Fretless / harp guitarist Tim Donahue - who released the self-titled Madmen & Sinners album with Dream Theater's James LaBrie in 2004 - recently announced the launch of his new signature Nightmoon guitar. The video below features Donahue playing his track "Love Drug" on the new axe.
Donahue: "The result of 35 years of development, we're excited to announce limited production of these innovative instruments, fretted or fretless. For pricing & order info contact: nightmoonguitars@gmail.com."
KISS co-founder and frontman, best-selling author and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Paul Stanley will release the debut album from his SOUL STATION project on March 19 (postponed from previously announced March 5) via Universal Music Enterprises. A collection of nine classic soul covers and five original tracks, "Now And Then" will feature the band's acclaimed version of THE FIVE STAIRSTEPS' "O-o-h Child" as well as SOUL STATION's take on THE SPINNERS' "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", which can be streamed below.
Stanley has spent the last few years developing this project close to his heart. SOUL STATION is a band gathering some of today's leading musicians to pay tribute to the greatest artists and songs from the R&B and soul catalog to keep this vital music current. While a surprise to many, Stanley's early pivotal roots in this music has quietly turned this passion into a celebrated touring and recording band. Stanley's 15-piece ensemble group has toured the U.S. and Japan, and recently recorded an album of nine classic soul songs and five new original songs.
Speaking about the new music, Stanley said: "Between us doing some great SOUL STATION shows and starting the album, I started to think that neither the band or the music we love should depend only on the past so I started writing with the goal of seamlessly taking songs into the present. From what a lot of people I respect have told me, that mission was accomplished."
When Stanley conceived SOUL STATION, the group excelled in the live venue setting, playing smaller, intimate clubs — a setting where Paul Stanley would reflect on those classic hits that were his early inspiration, playing the songs with a reverence and respect for how he and the band believe they should be performed and heard.
"Long before I ever heard the great British bands, I grew up listening to Philly Soul, Motown and so much more," he said. "I was lucky to see Otis Redding and Solomon Burke among others. That music and its storytelling gave me strength and hope even in some tough days. The great classics of that era are magical medicine for most and I felt myself drawn back to that era for some sorcery I think we could all use."
Stanley's bandmembers include Rafael "Hoffa" Moreira (guitar and backing vocals), Sean Hurley (bass), Alex Alessandroni (musical director, keyboards), Ely Rise (keyboards), Eric Singer (drums and backing vocals), RayYslas (percussion), Gavyn Rhone (backing vocals), Crystal Starr (backing vocals) and Laurhan Beato (backing vocals) and Jon Pappenbrook (lead trumpet).
The band is augmented by three string players and two horn players of the same stature enabling SOUL STATION's wall of sound to be firmly rooted in the past while staking claim to both the present and future.
"Now And Then" track listing:
01. Could It Be I'm Falling In Love
02. I Do
03. I, Oh I
04. Ooo Baby Baby
05. O-o-h Child
06. Save Me (From You)
07. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
08. Whenever You're Ready (I'm Here)
09. The Tracks Of My Tears
10. Let's Stay Together
11. La-La – Means I Love You
12. Lorelei
13. You Are Everything
14. Baby I Need Your Loving
Speaking about how the idea for SOUL STATION came about, Paul told Scott Lipps: "I was really lucky, because, before I ever saw [LED] ZEPPELIN or any of the British bands that I grew to love, or the blues bands that I saw, I saw Otis Redding as a kid, I saw Solomon Burke and THE TEMPTATIONS. So that really is the core of what I do. It's not all that I do, but it's in there, and it always has been. SMOKEY [ROBINSON] AND THE MIRACLES; early Stevie Wonder; Philly soul; Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, all the things that they produced — Thom Bell. So you have THE DELFONICS, STYLISTICS, BLUE MAGIC, THE TEMPS, FOUR TOPS, and on and on. So, for me, that music, unfortunately, has been relegated to becoming samples in somebody's rap songs. Those songs deserve so much more, not only respect, but to be listened to, because when we play those songs live, everybody's faces light up, because they're just great, great songs.
"SOUL STATION is 15 people, and everybody's played with everyone from Smokey to Stevie Wonder to Natalie Cole to TEMPTATIONS, Whitney Houston, and on and on and on," Stanley continued. "And it really is like a family. We hang out at my house and have a great time. But what really bonded us together was this love of that music and wanting to recreate it accurately, respectfully. Even some of those bands, when they wound up playing live, did these uptempo, kind of soulless versions of their own songs. And we're playing those songs the way they're supposed to be, and it's glorious.
"Look, I started doing it selfishly, 'cause I love that music, and to have it surrounding me, and to get to sing those songs, is crazy. And then to also write some new tunes that really marry so well to the old tunes is like writing another page.
"Will it surprise some people? Yeah," Paul added. "But, honestly, I'm not… Somebody said, 'Oh, you're reinventing yourself.' I'm not the champion of blues rock or hard rock or metal or this. I did 'Phantom Of The Opera'. I'm a singer, and I choose to sing whatever I choose to sing at any given time. So, really, honestly, it's as natural for me to sing Philly soul as it is to sing rock. It's just I haven't done it publicly."
Last May, Stanley released a cover version of Smokey Robinson's classic song "Ooo Baby Baby", recorded by SOUL STATION. In a statement accompanying the clip, Stanley said: "These are challenging times. Long before I ever heard the great British bands, I grew up listening to Philly Soul, Motown and so much more. I was lucky to see Otis Redding and Solomon Burke among others. That music and its storytelling gave me strength and hope even in some tough days. The great classics of that era are magical medicine for most and I felt myself drawn back to that era for some sorcery I think we could all use."
He added: "While it's hard to connect physically, some of SOUL STATION decided to reach out and make a virtual and emotional connection on a great Motown and Smokey Robinson classic, Ooo Baby Baby."
