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29 май 2025
CYNIC Parts Ways With Drummer MATT LYNCH, Recruits GORGUTS' MICHEL BÉLANGER
 Progressive metal pioneers CYNIC have parted ways with drummer Matt Lynch. Sitting behind the kit for the band's May 24 appearance at the Maryland Deathfest — which included a performance of CYNIC's entire debut album, 1993's "Focus" — was GORGUTS' Michel Bélanger.
Lynch had been drumming with CYNIC since 2015 and appeared on the band's latest full-length, 2021's "Ascension Codes", as well as the 2018 single "Humanoid".
Earlier today, CYNIC released the following message via social media: "After a meaningful chapter together, we've decided to part ways with Matt Lynch. We're thankful for the time and music shared and wish Matt all the best as he moves ahead."
In 2023, CYNIC celebrated the 30th anniversary of "Focus" by playing the LP in its entirety on a special headlining tour of North America, while also paying tribute to late drummer Sean Reinert and bassist Sean Malone.
The year 2020 will go down in history as a tremendously difficult time for the global human population. For the CYNIC family, the struggle was not restricted to a pandemic. It was two utterly senseless losses that threw the band's immediate concerns into the background: the premature deaths of drummer Sean Reinert in January, at age 48, and bassist Sean Malone in December, at age 50, were shocking and unthinkable.
Reinert, a founding CYNIC member since formation in 1988, was highly influential to a multitude of young drummers. His work on "Focus" and DEATH's watershed 1991 album "Human" found him sculpting extreme technical metal with a jazz fusion-inspired approach. Now taken for granted, that approach to the instrument and the genre was undoubtedly pioneered in large part by Reinert. Though parting with CYNIC in 2015, his imprint on CYNIC is inescapable.
The death of Sean Malone dealt another horrible layer of tragedy to CYNIC's 2020. In his many years with the band, Malone's virtuoso playing meshed intuitively with Reinert's. Together they formed a nucleus of kinetic, highly capable rhythmic dexterity that fueled CYNIC's celestial aims.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Michel Belanger (@michelbelanger_drummer)
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29 май 2025
PSYCROPTIC Signs With METAL BLADE, Shares 'Architects Of Extinction' Single
 Metal Blade Records has announced the signing of Tasmanian death metal behemoths PSYCROPTIC for the band's upcoming full-length album.
Australia is home to innumerable death metal bands. Few make their way beyond these shores, and fewer still garner global respect. Out of those, only one has maintained that position for a full 25 years: Australia's finest, PSYCROPTIC. When the history of technical metal is viewed in years to come, the books will show that PSYCROPTIC is responsible for a hefty slice of the genre. The band blasted into the deepest underground in the late '90s, then proceeded to drag the metal scene closer to what they do by sheer attrition. Their music guides you through the densest of riff jungles before bursting into the clear with powerfully rhythmic grooves and blasts, anchored by the profoundly talented Haley brothers. Guitarist Joe's esoteric, impenetrable picking style weaves musical hooks that wrap around the listener before pulling back to reveal Dave's pulsating rhythms. They achieve a level of synchronization only brothers with decades of experience playing together can achieve. There are none tighter. That their telepathic performance is matched by the final lineup of Todd Stern on bass and the charismatic roar of Jason Peppiatt is almost unfair. Like all masters, they make the impossible look impossibly easy.
Comments guitarist Joe Haley on the band's signing to Metal Blade: "Having grown up listening to countless amazing bands on the Metal Blade roster, the label had a big impact on shaping who we are as musicians, essentially becoming an integral part of our creative DNA. From the early days of picking up our instruments to finding our own sound as a band, Metal Blade has always represented the pinnacle of heavy music and a place where groundbreaking artists are created and thrive. So we're beyond honored to announce that we're officially joining the Metal Blade family — a surreal and humbling moment for all of us in PSYCROPTIC.
"We're currently in the final stages of finishing our new album, and we can't wait to share what we've been working on. To kick off this awesome new chapter on the right note, we're dropping our brand-new single, 'Architects Of Extinction'. Enjoy."
Adds bassist Todd Stern: "As PSYCROPTIC prepares to release our ninth full-length studio album, we couldn't be more excited about the fact that we've joined forces with the one and only Metal Blade Records, who will be handling its release. We feel that at this point in our career, both the timing and the fit are seemingly perfect. Metal Blade and its roster have always been exceptional, and we are very grateful and humbled to join such a legendary list of artists that have been part of the label's family throughout the ages.
"We are adding the final touches on our next record, but in the meantime we have something savory prepared: a dense, hard-hitting single entitled 'Architects Of Extinction'. Get ready for the golden age of Tasmania's most prolific metal band!"
Next week, PSYCROPTIC will kick off a host of Summer performances throughout Australia and Europe.
Most bands take a few albums to find their feet but PSYCROPTIC's first two releases were underground classics: "The Isle Of Disenchantment" (2001, self-released) and "The Scepter Of The Ancients" (2003, Unique Leader). Vocalist Matthew Chalk and bassist Cameron Grant were part of the first squad who joined the Haleys on their quest for perfection. A relentless touring schedule emerged in Australia, including legendary appearances at Canberra's Metal For The Brain festival. Normally this would be the high point for an Australian metal band. Two albums out, successful shows, who could ask for more?
Tasmania couldn't contain them and as it turned out, neither could Australia. Their first overseas tour was Europe in 2004. Matthew was replaced on vocals by Jason Peppiatt, and PSYCROPTIC went on to record "Symbols Of Failure" (2006, Neurotic). The band expanded their sound with "Ob (Servant)" (2008, Nuclear Blast) bringing in ambience and atmosphere, then "The Inherited Repression" (2012, Nuclear Blast) introducing the powerful neck-cracking grooves that would mark their sound going forward.
It also introduced them to touring the U.S. with their first happening in 2010. This pushed their lust for the road to new levels, smashing audiences and stupefying musicians around the planet. They're unique among death metal bands in that it's almost pointless to try and list the festivals and countries they've visited, let alone the bands they've played with. It can be condensed to "everyone, everywhere." Official estimates are at forty countries.
PSYCROPTIC solidified their American relationship by signing to Prosthetic Records in 2014, replacing Cameron on bass with U.S. legend Todd Stern in 2015, then releasing their self-titled album in the same year. At this point something indefinable clicked, and the band unleashed "As The Kingdom Drowns" (2018),a clear step up from their previous work. "Divine Council" (2022) proved that this wasn't a new level for the band — it's a new normal. ORIGIN vocalist Jason Keyser, long considered a part of PSYCROPTIC's extended family, contributed vocals to "Divine Council" as well as the upcoming material. Keyser remains a session and live vocalist on select tours.
Signing to the legendary Metal Blade Records for their forthcoming full-length album — there is no slowing down. PSYCROPTIC are no longer the local Australian band made good: they are a global powerhouse with a footprint the size of the world, nothing left to prove, and an endless commitment to finding ways to rock you as hard as technically possible.
