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2 июл 2025
VICIOUS RUMORS Release Music Video For New Single 'Crack The Sky In Half' From Upcoming 'The Devil's Asylum' Album
 U.S. power metal act VICIOUS RUMORS has released the official music video for the song "Crack The Sky In Half". The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "The Devil's Asylum", which will arrive on August 29 worldwide (except Japan) through SPV/Steamhammer as a CD digipak, LP version, download and stream.
VICIOUS RUMORS' founding guitarist Geoff Thorpe states: "'Crack The Sky' is a veritable anthem about never giving up and enjoying life to the full."
It's been five years since VICIOUS RUMORS unleashed its most recent album. Five years during which Thorpe and his crew played well over one hundred and fifty shows, presenting their longstanding career in condensed form and performing a playlist featuring their most important VR classics. These shows have left their mark on the bandmembers while at the same time releasing a burst of new energy. Both these factors are now about to culminate on "The Devil's Asylum", which Thorpe aptly summarizes, saying: "'The Devil's Asylum' sees us return to our roots, which we've combined with contemporary influences."
He continues: "VICIOUS RUMORS look back at a career that spans 45 years, so there's only one goal for us: Everything we do should always be significant, every show, every song, every new album. This band has always stood for maximum intensity, powerful music and lots of new, fresh ideas." In this respect, "The Devil's Asylum" couldn't be more typical of VICIOUS RUMORS and at the same time the album is bound to appeal to new fans.
Alongside Thorpe, there's original member Larry Howe on drums and vocals, with longtime bassist Robin Utbult, who has been with the group since 2019, completing the core foundation of VR. After the songs were written, the addition of two new members has made the band chemistry rise to a new level. There's vocalist Chalice and the second new member guitarist Denver Cooper, who — like Chalice — hails from Cape Coral in Florida.
Released in May, the first single and video for the song "Bloodbath" is a raw speed metal attack with melodic vocals and thrashy guitar riffs which perfectly combines the group's irresistible heaviness with speed and catchiness.
"The Devil's Asylum" track listing:
01. Bloodbath
02. Dogs Of War
03. Crack The Sky In Half
04. High Hell Hammer
05. Butchers Block
06. Abusement Park
07. Wrong Side Of Love
08. Boring Day In Hell
09. In Blood We Trust
10. Better Than Me
11. The Devil's Asylum
Thorpe formed VICIOUS RUMORS in 1979. He told The Press Democrat in a 2023 interview that there have been more than 40 different members in the band since its inception.
"One good thing about all of the members is that we have a very good relationship with almost all of them," Thorpe said. "When I need someone to fill in, I've got a lot of people I can call on."
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2 июл 2025
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2 июл 2025
JUDAS PRIEST Releases Cover Version Of BLACK SABBATH's 'War Pigs': 'We Are Honored To Show Our Love'
 JUDAS PRIEST has released an official cover version of BLACK SABBATH's "War Pigs" ahead of the Ozzy Osbourne-fronted heavy metal legends' final concert this weekend.
Although singer Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton, Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis aren't scheduled to perform at Saturday's massive "Back To The Beginning" event in Birmingham, United Kingdom, they have paid tribute by recording a studio version of the 1970 "Paranoid" classic that they have used as PRIEST's walk-on music before hitting the stage. They have also released a performance video for the track, which can be seen below.
PRIEST said in a statement: "We are honored to show our love for Ozzy and BLACK SABBATH with our homage of 'War Pigs', a song we play at every show around the world that fans sing along to, reinforcing their love as well for the legendary Prince Of Darkness!"
This past May, Halford said that he was "absolutely gutted" to have to miss the last BLACK SABBATH concert this summer. Noting that PRIEST is scheduled to play the 60th-anniversary show of German hard rock legends SCORPIONS in Hannover, Germany on July 5 — the same day that the SABBATH event will take place at Villa Park — Rob told Metal Hammer: "I had no idea [the SABBATH show] was happening. It all got announced and was a big deal — [the Hannover concert featuring] SCORPIONS and PRIEST — and suddenly I get this phone call [from Ozzy Osbourne's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne]: 'Robbie, I know you've got this gig with SCORPIONS, but could you consider coming over to do a thing with Ozzy and the guys. He'd love to see you.'"
Halford explained that trying to make both performances happen would be "dangerous", adding: "Even with a private plane, there's a word called 'technical', where something could go wrong, or the weather that time of year could cause problems… I was absolutely gutted."
Acknowledging that K.K. Downing will perform at the Villa Park concert, Halford said that the founding PRIEST guitarist will represent "the spirit of the band".
"All my mates are going to be there though, great bands and artists," Rob added. "It's a wonderful and epic moment for SABBATH and heavy metal — it re-emphasizes that Birmingham is where metal came from."
Regarding PRIEST's choice of "War Pigs" as the walk-on music before gigs, Halford told Steve Newton of The Georgia Straight: "Yeah, that's kind of a nod to these boys that we've known from day one. We're from the same neck of the woods, and there’s a very strong friendship that still exists with us all. And it's kind of a rallying cry, really. Even our fans know now that when they hear that song it's almost time for PRIEST to hit the stage. It also gets our road crew to put the beer down and get ready for the show. Oh! It's time! Yep, yep — put the beer down! Okay!"
"Back To The Beginning" sold out in less than 10 minutes in February. The concert will mark the first time that the original lineup of BLACK SABBATH — Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — have played together in 20 years.
Also set to appear at the event are METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, TOOL, SLAYER, PANTERA, GOJIRA, ALICE IN CHAINS, HALESTORM, LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX and MASTODON.
In addition, there will be a performance by a "supergroup of musicians" including Duff McKagan and Slash (GUNS 'N' ROSES),Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS),Fred Durst (LIMP BIZKIT),K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST),Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE),Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE),Andrew Watt, Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),David Ellefson (MEGADETH),Vernon Reid (LIVING COLOUR),Whitfield Crane (UGLY KID JOE),David Draiman (DISTURBED),Frank Bello (ANTHRAX),Jonathan Davis (KORN),Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM),Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE),Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, QUIET RIOT),Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (ANTHRAX),Sleep Token II (SLEEP TOKEN) and Papa V Perpetua (GHOST).
In August 2023, Halford picked BLACK SABBATH's classic 1970 self-titled debut album as one of the albums he'd be willing to listen to in perpetuity if he found himself stranded and alone on an island. He said: "I would have to go with BLACK SABBATH, the original 'Black Sabbath' album that I think is the motivator for all great things in heavy metal."
Back in 2020, Halford broke down his top 10 favorite albums in an interview with Rolling Stone and explained how they helped make him who he is. Among the records included on the list was BLACK SABBATH's debut. At the time, Halford said about his choice: "They were local guys from the same neighborhood, the same neck of the woods as PRIEST. We literally grew up together, inventing this great music that we love and cherish so much called heavy-metal music.
"I chose the 'Black Sabbath' album just because, like so many bands, your first one or two records really establish who you are as a band," he explained. "It's a bit like PRIEST with 'Rocka Rolla' and 'Sad Wings Of Destiny'; 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' becomes the one we love so much because it becomes defining. With 'Black Sabbath', here was the first example of what heavy-metal music should sound like, just the texture, the tone, the structure of all of the material, Ozzy's very unique voice. It's just become a very important record in the discography of BLACK SABBATH."
Halford joined SABBATH for two gigs to support Ozzy Osbourne on his last shows for the "No More Tours" tour in November 1992 in Costa Mesa, California after SABBATH's singer at the time, Ronnie James Dio, refused to take the stage. Rob also performed with SABBATH members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward on August 26, 2004 at the Camden, New Jersey stop of Ozzfest after Ozzy came down with an "attack of bronchitis" and was unable to take part in the concert.
Asked which SABBATH tune he'd most enjoying performing with the band, Halford told The Georgia Straight: "Ooo, that's a good question. Um, I'd probably say the actual song 'Black Sabbath', which is, to me, the most evil song that's ever been written. [Laughs]. It's very fucking scary. There's something very malevolent about that song. It's just the whole — it's the way it starts, and then it's almost deathly quiet, and then that opening line: 'What is this I see before me?' You know, I just get goosebumps thinking about it now. And when I sang that song live, it makes you feel really… Wow… I can't describe it. It's just very overwhelming, the emotion is very overwhelming. And when you see Ozzy singing it you can see him change, you know, his whole demeanor, he just changes as a person to sing that song. It's really spooky."
