit out the show due to his commitments with CROWBAR. Filling in for him at this week's gigs is former DOWN guitarist Bobby Landgraf.
Prior to the June 20 Southport Hall concert in New Orleans, DOWN's last concert took place in September 2022 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Alton, Virginia.
DOWN made a handful of rare live appearances in the spring and summer of 2022. The band launched a three-date U.S. run of shows in May 2022 at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida. After playing in Atlanta and Dallas immediately after Rockville, DOWN took a three-week break before regrouping for three European festival appearances in June. The aforementioned appearance at that year's Blue Ridge Rock Festival followed in September 2022.
In August 2021, DOWN took part in a very special in-person live and virtual experience. "NOLA Town Throwdown" was held at the Fillmore in New Orleans, Louisiana and featured fans attending the show in person as well as watching it in real time from the comfort of their living room.
In August 2020, DOWN celebrated the 25th anniversary of "NOLA" with a special livestreamed event. Dubbed "The Quarter Century Throwdown", the high-production, multi-camera event took place using cutting-edge streaming technology to create a one-of-a-kind virtual concert experience.
A founding member of DOWN, Windstein left the band in 2013 in order to focus on CROWBAR and his family life. He was replaced by Bobby Landgraf, DOWN's former guitar tech who was previously in GAHDZILLA MOTOR COMPANY, a 1990s outfit also featuring Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS, WATCHTOWER),and HONKY.
Windstein announced his return to DOWN in 2019, with the band confirming a number of festival appearances for 2020 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "NOLA", all of which were later canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic which swept the globe.
Prior to the August 2020 livestream, DOWN's last live appearance took place in August 2016 at the Psycho Las Vegas festival in Las Vegas.
The supergroup hasn't issued anything since the arrival of the "Down IV – Part Two" EP in May 2014.
"Down IV – Part Two" sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release in May 2014 to debut at position No. 23 on The Billboard 200 chart.
The band's previous EP, "Down IV Part I – The Purple EP", opened with around 12,000 units in September 2012 to land at No. 35.
"Down IV – Part Two" was recorded at Nodferatu's Lair — Anselmo's home studio — and produced by Michael Thompson. It was released via Down Records/ADA Music.
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28 июн 2024
CROSSFAITH Drop “My Own Salvation” Visualizer; AЯK Album Out Now
 Japanese rockers Crossfaith have shared another track from their incredible new album AЯK, which arrives today, June 26, via UNFD and Warner Music Japan, and marks the band's first album in six years.
Today, the band has shared the "My Own Salvation" visualizer.
"This track represents a strong message that salvation cannot be provided by someone else, but salvation can only be achieved by oneself. It incorporates didgeridoo (an aboriginal Australian wind instrument) and primitive rhythmic parts," the band says.
Oder the record here.
AЯK is a welcome return for the band — after adjusting the global pandemic and a band hiatus, as well a membership change — and serves as quite a milestone. The album's title AЯK is a message of saying goodbye to the past and hello to a new beginning, and their fresh sound and perspective is reflected in the new material.
Tracklisting:
"The Final Call"
"ZERO"
"My Own Salvation"
"God Speed" (Feat. WARGASM)
"Warriors" (Feat. MAH from SiM)
"HEADSHOT!"
"DV;MM¥SY5T3M"
"L.A.M.N" (Feat. Bobby Wolfgang)
"Night Waves"
"Afterglow"
"Canopus"
"Warriors (feat. MAH from SiM)" lyric video:
"Godspeed feat. Wargasm)":
Crossfaith previously shared the visualizer for the brand new single "L.A.M.N" (Feat. Bobby Wolfgang). Watch below. Fans can also check out the video for "ZERO". | 0 | |
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28 июн 2024
SLIPKNOT's COREY TAYLOR: ELOY CASAGRANDE 'Was The Only' Drummer 'Who Was Brave Enough To Get In The Room With Us'
 In a new interview with Revolver magazine, SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor and guitarist Jim Root spoke about the recent addition of drummer Eloy Casagrande to the group's ranks. Asked about the decision to reveal Eloy's identity shortly after playing the first couple of gigs with the former SEPULTURA skinsman, Corey said: "I think we just kinda went, 'You know what? Let's just tell people.' It was really as simple as that, you know? Eloy was the only one who was brave enough to get in the room with us. There were a handful of other people that we were looking at, and none of them wanted to jam with us. They just wanted to do their own thing and send it in — a very TikTok thing, you know? And we were like, 'That's not the way this works, dude.' Eloy rearranged his schedule to come see us. He was so hungry to jam and just see what would happen that we were immediately impressed just by that alone. He didn't get it right away — getting to know him was just as important as jamming with him — but by the time we made that decision, we were, like, 'Let's tell the world now. He's earned it.' Our audience is so used to us kind of keeping our cards close to our chest, but to me it was more refreshing to just kind of come out and go, 'Yeah, he's our dude.'"
Jim was equally full of praise for Eloy, saying: "Yeah, he's a super-cool dude. He's really quiet, but he just lives, eats and breathes drums. If he's got an idle moment, he's got a practice pad in front of him or a practice kit. I recently bought a new place that has a little tiny demo studio attached to the garage. I've got a drum set in there and a big couch that you can turn into a bed. Eloy and VMan [SLIPKNOT bassist Alessandro Venturella] came to stay here for a week between the Rockville and Sonic Temple festivals, and Eloy was, like, 'Is it possible that I can stay in the room with the drums?' [Laughs] At literally seven the next morning, I could hear drums being played out in my studio. He's like some sort of Jedi drum master, which is inspiring to me. He makes me want to be a better guitar player to match his abilities, you know?"
In a recent interview with Tone-Talk, SLIPKNOT guitarist Jim Root spoke about how Casagrande came to join SLIPKNOT and his impact on the band's overall sound. He said: "We didn't even try anybody else. Eloy's name came up. He contacted us, actually, about wanting to be a part of it and started sending a bunch of videos in. I think him and our bass player might've had a little bit of a relationship before. I think they knew each other. They had mutual friends. And Vman's really in tune with a lot of really great, proggy, heavy musicians that are passionate about their instruments. And it just seemed like a no-brainer. And he's really respectful of the legacy of [SLIPKNOT's original drummer, the late] Joey [Jordison], and Joey was a huge influence on him. And he's so humble. The dude has so much humility. And you could tell he just lives and breathes his craft, to the point where I see his passion and it ignites my passion for my instrument. And Brazilians, South Americans in general, are so passionate about what they do. Our manager told me, he was out to dinner with four or five promoters from South America, and they were all really stoked. They're all, like, 'It's so good you've got a Brazilian drummer in SLIPKNOT now. We kind of feel like we've won the World Cup.' It's a cool feeling. And God, he just fits in so well. I don't know, man. I mean, there's a lot of things I can say about it. I'm just glad it happened when it did. And we're lucky to have him — we are really lucky to have that dude."
For its 2024 gigs so far, SLIPKNOT adopted a classic look, bringing back the 1999 red jumpsuits and elements of their early masks into their modern versions, tying into the fact that SLIPKNOT is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
After parting ways with Jay Weinberg last November, SLIPKNOT teased fans with a hint about a new drummer more than two months ago, posting a photo of a single broken drumstick online with the caption "Rehearsal."
The band explained in a statement that the split with Weinberg was a creative decision. Jay followed up with a statement of his own, saying that he was "heartbroken and blindsided" by his dismissal.
Weinberg has since joined SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and INFECTIOUS GROOVES.
Casagrande abruptly quit SEPULTURA three and a half months ago, shortly before he was supposed to begin rehearsals for the band's recently launched 40th-anniversary farewell tour.
"February 6th, a few days prior to the first rehearsal, drummer Eloy Casagrande informed the band that he was leaving SEPULTURA to pursue a career in another project," the band said in a statement.
Casagrande joined SEPULTURA nearly 13 years ago as the replacement for Jean Dolabella.
SLIPKNOT's latest album "The End, So Far", arrived in August 2022. It marked the band's the last full-length LP before the departure of both keyboardist Craig Jones, who left the group in June 2023, and Weinberg.
SLIPKNOT recently announced the North American portion of the "Here Comes The Pain" tour. The band is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its seminal debut album, "Slipknot", which catapulted the band back in 1999.
In addition to recently announced dates across the globe, the "Here Comes The Pain" tour, produced by Live Nation, includes arena plays nationwide this summer. Highlights include New York City's Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles's Intuit Dome, Austin's Moody Center and more with direct support from Kentucky's young and vibrant hardcore/metal forerunners KNOCKED LOOSE. ORBIT CULTURE and VENDED are confirmed as support on select dates. | +2 | |
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28 июн 2024
THE GEORGIA THUNDERBOLTS Release New Single / Lyric Video “Crawling My Way Back To You”
 The Georgia Thunderbolts are set to release their sophomore album, Rise Above It All, on August 23rd via Mascot Records. The album features their signature blend of Southern rock, blues, and heartfelt Americana, showcasing the band’s profound emotional and artistic growth fostered by their years on the road.
Today, the band has released the album's latest single, “Crawling My Way Back To You”. This Americana, blues-based ballad showcases sophisticated musicality, with a fat-back drumbeat, Motown bass guitar, a bluesy rhythm shuffle, and a baritone guitar reminiscent of Aretha Franklin and other soul music greats from the Muscle Shoals recordings. The song has a hard-luck poetic sentimentality that invites comparisons to Frankie Miller, the late Chris Cornell, and newcomers like Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, and Tyler Childers.
