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25 ìàð 2025
PENTAGRAM – Limited Marble Vinyl Marking 40th Anniversary Of 1985 Debut Available In June
 Peaceville will release a limited marble vinyl edition of Pentagram’s 1985 debut on June 20. You can pre-order the upcoming release here.
Starting life in the early 1970s, US legends Pentagram are one of the most enduring underground bands in heavy metal history. Influenced by British bands The Groundhogs and Black Sabbath, their own take on doom metal has undoubtedly influenced countless bands of subsequent generations and continues to do so. Though the band lineup has changed many times over the years, enigmatic vocalist Bobby Liebling remains at the helm, with Pentagram now widely-regarded as a true cult band with a fan-base transcending whole generations.
Relentless was the band’s debut album, and was originally self-released in 1985 as ‘Pentagram’ – later to be renamed and released by Peaceville in 1993, after a long search for a suitable record label. With its numerous timeless heavy metal anthems and the distinguishable voice of Bobby Liebling eerily ringing out, backed up by the masterful guitar prowess of Victor Griffin, plus Martin Swaney on bass and Joe Hasselvander on drums, Relentless remains the most iconic release of the band’s studio output and a staple of the entire heavy doom genre.
Tracklisting:
Side A
“Death Row
“All Your Sins”
“Sign Of The Wolf”
“The Ghoul”
“Relentless”
Side B
“Run My Course”
“Sinister”
“The Deist”
“You’re Lost, I’m Free”
“Dying World”
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25 ìàð 2025
BURNING WITCHES – Dance With The Devil, Hexenhammer Vinyl Reissues Coming In May
 Nuclear Blast has announced colored vinyl reissues of two Burning Witches albums. Hexenhammer and Dance With the Devil will release on May 16. Preorder at the Nuclear Blast webshop.
Hexenhammer will be available on transparent blue vinyl. Originally released in 2018, the band’s second album is the last album featuring singer Seraina Telli. Singles include “Executed” and the title track.
Dance With The Devil will be issued on transparent green vinyl. The 2020 album is the first with singer Laura Guldemond and features the title track and “Six Feet Underground” as singles. | 0 | |
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ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN – La Vie EP To Be Available On Limited Edition 12″ Vinyl For Record Store Day 2025 In The Netherlands
 utch singer / songwriter Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering) recently checked in with the following update:
“Dear friends, few things are as exciting as releasing new music! What starts as a simple idea, shaped in the comfort of solitude, eventually becomes a fully produced release that involves many musicians, technicians, art designers, and more. Over the past few months, we’ve worked very hard on developing and recording these four songs. I’m incredibly proud of the result!
My new album will be titled La Vie, La Mort, L’Amour – French for Life, Death, Love. This collection of songs will be released as a trilogy. Today, the first EP La Vie has arrived and is now streaming on all digital platforms!
In 2026, the three EPs will come together to form a full-length album. The release of the third EP will coincide with a physical version containing all the songs, available as a CD Digipak and Gatefold LP.
Thank you for your endless support, and… enjoy listening!”
Now, Anneke has made an announcement regarding the first installment, La Vie:
“I’m very excited to announce that a 12” version of La Vie will be released as part of the Record Store Day drop list in The Netherlands on April 12th! Record Store Day is all about supporting indie shops. If you don’t live in The Netherlands, try reaching out to individual record stores directly to see if they’d be willing to ship to you. I’ll also make sure to have some copies available in my own webshop. I’m very proud of this release – it’s the very first one on my own label, Label Mates!” | 0 | |
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25 ìàð 2025
MICHELE LUPPI Rejoins VISION DIVINE
 Michele Luppi is back in Vision Divine, and is already writing new material alongside the band’s leader, Olaf Thorsen.
Luppi sang on the fan favorite Vision Divine tracks, “Stream Of Consciousness”, “The Perfect Machine” and “The 25th Hour”, and later joined the lineup of hard rock giants Whitesnake and many other great acts.
“Everything happens for a reason. Michele and I parted ways after three albums that defined our peak – works still celebrated by our fans and critics alike. Now, years later, fate has brought us back together at the perfect moment to bring back the same vision of creating something just as powerful, with the same artistic depth and impact. You asked for it for years. Today, it’s reality!” – Olaf Thorsen
“Careful what you wish for! Life is full of circles and I’ve always felt there was unfinished business between me and the band I started my recording career with. It feels great to be a frontman again after many years supporting my heroes… This is the right time and we’ll make sure we’ll handle the whole thing with true passion – at the end of the day, Music is what really matters and I’m so proud of what we did back then! Can’t wait to start this new chapter!” – Michele Luppi
Vision Divine has recently renewed with Scarlet Records and will soon share some other very exciting news – stay tuned! | 0 | |
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24 ìàð 2025
Former TESLA Guitarist TOMMY SKEOCH's BAD MARRIAGE To Release 'Match Made In Hell' Album This Summer
 BAD MARRIAGE, the band featuring former TESLA guitarist Tommy Skeoch, has signed with Ron Keel's RFK Media for the release of BAD MARRIAGE's new album, "Match Made In Hell", this summer. This powerhouse band out of Boston has been winning over the fans and the media for several years now and is well-positioned for the big time, with a collection of songs that embrace the spirit of their classic roots while capturing a modern active rock sound.
A relentless work ethic combined with a special chemistry between the band members and their fans has earned BAD MARRIAGE a loyal and constantly growing audience, plus appearances on the Monsters Of Rock cruise and the Monsters On The Mountain festival, as well as opening slots on tour with BUCKCHERRY, TESLA, VANDENBERG and more.
"BAD MARRIAGE has been on our radar for a while," Keel explains. "I've been equally impressed by their aggressive pursuit of success and the aggressive admiration the fans have for this band and their music."
"Trying to make it in rock n roll these days is like a heavyweight fight," says BAD MARRIAGE guitarist Mike Fitz, "and we want people in our corner who aren't ever going to throw in the towel. RFK Media has a proven track record and together we're going the distance."
Skeoch, who joined BAD MARRIAGE in 2023, echoes that vote of confidence. "I've known Ron Keel since the '80s, and that guy never quits or backs down," the guitarist says. "It's really cool how we've come full circle now and are all working together to take this band and this music to the next level."
RFK Media managing partner Aaron Fischer signed BAD MARRIAGE on the 2025 Monsters Of Rock cruise.
"There was no prenuptial agreement; we just eloped," he says. "BAD MARRIAGE and RFK Media are truly a match made in hell, built upon our love of the music and the fans."
BAD MARRIAGE is: Jonny Paquin (vocals),Mike Fitz (lead guitar),Tommy Skeoch (lead/rhythm guitar),Ian Haggerty (rhythm guitar),Todd Boisvert (bass) and Michael Delaney (drums).
Skeoch left TESLA in 2006 to receive treatment for substance-abuse issues.
Skeoch, who was a founding member of TESLA, played on the Sacramento five-piece defining albums, including 1986 debut "Mechanical Resonance" and 1990's "Five Man Acoustical Jam".
Tommy was fired from TESLA in 1994 due to substance abuse issues. He rejoined TESLA when the band reformed more than two and a half decades ago following a brief hiatus. | +1 | |
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24 ìàð 2025
Watch: LYNCH MOB Ends Its Touring Career With One 'Last' Concert In Minnesota
 LYNCH MOB, the band formed by George Lynch in 1989 after his exit from DOKKEN, played its "final" concert this past Saturday, March 22 at the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina, Minnesota. The following day, George took to his social media to write: "Well, last night was our last show as LYNCH MOB. We played Medina Entertainment Center in Minnesota which we've played many, many times. It was a wonderful sold-out show and everyone in the house was aware of the gravity and finality of the performance. With the help of my old friend [Brian Tichy] on drums the band stepped up and bared our souls for one last performance.
"I'm going to miss my brothers in arms deeply. My band has always been a second family to me and there's a bond there that transcends time and space.
"I feel it's fitting to turn the page on this chapter of my musical journey after 35 years of LYNCH MOB.
"I wish the best for Gabriel, Jimmy and Jaron moving forward and I look forward to whatever the universe holds in store for me.
"Thank you so much to all our fans for 35 wonderful years."
Fan-filmed video of the Medina concert can be seen below (courtesy of PositiveVibes).
Last month, George spoke to the Iron City Rocks podcast about LYNCH MOB's "The Final Ride" farewell tour celebrating the band's 35-year legacy. Asked how he felt about completing one final trek with LYNCH MOB, George said: "Well, it's a mixed bag. I thought that it would make sense to go out with a band that, or a version of the band, which this is, that has remained intact for a while. LYNCH MOB has a history of having a revolving door, so that's been frustrating for me because when I first put the band together in '89, I was hoping for the exact opposite… And, of course, that did not happen. But we have a great time, and when we spend time together and tour, it's just really a dream, fun band. We joke around a lot. We work hard and the band — we bring it when we get on stage and we get in the studio. I thought, 'Well, that's the way to go out.' And also, on the other side of the coin, I'm not getting any younger. I didn't want to be that guy up there on crutches, having to sit down. I wanted people to remember it with some sense of vitality. Yeah, so I think we're kind of ending on a positive note, I would say. And we gave ourselves quite a long window. We decided this last year, and it gave us an eight-month, nine-month window. So it's a long, slow kind of fade into the sunset. We'll be done March 23rd, I believe, or 25th, something like that. So we've got a lot of work ahead of us. And we've got, actually, two records [in the works] — we've got a live album and a live DVD and a studio record."
