In the latest episode of Gibson TV's "The Songbook", former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Gilby Clarke performs a stripped down version of the song "Skin & Bones", which originally appeared on his 2007 self-titled album.
As previously reported, Clarke will release a new single, "Tightwad", on October 26. The track, which features MÖTLEY CRÜE's Nikki Sixx on bass and JANE'S ADDICTION's Stephen Perkins on drums, is taken from Clarke's upcoming album, "The Gospel Truth".
"This song was written around a guitar riff I discovered while trying out a new fuzz pedal," Gilby said. "Lyrically I was inspired by deceit, treachery and the creative extremes people will go through to get ahead. I tried to get my message through with humor, but if it hits to close to home, maybe we all should take a closer look at ourselves and make improvements.
"I was lucky to have some wonderful musician friends contribute to the recording of this track, Nikki Sixx and Stephen Perkins. Stephen, as always, came through with a beat that drives the song and Nikki found a cool bass groove that accentuates the feel I was looking for. I tried to get my message through with humor, but sometimes the truth hurts."
"The Gospel Truth" will be released via Golden Robot Records. The disc was produced and written by Gilby at his Los Angeles recording studio, Redrum Recording, where he's also helmed records for such artists as L.A. GUNS, THE BRONX, BEAT ANGELS, BULLETS AND OCTANE and many more. The album was mixed by Grammy Award winner Chris Lord-Alge and mastered by Maor Appelbaum. Joining Gilby on the LP are Muddy Stardust on bass, Kenny Aronoff (JOHN MELLENCAMP, JOHN FOGERTY, CHICKENFOOT) on drums, along with Matt Starr (ACE FREHLEY, MR. BIG) and Chad Stewart (FASTER PUSSYCAT, L.A. GUNS) on backing vocals.
When asked how his new music may be different to his previous material, Gilby said: "I don't think it's very different at all. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. I have found the music that I like as an artist and a musician. It's important that I get better at it and try new things, but I like rock and roll, and loud guitars are good for the soul."
Clarke also discussed his songwriting process, saying: "I always start with a good guitar riff, then add the devil's drumbeat. It's good when you can put some interesting lyrics to it, too. I always try to find a new way of saying something simple. I don't like to complicate my lyrics, but I never duplicate them either."
At last year's NAMM show in in Anaheim, California, Clarke stated about the long delay in getting his new solo album completed: "For me, I can't do a record unless I feel good about the songs. I wanna make a record that I wanna listen to. So, these songs I'm really excited about. They're new songs. It really is classic rock. There's really nothing new on it — it's just a new version of what I like to do, which is loud guitars, man. So, I went in there. I used guys like Kenny Aronoff on drums, Steve Perkins — some really great players. I played all the guitars and did all the singing on it. But I think it's good — I think it's a good fresh approach on classic rock, really."
Clarke replaced founding guitarist Izzy Stradlin in the GUNS lineup in 1991, during the "Use Your Illusion" tour, and stayed with the band for three years. After exiting GUNS N' ROSES, Clarke continued as a producer and solo artist, while also playing in SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, ROCK STAR SUPERNOVA, HEART and other acts.
Clarke released his solo debut, "Pawnshop Guitars", in 1994.
An intriguing concept album built of complementary song pairs working from the outside in, Strangers - set to be released on October 30 by M-Theory Audio - is the newest effort from Israeli progressive/symphonic metal band, Scardust. With one pair of songs already unveiled to the general public via the music videos for “Tantibus II” and “Addicted”, the band has now revealed the first chapter of another two-part saga with their new music video for the track “Stranger”, which can be viewed below. A video for its companion track will be released next week.
Says vocalist Noa Gruman, “When someone close to your heart is leaving you and you’re breaking down and feeling that you’re left to face the world on your own, the shared memories and moments that you had become 'Stranger.' Being neglected is a fragile and exposed feeling, so in this one song we chose to lose the choir and strings and strip things down to the core musicians. In the video, they are playing the song, but never together, in an obscure, unrealistic location. They are surrounded by concrete pillars and the scene is continuously spinning, leaving the viewer feeling dizzy and uncomfortable. Lyrics pop out here and there to highlight specific parts, and there are also hints of water by the musicians' feet and paint cans lying on the ground. One may wonder why, and it will all be revealed in the other side of the story, told from the side of the neglector.”
Mastered by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Devin Townsend, Arch Enemy), Strangers”was written and composed jointly by singer Noa Gruman and composer Orr Didi, who also collaborated with Gruman on Scardust's full-length debut, Sands Of Time, and their 2015 EP Shadow.”The album features guest appearances from German folk musician Patty Gurdy, as well as vocals by the Hellscore choir and England’s prestigious Westbrook Hay Prep School Chamber Choir.
Pre-orders for CD and limited-edition gray smoke vinyl editions of Strangers are now live, here.
Scardust recently launched the “Mist Cover Challenge,” an invitation for fans to play or sing along with the final minute of the new song “Mist,” the closing track of Strangers, with the chance of winning a deluxe package of signed CD and vinyl copies of Strangers, a new Scardust t-shirt design and guitar picks. To enter the challenge, follow the instructions at this location and upload your video anywhere on social media, tagging the band and including the hashtag #scardustmist. Entries close on October 25, and winners will be announced by the band during a special livestream on November 1 that will also feature a live performance and a Q&A with special guest Patty Gurdy.