“That one is pretty emotional—it could be about a breakup, or maybe it’s about losing yourself,” shares vocalist TJ Lyle. The song features some of TJ’s most achingly beautiful lyrics. One choice passage is: “Won’t you make it easy, and tell me how you feel. Don’t take the long road, play around, play around, too long cause it kills.”
The road to being hailed as the new torchbearers of Southern rock hasn’t been as glamorous as you might imagine for The Georgia Thunderbolts. It wasn’t many years ago that the guys busked at gas stations, fumbled through covers, and drove four hours to Alabama to play to a bartender and a three-legged dog sitting on a barstool.
These days, however, the Rome, Georgia-based quintet is a critically acclaimed and internationally touring band fending off the sophomore slump with its latest release. The Georgia Thunderbolts are rounded out by Zach Everett, bass, classical guitar, harmony vocals; Bristol Perry, drums; Logan Tolbert, guitar; and Riley Couzzourt, guitar. The quintet’s earthy and emotive aesthetic spans late 1960s singer-songwriter intimacy, the yearning of the blues, the mythological stories of country, and a bracing dose of arena-ready classic hard rock.
“I was raised by my dad and my grandma. He loved 1980s rock, and my grandma loved classic country, like Hank Williams Jr., Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard,” Riley says. “As soon as TJ opens his mouth you know we’re from the South.”
Previously, the band released its debut album, Can We Get A Witness, smack in the middle of the pandemic. Despite not having the opportunity to tour, the album amassed over six million streams across digital platforms, and earned critical acclaim.
Raring out of lockdown, the guys made up for lost time, performing alongside a who’s who of rock icons. Select live performance highlights include sharing stages with Black Stone Cherry, Deep Purple, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Allman Betts Band, Blackberry Smoke, The Kentucky Headhunters, The Steel Woods and The Outlaws.
“We’ve learned a lot from our heroes. Playing with these bands made us better musicians,” TJ says. “Also, seeing the world opens up your perspective as a songwriter—you encounter people from all walks of life.”
However, the most transformative experience for the band has been the month back in 2022, The Georgia Thunderbolts spent touring Europe with Black Stone Cherry. None of them had been across the pond before, and it was the longest they had been away from home.
Playing historical European theaters and seeing firsthand how their music translated overseas was eye opening. “Hearing people sing our songs back to us felt like we were in the Twilight Zone. We never thought this was possible—it’s a long way from getting beer bottles thrown at us,” TJ says laughing. All the growth and maturation over the past two and half years can be heard on Rise Above It All. The 13-song collection is a flag-planting album, setting the stage for an exciting new chapter as The Georgia Thunderbolts continue to rise and resonate with audiences worldwide.
Rise Above It All artwork and tracklisting:
"Gonna Shine"
"Rock And Roll Record"
"Rise Above It All"
"Moonlight Play"
"Ain't Got No Money"
"Wait"
"Crawling My Way Back To You"
"She's Gonna Get It"
"Little Jim"
"It Ain't Easy"
"Stand Up"
"Whiskey Talkin'"
"Pricetag"
Catch The Georgia Thunderbolts live at the following shows:
June
27 - Dosey Doe Big Barn - The Woodlands, TX
28 - Forest Park - Denison, TX
29 - High Horse Saloon - Texas City, TX
July
5 - First Fridays - Rome, GA
25 - Eastside Bowl - Nashville, TN
26 - Trainwreck Saloon Westport - St. Louis, MO
27 - Knuckleheads - Kansas City, MO
31 - Marquis Theater - Denver, CO
August
1 - Oskar Blues Grill & Brew - Colorado Springs, CO
3 - Kickstands Campground & Venue - Sturgis, SD
10 - Beaver Dam Amphitheatre - Beaver Dam, KY (with Ace Frehley and Foghat)
23 - Blues Garage - Hannover, Germany
27 - Colos-Saal - Aschaffenburg, Germany
30 - Karosserifabrikken - Helsingør, Denmark
31 - Sønderborghus - Sønderborg, Denmark
September
3 - Hafenbar Tegel - Berlin, Germany
4 - Gaststätte Stock - Hagen Am Teutoburger Wald, Germany
6 - L.A. Live Style Cafe - Cham, Germany
7 - WaldHaus eV Heilbronn - Heilbronn, Germany
8 - Raismes Fest 2024 - Raismes, France
14 - Zydeco - Birmingham, AL
19 - The Barrelhouse Ballroom - Chattanooga, TN
20 - Smith's Olde Bar - Atlanta, GA
21 - The Grand Theatre - Cartersville, GA
October
25 - Bird's Nest - Dunn, NC
26 - Bird's Nest - Dunn, NC
December
14 - Pillars Pub - Fitzgerald, GA
(Photo credit: Jim Arbogsast)
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28 июн 2024
ZIMMERS HOLE – M-Theory Audio To Reissue First Two Albums In August
 M-Theory Audio will present the first two seminal albums from Canadian metal misfits Zimmers Hole on digipak CD and limited-edition vinyl. Both albums were originally released on HevyDevy Records, the label started by Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad, Steve Vai, Solo), and these versions, which were initially released on vinyl in 2018 by Scrape Records, are being reissued through M-Theory Audio with full cooperation from the band. The artwork on these versions were done by renowned artist Travis Smith (Nevermore, Avenged Sevenfold, Opeth, Overkill) with limited-edition (100) colored vinyl variants and CDs available.
Preorder now at this location.
Zimmers Hole began life as a side-project for two members of Strapping Young Lad, notably guitarist Jed Simon and bassist Byron Stroud, who have each played for such bands as Fear Factory, Tenet, 3 Inches of Blood, Frontline Assembly, and more along with friend and vocalist Chris Valagoa, plus Steven Wheeler on drums. Not taking themselves too seriously, the lyrical content took inspiration from many comedic anecdotes from tours past and other randomness.
Originally released in 1997, Zimmers Hole’s debut album Bound By Fire was unleashed to the masses and received praise across the metal world. The album, which was produced by Devin Townsend (Gwar, Lamb of God, Soilwork), featured 15 songs of madness, both lyrically and musically. The band blended thrash, death metal, and seemingly everything heavy seamlessly throughout the songs, which only a band such as Zimmers Hole can do. Once again produced by Devin Townsend, Zimmers Hole’s follow-up album Legion Of Flames was released in 2001 and continued where the first album left off with 20 songs of pure insanity from these twisted minds.
After the demise of Strapping Young Lad in 2007, Zimmers Hole recruited fellow SYL alum Gene Hoglan (also of Dark Angel, Death, Testament) on drums and dedicated themselves to the band full-time, signing a deal with Century Media for their third and final album When You Were Shouting At The Devil... We Were In League With Satan. | 0 | |
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28 июн 2024
TEEMU MÄNTYSAARI: 'I Try To Pay Respect To' All Former MEGADETH Guitarists
 In a new interview with Finland's link textChaoszine, new MEGADETH guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari spoke about what it has been like to perform material originally recorded by previous MEGADETH guitarists Chris Poland, Jeff Young, Marty Friedman, Chris Broderick and Kiko Loureiro. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's, of course, challenges in every guitarist's parts, different kinds of challenges. But the kind of good thing is that I've been a fan of the band and I've known the previous guitarists and their styles in some capacity already in the past. I've studied quite a bit of Marty Friedman's style and even Kiko's style before I stepped into the band. I have to say I didn't study that much Chris Poland, but I knew kind of what kind of style he plays, and then I was really curious to find out that he has some of these more bluesy and fusion-y things, which I also learned before. So it has been really interesting and enjoyable to have not only one style that you need to handle and play well, but kind of from all these different guitarists — Dave's [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader] rhythm playing, of course, and then all the solo guitarists, the lead guitarists who have been in the band. I try to pay respect to everybody, not necessarily try to imitate 100 percent each one of them… I do wanna respect the songs, and if I think of myself as a fan, if I go see a band that I like, I like to hear the solos as they are on the record, because that's how I know them. Of course, it depends on the style of music, but in this style of music, I think that's what fits and that's what I try to do. I try to play them as much original as I can with my own little nuances maybe."
Asked if there are some former MEGADETH guitarists whose parts are more difficult to learn and play, perhaps because they are more outside of his own style, Teemu said: "Yeah, I'd say probably Jeff Young and Chris Poland. Chris Poland has a quite special style with his special intonation, very special vibrato and the whammy-bar use. So that's probably more out of my comfort zone, but it has been also very nice to be able to then learn some of those things."
Teemu also talked about meeting Marty at last year's Wacken Open Air festival in Germany and being influenced by Friedman's playing. He said: "Like [Marty] mentioned also in the interview [he gave to Chaoszine earlier this year], we met briefly [at Wacken]. This was the first time that I actually met all the guys in MEGADETH, Wacken last year. And then he was there as well. And we got to chat just a little bit. And, of course, I got to see the guys jamming backstage and that was really cool. And seeing the show also, I was on the side of the stage and filming everything there and trying to take as much like study material as I can. But yeah, Marty's style is such a special style, exotic style. I think he has a lot of this jazzy approach, but not necessarily jazzy vocabulary… But, yeah, I've loved his style all the way from the CACOPHONY and then his solo albums and then, obviously, all the MEGADETH stuff. So I've been following him for a long time and, yeah, try to play some of his things every once in a while."
