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8 èþí 2025
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8 èþí 2025
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7 èþí 2025
GWAR Shares New Single 'The Great Circus Train Disaster' From Multimedia Release 'The Return of Gor Gor'
 Shock rock legends GWAR continue their 40th-anniversary celebration with the release of their new single, "The Great Circus Train Disaster", the second track unveiled from their upcoming multimedia release "The Return of Gor Gor", due out July 25 via Pit Records and Z2 Comics.
The new single arrives with an animated adventure that captures the mayhem and madness only GWAR can deliver, telling the tale of a catastrophic circus train derailment involving flaming elephants, twisted clowns, and one extremely unlucky cotton candy vendor.
GWAR guitarist Grodius Maximus comments on "The Great Circus Train Disaster": "The song just kinda came to us one day while we were all hanging out injecting ketamine and crushed-up insects into our dick holes. We were f****d up for days as we experienced hallucinations of charred clown bodies, lobster people impaled on stalagmites, and the unholy image of our pet baby dinosaur being whored out as sexual meat to a greasy mass of scabies encrusted republicans and greased up catholic priests. When we came to, the song was fully formed. All we had to do was hit record and BOOM... 'The Great Circus Train Disaster' was born...
"Now, MTV and Def Jam Recordings are knocking down our door. Charlie XCX, SLIPKNOT and Garth Brooks all want to collaborate with us, and to be honest, this type of success is just a bit overwhelming. Yeah, we get it. We're amazing songwriters... Deal with it!"
"The Return Of Gor Gor" features three brand new GWAR songs mixed by Kurt Ballou (CONVERGE, GodCity Studios) and four live tracks captured at The Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia during GWAR's 2024 tour, mixed by Chris Ronan Murphy. All songs were produced by GWAR and mastered by Alan Douches. The release also includes a 32-page comic detailing Gor Gor's return, which is included with all versions. Vinyl editions boast an animated etching of Gor Gor on Side A, with a semi-translucent etched deep purple vinyl available exclusively at GWAR.net and semi-translucent etched green vinyl at Z2Comics.com. A deluxe hardback edition is also available.
40 years ago, the intergalactic warlords of GWAR emerged from their Antarctic tomb to conquer the Earth with their barbaric blend of metal and mayhem. Over the decades, their monstrous live shows and relentless discography have solidified them as the ultimate overlords of shock rock. Now, with BälSäc, Beefcake, JiZMak and Blothar joined by the mighty shredder Grodius of the Maximus Clan, GWAR embarks on their latest quest — to reclaim their savage pet, Gor Gor, who mysteriously disappeared following the death of their former frontman, Oderus Urungus.
GWAR's Blöthar The Berserker comments on "The Return Of Gor Gor": "The last time I saw Gor Gor, he was just a wee fart dragon. He had crawled on the hood of my Kia Soul and was holding on for dear life while I drove to the store to buy Clamato. I bathed him in wiper fluid and used my wipers to knock him off my sweet ride. Next thing I know, he's a 20-foot tall trans-species prostitute working a pickle park. Apparently, he's all grown up and looking for revenge. This record chronicles his struggles as a young Dino-American trying to make his way in a cruel world."
"The Return Of Gor Gor" track listing:
01. The Great Circus Train Disaster
02. Tyrant King
03. Lot Lizard
04. Crack In The Egg (Live)
05. The Founding Fathers (Live)
06. America Must Be Destroyed (Live)
07. Fishfuck (Live)
GWAR will be on the road all year as part of its 40th-anniversary celebration.
About the excursion, Blöthar says: "This tour is gonna suck. Once again we will be onstage suffering through the attacks of a giant tyrant lizard just so humans can come to the gigs and get shitfaced on White Claws and show us their tits. Please, for the love of all that is holy, show us your tits."
Photo credit: Shawn Stanley | +3 | |
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7 èþí 2025
BUSH Shares Music Video For 'The Land Of Milk And Honey' Single From Upcoming 'I Beat Loneliness' Album
 Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum rock band BUSH has released the official music video for the song "The Land Of Milk And Honey" from the group's upcoming album, "I Beat Loneliness", due out July 18 via earMUSIC.
Blistering and poetic, "The Land Of Milk And Honey" delivers a visceral punch, fusing raw emotion with unflinching social commentary. Produced by BUSH frontman Gavin Rossdale and Erik Ron (PANIC! AT THE DISCO),the track stands as a defiant anthem of resistance — personal and political — examining the illusion of freedom in a world ruled by power, obsession, and disconnection. With its searing lyrics, electrified energy, and unrelenting urgency, the song captures the razor's edge between survival and surrender, where fire smolders and love teeters.
Rossdale states about the new single: "'The Land Of Milk And Honey' is a wild ride into the heart of the new record, 'I Beat Loneliness'. It's built to be played loud — to liberate and uplift. That's the spirit behind it."
Produced by Rossdale and Ron, "I Beat Loneliness" marks BUSH's tenth studio album — a powerful testament to the band's enduring legacy and continued evolution. The record blends their grunge-rooted intensity with fresh textures and themes exploring mental health, solitude, and resilience.
This past April, BUSH released "60 Ways To Forget People" as a first taste of "I Beat Loneliness". Rossdale said at the time: "What I feel about this record is it addresses the common struggles we all have. '60 Ways To Forget People' is an ode to sacrifice and a dedication to the focus it takes to be better. All the time and in all things."
"I Beat Loneliness" track listing:
01. Scars
02. I Beat Loneliness
03. The Land Of Milk And Honey
04. We're All The Same On The Inside
05. I Am Here To Save Your Life
06. 60 Ways To Forget People
07. Love Me Till The Pain Fades
08. We Are Of This Earth
09. Everyone Is Broken
10. Don't Be Afraid
11. Footsteps In The Sand
12. Rebel With A Cause
BUSH will tour across North America from July 19 to August 30, before heading overseas to join VOLBEAT for a series of dates across Europe from September 18 through November 13.
In a recent interview with São Paulo, Brazil's 89 FM A Rádio Rock radio station, Rossdale stated about the 12 songs featured on "I Beat Loneliness": "I know that everyone [says] no one cares [about full albums anymore] and it's [all about] these singles, but I think that if I like an act, if I like a band, I just wanna hear their body of work. I don't wanna hear just one song. I'm a musician, so I wanna know what 12 ideas someone has, not just one idea. And so I'm excited for that. But I understand most people just listen to one song and move on, with so many bands. But [I'm] very excited about it."
Asked what fans can expect to hear on the new BUSH album, Gavin said: "Oh, it's in a similar vein to [2022's] 'The Art Of Survival' and [2020's] 'The Kingdom' — super detuned, super heavy, but there's moments of light. And so it's not like angst [all the way through], but it's just very… It is very sort of centered on people's mental health and well-being and those kind of challenges, because it becomes more and more apparent, people suffering more and more. So music is often the way that people — it's like a medicine. So it's really good to have heavy subjects within the songs, but the songs have loads of hope and light and lift you up. I want people to come see us and have a great experience. It's not a doom-and-gloom [collection of songs]; it's a sort of a, how do we fight the good fight?"
Gavin also spoke about the inspiration for the "I Beat Loneliness" title, saying: "The reason why I like that title — [there's] a song called that — is because anybody who has a degree of melancholy in their heart, and it's normal; sometimes you feel good, sometimes have a melancholy. And it's good to be reflective. You can't be smiling like a moron the whole time, like a maniac, so the idea of beating loneliness is that it's impossible, because you can't. But it's beautiful 'cause the idea is that if you feel you beat it, it's like a respite, and you're not in that mindset. But it's all temporary, because you come back and that sort of feeling can flood in. But I just like the idea 'cause it's impossible."
In January, Rossdale told Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada's 104.9 The Wolf radio station about "I Beat Loneliness": "I'm so thrilled about the record. It's successful to me because I'm really proud of it. And I think that people who like the band will be really, really into it and we might get some new fans as well. But it's good to feel fulfilled by when you make a record, and not, like, 'Oh, man. I should've done this, should've done that.' I think it's really good."
Earlier in January, Gavin told iHeartRadio's JD Lewis about the "I Beat Loneliness" title: "Well, it's one of those weird titles. It's an infinite title because you can never beat loneliness; you can just only beat it temporarily.
"I feel that the connection with the band and the power that we have, from talking to a lot of people that see us, is people can kind of connect with the music and connect with the words and make their own narratives about it," he continued. "But we've created this blueprint for people through the years.
"More and more mental health has been sort of brought to the discussion kind of around us all at the moment — people are talking about people's wellness a lot. And I've always been into that human-condition thing since the beginning of BUSH — it's like music of complaints and hopes and sort of disappointments and aspirations and all that stuff. So it's just like living.
"A lot of people are struggling so much that it's just such an ironic title, I thought," Rossdale added. "It's one of those things, when I thought of it and it just came, I was, like, 'Oh my god, it's a precious phrase.' And I just like that idea of that sense of bravado that you've beaten loneliness, because we all suffer from melancholia or whatever, and I think that's a healthy thing because it makes you reflective and sort of appreciative of the good times. And I'm not a negative person — I'm really positive — so I just think that you have to go through this sort of like storm clouds to get to the good bits. And so the title just stuck with me."
Rossdale also talked about the importance of youth mental health, especially as it relates to his three songs Kingston, Zuma and Apollo. He said: "I think it's absolutely essential, because I think that what happened is that with COVID, one of the biggest things for kids is COVID took away all that socialization. So all those two, three years where they were meant to be sort of learning how to be with their peers, I noticed with my own kids, that was taken away from them. They didn't have that time. And so I think that's been a real struggle for people, for kids especially, to learn how to adapt, how to be social, because they haven't had the same things that maybe we had. We didn't grow up through a pandemic. And so that is what really affects me. And kids are so mean — bullying in schools, ostracization, all that stuff. Kids are mean. And the way the world is set up is really scary for that."
Gavin went on to speak about the dangers of social media and how it is not an accurate reflection of society but more like a funhouse mirror distorted by a small but vocal minority of extreme outliers.
"Social media, expectations, people feeling they're not having a fulfilled life 'cause they look at Instagram or wherever and they see people with these great lives, when we all know that those lives are kind of hollow and have their have their troubles as well," he said. "But things are portrayed that people just get lost in that sort of rat race of thinking that they've gotta try and keep up with their friends. I mean, I look at Instagram and I'm always, like, 'Man, I need to live better.' I'm just, like, 'No, no, don't fall for it. Don't fall for it. Your life is fine. You have great things going on.' So I think that's where it's really difficult for kids, the sense that they're not in the right place at the right time. They're generally [of the opinion that they're] in the wrong place at the wrong time and everyone else is having a great time. And that's super dangerous for people to think that."