Tracklisting:
"Overture For The Estranged"
"Break The Ice"
"Tantibus II"
"Stranger"
"Concrete Cages" (feat. Patty Gurdy)
"Over"
"Under"
"Huts"
"Gone"
"Addicted"
"Mist"
Bleed From Within have released the live audio and video version of their fan-favorite track, "Into Nothing". Both were captured a few weeks ago during a very special production of a virtual show opening for Lamb Of God. The song is available on all digital platforms and you can check out the video below.
The live release of "Into Nothing" works as an appetizer for the full show, Viral Hysteria, which premieres live on Friday, October 16 at 3 PM, EDT and will be available for a limited time after the live premiere. Tickets and exclusive merchandise are available to purchase on the band's website, here.
Says the band: "Taken from the virtual support slot with Lamb Of God and part of the full production headline show Viral Hysteria, this video marks the band's first live performance of 'Into Nothing'; the second single from our latest album, Fracture."
Viral Hysteria will be available as a live album. Stay tuned for more details.
Whitesnake brings together some of the most-passionate music of its multi-platinum career on Love Songs, a new collection that contains remixed and remastered versions of the group’s best love songs. It’s the second release in the band’s Red, White and Blues Trilogy, a series of compilations organized by musical themes that began this summer with The Rock Album (white) and will conclude next year with The Blues Album (blue).
A video for a fresh, new remix of "Now You're Gone" can be seen below:
The new collection includes a mix of hits and deep tracks that were originally released between 1987 and 2011 on five Whitesnake studio albums and David Coverdale’s third solo album, Into The Light. Available for pre-order now, Love Songs will be released on November 6 as a CD , as a double-LP set pressed on 180-gram red vinyl, and digitally. The album will also be available via Rhino.com .
Like The Rock Album, Coverdale says all the tracks on Love Songs have been revisited, remixed and remastered. “Some have been musically embellished where my co-producer Michael McIntyre, my new mixer Christopher Collier and I felt it appropriate or necessary to bring out the best in these songs,” he explains.
Coverdale continues, “As most of you know, pretty much all the songs I write are love songs in some way, shape or form. These are some of my favorites. Not all are ballads. Some are out and out rockers with powerful romantic themes… and of course… include heavy breathing in all of them!!”
Released in October 1987 as the follow-up to the #1 smash “Here I Go Again,” “Is This Love” would peak at #2 on the US singles chart, making it the second-biggest hit of the band’s career. The group’s next album, the platinum-certified Slip Of The Tongue (1989), is represented here by the hit singles “The Deeper The Love” and “Now You’re Gone.”
In addition to the album tracks “Don’t You Cry” and “Midnight Blue,” the set also introduces three previously unreleased outtakes from the Into The Light album sessions: “With All Of My Heart,” “Yours For The Asking,” and “Let’s Talk It Over.” The albums Restless Heart (1997), Good To Be Bad (2008), and Forevermore (2011) are also represented on the compilation with multiple tracks (“Too Many Tears,” “Summer Rain,” and “Easier Said Than Done”).
Love Songs tracklisting:
CD:
“Love Will Set You Free”
“The Deeper the Love”
“All I Want, All I Need”
“Too Many Tears”
“Can’t Go On”
“Is This Love”
“With All of My Heart” *
“Summer Rain”
“Your Precious Love”
“Now You’re Gone”
“Don’t You Cry”
“Midnight Blue”
“Easier Said Than Done”
“Yours For The Asking” *
“Let’s Talk It Over” *
LP:
Side One
“Love Will Set You Free”
“The Deeper the Love”
“All I Want, All I Need”
“Too Many Tears”
Side Two
“Can’t Go On”
“Is This Love”
“With All of My Heart” *
“Summer Rain”
Side Three
“Your Precious Love”
“Now You’re Gone”
“Don’t You Cry”
“Midnight Blue”
Side Four
“Easier Said Than Done”
“Yours For The Asking” *
“Let’s Talk It Over” *
Danish/American rock and rollers VOLBEAT will release "Rewind, Replay, Rebound: Live In Deutschland" digitally worldwide on November 27 via Republic Records. The new 27-song set features songs recorded during the sold-out German leg of last year's "Rewind, Replay, Rebound" world tour, along with two additional tracks recorded earlier on the tour. The album marks the first official live recordings of 11 songs from the band's latest studio release, "Rewind, Replay, Rebound", as well as fan favorites from throughout the band's career played in front of the their die-hard German fans in cities such as Stuttgart, Cologne and Hamburg. The set, mixed by longtime VOLBEAT collaborator Jacob Hansen, will be available for streaming and download from your favroite digital service.
The first song from "Rewind, Replay, Rebound: Live In Deutschland", "Cheapside Sloggers – Live In Stuttgart", is available today. Watch the video below.
Leading up to the release of "Rewind, Replay, Rebound: Live In Deutchland", VOLBEAT will also be streaming three full shows from the "Rewind, Replay, Rebound" world tour via their YouTube channel. The first of these, "Live At The Barclaycard Arena In Hamburg, Germany", will be streamed on Thursday, October 22.
Germany holds an important place in the story of VOLBEAT. From playing their first note on German soil at the Rock Hard Festival in Gelsenkirchen 14 years ago, Germany has embraced the band and lovingly christened themselves the band's "second home." Says vocalist/guitarist Michael Poulsen: "The German audience has always had a special place in our hearts, since the very beginning. They have always supported us and still do. It's amazing to see the impact the fans have had on VOLBEAT. We've become fans of theirs, too."