Mäntysaari stepped in last September for MEGADETH's longtime axeman Loureiro, who announced earlier that month that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland. It was later revealed that the 37-year-old Finnish musician would continue to play guitar for MEGADETH for the foreseeable future, with Loureiro seemingly having no plans to return.
Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.
In a recent interview with Sakis Fragos of Rock Hard Greece, Mustaine was asked if he thinks Mäntysaari, will contribute to the songwriting process on MEGADETH's next studio album. Mustaine responded: "Yes, I do. I think he's gonna be a great addition to MEGADETH. He already has. We're playing more songs now than we were playing before. And that has nothing negative to say about any of the previous lineups. It just says that he knew more about the band and understands the metal backbone of so many of these songs more than some of the other people would understand it."
He continued: "When you're a metal guy, I think you understand metal compositions more than somebody who, say for example, knows progressive rock like Chris Broderick does, or somebody who knows bossa nova, which Kiko does, or somebody that plays jazzy, like Glen Drover would play, maybe Al Pitrelli. These guys all have their strengths."
Mustaine added: "I've often thought, although I've never said it, I do believe that when somebody gets singled out by me, that's pretty much it for them. They've been indoctrinated into the world of great guitar players, and from that moment on, their life will change."
Asked if he saw any signs that Kiko would leave MEGADETH permanently or if it came as a surprise to him, Dave said: "Well, it wasn't really a surprise, because it started to become clear that his family was gonna need him. And I'm a dad too, so I saw it and I knew that his wife and babies all needed their daddy. And Kiko is a good husband, he's a good dad, and he needed to do what was right for him and for his family. And I applaud him for doing what he did. A lot of people would not have the guts to walk away from being a rock and roll star to take care of their kids. They would somehow sacrifice something, and it probably would not be their family."
Mustaine also once again seemingly ruled out the possibility of Friedman, who made a couple of guest appearances with the band last year, rejoining MEGADETH at some point in the future.
"We played together for a couple of tracks, which was fun, and it was a very natural feeling," Mustaine said. "But I know that Marty, when we got together in Japan and we talked, Marty's changed a lot; he's a different man. And it'd be really fun to play with him every once in a while, see what's going on. But the problem is a lot of fans will misunderstand us doing something with Marty and think that there's some hope of Marty joining MEGADETH again, and there's not, that there wouldn't be, because Marty is doing his own thing in Japan and I am 100 percent satisfied with Teemu right now, and I've already told the world that he's our new guitar player."
Last month, Teemu told Italy's Poisoned Rock webzine about his addition to MEGADETH: "I definitely was aware of MEGADETH for a very long time. They were one of the first bands that I got into when I discovered metal. I think, for most people, at least my generation or our generation, when they get into metal, it's usually the biggest bands, and MEGADETH, of course, being one of them."
Regarding his first show with MEGADETH, which took place on September 6, 2023 at Revel in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Mäntysaari said: "That was a very nice venue. We had a day there before, before the show, for production rehearsals, to rehearse on stage, and then on the next day we had the show. So that was nice and relaxed. I think we played through the whole setlist once before the show, the day before, and then played the show. And yeah, it felt very good from the beginning. And I felt like I was prepared. I was confident with my skills and confident with everything. The guys were so helpful and welcoming and, yeah, everything felt to kind of click and fall in the right place. So, it was really nice."
During the interview, which was conducted before MEGADETH's recently completed South American tour, Mäntysaari spoke about the band's plans for the coming months, including the possibility of new music. He said: "Right now we have been working on getting some new songs to the setlist, like old songs that the band hasn't played in a long time, or even some that they never played before. So that's been really exciting. I'm having some daily calls now lately with Dave Mustaine, going through the songs together. So that's really nice. And then once we get together on the tour, I think then we're gonna start talking about some riff ideas and putting some ideas together. So let's see what happens."
Earlier this year, Teemu told Guitar World magazine about his addition to MEGADETH: "I never thought something like this would happen to me. But at the same time, I've always felt like being prepared was important in case a big band like this did call me.
"I have a specific skillset where I can learn fast, jump into new situations, and be comfortable," he added. "I've always liked doing that. I love teaching, and I've been on many cover projects, so being detail-oriented is part of my skillset."
Regarding his preparation for the way he approached playing the MEGADETH material, Teemu said: "[We'd] look at the small details of how they groove, the moods, and the technical side. We talked a lot about what Dave wants to project, picking directions, being very aware of down-picking, alternate picking, and, in many of the songs, being aware of both. We also talked about things like dampening, the flow of songs, creating contrast, hand positions, and trying to get things right fingering-wise, all of which I enjoy doing. There's a bit of detective work involved, and to get that information from the source in Dave was amazing."
This past February, Mustaine told Brazil's A Rádio Rock about how Teemu ended up landing the MEGADETH gig: "Kiko had recommended Teemu, and Teemu is an exceptional guitar player. Kiko was at the top of his game when this happened, so we were obviously disappointed, but it is what it is. If Kiko would have said, 'I don't know anybody, and you're on your own,' that would have been a lot harder. But Teemu is the right guy for MEGADETH. And Kiko knows that Teemu is the right guy for me. So, he actually did us a really big favor, and I love him and I wish him the best with everything that he does."
In early October, Mustaine told Shaggy of the 94.9 and 104.5 The Pick radio station in Idaho Falls, Idaho about Teemu's addition to MEGADETH: "People are losing their minds over how things are going right now 'cause we have a really good chemistry together."
In September, Mustaine was equally full of praise for Mäntysaari, telling Wes Styles in a separate interview: "He's really great. And I'm super excited with what Teemu has brought. And it's uncanny because he plays a lot like Marty. And it's really exciting. At certain times I just close my eyes during the set and I just hear these songs played, whether like Kiko in the past or Teemu now, it just sounds really magic because these guys have learned these songs and they're not just going out there and just banging their guitar around; they actually learned the solos from some of the virtuosos that I've played with over my career."
Loureiro officially joined MEGADETH in April 2015, about five months after Broderick's exit from the group. | +2 | |
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28 июн 2024
BUDDERSIDE Release “Ain’t Alright” Single; Share Details On New Album
 Los Angeles-based hard rock quintet Budderside resurrect and renew the purity of rock ‘n’ roll with their gritty swagger and soulful melodies. Over the past two years, they’ve been whetting listener’s appetites with new music from their upcoming third studio album White Flame, now set for a July 10 release.
Budderside—Patrick Alan Stone (vocals), Sam Bam Koltun (guitars), Logan Nikolic (guitars), Jeff Dewbray (drums), and Eliot Lorango (bass)—have today (June 26) released the new track, “Ain’t Alright,” from the album. The song depicts a Day of the Dead-themed love story as encapsulated in the below single artwork. Watch the black and white-styled intimate performance music video for “Ain’t Alright” below.
Recorded with Matt Good (Asking Alexandria, Hollywood Undead) with mastering completed by Howie Weinberg (Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana), White Flame “defines who we are, as people, musicians, and poets,” shares founding member and vocalist Patrick Alan Stone. “It represents ourselves individually, our fans, our friends and all of our hopes, fears, pasts and dreams. It’s as honest as you can get and we are very, very proud of not only the music but also its message.”
Preorder White Flame digitally here.
Budderside will appear at fall’s biggest rock festivals in the U.S. this year, including Louder Than Life and Aftershock. The band will also head to Mexico for a handful of shows as direct support to gothic rockers The 69 Eyes who they recently toured with across the U.S earlier this year. Budderside have previously toured with L.A. Guns and Motörhead and on international festivals including Rocklahoma (U.S.), Welcome To Rockville (U.S), Malmö Festival (Sweden), and twice at Wacken Open Air (Germany).
Tracklisting:
“Good For Nothing”
“Voices”
“A Thousand Teardrops”
“Never Worth It”
“The Truth”
“Evol”
“Joker”
“Ghostlighting”
“Black River”
“Too Far”
“Ain’t Alright”
“White Flame”
“Ain’t Alright” video:
Budderside live:
September
26 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life
October
3 – Mexico City, Mexico – Circo Volador*
4 – Monterrey, Mexico – Café Iguana*
5 – Guadalajara, Mexico – C3 Stage*
6 – San Luis Potosi, Mexico – Deportivo 2000*
10 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock Festival
*with The 69 Eyes
(Photo – Pipeman) | 0 | |
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28 июн 2024
BLOOD INCANTATION Announce Absolute Elsewhere Album; Launch App And Discord
 The new Blood Incantation album, Absolute Elsewhere, is unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. Yes, that’s an audacious, possibly hyperbolic claim, but few can claim a sonic watershed as readily as this Denver, Colorado quartet. Hovering at nearly 45 minutes, their longest full length recording yet, the album’s two sprawling movements – "The Stargate" and "The Message" – are as confounding as they are engaging, exponentially expanding upon the formulas laid down by their scene-shattering debut Starspawn (2016) and landmark followup Hidden History of the Human Race (2019).
As Blood Incantation’s Paul Riedl tells, “Absolute Elsewhere is our most potent audial extract/musical trip yet; like the soundtrack to a Herzog-style sci-fi epic about the history of/battle for human consciousness itself, via a 70s Prog album played by a ‘90s death metal band from the future.”
For inspiration, the group looked to the mid-70’s progressive rock collective, Absolute Elsewhere (best known as a celestial stopover for King Crimson drummer, Bill Bruford) as the album’s namesake. For the uninitiated, Absolute Elsewhere’s obscure 1976 album, In Search of Ancient Gods, was constructed as a musical accompaniment to the works of Chariots of the Gods author, Erich Von Daniken, and his theories of non-terrestrial humanoid prompts towards mankind’s evolution. The subject matter of which should serve as no surprise to anyone familiar with Blood Incantation’s cosmically philosophical leanings.
