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9 дек 2024
SIMONE SIMONS Says Upcoming EPICA Album Is 'All About Reinventing Yourself'
 In a new interview with Mexico's Euphonico, vocalist of Simone Simons of Dutch symphonic metallers EPICA confirmed that she and her bandmates have completed work on the follow-up to 2021's "Omega" album. Regarding the inspiration for the LP's first single, "Arcana", she said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it was kind of a lot of things coming together. Rob [Van Der Loo, EPICA bassist] and I are, besides colleagues, we're also really good friends. And he had a deck of tarot cards with him. And I thought, 'Just for the fun of it, let's do a session. Let me draw some cards and then you explain to me what they mean.' And it was a very enlightening experience, I guess. The song, the music was also written by Rob. And then I came up with the idea, like, 'What if I write a song that's kind of inspired by the meaning of the tarot cards and the session that I had with him and what I think it meant for me at that time in my life and where I am now?' So, yeah, it's a very — how do you say? — soul-searching kind of topic, and that's something EPICA has been writing about for quite a while, but so far we haven't touched on the tarot subject. So I thought this could be a cool topic to integrate in the new album, which is all about reinventing yourself, like a rebirth, renewing yourself. So it kind of a cool thing to draw inspiration from."
Elaborating on the writing and recording process for EPICA's upcoming album, Simone said: "I think 'Arcana' was one of the songs that came together quite quickly. We had many writing camp sessions in Holland. We rented a house where we were meeting a couple times for, like, a week in a row, and we were all just sitting together. And Rob had also kind of a clear view of what he wanted vocal-wise, and then he just let me do my thing. And it went very naturally to write the lyrics.
"The vocal recordings [for the new EPICA album] took place in the summertime, which is a good time to do so because autumn [and] winter is a time when everybody gets sick," she explained. "So, for me, it's great if I'm in the summer in the studio, so I'm in a good shape or not running a risk of getting a cold and that it affects the voice, because I did have to record albums back in the day where I did get sick. And luckily you can't hear it. I know which songs are the ones. But it was a very smooth process. We worked together with the same producer, Joost Van Den Broek, who became a little bit like the seventh EPICA bandmember. And it's great working with him. Yeah, we were diving into all the little details and we were really concentrated on making the songs as a band together.
"I think people that don't know EPICA, they don't know that we don't live in the same village," Simone added. "We live, actually, in four different countries. So for us to get together and really work on the songs is tricky. And we started doing that already for 'Omega', and we really liked that, to clear our touring schedule, because we tour a lot and to really be there together and not everybody at home in their home studios. You get a total different result if everybody's there in the same room; you feed off each other's creativity, and that's very beneficiary for the songs."
Asked if there is a main songwriter in EPICA or if everybody contributes to the songwriting process, Simone said: "Everybody gets to write songs. And some songs, I think the guys did write demo songs on their own, because we all have our home studios, and when we were together in the writing camp, then we were sparring off ideas and sending each other the files, and then everybody was working on a random song at the same time. There was a funny moment where, I think, Coen [Janssen, EPICA keyboardist], Ariën [Van Weesenbeek, EPICA drummer], Rob and I were sitting in the living room area, but kind of far apart from each other, and Coen was working on a song and he thought he had his headphones plugged in, but it was running out of the speakers. And then we said, 'Oh, cool. That sounds great. Which song are you working on?' And he was, like, 'Oh shit, you guys could hear what I was working on.' So it was everybody in different rooms. Isaac [Delahaye, EPICA guitarist] was in the attic playing the guitar, and I had to wait until very late before I could go sleep 'cause he went on writing music, recording guitars until almost one o'clock in the morning. But it was a really lovely experience. And everybody gets to write songs and everybody gets to work on those songs. So, we all put our little own salsa on the songs. [Laughs]"
"Arcana" marked EPICA's first new release since "Omega" and the collaboration EP "The Alchemy Project".
The single is now available on all streaming platforms. It also includes "The Ghost In Me (Danse Macabre)", EPICA's recently released collaboration with Europe's second-most visited theme park, Netherlands's magical De Efteling, and their much-anticipated new attraction, Danse Macabre.
The previously released music video for "Arcana", directed by Remko Tielemans, can be seen below.
In a recent interview with Spain's Mariskal Rock, Simone stated about EPICA's upcoming album: "I'm so happy with the songs, I'm so proud how everything turned out and it's gonna be another amazing EPICA album. We added a couple of new elements, but also went back to the roots, the old EPICA. And yeah, I just can't wait for people to hear this.
"I loved 'Omega' and we toured so much with 'Omega' and had wonderful experiences, but then when you reach the end of a touring cycle, you start to get itchy and feel, 'Okay, now it's time to do the new album. Can we do it as good or maybe even better than the last album?' That's always the thing we strive for, ways to renew ourselves a little bit. And we feel a very strong spiritual connection also that it's our ninth album. So there's gonna be themes around the symbolic meaning of nine, the number nine."
Elaborating on the musical direction of EPICA's next album, Simone said: "The songs are heavy. There's a beautiful ballad, a very cinematic song, very uptempo, very doomy, melancholic and amazing, amazing power riffs. It's the most epic EPICA, I think, so far. Yeah, I think so. I mean, I'm feeling it. I'm very happy with it. I'm proud of it."
In November 2022, EPICA released "The Alchemy Project" through Atomic Fire Records. The EP was co-written and performed with diverse guests ranging from extremists like FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, Niilo Sevänen (INSOMNIUM) and Björn "Speed" Strid (SOILWORK) along with melodic masters like Tommy Karevik (KAMELOT),keyboard legend Phil Lanzon (URIAH HEEP) and Roel Van Helden (POWERWOLF) to a once-in-a-lifetime song with Simons, Charlotte Wessels and Myrkur.
Just one day after the release of its anniversary reissues "We Still Take You With Us" and "Live At Paradiso", EPICA celebrated 20 years of existence live in September 2022 at 013 in Tilburg, Netherlands, the same place where they played their first show (supporting ANATHEMA) back in 2002.
EPICA was formed by guitarist Mark Jansen after leaving AFTER FOREVER in 2002, and the band quickly gained attention outside their home country, taking big steps towards becoming the leading symphonic metal superpower they have long proven to be. After their ambitious debut "The Phantom Agony" (2002) and the surprisingly eclectic sophomore work "Consign To Oblivion" (2005),the road took them to new heights via their first concept masterpiece "The Divine Conspiracy" (2007) and their global breakthrough "Design Your Universe" (2009). 2012's opus "Requiem For The Indifferent", 2014's bedazzling "The Quantum Enigma" and "The Holographic Principle" (2016),cemented their reputation as not only one of the hardest-working metal bands in the business but also as one of the best. With "Omega", the final part of the metaphysical trilogy they began with "The Quantum Enigma", they reclaimed the throne without so much as the blink of an eye, amassing three million-plus streams during the first week of the album's release.
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9 дек 2024
TRIVIUM Frontman MATT HEAFY Shares "Rain" Live At London Astoria 2005 Archive Video
 Trivium frontman Matt Heafy, who regularly posts archive videos via his official YouTube channel, has shared live footage from the band's 2005 show at the London Astoria. Check out "Rain" below.
Trvium and Bullet For My Valentine recently announced The Poisoned Ascendancy UK / European Tour 2025. Both bands will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut albums by playing them in full. | 0 | |
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9 дек 2024
Watch: VOLBEAT Returns To Live Stage After 16 Months
 Danish rock and rollers VOLBEAT returned to the live stage for the first time in 16 months last night (Friday, December 6) as the support act for IRON MAIDEN at Allianz Parque, São Paulo, Brazil.
According to Setlist.fm, VOLBEAT's setlist was as follows:
01. The Devil's Bleeding Crown
02. Lola Montez
03. Sad Man's Tongue
04. A Warrior's Call
05. Black Rose
06. Wait A Minute My Girl
07. Shotgun Blues
08. Fallen
09. Seal The Deal
10. The Devil Rages On
11. For Evigt
12. Still Counting
Fan-filmed video can be seen below.
VOLBEAT recently spent time in the studio recording its ninth album. The follow-up to 2021's "Servant Of The Mind" is tentatively due in 2025.