PSYCROPTIC is:
Dave Haley - drums
Joe Haley - guitars
Jason Peppiatt - vocals
Jason Keyser - vocals
Todd Stern - bass guitar
Photo by Michael Rankine
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29 май 2025
Watch: GHOST And OPETH's FREDRIK ÅKESSON Perform QUEEN's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' At POLAR MUSIC PRIZE Ceremony
 GHOST was joined by OPETH guitarist Fredrik Åkesson and ERIC ERICSONS KAMMARKÖR (the Eric Ericson Chamber Choir) for a performance of the QUEEN classic "Bohemian Rhapsody" at this year's Polar Music Prize. The ceremony — which honored the legendary rock band QUEEN, American jazz great Herbie Hancock and Canadian soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan — was held earlier tonight (Tuesday, May 27) at the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm and was broadcast live in Sweden on TV4.
Also performing at the gala was Adam Lambert, who has been touring the world for the past 13 years two surviving members of QUEEN — Brian May and Roger Taylor — under the QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT banner, as well as Miriam Bryant, former SKID ROW singer Erik Grönwall and jazz musicians Esperanza Spalding, Robert Glasper and Leo Genovese.
Professionally filmed video of the GHOST, Lambert and Grönwall performances can be seen below.
For three decades, the Polar Music Prize has honored and recognized pioneering musical legacy. The 2025 recipients will add their names to the list of innovators from contemporary and classical music, winning one of the creative realm's most coveted modern accolades. The Polar Music Prize is presented at a ceremony in Stockholm in the presence of the Swedish Royal Family, and each Laureate will receive money of one million Swedish Krona (approximately £74,082 GBP and $93,897 USD).
On being chosen, QUEEN said: "We are highly and deeply honored to be given the Polar Music Prize this year. It's incredible, thank you so much."
Marie Ledin, managing director of the Polar Music Prize, added: "It is our immense privilege to honor and award these three Laureates at the 2025 Polar Music Prize. QUEEN, a band synonymous with the very fabric of pop culture, have made an impact on music that spans decades, generations and genres. They are a most deserving recipient, beloved the world over."
The Polar Music Prize was founded in 1989 by Stig "Stikkan" Anderson, a true legend in the history of Swedish popular music. Stig Anderson was the publisher, lyricist and manager of ABBA, and he played a key role in their enormous success. The prize, named after Anderson's legendary record label Polar Music, celebrates the power and importance of music and is awarded to individuals, groups or institutions for international recognition of excellence in the world of music.
QUEEN remains one of the most popular groups in the world today, transcending multiple generations of fans, a position further buoyed by the phenomenal global success of their Academy Award-winning 2018 biographical film "Bohemian Rhapsody", which tells the incredible story of the band's historic career and quickly became the highest grossing music biopic in history.
The film's title was inspired by their iconic 1975 single "Bohemian Rhapsody", the world's most-streamed song from the 20th Century and the first pre-1980s song to achieve more than one billion video views.
QUEEN members May, Taylor, bassist John Deacon and the unforgettable singer Freddie Mercury brought a new dimension to live music. The band has released a total of 18 chart-topping albums and 18 No. 1 singles, while selling more than 300 million albums worldwide, making them one of the biggest rock acts of all time. They've received seven Ivor Novello awards in the U.K., were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2001, the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 2003, the UK Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2004, and even received their own star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in October 2002. The rock legends were honored with the Global Icon award at the 2011 MTV European Music Awards and closed the show with a triumphant and stunning medley of hits from their extraordinary musical career. May and Taylor were joined by Lambert on vocals for a musical voyage through their greatest hits, including "The Show Must Go On", "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions". | +1 | |
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29 май 2025
ZAKK WYLDE Says PANTERA Is 'The Gold Standard In Their Genre Of Extreme Metal'
 Legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, PANTERA) is the latest guest on Billy Corgan's podcast, "The Magnificent Others". Corgan and Wylde discuss their shared love of classic rock influences like BLACK SABBATH, Jimi Hendrix and Elton John, and the challenges of forging an original sound in the shadow of greats like Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads. Zakk opens up about his time with Ozzy Osbourne, the evolution of his playing style, his influences, and the brotherhood of musicians. The conversation also touches on the impact of PANTERA, Zakk's tribute performances for late PANTERA members "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott and Vinnie Paul Abbott, and the spirit of perseverance that drives his career.
Regarding his involvement in the reformed version of PANTERA, also featuring classic-era members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass),along with Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) on drums, Zakk said: "My whole thing is, like, whenever anybody asked me — this is when Vinnie was still alive — it was just, like, 'Hey, Zakk, man, if the fellas ever do it or whatever, did a reunion to celebrate Dime and everything like that, would you be [interested in being a part of it]?' I go, 'Of course I would.' I remember Rob Halford, we were doing opening for JUDAS PRIEST over in South America [in late 2022], when we first started doing [the PANTERA thing], and Rob was, like, 'Zakk, this is a real beautiful thing that you guys are doing.' And I was, like, 'Thanks, Rob. I said, 'It wasn't a matter of if I'll do it; it's when I'll do it,' 'cause I just equate it to Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, with their relationship. If [Hendrix drummer] Mitch [Mitchell] and [bassist] Noel [Redding] would've said, 'Eric, we wanna go celebrate Jimi. Would you sing and play Jimi's stuff?' Of course Eric Clapton's gonna say yes. I laid Dime the rest. I as a pallbearer. So what do you think I'm gonna do? He was my buddy."
On the topic of how he approaches playing shows with PANTERA, Zakk said: "I just always look at it like if Dime and Vinnie were at the soundboard, and we go, 'We got you guys an early Christmas present.' And they were, like, 'All right, man.' 'Cause the guys were always about having a good time, everyone partying and just barbecuing and whatever. And then go, 'Check this out. We got a little something for you.' And all of a sudden the guys are just sitting out at the front of the house or whatever, and then all of a sudden the curtain drops [and we start off with] 'A New Level'. And the kabuki comes down, and it's me, Charlie, Phil and Rex. And Zakk and Charlie wanted to get you an early birthday present or whatever, and they'd be going, 'I can't believe these jackasses are playing…' I'm just saying — if it was Dime doing it, Dime and Vinnie doing it up there, with me and Charlie [in the audience], [and them] playing Ozzy or ANTHRAX songs or BLACK LABEL, whatever. Me and Charlie would be crying laughing. And just watching Dime doing the solo to 'No More Tears' or whatever, it would sound like Dime playing it regardless, 'cause he's not gonna escape that. Dime could play 'Eruption' and it's gonna sound, and you could listen to it and go, 'Yeah, it sounds like Dime playing 'Eruption'. Even if it's note for note, it's just gonna sound like Dime, 'cause of his touch and his feel. Just like when Randy Rhoads was playing 'Paranoid', it sounds like Randy Rhoads playing 'Paranoid'. But I just always picture them every night, I just picture them [getting a kick out of it], especially when Rita's [Haney, Dimebag's longtime girlfriend] over there on the side of the stage and everything like that. Especially those two guys, because they just loved life so much."
According to Zakk, the response to the PANTERA comeback has been overwhelmingly positive. "Anyone that comes and sees it, it is what it is — it's a beautiful tribute to the guys," he said. "And it really is pretty amazing. Every night Phil just always asks, he's, like, 'How many people saw PANTERA back in the day?' And then you'll have, obviously, the PANTERA faithful that were, like, 'Zakk, I'd seen Dime and Vinnie and the fellas, Phil and Rex, when there was, like, eight people in the club or whatever and then until when the guys exploded' and whatever. So you have the PANTERA faithful. And he is, like, 'All right, how many people, this is their first time ever hearing these songs live?' I'd have to say it's either 75%... I mean, of the younger kids… My uncle Zakk always told me about the legend of PANTERA and how great they were and it was just this force to be reckoned with. And so now I'm bringing my nephews who are old enough to see it now, because they were five years old when it ended."