But make no mistake, the four musicians working under the Blood Incantation banner for the past decade – guitarist and vocalist Paul Riedl, drummer Isaac Faulk, guitarist Morris Kolontyrsky and bassist Jeff Barrett – have successfully left the microgravity of genre behind and are re-writing the Rosetta Stone of extreme music with a new language entirely. Demonstrations like their 2022 all-synth show or 2024’s Roadburn Festival headlining appearance where they played back-to-back death metal and ambient made it clear: Blood Incantation have honed their abilities to go boldly where few bands have gone before, and reveal no signs of slowing down.
For Absolute Elsewhere, the band’s first full-length since their cinematic Timewave Zero EP (2022) and epic Luminescent Bridge maxi-single (2023), Blood Incantation decamped to the celebrated Hansa Tonstudios in Berlin, Germany in July 2023 to record with wünderkid producer Arthur Rizk (Power Trip, Spectral Voice, Kreator, Wayfarer, Sumerlands, etc). This legendary, pre-Weimar-built recording complex was where many of their most progressive influences including Tangerine Dream, Eloy and Brian Eno created classic albums in the 1970s.
Unmistakably, Hansa and Berlin became part of the underlying character of the album, culminating in Tangerine Dream’s own Thorsten Quaeschning contributing lead synths, Mellotron and programming to “The Stargate [Tablet II]”. Other special guests include Nicklas Malmqvist, from Sweden’s star-riding Hällas, on lead synths/keys, piano and Mellotron throughout all tracks, and Malte Gericke, the Sijjin/ex-Necros Christos mainman contributing guest vocals in his native tongue. Underscoring the classic Progressive Rock vibe, the album is adorned with contemporary visionary paintings by the iconic and reclusive '70s sci-fi artist Steve R. Dodd. Together, this international all-star team adds to the unearthly atmospherics of Absolute Elsewhere, which defines a new musical epoch for Blood Incantation.
Today they have launched their Stargate Research Society discord and Elsewhere Searcher app – a home for discussions of all things Blood Incantation. Researchers at the society recently unearthed an '80s era floppy disk containing vintage celestial tracker software. The researchers were able to re-activate the space tracker and through meticulous study of the visible solar system have noticed the appearance of a new red planet in the vicinity of Orion's Belt. The researchers also claim that the new planet is intermittently emitting signals, although no recordings of these transmissions have been captured yet. The society has made their research available to the public in an effort to warn citizens of the planet’s rapid approach toward Earth, with a possible collision occurring in October 2024. Check out the tracker at stargateresearchsociety.app.
Tracklisting:
“The Stargate”
“The Message”
Blood Incantation lineup:
Paul Riedl - Guitars, Vocals
Isaac Faulk - Drums
Morris Kolontyrsky - Guitars
Jeff Barrett - Fretless Bass
(Photo – Julian Weigand)
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28 июн 2024
WITHIN THE RUINS To Release Phenomena II Album In August; "Castle In The Sky" Single And Video Out Now
 Progressive deathcore outfit, Within The Ruins, will unleash their new full-length, Phenomena II, on August 23 vida MNRK Heavy today, releasing the record’s first single and pre-orders. Phenomena II serves as the sequel to the band’s Phenomena full-length, which was released a decade earlier and has over 18 million streams to date.
Evolution drives longevity. Within The Ruins relentlessly pushes forward, incinerating complacency and innovating out of its ashes. The Western Massachusetts quartet — Joe Cocchi (guitar), Kevin McGuill (drums), Paolo Galang (bass, clean vocals), and Steve Tinnon (lead vocals) — razes convention with a sonic sensory onslaught anchored by polyrhythmic bludgeoning, head-nodding grooves, viscerally evocative vocals, and vivid storytelling. Their controlled chaos has resulted in tens of millions of streams (a rarity for acts this uncompromisingly heavy), packed houses on tour, and widespread acclaim.
Now, they continue to evolve on their seventh full-length offering, Phenomena II. “When you listen to us, we hope you feel like you found some fresh metal,” notes Cocchi. “After doing anything for a long time, it’s easy to get stuck in your ways. So, we always try to present something you haven’t heard before—and you aren’t going to get anywhere else.”
That’s what the band has done since their formation in 2003…
As the story goes, Cocchi and McGuill first linked up back in high school. They slogged it out locally for a long time, solidifying the initial core lineup of Within The Ruins with previous vocalist Tim Goergen. Building a devout fan base one gig and project at a time, they served up Creature (2009), Invade (2010), and Elite (2013), paving the way for the fan favorite, Phenomena (2014). Drawing its primary subject matter from Marvel and DC characters, the latter yielded two of their most popular anthems “Gods Amongst Men” and “Enigma,” which reeled in 4.7 million Spotify streams and 3.5 million Spotify streams, respectively. Following Halfway Human (2017), the musicians welcomed Steve Tinnon to the fold and ignited Black Heart during 2020. Highlighted by “Deliverance,” “Devil In Me,” and “Black Heart,” the latter incited critical applause.
Tinnon’s addition had injected fresh fire into the band as they continued to write and record. In the meantime, Cocchi opened up his own brewery Tin Bridge Brewing where he and McGuill both work. Tin Bridge Brewing also serves as the band’s homebase, including their studio on site. With the decade anniversary of Phenomena looming, the musicians made a conscious decision to leap forward by looking back. The band wrote and recorded in their hub of Westfield, Massachusetts with Cocchi at the helm as producer once again.
“We had written a handful of songs, and we were searching for inspiration,” recalls Cocchi. “We wanted to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Phenomena, because it was a pinnacle point of our career. I wrote a demo that reminded Steve of Phenomena. So, it was his idea to create Phenomena II. The styles really aligned in terms of the unique guitar effects and the themes where each track tells a story from a comic book character’s point-of-view.”
The record’s first single, “Castle In The Sky,” opens with ominous orchestration as Tinnon’s distinct growl weighs heavy on the production. Between gunshots, wailing sirens, and a haunting choir, pummeling guitars hit like a battering ram, and a fret-burning solo strikes with the precision of a smart bomb.
“It has everything people want to hear from us out of the gate,” says Cocchi. “There’s some old-school Within The Ruins in there. Lyrically, it’s based on The Punisher. He’s a war veteran who has his family taken away from him. The central struggle is, ‘Would he rather be alive or reunite with his family in the castle in the sky?’”
Watch Within The Ruins' “Castle In The Sky” video below. Stream the track here
Phenomena II will be released on CD, LP, and digital formats. Find pre-orders here
Phenomena II tracklisting:
"Castle In The Sky"
"Daywalker"
"Demon Killer"
"Level 12"
"Eater Of Worlds"
"The Last Son"
"Chaos Reigns"
"Death Mask"
"Corruption"
"A World On Fire"
"Enigma II"
"Castle In The Sky" video:
(Photo - Riamond Lomeli) | +2 | |
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28 июн 2024
ENEMY INSIDE Ink Deal With Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM); New Single To Arrive In July
 Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM) is excited to welcome modern metal powerhouse, Enemy Inside, to its family. Known for their hard-hitting riffs and addictive melodies, Enemy Inside are poised to revolutionize the post-hardcore modern metal scene. A new chapter begins!
"We're more than happy to announce that Enemy Inside have signed a worldwide multi-album deal with Reigning Phoenix Music," say the band. "We're confident that this will be a killer combination and are looking forward to spreading our music all over the world while working with the best possible people to achieve it. At this point, we would like to thank Rock of Angels Records for all the trust and faith they have placed in our band over the past years and for helping us achieve this new signing. The best is yet to come, folks, soon enough!"
"ROAR! Records has done excellent groundwork with Enemy Inside and established the act on an outstanding level. Consequently, it makes sense for all partners to run the future collaboration via the RPM network. This will give Enemy Inside a further push to reach the next level of recognition. We are proud to support this exceptional band!" states RPM managing director Jochen Richert.
The forthcoming album from Enemy Inside is anticipated to be a new landmark in their creative journey. Breaking free from genre boundaries, the album promises a mix of heavy, energetic tracks and melodic, catchy hooks, designed to take listeners on an emotional rollercoaster. Drawing inspiration from heavyweights like Bring Me The Horizon, Bad Omens, I Prevail, and Cassyette, Enemy Inside always craft music that is deeply personal and universally relatable.
The excitement continues with the imminent release of their new single, "What We Used To Be", available for pre-save here, and launching globally on July 12. This track is just a taste of what's to come as Enemy Inside continue to push the boundaries of modern metal. Don't miss out on their upcoming performances, including a major appearance at Qstock Festival in Oulu, Finland on July 26, 2024, followed by an extensive European tour in early 2025.
Enemy Inside are:
Nastassja Giulia - vocals
Evan K - lead guitars
Dave Hadarik - rhythm guitars
Dominik Stotzem - bass
(Photo - Hadarix Pictures) | 0 | |
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28 июн 2024
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS' (Rotten Apples) THE SMASHING PUMPKINS Greatest Hits To Be Released On Vinyl For The First Time In August
 Two-time Grammy Award-winning rock band, The Smashing Pumpkins, will release (Rotten Apples) The Smashing Pumpkins Greatest Hits on vinyl for the very first time on August 9 via Capitol/UMe.