Asked if he is planning on getting involved in more recording projects in the future once the LYNCH MOB tour is done, George said: "Well, I love being in the studio, and I have a pretty nice studio situation, both in California, where I have my own studio, and in New Mexico, where I have found a home out there and a really wonderful venue, where I'm working now, actually. So, as long as I have something to say, I'll try to say it musically. But I will say that I've sort of spent my — I've done a lot of recording, I've written a lot of songs in the last group of years, since COVID and so forth, so I find myself kind of treading over old ground and saying the same thing, and I don't like that. And I think on occasion I've gotta slow down in my output a little bit. So, as I mentioned, we are working on a LYNCH MOB 'Final Ride' studio record. It's been written and recorded, except [for] the vocals now. And beyond that, I've got other records in the pipeline that I am obligated — well, I can do, let's say; I don't know how obligated I am. If I don't wanna do 'em, I don't have to do 'em. One is a fourth THE END MACHINE record for Frontiers. And the other one is a third 'Heavy Hitters' album, which is a series of records that [ex-DOKKEN bassist] Jeff Pilson and I have been doing for Cleopatra Records, which are covers, and that's always really fun to do. I enjoy working with Jeff. I'll be working with Jeff Pilson on both those records. So that might be something that I decide to finish up. But, having said that, those are obligations consistent with my past work, doing THE END MACHINE records and 'Heavy Hitters' records and LYNCH MOB records and various other projects, with KXM and so forth, that I have been doing. But what I'm thinking is I would really like to — not to be super self-indulgent, but do something different. And that requires kind of banking a bunch of experiences and exposure, different kinds of music and styles and saying something unique. Or doing a master guitar record, what I consider would be my magnum opus guitar record. That's easier said than done, but maybe I need [to do something like that]. I don't know. I'm not sure what I wanna do yet. But I'm gonna let this touring schedule ride out till the end of March and then I'm gonna sort of collect my thoughts [about what my next step will be]."
LYNCH MOB was formed in 1989 after Lynch parted ways with his former band DOKKEN. Their debut release, "Wicked Sensation", was met with critical and fan acclaim and went on to be certified gold in sales by the RIAA. The band would continue on through the years with a cast of talented players joining Lynch throughout their musical journey over the course of six more studio albums.
LYNCH MOB's eighth studio album, "Babylon", came out in October 2023. Joining revered guitarist and band founder for the LP were vocalist Gabriel Colón, bassist Jaron Gulino (TANTRIC, HEAVENS EDGE) and drummer Jimmy D'Anda (ex-BULLETBOYS).
In August 2020, Lynch announced that he was ending LYNCH MOB due to the racial insensitivity of the moniker, saying he would no longer record or perform under that name. Two years later, George had a change of heart, explaining that he had to "live with the fact that [the name LYNCH MOB] has some negative connotations that I probably have to continue explaining for the rest of my life, and I don't mind doing that. But it is a brand that I built, and I'm just gonna stick with it. As far as a marketing thing and a brand thing and a business thing and a working thing, and it keeps my band guys working and it keeps the fans happy, it makes sense."
Well, last night was our last show as Lynch Mob. We played medina entertainment center in minnesota which we’ve played...
Posted by George Lynch Fan Page on Sunday, March 23, 2025
Secure your tickets now for Lynch Mob The Final Ride with guest Paralandra at Medina Entertainment Center on March 22! Don't miss out!
Posted by Medina Entertainment Center on Friday, February 28, 2025
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24 ìàð 2025
VIO-LENCE Announces New Lineup For 'Oppressing The Masses' 2025 European Tour
 San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans VIO-LENCE have announced their lineup for their upcoming "Oppressing The Masses" European tour.
Recent additions to VIO-LENCE are former FALLING IN REVERSE guitarist Max Georgiev, bassist Jeff Salgado (PSYCHOSOMATIC),drummer Nick Souza (HATRIOT) and returning to VIO-LENCE is guitarist Ira Black.
VIO-LENCE frontman Sean Killian said: "I‘m very excited to have been able to play with great musicians since the return of VIO-LENCE. That trend continues."
VIO-LENCE will be performing the entire "Oppressing The Masses" album, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this summer. The set will also include songs from the band's back catalog.
"Oppressing The Masses" tour dates:
April 10 - Backstage Bar & Billiards - Las Vegas, NV
April 11 - The Teragram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA
April 17 - Underworld - London, England
April 18 - Castle And Falcon - Birmingham, England
April 19 - Blitz - Preston, England
April 20 - Slay - Glasgow, Scotland
April 21 - Opium - Dublin, Ireland
April 22 - The Live Rooms - Chester, England
April 23 - Corporation - Sheffield, England
April 24 - The Patriot - Crumlin, Wales
April 25 - Keep It True Fest, Königshofen Germany
April 26 - Sala X - Sevilla, Spain
April 27 - Porta Caeli - Valladolid, Spain
April 29 - Sala Boveda - Barcelona, Spain
April 30 - Urban Rock Concept - Vitoria, Spain
May 01 - Revi Live - Madrid, Spain
May 02 - Sala Rebullon - Mos, Spain
May 03 - Rca Club - Lisbon, Portugal
May 09 - Diggers - Bahrain
Former FEAR FACTORY bassist Christian Olde Wolbers announced his departure from VIO-LENCE last month. He explained in a social media statement at the time that he wanted "to pursue my own new solo band and producing career."
VIO-LENCE released three studio albums between 1988 and 1993. The group reformed soon after founding VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel acrimoniously left MACHINE HEAD more than six years ago.
VIO-LENCE released a new EP, "Let The World Burn", in March 2022 via Metal Blade Records.
Formed in 1985, VIO-LENCE helped define and refine what came to be known as the Bay Area sound, dropping three seminal albums before splitting in 1993. Leaving behind a heady legacy, they reformed briefly a couple of times in the intervening years before becoming a full-time going concern once more in 2019. After playing a string of successful shows, the quintet started to think about new music and delivered "Let The World Burn", showcasing their first new material in 29 years.
Filling out the band's ranks on "Let The World Burn" alongside Killian and Demmel were drummer Perry Strickland, Olde Wolbers and former OVERKILL guitarist Bobby Gustafson.
Killian is the only VIO-LENCE member from the "Let The World Burn" recording lineup who is still touring with the band. Joining him at some of the band's recent concerts were drummer Nick Souza and guitarists Mario Salcedo and Pat O'Brien (EXHORDER, ex-CANNIBAL CORPSE).
"Let The World Burn" was recorded with Juan Urteaga at Trident Studios (TESTAMENT, MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS),with mixing handled by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, MESHUGGAH) and Grammy Award-winning engineer Ted Jensen (ALICE IN CHAINS, DEFTONES, PANTERA).
Demmel left MACHINE HEAD at the end of the band's fall 2018 North American tour. He was in MACHINE HEAD for nearly 16 years, during which time he played on five of the group's studio albums: "Through The Ashes Of Empires" (2003),"The Blackening" (2007),"Unto The Locust" (2011),"Bloodstone & Diamonds" (2014) and "Catharsis" (2018).
Demmel's final concert with VIO-LENCE took place on February 11, 2024 at Carioca Club in São Paulo, Brazil. The gig also marked the last show of VIO-LENCE's Latin American tour with EXHORDER.
VIO-LENCE played the São Paulo concert as a four-piece after an alleged altercation between Black and Olde Wolbers resulted in Ira being sent home from the tour a few days early.
Although MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn was part of VIO-LENCE's classic incarnation and played on the band's debut album, "Eternal Nightmare", he wasn't approached about taking part in the band's reunion.
Photo credit: Devil Presley | +2 | |
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24 ìàð 2025
Watch: LIVING COLOUR's COREY GLOVER Sings 'Cult Of Personality' On 'The Kelly Clarkson Show'
 LIVING COLOUR frontman Corey Glover performed the band's classic song "Cult Of Personality" on the March 17 episode of "The Kelly Clarkson Show". Glover, who was backed by Kelly's band MY BAND Y'ALL, was also interviewed by guest host Kal Penn. You can now watch video of his appearance below.
In an April 2024 interview with The Logan Show, Glover was asked about LIVING COLOUR's breakthrough single "Cult Of Personality", a pointed, politically charged tune which opens the band's debut album, 1998's "Vivid". The track includes audio snips of political speeches and references to John F. Kennedy, Gandhi, Stalin and Mussolini, and it became LIVING COLOUR's signature tune and the accompanying music video was an MTV hit. A searing indictment of politicians that readily addressed the concerns of an electorate during the mudslinging Bush-Dukakis presidential campaign, "Cult Of Personality" hit No. 13.
"I think if it weren't for that song, I'd be working for UPS," Corey said. " How about that? If it weren't for that song and the evergreen nature of that song, because it seems like every so often it pops up in very interesting places — with CM Punk or the video games or 'Guitar Hero' or even within the political discourse, where people use it and quote it on newscasts. It has a weird sort of continuing life that I am very happy and very grateful that it exists."
"Vivid" went on to become the first album by an all-black rock band to win a Grammy for "Best Hard Rock Performance" and the video for "Glamour Boys" was the first to be closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
LIVING COLOUR disbanded in 1995 but reunited in 2000. (Original bassist Muzz Skillings left the group in 1992 and was replaced by Doug Wimbish.)
In June 2020, LIVING COLOUR released a video for its classic song "This Is The Life" featuring footage of the peaceful protests that swelled across the U.S. and around the world over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. The original version of "This Is The Life" appeared on LIVING COLOUR's 1990 album "Time's Up".
LIVING COLOUR's latest album, "Shade", was released in September 2017 via Megaforce Records. | +1 | |
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24 ìàð 2025
LAWRENCE GOWAN On STYX's Upcoming Studio Album 'Circling From Above': 'We Think It's Very Strong'
 During a question-and-answer session aboard this year's Rock Legends Cruise in February 2025, STYX singer Lawrence Gowan spoke about the band's upcoming album, "Circling From Above", which is tentatively due this spring. Regarding the inspiration for the follow-up to "Crash Of The Crown" , which came out in 2021, Gowan said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, quite honestly, since [STYX producer and multi-instrumentalist] Will [Evankovich] joined the band — Will was the producer at first and a co-writer, and that really inspired us to start making new music again. Also, the boring part is that the music industry itself, it kind of righted itself in a lot of ways. There was a resurgence in interest in vinyl records, and the idea of an album being a work of art instead of, as we all are on our phones, flipping through things every ten seconds, instead you have that experience of listening to a piece of music that takes about forty minutes and you begin to get this kind of what some people refer to as a theater of the mind going. And that's really what inspired us to do that. So, as a writer, Will is also very, very, extremely strong. And he was able to kind of focus on what we should do on new records. So [2017's] 'The Mission' was very successful. 'Crash Of The Crown', as we mention in every show so modestly, that it went to Number One in the Billboard Rock Album chart. That's a big mark for us, the fact that that happened, and it gave us the confidence to keep making records. It's part of the lifeblood of what keeps the band alive. Anyway, I think you're gonna enjoy it — well, I know you're gonna enjoy this new record. We think it's very strong."