Photo credit: Andy "Elvis" McGovern
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2 июл 2025
A DAY TO REMEMBER Releases Riotous New Video For Top 20 Radio Hit 'All My Friends'
 Following the runaway success of their surprise physical-first album "Big Ole Album Vol. 1", A DAY TO REMEMBER are back with a brand new music video for their current, Top 20 radio single "All My Friends". Perfectly encapsulating the energy of the song, the new clip is an unfiltered, shot-shooting celebration of chaos and camaraderie featuring WWE superstar Seth Rollins and his flame thrower. Sound crazy? It is. Watch the raucous new video below.
The "All My Friends" video drops viewers into the middle of a rowdy dive bar night with A DAY TO REMEMBER and their friends — including Seth Rollins and Cody Quistad of WAGE WAR. Complete with crowd surfing, shots flying and a signature world-conquering, sing-along chorus made for losing your voice to, it's reckless, it's fun and is perfectly representative of the kind of debauchery the song's energy deserves.
Now riding high off a hugely successful European run of headline shows and stellar festival performances, A DAY TO REMEMBER will hit the road again this fall for a 36-date North American co-headline tour with fellow heavyweights YELLOWCARD. The "Maximum Fun Tour", produced by Live Nation, kicks off September 5 in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and wraps November 22 in Corpus Christi, Texas, hitting major cities including Toronto, Camden, Dallas, San Diego, Minneapolis, Atlanta, and San Diego. Support will rotate across the run, with THE WONDER YEARS, STATE CHAMPS, DINOSAUR PILE-UP and BOUNDARIES all joining on select dates.
A DAY TO REMEMBER's "Big Ole Album Vol. 1", which arrived earlier this year via an unorthodox physical-first release strategy, landed Top 10 on the Billboard charts before it ever hit streaming. The album features mega-hits "Miracle" (initially released as a stand-alone single in 2022),"Feedback", "Make It Make Sense" and current single "All My Friends". The project has been widely praised by fans and media alike, with Kerrang! calling it "a powerful, razor-sharp reminder of why ADTR still dominate," while Rock Sound hailed the record as "a confident, explosive statement from a band whose creative well is nowhere near dry."
The "Maximum Fun Tour" marks A DAY TO REMEMBER's first major North American run since the album's release and is guaranteed to be an all-out party, the likes of which only A DAY TO REMEMBER can bring. Don't miss the opportunity to catch the band firing on all party cannons as they bring their new album, and the brand new video for "All My Friends" to life in the live arena this fall.
Formed in Florida in 2003, A DAY TO REMEMBER has spent over two decades defining and redefining the blueprint for modern heavy music. With nearly two billion global streams, multiple gold and platinum singles, and a fiercely loyal global fanbase, they've built a legacy on unpredictability, energy, and unshakable connection. Their latest release, "Big Ole Album Vol. 1", debuted to critical acclaim and commercial success — and marks a bold new era for the band.
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2 июл 2025
CLAWFINGER Releases Music Video For New Single 'Scum', Featuring Anti-DONALD TRUMP Message
 Long-running Swedish rap-metal combo CLAWFINGER has released the official Rune Foss-directed music video for its new single, "Scum". The track, which was mixed by Jocke Skog at the Sunmountain Facilities and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street, is a clear jab at U.S. president Donald Trump, with such lyrics as "a bad taste in my mouth, a sore sight for my eyes a foul stench in the air, a nasty vibe in the house a bad excuse for a man, a dark time for the earth" and "another pussy to grab, yes that's what you said, a small cock in your pants, no brain in your head".
CLAWFINGER vocalist Zak Tell said in a statement: "'Scum' is a raw, loud, and brutally honest punk rap anthem that goes straight for the throat. It's aimed at the kind of guy who's selfish, sexist, full of himself and somehow still talking. With sharp lyrics and a beat that hits like a punch, 'Scum' says what we're all thinking about that one guy we all wish would just vanish from the face of the earth. It's angry and it's dark. If you've ever wanted to spit in someone's face but lacked the upper-body strength or social permission, this song's for you."
Five years ago, Tell expressed his disdain for Trump while speaking to Germany's Metalogy about the enduring lyrical themes covered on the band's debut album, "Deaf Dumb Blind", which came out more than 30 years ago. He said: "I wish I could say that things have changed [since that record has released]. I guess a couple of things did that too. But if you look at what's going on in the world and how we behave as human beings, I think we haven't made much progress. And it looks like there is a Trump for every Greta [Thunberg] — that's just an example because it's just so much on the news. For every person who wants to improve the world, there is an idiot who wants to turn everything back. It kind of feels like it happens every time. I already thought that maybe this is simply human nature; the constant back-and-forth and colliding. I'm really not sure if things have gotten better. I wish I could say that they were. But I don't think they are. So I think that the 'Deaf Dumb Blind' message is still up to date and that it has stands the test of time quite well. Of course, it's difficult to be objective with something that is a big part of me."
CLAWFINGER recently announced that it has signed a new record deal with the Perception label, a division of Reigning Phoenix Music.
On Friday, June 20, CLAWFINGER shared the following message via social media: "Well, well, well... look who signed a record deal again, just a quick 32 years after our first one. Yes, it's true: we've officially signed with Perception label — a division of Reigning Phoenix Music.
"Do we understand how the music business works anymore? Absolutely not. Do we know if this is a brilliant move or a beautifully misguided one? Also no. Is the industry still a fickle beast that eats its young and spits out vinyl? Naturally. But are we thrilled to once again be caught in the trap? You bet your nostalgic little heart we are.
"Here's to new tunes, old habits, and making the same mistakes... but with better shoes."
Last July, Tell was asked by Metal Mad TV if he and his CLAWFINGER bandmates would ever release a follow-up album to 2007's "Life Will Kill You". He responded: "Well, [GUNS N' ROSES'] 'Chinese Democracy' took a long time too. I don't know. The thing is we don't really have a record deal anymore. We have a management. We release stuff via his label whenever we feel like it. We have maybe like five songs almost ready now. Maybe we'll release that as an EP.
"I don't know if there will be an album," he continued. "I don't know if there won't be an album. We're not planning an album. We write songs whenever we have ideas. Most of us have full-time jobs and do other stuff. So it's a question of time, and we have families. It's just putting the life puzzle together. So we don't have an album in the making. But we do have a few songs that are ready, more or less."
Asked if he and his CLAWFINGER bandmates still play small club shows, Zak said: "We only we only play really big festivals, because it's more people and it's more fun. No. To be honest, right now it's just festivals over the summer. Maybe there'll be some club dates later in the year.
"It's different times," he explained. "Buses cost more, planes cost more, crew cost more — everything has become more expensive And we've done pretty much everything. But there's one thing we refuse to do in our old age, and that is pay to play. We will not pay to play. But we've done that in the past. We did that in certain territories back in the '90s and early 2000s. We're not doing that again. We don't need to make big money or be rich fucking rock stars or anything, but we wanna come back with something. And also, what a lot of people don't realize is to put on a show, it costs you money. I mean, it probably costs us at least two thousand euro to do a gig — just in costs for crew members and flights. And it's probably even more than that. I don't know the figures, 'cause I'm just a stupid vocalist. But it costs money to play. It's not free. You don't just leave home and walk up on the stage, plug a guitar in and then go, 'Okay.' There's a lot of work behind it. And especially in this streaming and TikTok age, people don't realize that. They think everything is easy and simple."
In March 2022, CLAWFINGER released the official music video for its previous single, "Environmental Patients". The track marked the first new music from CLAWFINGER in more than two years.
Prior to the arrival of "Environmental Patients", CLAWFINGER released a single called "Tear You Down" in September 2019 and "Save Our Souls" in 2017. "Save Our Souls" was made available four years after CLAWFINGER announced it was calling it quits.
During the break from the studio, the members of CLAWFINGER were reportedly taking care of their families while performing sporadic reunion shows, mostly at European festivals. "CLAWFINGER no longer is our main job," the band explained at the time. "We all have other jobs and families to love."
CLAWFINGER's last studio album, the aforementioned "Life Will Kill You", was released in the U.S. in July 2008 via Locomotive Records. The CD, which entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 89 upon its European release in 2007, was recorded and produced at Sweden's Fear And Loathing Studios, a facility that CLAWFINGER runs along with the members of MESHUGGAH.