Earlier in the year, VOLBEAT frontman Michael Poulsen completed a European tour with his death metal project ASINHELL.
In October 2023, Poulsen underwent a throat surgery. A month earlier, he told "Paltrocast" host Darren Paltrowitz about the procedure: "It's an operation I've been through before. This one is just a little bit bigger and it's gonna take some time to get back in vocal shape. So, VOLBEAT is not playing [in 2024]. I'll use a lot of time to get my voice back after the operation. But at the same time, I will actually be writing a new VOLBEAT album. So hopefully later [in 2024], I can put down the vocals for the next VOLBEAT album. But in the meantime, I will go out and play shows with ASINHELL."
Asked if this means that he might have to change his singing approach to where he will start doing the vocal warmdowns after each show, Michael said: "I do warm up before a show, but there's no way I'm gonna use my voice after a show. I'm very optimistic about the whole thing. As I said, I tried before and I got good people around me. I've got a great coach in Melissa Cross who has been helping out a lot of singers. She will help me out again to get my voice back in shape after the operation. So I like to stay positive, and I'm pretty sure everything's going to be all right."
Back in January 2021, Poulsen told Denmark's BT.dk that he underwent an operation during the coronavirus pandemic to remove a large polyp. He added: "I have managed to retrain my voice so much that there has been time to record a new album," referencing "Servant Of The Mind", which came out in December 2021.
VOLBEAT parted ways with longtime guitarist Rob Caggiano in June 2023 and replaced him for the band's latest tour with Flemming C. Lund of the Danish extreme metal outfit THE ARCANE ORDER.
VOLBEAT played its first concert with Lund on June 10, 2023 at the Rockfest festival in Hyvinkää, Finland.
Just five days earlier, VOLBEAT announced that it had officially parted ways with Caggiano. No reason was given for the split, but the remaining bandmembers said that they wished their "brother Rob all the best with everything he does in the future." They went on to thank Rob "for ten amazing years."
Caggiano played on VOLBEAT's last four studio albums: 2013's "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies", 2016's "Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie", 2019's "Rewind, Replay, Rebound" and "Servant Of The Mind".
ASINHELL's debut album, "Impii Hora" (Latin for "Ungodly Hour"),arrived in September 2023 via Metal Blade. Poulsen is joined in the project by ex-MORGOTH singer Marc Grewe (also of INSIDIOUS DISEASE) and RAUNCHY drummer Morten Toft Hansen. | 0 | |
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9 дек 2024
See VENOM Perform In Bogota During Fall 2024 Latin American Tour
 Fan-filmed video of VENOM's December 5 performance at Calle 13 in Bogota, Colombia can be seen below.
Two years ago, VENOM frontman Conrad "Cronos" Lant confirmed that the band was putting the finishing touches on a new studio album. Speaking at the 2022 edition of Wacken Open Air, he said: "We had a bit of a hassle because of the pandemic; we couldn't meet in the studio and all that sort of shit. So that knocked everything all to hell. If that hadn't happened, the album would be out by now. But we're just doing the fine tuning, really, and working on individual shows for now.
"VENOM have never been a big touring type of band," he explained. "We like to just pop up and blow the place to hell."
VENOM formed in 1979 in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the new wave of British heavy metal, VENOM's first two albums — "Welcome To Hell" (1981) and "Black Metal" (1982) — are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general. VENOM's second album proved influential enough that its title was used as the name of the extreme metal sub-genre of black metal. The band classic lineup trio of Cronos, Jeff "Mantas" Dunn and Antony "Abaddon" Bray recorded two further studio albums, "At War With Satan" (1984) and "Possessed" (1985),and live album "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (1986). Often cited by bands such as METALLICA, BEHEMOTH, CELTIC FROST and MAYHEM as major influences, they are one of the most revered bands of their generation. VENOM are still fronted by original singer/bassist Cronos and headline festivals all over the globe and continue to release new music.
In a 2018 interview with Consequence Of Sound, Cronos stated about his band's influence on subsequent extreme metal groups: "I really like to think of VENOM as a catalyst rather than inventors. Influence would probably be more like it. I've always been — from being young — a fan of what you'd call 'rock music.' From THE BEATLES to THE [ROLLING] STONES to THE WHO, through [LED] ZEPPELIN and [DEEP] PURPLE and everybody. So, I've always liked the idea of drums, guitar, this, that, and the other. My mum's brother used to play guitar in a country-western band, so I've always been around instruments and music. I've never really gotten into any of the electronic stuff when it came along in the '80s. I didn't really see how that was working for me in any way — I just like a drum kit and a guitar."
He continued: "When people used to ask back in the day, 'How do you describe VENOM?' I would say, 'It's all the best bits of the bands that I love.' So, if JUDAS PRIEST wear leather jackets, then I'm going to wear a leather jacket and a pair of leather pants! And if KISS have three flashpots on the front of the stage, I'm going to have ten! And if Ozzy Osbourne is going to sing about the devil walking down the street, then I'm going to be the devil walking down the street! It was taking all of the great things that I loved, and all the crazy frontmen, like Gene Simmons, Ian Anderson, Rob Halford, and encompassing all of these ideas into a new thing. And then, adding that dash of punk. That's why I always used to wear the big Doc Martens — that was my punk heritage.
"And just putting some aggression back into the music," Cronos added. "I mean, heavy metal has always been 'the devil's music.' They always say the devil has the best tunes, and I was bit frustrated at leaving school and being told that rock music was dead, and it had its day and everybody was finished with it. I had to absolutely disagree. So, when the New Wave of British Heavy Metal started in England — which became IRON MAIDEN, SAXON, SAMSON, and all these bands — I wanted to create something different from that. I appreciated that they were very heavily influenced by the ZEPPELINs, the PURPLEs, and the [BLACK] SABBATHs, and were trying to keep a hold of this '70s vibe. I get all of that, but I wanted something that was kind of a cross between SABBATH and MOTÖRHEAD. Something more aggressive — with a bit of SEX PISTOLS in there, to get nasty."
VENOM's 15th full-length studio album, "Storm The Gates", was released in December 2018 through Spinefarm Records.
VENOM is not to be confused with VENOM INC., the band originally formed by Mantas and Abaddon alongside ex-VENOM bassist/vocalist Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan. Both Mantas and Abaddon have since left VENOM INC.
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9 дек 2024
JAKE E. LEE Shares Photos Of Bullet Wound In His Back: 'How Did That Not Actually Hit My Spine?'
 Former OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Jake E. Lee has shared more details about the shooting in October which left him hit three times about 10 miles from the Las Vegas Strip. He was later taken to the Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center's intensive care unit.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Lee was in his driveway about to walk his dog at about 2:40 a.m. when he was shot in the forearm; in the back, with the bullet breaking a rib; and in the foot. None of the shots hit a vital organ. A neighbor heard the shots, hid his kids, grabbed a gun and called 911. Lee's dog was unharmed.
On Friday (December 6),Lee shared two photos of the bullet entry wound in his back, and he included the following message: "Feels like I'm dragging this out but I just get caught up in other stuff. Without further ado, here's part 2:
"The second bullet felt nothing like the first. Whereas the first one was a burning sensation, this one was an impact strong enough to push the air out of my lungs. Like getting hit with a baseball bat. The bullet entered mid back and exited out my left side. It fractured the 10th and 11th ribs and punctured my left lung. It wasn't something I would consider that painful, much like the first one. On a 1-10 scale maybe a 4.
"When the paramedics got to me the first thing they asked was if I could move my legs. They wanted me to show them. They told me a couple times on the way to the hospital how lucky I was. In the ER I was again asked if I could move my legs. They seemed impressed. Over the next couple days whenever a nurse was redressing my wounds I would hear about how close the bullet was to my spine. Finally, at home about 5/6 days later my daughter Jade was redressing my back and said 'oh my god Dad'. So I asked her to take a photo so I could see wtf everyone was going on about. Oh. Yeah. I see. How did that not actually hit my spine?
"These are the photos she took, entrance mid back and exited left side. The lung initially needed a tube in it to drain the blood. Lung is now clear and ribs are almost healed. And yeah, I got relatively lucky with that.
