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7 íîÿ 2024
RICHIE KOTZEN On Whether He Would Sing For SOUNDGARDEN As CHRIS CORNELL's Replacement: 'I'm Not Looking To Join Anybody Else's Band'
 In a recent interview with Chris Akin Presents, guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Richie Kotzen was once again asked if he would ever consider joining SOUNDGARDEN or AUDIOSLAVE if he was approached to step in as the replacement for those two bands' late frontman Chris Cornell. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't know, because I don't think that's something that would ever happen — I don't. I think that my pedigree, regardless of what you think I sound like, my roots are so deep in soul and R&B, and that's why I sing the way I sing. I look at myself as more of a soul singer that sings rock as opposed to a hard rock, grunge singer. I know people hear it the way they hear it, which is fine. And by the way, the comparison [to Cornell], I take it as a compliment because, obviously, I view him as one of the greatest of all time. But they say, never step in a great man's shoes."
He continued: "I feel like I am my own thing. I'm not looking to join anybody else's band. But the one thing that does strike me — I remember when [INXS singer] Michael Hutchence died, I saw a video of Terence Trent D'Arby with INXS, and they did a tribute, and it was really powerful. So, those kinds of things are really wonderful to participate in.
"I've sung with [AUDIOSLAVE guitarist] Tom Morello and THE WINERY DOGS — Mike [Portnoy] and Billy [Sheehan] — we performed, years ago, an AUDIOSLAVE song. And that's out there on YouTube. So anybody that wants to hear that, actually, it's there — you can hear me singing a Chris Cornell song. But to actually go out and join someone's band — I don't even know how to answer that because I don't perceive that as something that would ever [happen]."
Richie, who has been singing since the age of 17, has often been compared to Cornell due to his ability to deliver "full-throated roars one minute and croon with husky empathy the next." ( Stereoboard, 2013)
Nearly five years ago, Kotzen was asked in an interview with Izzy Presley of "Another FN Podcast" if he would accept an offer to play with SOUNDGARDEN if the band came to him with "the right number." Kotzen responded: "It doesn't have anything to do with numbers; it would not be a numbers game. I think that it would be an honor for anyone to have that opportunity. And again, it goes back to the sentence I said earlier: 'Never step into a great man's shoes.' But I think that that phone call, whether it was me or anyone else, would be a complete honor, and I think someone would have to be a bit of a fool to say 'no.'"
During the same chat, Kotzen acknowledged similarities between his voice and that of Cornell, but denied that he was ever directly inspired by the late SOUNDGARDEN and AUDIOSLAVE singer.
"Well, I think it is a compliment," Richie said of the comparisons. "He's one of the greatest rock singers of our generation, so it's definitely a compliment. And I think people draw comparisons, because that's what they do — they hear things that resonate that are familiar. Now, the comparison, I think, is coincidence. I think I'm a little too old and I've been doing it a little too long to say that his work was a direct influence on what I do. But I could say that we probably had similar influences. And I can say that I think he's a fantastic and amazing artist. And it's an honor to be compared to anyone that's great.
"My biggest influence as a singer is Terence Trent D'Arby," Kotzen explained. "And that is where that sound comes from. So the sound that caused the rock people to mention Chris, I got that sound, and I will admit I lifted it from Terence Trent D'Arby. So the rock people, many of them, aren't gonna get that, 'cause they don't listen to that kind of music. So they say Chris. If they did their research, they'd know that I listened to Terence, I listened to [David] Coverdale and Glenn Hughes and Ronnie Dio and Paul Rodgers. So, it's a coincidence, but it is a very nice compliment. And being compared to someone that is that great is always a good thing."
Kotzen performed the AUDIOSLAVE classic "Cochise" — which was originally co-written and sung by Cornell — at a "Soundcheck Live" event in January 2017 at Lucky Strike Live in Los Angeles, California. Joining him for the rendition was Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, AUDIOSLAVE, PROPHETS OF RAGE),Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME),Marty O'Brien (LITA FORD) and Glen Sobel (ALICE COOPER). Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.
Cornell died in May 2017 after being found unresponsive in his Detroit hotel room. SOUNDGARDEN had played a show earlier that evening. The 52-year-old had sedatives and an anxiety drug in his system, but died as a result of hanging himself.  | +1 |  |
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7 íîÿ 2024
ALEX VAN HALEN: EDDIE VAN HALEN 'Was Brave Up Until The Last Minute'
 In a new interview with The New York Times, Alex Van Halen spoke about his decision to release his memoir, "Brothers", which is due on October 22 via HarperCollins. The book is described as an "intimate and open account — nothing like any rock and roll memoir you've ever read" — into the story of family, friendship, music and brotherly love between Alex and his late brother and bandmate, legendary VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen.
Asked why he wrote the book, Alex said: "To add a little more depth to the understanding of what Ed was all about. When you're in the spotlight, people tend to speak for you. I wanted to remind people that Ed was not a commodity. He was a complex human being."
As for how he chose to approach the writing of the book, Alex said: "If you're going to tell the story, you should give equal space to the good and the bad, Because the good doesn't make any sense without having the bad."
"I know that sounds like philosophical mumbo jumbo," he added. "But I really wanted to emphasize the fact that Ed was brave up until the last minute. At the end of the day, he's got nothing to be ashamed of. And I wish that he was here and that I could say, 'Ed, let's try it one more time.' Because I know he had it in him."
The 240-page "Brothers" book will be available in three formats: standard hardcover, deluxe autographed hardcover and an audiobook narrated by Alex Van Halen himself. The latter features an unreleased song composed by both Eddie and Alex titled "Unfinished", the last piece of music the pair wrote together.
"This is my tribute to my brother; my way of saying goodbye," Alex said. "Ed, I love you and miss you. When I see you again, I'm gonna kick your ass!"
As previously reported, Alex will host two "Brothers" book-signing events in October. The legendary VAN HALEN drummer will also take part in a live conversation event in Los Angeles this month.
Book-signing events:
Monday, Oct. 21 @ noon - Barnes & Noble – New York City
Tuesday, Oct. 22 @ 6 p.m. - Books & Greetings - Northvale, NJ
Live conversation event in Los Angeles:
Thursday, Oct. 24 @ 8 p.m. - Live Talks LA @ the Frost Auditorium in Culver City
Tickets and pre-orders are available now via Van-Halen.com.
Alex and Eddie formed a band called MAMMOTH in Pasadena, California in 1972, then renamed it VAN HALEN when singer David Lee Roth joined the group and, later, bassist Michael Anthony.
VAN HALEN was one of the biggest rock bands in the country in the 1980s, with hits like "Runnin' With The Devil", "Dance The Night Away", "Hot For Teacher", "Panama" and "Jump". The group, which later featured Sammy Hagar on vocals, was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.
The Van Halen family moved to Pasadena after emigrating to the U.S. from the Netherlands in 1962.
VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.
According to Modern Drummer, Alex was instrumental to VAN HALEN's electrifying, dramatic sound, leading the rhythm section on standout hits like "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", "Unchained" and "Panama". His double-bass pedal work throughout "Hot For Teacher" was deeply influential, combining technical prowess with a restless, thoroughly original drum composition.
Back in 2021, Hagar said that he had tried to reach out to Alex after Eddie's death but that he was rebuffed.
"Alex just seems to he just doesn't want to communicate with anybody," Sammy told Ultimate Classic Rock. "You know, Mike [Anthony, former VAN HALEN bassist] has reached out, and I reached out many times. I don't know. I'm sure he's still in pain from the whole thing, but I'm not dogging him. I'm just saying he just really doesn't want to be friends or doesn't want to communicate. I don't know why, but we've still got the rest of our lives to work this out."
Eddie passed away in October 2020 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. Alex was by his side, as was Eddie's son, Wolfgang. The axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.
Eddie's final Instagram post was a tribute to Alex. On May 8, 2020, the guitarist shared a black-and-white photo of him and his brother to his followers to wish the drummer a happy birthday.
He captioned the picture: "Happy Birthday Al!! Love Ya!! #vanhalen #alexvanhalen #birthday #may #drummer #musician #musicians #family #rock #classicrock #rockband #love".
In early 2022, it was confirmed that Alex had been in talks with Roth and guitarist Joe Satriani to put on a special show in honor of Eddie. However, Alex has since told Rolling Stone magazine that the plans fell through after an argument erupted between him and Roth over paying tribute to the band's late co-founder.