In 2019, Stanley told the Real Radio 104.1 radio station that he wanted to wait for the right time to release the SOUL STATION LP. "It really deserves full attention and my full commitment," he explained. "So until we can do great live performances — the band is amazing live — and until we can promote it the way we should, it's just going to simmer."
Asked if he gets any hate from KISS fans for making an album that is stylistically far removed from the music his main band is best known for producing, Stanley said: "I'm sure there are some people who'd rather me doing a KISS album or something like that, but when you sign on with me, you understand that we're both in this together, and sometimes I have to do what I need to do. And that's part of the joy and the reward for me. So I would rather do a great SOUL STATION album right now than tamper with KISS or the KISS legacy and do something that I'm really not feeling at the moment."
Electric Boys have released a new single and music video, "Super God", featured on the upcoming Ups!de Down album. Watch the video below.
The Electric Boys are much loved for their idiosyncratic combination of hard rock and other forms of music such as funk beginning with their first album, Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride, in 1989. On April 30, the band will release worldwide their seventh album, Ups!de Down, which continues and advances this fusion of music styles to make something of their very, very own.
Recorded at Ghost Ward studios like their successful previous album, The Ghost Ward Diaries, and co-produced with David Castillo the album showcases the songwriting and performing talents of founder members Conny Bloom on guitar and vocals and Andy Christell on bass, while also introducing "Slim" Martin Thomander on guitar. Jolle Atlagic plays all the drums on the album, as the band’s original drummer Niclas Sigevall - still very much part of the band - could not leave LA due to the pandemic.
The album reflects the turbulent times of this year and spontaneously and organically formed into a concept album tackling adversity and fear mongering and championing the human fighting spirit and ability to transcend even the most difficult situations to find hope and victory over life’s circumstances. As such, the album taps into the collective consciousness of 2020, being contemporary while also drawing on a wide variety of influences such as Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple, Bowie, '50s Rock and Roll, late Beatles and even the Sisters of Mercy. Probably less funky than some of the band’s earlier material it is no less eclectic and provides a potent cocktail reflecting the history of rock and roll and the light and darkness of existence.
Conny Bloom: “You can see the light at the end of the tunnel rather than simply the runaway train in songs like 'This Is Not The End'. When things are this big and seem out of control you can reverse it and gain control by letting it go.”
The freethinking and rebellious spirit of the band is alive and well in this latest album and the belief in the power of the message of music and its ability to change the world.
People commonly mention to the band that Electric Boys songs have changed their lives, inspiring them to take up instruments and how much the band’s songs have meant to their fans. Known for his fine guitar work and languidly cool persona Conny Bloom is also recognized for his work with Hanoi Rocks and Ginger in the Wildhearts. Andy Christell also joined Hanoi Rocks with Conny and with his distinctive top knot is the epitome of steady, bellbottom-fluttering rock bass.
The band has a tour planned in Sweden and is hoping to widen and include more dates worldwide as circumstances permit.
Ups!de Down will be released in digital, LP (four different formats) and CD formats by Mighty Music on April 30. Pre-order here.
Tracklist:
"Upside Down Theme"
"Super God"
"Tumblin' Dominoes"
"Never Again Your Slave"
"She Never Turns Around"
"Globestrutter"
"The Dudes & The Dancers"
"Twang 'Em & Kerrang 'Em"
"It's Not The End"
"Interstellafella"
Whitesnake celebrates the blues sound that helped inspire its multi-platinum career on a new collection that features remixed and remastered versions of the group’s best blues-rock songs. The Blues Album is the third and final release in the band’s Red, White and Blues Trilogy, a series of compilations organized by musical themes that began this year with Love Songs (red) and The Rock Album (white).
The Blues Album is available for pre-order now, and will be available on February 19 digitally and on CD and as a double-LP set pressed on 180-gram, blue vinyl. Like The Rock Album and Love Songs, all the tracks on The Blues Album have been revisited, remixed, and remastered.
A video for the 2021 remix of "Lay Down Your Love" can be seen below:
Whitesnake’s singer-songwriter David Coverdale says, the music reflects how blues artists like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and the three Kings (Albert, B.B. and Freddie) continue to inspire him. In the album’s liner notes, he writes: “It’s hard to find the words to show how profoundly they connected with my soul. But ‘blues’ to me is a beautiful word that describes emotional expression… feelings, be it feelings of sadness, loneliness, emptiness… but, also those that express great joy, celebration and dance, sexiness and Love!!!”
The new compilation delivers a potent mix of hits and deep tracks that originally appeared between 1984 and 2011 on six Whitesnake studio albums and Coverdale’s solo album, Into The Light.
The Blues Album showcases two of the band’s biggest songs: “Slow An’ Easy,” a Top 20 Mainstream Rock hit in 1984 from Whitesnake’s double-platinum album Slide It In, and a brand new guitar based remix of the smash hit “Give Me All Your Love” from the band’s 1987 self-titled album, which was certified multi multi platinum. Other choice tracks from Whitesnake are also featured: “Looking For Love” and “Crying In The Rain,” and “Steal Your Heart Away” (video below).
Restless Heart (1997), Good to Be Bad (2008), and Forevermore (2011) are all represented on The Blues Album by multiple tracks (“Too Many Tears,” “A Fool In Love” and “Steal Your Heart Away”). The collection also includes “If You Want Me,” a studio recording released in 2006 as a bonus track on the live album, Live… In The Shadows Of The Blues. Coverdale also taps his 2000 solo album, Into the Light, for “River Song.”
