Rochester, New York's UNDEATH will release its third album, "More Insane", on October 4 via Prosthetic Records. The music video for the LP's lead single, "Brandish The Blade", which was directed and edited by Errick Easterday, can be seen below.
UNDEATH comments: "'More Insane' is the biggest, baddest, nastiest UNDEATH record yet by every conceivable metric. It's a fucking sick death metal record for sick death metal freaks and anyone out there who can appreciate the transcendent power of a good riff played fast on distorted electric guitars. No bullshit whatsoever — not even for a second. Ten tracks of death metal earworms crafted by five guys who shower just irregularly enough to invoke the spirits of the death metal ancient ones.
"Follow me on this one for a sec: In weightlifting terms, if our last record, 'It's Time...To Rise From The Grave' was our cut cycle record, where we trimmed the fat and honed things down to the raw essentials, 'More Insane' is us entering our bulk cycle, where we built a big, filthy record on top of a canvas of pure death metal muscle. We co-produced it with Mark Lewis, who engineered, mixed and mastered the whole thing and made the best sounding album we've ever made. It'll sound absolutely killer on literally anything you play it on, and it'll sound even better if you turn it way the fuck up. There's songs about advancing armies of the undead, demonic bounty hunters, homicide, perverse experiments gone horribly awry, dead people screaming and crying tears of blood, homicide (again),and so much more. Matt [Browning, drums] painted the cover art and this marks the end of the trilogy of paintings starting back with 'Lesions Of A Different Kind', where we've zoomed out far enough now to reveal that the entire fucked up universe of these covers has taken place entirely within the collapsed and bursting skull of a rotting godhead floating in a soulless void.
"To put a bow on it all: 'More Insane' is the sickest shit we've ever done, full stop. Death metal reigns supreme forever and we are but its humble servants. Enjoy and smoke em if you've got em."
The band adds: "'Brandish The Blade' was one of the first songs that came together for 'More Insane' and it's easily one of the most anthemic songs that we've ever written. Specifically it's about a conquering army (probably of the undead, as is our M.O.) moving from battlefield to battlefield and annihilating anything and anyone who gets in their way, but broadly speaking I've always felt that it was a call to arms for all those who believe that death metal in all its unadulterated glory is something worth fighting for. The chorus repeats the line 'The time is now', and I see that as a natural evolution from the chorus of 'Rise From The Grave', which was the first single from our last record. We've risen from the grave, and now it's time to brandish the fucking blade."
UNDEATH's previous album "It's Time...To Rise From The Grave" caught a wave of acclaim on TheNeedleDrop's YouTube channel, earned "Best New Music" from Pitchfork, and, most impressively, rocketed to the top of Decibel magazine's "Top 40 Albums Of 2022", along with a coveted cover feature. On "More Insane", UNDEATH — featuring Kyle Beam (guitars),Alexander Jones (vocals),Tommy Wall (bass),Jared Welch (guitars) and Matt Browning (drums) — feast on the rotten flesh of brutality, complexity, and depravity.
If the gross-out teenage hallucinations of "It's Time..." rattled death metal's caved-in cranium, "More Insane" explodes with even sicker vistas. Lyrically, UNDEATH pick up, in part, where "Necrobionics" and "Enhancing The Dead" left off. Indeed, the undead armies (from space) cause more carnage in "Sutured For War" and "Dead From Beyond". Elsewhere, the New Yorkers summon nightmares from video games ("Bloodborne", etc.) on "Cramped Caskets (Necrology)", turn to high fantasy on "Brandish The Blade", and man-eating laboratory demons on "Disattachment Of A Prophylactic In The Brain". Unifying themes of murder, weirdos, psychotic people (who kill others),and more lunacy prevail on "More Insane". Browning's eye-catching cover art of a splayed head atop an optic white background engulfs all in graphic, blood-soaked glory.
The recording of "More Insane" was hearsed over to American studio wizard Mark Lewis (CANNIBAL CORPSE, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER) at Mark Lewis Audio in Nashville, Tennessee.
UNDEATH and Lewis met after a gig in Alabama. They became fast friends. With the basics out of the way, the group set up a month-long residency at Lewis's studio to nail down "More Insane". UNDEATH and Lewis co-produced, while Lewis handled engineering, mixing, and mastering.
"More Insane" track listing:
01. Dead From Beyond
02. More Insane
03. Brandish The Blade
04. Disputatious Malignancy
05. Sutured For War
06. Cramped Caskets (Necrology)
07. Bounty Hunter
08. Wailing Cadavers
09. Disattachment Of A Prophylactic In The Brain
10. Bones Clattering In The Cave
UNDEATH is:
Kyle Beam - guitars
Alexander Jones - vocals
Tommy Wall - bass
Jared Welch - guitars
Matt Browning - drums
IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson released the limited-edition CD of his new solo single, "Resurrection Men", last week, featuring two live bonus tracks. The accompanying video has been unveiled today and is a joyous look at life on the road which started in Los Angeles on April 12 and finished in Athens, Greece on July 21, playing to a combined total of over 350,000 people.
"The tour was one of the very best," says Dickinson. "The band were just so pumped and on it every night that it was a joy. The audience reactions everywhere for songs old and new were pretty overwhelming and I already can't wait to go back out again!
"The video is my thank you to everyone that came to see us at festivals, clubs, theatres and arenas.
"Who said a metal audience can't appreciate a theremin, bongos and 'Dick Dale-esque' surfer guitars? Mine certainly do!!"