"The thing that broke the camel's back, and I can be honest about this now," Alex revealed, "was I said, 'Dave, at some point, we have to have a very overt — not a bowing — but an acknowledgment of Ed in the gig. If you look at how QUEEN does it, they show old footage.' And the moment I said we gotta acknowledge Ed, Dave fuckin' popped a fuse. ... The vitriol that came out was unbelievable." | +4 | |
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7 íîÿ 2024
TOTO’s STEVE LUKATHER Pays Tribute To QUINCY JONES - "Working With Quincy Was Always An Incredibly Positive Experience, And We Made A Lot Of Cool Music Together"
 Earlier this week, Associated Press reported that Quincy Jones, the multi-talented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic Thriller album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists, has died at 91.
Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, says he died Sunday night at his home in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles, surrounded by his family. Jones was to have received an honorary Academy Award later this month.
In a career which began when records were still played on platters turning at 78 rpm, top honors likely go to his productions with Jackson: Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad were albums near-universal in their style and appeal. Jones’ versatility and imagination helped set off the explosive talents of Jackson as he transformed from child star to the “King of Pop.” On such classic tracks as “Billie Jean” and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” Jones and Jackson fashioned a global soundscape out of disco, funk, rock, pop, R&B and jazz and African chants. For Thriller, some of the most memorable touches originated with Jones, who recruited Eddie Van Halen for a guitar solo on the genre-fusing “Beat It” and brought in Vincent Price for a ghoulish voiceover on the title track.
Thriller sold more than 20 million copies in 1983 alone and has contended with the Eagles’ Greatest Hits 1971-1975 among others as the best-selling album of all time.
Rolling Stone reached out to Toto guitarist, Steve Lukather, who’s career outside Toto reached a peak in 1982 when Quincy Jones asked him to play guitar on Jackson’s Thriller. He wound up cutting parts on “Beat It,” “The Girl Is Mine” and “Human Nature,” which was written by his Toto bandmate Steve Porcaro.
Lukather became one of Jones’ main studio guitarists over the next decade, and they kept in touch long into the 2000s.
Lukather shared his memories of their work together, writing in part: "When I think back to all those sessions with him, I remember just how much he laughed. He would talk about silly shit. Any musician that’s been successful most of his life basically has a 15-year-old sense of humor. And it was just good fun. I always walked away with a big smile on my face. Working with Quincy wa | +2 | |
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7 íîÿ 2024
LIV KRISTINE To Release New Album In April 2025; First Details Revealed
 Norwegian dark metal queen Liv Kristine (Theatre Of Tragedy) announces her new studio album, Amor Vincit Omnia, for April 25th, 2025 via Metalville Records. The follow-up to the successful 2023 album, River Of Diamonds, was produced by Sascha Dannenberg at Twilight Sound Studio. Andy Classen (Stage One Studio) is responsible for mastering.
Amor Vincit Omnia was recorded by Liv Kristine (lead vocals), Sascha Dannenberger (guitars), Tobias Glier (bass), Roland Bliesener (keyboards), Björn Etzel (drums), and Michael Espenæs (guest vocals).
To this day, Liv Kristine, with her angelic soprano voice, has been an inspiration for numerous subsequent bands and artists.
Since she was 15 years old, Liv has been performing with Theatre Of Tragedy, and later with Leaves' Eyes and under her own name, on stages large and small in over 60 countries, enchanting audiences with her clear and multi-faceted voice. Authenticity and heart always come first, both for her as a person and as an artist.
Cover and tracklisting for Amor Vincit Omnia to be revealed soon.
1995 was the year in which a new star shone in the gothic metal sky with Liv Kristine. To this day, the Norwegian singer with her angelic soprano voice is considered an inspiration for numerous subsequent bands and artists.
After globally acclaimed albums and sold-out tours with Theatre of Tragedy, Liv Kristine signed a contract with Massacre Records in 1997 to realize her first solo album, Deus ex Machina.
At this time, she was completing a Master's degree in English and German studies and commuted between the University of Stuttgart and the recordings in the Illinois studio. At the same time, she continued to tour very successfully with Theatre of Tragedy.
October 27, 1997 was to become a very special date in Liv Kristine's career. On this day, she met Nick Holmes (Host, Paradise Lost). The chemistry between the two exceptional artists was right from the start, and so the jointly composed, beautiful gothic ballad "3 a.m." was the first song for the solo album Deus ex Machina, released in 1998. Although both Nick and Liv have a metal background, the fusion of their two voices created something very special.
But the other songs on Deus ex Machina also unfold a great deal of subtlety, magic, and the power of Liv Kristine's personal charisma. With "Portrait: Ei tulle med øyne blå," based on a children's song from 1905, there is even a song in LIV's native Norwegian on the album. In June 2023, a new interpretation of the song was created together with Geir "Gerlioz" Bratland (Dimmu Borgir, God Seed, The Kovenant, Satyricon), which can now be found on this new re-release of Deus ex Machina as an LP bonus track.
At the age of six, Liv Kristine showed a special receptivity and understanding of music and the different ways of singing. The song "In the Heart of Juliet" describes how she consciously and unconsciously experienced her childhood, the feelings of happiness, her love of magical melodies, the wonders of nature with its seasons and, most especially, the freedom of being. To this day, she describes the special experience of singing as "my magical bubble."
Since she was 15 years old, Liv has been performing with Theatre of Tragedy, Leaves' Eyes, and under her own name on stages large and small in over 60 countries, enchanting audiences with her clear and multi-faceted angelic voice.
To date, this has resulted in 15 albums and numerous collaborations. She was even honored with a Grammy nomination for her balladic duet with Cradle of Filth in 2005.
For Liv Kristine, both as a person and as an artist, authenticity and heart always come first. With the release of Deus ex Machina, she has already proven what a great, independent artist she is and has been inspiring and enchanting people all over the world for over three decades now.
CD Tracklist:
CD1
"Requiem"
"Deus Ex Machina"
"In The Heart Of Juliet"
"3 a.m."
"Waves Of Green"
"Take Good Care"
"Huldra Part I"
"Portrait: Ei Tulle med Øyne Blå"
"Good Vibes Bad Vibes"
"Outro"
CD 2
"In The Heart Of Juliet" (Forever Mix)
"Huldra Part II | +1 | |
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7 íîÿ 2024
INEPSY - Tankcrimes To Reissue Entire Catalog From Notorious Quebec Speed Metal / Punk Act
 Tankcrimes has partnered up with Montreal’s Mötorcharged crust metal punks, Inepsy, to reissue the band’s back catalog.
Inepsy notoriously existed from 1999 to 2011, unloading a barrage of EPs and LPs in their twelve years of activity. Now, Tankcrimes honors the band’s ravenous legacy with physical reissues of their See You In Hell debut EP (2002), the Rock 'N' Roll Babylon debut LP (2003), the City Weapons LP (2005), the No Speed Limit For Destruction LP (2007), the Madness And Overkill EP (2010), and the Lost Tracks EP (2017).
Pre-orders for the first two titles are currently available. See You In Hell is available in three variants: Black/Green Half 'n' Half (200), Crystal Clear (300), and Green (1000).
Rock 'N' Roll Babylon is available on CD as well as LP including a 24" x 24” poster of the cover art in four variants: Black/Beer/Sea Blue Merge w/ Silver + Aqua Blue Splatter (200), Crystal Clear w/ Sea Blue, Aqua Blue, Brown + Silver Splatter (300), Sea Blue (1250), and an Australian exclusive variant on Sea Blue w/ Silver, Brown + Black Splatter (250).
Inepsy’s See You In Hell and Rock 'N' Roll Babylon will be released on December 6. Find pre-orders for the records and merch at the Tankcrimes webshop here, and stream the entire catalog at Bandcamp here.
See You In Hell tracklisting:
"Germ Warfare"
"It’s A Time Bomb"
"Hammer Hearth"
"The Reaper Watches The Game"
Rock 'N' Roll Babylon tracklisting:
"Who’s Next"
"Lost The Ride"
"Rock 'N' Roll Babylon"
"The Aftermath Of Progress"
"Street City Kids"
"Conspiracy WWIII"
"See You In Hell!"
"If You’ll Die I’ll Die"
"Born For The Road"
"We Are Here To Climb"
Tankcrimes will continue to release each physical title in chronological order until everything is back in print. Watch for the next instalment to post soon.
Longtime Tankcrimes supporter and former Maximum Rocknroll editor/current Razorblades & Aspirin editor Mike Thorn writes:
"It was a phone call from my partner Anandi from behind the counter at the legendary Mission Records in San Francisco which opened the door for me. 'We need to go to Warm Water Cove today… there were just the cutest bunch of Canadian punx in here playing there later.' That was my first introduction to the Montreal juggernaut known as Inepsy – filthy, loud, rock 'n' roll rampagers blasting a wave of destruction across the North American continent. The face-melting combination of Motörhead, Sodom, and Voivod rammed headlong into Discharge, GBH, and Varukers. An auditory representation of the visual landscape presented in Mad Max films – desperate, raw, angry, and primal.
