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9 èþí 2025
SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS Are Still Working With Producer MICHAEL 'ELVIS' BASKETTE On New Album
 In a recent interview with J.J. Caithcart of Different Stages Radio, Brent Fitz spoke about the status of the songwriting and recording sessions for the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album. The drummer said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we're working on it. So, Todd [Kerns, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS bassist and backing vocalist] and I are gonna — well, we're all gonna get back together after the summer, late summer. And we've been working on it in Florida with our producer, [Michael] 'Elvis' Baskette, who has been out in Florida for many years."
Brent continued: "Slash has the greatest work ethic of any musician I've ever worked with. So, we got busy. We toured together in 2024, and then we were out doing other things, and then Slash did a blues record and tour. And then, as soon as that was done, we got right into the studio in L.A. He has an amazing working studio. We can be busy there in L.A. We did that for a month, and then we went out to Florida and recorded most of all the bed tracks, the music parts of it. So we're still gonna finish… [SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS frontman] Myles Kennedy will come and work on all the vocal stuff. And he's been out busy doing his own solo tours.
"This is the new normal," Fitz added. "Everybody's in so many different projects and bands. And Slash is, obviously, in a little band called GUNS N' ROSES, so they're on tour right now. He's over in, I think, Asia or Bahrain. They're covering a lot of new territory, it seems.
"So we'll all get together. We'll get back end of the summer after all the TOQUE shows and stuff," Brent said, referencing the Canadian rock band that he and Kerns are both members of. "And it'll be great to get out to Florida and continue finishing the record. And then releasing — I don't know. Probably not till next year, though."
Asked if there is a working title for the upcoming SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album, Brent said: "Nothing. No, no. It's always gonna be a Myles thing, or Slash, just songtitles and lyric ideas. I will say that what's fun is when we do write these songs, and this'll be our fifth record together, but we always have comedic working titles. And Todd's usually good — Todd and Slash — good for coming up with things that won't be the final title, 'cause obviously with lyrics with Myles, it'll be something completely different. But we usually just give something a title so we can go, 'Hey, let's work on that song.' 'What song?' 'Oh, the song in E.' No, we'll give it a title. But over time we've had these goofy titles, I'll just say, that sometimes they stick. And to this day, some of our songs, I go, 'Oh, it's called 'Wicked Stone'.' And I'm, like, 'But it used to be something completely ridiculous.' And I still think sometimes when I look at our setlist live, I go, 'Oh, that's the 'Elephant Disorder' song.' It's just funny how… We have a whole bunch of goofy working titles for the songs right now."
This past January, Kennedy told Heavy Consequence about the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album: "As far as the progress goes, I think a lot of it is well on its way. I have to get my vocals recorded. Just have to find a window of time to do that in between the touring and whatnot. I have my vocals written and melodies and lyrics and all that stuff. I just need to get in to the studio and knock it out."
He continued: "As for the direction of the record, it's still riff-based rock 'n' roll with a heavy dose of the blues element that Slash brings, like only he does. It's some really great stuff. I think it's going to be another fun one to tour live."
In December 2024, Myles told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that "the demoing and all that, the writing" for the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album "was done before I even embarked on this last [solo] tour. The easy part is the recording; the hard part is the writing. Slash and I were — he was sending me demos of the tunes. Then I was spending time with him, coming up with melodies and lyrics. And so that's all done — I think with the exception of one song. Now I just have to find a moment to get in the studio and all that, knock that out. But I will say that just even in the demo process and where we stood there before they went in to actually make the record musically, it is really exciting stuff. I'm really, really stoked about where this one's going. It's gonna be cool."
Asked if he writes any of the music for SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS or if he is mostly in charge of coming up with the lyrics and the melodies, Myles said: "Yeah, most of what I'm doing is lyrics and melodies. Occasionally if something comes in and I'm, like, 'Hey, can we change this chord progression for the sake of the melody?' But it's interesting 'cause more so on [2012's] 'Apocalyptic Love', when I played guitar on that record, there was a little bit more of, 'Hey, try this part. See what this sounds like, if we utilize this to help the arrangement somehow.' But it's funny — I was thinking about that the other day, and I was just, like… It just highlights how cool [Slash] is. I [was] coming in, it was [my] second record [with Slash] and I've got my guitar, and I'm, like, 'What do you think? What if we tried this?' And I'm, like, 'You're sitting there with Slash. He doesn't need any help, man.' But he was so cool and so accommodating. But as the years have gone on and we've made all these records, one thing that continues to amaze me is just how much he understands, not just the riff thing, but coming up with chord progressions that really lend themselves to coming up with compelling melodies for me. It's, like, he knows how to sequence the chords where it's gonna really leave room for a melody, which I appreciate. And, like I said, occasionally I'd be, like, 'Hey, can we try a G here instead of a D 'cause I hear the melody doing this?' Or I'll send the melody back and he'll go, 'I'm gonna change this chord because I feel like it suits the melody better.' I'm, like, 'Great.' So yeah, he totally gets it."
SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS entered the studio in November 2024 to begin recording its fifth album.
SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS kicked off "The River Is Rising - Rest Of The World Tour '24" on January 23, 2024 with the band's return to Mexico City's Pepsi Centre WTC. The group's 24-song setlist included the live debut of a deep GUNS N' ROSES cut, "Don't Damn Me", featuring Kerns on lead vocals.
Support on various dates of SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS's "The River Is Rising - Rest Of The World Tour '24" came from MAMMOTH WVH.
Prior to the launch of "The River Is Rising – Rest Of The World Tour '24", SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS last performed in February and March 2022 as part of a U.S. tour.
SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS' latest album, "4", was released in February 2022 via Gibson Records in partnership with BMG.
"4" was Slash's fifth solo album and fourth overall with his band featuring Kennedy, Fitz, Kerns and guitarist Frank Sidoris.
SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS released "Live At Studios 60", their first-ever double live LP, for the 2022 Record Store Day. The effort contained a performance of "4", plus four additional songs from the group. Recorded live in Los Angeles at Studios 60, the "Live At Studios 60" double LP exclusive Record Store Day release was limited to only 2,250 copies. The full concert featured all the songs from "4". Additional performances of the group's Top 5 rock radio hits, including "You're A Lie", "World On Fire", "Anastasia" and "Driving Rain" are also included in the double vinyl package.
For "4", Slash and the band traveled across the country together to Nashville, Tennessee and recorded the new album at the historic RCA Studio A with producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, John Prine, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile),revealing a stunning new sound and style all captured live in the studio. Cobb shared the band's desire to lay down the tracks live, in the studio including guitar solos and vocals — a first for the group.
Slash released a blues album called "Orgy Of The Damned" in May 2024 via Gibson Records.
In the summer of 2024, Slash brought his brand-new "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival to cities across the U.S.. On all dates, Slash performed alongside his blues band featuring bassist Johnny Griparic, keyboardist Teddy "ZigZag" Andreadis, drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.
Photo credit: Ross Halfin  | +2 |  |
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9 èþí 2025
Watch: BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION Kicks Off June 2025 European Tour In Copenhagen
 BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, the supergroup featuring legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH),guitarist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN) and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, ALICE COOPER, BILLY IDOL),kicked off its spring/summer 2025 European tour last night (Friday, June 6) at Amager Bio in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The band's setlist was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:
01. Sway
02. One Last Soul
03. Wanderlust
04. Crossfire
05. Song Of Yesterday
06. Save Me
07. The Outsider
08. Faithless
09. Red Sun
10. Cold
11. The Crow
12. Stay Free
Encore:
13. Sista Jane
14. Black Country
15. Mistreated (DEEP PURPLE cover)
Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.
The trek is a combination of headline shows in the Germany, The Netherlands, Austria and Czech Republic, as well as festival appearances such as Sweden Rock and Poland's Rock Legends.
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION is touring in support of its fifth studio album, "V", which came out in June 2024.
Resonating with the band's signature fusion of hard rock and soul-stirring blues, "V" stands as a testament to BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's growth and mutual admiration, symbolizing their commitment to producing music that is authentic, heartfelt, and reflective of their shared experiences and vast musical expertise.
"This band allows me to embrace all of it," comments Bonamassa. "It's funny because the four musicians up here — everybody brings a certain thing to this that’s very specific. Every part is irreplaceable. For me, it's about playing old-style rock guitar, loud."
Hughes adds: "We make music for the five of us. We make music that we love and like, hoping it registers with everyone else. We don't make it for record companies, or this guy or that guy." Sherinian credits producer Kevin Shirley for keeping the band's creative energies focused, adding, "We've got to give Kevin Shirley massive credit because he controls. He keeps it all flowing."
Produced by Shirley, "V" marks a monumental chapter in the band's storied career, embodying a renewed spirit and an evolution of their unmistakable sound. Shirley captures the essence of the band's journey, stating: "For a band that started out as a collection of the best practitioners of their instruments, they very quickly found a unique sound. This time around, it has more purpose, the riffs are tougher, and there are hooks! Yes, hooks! It's the most cohesive record, full of soul and grit, and I think this is the one that's going to be the benchmark for BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION." Glenn agrees: "In my opinion, we had the best time recording this record at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, tons of fun and a magical recording. Meet you inside the music.”
"Stay Free", the lead single, is a powerhouse track that blends hard rock's raw energy with a heavy dose of blues, channeling the spirit of legends like AC/DC and LED ZEPPELIN. It sets the tone for what fans can expect from "V" — a testament to the band's dynamic synergy and creative evolution.
Since their debut in 2010, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION has delivered a series of critically acclaimed albums, each showcasing the group's ability to fuse British blues-rock with American soul in a way that captivates audiences worldwide. Their return with "V" reaffirms their status as rock royalty and showcases their growth as musicians and storytellers.
Shirley's insight into the recording process highlights the unique chemistry and camaraderie within the band. "When we convened in 2023 to start recording the album 'V', it really was like picking up the day after the most recent gig," Shirley reflects. "The camaraderie is immediately evident. Once they start playing, everyone is deadly serious, and the music sounds like this band, and nothing else sounds like it."
"V" is a milestone that celebrates the journey, talent, and vision of BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION. As the band embarks on this new chapter, they invite fans old and new to join them in experiencing the depth and power of "V".
During an appearance on an August 2023 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Hughes stated about the musical direction of the new BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION material: "It sounds like BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION. There's not too many left turns, there's nothing happening that's weirdly different. We followed a vibe of the first four albums, so it it's an extension, but it's really a progression, if you can call it a progression. Everybody's playing out of their skin. The vibe in the camp has never been so friendly and fun. It's a really, really great vibe in the band. And we had a great time at Sunset Sound [studios] in Hollywood. And I can't wait for you to hear it."
Bonamassa told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about the new BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION album: "The thing about BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, whether you like the way we sound or not, when we all get together, it has a very specific thing that it does. Everybody brings a very specific thing to the table, and it's a special band."
According to Joe, he brought the BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION members back together to make the follow-up to "BCCIV", which was released in September 2017 and marked BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's first studio effort since 2013's "Afterglow". "I was the one that kind of initiated the text, be, like, 'Hey, is there anybody interested in doing a fifth one?'" he said. "And Derek got back to me. Jason got back to me pretty quickly. And Glenn called me and said, 'I can't do anything until this DEAD DAISIES situation goes one way or the next.' And I said, 'Fair enough.' So when Glenn left THE DEAD DAISIES [in 2022], that was kind of the green light for us to get back together."