The three-track CD comes in gatefold digi-sleeve and includes the bonus songs "Afterglow Of Ragnarok" and "Abduction", both of which were also recorded live at Dickinson's show in São Paulo, Brazil as part of his world tour for "The Mandrake Project". That tour, which concluded last week, saw Dickinson and his HOUSE BAND OF HELL play almost 50 shows across the U.S., Europe and Latin America to a rapturous response.
"The Mandrake Project" album has been a huge critical and commercial success, topping charts around the world and receiving some of the best reviews of Dickinson's illustrious solo career.
Joining the IRON MAIDEN singer on the trek was his current backing band, featuring Dave Moreno (drums),Mistheria (keyboards) and Tanya O'Callaghan (bass),alongside the group's latest additions, Swedish guitarist, songwriter and multi-platinum-credited producer Philip Näslund and Swiss session and touring guitarist Chris Declercq (who played on Dickinson's "Rain On The Graves" single). Bruce's longtime guitarist and collaborator Roy "Z" Ramirez is not part of the touring lineup.
Prior to the April 12 Whisky A Go Go show, Bruce last performed with his solo band on in August 2002 at the legendary Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.
During an appearance on the April 16 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Bruce was asked if there are plans for him to stage a full U.S. tour in support of "The Mandrake Project". He responded: "I brought the [booking] agents and the promoters, and everybody came down and saw the Whisky show [in West Hollywood, California over the weekend], and now they know what they've got to deal with in terms of doing a U.S. tour. So, we're looking at it, we're planning it.
"I absolutely wanna do a full U.S. tour with 'The Mandrake Project'," he added. "I obviously can't do one for the rest of this year [due to commitments in other parts of the world and MAIDEN's upcoming touring activities], but there's '25 and there's numerous opportunities that will crop up. So the answer to that is yes, of course, we wanna come and do the U.S."
Roy played guitar on Dickinson's 1994 album "Balls To Picasso" and went on to produce, co-write and perform multiple instruments on Bruce's subsequent three solo albums, "Accident At Birth" (1997),"The Chemical Wedding" (1998) and "Tyranny Of Souls" (2005).
O'Callaghan is an Irish musician who joined WHITESNAKE in 2021 and toured with the David Coverdale-fronted outfit the following year. She also hit the road with Dickinson last year as part of a performance of Jon Lord's "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" on nearly a dozen dates in Europe and South America.
Californian drummer Moreno previously played on "Tyranny Of Souls" and has worked with BODY COUNT, Jizzy Pearl, Dizzy Reed and Steve Stevens, among others.
Italian keyboard wizard Mistheria has collaborated with an array of artists live and in the studio, including Rob Rock, Mike Portnoy, Jeff Scott Soto and Joel Hoekstra.
"The Mandrake Project" arrived on March 1 via BMG.
Bruce and Roy recorded "The Mandrake Project" largely at Los Angeles's Doom Room, with Roy doubling up as both guitarist and bassist. The recording lineup for "The Mandrake Project" was rounded out by Mistheria and Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce's last solo studio album, "Tyranny Of Souls", in 2005.
Dickinson made his recording debut with IRON MAIDEN on the "Number Of The Beast" album in 1982. He quit the band in 1993 in order to pursue his solo career and was replaced by Blaze Bayley, who had previously been the lead singer of the metal band WOLFSBANE. After releasing two traditional metal albums with former MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith, Dickinson rejoined the band in 1999 along with Smith.
The Chris Slade Timeline’s new album Timescape is now available worldwide on BraveWords Records. Timescape contains completely original new tracks and some of Chris Slade's favourite covers. Purchase/stream here. BraveWords is premiering the new music video for track "Back With A Vengeance" - watch below!
The physical preorder includes a limited edition postcard autographed by Chris Slade. Order at thestoreformusic.com.
During an era that some bands don’t even want to build a record, Chris Slade still believes believe in creating an actual album.
“Well, I’m a bit old-fashioned I’m afraid,” he admits. "It’s probably down to my age, but I’m of that generation that an album is the culmination of a previous time in the business. And this album has been that. It has two CDs as you know, one full of originals and the other features covers of all sorts of things that I’ve played on. So it’s a good mixture and it’s also the way that we do our shows. But the original album is very diverse. There’s some heavy rock in there, some prog and there’s actually a ballad. And I’m afraid that’s my taste. I can’t apologize for it because that is what I wanted to do. It wasn’t intentional, those were just the strongest songs that came out of our writing. But the guys were an enormous help, because I don’t play a chordal instrument or any instruments apart from the drums. I can hum pretty good though!”
Chris Slade launched the band, The Chris Slade Timeline, in 2012 to mark 50+ years as a professional rock drummer. For this project, Slade took on phenomenal vocalists Steve Glasscock and Paul "Bun" Davis with the added stunning musical techniques of guitarist James Cornford along with keyboard and guitar player Michael J. Clark you most certainly have a band to be reckoned with and worthy to mark Slade’s illustrious musical career.
This is a concept for Slade that will include performances from a varied set list from Tom Jones, Manfred Mann’s Earthband, Uriah Heep, The Firm, ASIA, MSG, David Gilmour, Gary Moore along with a fair degree of AC/DC numbers and many surprises to be unwrapped along the way.
"After all these years recording and playing with some of the world’s greatest rock musicians such as Tom Jones, Manfred Mann's Earthband, Gary Moore, Gary Numan, Denny Laine, Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers, David Gilmour, Uriah Heep, Asia and of course AC/DC.