"Part 3 will deal with the shot through the foot, which yes, felt completely different than the first two. After I document that I will put this incident behind me and focus on the future!"
The 67-year-old musician previously wrote about the shooting in a November 30 post on his Facebook. He wrote at the time: "Feels like I need to clarify the events leading to the shooting. [My dog] Coco and I were walking home from our walk. Spotted two, gentlemen, dressed in black, hoodies pulled down low, face masks covering their mouths, in a driveway checking out a motorcycle. They saw us coming up on them and exited the driveway and quickly walked down the street. The same direction we were headed. They kept checking over their shoulders at us. Coco did not like them and was pulling hard on the leash towards them but I pulled back and kept it at a steady pace. They stopped to face us. I stopped about six feet shy of them, holding Coco tight to me. One of them said 'You need to quit following us and turn around and F*** off.' I replied 'We're not following you, we're going home. You don't belong here, you're the ones that should F*** off'. They kept nervously looking at Coco, obviously more intimidated by an 80 lb. pitbull than an old guy in a bright Hawaiian shirt! And I love how Coco handles strangers. He's not aggressive but he's not friendly. He just stands at attention and stares at them. Anyway, after some macho back and forth (I could just tell they were teenagers trying to act tough and getting upset that I wasn't the least bit intimidated),I suggested Coco and I continue on home, they turn around and leave the way they came and we call it a night. I never saw a gun. So we started walking, which brings us to my previous text, Part 1, guess we can call this the prologue."
Referencing the photos which were attached to his post, Jake added: "Here's a tease to Part 2, a couple pictures of my left side, two days after, when I was still in the ICU."
On November 28, Jake shared a separate post in which he described the actual shooting. He wrote: "We were about 50ft apart when I heard the shots. I quickly realized he wasn't aiming at me. He was aiming at my dog! I threw my end of the leash at Coco and yelled to go home. He did. He's a good boy.
"The first shot to hit me was in my left forearm. Entered about an inch below the elbow on the underside. Exited topside. It felt like a burn. Not particularly painful, just like a quick burning sensation. I thought it must have been a graze. Fortunately it missed any bones, and my elbow joint, and has healed remarkably quickly. The scars aren't much bigger or darker than some of my age spots and I'd probably have to point them out for you to notice. All the fingers still move well. Initially lost the feeling on the back of my hand but it has been slowly coming back.
"In the spirit of giving thanks, I am most thankful my dog wasn't hurt, and also the damage to my fretting arm was minimal."
Lee previously explained that he walked his dog in the middle of the night because "I'm a night owl, always have been. My wife works graveyard in a casino. 2-3 in the morning is the middle of the day for us! And during the summer, with temps 115-120° [Fahrenheit] during the day, walking Coco in the early morning can still be over 100°. So we walk when it's coolest, and have for the last two years without mishap, until recently."
In a separate post, he said that the October 15 shooting occurred after he "crossed paths with a couple of thieves" as he was returning home from walking his dog. They were "dressed darkly, hoodies pulled down their faces and masks covering their mouths," he wrote. "Standing in a neighbor's driveway checking out his motorcycle. There was a verbal confrontation which ended with an agreement that I would walk one way and they would walk the opposite. That didn't work out."
On October 17, Jake said in another social media post that "the police found 15 shell casings at the scene" where he was shot "which means [the shooter] emptied his clip on me. I could only dodge so many so one bullet went through my forearm, one through my foot, and one in the back which broke a rib and damaged a lung."
The Las Vegas Police Department later released a statement in which they said: "Officers responded to a shooting incident in the 11000 block of Alora Street. Officers arrived and located a male victim suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The male was transported to the hospital. No arrests have been made at this time. This is an ongoing investigation."
Lee, who was tapped by Ozzy Osbourne to replace the late Randy Rhoads in the singer's solo band, played on two Ozzy records: 1983's "Bark At The Moon" and 1986's "The Ultimate Sin".
In a statement to TMZ, Ozzy said: "It's been 37 years since I've seen Jake E. Lee, but that still doesn't take away from the shock of hearing what happened to him today. It's just another senseless act of gun violence. I send my thoughts to him and his beautiful daughter, Jade. I just hope he'll be OK."
After performing with Ozzy, Lee formed the hard rock band BADLANDS. He released the solo albums "Retraced" and "Guitar Warrior" in 2005 and 2007, respectively. After a self-imposed exile from the music industry and the public eye, Lee returned with a new band called RED DRAGON CARTEL, releasing a self-titled album in 2013 followed by "Patina" in 2018.
Feels like I’m dragging this out but I just get caught up in other stuff. Without further ado, here’s part 2:
The...
Posted by Jake E Lee's Red Dragon Cartel on Friday, December 6, 2024 | +4 | |
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9 дек 2024
SPIRITWORLD – New Single “Western Stars & The Apocalypse” Released
 From Las Vegas, Nevada, SpiritWorld presents new single "Western Stars & The Apocalypse."
A thrashing, 2-minute blitz of metallic hardcore, drenched in SpiritWorld's signature Old West occultism, "Western Stars & The Apocalypse" is the band's first new music to be revealed since the release of their acclaimed second album, Deathwestern, in 2022.
The song was engineered and mixed by longtime SpiritWorld producer Sam Pura and mastered by Alberto de Icaza (King Crimson, Clutch).
"I wrote 'Western Stars & The Apocalypse' right after Deathwestern came out, when we got home from touring Europe with Agnostic Front," states SpiritWorld founder/ frontman Stu Folsom. The New York hardcore influence is evident in the blistering song, but Folsom also gives credit to a more unlikely muse: "I was revisiting a lot of Bob Dylan in my bunk on that tour and there is a nod to his song 'Desolation Row' in the lyrics."
Directed by Rob Zombie collaborator Balázs Gróf, the official "Wester | 0 | |
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9 дек 2024
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9 дек 2024
MINDWARS Sign With High Roller Records
 California-based thrashers MindWars, the band around ex-Holy Terror guitarist Mike Alvord, have signed a new contract with High Roller Records.
High Roller Records is going to release the band's current album, V, which was self-released digitally and in small physical editions prior) on LP, CD and music cassette in early 2025. Pre-order will start soon.
MindWars' fifth album, appropriately titled V, is the culmination of 10 years of collaboration and dedication of the band to revitalize old school thrash with the taste and aggression of toady’s music. The band is a three-piece conglomeration of varied influences with a common goal to create music they love and hope you will too.
MindWars was formed at the end of 2013 after Mike Alvord and Roby Vitari (formerly of Headcrasher) reconnected through social media. The two met by chance in 1989 when Holy Terror was touring with Exodus and Nuclear Assault.
Roby brought in a juggernaut of a guitarist Danny “Z” Pizzi to play bass. The three managed to record and produce two solid albums (The Enemy Within - 2014 and Sworn To Secrecy - 2016, which was engineered by the mighty Bill Metoyer). In 2017, Roby decided to relocate to Newport Beach, CA and the band soon found that having Danny still in Italy was impossible for the band to play live shows. In 2019, the band decided to hand over the bass duties to the veteran, Rick Zaccaro.
The band proceeded to write and record their highly acclaimed album The Fourth Turning and Danny taking on the role of second guitar. Due to various circumstances and the fact that Danny still lived in Italy, the band decided to continue on as a three piece and toured Japan in the fall of 2024, which culminated at True Thrash Fest 2024 with a co-headlining spot alongside Cyclone.
The Fourth Turning was released during the dog days of COVID and the band immediately started writing new material. Prior to COVID, the band also had a mini-US tour (opening one show for Raven).
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9 дек 2024
ONI Shares “Realign” Single; Announces Genesis EP
 Following his recent tour with Pop Evil and Bad Wolves and a steady stream of alternative metal bangers this year, Canadian metal visionary Oni will kick off 2025 with a new EP, Genesis, due out January 24.
Today, founding mastermind Jake Oni has revealed a new single and lyric video called "Realign," which was co-produced by him and Josh Gilbert (Spiritbox). For his latest track, Oni is leaving the lyrical interpretation to listeners, stating, "I want the fans to decide what this song means to them, this is a personal song to me."