Regarding the songwriting process for BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's fifth album and how it compared to that on the band's previous efforts, Joe said: "This was the same. I went over to Glenn's house about six times and we hashed out some ideas — pretty rough, loose ideas. Nothing in stone. And so I had a playlist on my phone, voice memos, BCC 1 through 10. And that was it. So, so day one, we just [said], 'Okay, let's start with BCC 1.' And we sat in the courtyard at Sunset Sound — they have this really nice courtyard with a bunch of chairs — and we sat out there with an acoustic guitar and a couple of things and we just bashed out the arrangement. We were, like, 'Okay, that's cool.' We went in, played it three or four times and that was it. Nobody charted anything; we just kind of memorized it and did it. And we would go into the control room, listen a little bit, maybe tweak something, but once it fired up and after the second day, we really hit our stride, going, 'Okay, the band's back.' 'Cause we hadn't played together in six years."
As for the recording process for the new BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION disc, Joe said: "There's not a lot of overdubs. I rarely double the guitars, 'cause Glenn's bass sound is so big and distorted, you know what I mean? It's, like, why do I need to double the guitar? Same thing with Derek. It's almost like playing in the band FREE. All of the sound comes from the four of us. And Jason takes up a huge amount of bandwidth; he's such a big drummer."
In a September 2022 interview with Andy Hall of the Des Moines, Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3, Bonamassa stated about what it is about a "band situation" that appeals to him, considering he has spent most of his career as a solo artist: "I like nothing more than to be a member of a band and playing guitar. I don't have to front it; I don't have to sing all the time. And it's a lot less pressure than being the front person. Being the person in front is a special skillset. You have to be an entertainer. You can't just sit up there and stare at your guitar and go, 'Wow. Look, I can play guitar pretty good.' That's not gonna fill the theater. You have to put on a show. And to put on a show requires being an entertainer. So being in a band, the sum of the parts is greater than the single entity. So this thing where Glenn co-fronts BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, I can just sit back and play rhythm guitar and watch him do his thing. He's a legend. And then conversely, Glenn doesn't have to sing all night; I'll sing three or four [songs]. So we kind of spread out the whole workload a little bit."
BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's inception took place when Hughes and Bonamassa fused their styles on stage in Los Angeles for an explosive performance at Guitar Center's King Of The Blues event. With the help and guidance of Shirley, they further added to their rock lineage by recruiting Bonham and Sherinian.
In a 2017 interview, Hughes talked about the chemistry between the BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION members, especially since all the musicians have had successful careers prior to launching the group.
"This band was meant to be," Glenn said. "It was formed out of a friendship with Joe and I. We got the [other] guys to come in, and it's always been a strong brotherhood. And we're just very lucky and fortunate to have met. I've known Jason since he was [a kid]. I just think that these four guys in this band are the right guys to play in the band."
Press photo in tour poster by Rob Bondurant | +1 | |
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9 èþí 2025
MICHAEL ANTHONY: 'The Only Regret That I Have Is How Things, Unfortunately, Turned Out For VAN HALEN'
 In a new interview with Get On The Bus, former VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony was asked if he had any career regrets. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The only regret that I have is how things, unfortunately, turned out for VAN HALEN… It's a culmination of everything that happened or whatever, because when VAN HALEN was really firing on all 12 cylinders, we're living the dream, it's the fairy tale or whatever, and the first time it ended when [original VAN HALEN singer David Lee] Roth left the band, luckily Sammy [Hagar] joined the band and it was like a rebirth. And, obviously, the band was even bigger at that point or whatever.
"But the only regret I have is the way it all ended," he continued. "It should have gone out with a fricking bang that shook the world, and it was more like a whimper, the way everything ended.
"Unfortunately Eddie [Van Halen, VAN HALEN guitarist] and I never [made amends] — we had some issues, and I'm sure that if he had not passed when he did that we would've reconciled or we would've really calmed all that stuff down, because I did hear, and I've talked to Wolfgang [Van Halen, Eddie's son and Anthony's replacement in VAN HALEN] about it, that they were planning on coming to all of us and putting together a big reunion tour with all of us," Anthony added. "And at that point in Ed's life, I think he was a little bit more, like, 'Hey, the past is the past. Let's all… Fricking water under the bridge,' that whole bit. But, unfortunately, it was not to be."
Back in May 2024, Anthony was asked by Sally Steele if he had a chance to speak to Eddie Van Halen before the legendary guitarist's passing in October 2020. He said: "No, unfortunately, Eddie and I never had a chance to really settle any differences that we had in the past or whatever. But at the end of 2023 here, Wolfgang, he played the House Of Blues out here [in Las Vegas] [with his new band MAMMOTH WVH] and I went to the show as his guest. And we talked, we sat and talked, and there was a lot of closure for me there. Valerie [Bertinelli, Wolfgang's mother and Eddie's ex-wife] was there. So it was a great night. Besides the fact that Wolf is a great guy, great musician, his band kicks ass. But, yeah. So at least we were able to do that."
When Sally noted that Michael is "friends now" with the guy "who took [his] job" in VAN HALEN, Anthony said: "Yeah. Oh, yeah, we've always been friends. I think in Wolfie's mind… And Eddie, he wanted to play with his son. The way I kind of feel is that Wolfgang probably wasn't excited, really, about being in VAN HALEN. That's why in his band, he doesn't play any VAN HALEN, 'cause he wants to carve out his own niche. But just to be able to get up and play with his father, I can totally understand that. But no, I love Wolfie, man. I hadn't seen him in, like, 20 years. I went to the show, it was great. We had a great time, great hangout."
Asked if he saw it coming that Eddie was "grooming" Wolfgang for the bassist gig in VAN HALEN, Michael said: "No, no. I didn't see him grooming him for my job. 'Cause [Wolfgang] played drums. That was his first instrument that he played. And he knew a couple of chords on guitar 'cause in 2004 when we did the VAN HALEN reunion tour, Wolfie came out and actually strummed a couple of chords with [Eddie] at some of the shows. But being Eddie Van Halen's kid, you're gonna be a multi-instrumental person anyway."
In January 2024, Wolfgang spoke to Loudwire about what it was like to reconnect with Michael at MAMMOTH WVH's December 8, 2023 concert in Las Vegas, Nevada. The MAMMOTH leader said: "He's family. It was long overdue. I think we had planned that at least since I've been touring and it just worked out and it was very wonderful to see him. [I] love that my mom [Valerie Bertinelli] was there [and] my uncle Patrick who is also part of the MAMMOTH team; he goes way back with them. It's really nice to have that little reunion."
A few hours after MAMMOTH WVH's concert in Las Vegas, Wolfgang took to his social media to share a couple of backstage photos of him with Michael at the House Of Blues, and he included the following message: "Ran into an old friend at the @mammothwvh show in Vegas tonight. (Love ya, Mikey)"
Michael shared a video of the MAMMOTH WVH concert and a backstage photo of him and Wolfgang, and he wrote: "Went to see MAMMOTH WVH last night here in Vegas, and they threw it down! Love ya Wolf, so great to see ya! (Proud of you brother!!)" Asked by a fan how long it had been since he and Wolfgang last met, Michael replied: "First time in 20 years."
In an interview with New York's Q104.3 radio station conducted prior to the House Of Blues show, Wolfgang said he was looking forward to meeting Michael. "I'm gonna be seeing Mike in Vegas, so I'm stoked to give him a hug," he said. He also said that he was "stoked" that Anthony, Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani and Jason Bonham were planning a 2024 tour focusing largely on VAN HALEN music. "Yeah, that's super cool, man," he said.
Back in November 2020, Wolfgang was asked by Steve Baltin of Forbes how he dealt with all the negativity he was subjected to online after it was announced he was stepping in for Anthony on VAN HALEN's reunion tour with David Lee Roth. He responded: "I don't think it was a personal thing. I think it was their love for Michael Anthony, it had nothing to do with me as a person. It's just that they would have much rather seen him without realizing the back story of how [the reunion] probably wouldn't have happened without me because Dad felt incredibly uninspired and, especially when he was sober, he had a monumental anxiety issue and having me there made him more comfortable and creative. Now that people are starting to learn the truth behind everything so many people understand and actually apologized directly to me on Twitter, like, 'Hey, man, I hated you before, but I realize that I actually never really knew you. I just hated you for a reason outside of your control and I just wanted to apologize. I feel terrible.' That's a really big thing for people to do, especially on the Internet. So I've been really touched by how kind people have been that may have been rude to me in the past. It all rolled off my back anyways. But it takes a big person to admit when they're wrong. And these people are certainly doing that in droves and I can't believe it."
After Baltin pointed out that Eddie Van Halen made it clear in a 2009 interview that the only way that tour was happening was because he was so happy to tour with his son, Wolfgang said: "Yeah, it was incredibly important to him and I don't think people really took his words to heart, I don't think they really believed it. They wanted to look to the negative. In this day and age it's always about the cynical reaction and everything, so the true meaning behind what he was saying never really resonated."
More than four years ago, Wolfgang revealed that his father had contemplated a "kitchen-sink" VAN HALEN tour that would have included Anthony, as well as vocal turns from both Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth. There was even talk about bringing back Gary Cherone, who sang with the band on one poorly received album, 1998's "Van Halen III".
"It was my idea," Wolfgang told the Houston, Texas radio station 94.5 The Buzz. "Over the years, I'd been talking to Dad and introducing the idea of, like, 'Hey, hear me out. But this would be really cool. What if we had Mike come back and I could open?' And over the next year or so, he started to warm up to the idea, and he was into it. And then we started joking around with the idea of the kitchen-sink tour — everything but the kitchen sink — and just get everybody. Get Hagar, get Cherone, get Roth, Anthony, and we'd all get up on stage and just have a party. And we even spoke to Irving Azoff, the band's manager, and he got really excited about it, and hit up Anthony. I think that's how the rumors got out. But by that time, Dad's health was in such a decline that we were kind of waiting until we could over this hump to [where] we can get back to it, and we never got to that point, unfortunately."
According to Wolfgang, the original plan was for him to personally contact Michael and ask him to come back to VAN HALEN. "Unfortunately, Irving hit [Michael] up before I had a chance to," he said. "The plan was for me to [reach out to him]." Wolfgang went on to say that he was also the one who called Roth in 2007 to get him to return to VAN HALEN for a reunion tour.
In early 2019, a rumor surfaced that the classic VAN HALEN lineup would reunite that summer for a run of stadium shows. This would have been the first time that Michael, Eddie, David and Alex Van Halen performed together since 1984.
The rumors originally started with Roth, who hinted to Vulture that VAN HALEN would be playing stadiums with Anthony back in the lineup.
VAN HALEN and Anthony had not been on good terms for more than a decade, with Anthony not invited to join the reunion with Roth that began in 2007. The subsequent two tours and studio album, "A Different Kind Of Truth", featured Wolfgang on bass.
Anthony took a pay cut and signed away all of his rights to the band name and logo in order to participate in VAN HALEN's 2004 tour, which featured Hagar.