“Steal Your Heart Away”
“Good To Be Bad”
“Give Me All Your Love”
“Take Me Back Again”
“Slow An’ Easy”
“Too Many Tears”
“Lay Down Your Love”
“The River Song”
“Whipping Boy Blues”
“If You Want Me”
“A Fool In Love”
“Woman Trouble Blues”
“Looking For Love”
“Crying In The Rain”
LP tracklisting:
Side One
“Steal Your Heart Away”
“Good To Be Bad”
“Give Me All Your Love”
“Take Me Back Again”
Side Two
“Slow An’ Easy”
“Too Many Tears”
“Lay Down Your Love”
Side Three
“The River Song”
“Whipping Boy Blues”
“If You Want Me”
“A Fool In Love”
Side Four
“Woman Trouble Blues”
“Looking For Love”
“Crying In The Rain”
FOO FIGHTERS have released a music video for their song "No Son Of Mine". The clip, which features audio from a live performance of the track, can be seen below.
"No Son Of Mine" is taken from FOO FIGHTERS' tenth studio album, "Medicine At Midnight", which came out on Friday (February 5) via Roswell Records/RCA Records.
"No Son Of Mine" ignites the second half of "Medicine At Midnight" with a lightning strike of a riff that builds into the album’s most full-on barnstormer. Replete with nods to familiar FF influences from QUEEN's "Stone Cold Crazy" to "Ace Of Spades"/"Iron Fist"-era MOTÖRHEAD to METALLICA's "Kill 'Em All", "No Son Of Mine" features a streamlined, minimalist chassis of searing Dave Grohl, Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett licks atop a steel-trap-tight Taylor Hawkins/Nate Mendel rhythmic frame.
"This is the kind of song that just resides in all of us and if it makes sense at the time, we let it out," Grohl explained, adding, "Lyrically, it's meant to poke at the hypocrisy of self righteous leaders, people that are guilty of committing the crimes they’re supposedly against…"
"Medicine At Midnight" is a nine-song, 37-minute effort which was produced by the FOO FIGHTERS and Greg Kurstin.
The first single from the disc, "Shame Shame", was released in November. An accompanying music video for the song was directed by Paola Kudacki and co-stars Grohl and Sofia Boutella. "Shame Shame" renders in stunning black and white an interpretation of a recurring dream that's haunted Grohl since his childhood days.
Grohl told SiriusXM's Alt Nation about the "Medicine At Midnight" musical approach: "It's our tenth album, and it's our 25th anniversary. We're. like, okay, let's look back at all the stuff that we've done before. We've made that loud sort of noisy punk rock fast stuff. We've made the sleepy acoustic kind of gentle acoustic record stuff. We've done the three- or four-minute-long bubblegum rock and roll, pop, single thing before. And it was, like, well, what haven't we done? And we had never really made a groove-oriented sort of party record.
"It's hard to put the words 'dance' or 'funk' or 'disco' in the same sentence as the FOO FIGHTERS; it scares the shit out of me," Dave admitted. "But all of us grew up loving rock and roll records that you could like bounce around to, like THE CARS. Like, oh my God, we love THE CARS. Or David Bowie's 'Let's Dance'. Or POWER STATION. Or THE [ROLLING] STONES' 'Tattoo You' — things like that. We're, like, 'All right. We've never really explored that territory before. Let's do it.
"We're lucky in that everybody in the band has diverse influences and everybody loves different kinds of music, but I honestly think we're capable of doing almost anything," he said. "So if we put our minds to it, we can kind of chameleon and turn into a death metal band, or we could be like THE CARPENTERS. So we just have to come together and make the decision, like, 'All right, which way do we wanna go? Which way are we gonna turn the wheel?' And this time we did it to make this party record."
Drum-cam video of MACHINE HEAD drummer Chris Kontos performing the song "Death Church" with his bandmates on February 5, 2020 at Théâtre Corona in Montreal, Quebec, Canada can be seen below.
The North American leg of MACHINE HEAD's 25th-anniversary tour for the band's debut album, "Burn My Eyes", kicked off in Phoenix on January 16, 2020 and wrapped up on February 22, 2020 at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California. Each show on the trek consisted of two parts: part one saw frontman Robb Flynn and bassist Jared MacEachern performing alongside new recruits, Polish guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka (DECAPITATED) and British drummer Matt Alston (DEVILMENT, EASTERN FRONT); while part two features "Burn My Eyes" played in its entirety for the first time ever, with original drummer Kontos and guitarist Logan Mader joining in.
Asked what it has been like getting Logan and Chris back on board, Robb told Kerrang! magazine: "Logan and I have stayed in touch. We kinda squashed everything and became friends again as far back as 2004. He comes out to all the shows. We played 'Davidian' together at the 'Roadrunner United' concert in New York. Chris and I haven't spoken in a long time for no reason other than that when I'm off the road, I'm just this boring suburban dad. He kinda quit music for a little while to do some BMX racing. He was in a whole other world. As it happened, Logan reached out to me about [the anniversary tour] and I thought it was a killer idea. Then I think my manager reached out to Chris and he was game, too. We just went out for dinner for two hours and just laughed and caught up. [Chris] just has such a huge personality: he's this loud, funny dude. It was a really good vibe, so we decided to just go for it."
Kontos left MACHINE HEAD before the release of the band's second album, 1997's "The More Things Change", and was replaced by Dave McClain.
Mader contributed to two MACHINE HEAD albums, the aforementioned "Burn My Eyes" and "The More Things Change", before exiting the group and being replaced by Ahrue Luster and, later on, Phil Demmel.
Demmel and McClain left MACHINE HEAD in the fall of 2018.
MACHINE HEAD released a new single, "My Hands Are Empty", in November via Nuclear Blast Records. The track is the latest in a line of singles to be made available by MACHINE HEAD, which issued "Do Or Die" in October 2019, "Circle The Drain" in February 2020, and the two-song "Civil Unrest", consisting of "Stop The Bleeding" and "Bulletproof", in June 2020. "Stop The Bleeding" featured guest vocals from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, and was written and recorded just days after the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.
Tune in tonight to SiriusXM's Foo Fighters Radio to celebrate the release of FOO FIGHTERS' tenth studio album, "Medicine At Midnight".
