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6 июн 2025
SABATON Releases New Single And Cinematic Video 'Hordes Of Khan'
 Swedish metallers SABATON have unveiled the official music video for "Hordes Of Khan", the second single from their forthcoming eleventh studio album, which is due out later this year.
"The story behind our new single 'Hordes Of Khan' was a great one to take a deep dive into," says SABATON singer Joakim Brodén. "The song actually turned out to have way more depth than we expected. Genghis Khan wasn't just a conqueror; he was a complex figure who left behind a huge legacy. He built the largest contiguous empire in history, stretching far beyond Mongolia, and his influence only grew after his death. Honestly, we couldn't have picked a more suitable subject for the new direction SABATON is heading in! 'Hordes Of Khan' hits hard, and it's heavy for good reason. We know our fans crave heavy music, and we're pumped to see how they react to this one. Hopefully, it's a track they'll be blasting on repeat!"
SABATON bassist Pär Sundström explains: "Joakim wanted to write a proper heavy metal song, and as we've seen from past releases, a lot of our fans appreciate pure fucking heavy metal! That's what 'Hordes Of Khan' is, and when you listen to it and close your eyes, you can imagine Genghis Khan on his horse, galloping to battle. Joakim composed the music and I actually wrote the lyrics for this one. When I started to work on them, I realised the melody was pretty complicated. Honestly, they were some of the most difficult lyrics that I've ever written. All in all, I'm very happy with the result, especially as Joakim has said that parts of the lyrics are some of SABATON's best to date."
The music video for 'Hordes of Khan' is based in the future, in the year 2045. It was filmed in London at two different locations, the Natural History Museum and at Harrow School, and follows the main character — a young girl — who plays in a heavy metal band and loves SABATON, but she won't ever have the opportunity to see the band play because in 2039, all wars have miraculously ended. The world is now peaceful, and war is obsolete and therefore, so is SABATON. The girl hears about a museum that's featuring a SABATON exhibit with all of the band members' musical instruments. The girl and her band sneak into this museum to check it out. Once inside, they are greeted by a hologram telling the story about the musical instruments of SABATON that contain magic that brings history to life. The kids take no notice, pick up the instruments and begin to play.
Once the music begins, a ferocious Genghis Khan comes to life along with five other legendary soldiers played by the band members. Their mission is to stop Genghis before he escapes the museum to take over the world.
"When reflecting on all of the music videos we've ever created," says Sundström, "our 'Hordes Of Khan' music video was the most exciting in a lot of ways, even though 'Christmas Truce' is a much more emotional topic and story. I think this one specifically contains much more depth and action, and in combination with the locations and the actors, I'm confident that it will resonate with everyone!"
The children acting in the music video had their work cut out for them. They didn't just want it to look like they were playing the instruments, they actually wanted the kids to really play the instruments and perform the song correctly. They thought it was going to be super challenging, but in this case they all learned the song by heart and performed it. "We were really proud of them all! What people see in the video is playback, but all of them know their parts and they can play 'Hordes Of Khan' for real," Sundström continues. "We loved seeing that happen! Our ex-drummer Daniel Mullback's son played the drums and acted in this music video as well, and he absolutely nailed it. Another amazing drummer in the making!"
This past April, SABATON released a music video for the band's previous single, "Templars". The cinematic clip was filmed at two massive historical fortresses in Serbia (Belgrade Fortress within Kalemegdan Park and Smederevo Fortress),both of which provided a striking and authentic backdrop for the epic battle scenes.
In an interview with El Cuartel Del Metal, Brodén spoke about SABATON's decision to sign with Better Noise Music after a decade-and-a-half-long run with Nuclear Blast. Regarding what prompted the label switch, Joakim said: "Basically, they've gone through some changes, Nuclear Blast, over the years, [having] been bought up by [global digital music company] Believe [in 2018], and while I have no hard feelings towards any one of them, this felt like the next logical step. Because for the past two albums, it seemed like we had hit the roof, to us sometimes, of our reach with Nuclear Blast. With that said, we have good friends still, and we have good friends and lovely people who work there. So this is more of a — what do you call it? — intellectual decision of what's the best next step for SABATON and not emotional, 'Oh, we've been fucked over by a label.' No, we haven't."
The Nuclear Blast relationship with SABATON dated back to 2010's World War II-themed "Coat Of Arms" album.
Along with the digital release of "Templars", SABATON is offering its fans a special one-sided 12-inch vinyl single which is limited to 1,000 copies worldwide and set to be released on June 27.
Since SABATON's 2005 debut LP, the band has released ten studio albums (some of which have been certified as gold, platinum, and even quadruple platinum),seen eight of its albums score Top 10 international chart status, and six claim the Top 5.
2022's "The War to End All Wars" was the last SABATON album to feature guitarist Tommy Johansson. He has since been replaced by a returning Thobbe Englund.
Thobbe originally joined SABATON in April 2012 and amicably parted ways with the band in July 2016 to focus on his personal life and expand his creativity. He rejoined SABATON in February 2024.
Englund recorded two studio albums with SABATON, namely "Heroes" (2014) and "The Last Stand" (2016),and assisted with the songwriting of some very popular songs including "Shiroyama" and "Fields Of Verdun", among others.
In November 2025, SABATON will embark on a 20-city European run dubbed "The Legendary Tour". The band teased the trek as "a huge celebration of SABATON's music, storytelling and the incredible bond they share with their fans", featuring "The Legendary Orchestra and other surprises," resulting in "something unprecedented."
Last fall, SABATON served as main support to JUDAS PRIEST on the legendary heavy metal band's North American tour.
In the more than two decades since their launch, SABATON has achieved quadruple-platinum sales, headlined major festivals, sold-out arena concerts across the globe, and earned a legion of loyal fans by being self-managed and carving out a reputation as one of the most innovative bands in rock. SABATON combines standout stage design and production with epic concept albums, linking real-life historical war events with classic kick-ass metal. To date, the band has released ten studio albums, amassed six gold, two platinum, and one four-times-platinum awards, seen eight of its albums score Top 10 international chart status, and six claim the Top 5.
When SABATON hit the 20-year mark, they headlined both stages at Wacken 2019 — the biggest metal festival in the world — simultaneously. Meanwhile, in 2023 as part of a charity initiative, SABATON donated their full-length animated movie to museums around the world in order to increase awareness and visitor numbers, and successfully encouraged people to support the preservation of history in these establishments. During SABATON's 25th-anniversary year, the band released the "Tour To End All Tours" concert film, and through independent distribution, it was screened in more than 1,200 cinemas spanning 28 territories.
Photo credit: Joshua Dorfman
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6 июн 2025
BUSH Releases 'The Land Of Milk And Honey' Single From Upcoming 'I Beat Loneliness' Album
 Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum rock band BUSH has released the song "The Land Of Milk And Honey" from the group's upcoming album, "I Beat Loneliness", due out July 18 via earMUSIC.
BUSH frontman Gavin 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."
A press release adds that "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."
Produced by Rossdale and Erik Ron (PANIC! AT THE DISCO, SET IT OFF, BAD OMEN),"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: Joseph Llanes | +1 | |
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6 июн 2025
DRAGONFORCE Joined By ARCH ENEMY's ALISSA WHITE-GLUZ For Alternate Version Of 'Burning Heart'
 Grammy-nominated extreme power metal legends DRAGONFORCE have unleashed a new official music video for an alternate version of their recent album track "Burning Heart", featuring ARCH ENEMY frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz. Originally released as a bonus track on select editions of DRAGONFORCE's celebrated 2024 album "Warp Speed Warriors", the special version supported by White-Gluz's distinctive vocals is now out as its own single.