Asked when fans can expect the new STYX album, Gowan said: "End of May."
In a separate interview with Boomerocity, Gowan stated about "Circling From Above": "You don't wanna say too much about it. All I can say is we'll be rehearsing a couple of more songs from it today, this afternoon, in our soundcheck, and if I can judge by our crew's reaction to it and the people that listened to it in the last few days, I'd say that there's a good percentage of people out there that are going to enjoy it. There I've said it."
Last December, STYX guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw told Ultimate Classic Rock about the band's upcoming LP: "I guess we just stumbled upon a way of doing it. Just writing, you don't have to write the whole thing at one time. Like Will and I, we've been writing songs together for you know for 10, 15 years. And when we get one that we like, Will's a lot more organized than I am, but he'll put it on a hard drive. And so we had amassed a whole bunch of songs. Suddenly, we got hot writing new stuff. And then we went back and looked at some other things and said these things all it all goes together. Now we're working on [the album] and finishing it. And it's exciting."
Shaw described the upcoming STYX release as "a great rock album" and added that "real-life experiences" were the lyrical inspiration for many of the new tracks.
"You're writing about your experiences in your life and things that you love and enjoy, or things that were hard to go through and that sort of thing," he said. "So you're just really just writing a book in little sections like that. And we've got a pretty good one going here."
The legendary rockers wrote "Crash Of The Crown" pre-pandemic and recorded it during the trying times of the coronavirus crisis.
Forbes described "Crash Of The Crown" as one in which "its sweeping, dramatic and anthemic sound immediately recalls the band's classic works of the 1970s and early 1980s." It was the follow-up to "The Mission", STYX's first LP in 14 years, which critics also had called "a masterpiece".
STYX — James "JY" Young (lead vocals, guitars),Tommy Shaw (lead vocals, guitars),Chuck Panozzo (bass, vocals),Todd Sucherman (drums, percussion),Lawrence Gowan (lead vocals, keyboards),Will Evankovich (mandolin, guitars),Terry Gowan (bass, guitar, vocals) — and Kevin Cronin, the iconic voice and writer behind REO SPEEDWAGON's greatest hits, recently 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 announced last month that they're bringing these special album shows for the first time, plus their hits, to the amphitheaters and arenas later this summer as part of their "Brotherhood Of Rock" tour.
The "Brotherhood Of Rock" tour, along with special guest Don Felder (a former lead guitarist of THE EAGLES),will kick off May 28 in Greenville, South Carolina at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
Photo credit: Jason Powell | 0 | |
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24 ìàð 2025
What Keeps CRADLE OF FILTH's DANI FILTH Going After All These Years? 'The Huge Bucketloads Of Money', He Jokes
 In a new interview with FaceCulture, CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth was asked if the band's recent lineup changes affected the songwriting and recording process for CRADLE OF FILTH's upcoming fourteenth studio album, "The Screaming Of The Valkyries". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Maybe a tiny little bit, because we had to get the two new people up to speed, which was Zoe [Marie Federoff, keyboardist] and Donny [Burbage, guitarist]. And they came about being in the band, it's 'cause when Richard [Shaw, former CRADLE OF FILTH guitarist] left to pursue a family life, and our other keyboardists hadn't really settled in with the band over the course of the little time she'd been in it… We were in the process of about to [play gigs as] special guests to DANZIG in the States, and we didn't have time to get other visas for other people, so we had to find some Americans. And originally I didn't realize quite how much work had gone into finding the right people for the job. It extended far further down than just the ability to play. They were really a very good fit. And so at the end of that DANZIG tour, and then we carried on and did some headline shows as well, we were, like, 'Welcome to the band.' And things obviously got very good in the band, relationship-wise, since then, because Zoe has now married to Ashok [Marek Šmerda, CRADLE OF FILTH guitarist] at the beginning of the year in Arizona. And, yeah, we've written this album, and you ask if it changed a little bit. I'd say only in the fact that obviously people had to be integrated into what we were doing, and we were being really prolific in the fact that we were touring a lot — a lot — and [that's] probably why there was a bit of a delay with this record, four years as opposed to the usual two and a half. But then we did do [the 2023 live album] 'Trouble And Their Double Lives' as well with two new tracks, so we can be excused somewhat. But yeah, doing lots of shows. So the thing I would say would have changed was that we were writing quite a bit on the road — not diligently, but on the odd off day where we'd be in the middle of nowhere, Boise, Idaho or something, when it's just a Walmart, across the motorway and that's it, then we would get together, set up the recording equipment and jam some ideas. So I'd say we did more of that."
Asked what keeps him going with CRADLE OF FILTH, being the sole remaining original member of the band, Dani said: "Well, I've always said that being in a band, being a touring musician, that suddenly you live dog years. Every year is like seven years, 'cause it just seems to go on forever. So, the fact that [Zoe and Donny have] been in the band three years does seem like I've known them as long as I've lived, because we get up to so much together. I often joke that I sleep next to Donny more than I do my girlfriend 'cause we're always on the bus together or on a fucking plane together or next door in a hotel together. It's kind of weird, if you think about it. But, yeah, it is annoying, but, again, it is what it is. You just have to keep rolling with the punches, as Rocky says. And the great people. We've got a great lineup at the moment. We've got great people around us, full stop — from management through to the people in the periphery, like our lawyer, our accountant, our merch company guys — they're all really solid people and it feels like family. So, yeah, I'm very pleased that both Donny and Zoe have integrated, and Zoe a bit more than others. [Laughs] Yeah, it's all good. And what keeps us going? The huge bucketloads of money. The two yachts parked in the Bahamas. And the enormous castle, the supercars. That's what keeps me going. [Laughs]"
"The Screaming Of The Valkyries" is due on March 21, 2025 via Napalm Records.
CRADLE OF FILTH reigns supreme as one of the most revered, formative and notorious names in music — from the depths of the extreme metal underground to the peaks of mainstream pop culture itself — and is responsible for breaking ground for many of today's top metal artists with their trademark mixture of blackened heaviness, macabre theatricality and scintillating gothic style.
On "The Screaming Of The Valkyries", Dani's recognizable scream and equally identifiable growl stand mightily alongside twin guitar attacks, symphonic flourishes and explosive rhythm section, implemented by drummer Martin "Marthus" Skaroupka, bassist Daniel Firth, guitarists Marek "Ashok" Smerda and Donny Burbage and keyboardist/vocalist Zoe Federoff.
Produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studios in Suffolk, England, "The Screaming Of The Valkyries" beckons the brave into a new era of CRADLE OF FILTH misadventure, celebrating massive melancholic melody, blackened thrash, and apocalyptic existential dread with a grinning smattering of unbridled revelry. "The Screaming Of The Valkyries" is a bloody dark love letter to the longtime legion of CRADLE OF FILTH faithful and a stunning entryway for fresh lambs to the sonic slaughter.
In a recent interview with U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine, Dani stated about "The Screaming Of The Valkyries": "It's got elements of everything we've done, really. It has a few head nods to works like 'Midian' and 'Dusk[... And Her Embrace]', especially in the atmosphere and the subject matter. It's also got a very brilliant production, courtesy of Scott Atkins."
Asked if there is any overarching theme to it, Dani said: "No, I wouldn't say so. They're tricky things, concept records. You have to have tunnel vision and you can't veer from that path. So this is just an album. It's not an album with filly bits attached, like intros and outros. No guest appearances. Just nine songs. It's still quite a lengthy running time, obviously. We can't write a short song to save our fucking lives."
In 2023, CRADLE OF FILTH released its first live album in over 20 years, the aforementioned "Trouble And Their Double Lives", via Napalm Records. The LP was recorded between 2014 and 2019 at different performances in the USA, Europe, Australia and beyond during the band's "Cryptoriana" world tour and dates following. Produced, mixed and mastered by Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studios, with recording captured by Danny B, the effort not only featured a slew of fan favorites encompassing the band's discography but also two bonus tracks and two entirely brand new songs, "She Is A Fire" and "Demon Prince Regent".
CRADLE OF FILTH will co-headline the 2025 edition of the North American "Chaos & Carnage" tour, featuring fellow co-headliners DYING FETUS, as well as FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, NE OBLIVISCARIS, UNDEATH, VOMIT FORTH and CORPSE PILE.
CRADLE OF FILTH is:
Dani Filth - Vocals
Marek "Ashok" Smerda - Guitars
Martin "Marthus" Skaroupka - Drums
Daniel Firth - Bass
Donny Burbage - Guitars
Zoe Federoff - Vocals, Keys
Dani Filth press photo courtesy of Napalm Records | +7 | |
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24 ìàð 2025
NANCY WILSON On Upcoming HEART Biopic: 'We're About To Cast It'
 In a new interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nancy Wilson offered an update on the previously announced HEART biopic. The movie about the Seattle rock greats is being written and directed by Carrie Brownstein, of SLEATER-KINNEY and "Portlandia" fame, and is being produced for Amazon by Lynda Obst, who has produced more than 20 movies and TV shows, including "Interstellar", "Contact", "Sleepless In Seattle", "The Fisher King", "Flashdance"; Amazon's "Good Girls Revolt", TVLand's "Hot In Cleveland", SyFy's "Helix" and NBC's miniseries "The '60s".