Eddie died in October 2020 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. The iconic VAN HALEN axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed. | +3 | |
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9 èþí 2025
GEOFF TATE Says Funniest 'Spinal Tap' Moment Of His Career Involved DAVID COVERDALE And Size Of Sandwich Meat
 In a new interview with Finland's Tumma Nuotti, former QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate was asked to name the "funniest 'Spinal Tap' moment" of his career, a reference to the classic 1984 film mockumentary "This Is Spinal Tap" and the fact that many bands have talked about having experienced similar situations that the members of SPINAL TAP found themselves in. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, my 'Spinal Tap' moment would be the scene in the movie where — I can't remember the characters' names, but the guy's complaining about backstage in his dressing room with the sandwich meat [SPINAL TAP guitarist Nigel Tufnel complaining about the deli tray; see scene below]. I saw the reality of that, the real one.
"Before the movie came out, I was on tour with WHITESNAKE, and [WHITESNAKE leader] David Coverdale was having a meltdown in his dressing room regarding the same issue about the catering and the meat didn't fit the sandwich," Geoff continued. "And I swear, somebody heard that and they wrote that into the 'Spinal Tap' movie years later, because it was the exact same scene.
"At the time, I remember I was very young and I remember thinking, 'Why is [Coverdale] upset about that?'" Tate added. "But the older I get, I really understand that he wanted it done — he wanted his dressing room set up the way he wanted it to be set up. It makes it better and easier for him, and that's why he has it there. And so it wasn't done right. And so he was letting his guy know that he wasn't gonna take it anymore. [Laughs]"
As previously reported, "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues", the sequel to "This Is Spinal Tap", will receive a theatrical release on September 12.
"Spinal Tap II: The End Continues" reunites director Rob Reiner with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer as they reprise their iconic roles as the legendary heavy metal band SPINAL TAP in this long-awaited sequel.
Reiner has returned to direct and write, and original stars/writers Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer are reprising their roles as Nigel Tufnel, David St Hubbins and Derek Smalls, respectively. Reiner will also return as the documentarian Martin "Marty" DiBergi.
In the sequel, the fictional heavy metal group reunites after a 15-year hiatus for one final concert. Music legends Elton John, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are all set to make cameos.
The "Spinal Tap" sequel will also see the return of Fran Drescher, who will reprise her role as the band's publicist, Bobbi Flekman, from the original 1984 movie. The film will also feature newcomers John Michael Higgins, Jason Acuña, Don Lake, Nina Conti, Griffin Matthews, Kerry Godliman, Chris Addison, Brad Williams and musician Paul Shaffer.
"This Is Spinal Tap" has become a cult classic since its first theatrical run 41 years ago. The film was produced independently on a shoestring budget of $2.25 million by a company owned by the four creators, Reiner, Guest, McKean and Shearer. Two years in production, the film was released in 1984. It soon became a cult favorite and spawned a genre that has come to be known as "mockumentary," inspiring many subsequent filmmakers. Phrases from the film's script have entered the general lexicon, including "none more black" and "it goes to 11," the latter phrase exemplified by the Tesla car, whose audio system's volume control goes to 11, as does that on the BBC's iPlayer.
Its reputation as one of the 20th Century's most enduring comedies has increased exponentially in the ensuing years. The film has garnered international praise and acclaim, having been included in "best ever" lists such as The New York Times Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made; Total Film's 100 Greatest Movies of All Time list; Entertainment Weekly's 100 Greatest Movies of All Time where it appeared on the "Just Too Beloved to Ignore" list; and achieving the coveted No. 1 spot on Time Out London's 100 Best Comedy Movies list.
In 2002, the film's lasting appeal led the U.S. Library of Congress (the world's largest cultural collection),to designate it as a culturally, historically or aesthetically significant film.
Although "This Is Spinal Tap" was first released in 1984 in the U.S. and U.K., the band SPINAL TAP was actually created in the late 1970s. The band's rock musician characters "Nigel Tufnel" and "David St. Hubbins" were created by Christopher Guest and Michael McKean, with Harry Shearer creating bassist "Derek Smalls." SPINAL TAP's comedic sole claim to fame was as "one of England's loudest bands." Performing as their beloved stage personae in the company of a rotating cast of percussionists willing to risk the kit (as so many of their predecessors have been accident prone),SPINAL TAP has toured the world multiple times since the film's release. Hundreds of thousands of SPINAL TAP sound recordings have been sold over the ensuing decades and the film has been released on scores of video formats through the years.
In 2019, the band's creators concluded a new agreement with Universal Music Group. The band's recording of a full-length SPINAL TAP album featuring songs from the film is still available for physical sale, download and streaming today from UMG.
"This Is Spinal Tap" was released to little fanfare with some viewers convinced the bumbling dinosaurs — who had a knack of losing drummers in freak accidents — on screen were a genuine band. But word of mouth about the smartly observed film, which took a pop at bands such as STATUS QUO, LED ZEPPELIN and BLACK SABBATH, spread and it became a sleeper hit.
According to the Belfast Telegraph, McKean, Guest and Shearer prepared several scenes with Reiner but then ad-libbed. At the end of filming, they had more than 40 hours of footage, which was edited down to a more manageable form.
When "This Is Spinal Tap" was released, not everybody got that it was a "mockumentary." U2's The Edge immediately embraced it, saying: "I didn't laugh, I wept. It was so close to the truth." Ozzy Osbourne didn't understand it, saying the first time he watched it, he thought it was a real documentary. Early home video versions of the movie reportedly even had a disclaimer at the start and finish of the movie stating the band didn't really exist. | +1 | |
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9 èþí 2025
DEMON HUNTER Releases New Single 'Light Bends'
 DEMON HUNTER has released a brand new single and music video, "Light Bends".
Like last month's "I'm Done", the "Light Bends" music video was directed by DEMON HUNTER frontman Ryan Clark. Both songs were produced by Clark and guitarist Jeremiah Scott, mixed and mastered by Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, HATEBREED, QUEENSRŸCHE) and arrive via the band's own label, Weapons MFG. "I'm Done" and "Light Bends" are available on all streaming platforms.
"Light Bends" is the seventh standalone single since the arrival of DEMON HUNTER's eleventh studio album, "Exile", in October 2022. It follows "The Brink", "Some Of Us", "Worlds Apart", "Black Stained Glass", "Falling Apart" (with SET THE SUN) and the aforementioned "I'm Done".
"Exile" was DEMON HUNTER's first album issued on Weapons MFG. It debuted at No. 9 on Billboard's Album sales chart; No. 1 in Christian sales; No. 3 in Hard Music and Independent; and No. 4 in Rock.
Scott produced and mixed "Exile", which boasted guest appearances from Max Cavalera (SOULFLY),Tom S. Englund (EVERGREY),and Richie Faulkner (JUDAS PRIEST). Darren Craig (SLIPKNOT, Rihanna, Kanye West) directed the first music video for the album, "Freedom Is Dead".
DEMON HUNTER will appear at this year's Louder Than Life (Louisville) and Aftershock (Sacramento) festivals.
Photo credit: Tyler Byars | +1 | |
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9 èþí 2025
MIKE LEVINE Explains Absence From TRIUMPH's Reunion Performance
 Canadian rock legends TRIUMPH reunited for a three-song performance — "Allied Forces", "Fight The Good Fight" and "Lay It On The Line" — on Friday (June 6) at the Rogers Festival At The Final, a free outdoor concert in the ICE District ahead of Game 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Bassist Mike Levine did not take part in Friday's reunion show, but three other Canadian musicians joined guitarist/vocalist Rik Emmett and drummer Gil Moore for the set: guitarist Phil X, drummer and keyboardist Brent Fitz and bassist Todd Kerns. Phil X, whose real name is Theofilos Xenidis, is a member of BON JOVI and a former member of TRIUMPH, while Fitz and Kerns are both members of SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS.
Levine explained his absence from TRIUMPH's reunion performance during a Toronto in-studio interview Friday with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "In the land of where medicine is free, it takes long times to get specialist appointments. And I've been waiting for four months to see this guy. And my [doctor] appointment was booked for [June 6] at 11:00 a.m. — this morning. And I couldn't get out of it. It's one of those that I had to go to."
Prior to Friday's set, TRIUMPH's last performance took place at an invite-only event in November 2019 in front of a couple of hundred "superfans" at MetalWorks studio in Mississauga (a suburb of Toronto),Ontario, Canada where Moore, Emmett and Levine played a three-song set consisting of "When The Lights Go Down", "Lay It On The Line" and "Magic Power". It marked TRIUMPH's first performance in 11 years, as well as its first as a pure three-piece power trio in 31 years. Portions of the performance were included in TRIUMPH's 2021 documentary "Triumph: Rock & Roll Machine", which was produced by Banger Films and directed by Sam Dunn and Marc Ricciardelli.
Emmett, who quit TRIUMPH — acrimoniously, in 1988 — over music and business disputes, went on to pursue a solo career, while TRIUMPH carried on with future BON JOVI guitarist Phil X for one more album, 1992's "Edge Of Excess", before calling it a day the following year.
Emmett was estranged, both personally and professionally, from the two other members of the legendary Canadian classic rock power trio for 18 years before they repaired their relationship.
After 20 years apart, Emmett, Levine and Moore played at the 2008 editions of the Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma. A DVD of the historic Sweden performance was made available four years later.
TRIUMPH is a celebrated Canadian rock power trio that rose to prominence in the late 1970s and 1980s with a blend of hard rock anthems and spectacular live performances. Formed in 1975 in Toronto by Emmett, Levine and Moore, TRIUMPH has sold over 15 million albums worldwide and earned 18 gold and nine platinum certifications in Canada and the United States. Its sound — marked by Emmett's virtuoso guitar work and the group's soaring vocals — produced classic rock staples like "Lay It On The Line", "Magic Power" and "Fight The Good Fight", helping define arena rock for a generation.
By the early 1980s, TRIUMPH was headlining arenas on international tours, renowned for its elaborate, high-tech live shows featuring state-of-the-art lighting, lasers, and pyrotechnics. After a decade and a half of relentless success, the band's legacy grew in the ensuing years, and earned the band some of Canada's highest honors. Among their numerous awards, TRIUMPH was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall Of Fame in 2007, into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame in 2008, and into Canada's Walk Of Fame in 2019. Today, TRIUMPH continues to inspire new generations of fans around the world. From humble origins in the '70s to sold-out arenas and hall of fame accolades, TRIUMPH's career is a true rock and roll success story — a triumph in every sense of the word. | 0 | |
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9 èþí 2025
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9 èþí 2025
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8 èþí 2025
GRAHAM BONNET On Fans Filming Concerts On Their Phones: 'I Expect It. It's Part Of The Bloody Job Now.'
 In a new interview with CooperTalk, legendary rock vocalist Graham Bonnet (RAINBOW, ALCATRAZZ, MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP) spoke about how he takes care of his singing voice, particularly now that he is approaching the age of 80 (Graham turned 77 last December). He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When I come off stage, I still have a speaking voice, and if I can still speak, then I know that I've used my voice properly and not harmed it in any way. 'Cause it's so easy to abuse yourself by doing all that stuff, silly notes and whatever. So I try to think, 'You don't have to do that.' I'm thinking about my breathing, the way the notes come out. And I see that note in my head, and I know if I can hit it, I have to take a really deep breath, make sure that I'm pushing that note out. So I've been very, very careful and not drinking too much coffee a day and all that kind of thing. And then if I can speak, as I said, after the show, I know I did it properly. I didn't just sing for the sake of singing and messed it up by showing off by, screaming, let's say. So I've been very lucky.