White-Gluz comments on the collaboration: "As a longtime DRAGONFORCE fan, it was such a fun experience to sing 'Burning Heart'! This band knows no speed limits — even as a vocalist I found myself tripping over consonants trying to keep up. It was a refreshing challenge. I'm happy to be a part of such a cool song and video."
DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li adds: "Alissa has been one of my favorite metal vocalists for a long time. I'm thrilled that the stars aligned, allowing us to collaborate on this track. I believe 'Burning Heart' is the perfect song for Alissa to showcase her remarkable vocal range and her stunning performance has elevated the song to another level."
Formed in 1999, DRAGONFORCE has earned their reputation as the world's fastest band via its power metal anthems filled with spectacular guitar solos, including the iconic platinum-selling hit "Through The Fire And Flames". Several of the songs on "Warp Speed Warriors" have already gained over a million streams on Spotify.
This summer DRAGONFORCE will finish the last European leg of its epic "Warp Speed Warriors" tour, playing several massive festival dates and selected shows together with POWERWOLF, before joining the German metallers on a North American tour, ready to deliver breathtaking shows to their ever-growing fanbase.
In May 2024, DRAGONFORCE teamed up with "Brawl Stars", a hit multiplayer mobile game with over one billion downloads, to celebrate a brand new character entering the game with a new song, "A Draco Tale", and music video.
"Warp Speed Warriors" was released in March 2024 via Napalm Records.
On "Warp Speed Warriors", DRAGONFORCE — composed of of guitar virtuosos and founding members Li and Sam Totman, singer Marc Hudson, bassist Alicia Vigil and drummer Gee Anzalone — explore a wider range of varying musical styles than ever before, evolving their sound throughout the exciting musical journey while still staying true to their roots.
"Warp Speed Warriors" was produced, mixed and mastered by Damien Rainaud at Mix Unlimited in Los Angeles, California with Sam Totman and Herman Li.
DRAGONFORCE's platinum-selling single "Through The Fire And Flames" brought the London-based Grammy-nominated extreme power metal group international acclaim and was featured as the most challenging song on "Guitar Hero III".
In March 2019, the "Through The Fire And Flames" music video reached a new milestone: it surpassed one hundred million views on YouTube — DRAGONFORCE's first music video to do so.
"Through The Fire And Flames" is the leadoff track from 2006's "Inhuman Rampage" album, which was officially certified gold in July 2017 by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of half a million copies.
Photo credit: Travis Shinn
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6 июн 2025
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6 июн 2025
THE DEAD DAISIES Unveil Documentary On The Roots Of The Blues, The Legend Of FAME Studios
 Following the release of their acclaimed blues album "Lookin' For Trouble", THE DEAD DAISIES have shared a brand-new short documentary that goes far beyond a standard "making-of" video. Released today, the 20-minute film offers an intimate, cinematic look at how a spontaneous late-night jam session in Muscle Shoals turned into one of the band's most soul-stirring records — and explores the rich musical history that made it possible.
Shot on location in Muscle Shoals and inside the legendary FAME Studios, the documentary captures the serendipity, spirit, and grit behind the album's creation. It's part road film, part musical excavation, and a heartfelt tribute to the enduring power of the blues. Featuring some never-before-seen footage of the band en route to FAME, the documentary takes viewers deep into the band's creative process and the historical context of the songs they chose to reinterpret.
Through candid interviews with lead vocalist John Corabi, guitarist Doug Aldrich and bassist Michael Devin, the film traces the roots of the blues and its evolution into rock and roll. The band dives into the legends and folklore surrounding artists like Lead Belly, Muddy Waters and Albert King — whose fingerprints are all over "Lookin' For Trouble". Viewers gain new insight into the inspiration behind their fiery covers of classics like Robert Johnson's "Crossroads", John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" and B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone".
"When I first heard blues, it was through bands like LED ZEPPELIN and THE ROLLING STONES," recalls Corabi. "The deeper I researched my heroes, the deeper I got into the history of this music. The blues is the soul of rock 'n' roll — it's in everything we do."
The documentary also captures the camaraderie and chemistry among the band and producer Marti Frederiksen, who encouraged the group to capture everything live, in the moment, with minimal overdubs. The result is a set of blistering blues performances that feel immediate and reverent all at once.
Out now via Fame / Malaco Records, "Lookin' For Trouble" is THE DEAD DAISIES' first full-fledged blues album. Tracked live at FAME Studios, the record began as an impromptu tribute to their blues heroes — and evolved into a high-octane, soul-drenched collection that fuses reverence with signature grit.
The album's breakout singles — "Boom Boom", a swagger-soaked take on the John Lee Hooker classic, and "Crossroads", a blistering tribute to Robert Johnson — have earned praise for their energy and authenticity. Raised By Cassettes called "Crossroads" "a high-energy performance that bridges past and present."
Other standout tracks include "Going Down" (Freddie King),"Black Betty" (Lead Belly),"Sweet Home Chicago" (Robert Johnson),"Born Under A Bad Sign" (Albert King) and "The Thrill Is Gone" (B.B. King),all performed with the raw chemistry that's defined THE DEAD DAISIES since day one.
"This album is our love letter to the blues," Corabi shares. "It's the music that shaped rock and shaped us."
"Lookin' For Trouble" track listing:
01. I'm Ready (Muddy Waters)
02. Going Down (Freddy King)
03. Boom Boom (John Lee Hooker)
04. Black Betty (Lead Belly)
05. The Thrill Is Gone (B.B. King)
06. Born Under A Bad Sign (Albert King)
07. Crossroads (Robert Johnson)
08. Sweet Home Chicago (Robert Johnson)
09. Walking The Dog (Rufus Thomas)
10. Little Red Rooster (Howlin' Wolf) | 0 | |
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6 июн 2025
See LAMB OF GOD's RANDY BLYTHE In ALIEN WEAPONRY's 'Taniwha' Music Video
 New Zealand's ALIEN WEAPONRY has released a music video for the song "Taniwha", featuring a guest appearance by LAMB OF GOD's Randy Blythe. In the clip, the modern groove metal trio finds itself face to face with puppet masters of corporate greed and overconsumption, providing a thought-provoking backdrop to one of the most aggressive, death-metal leaning offerings on ALIEN WEAPONRY's recently released third album, "Te Rā".
ALIEN WEAPONRY comments on the "Taniwha" video: "We are super excited to share something we have been working on for a while.
"We felt honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with the mighty Randy Blythe on our song 'Taniwha' off of our latest album, so it only made sense to have him be a part of the music video too! We wanted to create something special for this one, and we are stoked with how it turned out!"
ALIEN WEAPONRY bassist and backing vocalist Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds told Rolling Stone Australia that the collaboration with Blythe came about when Randy privately messaged Tūranga after seeing one of his Māori culture posts on social media.
"I was sitting in my car listening to demos and thought, 'This song needs something… it needs Randy,'" he said. "I didn't tell anyone in the band in case he said no."