Nancy stated about the status of the HEART biopic: "We're getting the ending right now … and we're about to cast it," Wilson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, adding that there's also interest from different companies pursuing a HEART documentary.
Back in October 2023, Nancy's sister, HEART singer Ann Wilson, told the "Totally 80s" podcast about the HEART biopic: "I've seen a couple of drafts of the script. It's good. [Carrie's] a great writer. If anybody can capture the story of a couple of women in rock, it's probably Carrie, 'cause she's been there herself. And Lynda Obst is one of the producers."
Asked if she knows yet who is playing her and/or her sister Nancy, Ann said: "There've been a few things bandied about, but nothing solid yet."
Pressed about whom she would like to play her, and if she wants it be someone "who can sing," Ann said: "I'd like somebody who could sing, and then they could sing some, I could sing some. I think that my preference would be somebody young and brand new and fresh — somebody who's really got their shit together in terms of being into the script."
One actress who was interested in playing Ann in the film is Anne Hathaway, "but I don't think she's exactly right for it," Ann said in a November 2020 interview with the SiriusXM show "Volume West".
The movie will begin in the Wilson sisters' childhood and end in the '90s.
HEART's "Royal Flush" tour kicked off on February 28 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The trek is making stops in cities including Milwaukee, Montreal, Toronto, Boston and more before wrapping April 16 in New York City.
Earlier this month, HEART announced the "An Evening With Heart" spring/summer 2025 U.S. tour. The trek, which will see the band performing two separate sets each night, will kick off May 31 at the Hard Rock in Atlantic City and conclude on June 28 in Hollywood, Florida.
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 Seventies and Eighties, 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. | 0 | |
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24 ìàð 2025
REB BEACH: Why WINGER Is Ending Its Touring Career
 In a new interview with Adam Roach of the Become A Guitarist Today podcast, WINGER guitarist Reb Beach spoke the band's recent announcement that it was embarking on "farewell" tours of Australia and Japan in 2025. Reb said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's too bad that Kip [Winger, WINGER frontman] wants to end it, from my end, just because I'm loving it and I could do it another 10 years. But it's really hard on his voice. When he says he has a bad night, you'd never know it. I've seen singers have a bad night, and his bad night sounds like a record. One note might be flat, or he might have trouble with three notes in 'Miles Away', and then afterwards he's, like, 'Uh, this is so embarrassing.' And it's, like, 'No, those are three notes. Come on, man.' These people go to see these singers from the '80s who just can't sing a note anymore. And Kip's really, really amazing. But it's just such an effort for him to keep up that vocal excellence."
Reb continued: "It's that, and it's also that touring is hard, but it's mostly that he hears a different drummer. He's always wanted to do the classical thing. That's what's in his heart. He's been rocking for 35 years here with this band, and he's finally broken into the classical world. He was nominated for a Grammy a few years ago. And the Nashville Symphony Orchestra is performing his piece that he wrote for them. I'm gonna fly in and see it on May 9th. And that's what really excites him. He doesn't need the money. I could use the money. He doesn't need the money. So it's his time to quit it now. And it's too bad, because you would think we could get another singer. But no — you can't have another singer in WINGER. That wouldn't make any sense."
In a separate interview with The Rockpit, Beach was asked if WINGER might continue making music even after the band stops touring. Reb responded: "No. Kip is classical. That's where he's at. He's over the rock thing. He gets so much more enjoyment from writing classical music. And he overbooks himself with the classical music. He has to write. You can just hear him saying, 'I have the 12 symphonies I have to write in the next three years, and I'm not even halfway done with the first one.' So, yeah, there's no way. There won't be another WINGER record, I don't think, unless I come to Kip and go, 'Kip, I've written 70 precent of the new WINGER record.' If I'm desperate for another WINGER record and I just write great riffs and I already have a verse and a chorus and a solo section for 10 songs, he may do it. It's never worked that way, though. Most of the time if I come in with a completed idea like that, he just feels like it has to have its inception when he and I are sitting in a room for it to have the magic. As soon as I play a riff that I come up with on the spot, that's exciting to him. If he's listening to something that I put a drum machine to and have any kind of production to, he's not inspired by that. I don't think he's ever used a riff that I brought in, whereas [my] BLACK SWAN [project] uses every riff that I bring in, which are usually the riffs that I brought to Kip that he turned down."
Earlier this month, Kip was asked by Steve Mascord of White Line Fever TV what he will miss about playing with WINGER. Kip said: "Listen, I've been well-known my whole life. But I was never, like, 'Hey, I'm a rock star' or anything like that. It's very matter of fact to just talk to people. What I'll miss is playing with these guys that I really love so much, but I'm very excited to move on to this other world that I'm really inspired because I'm hearing so much of the music.
"At some point I'm gonna play a final show with the band," Kip explained. "I don't know when it is. But that's not to say I might not do a cruise or something. I don't really know. I'm not going, 'Hey, this is the last show we're ever gonna do' because… Well, hey, KISS did it for 10 years, so… [Laughs]"
Asked if he has any thoughts about where the last WINGER show will be, Kip said: "I do have some thoughts about it, but nothing's totally worked out yet. So as soon as I know, I'll let you know."
Regarding the possibility of guests coming up for the final WINGER concert, Kip said: "That would be cool. I did think about that, but it depends on the location, like where we would be. So I don't know yet."
Kip also talked about how his daily routine will change once WINGER has stopped touring. He said: "Well, the biggest thing is the traveling. If you do 40 gigs in a year, and sometimes we do more than that, you have twice that many days on each end traveling. So, you spend half of the year of your life sitting in an airport, and it really… Listen, we're not a huge band — we don't fly around in our own Learjet — so it tends to take a toll on you. And then, all of a sudden, all my personal goals just end up drifting away in an airport somewhere in Chicago. So my life will be different in that way."
Kip continued: "Listen, interruption is the death of creativity. So my focus is to get myself into a place where I can be 100 percent creative and keep it rolling because it's really difficult to have it all broken up so much. And I've written every kind of rock song possible. I've made my final statement on the last WINGER record. And a lot of people think that's, like, if not our best record, it's close to being our best, along with 'Pull'. And I kind of brought back the original guys and put the original logo on and gave it a nice full circle. So, there's nothing else that Reb and I could do with WINGER that wouldn't just be, like, 'Okay, let's write another one of those' or 'another one of those.' And now I'm in this whole other mentality where the sky's the limit and I've got 30 more years of expressing myself in a world of things that haven't been done by me."
WINGER issued its seventh studio effort overall in 2023, the appropriately titled "Seven". Kip is also a respected and successful symphonic composer, having issued recordings under the name C.F. Kip Winger, while Reb has been a member of WHITESNAKE since 2002, and drummer Rod Morgenstein has served as a professor at Berklee College Of Music (in addition to playing in a variety of other more jazz-fusion-based projects).
WINGER formed in the late 1980s and soared to immediate success with its 1988 self-titled release. The album spawned the hit singles "Seventeen" and "Headed For A Heartbreak" and achieved platinum sales status. "Winger" also stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for over 60 weeks where it peaked at #21. Their next album, "In The Heart Of The Young", also achieved platinum status behind the singles "Can't Get Enuff" and "Miles Away". The change in musical climate of the mid-'90s, compounded with unprovoked ridicule on MTV's popular "Beavis And Butt-Head" show, led the band to go on hiatus in 1994. In 2001, WINGER reunited and has not looked back since. Kip also earned a 2016 Grammy nomination for the classical album "C.F. Kip Winger: Conversations With Nijinsky", recorded with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra.
𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗡 𝗙𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗥
💨 𝗢𝗡 𝗦𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗡𝗢𝗪 & 𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗙𝗔𝗦𝗧
ℹ️ 🎫 bit.ly/wingerau25
The anticipation for Winger in Australia is sky high. Catch the original line up of the band on Australian soil for the first and last time ever in a show that will give Aussie fans the chance to witness Winger in their full glory, as they bid farewell with an explosive, career-defining setlist that promises all the hits, classics and deep cuts that fans have cherished for years.
Special guests: Shotgun Mistress
✈️ 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
🗓️ Melbourne - Fri 4 April - 170 Russell
🎫 bit.ly/wingermel25
🗓️ Sydney - Sat 5 April - Manning Bar
🎫 bit.ly/wingersyd25
🗓️ Adelaide - Sun 6 April - The Gov
🎫 bit.ly/wingeradl25
🗓️ Brisbane -Tue 8 April - Princess Theatre
🎫 bit.ly/wingerbne25
🗓️ Perth -Thu 10 April - Magnet House
🎫 bit.ly/wingerper25
⭐️ VIP Upgrades may be purchased from wingertheband.com
ℹ️ 🎫 bit.ly/wingerau25
Posted by Silverback Touring on Monday, March 3, 2025
WINGER OVER AUSTRALIA APRIL, 2025 TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT ALERT!!!
Legendary hard rock band Winger is set to electrify...
Posted by Utopia Records - Home Of Metal on Thursday, February 6, 2025
🔥 WINGER 🔥
Farewell Japan Tour 2025
🎥 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wso9Yh5JQdk
🎥 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Taxd5-d1Lp4
🔥 KIP WINGER 🔥
▶️ Booking : http://metallianprod.com/kipwinger/
Posted by Metallian Productions on Sunday, March 9, 2025 | +1 | |
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24 ìàð 2025
OPETH Guitarist FREDRIK ÅKESSON's Debut Solo Album To Include Guest Appearance By SAXON's BIFF BYFORD
 In a new interview with U.K.'s GuitarGuitar, guitarist Fredrik Åkesson of Swedish progressive metallers OPETH was asked if he has contemplated making a solo album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[I'm] kind of in the middle [of working on it]. There are two tracks mixed and ready. A third one is done. I'm waiting for a good friend to put vocals on it. But the first two tracks are actually mastered and done. They are instrumental.