"What happened was, actually, about — I don't know — it must be about 10 years ago, I went to my throat specialist and he said, 'Your right vocal cord has collapsed,'" he continued. "And he said, 'It needs pumping up again, basically.' So I said, 'Oh, really?' So he injected it — I don't know if it was cortisone or something — and as I said, this was, like, 10 years ago, and he said, 'Try singing now.' And I said, 'Oh my God.' I said, 'I sound just the way I used to.' I said, 'Well, near enough.' And he said, 'Yeah, you're gonna be better now.' He said, 'You'll still have that scarring a little bit on your right vocal cord, but it's not gonna affect your singing voice.' And it's helped a hundred percent.
"We've been doing shows for the past — how long have we been out? — a couple of weeks. So we've just got back, and I tell you on every show we've done, I get these people coming back to me and going, 'How the fuck do you sing the same as you used to?' I get that. And there've been recordings of our latest [gigs] — people film all the time at clubs on their phones, and it sounds awful, I know. But they come backstage afterwards, a meet-and-greet thing, and they just say, 'How do you do it? How do you do it?' I said, 'I don't know. I've just been very, very lucky.' And I think it's the way you're built."
Asked how he feels about audiences making cellphones part of their concert experience nowadays, Graham said: "That's the fricking problem, 'cause especially in Japan — well, we see [fan-filmed footage of] concerts from Japan, and they love to sing with you. And if they've got the phone [out recording the show], you hear all this [singing]. I'm going, 'Holy crap. I'm so out of tune.' And Beth-Ami [Heavenstone, who is a member of Graham's band as well as his girlfriend] says to me, like, 'That's not you. That's them. It's the person with the phone that's singing with you.'
"I never really watch those things, but if it's being recorded properly, then I'm okay, if it's a proper kind of setup," he explained. "But from a phone, it sounds bloody awful most of the time. And the band sounds terrible. It sounds like we're all in different fucking key or whatever. It's weird. But it doesn't really put me off. I expect it. It's part of the bloody job now. But I know that some performers… I think it was — who was it? — I think it was Ted Nugent. I think it was him who said, 'No phones. Please leave your phone at the door if you're gonna come see me.' I mean, this was a while ago when those phones came out with a fucking camera. And I mean, everybody's doing it. You see people in restaurants — as soon as they sit down, the fucking phone comes out. They're not talking to each other. Things like that. It's a different world now."
The GRAHAM BONNET BAND's third studio album, "Day Out In Nowhere", came out in May 2022 via Frontiers Music Srl.
Graham was joined on the LP by longtime bandmates Beth-Ami Heavenstone (bass) and Conrado Pesinato (guitar),as well as keyboardist Alessandro Bertoni and drummer Shane Gaalaas. "Day Out In Nowhere" also saw performance and co-writing guest appearances from Jeff Loomis (ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE),John Tempesta (THE CULT, WHITE ZOMBIE),Mike Tempesta (POWERMAN 5000),Roy Z (HALFORD, BRUCE DICKINSON) and Don Airey (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW).
Bonnet is a hard rock legend with a pedigree to back that statement up. His solo offerings and stints with RAINBOW, MSG, ALCATRAZZ and IMPELLITTERI prove he is one of the finest rock vocalists and songwriters of his generation. From his late 60s into his 70s, Graham has written and recorded some of the best albums he's ever done, including a reunion album with GRAHAM BONNET'S ALCATRAZZ called "Born Innocent" in 2020, along with three records with his GRAHAM BONNET BAND: 2016's "The Book", 2018's "Meanwhile, Back In The Garage" and the aforementioned "Day Out In Nowhere".
In 1979, Bonnet auditioned for the frontman position in RAINBOW. With his James Dean image, the choice of Bonnet to replace Ronnie James Dio was subject to some questions. However, once the band heard Bonnet sing, they knew they had their man. With Bonnet at the mic, they recorded the "Down To Earth" LP, which became one of RAINBOW's most successful releases.
Graham moved on from RAINBOW in the early '80s to work on his solo career. He also played with MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, recorded several albums with ALCATRAZZ and had a short stint with IMPELLITTERI.
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8 èþí 2025
Watch: ACCEPT Performs In Stockholm During Spring/Summer 2025 European Tour
 Fan-filmed video of ACCEPT's June 3 concert at the Gröna Lund amusement park in Stockholm, Sweden can be seen below.
The band's setlist was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:
01. The Reckoning
02. Humanoid
03. Restless And Wild
04. London Leatherboys
05. Midnight Mover
06. Straight Up Jack
07. Demon's Night / Starlight / Losers And Winners / Flash Rockin' Man
08. The Abyss
09. Breaker
10. Shadow Soldiers
11. Princess Of The Dawn
12. Metal Heart
13. Teutonic Terror
14. Pandemic
Encore:
15. Fast As A Shark
16. Balls To The Wall
17. I'm A Rebel
In a recent interview with Mark Strigl, ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann was asked if the band's longtime producer Andy Sneap will be involved with ACCEPT's upcoming 50th-anniversary album. Wolf said: "He will not be on this one, because he asked for a year off from us. I asked him, I begged him to produce his album, but then we found a good buddy of his. His name is Zeuss [Chris Harris]. He's producing it."
Hoffmann continued: "[Andy is] kind of part of the family now, but he's been touring so much with [JUDAS] PRIEST [as that band's touring guitarist], and he's been working so much in the studio last year. I think he did SAXON, he did PRIEST, he also did DREAM THEATER — he's done a bunch of stuff. So when I said, 'Hey, can we work this year again?' He said, 'Man, can I please have a year off?', which is understandable."
Regarding ACCEPT's upcoming 50th-anniversary tour, which is expected to launch at the end of the year, Wolf said: "It's gonna be a retrospective of the whole 50-year career and, of course, it's gonna feature a lot of the important stuff from the '80s and some deeper cuts. And we're gonna perform with guest singers and guest players, and it's gonna be super exciting, like a once-in-a-lifetime thing. You only have one shot at a 50-year anniversary… I don't think we'll get a chance for another one."
Asked what continues to drive him creatively to keep making new music with ACCEPT, Wolf said: "Well, we're still hungry. I still have the energy and I still have the passion for it, so I don't ever feel like I'm at this point where I've kind of had enough or I wanna retire or anything like that. I'm still full force in it, man. And so is everybody in the band. And that is, I guess, what keeps us motivated and what keeps it going. And it's a lot of fun to create stuff that actually means something to the fans. It would be one thing if we were releasing albums and everybody said, 'You know what? Just play the old songs. We don't really need any new stuff.' But the opposite is true. People are really eating the stuff up, and they're really, really happy and they're respecting the fact that we are still working so hard. So the old songs and the new songs kind of live side by side when we perform live. I mean, at one point the classics are always gonna be the classics and they're gonna be featured on radio more and that sort of thing. But when it comes to live performances. I think the fans really appreciate the fact that we play new stuff."
Sneap produced ACCEPT's last six studio albums: "Blood Of The Nations" (2010),"Stalingrad" (2012),"Blind Rage" (2014),"The Rise Of Chaos" (2017),"Too Mean To Die" (2021) and "Humanoid" (2024).
Zeuss has previously worked with ROB ZOMBIE, HATEBREED, QUEENSRŸCHE, SHADOWS FALL, DEMON HUNTER, OVERKILL and REVOCATION, among many others.
Four months ago, Hoffmann told Metal Talks about ACCEPT's 50th anniversary: "Yeah, it's a funny thing. I joined this band when I was 16 and just never left. And here I am all these all these years later, coming on a 50th anniversary, which is crazy. But yeah, it's definitely something that we're very proud of. And not every band is lucky enough to be around for this long and to still be in the business and to still be touring to still have fans.
"I think ACCEPT, we're very fortunate in the way that we achieved the impossible," he continued. "We had a change of lead singers 15 years ago with Mark Tornillo, and things are better than they've ever been for us. I mean, the last few albums have been phenomenal, the touring is going great, we have sold-out shows everywhere. So, I mean, we are really, really fortunate, and I'm fully aware of that. And yeah, to mark the occasion, we're gonna have a special tour. We're gonna release a new album with — we're gonna re-record some of the old classics and some of the deeper-cut songs from back then with guest people, guest singers, guest guitar players, and we're gonna bring this out on the road in '26. So we're working on that for the next year or so.
"This is a milestone that needs to be celebrated properly, and what better [way to do it]?" Hoffmann added. "I mean, we only have one chance for a 50th anniversary. I don't think I'll get another one. With all optimism, I don't think I'll be around 50 years from now, or the fans will be, so we might as well have this opportunity and make use of it. And it's gonna be fantastic. I know it. We're gonna play some songs we've never played before, and it's gonna be great."
Last November, Wolf told The Adamantium Podcast about ACCEPT's upcoming 50th-anniversary album and tour: "Well, I can't tell you too much yet, because it's too early and right now we're featuring this tour [promoting ACCEPT's latest album, 'Humanoid'], so let's focus on that. But I can tell you it's gonna be a huge thing because turning 50 is a big deal."
Wolf continued: "We have always shied away from all these, I would call them little anniversaries, because, really, we could have done a [celebration of] 20 years of this album, 20 years of that album, 30 years [of some other album]. Every year is something to celebrate. I mean, when you have 15 albums or 16 or 17, something always happened 20, 30, 40 years ago. It's always a round number of years. So we could have done that for a long time. There's people who do it all the time. We always said, 'Nah, we'd much rather feature the current album and then make a new one after that and stay current.' But, man, with 50, that's where I gotta say this is the one — this is the big one. There won't be another one… And also, quite honestly, we're getting up there in age a little bit, and I'm not quite ready to retire, but you never really know. Honestly, at some point, we could all say this might be our last tour. You never really know. Somebody might get sick.
"50 is a big deal, and we're gonna really celebrate it properly," Hoffmann added. "It's gonna be a completely different show with a lot of surprises. That's all I know. So we've got a year of planning to do and then executing and stuff."
Last summer, Wolf was asked by Metal Journal why he and his bandmates decided to announce that they will embark on a 50th-anniversary tour in late 2025 when they still had plenty of touring to do last year in support of their latest album, "Humanoid". He said: "Things like that take time. People have asked me for the last two years: 'Are you gonna do an anniversary thing?' Everybody wants to know. So I finally said, 'Okay, we're gonna do it.' And it's gonna be massive, man. It's gonna be a huge surprise with all the guests that we're gonna have. And I think it's gonna be completely different from anything we've ever done before. So I think it's gonna blow people away. But that doesn't take away from this tour that we have coming up, because, first of all, it's gonna be another year or more before we even go on this next tour. So if you like the new album, 'Humanoid', and if you love ACCEPT, you've gotta see this tour, no matter what. It's gonna be definitely a highlight anyhow."
On the topic of whether there was any talk about possibly announcing a farewell tour to coincide with ACCEPT's 50th anniversary, Wolf said: "We've been doing it for a long, long time. And I honestly don't know how long I can do this. I mean, nobody knows what the future will bring, and it has crossed our mind, absolutely. So, it might be that we go off with a highlight like this and then just really say, 'Okay, this was it.' I don't know yet, to be honest."
