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3 îêò 2024
MIKE PORTNOY Gets 'Goosebumps' Thinking About His Upcoming First Concert With DREAM THEATER In 14 Years
 Mike Portnoy says that he gets "goosebumps" thinking about his upcoming first concert with DREAM THEATER in 14 years.
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.
Regarding what it has been like rehearsing and recording with DREAM THEATER again, Mike told Spencer Kaufman of Consequence: "On a personal level, it's been incredible. I couldn't be happier to be back home with my family. We started this band as teenagers almost 40 years ago. And, really, everything about it feels right. It feels like this is where I should be and need to be and want to be."
He continued: "However, it is surreal that it's been almost a year now, and yet the public has yet to really see the five of us … I was on tour with THE WINERY DOGS, and we weren't even together when we decided to come together. And then when we finally did come together in February of this year to start the album, we've been in the studio all year. We've spent this entire year together, but the public still has yet to hear any music, see a show, really see any footage of us together. So it's been really hard to keep a lid on all that, to keep it all as top secret as we have."
The drummer added, "We have the tour coming up, which is incredibly exciting. And very soon we're going to start launching more information with the album … So, it's all starting to finally come together, but it's weird because we've been together for almost a year now, but finally the public unveiling is beginning."
Portnoy went on to say that he "can't wait" for his first show back with DREAM THEATER, which will take place on October 20 at the O2 in London, United Kingdom. "I get goosebumps even thinking about it," he said. "I think every night for the next year, every night that it's the first time in any place — whether it be Detroit or Paris or Tokyo, wherever it is, the first night in every one of these markets for the next year — is going to be incredibly electric and special for everybody in the audience. Whether they be fans who haven't seen this lineup now in almost 15 years or new people that never got to see this lineup before, it's going to be special each and every night. But that very first night at the O2 Arena in London, I can't even imagine what it's going to be like. I've dreamt about it 100 times, through the years, of what it would be like to be onstage with those guys again. And to feel the interaction and the love and the excitement in the audience, it's going to be so electric. I can't wait. I cannot wait. And we're now getting so close. It's going to be incredible."
DREAM THEATER's 2024-2025 40th-anniversary tour will kick off with a European leg this fall. The outing — presented as "An Evening With Dream Theater" — will launch on October 20 in London and run through November 24 in Amsterdam, hitting cities in numerous European countries along the way.
DREAM THEATER recently spent time in the studio recording the band's sixteenth album. The upcoming effort will mark the progressive metal legends' first LP since Portnoy's return to the group.
Mangini joined DREAM THEATER in late 2010 through a widely publicized audition following the departure of Portnoy. Mangini beat out six other of the world's top drummers — Marco Minnemann, Virgil Donati, Aquiles Priester, Thomas Lang, Peter Wildoer and Derek Roddy — for the gig, a three-day process that was filmed for a documentary-style reality show called "The Spirit Carries On".
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 also talked about DREAM THEATER's upcoming sixteenth album, which is tentatively due in early 2025. He said: "We started the new album in February of this year, and we figured that was about 15 years since we last made a record together with 'Black Clouds & Silver Linings' in 2009. So we got together — February 7th, 2024, I think is when we moved into the studio to begin — and it felt like it had only been one week since we finished 'The Count Of Tuscany' and wrapped the last album. It felt like it was only one week. It felt like only a week had passed. Like, okay, here we are 15 years later, but it felt like just yesterday. That's how familiar and comfortable the chemistry is with the five of us. We immediately felt comfortable, like not a day had passed, and immediately started writing ideas and bouncing ideas off of each other. And it just quickly snowballed and we were up and running and off and going."
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."
This past June, Portnoy was asked by Brazil's Marcelo Vieira and Matheus Ribeiro if DREAM THEATER's upcoming sixteenth studio album picks up from where the last DT LP he played on, 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", left off or if it's a different thing entirely. He responded: "If I'm being honest, I think it picks up right where 'Black Clouds' left off, to be honest. There's a certain style that the five of us have when we write together. And if you listen to the album with this lineup from 1999, '[Metropolis Pt. 2:] Scenes From A Memory', through 2009's 'Black Clouds & Silver Linings', if you look at that string of five or six albums, that's the sound and style of these five people. So I think that's a good indication of what you can expect with the new DREAM THEATER album. It definitely sounds like classic DREAM THEATER."
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3 îêò 2024
See ARCH ENEMY's ALISSA WHITE-GLUZ In KAT VON D's 'I Am A Machine' Music Video
 Multi-talented singer, songwriter and artist Kat Von D has released a new music video for "I Am A Machine", which features ARCH ENEMY vocalist Alissa White-Gluz, and is included on Kat Von D's just-released album "My Side Of The Mountain". The music video was directed by Vincente Cordero (JINJER, CRADLE OF FILTH, SUICIDE SILENCE).
Kat Von D says: "I've been such a huge fan of ARCH ENEMY for so long, it's been a dream come true getting to create music with Alissa. I was actually nervous about even asking her to sing on one of my songs, considering I make more dark, electronic music and not metal, but was so happy/relieved when she agreed to be a part of this album. She's one of the most talented friends I have. Getting to record her massive vocal range in person was beyond inspiring."
"I Am A Machine" was penned by Kat Von D with acclaimed Los Angeles songwriter Ferras (Dua Lipa, Katy Perry, Adam Lambert). Kat Von D's music is a unique blend of disco goth with influences drawing from synthwave, new wave, and post-punk, creating an iconic electronic sound reminiscent of the 1980s. Her lyrics, inspired by her experiences of love, darkness, and vulnerability, aim to captivate listeners with a mesmerizing musical style that seduces with its ethereal and romantically macabre charm. Fans around the world have been drawn to Kat's unforgettable and evolving brand of music.
From revolutionizing the tattoo industry to starring in hit TV shows, writing best-selling books, and creating a beauty empire, Kat Von D has done it all. But before all of that, her first love was music. She poured her heart into melodies and songwriting, an interest that predates her fame in tattoos and makeup. With a background in classical music and an eclectic appreciation for different genres, it's clear that music has always been her passion. Now, she's making waves in the goth/synthwave scene, and fans and critics love it.
Kat Von D's music has been featured by Billboard, US Weekly, Loudwire, Consequence, Flaunt magazine, Revolver magazine, and many others. "My Side Of The Mountain" follows the success of her debut album, "Love Made Me Do It", the "Exorcisms" EP, and her recent singles "Truth In Reverse", "Illusion", "Dead" and "Vampire Love". The critical praise her music has received, along with a growing musical fanbase, is a testament to its high caliber of songwriting and quality production, and it's no wonder she's not just a tattoo icon or makeup mogul — she's now a legit music powerhouse.
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3 îêò 2024
DROWNING POOL Shares Music Video For New Single 'Revolution (The Final Amen)'
 DROWNING POOL has released the official music video for the band's new single, "Revolution (The Final Amen)". The track was made available late last month via SBG Records. It marks the first piece of music founding DROWNING POOL guitarist C.J. Pierce and his longtime bandmates — drummer Mike Luce and bassist Stevie Benton — have completed with singer Ryan McCombs in 13 years.
The "Revolution (The Final Amen)" video was filmed at El Paso, Texas's Speaking Rock Entertainment Center.
Luce comments: "There's a short-list of places DROWNING POOL considers home away from home when we're on the road. Speaking Rock in El Paso, Texas is certainly one of the elite on that list. It's like a family reunion from the moment we get there.
"When plans started getting sorted to shoot a live video and Speaking Rock was on the schedule, it was one of those rare moments that the planets aligned," he continues. "We planned a sort of guerrilla-style, surprise video shoot in that we didn't announce it until the night before/day of, and the El Paso DP family did not disappoint. A very cool side note was that my nephew and some of his fellow soldiers from Ft. Bliss got in on the action as well. I think it's evident in the video that everyone from Caliber TV captured the energy that Speaking Rock delivers without fail."
Pierce adds: "We had such a great time filming the video for 'Revolution (The Final Amen)' in El Paso, surrounded by our fans, up close and personal, face to face. It was the first time we performed 'Revolution (The Final Amen)' live. The energy and intensity from the fans was beyond incredible."
In a recent interview with iHeart Radio personality Debbie Sexxton, Pierce stated about "Revolution (The Final Amen)": "Yeah, it was great working on the song together. It's the first one with all of us back with Ryan, and we spent a lot of time on it. We started on it, actually, beginning of last year. And just between touring and stuff like that, we weren't able to get it down yet. But the whole process, all of us working together, I mean, we literally sat down at a table and we all had different ideas and every one of us kind of approached the song in a different way. And then we came together as a band. It was just amazing. That sounds like a DROWNING POOL song. That's what we want it to sound like. It sounds like us with Ryan."
Regarding the lyrical themes covered in the new DROWNING POOL single, Pierce said: "We spent a lot of time trying different things out to make sure all the bases were covered and we came across with the message lyric-wise too. We had a couple of different rewrites and redrafts just to make sure the flow is right to get the point across. It's more of a general thing about what's going on now. We definitely need a big change — not specific to any country or government or religion as much as just as a whole. It's more [about] planet earth."
In August, Pierce told the "Thunder Underground" podcast about the musical direction of the new DROWNING POOL song: "I'm so excited, man. It just came out naturally. We never tried to write like a 'Bodies Part Two' or a 'Tear Away Part Two'. We just write what we feel at the time, and the excitement that we had and the energy we have with Ryan being back in the band, the song definitely has that vibe to it. It's in drop C [tuning], and I got a new wah pedal in the studio when I was doing the song. So I'm wah-pedaling all over just like on [DROWNING POOL's] 'Sinner' record. So it has that old-school vibe to it. The people that have heard it so far, that's what they relate it to. It's got that same type of energy. It's its own song and entity. But yeah, it's intense, man. It's a banger."