Timescape tracklisting:
Disc 1:
"Sundance"
"We Will Survive"
"Joybringer"
"Living The Dream"
"Freedom Song"
"Back With A Vengeance"
"Questions"
"Time Flies"
"End Of Eternity"
Disc 2:
"The Razors Edge"
"Free"
"Blinded By The Light"
"July Morning"
"Thunderstruck"
"Big Gun"
"Hells Bells"
"High Voltage"
Trailer:
The Chris Slade Timeline is:
Paul "Bun" Davis - vocals
Stevie Gee - vocals, bass
James Cornford - guitar, vocals
Mike Clarke - keyboards, guitar, vocals
*Andy Crosby play bass on "Sundance", "Back With A Vengeance", "Questions"
About Chris Slade:
Slade started his career at the age of 16 with Tom Jones before he changed his name to Tom Jones, this included World tours and recording throughout the 60's.
Chris Slade was a founding member of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band in January of 1971. He was to spend seven years with the band, recording eight albums and achieving three UK Top Ten singles in the process: "Joybringer" (No. 9, October 1973), "Blinded By The Light" (No. 6, September 1976 & a multi million selling #1 in the USA) and "Davy’s On The Road Again" (No.6, June 1978). After 'Earthband' he spent two years with Uriah Heep, a Year with Gary Numan, and a year with David Gilmour in 1984.
He later teamed up with Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers and bassist Tony Franklin to form The Firm. They produced two excellent albums for Atlantic in 1985 and 1986 that gave them a few radio hits including "Radioactive" and "Satisfaction Guaranteed".
Then Chris joined Gary Moore, taking over from Cozy Powell just four days before the start of the 1989 After The War tour. It was at one of Gary Moore’s gigs in The UK that Malcolm Young saw Chris Slade play. After the tour it was Chris’s intention to put together a band with ex-Aerosmith guitarist Rick Dufay. But the call from AC/DC scuppered those plans as he was destined to tour and record with them over the course of the next five years, playing on their acclaimed Razors Edge album, and giving a killer performance on their concert DVD Live From Donington.
After his stint with AC/DC Chris joined the prog-rock band Asia, who (even with the many personnel changes over the years) had still been managing to churn out some excellent music. Chris recorded with them on their 2000-2004 studio recordings, Aura and Silent Nation, and put forth his 'trademark' energy-filled live performances on all the subsequent tours that ensued over five years in total.
In the 21st Century, for a period of five years, Slade played drums for German guitarist Michael Schenker before forming The Chris Slade Timeline in 2012.
German thrashers Eradicator have released their new single, "Kill Cloud". The song is the second to be revealed from The Paradox, the band's forthcoming new studio album to be released on September 20th via Metalville Records. The official video for "Kill Cloud" can be enjoyed below.
The term "Kill Cloud" stands for the military use of the civilian internet and the information that our networked smart devices collect and transmit. The song lyrics are explicitly inspired by an interview with a female drone pilot who participated in several real theatres of war at the same time. She killed de facto people on the other side of the globe from her home office, in a country whose culture was foreign to her. The metaphors are reminiscent of a computer game and, together with the pilot's greatest concern, whether her hot coffee will be on her desk in the morning, represent the absurdity of the situation - the abstract military dehumanization of killing.
The hammering, Tyrolean tom runs and double-bass rhythms in the intro, verse, and bridge are a special musical stylistic device here. In the choruses, Eradicator slow down in favor of the melody and groove. The attentive listener will certainly not miss the jazzy vibes in the drumming before the accelerator pedal is pressed down again in the bridge, and the vocal line that closes the chorus brings you back into the world of unbridled thrash metal. The extended C section contains a special guitar solo that you immediately want to hear several times and reminds you of Megadeth-esque compositions. Eradicator's joy of playing sweeps you away in the instrumental interlude of "Kill Cloud", until the musical finale triumphs in thrashy style at the end of the song with increased drum and guitar parts.
The cover of the single shows a uniformed fighter from an elite unit, surrounded by ominous drones that only know the command "KILL." The bombed-out backdrop visualizes the cruelty of war. The young Ukrainian artist Alina Volnianska is responsible for the illustration, having created this work of art with an awareness of the sad reality of a destructive war of aggression to which her homeland is falling victim. The single, as well as the entire album, was mixed and mastered by Sebastian "Seeb" Levermann (Orden Ogan, Asphyx, Brainstorm) and produced together with Seba Stöber.
The Paradox is undoubtedly the most versatile album by thrashers Eradicator. It will be released in the year of the band's 20th anniversary. The ten new songs deal lyrically with the contradictory nature of being human and present many musical facets, not only of thrash metal.
The Paradox bears the signature of Eradicator and shows their unbroken joy of playing. The band has now also made a name for itself live. However, the four guys from the Sauerland region in Western Germany are not afraid to refine and develop their new compositions stylistically. On The Paradox, Eradicator begin atmospherically with "Beyond The Shadow's Void": The track develops into a pounding headbanger, only to finally erupt into a thrash thunderstorm. In addition to death metal growls, including in the title track, "The Eleventh Hour (Ramble On)" is the first half-ballad in the band's repertoire. However, Eradicator have by no means forgotten how to swing the thrash club, as they tirelessly prove with "Drown In Chaos", "Hell Smiles Back" and "Fake Dealer," among others.
The lyrical themes on The Paradox reflect the dichotomy and ambivalence of human action and thought. "Perpetual Sacrifice" is about denigrating the weaker in order to make oneself feel greater and about the reversal between victim and perpetrator. "When The Shooting Begins" is about the paradox of wanting to create peace through war - whereby the truth is usually one of the first victims after the outcry of the weapons. The concluding "Debris Of Demise" is a fictional tale of mankind having to evacuate the planet due to environmental destruction, but the saving ark being unable to leave orbit due to the large amount of space debris. Singer / guitarist Seba Stöber comments: "We don't want to make a name for ourselves as moralizers, but rather reflect the issues and problems of our time. As artists, our task is also to stimulate a discourse!"