Watch (on the SiriusXM app) and listen as FOO FIGHTERS perform live from the SiriusXM Garage in Los Angeles tonight at 5 p.m. ET on Foo Fighters Radio (Ch. 105 on SiriusXM).
A preview of the performance, including FOO FIGHTERS' first public airing of the song "Cloudspotter" off the new album, as well as a Tom Petty cover and an oldie but goodie, is available below.
Foo Fighters Radio is a limited-engagement channel handcrafted by the the 12-time Grammy-winning rock band. The channel features a new, exclusive live concert performance, as well as unrivaled programming and special commentary from Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear and Rami Jaffee.
"From their inception in mid-'90s to their recent performance at the 2021 presidential inauguration celebration, FOO FIGHTERS remain one of America's biggest rock bands," SiriusXM's Scott Greenstein said. "They have achieved critical acclaim for their music and onstage energy, all while building a large and loyal audience. This special extended channel will draw new listeners, and as part of it we are very proud to present a FOO FIGHTERS concert from our L.A. studios next week. They are a rock band that grabs you and won't let go, and we love to bring their music and passion to our listeners."
Foo Fighters Radio features the band sharing insight into their new album and the stories behind some of their biggest songs, demos, b-sides, and rarities throughout their more than two-decade career. The channel features exclusive encores of Dave Grohl Presents Sound City, nine radio shows that feature Grohl discussing the music recorded at the iconic Sound City Studios in Los Angeles, including NIRVANA's "Nevermind", which served as Grohl's introduction to the iconic studio in 1991 when he was NIRVANA's drummer.
Foo Fighters Radio features a weekly series of live concerts from the band's vaults, beginning with their 2018 performance from the "Concrete And Gold" tour at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England. Other artists and celebrities are also showcased on the channel as they guest DJ, spinning their favorite FOO FIGHTERS music. Listeners can also expect to hear music from other artists, handpicked by the band, on the channel.
BATTLE BEAST singer Noora Louhimo will release her debut solo album, "Eternal Wheel Of Time And Space", under the NOORA LOUHIMO EXPERIENCE banner on March 5. The official music video for the LP's first single, the "Eternal Wheel Of Time And Space" title track, can be seen below.
"Eternal Wheel Of Time And Space" was produced by Samuli Erkkilä, who also plays guitar in NOORA LOUHIMO EXPERIENCE. Some of the songwriting sessions for the album took place at JaBa Recording Studios in Hankasalmi, Finland.
Louhimo previously described the musical direction of her solo material to Kaaos TV as "soulful blues rock with country influences." She went on to say that it's important for her to pursue a different musical direction with her solo LP compared to that of BATTLE BEAST. "I really feel like, because I have different sides as a musician, and my roots, as a musician, is in blues music and in soul music, so I really want to show that side also to the audience — that I'm not just about heavy metal, but I want to show the people where I come from," she said. "And also I really don't want to compete with my own band [laughs], because I think it's really good that people can see different sides of me as a musician and as a person. And in the album, all the lyrics will be about my personal life, so I'm gonna show people myself in a whole new level."
The "Eternal Wheel Of Time And Space" video arrives nine years after the release of Noora's first solo single, "Relax".
"That first single, it wasn't even written by me, but it was custom made for me," she told Reality Check TV in a 2019 interview. "It was a prize of this singing competition [laughs] that I was contributing."
In 2012, Louhimo joined BATTLE BEAST with no previous experience as a metal vocalist but quickly acclimated herself as the replacement for Nitte Valo.
Four years ago, Noora told CrypticRock.com about her early musical influences: "Actually, I started listening to heavy metal and rock since I was a little girl. My father used to play LED ZEPPELIN, AC/DC and all the best. When I was around 15 or 16 years old, I started listening to DIO and such. That was the first time I heard IRON MAIDEN, which is my favorite to this day. Actually, I didn't think when I was 15 or 16 that I would ever be a heavy metal singer."
She continued: "Even though I was singing back then, I already knew at four years old I wanted to be some sort of performer. When I was a teenager, I was a more pop and bluesy kind of singer. The blues and rock came in my life when I was around 19 years old. I began studying more pop jazz music and I found my first band, which was called ADMIRAL OCTOPUS. We were playing Janis Joplin, Eric Clapton, and that kind of '60s-'70s kind of hippie rock. I fell in love with blues back then and started to find my raspy sound through Janis's music.
"After that band broke up, I started pushing myself forward as a solo artist. I was chumming around in different places and, in 2012, BATTLE BEAST found me through YouTube. They found a clip of me singing Janis Joplin — surprise, surprise — and because of that clip, I am now in the band. I think Janis Joplin might be some sort of guardian angel for me."
Today finally sees the release of Korpiklaani's new album, Jylhä In celebration of the release of their 11th full-length the band have produced another video, this time for the song "Tuuleton". Check it out below.
Here's what frontman Jonne has to say about Jylhä:
"This is the most versatile Korpiklaani album we have done. We have some of our hardest, heaviest & fastest songs ever and we have the happy & melancholic ones. It is funny how you can do so many different kinds of music, but when these guys play it with these instruments it always sounds like Korpiklaani."
Korpiklaani is unique. Their blend of Finnish folk music and heavy metal is like no other. Like traditional folk music that tells tales of joy, heartbreak, and stories of old, Korpiklaani brings new life to these tales adding the high energy of rock ‘n roll and heavy metal. What you hear on the record is what you hear live; authentic, honest, and a lot of fun. Korpiklaani is a natural representation of our journey in this life, bringing music and emotions that can have you dancing all night, to quiet moments of melancholy.
Jylhä continues this journey with a collection of tales of folklore, nature, celebration, and three stories of murder, including the infamous Lake Bodom murders.
Singer Jonne states: "Jylhä is not just a battering heavy metal record, it's also our most volatile full-length album to date. For example, some of the new songs feature energetic punk rock influences and there are even some audible laid-back reggae-rhythms, like our first single, 'Leväluhta'."