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2 июл 2025
DANKO JONES On Bands Using Backing Tracks During Live Shows: 'Who Am I To Determine What Rock And Roll Is And Isn't?'
 DANKO JONES's namesake frontman has weighed in on bands who rely heavily on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances.
In recent years, more and more artists have been given a pass for relying on pre-recorded tracks, drum triggers and other assorted technology that makes concerts more synthetic but also more consistent. For better or worse, pre-recorded tracks are becoming increasingly common for touring artists of all levels and genres and they're not just used in pop music — many rock artists utilize playback tracks to varying degrees.
Speaking to Austria's Mulatschag, Danko stated about acts who rely on pre-recorded tracks (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Who am I to determine what rock and roll is and isn't? But for my taste, I don't really like it. But that's just me. I'm not the dictionary definition of what rock and roll is. And also, I think music is its own per generation. So each generation gets to decide what their music is. And the generation that uses backing tracks is a few generations removed from when I got into music, so who am I to hold everyone to my entry point? That's ridiculous and arrogant and all kinds of words you can use for that. Personally speaking, I don't really dig it. I don't get anything out of it, but that's just me personally."
KISS frontman Paul Stanley, who had been struggling to hit the high notes in many of the band's classic songs for a number of years, was accused of singing to a backing tape on KISS's "End Of The Road" farewell tour.
Back in 2015, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons slammed bands who used backing tapes for not being honest enough to include that fact on their concert tickets.
"I have a problem when you charge $100 to see a live show and the artist uses backing tracks," Simmons said. "It's like the ingredients in food. If the first ingredient on the label is sugar, that's at least honest. It should be on every ticket — you're paying $100, 30 to 50 percent of the show is [on] backing tracks and they'll sing sometimes, sometimes they'll lip sync. At least be honest. It's not about backing tracks, it's about dishonesty.
"There's nobody with a synthesizer on our stage, there's no samples on the drums, there's nothing," Gene continued. "There's very few bands who do that now — AC/DC, METALLICA, us. I can't even say that about U2 or THE [ROLLING] STONES. There's very few bands who don't use [backing] tracks."
In March 2023, KISS's longtime manager Doc McGhee defended Stanley's vocal performance on "End Of The Road", explaining that the "Star Child" "fully sings to every song" at every concert. He explained: It's enhanced. It's just part of the process to make sure that everybody hears the songs the way they should be sang to begin with. Nobody wants to hear people do stuff that's not real, that's not what they came to hear."
When McGhee was asked to clarify if he was "actually saying there are backing tracks that [Paul is] singing to," Doc said: "He'll sing to tracks. It's all part of a process. Because everybody wants to hear everybody sing. But he fully sings to every song."
Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has previously said that he is "one of the last people" who are still not using pre-recorded tracks at their live shows. "I don't know how much longer I can say to you that I don't use tapes onstage, because I don't, and I never have," he told Consequence Of Sound. "And I still don't. When I have opening bands, and they're using tapes, and then I come out and I don't use tapes… sometimes, it makes me feel stupid, because I'm like, 'What am I doing, when all these kids half my age can come onstage and do all of my moves, but they don't have to warm up for an hour before the show, or weeks, before the first show?' Sometimes, I'm like, 'Why do I even bother, if the public is so used to this other way?' It's becoming very rare to come see a good band that's actually a real band — that's not miming or doing silly moves while a tape is running. It just becomes more rare as the years go on."
In 2019, IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith said that he doesn't "agree" with certain rock artists relying on pre-recorded tracks during their live performances. "I tell you what, I see it with a lot of younger bands, and I don't think it's a good thing at all," he told the New York Post. "I mean, the music is getting too technical now. You have computerized recording systems, which we use, but I think we use them more for convenience than because we need to. We've toured with a couple bands that use tapes — it's not real. You're supposed to play live; it should be live. I don't agree with using tapes … I think it's a real shame."
One musician who has been open about his band's use of taped vocals during live performances is MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx, who said: "We've used technology since '87." He added the group employed "sequencers, sub tones, background vox tracks, plus background singers and us. [MÖTLEY CRÜE also taped] stuff we can't tour with, like cello parts in ballads, etc.... We love it and don't hide it. It's a great tool to fill out the sound."
In a 2014 interview, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars admitted that he wasn't comfortable with the fact that his band used pre-recorded backing vocals in its live shows, claiming that he preferred to watch groups whose performances are delivered entirely live. "I don't like it," he said. "I think a band like ours… I have to say '60s bands were my favorite — '60s and '70s bands — because they were real, like, three-piece bands or four-piece bands, and they just got up there and kicked it up. Made a mistake? So what? Sounded a little bit empty here or there? So what? It's the bigness and the rawness and the people that developed and wrote the songs and made them and presented them. To me, that's what I really like. I mean, I could put on a MÖTLEY CD and play with it all day long. I don't wanna do that."
DANKO JONES's twelfth studio album, "Leo Rising", will be released on November 21, 2025 via Perception, a division of Reigning Phoenix Music, and Sonic Unyon (for Canada). | +1 | |
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2 июл 2025
CHRIS DAUGHTRY: 'I Don't Think You Can Create Human Emotion' With Artificial Intelligence
 In a new interview with "The Dark", an active rock music program that airs on Minnesota's 94 Rocks KFML radio station, DAUGHTRY frontman Chris Daughtry weighed in on a debate about people using artificial intelligence (A.I.) to create music. Asked if he has thought about incorporating this new technology during his own songwriting and recording process, Daughtry said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I haven't. I don't believe I am smart enough to even pull that off right now.
"It's such a weird feeling when I hear other people use A.I. to create this artist singing this song and the stylings of… It's weird to me," he explained. "I look at it as a novelty. I don't necessarily look at it as a tool to create what we're doing. I love the human aspect of creating art and music, and that's something that I don't think A.I. can really duplicate, is the human element.
"I think you can create a lot of things with A.I. I don't think you can create human emotion," Chris added. "You can't get to the heart, I don't think. I'm sure it's gonna eventually get to that place, but I think you can always kind of see through that."
This past April, DAUGHTRY unveiled its latest single "The Day I Die", via Big Machine Rock. Written by Daughtry alongside Marti Frederiksen and Scott Stevens, "The Day I Die" was described in a press release as "a deeply personal admission drenched in Chris Daughtry's signature powerhouse vocals."
"The Day I Die" followed closely behind "Shock To The System (Part One)" , the first installment of a two-part project that offers a deeper look into Chris's personal journey. Featuring standout tracks "Pieces" and "Artificial", both of which hit No. 1 on the Active Rock charts, the six-song project tells the raw story of a life torn apart by grief and rebuilt through resilience– serving as a powerful soundtrack for anyone navigating the path of overcoming loss.
DAUGHTRY recently completed a North American tour with DISTURBED. This summer they will join CREED for the "Summer Of '99" run.
DAUGHTRY, one of the most visible and best-selling rock bands of the 21st century, has sold out concerts across the globe. Their debut album, the self-titled "Daughtry", was the top-selling album of 2007 and was the fastest selling rock debut album in SoundScan history. The record was nominated for four Grammy Awards and won four American Music Awards, alongside seven Billboard Music Awards, including "Album Of The Year". Subsequent albums "Leave This Town" (2009), "Break The Spell" (2011) and "Baptized" (2013) have all gone platinum, with "Cage To Rattle" (2018) certified gold. In 2021, the band released their record "Dearly Beloved", with singles "World On Fire", "Heavy Is The Crown" and "Changes Are Coming" all cracking the Top 10. Following yet another Top 10 success with their 2023 smash cover of JOURNEY's "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" featuring HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale, DAUGHTRY ushered in a new sonic era with their debut Big Machine Records single "Artificial". The return to their rock roots scored the band their first No. 1 single in the Active Rock format, laying the groundwork for their new EP, "Shock To The System (Part One)" , out now on all platforms.
In November 2021, Chris's stepdaughter Hannah Price was found dead in her home. It was later revealed that Price, 25, died by suicide while under the influence of narcotics at her home in Fentress County, Tennessee.
Chris was on tour when Price died, and subsequently postponed a series of concert dates.