Wylde went on to offer his theory as to why PANTERA's music has stood the test of time for so long. "Well, what I always say what separated SABBATH from everything, it's not because it's heavy. It's because it's great songs," he said. "So with our PANTERA, as far as I'm concerned, I always say PANTERA in is in their genre of extreme metal, they are the gold standard of where everything… Just like how SABBATH and [LED] ZEPPELIN, THE [ROLLING] STONES, THE BEATLES are the gold standard. So if it's a southern rock band, just THE ALLMAN BROTHERS and [LYNYRD] SKYNYRD are the gold standard of that style of music. So, with extreme metal, they're all measured by what PANTERA set."
PANTERA recently announced a summer 2025 U.S. amphitheater tour. Produced by Live Nation, the journey will commence on July 15 in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania and wind its way through over two dozen cities, coming to a close on September 13 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Support will be provided by Swedish heavy metal icons AMON AMARTH.
PANTERA's latest stretch of live dates follows the band's spring run of stadium shows with METALLICA and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES as well as a very special U.K. performance as part of BLACK SABBATH's and Ozzy Osbourne's historic final show alongside METALLICA, SLAYER, GOJIRA, HALESTORM, ALICE IN CHAINS, LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX, MASTODON and more.
PANTERA kicked off its 2025 European headlining tour on January 21 at Helsingin Jäähalli (Ice Hall) in Helsinki, Finland.
Up until his passing in June 2018, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for Dimebag's death.
Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.
Vinnie, who was Dimebag's brother, and Anselmo had not spoken since PANTERA split in 2003. But the relationship got even more acrimonious when Vinnie suggested that some remarks the vocalist had made about Dimebag in print just weeks earlier might have incited Dimebag's killer. | +1 | |
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29 май 2025
MINISTRY Releases Music Video For 'I'll Do Anything For You', The Latest Single From 'The Squirrely Years Revisited'
 Al Jourgensen wearing heart-shaped sunglasses, pigtails, and a shirt that says "I'm Adorable"? Yes, that's what you'll see in the brand-new, first-time-ever video for MINISTRY's oldie-but-goodie hit "I'll Do Anything For You".
The video, helmed by Vicente Cordero and Ben Garcia, can be seen below.
It's all part of the continuing "when hell freezes over" moments that have been the hallmarks of MINISTRY's latest work, "The Squirrely Years Revisited" (out now via Cleopatra Records) that sees Jourgensen making peace with the past by reexamining his long-dormant synth pop hits and giving them a fresh polish 40 years later.
And the band is having a helluva fun time doing so. On the ongoing "The Squirrely Years Tour", wrapping up June 5, Jourgensen, alongside John Bechdel (keyboards),Monte Pittman and Cesar Soto (guitars),Pepe Clarke Magaña (drums),Paul D'Amour (bass) and two backup Squirrelette singers have been getting rave reviews for the blast-from-the-past shows.
Tickets are still available for the remaining "The Squirrely Years Tour" dates at MinistryBand.com.
Featuring nine tracks (three additional bonus tracks on CD),"The Squirrely Years Revisited" offers reworked versions of not only "I'll Do Anything For You", but also "Work For Love", "I'm Not An Effigy" and "Everyday Is Halloween", alongside that song's first-ever music video.
"The Squirrely Years Revisited" follows the release of MINISTRY's 16th studio album in 2024, "Hopiumforthemasses", and comes ahead of the final new studio album from MINISTRY in 2026, a record that has Jourgensen teaming up with Paul Barker once again.
"The Squirrely Years Revisited" is available in all formats including digital, CD and four different vinyl configurations. The full track list includes:
01. Work For Love
02. Here We Go
03. All Day
04. Everyday Is Halloween
05. Revenge
06. I'm Not An Effigy
07. I'm Falling
08. Same Old Madness
09. I'll Do Anything For You
10. Just Like You (CD only)
11. We Believe (CD only)
12. Over The Shoulder (CD only)
Born in 1981 in Chicago, MINISTRY has been the lifetime passion project of founder Al Jourgensen, considered to be the pioneer of industrial music. In its early days, MINISTRY was identifiable by its heavy synth-pop material in line with the new sounds and technology that were being developed in the '80s. MINISTRY's output began with four 12-inch singles on Wax Trax! Records in 1981 before the first LP, "With Sympathy", in 1983 via Arista Records. As time progressed however, so did MINISTRY, quickly developing a harsher, and more stylized sound that the band soon became infamous for on seminal albums "Twitch" (1986),"The Land Of Rape And Honey" (1988) and "The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste" (1989). With the release of "Psalm 69: The Way To Succeed And The Way To Suck Eggs" (1992),MINISTRY hit an all-time high in the mainstream musical realm and received its first Grammy nomination. In total, MINISTRY has been nominated for a Grammy Award six times. Eight more albums would follow before an indefinite break in 2013, only to be unearthed again in 2018 with "AmeriKKKant", continuing to reflect Jourgensen's views on the frightening state of society and politics. The 2021 album "Moral Hygiene" marked a new creative era of Jourgensen and the band.
MINISTRY's 16th studio album, "Hopiumforthemasses", was released March 1, 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records.
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29 май 2025
METALLICA's Black Album Certified 20 Times Platinum, 'Master Of Puppets' Certified Eight Times Platinum
 Two of METALLICA's landmark albums have attained new RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) certifications. METALLICA's self-titled fifth album, also known as The Black Album, has been certified 20 times platinum for sales in excess of 20 million copies, while the band's third full-length, "Master Of Puppets", has been certified eight times platinum having crossed the eight million mark.
The Black Album's 1991 release not only gave METALLICA its first No. 1 album in no fewer than 10 countries, including a four-week run at No. 1 in the U.S., its unrelenting series of singles — "Enter Sandman", "The Unforgiven", "Nothing Else Matters", "Wherever I May Roam" and "Sad But True" — fueled the band's rise to stadium headlining, radio and MTV dominating household name status. The album's reception from the press was similarly charged, building over the years from the top 10 of the 1991 Village Voice Pazz & Jop national critics poll to becoming a constant presence in the likes of Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time". The Black Album's impact and relevance continue to grow with successive generations — it remains unchallenged as the best-selling album of the Luminate era, outselling every release in every genre over the past 30-plus years.
Back in September 2021, "Metallica" re-entered the Billboard 200 chart at position No. 9. It marked the first time in 29 years that the LP had cracked the Top 10 following the set's 30th-anniversary reissue on September 10, 2021.
Prior to September 2021, "Metallica" was last in the top 10 in August 1992 after spending four weeks at No. 1.
To commemorate its 30th anniversary in 2021, the Grammy-winning Black Album received its definitive re-release via the band's own Blackened Recordings.
"Metallica" was the first of four collaborations with producer Bob Rock, with whom the band clashed throughout the recording of the disc.
METALLICA performed The Black Album in its entirety at a number of European festivals in 2012.