Regarding whether former ACCEPT members Udo Dirkschneider (vocals) and Peter Baltes (bass) will be invited to take part in the 50th-anniversary tour, perhaps just in the form of a guest appearance at select shows, Wolf said: "Yeah, of course, of course. That doesn't mean they're gonna [show up]. We have to wait and see. Of course, everybody [is invited]. The door is always open for anybody to join us on this, because it's gonna be a retrospective of all the 50 years of ACCEPT, and whoever wants to participate is more than welcome. Yes, sure."
Asked if he will call Udo and Peter directly to ask them to participate in the tour or if he will wait for their call, a visibly irritated Wolf said: "Can you shut up already? You're not gonna get me to talk about it. I'm sorry, man. I know it's a nice try. Everybody wants to know these things."
Wolf also talked about ACCEPT's plan to release a special album in early 2026 that will cover the band's entire musical history. The anniversary LP will contain a carefully curated selection of the best ACCEPT songs from the last five decades, re-recorded — partly with well-known surprise musical guests and colleagues — as well as with some rare tracks that have not been played so often before. He said: "I can't tell you anything yet, because it's way too early. I can just tell you it's gonna be a massive thing. And I don't really wanna get into it yet because I'm not really here to talk specifics about it. It's still in the planning stages. It's gonna be amazing. I think it's gonna be some really big names that are gonna be participating in that. And you'll have to wait. Sorry. It's just too early."
As for whether ACCEPT has already "selected" the guest musicians who will appear on the album, Wolf said: "Yes, we have selected a lot of it. Not all of it, but we have selected a lot."
Over the past five decades, ACCEPT has sold millions of albums and inspired countless musicians. Their energetic live performances and iconic albums such as "Balls To The Wall", "Restless And Wild" and "Metal Heart" have left a lasting mark on the heavy metal genre. Hoffmann's guitar style and musical vision have made the band one of the most respected on the heavy metal scene.
After a hiatus in the band's career, Wolf was introduced to New Jersey singer Mark Tornillo in 2009. The chemistry and fit between them was so remarkable, ACCEPT reformed and almost immediately rose to global success with chart-topping albums. ACCEPT continues to be celebrated for each of their new records with Mark, who is now the longest-reigning frontman of ACCEPT, placing the Hoffmann-Tornillo partnership firmly in the Metal Hall Of Fame.
For decades, ACCEPT has been recognized as a guarantee of high quality and each of their albums has reached the top of the charts, delivering energy, melodies, killer riffs and an impressively powerful stage presence for 50 years.
ACCEPT and KK'S PRIEST recently joined forces for a summer/fall 2024 North American tour. The run began on August 31, 2024 in Los Angeles, California, visiting a slew of major cities in the USA and Canada — such as Toronto, Montreal, New York and Nashville — before coming to an end in San Francisco, California on October 7, 2024.
Tornillo joined ACCEPT in 2009 as the replacement for Dirkschneider, who was the band's original lead singer. Mark can be heard on ACCEPT's last six studio albums. | +1 | |
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8 èþí 2025
EXODUS's GARY HOLT Says 'It's Totally Awesome' Having ROB DUKES Back: 'We're Laughing All Day Long'
 In a new interview with The Dan Chan Show, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt opened up about the recent departure of singer Steve "Zetro" Souza and the decision to bring Rob Dukes back. Asked how it is having Dukes in the band again, Gary said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's totally awesome. We're laughing all day long. It's good times. And Rob's one of my favorite singers in the world. And when people hear what he does on the [upcoming EXODUS] album, they're gonna shit their pants. [There's] so much variety to his voice now. And he always has had the gift to keep us laughing. He is funny as fuck, his sense of humor. And we're thrilled.
"We wish Zetro well," Gary continued. "Every band relationship is like a marriage, and sometimes marriages end and they don't always end in a acrimonious divorce. Sometimes they end on some fairly good terms. And just considering the past history, we've all grown up and become much more mature now. I'm 61 years old. I don't wanna do this anymore unless everybody's on the same page."
Holt also elaborated on his recent revelation that he and his EXODUS bandmates were recording two albums' worth of new material for future release. He said: "[We are tracking] 19 songs. And they're all killer. I mean, in the past, you read about this band, 'Yeah, we went in the studio. We had 39 songs,' and I'm, like, 'How do you have 39 great songs?' To me, you usually have maybe 20 and some ideas. But I realized that it is possible — at least 19. 'Cause Lee [Altus, EXODUS guitarist] was really active as a songwriter on this album, and he contributed, like, six songs — something like that. And we had 19 songs, and they're all awesome. The hard part is figuring out what to put on the record. And so we figured we can tour for the next album and then take a break in between releases and have it already in the can."
Asked if EXODUS is currently "in post-production" for the two new albums, Holt said: "We still have some vocals left to do. We ran out a little bit of time. Not a whole lot. A couple of songs. A couple of things we have left to do are on songs that we know we're gonna put on the next album, so we could sit on that. And I'm sure by the time we get to thinking about releasing the second one, I'll have something new I wanna record. And Lee will have something. We're, like, 'Damn, well, I got something way sicker.' But then we go in the studio for two weeks and not two months."
Regarding how he and his EXODUS bandmates will go about choosing which songs to put on the first album and which to save for the follow-up, Gary said: "We're still working on it. [Laughs] We're letting vocals dictate a lot of it, and there's a couple of songs that still don't have vocals on it. And sometimes, once you put the vocal melody on it, a song comes alive. So some of 'em we know we want on this record. Like I wrote two epics, longer ones, so we'll put one on this and one on the other. I fluctuate back and forth over which one all the time. But, yeah, everybody else wants to put this one. So I said, 'Cool. We'll save the other.' There's a big variety of music on it. Some of the shit's so lightning fast and some of it's almost doom — like, slow, slow, slow, [but] über fucking sinister."
Holt also talked about his creative process, explaining: "I'm always writing a riff when I have a guitar, but as far as songwriting, I keep telling myself I wanna do more of it all the time, not just when I have to. 'Cause you get 61 years old and you start thinking about stupid shit, like, if anything happens to me, I'd like to be like Prince and have a vault of material to release. His final works. So you literally start thinking about shit like that.
"I get in the writing mode," he continued. "When we record, we leave the drums set up the entire time. We don't go in and do drums and then they go away. We're prepared to record a new song at any day. And the fastest fucking one on the album — it's just ridiculous — I wrote it in the last two weeks of recording. I sent it to Tom [Hunting, EXODUS drummer], and he had a panic attack when he heard how fast it was. And then when we [recorded it], he realized it was fine. [Laughs]"
Souza joined EXODUS in 1986 after previously fronting the band LEGACY (which later became TESTAMENT). He remained in the band until their hiatus in 1993, but rejoined them for two years from 2002 to 2004. Dukes had joined EXODUS in 2005 (following Souza's departure) and remained until 2014, when Souza rejoined.
Dukes previously joined EXODUS in January 2005 and appeared on four of the band's studio albums — "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" (2005),"The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A" (2007),"Let There Be Blood" (2008, a re-recording of EXODUS's classic 1985 LP, "Bonded By Blood") and "Exhibit B: The Human Condition" (2010).
EXODUS played its first concert with Dukes in nearly 11 years on April 5 at the Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest: Philly at the Fillmore in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Although EXODUS rarely gets mentioned alongside the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX — the aforementioned "Bonded By Blood" LP inspired the likes of TESTAMENT, DEATH ANGEL, VIO-LENCE and many others to launch their careers and is considered one of the most influential thrash metal albums of all time.
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8 èþí 2025
STRYPER's MICHAEL SWEET: 'I've Come To The Conclusion That The Hate For This Band Stems From Hatred For God'
 Michael Sweet of Christian metallers STRYPER has defended his group against online criticism, saying that he and his bandmates "have nothing to prove."
On Thursday (June 5),Michael took to his social media to write: "I'm just thinking out loud here. I grew up in a musical family. Everyone (and I mean everyone) plays an instrument and or sings. Not just okay but very well.
"My dad is a great singer/writer. He co-wrote a number one country song back in 1976. My mom is as well. My mom was part of the trio that sang for the traveling 'Gunsmoke' (James Arness) show back in the late 50's. My aunt Reba and my grandmother (Maxine) were the other two who made of that trio. My sister is also an amazing singer!
"I grew up in studios when I was a kid. My dad (and mom) were always recording. Local and major studios. They were managed by Mike Curb in the 60's and were in a few 'Beach/Dune buggy' movies. Always gigging, always music.
"So, when people say we suck I just laugh lately. Such an ignorant thing to say. Music is in our blood. Our DNA. Writing music is in my blood, my DNA. We may not be shredders or flashy players but to be honest, I'm glad we're not. We do however have our own, unique [sound] and style.
"Some people just love to hate. Hate us. Jealousy, envy? Who knows. Who cares. I've come to the conclusion that the hate for this band stems from hatred for God. It's deep. It's sad. It's pathetic. It's shallow. It's pointless.
"We have nothing to prove. We've broken all boundaries, all rules and all stats. And that just upsets the haters all the more. Sometimes we win over the closed minded. Sometimes we don't.
Regardless, we have accomplished more than we could ever imagine. We're blessed, we're chosen and we're thankful. And, we're not done".
Last August, Sweet was asked as part of the "1 Question With…" interview series if STRYPER's increasingly heavy and aggressive musical direction has been inspired by the fact that he and his bandmates have never fully embraced in heavy metal and hard rock circles, largely because of their Christian lyrics. He responded: "Well, it does upset me often when you see a band come out or a person come out and speak about openly their faith, their belief, whether it's they're a Muslim or they're an atheist or they're Satanist or whatever it is. And [they get applauded for it]. But often when a Christian comes out, a Christian band like STRYPER or what have you, they get [criticized for it]. And it's just the way it is. And people that don't agree with that, they're clueless. Because it's out there everywhere for the world to see. Anyone with eyes and ears can hear it and see it. So, continue to deny that. It's truth.
"We've been mocked from the very beginning," he continued. "If we sang about girls or Satan, we would have been the cool kids. But we're not, because we sing about Jesus.
"METALLICA and SLAYER — no disrespect to those guys, I would never wanna be like those guys," Sweet added. "Not in a million years. Yeah, [METALLICA are] playing stadiums. Who cares? I didn't get in this for the money. I didn't get in this to play stadiums. I mean, obviously, there's a rush that comes with that when you play to a big crowd and it's electrifying. But my point is that's not what we're doing this for. So we don't long to be METALLICA or SLAYER, and we're not that style. I grew up on [IRON] MAIDEN and [JUDAS] PRIEST. That's metal to me. Those are the true metal bands. Classic metal with a great singer and great melody — not the other stuff. Again, this is my opinion. People will disagree with me. Perfect. Totally, that's the way it works. But, man, we're gonna keep being who we are. We have been for 40 years. I don't know how much more time we have left in us or [how many] years we have left in us. It could be another 10 or 15. And we'll just keep doing what we do."
Three and a half years ago, Michael claimed that STRYPER was never a "Christian" band despite the fact that the lyrics in a number of STRYPER songs explicitly point to Christ. During an appearance on an episode of the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast hosted by FOZZY frontman and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho, he explained: "I recently, in the past few yeas, said quite a few times, and it's really caused a stir, that we're not a Christian band. And people say, 'What?' But we're Christians in a rock band. And there's a difference.