Like its predecessor, the album was mixed and mastered by Sebastian "Seeb" Levermann (Orden Ogan, Asphyx, Brainstorm), who once again managed to give Eradicator an authentic sound. After 20 years, the four musicians know what they want to sound like, and that's exactly what The Paradox sounds like.
Tracklist:
"Beyond The Shadow's Void"
"Drown In Chaos"
"When The Shooting Begins"
"Kill Cloud"
"The Paradox"
"Hell Smiles Back"
"The Eleventh Hour (Ramble On)"
"Perpetual Sacrifice"
"Fake Dealer"
"Debris Of Demise"
"The Paradox" video:
For further details, visit Eradicator on Facebook.
Metallica have released more footage from their concert at PGE Narodowy in Warsaw, Poland, on July 7. The official live video for "Blackened" joins the previously posted clip for "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)". Watch both below:
Metallica also performed at PGE Narodowy in Warsaw on July 5. The band shared official live videos for "If Darkness Had A Son" and "Fuel" from the show. Watch below:
King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, are back with a brand new episode in their Sunday Lunch series. This time, Robert and Toyah perform the Taylor Swift hit, "Bad Blood". Watch below:
Following the overwhelming positive reaction to the video for "Shine On", Jon Anderson and The Band Geeks today premiere the second video from their forthcoming album True, for the song "True Messenger".
"True Messenger", along with "Shine On" and album track "Thank God" have been part of the live set since the first date of the current summer tour. Additionally, one of the album’s epic tracks, "Counties And Countries", is played nightly during the intermission of the show over the venue’s PA system.
The video for "True Messenger" was directed by Tom Flynn and shot in the same New Jersey location as "Shine On". Watch below:
True, scheduled for release on August 23, is available for pre-order here. The nine-song album was produced by Jon and Richie Castellano with the centerpiece being the 16-and-a-half-minute track “Once Upon A Dream” which will stand amongst other classic Jon penned epics such as “Close To The Edge”, “Ritual”, “Gates Of Delirium”, and “Awaken”.
Tracklisting:
"True Messenger"
"Shine On"
"Counties And Countries"
"Build Me An Ocean"
"Still A Friend"
"Make It Right"
"Realization Part Two"
"Once Upon A Dream"
"Thank God"
"Shine On" video:
Jon and The Band Geeks remain on the road through September 27twith recently added shows in Beverly Mass, Montclair NJ, and Staten Island NY. All tour dates are below.
Tour dates:
August
2 - Bonner Springs, KS - Azura Amphitheater*
4 - La Vista, NE - The Astro Outdoors*
7 - Waite Park, MN - The Ledge Amphitheater*
10 - Denver, CO - Paramount
14 - Phoenix, AZ - Celebrity Theatre
16 - Thousand Oaks, CA - Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center
September
11 - Beverly MA- Cabot Theatre
13 - Glenside PA- Keswick Theatre
15 - Glenside PA- Keswick Theatre
19 - Portchester NY- Capitol Theatre
21 - Montclair NJ- Wellmont Theatre
27 - Staten Island NY- St George Theatre
* with Special Guests The Return of Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Brazilian horror metal band Alchemia has released a live video of "Ashes", recorded at the Summer Breeze Open Air Brazil festival, which took place last April at the Memorial da América Latina in São Paulo.
"We decided to record this video at the festival to capture this extraordinary moment in our career this year. On August 16th, we will be playing at Summer Breeze Germany and we will also be recording the show there. Two Summer Breeze festivals in the same year is memorable for the band and marks a new phase, in which we are expanding our music in Europe," commented Victor Piiroja, vocalist and founder of the band, who is currently based in Germany.
"Ashes" is part of the repertoire of the band's debut album, Inception (2021), released in the Brazilian market by Shinigami Records and abroad by Italian label WormholeDeath Records. The album, mixed and mastered by Danish Tue Madsen, was critically and publicly acclaimed and led the band to an international tour that passed through Europe and Latin America.
The horror metal band Alchemia, which blends elements of symphonic music, and horror soundtracks with heavy metal, symphonic metal, gothic, industrial, black, and death metal, is currently producing its second album, Become Human.In addition, Alchemia has shows planned in China in the second half of the year and Latin America.
On August 5, 2011, Helloween headlined the 17th Woodstock Festival in Kostrzyn, Poland as part of their 7 Sinners World Tour 2010 / 11. Pro-shot video of the entire show courtesy of Kręcioła TV can be viewed below.
Setlist:
"Are You Metal?"
"Eagle Fly Free"
"March Of Time"
"Where the Sinners Go"
- drum solo -
"If I Could Fly"
"Keeper of the Seven Keys / The King for a 1000 Years / Halloween" (medley)
"Future World"
"Dr. Stein"
"I Want Out"
Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM) recently announced the signing of legendary power metal institution, Helloween, for their upcoming studio album. Since their formation in 1984 and the spectacular reunion in 2017, Helloween are undoubtedly one of the world's outstanding representatives of the genre.
RPM comments on the signing: "It is a true milestone for Reigning Phoenix Music to welcome Helloween to our family of artists. Helloween are not just a band, they epitomize the energy and passion of power metal. Their music has inspired generations, and we are proud to collaborate in order to reach new heights."
Helloween themselves are equally enthusiastic about the new partnership: "Sven Bogner and his team have convinced us with their ideas and enthusiasm. They live and love metal, and this is what connects us - we look forward to be working with them!," explains singer Andi Deris.
The combination of Helloween and Reigning Phoenix Music promises a powerful synergy between one of the world's most influential power metal bands and a label that is passionate about promoting up-and-coming talents as well as established artists. Fans can look forward to thrilling musical experiences and innovative projects. Specifically, Helloween will start working on new material from the summer and are planning to release a new studio album in 2025.