According to Rolling Stone Australia, Blythe was originally slated to appear on a different "Te Rā" song, "Hanging By A Thread", but producer Josh Wilbur made the decision to scrap the idea due to the track's overlap with the lyrics on LAMB OF GOD's song "Nevermore", off the latter band's 2022 LP "Omens".
Blythe ended up contributing his own lyrics to "Taniwha" — even the Māori ones — and recorded his verse in his own living room.
"It wasn't just a name-drop moment," Tūranga told Rolling Stone Australia. "It felt like a real, meaningful collaboration. Lewis [Raharuhi De Jong, guitar/vocals], who worships LAMB OF GOD, was over the moon."
ALIEN WEAPONRY will support AVATAR on a U.S. tour in November and December. Also appearing on the bill will be SPIRITWORLD.
Since releasing its acclaimed debut "Tū" in 2018, ALIEN WEAPONRY has been lauded for its kinetic presence and sound, as well as their vital blend of culturally profound lyricism in both English and te reo Māori, the indigenous language of New Zealand.
With "Te Rā", ALIEN WEAPONRY expands on its hallmark messages of cultural, societal and environmental resilience while delivering their most massive-sounding, focused musical output ever. In the hands of veteran producer/mixer Josh Wilbur (LAMB OF GOD, GOJIRA, MEGADETH),"Te Rā"'s gnashing blend of groove, nu, math and thrash metal shines with anthemic choruses and refreshed technical skill. "Te Rā" is a bold, unwavering cry for a future in which we can all take part in the legacy of peoples like the Māori and others all around us — people who, if they aren't seen, most certainly need to be heard. Taken as a whole, "Te Rā" grapples with what it's like to be caught in the pull of divergent cultures — not just for the descendants of colonized people, but for all of us. | +2 | |
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6 июн 2025
POWERWOLF Announces New Live Album, DVD And Blu-Ray, 'Wildlive (Live At Olympiahalle)'
 Chart-topping German metal titans POWERWOLF will release a new live album, Blu-ray and DVD, "Wildlive (Live At Olympiahalle)", on March 6, 2026 via Napalm Records. This offering captures the magic, energy and theatrical brilliance of POWERWOLF's biggest headline tour to date. Recorded during the sold-out show of POWERWOLF's "Wolfsnächte" tour 2024 in Munich's Olympiahalle, "Wildlive (Live At Olympiahalle)" is not just a live release — it is a grandiose cinematic experience and a sacred celebration of metal, filled with fire, emotion, and boundless creativity.
What began as an unconventional project in 2004 has since evolved into one of the most successful metal phenomena worldwide. "Wildlive (Live At Olympiahalle)" documents POWERWOLF's unrelenting rise to the top, showcasing a performance that goes far beyond a metal concert. From a fire-breathing church organ and thunderous pyro spectacles to dark, operetta-like storytelling and rousing crowd interaction, this show is pure heavy metal theater at its finest. "Wildlive (Live At Olympiahalle)" is an absolute must-have for every music lover. It will be available in multiple formats including Blu-ray, DVD, CD and vinyl as well as a deluxe boxset, earbook, mediabook, and several other collectors editions, featuring exclusive bonus content.
Fans who pre-order the earbook or box-vinyl edition of the new album through the Napalm Records mailorder until July 31 will have the unique chance to have their name printed in the booklet of both editions. All you need to do is enter your name (up to 20 characters) in a special field on the product page when placing your order.
POWERWOLF states: "We always knew that no words or short recap videos could truly capture what we experienced together during the 'Wolfsnächte' 2024 tour. Every night was its own kind of magic — still, we wanted to find a way to hold on to those memories and share them in the most powerful way possible. That's why we decided to record the full, massive, sold-out show at the Olympiahalle in Munich — to preserve just a piece of what we all felt on this tour. 'Wildlive (Live At Olympiahalle)' is more than a live release. It's a tribute and manifestation to the moments we created together."
On "Wildlive (Live At Olympiahalle)", each song is visually reimagined with a changing digital stage set, timed effects, and theatrical elements: monks with torches, falling snow on a burning piano, and a fiery execution scene that rivals shock rock's greatest icons. Classics like "Army Of The Night", "Amen & Attack", "Armata Strigoi" and "Demons Are A Girl's Best Friend" come alive in larger-than-life arrangements, while emotional highlights like "Alive Or Undead" bring the audience to tears. The interplay between frontman Attila Dorn and organist Falk Maria Schlegel turns every moment into an unforgettable ritual.
POWERWOLF's "Summer Of The Wicked" 2025 European headline tour will see the band bringing their mighty metal mass to some of the continent's biggest festivals and venues. Kicking off just one month after their 2025 "Latin American Crusade" headline run, the summer tour sets the stage for another triumphant chapter in the band's legacy. But the crusade doesn't stop there — later this year, POWERWOLF will return to North America for a massive headline tour across the USA and Canada, starting September 17, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. Joining them as special guests power metal legends DRAGONFORCE.
POWERWOLF is:
Attila Dorn - Vocals
Falk Maria Schlegel - Organ
Charles Greywolf - Guitar
Matthew Greywolf - Guitar
Roel Van Helden - Drums
Photo credit: VD Pictures
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6 июн 2025
KREATOR: Official Documentary 'Hate & Hope' And MILLE PETROZZA's Autobiography 'Your Heaven, My Hell' Get Release Dates
 The official documentary about German thrash metal veterans KREATOR, "Kreator - Hate & Hope", will premiere on July 2 at the 42nd Munich International Film Festival, which runs from June 27 to July 6. The 110-minute film, which was directed by Cordula Kablitz-Post, will receive a theatrical premiere on September 4.
Official "Kreator - Hate & Hope" description: "To their fans worldwide, they are gods, but their music seems possessed by the devil — more aggressive, faster, and more uncompromising than others. The German band KREATOR has long since reached the pinnacle of the thrash metal scene. The film 'Kreator - Hate & Hope' tells the forty-year history of the celebrated metal band for the first time, from their founding as a school band in 1982 in the Ruhr area to the grand international stages of their current world tour. Then as now, they stand against the hatred and the abysses of our society. Shrill tones, virtuosic guitar riffs, and energetic drumbeats process the turmoil in our civilization with tremendous willpower and creativity. Between Hannah Arendt quotes and headless corpses, emerges a well-crafted poetry of chaos full of symbols of horror — a musical Molotov cocktail against evil with a cathartic effect.
"For her new documentary, director Cordula Kablitz-Post ('Die Toten Hosen - You Only Live Once') goes on tour with the legendary thrash metal band from the Ruhrpott for a year: Wacken Open Air, Tokyo, Osaka, Bangalore, Los Angeles and finally 'Klash Of The Ruhrpott' in Gelsenkirchen, where Germany's metal greats gather. With private archive recordings and exciting interviews (Scott Ian / ANTHRAX, Chuck Billy / TESTAMENT, Bela B. / DIE ÄRZTE, guitarist Phil Demmel / formerly MACHINE HEAD, Maik Weichert / HEAVEN SHALL BURN, Nergal / BEHEMOTH, Lars Eidinger, Andy Sneap) they embark on a very honest and humorous journey into the wildly beating heart of German music history."