Photo credit: Dominique D'Costa
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2 июл 2025
BLACKIE LAWLESS Is Too Busy Touring To Think About A New W.A.S.P. Studio Album
 In a new interview with Stoyan Tsonev of Bulgaria's Z-Rock radio, W.A.S.P. leader Blackie Lawless once again spoke about the status of his long-in-the-works autobiography. Asked how the book is coming along, he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " Slowly. Everybody says 'when, when, when,' and I say, well, I'm hoping maybe a year from now it'll be finished and ready to go. But I'm at a point now where I think I've assembled all the ideas to get them where they need to be. So now it's just a question of putting them all together. And I feel pretty good about it. So, like I said, hopefully in a year, I would say, it'll be ready. The problem is the touring schedule has been so intense, there just has not been the time to work on it as much as I would have liked."
Lawless also talked about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to W.A.S.P.'s most recent studio album of all-new original material, 2015's "Golgotha". Asked if he had anything new to share about the band's upcoming LP, Blackie said: "Not really, because, as we were saying, the tour schedule has been so crazy. Everybody wants to know when — 'When are you gonna have this? When are you gonna have that?' It's, like, well, you know what? It's a big world out there, and it takes a long time to get to all these different cities. For this tour that we're on, we just finished doing North America and South America. Now we're gonna be in Europe all this year. So it takes a long time to get to all these places. And so where does that leave us when we're finished? Then we go back and look at doing a book, maybe finishing the album. But, like I said, the touring schedule is so intense that there just hasn't been time to do everything."
Back in October 2022, Lawless told Rockin' Metal Revival about the process of writing his autobiography: "When I sat down to start writing the book, it just poured out of me. And that was an interesting process, too, because, never having done that before, you always think of the… the first thing that comes to anybody's head is the things that stand out. But what I found that more than anything is it was a process of self-discovery, because if you look at any given event that may happen in your life that's significant — we all have those; those signposts that point us in one direction or another — it's one thing to write about it, but to get to the root of it, what you have to do is go back and do some real self-examination and say, 'Okay, what led me to this? And then what led me to that?' And so forth. And when you do that…
"It reminds me. I've heard stories of psychiatrists, when they tell people, if they've gone through something that's intense in their life or they've lost a loved one or something like that, write them a letter," he continued. "And I found that doing this is very much like that. Because I've never done the thing that the psychiatrists have said — fortunately, I've never been put in that position — but it reminded me of hearing what they were saying, because it ends up being a letter to yourself. And you discover some interesting stuff — the good, the bad, the ugly and all that. And it's quite a revealing process, because the person you are now is not the person you were when you were doing some of those idiotic things, or when something intense happened in your life that wasn't idiotic. But again, what led you from point A to point B to become that person, and you look back on it now and you go, 'Wow, look how I've changed.'
"Writing, whether it's lyrics or anything like that, you try to write them as multi-dimensional as you can because the listener, when they listen to it today, you want them in five years to be able to look at those same lyrics and see something totally different, because who they are in five years is not who they are right now," Lawless added. "So that's really what you're trying to do."
Lawless also talked about his autobiography in May 2022 in an interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station. At the time, he said: "It's taken a whole lot longer than I thought it would, but it's been one of the most fun things I've ever done in my life. It's a tremendous amount of work because there's so many things, over the course of a lifetime, that you forget about, especially when you do what we do for a living. Anybody that does what we do, it's not like the average person out there where you go to work and you do your thing and you get into a routine. And there's nothing wrong with that; it's different.
"I've often said that I've already… because of the schedule and the way that any band has to do things — you're here today; you're somewhere else tomorrow — it's like you've already lived four or five of somebody else's lifetimes," he explained. "And because of the amount of intensity that goes into the same amount of space that everybody has. Twenty-four hours for somebody that does this is not the same as twenty-four hours for somebody that's in a routine. And it can get a little on the insane side.
"The first thing I did was interview everybody that I could think of and said, 'What are your memories of this?'" Blackie revealed. "So I got those. But then where I got the majority of it from was really going back in my own head. And the deeper I got into it, the more things I had totally forgotten about. Because, like I said, there's so many things that will happen in a given day that the only thing you remember is the most intense thing. But maybe the two or three other things that were just under it were just as intense, but you don't remember it. You remember being on the flight the time the guys got angry with a stewardess and stuffed her in the overhead bin, but you don't remember the two or three things that happened under that. That's a true story, by the way."
Asked what he has learned about himself from digging into his life while writing his book, Blackie said: "In the preface of the book, I write that this has been a process of discovery — both good and bad. I would say, after it's all said and done, that it's been far, far more good than bad, because what it's done for me, it's been like writing a script to a movie. And again, like I said, there's a lot of stuff you forget about. But also at the same time, what it does is it helps you connect the dots of your own life, of maybe things that you didn't really think about were connected, and you go back and you look at it and you go, 'This is as plain as the nose on my face. Why couldn't I have seen this before?' And there's been a number of incidences like that — just things that are personal that might not be something that you could share with anybody else, because it wouldn't make sense to them. But then again there may be things that are. So I'm hoping that when people read this, they'll see a lot of themselves in it."
In July 2024, Lawless confirmed to George Dionne of KNAC.COM that he and his W.A.S.P. bandmates had been working on music for the follow-up to "Golgotha". He said: "We have been, and last year, we had done quite a bit of work in between the American tour and the European tour, we did a lot of recording, a lot of demoing. And I thought I liked what I was hearing, and then I came back. I had a problem with my back last year when we were in Europe, and, actually, my back got broken while we were over there, so I had to have a couple of surgeries when we got home from the tour. And it gave me a lot of time to sit around, twiddle my thumbs and just listen to stuff. And I listened to the demos that we did, and there is some good moments, but it's not consistent. 'Golgotha' was a very consistent record. I mean, 'Golgotha', I think, is one of the best things I've ever been a part of. And to try to at least do something on that level…"
He continued: "Today, a band like us, it's all about your legacy, because we're not making records anymore to sell records. I mean, those days are gone. But what we do, or what any artist does when they make a new record now, they are competing against their past. So your new album effectively becomes your opening act, and it's an opening act that's going up against songs that the audience has heard and romanced in their heads for decades. That's stiff competition. So when something new comes out, for it to even be remotely considered good, in all honesty, it has to be better than the original stuff, and that's no joke.
"It had been a while since I listened to 'Golgotha', and I listened to it — I don't know — a couple months ago, and it was, like, 'Wow, this is a pretty good record,'" Lawless added. "And it has to be that good to compete with the 'L.O.V.E. Machine's and the 'I Wanna Be Somebody''s of the world. Because, again, people are romancing those songs in their head, and rightfully so.
"Music does a funny thing to our sense of time. It creates memories, the same way smell does and things like that. We remember where we were when we heard a certain song, and those are very powerful memories. And I'm glad we have that, but at the same time, when you're the person that has to create new music, you're constantly going up against that legacy.
"So, again, the new album will always be your opening act, and your opening act has to try harder just to get noticed," Blackie concluded.
W.A.S.P.'s latest release was "ReIdolized (The Soundtrack To The Crimson Idol)", which came out in February 2018. It was a new version of the band's classic 1992 album "The Crimson Idol", which was re-recorded to accompany the movie of the same name to mark the 25th anniversary of the original LP's release. The re-recorded version also features four songs missing from the original album.
Blackie previously spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for W.A.S.P.'s new LP in a 2024 interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station. He said: "We still are [working on it]. What happened was when we came back from the European tour, I had to have surgery and stuff, about a year prior to that, we had been working on a lot of new stuff. And when I came back, I've had a long time to go through those early demos, of what we have been working on. Listening to it with fresh ears, some of it's really good, but there's not enough of it yet where I would be comfortable in saying, 'Okay, this is finished, and let's go with it.' I'd like to go back and visit the drawing board, so to speak, and see what else is there. Because even from a two-year period of when we started working on that before to where we are right now, you're gonna gain so much, you're gonna grow so much."
Blackie continued: "I've learned you don't make records or I don't make records anymore that are spread out over a two- or three-year period, because the guy you are when you first start making it is not the guy you are when you finish making it. Get in, six months top to bottom, get that thing cranked out, because, like I said, if you don't, you end up running the risk of it kind of being a schizophrenic type of record where you've got one type of one thing and then the other half is something else and it has no real cohesiveness."