Asked if the idea is for DROWNING POOL to put out standalone singles going forward or if he and his bandmates are working on an album, C.J. said: "Well, we wanna put out some singles, and stuff that we're doing with Ryan. And yes, we wanna do a full-length record. But we have a lot of stuff coming up in the works. We just did a bunch of shows in Poland for our troops back in December and January. We did a 17-song jam and acoustic set. And I've always wanted to do that. And we kind of fell into it 'cause they asked us to do it over the holidays right before that happened. So it kind of threw us into acoustic mode, which we've never done. And I love the way that set came out. Some songs, they sound heavier, some songs sound a little different, some sound exactly the same, but acoustic style. So I wanna record that as a whole to get that out there. There's a handful of songs we're doing now with Ryan off [DROWNING POOL's] 'Desensitized' [album]. It's the 20-year anniversary. So we talked about re-recording a few songs with Ryan's voice on it since we do those now. And then we're coming up on the 25-year anniversary of the 'Sinner' record, so I've been putting a lot of stuff together with that, that we have with [original DROWNING POOL singer] Dave Williams. I have so much video and songs we did. And there's a couple of things and ideas we had with Dave I wouldn't mind doing with Ryan and making them solid as well. So there's a lot of stuff in the works, man, on top of writing new songs. So, we wanna get a couple of new things out so you can hear what we're doing with Ryan and then definitely wanna do a full-length record with him in the process of doing these other things. But the writing hasn't stopped, man. Since he's walked into my house last year, the ideas — I mean, it's been 13 years and a lot has happened to all of us in that time frame, and so there's a lot to write about, a lot to share, and it comes out through the music, dude. It's killer."
In July, McCombs was asked by 94 Rocks KFML's "The Dark" rock music program if the sound of the new DROWNING POOL material harkens back to what Ryan did with the band in the past, McCombs said: "It's C.J. It's Stevie. It's Mike. It's myself. We did a couple of really — not to toot our own horn — I think we did a couple really good albums back in the day. And we pick up right where we left off.
"I think the coolest thing about DROWNING POOL is it's really easy with DROWNING POOL to separate things with the singers, as far as eras go, but there's always been the DROWNING POOL sound," Ryan continued. "There's always been a certain aspect of just the tones and everything. So it's still just like it always has been — DROWNING POOL."
In June, Pierce told Scott Penfold of Loaded Radio that he and his DROWNING POOL bandmates are once again working with producer Shawn McGhee. "He has his own studio," C.J. explained. "We did the last record with him as well. We did [2022's] 'Strike A Nerve' [with him]. And he's just a great guy to work with. He's on the same page as us and a great friend and a great musician and a killer producer and mixer. So, we love working with Shawn. He really knows how to capture what we're trying to do, man. That's the kind of producer you want. We put him in a driver's seat and somebody you can trust to have that outside ear to take what we have already and elevate it."
Asked what fans can expect from the new DROWNING POOL music, Pierce said: "It just came out naturally. We just started writing. We were all excited to be together again. And we never try to be that kind of band to [go], like, 'Okay, let's write 'Bodies Part Two' or 'Sinner Part Two'. We just write what we feel. And then this came out naturally just to have that 'Sinner' record foundation with Ryan singing on it, man. It's probably the closest thing we've had that's like that, that's a good blend of us and Ryan and stuff from the Dave Williams days. And it came naturally and organically and, dude, it's slamming."
Regarding what it has been like having Ryan step back into the band and if that familiarity was there again, C.J. said: "Yeah, it was there like that and then some, man, 'cause we're all different people. And getting to know all of us, the new us — new and improved, hopefully.
"We just did the [Welcome To] Rockville festival, and just to see friends say that, 'cause people are just now seeing us with Ryan again," he continued. "[People are telling us], 'Man, I can just tell you guys are having so much fun with it. It's awesome to see you guys'. You can tell when a band's up there doing it for real. There's no going through motions with us. And we're having fun with it."
Six months ago, Pierce told Tulsa Music Stream about the new DROWNING POOL music: "It's the first time we have new music with Ryan McCombs in 13 years. And everything's organic and natural. We just started jamming and it just came out like that. It's not trying to push anything or any agenda. We just had this great writing relationship, and it was awesome to click like that again, especially with everybody in the band. Before we finish up the lyrics and all the singing, we're all sat down at the table and bounce ideas off each other to finetune the songs. It's awesome to work with my brothers like that, to have that kind of relationship where everybody has some input and say into it. So when the song comes out, all four of us love what we do with it."
Asked if he and his bandmates usually discuss where they want their new music to go or if they just generally stick to a tried-and-tested formula, Pierce said: "It's actually none of those things at all. Sorry. The answer is none of the above. I mean, some people, they approach it like that. I know some bands have the songwriter in the band or two guys writing everything, and some people don't. I love the fact that we all just get in a room and jam. It's a feeling thing. Music's expressing what's going on at the time. So, the way ideas usually come up with us in DROWNING POOL, it's just, 'Hey, man, I have this feeling, this idea. What do you think about this or this subject matter?' If something comes up, like, 'We should write something about that.' It's different. It's not really a set formula. We need to sound like this; we need to sound like that."
He continued: "It was unfortunate that we lost Dave Williams in 2002 from cardiomyopathy, but it also allowed us to work with other singers. They all have their own style and where they fit within the music Mike, Stevie and I write, So that was also fun. I wouldn't say challenge as much as just coming up with you feel and then see how it works with the strong points of the singer that's singing to it as well. So it just comes up. Everything's, again, whatever you feel at the time; that's what we write. It's never been trying to follow the trend, which is I'm fine with bands that do that or trying to fit in here and there. We try to keep it a hundred percent original."
Pierce added: "There's a few bands out there that have that formula — like AC/DC, as an example — and that works for them and that probably works for them to stick with it. With us, we've kind of been all over the board with, obviously, singer changes and stuff. But everybody knows 'Bodies'. And that's the core sound of what we have anyway. And the excitement of Ryan coming back in the band with the new songs that we have are equal to, if not more jamming than, 'Bodies'. And not intentional, like 'we have to like write a 'Bodies Part Two'' or another song [like that]. It's we just have that fire again. So it just comes out like that."
Earlier in April, Pierce spoke to Pierre Gutiérrez of Rock Talks about how the new DROWNING POOL music compares to "Strike A Nerve", the band's first record in seven years, which came out in September 2022 via T-Boy/UMe. It marked the band's third album with singer Jasen Moreno, who joined DROWNING POOL in 2012. Asked if the material is "more balanced" than "Strike A Nerve", C.J. said: "I wouldn't say more balanced. With Jasen Moreno on the last couple of records, we just started going up a heavy thing. Plus our career, just things that were going on at that time — I write what's going on in my life at the time; it's art, it's music — and just things were getting more intense with Jasen. Not just Jasen, but the music business, everything. So the music got intense as well, as you hear. And then with Ryan back in here, we still have that same intention, but Ryan brings a different kind of aspect and the delivery to the songs. There's definitely the style that we had on the two records we did with Ryan that's there, but we still have that heaviness going on as well. So it's definitely the heaviest stuff we've done with Ryan, for sure. So it's all heavy, brother. There's definitely a few songs that may be… We had '37 Stitches' and songs like that with Ryan. We have one or two songs that are kind of more in that mellow zone with him as well that we're working on. But, yeah, the last few records, we were pretty much just slamming, just full-on super-heavy stuff, man, which I enjoy as well. So you're gonna get a mix of it. I feel like with Ryan, we can get more of a mix of styles in there as well… It's intense, man. It's intense music. That's what we write."
McCombs played his first shows back with DROWNING POOL in March 2023 at Club L.A. in Destin, Florida and at the inaugural Throwdown At The Campground festival in Fruitland Park, Florida.
The longtime SOIL frontman, who has lived in Swindon, England since 2018, originally joined DROWNING POOL in 2005 and appeared on two of the band's studio albums, "Full Circle" (2007) and "Drowning Pool" (2010),as well as a live album, 2009's "Loudest Common Denominator". He rejoined SOIL after exiting DROWNING POOL in 2011.
McCombs is continuing to front SOIL and will carry on recording and performing with both bands.
DROWNING POOL's debut album, "Sinner", was certified platinum within six weeks of its release in 2001, while the CD's first single, "Bodies", was one of the most frequently aired videos on MTV by a new band. DROWNING POOL reached out to an ever-greater audience with dynamic performances at Wrestlemania XVIII and Ozzfest during the summers of 2001 and 2002. Unfortunately, their streak of success was not to last. Shortly after rousing the crowd at Ozzfest in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 3, 2002, vocalist Dave "Stage" Williams was found dead of natural causes on the tour bus.
Photo courtesy of O'Donnell Media Group | +1 | |
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3 îêò 2024
OVERKILL's D.D. VERNI Debuts "All You Need To Know" Lyric Video
 A couple months back, M-Theory Audio released the latest album, Dreadful Company, from Verni, better known as the solo project of infamous Overkill bass player, D.D. Verni. Verni allows D.D. the chance to step out and express himself without limitations revealing the depth of talent and influences that make up the legendary musician.
On Dreadful Company, D.D. wrote all the material, produced, and played all the bass, guitars and sang while enlisting the drumwork of former Overkill drummer Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, Category 7) and guest contributions on specific songs from members of Anthrax, Dope, Symphony X and Angel. It goes without saying this is a fun record, and D.D. focused on his punk rock roots drawing comparisons from everyone from Ramones, Misfits, Social Distortion to newer acts like Green Day. The songs are immediate, infectious and appealing to both fans of punk and metal.
To further evidence, check out the insanely catchy new video released today for “All You Need To Know” for more proof.
Dreadful Company is now in stores and online, or order direct | +1 | |
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3 îêò 2024
DEIVOS Streaming New Single “My Sacrifice”
 “My Sacrifice” is the newest single from Poland’s long-running death metal technicians Deivos. The song precedes the band’s devastating seventh studio full-length, Apophenia, nearing October release on Selfmadegod Records.