The band have announced a Live Q&A chat for their fans. It will tale place today (Friday, February 5th) at 5 PM, CET / 4 PM, GMT / 11 AM, EST. Head over to www.korpiklaani.live to participate.
Frontman Jonne Järvelä is looking forward to talking to his fans: "While we are all disappointed with the delay of the vinyl, we also had to reschedule our album release show til September. However, we thought we could still do a Q&A after our rehearsal on Friday, drink a few beers and chat with you! Peace, Love, Folk & Metal."
King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his singer wife Toyah Willcox have been entertaining music fans with a series of eccentric quarantine performances, including a bizarrely fascinating rendition of the Black Sabbath classic “Paranoid” .
One of the many people who’ve seen the “Paranoid” cover is legendary Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, who told Consequence Of Sound that the rock couple has “gone mad.”
Fripp and Toyah’s “Sunday Lunch” performance series has really taken off over the past month, beginning with a cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” that saw Toyah riding an exercise bike while singing the iconic metal tune. That video has racked up more than 4.5 million views, thanks in no small part to Toyah’s revealing choice of attire. Equally fun renditions of Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell”, Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome To The Jungle”, and the Joan Jett hit “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll” have followed, averaging roughly 1 million views each.
Prior to their current run of viral videos, Fripp and Toyah’s “Sunday Lunch” first made headlines on Halloween weekend with their wild version of “Paranoid”, which saw Fripp playing guitar while Toyah sang and danced behind bars, either in an abandoned prison cell or an old bank vault. At one point, Toyah even climbed onto the bars as she sang the second verse.
Heavy Consequence just had the pleasure of speaking with Iommi about Black Sabbath’s upcoming reissues of Heaven And Hell and Mob Rules (full interview coming soon), and we had to ask the metal master what he thought of Fripp and Toyah’s version of “Paranoid”, as well as their “Sunday Lunch” series of YouTube videos.
“I think they’ve gone mad, actually,” Iommi remarked. “I think this lockdown has drove them mental. Oh dear, yeah — somebody had told me about it; in fact, somebody sent it to me, and I had a look at it. They do a thing now regularly, those two, they do a thing online, where they’re acting up.”
Frontiers Music Srl announces the release of the upcoming third album, and label debut, from Temple Balls, Pyromide, on April 16. The hard rockin' Finnish band is ready to take the world by storm and today, they have fired their latest salvo with the new single and video, "Thunder From The North". Watch the clip below. Pre-order/save Pyromide here.
Temple Balls are an energetic hard rock band from Finland. Pyromide, their Frontiers debut and third album overall, is a tour de force of melodic hard rock that sees the band pushing themselves onto the world stage. Produced by none other than Jona Tee (H.E.A.T.), Pyromide is a tour-de-force of hooks, powerful rhythms, and anthemic rock ‘n roll like it was meant to be played.
"Yet again, a huge amount of blood, sweat and tears were poured into the magic pot of hard rock and heavy metal. We are thrilled to release this whole package for you to listen to. They say 'third time's the charm' . We think that Pyromide verifies it brilliantly. We truly wish you enjoy it as much as we do! Cheers everyone," says the band.
Producer Jona Tee chimes in, "I have had the pleasure of working with Temple Balls on all of their albums. First one as a musician and the latest two as producer and songwriter. Let me tell you this, these dudes love their heavy metal. I get educated in the ancient ways of Finnish rock every time I cross the Baltic Sea. I’m happy to call these crazy bastards my friends and I think Pyromide is a heavy metal classic and Temple Balls strongest album to date."
Tracklisting:
"Thunder From The North"
"Long Ways, Long Lies"
"T.O.T.C."
"Fallen Youth"
"Bad Bad Bad"
"What Is Dead Never Dies"
"Unholy Night"
"Heart Of A Warrior"
"You Better Run"
"If Only I Could"
"Something To Die For"
"Thunder From The North" video:
Lineup:
Arde Teronen - Vocals
Jimi Välikangas - Bass
Jiri Paavonaho - Guitar
Niko Vuorela - Guitar
Antti Hissa - Drums
Devin Townsend is currently working on new material for upcoming albums, and for a current lack of touring possibilities and encounters with fans on the road, he decided to do a series of live albums, quarantine albums, and generally interesting projects that keep people entertained while he's busy on his next larger releases.
Devin comments: "So we bring to you the 'Devolution Series': a grouping of oddities and interesting material that I would like people to hear, but don't necessarily want to present as a ‘major release.'
"The series will include all the quarantine songs and concerts, as well as various live shows from the past few years.
"The first release is a remixed and remastered version of the 'Live In Leeds' show that was originally on the 'Empath' Ultimate Edition. It was a cool acoustic show that deserves to be heard, I think, so we can use this as an introduction to the series.
"I'm am currently deep in the writing of my new projects and am very excited to be doing so. Thanks for facilitating my ability to do that, and I hope you enjoy the 'Devolution Series'."
The "Live In Leeds" show has previously only been released in video format, and "Devolution Series #1 - Acoustically Inclined, Live in Leeds" now marks the audio release of said show. It will be made available on March 19.
As a warm-up to this release, check out the "Hyperdrive (Live In Leeds 2019)" video below.
"Devolution Series #1 - Acoustically Inclined, Live in Leeds" will be available as a limited CD digipak, 180-gram gatefold 2LP (including the album on CD) and as a digital album.
"Devolution Series #1 - Acoustically Inclined, Live In Leeds" track listing:
Former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted's official YouTube channel has just shared a video of him and his THE CHOPHOUSE BAND performing a cover version of the John Anderson song "Seminole Wind" in March 2019 at the Lighthouse ArtCenter in Tequesta, Florida. Check it out below. Also available are previously released performances of Johnny Cash's "Big River" the blues classic "Cocaine Blues", Tom Waits's "Jockey Full Of Bourbon", Neil Young's "Rockin' In The Free World" and "I've Been Everywhere" (originally written by Australian country singer Geoff Mack and later recorded by Johnny Cash).