Asked what kind of stuff inspires him now, Blackie said: "Well, when we got ready to start this record a couple years ago, my mindset was I wanted to do a heavy, nasty, stinky rock and roll record. And that's where my heart was at. But when I started to write, that's not what was coming out. And so when you first start the process, you think, 'Okay. We'll go along with whatever comes out to begin with, but I wanna try to start steering this ship in a different direction as time goes by.' And that's just not what was happening. It was stuff that was more in-depth. And I thought, we did call 'Golgotha', that's one of those thinking man's records, and I thought, I don't wanna do that this time. I wanna do something that's a little lighter, like I said, a little nastier, stinkier old-time rock and roll, but as hard as I was trying to force it in that direction, that's not what was happening. Now, when we get done with this tour and the European tour next year, then it'll be time to start looking at that again in earnest. So who knows where we'll come out of it again? To give you an honest answer, I'd need a crystal ball right now to tell you that, 'cause I don't know."
In November 2023, Blackie addressed the high musical standard of W.A.S.P. most recent albums, telling Canada's The Metal Voice: "Nobody makes money making records anymore. So if you're going to make records now, you're doing it because of your legacy. And if you're going to do that, then you really have to make sure that it's as strong as it can be, because it's always gonna be measured against what you did to begin with."
He continued: "All bands, they make their bones the first five years they're together, the first five or six records they make; their whole legacy is cemented there. It doesn't mean you can't make good records later on down the line, but everything is gonna be constantly compared to that… In other words, think of whatever new record you do now as your opening act. It's always gonna be compared to that early stuff. And so for it to get an honest review or a fair shake, so to speak, that new record has to maybe be even better than the original stuff was, because people have had so many years to romance those older songs in their heads. And when you go up against people that have been doing that for a long time, it's hard to erase those memories, and you don't wanna do that anyway. But you just want the new stuff to have a chance to compete. And the only way that new stuff can do that is they have to be solid records."
W.A.S.P. kicked off the North American leg of the "Album ONE Alive" tour on October 26, 2024 at Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, California. The 39-city run made stops across North America in Vancouver, British Columbia; Toronto, Ontario; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Dallas, Texas; New York City; Orlando, Florida; and more before wrapping up on December 14, 2024 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.
Along with bassist Mike Duda and lead guitarist Doug Blair, W.A.S.P. is joined by longtime drummer extraordinaire Aquiles Priester.
Because of the extensive back injuries Lawless suffered during the European leg of W.A.S.P.'s 40th-anniversary tour, the band's previously announced 2023 U.S. tour was canceled.
W.A.S.P.'s massive European leg of the 40th-anniversary world tour wrapped on May 18, 2023 in Sofia, Bulgaria at Universidada Sports Hall.
W.A.S.P. wrapped up its first U.S. tour in 10 years with a sold-out show on December 11, 2022 at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. This marked the 18th sold-out shows for the U.S. tour, which kicked off in late October 2022. W.A.S.P.'s performances included the return of the band's classic song "Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)", which hadn't been played live in over 15 years. | +1 | |
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2 июл 2025
JOE PERRY Is 'Always Hoping' For Another AEROSMITH Concert: 'We'll Just Have To See'
 During an appearance on the June 27 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Joe Perry spoke about the possibility of AEROSMITH playing one final concert, less than a year after the legendary rockers announced that they were officially retiring from touring due to singer Steven Tyler's vocal injury. AEROSMITH made the announcement on August 2, 2024 — nearly one year after the now-77-year-old singer fractured his larynx during a September 2023 show. Perry said about the likelihood of another AEROSMITH show (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, yeah, I'm always hoping, but going on the road, it's a big deal pulling that together. It's one thing to sit there and look online and see who's touring and stuff, and there's dates that show up, but there's so much planning, and what it takes out of you physically, it's a lot more than people realize. It's one thing when you're doing it when you're 25 or 30, but it's another when you're starting to get up there like us. It's a really physical thing, going out on stage. And all that energy that you're putting out, that you're transferring to the audience, it takes something out of you in a physical and emotional way. And all of that energy that you give, that's flowing out there, that's making people feel good, it takes it out of you."
Perry added: "We talk probably a couple of times a week, and [Steven and I] played together up at a charity up in San Francisco [in late April]… So I don't know, man. But we're talking about it. I mean, except for anything on the calendar, we're all alive and well. So, we'll just have to see. I know there's gotta be at least another AEROSMITH gig, and I'm not looking forward to putting the setlist together for that one. But I don't know, man. We'll just have to see. I've always played like every show's the last one. I hate to sound like it's a downer, but I give it up every night."
Asked by host Eddie Trunk if Tyler seems well enough to be able to play a full AEROSMITH concert and whether he thinks Steven "would like to do that", Joe said: "I think he would. I think it's just a matter of getting there. We're up there [in age], man. And it's a lot. It was interesting, with COVID and everybody being home for that length of time, it was, like, 'Oh, so this is how other people live.' Actually sleeping in your own bed every night and hopefully not feeling shitty from COVID. In the beginning, it was pretty bad. But it really, really opens your eyes. I don't think I've gone a year without something on the calendar and having to be somewhere. So that's the bigger picture. [We enjoy being home] or doing other things. We all have stuff we like to do. And you can't [do those things when you are touring], whatever it is. So, I've got enough left in me. I still wanna do it. But right now, for [THE JOE PERRY PROJECT], I'm gonna be taking it out [this August] and giving it up, and I'm just glad I've got these guys to open up enough time to come along. So, we'll see what happens."
THE JOE PERRY PROJECT, featuring Perry with musicians from AEROSMITH, THE BLACK CROWES and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, will play eight U.S. tour dates in August.
The 2025 lineup of THE JOE PERRY PROJECT will feature AEROSMITH guitarists Perry and Brad Whitford with the Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers' touring keyboardist/backing vocalist Buck Johnson, along with THE BLACK CROWES' Chris Robinson on lead vocals and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS members Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz on bass and drums, respectively.
Perry and Tyler performed together for the first time in nearly two years at a private concert the singer hosted on April 30 in San Francisco, California. The event was a benefit for Janie's Fund, the initiative Tyler created in order to bring hope and healing to girls and young women who have experienced trauma.
AEROSMITH's "Peace Out" tour came to a halt after what turned out to be a final gig in Elmont, New York on September 9, 2023. That show came just three dates into the trek, which was supposed to last through February 2024. Tyler said in a statement at the time that the injury caused bleeding but that he hoped he and his AEROSMITH bandmates would be back on the road after postponing a few shows.
The rescheduled "Peace Out" tour was due to begin September 20, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with special guests THE BLACK CROWES.
Tyler released a solo LP in 2016. | +1 | |
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2 июл 2025
BUCKCHERRY's JOSH TODD On 'Roar Like Thunder' Album: 'The Only Stipulation Was To Not Have Any Ballads Or Covers'
 In a new interview with Neil Jones of TotalRock, vocalist Josh Todd of California rock veterans BUCKCHERRY spoke about the band's knack for releasing consistently strong new albums, including their recently issued eleventh full-length effort, "Roar Like Thunder". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, that's my competitive spirit. I wanna be as great as I can be, and as far as BUCKCHERRY is concerned and what we are and what we mean. And I'm very passionate about this band to this day, and I really care about putting out a quality record.
"I decided a while back that I don't wanna do anything longer than 10-song records because I don't want filler or any bullshit," Josh explained. "I feel like that's the perfect length. And not a whole lot of people even listen to an entire record anymore. So, the thing for us is to create a record that you can put on and leave on. And the only stipulation on this effort was to not have any ballads or covers. We just wanted a rocking record, and I feel like we accomplished it. And we've got a great songwriting chemistry going on with me, Stevie [Dacanay; a.k.a. Stevie D., guitar] and [producer] Marti Frederiksen. The last three BUCKCHERRY records — [2021's] 'Hellbound', [2023's] 'Vol. 10' and this one — have been the best, in my opinion. So, yeah, just riding that wave."
Elaborating on BUCKCHERRY's decision to not have any ballads this time around, Todd said: "Yeah, we have a lot of ballads, not just on [BUCKCHERRY's double-platinum 2005 album] '15'. We've always put 'em out on most of our records. We have over a hundred songs out there, so it was fine not to do it on this record. I love slowing it down and having more dynamics in a record for sure, but that's just what we felt at the time, and it feels good now. And the reviews and everybody's responses have been really tremendous. And, yeah, so we're enjoying it."