Recently, VOLBEAT announced its "Record Store Day" Black Friday release, "Hokus Bonus": a vinyl-only compilation of "bonus tracks" from special and international editions of the band's previous albums. Limited to 3,000 copies, the LP features brand new cover art from longtime VOLBEAT illustrator Karsten Sand and will be pressed on "Magician's Smoke" colored vinyl. "Hokus Bonus" will also be available November 27 at independent record stores participating in "Record Store Day".
"Rewind, Replay, Rebound: Live In Deutschland" track listing:
PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS, the band featuring MOTÖRHEAD guitarist Phil Campbell alongside his sons Todd, Dane and Tyla, plus vocalist Neil Starr, will release its new album, "We're The Bastards", on November 13 via Nuclear Blast. The official lyric video for the latest single from the disc, "Bite My Tongue", can be seen below.
Guitarist Todd Campbell says: "Because 'We're The Bastards' said the word 'Bastard' too many bastard times in it, we decided to release 'Bite my Tongue' too for your listening pleasure. It never says the word 'bastard' in it, but we threw in a few 'shits' for good measure!"
The album is available as CD, limited digipack including four bonus tracks, 2LP gold, 2LP sparkle (U.K. exclusive), digital album, 2 LP orange/black splatter (mailorder + wholesale exclusive) and 2LP black.
Track listing:
01. We're The Bastards
02. Son Of A Gun
03. Promises Are Poison
04. Born To Roam
05. Animals
06. Bite My Tongue
07. Desert Song
08. Keep Your Jacket On
09. Lie To Me
10. Riding Straight To Hell
11. Hate Machine
12. Destroyed
13. Waves
Bonus tracks (limited digipak):
14. Big Mouth (Live)
15. Freak Show (Live)
16. Dark Days (Live)
17. Rock 'N' Roll (Live)
Formed in the aftermath of MOTÖRHEAD's dissolution, following the death of Lemmy Kilmister in 2016, PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS were always going to draw a crowd at any discerning rock or metal festival. Led by one of the genre's most respected guitarists, the band emerged onto the 2017 touring circuit powered by a huge amount of good will, a smattering of MOTÖRHEAD covers and a handful of new songs that crackled with passion and swagger. Landing themselves a prestigious support slot on GUNS N' ROSES 2017 summer stadium run, the BASTARD SONS hit the ground running.
Fast forward to 2020 and, just like everyone else, PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS had to cancel a lot of carefully laid plans when the global pandemic descended on us all. But as if to confirm their absolute dedication to blowing people's heads off with thunderous rock 'n' roll, the band refused to cancel plans to record a follow-up to their widely lauded debut. Recorded and engineered during lockdown by guitarist Todd Campbell, the second BASTARD SONS album may be just the tonic people need right now. It's called "We're The Bastards" and it's bigger, better and even more raucously uplifting than its predecessor. In fact, it's the sound of a great band hitting their stride and buzzing with confidence.
Wardruna—who are widely known for their ability to transcend music genres, cultures and languages while introducing innovative and genre-creating renditions of ancient Nordic traditions and using a broad selection of both traditional and historical instruments-- have revealed the monumental music video for the title track of their upcoming fifth full-length album, Kvitravn—which translates to ‘White Raven.’ The album is set for release on January 22, 2021 via By Norse Music in the U.S. and Sony Music / Columbia Records (worldwide excl. U.S.). The album continues where their Runaljod trilogy left off in 2016 with Runaljod – Ragnarok--which charted at #1 Billboard’s World Music charts in the U.S. and Canada.
“Kvitravn” is out today, October 16, across all digital platforms along with the exclusive premiere of its epic music video seen below. The video for “Kvitravn” was produced by Ragnarok Films--who also recorded the video for the single “Lyfjaberg” which the band wrote, recorded and filmed earlier this year amidst the pandemic. It was filmed at several locations across Norway and Russia.
“I am very excited to finally share this song with you,” states Wardruna founder/composer Einar Selvik. “‘Kvitravn’ is a song that explores traditions of animal-guides and the symbolism and legends of sacred white animals found in Nordic and other cultures all over the world. These highly regarded ghostly creatures, whether a raven, snake, bear, moose, reindeer, elephant or lion--are in animist traditions seen as prophetic, divine messengers, and guardians representing renewal, purity and a bridge between worlds.”
He continues with details on filming the “Kvitravn” music video: “Being fully aware of how rare it is to come across white ravens, we knew from the start that this would be an ambitious and challenging task to pull off. However, fate seemed to be on our side in this and the ‘impossible’ piece of the puzzle fell into place as if gifted from the divine. The video was shot in various locations in Norway and Russia and was produced by Ragnarok Film, the same team responsible for our previous video for the song ‘Lyfjaberg.’”
Selvik recently shared that he was enlisted to work on the score for the next installment of the
Assassin’s Creed® franchise, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (out November 17). His track “Hrafnsmál – The Words of the Raven” is included on the game’s soundtrack EP Assassin’s Creed® Valhalla—Out Of The North which is out now via Lakeshore Records.
The prestigious Egil Storbekken´S Music Prize 2020–a national honorary award that was created in memory of the Norwegian musician, composer and cultural bearer Egil Storbekken was awarded to Selvik this year due to his extraordinary efforts and works with Norwegian folk music, especially the older folk instruments.