A hypnotically demolishing listening experience, Deivos’ Apophenia ruptures forth with nine new tracks. The album is void of filler, stacked end-to-end with breakneck transitions and bulldozing passages of technical but not overthought death metal that dismantles everything in its path.
Apophenia was captured across Poland throughout 2023, the drums engineered/recorded by Krzysztof Godycki at Roslyn Studio, the bass recorded at Kamil Home Studio, and the guitars and vocals recorded at Zed Studio where the album was mixed and mastered by Tomek Zalewski at Zed Studio in early 2024. The album’s intros and outros were created by Mścisław except the "Feretory" outro by Head.One.Beatz. The record features cover art by the late Mariusz Lewandowski (Mizmor, Bell Witch, Fuming Mouth), design and layout by Michał Kaczkowski, and photography by Marcin Studziński.
With the new song, Deivos vocalist Hubert Banach states, “‘My Sacrifice’ is about the things that are sacrificed for a false promise of a better life after death.”
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3 îêò 2024
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3 îêò 2024
MARC STORACE Says KROKUS Is 'Reborn', Six Years After Announcing Farewell Tour
 In a new interview with The Metal Voice, vocalist Marc Storace of Swiss hard rock legends KROKUS, who released his first solo album, "Live And Let Live", in late 2021, was asked if the group is "packing it up now", six years after he and his bandmates announced that they would embark on their "farewell" tour. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No, no, no, no. KROKUS is reborn. We all feel fresh again. We've had a really nice run and the feeling in the band is really harmonious. And I don't sense any bad vibes for doing my solo stuff, because they know I did it because I was in a lockdown situation and that's how it started and the ball kept on rolling. So it's something I'm doing not because I wanna leave KROKUS."
He continued: "KROKUS is my lifetime work; it's been my main baby since 1979, end of 1979, with a couple of breaks here and there. That happens in all bands, and we had so many musician changes and everything and ups and downs and troubles and lawsuits and all this. But we're still together because the music holds us together and our history holds us together. It's a sentimental thing. It's a brotherly love kind of thing without being cheesy about it, because we're not really like that. We don't meet up to go and drink a bottle of wine together or we don't really meet up outside working hours, if you like. I enjoy every time I have to drive down to Solothurn where the band comes from and do a rehearsal. And, yeah, it works. There's a nice team. The crew is fixed, and it's great."
With regard to the possibility of KROKUS making new music, Storace said: "Ah, yeah. Good question. That's what I ask myself. It would be nice, and I know there would be a lot of fans who would be thankful for that, but I don't see any sign of life in the creative way, except for the live stuff that we do. And the band has never been so good playing live, and it's really fun. And everything comes automatically nowadays. I mean, it would be nice, but who am I to talk, if everyone else is not [on the same page about it]."
Last year, Storace told Disturbing The Priest that he thought KROKUS was dead during the pandemic. "I really thought it was [over]," he said. "But then, you know how it is — we've all got this rock and roll virus in our blood. Music isn't easy to switch off. For us, it's like a hobby which turned to work, and we could manage to live off it, which is, for me, a golden thing. I really treasure the fact that what I do is what I love to do, what I loved to do when I was a kid already, and I'm still doing it."
Four years ago, KROKUS postponed what was supposed to be the band's last-ever concerts in USA and Canada due to the coronavirus pandemic that was sweeping the globe. The 13-date trek was originally scheduled to kick off at Canton Hall in Dallas, Texas on September 18, 2020 and conclude at Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California on October 10, 2020.
In September 2022, KROKUS played a special concert on the steps of the St. Ursus Cathedral in Solothurn, Switzerland. In addition, Solothurn honored the band with a "Stone Of Honor" on its 2000th anniversary. KROKUS also returned to the "holy ground of rock" in Switzerland, the Hallenstadion in Zürich, on May 6, 2023.
Earlier in 2022, Storace explained to Rock Show Critique why he and his bandmates toured America so infrequently over the course of the last 20 years. The 72-year-old musician said: "Well, it starts with the work permits. And they cost money. Then the tax. Then the booking fees, the percentages, the renting out of equipment, buses, hotels and everything. So if you've gotta do a club tour, you can't even pay for all that. We haven't been there for a long while, so we don't expect to come over and do a headliner tour in stadiums; we're far from that again. Because in the meantime, there's a lot of water under the bridge. And that's how it is. The status sinks because there's no longer promoters who believe that you're gonna bring in the money back for that. I guess that's the way it is. It's like a vicious circle. You have to come over one day and get the ball rolling again and then come back the next year and the next year to reach the status that you are used to. And you have to also release a new album to accompany that. And the new album isn't enough. Albums don't sell anymore. There's Spotify — all these parasites around — streaming, which don't give you your money's worth."
When KROKUS first announced its decision to embark on a farewell tour in September 2018, the band explained in a statement: "KROKUS shows have always been special and should stay that way. That's why we decided to stop when it's still really good. That's how the fans should remember us."
Formed in 1975, KROKUS has sold over 15 million records, toured the world, and received gold and platinum discs in the USA and Canada. KROKUS was also the first Swiss band to sell out Hallenstadion and has received a diamond disc for selling one million albums in Switzerland alone.
In the course of its career, KROKUS has rocked over 2,000 shows on five continents, countless cities, unique locations, crazy gigs, and loyal fans.
English rock journalist Malcolm Dome quite rightly said: "If you look at the long-term output of this band, KROKUS is clearly one of the best hard rock bands of the last 40 years."
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3 îêò 2024
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3 îêò 2024
Ex-QUEENSRŸCHE Singer GEOFF TATE Announces 'Operation: Mindcrime - The Final Chapter' 2025 Tour
 Ex-QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate has announced the U.S. dates for the "Operation: Mindcrime - The Final Chapter" tour. The trek, which will kick off on March 18, 2025 in Tucson, will see the 65-year-old vocalist perform the band's classic "Operation: Mindcrime" album in its entirety for the last time.
Select venues will do a presale this Wednesday, October 2 at 10:00 a.m. local time. All tickets will go on sale this Friday, October 4 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Tour dates:
March 18 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre
March 20 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater
March 21 - Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
March 22 - Wichita, KS - TempleLive Wichita
March 23 - Kansas City, MO - Knuckleheads
March 25 - Lincoln, NE - Bourbon Theatre
March 26 - Fort Smith, AR - TempleLive Fort Smith
March 27 - Dallas, TX - Echo Music Halt
March 28 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
March 29 - San Antonio, TX - Aztec Theater
March 30 - Austin, TX - Empire Garage
April 01 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
April 02 - Atlanta, GA - Center Stage
April 03 - Jacksonville, FL - Florida Theater
April 04 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
April 05 - Orlando, FL - House of Blues
April 06 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Parker Playhouse
April 08 - Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom
April 09 - Detroit, MI - St Andrews Hall
April 10 - Grand Rapids, MI - Elevation
April 11 - St Charles, IL - Arcada Theatre
April 12 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Theatre
April 13 - Fort Wayne, IN - Clyde Theatre
April 15 - Cleveland, OH - TempleLive
April 16 - Columbus, OH - TempleLive
April 17 - Plainfield, IN - Hendrick's Live
April 18 - St Louis, MO - Delmar Hall
April 19 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater
April 21 - Green Bay, WI - Epic Event Center
April 22 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
April 23 - Fargo, ND - Sanctuary
April 25 - Boise, ID - Revolution Center
September 25 - Greenville, SC - Radio Room
September 26 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
September 27 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
September 28 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore
October 01 - Hopewell, VA - Beacon Theatre
October 02 - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre
October 03 - Greensburg, PA - Palace Theatre
October 05 - Harrisburg, PA - XL Live
October 08 - Hartford, CT - Infinity Hall
October 09 - Newton, NJ - Newton Theatre
October 10 - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theater
October 11 - Tarrytown, NY - Music Hall
October 12 - Fairfield, CT - Sacred Heart Theatre
October 16 - Patchogue, NY - Patchogue Theatre
October 17 - Homer, NY - Center for the Arts
October 18 - North Tonawanda, NY - Riviera Theatre
In a recent interview with Cassius Morris, Tate was asked if he has any desire to ever create with his former bandmates, including guitarist Chris DeGarmo, again. He responded: "Well, I think that we had 30 good years, which is phenomenal. Most bands make a couple of records. How many records did GUNS N' ROSES make? Three? [Laughs] We had 30 years of making music, and we gave it a really good run. We had a lot of success. I think we created some really memorable albums, some really memorable songs that will outlive us. And I don't really have a need to go back and try to recapture that with Chris or any of the other guys as well. I feel like it's time to do other things, and to just explore. And we gave that a great run. It was successful. We did great things. It's time to do other things now."
Asked if he keeps in touch with any of his former bandmates at all, Geoff said: "Um, not regularly, not regularly. But sometimes situations arise where we have to sort of deal with each other, and it's not unpleasant now. Enough time has gone by [and] the bridges have mended, I guess."
Regarding whether it is tough for him to keep having to talk about his split with QUEENSRŸCHE more than a decade later, Geoff said: "At first, it was very challenging because we had kind of a bitter breakup, and I guess I was very angry over how it was handled. But then I started looking at the personalities involved and realized, well, it really didn't have any other realistic outcome. It was gonna be what it was. But that was 12 years ago when the band split up. And so a lot of water is under the bridge now and I can be a lot more forgiving of people in their situations. But I've had to talk about it. I keep getting asked questions about it, that kind of thing, 'You ever gonna get the band back together?' that question all the time. And so I've tried to think about how to talk about it in a way that is honest and real for me, but yet not so volatile. 'Cause I could get very volatile about it and point fingers and express blame and I can be very cruel, but it doesn't really serve me to even entertain that idea. I really appreciate what we had and what we did. And I'm happy with that. Very happy."