Warm Water Cove was a perfect first introduction – a desolate park along the eastern coast of San Francisco colloquially known as Tire Beach thanks to the large quantity of dumped tires, amidst other refuse from the time before gentrification and tech money reached its arms that far down the Dogpatch. Punks gathered amidst the trash, abandoned warehouses, broken glass and shattered dreams to watch these black clad French Canadians pile a mountain of amplifiers to the sky and blast through a roaring set of burly punk metal that made all our ears bleed. I mean that was the thing - shows at Warm Water Cove weren’t typically loud. Sure, it sounded okay, as well as it could be given it being a park on the water amidst the industrial dreck and cacophony of ships, but Inepsy was loud. Motörhead levels of everything louder than everything else loud. It was unreal. The perfect soundtrack for the urban landscape – this vital and intrinsically linked reflection of a life spent on the edges of civilization, feeding off the scraps.
There were, of course, all the rumors – there were squatters dwelling in fortified, abandoned factories in the center of Montreal. Tales of Chany (or maybe it was Steve? Or was it Sam?) crossing the US border by sneaking through the woods to avoid Customs & Border Control… They were legends.
Decidedly leaning more into a råpunk/Scandi style on the demo, the first real hints at the Motö-charge style they would come to define appears on their first EP See You In Hell – a lurching gallop of tight riffing marrying Venom-esque snarl with the punch of Anti Cimex’s Absolut Country Of Sweden setting the table for their devastating first LP, Rock ’N’ Roll Babylon.
It’s hard to truly convey the impact of the first listen of that record – UK82 melodic sensibility piledriven through filthy, loud as fuck rock’n’roll riffing backing up a lyrical canvas evoking the desperation of a | 0 | |
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7 íîÿ 2024
DRAGONKNIGHT – Debut Album Legions Out In January 2025; Details Revealed
 Dragonknight will release the debut album Legions on January 17 through Scarlet Records.
Dragonknight is a new conceptual band baptized by a bunch of seasoned Finnish metal veterans, skillfully forging a smooth and fresh rendering of the classic North European power metal style through soaring melodies, thunderous rhythms, and epic orchestration, fused with crushing riffs – an unforgettable sonic journey of legendary proportions.
The eleven anthemic chapters of the first record Legions tell of heart-wrenching battles, strong-willed warriors and the beauty of glorious death, but also the treasure hunts gone awry, conquest, and the inner power to rise from the hopeless pit of despair yet again in the face of adversity – hear the armies and swords clash, seafaring vessels creak and the wings of the serpents soar.
Produced by Dragonknight; mixed by Mikael Grönroos at Crownhook Studio; mastered by Svante Forsbäck at Chartmakers West, and featuring the flashy artwork courtesy of Tommi Aaltonen, Legions will be released in the following formats:
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7 íîÿ 2024
DEMON BITCH To Release Master Of The Games Album; "Into The Archway" Streaming
 The sophomore effort from Detroit, Michigan pillars of classic metal Demon Bitch, Master Of The Games is a nine-song effort that is unmatched and unpredictable. The album is slated for release November 29 via Gates Of Hell Records.
An eight-year buffer between studio albums left Detroit, Michigan true metallers Demon Bitch with one, singular option: To be as uncompromising as possible. While there was an assortment of lessons learned along the way, Demon Bitch used their time wisely to ensure their sophomore Master of the Games long-player turned out exactly like they wanted. Recorded in Lansing, Michigan between 2022 and 2024 under the watchful eye of George Szegedy, Master Of The Games evokes the raw, obscure feelings of underground power and classic metal and captures it throughout nine songs of timeless glory.
Demon Bitch features several members of the heralded White Magician within its ranks, including vocalist Logon Saton, the guitar tandem of Lord Mars and Solon Saton and Drummer Master Commander. The band is rounded out by returning bassist B. Beastmaster, who was featured on the 2014 Death is Hanging… EP.
At its core, Master Of The Games is a chaotic offering of obscure and underground U.S. power metal and classic heavy metal with some eclectic moments ranging from 1970s sensibilities to more extreme influences. The over-the-top approach found on the band’s Hellfiends debut remains, although Demon Bitch has injected several epic moments to make the album even more dynamic. And it’s all tied together by lyrical themes of fantasy, legends and lore, highly disputed claims about the world around us, mystery, secrecy and the unknown captured through ominous, esoteric and dark romantic expression.
According to Logon, the stories told in the lyrics are “left pretty open for interpretation in most cases, but I certainly think there’s some interesting concepts for you to look into.”
The album’s artwork was handled by Logon, who wanted to complement some of the more esoteric and mysterious aspects that Master of the Games encompasses, both lyrically and musically. He was working on both the lyrics and the artwork around the same time period, so he spent a lot of time staring at the painting while writing and thinking of ideas. This helped to inspire some lyrical passages in songs like “Sentinel At The Spire,” “Tower Of Dreams” and “Soldiers Of Obscurity.” | 0 | |
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6 íîÿ 2024
BRUCE DICKINSON Was Willing To Help IRON MAIDEN Find 'A Great Replacement' If He Couldn't Sing Following His Cancer Diagnosis
 During a new appearance on the Rich Roll podcast, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson spoke about the band's ethos of independence and integrity, refusing to follow trends or bow to commercial pressures. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We are outsiders in terms of the music industry in a lot of senses. There are bands, and there are bands, and there are bands, and they're just bands. I mean, you might like them, you might not like them, they might be successful or not successful. But MAIDEN is somehow more than that. MAIDEN is part of the core existence for a massive number of people, an unlikely number of people from all kinds of walks of life and avenues, from CEOs to special needs people — I mean, the whole gamut — and everybody seems to get something out of the band. And I don't analyze it or question it. It just is. And it's a product of who we are when we get together."
He continued: "It's a strange chemistry, because it's manufactured — as in, I would never have met [MAIDEN bassist] Steve Harris and [MAIDEN guitarist] Dave Murray in the normal course of my life, ever, if they hadn't gone, 'Hey, we want a singer for IRON MAIDEN.' And now, what we have in common is IRON MAIDEN, is that music. And, of course, we all got to know each other. And one of the reasons I think the band has survived is because we have grown into each other over the years as people, but at the same time the music is always sacrosanct."
Elaborating on the importance of retaining the integrity and authenticity in MAIDEN's music, Bruce said: "When I had throat cancer [a decade ago], the last thing on my mind was, would I ever sing again? The first thing on my mind is, am I gonna get through this and be alive? And the last thing on my mind was would I ever sing again? And I thought, 'Well, we'll get to that stage when I'm done and we start trying to sing.' And I was quite prepared to accept that I might not be able to sing with IRON MAIDEN again. I might be able to sing, I might be able to vocalize, I might be able to sing in a different way, but if I couldn't sing the way I have to sing with IRON MAIDEN, I'll help them find a great replacement. Because the music is sacrosanct."
Explaining what he meant by saying that the chemistry in MAIDEN was "manufactured", Bruce said: "The manufacture bit comes from only in the sense that we didn't all grow up on the same street. And in actual fact, bands that all grow up in the same street together, or families that play together, that could be a recipe for implosion. I mean, I know OASIS have just gotten back together and doing it, but my God, how difficult was that? The two brothers and… So we all get together, but the music is the single point of contact that is the most important thing for all of us. If I couldn't do it, if I couldn't do what I do now effectively, I would be the first one to say, 'You know what? It's time I retired from singing for IRON MAIDEN and did something else.' Stack shelves or something. Because I have too much pride on the line to go out there…"
He added: "I was speaking to a fan the other day, and they said, 'Oh, it's great you guys are all still back together.' I said, yeah, we're all still back together because we're fierce and the music is still as good, if not better in some respects, than we played it 20 or 30 years ago."
Dickinson, who had a golf gall-size tumor on his tongue and another in the lymph node on the right side of his neck, got the all-clear in May 2015 after 33 radiation sessions and nine weeks of chemotherapy.
Bruce previously told iNews that he wanted to cover his cancer battle in his 2017 autobiography, "What Does This Button Do?", to raise awareness of the condition, which affects people who often have no or minimal history of tobacco or alcohol abuse. The individuals with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer who undergo treatment have a disease-free survival rate of 85 to 90 percent over five years.
During an appearance on the Swedish TV show "Malou Efter Tio", Dickinson spoke about how his singing voice has changed following his cancer diagnosis 10 years ago.