Pre-order options for Kvitravn are available via digital download here. The album is also available on CD and 180-gram 2LP gatefold vinyl (black or ltd. Edition white) here.
Tracklisting (with translations):
"Synkverv" (Turn-sight)
"Kvitravn" (White Raven)
"Skugge" (Shadow)
"Grá" (Grey)
"Fylgjutal" (Speech of the Fetch)
"Munin" (Memory)
"Kvit hjort" (White Stag)
"Viseveiding" (Song-hunting)
"Ni" (Nine)
"Vindavlarljod" (Song of the wind-bred)
"Andvevarljod" (Song of the Spirit-weavers)
"Grá" video:
Dates:
September
23 – Charlotte, NC – Owens Auditorium
24 – Washington, DC – Warner Theatre
25 – Brooklyn, NY – Kings Theatre
27 – Boston, MA – The Orpheum Theater
28 – Montreal, QC – M Telus
29 – Toronto, ON – Meridian Hall
October
1 – Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theatre
2 – Minneapolis, MN – The State Theatre
5 – Calgary, AB – Southern Alberta Jubilee
7 – Salem, OR – Elsinore Theatre
8 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
9 – Vancouver, BC – The Chan Centre
11 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
13 – Oakland, CA – Paramount Theatre
15 – El Cajon, CA – Magnolia
16 – Los Angeles, CA – Orpheum Theatre
17 – Mesa, AZ – Ikeda Theatre
19 – Dallas, TX – The Majestic Theatre
21 – Denver, CO – The Paramount Theatre
Come one! Come all, to the demented, heinous bloodbath of a murder metal circus that declares Macabre’s return; Carnival Of Killers. As the band's first full-length album in almost 10 years and just in time for their 35th anniversary as a band, Carnival Of Killers will be released on November 13 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Today, the band releases the second single, “Your Window Is Open”. The video was helmed by award-winning filmmaker, Ryan Oliver who's previously directed videos for "The Atlas Moth," "Bill & Phil," "Child Bite" and "Lair Of The Minotaur". The video was produced in hand with his colleagues at The Rot Shop, a fabrication and FX shop in Chicago where the same group has previously made props and FX for many artists including Ministry and Metallica.
Corporate Death comments, "I haven't done a song about Richard Ramirez for more than twenty-five years, so I thought I would write a new one. He was evil enough to warrant a full concept record as we did with Dahmer, but Carnival Of Killers is all about variety."
Carnival Of Killers was recorded and mixed by Tomek Spirala of Studio1134 with the exception of drum tracks as he recorded them at Kiwi Audio with the help of Mark Walker. The mastering of Carnival Of Killers was handled by J.F. Dagenais at JFD Studios in Dallas, TX. The “Where’s Waldo” meets serial killer album artwork was created by Corporate Death (lead singer | guitarist Lance Lencioni) and artist Laz Gein and highlights the album's most memorable references.
Carnival Of Killers will be available in the following formats:
- CD Jewel
- Vinyl
Bludgeoned Flesh Edition (Milky Clear & Baby Oink w/ Red Splatter)
Pools of Blood Edition (Milky Clear & On Blood Swirl)
Carnival Edition (Milky Clear w/ Red, Blue, Green & Yellow)
Strangled Sky Edition (Blue/White Cloudy)
Clown Splatter Edition ( Milky Clear with Rainbow splatter)
Black
- Red Cassette
- Unhappy Meal #1
CD
Album Artwork T-shirt
Activity Sheet
Unhappy Meal Box
- Unhappy Meal #2
Vinyl - Pools of Blood Edition (Milky Clear & On Blood Swirl)
Album Artwork T-shirt
Activity Sheet
Unhappy Meal Box
- Unhappy Meal #3
Album Artwork T-shirt
Activity Sheet
Unhappy Meal Box
Pre-order your copy of Carnival Of Killers in the format of your choice here. Pre-save the album to Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer here.
Carnival Of Killers tracklisting:
Intro
"Your Window Is Open"
"Joe Ball Was His Name "
"Stinky"
"Abduction"
"Tea Cakes"
"Them Dry Bones"
"Richard Speck Grew Big Breasts"
"Slaughter House"
"Breaking Point"
"The Lake Of Fire"
"Warte, Warte"
"Now It’s Time To Pay"
"The Wheels On The Bug"
"Corpse Violator"
"The Murder Mack"
"The Lake Of Fire" visualizer:
Lineup:
Nefarious (Charles Lescewicz) - Bass, Vocals
Corporate Death (Lance Lencioni) - Guitar, Vocals
Dennis The Menace (Dennis Ritchie) - Drums
Peaceville Records will issue Autopsy’s first official live album, Live In Chicago, on October 30. The album will feature classic tracks form over three decades of depravity and will include a new, unreleased track, “Maggots In The Mirror”. Live In Chicago will out on double gatefold black vinyl and CD format. The track "In The Grip Of Winter" from the upcoming release is available for streaming below.
Live In Chicago was recorded at Reggie’s Rock Club, March 7, 2020, and contains 66 minutes of classics spanning the whole 30+ year career of the death metal legends. The release also notably includes the brand new track “Maggots in the Mirror”, giving fans something to chew on while the impending next studio release takes shape. Due to recent and somewhat unforeseen global events, this stands as Autopsy’s only gig of 2020, out of what was intended to be a string of several appearances. Luckily the show was professionally recorded, unknowing of what was about to follow.