Rossdale previously talked about the "I Beat Loneliness" title in a December 2024 interview with Voice Of America's (VOA) "Border Crossings". Regarding why he chose to call the new BUSH record "I Beat Loneliness", the 59-year-old musician said: "Because I think that everyone is struggling the whole time." He added: "It's funny because when I reflect on the career that I've had and the songs that I've written, they do say that most people write one song over and over, and my theme that I've always dealt with is sort of people's mental health and their feelings and kind of the landscape of the landmines of hurt that we all live through. Everybody has so much broken stuff that they just sort of put the face on, go out and deal with it. But everybody having these crazy triggers — you see that suicide rates are insane, suicides among the military, the ex-military, men three times more likely to commit suicide as women. It's just people are hurting. And so my literal simple role in life, in that sort of Japanese concept of a vocation, is really writing songs about people and about feelings. And it's funny because when I began, it wasn't like that. You could just complain in songs, but I always wanted to have this sort of sense of hope, this sense of help and support and close community and people and love and friendship and kindness. And so I've written like that.
"So 'I Beat Loneliness', it's just probably the best title I've ever written because, of course, it's self-fulfilling in its impossibility," he continued. "'Cause you can't say you beat loneliness, 'cause if you say you beat loneliness, it means that you're a really melancholic person who beat loneliness for about 20 minutes, and it's coming back the next day like a boomerang. So I just like that idea of that bravado. It's strength. It's not bravado. It's strength in the face of adversity."
2024 marked the 30th anniversary of the release of BUSH's six-times-platinum debut album, "Sixteen Stone".
Last summer, BUSH celebrated its 30th anniversary with an extensive North American headline tour. The "Loaded: The Greatest Hits Tour" kicked off on July 26 in Bend, Oregon and included shows at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey and the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Most of the dates were produced by Live Nation. Jerry Cantrell and CANDLEBOX were the special guests on all dates.
BUSH released "Loaded: The Greatest Hits 1994-2023" in November 2023 via Round Hill Records. The set included a new song called "Nowhere To Go But Everywhere", which was written by Gavin and produced by Rossdale and Corey Britz.
With over 24 million records sold, 1.1 billion streams and a procession of No. 1 singles, the band — comprising Rossdale, Chris Traynor (guitar),Corey Britz (bass) and Nik Hughes (drums) — stand tall as rock outliers whose imprint only widens as the years pass. "Loaded: The Greatest Hits 1994-2023" (Round Hill Records),their first-ever greatest-hits collection, provides an expansive view of their incredible legacy with 21 tracks spanning nearly 30 years — from their breakthrough hit "Everything's Zen" to the aforementioned "Nowhere To Go But Everywhere".
"Loaded" included iconic hits from each of BUSH's nine studio albums as well as "Mouth" (The Stingray Mix) from the 1997 remix album "Deconstructed" and a cover of THE BEATLES' "Come Together" that saw a very limited release in 2012.
BUSH broke up in 2002 but reformed in 2010, and has since released five albums: "The Sea of Memories" (2011),"Man On The Run" (2014),"Black And White Rainbows" (2017) and the aforementioned "The Kingdom" and "The Art Of Survival".
"Black And White Rainbows" was crafted after Rossdale went through a divorce with pop star/reality TV judge Gwen Stefani in 2015.
Photo credit: Chapman Baehler | +1 | |
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7 èþí 2025
OZZY OSBOURNE And BLACK SABBATH's Final Show 'Back To The Beginning' To Stream Worldwide
 On July 5, music history will be made and now, fans around the globe won't miss a second. Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince Of Darkness, will take to the stage for his last-ever live performance, joined by the original BLACK SABBATH lineup for the first and last time in two decades.
With a lineup that reads like a Hall Of Fame roll call, "Back To The Beginning" isn't just a concert; it's a global celebration of metal, culminating in a final, thunderous farewell to the genre's godfather.
BLACK SABBATH's original lineup — Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward — will reunite for the first time in 20 years to headline the sold-out event. They'll be joined by metal's most iconic and influential acts — METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, TOOL, SLAYER, PANTERA, GOJIRA, HALESTORM, ALICE IN CHAINS, LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX, MASTODON and RIVAL SONS — all performing as part of this monumental moment, now confirmed for a global livestream.
With the concert, which proudly supports charities close to Ozzy's heart selling out in under 16 minutes, those who missed out on being there in person can immerse themselves in what is set to be the greatest heavy metal show ever. Broadcast directly from Birmingham, United Kingdom's Villa Park, fans around the world will be able to watch the entire metal family come together to celebrate Ozzy Osbourne's legacy, as he takes the stage for the last time. Ozzy is set to play his own short set before joining with BLACK SABBATH for their final-ever performance.
This won't just be watched, it will be remembered. For fans who've followed Ozzy's 50-year reign, the global livestream offers a front row seat to a once-in-a-lifetime goodbye. They'll have access to the raw livestream from 3:00 p.m. on July 5, and will also have exclusive access to rewatch the concert in its entirety for another 48 hours.
Livestream tickets will go on sale at 15:00 on Friday, June 6 at www.backtothebeginning.com.
Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne said: "We had such an overwhelming demand from fans from around the globe, who couldn't get tickets to the show, and they took to social media, pleading with us to broadcast a livestream of the show. Being this is such a historic event, we just couldn't let them down."
"Back To The Beginning" will be captured, produced and distributed by Mercury Studios ("One To One: John & Yoko", "American Symphony", "Metallica Saved My Life"),who are pioneering the way for premium, music-driven storytelling across film, television, podcasts and immersive formats. Mercury has partnered with Kiswe — the global D2C streaming partner behind the record-breaking BTS concert livestream — to deliver this unforgettable moment of music history to fans across the globe.
Kelly Sweeney, managing director of Mercury Studios, said: "Mercury Studios are incredibly proud to be involved in capturing this monumental milestone at Villa Park. 'Back To The Beginning' will be an unforgettable experience, and our aim is to deliver this moment to fans worldwide, wherever they are, so they don't miss out on seeing music history being made."
The all-day event at Villa Park, produced by Live Nation, will be hosted and compered by American actor Jason Momoa, and feature a supergroup of musicians.
This past February, Sharon told The Sun that her husband is struggling to walk amid his battle with Parkinsons disease, but that his singing voice is "as good as ever". She said: "[Ozzy's] very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this.
"Parkinson's is a progressive disease. It's not something you can stabilize. It affects different parts of the body and it's affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it's ever been."
Proceeds from the "Back To The Beginning" show will support Cure Parkinson's, the Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice, a Children's Hospice supported by Aston Villa.
According to Sharon, Ozzy, who paused touring "for now" in 2023 after extensive spinal surgery and rescheduled his "No More Tours 2" shows from going ahead several times because of illness, the pandemic and logistical issues, will not play any more shows after the Villa Park event.
"Ozzy didn't have a chance to say goodbye to his friends, to his fans, and he feels there's no been no full stop," she explained. "This is his full stop."
In addition, there will be a performance by a "supergroup of musicians" including Duff McKagan and Slash (GUNS 'N' ROSES),Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS),Fred Durst (LIMP BIZKIT),K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST),Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE),Wolfgang Van Halen (VAN HALEN, MAMMOTH WVH) and Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE).
"It's an endless amount of people," said Sharon. "They're going to be doing some SABBATH songs, some Ozzy songs, and they'll all mix together. Different little groups will be coming on, but they're all icons."
The original lineup of BLACK SABBATH last performed in 2005. Since then, SABBATH has played in partial reunions but never in its original lineup.
"For Ozzy right now, it's definitely: 'I love you and good night'," Sharon told Reuters.
She added that Ozzy was doing well and excited about the gig. "It's stimulated him," she said. "He's very, very excited and very thankful that he can do it."
The legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman was diagnosed in 2003 with Parkin 2 — a very rare genetic form of Parkinson's. During a TV appearance in January 2020, the singer disclosed that he was 'stricken" with the disease which occurs when the nerve cells of the body degenerate and levels of dopamine are reduced. Dopamine is an essential chemical that is produced by these nerve cells which send signals to different parts of the brain to control movements of the body.
Ozzy's health issues, including suffering a nasty fall and dislodging metal rods placed in his spine following a quad-bike accident in 2003, as well as catching COVID-19 three years ago, forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours.
While Osbourne's health issues forced him to scrap most of his live appearances, the musician said he would return if his condition improved.
Osbourne's previously announced European tour with guests JUDAS PRIEST, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, was officially canceled in early February 2023.
Despite his health problems, Osbourne has performed a couple of times in the last three years, including at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August 2022 and at the NFL halftime show at the season opener Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills game in September 2022.
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7 èþí 2025
Ex-BUTCHER BABIES Singer CARLA HARVEY Shares THE VIOLENT HOUR Single 'Hell Or Hollywood' Feat. ZAKK WYLDE, CHARLIE BENANTE
 Founding vocalist for the metal band BUTCHER BABIES, comic book author, artist, novelist, and the holder of multiple degrees in mortuary science and thanatology, singer/musician Carla Harvey has released "Hell Or Hollywood", the second single from her new project THE VIOLENT HOUR, via Megaforce Records. The new track features PANTERA guitarist and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY frontman Zakk Wylde.
Carla comments: "I wanted to write a song that felt the way I did when I first moved to Los Angeles at twenty, like my motorcycle boots hitting the Sunset Strip for the very first time. I had driven across the country with nothing but a paper map, no friends, no plan — just a dream. I figured I'd survive somehow, and every day was exactly that: survival. There were moments that nearly broke me, followed by the kind of euphoric highs that made it all worth it. That's what Hell or Hollywood is: the chaos, illusion and grit in perfect juxtaposition. Wouldn't leave it if you could…"
Harvey's fiancé, ANTHRAX and PANTERA drummer Charlie Benante, who wrote the project's music and played all instruments on the EP, adds: "Carla grew up loving GUNS N' ROSES, and since they were so heavily influenced by AEROSMITH, I wanted to write something that paid tribute to both.
"The riff on 'Hell Or Hollywood' is the kind that stands on its own — even without vocals, it's got a swagger to it. And having Zakk Wylde on the solo? He brought this raw, six string grit that rips through the track. You hear it and instantly know — it's him."
In April, Carla released the official music video for "Sick Ones", the first single from THE VIOLENT HOUR. The track features MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist John 5.
"'Sick Ones' is a rock 'n' roll anthem about cutting the toxic people out of your life," said Harvey. "It's a call of freedom, a fist-to-the-face to anyone who has tried to hold you down, hold you back or dim your light. It was written at a vulnerable time in my life when I was forced to end relationships I thought would last forever.