"[It's] a little bit different," he said. "Two things are slightly different. One is my saliva, which obviously lubricates your throat a little bit, is a bit less than it used to be. Although, back ten years ago, if I had the same cancer, I wouldn't be making any saliva. But now, I'm probably 70 percent, which is great. Thanks very much, everybody upstairs. [Laughs] And the other things is that I think that the shape of possibly the back of my tongue, which forms vowel sounds and things like that, might have changed shape slightly, because, obviously, it had a big lump in it, and the lump's gone. So maybe the surface has changed shape. So I notice a few differences. Funnily enough, the top end of my voice is maybe even a little bit better than it was before. [Laughs]"
Dickinson said that he was given "the all-clear" by his specialists following an MRI scan after a course of chemotherapy and radiology.
"I was amazed," he said. "My cancer was a 3.5-centimeter tumor in my throat and a 2.5-centimeter one in my lymph node, and that was the one that I could feel — that was the secondary one. But I did 33 sessions of radiation and nine weeks of chemo at the same time, which is fairly standard therapy for it. And it was gone. And I said to my oncologist: 'What do you mean it's gone? Where has it gone?' And he said, 'Well, your body just gets rid of it.' A body is an amazing thing."
Bruce's latest solo album, "The Mandrake Project", was released in March via BMG.
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6 íîÿ 2024
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6 íîÿ 2024
SIGLOS Feat. Former MINISTRY Guitarist SIN QUIRIN Release "El Paso De Mis Ancestros" Music Video
 Mexico and US-based extreme metal band, Siglos, will release their second EP, Renacer De Las Cenizas, independently via all major streaming platforms and Bandcamp on November 15. Consisting of five tracks rooted in black metal, doom metal and industrial metal, the quintet are also releasing the featured single and music video for "El Paso De Mis Ancestros". Find the video below.
The second EP follows on the heels of the their debut EP, Rituales Sagrados, and singles "Morir Para Vivir" and "Por Los Siglos", and was also produced, mixed and mastered by Alex Crescioni of Stygian Sound. In reference to teaming up with Crescioni again for Renacer De Las Cenizas and Siglos’ evolving career, Grammy-nominated guitarist, songwriter and founding member Sin Quirin said this EP is about pushing boundaries.
“Throughout my career, I’m often thought of as that guitar player from Ministry, and there’s so much more music inside me that I’m starting to flex now with Siglos,” said Quirin. “I don’t want to be complacent and stagnant when it comes to songwriting, and this new EP {and Siglos} helped me to push myself and continue to do so."
One of the first singles on this EP is "El Paso De Mis Ancestros", which features a corresponding music video filmed, directed and edited by cinematographer Bobby Field. The music video includes footage of the band in the recording studio, giving behind the scenes looks at their recording process and ritual roots.
“All of the footage was shot in the recording studio and shows off some of the spiritual tools Pedro (Sanchez) uses for performing,” said Quirin. “Ritual is a big part of Siglos and something Pedro really brought forth with this band.”
Renacer De Las Cenizas tracklisting:
"El Camino Del Guerrero" | +1 | |
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6 íîÿ 2024
LIFESICK Drops “Hollow Treats” Video; Loved By None, Hated By All Out Now On Metal Blade
 Danish death metal / metallic hardcore goliaths Lifesick has dropped their fiery new video for “Hollow Treats”. The savage new track comes off the band’s equally ferocious full-length, Loved By None, Hated By All, released on November 1st through Metal Blade Records.
Lifesick manifests brutal and brutally honest songs with lyrics inspired by the turbulent nature of life. Musically influenced by Swedish death metal, the band’s authentic and explosive mixture of crushing tones and modern breakdowns create an uncompromising sound and vision.
Comments the band on “Hollow Treats”, “When we were born, we were told all these fairytales about what the world had in store for us. But as soon as you get a taste, you realize there’s nothing inside — no love, no compassion, nothing. This song is catchy with groovy two-step rhythms and even groovier breakdowns. It’s a hardcore track with plenty of sing-along parts, and it ends with a twist of acoustic elements.”
Lifesick was forged in Fredericia, Denmark in 2015. After three full-lengths of increasing weight and intensity, 2023’s Life And Other Lies EP brought the band’s sobering death / metallic hardcore to Metal Blade Records, where they have come of age with the kaleidoscopic fury and ironclad gloom of Loved By None, Hated By All.
As with previous offerings, the LP was recorded by Jacob Bredahl at his Dead Rat facility. This time Bredahl’s role expanded beyond engineering, helping to shape and revise new material before twiddling a single knob. “He came down to our rehearsal room where we played all the songs for him live, so he could add his touch to each song or edit stuff that we might have been a little blind to from playing the songs too much. This was the first time we did this, and it was very effective.”
Mixing was farmed out to Taylor Young at The Pit, “to give it a different touch or nuance from our previous releases,” while the tracks were handed to noise collective John Cxnnor, “to enhance the album with sound design and samples throughout every song, to better unify the album. We provided them with all the songs, along with keywords about the lyrical themes and the album artwork. With this information, they created unique dark industrial samples that perfectly fit the songs and our vision for the album.”
The results ring loud and clear from this tumultuous masterwork of bleak aggro beauty. Loved By None, Hated By All is unquestionably the band's finest recording to date which is no easy feat considering the compulsive force of previous releases -- there is some special spark of magic at work here.
Tracklisting:
"Death Wish"
"Peace Through Superior Firepower"
"Double Cross"
"Hollow Treats"
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6 íîÿ 2024
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6 íîÿ 2024
LABYRINTH To Release In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye Album In January; "Welcome Twilight" Single And Video Out Now
 Italian metallers, Labyrinth, are thrilled to announce the release of their new album, In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye, set for release on January 24 via Frontiers Music Srl. The band also unveil the first single and official video, "Welcome Twilight", offering a taste of what to expect from the new record.
Watch the video below, and pre-order the new album here.
Describing the first single, “Welcome Twilight”, the band declare: “After the absurd circus brought on by COVID-19, not only have we not emerged better, but we now find ourselves in a truly complicated historical period. Now more than ever, si vis pacem, para bellum — if we want peace, we must prepare for war. Our freedom, entirely illusory, is subordinate to those who decide the balance of this weary planet.”
Labyrinth also express their enthusiasm about the new album: “In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye is our latest work. As the years go by, we feel increasingly free from formulas and stylistic boundaries that sometimes trap a band within a specific musical genre. With this album, we set out to achieve total freedom, allowing each of us to fully express ourselves."
“Perhaps for this reason, combined with the reality of living in increasingly dark times, this work has become our heaviest, fastest, and angriest album to date, while still making it to keep our typical melodic/melancholic touch. We are very proud of it, and today, that's what Labyrinth are”, they continue.
Labyrinth are considered as one of the leaders of the entire New Wave Of Italian Power Metal. Formed in the early 90’s, with the release of their 1998’s album Return To Heaven Denied, considered a milestone for the genre, they caught the attention of the entire European scene, gaining success and building their important career made of great albums and tours.
Together with acts like Rhapsody Of Fire, Lacuna Coil, they helped the entire Italian heavy metal scene to reach the next level globally.
Over the years the band went through difficult times and several lineup changes, taking a break from 2010 to 2017 and, in the spring of 2016, the band’s founding members Andrea Cantarelli and Olaf Thorsen received a call from Frontiers, asking them to discuss with singer Roberto Tiranti the possibility of a comeback for the band.
Now with In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye, the third album for Frontiers Records, once again they delivered the goods, turning their music heavier than in the past but keeping the speedy power metal attitude with unforgettable hooks, epic prog infused metal songs, and some great melodic numbers, resulting in a record that is going to become another milestone for the Italian metal masters.
Starting with the opener “Welcome Twilight”, with its Epic Latin choruses, through songs like “Out Of Place”, “The Right Side Of This World”, you can find the band’s typical band’s trademark, with a stellar performance and a powerful production.
Alongside the original members Roberto Tiranti (vocals), Olaf Thorsen (guitars) and Andrea Cantarelli (guitars), the lineup is completed by Oleg Smirnoff (keys), Nik Mazzucconi (bass) and Mattia Peruzzi (drums).
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6 íîÿ 2024
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6 íîÿ 2024
BURNING WITCHES Enchant With Single And Music Video "The Spell Of The Skull"; New Two Track 12" Available For Pre-Order
 Burning Witches bring back the vibe of 80s heavy metal and update their powerful force with renewed sonic clarity on their upcoming maxi-single, The Spell Of The Skull, set for release via Napalm Records on December 10. With screaming guitars, the Swiss band is back for a heavy metal blast session in the snow.
This time, they curse their audience with two new songs from their latest conjuring of witchcraft. Witchqueen Romana Kalkuhl hypnotizes your mind with her melodic riffs, while diabolic priestess Laura Guldemond conquers your soul with crowd pleasing shouts. Title track “The Spell Of The Skull” starts off with a short but mighty heavy guitar intro that perfectly sets up Laura’s powerful vocals, which especially shine in the chorus of the song, making it a true sing-a-long experience and creating an epic atmosphere pleasing every fan of heavy metal.