Oni's EP follow-up to 2023's acclaimed record The Silver Line will feature 5 tracks including the new single "Realign," recent tracks "Deja Vu," "Walk Away, and "Control" plus the unreleased song "Erase."
Tracklisting:
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9 дек 2024
KERRY KING On Performing With His Solo Band: 'The Excitement Is Every Bit Like When SLAYER Came Out'
 In a new interview with Australia's Heavy, Kerry King was asked if there is a different vibe when he is playing shows with his solo band compared to when he is performing with SLAYER. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's definitely a difference. It's kind of got the feeling of when we started SLAYER, kind of, except I have a whole career in my wake. The excitement is every bit like when SLAYER came out — we're all super excited to be playing together; me and Mark [Osegueda, singer of Kerry's solo band] hang out every day off. So it's just getting used to your new friends, really. The music's business as usual. It's a lot of fun. The turnouts have been great. The response has been great. So, we're just digging it."
Referencing the fact that his solo shows see him supporting other artists, which is something SLAYER hasn't done much of in recent decades, King said: "In a nutshell, it's just coming in with a mindset that I'm not in charge, 'cause with SLAYER I'm always in charge. So I've been in charge for the last at least 25 years when we started headlining and just continued to headline. But I never had a big attitude anyway. So it's, again, business as usual, but I don't come in expecting everything to be, platinum, so to speak. If things aren't exactly right, I'm, like, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. We're here to play. And then once we do that, we'll have some drinks and get the hell out."
Kerry's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", came out in May via Reigning Phoenix Music. All material for the LP was written by the 60-year-old SLAYER guitarist, who was accompanied during the recording sessions by the rest of his solo band, consisting of drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER),bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH),guitarist Phil Demmel (formerly of MACHINE HEAD) and Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL) on vocals. Helming the sessions at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles last year was producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BAD RELIGION, among others.
Asked in a recent interview with Brian Slagel, CEO of Metal Blade Records, for the recently launched "100 Songs That Define Heavy Metal" podcast, what the response from the fans has been like so far to "From Hell I Rise", Kerry said: "Killer, man. It feels to me like it's been out two years, but it's only been out six months. So it's odd for me when we go play because it seems to me like it's been out for so long, but kids are still getting used to it. Every show, more and more kids are singing it back at Mark and us, which is super cool. It means they're getting it and liking it."
Regarding how much of "From Hell I Rise" was written during the pandemic, Kerry said: "A lot. I was playing by myself for a long time before me and Paul felt comfortable enough to get together, travel. Me coming from the East Coast now, we still play in Southern Cal[ifornia]. So I've played a lot on my own. SLAYER's last tour was the end of November of '19, so by the end of the Super Bowl in 2020, I was full force working on new material, new ideas. And I did that for quite a while. I don't think Paul and I got together until 2021 to start working on this stuff. But at that point there was leftover stuff from [SLAYER's final album] 'Repentless'. Now there's leftover stuff from 'From Hell I Rise' for the next record and plus all I've written since then. But yeah, during COVID, Paul and I both came down with it and I think it was June of '21 and I was stuck in California at the hotel I stay in for rehearsals because I certainly wasn't gonna fly home and give it to my wife. But fortunately, mine lasted like three days. It was, like, it jumped in my body, got scared and jumped the fuck out. Paul had it off and on for the better part of a month. So it took us a while to get back to it. But that being said, I remember when I was in that hotel room stuck for a few days, I finished the last two lyrical songs I needed and then we were good to go."
SLAYER played two reunion shows earlier this fall — on September 22 at the Riot Fest in Chicago, Illinois and on October 10 at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California.
At Riot Fest and Aftershock, SLAYER ran through a 20-song set that included opener "South Of Heaven", "Seasons In The Abyss", "Angel Of Death", "Hell Awaits", "Raining Blood" and the title track of SLAYER's final album, "Repentless".
SLAYER was also scheduled to play at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky on September 27, but that performance was canceled due to severe weather.
The lineup for SLAYER's comeback was the same as the one which last toured in 2019: King and Bostaph, along with bassist/vocalist Tom Araya and guitarist Gary Holt. | +5 | |
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9 дек 2024
Watch JUDAS PRIEST's Entire Invincible Shield Tour Amagasaki Show; Fan-Filmed Video
 On December 6th, Judas Priest brought their Invincible Shield tour to Amashin Archaic Hall in Amagasaki, Japan. Fan-filmed video of the entire show can be viewed below.
Setlist:
"Panic Attack"
"You've Got Another Thing Comin'"
"Rapid Fire"
"Breaking the Law"
"Riding on the Wind"
"Love Bites"
"Devil's Child"
"Saints in Hell"
"Crown of Horns"
"Sinner"
"Turbo Lover"
"Invincible Shield"
"Victim of Changes"
"The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)" (Fleetwood Mac)
"Painkiller"
Encore:
"The Hellion / Electric Eye"
"Hell Bent for Leather"
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9 дек 2024
TROLLFEST Releases “Doomsday Christmas Song”
 Norway’s Trollfest have released new single just in time for the holiday season, “Doomsday Christmas Song”.
Mr. Seidel comments:
“No one wanted or needed it, but the folly of mankind has forced our hand! We present to you a catchy, timely Christmas track that captures the world’s rising anxieties and a sense of looming uncertainty. With doomsday seemingly closer, this song asks if we can still find the joy to celebrate Christmas and look forward to a brighter New Year. Perfectly positioned to be December’s earworm, it balances holiday cheer with a thought-provoking twist on the season’s spirit.”
TrollfesT will join Ensiferum, Korpiklaani, and Nini on Folkfest Of The North 2025 North American Tour.
Tour dates:
February
27 - Brighton Music Hall - Boston, MA
28 - Salle Montaigne - Quebec City, QC
March
1 - Beanfield - Montreal, QC
2 - Overflow - Ottawa, ON
3 - The Concert Hall - Toronto, ON
4 - King Of Clubs - Columbus, OH
5 - Crofoot - Pontiac, MI
6 - Outset - Chicago, IL
7 - Skyway Theatre - Minneapolis, MN
8 - Wooly's - Des Moines, IA
9 - Gothic Theatre - Denver, CO
11 - Metro Music Hall - Salt Lake City, UT
13 - Goldfield Roseville - Sacramento, CA
14 - Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, CA
15 - Regent Theater - Los Angeles, CA
16 - House Of Blues - San Diego, CA
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9 дек 2024
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9 дек 2024
BRITISH LION Feat. IRON MAIDEN's STEVE HARRIS Bid Farewell To 2024 Tour With New Recap Video
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9 дек 2024
THE CRYPT Teams Up With DEE SNIDER To Merge Gaming And Music With “Rock Kommander”
 “Rock Kommander” is an epic collaboration celebrating the rock and metal community. This groundbreaking project featuresmlegendary vocalist Dee Snider along with rising Swedish heavy metal band The Crypt, merging gaming and rock like never seen before.
The title-track "Rock Kommander" captures the energy and diversity of the metal genre and is the official theme song for the mobile game of the same name, being performed by Pepper, the enigmatic frontwoman of The Crypt, alongside Dee Snider. The six-minute-long anthem has been composed by prolific songwriter Leif Edling (Candlemass).
Of course, known worldwide as the frontman of Twisted Sister, Dee Snider has been a cornerstone of rock and metal over 6(!) decades now. Beyond his chart-topping hits and electrifying stage presence, Snider is also an outspoken advocate for the rock community. His collaboration on "Rock Kommander" brings his legendary energy to the next generation of rock fans.
The Crypt is Sweden’s latest heavy metal powerhouse act.
Originally the brainchild of Leif Edling of Candlemass fame, The Crypt is a Stockholm-based band redefining gothic and occult metal.
Their music channels the vibes of 1970s icons like Coven, Black Sabbath, and Blue Öyster Cult, delivering dark atmospheres, catchy melodies, and thunderous riffs. Pepper, known for her powerful voice and theatrical Metal Priestess persona, leads the charge, backed
by a stellar line-up of top Swedish musicians.
The Crypt debuted on Metal Department earlier this year with their eponymous release to fantastic critical acclaim, including the coveted Album Of The Month placing in Rock Hard magazine.