METALLICA's 1986 breakthrough third LP "Master Of Puppets" has attained eight-times-platinum status, having sold more than eight million albums. The heaviest rock album ever to be selected by the Library Of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant," "Master Of Puppets" has long been regarded as a watershed moment in the history of rock music. The album's peerless balance of sheer power and complex song craft would earn METALLICA its first gold record, elevating the band to new heights of critical acclaim on the strength of enduring favorites including "Battery", "Orion" and, of course, the title track, speaking of which…
… "Master Of Puppets" recently followed "Enter Sandman" and "Nothing Else Matters" as the third METALLICA song to join the billion streams club, becoming the second longest song to do so. Clocking in at 8:36, "Master…" now sits between former second longest billion streamer "Stairway To Heaven" by LED ZEPPELIN (8:02) and reigning champion Taylor Swift's "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)".
Three years ago, the "Master Of Puppets" title track saw new life in the U.S. after its inclusion in season four of Netflix's hit series "Stranger Things". The popularity of the 1986 song brought it to the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time ever in the band's lengthy career.
In the season four finale of "Stranger Things", the Eddie Munson character performs what he calls "the most metal concert ever" — including shredding "Master Of Puppets" on his beloved Warlock guitar — in "Stranger Things"' "Upside Down" alternate universe during an attempt to help his friends vanquish the Big Bad of the season, a demon named Vecna.
METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo later revealed that his then-17-year-old son Tye contributed "additional guitar tracks" to the version of "Master Of Puppets" which appears in "Stranger Things".
"Master Of Puppets" was released on February 24, 1986 and was the first album METALLICA recorded after signing a major label deal with Elektra Records.
It is the last record to feature bassist Cliff Burton, who was killed later that year in a tour bus crash.
Many fans consider it METALLICA's finest album, a fact that the band acknowledged by playing it in its entirety on a European tour in 2006.
METALLICA is currently in the midst of the third year of its "M72" world tour, which has seen the band play to more than three million fans across the globe. The "M72" shows have been breaking attendance records from Los Angeles's SoFi Stadium to the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York, while generating some of the most positive critical notes of the band's career — and in one case, actual seismic activity, thanks to the unbridled enthusiasm of 70,000-plus fans attending the first-ever concert at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia.
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29 май 2025
STYX Announces New Album 'Circling From Above', Shares 'Build And Destroy' Single
 Creating and recording new music is often considered the lifeblood of any band — an ethos AOR torchbearers STYX continue to embody with the highly anticipated release of "Circling From Above", the 18th studio album in their formidable catalog via the band's label Alpha Dog 2T/UMe. Spanning 13 tracks, the album navigates the complexities of the human experience through the intersecting lenses of technology and nature.
STYX made the exclusive announcement on TalkShop.live yesterday, where a limited number of autographed CDs can be ordered now for immediate delivery. Tommy Shaw, Lawrence Gowan and Will Evankovich participated in a live interview with host Steve Harkins, which can be viewed now.
While the album won't be available on streaming or digital outlets until July 18, "Circling From Above" CDs and vinyl copies are also available to purchase today on StyxWorld.com for immediate delivery. They will also be available starting with tonight's launch — and at every show — of this summer's "Brotherhood of Rock" tour with THE KEVIN CRONIN BAND and special guest Don Felder (a former lead guitarist of THE EAGLES) in Greenville, South Carolina at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
"Circling From Above" features contributions from all seven members of the band, including founding guitarist/vocalist James "JY" Young (affectionately known as "The Godfather of STYX"),guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, original bassist Chuck Panozzo, longtime drummer Todd Sucherman, keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan, guitarist/vocalist Will Evankovich and bassist Terry Gowan.
The kinetic energy of lead single "Build And Destroy" is the first introduction of new music to their fans who've been circling around the band for over 50 years. It's available to stream and download on all digital outlets including the band's YouTube page, and a thrilling A.I. conceptual video — directed by Jay Ziebarth — will premiere today at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Mellomanic. It will be available on the band's YouTube page at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
"That little melody, I kept singing 'Build And Destroy'," explains singer/keyboardist Lawrence Gowan, who takes the lead vocal. "Even though we don't sing over that part, I kept thinking that would be a good title. It's thematic. The melody feels like a little 'Star Trek' or 'Twilight Zone' thing — just a small tag that reinforces the title."
Shaw and Evankovich jumped in to flesh out the verses and finalize the lyrics, and the song came together in just a day and a half. "We knew it was strong," Gowan says. "Even though it was the second-to-last song we finished, it felt like a quick way into the album's overall theme."
"Circling From Above" is a dynamic collection that reflects the full emotional and stylistic range of the STYX canon. It's muscular yet introspective, theatrical in moments and layered in sincerity at others — balancing progressive leanings with deeper, thought-provoking messages.
"When you start writing an album, there's generally something that piques your imagination, and all of a sudden, you're a storyteller starting with the seed of a story," says Shaw. "A good song is like a straight road — it'll get you to the next place."
The album, the band's third in eight years, delivers a 41-minute, end-to-end listening experience that is both thought-provoking and exhilarating. A masterclass in storytelling, it blends signature STYX hallmarks with bold steps forward — building on the creative momentum of recent releases "The Mission" (2017) and "Crash Of The Crown" (2021).
The album was produced by Evankovich, who also helmed the band's previous two records before becoming an official member in 2022. All 13 songs were penned in various combinations by the band's songwriting triumvirate of Shaw, Evankovich and Lawrence Gowan. Referencing the trio's creative spark, Lawrence Gowan says it's not a simple case of majority rules but rather a true collaborative endeavor.
"I've noticed over the last three records, there's a real effort to make sure everyone's got a smile on their face at the end of it," he says. "There's creative friction, but everybody gets a go around the table and we all get a swing at the tree. And that's really, really good."
"It's a strange three-way democracy for sure," Evankovich says. "We all know that the institution of STYX is the most important thing."
Midway through writing the album, a loose theme began to orbit the band's creative process — a gravitational pull, if you will, guiding them down the straight road Shaw describes. In a moment of studio serendipity, talk turned to an app that tracks abandoned satellites, those silent relics of once-lofty ambition. From that spark, the opening tracks — including the title cut and "Build And Destroy" — took shape, tracing the tension between human ingenuity and the dreams we sometimes discard in its pursuit.
"When they were shot up into space, these satellites were somebody's dream and ambition," says Shaw of the once-cutting-edge technology now floating aimlessly through the atmosphere. "They served their purpose and they were cast aside. It's a wasteland up there, but they were once created with love. We're all humans, and who's to say our love project is better than someone else's?"
Look closely at the album cover art and you will see this thematic overture take flight. Thousands of starlings — chosen specifically for their supreme ability to work in concert together with their flight patterns — in the shape of one bird, soaring over a dilapidated satellite dish.
"They're prevailing and we're failing," notes Evankovich of the cover. "We're not like the rest of the creatures that work in stewardship together, like the birds and the bees and all the other things. We do things and then create waste for ourselves that ends up harming us."
STYX has remained a touring juggernaut for the past 25 years, but according to guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, the band's current streak of artistic resurgence in the studio is due to multiple factors tethered to a deep sense of harmony.
"There's just a lot of positive flow right now," says Shaw. "There's a lot of people playing great, and there's a lot of love, respect and excitement about each other's talents. Bands can go lifetimes and never have this kind of rapport and chemistry."