Only a few years after their foundation, these five witches had already performed at fully attended shows at the biggest and most important festivals of the entire metal universe, like Wacken, Summer Breeze and Rock Harz Open Air in Germany. After five attention-grabbing albums, Burning Witches prepare for another attack in 2025.
Guitarist Romana Kalkuhl on “The Spell Of The Skull”: “We are busy bees and in between all the shows we managed to write the first new songs with Courtney on guitar. We are so excited to present you some fresh music and this keeps us all entertained till the next album. Working on this was such a blast, "The Spell of the Skull“ could be a new Witches anthem, what do you think? Lean back and enjoy & get enchanted by your favorite Witches!"
Watch the official music video for “The Spell Of The Skull” below.
The Spell Of The Skull will be available in the following formats:
- 1LP Slipcase Solid Gold(strictly limited)
- 1LP Slipcase Solid Red (strictly limited)
- 1LP Slipcase Marbled Orange Red Black (strictly limited)
- Digital Single
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6 íîÿ 2024
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6 íîÿ 2024
BERLIAL Unveil New Album Cover Artwork And Tracklisting
 French evocative black metallers, Berlial, are proud to unveil the cover artwork for the new album, Nourishing The Disaster To Come, realized by the talented artist Jeff Grimal.
The French duo explains this choice: "The artwork depicts Charon sailing through the waste piles of the 6th continent. Sorrowful souls, reminiscent of the migrants dying in the sea as they try to survive, are drowning there. We also distinguish a satellite like those already invading space. The choice of Jeff Grimal was imposed by his way of working and his technique, a raw art, a suggestive figuration which tends towards the abstract. In addition, the artist's favorite themes (Lovecraft's universe, nature and the abstract) are adapted to what the group wanted to represent."
Nourishing The Disaster To Come will be released on February 7 via My Kingdom Music in digipak CD, LP (black and splatter blue vinyls) and digital. Pre-order here.
Tracklisting:
"The Last Dance"
"Nouveau Monde"
"We Deserve To Fall Again"
"Ivresse De La Finitude"
"Nourishing The Disaster To Co | 0 | |
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6 íîÿ 2024
PRIMAL CODE Streaming New Song "Extinction"; Audio
 Chicago death metal trio, Primal Code, are streaming their new song, "Extinction", featured on their upcoming Opaque Fixation album. Listen to the track below.
Featuring former members of Indian, Primal Code's ethos is firmly rooted in no-frills, no nonsense death metal. From the opening moments of Opaque Fixation, the band's intent is clear: every second counts, and every second has to be packed with the most aggressive and disgusting riffs possible.
Opaque Fixation is out November 15 via Relapse Records on LP/CD/Digital. Pre-order via Relapse.com here.
Tracklisting:
"Intro"
"Anapsid"
"Totem"
"Derelict"
"Hive"
"IWL"
"Extinction"
"Terminal"
"Angler"
"Stuck"
"Extinction":
"Anapsid" video:
More about Primal Code:
It starts with a rumble and ends with devastation. Primal Code are a death metal bulldozer on a mission to level the world.
Formed in 2021 in Chicago, Illinois, this trio of dogged diehards have swiftly mutated into one of the heaviest and most distinctive bands in the modern death metal scene. Poised to release their debut album, vocalist/guitarist Gene Marino, bassist Will Lindsay (ex-Indian/Middian) and drummer James Farn were always determined to forge their own path through the underground.
“It really started with our obsession with Bolt Thrower and how a lot of bands didn’t have that same vibe. ‘Low-speed whiplash’ was the term that was kicked around at first that we stuck to a lot. Being a three-piece has also really become a big part of what we are aiming for. Less is more, always.”
For those that crave the arcane magic of old school death metal, Primal Code are already speaking your language. Inspired by the grotesque greats of the ‘90s, from Death and Obituary to Napalm Death and Skinless, the Chicagoan trio have conjured something unique and refreshingly foul. After one demo, one EP (2023’s Subliminal Master) and a split release (with thrashcore crew The Gavel), they signed a deal with esteemed underground imprint Relapse Records, and began work on their first full-length album.
And here it is: Opaque Fixation. On what is an exhilarating and remarkable debut, Primal Code slam down a new blueprint for abominable aggression, crushing everything in their path with militant, mid-paced brutality. Recorded at Bricktop Studios in their hometown, feral anthems like Anapsid, Totem and Extinction gi | +1 | |
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6 íîÿ 2024
THY KINGDOM WILL BURN To Release The Loss And Redemption Album In January
 Thy Kingdom Will Burn will release the new album, The Loss And Redemption, on January 17 via Scarlet Records.
After establishing themselves as one of the most interesting new bands of the Finnish melodic death metal scene with the first two records, Thy Kingdom Will Burn has definitely found a peculiar, moving voice.
The Loss And Redemption is by far their most personal work: musically-wise, the album is massive, pitch-black dark, and beautifully melancholic at the same time – once again the guys have pushed themselves to the next level as songwriters and musicians. The lyrics deal with loneliness and longing to escape the chaos of modern life – something we can all easily identify with.
Thy Kingdom Will Burn are magnificent torchbearers of darkness & light, gloom & hope, in that quite unique Finnish fashion.
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Juho Räihä at Inka Studio, and graced by the stunning artwork of Spanish maestro Alvaro Valverde, The Loss And Redemption will be released in the following formats:
- jewel case CD
- digital
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6 íîÿ 2024
GIRISH AND THE CHRONICLES Return With New Single "Kaal"; Music Video Streaming
 Indian rockers, Girish And The Chronicles, are thrilled to unveil their new single and accompanying video, “Kaal”, out now via Frontiers Music Srl. Stream/download the single here, and watch a music video below.
The track represents a first for the band, featuring a chorus sung in Nepalese. It is a heavy song, a little different from the band’s usual sound, aiming to tap into a new audience that listens to Nepali Rock/Metal music.
The band is also currently on their Re-Ignition Tour 2024, which started in Trollhättan, Sweden, on October 25 and will end in Troon, UK, on November 30. They are also set to perform at the oldest and one of the biggest Rock fests in India, Mahindra Independence Rock, to be held in the city of Mumbai.
Girish Pradhan comments on the new single, by saying: “I know I would eventually sing in my Native language of Nepali, some day, but I had no clue it would come about this way. 'Kaal', which also translates to 'The End/Doom' etc, is a musical force. We wanted to try out a different sound for a change. We wanted it to be raw, both sonically and visually. While we know there may be some folks out there, for whom it’s not a wise idea to divert away from a style that has been working fairly well for us, we also feel it is extremely important to keep experimenting and exploring.”
“GATC has never been about a particular sound. We have always been so much more than that, and our true fans over the years have always known that. Either way, it’s a banger and there’s no way one can escape the sonic punch they’re about to receive. A big thanks to our label Frontiers Records for being understanding and supporting us on this venture!”, he adds.
Arguably one of the most prominent and influential bands in the melodic rock/metal genre for the past 10+ years in India, Girish And The Chronicles has been steadily gaining popularity and prominence globally as well. Critics and fans alike have labeled frontman Girish Pradhan as one of the best rock voices in the scene. The band has already gained a legendary status amongst rock enthusiasts, both old and new, within India.
Known for their dynamic songwriting style and energy-packed live performances, GATC has toured with, supported, featured as special guests, and shared festivals with the likes of Guns ‘N’ Roses, Skid Row, Alter Bridge, Nazareth, Kamelot, Bullet For My Valentine, Poets Of The Fall, TesseracT, Hoobastank, and more.
Being the only band from their ho | 0 | |
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6 íîÿ 2024
MUSHROOMHEAD's STEVE 'SKINNY' FELTON: Telling People They Can't Use Their Phones At Concerts 'Isn't Cool'
 In a new interview with Cassius Morris, Steve "Skinny" Felton, drummer and founder of Cleveland theatrical art-metal ensemble MUSHROOMHEAD, was asked about the use of technology like Yondr at concerts, where fans are able to place their phones in a pouch that unlocks only after they leave the no-cell-phone zone. The pouch can also be unlocked at specific cell phone stations inside the venue. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We actually did that at a show. We had a show to celebrate our album 'Superbuick', and it was a limited number of tickets and there was like a dress code. Everyone had to wear a suit and tie at the very least; it was one of those type of events. And then we just asked everyone to put their phones away and please do not take pictures, just enjoy the show, please. And, man, it was amazing how many people just went with it. And there weren't phones out. There's not even a lot of pictures online of that event because people, they really wanted to experience that. Now doing that every time or just telling people what to do in general isn't cool, I don't think. People wanna do what they wanna do. They have a right to get on their phone if they want. Even at a full show, if you can manage to put it down for three songs and just enjoy yourself, I highly recommend it."