Beside the title-track, the new EP features three brand new The Crypt tracks + a reworked version of their 2019 track "I Love The Darkness (Midnight Version)"
The mini-album is available on both CD & vinyl formats, as well as streaming on all major platforms. Order here. Listen on | +1 | |
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9 дек 2024
Watch SCORPIONS Perform "Coast To Coast" Live At Hellfest 2022; Pro-Shot Video Streaming
 German rock legends, Scorpions, have released video of their performance of the Lovedrive album classic, "Coast To Coast", from France's Hellfest 2022. Watch below:
More footage from the band's Hellfest 2022 appearance can be viewed below:
Scorpions recently announced "60th Anniversary - Coming Home" a unique concert experience in their hometown, Hannover, Germany, on July 5, 2025. The show will include special guests, including Judas Priest.
Tickets are available via Eventim.
Scorpions are returning to the Las Vegas Strip in 2025 with exclusive headlining residency show in celebration of the band’s 60th anniversary.
Promoted by Live Nation and Caesars Entertainment, Scorpions – | +1 | |
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9 дек 2024
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9 дек 2024
THE PRETTY RECKLESS Singer TAYLOR MOMSEN Teams With The Great Frog For New Jewelry Collection
 The Great Frog shop - which was was opened by Carol Lehtonen and Paterson Riley in 1972 on legendary Carnaby Street in London - have teamed up with The Pretty Reckless singer, Taylor Momsen.
A message from The Great Frog states: "Designed by Reino in close collaboration with Taylor Momsen from The Pretty Reckless, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their empowering second studio album Going To Hell. Introducing five original new pieces featuring the iconic Going To Hell Cross, including two rings, a pendant, a rosary and a pair of earrings. The ultimate, unapologetic, solid 925 Sterling Silver statement collection. Very limited quantities."
Shop here.
The Pretty Reckless will support AC/DC when they return to the road in North America for the first time in nine years on the 2025 Power Up North American Tour.
Much to the delight of millions of fans across North America, the legendary Grammy Award-winning Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame-inducted band will perform in 13 stadiums coast-to-coast next spring. This run kicks off on April 10 in Minneapolis, MN at US Bank Stadium, canvases the continent, and concludes on May 28 in Cleveland, OH at Huntington Bank Field. Along the way, they will play some of the most iconic and historic stadiums in the world, including the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA on April 18 and Soldier Field in Chicago, IL on May 24.
Tickets for all shows, featuring support from The Pretty Reckless, are on sale now, here.
The tour shares its name with their 2020 album, Power Up, which bowed at #1 in 21 countries. In 2024, AC/DC completed a European leg of the Power Up Tour, packing the biggest stadiums on the continent in the process. Power Up notably notched their third #1 debut on the Billboard 200 and exploded as one of the best-selling albums of 2020 worldwide. Plus, it garnered Grammy Award nominations in the categories of “Best Rock Album” and “Best Rock Performance” and “Best Music Video” for “Shot In The Dark.” Power Up is available here.
AC/DC played their very first show on the 31st December 1973 at Chequers Nightclub in Sydney, Australia. They are one of the most influential rock bands in history, with over 200 million albums sold worldwide. The band’s Back In Black LP is the “bestselling album by any band ever” and the “third bestselling album by any artist” with global sales of 50 million and counting. AC/DC was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2003. The band continue selling out stad
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9 дек 2024
TOM MORELLO: 'Standing Up For Those That Are Most In Need Has Always Been A Part Of My DNA'
 During an appearance on the December 2 episode of "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, Tom Morello, the guitarist, songwriter and political activist who's known for his work with RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, AUDIOSLAVE and for his solo act, spoke about his passion for fusing music with his profound sense of social justice. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I was an activist before I was a guitar player. I didn't start playing guitar until I was 17, and I was already getting in trouble for my student activism at 16.
"Really, my political education did not begin with any books," he explained. "It began with being the only black kid in an all-white town and some of the racial injustice I felt on the playground from a very, very early age. But also my mom, Mary Morello, who is a 101 years old and is a co-host on my own radio show, we have very different politics… I grew up in a very conservative, homogenous conservative suburb in northern Illinois, and the politics in my home were very different from the politics in the community. It really helped me sort of get a juxtaposition. My mom had lived in many places around the world, and as a single mom, public high school teacher, we had very humble means, but from her kind of coal-mining ancestors in Illinois to the African liberation struggles she had seen and been a part of on the African continent, it was a very different set of like rules and regulations in my house. And I've always thought that standing up for the poor, standing up for the oppressed — also from my Catholic upbringing, too, there was also a strong liberation theology elements of always standing up for those that are most in need has always kind of been a part of my DNA and I've tried to work it into my vocation… I didn't choose to be a guitar player; that chose me. So I was stuck with that. I had to find a way to weave my convictions into my vocation."
Tom was the sole member of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE who attended the band's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in November 2023 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Rock Hall induction came after the band appeared on six ballots.
In October 2022, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE canceled its North American tour, three months after singer Zack De La Rocha severed his left Achilles tendon, leaving a mere eight inches of the tendon intact.
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's comeback tour, which was first announced in 2019 and then delayed several times due to the pandemic, marked the first time the reunited rap-metal quartet had hit the road together since 2011.
During a press conference at this past June's Hellfest in Clisson, France, Morello spoke about why he has spent his career not only making music but also making a difference in the lives of others. He said: "Across 21 records, there's really one message that is a thread through all of my music, and that is that the world is not going to change itself. That is up to you. And by you, I literally mean you — the people watching on your thing and your thing; that's how the world changes. And sometimes it seems like this sort of monolithic problem that we'll never be able to get past and the world cannot be changed or the worst people are the ones in charge, and they often are. But you are not witnesses to history; you are agents of history. History is not something that happened; it's something you make. Whenever there has been a progressive radical, even revolutionary positive change for the better, it's come from people who are no different than anyone in this room or any of the audiences that you're writing for or that your videos are for. Once you have that realization that you do have your hands on the wheel of history and of this planet, and if you wanna make it a more peaceful, a more just, a more equitable, a more anti-racist, a more environmentally sound place, there's no one to blame if it doesn't happen but you for not standing up."
Morello, who has repeatedly said that social change has always been his main motivation for making music, also talked about where he finds the inspiration for his songwriting in a world that is increasingly divided.
"At any given historical moment, you stand in the place where you live and you stand in the place where you were," he explained. "That's it. So some people are, like, 'You guys made RAGE records 30 years ago, and now look at the horrible state of the world.' Imagine what it would be like if we didn't make RAGE records 30 years ago. At every moment, you do what you can, when you can, where you can. That's the way that I look at it. And the arc of history is a long one, and there are very, very challenging times now certainly in my country, and I know here as well. And in part, literally the fate of the planet is at stake over the course of the next few decades. So it's time for metalheads to get their shit together."
Asked if he sometimes feels overwhelmed by everything that is going on in the world, Tom said: "It is overwhelming. And from the climate stuff to Gaza, there's a lot. But what I look at is, like, today I'm gonna do everything I can to do several things. One is to be to play the best guitar I can, to sing the best I can, to have my band, the FREEDOM FIGHTER ORCHESTRA, deliver the goods in a way that is gonna be a compelling and artistically meaningful moment. And if I do that right, the message that rides on that is gonna touch somebody. Now there's 70,000 people out there [at this year's Hellfest]. I don't know if it touches seven of them, or 7,000 of them, or whatever, but I know that over the course of 30 years, doing that, the thing I just described to you, has had repercussions far beyond what I ever imagined it could."