Named after Jason's four recording studio facilities around the U.S. and featuring a fluid roster of players, THE CHOPHOUSE BAND began in 1992 when Newsted founded The Chophouse Records Studio in San Francisco.
THE CHOPHOUSE BAND is led by Newsted, playing acoustic guitars and performing lead vocal, accompanied by close friends/musicians of all walks and styles, sharing some great American songs from familiar and unfamiliar heroes.
Jason told the Palm Beach Florida Weekly about THE CHOPHOUSE BAND: "We all get along great because there's not money involved. They've got their own bands, their own families, their own gigs. We do benefit gigs, six a year, and that's it. I record and write and play songs the whole rest of the time. They could all run circles around me musical theory-wise. They could tell you everything they're playing, and all the relating chords. I surround myself with the bad-asses, and they make me look really good. I'm playing cowboy chords the whole time, and they're doing their fancy shit to make me look good. I just concentrate on singing, and getting across the things I want people to hear."
Asked by Boca magazine how deep his song archive is with THE CHOPHOUSE BAND, Newsted said: "I keep two bibles — heroes, and my songs. I try to stay at about 100 in the bible of heroes — everything from [LED] ZEPPELIN to John Prine to Dolly Parton. My [personal] song bible is probably between 24 and 32, most of them in the last 10 months. The band's favorite band collectively is JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 UNIT. I've become friends with [Isbell] over the past couple of years, and taken time to learn 20 of his songs. We always perform at least one in the set, trying to make it my own — kind of the idea with all of them."
Jason left METALLICA back in 2001, but was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, along with Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett and the man who replaced him, bassist Robert Trujillo, in 2009.
Seven years ago, Jason shelved NEWSTED, the heavy metal project he operated between 2012 and 2014, saying that it cost him "an awful lot of money — hundreds of thousands of dollars." He added: "I couldn't continue because the business is such a harsh thing now and so different than what I had known."
Melodic death/doom metal band, Coldbound, have released thier new single and music video, "Slumber Of Decay", featuring vocalist Liv Kristine (ex-Leaves' Eyes, ex-Theatre of Tragedy). Check it out below.
Liv Kristine spoke with BraveWords scribe Carl Begai exclusively about joining the band and her forthcoming solo album. Following is an excerpt from the interview.
"I got involved with Coldbound in 2020, about a year ago," Liv reveals. "Pauli (Souka / guitars, bass, vocals, drums), who is a really good friend of my fiancé Michael (Allegro Talent Music), sent him that one track, asking if I might consider being a duet part of it. I have to say that I was impressed instantly. I felt like I had travelled back to the times of Theatre of Tragedy. Pauli let me re-write the lyrics to fit my melody lines and as I was finishing my vocals in the studio, I told Michael and Pauli that it felt like I was singing on a song that was made for me. It's such a beautiful and powerful composition and I kept thinking 'What if Pauli's got more of that brilliant music?' Pauli must have sensed it because he asked me to join Coldbound later in the year, which I did, feeling really safe and free with my decision."
A brave move on Liv's part in that her split with Leaves' Eyes could only have left a bad taste in her mouth with regards to being part of a band situation.
"You're right, the story with Leaves’ Eyes really left a bad taste in my mouth," she agrees. "And it's not finished yet, as two band members actually sued me after they took away my primary source of living by replacing me with another singer. I had never foreseen that I would experience such unfair treatment. Why not just get it over with and leave each other alone? That's what I thought would happen in 2016 by getting divorced, sorting, getting on with my own life, finding 9-to-5 jobs and a lovely home for my family. I'm actually the one who lost my band that I formed with my friend and bassist, Chris Lukhaup, in 2003. I never, ever asked the current two band members for any compensation, whatever happened, however it happened, whoever posted a fake 'protocol' in the news in April 2016 that I neither signed nor approved of. The trial will continue and there will be a severe judicial examination of the case that the last two members of Leaves' Eyes have brought to court. That’s their decision and I'll have to set boundaries now. I don't want to be part of other people's destructiveness. Still, I hope for a peaceful solution to end this case and I'll make sure that truth will come to surface."
"Anyway, I am feeling blessed at this moment. Coldbound is a blessing, I have to say. Pauli and Meiju (Enho / keyboards, orchestration) are wonderful and there’s a deep understanding and passion between us. Our first single, 'Slumber of Decay', will be out on February 5th and this is a special day for Meiju, Pauli and me; maybe especially important for me."
Watch for more from the interview in the coming days.
Coldbound recently issued the following update:
"Upon discovering new ways to express our visions, finally we discovered this genuine portal of innocence, freedom but also of hardships. We have completed a very tough musical work for this release by capturing the moment and expanding our vision. A vision that resonates within our music in a mysterious way. A way that is capable of putting our audience into a unique trance of thinking through all kind of situations; whether these emotions are connected to a mysterious approach, freedom, fantasy or of inner struggles. This is 'Slumber Of Decay'."
Tracklisting:
"Slumber Of Decay" (album version)
"Slumber Of Decay" (radio edit)
"Slumber Of Decay" (Analogue Knobs & Orchestra Reprise)
Personnel:
The Band:
Liv Kristine - Vocals
Pauli Souka - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Orchestration, Keyboards, Drums
Meiju Enho - Keyboards, Orchestrations
Session musicians:
Markus Riihimäki - Kantele
Lotta Sofia Kyrönaho - Woodwinds
Pasi Sipilä - Lead Guitar
Main Crew:
Pauli Souka - Production, Recording, Mixing at 'Stairway To Sound'; Hudiksvall, Sweden
Antti Välimäki - Recording at 'Studio Sampolaaris'; Tampere, Finland
Øystein G. Brun - Stem Mastering at 'Crosound Studio'; Bergen, Norway.