Last month, GHOST announced that the band's 2025 tour will be a phone-free experience. Phones will be secured in Yondr pouches. Guests maintain possession of their phones at all times.
Phones, Apple watches and other communication devices are placed in the pouch and sealed using a magnetized lock, which can be opened with an unlocking base.
Back in May 2018, GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna spoke out against cell-phone use at concerts, saying that there's "something really magical that happens when" you are not experiencing live performances through a "little four-inch screen."
A number of other musicians have come out in recent years to say that mobile technology is ruining the concert experience, including SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR singer Corey Taylor. He told "Loudwire Nights" that "it's fine" if people want to take pictures of his bands' shows, but not so much if they are videotaping entire performances. "It's one thing to film it, it's another thing to just be staring at your screen while you're filming it," he said. "It's right there. Are you so terrified of real life that you can't do anything unless it's on that little four-by-four screen? Ugggh. It's very weird."
Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach in 2015 urged fans to keep their cell phones at the bottom of their pockets and just watch his performances. "Be in the moment," he said. "You're distracted and it's distracting to the performer as well. Like, put your fuckin' cell phone away, dammit! You're never even going to watch that footage."
The overuse of cellphones to capture grainy, blurry photos and videos at concerts has for years vexed and enraged artists like Bach, who lamented the fact that every one of his performances could be recorded and shared on YouTube almost immediately.
"If I go to a wedding and sing a song, it's on Blabbermouth the next day and everybody analyzes it," said Bach. "It's a really backwards way to watch a band. It's a drag sometimes when I go up there and the first thing I see is everybody getting their phones out and holding them toward my face. It makes you feel intimidated."
Back in 2012, Bruce Dickinson chastised a fan for texting during an IRON MAIDEN concert, calling him a "wanker."
When Axl Rose reunited with his former GUNS N' ROSES bandmates, Duff McKagan and Slash, for the first time in 23 years at the Troubadour in Los Angeles in April 2016, the concert was phone-free. | +2 | |
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6 íîÿ 2024
QUEENSRŸCHE Is Hoping To Enter Studio In 2025 To Record Next Album
 In a new interview with David Glessner of San Antonio Express-News, QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton spoke about a possible follow-up to the band's 2022 album "Digital Noise Alliance". He said: "Yeah, we're gonna have to step up our game after the success of 'Digital Noise Alliance'. We've been doing tons of touring, so we have to figure out when we're going to do the next [album]. We've been throwing around demo ideas and writing on the road and whenever we have breaks at home. We're hoping to possibly get into the studio next year sometime.
"We're always thinking about what we're going to do next, but people don't buy CDs and records anymore, so you make your living on the road," he added.
QUEENSRŸCHE is performing the band's 1983 EP and 1984's "The Warning" album in their entirety as part of "The Origins Tour".
"Digital Noise Alliance" came out in October 2022 via Century Media. The record was once again helmed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who previously worked with QUEENSRŸCHE on 2015's "Condition Hüman" and 2019's "The Verdict" LPs.
Guitarist Mike Stone, who rejoined QUEENSRŸCHE in 2021, contributed guitar solos to the band's latest studio album.
Since late May 2021, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July 2021 that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."
Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group.
For the past seven and a half years, drummer Casey Grillo has been filling in for original QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield, who stepped away from the band's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son.
In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against Wilton and bassist Eddie Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Wilton and Jackson filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit. That dispute has since been settled out of court. | +1 | |
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6 íîÿ 2024
CHARLOTTE WESSELS On Her Exit From DELAIN: 'It's Frustrating To Me That We Couldn't Work It Out'
 In a recent interview with Scott Penfold of Loaded Radio, former DELAIN frontwoman Charlotte Wessels was asked about the circumstances that led to her 2021 departure from the band. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There was a conflict and we couldn't overcome it. That's a very short version of it. I've never really gone into detail about it, and I still don't really feel about going into detail about it. The thing that I will say is we spent a lot of time trying to work things out. We were already putting much energy in that before we kind of got to the conflict where it was hard to come back from. But, yeah, especially since the pandemic happened, we had no gigs. We had all the time in the world to think, like, 'Okay, what are we going to do? Will we be able to solve this?' And we took a very long time. And in the end, the answer was no. There was no solution that we could find where we would continue in that way. And a part of me — it's such a big part of my life, and I'm very happy, I'm very proud with what we did in that time. So it's frustrating to me that we couldn't work it out. The thing that kind of comforts me is the fact that we did take so much time to explore all the different possibilities, like, could we make this work? Yeah, I don't feel like there was really another option. So that's why."
Asked if she still keeps in touch with DELAIN keyboardist, founder and main songwriter Martijn Westerholt, Charlotte said: "I ran into him at one point, but there's been no contact otherwise. And I think right after it, there's been some contact here and there, but that was about it."
Back in September 2022, Wessels was asked by Spain's The Metal Circus TV how she feels about the fact that DELAIN made a comeback with a new lineup. A month earlier, DELAIN released a single, "The Quest And The Curse", featuring Westerholt alongside new singer Diana Leah, original guitarist Ronald Landa and original drummer Sander Zoer, plus bassist Ludovico Cioffi. Charlotte said: "I'm trying not to engage with it too much, honestly. I've seen positive responses about it, which I think is good. But I do try to keep some distance and just focus on what I'm doing rather than checking that out, because I still don't feel like that will make me happier per se."
In February 2021, Westerholt announced the dissolution of DELAIN's previous lineup. At the time, he explained: "For the last year or so, the collaboration within the band ceased to work as well as it once had. Some of us were no longer happy with the current roles in the band. We all tried very hard to find a solution for over a year, but sadly we were unable to find one. As a result, we will all be going our own ways and pursuing our own endeavors.
"I am very sad our cooperation has come to end, but at the same time I am very grateful for all the years we were able to work together. Together we toured the world, shared highs and lows, and met with many successes as well as times that pushed us to learn and grow. We all enjoyed meeting our fans and making new friends all over the globe."
At the time, Wessels said about her departure: "I know that you might have questions about the 'why' in all of this. I fully understand and respect that. Simply put, it is the sad conclusion of more than a year of trying to find solutions to built-up grievances. Part of me feels like I'm letting all of you down, I'd like you to know that this decision was not taken lightly and I apologize to those of you who had high hopes of seeing all of us together live on stage again after lockdown. Until recently, I thought this might still be in the cards for us as well."
The new DELAIN lineup made its official live debut in August 2022 at the Riverside festival in Aarburg, Switzerland.
Wessels's new solo album, "The Obsession", came out in September via Napalm Records. | 0 | |
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6 íîÿ 2024
DELAIN Shares New Song 'The Reaping' From Upcoming 'Dance With The Devil' EP
 Melodic synth-metal masters DELAIN are set to break new ground with their upcoming EP, "Dance With The Devil", due on November 8 via Napalm Records. Following the success of their latest full-length opus, 2023's "Dark Waters", which debuted at No. 9 on both the U.S. Hard Music Albums chart and the official German album chart — this EP promises to showcase the best of DELAIN's discography while striding ahead into a future that promises to explore new, more synth-driven soundscapes than ever before.
The latest single from "Dance With The Devil" is "The Reaping", a gripping track which acts as a whirlwind of emotions articulating feelings of foreboding and sorrow through catchy electronic synth melodies and modern heaviness. It delves into collective themes, expressing disillusionment with the current path of society toward imminent and inescapable consequences. "The Reaping" is now available on all streaming services worldwide and comes along with an electrifying official music video, underlining this exceptional track with stunning high-quality visuals.
DELAIN founding member and band mastermind Martijn Westerholt states about "The Reaping": "'The Reaping' is a very expressive song with a serious subject — where the world/society is heading and metaphorical storms on the horizon. Musically the song can be recognized as a typical DELAIN song filled with heavy guitars, but also with the very recognizable '80s synth elements DELAIN is known for."
As their second release with a revitalized lineup anchored by Westerholt, "Dance With The Devil" features a thrilling collection of two brand new tracks, two newly presented favorites, nine electrifying live performances, and two instrumental bonus tracks, showcasing the best of their catchy, melodic signature sound with extensive electronic synth elements and fresh modern nuances.