Earlier this year, STYX and Kevin Cronin, the iconic voice and writer behind REO SPEEDWAGON's greatest hits, wrapped up hugely successful sold-out residencies at The Venetian Theatre. For the first time in their 50-plus-year career in Las Vegas, Nevada, STYX performed 1977's "The Grand Illusion" in its entirety, while REO SPEEDWAGON performed 1980's "Hi Infidelity" in its entirety. Due to the overwhelming response from both residencies, STYX and THE KEVIN CRONIN BAND are bringing these special album shows for the first time, plus their hits, to the amphitheaters and arenas as part of the "Brotherhood Of Rock" tour.
It wouldn't be summer without a live celebration of some of the greatest rock anthems of all time from each of these multi-platinum albums, including "Come Sail Away", "Keep On Loving You", "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)", "Take It On The Run", along with "Hotel California" and other classics by THE EAGLES. The official trailer for the "Brotherhood Of Rock" tour can be seen on Live Nation's YouTube page.
Tickets for the trek, produced by Live Nation, are on sale now on LiveNation.com. STYX and THE KEVIN CRONIN BAND are also offering VIP packages via their own StyxWorld.com and KevinCronin.com websites, as well as on LiveNation.com.
"Circling From Above" track listing:
01. Circling From Above
02. Build And Destroy
03. Michigan
04. King Of Love
05. It's Clear
06. Forgive
07. Everyone Raise A Glass
08. Blue Eyed Raven
09. She Knows
10. Ease Your Mind
11. The Things That You Said
12. We Lost The Wheel Again
13. Only You Can Decide
Photo credit: Jason Powell | +1 | |
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29 май 2025
SAXON To Release 'Eagles Over Hellfest' Live Album In June
 In celebration of their majestic "Castles & Eagles" headline shows in September 2025 at the Zénith in Paris, Nantes and Toulouse, British heavy metal legends SAXON will release "Eagles Over Hellfest" on June 13, 2025 via Silver Lining Music. The release will feature the audio recording of their live show from Hellfest 2024, a show that embraced all the best aspects of the famous 1980s concerts in terms of incredible song selection and epic set design.
The live album will be available as a double audio CD set along with the band's latest studio album, "Hell, Fire And Damnation", and as a standalone double vinyl and digital release.
From "Strong Arm Of The Law" to "Power & The Glory" and "Denim And Leather" to "Hell, Fire And Damnation", all of SAXON's greatest anthems have been revisited on "Eagles Over Hellfest", an unmissable collection showcasing SAXON's exemplary career devoted to heavy metal.
"Eagles Over Hellfest" track listing:
CD 1
01. The Prophecy
02. Hell, Fire And Damnation
03. Madame Guillotine
04. Fire And Steel
05. There's Something In Roswell
06. Kubla Khan And The Merchant Of Venice
07. Pirates Of The Airwaves
08. 1066
09. Witches Of Salem
10. Super Charger
CD 2
01. Hell, Fire And Damnation (Live at Hellfest)
02. Motorcycle Man (Live at Hellfest)
03. Power And The Glory (Live at Hellfest)
04. Madame Guillotine (Live at Hellfest)
05. Heavy Metal Thunder (Live at Hellfest)
06. Dallas 1 PM (Live at Hellfest)
07. The Eagle Has Landed (Live at Hellfest)
08. Strong Arm Of The Law (Live at Hellfest)
09. And The Bands Played On (Live at Hellfest)
10. Denim And Leather (Live at Hellfest)
11. Wheels Of Steel (Live at Hellfest)
12. 747 (Strangers In The Night) [Live at Hellfest]
13. Crusader (Live at Hellfest)
14. Princess Of The Night (Live at Hellfest)
In a recent interview with Stefan Nilsson of Roppongi Rocks, SAXON frontman Biff Byford was asked about a possible follow-up to the band's 24th studio album, "Hell, Fire And Damnation", which came out in January 2024 via Silver Lining Music. He said: "We're actually doing some work on [the next SAXON LP] today. Mostly the ideas come from Brian [Tatler, guitar], Doug [Scarratt, guitar] and Nibbs [Tim Carter, bass], musical ideas. And my job is just basically to arrange everything, to write lyrics and come up with the melodies. Just those three things, really. But, yeah, so I leave it up to the boys to come up with the guitar riffs. And it's really down to me whether I like them or not. It's just how it is. It's worked really well for lots of years, so if it's not broke, then don't fix it, is what we say. So I think we'll probably start recording the next album in November, if everything's ready to go, and possibly finish it in January. So [it will] be out next year sometime."
Regarding how SAXON has managed to stay relevant for nearly five decades, Biff said: "I think you have to keep trying to write great songs and not fool yourself into thinking that something's great when it's not. It's quite easy to do that when you've been around a long time. So, yeah, I think keeping the quality high — not quantity— quality is always great. So, yeah, always trying to write songs that you like yourself and keep your fingers crossed that people like it as well. So I think the last 10 years we've had a good roll, had some great albums, and our fanbase has changed slightly. A younger fanbase now, as well as the older fans as well, so we're very lucky to have that, really, to be relevant still. But I think our music's a lot to do with that, and our attitude, 'cause we don't give a fuck, basically."
On the topic of how DIAMOND HEAD guitarist Tatler — who joined SAXON in early 2023 as the replacement for Paul Quinn — is working out, Byford said: "He's doing great. He wrote a few songs on the last album; [the] 'Hell, Fire And Damnation' [title track], that's mine and Brian's song. I think with Brian, because he's not really had a platform to put his music on, he's enjoying himself because he comes from a slightly different mental space because he's never had as much success as he probably should have had. So he's making up for it now, really. I mean, apart from the three songs that METALLICA recorded of [DIAMOND HEAD's] — they were gonna be big, but it didn't quite happen in [the early 1980s]."
Byford added: "It was a no-brainer, really, to ask Brian [to join SAXON]. And Brian was my only choice. We had a lot of people who wanted to be the guitarist in the band. But Paul Quinn is a hard act to follow. And you have to have somebody with a bit of a special something that… It surprised a lot of people, which surprised me because it's a no-brainer, really. It's going well. And he is having a great time. And he plays well with Doug. There's no problem there. So they play well together."
Asked how important it is for SAXON to continue to release consistently strong new studio albums this far into the band's career, Biff said: "I think it's always important to try and have a new album be great because you're never gonna write an album as popular as 'Wheels Of Steel' or 'Denim And Leather', because that's how it was in those days. It's just they're classic albums. And the secret is to not try to write another 'Wheels Of Steel' or 'Strong Arm Of The Law'. It's just to write where we are now. And it was surprising how big the album was, actually. We're still selling tons of albums all the time, particularly vinyls. But we've turned into a bit of a streaming band now, which is quite new for us. But I think that's probably because a lot of younger fans are streaming. Well, they'll buy the vinyl and then they'll stream it as well. But who cares? Just get the music — steal it, borrow it. It makes no difference. Just get hold of it and listen to it."
As a result of Quinn's decision to step back from touring with SAXON, the band canceled its April 2023 South American tour as well as the appearance at the Monsters Of Rock cruise. Quinn has since been replaced on the road by Tatler.
Brian has been touring with Scarratt, Carter, Byford and drummer Nigel Glockler since mid-2023, but continues to be a member of DIAMOND HEAD.