With mixing carried out by Adam Munoz, notable for his work on Autopsy’s studio albums, Live In Chicago captures Autopsy in all of their ferocious, gory glory, with artwork once again conjured from the masterfully warped mind of Wes Benscoter (Slayer, Nile, Kreator).
Every vinyl preorder of Live In Chicago from Peaceville.com will receive the Born Undead DVD release. The DVD features full A History Of Horror, an Autopsy documentary and extensive live footage with a running time of almost 5 hours.
Tracklisting:
“Severed Survival”
“Twisted Mass Of Burnt Decay”
“Disembowel”
“Ridden With Disease”
“In The Grip Of Winter”
“Arch Cadaver”
“Fleshcrawl”
“Torn From The Womb”
“Embalmed”
“Gasping For Air”
“Voices”
“Maggots In The Mirror”
“Burial”
“Critical Madness”
“Service For A Vacant Coffin”
“Pagan Saviour”
“Charred Remains”
“Fuck You!!!”
Loudblast will release their new album, Manifesto, on November 6 via Listenable Records. A music video for the first single, "The Promethean Fire", can be found below.
After 35 years, Loudblast remains a unique entity of fully dedicated musicians churning out some of the catchiest death thrashing head banging madness.
Loudblast recorded their new album, Manifesto, at Vamacara Studio in France. Produced by HK Krauss and band leader Stéphane Buriez, Manifesto contains ten new songs (and several more bonuses recorded for limited editions).
The cover art was made by Eliran Kantor who once again achieved a stunning piece of work: "Stéphane told me about the album title, and I came up with the idea for the cover late at night while I was trying to fall asleep: I pictured a book that instead of bringing enlightenment (usually portrayed by rays of light), is emanating shadows. A dark cast revealing the evil nature bubbling in black tar beneath those who read it."
Guitarist and frontman Stéphane Buriez comments on its musical side: "This album has a particular feel for me, the themes refer to the chaos of life as such, to the chaos of society, the darkness of man revealed through his everyday actions. In Manifesto there’s the unhealthy side of our previous album Burial Ground, the atmospheres of ‘Disincarnate', ‘Sublime Dementia' and ‘Cross The Threshold', just a real Loudblast album!"
New member Frédéric Leclercq (ex-Dragonforce - bass) adds: "While we kept certain elements of Burial Ground, especially in terms of darkness, there was also common goal to go back to the roots of Loudblast. Stylistically, a balance between the brutality of Disincarnate, and the technicity and melodicity of Sublime Dementia."
Basic tracklisting (without bonuses - no specific order):
"Todestrieb"
"Solace In Hell"
"Erasing Reality"
"The Promethean Fire"
"Invoking To Justify"
"Into The Greatest Of Unknowns"
"Infamy Be To You"
"It Hides Until It Feeds"
"Festering Pyre"
"Unit 731"
Supergroup Flying Colors recently released their new live album, Third Stage: Live In London, available via Music Theories Recordings. Order here, and watch the video for "Forever In A Daze" below.
Third Stage: Live In London was filmed during their 2019 US and European tour and the footage captures the exhilarating sold-out final night, on the December 14 at the iconic Grade II Listed, Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London. The album is available on several formats including, orange transparent 3LP, Blu-ray, digitally, 2CD/DVD and a 40-page Earbook which includes 5 discs; 2CD album, 2DVDs and a Blu-ray. The Blu-ray and DVDs in the Earbook also include bonus material of music videos and concert footage of their Morsefest 2019 performance in Cross Plains, Tennessee.
Third Stage: Live In London captures the band in all their uncompromising glory, five musicians that when they come together prove that they have a special and breath-taking connection. In the words of Mr. Portnoy, it’s the “rarest of all sightings,” but what a sight to behold.
Tracklisting:
“Blue Ocean”
“A Place In Your World”
“The Loss Inside”
“More”
“Kayla”
“Geronimo”
“You Are Not Alone”
“Forever In A Daze”
“Love Letter”
“Peaceful Harbor”
“Crawl”
“Infinite Fire”
“Cosmic Symphony”
“The Storm”
“Mask Machine”
Legendary Birmingham, UK-based death metal legends, Benediction, have released their eighth full-length studio album, Scriptures, available via Nuclear Blast. Order the album in various formats here, and watch a video for the album opener, "Iterations Of I", below:
Benediction are without a doubt one of the few remaining originals in the death metal scene and have achieved legendary status through various albums over the years. Until today they love what they do and always do their job without compromise - on record and on stage.
After more than 30 years in the business and 12 years after their last album Killing Music, Benediction are now back with one of their best releases and play once again in the Death Metal Champions League.
Scriptures (produced by Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studio in England), sounds 100% like Benediction: they blend death metal with a "fuck-off punk rock attitude", heavy metal riffing and a groove that hardly any other band can perform like this. Dave Ingram's "signature-growls" and powerful lyrics enhance the tonal framework so that you can hear after a few notes that you are listening to Benediction. As usual the tracks vary from slow and heavy to fast and intense, from shorter "in your face" numbers to epic masterpieces.