"I look at PETRA as a Christian band, I look at SWEET COMFORT, I look at REZ BAND as Christian bands, 'cause they were Christians in a rock band," the STRYPER frontman continued. "And they were brought up in the church, for the most part. We weren't brought up in the church; we were brought up on the streets of L.A. playing Gazzarri's, Troubadour, Whisky, and we became Christians. And we just continued doing what we always did, but with a different message.
"So we're a rock band that's comprised of Christians," Sweet added. "We're really not a Christian band. But if people wanna call us a Christian band, that's okay. But I view us as just a rock band that decided to take a different path."
Michael went on to say that STRYPER's lyrics come from the heart and are not meant to be a marketing gimmick, as is the case with some of the band's more extreme counterparts.
"With a band like SLAYER — not just SLAYER but a number of other black metal bands… What's interesting is STRYPER, we read the Bible, we pray, we go to church, we believe in what the Bible says," Michael said. "So by doing so, so to speak, we practice what we preach. We're not perfect — in any sense of the word, we're not perfect — but we really do our best to represent Christ, represent God and all that God stands for. But it's funny when you hear about SLAYER, and you think Satanic band, pentagram, evil, and then Tom [Araya, SLAYER frontman] is going to church every Sunday with his kids. Which is great. But my point is it's a polar opposite of what they represent themselves as. STRYPER, on the other hand, you get what you get. We are what we are on stage and off stage. It's not like we're going to the satanic church after we get off stage."
Even though STRYPER's third album, 1986's "To Hell With The Devil", made Sweet and his bandmates the first contemporary Christian act to score a platinum album, the group has often felt unwelcome in Christian circles, with some members of the church feeling that Christianity and heavy metal are incompatible.
In a 2018 interview with the Detroit Free Press, Michael said: "We've never been accepted by either side. The secular side, the mainstream, they've never accepted us to this day. We're probably that band that everyone's going to go to whenever there's a time to mock. We'll be the band used for that in most cases. Now on the Christian side, we've never really had the full support of the Christian side because we don't fit into their little club. We're not wearing suits and ties and going to every church and preaching."
Formed 42 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", "Even The Devil Believes", "The Final Battle" and the band's most recent effort, 2024's "When We Were Kings".
I’m just thinking out loud here. I grew up in a musical family. Everyone (and I mean everyone) plays an instrument and...
Posted by Michael Sweet on Thursday, June 5, 2025
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8 èþí 2025
HALESTORM's LZZY HALE On Decision To Play Five New Songs On Current Tour: 'We Don't Like Depending On Our Past Hits'
 HALESTORM, the Pennsylvania-bred and Nashville-based quartet, played five songs from its upcoming "Everest" album during the band's May 15 performance at the Welcome To Rockville festival at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Notably, nearly half of HALESTORM's 10-song set consisted as-yet-unreleased tracks from the group's sixth studio LP: "Fallen Star", "WATCH OUT!", "Rain Your Blood On Me" and "Everest", along with "Darkness Always Wins", which was made available as a single in late April.
Regarding the decision to play so many new songs that are unfamiliar to HALESTORM fans, HALESTORM, frontwoman Lzzy Hale told American Musical Supply (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We don't like calling it in and we don't like depending on our past hits. Our past hits are our past hits and they have moments, and these wonderful people that are in the audience will have that nostalgic [feeling], 'Oh, this is one of my favorite songs.' But for us, it's a feeling. We are so proud of this album and there are certain songs that have to be played today, like have to be. Before the album is out, our freaks need to know these songs. They need to start learning the lyrics. And it's because these are our anthems. New shit has come to light, man."
As for what fans can expect from "Everest", Lzzy said: "I dare say this is our new beginning. We closed a chapter at the end of our thirties. We are now in this beautiful midlife as a band. Arejay's [Hale, drums] 38. The oldest one is Grandpa Storm Joe [Hottinger, guitar]. He's 43. Josh [Smith, bass] and I are both 41. Oh, no — Josh just turned 42 last week… But anyway, we're going through this beautiful midlife as a band, so we want to reintroduce ourselves. This is HALESTORM right now, in the moment."
"Everest" is due out August 8 on Atlantic Records.
A North American tour in support of the LP, "nEVEREST", with Lindsey Stirling and APOCALYPTICA, will kick off on September 11 in Salem, Virginia and conclude on October 11 in Spokane, Washington.
"Everest" was produced by Grammy winner Dave Cobb (Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell),and it "dives deeply, both lyrically and sonically, into [HALESTORM's] mountainous climb over the last couple decades," according to a press release.
"Our album 'Everest' is a story of our journey as a band, full of beautiful endings and new beginnings," Lzzy previously said in a statement. "We weave a tangled web of melancholy, frustration, anger and the vast purgatory of love and love lost. It is a rollercoaster of epic musical detours, great songwriting and completely unhinged twists and turns. 'Everest' is an auditory representation of the four pillars of HALESTORM. Let us reintroduce ourselves and invite you into our world…if you dare."
Rolling Stone said of "Darkness Always Wins", "What the song has going for is its catchy, brooding, and dramatic in all the ways we love HALESTORM songs to be," and Revolver noted "The arrangement remains lean even as the amps begin to crank into the red, though 'Darkness Always Wins' still sports some exquisite minor-key melodicism, a metal-chunked bridge, loud-as-hell requiem bells and a classically rippin' rock guitar solo."
The newly announced "nEVEREST" tour follows an epic run first supporting IRON MAIDEN in Europe and dates with VOLBEAT in the U.S. with a one night-only-performance at BLACK SABBATH's final show in Birmingham, England.
HALESTORM's music has earned multiple platinum and gold certifications from the RIAA, and the band has earned a reputation as a powerful live music force, headlining sold-out shows and topping festival bills around the world, and sharing the stage with icons including HEAVEN & HELL, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett and JUDAS PRIEST. Additionally, Lzzy was named the first female brand ambassador for Gibson and served as host of AXS TV's "A Year In Music". | +1 | |
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8 èþí 2025
KREATOR Shares Trailer For Official Documentary 'Hate & Hope'
 A trailer for the official documentary about German thrash metal veterans KREATOR, "Kreator - Hate & Hope", is available below. The 110-minute film, which was directed by Cordula Kablitz-Post, will premiere on July 2 at the 42nd Munich International Film Festival and will receive a theatrical premiere on September 4.
Official "Kreator - Hate & Hope" description: "To their fans worldwide, they are gods, but their music seems possessed by the devil — more aggressive, faster, and more uncompromising than others. The German band KREATOR has long since reached the pinnacle of the thrash metal scene. The film 'Kreator - Hate & Hope' tells the forty-year history of the celebrated metal band for the first time, from their founding as a school band in 1982 in the Ruhr area to the grand international stages of their current world tour. Then as now, they stand against the hatred and the abysses of our society. Shrill tones, virtuosic guitar riffs, and energetic drumbeats process the turmoil in our civilization with tremendous willpower and creativity. Between Hannah Arendt quotes and headless corpses, emerges a well-crafted poetry of chaos full of symbols of horror — a musical Molotov cocktail against evil with a cathartic effect.
"For her new documentary, director Cordula Kablitz-Post ('Die Toten Hosen - You Only Live Once') goes on tour with the legendary thrash metal band from the Ruhrpott for a year: Wacken Open Air, Tokyo, Osaka, Bangalore, Los Angeles and finally 'Klash Of The Ruhrpott' in Gelsenkirchen, where Germany's metal greats gather. With private archive recordings and exciting interviews (Scott Ian / ANTHRAX, Chuck Billy / TESTAMENT, Bela B. / DIE ÄRZTE, guitarist Phil Demmel / formerly MACHINE HEAD, Maik Weichert / HEAVEN SHALL BURN, Nergal / BEHEMOTH, Lars Eidinger, Andy Sneap) they embark on a very honest and humorous journey into the wildly beating heart of German music history."
In other KREATOR-related news, frontman Mille Petrozza's official German-language autobiography, which he wrote with journalist, author and presenter Torsten Groß, "Your Heaven, My Hell - Mein Leben, Heavy Metal Und Wie Das Alles Passieren Konnte" ("Your Heaven, My Hell - My Life, Heavy Metal, And How It All Could Happen") will be published on August 28 via Ullstein Verlag. The book is available for pre-order now.
Last fall, Petrozza told Oran O'Beirne of Fistful Of Metal magazine about the KREATOR documentary: "I have to be honest with you, this documentary was not our idea, and in fact, we are not involved in the production side of it. The whole concept came from Cordula, who approached us with this proposition and she has full creative control. She is a very well-respected director who has produced some incredible cinematic documentaries in the past, so I'm very excited to see the finished film."
He continued: "I'm usually a control freak when it comes to things like this, so it's a very surreal experience not being in the driving seat when it comes to creative decision making, but I have total faith and trust in Cordula."
Regarding his upcoming book, Mille said at the time: "Well, I can tell you that the book is done. A friend of mine and I have been co-writing a book together looking specifically at the early years of the band, specifically up to 1992. The thing is, we have a German publisher and they're, hopefully, going to be making this book available in English. But as of now, we are looking to release the book in 2025."
He continued: "I can also tell you the working title of the book is 'Your Heaven, My Hell', and we go very deep into the struggles of starting the band, the impact of the tape-trading community back then, and loads of stores and interesting moments that led to the band being where we are today. So, keep your eyes for more details coming very soon."
In 2001, Cordula founded Avanti Media Fiction, through which she primarily produces feature films and high-quality television and theatrical documentaries.
KREATOR recently entered Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren to begin recording its sixteenth studio album, tentatively due in early 2026. Bogren previously helmed KREATOR's "Phantom Antichrist" (2012) and "Gods Of Violence" (2017) LPs.
KREATOR's upcoming effort will be the follow-up to 2022's "Hate Über Alles", which was recorded at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin, Germany. Helming the sessions for that LP was Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, CODE ORANGE, POWER TRIP and SOULFLY, among others.
"Hate Über Alles" marked KREATOR's first album with bassist Frédéric Leclercq, who joined the group in 2019.
KREATOR played its first show with Leclercq in October 2019 in Santiago, Chile.
Before joining KREATOR, Leclercq rose to fame with U.K.-based extreme power metallers DRAGONFORCE for whom he handled bass duties from 2005 until August 2019. | +5 | |
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8 èþí 2025
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8 èþí 2025
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8 èþí 2025
ONSLAUGHT Release Lyric Video For “Thermonuclear Devastation Of The Planet Earth” (2025 Version); Origins Of Aggression Album Out Now
 English thrash metal legends, Onslaught, return in full force with their blistering new release, Origins Of Aggression, out now via Reigning Phoenix Music.
Leading the charge is the newly recorded version of “Thermonuclear Devastation Of The Planet Earth” – a scorched-earth anthem packed with apocalyptic riffage. First appearing on the band’s debut album Power From Hell, released in 1985, the track has been re-recorded for Origins Of Aggression to mark the 40th anniversary of Onslaught’s explosive entry into the metal scene. Four decades later, its message feels just as urgent and relevant as it did back then – if not more so.
Watch the new lyric video below.
Nige Rockett comments: “‘Thermo…’ is the very first song myself and Paul Hill ever wrote for Onslaught when we formed the band in 1982 and it’s still a very important / integral part of the live show right up to this day as it never fails to induce complete chaos within the crowds. One real highlight I remember was performing it at the Katacombes [R.I.P.] venue in Montreal, Canada. I kid you not, every single person in the venue turned the place into one awesome / brutal circle pit, it was absolutely insane. We still get one massive buzz playing this song live, it has such an incredible energy and a very cool back story to go with it…!”