Byford and Quinn are the sole remaining original members in SAXON's current lineup.
Originally from South Yorkshire, England, SAXON has gone on to sell about 23 million albums and has produced such classic songs as "Denim And Leather", "Princess Of The Night", "Wheels Of Steel" and "Power And Glory".
"Hell, Fire And Damnation" was produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) and Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering.
The mighty Saxon unleash 𝕻𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖘𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕹𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 (𝕷𝖎𝖛𝖊 𝖆𝖙 𝕳𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖋𝖊𝖘𝖙) taken from the upcoming Eagles Over Hellfest release!...
Posted by Silver Lining Music on Friday, April 11, 2025 | 0 | |
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29 май 2025
RISE AGAINST Announces 'Ricochet', First New Album In Four Years
 RISE AGAINST has returned with news of the band's most resounding and reinvigorating music to date. Out August 15 via Loma Vista Recordings, "Ricochet" marks the rock band's first album in four years, arriving in a world of constant stimuli, where the algorithm wants us all to be angry: like a pile of marbles hit hard and bouncing uncontrollably, continuing to spread further and further. But across these twelve songs, produced by Grammy winner Catherine Marks (BOYGENIUS, FOALS, MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA, ST. VINCENT) and mixed by Alan Moulder (NINE INCH NAILS, PARAMORE, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, THE KILLERS),RISE AGAINST asks listeners to consider who ultimately benefits from this collective division and displeasure — to look before we leap, to think about the consequences our actions have on each other, as the power structures that prod us remain preserved and protected.
Rooted in unification, "Ricochet" is a record massive in sound, but centered around the small parts of the psyche that lead to the biggest positive change. It all starts with oneself, and on the searing lead single "I Want It All", RISE AGAINST revs the engine and jump-starts a mission of self-determinism that is ardent, ambitious and unapologetic.
RISE AGAINST frontman Tim McIlrath states: "The algorithm wants our attention so it is designed to make us laugh or cry, but mostly, it wants us to be angry, because that is how it spreads the furthest. Like a pile of marbles, hit hard. Who benefits from our anger? Questions we don't ask, as we fire away."
"I Want It All" follows recent singles "Nod" — hailed as a "particularly potent rallying cry for the moment" (Rolling Stone),and "the anthem we need right now" (VICE) — as well as "Prizefighter", illustrating the internal battle between making art, maintaining autonomy and meeting the demands of our rapidly-shifting attention span. Throughout the rest of "Ricochet", RISE AGAINST dives deeper into the solace we find in community and the chain reaction of our words and actions – how hurt is not something that can be reversed, and that the fight for a better existence begins not with blind allegiance, but through an unpopular opinion from a minority of voices. While so much of the world is designed to feel like we are in a constant state of emergency, bandmembers Tim McIlrath (lead vocals/guitar),Joe Principe (bass/vocals),Zach Blair (guitar/vocals) and Brandon Barnes (drums) urge us to come together to not simply survive, but to save it now.
McIlrath says: "'Ricochet' is about our collective inter-connectedness. We started with the title track and that being about how we're all — whether we like it or not — stuck in the same room, so to speak. Everything you do is going to affect somebody; everything you throw will affect the next person. We're connected to other countries, other economies; we're connected to undocumented immigrants. We're connected to every decision our leaders make. It's all one big ricochet effect. That idea is the backbone of this album."
In the four years since 2021's "Nowhere Generation", the Chicago band's outspoken messages, bulletproof melodies and deep body of multi-gold and platinum hits have reached more fans than ever, uniting millions in a necessary embrace of vital, progressive issues. Whether they are singing about injustice, instability, environmentalism, animal rights or the way the social and economic decks have been stacked against the youth, RISE AGAINST continues to fill arenas, top charts, break records and earn billions of streams.
This summer, they are back bigger than ever. Having already performed at Los Angeles's Kia Forum and toured across three continents this year, RISE AGAINST return to the road hot on the heels of the album announcement, for an impressive European tour and festival headliner run in June, followed by Vans Warped Tour, and dozens of arena and amphitheatre shows in the U.S.
"Ricochet" track listing:
01. Nod
02. I Want It All
03. Ricochet
04. Damage Is Done
05. Us Against The World
06. Black Crown
07. Sink Like A Stone
08. Forty Days
09. State Of Emergency
10. Gold Long Gone
11. Soldier
12. Prizefighter
Photo credit: Mynxii White | +1 | |
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29 май 2025
CHEVELLE Announces 'Bright As Blasphemy' Album, Shares Lyric Video For New Single 'Jim Jones (Cowards, Pt. 2)'
 Multi-platinum rock band CHEVELLE unleashed their first new music in four years with the hit single "Rabbit Hole (Cowards, Pt. 1)" earlier this spring, to the thrill of fans and supporters alike. It's already at No. 9 at rock radio and is well on its way to Top 5 status. Today, the band is excited to announce that it will release the new album "Bright As Blasphemy" on August 15 via Alchemy Recordings. CHEVELLE has also shared the lyric video for new single "Jim Jones (Cowards, Pt. 2)". Watch it below.
"History teaches us the longest rabbit hole has no end," the band succinctly shares about the song.
Regarding the album as a whole, CHEVELLE states, "Human Existence encompasses both inherent challenges and potential. It's up to you how to pass the time. Enjoy."
"Bright As Blasphemy" track listing:
01. Pale Horse
02. Rabbit Hole (Cowards, Pt. 1)
03. Jim Jones (Cowards, Pt. 2)
04. Hallucinations
05. Wolves (Love & Light)
06. Karma Goddess
07. Blood Out In The Fields
08. Al Phobias
09. Shocked At The End Of The World
The follow-up to 2021's "Niratias", "Bright As Blasphemy" will mark CHEVELLE's first release through Alchemy Recordings following a long run with the Epic label. Alchemy Recordings is a record label created in partnership between Dino Paredes, former American Recordings vice president of A&R, and Danny Wimmer, the founder of Danny Wimmer Presents, the premier production company for rock music festivals in the United States.
In a recent interview with "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, CHEVELLE drummer Sam Loeffler was asked why he and his brother, CHEVELLE vocalist/guitarist Pete Loeffler decided to produce the band's new LP themselves after working with Joe Barresi for almost a decade and a half. Sam said: "Well, I'll tell you this. We did four records with Joe [starting with 2011's 'Hats Off To The Bull'], and he was awesome. And he said to us, he goes, 'You guys should do something different. Go try doing a record yourselves. See how it goes.' So we did. And it's the hardest thing we've ever done, for sure. It's probably not worth it, but we did it, and we can say we did it."
As for the decision to part with Epic and find a new label home, Sam said: "After we did eight full-length records with Epic Records, which we still have a very good relationship with them, yeah, we branched out and became part of a label with our friends that we've known for 25 years in the business. And our old friend Danny Wimmer tried to sign us to Flawless Records back in like 2000, and it didn't work out, and we went to Sony instead. So now, after all these years, we've signed with him and his current label, so it was kind of cool."