The artwork fits perfectly to Benediction and awakens an immediate desire in the devoted old school death metal fan to enjoy the new album. It was created by Birmingham artist Simon Harris and is reminiscent of the iconic artwork of the first albums. Without a doubt it will fit very well in every vinyl collection next to Subconscious Terror, The Grand Leveler or Transcend The Rubicon, and will be appearing on shirts and posters in the future.
All in all, Scriptures is an album from scratch, where everything is just as it should be. A jewel in the catalogue of a band that has been present from the very beginning and - freely based on one of their most popular songs "We Bow To None" - has always remained true to themselves and their fans.
Tracklisting:
"Iterations Of I"
"Scriptures In Scarlet"
"The Crooked Man"
"Stormcrow"
"Progenitors Of A New Paradigm"
"Rabid Carnality"
"In Our Hands, The Scars"
"Tear Off These Wings"
"Embrace The Kill"
"Neverwhen"
"The Blight At The End"
"We Are Legion"
"Stormcrow" video:
"Rabid Carnality video:
Benediction lineup:
Darren Brookes - guitar
Peter Rew - guitar
Dave Ingram - vocals
Dan Bate - bass
Giovanni Durst - drums
On October 30, progressive rockers The Flower Kings will release their new double album, Islands, via InsideOutMusic, just a year after the group’s much celebrated Waiting For Miracles.
Today they launch a new video for the third single from the album, "Morning News", and you can watch it below.
Roine Stolt comments: “When the world shut down - all shows at risk, or cancelled, we found a way out of the pandemonium & panic by doing what we do best. Write music and record it! There was already so many great songs & ideas in stock that just needed work and some love & perfecting. The plan was to write and record a very 'intuitive & inclusive' album where we could be free to do any style to fit in a multicolour tapestry. 'Morning News' was an acoustic piece that was a natural choice - sort of a simple McCartney style acoustic song - that needed little or no wall of sounds. The song is about a beautiful end, realization and acceptance of our own mortality."
The 92-minutes long Islands features artwork by legend Roger Dean (Yes, Asia, Gentle Giant, Greenslade, Uriah Heep) and all trademark sounds and melodies, the band is renowned for. From vintage keys to epic guitar solos, from odd drum patterns to symphonic elements, The Flower Kings present a dynamic and complex record that is bold, bombastic and beautiful.
Islands will be available as massive Limited 3LP & 2CD box set with slipcase and 180 gram vinyl housed in two gatefolds, one single sleeve; as Limited Edition 2CD Digipak and Digital Album. Pre-order here.
Strictly limited coloured vinyl editions are available from these outlets:
Disc One
"Racing With Blinders On"
"From The Ground"
"Black Swan"
"Morning News"
"Broken"
"Goodbye Outrage"
"Journeyman"
"Tangerine"
"Solaris"
"Heart Of The Valley"
"Man In A Two Peace Suit"
Disc Two
"All I Need Is Love"
"A New Species"
"Northern Lights"
"Hidden Angles"
"Serpentine"
"Looking For Answers"
"Telescope"
"Fool’s Gold"
"Between Hope & Fear"
"Islands"
Devin Townsend will release Order Of Magnitude - Empath Live Volume 1 on October 23, a document of his Winter 2019 European tour that saw him taking on possibly his most ambitious live show to date.
Watch a new clip of the band performing the track "Why?", taken from his latest album Empath, below.
Devin comments: “So once upon a time, in a land not much different than the one we're living in now, there used to be things called 'concerts' where a bunch of human beings would assemble to watch awkward performances and get shitfaced on overpriced beer. Tour managers would solve problems while simultaneously hitting on women, and musicians would complain about not being home (until getting home, where they would then complain about not being on tour). During one of these 'tours', I myself assembled 10 brilliant people, confident enough to play challenging material, while simultaneously acting like goofs with me onstage. This is from the upcoming Order Of Magnitude DVD, and the song is called 'Why?'. Kudos to Diego for being able to pull off a full symphony with only 4 limbs, and the rest of the band for not batting an eye when I presented the ideas I had for this show. Che, Samantha, Anne and Arabella came to me and said 'look, if we have to wear this stuff, you have to as well...' so my Tutu was a show of solidarity with band members, but as the saying goes 'I've seen better legs hanging out of a nest'. I look forward to a time where we get to do this again, but if that’s not meant to be, I loved this, so thanks to everyone involved.”
The Blu-Ray edition of this forthcoming release features a behind the scenes feature, taking a look at the preparation for this tour and the filming of the live album. Watch a teaser below:
Recorded in December 2019 in London, UK on the penultimate night of the tour in support of his latest album Empath, this run of shows saw Devin joined by an incredible lineup of musicians. The band was made up of guitarists Mike Kenneally (ex-Frank Zappa) and Markus Reuter (Stick Men, The Crimson Project), drummer Morgen Agren (Kaipa, Mats & Morgan, Frank Zappa), bassist Nathan Navarro, Haken keyboard player Diego Tejeida, and guitarist/vocalist Ché Aimee Dorval, as well as vocalists Samantha & Anne Preis and Arabella Packford.
Devin’s plan for the Empath touring cycle was to divide it up into three ‘Volumes’, and this was Volume 1. The idea behind the shows was a simple one: none of the backing tapes or click tracks that had long been necessary to bring the kaleidoscopic cacophony in his head and on his records to life in the flesh. This would just be Devin Townsend and a band of genius-level musicians getting up there and trying to keep it from spinning off into outer space. Or maybe just letting it spin-off into outer space for the sheer hell of it.