"When choosing a theme for this song," Harvey added, "I thought about a phrase I had scrawled across a journal from 1999: 'Cut The Sick Ones Loose.' Those words became my mantra over the last couple years and felt perfect to chant over Charlie's guitar riffs. 'Sick Ones' also features an absolutely shredding guitar solo by John 5 that brings this thrasher to a whole different level."
"'Sick Ones' has a modernized NWOBHM (New wave of British heavy metal) vibe to it," added Benante. "The riff is very catchy and stays with you like a good riff should. 'Sick Ones' is just the tip of the iceberg for this project. Many of the songs we crafted for THE VIOLENT HOUR are unlike anything Carla has ever done as a vocalist, reflecting different moods and a new beginning. The music flowed out of me because I had this motivation, this drive...it was unstoppable."
The "Sick Ones" video script, written by Harvey and directed by Industrialism Films' Vicente Cordero (BLACK VEIL BRIDES, Kat Von D),sees Harvey portraying each of the video's five personalities.
"While 'Sick Ones' is about cutting toxic people out of your life — those who constantly devalue you — I wanted to flip that narrative for the video," Harvey said. "I've always been interested in the idea that sometimes the most dangerous person to confront is yourself. The video explores what it means to face those darker versions of who we've been and whether we can truly leave them behind… or, as the ending suggests, learn to coexist peacefully. Vicente took my vision and brought it to life. I came to him with a wild idea and no clue how to execute it — and we made it work! I loved getting a chance to play multiple larger-than-life characters."
Not many people have comic book author, embalmer and musician on their resumes. Carla boasts all three and so much more.
Carla was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan — a city known for its grit, resilience, and often deep divides. Navigating life as a bi-racial kid in a fractured environment wasn't easy, but Carla found her escape in art, music, and self-expression. By day, she hustled, attending the prestigious College For Creative Studies alongside working odd jobs like perfume counter girl and gas station attendant, and by night, she was on stage with local bands, saving every dollar she could for a one-way trip to Los Angeles.
At twenty, she put all her belongings in her car and navigated from Detroit to Hollywood with a paper map. In L.A., she landed acting roles on shows like "Rules Of Engagement", played in bands searching for her sound, and never stopped creating. But beyond the music was a driven academic. Carla had a deep love for science and eventually pursued a Bachelor Of Mortuary Science (graduating as valedictorian) and a Master Of Science in thanatology. Carla became a licensed funeral director and embalmer and founded her own grief counseling service — all while touring the world extensively as a founding member of the BUTCHER BABIES.
Today, In addition to her music career, Carla is a grief specialist for the innovative death care company Parting Stone that transforms cremated remains into environmentally friendly stones that the departed's family can hold, treasure and honor.
Beyond her professional life, Carla is a devoted collector of pop culture oddities: comics, wrestling figures, vintage Barbies, Elvira, the Incredible Hulk, and rock relics from her wildest nights in Hollywood. She still holds on to her Rainbow Bar & Grill drink tickets from the '90s and a poker chip from Lemmy's last birthday party. Her creative heroes — Russ Meyers, Robert Williams, Robert Crumb and Charles Bukowski — mirror her love of the bold and the raw.
To date, Carla has released six albums, multiple comic books and a 2014 novel, "Death And Other Dances". But if you ask her…she's still just a blue-collar kid from the Midwest with big dreams.
BUTCHER BABIES announced their split with Harvey in July 2024, saying in a statement that "Carla has been an integral part of our journey, bringing her unique talent, passion, and energy to the band," and wishing "her all the best in her future endeavors."
Carla, who co-founded BUTCHER BABIES in 2010 with fellow vocalist Heidi Shepherd, confirmed her exit from the band in a separate post, saying that she was "super proud" of her work with BUTCHER BABIES and adding that she was "not done making music and performing."
In the fall of 2023, BUTCHER BABIES completed a European tour without Carla, who sat out the trek in order to undergo emergency surgery on her left eye.
In January 2024, Harvey and Benante announced that they were officially engaged.
Photo credit: Lynn Yati
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7 èþí 2025
Masked Mystery Band PRESIDENT Releases Second Single, 'Fearless'
 Mysterious masked British rock band PRESIDENT, which is rumored to be fronted by Charlie Simpson of the pop-punk act BUSTED and the post-hardcore outfit FIGHTSTAR, has released its second single, "Fearless", via King Of Terrors/ADA. (Notably, King Of Terrors Limited is a London-based company with Charles Robert Simpson listed as its director.)
Operating at the intersection of heavy music, electronic experimentation, and cinematic atmosphere, PRESIDENT doesn't conform to the traditional structures of genre or identity. Prioritizing intent over image and shifting the spotlight away from those who have created this movement, firmly onto the music itself.
PRESIDENT will make its live debut at U.K.'s Download festival on June 15. The band's first headlining concert will take place on July 30 at the Garage in London.
Last month, PRESIDENT released its debut single, "In The Name Of The Father".
A press release announcing "In The Name Of The Father" described the track as "a raw meditation on existential fear and the inevitability of death, referencing the 'King Of Terrors.'"
PRESIDENT said in a statement: "Something has been stirring. A growing noise, a ripple through the republic of the underground. We called. You listened. Your curiosity, your questions, your conversation… We have witnessed it all.
"Here, we make our first proclamation. 'In The Name Of The Father'. This is the first crack in the surface. This is your PRESIDENT. We'll be seeing you soon.
"Godspeed".
In February, it was announced that PRESIDENT would perform at this year's Download festival. At the time, very little information about the band's identities was released, and a photograph of PRESIDENT on the event's web site depicted a shadowy figure against a red neon-lit backdrop.
Earlier this year, a Reddit user discovered that the U.K. trademark for "PRESIDENT" was registered under Komorebi Entertainment Limited, a company owned by Simpson.
Simpson previously wore a mask for his appearance on the British version of the singing show "The Masked Singer" in 2023 as Rhino.
PRESIDENT will perform on the Dogtooth Stage at Download on Sunday, June 15 at 4:25 p.m.
Charlie is a 39-year-old multi-instrumentalist who was born into a musical family. He began his career as one third of the multi-BRIT award-winning pop rock outfit BUSTED before forming alternative rock group FIGHTSTAR. | 0 | |
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7 èþí 2025
AIRBOURNE Releases First New Song In Six Years, 'Gutsy'
 Australian hard rockers AIRBOURNE are back with "Gutsy", their first new song in six years. Bristling with attitude and intent, this is AIRBOURNE on steroids — fired up and pissed off, ready to take on the world.
For AIRBOURNE frontman and lead guitarist Joel O'Keeffe, his brother Ryan on drums, longtime bassist Justin Street, and recent recruit Brett Tyrrell on rhythm guitar, "Gutsy" powerfully underlines everything they stand for, a blood-and-sweat commitment to the rock 'n' roll cause, and a burning desire to honor the true heroes of the genre. More than just a title, "Gutsy" is a declaration. A worldview. A line drawn deep in the sand… "It's how you live, it's how you die…"
Joel comments: "When the odds are stacked against you and the battle you're fighting seems impossible to win; when the vultures are circling and the last chance saloon has firmly bolted its doors; when your plane is hitting the runway on a single engine, and that engine is on fire; and when the things you hold as precious, the things that define you, are being tested at every turn, then the choices available become a lot clearer: fold or fight… call for help or cry for glory… give in or Get 'Gutsy'!"
Produced by Brian Howes, who also worked with AIRBOURNE on 2013's "Black Dog Barking" album, engineered by Canadian studio legend Mike Fraser (AC/DC, AEROSMITH, RUSH, METALLICA),and mixed by Zakk Cervini (DAYSEEKER, BRING ME THE HORIZON, ARCHITECTS, MACHINE GUN KELLY),"Gutsy" marks the first new music from the Australian outfit since 2019's "Boneshaker" album.
From the first ringing guitar chord (and it's no coincidence it sounds like a bell!),"Gutsy" makes zero apologies for being big, bold, and bombastic. It's a layered, fully cranked take on signature AIRBOURNE sonics, and packs enough low-end punch to work as a defibrillator in moments of crisis.
For Joel and Ryan, voracious students of hard rock, the mythology, the sacred rites, "Gutsy" stands tall, shoulders back and chest out. It's a potent call to arms. A rallying cry for fans and band alike.
"We went into this writing and recording session with a clear idea of what we wanted to achieve," concludes Joel. "It was a question of legacy. Let's create something that can stand the test of time, both in terms of our own story and the hard rock world in general. Let's plant our flag as close to the summit as possible, and if we have to make that final part of the ascent without oxygen, so be it. NO turning back. Get 'Gutsy'!!!"
Tyrrell joined AIRBOURNE in 2022 as the replacement for Matthew Harrison, who stepped into the band in 2018 after the departure of founding member David Roads.
AIRBOURNE bassist Justin Street joined the band in 2004 as the replacement for Luke McKenzie.
AIRBOURNE is:
Joel O'Keeffe - Frontman/Lead Guitar
Ryan O'Keeffe - Drums
Justin Street - Bass
Brett Tyrrell - Rhythm Guitar
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7 èþí 2025
Listen To EVANESCENCE's Collaboration With Alt-Rock Visionary K.FLAY, 'Fight Like A Girl', From 'Ballerina' Movie
 Grammy Award-winning rock band EVANESCENCE and alt-rock visionary K.Flay have teamed up for their first-ever collaboration on the explosive new song "Fight Like A Girl" (BMG). The track is featured as the first end title song in "Ballerina", the hotly anticipated film set in the world of John Wick. Both the song and the film are out today (Friday, June 6). You can now listen to "Fight Like A Girl" below.
Co-written by EVANESCENCE lead singer Amy Lee, K.Flay, Dylan Eiland and "Ballerina" film composer Tyler Bates, who also produced the track, "Fight Like A Girl" follows the release of Halsey and Lee's thunderous track "Hand That Feeds", the first original song recently revealed from the film in early May.
Fueled by fierce energy and defiance, "Fight Like A Girl" channels the film's themes of vengeance, resilience, and female empowerment, mirroring its adrenaline-pumping intensity and emotional depth. "Ballerina", starring Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, with Ian McShane and Keanu Reeves, is set to electrify audiences with its high-octane action and raw emotional stakes. Directed by Len Wiseman and written by Shay Hatten, based on characters by Derek Kolstad, the film is produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee and Chad Stahelski.
"Tyler calling me up to create this song for 'Ballerina' couldn't have come at a more perfect time, I know I'm not the only girl out there ready to dig my heels in and show the world what we're made of," said Lee. "I really wanted this song to be a collab, and K.Flay is one of my favorite artists. It is literally a dream come true to do this together!"
"Amy sent me the demo and I was immediately so energized, so inspired," said K.Flay. "I was on tour at the time, and I wrote my verse backstage after a show, when my adrenaline was still super high. For me, the film and the song are both about how we channel our pain and how we choose to define ourselves. What separates the hero from the villain?"