Helloween are:
Michael Kiske - vocals
Andi Deris - vocals
Kai Hansen - guitars, vocals
Michael Weikath - guitars
Sascha Gerstner - guitars
Markus Grosskopf - bass
Daniel Löble - drums
As October 3rd, the start of their We Shall Remain European headline tour, draws ever closer, Swedish symphonic dark metal luminaries Eleine have released a surprising digital 2-track single, "Through The Mist". The song (incl. instrumental version) is available on all streaming platforms and can be listened to here.
Brute riffing and pounding drumming open "Through The Mist", which also features Rikard Ekberg's rarely heard clear vocals. However, this gradually changes into his distinctive growling before Madeleine Liljestam takes the lead and presents the band's (fan) legion with a truly redeeming chorus, which gives new hope to all those who currently seem to see no end to the light of the tunnel.
Madeleine and Rikard comment:
"Sometimes you are aware that you will not win a battle. But even if you don't win a fight, that doesn't mean the whole war is lost. 'Through The Mist' deals with the situation in the middle of a fight, physically or mentally, where you realize that you just can't win it. Nonetheless, you don't give up and keep fighting tooth and nail until the bitter end. There's a good reason that the motto 'United we stand' is so common in Eleine's music: the relationship between us as a band and our fans is extremely strong and should always be a two-way street where we help each other and fight side by side against any problems. So this song even contains a section that is explicitly addressed to our followers and in which we once again make it clear that we are incredibly proud of all those who face the fight against their demons on a daily basis."
Eleine have announced their 2024 We Shall Remain Tour through Europe and the UK for October. Find tickets at eleine.com.
Ignescent have released the deluxe edition of their debut album, Fight In Me, available digitally via Frontiers Music Srl. Their new single and accompanying video “Under Attack”, are also out now.
Jennifer Benson comments on the release and on the new video: “We are stoked to present you our digital DLX edition of our album Fight In Me. The new music video to ‘Under Attack’ was directed by J.T. Ibanez. The song is about the attacks, lies, and betrayals I've endured. But, in the end, we will come out fighting and stronger for it.”
Ignescent is a dynamic new hard rock band hailing from Chicago. Fight In Me, originally released on November 10, 2023, includes songs co-written with Sameer of Flyleaf, along with Jeremy Valentyne and Brandon Wolfe of New Years Day among others. The band is fronted by the multi-talented singer Jennifer Benson and have released several singles and an EP in the past few years showcasing their contemporary metal sound, akin to Flyleaf, Evanescence, Jinjer and Skillet.
Since 2018, the band has been primarily touring throughout the Midwest and Nashville area. Ignescent’s last single, “Remnant” hit #46 on Billboard Rock Charts, while Ignescent’s first EP, Electrified, was produced by 4-time Dove Award winning & Grammy Nominated producer Travis Wyrick (10 Years, P.O.D.). The first song on the CD, “Calling Out to You”, was co-written with former lead guitarist of Skillet, Ben Kasica, and hit the top 30 on Billboard Rock Charts.
Tracklisting:
"Monster You Made"
"Unholy"
"Fight In Me"
"You're Not Alone"
"Under Attack"
"Triple Threat"
"Shadows"
"Carries Me"
"The Hurt"
"Woman On Fire"
"Not Today" (Featuring Kevin Young Of Disciple)
"Goodbye"
"Radio Gaga"
"Goodbye" lyric video:
"Monster You Made" video:
Lineup:
Jennifer Benson – lead vocals
Tyler Hensley - guitars
Joel Seidlitz – bass guitar
Dusty Winterrowd - drums
Canadian heavy rock/metal juggernaut Oni recently revealed his single "Control," which has since garnered mass acclaim and growing support from active rock radio stations throughout North America. Now, mastermind, founding vocalist Jake Oni returns to break it down for an emotionally charged acoustic version available for streaming everywhere now and accompanied by a lyric video.
Commenting on the acoustic rendition, Oni says:
"This song is definitely some of my best work yet. Josh Gilbert wrote the song with me, and I tracked vocals at my studio in Cayman with Joe McQueen. 'Control' has a different vibe than anything I’ve written before in terms of range of vocals. I wanted to show a different side to this song, and felt this acoustic reimagining was a great way to present this."
"Control" was written with Josh Gilbert (SPIRITBOX, WOVENWAR) and encapsulates Oni's skillful songwriting and ability to craft heavy, mesmerizing anthems. The track is paired with an animated clip created by Ben Watanabe and 555 Comic and is the first episode in an animated series that explores the struggle within oneself. Centered on the main character Jake, the story follows his struggles with internal and external forces as he battles to overcome adversity and adversaries.
Jake's journey will continue to unfold in future episodes/music videos revealing a dystopian world and developing characters. Stylistically, you can expect traditional anime components woven together with Oni’s ever evolving sound. The color palette is inspired by the muted tones of Afro Samurai, and the story arc has been written by Jake Oni himself. Each new song released will be an episode in the series.
Oni will kick off their summer tour on August 2 supporting Crown The Empire, with Dark Divine and Capstan.
ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist Jerry Cantrell performed his new solo single, "Vilified", live for the first time on Friday (July 26) at the opening concert of his tour with BUSH and CANDLEBOX at Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend, Oregon
Jerry's setlist for the show was as follows:
01. Brighten
02. Vilified (live debut)
03. Atone
04. Them Bones (ALICE IN CHAINS song)
05. Psychotic Break
06. Cut You In
07. Sea Of Sorrow (ALICE IN CHAINS song)
08. Had To Know
09. Would? (ALICE IN CHAINS song)
10. Rooster (ALICE IN CHAINS song)
"Vilified" is taken from Cantrell's upcoming solo album, "I Want Blood", which will arrive on October 18 via Double J Music.