“The whole objective was that I wanted to make that statement: This is by the seat our pants,” he says. “Because it's important to me to represent this hyper anal-retentive music that I've made over the years, but in a human way. Rather than it just being, ‘Well, here it is, perfectly done.’”
“I was overwhelmed by the fact that all these brilliant people that I have so much respect for were willing to come together and play this weird shit with me,” says Devin. “I had these unique players and this interesting instrumentation that allowed us to interpret the music in different ways. It was clear to me that I could just have fun and be me and know that they would be effortlessly be able to follow that.”
That sense of fun and freedom was evident to anyone who was there on the night. Visually, it was an assault on the senses in the best possible way. A digital screen projected vivid images throughout the show. A giant gleaming mirrorball hung from the ceiling. There were multiple costume changes and a tiki bar onstage (a tiki bar!).
Order Of Magnitude - Empath Live Volume 1 will be released as a Limited Deluxe 2CD+Blu-Ray+DVD Artbook (including expanded artwork & photos), Limited 2CD+DVD Digipak, Standalone Blu-Ray, Gatefold 3LP+2CD vinyl box-set & as a Digital Album. The Blu-Ray disc includes a bonus behind the scenes documentary, and both DVD & Blu-Ray feature a 5.1 surround sound mix.
In Veil is a dance-oriented industrial metal project from Toronto, Ontario and was founded by Ady Cernea (my Frost, Dispersia) and Haysi Veil (The Voodoo Children) in the fall of 2019. By the end of 2019 the band would complete their line-up, recruiting bassist Christian Dotto (One In The Chamber) and drummer Kevin Mirtle (Red Kitty). In veil's music can be described as energetic and upbeat with musical inspirations from Rammstein, Marilyn Manson, Blondie, Gojira, Boney M and ABBA.
They have released a new single, "Lunatic", featuring guest vocals by Astaroth Incarnate frontman Sam Astaroth. Check it out below.
Check out the official In Veil Facebook page here.
Sam Astaroth recently checked in with the following update:
"So excited to share this X Japan cover!
I originally met Derryl at Banger Shredders of Metal 1 and have been friends since. He reached out to me to work on this cover a little while back alongside Brian from Nova Scotia, and Alessio and Dario from Italy covering this Japanese classic together! We did this purely out of love for one of my all time favorite classic metal bands of all time! X Japan also helped start the whole Visual Kei movement which I have been a huge fan of the genre forever now! I took the time to translate the song and mostly sing it in English and sing a few lines in Japanese. I also kinda had to learn to sing power metal!?"
Vocals - Sam Astaroth
Guitar 1 - Derryl Vi
Guitar2 - Brian Bower
Keys - Dario Trentini
Drums - Alessio Monacelli
Bass - Brian Bower
Weekend was written and originally recorded by X-Japan.
Six-piece progressive metal outfit Aviations will release a new EP which will see the group re-visit songs from earlier in their career. The new studio release, titled Retrospect, will see a November 20th release. Speaking about what led the band to record Retospect, Aviations lead vocalist Adam Benjamin states:
“Retrospect is our first formal release as a complete lineup that has toured and performed this music live. Since forming the band and releasing a debut in 2012 as teenagers, we wanted to revisit some tracks to see what we could do in 2020."
"Everyone in the band has put their stamp on these songs in their own way, and we thought this would be the best precursor to all the new music we have written to release in 2021. In the meantime, we didn’t want fans waiting too long between releases. Enjoy!”
With the release of Retrospect already less than 40 days away, Aviations will be releasing a slew of video content to hype the record. The first such offering is the playthrough video for "Nineties Nine Ties", which can be seen below.
Aviations is a progressive “cozy” metal band from Boston, MA that started as a passion project in 2011.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the band’s hustle shifted to recording content and writing a third album which is planned for release in 2021. Before that, Aviations revisited their debut album to re-track classic tracks “Outliers” and “Nineties Nine Ties” for an EP which is scheduled for release on November 20th, 2020. With themes revolving around “holding on to your hope,” which is belted in the intro vocal line, the focus-single “Outliers” was filmed at keyboardist Richard Blumenthal’s house in Nashville, TN during quarantine.
"After 14 years as a band and in the ever-changing climate that is the music industry, we are embarking on a new chapter of our life as While She Sleeps," says the group.
"Our goal is to create a sustainable model for artists and creatives, to break from the traditional industry mold by building and developing a true interdependence between the band and fans."
"With the future of live performances uncertain, the Sleeps Society will enable a secure existence for WSS and gives us the opportunity to stay connected with our fanbase, developing new ways to provide for our supporters and fill the void left without live music. In these uncertain times, this is the difference between life and death for the future of WSS. We aren't prepared to be another band forced to give up simply because the system isn't designed to support the artist."
"The idea behind the society was created after over a decade's experience of this rollercoaster ride that is the music industry. Having overcome mountains of hardship and financial debt, it feels important to share what we've learned along the way with those who are drawn to a similar path as ours. This model will provide a new route for upcoming artists and bands similar to us, using our knowledge and guidance to help achieve a realistic career in the creative industries."