Taking place during the events of "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum", "Ballerina" follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.
EVANESCENCE will kick off a run of live shows later this fall, making stops on "My Chemical Romance: The Black Parade" tour and Louder Than Life festival before joining METALLICA on their "M72" world tour.
In 2003, when the rock charts were dominated by predominantly male nü-metal and post-grunge acts, a young female-fronted band from Arkansas stood out from the crowd, offering something entirely new. They were EVANESCENCE — and with their debut album, "Fallen", they transformed the rock landscape. Led by Lee, EVANESCENCE's cinematic blend of metal and symphonic, piano-driven melodies captured a generation, while "Fallen" set the band on a path to global superstardom, earning them multiple Grammys, and becoming one of the highest-selling albums of all time.
Released in the spring of 2003, "Fallen" resonated deeply with fans, selling more than 141,000 copies in its first week and peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, where it spent an astonishing 43 weeks in the Top 10. Within a month, "Fallen" was certified platinum by the RIAA, while it was a Top 10 hit in more than ten countries, reaching No. 1 in the U.K., Canada, Australia, and across Europe. Much of the album's initial success can be attributed to its stratospheric singles, including "Bring Me to Life", which broke the Top 10 in more than 15 countries and topped Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 and Alternative Airplay charts. "My Immortal" was a Top 10 hit in over ten countries, including the U.S., U.K. and Australia.
At the 2004 Grammys, EVANESCENCE received five nominations, including "Album Of The Year", "Best Rock Album", "Best Hard Rock Performance" for "Bring Me To Life", and "Best New Artist", taking home the latter two. The following year, "My Immortal" received a nod for "Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals".
Today, "Fallen" holds steady as the sixth best-selling album of the 21st century (ranking just behind Lady Gaga's "The Fame" and ahead of COLDPLAY's "A Rush Of Blood To The Head") and remains one of the best-selling albums of all time, with more than 17 million copies sold worldwide. In 2022, "Fallen" received a rare diamond certification from the RIAA, which recognizes 10 million units in U.S. album sales. As a testament to the album's enduring appeal, the video for "Bring Me To Life" surpassed 1.2 billion views on YouTube, making it one of the most-watched rock videos of all-time while "My Immortal" follows close behind.
To date, EVANESCENCE has released a total of five studio albums, including the multi-platinum "The Open Door" (2004) and "Evanescence" (2011),both of which topped the Billboard 200. In 2021, the band thrilled fans with their first album of new material in a decade, "The Bitter Truth". Now 20 years on, EVANESCENCE continues to scale new heights. Featuring a lineup of Amy Lee (vocals, keyboards),Tim McCord (guitar/bass),Will Hunt (drums),Troy McLawhorn (guitars) and Emma Anzai (bass, backing vocals),the band continues to travel the globe, staging some of the most successful shows of their career, including Allianz Parque, a soccer stadium in Sāo Paulo, Brasil, which was the biggest headline show of EVANESCENCE's career to date, drawing 40,000 fans. EVANESCENCE's most recent single, "Afterlife" from the Netflix series "Devil May Cry", has had great success, with over 20 million streams and over 10 million views on YouTube in just the first few weeks. "Afterlife" is the fastest-moving single of the band's career.
Photo credit: Travis Shinn
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7 èþí 2025
Arrest Made In Theft Of Musical Instruments From HEART
 The Atlantic City Police Department arrested a suspect involved in the theft of musical instruments from the rock band HEART.
On May 30, patrol officers responded to Hard Rock Atlantic City in reference to the theft of a guitar and mandolin from inside of the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena. The instruments belonged to band members from HEART who were playing a concert at the arena the following night.
An investigation by Sergeant Gary Holmes and Detective Lisa Kaplin-Caldwell led to surveillance video of the suspect, a 57-year-old man from Pleasantville, New Jersey. Investigators were able to obtain video of the man walking through various parts of Atlantic City attempting to sell the instruments.
On June 4, Detective Kaplin-Caldwell criminally charged the man and patrol officers were notified. Officers Alex Torres and Glen Robinson were able to quickly locate the suspect in the first block of south Kentucky Avenue and take him into custody.
Detectives learned that the suspect sold one of the instruments and the whereabouts of the other is unknown. Any individual in possession of these stolen items is urged to contact the Atlantic City Police Department and voluntarily surrender the instrument. If not surrendered, and the individual is located in possession of the stolen items, they will be arrested and criminally charged with receiving of stolen property.
Hard Rock Atlantic City security personnel aided detectives in this investigation.
HEART commented: "We are deeply grateful to the Atlantic City Police Department, the Hard Rock organization, and everyone who came together to support us in the search for our stolen instruments. The outpouring of love and concern has been overwhelming, and we are truly touched by the strength and compassion of this community.
"We've heard from fans, fellow musicians, media outlets, and kind-hearted people from around the world — and it means the world to us. Your support has been amazing!
"While we're encouraged by the progress made and thankful that an arrest has been made, our instruments have not yet been recovered. We remain hopeful that they will be returned to us soon."
This past March, HEART announced the "An Evening With Heart" spring/summer 2025 U.S. tour. The trek, which sees the band performing two separate sets each night, kicked off May 31 at the Hard Rock in Atlantic City and will conclude on June 28 in Hollywood, Florida.
HEART's "Royal Flush" tour kicked off on February 28 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The trek made stops in cities including Milwaukee, Montreal, Toronto, Boston and more before wrapping April 16 in New York City.
The current members of HEART feature Nancy Wilson (rhythm, lead and acoustic guitar, backing and lead vocals),Ann Wilson (lead vocals and flute),Ryan Wariner (lead and rhythm guitar),Ryan Waters (guitars),Paul Moak (guitars, keyboards and backing vocals),Tony Lucido (bass and backing vocals) and Sean Lane (drums and bike).
In December 2023, HEART played its first three concerts in more than four years — in Highland, California, at Greater Palm Springs in Palm Desert, California, and in Seattle, Washington.
Prior to HEART's December 27, 2023 show in Highland, the band's last performance took place in October 2019 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
HEART toured North America in the summer of 2019 after a nasty split that kept the Wilson sisters estranged for three years.
HEART's 2013 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame saw Ann and Nancy reunited with the four musicians who helped HEART achieve its initial success in the mid-1970s — guitarist Roger Fisher, bassist Steve Fossen, drummer Michael DeRosier and longtime guitarist-keyboardist Howard Leese.
The Wilson sisters' reunion with HEART's original lineup at the Rock Hall ceremony marked the first time the group played together in 34 years.
When Ann and Nancy formed HEART, the idea of two women leading a rock band was still groundbreaking. From the moment 1975's "Dreamboat Annie" was released, they became stars. With hits like "Magic Man", "Crazy On You", "Barracuda", "Alone", "What About Love" and "These Dreams", the band became one of the biggest hit-makers in the '70s and '80s, selling more than 35 million records. In 2012, their memoir "Kicking & Dreaming: A Story Of Heart, Soul And Rock & Roll" became a New York Times bestseller.
UPDATE: We are deeply grateful to the Atlantic City Police Department, the Hard Rock organization, and everyone who came...
Posted by Nancy Wilson on Thursday, June 5, 2025
Arrest Made in Theft of Musical Instruments from Heart
For Immediate Release: June 5, 2025
The Atlantic City Police...
Posted by Atlantic City Police Department on Thursday, June 5, 2025
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7 èþí 2025
GENE SIMMONS: 'THE BEATLES Are Above And Beyond Anything That Anybody's Seen In Music Over 200 Years'
 During an appearance on a recent episode of The School Of Greatness podcast with host Lewis Howes, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons was asked to name some of the greatest musicians and songwriters in the world that he has seen or heard. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, clearly THE BEATLES are above and beyond anything that anybody's seen in music over, oh, 200 years — easily. Not since the Renaissance. You have to understand, they only existed seven years and they came from a place that was a pool filled with liver, Liverpool, where nothing ever happened. High unemployment rate, no experience, no resume, no nothing. And yet [sings] 'I wanna hold your hand', [sings] 'She loves you. Yeah, yeah, yeah.' And that last chord, that minor ninth is as sophisticated chord, if you know about music… That thing is almost like a jazz chord — unheard of in rock music.'
He continued: "Okay, look, I'm gonna give you something you'll be able to understand. [THE ROLLING STONES'] 'Satisfaction' is one of the great songs… It takes about 40 seconds to get to the first [chorus], 'I can't get no…' Or anything. [CREAM's] 'Sunshine Of Your Love'. It takes about 50 seconds to get [to] 'I've been waiting so long' and all that. On and on and on. THE BEATLES. 'I just wrote a new song.' 'What is it called?' 'It's called 'Help'.' 'How's it go?' It goes like this: [sings] 'Help. I need somebody. Help.' Not even an introduction, nothing. 'Got another one for you.' 'What is it called?' 'It's called 'Yesterday'.' 'How's it go?' It goes like this: [sings] 'Yesterday. 'I got another one for you. It's called 'Michelle'.' 'How's it go?' [Sings] 'Michelle…' 'Got another one for you. It's called 'Hey, Jude'.' Not only does it be begin with 'Hey, Jude', the word 'Hey' is before the music. [Sings] 'Hey, Jude', and then the chords come in. Those are what's called perfect songs. Not only that, but the title of the song is the first word of the song, it's the most memorable song and it's the last word in the song. [Sings] 'Yesterday.' The last [words of the] song, [sings] 'Cause I believe in yesterday.' Who writes songs like that? It's undeniable, their writing. [Paul] McCartney, especially, by far is the most successful songwriter in all of recorded history. There have been over a thousand different artists who've recorded just 'Yesterday'."
Gene previously reflected on his first memory of THE BEATLES in an interview with SPIN magazine. He said: "When I was a kid, I was affected by THE BEATLES — like a religious event, like a singularity. I wasn't a musician. I was just a kid. Turn on the TV, and THE BEATLES came out: 'She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah.' I'm going, 'What is that? What accent is that?' And they look like girls, and they're small human beings with silly haircuts."
In a separate interview with Goldmine, Simmons named THE BEATLES' self-titled album, commonly referred to as the White Album, as one of the ten LPs that changed his life. He said: "THE BEATLES' White Album is one of my favorites because you're seeing turmoil within perhaps the greatest band that ever existed that recorded its own music, where each member was a star. But you could hear and feel the disjointed sense of that album, although clearly the songs shined and the playing and the production was terrific."
He continued: "It's interesting that 'Abbey Road' perhaps was the greatest BEATLES album, and they were breaking up at that point, but somehow that had a more unified thing. But just for crazy out-there music, it's gotta be The White Album."