Back in March 2023, QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton shot down Tate's claim that the original lineup of the group was offered an "obscene" amount of money for one reunion tour but that "a couple of people in the band turned it down." Michael told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk": "I don't know. I didn't hear about it. I never saw any offers. I know our management never saw any offers. So I have no idea about that."
In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012. Fellow original QUEENSRŸCHE members Wilton, drummer Scott Rockenfield and bassist Eddie Jackson responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform the albums "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety live.
During a January 2022 appearance on "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Tate was asked if he is hopeful that a QUEENSRŸCHE reunion will happen someday. He responded: "I'm honestly not really expecting that to happen, basically because we've been offered just obscene amounts of money to get back together and do one tour — one tour and we'd never have to tour again. And a couple of people in the band turned it down; they're not interested in doing it. So that would really be, I think, the only motivation that would get everybody together was an obscene amount of money. But that didn't work, so [laughs] there's really no hope for it after that, I think… Money is not the motivator, and getting together for an artistic dream isn't a motivator either, so what do you have? You have nothing. Obviously, both camps are happy in the position they're at. I know for myself, I love my life — I love what I'm doing and I love traveling and playing music for people. And so far, I'm still kicking it, still happy and healthy."
Geoff went on to say that he is fine with the prospect of never returning to QUEENSRŸCHE and continuing to pursue his solo career and other projects for the rest of his time as a performing artist.
"We did hold it together for years and years and years," he said. "It was a really, really tightly run ship and it was very lucrative and we had a lot of great records and did a lot of world touring and made a lot of friends and played a lot of music together. And we had our time, and I'll aways be grateful for that time that we had. That was a time, and it doesn't mean that that time has to go on forever. There's new times to be had and there's more music to be made, there's more songs to be sung and more audiences to play music for."
Tate has gone back and forth on the subject of a reunion with QUEENSRŸCHE, telling The Rock Vault in November 2019 about the possibility of rejoining his former bandmates: "I think that would be something that makes sense, and I think it would be an interesting thing to do, if everybody could get in the same room and actually talk to each other." However, just eight months earlier, he dismissed the chances of a QUEENSRŸCHE reunion, telling Greece's "TV War" that he had "no interest in that. No. Not at all. [I have] absolutely no reason to," he said. "I don't need the money. That'd be the only reason to do it. Maybe if they paid me, like, 10 million dollars or something like that. [Laughs]"
He continued: "It was a good thing for a long time, and then it went really bad. And I just don't want that kind of negativity in my life. My life is so good, and I have such great friends and family. I travel the world and sing songs for a living. I mean, it's lovely. I have wonderful, positive people in my life, and to go back and be in that negative land again… aargh, I just couldn't do it. It's not worth it."
Tate previously described his time in QUEENSRŸCHE as "a strange, strange sort of relationship." He told The Metal Gods Meltdown: "We weren't really friends, you know — we were business associates. We had a wonderful entity that we shared called QUEENSRŸCHE, but it wasn't an equal sort of partnership as far as involvement goes. You know, so there wasn't a real camaraderie amongst everybody in the band… From my perspective and my involvement, it wasn't an emotional sort of brotherhood kind of thing that some people might think existed. That wasn't my reality with them."
In 2021, current QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre told "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" about the chances of Tate's return to QUEENSRŸCHE: "It's funny. I always hear, 'There'll definitely be an all-original lineup reunion. Every band does it.' And I'm thinking, if you knew what I know, I don't think that's gonna happen. And other than the optics of it, why? What's the point? We saw for 15 years what it sounded like."
In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against guitarist Wilton and 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.
QUEENSRŸCHE has used former KAMELOT drummer Casey Grillo for touring and recording purposes since April 2017.
We are announcing the following 2025 USA Tour dates to the Operation Mindcrime, The Final Chapter Tour! Select venues...
Posted by Geoff Tate on Tuesday, October 1, 2024
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3 îêò 2024
OPETH Guitarist On 'The Last Will And Testament': 'It's An Action-Packed Album'
 In a new interview with Australia's Heavy, OPETH guitarist Fredrik Åkesson spoke about the musical direction of the band's upcoming fourteenth studio album, "The Last Will And Testament", which will arrive on November 22 via Reigning Phoenix Music/Moderbolaget. he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It kind of resembles the old OPETH and the more proggy OPETH — last four albums kind of thing — in a more restless, compressed direction, and also step forward, I think. The songs are slightly shorter, but they have more ingredients than ever — a little bit like the modern-day society, even though the theme of the album takes place in 1920s, which is apparently quite some time ago. If you listen to [OPETH's fifth album, 2001's] 'Blackwater Park', certain sections are dwelled upon quite long, and that's different with this album. There's quite a lot of action — it's an action-packed album. There is also what's a big part of OPETH's sound — it has kind of the yin-and-yang thing. You have a really heavy section, then you have something more melancholic, beautiful-ish type of foresty sound as well."
Asked about the description of "The Last Will And Testament" in an official press release as OPETH's "darkest and heaviest record" in decades, Fredrik said: "I love that. Yeah, it is really dark. And that was the one of the goals, to make it really dark, but it's also, at moments, really beautiful, I think. But beautiful can be beautiful in a dark way as well. But it's quite evil-sounding, yeah. And we like that."
Regarding whether he and his OPETH bandmates sit down and make a list of goals that they want to achieve with each album before they start writing, Fredrik said: "I think it kind of comes as it goes. Of course, the direction of the album is — usually [OPETH frontman] Mikael [Åkerfeldt] says, 'Oh, this is gonna be the most darkest album ever.' That's a common thing. And to a certain point, I think we achieved that. But I think when we're [in the middle of writing], we just focus on one song at a time, just try to do the best [with each song]. And not necessarily looking at all the songs at once, just take one thing at a time, basically."
"The Last Will And Testament" was written by Åkerfeldt, with lyrics conferred with Klara Rönnqvist Fors (THE HEARD, ex-CRUCIFIED BARBARA). "The Last Will And Testament" was co-produced by Åkerfeldt and Stefan Boman (GHOST, THE HELLACOPTERS),engineered by Boman, Joe Jones (KILLING JOKE, ROBERT PLANT) and OPETH, with Boman, Åkerfeldt and the rest of OPETH mixing at Atlantis and Hammerthorpe Studios in Stockholm. The strings on "The Last Will And Testament" were arranged by Åkerfeldt and returning prog friend Dave Stewart (EGG, KHAN) and conducted by Stewart at Angel Studios in London. Not one to miss a beat, visual artist Travis Smith returns to the fold, crafting his 11th cover, a haunting "photograph" reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's infamous "Overlook Hotel" photograph. Miles Showell (ABBA, QUEEN) also revisits mastering and vinyl lacquer cutting at Abbey Road Studios in London.
Åkerfeldt rolls out the red carpet for storied flautist and JETHRO TULL mainman Ian Anderson. Not only do Anderson's signature notes fly on "§4" and "§7", he narrates on "§1", "§2", "§4", and "§7". Joining Anderson, EUROPE's Joey Tempest lends a backing vocal hand on "§2", while Åkerfeldt's youngest daughter, Mirjam Åkerfeldt, is the disembodied voice in "§1".
"The Last Will And Testament" is a concept album set in the post-World War I era, unfolding the story of a wealthy, conservative patriarch whose last will and testament reveals shocking family secrets. The narrative weaves through the patriarch's confessions, the reactions of his twin children, and the mysterious presence of a polio-ridden girl who the family have taken care of. The album begins with the reading of the father's will in his mansion. Among those in attendance is a young girl, who, despite being an orphan and polio-ridden, has been raised by the family. Her presence at the will reading raises suspicions and questions among the twins.
"The Last Will And Testament" is also the band's most fearlessly progressive. A concept album recounting the reading of one recently deceased man's will to an audience of his surviving family members, it brims with haunting melodrama, shocking revelations and some of the wildest and most unpredictable music that Åkerfeldt has ever written.
The follow-up to 2019's widely acclaimed "In Cauda Venenum", "The Last Will And Testament" is set in the shadowy, sepia-stained 1920s. It slowly reveals its secrets like some classic thriller from the distant, cobwebbed past, with each successive song shining more light on the stated machinations of our dead (but definitely not harmless) protagonist. The emotional chaos of the story is perfectly matched by OPETH's vivid but claustrophobic soundtrack, which artfully winds its way towards a crestfallen but sumptuous finale. Masters of their own idiosyncratic musical domain, OPETH have never sounded more unique.
"The Last Will And Testament" is destined to be a milestone in OPETH's illustrious recorded history. The band's first out-and-out concept record, it features guest cameos from JETHRO TULL legend Ian Anderson and Joey Tempest, frontman with Swedish rock gods EUROPE. Only one of the album's eight songs has a title: closing ballad "A Story Never Told". The rest are simply labeled as numbered chapters in this slowly unfolding saga of deceit, recrimination and betrayal. Enigmatic, unsettling and immersive, "The Last Will And Testament" is a turbulent, prog metal tale like no other.
Making his recorded debut alongside OPETH's long-established lineup of Åkerfeldt, Åkesson, bassist Martin Mendez and keyboard maestro Joakim Svalberg on "The Last Will And Testament" is new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen, who joined the band in 2022.
OPETH will embark on a North American tour this fall. The trek, which will kick off on October 11 in Milwaukee, includes stops in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, New Orleans, Austin, Denver and more.
Photo by Terhi Ylimäinen
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3 îêò 2024
STRYPER's MICHAEL SWEET On Artificial Intelligence In Music: 'I Don't Know Why That Doesn't Scare More People Than It Does'
 In a new interview with the "Thunder Underground" podcast, STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet weighed in on a debate about people using artificial intelligence (A.I.) to create music. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The human touch is fading, and that's very concerning. That is not good for music or art in general. When you just type in a few words and say, 'Show me this,' 'Give me this,' 'Create this,' and then — boom — in two seconds you've got it. Uh-uh. That's where we're at. I think we're at a point now where you don't know what's real and what's not, what's human and what's A.I.? You don't know; we won't know. Music is changed forever. And then people call you old for thinking that way. 'Oh, man, you need to get with the times. You're old school. You're an old fart. Come on, man.' It's, like, really? Okay. If other people don't care about that, wow."