"It's difficult because there's a lot of stuff happening in my life with OPETH, and I also played on some GHOST albums and [did] sessions with those guys," he explained. "But as soon as we have next gap [in the OPETH touring and recording schedule], I'm gonna have to try to just write the rest of it. I need six more songs. I mean, I have tons of ideas. I have so many [song] embryos, so I really have to [flesh them out]. But, yeah, it will happen. It's spread out."
Circling back to the early material he has completed for his solo LP, Fredrik said: "I'm happy with these first two tracks, and the third one is gonna be cool. It's a British singer who's gonna sing on it. I actually said it in a couple of interviews, but it's Biff Byford from SAXON. Because I played on his solo album, so we have a connection. We're friends. He's awesome. He's probably gonna get pissed at me now, saying, 'Little silly Viking boy.' But he likes the song… But I mentioned it in a Swedish magazine before, so I figured I could share it with you."
Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, Åkesson is the virtuosic shredder behind OPETH's signature brand of Swedish heavy metal. While Åkesson is primarily known for playing guitar in OPETH, he has also played with the bands KRUX, MONSTERS OF METAL and TALISMAN.
Born in 1972, Åkesson picked up the guitar at the tender age of 10 and before long, he was playing eight hours a day, heavily influenced by shred gods like Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Gary Moore, Frank Marino, Shawn Lane, George Lynch and Yngwie Malmsteen.
In 1992, he joined Swedish hard rock outfit TALISMAN and recorded five albums with them over the next four years before parting with them in 1995, searching for a heavier band. Åkesson went on to form the band SOUTHPAW and released an album in 1998, before rejoining TALISMAN in 2002. In 2004, he played with Swedish metal band TIAMAT, and in 2005-2006 he served a stint in melodic death metal band ARCH ENEMY as a substitute for guitarist Christopher Amott.
In 2007, he rose to heavy metal stardom with OPETH, joining the band for the recording of the album "Watershed". To date he has recorded six LP with the band, including OPETH's latest effort, 2024's "The Last Will And Testament". | +2 | |
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24 ìàð 2025
THE KOVENANT Is Working On First New Album In More Than 20 Years
 In a recent interview with Germany's Metal Hammer magazine, vocalist/bassist Stian "Nagash" Arnesen and female singer Sarah Jezebel Deva of THE KOVENANT spoke about the band's return to the live stage for select live appearances, including at last fall's Eindhoven Metal Meeting festival and at this year's 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise. THE KOVENANT, which won a Norwegian Grammy equivalent, called Spellemannsprisen, in 1999 in the category of "Best Hard Rock Album" for the "Nexus Polaris" LP, performed that effort in its entirety at both events with a lineup that featured all the original members back in action, including Nagash, Deva, drummer Jan Axel "Hellhammer" Blomberg, keyboardist Steinar Sverd Johnsen and guitarist Jamie "Astennu" Stinson. The band's set included tracks from "Nexus Polaris" and "Animatronic", along with classics from THE KOVENANT's debut album, "In Times Before The Light".
Regarding how THE KOVENANT's reunion came about, Nagash said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Over the years, we kind of lost contact with each other 'cause we're so busy with other bands. Hellhammer has MAYHEM and some of the other guys [were involved with] other [projects] like ARCTURUS and DIMMU BORGIR. Sarah was involved with other stuff, like THERION and CRADLE OF FILTH and stuff. But over the years, we kind of glided apart a little bit, but it started very randomly that we started just talking together again, and we all just clicked very easily together. So it went very fast when we said, like, 'What if we actually fucking joined together again and started playing?' And everyone said 'yes' without hesitation. So we quickly started thinking, like. 'Fuck, how should we start this?' So we found a really great management — Håkon Grav, he does also EMPEROR and he used to work for Scream magazine, so I know him from there, in Norway. We managed to talk him into bringing us on, and it went just really fast from there. We just met, all of us had some quick rehearsals and it was like we never fucking stopped playing. It was, like, 'Did we play last month?, like this. It was like a natural chemistry between all of us. So it was really fun to play together."
Sarah chimed in: "It did really happen so fast. It's like all making phone calls and [sending] e-mails and reconnecting back to each other, and you're thinking, 'Oh, it's gonna take ages for any of this to come together.' And then suddenly you tell us about Håkon and then suddenly this show appears, this first show, and it's, like, 'Wow, that was really fast.' You didn't have time to think. So if you were thinking about backing out, it was tough, because your flights were booked. It was so, so fast. It's, like, 'Well, Sarah, can you do this? And Sarah, can you do that?' And I'm, like, 'Oh, I've gotta say yes now because I said yes to everybody else.' And it was so incredibly fast before that first show was booked, and then more shows were coming in and more shows, and it's, like, 'Well, this is it. It's happening.' It's like literally a matter of months, it was."
On the topic of how THE KOVENANT's first couple of shows went, Sarah said: "The whole process has been so simple. It didn't feel like hard work at all." Nagash concurred, saying: "Definitely not at all. It was so natural. We have such good chemistry amongst all of us. And everyone is dedicated more than a hundred percent. It's not possible to have more than a hundred percent, but it's, like everyone is super dedicated to it. And we all talked about it to say, like, we're not just going to do a few shows and then disappear again. We're already writing new material. We have plans for the future. There are so many more shows which have been booked already and confirmed, but we haven't announced them yet, 'cause contracts and you're not allowed to [say anything about it]. But I think a lot of people will be very surprised where we're gonna show up. It's a surprise to us too, 'cause our managers, they just contact us and say, like, 'Okay, you're playing in Mexico in the summertime' or 'you're going to the moon' or wherever. It's as much a surprise to us as it will be for everybody else." Sarah added: "And I think the level that we're playing on now is extremely high. I hate to bring the word 'age' into it, but we're older, we know what we want and we've evolved so much." Nagash continued: "I mean, without bragging or anything like this, we were already good musicians back then. 'Cause everyone has their super talents, like, Hellhammer, Astennu, Sarah, Sverd, they're all great musicians. So it can only have gotten better, right?"
Nagash went on to discuss the musical direction of the new THE KOVENANT material, saying: "The new stuff we're working on, it's not going to be another 'Nexus'. It will be similar because it's the same bunch of people, but the new music is a combination of all the albums. But it will be more metal, more extreme. It will be a little bit backwards in time from 'SETI' and 'Animatronic' stuff, but it will still incorporate all the elements but plus new stuff, 'cause we've all developed as people."
Elaborating on where THE KOVENANT is in the songwriting process at the moment, Nagash said: "We already have lots of demos done. So, in the next several months now, we're gonna get together and put together maybe two or three songs, something like this, which we're gonna release early, to get people to know that we are actually back, not to just wait for a new album. And I think it would be unfair to put that much pressure on everyone in the band, 'cause I think a lot of people, when they hear that 'Nexus' lineup is back together that it will be a 'Nexus Polaris Number Two', which it will not be that, but it will be similar, as I said. So I think that by us releasing maybe one, two, three new songs before an actual album comes out, it will help us to be more easy, like it will be easier to create stuff for us, so we don't feel like, 'Okay, people want 'Nexus Two', so we have to do 'Nexus Two'.' But we already have lots of demo stuff prepared. I even have some stuff on my phone, new stuff. Some of the stuff sounds like 'Nexus Polaris', some of the stuff sounds totally new, some of it has hints of 'SETI' and 'Animatronic', the first album, but for sure it will be more extreme, it will be more metal. It will be experimental, but it will be darker and more metal."
THE KOVENANT will also appear at the Karmøygeddon Metal Festival in Kopervik, Norway in early May.
While the band faces challenges with the absence of founding member Psy Coma due to health issues, guitarist Knut Magne Valle from the legendary band ARCTURUS has stepped in to ensure that the magic continues to flow seamlessly.
THE KOVENANT was formed in 1993 under the name COVENANT by two black metal artists known as Nagash (Stian Arnesen) and Blackheart (Amund Svensson),who released the debut album, "In Times Before The Light" (1997). The band signed with the German record company Nuclear Blast in 1998 and recruited four other members to form an actual band: Astennu (of DIMMU BORGIR, CARPE TENEBRUM),Sverd (of ARCTURUS),Sarah Jezebel Deva (of CRADLE OF FILTH and others) and Hellhammer (of MAYHEM and others). With these new recruits, they released their second album, "Nexus Polaris", which was hugely successful and is largely considered their best album to date by fans.
Following a dispute with a Swedish electronic band of the same name, in 1999 COVENANT changed its name to THE KOVENANT. The name change also signaled a musical shift into an industrial metal-influenced sound.
In the beginning THE KOVENANT had a sound much similar to DIMMU BORGIR. Indeed, Nagash has played in the band and is a longtime friend to the lead vocalist Shagrath. On the "Nexus Polaris" album, the band developed a more industrial sound but still with a strong symphonic black metal influence. A re-release of "Nexus Polaris" was made in 2002. The original tracks were left untouched but two versions of "New World Order", a song from their 1999 album "Animatronic", were included as a bonus.
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24 ìàð 2025
Ex-SLIPKNOT Drummer JAY WEINBERG On His Upcoming Solo Project: 'It's All Stuff That Is True To The Music That I Love'
 In a new interview with Matty Roberts of the Percussion Discussion podcast, former SLIPKNOT and current SUICIDAL TENDENCIES drummer Jay Weinberg spoke about his upcoming solo project which he has been working on for more than a decade. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've been embarking on a recording project that's been really near and dear to my heart for a long time, music I've been writing and working on since my early twenties. So I've been putting considerable time into that. It's pretty much just me and also inviting friends who I've always wanted to collaborate with. It feels like there's a wide diverse maybe sonic palette that I'm working with, but it all kind of comes from my background in music. It's all stuff that I feel is true to the music that I love, but it's kind of a little bit more varied than, I suppose, I've ever really dug into before. So working with different friends who I'm, like, 'Oh, you know what? So-and-so would be great to play with on this, or to sing on this,' and stuff. So I'm in the middle of that process right now and kind of figuring out how to integrate that in somewhat of a live setting where I know I'm not gonna be able to play the drums and the guitar and the bass and the keyboards all at the same time."