As for BUCKCHERRY's working relationship with Frederiksen, Josh said: "Yeah, he's produced a lot of records of ours. It goes all the way back to 2005 when he co-wrote 'Sorry' with us on the '15' record, and then he produced 'Black Butterfly' and so on.
"When we get in the room with him, it's like he's just like the sixth bandmember," Todd explained. "He really brings out the best in us and he understands what's special about this band and doesn't wanna ruin that. And he wants to just make it as good as it can be. And the cool part about writing songs with him and Stevie is, like, the best idea wins. And it's just nice. It's a lot of fun making records."
"Roar Like Thunder" was released on June 13.
As with "Vol. 10" and "Hellbound", "Roar Like Thunder" was recorded in Nashville at Sienna Studios and helmed by Frederiksen, who has previously collaborated with AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, Jonny Lang and Sheryl Crow, among many others. All 10 tracks were written by Todd, Dacanay and Frederiksen.
"Roar Like Thunder" was released in North America by Round Hill Records, in Japan by Sony Japan and in the remainder of the world by Earache Records.
"Vol. 10" came out in June 2023. The 11-song LP featured 10 new BUCKCHERRY originals and, as a bonus track, a cover of the Bryan Adams classic "Summer Of 69".
In November 2023, BUCKCHERRY released a new holiday song called "Tell 'Em It's Christmas".
BUCKCHERRY previously released another holiday song, "Christmas Is Here", back in 2010.
In the summer of 2020, BUCKCHERRY recruited JETBOY's Billy Rowe as its new guitarist. He joined the group as the replacement for Kevin Roentgen, who left BUCKCHERRY in July of that year.
In 2019, BUCKCHERRY enlisted Francis Ruiz as its new drummer. He joined the group as the replacement for Sean Winchester, who exited BUCKCHERRY after laying down the drum tracks on "Warpaint".
The 20th-anniversary deluxe edition of the double-platinum BUCKCHERRY album "15" on physical and digital formats arrived on January 17 via Endurance Music Group. Originally released in 2005, the album featured the four-times-platinum single "Crazy Bitch" and the two-times-platinum single "Sorry". The deluxe edition was issued in North America on a two-vinyl-LP format featuring the album's 11 original songs as well as four bonus tracks recorded in 2005 and three newly recorded acoustic tracks by Todd and Dacanay. | 0 | |
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2 июл 2025
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' DEAN DELEO Releases 'Live Acoustic' Video For 'Paper Over The Cracks' From ONE MORE SATELLITE Project
 Dean DeLeo of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and TRIP THE WITCH, along with vocalist Pete Shoulder, will release the self-titled debut album from their latest collaboration, ONE MORE SATELLITE, on July 18, 2025 via Symphonic. An official "live acoustic" video for the LP's first single, "Paper Over The Cracks", can be seen below.
"One More Satellite" presents a diverse collection of songs. "I was simply sitting on some songs I wanted to record," says DeLeo. "What started out as an instrumental album, quickly changed soon after Pete and I chatted. He was going to sing on a song or two, then wound up singing on eight of the ten on the record."
The collaboration with U.K.-based vocalist and lyricist Pete Shoulder and DeLeo went quite well and voila, through a transatlantic workflow… ONE MORE SATELLITE was born.
"I was excited to hear the new music Dean wanted to collaborate on," says Shoulder. "We've worked together in the past and it's always been an absolute pleasure making music with him. The stuff he comes up with is so interesting, with so many beautiful, unexpected, twists and turns. It's very inspiring to write to and pushes me into realms that I would never usually think of exploring. I'm very proud of the album we've made."
DeLeo's son Rocco drums on "Drowning Out The Sun", "Willow Mae" and "Spit It Out". STONE TEMPLE PILOTS drummer Eric Kretz plays on "Serenade" and Brian Tichy drums the rest. Daughter June DeLeo lends a lovely "aaah"…vocal on "Your Call", and longtime collaborator Ryan Williams co-produced and mixed the album.
"One More Satellite" will be available digitally and on CD and vinyl. More merch items, including posters and t-shirts, can be found here.
"One More Satellite" track listing:
01. Paper Over The Cracks
02. Vultures
03. Long Way Down
04. Drowning Out The Sun
05. Serenade
06. Can Of Worms
07. Willow Mae
08. Spit It Out
09. Pull Back The Veil
10. Your Call
DeLeo and Shoulder had previously collaborated on songwriting, including for the album "Lessons Learned" by Dean's younger brother — and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS bassist — Robert DeLeo. They've also worked together in the studio on projects, including a collaboration with STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and TRIP THE WITCH. Shoulder has also collaborated with Robert DeLeo on the aforementioned "Lessons Learned" LP and co-wrote songs for it, including "Love Is Not Made Of Gold".
In addition to his work with STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, Dean DeLeo is known for his role in the short-lived bands TALK SHOW and ARMY OF ANYONE, the latter of which featured Robert DeLeo, FILTER frontman Richard Patrick and session drummer Ray Luzier.
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS features three original members — the DeLeo brothers and drummer Eric Kretz.
In 2017, singer Jeff Gutt, a now-49-year-old Michigan native who spent time in the early-2000s nu-metal act DRY CELL, among other bands, and was a contestant on "The X Factor", joined STONE TEMPLE PILOTS after beating out roughly 15,000 hopefuls during an extended search that began more than a year earlier.
Original STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland, who reunited with the group in 2010 after an eight-year hiatus but was dismissed in 2013, died in December 2015 of a drug overdose.
Chester Bennington, who joined STP in early 2013, departed nearly three years later to spend more time with his main band LINKIN PARK. Bennington committed suicide in July 2017. | 0 | |
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1 июл 2025
MASTODON's BRANN DAILOR To Release New ARCADEA Album 'The Exodus Of Gravity' In August
 On August 22, ARCADEA will return with "The Exodus Of Gravity" (Relapse Records),a futuristic synth-rock odyssey unfolds in a world where gravity no longer holds us down and emotion rises in its place.
With Brann Dailor (MASTODON) stepping into the lead vocalist role and João Nogueira joining Core Atoms on synths, the newly revamped trio dives headfirst into a new kind of psychedelia: groovy, danceable, and emotionally resonant. "Up is down, down is up," says Atoms.
A preview of the twelve-song collection arrives today with the release of "Fuzzy Planet" and its mesmerizing intergalactic, Bryan Bankovich-directed video. The clip transports viewers to "Prom 5039: A Nightmare To Remember", where synths swirl, the Prom Queen is a little green, different alien species flirt, and love blooms.
"It's about that first fuzzy feeling you get when you fall in love," says Atoms. "Our lead character is recognizing that the spore has gotten in them and they're starting to change. They're awakening to all the beauty that's around."
"There's something really hopeful and uplifting about it from a musical aesthetic," adds Dailor. "The object was to get a little more dancey and a little more fun. As much as we liked how proggy the last ARCADEA album was, it reminded me of what I already do in MASTODON. We wanted to explore the idea of doing something different. So, I wanted to really concentrate on groove and dance and embracing the electronic aspect of it."
Recorded at West End Sound, in the basement of MASTODON's practice facility, Ember City, "The Exodus Of Gravity" was produced by the members of ARCADEA and was engineered by Tom Tapley. The collection is available on a variety of limited-edition vinyl colorways, cassette, and digitally.
"The Exodus Of Gravity" track listing:
01. Dark Star
02. Exodus Of Gravity
03. Fuzzy Planet
04. Lake Of Rust
05. Gilded Eye
06. 2 Shells
07. Galactic Lighthouse
08. Starry Messenger
09. Silent Spores
10. The Hand That Holds The Milky Way
11. Sparks
12. Planet Pounder
ARCADEA is Core Atoms (synthesizers, guitars, bass, vocoder, Taurus pedals, mellotron, Hammond, theremin, samples),Brann Dailor (vocals, drums, acoustic percussion, toy piano),and João Nogueira (synthesizers). The Atlanta-based trio released its self-titled debut album in 2017. Atoms and Dailor first played together in the cult prog-funk outfit GAYLORD.