In other KREATOR-related news, frontman Mille Petrozza's official autobiography, which he wrote with journalist, author and presenter Torsten Groß, "Your Heaven, My Hell - Mein Leben, Heavy Metal Und Wie Das Alles Passieren Konnte" ("Your Heaven, My Hell - My Life, Heavy Metal, And How It All Could Happen") will be published on August 28 via Ullstein Verlag. The book is available for pre-order now.
Last fall, Petrozza told Oran O'Beirne of Fistful Of Metal magazine about the KREATOR documentary: "I have to be honest with you, this documentary was not our idea, and in fact, we are not involved in the production side of it. The whole concept came from Cordula, who approached us with this proposition and she has full creative control. She is a very well-respected director who has produced some incredible cinematic documentaries in the past, so I'm very excited to see the finished film."
He continued: "I'm usually a control freak when it comes to things like this, so it's a very surreal experience not being in the driving seat when it comes to creative decision making, but I have total faith and trust in Cordula."
Regarding his upcoming book, Mille said at the time: "Well, I can tell you that the book is done. A friend of mine and I have been co-writing a book together looking specifically at the early years of the band, specifically up to 1992. The thing is, we have a German publisher and they're, hopefully, going to be making this book available in English. But as of now, we are looking to release the book in 2025."
He continued: "I can also tell you the working title of the book is 'Your Heaven, My Hell', and we go very deep into the struggles of starting the band, the impact of the tape-trading community back then, and loads of stores and interesting moments that led to the band being where we are today. So, keep your eyes for more details coming very soon."
In 2001, Cordula founded Avanti Media Fiction, through which she primarily produces feature films and high-quality television and theatrical documentaries.
KREATOR recently entered Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren to begin recording its sixteenth studio album, tentatively due in early 2026. Bogren previously helmed KREATOR's "Phantom Antichrist" (2012) and "Gods Of Violence" (2017) LPs.
KREATOR's upcoming effort will be the follow-up to 2022's "Hate Über Alles", which was recorded at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin, Germany. Helming the sessions for that LP was Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, CODE ORANGE, POWER TRIP and SOULFLY, among others.
"Hate Über Alles" marked KREATOR's first album with bassist Frédéric Leclercq, who joined the group in 2019.
KREATOR played its first show with Leclercq in October 2019 in Santiago, Chile.
Before joining KREATOR, Leclercq rose to fame with U.K.-based extreme power metallers DRAGONFORCE for whom he handled bass duties from 2005 until August 2019.
Ruhrgebiet, in den siebziger Jahren: Mille Petrozza wächst als Sohn einer Bergarbeiterfamilie im Essener Stadtteil...
Posted by CoreTex on Tuesday, June 3, 2025
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Cordula Kablitz-Post (@cordulakablitz)
Drehtag 1 für Kino-Doku über Thrash-Metal-Legende KREATOR in Wacken, die hier als Headliner gespielt haben. Wann wir...
Posted by avanti media fiction GmbH on Sunday, August 6, 2023 | +4 | |
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6 июн 2025
VOLBEAT's MICHAEL POULSEN: 'BLACK SABBATH Was The Main Reason Why I Started Playing Guitar'
 During an appearance on the latest episode of The Mistress Carrie Podcast, guitarist/vocalist Michael Poulsen of Danish rock and rollers VOLBEAT was asked what the music of heavy metal legends BLACK SABBATH has meant to him over the years. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Everything. Because BLACK SABBATH was the main reason why I started playing guitar. That was listening and discovering BLACK SABBATH. And it's still that band that keeps inspiring, no matter what music I do for whatever band. They are eternal and they are the godfathers for a reason. [They have had] so many great albums, classic albums, and very interesting lineups as well. So they meant a lot to me and still do."
In a December 2021 interview with "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, Poulsen credited BLACK SABBATH with inspiring some of the music on VOLBEAT's eighth studio album, "Servant Of The Mind", which came out earlier that month via Republic Records.
"If you look at the more heavy side of the material, it's obvious that's a lot of old BLACK SABBATH inspiration — more from the [Ronnie James] Dio past and from the Tony Martin [era] of BLACK SABBATH," he said. "I do love the Ozzy [Osbourne] material, but you can definitely hear the inspiration from the BLACK SABBATH Dio and Tony Martin era."
Back in January 2020, Poulsen picked BLACK SABBATH's "Black Sabbath" a one of the 10 songs that changed his life. He explained to Kerrang! magazine: "My mom's brother lived next door to us, so I went through his record collection and found an album with a sleeve that scared the crap out of me. It was a woman in a graveyard or something, and he told me I was way too young to listen to it. So when he was out, I snuck into his house and put the record on, and that was my introduction to BLACK SABBATH. That was the song that made me want to dig into that scene. Hearing that opening riff made me want my first guitar."
VOLBEAT's ninth album, "God Of Angels Trust", will be released on June 6 via longtime label Vertigo/Universal. The LP's arrival will coincide with plenty of summer touring on the band's "Greatest Of All Tours Worldwide".
Poulsen started working on songs for the follow-up to 2021's "Servant Of The Mind" in the summer of 2024. VOLBEAT was taking a year-long break from touring to give Michael a chance to recover from throat surgery and to tour with his death metal band ASINHELL. Driven equally by his excitement to record a new VOLBEAT album and by his determination not to follow convention, Poulsen worked on songs for a mere three weeks with bandmates drummer Jon Larsen and bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen. Amazingly, they worked on a new song at every rehearsal. Three weeks into the process, VOLBEAT had arranged half of "God Of Angels Trust". That's when Poulsen decided that having no rules meant he could follow his muse wherever it took him, and he veered off on a different path. He and the band still wrote and rehearsed two songs a week, but they started composing more familiar rock songs that drew from traditional elements.
The band entered the studio with their longtime producer Jacob Hansen in the fall of 2024. As with the songwriting, Poulsen wanted to work quickly and rely on instinct, so they just plugged in and started to play. To keep the music sounding urgent and immediate, VOLBEAT recorded live in the studio, playing as few takes as possible before moving from one song to the next.
When it came time to add lead guitar, there was no question that VOLBEAT would tap Flemming C. Lund, who currently tours with the band and worked with Michael in ASINHELL. A mere 13 days after they started working with Hansen, VOLBEAT were finished.
VOLBEAT will return to the road on the "Greatest Of All Tours Worldwide", beginning in June and running throughout 2025. The tour begins in June with a co-headline Canadian run with THREE DAYS GRACE and special guests WAGE WAR, which will be followed by headline treks in the U.S. with special guests HALESTORM and THE GHOST INSIDE, and Europe with special guests BUSH and WITCH FEVER, including a second show at Copenhagen's Royal Arena on September 20.
Photo credit: Brittany Bowman (courtesy of Atom Splitter PR + Republic/Universal)
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5 июн 2025
Watch: KING DIAMOND Launches Spring/Summer 2025 European Tour At SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL
 KING DIAMOND launched its spring/summer 2025 European tour Wednesday night (June 4) at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden.
The band's lineup for the current tour consists of King Diamond on lead vocals, Andy La Rocque and Mike Wead on guitars, Pontus Egberg on the bass, and Matt Thompson on drums. Greek female vocalist Hel Pyre, who previously played bass for NERVOSA, is handling backing vocals on the trek.
KING DIAMOND's setlist for last night's concert was as follows:
01. Arrival
02. A Mansion In Darkness
03. Halloween
04. Voodoo
05. Spider Lilly
06. Sleepless Nights
07. Welcome Home
08. The Invisible Guests
09. The Candle
10. Masquerade Of Madness
11. Electro Therapy
12. Eye Of The Witch
13. Burn
14. Abigail
Fan-filmed video of the entire performance can be seen below.