He continued: "Doing these solo performances [at some of my recent drum clinics], it's been a lot of fun personally. And finding the opportunity where, for example, we'll [SUICIDAL TENDENCIES] be on tour with METALLICA [this spring and summer], having a show every like five days, so finding time in there to take advantage of some good downtime around America, why not try to do some independent, solo kind of clinic-style events and try to get this stuff that I've been working on forever somewhat integrated into that. So that's kind of a little peek into the logistical making things happen. But that's very exciting. Figuring out all these kind of solo, more independent pursuits is very, very exciting to be embarking on right now. But it's a whole lot of planning that goes into it."
Asked about the challenges of performing with SLIPKNOT while wearing a jumpsuit and a mask and whether that presented a "problem" for him, Jay said: "Not that I describe as a problem. Obviously, having been acquainted with the band since a really early age, I knew the lengths to which the art demands it of the bandmembers, that commitment to that aspect of the band — the physicality, the fact that this is a specific part of this specific band that… Not only does the music demand everything of you, but the commitment to the art of everything that surrounds it, and as I learned, really, the music is just one component of the greater picture. And like many things, there's no way to really prepare for that other than doing it. And luckily, in a way, although I would later realize that it was kind of completely backwards of, our live show really informed how we would write together, how we would record together. Our second album together was a much more refined effort. We took three years of writing that from the ground up, and I had whatever it was — a hundred something, 200 shows or something — behind me. That informed, 'Oh, that's what actually playing in this band is about.' But I had this whole year of being in the band, of making a record and stuff, before that first show, before any of those other artistic elements came into it. I was just focused on helping create new music, but knowing full well what was ahead of me, what was ahead of the effort of creating an album, which already was a tremendous endeavor. But to then know at the end of that, then the real work starts. And that was something that we discussed a lot."
Jay continued: "We took a huge amount of time between my first joining the band and then playing a show where, yes, making the record helped create a connection, especially in a very, very difficult transitional phase for the band with the loss of, of [SLIPKNOT bassist] Paul Gray, the primary songwriter of the band. That was a huge thing to overcome. And I feel it was through the effort of making '[.5:] The Gray Chapter' that was like a huge rebirth element — lots of things to celebrate, but also mourn in between that. So while I'm kind of caught in the middle of this very turbulent transitional phase, at the age of 23 joining this band, all of these moments and learning about each other... And yes, we had been friends for a while, but not in this way. We weren't collaborating. That was really the only kind of flick-of-a-switch sort of moment, was that we went from being friends and these guys that I had admired from a distance to all of a sudden now we're working on stuff together and we've gotta see how this works and we've gotta feel each other out. I think anybody in that situation would be put through a necessary gauntlet of making sure 'this is our guy.' And so it was a difficult creative process in really pushing myself in ways that I had never pushed myself before but that I'm very grateful for because it allowed me to really open up to that process. And I think in being open for that to that process and the growth that I had to kind of embark on to meet the challenge head on, that made the transition into, like, 'Okay, yeah, now playing with a super-heavy piece of rubber on my face with fire enveloping all the oxygen on stage' and so on and so forth, that just became one in a sequence of incredible challenges. And then you break through, as we'd call them, breaking through veils, which takes a long time and you only do that when you put in the effort. And so there were periods where it's like breaking through this veil of writing a song together for the first time, and then writing two songs together for the first time, and having those be songs that we're gonna play a lot live. And then, 'Okay, now we've done our first show together.' 'Now we've done our first tour together,' blah, blah, blah, as life goes on. These were all incredible learning moments for myself."
Weinberg added: "Yeah, learning how to play with all the physical elements that I knew the art would demand, as a fan of the band, now I had to kind of approach it from, like, 'Okay, well, I'm no longer a fan. This has changed our relationship in a kind of a tangible way where I'm not just looking at this from the outside. Now I'm learning how to best contribute from the inside.' But I believe my proximity to the band preceding that, I think, allowed me to think deeper and deeper into that process of what would be expected of me, what I expect of myself, how I wanna push the boundaries of this element. How is my mask gonna define me? How are the artistic qualities that I can bring to the table going to shape this element in a way that I think serves my contribution well. So that's kind of where all that stuff, over the course of 10 years, was just refining itself, re-evolving and finding out how to go deeper and deeper with it. It was definitely a creative process I enjoyed."
Weinberg first revealed his plans to release a solo album two months ago, sharing on social media that he that he had "put together a group" in 2017 to play his solo music in a band setting, "during a prolonged downtime from touring." He wrote at the time: "I haven't touched these songs since then, until recently feeling inspiration to pick the guitar back up and kick this stuff around again. It's been a fulfilling experience, and I'll tell you — I'm starting to like where these songs are headed. It feels good to finally set the intention of releasing some of this new music in the coming year."
As well as sharing his excitement to support METALLICA with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES this spring and summer, Jay added that he was "equally pumped to spend considerable time in the studio, especially working on this collection of songs. Stoked for you to hear them. When they're ready, you'll know."
During an appearance on a July 2024 episode of the "One Life One Chance With Toby Morse" podcast, Weinberg addressed his surprise firing from SLIPKNOT in November 2023, saying: "Truth be told, I'm at kind of a point where I'm not quite yet really ready to talk about it, really. And that's not to dismiss the conversation, but I've spent time, and spend time, just processing the entire experience. And the experience not being the last six months, but really the last 10 years [of playing with SLIPKNOT]. And finally, in a way, processing all of that. And doing it in kind of what I would consider the responsible way.
"I have a fantastic therapist who helps me," he continued. "Before I speak on it, it's important for me to do the right work of processing these events that you spend 10 years exclusively committed to one thing. There's a lot to process that on the other side. And I think there is definitely a time where I'll speak to my lived experience over those ten years — just not quite yet."
On November 5, 2023, SLIPKNOT released a statement via social media in which it said it had "decided to make a creative decision and to part ways with Jay."
Six days later, Weinberg, who replaced Joey Jordison, SLIPKNOT's original drummer, in 2013, shared on Instagram that he "was heartbroken and blindsided to receive the phone call", "the news of which, most of you learned shortly after."
Jay played his final show with SLIPKNOT on November 3 at the Hell & Heaven festival in Toluca, Mexico.
Jay discovered SLIPKNOT when he was a pre-teen, through his father. He was hooked immediately and was a huge fan of SLIPKNOT by the time he was invited to Los Angeles to try out as replacement for Joey Jordison in 2013.
For the first few months after the release of 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter", the members of SLIPKNOT had declined to name the musicians who were playing drums and bass on their tour, despite the fact that their identities were revealed as Weinberg and bassist Alessandro "Vman" Venturella by a disgruntled former drumtech for SLIPKNOT who posted a picture of a backstage call sheet on Instagram.
".5: The Gray Chapter" went on to score a trio of Grammy nominations, including two for "Best Metal Performance" and a nomination for "Best Rock Album".
Weinberg also played on 2019's "We Are Not Your Kind" and 2022's "The End, So Far", both of which topped Billboard's rock albums chart.
In February 2024, SLIPKNOT recruited former SEPULTURA drummer Eloy Casagrande as the replacement for Jay.
Prior to joining SLIPKNOT, Jay played with AGAINST ME! and MADBALL.
Jay played his first concert with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES in March 2023 in Osaka, Japan.
In addition to Weinberg and frontman Mike Muir, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' current lineup features lead guitarist Dean Pleasants, rhythm guitarist Ben Weinman (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) and bassist Tye Trujillo (son of METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo).
Weinberg's pairing with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES came less than two months after he was announced as the new drummer of INFECTIOUS GROOVES, the long-running outfit formed more than three decades ago by Robert Trujillo alongside Robert's then-SUICIDAL TENDENCIES bandmate Muir. | +1 | |
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24 ìàð 2025
SHINEDOWN Is 'Probably 85 Percent Done' With Eighth Studio Album
 SHINEDOWN singer Brent Smith spoke to Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada rock radio station 104.9 The Wolf about the band's recently released two singles, "Three Six Five" and "Dance, Kid, Dance", which were made available on January 24 via Atlantic Records. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're working on the eighth studio record right now, but we wanted to release these two songs, 'Three Six Five' and 'Dance, Kid, Dance' kind of to give everybody a bit of an idea of what the record was gonna feel like. The last two records we've done have been conceptual pieces, so we wanted to make sure that this record — there's definitely a lot of experimentation on this new record, but there's a lot of different styles and what have you. So when we were putting the tour together and kind of figuring out how we were gonna do the timeline, 'cause we haven't announced the album just yet — we're probably 85 percent done with it."
Referencing SHINEDOWN's upcoming touring activity in support of the new LP, Brent said: "Yeah, the U.S. side of what we're doing is we wanted to get these shows kind of put on sale and get out as we move into kind of the summer because we're working on the Canada announce for touring as we speak. So that's in the works at the moment, but also just internationally outside of North America, we're trying to figure out exactly what's gonna happen for this year. But the goal next year in 2026, I can be honest with you, the idea is that we wanna play all seven continents next year. So we're kind of a few years ahead right now with how we wanna do certain things."