In a 2017 interview with Revolver, Dailor stated about working with Core Atoms on ARCADEA's debut: "I was excited because he's an interesting player with an interesting take on music. I've known him for so long, and we have been friends forever. He's always someone I desire to do something with, but not necessarily GAYLORD. It was the perfect opportunity to play with him again because he had these three or four songs finished and was like, 'Check 'em out!' I didn't have to get too deep into it with my involvement because, honestly, MASTODON takes up a lot of my time. I didn't have to be as intense about it. With MASTODON, I want it to be perfect. I want ARCADEA to be great, too, but if there's an opportunity to do something musical that's really cool but have someone else doing the majority of the work, I'm all about it. I don't have the time to devote to another project that's going to take up a lot of my time. I was more than happy to hand over the reins and then come in, play drums and chime in with vocal ideas and stuff. I got more involved as time went on. After about three years of going in the studio here and there, we had enough for a full album, so it was like, 'Might as well just put this thing out!'"
Photo credit: Calina Walker | +2 | |
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1 июл 2025
NEFARIOUS Feat. Former And Current Members Of EXODUS, DEATH ANGEL, HIRAX And HEATHEN: 'Addicted To Power' Title Track Released
 NEFARIOUS, the new California-based thrash metal band featuring Katon W. De Pena (HIRAX) on vocals, Rick Hunolt (EXODUS, DIEHUMANE) and Doug Piercy (HEATHEN, ANVIL CHORUS) on guitar, Tom Gears (BLIND ILLUSION, ANCIENT MARINER) on bass and Will Carroll (DEATH ANGEL) on drums, has released the official music video for its third single, "Addicted To Power". The song is the title track of NEFARIOUS's upcoming debut album, which is due on July 18, 2025 via Relentless "Metal" Records, with the collector vinyl available through Hectic/Bleeding Priest Records.
A ferocious anthem for the disillusioned and the defiant, "Addicted To Power" delivers razor-sharp riffs, breakneck rhythms, and politically charged lyrics that cut straight to the bone. With legendary thrash titans Hunolt and Piercy unleashing guitar fury, De Pena on vocals, secret weapon Gears on bass, and Carroll on the skins, NEFARIOUS blends classic old-school thrash intensity with a sophisticated edge.
The accompanying music video is a raw, performance piece filmed at Soundwave Studios in Oakland, California. The clip captures the essence of NEFARIOUS: unapologetic, unrelenting, and razor-focused on truth through sound.
This song is about the insatiable hunger for control and the destruction it leaves behind, a reflection of times we are all experiencing right now.
"Addicted To Power" follows previously released, critically praised tracks "Master Plan" and "One Nation Enslaved", which were made available earlier this spring.
The music for "Addicted To Power" was recorded at Subterranean Studio in Oakland, California and Pyramid Studio in San Francisco, California. It was mixed by Damien Rasmussen of Smoke And Mirrors Productions.
Leading the charge is De Pena, whose signature vocal attack sets the stage for a sonic onslaught. On guitars, the twin-axe assault is nothing short of legendary — Hunolt and Piercy unleash a relentless barrage of riffs and searing solos that define the essence of thrash metal's golden era while pushing its boundaries forward. Anchoring the chaos with a thunderous backbone is Gears, whose low-end power drives the band's relentless groove. Behind the kit, Carroll delivers a percussive assault that is both ferocious and exact, ensuring that every track hits with maximum impact.
Hunolt comments: "I'm so honored to be with this amazing group of dudes. About to release some old-school thrash on you mofos. It's long overdue, and I'm confident you guys will love it as much as we do. You, our metal brothers and sisters, deserve it. See you on the road. Let's fuckin go!!!"
De Pena adds: "We're not a band. We are a gang ready to crush skulls and make eardrums bleed ... Necks will be sore ...!!"
Piercy exclaims: "Let’s get ready to rage! We are really stoked to finally be able to release this stuff and discuss it. It's been under wraps for a while. More insane videos and shows are coming soon! We hope everybody enjoys this release as much as we had fun creating it, for you all!"
NEFARIOUS will make its live debut at the "Addicted To Power" album-release party on Saturday, July 19 at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco.
Together, NEFARIOUS crafts a sound that is both fierce and refined — a perfect balance of aggression and musicianship that speaks to the true spirit of thrash metal. With their explosive live performances and immersive new material on the horizon, metal fans worldwide should prepare for an unstoppable force. This is unpretentious thrash metal. This is NEFARIOUS! | +1 | |
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1 июл 2025
Watch: Supergroup CATEGORY 7, Feat. ARMORED SAINT, EXODUS, Ex-MACHINE HEAD Members, Performs Live For First Time
 CATEGORY 7, the new band featuring former MACHINE HEAD and current KERRY KING guitarist Phil Demmel, ex-ADRENALINE MOB guitarist Mike Orlando, ARMORED SAINT/ex-ANTHRAX singer John Bush, SHADOWS FALL/ex-OVERKILL drummer Jason Bittner and EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson, made its live debut last night (Monday, June 30) at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.
Last December, CATEGORY 7 canceled its previously announced first-ever U.S. tour in support of its self-titled debut album. The 14-show trek was scheduled to launch on March 6, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland and run through March 23, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
CATEGORY 7 was also scheduled to embark on its first-ever South American tour in early July 2025, but that trek was scrapped late last month, with the cancelation blamed on "non-compliance of the contract at some points, combined with low ticket sales."
When the CATEGORY 7 U.S. tour cancelation was first announced seven months ago, the band said in a statement: "With the overwhelming competition for the live show dollar, we feel that our projected ticket sales will not be enough for our tour to be profitable, so we have made the painful decision to cancel our tour in March.
"The cost of touring continues to go up and while we had no illusion of big profits, at least breaking even was a goal which after speaking to our agent and the promoters of the shows did not seem achievable.
"We appreciate everyone that is enjoying our music, and we will continue to attempt to find a way to bring the live show on the road.
"Thank you again for the support for CATEGORY 7."
CATEGORY 7's self-titled debut album was released on July 26, 2024 via Metal Blade Records.
With veteran musicians from so many legendary bands, it's hard not to think of CATEGORY 7 as a supergroup.
"I think we're pretty super," joked Demmel, who has also earned mega-metal cred over the decades as a member of VIO-LENCE and has played as a fill-in road guitarist for SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD, OVERKILL and others. "Really, I feel like this is a band, not a side project. And I feel like we have written this incredible piece of music, and we're not done. I'm so proud of the way this came together and the people who were involved. And I think we all feel super positive about this and what else we can do with it going forward."
The songs on the band's self-titled debut speak for themselves. As crushing and confrontational as an armed rebellion, as rhythmically thunderous as a storm of golf ball-sized hail, and as fiercely melodic as infectious riffs and aggressive vocals can be, CATEGORY 7 is a new breed of metal that lives up to the storied histories of its members. They're as heavy as a battleship, yet the songs are meticulously structured, skillfully balancing thrash beats, New Wave Of British Heavy Metal rhythms, punk metal attitude, blistering and ferocious dual guitar work, and scar-inflicting vocals.
"It's all about big verses and big songs, and it has a lot of the elements we've explored in our other bands," explained guitarist and main songwriter Mike Orlando (ADRENALINE MOB, SONIC UNIVERSE, NOTURNALL).
Take the upbeat album opener "In Stitches", which starts with piledriving double-bass drums, a feral thrash passage, and a fiery lead before toning down just enough for the distinctive vocals to stand out.
"It gets heavy, it's thrashy at times, but it opens up in the verses, and then the double-bass drums come in and knock you off your chair, but in a great way," Orlando said.
Bush further elaborated, "I read an article on an unhoused pregnant woman named Stitches who resided in Los Angeles obviously living a very difficult life that was compounded by mental illness and drug abuse. The encampment situation in my beloved city drives me bats. I balance between serious empathy and complete anger. The combination of imagining her life as well as my own internal turmoil led me to an almost humorous insanity state while writing this scathing album opener."
"Land I Used To Love" is slightly slower and more melodic, with guitar chords that complement the harmonized vocals and a searing guitar fill over the chorus that ups the temperature on the molten riffage. Then there's the propulsive, piledriver "Exhausted", which features blazing guitar licks, a punchy riff, and hammering thrash beats that climax with another unforgettable chorus.