Two years ago, Gene told the PA news agency: "Were it not for THE BEATLES, England would have been about Knights Of The Round Table and Guy Fawkes and all this other stuff — just another country with a history and lots of countries have colorful histories. THE BEATLES made it, and created a culture, almost a religion, and Liverpool became a holy ground… so when THE BEATLES hit, it was like a H-bomb. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. It was unbelievable, and all of us kept pointing back to England and it affected me so much that I actually started to speak in a fake English accent. I mean, Elvis [Presley] was a star, but it didn't affect culture. He was a true rock star, but didn't affect how you lead your life or what you did or what you thought. But THE BEATLES changed everything. It was almost like BB and AB — before THE BEATLES and after THE BEATLES. Everything changed, and it was a British invasion which hit not just America, but all around the world."
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7 èþí 2025
MIKKEY DEE On Playing With SCORPIONS: 'I Have To Be The Rock Back There'
 In a new interview with SonorDrumTube, the official Sonor drums media vault, former MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee spoke about what it was like for him to join SCORPIONS nearly a decade ago. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it's not easy to join already established, great, big bands. With the SCORPIONS — I mean, here are guys [who] played [together] for 60 years now. I joined when they turned 50, but how can I come into a band [and] help them get better without destroying what they already know? I cannot go in and say, 'I know how you're gonna sound.' No. They know how they wanna sound. It's for me to adjust, and at the same time as I adjust to them, they have to adjust to me, because I'm bringing in some other feeling."
He continued: "My idea with SCORPIONS [was] to bring tightness, heaviness. Let's bring SCORPIONS back to end of '70s where [there is a] happiness that everybody playing on stage, smiling to each other and having a good time on stage.
"I have to be the rock back there, and they need to know if they do anything wrong or fuck up, they know that I'm not fucking up," Dee explained. "They can just get to me and I steer the band. And that's nothing you can just come into a band and say; you have to earn their trust and over and over show them that you are the mouth you say you are."
During an October 2024 press conference announcing SCORPIONS' 60th-anniversary hometown concert in Hannover, Germany, Dee was asked how he came to join the German hard rock legends. He said: "Well, I played with MOTÖRHEAD, as you probably know, for close to 25 years. And unfortunately, Lemmy [MOTÖRHEAD leader] passed away at the end of '15. And then Matthias [Jabs, SCORPIONS guitarist] called in early '16 and said, 'Are you in Göteborg [Gothenburg, Sweden], Mikkey?' I go, 'Yeah.' 'Can you come to Luxembourg tomorrow?' [Laughs] Basically, that's how it was. And I was basically gonna be standing in a little bit and helping out because James Kottak [then-SCORPIONS drummer] was battling a little bit of a health issue. But he did a great tour in Germany. And I was basically just standing by at that time. And we did rehearse a little bit secretly learning a few [songs]. And then I finished off the year and here I am, and we're going on the ninth year… Nine next year. But here we are and kicking ass like never before, I would say, and it's been a great journey so far for me."
Mikkey continued: "If you asked me, I'd say, 'Yeah, I've been playing with these crazy guys for about four years.' But we're talking nine, so time's flying. And we managed to create a great record [2022's 'Rock Believer'] over the COVID years. So it's gone so quick these nine years. I would say four, maybe five, but not nine. But here we are. So that's how it came about. So, something bad turned into something pretty good, I would say. And, yeah, as Lemmy's passing and then joining this band, I wanted to bring some power and tightness and a little bit of MOTÖRHEAD into the mighty SCORPS. And we've been friends, over the years, we'd seen each other at festivals and shows, so we kind of knew each other, but we never played together. And so there we are. Hopefully many more years to come. And we're starting off with the 60th [anniversary] next year, so that's a great honor to be a part of that."
In an April 2023 interview with Robert Cavuoto of Metal Rules, Mikkey was asked how he landed the job as the drummer for SCORPIONS in 2016 after spending almost 25 years as a member of MOTÖRHEAD. He responded: "They [initially] called me in to be the stand-in for maybe James. Because they started to get tired of his problems. So they said, 'Look, if you could be a stand-in on parts of the European tour.' I said, 'Yeah. No problem.' But meanwhile, while I was secretly following the band around in Germany, we were rehearsing a couple of times — secretly. And I'm sure that they wanted to check me out there, of course. And you never know how things are gonna go with the social part or the musical part, but they loved it immediately. And my idea was to show them what they cannot be without, basically.
"James is a great drummer," Mikkey continued. "He did fantastic with SCORPIONS. He ran into some health problems that he had to deal with. I was never, and I will never, talk him down in any way, shape or form, but I would like to do, what I wanted to do at that point was to show what I can do and what you cannot be without. I said to the guys that I'm gonna Motörize them. 'I want it harder, tighter and heavier, and I'm gonna show you what kind of drummer I am. I'm gonna put much more energy into what we do, and hopefully that will contaminate the whole band and we can take it to another level. And I can inspire enough to you guys, and you will inspire me as well, of course.' Because playing pretty much the same stuff for 25 years is one thing. So this was a big challenge for me, of course, as well… And when that works out the way it did, it's a good thing. They have no attitude. I have no attitude. We knew each other before. We get along great. And now we're just gonna play great together. But of course, you never, ever, ever know. I might be an idiot getting out there with the SCORPIONS, being a complete prick about stuff. And they go, 'Holy shit. We don't remember you like this.' I might think that, 'Holy smoke. These guys are fucking morons. I can't deal with this.' But that was not the case. And of course, we got along great, and we still do. And we're having a blast on the road and in the studio. So, it turned out to be a win-win situation."
The now-61-year-old Swedish musician also elaborated on his comment that "secretly followed" the SCORPIONS around in Germany while Kottak was still playing with the band.
"I saw every single show because I had to sit and learn the set," Dee explained. "And I was sitting secretly up on the arena. Usually, they have it blocked off. If you draw a line on the short side of an arena, the stage and then backwards, it's never open for the public. I had to sit very, very far away up there with in-ears, so I could hear what was going on. And [James] knew that there was a drummer [acting as a possible stand-in], [but he did] not [know] who it was. And he played great. I mean, he shaped up and played fine. And then I went back [home] to Sweden. And then I got a call just right after the European tour, and they said, 'Look, can you finish out the year?' And I said, 'Absolutely. 'Cause I'm doing nothing.' And I realized at that time that [James is] not coming back, because we already did some rehearsals and I showed them kind of what they cannot be without; I was hoping. But he did great, and then, obviously, he kind of lost it there a little bit. You can't live everybody else's life, of course. I was not there to snag his seat in the SCORPIONS, but they had to do something, and that's what they chose to do. And here I was."
Three years ago, SCORPIONS guitarist Rudolf Schenker spoke to Spain's classic rock radio station RockFM about how he would compare the drumming styles of Kottak and Dee. Schenker said: "Every musician has his own style. James was great, and is still a great drummer — no question about this — but we had a little problem… well, he had a problem, and we tried to help him through the problem. In this case, we noticed that he need[ed] more time than we could give him because we were on tour. So in this case, Matthias had the idea to call Mikkey Dee, because he was available because of Lemmy's death. So, yeah, it was a great thing to see light in the distance because we were a little bit depressed because we [were] helping James so much, but he couldn't deliver the spirit we gave him. And so we split."
Rudolf continued: "We rehearsed with Mikkey Dee and we noticed immediately there's a new kind of kick-ass [energy]. Everybody has his own style, and Mikkey Dee is really a very — especially for me as a rhythm guitar player — he is a very influencing person. That means when I play my riffs, he knows how to make them more wild and more powerful. And that's very good — it's a synergy effect which even is added by Paweł [Mąciwoda, bass] because they are really a great rhythm team, Pawel and Mikkey Dee, and me as a rhythm guitar player, we can build a great basis for Matthias and Klaus [Meine, vocals]."
SCORPIONS' only continuous member has been Schenker, although Meine has appeared on all of the band's studio albums, while Jabs has been a consistent member since 1978, and Mąciwoda and Dee have been in the band since 2003 and 2016, respectively.
SCORPIONS' latest album, "Rock Believer", was released in February 2022. The album was recorded primarily at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.
Kottak passed away on January 9, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was born and lived until 1987, although further details about the exact circumstances of his death weren't available.
In addition to SCORPIONS and KINGDOM COME, Kottak had toured with such bands as WARRANT and even DIO for a short run. James was also involved in various other projects, including the 1990s band KRUNK in which he sang lead vocals and played guitar.
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7 èþí 2025
DARON MALAKIAN AND SCARS ON BROADWAY Announce First New Album Since 2018, 'Addicted To The Violence'
 Fresh off the heels of SYSTEM OF A DOWN's triumphant sold-out South American stadium tour, DARON MALAKIAN AND SCARS ON BROADWAY returns today with "Killing Spree", a new song and music video. "Killing Spree" heralds the arrival of the Grammy Award-winning vocalist, songwriter and producer's anxiously awaited third full-length SCARS ON BROADWAY album, "Addicted To The Violence", due out on July 18.
Holding nothing back, "Killing Spree" sets the tone for this new chapter with provocative lyrics and an uncompromising, yet undeniable delivery — preparing us for an album that refuses to shy away from uncomfortable truths.
"It's a taboo topic people might be afraid to talk about," Malakian says of "Killing Spree". "Kids have rebelled forever. Mental disorders have always been there too. In the last 15 years, we've seen a generation that will walk into school and kill other students. I'm not glamorizing or advocating it. I'm just saying, 'The kids are on a fucking killing spree.' It's what I see in front of me. I'm not just talking about killings either. You'll see a lady who's getting beaten up on the subway and people around her aren't even helping; they're fucking recording on their iPhones. We had automatic weapons fifty years ago, and nobody was doing this. I blame the mindset. We now have a generation that is so detached and desensitized. They're totally unemotional and unempathetic. There's no respect for life."
Over the last few years, Malakian meticulously pieced together what would become "Addicted To The Violence". Once again, he helmed the project as its primary creator — composing, producing, and performing — with contributions from longtime bandmates Orbel Babayan (guitar) and Roman Lomtadze (drums).
"As far as the process goes," Malakian continues. "I'm always writing songs, because it's the only way I know how to live. It's my purpose. When I write, I try to stay honest. I don't put myself in a box, which is why you have both heavy and mid-tempo material. It takes you through different feelings, and that's what I've always done. If I was a painter, I wouldn't tell myself, 'I can't use these colors.' So, all the colors are available to me. All the emotions are also available, because we go through each one of them as people. I'm expressing everything I can."