He continued: "Music, art, it should be created by humans from the heart, not a computer. And I think just so many people are going down that road. And it's gonna be interesting to see where we're at in 10 years with music and the arts and film and all that stuff, man. It's mind-boggling. I don't think it's a good thing."
Sweet added: "I've heard stuff. I thought, 'Oh, wow, this is cool. What band is this?' And they're, like, 'It's A.I.' Okay. It's good — it's really good. You're sitting there going, 'Yeah.' But gee, I don't know why that doesn't scare more people than it does."
STRYPER's 40th-anniversary tour dates kicked off on September 11 in Greenville, Tennessee and will conclude November 16 in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
STRYPER's 40th-anniversary tour is a celebration of both classic hits and new-era fan favorites, including outfit changes and an exciting new show production. In most cities, this will be a two-set "evening with"-style show.
In December, Sweet underwent partial thyroidectomy, the surgery to remove part of his thyroid gland. It is the most common surgery for thyroid cancer.
Formed 41 years ago, STRYPER's name comes from Isaiah 53:5, which states: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
STRYPER's albums include "To Hell With The Devil", "Second Coming", "No More Hell To Pay", "Fallen", "God Damn Evil", "Even The Devil Believes", "The Final Battle" and "When We Were Kings".
Michael is joined in STRYPER by his brother Robert Sweet (drums),Oz Fox (guitar) and Perry Richardson (bass).
STRYPER's "To Hell With The Amps: The Unplugged Tour" kicked off in late May. For the first time ever, the Christian rockers staged a full tour where they performed their hits and fan favorites acoustically. | +1 | |
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3 îêò 2024
APOCALYPTICA's PERTTU KIVILAAKSO Had 'Tears' In The Studio While Playing Along To CLIFF BURTON's 'The Call Of Ktulu' Tracks
 APOCALYPTICA's lead cellist Perttu Kivilaakso spoke to Australia's Metal-Roos about the band's cover of METALLICA's "The Call Of Ktulu" which features the original bassline laid down by METALLICA bassist Cliff Burton, who tragically lost his life in a tour bus accident in 1986. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, that's the original recording. And actually [APOCALYPTICA's] Eicca [Toppinen] made that arrangement and got the crazy idea of, like, 'What if we build up the arrangement on top of Cliff?' And, of course, we had to ask for permission from the Burton family, but they were really, really supportive and into it. And actually, the whole METALLICA [camp], starting from Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer], they were, like, 'Well, that's beautiful.'"
He continued: "It's such an honor. That's what we wanted to do — a major homage for Cliff Burton, who is one of the most innovative and amazing creators of certain kind of metal bass sounds and all. Then isolating the track and actually listening to it all the way, how he's using whammy effects and the very challenging playing. And when we started to play on top of that, it felt spiritual. It was incredible. I had tears, not once or twice, but many, many times while in the studio thinking of that and kind of having this feeling that this is so unbelievable. There are no words of describing how it feels, to kind of make music with Burton, reacting to his things. And I was imitating many things for the leads for my solos, kind of how he played. Because the funny thing is that Burton kind of thought he's a solo bassist. He didn't play the typical, you stay in low notes all the time. No, he was all the time doing leads, cool passages and stuff. And to reflect those in the studio, it was really fantastic. And actually we got the approval also to use that tape in a live show, which is another wonderful aspect of that. I still can bring Burton to the stage. And we have a little homage video of him behind. And so he is really present on all. And that is for us all who love the dude and love his legacy, it is a goosebumps [moment]. And I hope that people will reach the same kind of a feeling that we had because [there's] so much love and respect towards their music and the historical things. And that's what we try to do. We bring our own little color to something that is phenomenal already. And we pray that we don't ruin it. [Laughs]"
APOCALYPTICA's version of "The Call Of Ktulu" is featured on "Apocalyptica Plays Metallica, Vol. 2", the sequel to the Finnish band's legendary debut record.
APOCALYPTICA's "The Call Of Ktulu", the original of which first appeared on METALLICA's second album — 1984 landmark "Ride The Lightning" — is more than just a reimagining of that defining moment in thrash history. It represents a resounding seal of approval given by METALLICA and the family of Cliff Burton themselves, who were all enthusiastically behind the idea. It also serves as a powerful tribute to a legendary bassist whose colossal musical legacy lives on.
When APOCALYPTICA's rendition of "The Call Of Ktulu" was first made available in June, Toppinen said in a statement: "I've learned in life that if you have crazy ideas, it's always worth asking, so I called Lars! He was, like, 'I love that you guys always think outside of the box!' James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] loved the idea, and I met one of Cliff's close relatives and she did too. It was a spiritual experience working on this. We wanted to treat this with honor and maximum respect, and it was magical to have people so close to Cliff say that he would have loved it."
Released in June via Throwdown Entertainment, "Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2" continues the journey that began in 1996 when cellists from Helsinki's world-renowned Sibelius Academy played symphonic tribute to the biggest of the big four–heavy metal titans METALLICA.
The "One" single from "Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2" saw Hetfield joining proceedings for a soul-stirring, spoken word of those inimitable, now-immortal lyrics.
Speaking to Mexico's Summa Inferno, Kivilaakso explained how Hetfield's involvement with his band's version of "One" came about. He said: "I all the time had this idea of, I want to make a very epic cinematic version, like a movie type of soundtrack type of a version out of 'One', because it's one of absolute most important and beloved tracks for me personally, as for so many others too. And that's why I actually thought that the story of 'One' is really important and interesting, exciting and touching story that for a movie aesthetics or cinematic aesthetics, it would be so cool to have a narrator in the track to talk the lyrics. And we didn't really even consider having anything sung in this album, but this narrator idea, I think what the approach is really cool because it brings a different type of flavor to this soldier's story and kind of inside his mind. And, of course, in the very starting point, James Hetfield naturally was kind of the number one choice for us when we were speaking: 'It would be so cool if James does his own lyrics.' But we didn't even consider that he would ever step away from METALLICA to do something else. And that's why, at some period of time, we had maybe other ideas of involving some cool actor — Mads Mikkelsen or somebody like that — with a great charismatic voice there. But then, when our recordings were all done and we came into the finalizing the post-production of the album, all of a sudden James informed us that, basically, like, 'Why wouldn't you ask me to do [it]?' It kind of felt even that he wanted to do it — he really, really wanted [to do it]. And that was a mind-blowing experience."
He continued: "For me, I remember when I received, actually, all the files James had recorded in States, and I was working at my home in Finland, and I got all his tracks and I imported them to my session and I started to edit Hetfield at home, I fell to my knees crying because it felt like, in a way, of course, like a dream come true and the full circle going on. And eventually Trujillo wanted to play also bass to 'One' because they apparently loved the version, the demo, the original demo that I sent to the guys. And even that was exciting because I had spoken those lyrics or the poetic approach, the narrative with my own sound, with my everything else but perfect English. [Laughs] And I'm just sending these own demo versions to James and [I said], 'Oh, I hope you don't mind that I had to do it myself. But this would be the idea. Please do whatever you want. It's gonna be amazing.' But also, yeah, still speaking about 'One', it was very fascinating and highly exciting to get to work with the wonderful special effects person Jussi Tegelman, who works in Los Angeles and he has been working for Skywalker Sound and made sound effect designs for many, many great movies, starting from Marvel and 'Dr. Strange' and 'Spider-Man' and stuff like that. So we also had this element in there. I'm a big movie fan and big Marvel fan, actually, as well, and to work with absolutely greatest people in the world, having a great orchestra from Budapest to make it, it's by far the most bombastic and biggest thing we have done, this this particular song, for sure."
When APOCALYPTICA's version of "One" was first released, Toppinen said in a statement: "I think it's incredible that James wanted to do it. We were always thinking, 'It'd be great to someday do something with METALLICA!' I think the excitement for him came from the different approach we were taking — sometimes the craziest ideas are what excites people and that was our challenge."
"Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2" track listing:
01. Ride The Lightning
02. St. Anger
03. The Unforgiven II
04. Blackened
05. The Call Of Ktulu (in memory of Cliff Burton)
06. The Four Horsemen (feat. Rob Trujillo)
07. Holier Than Thou
08. To Live Is To Die
09. One (feat. James Hetfield and Rob Trujillo)
10. One (instrumental)
The album's lead single was "The Four Horsemen", a song that originally appeared on METALLICA's 1983 debut "Kill 'Em All". It features a guest appearance by METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo.
Kivilaakso told the DJ Force X Podcast about how Trujillo's involvement came about: "This album concept has, in a way, been in our minds for throughout the whole career. We always knew that there are still a lot of cool [METALLICA] songs that we wanted play our style one day. So, but now after the pandemic and everything, this felt the exact right moment to dive back to the roots."
He continued: "We have always had a wonderful relation with METALLICA — they have been enormously supportive towards us always — but still we approached them to ask that would they agree, would it be fine for them if we make such an album. And through those conversations, actually, eventually Rob even offered that he could play something for us. And that's an enormous, amazing feature, of course, to be treated like that. And it really, really shows respect also from their side. And we are very, very thankful for it."
When "Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2" was first announced, APOCALYPTICA said in a statement: "The first single we want to present to you is 'The Four Horsemen'. And we couldn't be more excited to have a great feature guest on it: Rob Trujillo himself, who is probably THE greatest bass player in this whole wide world! We've always enjoyed sharing our love for METALLICA. Now, this is next level for us as well!"