When one reporter suggested that there is no hope for humanity amid a barrage of global crises, with war, famine and disease threatening global peace, Tom said: "Well, first of all, I disagree with you there's no hope. I would say, though, to not be so… the one option that I might suggest is to not be so wrapped up in being pure that it stops you from acting. If you drink a Pepsi, you're not going to hell because you've supported some corporation. What is important to do, change comes from below — real meaningful change comes from below. It always has. People organize, and the world changes. These are really difficult times that we're in. The planet has been in difficult times before — sometimes as dire as, or more dire than this. And when it has come out on the right side of history, it's because people just like you, even in times when they could despair, didn't despair. That's how the world changes. This is a dire historical moment, but it is not a unique historical moment. And the way I look at it, I'm stuck being a guitar player. I'm cursed. It's my calling. I didn't choose it; it chose me. So now I've gotta find some way to win to bend this weird hobby that I picked up as a teenager and try to change the fucking world with it. And it's not easy, but wherever you are and whatever your job is, whatever your life is, whether it's standing up to illegitimate authority in your home, your place of work, your school, your country, or whatever, like I said before, history is not something that happens. It's something that we make. So I would encourage you and your listeners, or whatever, to not despair — to act."
In June, Tom released his new solo single, "Soldier In The Army Of Love". The song, which was co-written with his "guitar wizard son" Roman Morello, was described by Tom as "a generational rock anthem from the Morellos." "Soldier In The Army Of Love" is the lead single from Tom's first-ever full-length solo rock album, due next year.
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9 дек 2024
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9 дек 2024
STEVE VAI Shares Outtake Footage From JOE SATRIANI Collaboration "The Sea Of Emotion, Pt. 1" Video Shoot
 Guitar legend Steve Vai has checked in with a new video:
"The Satch / Vai video for 'The Sea of Emotion, Pt.1' has just reached 1 million views on YouTube! Thank you to everyone who streamed, listened, and watched so far.
Here you'll find a little video clip that Doug MacArthur took while we were shooting my solo section of the video. Joe and I love goofing off, and this vid gave us the opportunity to do just that with crazy outfits and wigs, Enjoy!"
Joe Satriani and Steve Vai's friendship with each other (and the guitar) started as kids in New York. It’s still going strong five decades later, and for the first time they have joined up for the Satch/Vai tour. In anticipation of the tour, the duo collaborated on a new three-part piece of music, "The Sea Of Emotion".
The duo spoke with Guitar World about the collaboration. Following is an excerpt from the interview.
Satriani: "When Steve and I decided the time had finally come for us to collaborate on an album I immediately thought of our humble beginnings, where we came from, and our teenage rock ’n’ roll hopes and dreams. To anybody else, it may look like just a field, part of the sprawling Carle Place Public School complex, but for some of us, back in the early ’70s, when the sun went down and the moon came up, (that field) became 'The Sea of Emotion'. We would hang out there late at night and share our deepe | +2 | |
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9 дек 2024
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9 дек 2024
BLIND GUARDIAN Share New Revamped Video For Cover Of SLADE's "Merry Xmas Everybody"
 German metal legends Blind Guardian have checked in with the following update:
"There’s no December without the catchy tune par excellence! We have put together a new music video for 'Merry Xmas Everybody' featuring previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage! Prepare yourself for a dose of glam rock metal!
'Merry Xmas Everybody' (originally by Slade) was recorded at Twilight Hall Studios, Germany & Sandlane Recording Facilities, The Netherlands, November 6 to November 16, 2020."
Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited, which was recorded in 2022 and 2023, is a refreshing and powerful tribute to one of the most influential albums in German metal history. It paved the way for Blind Guardian’s international career that is still going strong today and this re-recording impresses with all the class and quality these pioneers have been known and respected for since forming as Lucifer’s Heritage three decades ago.
Watch a live video for the revisited version of their most popular track, "The Bard's Song - In The Forest":
Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited is out now and can be listened to in full at any streaming service or purchased in physical form. Get it here
Tracklisting:
"Time What is Time" (Revisited)
"Journey Through the Dark" (Revisited)
"Black Chamber" (Revisited)
"Theatre of Pain" (Revisited)
"The Quest for Tanelorn" (Revisited)
"Ashes to Ashes" (Revisited)
"The Bard’s Song – In the Forest" (Revisited)
"The Bard’s Song – The Hobbit" (Revisited)
"The Piper’s Calling" (Revisited)
"Somewhere Far Beyond" (Revisited)
"Ashes To Ashes" live at Hellfest 2022 video:
About Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited:
Right on time with their show at 2024’s edition of Wacken Open Air, Blind Guardian proudly announced the release of Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited on August 2, which includes a complete re-recording of this classic as well as a live celebration of 1992’s Somewhere Far Beyond, a landmark record for Germany’s heavy metal titans. After three albums on No Remorse Records, it was the band’s major label debut via Virgin Records and opened the doors to the Japanese market resulting in a wider availability and presence on the global metal scene. After finding the right balance of speed, heaviness, melodies, drama, and irresistible choruses on 1990’s Tales From The Twilight World, Somewhere Far Beyond honed this approach to perfection, evolving further on a conceptual level and increasing Blind Guardian’s sonic range. On Somewhere Far Beyond the band experimented with keyboards, orchestrations, and folk elements, the latter manifesting in the group’s best-known song and live staple, "The Bard's Song (In The Forest)", whereas other tracks like "Ashes to Ashes", the rapid "Journey Through The Dark" or "The Quest For Tanelorn" connected well with previous mostly fast-paced albums yet offered an additional push in dynamics.
Fast forward 30 years! Prior to releasing the much lauded opus The God Machine in September 2022, Blind Guardian had been performing Somewhere Far Beyond in its entirety at Rock Hard Festival and Hellfest in Summer 2022 in front of tens of thousands of fans singing along to each track. Both shows were filmed and recorded professionally and aired via WDR and ARTE. For the limited triple-disc-edition of Somewhere Far Beyond Revisited the Hellfest material was newly edited by the ba
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9 дек 2024
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9 дек 2024
ACCEPT's WOLF HOFFMANN: 'I Hope That Live Music Will Never Be Replaced' By Artificial Intelligence
 In a new interview with Framus & Warwick, ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann spoke about the lyrical inspiration for the band's latest album, "Humanoid". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it's called 'Humanoid', so that tells you a little bit of something. We were inspired by what's going on in the world with A.I. [artificial intelligence], robots, and basically it's a reoccurring theme. We had it in a different lyrics too. It's man versus machine — how much of a robot or a machine is controlling your life, and how will it go from here? Now with A.I. — I mean, it's getting scary right now, and so it's just an interesting theme to play around with. That doesn't mean this is a concept album or anything. We still have different songs about different subjects. This is just the title track that we thought makes the best album cover and the best title for an album. But we never really do concept albums where every song is about the same or related theme."
He continued: "Sometimes it's a bit scary when you check it out nowadays, what computers can do. The good thing is that is still based on human — I mean, it's not completely invented by machines. Machines just take what humans created and then make a conglomeration out of it, they make their own version of what already was created by other people. But still, man, it's scary what these machines can do. And I hope that live music — that will never be replaced, but it might be. Maybe 50 years from now, 20 years from now, 10 years from now, people are gonna go see concerts just created by machines. I don't know. Nobody knows. I hope not."
Hoffmann previously addressed the positive side of A.I., particularly as it relates to the potential to drive innovation, streamline processes, enhance productivity and improve decision-making across industries, during an April 2024 press conference in Paris, France to promote "Humanoid". He said at the time: "I wouldn't go out and say it's all good or it's all bad. It's always a mix of everything. Modern technology in general, all the digital aspects of our daily life, there's some amazing aspects of it. I'm traveling a lot, and no matter where I go, I have my little iPhone with me and it has GPS on it. And I can just type in — I don't know; 'Indian restaurant' — and I'm gonna find one two blocks down the street. I would never find that without it. I wouldn't even know where to go. I'm at the airport. I can communicate on the plane with other people. All this is beautiful, I think. Of course there's a negative side of everything. And artificial intelligence sounds a little scary right now, but I'm quite hopeful that we will find a way to deal with it that enables us to take advantage of it without having it all just be negative. I mean, there's always two sides to everything, I believe."
He continued: "The thought of artificial intelligence creating art, that is something that concerns me. I wouldn't say I'm afraid of it, but at the same time, being an artist, I'm thinking, like, 'Is it gonna take all our jobs away one day?' I'm quite hopeful it won't, because I still think only humans can really express emotions.