Best known as a founding member of SYSTEM OF A DOWN and songwriter of iconic tracks such as "Chop Suey!" , "Toxicity" and "B.Y.O.B.", Malakian says, "I'm just as proud of SCARS as I am of SOAD. This is another musical outlet for me. I think it's some of the best stuff I have to offer. I'm blessed that I can still do this and write songs every day." "Addicted To The Violence" is a rollercoaster of aggression, vulnerability, satire, and soul.
"Addicted To The Violence" track listing:
01. Killing Spree
02. Satan Hussein
03. Done Me Wrong
04. The Shame Game
05. Destroy The Power
06. Your Lives Burn
07. Imposter
08. You Destroy You
09. Watch That Girl
10. Addicted To The Violence
As a songwriter, vocalist, producer, and guitarist / multi-instrumentalist, Grammy Award-winning Daron Malakian creates from a limitless palette. Like painting a moving target, he seamlessly integrates elements of rock, punk, metal, pop, psychedelia, electronic, and Armenian stylings into a living sound untethered from tradition and bound only to inspiration. The music grows and evolves with him. Under the moniker of DARON MALAKIAN AND SCARS ON BROADWAY, he continues to approach his craft with an alchemist's open heart, an absurdist's appreciation for the ridiculous, and an artist's attention to detail. Malakian introduced SCARS ON BROADWAY with its self-titled debut in 2008. The LP bowed in the Top 20 of the Billboard 200, spawning fan favorites such as "They Say", "Serious" and "Funny". The follow-up, "Dictator", arrived exactly a decade later during 2018. In addition to praise from Billboard, Revolver and more, Rolling Stone hailed it as one of the "20 Best Metal Albums of 2018."
The world initially got to know Malakian as a co-founder, songwriter, vocalist, producer (alongside Rick Rubin) and guitarist for SYSTEM OF A DOWN whose legacy encompasses global sales of over 42 million records, a Grammy Award and countless sold-out stadium shows. Now, the same creative instinct and internal compass have led him to "Addicted To The Violence", the third full-length offering from SCARS ON BROADWAY, introduced by the single "Killing Spree".
Photo credit: Travis Shinn
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7 èþí 2025
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7 èþí 2025
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6 èþí 2025
DARK ANGEL Releases Second New Single, 'Circular Firing Squad'
 California thrash metal pioneers DARK ANGEL have released "Circular Firing Squad", the second single from their first new album in 34 years, "Extinction Level Event", due later in 2025 via Reversed Records. You can now listen to the track below.
The LP's first single, the "Extinction Level Event" title track, was written by DARK ANGEL guitarist Jim Durkin a decade ago, long before he suffered from severe liver disease, and, to the surprise of everyone, passed away in 2023. It was recorded and mixed at the Armoury Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, executive produced by DARK ANGEL drummer Gene Hoglan, produced and engineered by Rob Shallcross and mixed by Mike Fraser.
Regarding the fact that it has taken so long to release new DARK ANGEL music, Gene told "The David Ellefson Show" "I know I've been promising this for the last decade or so, since we started getting back together and doing shows. And it's been an arduous process, but I'm really excited about the record."
On the topic of the musical direction of the new DARK ANGEL material, Gene said: "We just tried to write a kick-ass metal record. We tried to write a kick-ass DARK ANGEL record. For it to sound like any of our other records was not important. We just tried to kind of focus on, like, 'Hey, what kind of DARK ANGEL record would be coming out if DARK ANGEL never stopped putting out albums this whole time? Where would DARK ANGEL be at right now in 2025?' And so this pretty much encapsulates where we're at. It's a pretty aggressive record. It's pretty ferocious. I'm really into the record, and I'm into the artwork. I think the artwork is killer. We got great artwork for it. And if people disagree with me, then that is your opinion. Absolutely, you have the freedom to do that. I have the freedom to work this band however we want. We get to do whatever we like with this band. And we tried to make a real ferocious record."
Durkin died on March 8, 2023 at the age of 58. An original member of DARK ANGEL, Durkin played on the band's first three albums — 1985's "We Have Arrived", 1986's "Darkness Descends" and 1989's "Leave Scars" — before departing the group in 1989. He was part of DARK ANGEL's lineup when the band reformed in 2013, and had been playing with them, on and off, ever since.
Prior to his death, Durkin had been sitting out some of DARK ANGEL's gigs. He was replaced at the shows by Hoglan's wife Laura Christine, who has since joined DARK ANGEL as a permanent member.
Hoglan told "The David Ellefson Show" that "Extinction Level Event" is "in a lot of ways a huge tribute to Jim Durkin. His style is all over it," he explained. "Laura Christine, our new guitarist, her style is all over it. She's becoming the new writing partner. I've always written a vast majority of the material, and Laura's influence is massive on it. And she writes the coolest riffs I know… And so there you go there. And we're just really excited to be able to have a new release to talk about. And I figured the next new big pile of touring cycle is gonna involve this new record. And we're really excited about it. And we hope people dig it. There you go."
Earlier in May, Gene told "The Zach Moonshine Show" about the "Extinction Level Event" title track: "About a decade ago or so, when we got back together and we started playing some shows and the vibe was so cool and everybody was just having a great time and we had all kind of grown up into men, as it were, we were just having a great time together, and Jim took me aside one time, he was, like, 'Hey, man, I have this song that I wrote pretty recently.' And it was just, like, 'If we ever get a chance to do any kind of recording with DARK ANGEL or do any kind of DARK ANGEL stuff, this is my most DARK ANGEL-esque song that I've got.' And I was, like, 'Hey, man, lay it on me.' And I was just so blown away by it. It was just so killer, so catchy, so Jim Durkin-like. So that song there, as well as another one that he had in the works, just got me so pumped that I just happened to do an interview pretty recently after that, and I was, like, 'Yeah, man. We're gonna record a new record. Yeah, it's gonna be coming really soon.' And like I said, it's taken over a decade. But here we are, and our first track, 'Extinction Level Event', is out there."
As for why "Extinction Level Event" was chosen to be the first single from the upcoming LP, Gene said: "All the tracks on the album, any one of them could have been our first release, but this is one of the more… well, we have a lot of savagely blistering tracks on this record. This is one of them, and it was just so kick-ass DARK ANGEL, such a DARK ANGEL-type song that we didn't release this first one because Jim wrote it and this was kind of his last, final entire song that he left with us. It just kind of worked out that way. It's, like, this is a really kick-ass track and it's got a cool title and all the artwork that goes along with the album goes along with this. So there you go."
The "Extinction Level Event" artwork and layout was designed by Cain Gillis, with concepts by Hoglan.
DARK ANGEL was originally scheduled to play new music for the first time since 1991 during its January 29 concert at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. However, that show ended up getting postponed due to the wildfires in the state.
In July 2024, DARK ANGEL officially entered the studio to begin recording its new LP. Two months earlier, Hoglan was asked by Rocking With Jam Man what it has been like making new DARK ANGEL music more than 30 years after the release of the band's last album, 1991's "Time Does Not Heal". Gene responded: "Well, that's one thing. It's like we had a choice. I had an entire DARK ANGEL album written that was ready to start getting recorded after the 'Time Does Not Heal' record, and circumstances occurred where the band just had to dissolve. So, I had a bunch of material written. And when Jim Durkin and myself — Jim is no longer with us, but when we put DARK ANGEL back together and we started talking about, like, 'What do we wanna do for the future? Do we wanna write some new material?' And 'I've got some ideas, Gene, and you probably have some ideas.' And I have a number of songs that I sent to Jim. And when Jim heard that — I sent it to him on a CD — he freaked out and he was, like, 'My God, here's our new album. This is gonna be our next record. Hell yeah.' And he got really excited about that material. But I was, like, 'Hey, Jim, tell you what. I feel really strongly about my writing chops, and the songs I'm hearing from you right now are crushing. So how about we just write new stuff, get together and start writing new material?' And so we kind of went that route."
He continued: "For my elements of what I wanted DARK ANGEL to sound like, Jim Durkin is a huge influence on my writing style. So I wanted this to have a lot of the Jim Durkin influence on it. In terms of riffs, there's not as many from Jim as we were hoping for, but Jim's entire presence is all over the new DARK ANGEL material that I've been working on. And he's a huge guitar influence on me, as well as a lot of people. So, there's definitely gonna be a pretty hardy Jim Durkin influence. So what I've tried to do is not go back 35 years or 37 years or whatever, 'Darkness Descends' or even 'We Have Arrived', those early albums, or 'Leave Scars' or 'Time Does Not Heal', I've not tried to duplicate anything from any of those albums, but I tried to put myself in the mindset of what if DARK ANGEL just kept writing albums for the last 30-whatever years, 32, 33 years, where would we be at now? And so that has been my approach on the new DARK ANGEL material."
DARK ANGEL released two albums with Don Doty on vocals — the aforementioned "We Have Arrived" and "Darkness Descends" — before he exited the group and was replaced by Ron Rinehart (after a brief stint with Jim Drabos in 1987). The band issued two more studio LPs — "Leave Scars" and "Time Does Not Heal" — before calling it quits in 1992.
Photo by Alex Solca
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6 èþí 2025
GLENN HUGHES Announces First New Solo Album In Nine Years, 'Chosen'; Shares Title Track
 Rock legend and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Glenn Hughes returns with his new studio album, "Chosen", set for release on September 5, 2025 via Frontiers Music Srl.
To mark the announcement, Glenn has shared the title track, along with an accompanying music video, available now.
This year will also see Hughes busy touring across Europe and South America, with "The Chosen Years" tour starting in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, on September 2 and ending on November 29 in Bogota, Colombia.
Commenting on the new album, Glenn stated: "Songwriting is deeply personal to me, and l generally write and record when I have something to say.
"It's been nine years since I recorded my last solo album, 'Resonate'. There have been recordings and collaborations with other artists since 2016"
"When writing 'Chosen', I went back to my life drawing board, writing about the human condition, love, hope, faith and acceptance.
"I write about how I feel on the inside and not externally. My life is lived from within, in the present moment.
"It's an album of soul food, and I've never been so grateful, right here, on planet earth. Music is the healer."
Hughes is a true original. No other rock musician has carved such a distinctive style blending the finest elements of hard rock, soul and funk. That astonishing voice is his calling card. He's known as a singer's singer. Stevie Wonder once called Glenn Hughes his favorite white singer.
After a nine-year hiatus as a solo artist, Hughes is back with "Chosen", his brand-new solo record: an album which presents Glenn in his most hard rockin' fashion. An explosive record that offers Glenn at his absolute best with a state-of-the-art album, both from a songwriting and production standpoint.
Glenn, a native of Cannock, England, absorbed all kinds of influences, including early British hard rock, THE BEATLES and, most importantly, American soul and R&B. The sleek Motown sound from Detroit and the gritty Stax/Volt sound from Memphis left their mark on him.