Toppinen commented: "It's the coolest thing. We didn't push; it was offered. We played the first album live and it was so much more fun and exciting than we expected, so we got the idea to do something like the first album, but we couldn't do it in exactly the same way; we needed to challenge ourselves and bring a totally new perspective to the original energy and emotion of METALLICA."
Kivilaakso added: "We've been talking about making another METALLICA album for around 20 years, as there were still so many great songs we wanted to play! We waited for the perfect moment to do it. Thinking of that teenage me who is now getting to play his favorite tracks gives me goosebumps!"
"Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2" was the APOCALYPTICA's final studio release with the band's longtime member, drummer Mikko Sirén, who amicably departed after the new LP's completion. "Plays Metallica Vol. 2" was produced by longtime collaborator and studio supremo Joe Barresi (QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, SOUNDGARDEN, NINE INCH NAILS, TOOL).
In a 2019 interview with Australia's Heavy magazine, APOCALYPTICA's Paavo Lötjönen spoke about the impact of the band's 1996 "Plays Metallica By Four Cellos" debut. Consisting solely of METALLICA covers, the album cast a spotlight on the group's classically trained abilities, setting the stage for them to release their own material in ensuing years. Since the 20th anniversary of "Plays Metallica By Four Cellos" in 2016, APOCALYPTICA has been playing the album in full at select live dates.
"It's been really fantastic," he said about playing "Plays Metallica By Four Cellos". "If we are talking about music in common, if you listen to music you used to listen to 20 years ago, it's a weird thing somehow, it brings all the same feelings back. Like, you are feeling when we were 20 years younger. I would call music a time machine in that sense. The same happens for us when we play those songs. Somehow the same feelings come back to us when we felt like we were 25 years or 20 years old and touring with a shitty van around Europe playing venues. This time, all the venues are bigger and really portioned nice. There's lots of people, and it's not too hot and shitty on the stage. It's a lot of joy and fun to play those songs. The magic of METALLICA has not disappeared anywhere. It's still really strong and passionate music. It's a lot of fun to play. We have never played this well as we are playing at the moment. I'm happy to see we have learned something during these years."
In 2015, Lötjönen and Kivilaakso spoke to Austria's Mulatschag about what it was like to join METALLICA on stage at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the week-long celebration of the band's 30th anniversary in December 2011. Perttu said: "Of course we felt very privileged being included amongst all those amazing artists. And after the thing, what we have done during our career, it has been pleasant to realize and notice that, actually, the METALLICA guys, who are the reason for us to start to do something like this, that they do respect us at least that much that they wanted us to be a part of this big celebration of their career. Of course, it was crazy. I remember that when we started to play 'One', I'm starting this song and James Hetfield is just next to me, and I'm thinking, when I was 13 years old, he was my biggest idol and now we are playing together. So it's absurd, but just natural and logical in other terms."
Added Paavo: "You know, the connection to METALLICA has been really super great all these years. We played first time as a support to them already in '96. It was actually our fifth show for a proper rock and roll audience, and we were supporting METALLICA, so it was quite crazy. And since that, we have played many times with them at same festivals and… Let me say that the connection with METALLICA is really cool and really nice."
Photo credit: Riki Murto
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3 îêò 2024
Japan’s BRIDEAR Share “Born Again” Live Video
 Japanese metal band Bridear released their new album, Born Again, on June 28 via Psychomanteum Records. A vinyl release is planned for December 1. A CD and merchandise bundle is available to order now at psychoshop.net.
With their recent anouncement that they will be hitting Australia, Japan, Europe, UK, the United States, and Canada, Bridear has shared an official live video for the title track from Born Again, taken from their live show on June 29.
Tour dates:
October (supporting Dream Evil)
31 - Soapbox Beer - Brisbane, Australia
November (supporting Dream Evil)
1 - The Abyss - Canberra, Australia
2 - Marrickville Bowling & Recreation Club - Sydney, Australia
4 - The Leadbeater Hotel - Melbourne, Australia
April
4 - Stereo - Glasgow, UK
5 - The Cluny 2 - Newcastle, UK
6 - Deaf Institute - Manchester, UK
9 - The Parish - Huddersfield, UK
10 - venue tba - Bristol, UK
11 - The Flapper - Birmingham, UK
12 - Underworld - London, UK
The quintet from Fukuoka, Japan jetted out to Gothenburg, Sweden to record their sixth studio album with the legendary metal producer Fredrik Nordström (In Flames, At the Gates, HammerFall, Bring me the Horizon) at Studio Fredman.
Lead singer Kimi comments, “We are very honoured to work with Fredrik Nordström on ‘Born Again’. He has worked with the top names in metal and we are proud he wanted to produce the album! Working with Patric Ullaeus on the video was also a great privilege. I think it shows us moving up to the next level. It captures the energy of this album and presents us in such a powerful way!”
Fredrik Nordström adds, “I really enjoyed working with Bridear. ‘Born Again’ is for sure in my Top 5 albums of my career! They are an amazing band and this is a world-class album.”
Bridear deliver a mission statement of raw and unapologetic heavy metal on Born Again. It is the ultimate showcase of their un | 0 | |
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3 îêò 2024
EYE AM Feat. Members Of TYPE O NEGATIVE, CROWBAR Changes Name To SUN DONT SHINE
 Sun Dont Shine (formerly known as Eye AM) isn’t just a band—it’s a powerful convergence of four iconic musicians who have shaped the landscape of hard rock. Comprised of Kenny Hickey (Type O Negative, Silvertomb), Kirk Windstein (Crowbar, Down), Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative, Silvertomb) and Todd Strange (Crowbar, Down), Sun Dont Shine channels decades of hard-earned experience into a fresh and uncompromising sonic assault. This isn't a group content to rest on their laurels; they’re here to push boundaries and forge a new path for modern rock music.
At its core, Sun Dont Shine is a reflection of its members’ shared philosophy: embrace the raw, reject the overly polished, and let the music speak for itself. “I don’t want our music to be one-dimensional,” says Hickey. “I don’t want it to be just dark and doomy or always so heavy. I want it to be both light and dark, dynamic and unpredictable.” It’s a sentiment that runs deep in their sound, where each track takes on a life of its own, exploring contrasting moods and textures that reveal more with every listen.
With Windstein’s earth-shaking riffs and Hickey’s evocative, often ethereal melodies, the band strikes a delicate balance between heavy and haunting. Kelly’s drumming keeps things tight but never feels constrained, while Strange’s bass lines act as the backbone, holding down the bottom end with a ferocity only years in the rock trenches can cultivate.
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3 îêò 2024
ASSASSIN To Release Skullblast EP In November; Title Track Lyric Video Posted
 shers, Assassin, have released their new single, "Skullblast", the title track of the band's first ever EP, due for release on November 1 via Massacre Records. Stream the track
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3 îêò 2024
BRAZEN ABBOT Album Reissues Available In December; New Visualizer Video Posted For "The Whole World's Crazy"
 Frontiers Music Srl is pleased to announce the upcoming release of reissues of Brazen Abbot’s studio albums, Eye Of The Storm and Bad Religion, out on December 6.
The first track and accompanying visualizer, “The Whole World’s Crazy”, are available now. Watch the clip below. Pre-order Eye Of The Storm here, and Bad Religion here.
Talking about Eye Of The Storm, Nikolo Kotzev says: “Here’s the second Brazen Abbot album. As always - a labour of love with many memorable tracks. The great Joe Lynn Turner and the Europe guys gave it a special flavour. With this re-release Brazen Abbot comes to life once again! Enjoy!”
“Here’s the re-release of the third Brazen Abbot album. It saw the light of day in 1997, and now, almost 30 years later, it still shines bright as a sunny morning! As usual - brilliant singers and top notch musicians in this musical gem. Rock on!”, he adds in regards to Bad Religion.
Brazen Abbot was originally conceived as a studio project by Bulgarian guitarist, producer, and songwriter Nikolo Kotzev. The band has since performed live on several occasions, particularly in the early 2000’s
A unique feature of Brazen Abbot is its use of multiple singers on each album. Göran Edman and Joe Lynn Turner have contributed with vocals on most of their records. Initially, Kotzev planned to work with a single vocalist, Göran Edman (ex-Malmsteen) but, due to contractual restrictions, he could only record two songs for the debut album. The “Voice of Rock” Glenn Hughes was then lined up to sing the remaining tracks, but similar issues limited him to three songs.
To complete the album, Thomas Vikström (Talk Of The Town and later on Therion) was brought in, and Kotzev was so satisfied with the outcome that he decided to continue the multi-singer approach for future albums. However, during live performances, Joe Lynn Turner (ex-Malmsteen, Rainbow, Deep Purple) usually handled all lead vocals.
Several Brazen Abbot members also participated in Kotzev’s rock opera Nostradamus (2001). During the rock opera’s development, Brazen Abbot was temporarily on hiatus. Former members of the band include Mic Michaeli, John Levén, and Ian Haugland, all of whom are also members of the legendary rock band Europe.
Eye Of The Storm is the second album from Brazen Abbot. Released originally in 1996 on the Japanese label Zero/JVC and shortly after by the German label USG Records, Eye Of The Storm sees the addition of the awesome singer Joe Lynn Turner to the line-up.
His influence is particularly evident on songs like “Twist Of Fate”, “Line Of Fire”, and “Road To Hell”, while the Europe influence can be found in “Wake Up Everybody”, with a great vocal performance from Thomas Vikström. Göran Edman also appears on lead vocals stamping his mark especially on the power-ballad “Everything's Gonna Be Allright”.
The album cemented the reputation that Brazen Abbot managed to achieve with their first album and offers a truly solid and brilliant melodic hard rock release for all the fans of the genre.
Bad Religion is Brazen Abbot’s third studio album, released in 1997 simultaneously by the Japanese label Zero/JVC and by the German label USG Records.
The record builds from where the previous album left off, offering a hard rock sound heavily influenced by Rainbow, Deep Purple, Yngwie Malmsteen, Whitesnake and of course Europe, with a slight symphonic edge which came from the mastermind’s Nikolo Kotzev classical training.
