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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.
Tour dates and tickets here. | +1 | |
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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.
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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
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
CRAZY TOWN Singer SHIFTY SHELLSHOCK Reportedly Died Of Accidental Drug Overdose
 CRAZY TOWN frontman Shifty Shellshock died of an accidental drug overdose.
The cause of death was revealed by Binzer's rep, Howie Hubberman, who told Rolling Stone: "Seth has been struggling with substance abuse problems for quite some time. Seth was not happy with the daily struggle that's called life. Some people cope in many different ways. It's unfortunate we lose so many people to addiction and accessibility to harmful drugs. Shifty was a real-life tragedy. Too fast, too hard, too soon."
According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's web site, the 49-year-old Shellshock — whose birth name was Seth Binzer — died at his home on Monday, June 24.
CRAZY TOWN's biggest hit was the 1999 single "Butterfly", which reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song sampled RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' 1989 instrumental track "Pretty Little Ditty". CRAZY TOWN's debut album, "The Gift Of Game", sold 1.6 million units.
CRAZY TOWN split up up in 2003 but reformed in 2007 and released its third album, "The Brimstone Sluggers", in 2015.
Binzer, co-founded CRAZY TOWN with Bret Mazur in 1999 after making music together under different monikers for a few years, had long struggled with substance abuse issues and appeared on various reality shows focusing on his efforts to beat his addiction, including "Celebrity Rehab" and "Sober House". In 2012, he was admitted to the hospital after losing consciousness and fell into a coma before recovering. Two years ago, he was arrested for a DUI.
In a 2001 interview with Rolling Stone, Binzer admitted that he had been arrested for shoplifting.
Seth is survived by his three children, Halo, Gage and Phoenix.
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27 июн 2024
DREAM EVIL Premier Official Music Video For New Single "Chosen Force"
 Swedish powerhouse heavy metal group, Dream Evil, have released a video for their new single, "Chosen Force", featured on their upcoming seventh studio album, Metal Gods, to be released via longtime label Century Media Records worldwide on July 26.
Watch the new video, directed by Patric Ullaeus, below:
Once again featuring recording/mixing duties by Dream Evil guitarist Fredrik Nordström at his legendary Studio Fredman (In Flames, At The Gates, HammerFall, Arch Enemy, Bring Me The Horizon, etc.), Metal Gods features cover artwork by Seth Siro Anton (Paradise Lost, Exodus, Rotting Christ, etc.) and includes 10 new songs of pure steel, introducing their newest lineup addition in drummer Sören Fardvik and also featuring guest lead guitar appearances by Jonathan Thorpenberg (The Unguided), Tommy Johansson (ex Sabaton) and Chris Amott (ex Arch Enemy / Dark Tranquillity).
Metal Gods will be made available as Standard Jewelcase CD, 180gr. LP (Either as black vinyl or as transparent sun yellow vinyl, limited to 300x copies) or as Digital Album. Preorder here.
Tracklisting:
“Metal Gods”
“Chosen Force”
“The Tyrant Dies At Dawn”
“Lightning Strikes”
“Fight In The Night”
“Masters Of Arms”
“Born In Hell”
“Insane”
“Night Stalker”
“Y.A.N.A.”
“Metal Gods” video:
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27 июн 2024
Watch TOMMY ALDRIDGE Perform WHITESNAKE's "Still Of The Night" For Drumeo (Video)
 Drumeo has shared a new video along with the following message:
"Watch Tommy Aldridge perform 'Still Of The Night' by Whitesnake. This track is from Whitesnake's self-titled album released in 1987 – with drums originally recorded by Aynsley Dunbar. This performance features Tommy Aldridge's powerful and precise drumming, intricate cymbal work, and dynamic fills, which showcase his exceptional technical skill and energy behind the kit."
In 2023, Drumeo shared an hour-long clip featuring Aldridge going through breakdowns on key Whitesnake and Ozzy fills. Find out what it was like working with Randy Rhoads ('You couldn't make it heavy enough for Randy'), and watch the Bonham fan perform some of his favorite tunes.
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27 июн 2024
Poland’s ODIUM HUMANI GENERIS To Release Międzyczas In September; Title Track Streaming
 Rising Polish black metal band Odium Humani Generis will release their second full-length album Międzyczas via Malignant Voices on September 27, 2024 in CD, vinyl and digital formats. Preorder here.
Get a first taste of the album with the title track “Międzyczas”.
Międzyczas is an evolution of Odium Humani Generis’ sound which started with 2020’s debut album Przeddzień (Cult of Parthenope) and 2022’s EP Zarzewie (Folter Records). The album is a journey that moves through the emotional stages of fear, disappointment, sadness and loneliness resounding in every song. Listeners may notice influences from bands such as Taake, Drudkh, Lifelover, Sacrilegium, Vemod or Furia; however, Odium Humani Generis goes a step further, adding subtle but clear references to sounds outside of the traditional spheres of black metal. Despite its melancholic character, the album is full of energetic moments that break the dark, introspective parts and give the music intensity.
Międzyczas was recorded with Mariusz Konieczny at Heavy Gear Studio, and the album was mixed and mastered by The Fall (Owls Woods Graves, Hauntologist, Mgła (live)) at Skrzypłocz Studio. The unique graphic design was created by Emilia Śpiewak, and the band photos were taken by Radosław Chojnacki.
Tracklisting:
“Lustro”
“Idée Fixe”
“Międzyczas”
“Popłoch”
“Drogowskaz”
“Jarzmo”
“Granice”
“Międzyczas”:
Odium Humani Generis are:
Biały – Guitars, Vocals
Ominous – Guitars
Bartos – Bass
Murukh – Drums | 0 | |
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27 июн 2024
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Zimmers Hole