Spanning the first decade-plus of their discography, (Rotten Apples) The Smashing Pumpkins Greatest Hits comprises some of the band’s most recognizable anthems, including “Today,” “Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” “Cherub Rock,” “1979,” “Ava Adore,” and more. It also features their fan-favorite Lost Highway soundtrack cut, “Eye.” Plus, the collection notably concludes with “Untitled”—which would be the last song recorded by Billy Corgan, James Iha, and Jimmy Chamberlin for seventeen years until their 2018 reunion. The latter has never previously been pressed on vinyl.
(Rotten Apples) The Smashing Pumpkins Greatest Hits will be available as a 2LP on 180g black vinyl and multiple collector-worthy, limited-edition 2LP color variants pressed on standard weight or 180g color vinyl. Pre-order (Rotten Apples) The Smashing Pumpkins Greatest Hits here.
Upon arrival at the end of 2001, (Rotten Apples) The Smashing Pumpkins Greatest Hits bookended the opening chapter of the band’s career. It eventually reached RIAA gold status and earned widespread critical acclaim.
Gearing up to hit the road, The Smashing Pumpkins just welcomed highly-skilled veteran instrumentalist Kiki Wong as their additional touring guitarist. Kiki joins the band’s tour lineup along with mainstays Jack Bates (bass) and Katie Cole (guitar, keys, vocals).
In addition to a combination of arena and headliner festival dates in Europe and North American stadium performances with Green Day, as part of The Saviors Tour, the band recently added additional solo arena bookings that span July through September.
This new run of dates kicks off on July 31 in Muskoka, Ontario, at Kee to Bala, rolls through markets such as Kansas City, Cedar Rapids, and St. Louis, and concludes on September 27 in Las Vegas, NV, at Fountainbleu. Plus, they will close out the Osheaga Festival as one of the headlining acts in Montreal, QC, on August 3.
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28 июн 2024
Watch: METALLICA Joined By DIAMOND HEAD's BRIAN TATLER For 'Am I Evil?' Performance In Oslo
 DIAMOND HEAD guitarist Brian Tatler joined METALLICA on stage last night (Wednesday, June 26) at the Tons Of Rock festival in Oslo, Norway to perform the DIAMOND HEAD classic "Am I Evil?" Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.
In a recent interview with XS Rock, Brian Tatler, who joined SAXON in 2023, was asked to name the thing he is "most proud of" in his career so far. He responded: "I suppose musically [the classic DIAMOND HEAD song] 'Am I Evil?', 'cause it's such a big song and it's just got a life of its own. So a song that was written in my bedroom in 1979 that's gone around the world and is on millions of records and things like that. So the songs, really, the fact that they're out there and people still wanna hear them and still get played on radio and stuff like that. And the fact that it brings in money, so it's royalties. It means I've got a standard of living to become a musician, really. It's kind of a dream when you're a teenager, but I've actually done it. And yeah, I'm not the biggest star in the world or anything, but it's brilliant that you can have a career in music for 40-odd years and not necessarily be a household name."
DIAMOND HEAD influenced a slew of early '80s thrash metal bands, in particular METALLICA, which recorded "Am I Evil?" as a B-side to their 1984 "Creeping Death" single and again included on the band's multi-platinum 1998 covers album "Garage Inc." METALLICA would record three additional DIAMOND HEAD songs: "Helpless" ("Garage Days", 1987),"The Prince" ("One" single B-side, 1989) and "It's Electric" ("Garage Inc.", 1998).
In a 2022 interview with Metal Pilgrim, Tatler was asked if he thinks DIAMOND HEAD would not have been able to continue as a viable business entity had METALLICA covered any of his songs. He responded: "I think if METALLICA hadn't covered DIAMOND HEAD — the first cover was '84 when they did 'Am I Evil?' on the B-side of 'Creeping Death' — so I think if they hadn't, I may have looked elsewhere for employment. I think it would have been harder to keep DIAMOND HEAD going without that introduction to their fanbase. 'Cause that record sold millions of copies — versions of 'Am I Evil?' have sold millions of copies through METALLICA — and so so many more people know DIAMOND HEAD thanks to Lars [Ulrich] and Co. And it may be that a lot of the opportunities that we get now would not be there without that METALLICA connection. So I'm eternally grateful. Obviously, myself and Sean [Harris, original DIAMOND HEAD singer] still get writers' royalties, but even so, I just think it's helped DIAMOND HEAD as a name and a brand to get on more and more opportunities — get festivals and supports. Because they link it with METALLICA; they think, 'Okay, well, you're potentially tapping into a huge market.'"
Nearly four years ago, Tatler said during an episode of "Tatler's Tales" about METALLICA's cover versions of his band's classic songs: "They're great. They're always more powerful and a little faster than the DIAMOND HEAD versions. I mean, they're a great band. They [have] their own sound. Of course, it was very flattering. The first song they covered was 'Am I Evil' They were the first band that ever covered a DIAMOND HEAD song. And it came out in 1984; it was on the 'Creeping Death' 12-inch single, which was on Music For Nations. And I was just really flattered that 'Lars's band' had covered one of our songs and done such a respectful job and worked out the guitar solo. Everything was really good — really close to our version, but a bit more modern, a bit tougher, [with] more attitude."
He added: "More power to them. Fantastic. It's done the band a huge favor."
According to Brian, the royalties that he receives from the DIAMOND HEAD back catalog, including the METALLICA recordings of his songs, are enough for him to live on. "It's my biggest source of income," he revealed in a 2019 interview. "It's great and I don't know what I would do without it. It gives me the freedom to do what I like. I'm very grateful."
A reimagined and re-recorded version of DIAMOND HEAD's "Lightning To The Nations" album was released in 2020 via Silver Lining Music. "Lightning To The Nations 2020" included four cover tracks, including METALLICA's "No Remorse".
"I wanted to cover a song from METALLICA's debut album, 'Kill 'Em All'," Tatler explained, "partly because METALLICA covered songs from DIAMOND HEAD's debut album 'Lightning To The Nations' and it felt like things have come full circle to me. None of the band members knew how to play any of the songs from 'Kill 'Em All', and I eventually decided we should all learn 'No Remorse'. Then when we got into the rehearsal room, we played 'No Remorse' and immediately it just sounded great; it was very 'DIAMOND HEAD' and it really suited us as a band. Of the four covers we ended up doing, 'No Remorse' sounded the best straight away. I've seen METALLICA live over twenty times and they don't play 'No Remorse' very often, but it's always great when they do!"
DIAMOND HEAD's latest collection of all-new material, "The Coffin Train", was released in May 2019 via Silver Lining Music. The album was recorded at Vigo Studios in Walsall, Circle Studios in Birmingham and Raw Sound Studio in London.
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28 июн 2024
GEOFF TATE: 'I Don't Really Have A Need To Go Back' To QUEENSRŸCHE
 In a new interview with Cassius Morris, ex-QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate was asked if he has any desire to ever create with his former bandmates, including guitarist Chris DeGarmo, again. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I think that we had 30 good years, which is phenomenal. Most bands make a couple of records. How many records did GUNS N' ROSES make? Three? [Laughs] We had 30 years of making music, and we gave it a really good run. We had a lot of success. I think we created some really memorable albums, some really memorable songs that will outlive us. And I don't really have a need to go back and try to recapture that with Chris or any of the other guys as well. I feel like it's time to do other things, and to just explore. And we gave that a great run. It was successful. We did great things. It's time to do other things now."
Asked if he keeps in touch with any of his former bandmates at all, Geoff said: "Um, not regularly, not regularly. But sometimes situations arise where we have to sort of deal with each other, and it's not unpleasant now. Enough time has gone by [and] the bridges have mended, I guess."
Regarding whether it is tough for him to keep having to talk about his split with QUEENSRŸCHE more than a decade later, Geoff said: "At first, it was very challenging because we had kind of a bitter breakup, and I guess I was very angry over how it was handled. But then I started looking at the personalities involved and realized, well, it really didn't have any other realistic outcome. It was gonna be what it was. But that was 12 years ago when the band split up. And so a lot of water is under the bridge now and I can be a lot more forgiving of people in their situations. But I've had to talk about it. I keep getting asked questions about it, that kind of thing, 'You ever gonna get the band back together?' that question all the time. And so I've tried to think about how to talk about it in a way that is honest and real for me, but yet not so volatile. 'Cause I could get very volatile about it and point fingers and express blame and I can be very cruel, but it doesn't really serve me to even entertain that idea. I really appreciate what we had and what we did. And I'm happy with that. Very happy."
Back in March 2023, QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton shot down Tate's claim that the original lineup of the group was offered an "obscene" amount of money for one reunion tour but that "a couple of people in the band turned it down." Michael told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk": "I don't know. I didn't hear about it. I never saw any offers. I know our management never saw any offers. So I have no idea about that."
In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012. Fellow original QUEENSRŸCHE members Wilton, drummer Scott Rockenfield and bassist Eddie Jackson responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform the albums "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety live.
During a January 2022 appearance on "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Tate was asked if he is hopeful that a QUEENSRŸCHE reunion will happen someday. He responded: "I'm honestly not really expecting that to happen, basically because we've been offered just obscene amounts of money to get back together and do one tour — one tour and we'd never have to tour again. And a couple of people in the band turned it down; they're not interested in doing it. So that would really be, I think, the only motivation that would get everybody together was an obscene amount of money. But that didn't work, so [laughs] there's really no hope for it after that, I think… Money is not the motivator, and getting together for an artistic dream isn't a motivator either, so what do you have? You have nothing. Obviously, both camps are happy in the position they're at. I know for myself, I love my life — I love what I'm doing and I love traveling and playing music for people. And so far, I'm still kicking it, still happy and healthy."