In a recent interview with Fistful Of Metal magazine, King stated about the status of the long-awaited new KING DIAMOND album: "Well, for starters, the original name that we had picked was 'The Institute'. However, that has now changed to, 'St Lucifer's Hospital 1920', since the start of the U.S. tour. There very well may be a track on the album called 'The Institute'. We were supposed to release the album this year, and in fact the album was supposed to be completely finished prior to the live shows, but I just want to make sure that it's the best material I've ever released. Right now, we are gearing up to film the next video for the single 'Lobotomy', which will definitely be released later this year. Other songs that are completed are an intro track called 'Under The Surface', 'The Institute', 'The Nun', 'Faceless' and, of course, 'Spider Lilly'. There's another track, which I'm not sure is going to be on the album yet, called 'Deep In The Darkness 1920'. Andy has been working on at least five tracks, one of which has as monster chorus that we plan to record with a choir. The plan is that this album will be the first of a trilogy, and I already have all three album titles."
In a separate interview with Guitar World, La Rocque spoke about KING DIAMOND's forthcoming horror trilogy, part one of which is titled "Saint Lucifer's Hospital 1920". Asked about his previous comment that the new KING DIAMOND songs would be, in some form, a return to the band's earliest records, Andy said: "It's mainly to get that organic sound back, where everything doesn't have to be… placed perfectly in time, or even in pitch. There's got to be some rock 'n' roll to it. [Laughs] If you listen to an album that's totally perfect, it gets boring. We wanted to make an album where it's a little bit more alive, like it was in the '80s.
"We're trying to avoid the stiffness of the albums of the '90s and early 2000s," he explained. "Really, we're just trying to loosen it up a little bit. Then again, we also had a talk about going back to the roots with the songwriting. Some parts are going back to 'Fatal Portrait' and 'Abigail' when it comes to the riffing style, but it's also going to be totally different from what you've ever heard from us before."
As for a possible timeline for the next KING DIAMOND album, Andy said: "We're going to do some festivals in Europe [this] summer, so everything has to be recorded and done before we do that, that's for sure. We're still working on some of the other stuff we have. It's going to be eight or nine songs on the album, I believe."
Last December, KING DIAMOND released a new single, "Spider Lilly". It was a first-time mixing collaboration with Arthur Rizk, who also mastered the track. The music and lyrics were written by King Diamond.
The official music video for "Spider Lilly" was directed by My Good Eye Visuals. Part of the clip was filmed at the very haunted Pennhurst Asylum outside of Philadelphia on a travel day during the band's 2024 North American tour, two days before Halloween. It was only King himself and actress Jodi Cachia who could participate on that specific day, together with producer David Brodsky, Allie Woest and their crew.
KING DIAMOND performed "Spider Lilly" live for the first time at the kick-off concert of the band's 2024 North American headlining tour, which launched on October 15 at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas. The "Saint Lucifer's Hospital 1920" trek ran through December 6 in Dallas, Texas. Support came from OVERKILL and NIGHT DEMON. Additional backing vocals for the KING DIAMOND set were provided by the special guest Myrkur.
In November 2024, the KING DIAMOND shows in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (November 20 at Edmonton Convention Center),Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada (November 21 at TCU Place),Calgary, Alberta Canada (November 22 at Grey Eagle Event Centre),Portland, Oregon (November 24 at Keller Auditorium) and Seattle, Washington (November 25 at The Moore Theatre) were canceled due to "unforeseen circumstances".
KING DIAMOND's setlist for the fall 2024 tour included two new songs, "Electro Therapy" and the aforementioned "Spider Lilly".
In October 2023, KING DIAMOND released a music video for the 2019 single "Masquerade Of Madness". The clip was directed by David Brodsky and Allison Woest of My Good Eye Visuals.
A month after KING DIAMOND released "Masquerade Of Madness" in November 2019, La Rocque told The Metal Voice that he came up with the music for the track first before passing it off to King, who "needed to arrange a few things and change just a small few things for making it work with his vocals. And then, of course, he wrote the lyrics for it," the guitarist revealed. "So we [went] a little back and forth until he felt like, 'Okay, this is cool, man. This is the right key to sing in,' and all that."
KING DIAMOND received a Grammy nomination in the "Best Metal Performance" category for the track "Never Ending Hill" off the band's last album, 2007's "Give Me Your Soul … Please".
"Give Me Your Soul ... Please" sold 4,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 174 on The Billboard 200 chart.
KING DIAMOND released a DVD/Blu-ray, "Songs For The Dead Live", in January 2019 via Metal Blade Records. The set captured 1987's seminal "Abigail" album in its entirety, twice, and in very different locales: Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting in June 2016 and Philadelphia's Fillmore in November 2015. The performances featured KING DIAMOND's current band, comprising of guitarists La Rocque and Mike Wead, bassist Pontus Egberg and Matt Thompson.
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5 июн 2025
Watch: VOIVOD Performs With Orchestre Symphonique De Québec
 Canadian sci-fi metal innovators VOIVOD performed with the Orchestre Symphonique De Québec, conducted by Dina Gilbert, on June 4 at Grand Théâtre de Québec in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The show was recorded for a possible album.
Fan-filmed video of last night's concert can be seen below.
The setlist for the show was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:
01. Experiment
02. Holographic Thinking
03. The Unknown Knows
04. The End Of Dormancy
05. Into My Hypercube
06. Forgotten In Space
07. Cosmic Drama
08. Pre-Ignition
09. Nuclear War
10. Fall
11. Tribal Convictions
12. Astronomy Domine (PINK FLOYD cover)
Late last month, VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin told Le Soleil about the Quebec City performance: "The problem with making a record is that you have to pay a lot of royalties, because there are a lot of musicians and it costs a fortune. However, we're working on recording the Quebec City show and eventually releasing it on vinyl or CD. We really want to do that."
According to Langevin, there are no plans to release a professionally filmed video of the concert. "A DVD costs much, much more, so we forgot about that idea and focused on the audio," he said. "We haven't yet decided to turn this performance into a live album, but we're working very hard on this major project."
VOIVOD previously played two shows with the Orchestre Symphonique De Montréal on January 29 and January 30 at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Regarding how the collaboration with the Orchestre Symphonique De Montréal came about, Langevin told The Metal Voice in a December 2024 interview: "Oh my God, I think we've been dreaming about that forever. But it came through a strange chain of circumstances, where I did an interview for the magazine L'Itinéraire, for homeless people selling magazines on the street, and then I did an interview with one of the journalists for the magazine, and it ended up being published online by La Presse. And then the people directing the orchestra, the organization, they were made aware of that by one of the musicians from the orchestra, which is a metal dude and he's a fan."
The drummer continued: "It's funny because since my cousin Richard Langevin is married to Diane Dufresne, a famous singer from Montreal, and she had done the orchestra before, so they got in touch with him, because I was mentioning him in the article because he showed me how to draw. [Laughs] And anyhow, they phoned Richard, my cousin, and he phoned my mother. [Laughs] And when I came back from touring with VOIVOD, I had a message on my answering machine saying that the orchestra were looking for us. So, quite amazing."