Asked what lyrical themes are covered on CHEVELLE's upcoming album, Sam said: "Well, [Pete is] definitely our lyricist, and he likes to write about things going on around him, of course — anything that's just interesting that you can make interesting in an interesting way. That's a lot of 'interesting' words there. So, yeah, on this one — 'Rabbit Hole' is really about going down a rabbit hole. And that's 'Cowards, Pt. 1'. And there's a 'Cowards, Pt. 2', which deals with the same stuff but just a different part of it. And I don't wanna give that away yet 'cause I'm hoping that's gonna be the second single. And that'd be really rad if it was. But it's definitely about going down rabbit holes."
This past March, Sam told Audacy Music about the musical direction of the new CHEVELLE material: "We've worked really hard on it, and I think it's some of the best stuff we've ever done, honestly. It's so much fun to play, that's for sure."
Pete added: "We're just happy maintaining — we're trying to maintain, anyway — and put out shit that's fun to play live. And a lot of these tracks are. I'm running through four of 'em right now that I can rip out at any time. That goes both ways too. A lot of fans wanna hear the old stuff, some wanna hear the new, but we just try and mix it up. But I think this new album's gonna be a blast to see it live. So, come out to a show, please."
This summer CHEVELLE will embark on a massive tour with special guests ASKING ALEXANDRIA and DEAD POET SOCIETY. Produced by Live Nation, the 38-city trek kicks off on August 7 at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas, making stops across North America in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and more before wrapping up in Airway Heights, Washington at BECU Live at Northern Quest on October 2.
Last July, Sam told TribLive.com about CHEVELLE's next LP: "We kind of did expect to have it done [already]. It's like pulling teeth. This is what I described: Writing an album and doing all that is like pulling your hair out and then trying to put it back in. Writers love having written, is what I learned. It's just torturous on my brother. It's torturous because there's just so many factors to making something great. And then the longer you can live with it, the more changes you're gonna make. So that makes you never want to put it out. You never want to pull the pin and throw the grenade because you're like, well, it gets better every time I look at it."
As for what the 10-song album sounds like, Sam said: We're always skewing towards heavy. [But] these [last] two songs that we've been working on right now are definitely different from everything we did, although 'Niratias', our last album, I think was a really important snapshot of what we've been learning about writing and about music and stuff. This one definitely sounds different than just rock music, definitely different."
Back in 2022, Sam told Knotfest's Cori Westbrook about CHEVELLE's songwriting process: "Well, Pete's our songwriter so he's our lyricist and everything. Basically, he just writes about what's going on around him. If he's taking the garbage out that night or has a bad day driving, he's watching a documentary that really affected him, he hears a podcast — so he's writing about those kinds of things. So if you're able to internalize that kind of a thing, I think you have a lot to write about. It doesn't just have to be a relationship that — a relationship with your dad or your significant other. I think those are some pretty powerful feelings — I get it — but if you are able to bring in all those other things in from your everyday life, there's a lot more to write about. So as far as inspiration goes, it's not hard to find; it's everywhere; it's all around you. And especially nowadays, we have so much access to what's going on around us that there's even more ideas to pull from."
In a separate interview with Heavy New York, Sam said that he and Pete had "a whole bunch of music written... Because that's what we do — you put music out, you write… It'll be our first record in a long time not with a major label, which is just neither here nor there," he added. "Epic Records did a lot of good stuff; we were with them for a long time, but we're finished with that contract now. So now we're doing something different. And we'll see how different it is."
Released in March 2021 via Epic Records, "Niratias" was recorded throughout 2019 and 2020 with Barresi. The album artwork was designed by Boris Vallejo — the famed and award-winning artist is responsible for the posters used for films like "Knightriders" and "National Lampoon's Vacation", as well as iconic '70s and '80s science fiction novel covers and magazines (such as Heavy Metal).
Over the course of its career, the Chicago rockers have generated nearly half a billion streams, notched seven No. 1 hits, and sold out shows worldwide. Their catalog spans the double-platinum "Wonder What's Next", which boasts the double-platinum smash "The Red" and the platinum hit "Send The Pain Below". "This Type Of Thinking (Could Do Us In)" attained platinum status, while "Vena Sera" was certified gold. CHEVELLE has landed four Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200, including "Sci-Fi Crimes" (2009),"Hats Off To The Bull" (2011),"La Gárgola" (2014) and "The North Corridor" (2016). The latter two each captured the No. 1 slot on the Top Rock Albums chart.
Photo credit: Steve Thrasher | +1 | |
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29 май 2025
SIX FEET UNDER To Begin Recording New Album Next Month
 Death metal veterans SIX FEET UNDER will enter the studio in June to begin recording the follow-up to last year's "Killing For Revenge" album.
Earlier today (Tuesday, May 27),SIX FEET UNDER frontman Chris Barnes took to the band's social media to write: "[Guitarist] Jack [Owen] and I have completed writing the new SIX FEET UNDER album. Recording begins next month. More info soon".
"Killing For Revenge" came out in May 2024 through Metal Blade Records. The LP marked the second effort that Barnes and Owen (ex-CANNIBAL CORPSE) had created together since reuniting for 2020's "Nightmares Of The Decomposed". Owen also produced "Killing For Revenge".
SIX FEET UNDER was initially formed as a side project for Barnes during his final years with the band that he co-founded, CANNIBAL CORPSE. It became the frontman's sole focus in 1995, coinciding with the release of their debut, "Haunted". Only Barnes remains from SIX FEET UNDER's original incarnation, but the quality has remained remarkably consistent. The current lineup of Barnes, guitarists Owen and Ray Suhy, bassist Jeff Hughell and drummer Marco Pitruzzella make for a devastating unit.
While Barnes is the sole remaining member, SIX FEET UNDER is about more than he and Owen. The singer is thrilled with the current lineup, and what each member brings to the table. "Jeff and Marco have been with me for about 10 years," Barnes said in last year's press release. "I'm really fortunate that I have probably the best musicians in metal. If you look at it, we have the same amount of original members as CANNIBAL CORPSE. Jeff is a killer bass player. Marco's probably the best drummer out there. Jack's the greatest songwriter I've ever been involved with over the 30-plus years I've been doing music professionally. And Ray is just a phenomenal guitarist who can play everything from jazz to death metal. The lineup now is untouchable."
"Killing For Revenge", which featured a guest appearance by guitarist Jason Suecof on "Neanderthal", was mixed and mastered by Chaz Najjar at Badlands Recording in Denver, Colorado. The record was released on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl.
SIX FEET UNDER is:
Chris Barnes - vocals
Jack Owen - rhythm guitar
Ray Suhy - lead guitar
Jeff Hughell - bass
Marco Pitruzzella - drums
Photo by Stephanie Cabral and Dark Photography
🤘🏻Jack and I have completed writing the New
Six Feet Under Album. Recording begins next month. More info soon🤘🏻
Posted by ~ Six feet under ~ on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 | +5 | |
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29 май 2025
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29 май 2025
IRON MAIDEN Shares Official Video Recap Of First Show Of 'Run For Your Lives' World Tour
 British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN kicked off their "Run For Your Lives" world tour last night (Tuesday, May 27) at Papp László Sportaréna in Budapest, Hungary. The show marked MAIDEN's first live appearance with new drummer Simon Dawson, who replaced longtime drummer Nicko McBrain last December.
An official video recap of the Budapest concert is available below.
The "Run For Your Lives" world tour marks 50 years since bassist Steve Harris formed MAIDEN in late 1975 and to celebrate this, fans are promised a very special setlist spanning the nine studio albums from "Iron Maiden" to "Fear Of The Dark", with the band's most spectacular and elaborate show ever.