The offering debuts with two gripping new tracks, "Dance With The Devil" and "The Reaping", serving as a whirlwind of emotions articulating feelings of anger and sorrow through catchy electronic synth melodies and modern heaviness. "The Reaping" delves into collective themes, expressing disillusionment with the current path of society toward imminent and inescapable consequences. Following these, the EP presents a brand-new version of "Sleepwalkers Dream", showcasing Diana Leah's voice and her breathtaking full vocal capacities. "Dance With The Devil" continues with nine live performances, featuring massively streamed hits from both the present and the past. These include "Burning Bridges", "The Quest And The Curse", "Moth To A Flame" and the massive hit "April Rain", which has been streamed over 10 million times, along with "Queen Of Shadow". In addition, the digipak edition features instrumental versions of "Dance With The Devil" and "The Reaping", as well as an alternate ending version of "Underland". DELAIN's new EP impressively underlines the unit's high-class standing in the scene and continues their voyage of setting fans' hearts ablaze!
Westerholt previously said: "We're thrilled to have brand new material ready to be released! In addition to the new songs, it was fantastic to have captured some magical live moments of our European tour earlier this year as live tracks for the EP. We're definitely very excited for this release and are really looking forward to bringing the new music to the stage!"
"Dance With The Devil" track listing:
01. Dance With The Devil
02. The Reaping
03. Sleepwalkers Dream (2024 version)
04. The Cold (live)
05. Burning Bridges (live)
06. The Quest And The Curse (live)
07. April Rain (live)
08. Invidia (live)
09. Queen Of Shadow (live featuring Paolo Ribaldini)
10. Your Body Is A Battleground (live featuring Paolo Ribaldini)
11. Moth To A Flame (live)
12. Control The Storm (live featuring Paolo Ribaldini)
13. Dance With The Devil (instrumental)
14. The Reaping (instrumental)
15. Underland (alternate ending version)
DELAIN is:
Martijn Westerholt - keyboards
Diana Leah - vocals
Ronald Landa - guitars and backing vocals
Ludovico Cioffi – bass and backing vocals
Sander Zoer - drums
Photo credit: Tim Tronckoe
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6 íîÿ 2024
SEBASTIAN BACH Officially Endorses KAMALA HARRIS In Presidential Race Against DONALD TRUMP
 Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris over Republican Donald Trump for president.
Earlier today (Tuesday, November 5),Sebastian shared a photo of him wearing a Harris Walz '24 cap, and he included the following message: "We Officially Endorse @kamalaharris as President of the United States 🇺🇸#freedom #futureofyouth".
Three months ago, Bach was asked by Ultimate Classic Rock if his social media post in which he said was "endorsing Taylor Swift" could be taken as his own endorsement of Harris, since the pop superstar herself publicly endorsed the Democratic presidential candidate following the September presidential debate. Bach responded: "You know, I don't tell people what to do, but I will say that if we don't have democracy, we don't have anything. So there, I just said it. [Laughs]"
He continued: "People say, 'You're alienating your audience.' When I say things like that, I gain, like, 40,000 fucking followers! So this whole 'Don't alienate people' — there's only side that is fucking alienating people! There's only one! The other one is actually uniting people. So spare me, 'Oh, he's losing 50% of his audience.' I don't want that 50%, so fuck off! That 50% is not cool enough to listen to Sebastian Bach, so go fuck yourself."
Elaborating on why he feels a need to speak up, Sebastian said: "I just have a problem when I hear people say, 'I don't want musicians to say what they believe in. Just shut up and sing.' Well, I've got two words for you: BLACK SABBATH. When I listen to a song like 'War Pigs', I couldn't think of a more political lyric of any music there is in life than that fucking song. 'Generals gathered in their masses / Just like witches at black masses.' I mean, to me, that's saying, 'Fuck these assholes!'
"I feel that at times like these, there's too much at stake to be silent," he added. "To be silent is to be complicit. For every fucking Ted Nugent out there, there is a Sebastian Bach, and I'm fine with that. I'm good with that. You go say what you want to say, and I'm gonna say what I want to say."
Bach frequently criticized Donald Trump's policies in interviews and on Twitter during the former U.S. president's time in office. In July 2020, he told Esquire that he missed "smarts" in the White House. "I can't watch footage of JFK from 1962," he said. "I can't even watch that shit because I'll cry. Because motherfucker is so cool and so smart and hates racism. And then we have this fucking jackass. And it's just not fair to the country. I put Barack Obama in the same category. When I watch him speak, it rips my heart out because he makes you feel safe."
In August 2019, Sebastian lambasted America's 45th president, then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, then-Vice President Mike Pence and other Republican leaders for their inaction on gun regulation. A month earlier, Bach made headlines when he said that he "would do a better job" running the county than Trump.
In a 2018 interview with TheRecord.com, Sebastian revealed that he voted for Hilary Clinton in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, saying, "I don't understand how anybody would accept a reality show host as president instead of a politician. It's insanity. It's like starting a band and your first show is at Toronto SkyDome. You gotta build up to it."
In March 2020, at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Bach wrote: "Our reality TV show host leader is a petulant little baby who doesn't believe in science when it's science and science only that will get us out of this science fiction novel. He is killing us." Bach later tweeted that Trump supporters are "complete fucking idiots" and claimed that "only a moron would vote for Donald Trump" in that year's presidential election.
In July 2020, Bach tweeted, "If you support Donald Trump you stand against rock 'n' roll".
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6 íîÿ 2024
SLIPKNOT's M. SHAWN CRAHAN Says He Misses PAUL GRAY And JOEY JORDISON: 'Those Are My Brothers'
 In a new interview with Vulture, SLIPKNOT co-founder and percussionist M. Shawn Crahan (a.k.a. Clown) was asked to name a song that reminds him of his late bandmates Paul Gray (bass) and Joey Jordison (drums). He said: "I miss them. You know, it's too much. I feel bad even doing interviews about our 25th anniversary because most of it lives with them. Their contributions to my life are incomprehensible. Yet here I am. It's really hard for me. I don't like that they don't get to talk. They are the two people you should be talking to right now. Now it's all memory. And, you know, not that many people try to take Paul from me but a lot of people try to take Joey from me because of the circumstances. But none of the band ever talk about that. Why would we? That's our brother. It's hard today because so many people have all these opinions on what Joey's thoughts might have been of me. A lot of humans like to tell you exactly what they know that I don't know. All I can tell you is that those are my brothers, and, love me or hate me, it doesn't matter. We did some shit."
He continued: "Whenever we play 'Vermillion', I think of Paul. I just remember him upstairs in the mansion whittling away at that song for weeks. He was a genius. And Joey, God, it's just about everything. Right now we're playing 'Scissors' and you can only play that song with his kind of ability, and we haven't been there for a long, long time. We're finally back there. It was a song where he'd really just go off. But even a song like 'Spit It Out', the way Joey demanded the attention in that song. He was like the conductor — everyone paid attention to him. I miss that."
Jordinson died "peacefully in his sleep" in July 2021 of an unspecified cause. He was 46 years old.
SLIPKNOT announced its split with Jordison in December 2013 but did not disclose the reasons for his exit. The drummer subsequently issued a statement saying that he did not quit the group.
Jordison and the members of SLIPKNOT had been silent and evasive about the reasons for his dismissal from the band, but Joey finally spoke about it in 2016 while accepting an award at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards in London, England.
At the time, Joey claimed that he was fired from SLIPKNOT without a band meeting or "anything from management." He said: "All I got was a stupid fucking e-mail saying I was out of the band that I busted my ass my whole life to fucking create. That's exactly what happened and it was hurtful. I didn't deserve that shit after what I'd done and everything I'd been through.
"They got confused about my health issues and obviously even I didn't know what it was at first," he continued. "They thought I was fucked up on drugs, which I wasn't at all.
"I've been through so many things with those guys and I love them very much. What's hurtful is the way it went down was not fucking right. That's all I want to say. The way they did it was fucking cowardly. It was fucked up."
Back in 2014, SLIPKNOT singer Corey Taylor told Metal Hammer that firing Jordison after 18 years was "one of the hardest decisions" the group ever made, adding that Joey is "in a place in his life" which is "not where we are."
Gray was found dead on May 24, 2010 after overdosing on drugs in a hotel room in a suburb of Des Moines, Iowa, where he and SLIPKNOT were based. His family blamed the death on a Des Moines pain doctor, Daniel Baldi, who had treated Gray for years, and sued the doctor and his former employers.
Paul's wife, Brenna Gray, testified during Baldi's trial that she tried reaching out to some of Paul's bandmates in SLIPKNOT just days prior to the bassist's death but that none of them wanted to get involved. She revealed, "One was playing golf two minutes away from our house but couldn't come. Nobody else cared, nobody was involved. They told me it was my problem."
Brenna said in a 2011 interview with Revolver that her husband had agreed to get help for his drug problem just one day before he died.