Geoff went on to say that he is fine with the prospect of never returning to QUEENSRŸCHE and continuing to pursue his solo career and other projects for the rest of his time as a performing artist.
"We did hold it together for years and years and years," he said. "It was a really, really tightly run ship and it was very lucrative and we had a lot of great records and did a lot of world touring and made a lot of friends and played a lot of music together. And we had our time, and I'll aways be grateful for that time that we had. That was a time, and it doesn't mean that that time has to go on forever. There's new times to be had and there's more music to be made, there's more songs to be sung and more audiences to play music for."
Tate has gone back and forth on the subject of a reunion with QUEENSRŸCHE, telling The Rock Vault in November 2019 about the possibility of rejoining his former bandmates: "I think that would be something that makes sense, and I think it would be an interesting thing to do, if everybody could get in the same room and actually talk to each other." However, just eight months earlier, he dismissed the chances of a QUEENSRŸCHE reunion, telling Greece's "TV War" that he had "no interest in that. No. Not at all. [I have] absolutely no reason to," he said. "I don't need the money. That'd be the only reason to do it. Maybe if they paid me, like, 10 million dollars or something like that. [Laughs]"
He continued: "It was a good thing for a long time, and then it went really bad. And I just don't want that kind of negativity in my life. My life is so good, and I have such great friends and family. I travel the world and sing songs for a living. I mean, it's lovely. I have wonderful, positive people in my life, and to go back and be in that negative land again… aargh, I just couldn't do it. It's not worth it."
Tate previously described his time in QUEENSRŸCHE as "a strange, strange sort of relationship." He told The Metal Gods Meltdown: "We weren't really friends, you know — we were business associates. We had a wonderful entity that we shared called QUEENSRŸCHE, but it wasn't an equal sort of partnership as far as involvement goes. You know, so there wasn't a real camaraderie amongst everybody in the band… From my perspective and my involvement, it wasn't an emotional sort of brotherhood kind of thing that some people might think existed. That wasn't my reality with them."
In 2021, current QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre told "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" about the chances of Tate's return to QUEENSRŸCHE: "It's funny. I always hear, 'There'll definitely be an all-original lineup reunion. Every band does it.' And I'm thinking, if you knew what I know, I don't think that's gonna happen. And other than the optics of it, why? What's the point? We saw for 15 years what it sounded like."
In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against guitarist Wilton and Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Wilton and Jackson filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit. That dispute has since been settled out of court.
QUEENSRŸCHE has used former KAMELOT drummer Casey Grillo for touring and recording purposes since April 2017.
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28 июн 2024
JEFF KOLLMAN Drops 2023 A.D. Album On Vinyl With Three Bonus Tracks; "Tongs & Thongs" Feat. CHAD SMITH Streaming
 Jeff Kollman is best known for his heavy, melodic electric guitar playing, fusing elements of jazz harmony and creating his own brand of rock with his long running prog fusion trio, Cosmosquad, and as a member of Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats. You can also catch him live with famed producer Alan Parsons (Pink Floyd, Beatles) with The Alan Parsons Live Project and in the studio or on stage with the likes of Japanese legend Eikichi Yazawa, Asia F.J.P., Steel Pulse, Chris Isaak, Jason Mraz, Lou Gramm (Foreigner), and producing rock legends Phil Mogg (UFO), Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), and Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow).
Jeff released his latest album, 2023 A.D., on May 17, which features a guest appearance by Red Hot Chili Peppers and fellow Bombastic Meatbats drummer Chad Smith on the single, “Tongs & Thongs”.
Now the double LP vinyl drops with three extra tracks, showcasing more of Kollman’s amazing guitar playing, but don’t take our word for it.
"Insanely cool tone -chops and originality! Love the tracks and diversity... and man you keep getting better and better!! Your touch and feel is one of a kind. The compositions and playing by all is world class! A must have for all musicians to see how it's done!" - Steve Lukather
Listen to "Tongs & Thongs" here, and below:
This expanded double LP includes three bonus tracks which Kollman elaborates on, “‘1979' was written just a few weeks before the manufacturing of vinyl. The tune starts out with a classical style guitar solo on a Spanish made Ramirez 1A guitar from 1979. This is the year I started playing guitar which makes it fitting for a song title. I sent it over to pianist Guy Allison who started building the song around the solo intro. This song is truly a collaboration between us. ‘Friends’ is an intimate acoustic piece with a bass accompaniment. I love to show the softer acoustic side of my writing. The melody interestingly has a minor 2nd harmony to the melody note. It creates a subtle tension to the melancholy vibe. 'A Tribute For Tommy’ is a truly inspired solo acoustic guitar piece. They say music is the healer. This song is dedicated to my older brother and only sibling Tommy who tragically passed away in 2012. Tommy taught me so much about how to play with soul, meaning and attitude. I owe him EVERYTHING!”
This double LP has 15 tracks in all and features Shane Gaalaas (MSG, Yngwie Malmsteen) Jimmy Johnson (Allan Holdsworth, James Taylor), Guy Allison (Doobie Brothers), Kevin Chown (Steelheart, Sebastian Bach) and Ed Roth (Robbie Krieger). Bassist Ric Fierabracci (Chick Corea) makes a special appearance on the bonus vinyl track "1979".
2023 A.D. will be available on CD and limited-edition vinyl. Get your copy now and get a limited-edition bundle while supplies last, here.
Bundle includes:
One (1) Jeff Kollman 2023 A.D. CD or LP
One (1) Jeff Kollman 2023 A.D. T-Shirt
Tracklisting:
"2023 A.D."
"Tribal Scream"
"Tongs & Thongs"
"Layers"
"Lullaby For My Love"
"Battle Of The Bulge"
"Self Reflection"
"Cosmic Dust"
"Dark Lord Day"
"Long Lonely Winter"
"Two Years Ago Today"
"Blue For Miles"
"1979" (LP only)
"Friends" (LP only)
"A Tribute For Tommy" (LP only)
"Tribal Scream" video:
(Photo - Alex Solca) | +1 | |
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28 июн 2024
SACRED REICH To Reissue Heal Album On CD And Vinyl
 Arizona thrashers, Sacred Reich, have announced that they will reissue the hidden gem, Heal, from their rich history on July 26on CD and vinyl in Europe.
Heal is the fourth studio album by the thrash metal legends, originally released in 1996 via Metal Blade Records and produced, engineered and mixed by Bill Metoyer.
“We are happy to reissue the Heal record. It has some heavy tunes and I think was a bit overlooked at the time. You be the judge. Turn it up and play it loud,“ comments bassist/singer Phil Rind.
CD and vinyl tracklistings include the bonus track “Beef Bologna” (Fear cover, originally released as a bonus track on the 1996 Japanese release). The CD digipak features a 12-page booklet. Vinyl is available in 180g black, light red orange marbled, transparent steel blue marbled, clear red and yellow splatter. The vinyl has been mastered by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony.
Pre-order your copies here.
CD tracklisting:
"Blue Suit, Brown Shirt"
"Heal"
"Break Through"
"Low"
"Don't"
"Jason's Idea"
"Ask Ed"
"Who Do You Want To Be?"
"Seen Through My Eyes"
"I Don't Care"
"The Power Of The Written Word"
"Beef Bologna" (Bonus Track)
Vinyl tracklisting:
Side A:
"Blue Suit, Brown Shirt"
"Heal"
"Break Through"
"Low"
"Don't"
Side B:
"Jason's Idea"
"Ask Ed"
"Who Do You Want To Be?"
"Seen Through My Eyes"
"I Don't Care"
"The Power Of The Written Word"
"Beef Bologna" (Bonus Track)
Heal lineup:
Phil Rind - Bass and vocals
Wiley Arnett - Lead Guitar
Jason Rainey - Rhythm Guitar
Dave McClain - Drums
In 2019, Sacred Reich released their first record in twenty-three years: Awakening. Showcasing everything a fan would expect and hope for from the Phoenix, Arizona unit, Awakening is a timeless collection of blistering thrash, crushing grooves, meticulous solos, and socially conscious lyrics.
The return of Dave McClain, who manned the drum throne from 1991 to 1997, and the addition of twenty-two-year old guitarist Joey Radziwill, alongside original members guitarist Wiley Arnett and vocalist/bassist Phil Rind, are integral facets of the record.
Awakening was produced by Arthur Rizk (Power Trip, Cavalera Conspiracy), engineered by John Aquilino, and mastered by Maor Appelbaum (Faith No More, Halford, Armored Saint). To preview and purchase Awakening, head here.
(Photo - Stephanie Cabral) | 0 | |
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27 июн 2024
RUDOLF SCHENKER On Possibility Of MICHAEL SCHENKER Playing With SCORPIONS Again: 'Never Says Never'
 In a new interview with Spain's RockFM, SCORPIONS guitarist Rudolf Schenker was asked about the possibility of his brother, fellow legendary guitarist Michael Schenker, rejoining the band at some point before the German hard rock veterans officially call it quits. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET: "Never say never. So in this case, I'm always open."
He continued: "It's, like, we had two different ways. My brother, he wanted to be the best guitar player in the world, or one of the best guitar players in the world, and I always said I wanted… I did an interview in 1970 or '71 or something with a German music paper, and the guy asked me, 'What is your goal? What is your thing what you're going for? I said, 'I want to be a part of a rock band, of the 30 biggest rock bands in the world.' So everybody gets his piece, but these pieces don't fit together."