Hughes first found success in the early '70s with the band TRAPEZE before joining DEEP PURPLE in 1973 during a pivotal lineup change that introduced him and David Coverdale to the group. Despite initial skepticism, the revamped band silenced critics with the release of "Burn" (1974),a powerful album that revitalized PURPLE's sound and remains a classic. During this era, the band headlined the iconic California Jam in front of over 300,000 fans, toured the world aboard their private jet The Starship, and released two more studio albums, "Stormbringer" and "Come Taste The Band", before disbanding in 1976.
Glenn's first solo album "Play Me Out" was released in 1977. He joined former Pat Travers guitarist Pat Thrall to form HUGHES/THRALL, which released an acclaimed self-titled album in 1982. Throughout the '80s and '90s, Glenn Hughes made countless guest appearances (both credited and un-credited) as a vocalist, bass guitarist or songwriter on other artists' albums. The endless list includes — among others — Gary Moore, John Norum and Tony Iommi of BLACK SABBATH.
Since 1992, Glenn has started a prolific solo career with a dozen studio albums where he explored all the different sides of his songwriting and influences: from hard rock to funk and more contemporary sounds. He collaborated — among others — with such musicians as Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),Dave Navarro, John Frusciante and many others. He also founded or took part in some amazing musical alliances such as CALIFORNIA BREED (with Jason Bonham and Andrew Watt),BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION (with Joe Bonamassa and Jason Bonham) and THE DEAD DAISIES.
Glenn has collaborated with Robbie Williams on his new single "Rocket", which was released on May 22, 2025. The track also features a collaboration from Iommi and will be the first time Glenn has been featured on a record with Tony since 2005, when they released "Fused" together.
Glenn also recently joined forces with SATCHVAI, a new collaboration by legendary guitar icons Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, by writing and singing on their new single "I Wanna Play My Guitar".
"Chosen" track listing:
01. Voice In My Head
02. My Alibi
03. Chosen
04. Heal
05. In The Golden
06. The Lost Parade
07. Hot Damn Thing
08. Black Cat Moan
09. Come And Go
10. Into The Fade
Recording lineup:
Glenn Hughes – Vocals
Søren Andersen - Guitar
Ash Sheehan - Drums
Bob Fridzema - Keys
"The Chosen Years" 2025 tour dates:
Sep. 02 - De Boerderij - Zoetermeer, The Netherlands
Sep. 04 - Fabrik - Hamburg, Germany
Sep. 06 - Kulturhaus Stadtgarten - Neuruppin, Germany
Sep. 08 - Klub Studio - Krakow, Poland
Sep. 10 - Progresja - Warsaw, Poland
Sep. 12 - Alter Schlachthof - Dresden, Germany
Sep. 14 - Club Vaudeville - Lindau, Germany
Sep. 16 - Hirsch - Nuremberg, Germany
Sep. 17 - Spectrum - Augsburg, Germany
Sep. 19 - Muziekgieterij - Maastricht, Netherlands
Sep. 20 - Doornroosje - Nijmegen, Netherlands
Sep. 22 - Capitol - Mannheim, Germany
Sep. 24 - Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland
Sep. 26 - Festiviteten Bar & Scene - Hamar, Norway
Sep. 28 - Byscenen - Trondheim, Norway
Sep. 30 - Hyvinkääsali - Hyvinkää, Finland
Oct. 01 - Tampere-Talo - Tampere, Finland
Oct. 03 - Kulttuuritalo - Helsinki, Finland
Oct. 04 - Madetojansali - Oulu, Finland
Oct. 14 - O2 Academy - Bristol, UK
Oct. 15 - Guildhall - Portsmouth, UK
Oct. 17 - KK's Steel Mill - Wolverhampton, UK
Oct. 18 - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, UK
Oct. 21 - O2 Ritz - Manchester, UK
Oct. 22 - Boiler Shop - Newcastle, UK
Oct. 24 - Rock City - Nottingham, UK
Oct. 25 - The Garage - Glasgow, UK
Nov. 11 - Opinião - Porto Alegre, Brazil
Nov. 13 - Mister Rock - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Nov. 14 - Circo Voador - Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Nov. 16 - Vip Station - São Paulo, Brazil
Nov. 18 - Tork n' Roll - Curitiba, Brazil
Nov. 20 - Abbey Road - Mar Del Plata, Argentina
Nov. 21 - Arena Sur - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Nov. 23 - Club Paraguay - Córdoba, Argentina
Nov. 25 - Teatro del Huerto - Salta, Argentina
Nov. 27 - Teatro Coliseo - Santiago, Chile
Nov. 29 - Teatro C.E.G - Bogota, Colombia
Photo credit: Leo Baron
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6 èþí 2025
TESTAMENT To Finish Mixing New Album This Week: 'We're About 70, 80 Percent Done'
 In a new interview with the Land Of Music Podcast, guitarist Eric Peterson of San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans TESTAMENT confirmed that he and his bandmates have tapped Swedish producer Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with OPETH, KREATOR, PARADISE LOST, SOILWORK and AMON AMARTH, among others, to mix their upcoming studio album. The LP will mark TESTAMENT's follow-up to 2020's "Titans Of Creation", which was co-produced by Juan Urteaga, who previously worked with TESTAMENT on "Dark Roots Of Earth" (2012) and "Brotherhood Of The Snake" (2016).
Regarding the progress of the mixing sessions for TESTAMENT's new LP, Peterson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I actually start mixing tomorrow until the end of the week with Jens Bogren. We have our new ballad and about three other songs that we started mixing, but we dropped off because the vocals weren't done yet. So we've got, like, a week to finish it to turn everything in. So that's what we're doing. Yeah, we're about 70, 80 percent done. So by next Friday we'll be 'done done,' and then we're turning in the record."
When Bogren's name was first publicly floated last September in connection with TESTAMENT's upcoming album, Peterson told Brutal Planet Magazine. "[Jens is] a producer from Sweden, and he's done — God, he's done KREATOR, he's doing the new BEHEMOTH, he's done IN FLAMES, ARCH ENEMY. A lot of European bands. We usually work with Andy Sneap, but he's [the touring guitarist] in JUDAS PRIEST and he's just, like, 'Bro, I need some time off.' It's a good switch, though. I think Jens will do a good job. And yeah, there's a lot of crazy stuff on this record. I'm excited for everybody to hear it."
Last August, TESTAMENT singer Chuck Billy told Oran O'Beirne of Overdrive.ie about the music direction of the follow-up to "Titans Of Creation": "We always try to outdo ourselves or make a better record or write better songs. It's always a challenge for ourselves, and I think this time we really took a long time to create the record. We kind of got everybody in the same room to really go through the songs and kind of put their two cents in to the arrangements. I think by having [our new drummer] Chris [Dovas] — he's a younger drummer, a really great drummer — but I think he brought you know a new fire to Eric in the writing process. And I believe because we're going on 37 years of making records, it's kind of full circle right now. We're kind of inspired by new generation, I guess, of music and metal. And Chris is a big part of that. He's a big fan of that. So I think he inspired Eric just to write some really aggressive, fast, creative riffs. And it really inspired me to really push myself to try to do a little more screaming, death vocals, melodic stuff. We even went as far as writing — I don't wanna say 'ballad', but it's something really catchy that's really slow that's something we haven't done in over 30 years. So I think just the overall songs and the confidence in the writing this time really is gonna stand out on this record."
When O'Beirne noted that TESTAMENT continues to "raise the bar" with each successive release, Billy concurred. "It's true," he said. "I think since 2000, 'The Gathering' record is where I think TESTAMENT kind of had a new life, I'd say the second life TESTAMENT. And then I became ill. And then after that, I didn't think I was actually gonna be playing music anymore. I just wasn't the same person. I'd look in the mirror and I didn't see the same guy. And after I beat it and survived it, I kind of thought, 'Okay, now it's time to continue on with life.' And then shortly after that we had the original[-lineup] reunion. And I think that's kind of what really set off the new life of TESTAMENT, because we were writing music, jamming with the guys who started it from the beginning and kind of taking the attitude, like, 'We're gonna finish this together, what we started.' But over time, Louie [Clemente, former TESTAMENT drummer] had to drop out 'cause of health reasons; he couldn't hold the sticks like he used to. So he had to drop out. And then shortly after that Greg [Christian, former TESTAMENT bassist] dropped out. But from then on, I think we've just kind of been writing for ourselves, maybe not really caring what necessarily the press thought. You always wanna impress the fans, but we were really writing to make us happy."
Earlier last August, TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about the band's upcoming LP: "Well, I think everybody knows we went through a couple different drummers the past couple years, I know it's very 'Spinal Tap'… Life imitating art. There were scheduling conflicts with Gene Hoglan. Then we got Dave Lombardo, who was amazing, but when it came to going all in on a next record, Dave was overbooked. And we needed somebody [who could step in]. And we've got a new drummer. His name's Chris Dovas. He wasn't even born when the first TESTAMENT record came out. But I've gotta say he is lighting fires. He's lit a fire under everybody and just great to play with. He nails everybody's parts from before, but he has his own style. And I'm excited about the next record."
In June 2024, Chuck told Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco, California radio station 107.7 The Bone about the lyrical themes covered in the new TESTAMENT songs: "[It's] not as focused [on], like, the aliens, creating mankind and that kind of stuff, but there is some of that. There's a lot. Each song definitely has its own identity lyrically. And again, we're writing stuff that is real, that happens with the environment; we're singing about that again. A.I., we're singing stuff about that. That's a big thing. So, there's always an inspiration for songs. I think it's a little easier. There's so much going on in our world to write about now. It's a crazy world today, so there's a lot of stuff to talk about. And I like singing about what's real and what's going on instead of some fantasy lyrics, because, for me, I think when I sing 'em, I have more conviction, I believe in 'em a little more. And maybe it's easier for me to remember the lyrics live. [Laughs]"
Naming specific tracks, Chuck said: "There's a song, 'Havana Syndrome', which is about the Havana Syndrome. People, look that up. There's 'Infanticide A.I.', which is another song going A.I. direction. And there's actually a slower song. We haven't done a slower song. I'm not gonna say 'ballad', but I'm gonna say a slower song that has a lot of groove and soul, called 'Meant To Be'. And it's like a classic TESTAMENT-type ballad, I guess, if you wanna use that word. But we've got a little bit of everything, but, again, I think it's really sticking to TESTAMENT, having to have some melodic stuff, even though there's some really brutal lyrics and real brutal, more of a death voice. I still put the hook in with more of a melodic hook or something. It's still classic TESTAMENT. If you listen to it, you'll go, 'That's TESTAMENT, but a little more octane to it.'"