Langevin added: "We didn't approach [the orchestra], but we always talked about either doing symphonic shows or doing a soundtrack for a sci-fi movie or something like that. It's part of the dreams we have."
VOIVOD guitarist Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain, who previously wrote an eight-minute arrangement for the brass quintet that performed with VOIVOD at the Montreal International Jazz Festival (Festival International de Jazz de Montréal) in June 2019, went on to say that the collaboration with the Orchestre Symphonique De Montréal is "a dream come true."
"I never tried to write for a whole orchestra," he explained. "I know a little bit about it, studying orchestration at university and knowing my music theory and all that. But what happened is that my help with the project was to provide the music sheets to the arranger, Hugo Bégin. He did an amazing work. He took the music sheet that I wrote for guitar and bass. So he had a template to work on. And so he orchestrated it for the whole orchestra and added his own color to it. And it's very efficient. It's like a movie soundtrack, like the movie we used to watch, like 'Planet Of The Apes' and 'Ben-Hur' and 'Mad Max' and all that. VOIVOD has been influenced since the beginning by those movies, so you can hear it, but with the whole orchestra, it's very exciting. So I exchanged a lot of e-mails and messages with Hugo, the arranger, and we worked really hard on it and he was really, really fast and efficient. And until the last minute, the last day, there was little modifications here and there, but it's gonna be amazing. It's a dream come true, but it's so big that you only imagine something like that in your wildest dreams, but you know it's not gonna happen. So this is just a life-changing experience, a bonus in a career. It's gonna be grandiose."
Added Langevin: "We're also gonna put a lot of work into the visuals with a company called Noisy Head. They're really high tech. It's gonna be spectacular. They did stuff for Lizzo or CHEMICAL BROTHERS. And also they did a symphonic show with the music of Harmonium. And so, yeah, it's gonna be pretty sci-fi visually as well."
VOIVOD is a Canadian heavy metal band from Jonquière, Québec. Their musical style has changed several times since the band's origin in the early 1980s. Starting out as a speed metal band, VOIVOD have added a mix of progressive metal and thrash metal to create their own unique metal style, and are credited as one of the "big four" Canadian thrash metal bands, along with SACRIFICE, RAZOR and ANNIHILATOR. They are considered by many as one of the most influential metal bands from the '80s, influencing and gaining praise from multiple bands and across numerous genres.
VOIVOD found mainstream success in the late 1980s with their fifth studio album, "Nothingface" (1989),which is the band's only album to enter The Billboard 200 chart, peaking at number 114.
VOIVOD's long-awaited official documentary, "We Are Connected", received its world premiere on July 29, 2024 at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Quebec. Canada.
"We Are Connected" dives deep into the 40-plus-year legacy of one of the most original and influential metal bands in history. From their explosive beginnings in Jonquière to their groundbreaking global journey, VOIVOD's story is one of unparalleled creativity, resilience, and evolution. The film covers VOIVOD's history from unlikely origins in northern Québec at the height of the Cold War to underground success to sharing tours and stages with IRON MAIDEN, RUSH and METALLICA. Included in the documentary are high and lows throughout those 40 years, from major-label support and Billboard recognition to seismic lineup changes and an event many critics claimed to be the end of VOIVOD: the death of co-founding guitarist and composer Dennis "Piggy" D'Amour.
Directed by Felipe Belalcazar and produced with full access to the band's archives, this film features exclusive insights and appearances by metal icons like Tobias Forge (GHOST),Mikael Åkerfeldt (OPETH),Jason Newsted (METALLICA),Zach Blair (RISE AGAINST, GWAR),Tom G. Warrior (CELTIC FROST, TRIPTYKON) and Ivan Doroschuk (MEN WITHOUT HATS),among many others.
VOIVOD has been touring in support of its latest album, "Morgöth Tales", which was released via Century Media, The Orchard and Sony Music.
The band's 2022 release, "Synchro Anarchy", garnered significant acclaim, winning the 2023 Juno Award for "Best Hard Rock/Metal Album" in Canada.
Once more recorded and mixed by Francis Perron at RadicArt Studio, mastered by Maor Appelbaum and produced by VOIVOD, "Morgöth Tales" includes fresh studio re-recordings by the band's current lineup of nine especially selected, not-so-obvious picks from the band's hyper-classy and extremely diverse back catalogue (between 1984 and 2003) as well as a brand-new song and the album's title track, "Morgöth Tales".
Posted by Jason Lee Rockman on Thursday, June 5, 2025
Voivod en concert symphonique avec Orchestre symphonique de Québec – Une rencontre épique entre métal et orchestre !
Un...
Posted by Voivod on Thursday, May 29, 2025 | +3 | |
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5 июн 2025
STRYPER's Performance At SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL Canceled Due To Plane's 'Malfunctioning Smoke Detector System And Power Failure'
 Christian rockers STRYPER have been forced to cancel their appearance at the 2025 edition of the Sweden Rock Festival on Thursday, June 5 in Sölvesborg, Sweden.
Earlier today, STRYPER released the following statement via social media: "We regret to announce that STRYPER will be unable to perform at Sweden Rock Festival this year.
"Midway through our flight to Copenhagen last night, a malfunctioning smoke detector system and power failure, forced the plane to return to the U.S., preventing us from making the trip.
"We're deeply disappointed. We were truly looking forward to returning to Sweden. To all our fans, friends, and fellow bands at the festival, we wish you an incredible weekend and hope to see you again soon.
"God bless, STRYPER".
STRYPER entered the studio in late April to begin recording their first-ever full-length Christmas album. The 10-song effort will include five original Christmas tracks and five traditional Christmas cuts, including remakes of "Reason For The Season" and "Winter Wonderland", both of which originally appeared on a 1985 single and were also made available on the 1986 re-release of STRYPER's debut EP, "The Yellow And Black Attack".
STRYPER's latest studio album, "When We Were Kings", came out in September 2024.
The band recently completed the U.S. leg of its 40th-anniversary tour, which was described as "a celebration of both classic hits and new-era fan favorites, including outfit changes and an exciting new show production."
In December 2023, STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet underwent partial thyroidectomy, the surgery to remove part of his thyroid gland. It is the most common surgery for thyroid cancer.
Formed 41 years ago, STRYPER's name comes from Isaiah 53:5, which states: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
STRYPER's other albums include "To Hell With The Devil", "Second Coming", "No More Hell To Pay", "Fallen", "God Damn Evil", "Even The Devil Believes" and "The Final Battle".
Tyvärr måste vi meddela att Stryper, som skulle ha spelat imorgon på Sweden Rock Festival, tvingas ställa in sin...
Posted by Sweden Rock Festival on Wednesday, June 4, 2025
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5 июн 2025
OPETH Shares Performance Video For 'Paragraph One' From 'The Last Will And Testament' Album
 Swedish progressive metallers OPETH have unveiled a full-on band performance video for "§1". The track is taken from their latest album, "The Last Will And Testament", which came out last November through Moderbolaget/Reigning Phoenix Music. The LP was highly praised by press and fans alike and saw OPETH frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt return to growling vocal territory for the first time in 16 years. OPETH's new material has additionally been warmly welcomed during the band's ongoing world tour, which is why the video arrives right in time as their touring cycle commences today at the legendary Sweden Rock Festival.