Rudolf added: "When you want to be one of the best guitar players in the world, it's very hard to be in a band, because you have your own ideas. And I was always there to create a great chemistry to great people. And now, after nearly 60 years, we have the best chemistry maybe in the world. I don't know. Because we are playing, we are enjoying, we're not fighting. Our goal is make the fans happy and give them what they're looking for. And that's the situation. I will say never, never, because I love my brother. That's the important point. But when you have different philosophies, you can't connect them very easily. So there must be a different time… I'm always open."
Michael Schenker gave a number of interviews in recent years in which he questioned his brother's integrity, going so far as to call Rudolf "a con artist" who "completely adopted" Michael's image as his own. He also denounced the SCORPIONS for "distorting" the story of his brief tenure with the band and lamented the fact that he gave Rudolf his "portion" of the songwriting credit for the classic SCORPIONS song "Coast To Coast". It all came to light, Michael said, when he was approached to help with the recent 50th-anniversary SCORPIONS reissues.
During an appearance on the April 12, 2024 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Rudolf — who is seven years older than Michael — said about his brother: "I love him. He's a great person. I watched him since he was a baby, and I love him, and I brought him in into all the bands he had in the earlier times and to care that he's not going downhill. It's up to him. He's a very extreme person. He can't be in a band. He's not a band person. He is an extreme, great guitar player. And that's a different situation."
Asked if he and Michael are in contact at the moment, Rudolf said: "[At] the moment, no. From my side, I would talk [to him] immediately. [Laughs] I even can't be bad with him because I know what the situation is, where he talks from."
Underlining the different philosophies he and his brother have when it comes to creating music, Rudolf said: "My brother wants to be one of the best guitar players in the world. And I said, 'I want to play in one of the 30 biggest rock and roll bands in the world.'"
Host Eddie Trunk also asked Rudolf if Michael copied him when he first picked up a Gibson Flying V guitar or if it was the other way around. Rudolf responded: "This guitar has something to play it this way. I was playing before Michael, this guitar. The point was that Michael, when we had to play a big festival… he came to me and said, 'We can't play. I have no guitar.' I said, 'Oh, you have no guitar?' I was going around, hurrying up and got the [Gibson] Melody Maker and said, 'Okay, here's the guitar.' Then he said, 'I can't play with this guitar.' I said, 'Give me the guitar. You take the Flying V that we can do the concert.' And then he came back from the concert in this festival and said, 'Rudolf, I can't give you back the guitar because it's so good. It sounds so good.' I said, 'All right, you're looking much better with the guitar as a lead guitar player than me playing rhythm and play this guitar.' So in this case, he was playing this Flying V. The first [SCORPIONS album] 'Lonesome Crow', I think, was made with a Les Paul."
This is not the first time Rudolf has publicly addressed Michael's scathing comments about him. In an April 2022 interview with Guitar Player magazine, Rudolf said: "I tell you one thing: I love my brother. He can say whatever he wants to say. He's an amazing guitar player, an amazing person — whatever he wants to say, why not say it? [Laughs] If that is what makes him happy, then okay. I wish him all the best.
"I think, sooner or later, we will all be friends again and we will play together again. My life is too happy to put myself into a dustbin over it. I want to live in the sky. I am so happy for my life."
Five years ago, Rudolf dismissed his brother's criticism, telling Classic Rock magazine: "Look, I love my brother. He's a fantastic guitar player but he knows nothing about business. When we made 'Lovedrive', the band was under contract to Dieter Dierks [producer and manager]. When I asked Michael to play a solo to my composition 'Coast To Coast', we agreed a half-and-half credit, but Dieter wouldn't allow it — this related to publishing and studio costs. Michael had a signed contract with Dieter that gave him one point on the song. And we agreed to pay Michael… he had the money."
He continued: "But in 1985, when [Michael] was completely smashed and had a new MSG with Robin McAuley, Michael lived with me in my house. We flew in musicians, I did all of that for nothing on the understanding that Michael would pay me when a record label came in. But he didn't pay me anything. So I took his half to cover the bills he hadn't paid. Everything is clear. All Michael has to do is ask: 'What's happening here?' But he doesn't; instead, he gives these stupid interviews."
Rudolf added: "I still love my brother but he has always hated business matters and the only person that's to blame here is himself."
Michael has repeatedly said that he has no intention of reconnecting with his older brother, telling Spain's Metal Journal in a 2021 interview: "I love Rudolf as a brother, but social distance is needed, so I don't get tricked into any further inconvenient situation. Rudolf is a bully, and I don't connect with bullies. It creates turbulence, and it's inconvenient… I don't wanna be controlled by them. I have established myself in a way that I don't wanna be tricked into more inconvenient situations. The moment I connect with Rudolf — you have to understand — it will carry on just the way it did when I was 15, and it will never stop. He's a trickster.
"Rudolf and I, we have been separated for 50 years," Michael continued. "We have never actually spent any time together except for the tour dates in the [SCORPIONS] 'Lonesome Crow' period, but that's it. So we're used to that anyway.
"I hope for Rudolf to find his way back to understanding what true life is about. [He's] chasing something that gives you something that in the end is not gonna make you happy, which is fame and money, et cetera, et cetera. It rarely makes anybody happy. I mean, sometimes it kills people — too much fame, it kills people; they just die. And so I don't wanna be involved in that world."
Michael Schenker first appeared on SCORPIONS' 1972 album "Lonesome Crow", earned acclaim in the 1970s on classic UFO albums such as "Phenomenon" and "Lights Out" before rejoining SCORPIONS for 1979's "Lovedrive". He departed soon thereafter to launch MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP. And while his sometimes-erratic behavior have derailed parts of his career, Schenker remains one of hard rock and metal's most influential axemen.
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27 июн 2024
See 4K Video Of ACE FREHLEY's Entire Concert In Orlando
 The Shane Cordwainer YouTube channel has uploaded 4K video of Ace Frehley's entire June 21 concert at Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Florida. Check it out below.
The original KISS guitarist played his song "Cherry Medicine" live for the first time during his concert on May 26 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Frehley released the official music video for "Cherry Medicine" in February. The clip was directed by Justin H. Reich of Three Thirty-Three Creative and produced by Reich and Steve Seabury.
On "Cherry Medicine", a mean palm-muted chug underlines Ace's pensive vocals where he confesses, "I knew I had to change my ways for sure to keep you by my side." The track showcases another side of Frehley with its saccharine and sweet, soaring hook as he promises, "I love you, cherry medicine. You heal my every need and some." He seals the sentiment with another powerhouse solo.
"Cherry Medicine" is taken from Ace's latest solo album, "10,000 Volts", which was released in February via MNRK Music Group (formerly eOne Music). The LP was produced by Ace and Steve Brown (TRIXTER).
In an interview with "Loudwire Nights", Ace described "Cherry Medicine" as a "fun, easygoing rock and roll song, not too complicated to play. And kids can gravitate towards that, especially kids that have only been playing guitar for a couple of years. The only tricky part about it is capturing my guitar solos."
Ace previously praised "10,000 Volts", telling VRP Rocks: "I'm very happy with the way the record turned out. Now, a lot of times I've recorded records where sometimes you look at three or four songs on the album and you consider them not as good as some of the other ones and you kind of consider them as filler. But I don't think there's any filler on this album. I think every song has merit to it."
He added: "I think it's one of the best albums I ever did. I mean, I think it's probably as good as my solo album in 1978, which everybody seems to think is my best album to date. But I think this new album is equally as good as my 1978 solo album, and I think there's more than one hit single on the album."
Ace's new all-original album is the follow-up to "Spaceman", which was released in October 2018 via eOne.
KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons co-wrote two tracks on "Spaceman", "Without You I'm Nothing" and "Your Wish Is My Command", the latter of which also features Gene's bass playing.
Frehley recently revealed that his next release will be a third "Origins" volume, covering songs by artists who influenced him. He will once again work with Brown on the project, which is tentatively due in 2025.
In an interview with Billboard, Frehley said that he is at one of the best points of his career. "Y'know, here I am at age [73] and I'm putting out one of the best records I've ever recorded," he said. "The playing is great and the singing is some of the best vocals I've ever done. It really doesn't make any sense, but I'm the kind of guy that's always broken rules, y'know?" | +1 | |
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27 июн 2024
STRYPER Shares New Single 'End Of Days', Announces 40th-Anniversary Tour Dates
 Pioneering Christian metal band STRYPER has released a new single, "End Of Days". Accompanied by a new lyric video, the track also helps announce the band's 40th-anniversary tour dates, which begin this fall. After an appearance at the Alive Music Festival in July, tour dates kick off September 11 in Greenville, Tennessee and conclude November 16 in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A full list of dates is below.
About the new track, STRYPER said: "'End Of Days' is a heavy track musically and lyrically. It has a classic sound with a few modern twists and turns along the way. Lyrically, it's probably the most fitting message according to the times we are living in. It really does feel like the 'End Of Days' in many ways. We're not only a divided nation, we're a divided world. It's time to make things right."
STRYPER's 40th-anniversary tour will be a celebration of both classic hits and new-era fan favorites, including outfit changes and an exciting new show production. In most cities, this will be a two-set "evening with"-style show.