Bad Religion sees again three members of Europe in the lineup of musicians, while singers Joe Lynn Turner, Göran Edman and Thomas Vikström put their own stamp on some truly amazing hard rock belters.
Eye Of The Storm tracklisting:
"Eye Of The Storm" (Joe Lynn Turner, vocals)
"Twist Of Fate" (Joe Lynn Turner, vocals)
"Fool In Love" (Göran Edman, vocals)
"Line Of Fire" (Joe Lynn | +2 | |
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3 îêò 2024
Finland's LUNA KILLS Sign With SharpTone Records; "Slay Ur Enemies" Music Video Released
 Luna Kills, the rising alt-metal powerhouse from Finland, is thrilled to announce their signing to SharpTone Records.
"We are beyond excited to announce our signing with SharpTone Records! Their dedication to supporting artists' individuality, in both sound and style, is something we truly vibe with," the band states. "We can't wait to get started on this new chapter for Luna Kills together!"
To mark the occasion, the band has unleashed their blistering new single "slay ur enemies," a track that dives deep into the raw emotions of a panic attack. With raw and authentic lyricism, paired with their signature heavy sound, Luna Kills are proving their ability to blend dark, personal experiences with explosive, aggressive energy. The single was mixed and mastered by Jeff Dunne (Make Them Suffer, Knocked Loose, Ice Nine Kills, Disturbed).
"'slay ur enemies' describes an inner dialogue and feelings during a panic attack," lead vocalist Lotta Ruutiainen shares. "Mostly, the lyrics depict the hopelessness of | +1 | |
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3 îêò 2024
AC/DC Classic Returns To Two UK Charts This Week
 AC/DC claims some of the biggest and most beloved hits in the hard rock genre of all time, reports Hugh McIntyre for Forbes. One tune stands out among their collection of smashes as their most successful in many ways - and as more time passes, the public continues to show their love for that single.
“Thunderstruck” has emerged as AC/DC’s most popular win when it comes to its total sales and consumption figures, and listeners never seem to tire of the cut. This week, the blockbuster tune mounts a comeback in the UK, returning to multiple charts at once - and its return doesn’t even tell the full story of the title’s current success.
This week in the United Kingdom, “Thunderstruck” bounces back onto two rankings. The decades-old cut reappears on both the Official Singles Downloads (#80) and Official Singles Sales (#83) charts.
In the past, “Thunderstruck” has only reached the Top 10 on one of those lists, the Official Singles Downloads roster. On the list of the most-downloaded tunes in the UK, AC/DC’s favorite has climbed as high as #9. The single has thus far failed to enter that region on the Official Singles Sales tally, though it’s come close, as it’s peaked at #12.
For more of this week's AC/DC chart action, read the full report at Forbes.
For those about to rock, more AC/DC 50th anniversary vinyl has arrived! Flick Of The Switch, Fly On The Wall, Blow Up Your Video, Black Ice, Live At River Plate and Power Up are now available on gold-coloured vinyl, each with an album-specific 12”x12” print featuring new AC/DC 50 artwork.
Flick Of The Switch - The self-produced album saw the band return to the rawer sound of their earlier records. Tracks like "Bedlam In Belgium" and "Nervous Shakedown" still remain firm fan favourites 40 years later.
Fly On The Wall - This 1985 album was the band’s first to be produced solely by Angus and Malcolm Young. It was accompanied by long-form video of the same name, which saw the band playing five tracks from the album in a club full of shady characters and an animated fly, like the one featured on the album cover.
Blow Up Your Video - Initially released in 1988 and recorded in London and the South of France, the album contains the UK hit single "Heatseeker" and the US Rock hit "That’s The Way I Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll".
Black Ice - Issued in the fall of 2008, the album saw the band working
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3 îêò 2024
LIONVILLE Share "Gone" Single And Lyric Video
 Lionville, the acclaimed melodic rock band hailing from Italy, share their new single and lyric video, “Gone”, taken from their new studio album, Supernatural, out on November 15 via Frontiers Music Srl.
The album marks an exciting new chapter in the band’s journey, featuring their new lead vocalist, Swedish singer, producer and songwriter Alexander Strandell (Art Nation).
Stefano Lionetti describes the track as “a classic Lionville song characterized by melody, class and an infectious chorus.”
Watch the lyric video below, and pre-order the album here.
Commenting on the album announcement, Stefano Lionetti said: “Sometimes change is necessary and represents an opportunity for growth and openness to new possibilities. We wish our friend Lars the best that life and music can give, and we thank him for having contributed to making Lionville what it has become in these years. It has been an honor to work with you! The present is called Alexander Strandell, an incredibly talented performer, let's all welcome him together!”
“The new album is a bridge between the past and the future of Lionville and I am thrilled with the final result, a perfect mix of melody and power!” continues Stefano, talking about the new album and the first single. "'Supernatural' is a song very rich in things to say, perfect to introduce our fans to the new course of Lionville with the extraordinary Strandell on vocals. The traditional melodies of Lionville create a devastating combination with the energy and vocal ability of Alex."
Lionville was started in 2010 by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in Genova, Italy and his brother Alessandro. Thanks to the incredible songs, they managed to write and record five albums with Lars Säfsund (Work Of Art) as lead vocalist, becoming one of the most appreciated AOR act in the scene.
Lionetti, who is the main songwriter of the project, has been collaborating over the years with Lenny Macaluso to write many Lionville songs. Lenny is a guitarist, songwriter, producer, well known as Tina Turner’s former bandleader/guitarist at the start of her solo career and mastermind of 80s Power Anthems like “The Touch” (Transformers: The Movie), “Thunder in Your Heart” (Rad), “Never Surrender” (Kickboxer), just to name a few.
Supernatural follows the acclaimed So Close To Heaven and shows Lionville's new course with the addition of the singer extraordinaire Alexander Strandell (Art Nation). The album was mixed and mastered by Giulio Dagnino. Melodic rock/AOR fans have always held Lionville in high regard and “Supernatural” will do nothing to dissuade them from this line of thinking.
Lionville once again proves why they are one of the leaders of the melodic rock movement, managing to raise the majesty of their music. “Supernatural” showcases once again the band's | 0 | |
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3 îêò 2024
ANNIHILATOR's JEFF WATERS Pays Tribute To Original ANVIL Guitarist DAVE ALLISON - "He Sure Left His Mark On Those Classic Records And I Sure Looked Up To Him"
 Annihilator mastermind, Jeff Waters, has paid tribute to original Anvil guitarist, Dave Allison, who has passed away at 68 years of age. Anvil shared BraveWords' post on Allison's passing, which Jeff Waters commented on with the following tribute:
"Thoughts to all... he sure left his mark on those classic records and I sure looked up to him (and the other 3) every time I snuck into The Chaud, The British and Le Papillon... RIP Dave. Thanks for your part in my mind and my music."
Jeff added: "Random thoughts ... I remember, at the Papillon in Hull, Quebec... not sure what year but I was barely (or not) legal to be in that club. I think it was 82... I was 16ish. I sat at a table by myself... ordered a Coca Cola. That woulda been strange in itself!
"My fave record has always been Hard N Heavy. I LOVED the attitude, the unique drumming and timing of Robbo and Da Nuge-style solos... and that snare and flams!
"Anyway, basically sitting alone in the middle of the packed club and looking young, 3 things happened that changed my life:
1) Lips came over to MY table and did a good chunk of his solo in Bedroom Game (yup, dildo and all!) In front of and FOR ME! He KNEW I was a hard-core fan as I think i sang and air drummed the entire set; and he noticed!
2) I could not believe how cool Dave was. He seemed like the one that woulda got all the "ladies"! I also noticed, after Lips went off to finish his solo, just how damn cool Dave was playing ONE NOTE (low E) during most all of the Bedroom Game solo... no one played that one note cooler than him. Schooled. One note can be cooler than 100, if done in the right place.
3) I went outback of the club after the show, where I saw them all packing gear away in vans and hanging with "older" fans and "groupies".
"I didn't want to bother them and I was fkn nervous to say hi... I didn't go over there..I just stood almost behind a parked car and watched what it was like to see my rock star idols off the stage, in real life (!). I would slowly walk away, to walk to the nearest open gas station to call a taxi home, across the bridge to Ottawa. BUT not before one of the leather jacketed dudes walked over with a beer in his hands. It was Dave.
"He said "hey, you wanna a beer"? I said "no thanks but I love Hard N Heavy"... hahaha. He could tell I was nervous and gave me a cigarette instead haha! Thanked me and my life was complete.
"RIP, IDOL!"
The news of Allison's passing was initially announced by Tyler Reiner, who shared the social media post below.
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3 îêò 2024
ANVIL Drummer ROBB "ROBBO" REINER On The Passing Of Guitarist DAVE ALLISON - "Loneliness Was No Stranger To Him"
 Original Anvil guitarist, Dave Allison, has passed away. The news was announced by Tyler Reiner, who shared the social media post below. Details on his passing are currently unavailable. Condolences to his family, friends, and fans from all of us here at BraveWords.
Anvil drummer Robb "Robbo" Reiner has since shared his thoughts via social media:
"The word just reached me…Original band mate R.I.P. Dave Allison has passed away…
Had the opportunity this Spring to pay a unplanned surprise visit to Dave’s isolated cabin …Lo | +2 | |
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3 îêò 2024
BUSH Commemorates 30th Anniversary Of 'Sixteen Stone' With Special Vinyl Reissue
 Hot on the heels of its critically acclaimed, sold-out summer headline tour, BUSH is set to commemorate the 30th anniversary of its groundbreaking debut album, "Sixteen Stone", with a special vinyl reissue. This milestone release marks the beginning of an exciting new partnership with Craft Recordings, a label renowned for its dedication to preserving and amplifying iconic music. The multi-platinum LP, a cornerstone of the 1990s post-grunge era, is set to arrive on November 22 and is available for pre-order today.