"I hope that artificial intelligence is not gonna advance that much more that it can actually replace human thoughts and emotions. But am I a hundred percent sure? No," he added. "I never thought it would be that good already, but it's amazing what it can do already. There's gonna be visual art being created, music's gonna be created by it. Of course there's the aspect of it that it's basically you're ripping off existing songs and existing artwork to create the new stuff. When they create 'new' NIRVANA songs, they look at all the old songs and sort of use it as a reference. Will it ever be able to create original 'original' stuff? Maybe. I don't know. I hope not. But can I help it? No. Can I stop time? No. Technology marches on, whether we want it to or not. So it's an interesting time that we live in, I believe. And we yet have to find a way to deal with it. And I think anytime, in history, that there's new technology introduced, whether it's just something like the automobile, people were scared of it. Initially, they thought, like, it's gonna be harmful to people to travel at that speed, you know, because they were just used to horses and buggies. And so the same is true with all this… Anytime something new comes along, people are always like, 'Oh, God. It's gonna destroy everything.' But I don't think it will destroy everything. We have to just catch up and deal with it."
In March 2024, Wolf told Appetite For Distortion, that he tried using A.I. for lyrical ideas. "And it's scary good, to be honest," he admitted. "You can just say, 'Hey, write me a song lyric' or something, [and] it spits out some pretty amazing stuff. But, of course, you have to say, 'Is this really what I wanted to say? And is it me? Well, then how would I really say it?' So you still have to tweak it and stuff. And we ended up never using any of it, but for songwriting and demoing stuff, I was quite intrigued; I found it intriguing. It gives you a bunch of ideas that you hadn't thought about. And, of course, I've seen some images that were done with A.I. that I thought, 'Whoa.' A designer or a human would have to spend a lot of hours creating that thing, but it spits it out like that."
He continued: "The shadow and downside of this is, of course, that people might lose their jobs over it. And the downside is also that it's not really, truly original. A.I. doesn't really think of this stuff. It just looks at all the other stuff that was created by people and turns it into a different, new version. It uses, in the case of music, for instance, existing songs and creates a new version kind of like it, but it doesn't do it out of the blue sky; it looks at your stuff that somebody created. And there's all kinds of legal issues that come up. So I'm a little concerned about all that, yeah."
Asked if he and the rest of ACCEPT would consider using A.I. in the future to make a music video, Wolf said: "Actually, we are making one right now… It's interesting. I think it's fantastic just to see it. Of course, we thought, even the first video [for ACCEPT's upcoming album, 'Humanoid'] we made, [for the] 'Humanoid' [title track], has got, in the background — we're performing in front of a gigantic video wall, and the artwork that runs in the background, that was all created by A.I., just because here we are. That's what we're talking about on this album, 'Humanoid', so it seemed to be just a fitting tool to use."
Circling back to the idea that artificial intelligence poses some risks to humanity, Wolf said: "We still haven't quite figured out how this is gonna turn out, how this is gonna pan out in the future. How much of it is good, how much of it is bad. We're still at the infancy."
He added: "This digital revolution, as they call it, I think it's bigger than the industrial revolution was, and I think it has more far-reaching consequences on society than anything… One thing is for certain: we can't stop it. It's gonna happen whether we want it to or not. It's out, and it's gonna get used. We just have to see how to deal with it. That's what we haven't figured out yet, 'cause technology is so fast. We can't keep up with how society deals with it."
ACCEPT will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025-2026. To mark this mammoth milestone, ACCEPT will ring in the band's golden birthday with a very unique anniversary tour at the end of 2025. An anniversary album will be released early 2026.
Over the past five decades, ACCEPT has sold millions of albums and inspired countless musicians. Their energetic live performances and iconic albums such as "Balls To The Wall", "Restless And Wild" and "Metal Heart" have left a lasting mark on the heavy metal genre. Hoffmann's guitar style and musical vision have made the band one of the most respected on the heavy metal scene.
After a hiatus in the band's career, Wolf was introduced to New Jersey singer Mark Tornillo in 2009. The chemistry and fit between them was so remarkable, ACCEPT reformed and almost immediately rose to global success with chart-topping albums. ACCEPT continues to be celebrated for each of their new records with Mark, who is now the longest-reigning frontman of ACCEPT, placing the Hoffmann-Tornillo partnership firmly in the Metal Hall Of Fame.
For decades, ACCEPT has been recognized as a guarantee of high quality and each of their albums has reached the top of the charts, delivering energy, melodies, killer riffs and an impressively powerful stage presence for 50 years.
ACCEPT and KK'S PRIEST recently joined forces for a summer/fall 2024 North American tour. The run began on August 31 in Los Angeles, California, visiting a slew of major cities in the USA and Canada — such as Toronto, Montreal, New York and Nashville — before coming to an end in San Francisco, California on October 7.
Tornillo joined ACCEPT in 2009 as the replacement for Udo Dirkschneider, who was the band's original lead singer. Mark can be heard on ACCEPT's last six studio albums, "Blood Of The Nations" (2010),"Stalingrad" (2012),"Blind Rage" (2014),"The Rise Of Chaos" (2017),2021's "Too Mean To Die" and 2024's "Humanoid".
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8 дек 2024
RITCHIE BLACKMORE: 'The Crap That They're Playing On The Radio Today Is Bloody Awful'
 Ritchie Blackmore's official YouTube channel has shared a new video in which the legendary DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW guitarist discusses his passion for music and what excites him musically.
Ritchie says (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " I retain my passion for music by listening to old music from the 15[00s] and 1400s, listening to a few bands that I've become friends with in Germany, Czech, Finland and Sweden. They're still playing the music that really excites me. I'm obsessed with that stuff. It was so organic. That music just grabs me. I obviously don't listen to the radio in America where they're playing the latest, whatever it is.
"I suppose as we progress and change generations, I cannot relate to what they would play on the radio," he continues. "And I don't listen to rock and roll so much anymore. I listen to the old rock from the '50s, when it was fresh — Elvis Presley, Scotty Moore playing James Burton with Ricky Nelson, THE EVERLY BROTHERS; [I] love all that stuff. Buddy Holly being my favorite at the time.
"I feel like an old granddad complaining about the music they're playing on the radio at the moment. I feel that back in the '70s, when Eric Clapton was playing CREAM and that stuff, it was thoughtful music. You would listen to 'White Room' or something, you didn't need that [chest-thumping drum beat]. You didn't have to hear that [same beat]. You could actually go, "Wow, that's a great song, 'White Room'. Fantastic.' We love CREAM. Eric, of course, great. He started the whole thing.
"There are so many types of music that I like, but very rarely do I hear it on the radio," Ritchie adds. "I'd rather hear talk radio about who's the latest president and stuff like that, that bores people to death.
"I don't hear good music — from my point of view. It might be good music, but it's not something I wanna hear. When the family all get into the truck and we go on a bit of a holiday, which probably is like 20 miles down the road, because I don't like to travel, all I hear is maybe Taylor Swift or something. I find it hard to relate to that. But it's not wrong. It's the new generation wanting to hear that. That's probably as great to them as THE BEATLES and CREAM was and Jimi Hendrix was to me. So I can't really complain, but I do like to complain, and I will complain. And I think the crap that they're playing on the radio today is bloody awful."
Blackmore is a co-founder of DEEP PURPLE and wrote many of their most memorable riffs, including "Smoke On The Water", but he has not played with the group since his 1993 departure.
During his time away from PURPLE, Blackmore established the neo-classical band called RAINBOW, which fused baroque music influences elements with hard rock before gradually progressing to catchy pop-style hard rock.
Three years ago, DEEP PURPLE drummer Ian Paice told Darren Paltrowitz, host of the "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz", that "the only time" he and his bandmates "got concerned" about the group's future "was towards the end of Ritchie's tenure with the band, as he was losing interest and the performances from the band were not great because you need everybody helping each other out; you can't be a passenger. And we just saw the audiences getting smaller and less impressed, and that was worrying," he admitted. "And when Ritchie decided to leave, that was pretty traumatic, because [we didn't] know what to do then. And had we not been contracted to have to go to Japan, it might all have fallen to bits then. But we had to go to Japan, with the wonderful Joe Satriani [filling in], and it proved that there is life after even somebody as great as Ritchie is. He didn't wanna be there, but it was just as much our band as it was his. And we were still having fun. We started to have fun again when Joe turned up and just became a fifth member of the band, pulling his weight. So that was the light at the end of the tunnel."