The setlist for the Budapest concert was as follows:
01. Murders In The Rue Morgue (first performance since September 2, 2005)
02. Wrathchild (first performance since July 2, 2017)
03. Killers (first performance since October 1, 1999)
04. Phantom Of The Opera (first performance since July 5, 2014)
05. The Number Of The Beast
06. The Clairvoyant (first performance since October 2, 2013)
07. Powerslave (first performance since July 22, 2017)
08. 2 Minutes To Midnight (first performance since October 15, 2019)
09. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner (first performance since April 2, 2009)
10. Run To The Hills
11. Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son (first performance since July 5, 2014)
12. The Trooper
13. Hallowed Be Thy Name
14. Iron Maiden
Encore:
15. Aces High
16. Fear Of The Dark
17. Wasted Years
Fan-filmed video of the show can be seen below.
The Budapest concert will be followed by 31 further stadium, festival and arena shows around Europe. With over a million tickets already sold, and most shows sold out, fans are advised that additional tickets will be made available closer to the show — and on the day — with the release of venue and production holds.
Earlier this month, MAIDEN manager Rod Smallwood took to the band's web site to share a post titled "Put away your phones and get ready to Run For Your Lives!" in which he urged fans to experience the shows "in the moment" rather than on smaller screens at a later date.
"We really want fans to enjoy the shows first hand, rather than on their small screens," Smallwood wrote. "The amount of phone use nowadays diminishes enjoyment, particularly for the band who are on stage looking out at rows of phones, but also for other concertgoers.
"We feel that the passion and involvement of our fans at shows really makes them special, but the phone obsession has now got so out of hand that it has become unnecessarily distracting especially to the band. I hope fans understand this and will be sensible in severely limiting the use of their phone cameras out of respect for the band and their fellow fans."
"Run For Your Lives" world tour is one part of IRON MAIDEN's 50th-anniversary celebrations and will feature many fan "meet-up" events in the cities the band is playing. As was debuted successfully in Australia on the last tour, these will include Eddie's official pop-up dive bar which will be open for pre-show and post-show gatherings in 20 cities on the tour. They will be serving Trooper beer and Darkest Red wine, with food, exclusive merch and further entertainment. Details are available on ironmaiden.com. But please note the band will not be at these events. Additionally, there is both a feature-length documentary film coming to cinemas worldwide later this year, via Universal Pictures Content Group, and an official hardback book providing a magnificent visual celebration of 50 years of IRON MAIDEN, being published by Thames & Hudson. More details on both of these exciting releases will be announced soon.
Dawson previously played with Harris as a member of his BRITISH LION project.
McBrain played his last-ever gig with MAIDEN five months ago in São Paulo, Brazil.
The 72-year-old British musician, whose real name is Michael Henry McBrain, announced his retirement on December 7, 2024 in a statement on MAIDEN's web site and social media. He also said that night's concert at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil would mark his final show with the iconic heavy metal act.
Despite the fact that he was stepping away from touring, McBrain said that he would remain closely connected to IRON MAIDEN and continue to be involved in "a variety of projects" with the band, while also focusing on personal ventures and his existing businesses.
On December 8, 2024, IRON MAIDEN announced Dawson as its new touring drummer.
Budapest… we are here!
#IronMaiden #RunForYourLivesWorldTour #Budapest
Posted by Iron Maiden on Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Right at this very moment Iron Maiden are about to kick off their Run For Your Lives tour in Budapest. Lights are...
Posted by Metal Pilgrim on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 | +3 | |
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28 май 2025
DUFF MCKAGAN Praises New GUNS N' ROSES Drummer ISAAC CARPENTER: 'He Adds A New Excitement To The Songs'
 GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan has released a new 19-minute video on his YouTube channel in which he answers a number of fan-submitted questions, including about the band's new drummer Isaac Carpenter. Asked how long he has known Isaac, who replaced Frank Ferrer in March, Duff said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I have known Isaac since he was in his first band called LOUDERMILK. They were in high school. They're from Washington state, so not far from Seattle. And I'd heard about the band. They got signed to American Records — Def Jam, basically, Rick Rubin's label. And they made a record. And they were, like, 18 years old. I think I met Isaac when he was 19. And I loved his band LOUDERMILK. A bunch of years — a few years later, like nine years later, I needed a drummer for LOADED and Isaac's name came up. He was coming through somewhere I was at, and he came and we played together. And [I told him], 'I have this tour. Would you wanna do it?' And he was in. Then he and I made 'The Taking' record. He and I wrote a lot of the songs for that record together in his garage. And I wrote a lot of my book, believe it or not… He had this couch in his garage that was really old and it would hurt my back. And it's where I found I could write my darker sections of my book better 'cause I was in physical pain. So I'd actually come over to his house just to use his garage and that couch to write. So I've known him for a long time, I guess. Now that I think about it — 25 years. And it's great to have him in the band. It's fucking awesome."
Asked what Isaac brings to GUNS N' ROSES that might have been missing before, Duff said: "I'll tell you what Isaac brings to the band. No commentary on Frank, 'cause Frank's a lovely guy. Isaac has got this ability, though, to swing and groove that only a few drummers have. [Former GUNS N' ROSES drummer] Steven had it as well, Steven Adler, and [former GUNS N' ROSES drummer] Matt [Sorum] is a great, solid drummer with amazing fills — and Matt's amazing. They're both amazing drummers. And Isaac somehow blends both of those two guys and adds his own thing. So he adds a new sort of excitement to the songs. And the groove and swing of the songs right now with Isaac is super impressive and super fun."
GUNS N' ROSES kicked off its 2025 world tour on May 1 at Incheon, South Korea's Songdo Moonlight Festival Park. The concert marked the band's first live appearance with Carpenter.
Carpenter, born in Washington's Tri-Cities, is an accomplished American drummer and songwriter known for his dynamic contributions to alternative, hard rock, and beyond. He rose to prominence in 1995 by co-founding LOUDERMILK while in high school, only to be signed to Rick Rubin's label American. Carpenter's career spans an impressive roster of acts, including live and studio work with Duff McKagan's LOADED, AWOLNATION, Adam Lambert, the hardcore metal outfit BARBARIANS OF CALIFORNIA, A PERFECT CIRCLE, THE EXIES, OURS and BLACK LAB, in addition to his large session film and TV roster. Carpenter has made a name for himself by uniquely blending versatility and groove with crushing force and technical skill, cementing his reputation as a multifaceted drummer in the industry.
GUNS N' ROSES's "Because What You Want & What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things" tour will hit Europe in late spring and early summer, concluding on July 31 in Germany.
Frank first joined GUNS N' ROSES during a show in June 2006, helping anchor the rhythm section during subsequent tours, including their recent outings featuring the reunited trio of singer Axl Rose, guitarist Slash and McKagan. Ferrer's last show with the band took place November 5, 2023 in Mexico.
Ferrer laid down drums tracks on five songs on GUNS N' ROSES' most recent studio album, 2008's "Chinese Democracy". He also appeared on the live portion of 2022's "Hard Skool" EP, with former drummer Bryan "Brain" Mantia appearing on the studio tracks and GUNS' ROSES' 2023 singles "Perhaps" and "The General".
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28 май 2025
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28 май 2025
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Cynic