Maryland black metal alchemists Nixil - featuring past/current members of Spectral Tombs, Tsepesch, Dagger Moon, and Corpse Light - will unleash their All Knots Untied debut full-length on March 5th.
Born on the cusp of the death of western civilization, Nixil is the expression of the deep existential frustration of four individuals in collaboration, wielding music and art as a powerful manifestation of strength in chaos and a defiant middle finger to the suffocating grip of a toxic and crumbling world.
Recorded and mixed by J. Robbins (Clutch, The Sword, Government Issue) and mastered by James Plotkin (SunnO))), Thou, Electric Wizard), All Knots Untied is a manifestation of chaos, rage, strength, and despair. Across six sordid psalms, Nixil spews forth a swirling alchemical cocktail of varied sources, creating a sound from which one might be reminded of the weirder side of Mayhem, the atmospheric expansiveness of French avant garde black metal a la Blut Aus Nord or Glorior Belli, and the moody, gothic depression of Bethlehem, connected by a powerful, driving rhythm in the filthy spirit of crust punk and tinged with occult psychedelia. "Our aim is to strip away the illusions and limitations of existence through an honest and sincere appeal to the art, magick, and potential of black metal." While the lyrical subject matter is not directly political, given the current political climate -- both in the world at large and within underground metal -- Nixil takes a firm and unwavering stance against fascism in all its permutations.
In advance of the release of All Knots Untied, Nixil today unveils the visual accompaniment of first single, "Deaths Of Our Own Design."
The band comments, "'Deaths Of Our Own Design' is a treatise on the necessity of continuous self-sacrifice of the mundane ego. If one is to advance upon the spiritual path of the undoing of 'All,' one must be ever ready to seek out and slay the perceived 'I,' which is being tenaciously reborn day by day, moment by moment. The video is a moving sigil and descriptive of this gnosis, seeking to inspire those with the eyes to see to draw the knife across the throat of self until there is indeed nothing left to kill..."
All Knots Untied artwork and tracklisting:
"Black Earth Within"
"Deaths Of Our Own Design"
"Make Me The Voice"
"All Knots Untied"
"May This Flame Flicker Out"
"Unimpeded By The Weight"
Digital pre-orders can be placed now at this location.
Ricky Warwick (Black Star Riders, Thin Lizzy, The Almighty) will release a brand new studio album titled When Life Was Hard And Fast, his first since 2015, on February 19th via Nuclear Blast.
In the video below, Ricky performs an acoustic version of his new single, and title track, from his upcoming solo record.
When Life Was Hard And Fast can now be pre-ordered in various formats, including a 2CD digipack which features the bonus covers album Stairwell Troubadour, here.
Warwick has released the album's title track, featuring none other than Def Leppard's Joe Elliott on backing vocals. The accompanying video depicts the County Down Ards TT Motor Race that is seen on the album's cover and ran from 1928-1936. The cover shows an accident from one of the races that happened directly in front of a field that was part of a farm owned by Ricky's grandfather, where Ricky himself lived for the first 14 years of his life.
For the process of recording the album, Ricky was joined by Robert Crane (bass), Xavier Muriel (drums) and Keith Nelson (guitar) as well as a number of special guests including Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, Andy Taylor formerly of Duran Duran, Thunder's Luke Morley, Dizzy Reed of the mighty Guns 'N Roses and even Ricky's daughter Pepper. Keith also produced the new album, having previously worked with Buckcherry, Blackberry Smoke and Alice Cooper.
When Life Was Hard And Fast tracklisting:
"When Life Was Hard And Fast"
"You Don't Love Me"
"I'd Rather Be Hit"
"Gunslinger"
"Never Corner A Rat"
"Time Don't Seem To Matter"
"Fighting Heart"
"I Don't Feel At Home"
"Still Alive"
"Clown Of Misery"
"You're My Rock N Roll"
Stairwell Troubadour tracklisting:
"You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" (Dead Or Alive cover)
"Ooops!...I Did It Again" (Britney Spears cover)
"Summertime Blues" (Eddie Cochran cover)
"1000 Dollar Car" (Bottle Rockets cover)
"Cocaine Blues" (Johnny Cash cover)
"I Don't Want To Grow Up" (Ramones cover)
"I Fought The Law" (The Clash cover)
"Burning Love" (Elvis Presley cover)
"Jesus Loves You...But I Don't" (The Almighty cover)
"Wrathchild" (Iron Maiden cover)
Serj Tankian's eagerly awaited "Elasticity" EP will be released on March 19 via Alchemy Recordings/BMG. A preview of the five-song release comes via the Vlad Kaptur-directed video for the EP's title track.
"When I conceived possibly doing another record with the guys from SYSTEM OF A DOWN a few years back, I started working on a set of songs that I arranged in rock format for that purpose," Serj explains. "As we weren't able to see eye to eye on the vision going forward with an SOAD album, I decided to release these songs under my moniker." With his trademark eclecticism and one-of-a-kind vocal style, Serj delivers a collection that runs the gamut from hard-driving, electronically enhanced anthems like the title track, a rallying cry for his beloved Armenia ("Electric Yerevan"), the tongue-in-cheek political mash-up of "Your Mom", the piano-laden "How Many Times?" and "Rumi", a song that Serj wrote both about his son Rumi and Rumi the poet.
"Elasticity"'s title is a play on SYSTEM's massive 2001 album "Toxicity". Serj told SPIN: "I'm gonna call it 'Elasticity' just because I wanted to do it with SYSTEM and it didn't happen. For me, it's not 'Toxicity' but it is 'Toxicity'. [Laughs]"
SYSTEM OF A DOWN hasn't released a full-length album since the "Mezmerize" and "Hypnotize" LPs, which came out in 2005.
In 2018, guitarist Daron Malakian publicly accused Tankian of not wanting to record, with Tankian responding that creative and financial issues with Malakian led to the stalemate. In a message on Facebook, Tankian wrote that Malakian wanted to control SYSTEM's creative process, take more of the publishing money and be the only band member to speak to the press.