After a lengthy hiatus, SLIPKNOT resumed touring in 2011, with Donnie Steele playing bass live. The band in 2014 secured the services of British musician Alessandro "Vman" Venturella to play bass on tour and in the studio.
Paul was 38 years old at the time of his death.
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6 íîÿ 2024
Watch: DREAM THEATER Performs In Prague During 40th-Anniversary Tour
 Fan-filmed video of DREAM THEATER's November 2 concert at at Sportovní Hala Fortuna in Prague, Czech Republic can be seen below.
The progressive metal legends played their first concert with Mike Portnoy in 14 years on October 20 at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom.
The drummer co-founded DREAM THEATER in 1985 with guitarist John Petrucci and bassist John Myung. Mike played on 10 DREAM THEATER albums over a 20-year period, from 1989's "When Dream And Day Unite" through 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", before exiting the group in 2010. Portnoy returned to DREAM THEATER in October 2023 after being replaced by Mike Mangini, who played with DREAM THEATER across five studio albums and accompanying world tours.
London marked the kick-off concert of DREAM THEATER's 2024-2025 40th-anniversary tour. The European leg of the trek — presented as "An Evening With Dream Theater" — will run through November 24 in Amsterdam, hitting cities in numerous countries along the way.
The setlist for all the shows on DREAM THEATER's 40th-anniversary tour so far has been as follows, according to Setlist.fm:
Act I
01. Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle And The Sleeper (first time since 2017)
02. Act I: Scene Two: I. Overture 1928
03. Act I: Scene Two: II. Strange Déjà Vu
04. The Mirror (first time since 2014, with "Lie" outro)
05. Panic Attack (first time since 2015)
06. Barstool Warrior (first time with Mike Portnoy)
07. Hollow Years (first time since 2010; demo version)
08. Constant Motion (first time since 2015)
09. As I Am (first time since 2019)
Act II
10. Night Terror (live debut)
11. This Is The Life (first time since 2012, first time with Mike Portnoy)
12. Under A Glass Moon (first time since 2017)
13. Vacant (first time since 2006)
14. Stream Of Consciousness (first time since 2004)
15. Octavarium (first time in full since 2006)
Encore:
16. Act II: Scene Six: Home
17. Act II: Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On
18. Pull Me Under
In a new interview with Jorge Botas of Portugal's Metal Global, DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy spoke about what it was like to perform live again with the band after 14 years. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I said it to the guys right after the [first] show [of the tour in London on October 20], it's, like, 'We can all take a deep breath now and now we can start to have fun.' The first show was just so intense that even during the show, it just was a lot of concentration and there was so much expectations. And so now with that out of the way, we can actually take a deep breath and now start to enjoy it."
Asked if he was nervous before taking the stage in London, Mike said: "I'll admit — I was. I never, ever get nervous before a show, but it was nerve-racking. My first time back with the guys in, I guess, 14 years live, plus such a massive venue and so much expectations and focus on us that we knew we'd be under the microscope. So, yeah, it was actually nerve-racking."
Regarding whether the setlist for DREAM THEATER's 40th-anniversary tour will change as the tour progresses, Portnoy said: "Back in in my first tenure, I used to love changing the setlist every single night — not only to keep it interesting for the fans, but to keep it interesting for us as well, having been doing it for 25 years at that point before I left. So, that is something that I know is very special for the band and for the fans. But with me coming back now, we wanna get our tour legs back first. So the setlist will be what it is now for a little while. And then once everybody's comfortable, then we'll start to experiment and then I'll start to really get creative and start fucking with it. For the moment and for the the next little while, this is the setlist."
As for his mindset in picking the songs for the 40th-anniversary-tour setlist, Mike said: "I wanted to have a setlist that almost felt like a greatest-hits show. Not that we have a lot of hits, but ones that you know are popular, ones that you know that are always crowd pleasers. You always know which ones get the most energy, and we wanted to have a show that kind of represented the whole career of the band. It's impossible to cover every album, so that was never gonna be possible. We did that on the 20th-anniversary tour, but that was 20 years; there was eight albums to choose from. Now it's 16. So we can't possibly cover every album, but at least wanted to cover all of the different eras and throw in some surprises in there as well, a combination of both."
Portnoy co-founded DREAM THEATER in 1985 with guitarist John Petrucci and bassist John Myung. Mike played on 10 DREAM THEATER albums over a 20-year period, from 1989's "When Dream And Day Unite" through 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", before exiting the group in 2010. Portnoy returned to DREAM THEATER in October 2023 after being replaced by Mike Mangini, who played with DREAM THEATER across five studio albums and accompanying world tours.
In an interview with Chile's Sonar FM, Portnoy was asked if he missed playing with DREAM THEATER during his time away from the group. He responded: "Well, of course, I always missed DREAM THEATER and the music and the guys and the fans. Not all DREAM THEATER fans went on the ride with me with all of my other bands. So, every time I would tour with SONS OF APOLLO or WINERY DOGS or SHATTERED FORTRESS or NEAL MORSE BAND, I would see someDREAM THEATER fans, but there's a big portion of the fanbase that wasn't with me for all those years. So yeah, I missed them and I missed the guys and I missed the music. We were always a family first and foremost."
Regarding the fact that he is once again in charge of coming up with the setlists for DREAM THEATER's live shows, Mike said: "Yeah, it's an area that was always my department and my passion. I always wrote all the setlists for DREAM THEATER, as well as any of my bands or projects. That's an area that's very important to me. And yeah, when I came back to DREAM THEATER, a lot of the things we have to figure out who's gonna be in charge of what. There's a lot of areas that I used to be in charge of, which now John [Petrucci, DREAM THEATER guitarist] may do, or maybe the band makes band decisions. So I have to kind of find my place within the band's chemistry now. But yeah, one of the things that they did give back to me was the setlist and writing the setlist. So yeah, it was something that was a lot of fun and exciting — a great open palette to work with, really. 40 years of music, and I haven't played any of this music with the guys in almost 15 years. So it's all so fresh. Back in 2010, I might have been bored with it, but now in 2024, I'm just as excited to play those songs as any of 'em."
On the topic of how different it is to play with DREAM THEATER in 2024 compared to how it was 14 years ago, Mike said: "There's two sides to that question. The first I'll say, personally, I think we're just all older and wiser, more mellow. I am not as much of a control freak as I used to be; I'm a lot more easygoing, a lot more mellow. So, yeah, there's the one side of the natural age of everybody just — we're now in our fifties and sixties, and I think we're just more mature and experienced. But the other side to that question is, like I just mentioned, finding my place within this new chemistry and overseeing every area. And then when I left the band, they needed to take some of these areas and divide them up amongst themselves and have different people overseeing different areas. And now that I'm coming back, I have to kind of see what's comfortable. I have to very much respect that they've had 13 years without me and they may do things a certain way differently now. So it's up to me to really be very respectful to that and not try to force myself in any of the areas. So anytime something comes up, whether we're talking about a setlist or the merchandise or how they wanna record in the studio, no matter what the subject is, it's always now, like, 'Okay, well, how do you guys do it now? How do you want me involved? Do you want me to oversee it? Do you want me to stay out of it? That's fine too.' And it's kind of like a learning process to find myself comfortable with the way that the band works now."
Portnoy recently told the "So...You Want To Be A Musician?" podcast about his mindset when rejoining DREAM THEATER: "At our ages, we realized when we decided to reunite and get back together, I'd be lying if I didn't say we didn't start to look in the mirror and look at the clock and say, who knows how much time we have left? The clock is ticking, and we realize we're not gonna be here forever. And we wanna spend whatever time we have left together making music with the people that we grew up with and the people that we love. So, yeah, that's kind of where we're at at this stage."
Portnoy admitted to Mariskal Rock that he "needed to get used to was being the 'new guy'" after rejoining DREAM THEATER, "being the new guy in a band that I helped form when I was a teenager. So it's a bit of a transition for me to go from being a bit of the leader, as I was back when I left the band, now I have to kind of find my way back into the chemistry and I need to respect the fact that they've been doing this for 13 years without me and they have maybe new ways of doing things, new ways of making decisions," he explained. "So … I have had to be very respectful for my role as the new guy and finding my way back into the chemistry of the band."
DREAM THEATER will release its sixteenth studio album, "Parasomnia", on February 7, 2025 via InsideOut Music. The LP marks the band's first release with Portnoy since 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings".
"Parasomnia" was produced by guitarist John Petrucci, engineered by James "Jimmy T" Meslin, and mixed by Andy Sneap. Hugh Syme returns once again to lend his creative vision to the cover art.
The first single, "Night Terror", is a musical thrill ride captured in the just shy of ten minutes listening experience. A music video for the song — directed by Mike Leonard — is now available.
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Richie Kotzen