Origins Of Aggression is a 22-track double album that dives deep into Onslaught’s history, delivering fierce new takes on early classics alongside covers of key influences such as Motörhead, Dead Kennedys, and Discharge. To support the release, Onslaught will hit the road again next week as part of a global tour, with confirmed dates across Europe, the UK, Mexico, and Australia.
Order/stream Origins Of Aggression here.
CD tracklisting:
CD1:
“Thermonuclear Devastation Of The Planet Earth” (Re-recorded 2025)
“Black Horse Of Faminev (Re-recorded 2025)
“Angels Of Death” (Re-recorded 2025)
“Power From Hell” (Re-recorded 2025)
“Metal Forces” (Re-recorded 2025)
“Let There Be Death” (Re-recorded 2025)
“Fight With The Beast” (Re-recorded 2025)
“Thrash Till The Death” (Re-recorded 2025)
“In Search Of Sanity” (Re-recorded 2025)
“Shellshock” (Re-recorded 2025)
CD2:
“Iron Fist” (Cover version Motörhead)
“Holiday In Cambodia” (Cover version Dead Kennedy’s)
“A Look At Tomorrow” (Cover version Discharge)
“U.K. 82” (Cover version Exploited)
“Freewheel Burning” (Cover version Judas Priest)
“Wardance” (Cover version Killing Joke)
“Give Me Fire” (Cover version GBH)
“State Violence State Control” (Cover version Discharge)
“Holidays In The Sun” (Cover version Sex Pistols)
“Emotional Blackmail” (Cover version UK Subs)
“War Pigs” (Cover version Black Sabbath)
“Drunk With Power” (Cover version Discharge) | +2 | |
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8 èþí 2025
DANKO JONES Release New Single “Every Day Is Saturday Night”; Music Video
 Toronto hard rock trio, Danko Jones, are sharing the upbeat and swaggering “Everyday Is Saturday Night,” accompanied by an entrancing new video by Italian filmmaker and director, Giacomo Triglia, filmed on location in Osaka, Japan and starring Lidia Passarelli.
This insistent, propulsive new rock single captures the driving intensity and confidence that Jones are known for, elevating the band’s ability to write truly anthemic songs that thunder with the power of a stadium soundsystem.
Danko comments: “If our song, ‘Good Time,’ was our version of ‘Rock And Roll All Nite,’ then we needed to follow it up with our version of ‘Shout It Out Loud.’ This is that song. I love anthems when they’re done right, but up until the last album, we hadn’t fully achieved it. ‘Everyday Is Saturday Night’ is proving we’re on a roll when it comes to anthems. Try not singing this all day long after one listen. Let me start you on your way: Mondays are now Fridays, Tuesdays are my birthday, every day is Saturday night…” | 0 | |
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8 èþí 2025
RUSH – The Albums: 2002-2012 (Feedback, Snakes & Arrows, Vapor Trails, Clockwork Angels) Reissued On Vinyl
 Rush’s four albums with Atlantic Records, released between the years 2002-2012, are reissued on vinyl in a new boxed set that includes Vapor Trails (2002), Feedback (2004), Snakes & Arrows (2007), and Clockwork Angels (2012).
The Albums: 2002-2012 celebrates Rush’s enduring legacy as one of the most inventive and compelling groups in rock history, receiving a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction in 2013. The RIAA has certified Rush for having the third-highest number of consecutive gold and platinum studio albums by a rock band. The Albums: 2002-2012 is available as a 7LP boxed set limited edition of 3,000 units worldwide from the band’s stores, RushBackstage.com and Rhino.com today.
Vapor Trails is Rush’s 17th studio album, released after the band’s longest hiatus of five years ending in 2002. After personal tragedies in the late 1990s, Neil Peart considered himself retired from music. During a 5-year convalescence, traveling America on his motorcycle, Peart was eventually drawn back to his need to create, leading to the creation of Vapor Trails. In an interview for Jam! In 2001, Geddy Lee emphasized that this album was for “the psychological health and welfare of all the people who have gone through a difficult time.” Vapor Trails served as a testament to Rush’s commitment to connecting with fans and propelled the band back onto the charts, reaching No. 3 in Canada and No. 6 in the U.S. – despite being born out of difficult circumstances.
Feedback is Rush’s celebration of the band’s success and the 30th anniversary of their debut album Rush (1974). Returning to their roots of 60s garage rock, the album includes covers of influential songs from the band’s early days, including Buffalo Springfield’s“Mr. Soul,” The Who’s “The Seeker,” Cream’s “Crossroads,” with additional covers of works from the Yardbirds, Love, and Blue Cheer. The cover record landed at No. 5 and No. 19 on the Billboard Canadian and U.S. charts.
Snakes & Arrows continues Rush’s progressive rock legacy. Acting as their first slew of original material since Vapor Trails, Peart emphasized, “[w]ithout a doubt, this is the best experience I’ve had making an album, ever.” Snakes and Arrows peaked at No. 3 in both Canada and the U.S., gained a Grammy™ nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, and was named one of Classic Rock Magazine’s Ten Essential Progressive Rock Albums of the decade.
Clockwork Angels is the 20th and final studio album from Rush. Chronicling the story of a young man’s quest set in an apocalyptic steampunk world, the concept album was later novelized by science fiction writer Kevin J. Anderson. Debuting at No. 1 and No. 2 on Billboard in Canada and the U.S., Clockwork Angels epicly concludes the studio journey of the prog-rock pioneers.
The Albums: 2002-2012 tracklisting:
Vapor Trails
Side A
“One Little Victory”
“Ceiling Unlimited”
“Ghost Rider”
Side B
“Peaceable Kingdom”
“The Stars Look Down”
“How It Is”
“Vapor Trail”
Side C
“Secret Touch”
“Earthshine”
“Sweet Miracle”
Side D
“Nocturne”
“Freeze” – Part IV Of “Fear”
“Out Of The Cradle”
Feedback
Side A
“Summertime Blues”
“Heart Full Of Soul”
“For What It’s Worth”
Side B
“Mr. Soul”
“Seven And Seven Is”
“Shapes Of Things”
“Crossroads”
Snakes & Arrows
Side A
“Far Cry”
“Armor And Sword”
“Working Them Angels”
Side B
“Larger Bowl”
“Spindrift”
“Monkey Business”
Side C
“The Way The Wind Blows”
“Hope”
“Faithless”
Side D
“Bravest Face”
“Good News First”
“Malignant Narcissism”
“Hold On”
Clockwork Angels
Side A
“Caravanv
“BU2B”
“Clockwork Angels”
Side B
“The Anarchist”
“Carnies”
“Halo Effect”
Side C
“Seven Cities Of Gold”
“The Wreckers”
“Headlong Flight”
Side D
“BU2B2”
“Wish Them Well”
“The Garden” | 0 | |
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8 èþí 2025
DARWIN Release New Single “Man vs. Machine”; Music Video
 Progrock supergroup, DarWin, today release their new single, “Man vs. Machine”, via Origin Of Species/Alliance Entertainment.
Musically, the song bursts with spirited grooves, impassioned vocals and luxurious instrumental passages that zig where others might zag. Guitarist DarWin and bassist Mohini Dey lock into bracing unison lines in flowing cadence with Matt Bissonette’s purposeful lyrics, and Greg Howe’s sustained guitar solo outro is a corker interweaving around drummer Simon Phillips’ dynamic, driving rhythms.
Stream/download “Man vs. Machine” here, and watch the official music video below.
Says DarWin, “We encourage people to ask big questions about what’s happening around them, such as with AI and humanoid robotics in the case of this song. But our lyrics and concepts are impressionistic. We don’t try to spoon feed our own answers to the audience. The power is in the courage to consider the question. It goes on for a while longer than most end solos, but that’s because we didn’t want it to end.”
DarWin is an ongoing musical exploration led by songwriter/guitarist DarWin and drumming legend Simon Phillips (Toto, Jeff Beck, The Who, Judas Priest, Tears for Fears). Since forming in 2015, the duo has collaborated with vocalist Matt Bissonette (Joe Satriani, Ringo Starr, Elton John) and has steadily established themselves as a true original. Bass sensation Mohini Dey (Steve Vai, Willow Smith, Guthrie Govan), who has been with the group since 2022, contributes her fiery power along with virtuoso guitarist Greg Howe (Michael Jackson, Protocol, Justin Timberlake) providing jaw-dropping performances. Joining up with a hall of fame of musicians over the years, including Derek Sherinian, Billy Sheehan, Guthrie Govan, Julian Pollack (J3PO), Jesse Siebenberg, Andy Timmons, and many more, the group seeks to celebrate a shared love for musicianship and virtuosity. The result is something that must be experienced, and preferably at high volume.
The music of DarWin, which is all produced by Phillips and DarWin, has its own identity – nothing quite sounds like it; it seems to exist in its own orbit – and the second you think you’ve got the band figured out, they go somewhere fresh and new.
About DarWin:
Since forming in 2015, the group has steadily established itself as a true original, issuing a series of studio albums that represent personal, visionary music making at its very best. The group got started when drumming and production legend Simon Phillips and DarWin started working on a few songs without any real plan, and the project just kept growing. Phillips’ career follows the arch of the evolution of modern-day rock music, with his vast credits including Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, Big Country, Tears for Fears, the Chemical Brothers, Pete Townshend, and the Who. He was a member of Toto for nearly two decades, and in recent years he’s been leading his own Grammy-nominated jazz fusion outfit, Protocol. Goodness knows that’s just scratching the surface.
Next up is singer and co-writer Matt Bissonette. He’s worked with everyone from Elton John and Ringo Starr to Joe Satriani and Leon Russell. Those pipes are majestic and magical things, and when he opens up that golden throat, he doesn’t just sing – he lets you in on a feeling. In most settings, he doubles on bass, but in DarWin there’s the virtuoso sensation Mohini Dey. Born and raised in Mumbai, Dey has the kind of explosive talent that makes people like Steve Vai and Narada Michael Walden take notice. In DarWin, Dey helps drive the music in ways that are powerful and hypnotic, seismic and thrilling. The team is joined by veritable guitar monster Greg Howe – a six-string force of nature who, in addition to his own albums, has worked with a diverse group of artists that includes Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake and T. Pain. And those rapturous keyboards – this is Gershwin by way of Van Halen – could only come from Derek Sherinian, the go-to guy for Dream Theater, Sons of Apollo and Black Country Communion.
The band takes the name of guitarist, songwriter and all-around creative driver DarWin, an absurdly gifted musical visionary who wants the focus to stay on the delight of the listeners and fans, and definitely not about himself. Additional veteran players have lent their talents to DarWin including keyboardist Julian Pollack (J3PO), singer and multi-instrumentalist Jesse Seibenberg, legendary guitarist Andy Timmons, percussionist Lenny Castro, and singers Andrew Freeman and Chariya Bissonette.
(Photo – Simone Lombard)
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8 èþí 2025
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8 èþí 2025
A-Z Feat. FATES WARNING Bandmates Streaming Entire A2Z² Album Ahead Of Friday Release
 Hard rock band, A-Z, will release their sophomore album, A2Z², on Friday, June 6 via Metal Blade Records. A full album audio stream can be found below.