Regarding the lyrical inspiration for "Three Six Five", Smith said: "'Three Six Five' kind of has two different heartbeats in a lot of ways. I think the point of what 'Three Six Five' is representing is that time is precious, but it's not promised. And last year, in our band, on a personal level, we lost some family members last year that it was unexpected and it was deeply emotional for all of us. And that song was really born out of the sense of loss that we had during that time. I mean, I'll be very honest with you about it — Eric [Bass], our bass player, and also the producer, engineer and the mixer of the last two SHINEDOWN records, the producer, engineer and the mixer of the current one that's getting ready to be released, he lost his dad suddenly last year, and then he lost his father and he lost his aunt a couple of months later after that. His wife Kelly, she lost her sister. I lost my granny last year, towards the back half of the year. But in a lot of ways, I think that 'Three Six Five' was born from… You grow up with that impression that when a family member, especially a grandmother or a mother or a father, the patriarchs, if you will, when they pass away that they're gone, and that's not the case. They may be physically gone, but everything that they taught you and everything that they gave you and the time that they spent with you and how you pay it forward and who you are as an individual, you carry them with you. So they're never really gone; they're everywhere. But it is a song about that reflection of just saying, 'Man, I wish I had one more day with this person or even if I just had one more hour just to tell them what they meant to you and how much they mean to you. But you know what? You'll see 'em again. But while you're here, that song is such a deep meaning. And it doesn't even have to be somebody that you've necessarily lost. It could be somebody that you kind of fall out of touch with and what have you, but what they taught you, you keep that in your spirit every single day. And the other side about the dynamic of time is precious and it's not promised is it's a roll of the dice. And if you've been second-guessing what you want for your life or who you are or what you think you can and will be and what you can accomplish, don't have the mindset that you're not capable of going after what you really want for your life. Whatever your dreams may be, and don't focus so much on the plan B. Whatever your A plan is, go after that. It can change at any given moment. And that's the point in the song where it says a lot can happen in a year. So, quit wasting time and go after it."
As for "Dance, Kid, Dance", Brent said: "'Dance, Kid, Dance', man, we literally just wanted to write a song that you could dance to. It's a little bit more in depth from that. But it's a social commentary song about all of the things that are going on. It's a song sung from a lot of different points of views. But at the end of the day, it's met with this over… We wanted it to just be unabashed, we wanted it to be something that had an attitude, but just made you wanna move. So, that's why we chose to do the drops after the pre-chorus and then the chorus and then the solo section and all those different aspects of it. It was a four on the floor. We wanted it to be punk rock, but, again, we wanted it to have an attitude. It got the seal of approval from my son early on, which is always a good thing, 'cause he's 17 years old and he'll let me know if something's corny. So, once he gave us the approval, we were, like, 'All right, let's go.'"
This past January, Brent addressed the fact that "Three Six Five" and "Dance, Kid, Dance" are musically completely different from each other, telling Audacy Check In: "I think it definitely had a bit more tempo than maybe the last song that people were familiar with on maybe the more mainstream-leaning, pop-leaning-type songs. So we kind of bumped up the BPMs a little bit on that. And 'Dance, Kid, Dance', we just went to the wall with that."
He continued: "It's interesting. I had a friend of mine the other day say to me, 'Are you a rock band? Are you a metal band? Are you an alternative band? Are you a pop [band]? What are you?' And I'm, like, 'We're just SHINEDOWN.' We play in a big sandbox.
"We've always been a genre-bending band because we're inspired by a lot of different styles and we're constantly evolving," Brent said. "So we felt like the right move, with the first new material that people would hear from us, that we gave them kind of two sides of us."
Elaborating on SHINEDOWN's need to explore a variety of different styles on each album, Brent said: "I think along the way, people started to get pigeonholed or they started using boxes or 'stay in your lane' or 'you're only this genre'.
"When you expand your palette sonically or what have you, you're just trying to reach as much of the audience as you can. Some days you feel like you wanna throw down and rock, some days you're a little bit more emotional. But that's the beauty of music, man. It constantly evolves. And the only thing that we've ever done in this band is anybody from anywhere at any time, we wanted them to be able to know that SHINEDOWN has a lot of peaks and valleys, kind of like a rollercoaster ride. But there's something for everyone."
In a new interview with Tabatha Velasquez Grammer of Tulsa, Oklahoma's 106.9 K-HITS, SHINEDOWN singer Brent Smith was asked how he and his bandmates manage to navigate putting the finishing touches on a new studio album while simultaneously preparing to embark on a massive U.S. tour. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'll be honest with you, I'm ready for it. I don't really have an 'off' switch in a lot of ways. I have to remind myself that it is a band, and I mean that wholeheartedly. There's a lot of moving parts to this machine that we call SHINEDOWN.
"We started last year thinking about what does the next three years look like, the next five years look like. One of the goals is that we had a bit of an issue kind of locking in international touring over the last few years and we have a lot of fans that have been waiting on us from that aspect. So, next year our goal is to play all seven continents in 2026. Obviously, these first run of shows that we're doing in North America are a big deal for us."
Referencing the fact that SHINEDOWN recently released two new singles, "Three Six Five" and "Dance, Kid, Dance", which offer a glimpse into the band's forthcoming eighth studio LP, Brent said: "The album should be coming out roughly late July, early August. But we wanted to get these two songs out because that's kind of the launch pad, in a way, to what we're getting ready to do next, but you just kind of juggle it.
"One of the things is that in SHINEDOWN, we're very lucky that one of our brothers and our bandmembers is a gentleman by the name of Eric Bass…. But Eric, for people that may not know this about him, who's the bass player in the band, he's way more than a bass player. The last two records and this record that we're working on right now, he's been the sole engineer, mixer and producer of those records. So having a bandmember that is really a savant in a lot of ways, we're very lucky in that way. So we can kind of articulate and carve out the schedule the way we need it to be done. But we're able to do a lot of things in-house. And we have to kind of circle the dates, and you've got deadlines when you've gotta meet things and all that, but we just navigate it to the best of our ability."
Last month "Dance, Kid, Dance" reached the No. 1 slot at Active Rock radio. The song is SHINEDOWN's 20th No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and their 22nd song to reach No. 1 on Mediabase's Active Rock chart. When the song entered the Top 5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, SHINEDOWN tied with the FOO FIGHTERS for the artist with the most top ten songs in the chart's history at 32 total songs.
Recently, SHINEDOWN announced it has added the historic Kia Forum in Los Angeles to the band's already massive headline tour. The "Dance, Kid, Dance" tour kicks off on April 25, and the 36-date run is one of the largest run of shows (and venues) the band has ever put on. It will be the first time the band has ever headlined some of the country's most legendary venues, including Madison Square Garden (July 20),Bridgestone Arena (May 10),Boston's TD Garden (July 19) and more. Joining them on the tour are BEARTOOTH and BUSH (on select dates) and Morgan Wade for all shows.
The two new singles embody the many multifaceted talents of the SHINEDOWN: one part rock 'n' roll dynamism and one part incredible songwriting and passion. "Dance, Kid, Dance" hits hard right out of the gate with incredibly heavy guitars and a tempo that just doesn't quit. It's part social commentary and part "don't overthink it, let's just rock out and LET'S DANCE!" The song pushes boundaries and is a reminder of why SHINEDOWN holds the record for the most No. 1 songs at Active Rock radio of all time with "Dance, Kid, Dance".
"Three Six Five" is an example of the band's ability to tackle tough subjects through impeccable songwriting. Anyone who has ever experienced loss knows that every day we draw breath is an opportunity to live out loud — to live for those we have lost. At its core "Three Six Five" is a reminder to stop wasting time, focus on the moments we have right now, and treasure time with the ones you love the most. The song honors the people in our lives who aren't with us anymore. It reminds us to stop taking time for granted because it's not promised. Take chances, be bold, and don't sweat the small stuff, because as the song says: a lot can happen in a year.
Smith and Bass co-wrote "Three Six Five", and "Dance, Kid, Dance" was co-written by Smith, Bass and Dave Bassett. The songs were produced by Bass at his own Big Animal Studio in Charleston, South Carolina.
SHINEDOWN continues to demonstrate that they are one of the most forward-thinking powerhouses in music, forever pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a modern-day rock band. The tour and new music not only kick off a new era for SHINEDOWN but continue to celebrate the momentous acclaim the band received from their juggernaut song "A Symptom Of Being Human" off their seventh studio album "Planet Zero" (Atlantic Records). The song, which has reached over 100 million streams and counting, crossed over not only to Alternative but Top 40 radio and resonated with fans across the globe for the unifying message of its lyrics: that it is our human connections that matter the most.
Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz | 0 | |
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24 ìàð 2025
TOBIAS FORGE: GHOST Is 'Living Proof' That You Can Still Become A Big Rock Band
 In a new interview with Liberty Dunworth of NME, GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge was asked if there is an "end sight" that he can think of or a milestone that he could hit and think, 'Okay, I've done everything I wanted to do with GHOST,' or if it will always be a continuous journey for him. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There might be an end of the storytelling, because it's just simply not productive to sort of have this endless soap opera. If fans need the lore in order to like the band, then that'll probably be over quite soon. If there is a way where the music and everything I've created is enough and that is enjoyable, I think I am as needy as anybody other artist in the sense that —what do you call it? — like statistical milestones that you wanna achieve, or, in this case, of course there are places that I wanna play, venues, things you want, another feather in your hat of having done that. I am very lucky that I've been able to achieve many of those things. But, of course, there are levels of success that you still wanna achieve."
Forge continued: "For the last decade or so, there's been this ongoing chatter in the music business, and especially in the rock business, that, 'Oh, there's no new bands coming,' like, 'Rock will die, rock is dead. No new bands can become big.' And we, as well as a few others, are living proof that that is not true. I'm not saying that you can become a new AC/DC. You cannot become a new METALLICA. But I think we are living proof that you still can do it. There are other bands around, very much more recent, like SLEEP TOKEN, who's obviously — they're succeeding, so, obviously, you can become a bigger band. And then RAMMSTEIN for a long, long time — they've been a household name for many, many years, but in the greater scheme of rock, where there are levels, they were 'just' an arena band for a very long time. They sold out arenas all over the place and they were very well known for their big show, but they were playing arenas. If they were playing outdoors, there would be a festival. And then all of a sudden they decided to do this stadium tour. And all of a sudden they went from 10, 15 thousand every night to 55 thousand three nights in a row. Where did all of those people come from?"