"The society will ask a membership fee, ranging in different tiers of support. These contributions directly fund the creation and survival of WSS. The cost will be repaid to the fans with a plethora of informative, exciting and engaging videos, as well as special events to get involved with and many exclusives to members. We'll be sharing full album guitar and drum play-throughs, a tutorial series for songwriting, studio production, vocal techniques, art and branding, self-management, videography, and much more. There'll be an in-depth look into making the forthcoming album and livestreamed studio sessions where members can help make decisions in the writing stages of songs. Members will get early access to tour tickets, exclusive merchandise, warehouse meet-ups, events, and secret 'members only' shows. And that's just scratching the surface of what we’ll be offering members through the Society."
"Our aim is to deliver a 'too good to be true' level of rewards for the prices we are asking our supporters to pay, using our individual skills to develop and create entertaining and informative videos, tutorials, ideas and more for our members. This is us sharing our knowledge and experience in the hope that other artists can take this model and use it for their own."
"With the monthly support of our fans, the band will be able to break free from the traditional music industry method of 'cash advances,' where artists are essentially borrowing large sums of money and giving up the rights to their songs, only to spend the years that follow in debt which oftentimes becomes insurmountable and crippling."
"The Sleeps Society ensures a solid future for WSS and creates a new model of survival for artists and bands alike. We will be delivering the highest level of fan involvement and fostering a symbiotic relationship as the Sleeps Society becomes an integral part of Sleeps’ existence."
The founding of the Sleeps Society coincides with the announcement of the Sheffield metal band's fifth album, which will bear the same name. Sleeps Society is set for release April 16, 2021. The cinematic music video for its title track has just been revealed and its 'press conference' intro lays out exactly where the band are coming from.
For further details, visit While She Sleeps on Facebook.
In the new video below, bassist Glenn Hughes performs a playthrough of The Dead Daisies' latest single, "Bustle And Flow":
Rock bands have always used music videos to express their creativity and innovation, “Bustle And Flow” is no exception.
The Dead Daisies have collaborated with Creative Works (London), a branding and content studio (live concert graphic artists for Guns N’ Roses and Aerosmith, amongst others) to provide the latest visuals for “Bustle And Flow”. Together they are forging new ground creating narrative driven real-time immersive visual and music content, that spans live, social and digital channels. This Animated Music Experience (A.M.E) uses the Unreal Engine game engine that is behind the worldwide online video game phenomenon Fortnite, amongst others.
The Dead Daisies are always looking for original ideas and providing unique experiences for their fans. This new offering taps into the gaming aesthetic that dominates the globe and enables the band to connect with audiences of all ages, whilst remaining on the cutting edge of technology.
A spellbinding animation sets the backdrop for the song from their upcoming album, Holy Ground which will be released January 22, 2021.
In this dark, fiery tale a Mysterious Woman arrives at the entrance of a foreboding Sideshow Carnival that has pitched up on the outskirts of town in the grounds of an old dilapidated church graveyard. With stealth and speed on her side, the Raven deals out her punishment outwitting her prey at every turn and subjecting her quarry to a swift demise.
“Filled with energy and vigor, 'BustleAand Flow' emerged as one of the last tracks to make the cut. It builds and builds and has great movement. The song and the video are about walking through the fear,” says vocalist and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Glenn Hughes.
The Animated Music Experience can be seen below:
Lineup:
Vocals/Bass: Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Country Communion)
Guitar: Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio)
Guitar: David Lowy (Mink, Red Phoenix)
Drums/Vocals: Deen Castronovo (Journey, Bad English, Hardline)
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has released the third official video from its current album, "F8", for the track "Living The Dream", which is currently climbing the rock charts. Shot in Los Angeles, California last month, the clip is rife with symbolism and implicit social commentary.
Having conceptualized the tongue-in-cheek idea for the video, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory explains: "America is a beautiful idea that draws immigrants like myself from all over the world to the promised land of equality, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This idea is now under siege and certain events are starting to remind me of the things many of us came here to escape... It's not a 'left against right' problem but an evolutionary problem. The growing pains of a civilization that without the necessary spiritual enlightenment, arrived a bit early to a level of technology where everyone is connected. The good news is that now everyone has a voice. The bad news is that now everyone has a voice.
"So we are living in the manipulators' paradise, where liars and hypocrites run unscathed, the news are just opinions, politics are a blood sport, and facts are determined by consensus instead of the truth," he continues. "We as artists, however, have a unique opportunity to portray and ridicule the absurd to prevent it from becoming reality."
Earlier this week, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH confirmed that it officially parted ways with guitarist Jason Hook back in February 2020, during the band's sold-out European arena tour. He has since been replaced by renowned British virtuoso Andy James, who is also featured on "Broken World", one of the five previously unreleased tracks on FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's latest greatest-hits collection, "Decade Of Destruction, Volume 2".
The follow-up to 2018's "And Justice For None", "F8" capped a turbulent period for FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH in which singer Ivan Moody finally got sober after a near-fatal struggle with addiction, while co-founding drummer Jeremy Spencer bowed out of the band due to physical issues.
Much of "F8"'s lyrical content deals with Moody's battle with addiction, its aftermath and his recovery. The singer celebrated two years of sobriety in March.
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's new disc was once again helmed by Kevin Churko, the Canadian record producer/engineer and songwriter who currently lives in Las Vegas, where he works out of his private studio, The Hideout Recording Studio. The drums on the LP were laid down by Charlie "The Engine" Engen, who made his live debut with the group during its fall 2018 tour with BREAKING BENJAMIN.
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