"This record is a serious piece of work. It's a motherfucker," Cantrell said of the collection. "It's hard, no doubt, and completely unlike 'Brighten'. And that's what you want, to end up in a different place. There's a confidence to this album. I think it's some of my best songwriting and playing, and certainly some of my best singing."
Album opener "Vilified" showcases an energy that rivals any of Cantrell's previous work — powerful, nuanced, and electric — setting the tone for the 45-minute album.
"'Vilified" travels a lot of places in just four and a half minutes," Cantrell continued. "It's got a ferocity and really aggressive vibe to it."
"I Want Blood", co-produced by Cantrell and Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, MELVINS),was recorded at Barresi's JHOC Studio in Pasadena, California. The album also features contributions from bass heavyweights Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES) and Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),drummers Gil Sharone (TEAM SLEEP, STOLEN BABIES) and Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE),and backing vocals from Lola Colette and Greg Puciato (BETTER LOVERS, ex-THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN).
Album pre-orders, which include CD, digital and multiple 2LP variants are available here. Exclusive to the 2LP vinyl versions of "I Want Blood" are atmospheric, spoken-word versions of each song on the album.
Cantrell's latest solo album, "Brighten", came out in October 2021. The LP was Jerry's first project without ALICE IN CHAINS in 19 years. "Brighten" was co-produced by Jerry with film composer Tyler Bates and Cantrell's longtime engineer Paul Figueroa. They welcomed a dynamic cast of supporting players, including drummers Gil Sharone and Abe Laboriel, Jr. (Paul McCartney),pedal steel master Michael Rozon, Vincent Jones on piano, Wurlitzer, and organ. Other rock legends added to the fun of this LP, including Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES) on select bass tracks, Puciato handling all of the background vocals and Barresi overseeing the mixing of "Brighten". Together, they recorded eight originals and the LP closes with an approved-by-Elton John cover of his classic "Goodbye" as the finale.
Cantrell's band for his 2022 "Brighten" solo tour consisted of Tyler Bates (guitar),Greg Puciato (backing vocals),Gil Sharone (drums),George Adrian (bass),Michael Rozon (pedal steel) and Jason Achilles (keyboards). The set included songs from "Brighten", along with favorite hits from Jerry's catalog.
Jerry's career outside of ALICE IN CHAINS has consisted of two other solo albums and contributions to major film soundtracks. Cantrell's first solo album, "Boggy Depot", was released in 1998, followed by his second album, the aforementioned "Degradation Trip". In addition to his solo artist work, Jerry has released music on soundtracks for several films, including "Spider-Man", "The Cable Guy", "John Wick 2", "Last Action Hero" and "The Punisher".
ALICE IN CHAINS regrouped in 2006 with William DuVall joining the band, and released its third LP with DuVall in the lineup, "Rainier Fog", in August 2018.
Earlier this month, it was announced that STONE SOUR and MINISTRY drummer Roy Mayorga wouls sit behind the kit for Cantrell during the ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist's summer 2024 tour.
The trek, which is headlined by BUSH, will conclude on September 15 at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Also appearing on the bill will be CANDLEBOX.
Mayorga announced his addition to Cantrell's band in a social media post on July 8. He wrote: "Super excited to announce that I'll be hitting the road this summer with Jerry Cantrell supporting BUSH for their 'Loaded: The Greatest Hits' tour, which means I'll be taking break from MINISTRY for a while, but I shall return at some point. Look forward to rocking out with you all this summer."
Mayorga joined STONE SOUR in 2006 and was a touring drummer for HELLYEAH after Vinnie Paul Abbott passed away in 2018. Five years ago, he played drums on three tracks on LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton's solo album.
Mayorga played on MINSTRY's last two studio albums and has toured with the group since 2021.
French progressive metallers GOJIRA performed at today's (Friday, July 26) Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony, making them the first metal band to ever play at the Olympic Games.
GOJIRA's morbid production paid bloody tribute to a historically famous dead lady, Marie Antoinette. Vulture described the performance, a collaboration with opera singer Marina Viotti, as "a full musical, metal–opera–Cameron Mackintosh mash-up tribute to … the guillotine," featuring "decapitated faces painted clown-white [singing] the French revolutionary song 'Ça ira'" during the "Liberté" portion of the ceremony.
GOJIRA's version of "Ça ira" was reworked alongside French composer and producer Victor le Masne, according to The New York Times.
In a phone interview, GOJIRA vocalist-guitarist Joseph Duplantier told The New York Times of the song choice, "It was a very bloody era of French history, so it was very metal," adding, "The song's going to be in your face."
According to the biography on her web site, Marina has previously "experimented with jazz, gospel and heavy metal".
Video and photos of GOJIRA's performance can be found below.
Also performing at the ceremony were Céline Dion, Lady Gaga and Aya Nakamura.
"The opening ceremony is orchestrated by renowned stage director Thomas Jolly," Time Out reports, "who has invited a stellar cast of local and international stars to celebrate the rich history and diversity of French musical culture."
GOJIRA is considered a standard-bearer for French rock and bringing French rock to an international audience. Metal Hammer declared GOJIRA "metal's most important band" in 2016.
GOJIRA has been nominated for a Grammy Award three times — twice in 2017, for "Best Metal Performance" and "Best Rock Album" ("Magma") and once in 2022 for "Best Metal Performance".