Paice's comments echo those made by DEEP PURPLE bassist Roger Glover, who told U.K.'s Planet Rock in a September 2020 interview that it was a "turbulent time" for him and his bandmates when Blackmore left the group for the final time in November 1993 after a concert in Finland. "It was surprise to me when Ritchie handed in his notice and said he didn't wanna play any more gigs after Helsinki," he said. "And we were on tour at the time. It was so difficult to take in. Somehow we were determined to carry on, if he was gonna do that. Joe Satriani was a temporary replacement, which did show us the way that we could exist without Ritchie. But I felt very strongly that you can't replace Ritchie. He is who he is, and there's no way you can replace him."
He continued: "If you get someone to play like him or similar or something like that, it would have been a horrible comparison. We needed something different. And to me, the character of PURPLE always was Ritchie and Jon [Lord, late PURPLE keyboardist] as instrumentalists, and they're both virtuosos. So you've gotta have a virtuoso. There's thousands of guitarists who can play, but there's very few who stand out as being very individual and different to everyone else. And I felt Steve [Morse, longtime PURPLE guitarist] presented that. He asked me when we first met, he said, 'What do you want from me?' I said, 'I want you to be yourself. You can't be in the band unless you're yourself, a hundred percent.' And he said, 'So I can play anything?' I said, 'Yeah. Anything will do. We'll let you know if we want it or not.'"
According to Glover, the lineup change had an immediate effect on the band morale.
"'Purpendicular' was one of the happiest albums I've ever made, because suddenly we found ourselves writing songs we could never have written before," Roger said, referring to DEEP PURPLE's first LP with Morse.
Blackmore, 79, quit rock and roll in 1997 to form BLACKMORE'S NIGHT with then-girlfriend Night. Since then, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT has released 11 studio albums.
Blackmore stepped away from his Renaissance-inspired brand of music with BLACKMORE'S NIGHT in 2016 to perform a handful of shows with a brand-new lineup of RAINBOW.
In addition to Blackmore and Night (backing vocals),the most recent incarnation of RAINBOW included singer Ronnie Romero, STRATOVARIUS keyboardist Jens Johansson, BLACKMORE'S NIGHT drummer David Keith, bassist Bob Nouveau (a.k.a. Robert "Bob" Curiano, ex-BLACKMORE'S NIGHT),and backing singer Lady Lynn.
The two shows RAINBOW played in Germany in June 2016 were caught on camera to produce "Memories In Rock - Live In Germany", which was released in November 2016 via Eagle Rock Entertainment on DVD+2CD, Blu-ray+2CD, and digital formats.
After Ritchie left DEEP PURPLE for the final time in 1993, he reformed RAINBOW for one album (1995's "Stranger In Us All") and one tour, ending things in Denmark in 1997.
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8 дек 2024
TARJA's Rocking Heels: Live At Hellfest Out Now; Official "No Bitter End" Live Video Posted
 Today, Tarja releases Rocking Heels: Live At Hellfest via earMUSIC. In celebration, the official "No Bitter End" (Live At Hellfest) video is available for streaming below.
On June 19, 2016, Tarja delivered a captivating performance at Hellfest, one of Europe's largest and most prestigious metal festivals held in Clisson, France. Her powerful blend of operatic vocals and heavy metal instrumentation enthralled the audience, making her performance one of the festival's highlights. The setlist featured a carefully curated mix of her solo work and iconic Nightwish songs.
Opening with “No Bitter End” from her 2016 album, The Shadow Self, Tarja set the tone for an evening of intensity and emotion. Her dynamic stage presence and dramatic musical arrangements created an unforgettable experience, solidifying her status as one of metal's greatest female singers.
Experience the raw energy and powerful emotion of Tarja Turunen's unforgettable performance at Hellfest 2016. Rocking Heels: Live At Hellfest is available as a Ltd. 1LP Gatefold Vinyl Edition, CD Digip | 0 | |
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8 дек 2024
Ex-MORBID ANGEL Drummer PETE SANDOVAL: 'Metal Is Much Bigger In Europe' Than It Is In America
 In a new interview with Francisco Zamudio of KNAC.COM, former MORBID ANGEL and current I AM MORBID drummer Pedro "Pete" Sandoval spoke about the evolution of the Florida death metal scene from the mid-1980s until now. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We have seen it in our eyes how the scene has enlarged, has expanded. Some of the first bands in Florida — there was DEATH, there was MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE, AMON, whatever, OBITUARY, CANNIBAL CORPSE… We were some of the first bands that were doing this, along with these other European bands like KREATOR, DESTRUCTION, SODOM, you name, BATHORY. So all these [bands] helped bring these tons and tons of bands that we have nowadays. And a lot of bands have made it. Black metal came in after death metal. First was death metal, of course, in the [late] '80s, '90. Then after that comes the awakening of black metal. Black metal got big somehow, and it's still big in some areas. In fact, metal is much bigger in Europe. That's why we play more times in Europe because over there it's more appreciated, [bands that play] this kind of music. But now we are proving that we are a good band here in the States as well. So, hey, everything is doing great."
Reflecting on his time with MORBID ANGEL and how he is carrying the legacy forward with I AM MORBID, Pete added: "We were one of the first bands, along with the other bands, to start it all, and it's been so many years. And now we're here, and all these bands that made it after us, they're here. So I'm here, boom… And it took me a while, guys, but you know what? I feel stronger than ever. And then we're still gonna deliver more for new bands to come."
I AM MORBID, the band featuring Sandoval alongside another former MORBID ANGEL member, bassist/vocalist David Vincent, plus guitarists Richie Brown (EXMORTUS, THE ABSENCE, TRIVIUM) and Bill Hudson (NORTHTALE, DORO),kicked off the seventh annual "Devastation On The Nation" U.S. tour on November 15 at Orpheum in Tampa, Florida.
I AM MORBID, which plays material from MORBID ANGEL's "Altars Of Madness" (1989),"Blessed Are The Sick" (1991),"Covenant" (1993) and "Domination" (1995) albums, was added as to this year's "Devastation On The Nation" tour after the previous headliner, MORBID ANGEL, pulled out of the trek "due to unforeseen circumstances", according to the tour organizers.
In October 2022, I AM MORBID parted ways with guitarist Kelly McLauchlin (POSSESSED, DIABOLIC, UNHOLY GHOST) and replaced him with Brown.
Brown made his live debut with I AM MORBID at the Grita Fest in Colombia.
I AM MORBID's spring 2022 European tour marked the first time Sandoval and Vincent played together in 12 years.
Sandoval, who now lives his life as a born-again Christian, was forced to leave MORBID ANGEL in 2010 after undergoing surgery for a prolapsed disc.
Vincent told Invisible Oranges in a December 2013 interview that Pete had "found Jesus," which meant that Sandoval and MORBID ANGEL were no longer "compatible."
Prior to joining I AM MORBID, Sandoval had spent a few years recording and touring with TERRORIZER, whose latest studio album, "Caustic Attack", was released in October 2018 via The End Records.
Vincent left MORBID ANGEL in 2015. He has since been replaced by a returning Steve Tucker, who previously handled bass and vocals on MORBID ANGEL's "Formulas Fatal To The Flesh", "Gateways To Annihilation" and "Heretic" LPs.
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8 дек 2024
German Symphonic Metallers SKYTRIBE Release Debut Single / Video "Kingdom Of The Sky"
 The brand new German symphonic / epic metal band, Skytribe, have released their debut single, “Kingdom Of The Sky”, via Reaper Entertainment. It is accompanied by a spectacular and lavishly produced music video which can be viewed below.
The video for “Kingdom Of The Sky” was shot at the impressive Externsteine in the Teutoburg Forest (North Rhine-Westphalia). Produced by Ismael Meisingen and Jannis Krenke, it shows the band as an energetic unit in a unique setting.
The band comments: “The time has come: Skytribe is here! We are a female-fronted metal band that combines hard riffs with epic orchestral sounds. Our music is powerful, melodic and comes straight from the heart - carried by Dorothée Kahler's expressive voice. | 0 | |
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Epica