A singer, poet, songwriter, visual artist, film producer, activist, and composer, Tankian has always created music as an outlet to express his thoughts and feelings with a level of passion and consciousness that few in today's world of music can rival. An Armenian born in Lebanon and re-rooted in Los Angeles, Tankian was introduced to the melding of cultures, ideas, and ideals from a very young age. The principles learned from this integration and adaptation have led to his understanding of the oneness of all things and have since maneuvered and transfigured into the music and art that he lives to create. As the lead singer and songwriter for SYSTEM OF A DOWN, Serj has released five studio albums, winning a Grammy Award in 2006 for "B.Y.O.B." and selling over 40 million albums worldwide. Despite this success, Serj has never grown complacent with his art, always striving to open up new channels of sound and arrangement to articulate his artistic expressions. He has released five albums of solo material, beginning with 2007's chart-topping hard rock album "Elect The Dead". His sophomore solo album, "Imperfect Harmonies", was released in 2010, followed by "Harakiri" in 2012. 2013 saw two distinct releases from Serj, the first being the critically acclaimed "Orca Symphony No. 1", released in June of that year, followed up with the very unique "Jazz-Iz Christ" one month later.
Over the past few years, his time spent in the recording studio has been focused on creating musical scores and compositions for film and video game projects. Serj recently lent his vocals to a modern-day cover of BLUE ÖYSTER CULT's rock classic "Godzilla" for the blockbuster Michael Dougherty film "Godzilla: King Of The Monsters". He also recorded a modern version of the Armenian folk song "Sari Siroun Yar" along with the Authentic Light Orchestra for the film "The Promise", directed by Terry George and starring Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac. Serj was also brought on by Survival Pictures, the producers of the film, to serve as an executive music consultant.
Most recently, Tankian composed the full musical score for award-winning documentary "I Am Not Alone" directed by Garin Hovannisian and the upcoming Live Nation Productions film "Truth To Power", which chronicles Serj's own journey through the crossroads of music and activism. In 2017, Serj composed music for Emmy-nominated "Intent To Destroy", a gripping film directed by award winning documentarian Joe Berlinger. That same year he created an intense score for the epic Russian action film "Furious - The Legend of Kolovrat", followed by his 2018 musical score for award-winning film "Spitak", directed by Alexander Kott. Additionally, Tankian composed the full musical score for independent films "1915" and "The Last Inhabitant", an original composition for Ilya Naishuller's "Hardcore Henry" and video game musical scores for "Midnight Star" and its sequel, "Renegade", which were created by one of the chief architects of the famed "Halo" game franchise.
Serj's resume also includes the formation of a record label, Serjical Strike Records (established in 2001), which has released albums from many critically acclaimed artists, including FAIR TO MIDLAND, Buckethead and DEATH BY STEREO.
Along with fellow musician Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, AUDIOSLAVE), Serj co-founded the non-profit organization Axis Of Justice in 2002, which strives to bring together musicians, music fans and grassroots political organizations to fight for social justice. He has also dabbled in the world of broadcasting as co-host of the Axis Of Justice Radio Network, which can be heard via SiriusXM and KPFK in Los Angeles. With a mission of spreading diversity and understanding through music, poetry and activism, Serj will continue to surprise and enlighten those who listen to his music and hear his words.
In recent years, Tankian has split his time between holding a mic and a paintbrush, having feverishly created over 60 pieces of art since 2013. His journey into the world of fine art began with his "Disarming Time Musical Paintings", which were exhibited at Project Gallery in Los Angeles. Since then, he has had multiple exhibitions at galleries in both the United States and New Zealand. In 2015, his artwork was exhibited at the grand opening of New Museum Los Gatos in Northern California as part of a group exhibit that ran from May through September of that year. Most recently, Serj's artwork was exhibited at two notable galleries in New Zealand during February and March of 2019.
Known for their driving hard rock anthems and full-throttle performances, Earshot is revealing a more sobering side with the new video for their latest hit single, “Been A Long Time”. The video, which powerfully depicts the depths of depression and mental illness resulting from Pandemic lockdowns, can be seen below.
Like the single itself, which also acutely addresses the inner struggles of isolation, the video was created remotely. Martin, who produced and edited it from his LA home studio with footage he sourced from Artgrid.io, says the objective of the video is to “serve as a reminder to everyone out there that they are not alone and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel… even if it’s not quite visible just yet.”
“Fans immediately resonated with the song emotionally and mentally. I think, because they could tell I was also going through the same thing. It's like talking to someone who understands you. Who can empathize with you. Who reassures you that you're going to be ok,” said Martin. “That’s why I felt it was important to put together a video that connected with our audience on a deeper visual level as well.”
Listeners certainly have “connected” with Earshot’s new single. In fact, as their first original song in more than five years, “Been A Long Time” was the #2 Most Added Song On The Billboard Mainstream And Active Rock Charts and is currently among The Greatest/ Most Increased Airplay On The Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart & Foundations Charts for three consecutive weeks.
The track is the first from a new collection of material that is scheduled to be released throughout 2021 as a series of singles. It marks the group’s first original music since their 2015 independently-released EP Aftermath. Prior to that, their first two albums featured songs charting in the Billboard Top 200 with their debut single “Get Away” reaching #4 on the U.S. Active Rock radio charts and staying in the top 100 for over 64 weeks.
However, since 2015, several of the band members (which also comprise guitarist Andy Stafford, bassist John Novak and drummer Mike Sylvia) have been busy working on solo and/or other projects including Martin who recently sang lead vocals on George Lynch and Jeff Pilson’s cover of Duran Duran’s “Ordinary World” on the Heavy Hitters album.
“Been A Long Time” was produced by Martin and Fink, mixed by Cedrick Courtois and mastered by Rob Brill.
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