Åkerfeldt states: "So here's a video (of sorts) for your 'enjoyment.' We had requests left, right and center to do one of them measly 'lyric videos' or 'visualizers' for 'content.' Now, right there are three words I despise! I've made it clear in our circle of trust that we shouldn't use the word 'content', even if that's exactly what we're working on. We're not some goddamn influencers, now are we? So can we please settle on the old-fashioned word 'video' without meddling with modern online lingo? And a video is what it really is. A performance video, no less. We figured it's a bit more happening to look at (should you decide to do so) than a lyric video.
"'§1' is the opener on 'The Last Will And Testament'," he continues. "A good song. I like it! The video looks good. As good as it can look when involving five middle-aged, slightly hungover geezers miming along to something. We shot it in some industrial area in Birmingham (U.K.) on the latest Euro tour. Everyone (well, the band and crew) were quite eager to get out of there as we had dinner planned at a fancy curry house locally. Much thanks to Ash Pears and ASH TV, who were really professional (ie: quick!) and made the whole experience rather easy on us. Hope you dig it, people!"
OPETH was honored in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal" category at this year's edition of the Swedish Grammis awards (Swedish Grammy equivalent),which was held on March 27 at Annexet in Stockholm. The bands were nominated for their most recent releases, all of which came out during 2024.
"The Last Will And Testament", OPETH's fourteenth studio album, was written by Åkerfeldt, with lyrics conferred with Klara Rönnqvist Fors (THE HEARD, ex-CRUCIFIED BARBARA). "The Last Will And Testament" was co-produced by Åkerfeldt and Stefan Boman (GHOST, THE HELLACOPTERS),engineered by Boman, Joe Jones (KILLING JOKE, ROBERT PLANT) and OPETH, with Boman, Åkerfeldt and the rest of OPETH mixing at Atlantis and Hammerthorpe Studios in Stockholm. The strings on "The Last Will And Testament" were arranged by Åkerfeldt and returning prog friend Dave Stewart (EGG, KHAN) and conducted by Stewart at Angel Studios in London. Not one to miss a beat, visual artist Travis Smith returned to the fold, crafting his 11th cover, a haunting "photograph" reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's infamous "Overlook Hotel" photograph. Miles Showell (ABBA, QUEEN) also revisited mastering and vinyl lacquer cutting at Abbey Road Studios in London.
Åkerfeldt rolled out the red carpet for storied flautist and JETHRO TULL mainman Ian Anderson. Not only do Anderson's signature notes fly on "§4" and "§7", he narrates on "§1", "§2", "§4", and "§7". Joining Anderson, EUROPE's Joey Tempest lends a backing vocal hand on "§2", while Åkerfeldt's youngest daughter, Mirjam Åkerfeldt, is the disembodied voice in "§1".
"The Last Will And Testament" is a concept album set in the post-World War I era, unfolding the story of a wealthy, conservative patriarch whose last will and testament reveals shocking family secrets. The narrative weaves through the patriarch's confessions, the reactions of his twin children, and the mysterious presence of a polio-ridden girl who the family have taken care of. The album begins with the reading of the father's will in his mansion. Among those in attendance is a young girl, who, despite being an orphan and polio-ridden, has been raised by the family. Her presence at the will reading raises suspicions and questions among the twins.
"The Last Will And Testament" is the darkest and heaviest record OPETH has made in decades, and it is also the band's most fearlessly progressive. A concept album recounting the reading of one recently deceased man's will to an audience of his surviving family members, it brims with haunting melodrama, shocking revelations and some of the wildest and most unpredictable music that Åkerfeldt has ever written.
The follow-up to 2019's widely acclaimed "In Cauda Venenum", "The Last Will And Testament" is set in the shadowy, sepia-stained 1920s. It slowly reveals its secrets like some classic thriller from the distant, cobwebbed past, with each successive song shining more light on the stated machinations of our dead (but definitely not harmless) protagonist. The emotional chaos of the story is perfectly matched by OPETH's vivid but claustrophobic soundtrack, which artfully winds its way towards a crestfallen but sumptuous finale. Masters of their own idiosyncratic musical domain, OPETH have never sounded more unique.
"The Last Will And Testament" is destined to be a milestone in OPETH's illustrious recorded history. The band's first out-and-out concept record, it features guest cameos from JETHRO TULL legend Ian Anderson and Joey Tempest, frontman with Swedish rock gods EUROPE. Only one of the album's eight songs has a title: closing ballad "A Story Never Told". The rest are simply labeled as numbered chapters in this slowly unfolding saga of deceit, recrimination and betrayal. Enigmatic, unsettling and immersive, "The Last Will And Testament" is a turbulent, prog metal tale like no other.
Making his recorded debut alongside OPETH's long-established lineup of Mikael Åkerfeldt, guitarist Fredrik Åkesson, bassist Martin Mendez and keyboard maestro Joakim Svalberg on "The Last Will And Testament" is new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen, who joined the band in 2022.
In a recent interview with Bloodstock TV's Oran O'Beirne, Åkerfeldt stated about the "The Last Will And Testament" album title: "Yeah, well, it is a concept record that basically starts with the… The whole record is about the reading of the last will and testament of this main character that's passed away — a rich, old fuck. Conservative, old, stern, noble patriarch who passed away, and the record starts when he summoned his three children to go through with solicitors, his last will and testament."
Asked how he came up with the concept for the new OPETH album, Mikael said: "It's not completely my idea. I got interested in the topic even on the last record. There's a song on there called, the English title was 'Universal Truth' — I think we did a video for that one — which also dealt with kind of those types of, like how blood's not always thicker than water, how money can drive family members into chaos. So I got interested in that topic. And also along comes the TV series 'Succession', which is, I'm not sure if you've seen it, but a great TV series about a power struggle between siblings taking over after their Murdoch-type father."
He added: "It's interesting. And it also helps me if I have a theme of sorts if I'm gonna write lyrics. Otherwise, I end up writing stuff, I don't even know what they mean."
In a separate interview with Marcus Schleutermann of EMP, Åkerfeldt was asked how "The Last Will And Testament" is different from other OPETH albums. Mikael said: "I don't know. It's weird. That's not really different for us, I guess. But I'm doing some of the screams again, which I haven't done for a long time. And there's some guests on there. Ian Anderson from JETHRO TULL is on there doing spoken word and playing flute. And Joey Tempest [of EUROPE] is on it. But, yeah, it's a concept record. Somebody said it sounds claustrophobic. It's a claustrophobic-sounding record. And there's a lot of ideas. It's a restless record. There's not meandering stuff happening all the time. Even I don't really know the songs yet. But, of course, I would say that, but I think it's good — it's a good record."
Regarding Joey's contributions to "The Last Will And Testament", Mikael said: "Tempest doesn't sound like Tempest on [EUROPE's biggest hit] 'The Final Countdown'. I had him over at my house. I asked him, 'Could you sing a few lines?' 'Let's push the record button,' he said. At the time I didn't have the lyrics ready, so I was, like, 'I'm sorry. I have to record it from somewhere else.' But he's really going for it. He sounds amazing. I mean, I'm a big EUROPE fan, being Swedish. I love them. And I think for him to be on this record, it's a bit different by his standards because it doesn't really sound like a EUROPE record at all."