STRYPER 2024 tour dates:
Jul. 18 - Mineral City, OH @ Alive Music Festival
Sep. 11 - Greeneville, TN @ Niswonger PAC
Sep. 17 - Columbus, OH @ TempleLive at the Columbus Athenaeum
Sep. 19 - Anderson, IN @ Paramount Theatre
Sep. 20 - St. Charles, IL @ Arcada Theatre
Sep. 21 - Shipshewana, IN @ Blue Gate PAC
Sep. 23 - Tulsa, OK @ Cain's Ballroom
Sep. 25 - San Antonio, TX @ The Aztec Theatre
Sep. 26 - Midland, TX @ Wagner Noel PAC
Sep. 28 - Arlington, TX @ Arlington Music Hall
Sep. 29 - Fort Smith, AR @ TempleLive
Oct. 19 - Wichita, KS @ TempleLive at Wichita Scottish Rite Center
Oct. 21 - Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater
Oct. 25 - Stateline, NV @ Harrah's Lake Tahoe @ South Shore
Oct. 29 - Phoenix, AZ @ Celebrity Theatre
Oct. 20 - Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre
Nov. 03 - Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre
Nov. 07 - Patchogue, NY @ Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts
Nov. 08 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
Nov. 09 - Glenside, PA @ Keswick Theater
Nov. 10 - Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live!
Nov. 13 - Clearwater, FL @ Capitol Theatre
Nov. 14 - Jacksonville, FL @ Florida Theatre
Nov. 15 - Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage
Nov. 16 - North Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues
In a recent interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet spoke about the musical direction of the band's recently completed follow-up to 2022's "The Final Battle" album, tentatively due in September. He said: "I think what it's always been in the past 10 years, 12 years. It's kind of similar to the last album and the album prior to that. But this album has some different twists and turns to it. And you have to hear it to understand that. When I was writing the songs, I wanted to make sure the choruses kind of went from — the verses might be in a minor chord, a little more on the darker side, and the choruses go to a major chord, a little bit more on the lighter side. Not lighter, but happier side— more major, melodic, more of an anthem, sing-along kind of thing. Then when it comes back to the verse, boom, it darkens up a little bit. You hear more of that kind of stuff."
Regarding the lyrical content on the upcoming STRYPER LP, Sweet, who is responsible for almost all of the songwriting in the band, said: "[There are] a couple of twists and turns. There's a song called 'Betrayed By Love'. It's a dark song, musically and lyrically. It's not a happy, typical STRYPER song that people might expect, like 'Honestly'. It's a song about being betrayed by someone you loved or love. And I think people will hear that and think, 'Oh, wow. This is different.' It's a great song. It's really cool. But there's little twists and turns here with the lyrics. The lyrics are a little different. And really cool. I can't wait for people to hear it."
This past March, Sweet wrote in an online post that he was "a little nervous" about his voice prior to the recording sessions for the new STRYPER album, "but in all sincerity, it seems fine to me," he said. "I didn't have any trouble tracking vocals and if anything, it seemed a little easier this time around.
"I have to say that this album has a very special signature," he added. "It has a heaviness yet at the same time, a very melodic approach and a bit more of a 'sing-along' style when it comes to the choruses. I'm really pleased with the results and I truly believe it will be at the top of everyone's 'best of' list. There are some stand out tracks to my ears already but I won't go into details quite yet. Bottom line, a KILLER new STRYPER album is coming!"
Last September, Michael said that he wanted "to branch out a bit" on the next STRYPER album "and try some new things and I also want to get back to some 'pop metal' on a few tracks as well."
In December, Sweet underwent partial thyroidectomy, the surgery to remove part of his thyroid gland. It is the most common surgery for thyroid cancer.
The follow-up to 2020's "Even The Devil Believes", "The Final Battle" was produced by Sweet and was once again recorded at SpiritHouse Recording Studios in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Formed 41 years ago, STRYPER's name comes from Isaiah 53:5, which states: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
STRYPER's albums include "To Hell With The Devil", "Second Coming", "No More Hell To Pay", "Fallen", "God Damn Evil" and the aforementioned "Even The Devil Believes" and "The Final Battle".
Michael is joined in STRYPER by his brother Robert Sweet (drums),Oz Fox (guitar) and Perry Richardson (bass).
STRYPER's "To Hell With The Amps: The Unplugged Tour" kicked off in late May. For the first time ever, the Christian rockers staged a full tour where they performed their hits and fan favorites acoustically.
Photo credit: Alex Solca Photography | +1 | |
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27 июн 2024
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27 июн 2024
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27 июн 2024
OZZY OSBOURNE Cancels Appearance At Phoenix's 'Mad Monster Party': He 'Is Unable To Travel At This Time'
 Ozzy Osbourne has canceled his appearance at Mad Monster Party, which runs from Friday, July 12 to Sunday, July 14 at the Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa in Westgate in Glendale, Arizona.
On Tuesday (June 25),Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne shared a video message in which she said: "Regretfully, the Osbourne family have to cancel our upcoming appearance at the Mad Monster Party in Phoenix because Ozzy is unable to travel at this time. However, Jack [Ozzy and Sharon's son] will be there flying the flag for the Osbournes.
"Everybody who bought the Osbourne package will, of course, get full refunds.
"We would like to thank you all for your constant support. It means so much to him, you have no idea. And all I can do is apologize that we won't be there and I'm apologizing for people we've let down from my heart.
"So God bless you all. Thank you so much."
The legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman was diagnosed in 2003 with Parkin 2 — a very rare genetic form of Parkinson's. During a TV appearance in January 2020, the singer disclosed that he was 'stricken" with the disease which occurs when the nerve cells of the body degenerate and levels of dopamine are reduced. Dopamine is an essential chemical that is produced by these nerve cells which send signals to different parts of the brain to control movements of the body.
Parkinson's disease is an incurable progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects an estimated one million Americans, more men than women and most often in people over age 60. The disease is not fatal but it increases the risk of pneumonia, falls and other conditions that may lead to death.
Last November, Ozzy spoke to Rolling Stone UK about the possibility of returning to the live stage. He said: "I'm taking it one day at a time, and if I can perform again, I will. But it's been like saying farewell to the best relationship of my life. At the start of my illness, when I stopped touring, I was really pissed off with myself, the doctors, and the world. But as time has gone on, I've just gone, 'Well, maybe I've just got to accept that fact.
"I'm not going to get up there and do a half-hearted Ozzy looking for sympathy. What's the fucking point in that? I'm not going up there in a fucking wheelchair. I've seen Phil Collins perform recently, and he's got virtually the same problems as me. He gets up there in a wheelchair. But I couldn't do that."
Ozzy went on to pay tribute to his fans who made it possible for him to have a five-plus-decade career, first with SABBATH and then as a solo artist.
"That's one of the things I've been the most fucking pissed off at: I never got the chance to say goodbye or thank you," he said. "Because my fans are what it's all about. If I can just do a few gigs… They've been loyal to me for fucking years. They write to me, they know all about my dogs. It's my extended family really, and they give us the lifestyle we have. For whatever reason, that's my goal to work to. To do those shows. If it's at Ozzfest or somewhere, or even a fucking gig at the Roundhouse [in London]
"If I can't continue doing shows on a regular basis, I just want to be well enough to do one show where I can say, 'Hi guys, thanks so much for my life.' That's what I'm working towards, and if I drop down dead at the end of it, I'll die a happy man."
Earlier in November, Ozzy and Sharon's son Jack told The Messenger that his father's days of hitting the road are likely behind him. "I don't think he'll tour again," Jack said. "But he's gunning to do one-off shows — like festivals, gigs, things like that."
"He's not done yet," he added.
Last September, Ozzy opened up about his series of operations in an interview with Metal Hammer as he shared his hopes of making "one more album" and a return to touring.
"I've had all the surgery now, thank God," the 75-year-old said. "I'm feeling okay. It was just dragging on. I thought I'd be back on my feet months ago. I just couldn't get used to this mode of living, constantly having something wrong. I can't walk properly yet, but I'm not in any pain anymore and the surgery on my spine went great."
Osbourne also discussed his plans for 2024, saying: "I'm getting myself fit. I've done two albums fairly recently [2020's 'Ordinary Man' and 2022's 'Patient Number 9'], but I want to do one more album and then go back on the road."
Last July, the BLACK SABBATH singer canceled his appearance at the Power Trip festival due to his ongoing physical ailments.
Ozzy's health issues, including suffering a nasty fall and dislodging metal rods placed in his spine following a quad-bike accident in 2003, as well as catching COVID-19 more than two years ago, forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours.
While Osbourne's health issues forced him to scrap most of his live appearances, the musician said he would return if his condition improved.
Osbourne's previously announced European tour with guests JUDAS PRIEST, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, was officially canceled in early February 2023.
Despite his health problems, Osbourne has performed a couple of times in the last two years, including at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August 2022 and at the NFL halftime show at the season opener Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills game in September 2022.
These kinds of posts are no fun but I hope the fans will understand. Ozzy really, really wanted to attend Mad Monster Party in AZ next month but unfortunately his doctor said he has to sit this one out. Let's all wish Ozzy the best and a speedy recovery. Also Jack will be bringing pre-signed items to be sold at the show for those wanting to get something signed by Ozzy or the family.
Posted by Sean Clark on Tuesday, June 25, 2024
We are excited to be working with The Osbourne's for a signing at Mad Monster Party this July!
Send-in your own items...
Posted by Twin Cities Comics on Thursday, April 18, 2024
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27 июн 2024
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27 июн 2024
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