Also in June, Chuck told Canada's The Metal Voice that he writes most of TESTAMENT's lyrics with Del James. "Del, he works with GUNS N' ROSES," Chuck said. "He's been working with them and wrote with them a long time ago. I think he had big hits like 'November Rain' with them. And we've been working [together] for over 20 years. So I always go down and work with him because I come up with a lot of the ideas and concepts, but he really interprets and gets the right words, how to say what I'm thinking. And we work fast. When we get together, we'll knock out like two songs in a day. So we don't mess around. We get there, say hello to each other, we sit down and we go right to work. It's about what we do."
In August 2023, Dovas was asked by Pod Scum if it was "unnerving" to step into a group whose list of previous drummers includes such heavyweights as Lombardo and Hoglan. He responded: "It was, especially at first because I knew that a lot of eyes were on me, and also I looked up to the band since I was a kid. Especially Lombardo and Gene — those are two of my favorite drummers right there. So to be put in that situation of taking over for them, I felt like I had a lot of responsibility and a lot of… I felt like I had something to prove a little bit, and I'm still practicing a lot and I just wanna do the best that I can do. Right now I'm not really nervous anymore because I've done two full tours with them now and we're working on the [new TESTAMENT] album and the friendship has been developing now and we all get along super well. They've welcomed me with open arms and it's been great and the fans have been great. I've been putting hours and hours of practice into it to make sure that I can do the best that I could do. And I look up to Dave and I look up to Gene as well, so, yeah, I just wanna play the songs well live and keep making the band sound good."
Prior to joining TESTAMENT as a full-time member, Dovas filled in for Lombardo on the first six dates of TESTAMENT's summer/fall 2022 leg of "The Bay Strikes Back Tour".
Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral (courtesy of Nuclear Blast Records)
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6 èþí 2025
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6 èþí 2025
Report: NICK JONAS To Play PAUL STANLEY In KISS's Official Biopic 'Shout It Out Loud'
 According to Deadline, Nick Jonas, who is best known as one-third of the hugely popular Disney Channel sibling pop/rock act the JONAS BROTHERS, has been tapped to star as KISS frontman Paul Stanley in the upcoming KISS biopic "Shout It Out Loud". Joseph McGinty Nichol, better known as McG, is directing the film, which will go into production at the end of the year or in early 2026.
Jonas, who has slowly been forging a career as an actor, including a starring role in the 2016 film "Goat", will reportedly do his own singing in "Shout It Out Loud", which is being produced by STX Entertainment. The most recent draft of the script was written by Darren Lemke ("Shazam!", "Gemini Man").
"Shout It Out Loud" was previously set up at Netflix and was supposed to be directed by Joachim Rønning, the Norwegian filmmaker whose credits include "Kon-Tiki", "Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil" and "Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales".
Back in 2021, KISS's longtime manager Doc McGhee told Talking Metal that the script for "Shout It Out Loud" was "completely done… And the script is about the first four years of KISS," he said. "Basically, it's before they were famous — it was up to Cadillac High, that kind of thing," referring to the October 1975 concert KISS played in a high school gym in Cadillac, Michigan. "And I think it's a very interesting look at the formation of KISS, the mindset of how that came about, the social pressure that everybody was in in the '60s and '70s that brought something like KISS to the forefront, that it could actually happen. So it's a very interesting, and I think it's a well-written movie."
Earlier in 2021, KISS frontman Paul Stanley told Download host Kylie Olsson that the KISS biopic was "definitely happening. And that's gonna be really interesting," he said. "The script was really good. And we really waited until we felt comfortable.
Asked which actor he would like to play him in the movie, Stanley said: "And I will tell you this: for casting to be accurate in terms of age, we are looking at actors in their early 20s. Honestly, I don't know a whole lot of actors in their early 20s. When people get asked these kinds of questions, they'll say, 'Oh, Brad Pitt,' or this one or that one. Well, those guys are in their 50s or 60s, so you're talking about another generation of actors. And I'm the first to say I'm not up on a lot of them. But as the casting process goes on, I'll certainly be there and watching. It'll be interesting to see how someone else — be it the casting people or the director — how they view who I am and who they see doing that. I think I'll learn a lot about their perception of me by who they cast."
Stanley and Gene Simmons formed KISS in New York City in 1973 with fellow original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer replaced Frehley and Criss on lead guitar and drums, respectively, for the last two decades of the band's touring career.
Although the original lineup off KISS wrapped its "Farewell Tour" in the spring of 2001, the most recent version of KISS kicked off the "End Of The Road" world tour nearly two decades later, which concluded in December 2023 with back-to-back concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City. | +1 | |
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6 èþí 2025
Watch: LAMB OF GOD's ART CRUZ Performs 'The Death Of Us' For SWEETWATER
 Sweetwater has uploaded video of LAMB OF GOD drummer Art Cruz performing the band's song "The Death Of Us", which originally appeared on the soundtrack of the third installment of the famed "Bill & Ted" film franchise, "Bill & Ted Face The Music: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack", released in 2020. Check out the footage below.
Earlier this year, Cruz spoke to Sweetwater about how he joined LAMB OF GOD six years ago as the official replacement for Chris Adler. Cruz, who had previously played with PRONG and WINDS OF PLAGUE, filled in for Adler on several LAMB OF GOD tours before being named the latter band's new drummer in July 2019.
Art said: "I've been touring for, like, 17 years professionally — not even just as a drummer: merch guy, drum tech, hangout guy. I've done kind of a lot of different aspects of this industry. I was kind of prepared to jump into something. And most of my career evolved always kind of just elevating itself. It just kept getting like, 'Whoa,' next big thing, next big thing, next big thing. And that wasn't a coincidence. It was just my drive — against all the odds.
"I wasn't raised with a ton as a kid," he continued. "I had a great set of parents who it took me a while to convince them, but they supported my music journey from the very beginning for the most part. So I kept jumping from band to band to band, and with all of the time that you spend on the road, like I said about the metal community, you create friends, you create relationships."
Cruz added: "[Me joining LAMB OF GOD] derived from a relationship that I made with my first band, WINDS OF PLAGUE. We toured with LAMB OF GOD in the 2010 Mayhem Fest. And that was the tour that I first met them and became friends. And we were instantly best friends ever since. I didn't realize, fast forward, eight years later that I would be given the opportunity to help them. And that's what it was — that's what friends do. That was the initial plan, was friends helping friends, and that's what I did. When I got that phone call to help them was one thing, but the in-person conversation to actually join the band was a life-changing experience that I will not forget."
A year ago, Cruz was asked by Drumeo what he would say was the "hardest part" about joining LAMB OF GOD — if it was "something technical, like learning the parts, or it was "dealing with fans who have opinions of the old band configuration". He said at the time: "It's a combination of both. I was so confident with my playing, and not in an egotistical way. I was just very confident with where I was on my skill level. I had been touring for a long time in the trenches, man — from local bands to selling merchandise for bands to being a driver to just being the guy that 'let me help' kind of thing to playing in bands and sleeping on floors and doing all that good stuff. But it wasn't really that — it was wasn't the playing; I was confident enough with my playing. It was a challenge with the fans. It's a big deal. And that goes for anybody. You're [former METALLICA bassist] Jason Newsted, you're [ex-METALLICA bassist] Robert Trujillo; it's crazy how they went back to back to convince fans. And you don't think about that until it's a reality, and you're getting blown up on social media and you're experiencing it. And those are probably the most challenging parts. But with a band and a brotherhood that I have, they've walked me, literally — pun intended — walked me through hell and helped to see me on the other side, so I don't have to really pay attention to that stuff anymore. And I don't. I'm here to inspire. That is my only goal in this world, is to show you where I came from — my vulnerabilities, my weaknesses, and show you how I grow from that and do what I can to be in this position. And thankfully I'm in a better place than I used to be before. It was hard to get through that stuff, man. But thankfully, it's a lot easier to avoid it. Yeah, I just don't go on [social media]. It's fun."
In a 2022 interview with Finland's Chaoszine, LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton was asked if Cruz, who has been the band's drummer of the past six years, was more involved in the songwriting process on LAMB OF GOD's latest album, "Omens", than he was on 2020's self-titled effort. He responded: "I think so. Yeah, I'd say so. Not that he wasn't involved in the first one — he was very involved in the first one — but I think his confidence was up. And I think psychologically, everyone, especially him, was ready to have a bigger impact sonically on the record and to have more personality in the drums rather than… I think on the last album, the self-titled album, he played phenomenally but he stuck very close to traditional LAMB OF GOD movements, and on this album he stretched out quite a bit."
Morton continued: "I think it's about finding a balance about staying true to the historic sound of the band and how the band has sounded; you don't wanna come in sounding radically different. But I think we're all ready, and have been ready, to allow him to grow within the context of LAMB OF GOD, and he's done that for sure."
Art spoke about his contributions to "Omens" — which arrived in October 2022 via Epic Records — during an appearance in June 2022 on "The Garza Podcast", hosted by SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Chris Garza. "The first, self-titled one we did, it was great, man — we wrote some great songs," he said, referring to 2020's "Lamb Of God", which marked his recording debut with LAMB OF GOD. "But I was still learning their vibe. I was green to that level of… Those guys had been doing it for 28, 29 years — almost 30 years — and I'm the new guy, a young kid coming in. You have to go through the trenches in every which way. And that first album was a very secure, safe way for all of us to just, 'Here's the tunes. Let's figure it out. Learn how we work.' And this one that's coming out, 'Omens', they really let me spread my wings and they really let me play me — they let me be me.
"I'm always inspired by LAMB, and LAMB is a signature sound," he continued. "LAMB OF GOD, to me, is that sound as a unit. It's a unit — it's not one individual. It's Randy [Blythe, vocals], it's Mark [Morton, guitar], it's Willie [Adler, guitar], it's John [Campbell, bass], it's Chris. That's, to me, what LAMB OF GOD was. So I'm not far off from that. That's what inspired me to be listening to metal and shit. It's my favorite metal band of all time. So to take that inspiration and then become my own person, my own player, from WINDS OF PLAGUE to AZUSA to my first band ENTHRAL to PRONG, to finally come to this point, and this is the album. It's all of those bands, it's all of those struggles, all of those trenches, all of those challenges, all of those tours — this is the album that I was able to really… And then the last LAMB OF GOD album, that is what built me to be to this 'Omens' album, for real. And we're just getting started, man — we're so just getting started. And I'm ready. And I'm mentally in a better place to do that, and I'm ready to do it. And the band is, they're my brothers."
The band tracked "Omens" with longtime collaborator Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH) live in the room together at Henson Recording Studios (formerly A&M Studios) in Los Angeles, California, a location that birthed classics from THE DOORS, PINK FLOYD, RAMONES and SOUNDGARDEN, among others. | 0 | |
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Spite