Asked if the songs on "The Last Will And Testament" all stand on their own or if they are all connected in some way, Mikael said: "They are connected lyrically, but also to a certain extent that one song bleeds into the other, which I always liked anyways. It's basically the reading of a testament. So it's like paragraphs. There are no real songtitles on there. It's a bit odd by our standards even. But you could, of course, extract any song from — we don't have to play the whole record."
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5 июн 2025
HEART's 'Irreplaceable' Instruments Stolen Before Atlantic City Show
 Legendary rockers HEART have announced that two "irreplaceable" instruments were stolen from the band prior to the launch of the group's spring/summer 2025 "An Evening With Heart" tour.
HEART had set up at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City on May 30, the day before the first show on the trek, only to discover that two instruments belonging to Nancy Wilson and Paul Moak went missing: a custom-built, one-of-a-kind purple sparkle baritone Telecaster with a hand-painted headstock, which was made for Wilson, and a vintage 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin, which Moak has played for over 25 years.
"A reward is being offered for any information leading to their return. Anyone with knowledge of the theft or whereabouts of the instruments is urged to come forward," HEART said in a statement posted on social media, with any information asked to be directed to HEART's tour manager, Tony Moon.
"These instruments are more than just tools of our trade — they're extensions of our musical souls," Wilson said. "The baritone Tele was made uniquely for me, and Paul's mandolin has been with him for decades. We're heartbroken, and we're asking for their safe return — no questions asked. Their value to us is immeasurable."
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.
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Posted by Nancy Wilson on Tuesday, June 3, 2025
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5 июн 2025
SHARE ROSS: Leaving VIXEN 'Was Definitely An Emotional Decision'
 In a new interview with Metal-Net, longtime VIXEN bassist Share Ross discussed her February 2022 decision to "take a hiatus" from the band. Her replacement is Julia Lage, formerly of the Latin Grammy-nominated Brazilian rock group BARRA DE SAIA and wife of Richie Kotzen, who also plays in her husband's SMITH/KOTZEN project. Asked "what inspired" her to leave VIXEN at that point in her life, Share said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "A few things kind of came through for me, which was the fly dates. When VIXEN goes out on shows, we don't go on a tour bus or anything. It's just, like, you live your life in airports and hotels. And that was wearing very, very thin for me. Not to sound ungrateful, but it was impacting my health in a really, really, really big way. So that was one part of pie that was, like, 'Oh, man. This is really starting to take its toll. So that was kind of getting to me. And then also just for economic reasons, I had to step away and just focus on making, for lack of a better word, an adult living. I needed to make serious money. Like, 'Okay, I'm not 25. I can't live on this. I need to make real money now.' So that was part of it. And I've always had other jobs. Music has paid for me for maybe five years of my adult life, and the rest of the time it's like work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work. Which is why everybody goes, like, 'Oh, you've done so many things.' It's, like, 'You have no idea.' And then as for the songwriting thing, I think that was another part of it. We were not agreeing on the path forward. And so when I combined all of those pieces together, it just made sense for me to kind of step away. And I wish them the very, very best. And I know they have a new singer in Rosa [Laricchiuta] now, and I think she's phenomenal and totally showing up. And there's no weird feelings; there's none of that. It really was kind of for my sanity and my health both. I really had to make a shift. And it was something that — Roxy [Petrucci, VIXEN drummer] and I definitely talked about it for a while. And she wasn't surprised. When you know somebody for that many years, you know when somebody's not — the cylinder's not firing off in the happiness department. So there was just sort of a feeling of, 'Okay, I need to just step away from this.' And some of it was also just for the interim between when I left VIXEN and — well, when VIXEN broke up in '91, '92, whatever that goofy, messy time was, I immediately started playing with other people and then started running my own band. And I had my own band then from, like — I don't know — '93 onwards. I never stopped. It was band after band after band after band. Some people — not a lot of people, but some people — knew about BUBBLE, but there was also two or three bands even before that. So, I just wanted to get back to that. I just wanna express myself. I don't want a bunch of, like, 'Oh, we don't wanna do that song.' I'd say, 'Okay, fine. I'll do it,' whatever. So I just wanted to get back to doing what I do. I've always played music, and I'm never gonna stop."
Asked if it was "emotionally hard" to leave VIXEN, Share said: "Good question. It was definitely an emotional decision. I was super just, like, 'Oh, my God. What am I doing? And I love these girls. And VIXEN will always be a part of me.' And who knows? I may still go back to it tomorrow. I don't know. I'm definitely a believer in you don't know what the future holds; none of us do. So it was very emotional. And I can tell you I talked with, obviously, Bam, my husband. I talked with Roxy at length, and just really had to sort out my emotions around it. And it also became doing what's — this sounds really stupid, but it became kind of doing what's right for the fans. I felt like I didn't wanna be there, so that's not good for me to go on stage. I felt like I was ripping them off. It was just like this weird feeling. And maybe that's too overthinking and over emotional — I don't know — but needless to say, on my last gig when we brought Julia up and everything, that night I got so drunk and so hammered. I don't drink anymore, by the way, but I got so drunk that night. Oh my God. It was terrible. And I think it was just sort of letting out all of these weird feelings, these conflicting emotions. But I'm not gonna lie — afterwards, there was kind of a sense of relief. Like, 'I've done the right thing. That was the right thing to do.' Sometimes things run their course in your life. I love them and I wish them the very, very best. And it's not like I have negative feelings or anything like that. It's just sometimes you change and you need to move on."
Last September, Share spoke to CoStar News about her decision to make a career switch from playing sporadic shows with VIXEN to becoming one of the top-producing real estate agents with eXp Realty in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Ross, who earned her real estate license in 2018, said she averages about $10 million to $12 million in sales a year, with the commission typically being 5-6% of the home's selling price. (The commission is usually split 50/50 between the buyer's and seller's agents.)
Before focusing on her real estate career, Share played music part-time and worked as a life coach.
"For every [musician] you see who made it huge, there are probably 100 or 1,000 of us who didn't make it quite to that level," Ross, who works out of her home in Boynton Beach, told CoStar News. "If I continued to carry on traveling and doing wonderful stuff with the band, I just couldn't have paid the bills."
Share added that even though VIXEN made money during the peak of the group's success in the late 1980s, she and her bandmates didn't manage their business as well as they should have.
"We spent it promoting the band and record sales, instead of buying a house, which would have been nice," she said. "I can't blame somebody else. I can't point fingers. It was us. Gene Simmons from KISS and Rick Nielsen from CHEAP TRICK both told me the same thing: 'The only money you can count on in rock and roll is the money you get up front.' They were right."
When Ross finally left VIXEN in 2022, even with platinum album sales and major tours, she told Rolling Stone she "never made a penny."
Share secured her real estate license after being introduced to the industry through a realtor friend, Avery Carl, the wife of SiriusXM Hair Nation DJ Luc Carl.
The only remaining member of VIXEN's "classic" lineup is Petrucci, who is also joined in the group by guitarist Britt Lightning (a.k.a. Brittany Denaro) and Laricchiuta.
Petrucci, Ross and singer Janet Gardner are considered to be part of VIXEN's classic lineup, along with founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund, who died of cancer in October 2013.
Gardner contributed lead vocals to VIXEN's most commercially successful studio albums — "Vixen" (1988),"Rev It Up" (1990) and "Tangerine" (1998) — as well as the group's latest full-length release, 2018's live album "Live Fire". | 0 | |
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Overdrivers