Tobias added: "If you just wanna talk sheer achievements, I would love to make that journey. That would be fantastic, simply because I'm very interested in stage production, and where I started with stage production, where my fascination really exploded into obsessive fandom was in the '80s when I saw specifically ROLLING STONES. First I saw 'Let's Spend The Night Together'. That outdoor production, it was cool — it wasn't elaborate. But when I was eight years old, they released 'Steel Wheels'. I was a huge fan at the point, and they did a tour called the 'Steel Wheels' tour through America. If you guys think that RAMMSTEIN's stage was cool, 'Steel Wheels' tour, that's the absolute, the biggest behemoth of industrial staging I've ever, ever, ever seen. And that's basically where I sort of set the standard. That is the pinnacle. Being able to build this giant thing that people come, and it just takes over a city. And ever since I started going to shows and going to see big shows, bands like ROLLING STONES in the '90s, and METALLICA and all those things that I was coming through, I've always been obsessed with the idea of being that traffic-diverting turmoil that comes in and disrupts a city the way that they did. When METALLICA played in Stockholm Stadium in 1993, the show wasn't there. The show started — I mean, we're talking blocks, we're talking miles away, because all over town METALLICA fans were sort of coming on the subways and trains and buses, walking, and the closer you got, every every bar was playing METALLICA music. And it was a beautiful day."
GHOST's new album, "Skeletá", will arrive on April 25 via Loma Vista Recordings. The LP's first single, "Satanized", was made available earlier in the month.
The "Satanized" music video introduces the new character who will be fronting GHOST for its 2025 touring cycle: Papa V Perpetua.
GHOST's sixth psalm, "Skeletá", is its most unflinchingly introspective work to date. Where previous GHOST albums dealt largely with chronicling and/or observing outward facing subject matter — such as "Impera"'s meditations on the rise and fall of empires and its predecessor "Prequelle"'s evocations of the ravages of era-defining plagues — "Skeletá"'s lyrics render the distinct individual emotional vistas of each of its 10 songs in one-on-one fashion, at times as if in a dialogue with oneself in a mirror. The end result is a singular collection of timeless, universal sentiments, all filtered through a prism of a uniquely personal point of view.
GHOST has also launched an interactive element dubbed The Satanizer, a first-of-its-kind music video experience for fans who wish to be "Satanized." Developed in partnership with Jason Zada (Elf Yourself),The Satanizer will morph its users into characters featured in the song's melodramatic video. With a quick upload of your photo, The Satanizer will send out a personalized music video clip featuring the participant, who can in turn share via social media that they too have been "Satanized."
Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of 2018's "Prequelle". In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the character who fronted the act for its "Impera" (2022) album phase.
As previously reported, GHOST will embark on a world tour in 2025. The European leg of the trek will kick off on April 15 in Manchester, United Kingdom and conclude on May 24 in Oslo, Norway. The North American leg of GHOST's 2025 tour will launch on July 9 in Baltimore, Maryland and wrap up on August 16 in Houston, Texas.
The physical home video of GHOST's worldwide Top 10 box office smash feature film debut "Rite Here Rite Now" was made available on December 6, 2024.
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24 ìàð 2025
GODSMACK Kicks Off 2025 European Tour Without Drummer SHANNON LARKIN And Guitarist TONY ROMBOLA
 GODSMACK kicked off its 2025 European tour Saturday night (March 22) at Arena 8888 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Filling in for drummer Shannon Larkin and guitarist Tony Rombola at the gig were Will Hunt (EVANESCENCE) and Sam Bam Koltun (DOROTHY, FASTER PUSSYCAT, BUDDERSIDE),respectively. Fan-filmed video of the show is available below.
It is not presently clear why Larkin and Rombola were unable to make the Sofia concert and whether they will join the tour, which runs through April 12, at a later date.
According to Setlist.fm, GODSMACK's setlist for the Arena 8888 show was as follows:
01. Surrender
02. You And I
03. When Legends Rise
04. 1000hp
05. Cryin' Like A Bitch!!
06. Speak
07. Straight Out Of Line
08. Awake
09. Keep Away
10. Voodoo
11. Batalla De Los Tambores
12. Whatever
Encore:
13. Under Your Scars
14. Bulletproof
15. I Stand Alone
GODSMACK's spring 2025 European tour features support from P.O.D. and DROWNING POOL.
The 14-date trek will end in Oberhausen, Germany.
In a recent interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Sully Erna spoke about GODSMACK's announcement that the band's latest album, "Lighting Up The Sky", will likely be its final collection of new material. Asked if he and his bandmates are working on any new music, Sully said: "No. There'll be no more new GODSMACK… I mean, you can never predict the future, but the decision that was made was that we're gonna go out now and start honoring the catalog of music that we created over the last 30 years and just enjoy kind of the greatest-hits moments."
When Meltdown noted that a lot of artists have "gone away from the album thing" and are focusing on releasing singles, Erna said: "I mean, it sounds like the smart thing to do these days. Nobody's really buying full albums anymore. And they make playlists of their favorite songs. So it just seems appropriate for this day and age. But again, [that's] another argument for us to kind of dip out while we're still in the world that we enjoyed growing up in, which was doing full-length albums and having artwork and lyrics and give the fans a whole experience through that body of work that you create. And I just no longer wanna put a year, year and a half of my time and effort and blood, sweat and tears into a piece of art for someone to just tear it apart, grab a couple of singles and move on. So, there's that. And then there's just the fact that we have a lot of singles right now. I mean, 27 Top Tens is a lot. That means we can't even play them all in one night, 'cause we usually average about 15 songs a night. So for us, I just think it's time that we start honoring the music and the catalog and giving the fans what they wanna hear."
Sully went on to say that he is "not complaining" about having so many hit songs to choose from for a GODSMACK live set. "I am very grateful," he clarified. "So it's not a complaint. It's just reality. And when I go to see my favorite bands, like AEROSMITH or METALLICA or whoever, I don't know. Do I really wanna hear their new album? Probably not. I wanna hear 'Dream On' and 'Same Old Song And Dance' and 'Walk This Way', and if I leave there and they're not playing those songs, I'm gonna be pretty mad. So, for our fanbase, I think we're at that level where we have to honor that."
"Lighting Up The Sky" was released in February 2023 via BMG. The LP was co-produced by Erna and Andrew "Mudrock" Murdock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ALICE COOPER).
The first single from "Lighting Up The Sky", "Surrender", which arrived in September 2022, marked the first release from GODSMACK in four years, following their globally acclaimed and gold-certified 2018 album "When Legends Rise", which earned the Erna-fronted outfit a No. 1 spot across U.S. Hard Rock, Rock, and Alternative album charts.
Sully previously touched upon his lack of interest in releasing new GODSMACK music in January 2024 during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said at the time: "It's funny. I just had this talk with my record label yesterday. We had a meeting about some other stuff, and I told them that, like, listen… 'Cause they're a little bummed out. They're, like, 'Ah, is this the last [album]?' And I said, 'Listen, you can never say never.' But I do know this: [late RUSH drummer] Neil Peart said this to me once — all great things must come to an end eventually. It doesn't matter how great you are, who you are. But all great things are gonna come to an end at some point. And I just never forgot that. And I'm, like, at what point do you just start living your life for you and not always be on a schedule, not always be in a recording studio, not always be signing autographs, taking pictures, touring, playing shows, doing podcasts, doing videos. It's a lot, man. It consumes your life, and it's what I've always wanted, and I'm so proud of it, and I'm so grateful for this career. I have nothing to complain about. But am I gonna do this forever, until I'm in my grave? I don't know. I know right now I'm still good, and I like it. And I'm enjoying it. I'm getting tired. And there is more things I wanna do with my life. Music's not everything I wanna do with my life."
Erna continued: "So, I don't know. I know right now we're gonna finish this album cycle. We'll take a break. I have a feeling I'll end up doing some solo stuff. I don't even know what that's gonna sound like yet, but I may want to do a little bit more of a rock album on the solo side. But I don't know.
"I have a feeling that in time, I'm just gonna be writing," he added. "And I'm gonna do what I've always done. I'll finish a song and it'll go in one folder 'cause it sounds like solo music to me. And I'll finish another song and it'll be banging and heavy and I'll be, like, 'It's going in that folder 'cause that's a GODSMACK song.' And then eventually I'm gonna have a record. And, of course, I'm gonna release it. [Laughs] And then here we go again."
Regarding how he and his GODSMACK bandmates arrived at the decision to make "Lighting Up The Sky" their final album, Sully said: "It's just what we feel at the moment. We tripped across this conversation. The more we thought about it, the more we were like… We're starting to bum out a little bit live because there's a lot more songs that we wanna play. And again, I'm not complaining. We've been very blessed to have a good career and a good run of Top 10 singles — we're at, I think, 27 Top 10 singles with 13 Number Ones. So that means — I don't know — if we get two or three off this record, we're gonna be at 30 Top 10 singles. That means we could do 15 songs a night, play back-to-back nights in the same venue and never play the same single twice, let alone the deep cuts. So we're going, like, 'Fuck, at what point do we honor the catalog and do what we want as fans when we go to see our favorite bands, like AEROSMITH or METALLICA, whatever? Are we really going to see their new record? Hmmm, no. I'm just being honest. I'm glad you put it out. I'm gonna check it out, but am I gonna love it as much as 'Train Kept A-Rollin'' and 'Dream On' and 'Same Old Song And Dance' and 'Walk This Way'? No. That's the shit I'm going to see. I wanna see it. Play those songs. Don't spend 45 minutes playing your new record because that's not the nostalgia of why you've been around for 40, 50 years."
He continued: "So we're just trying to like set ourselves up to at least give our fans what I think they expect us to do. And with this many singles, we're, like, man, how many more things are we gonna pile on our plate here before we can't even get to all of them, which is now. And that's kind of part of the reasoning behind it. So we were, like, 'Yeah, maybe it's the right time. Maybe we just go out and honor the catalog and go play live shows,' which is what we love to do, what the people love to see us do. And, again, if we write some new music, we write some new music. I don't know what's gonna happen with that right now. But we do love playing shows, and that's what we're gonna do for now." | +2 | |
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Apocalyptica