GOJIRA's latest album, "Fortitude", entered Billboard's Top Albums chart at No. 1 in May 2021, while also claiming the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Top Current Albums, Current Rock Albums and Current Hard Music Albums tallies. The release also marked a career high debut on the Billboard 200 for GOJIRA, arriving at No. 12, with several career high chart positions and Top 10 debuts in countries around the globe including: France (No. 2),United Kingdom (No. 6),Australia (No. 3),Germany (No. 8),Belgium (No. 2),Netherlands (No. 4),Denmark (No. 3),Portugal (No. 4),Finland (No. 2) and Norway (No. 10).
Furthermore, GOJIRA concluded a month-long fundraising initiative in support of the indigenous-owned NGO The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) who advocate for environmental and cultural rights of indigenous tribes in the Amazon. Working with the social good-focused digital platform Propeller, the charitable campaign raised over $300,000 through an auction and raffle of one-of-a-kind items from the band and their friends in METALLICA, TOOL, SLIPKNOT, SLAYER, Slash and more. All proceeds were donated to APIB to support their work aiding the indigenous tribes of the Amazon who have suffered immensely — victims of deforestation, land loss, forced labor, violence, and harassment.
Recorded and produced by Joseph Duplantier at Silver Cord Studio — GOJIRA's Ridgewood, Queens, New York headquarters — and mixed by Andy Wallace (NIRVANA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE),"Fortitude" is GOJIRA's first album in five years and the follow-up to 2016's Grammy-nominated LP "Magma". A collection of songs urging humanity to imagine a new world and then make it happen, "Fortitude" has been earning widespread critical praise with Rolling Stone naming it one of their best albums of April 2021 and remarking "It's all the rage of death metal mixed with the conscience of punk rock and the musicality of progressive rock." NPR hailed "Another World" as "an apocalyptic banger," and Paste called "Into The Storm" a "much-needed revolutionary anthem." Stereogum declared, "hearing this band operating at their peak is a life-affirming thing," while Revolver attested "Fortitude" "could spark a revolution."
Germany’s greatest export Scorpions have uploaded classic footage performing Lovedrive track “Can’t Get Enough”. The song opens Side B of the 1979 album.
1985 was the first edition of the Rock In Rio festival. It was held from January 11-20 and an estimated 1.4 million attended. Scorpions performed on two days of the festival – Tuesday, January 15 and Saturday, January 19.
More from Rock In Rio 1985:
Iconic track "The Zoo", the single earned the most success in the U.K., peaking at #75:
MR. BIG — Eric Martin (lead vocals),Paul Gilbert (guitar, vocals),Billy Sheehan (bass, vocals),Nick D'Virgilio (drums, vocals) — will release its last-ever live album, "The BIG Finish Live", on September 6 via the Evolution Music Group.
"The BIG Finish Live" is a brand-new live album and concert film of MR. BIG's "The BIG Finish" farewell tour, where the band played their million-selling "Lean Into It" album in its entirety, plus additional MR. BIG classics. Filmed in 4K at the Budokan in Tokyo, Japan on July 26, 2023, this historic performance will be available in many different multiple high-quality formats: 180g black vinyl (3-LP),Hybrid Stereo Multi-Channel SACDs (2),MQA-CDs (2),MQA-CDs + Blu-ray (2),4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (featuring behind-the-scenes and interview footage),and cassette (2). All of these formats will come with a booklet/insert that includes previously unreleased photos from their Budokan performance, as well as a sticker or postcard gift for fans.
The official "Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy (The Electric Drill Song)" performance video, taken from "The BIG Finish Live", can be seen below.
Last year, MR. BIG put on their signature top hats and old shoes for the launch of their last worldwide tour, aptly titled "The BIG Finish". The first leg kicked off July 20, 2023 in Nagoya, Japan, which took them throughout Southeast Asia where the band performed for hundreds of thousands of loyal fans at 11 sold-out shows. MR. BIG then brought "The BIG Finish" to South America, an initial run of European shows, and two separate East Coast/West Coast tours of the U.S.
One particular aspect of this final run that MR. BIG have been most excited about is the decision to perform the entirety of their breakthrough platinum-selling 1991 album "Lean Into It" from start to finish as a featured highlight of the live setlist, along with other MR. BIG classics.
Joining MR. BIG on drums for this special final world tour has been longtime friend of the band Nick D'Virgilio (SPOCK'S BEARD, BIG BIG TRAIN),stepping in for founding drummer/vocalist Pat Torpey, who sadly passed away in 2018 following his heroic battle with Parkinson's disease.
After 35 years of bringing the MR. BIG sound across the world and back, it's time to come together for one final, extended curtain call with a live album to live on for the ages.
"The BIG Finish Live" track listing:
01. Addicted To That Rush
02. Take Cover
03. Undertow
04. Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy (The Electric Drill Song)
05. Alive And Kickin'
06. Green-Tinted Sixties Mind
07. CDFF - Lucky This Time
08. Voodoo Kiss
09. Never Say Never
10. Just Take My Heart
11. My Kinda Woman
12. A Little Too Loose
13. Road To Ruin
14. To Be With You
15. Big Love
16. The Chain
17. Promise Her The Moon
18. Where Do I Fit In
19. Wild World
20. Paul Gilbert Guitar Solo
21. Colorado Bulldog
22. Billy Sheehan Bass Solo
23. Shy Boy
24. 30 Days In The Hole
25. Good Lovin'
26. Baba O'Riley
D'Virgilio is missing most of the final European leg of the band's "The BIG Finish" tour due to his commitments with his band BIG BIG TRAIN. He is being temporarily replaced on the trek by Edu Cominato, an experienced drummer from São Paulo, Brazil who has previously played with Sheehan and Martin, Jeff Scott Soto and Geoff Tate (QUEENSRŸCHE),among others.