Spearheaded by legendary drummer Mark Zonder (Fates Warning, Warlord) and along with former Fates Warning bandmate Ray Alder on vocals, A2Z² builds on the groundwork laid on the acclaimed 2022 self-titled debut album. The writing for the album began when Zonder and guitarist Nick Van Dyk (Redemption) started working with vocalist Alder on the album’s first single and de facto statement “Nothing Is Over,” showcasing the band’s commitment to making heavy music that’s sophisticated but hooky and accessible. Helping achieve those aural goals are bassist Philip Bynoe (Steve Vai/Ring of Fire/Warlord), Italian guitarist Simone Mularoni (A2Z² mixing/mastering, DGM) and keyboard player Jimmy Waldo (Alcatrazz/New England).
The band known as A-Z began when Zonder started working on material in early 2020 with a clear vision for the band he wanted to put together: “I was thinking beer commercials, car commercials and Cobra Kai. I wanted a very accessible band that would appeal to the masses,” he says. The band’s name – standing for Alder thru Zonder – was an easy choice that would never pigeonhole the lineup’s sound. “What I liked is that it did not limit what someone would think of the band,” says Zonder. “If we named the band Scary Serpent it would give a certain direction and didn’t want people to prejudge us.”
The band members are legendarily prolific, which allows for an amazing dynamic where, as Zonder explains, “when you find the right guys, you just let them do whatever they want. Everybody’s a seasoned pro and all the different ingredients come together, make it what it is. That live and recording experience allows A-Z to instinctively know how not to step on each other musically.”
“We’re all about the songs, the band, not what each of us does in it. It’s simple,” they all agree. “It’s about the music as a whole,” says Zonder, “I guarantee you everybody’s into something completely different musically, and that’s where the magic to me comes from, taking different influences and everybody doing what they do to create A-Z. We’re not 20-year-old kids. We’re at the point where if you’re gonna go, just go big. And that’s what we’ve done on A2Z².”
Pre-order A2Z² here.
A2Z² tracklisting:
“Fire Away”
“Running In Place”
“Nothing Is Over”
“A Wordless Prison”
“Reaching Out”
“The Remedy”
“I Am Numb”
“This Chaotic Symphony”
“Learning To Fly”
“Now I Walk Away” | 0 | |
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8 èþí 2025
ABIGAIL WILLIAMS Releases New Track “Still Nights”; Visualizer Video
 American black metal act, Abigail Williams, previews its upcoming studio album A Void Within Existence, out July 18 via Agonia Records, with a new single, “Still Nights”. Watch its visualizer video, below:
The follow-up to 2019’s Walk Beyond the Dark marks a new chapter in the band’s relentless evolution; an album that not only expands upon the atmospheric darkness and melodic brutality of its predecessor, but pushes further into extremes, both sonically and emotionally.
Produced by frontman Ken Sorceron and mixed by renowned engineer Dave Otero (Aborted, Akhlys), A Void Within Existence is a scorched offering of black metal transcendence: harrowing, cinematic, and utterly uncompromising. Drums are performed by the virtuosic Mike Heller (Fear Factory, Ghost Bath), whose work here blurs the line between precision and chaos.
Lyrically, the album dives deep into existential themes of loss, disintegration, and unreality. Tracks like “Still Nights” and “No Less Than Death” reflect on identity through surreal and fragmented images – distant lights, poisoned memories, dreams where “there is no pain.” Elsewhere, songs like “Embrace The Chasm” and “Life, Disconnected” summon visions of cosmic dread and personal oblivion, confronting the listener with raw emotion and esoteric vision.
The record is accompanied by striking cover art from Eliran Kantor (Testament, Bloodbath), whose visual interpretation mirrors the inner desolation and mythic scope of the music.
“This record was born in the quiet hours, when everything felt hollow,” Sorceron reflects. “A Void Within Existence isn’t just a title – it’s a feeling I couldn’t shake while writing. There’s a loneliness threaded through these songs that came from somewhere deeper than I expected. The world outside was falling apart, and in a way, so was the one inside. I wanted to push beyond the limits we explored on Walk Beyond the Dark. Sonically, emotionally, spiritually – nothing was off-limits. I produced the album to stay close to that vision, and with Dave Otero on the mix and Mike Heller behind the kit, everything came to life exactly how I heard it in my head: raw, vast, and crushing. This is a record about absence. About peeling away what isn’t real – examining the void left behind. If there’s anything left after that – maybe it’s the truth. Maybe it’s just the void. Either way, this is the most honest I’ve ever been. A Void Within Existence is more than an album. It’s a crucible – a journey through the fire where only shadow and silence remain.”
Surpassing its 20th year of existence (having been formed in 2004), Abigail Williams has upgraded its formula to a quartet, comprising Ken Sorceron (ex-Aborted, ex-The Faceless, Vale Of Pnath, Nachtmystium) on vocals and guitars, Vance Valenzuela (Vale Of Pnath) on guitars, John Porada (ex-Nachtmystium, ex-Wolvhammer) on bass and Mike Heller (Fear Factory, Malignancy) on drums. With Sorceron retaining his leading role, the band expands on its unique and intensive sound, forged throughout five studio albums, and anchored in black metal with shades of death metal & symphonic metal.
Formats:
– Digipak CD
– Tape
– Ash Grey LP
– Lothlorien LP
– Savannah LP
– Digital
Tracklisting:
“Life, Disconnected”
“Void Within”
“Nonexistence”
“Still Nights”
“Talk To Your Sleep”
“Embrace The Chasm”
“No Less Than Death” | +1 | |
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8 èþí 2025
WYTCH HAZEL Drops New Single And Video “Elements”
 Acclaimed British hard rock band, Wytch Hazel, will release its new album, Wytch Hazel V: Lamentations, on July 4 via Bad Omen Records. Recorded with longtime producer Ed Turner (The Ettes, Heavy Trash, Purson), Lamentations delivers uplifting, powerful heavy music, rife with a Maidenesque jubilance, that builds on the momentum of the band’s lush catalog, including the LPs Prelude, II: Sojourn, III: Pentecost and 2023’s IV: Sacrament, a record hailed as “gloriously bright heavy metal” which landed at #15 on Billboard’s Top New Artists Albums in its first week of release.
Pre-order/pre-save Wytch Hazel V: Lamentations here.
In advance of the the LP’s release, Wytch Hazel drops a video for its new song, “Elements”, captured by Wild Stag Studio. With concentrated shades of Blue Öyster Cult circa Fire Of Unknown Origin, “Elements” has a bright, buoyant bounce and effervescent surge to warm the coldest heart, its sweet solo blending hummable melodic ingenuity with spontaneous flair.
“Elements is a nod to both 70’s FM radio rock and bands who experimented with interesting and progressive ideas such as BÖC and Kansas,” vocalist/guitarist Colin Hendra. “Lyrically, I really enjoyed playing around with the concept of weather and how powerful and beyond the control of man it is. It felt like a challenge at the time, and a little out of my comfort zone, but I’m extremely happy with the song as a whole. It feels cohesive now the time has been spent on it”.
Stream/download the single here, and watch the video below:
Led by Hendra, Wytch Hazel is a singular source of hard rock/heavy metal dominion. The quartet have continually underscored and bolstered a signature sound rooted in heroic days of yore, finessed to an elegant apex. The fifth Wytch Hazel album is overflowing with indelible earworms the likes of which must be heard to be believed. And believe, you shall.
“I believe things have meanings and significance,” Hendra emphasizes. “Music isn’t just a self-indulgent, entertainment thing, for me it’s a huge part of my life, very special, very magical and very meaningful. I want Wytch Hazel to be a force for good, a healing power.”
The first track released from Lamentations is the galloping “Woven”, a shining example of Wytch Hazel’s avant-garde songcraft. “Woven” radiates a wholesome rustic charm tempered with pensive melancholy, its scrupulous simplicity belying its ability to continue blossoming with every spin. Stream “Woven” here, and watch a visualizer for the single below.
“On “Woven”, in particular, you can hear us locking in and playing off each other in the room,” says Hendra of this crafty singalong. “I really wanted to write a heavy rock song about sensitivity and gentleness which you don’t hear too much of really. There’s this section where it goes quiet after the lyrics “be sensitive” then a big guitar solo comes in where I try my best to shred and let it all loose. This heavenly lead, initially improvised, then had to be slowed down and meticulously relearnt.” | 0 | |
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8 èþí 2025
RISING STEEL To Release Legion Of The Grave Album In August; “King Of The Universe” Music Video Posted
 Rising Steel have announced the release of their new studio album, Legion Of The Grave, set for release on August 29 via Frontiers Music Srl. The first single and official video, “King Of The Universe”, are available now, offering a taste of the sound of the new record.
Talking about the first single, the band stated: “’King Of The Universe’ stands as a powerful anthem of freedom. Inspired by the Silver Surfer breaking free from Galactus, the song parallels humanity’s struggle to break free from societal and psychological constraints. With cosmic storytelling, dramatic tension, classic heavy riffs, and a chorus that lodges itself in your memory, the track captures the heart of the album: epic, introspective, and unmistakably heavy metal.”
About the album, they commented: “Sharpened in both sound and spirit, we returned to a more old-school heavy metal approach – without losing the raw energy and intensity that have long defined our style. Every track hits with precision, driven by razor-sharp riffs, commanding vocals, and an organic production that channels the true passion of real metal.”
“The album explores darker and more introspective themes, focusing on lost identity, inner struggles, and the strength to rise again. With a mix of raw emotion and powerful imagery, we aim to take the listener on a journey through personal battles that reflect broader human experiences. It’s both a statement of resistance and a search for meaning”, they added.
Rising Steel’s new album, Legion Of The Grave is their fourth full-length studio effort and it sees the French metallers playing as ferociously as ever, while continuing to evolve their heavy and aggressive sound.
The album was recorded in France by Mathieu Gaud and Steel Zard at Studio de la Plaine (KNT) and Lezard Studio. Mixing duties were handled by Staffan Karlsson and Rickard Bengtsson at Sweetspot Studio in Sweden, known for their work with bands like Meshuggah and Arch Enemy. It was mastered by the renowned Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in Finland, ensuring a production that’s as powerful and precise as the music itself.
Based in Grenoble, France, Rising Steel deliver a “not so” classical heavy metal experience, drawing strong influence from the ‘80s NWOBHM movement, as well as elements of hard rock and thrash. With nods to iconic bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, their music also appeals to fans of Metallica, Accept, Saxon, Grand Magus, Nevermore, and Slayer.
Following the release of their debut EP Warlord (2014) and the full-length album Return Of The Warlord (2016), the band gained traction by sharing stages with acts such as Jaded Heart, Sister Sin, Nightmare, ADX, Nashville Pussy, and Annihilator. This helped increase their international visibility.
Their second and third albums, Fight Them All and Beyond The Gates Of Hell, both released via Frontiers Music Srl, further cemented their reputation in the European metal scene.
Now, with Legion Of The Grave, Rising Steel return with an explosive offering full of crushing riffs, high-speed rhythms, and no-compromise heavy metal power. It’s a must listen for headbangers seeking pure, unfiltered metal mayhem.
Pre-order the album here.
Legion Of The Grave tracklisting:
“Betrayer”
“King Of The Universe”
“Black Martin”
“Legion Of The Grave”
“Nightmare”
“Venomous”
“Messiah Of Death”
“Dead Mind”
“Trapped In A Soul’s Garden”
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8 èþí 2025
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