The album closes with the explosive eight-minute instrumental, "Etter Stormen", in which Orlando and Demmel engage in a contest of dueling guitar leads over volleys of battering beats and riffs that see-saw between pounding metal and whiplash-inducing thrash.
CATEGORY 7, named after the numerical designation for the most powerful wind storms, came together from a batch of musicians who strived to play music they loved and weren't hearing elsewhere, and wanted to do so with bandmates they enjoyed being with. Orlando and Demmel became friends after taking part in a batch of tributes to the late OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Randy Rhoads. The seeds of CATEGORY 7 were then cemented one night a couple years later when Orlando went to hang out at the Clifton, New Jersey metal club Dingbatz as Demmel was filling in on lead guitar for OVERKILL, which also featured SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner.
"We were hanging out and tearing it up, and between beers we were like, 'Hey, we need to do something,'" recalls Demmel. "We need to write some new music. We've got three-fifths of a band here. Let's get together and do some songs."
Since OVERKILL was practicing in New Jersey for a couple days before launching a tour, Demmel and Bittner were hanging out in the area. So, the day after the Dingbatz conversation, the guitarist got back in touch with Orlando, and the two decided to get together after the show and jam to see if their playing styles meshed.
"We just started throwing around some riffs, and it was pretty incredible, but different," Orlando said. "We immediately clicked together as writers. And to me, it was such a joy because the bands I have been in have always been just one guitar player. I never had a partner. So, to have a dude I liked, who plays really well, to bounce ideas around with was freaking awesome."
"Mike had this idea of doing stuff that was a little more mainstream than the heavier stuff that I've done. But we didn't want anything to sound contrived," added Demmel. "So, the first thing we did had all these different parts and crazy tempos and it kind of sounded like RACER X-meets-PANTERA. But we liked it and had fun doing it, so it was a great start."
Added Bittner: "The funniest part about that was me and Phil were rehearsing for OVERKILL in New Jersey, and I had no idea I was two rooms over from you writing this song. So, after we practiced for five hours you guys worked on a song for another two hours. I couldn't believe that. And I went, 'Okay, next time you guys do something, count me in.'"
As a staple of the Bay Area thrash scene, EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson was the natural choice to expand CATEGORY 7, and he was intrigued by the idea of stepping into a new pair of shoes. "When I first heard the song they did, I really liked that it was heavy and melodic, which is very different than the stuff I play with EXODUS, which is very rhythmic and chromatic," he said.
By far, the greatest challenge for CATEGORY 7 was finding the right singer. Not that the members couldn't agree on who they wanted. They all wanted ARMORED SAINT and ex-ANTHRAX vocalist John Bush; there wasn't even a second option. But getting him to agree to join the band was an exercise in patience and persuasion. When he was invited to join CATEGORY 7, Bush wanted to hear the band's music. But the only song they had recorded was the RACER X-meets-PANTERA-style instrumental, which they feared wasn't going to vibe with Bush's interest or ability. So, they put a couple more demos together, which were far more melodic, and they sent them to Bush, then waited on tenterhooks for him to get back to them.
"I listened to the music they sent me, and I was like, "Wow, this is pretty scathing stuff,'" Bush recalled. "It's awesome, but the question was, what could I do with it vocally that would fit? As Jason said, 'These guys are riff maniacs.' So, I wasn't totally sure right away that I was the right guy for it. But I started tinkering around with it and writing, and, to my satisfaction, everything came out relatively easy."
With Bush onboard, CATEGORY 7 went into overdrive. Now that they had a vocalist locked in, they were able to structure the songs to work with his melodic vocal style. Orlando worked separately and then together, assembling dynamic riffs and rhythms that peaked in complexity and heaviness during the intros, midsections and outros, and settled into a sparser, more melodic pocket for the verses and choruses.
"There was a cognizant effort to give the verses some space and to let John create his vocal melodies for them and the choruses," Demmel said. "Because he's the 'Bush hooks man.'"
CATEGORY 7 quickly realized the best way for Orlando and Demmel to combine their considerable talents as songwriters was for Orlando to write the skeletons for the tunes and have Demmel contribute fills, middle eight sections and leads. For Orlando, writing for the band became far easier once he had a vocalist in mind for his songs.
"When John Bush entered the picture, I knew who I was writing for and that helped me immensely," he said. "I wasn't just writing for the sake of writing; I was writing parts specifically for John Bush to sing. That was great for me not only because gave me a goal to strive for, but because, as a fan of John Bush's vocals for decades in ARMORED SAINT and ANTHRAX, it was exciting to know he was gonna be on these songs."
Even though CATEGORY 7 purposely wrote songs that gave Bush the room he needed to make the material shine, they stopped short of writing together anything that sounded like the bands Bush was best known for. That left Bush filtering through the complex rhythms and sometimes unconventional melodies to find the right spots in which to sing and the tone for those passages. While the work was sometimes challenging, it was equally rewarding and imbued songs like "Land I Used to Love", "Exhausted" and "Through Pink Eyes", with urgency and immediacy.
"Working on these songs opened up a big part of my brain to just be real creative," Bush said. "It all came out sounding very fresh and new. And it was really liberating for me because I was able to open up a whole new door for myself. Because working with these guys was just different than what I've done before because they're different people and the way they write, the way they create, and the way they play is new for me. And that compelled me to gravitate to what they were doing, which created this fresh sound that's unlike anything I've done or heard."
Bush also entered new territory with his lyrics. While he has addressed current events and the downfall of society in the past, with CATEGORY 7 he wrote about the desperation that pervades society and the destructive divide that has evolved and separated people for decades but is now worse than ever. As much as anything, Bush wanted songs like "White Flags & Bayonets", "In Stitches" and "Land I Used To Love" to inspire thought while being open to interpretation.
"I just say it's social commentary, man," Bush said. "There's a slew of information there to choose from and it's all in there. Obviously, every single day you could wake up and check out the news and have conversations with people and friends and feel a lot of the way I did when I was writing these songs. So, I just ran with that. But there's a certain ambiguity to some of the lyrics because I don't want to spell out exactly what these songs are about because they could be about a lot of things. And I want people to use their imagination. I want to touch on all these particular topics and scenarios that feel very current without telling people what they need to think."
CATEGORY 7 started working together on March 2023. During the months that followed, Orlando and Demmel wrote on a regular basis, and during the pre-production stage, Bittner recorded drums to the tracks at his home studio. When he sent them back to the guitarists, they would send him the next batch of songs to work on. Not only did Bittner bring on the kind of technical drum skills he has exhibited in SHADOWS FALL and OVERKILL, he went above and beyond, injecting a tumbling, barreling feel into the variegated songs.
"Jason is not only technically incredible, his parts are musical, and his feel is musical," Orlando said. "He's the ideal drummer for this band because he exudes this fire and passion which I love because that's the only way I play guitar."
Bush started recording his vocals after Orlando, Bittner and Gibson laid down all their tracks at Orlando's recording facility, Sonic Stomp Studios, where he produced, engineered, mixed and mastered the album. With the songs in their final form, it was just a matter of fine-tuning a mix here or overdubbing a part there. And Orlando had almost as much fun finishing the album as he did writing it.
"One thing I love to do is to be able to take the guitar player hat off and become the producer and studio guy," he said. "And it was easy with these guys because we all had the same vision, and we were so prepared. But it took a little bit of tinkering because I wanted this album to sound big - not in the sense of overly produced but big in a way that it knocks you out of your shoes and off your feet. And we all wanted the same thing, so there was no conflict whatsoever."
In the end, CATEGORY 7 created an album that is fresh and familiar. The mixture of NWOBHM, thrash, punk-metal and traditional metal is cohesive and sonically rewarding, establishing an eclectic musical backdrop for Bush's instantly identifiable vocals. At the same time, the diversity of styles creates its own template that's ideal for headbanging, moshing, and voluble sing-alongs.
"I think the sound of this band really comes down to the odd connection that all of us have," Bittner said. "We've known each other for years as friends and peers. And we've all looked up to each other and know that one day we'd have to work together. It's taken almost two decades for that to happen, but lo and behold, once it did there was no stopping us."
"Category 7" features art and layout by Carlos Fides at Artside Studio (ANGRA, EVERGREY, KAMELOT). The record is available on CD and digital formats as well as several vinyl color variants. | +1 | |
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Vicious Rumors