Alongside a wide release, fans can get their hands on six limited-edition colored pressings: opaque red (available wide),silver (exclusive to independent record stores),translucent lemonade (via Best Buy),sepia (via Barnes & Noble) and highlighter smoke (available at Revolver),plus a "fog" pressing exclusive to the band's Spotify followers via Fans First.
Released on December 6, 1994, "Sixteen Stone" propelled BUSH into the international spotlight, selling millions of copies in the U.S. — the album recently certified seven times platinum by the RIAA — and producing a string of hit singles. With its blend of heavy guitar riffs and introspective lyrics, the album helped define the alternative-rock sound of the 1990s, cementing BUSH as one of the era's most successful bands.
Upon release, "Sixteen Stone" debuted at No.4 on the Billboard 200, staying on the chart for more than 70 weeks. The album's runaway success was driven by its singles, including the chart-topping hits "Glycerine" and "Comedown", both of which exploded at radio peaking at No. 1 in Billboard's Alternative Airplay charts and No. 1 in the Modern Rock Tracks chart. Other fan favorites on the album include "Machinehead", "Everything Zen" and "Little Things". The enduring popularity of these tracks has kept the album resonance for new generations of listeners, while its influence on modern rock remains undeniable.
The album's sound was shaped at Westway Studios in London, where the band worked with producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, a duo whose production credits include MADNESS, Morrissey and Elvis Costello. The result was a record that seamlessly blended grunge and hard rock with Britpop sensibilities, creating a unique sound that resonated with fans around the world.
Reflecting on the album's legacy in an interview with Heavy Consequence, frontman Gavin Rossdale shared, "I think there's something to be said about the truth of these songs — the way they resonate with people, what they do for people. That's the beauty of it. And I think the power of it."
The "Sixteen Stone" 30th-anniversary reissue follows the band's extensive "Greatest Hits" tour, celebrating their decades-long career and coinciding with the release of their "Greatest Hits" compilation. In addition, BUSH recently unveiled the "Loads Of Remixes" EP, a seven-track collection that reimagines some of their most iconic songs, offering fans a fresh take on their classic hits.
With over 24 million records sold, one billion streams and a procession of No. 1 singles, BUSH — current lineup comprising Gavin Rossdale (vocals, guitar),Chris Traynor (guitar),Corey Britz (bass) and Nik Hughes (drums) — stand tall as rock outliers whose imprint only widens as the years pass.
"Sixteen Stone" track listing:
Side A:
01. Everything Zen
02. Swim
03. Bomb
04. Little Things
05. Comedown
06. Body
Side B:
01. Machinehead
02. Testosterone
03. Monkey
04. Glycerine
05. Alien
06. X-Girlfriend | +2 | |
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3 îêò 2024
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3 îêò 2024
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3 îêò 2024
PINK FLOYD Sells Music Rights To Sony For $400 Million
 Pink Floyd has agreed to sell their recorded-music and name-and-likeness rights to Sony Music for approximately $400 million, sources confirm to Variety.
The deal, one of the largest of many in recent years, apparently has finally concluded despite decades of ongoing infighting and bitter words between the band members, notably chief songwriters Roger Waters and David Gilmour; also involved are drummer Nick Mason and the estates of keyboardist Richard Wright and founding singer-songwriter Roger “Syd” Barrett.
The deal comprises recorded-music rights but not songwriti
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3 îêò 2024
KEEP OF KALESSIN Sign With Season Of Mist; New Albums + Reissues On The Way
 Norway is known for pioneering a legendary branch of extreme metal, but no band embodies the scene's epic resolve quite like Keep Of Kalessin.
This band has always possessed fantastic foresight. After all, they are named after one of Ursula K. Le Guin's arch-dragons. Their original lineup did split after two albums of dark, fast and war-faring black metal, but over the past two decades, founding member Arnt Obsidian has brought Keep Of Kalessin into the national spotlight. While he and his colossal crew have toured with the likes of Satyricon, Behemoth and Dimmu Borgir, they've carved their own legacy by forging a different path.
With seven albums and three EPs under their hilt, Keep Of Kalessin brandish an epic arsenal of extreme metal. The band's mastery at welding blackened melodies and scouring death metal riffs with magical keys and misty synthesizers has rewarded them handsomely. They've scored two Spellemannprisen nominations and scaled to the top of Norway's album charts. To further test their mettle, they became the first Norwegian metal band to compete for a spot in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Today, Keep Of Kalessin are cracking open the next chapter of their long and prosperous journey. The band have signed with Season Of Mist, who will release their next two albums and reissue some of the defining moments from their extensive back catalogue.
"We are very proud and excited to announce that we have signed with Season Of Mist," Arnt Obsidian says on behalf of his bandmates Robin Isaksen and Wanja Gröger. "I have known Michael for more than 20 years. He has always been passionate about the music and very supportive of his signings. Back in 1999, Keep Of Kalessin played three shows in Norway with Bloodthorn, who were signed to Season Of Mist at the time. Michael traveled all the way up from France just to see them.
"Our paths have crossed many times since that tour. I've watched Michael build one of the strongest metal labels in the world. His staff shares in his extreme passion. What they've accomplished is an amazing feat.
"Keep Of Kalessin has always been the underdog, the loner, the different kid. We're a unique band and cannot be put into a certain category. It's been difficult finding a home where our potential can be nurtured and harnessed to its full potential. But after talking with Michael and seeing how we fit with Season Of Mist's roster, I'm confident that we've now found a label that understands and can truly support us while we take the band to the next level. You can be sure that Keep Of Kalessin will return with the best Epic Extreme Metal we've ever done in 2025!"
Lineup:
Arnt Obsidian - Guitars, Vocals
Robin Isaksen - Bass
Wanja Gröger - Drums
As one of the pioneers of epic extreme metal, Norway's Keep Of Kalessin have collected an impressive number of milestones.
Since forming in 1993, Keep Of Kalessin have established a reputation for treasured releases. Their first two albums, Through Times of War (1997) and Agnen: A Journey Through the Dark (1999) paired the band’s sense for melody and virtuoso playing with the harshness traditionally expected from black metal.
After the band’s original lineup split up, founding member and guitarist Arnt Obsidian served as Satyricon’s live guitarist from 2002 until 2007. He played hundreds of shows with the Norwegian black metal legends, including headlining Wacken Open Air in 2004.
It was through this fortuitous partnership that Keep Of Kalessin reunited. Obsidian was joined by Frost for the 2003 Reclaim EP, which also features Atilla Csihar from Mayhem. Like all good things, this lineup did come to an end, but the band was far from done.
In fact, Keep Of Kalessin came back in a big way during the mid-2000s. Experimenting with piano, keyboards and synthesizers earned the band’s next two albums, Armada (2006) and Kolossus (2008), nominations in the metal category at the Norwegian Grammy Awards.
Then in 2010, Keep Of Kalessin shocked the world by becoming the first metal band to compete
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3 îêò 2024
DE MANNEN BROEDERS Release "Alle Roem Is Uitgesloten" Short Film
 De Mannen Broeders is the debut collaboration featuring Colin H. van Eeckhout and the Zeeuws Flemish folk icon Tonnie ‘Broeder’ Dieleman. The former is the frontman for Belgian post-metallers Amenra, a band known for their overwhelming heaviness both in sound and emotion. The latter is a Dutch folk singer whose music is inspired by his religious upbringing and the rural culture of his Zeelandic homeland, who has collaborated with Baby Dee and Bonnie Prince Billy.
Today, De Mannen Broeders share the official short film for the album’s opening track & third single, “Alle Roem is Uitgesloten”. The film was directed by Sam Debaecke and shot by Thomas Vercauteren.
“This film was shot over the course of a year, initially made as a stand-alone film named A Blue Blue Dream. During the editing process a collaboration was formed between the filmmakers and De Mannen Broeders which gave the film and its narrative a new direction. Even though it was produced largely separately from the music, loosely based on a dream concerning recent events of militarisation and conflict, the music and film formed a perfect match upon meeting each other. Later, inspired by the sounds and story of 'Alle Roem Is Uitgesloten' additional scenes were shot, and a new film came into being. We would like to thank the crew and everyone who enabled us to realize the film, as this was fully developed by volunteers and patrons.” - Colin H. van Eeckhout & Sam Debaecke
De Mannen Broeders' debut album, Sober Maal, is out October 11 via Relapse Records. Pre-order on LP/CD/Digital here.
Tracklisting:
"Alle Roem Is Uitgesloten"
"Asemruumte"
"Verteere Heel"
"Van Licht Ontdaan"
"Grafschrift"
"Omer III"
"Onze Lieve Vrouwe"
"Ons Nu Voorbij"
"Sober Maal"
"Grafschrift" video:
More De Mannen Broeders info:
When Van Eeckhout & Dieleman met, they felt an instant connection.
“As a creating artist, it’s these encounters that you pray for,” says Colin. “As soon as you meet someone like that, you know you have to do something together.”
Their connection was deepened as they discovered how much they had in common, from their similar dialects and their strong ties to their homeland, to their leanings towards the spiritual and the melancholic. “My work is all about death and sadness,” says | 0 | |
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3 îêò 2024
Former STRATOVARIUS Guitarist TIMO TOLKKI Releases "Faust" Single And Lyric Video
 Iconic guitarist and composer, Timo Tolkki, has announced the release of his latest single, “Faust”, inspired by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s classic work. The track features Jeff Scott Soto (vocals), Jari Kainulainen (bass), and Peter Dellermann (drums).
The song delves into the eternal dilemma of Faust, a man who sells his soul to the Devil in exchange for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. The video was directed by Anderson Bellini, the director behind the documentary Andre Matos – Maestro do Rock. Check it out below.
“Musically, I tried to create something a bit more modern, with a lot of detail in the track
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Dream Theater