Erik Grönwall (ex-Skid Row) has released the new video, featuring a performance of "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", the title track of Black Sabbath's 1973 studio album. Watch below:
Professionally filmed video of QUEEN guitarist Brian May joining forces with THE OFFSPRING for a performance of "Gone Away" and a cover of QUEEN's "Stone Cold Crazy" can be seen below.
The unique collaboration was held on Day 3 (May 15) of the Starmus VII festival at the Tipos Arena in Bratislava, Slovakia as part of the "Sonic Universe" concert following the Stephen Hawking Medal Ceremony.
May joined the Dexter Holland-fronted pop-punk band for a performance of THE OFFSPRING's 1997 track "Gone Away" and followed that with a cover of QUEEN's classic "Stone Cold Crazy".
Confirming itself once again as the world's most ambitious science and music festival, Starmus, in partnership with ESET, brought the most inspiring debate on the future of the planet to Bratislava turning the Slovak capital into the world's science capital for a whole week.
The multi-day event brought a spectacular opening concert, four days of exclusive lectures; its exclusive musical program with the Starmus signature night events "Sonic Universe" concert and the popular Star Party; the open campus Starmus Camp, with which science took to the streets of the city, and its prestigious award, the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication.
The prestigious Starmus festival kicked off with a spectacular performance, followed by a four-day program of the unique Starmus exclusive talks with more than 50 world-class speakers and world-renowned artists in the popular Ice Hockey Stadium, Ondrej Nepela Arena.
This was the first edition of Starmus which focused on Planet Earth, as the most amazing planet in the universe. As in previous editions, the festival brought together a large cast of Nobel Prize winners and world icons such as Dr Jane Goodall DBE and the music legend Brian May, also co-founder of the festival. The festival also brought an unprecedented musical program with exclusive performances by the popular Californian punk-rock band THE OFFSPRING, Tony Hadley — the former lead singer of the British pop icon from the 1980s SPANDAU BALLET — and more one-off live performances.
As if this were not enough, the festival brought to Bratislava its signature prestigious Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication which awards excellence across four categories: Music & Arts, Science Writing, Films & Entertainment, and Lifetime Achievement. The winners are selected by the Starmus Advisory Board made up of a prestigious cast of eminent figures such as Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Peter Gabriel, David Eicher, Emmanuelle Charpentier, Richard Dawkins, Tony Fadell, Jill Tarter and Starmus co-founders Brian May and Garik Israelian.
In addition, the Starmus organization signed agreements with the main Slovak universities and academic institutions, like the Comenius University in Bratislava and the Academy Of Fine Arts & Design, the Slovak Academy of Sciences, the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, the Alexander Dubcek University of Trencin and the Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia. Through these academic collaborations, Starmus carried out its "City Program" with exclusive activities between the speakers and the Slovak academic environment as well as several volunteer programs to be part of the festival.
Since the very first homo sapiens looked up at a star-filled sky, we have been awestruck by the vastness of the cosmos. Even today, we remain humbled by the sheer immensity of space, especially as progress in physics and astronomy has made us aware of the tremendous distances involved — even to our closest neighboring stars.
Created by Garik Israelian PhD, astrophysicist at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC) and Sir Brian May PhD, astrophysicist and the lead guitarist of the iconic rock band QUEEN, Starmus is a festival of science, art and music that has featured presentations from astronauts, cosmonauts, Nobel Prize winners and prominent figures from various scientific disciplines and musical backgrounds. Starmus brings Nobel laureates, eminent researchers, astronauts, thinkers and artists together to share their knowledge and experiences, as we search for answers to the great questions.
GHOST has released an animated video for the song "Mary On A Cross" taken from the band's recently released hit debut feature film "Rite Here Rite Now". Check it out below.
"Rite Here Rite Now" premiered globally in cinemas on June 20 through 23, with additional screenings added due to insatiable fan demand. It's an unforgettable, immersive event that combines narrative storytelling with live performances from the sold-out two-night finale of the band's "Re-Imperatour" U.S.A. 2023 at Los Angeles's iconic Kia Forum.
A phantasmagorical blend of live performance and cutaway sequences that immerses viewers in the technicolor melodrama of GHOST's vaunted live rituals, the film picks up plot threads from the band's long-running Chapters webisode series. It captures flesh and bone renditions of fan favorites from all five of GHOST's albums, as well as the RIAA platinum-certified "Mary On A Cross", interwoven with the silver screen debuts of familiar faces — all interacting behind the scenes with GHOST's Papa Emeritus IV, as his future and fate lay in the hands of the Ministry.
Whether a devoted disciple reliving treasured memories of the GHOST live spectacle or a curious newcomer, "Rite Here Rite Now" transports viewers into the heart of the performance. The film captures the essence of living in the moment, with a shadow of uncertainty looming, leaving the audience completely spellbound and enthralled by this bombastic yet intimate cinematic portrait of GHOST.
For its theatrical run, which was distributed by Trafalgar (Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour and Beyoncé's "Renaissance"),"Rite Here Rite Now" entered the Top 10 of the North America box office with a cumulative total gross of $2.65 million, making it the highest-grossing hard rock cinema event ever in North America. After its opening weekend, it entered the worldwide Top 10 box office at No. 9 with a total gross of $5.04 million worldwide. Regional highlights also included U.K. and Ireland with a $606,000 gross and No. 5 at the box office, Germany with a $332,000 gross and No. 3 at the box office, Mexico with a $326,000 gross and a No. 5 box office position for the weekend, and Australia with a $178,000 gross and No. 6 at the box office. The film has captivated audiences, receiving a stellar 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
"Rite Here Rite Now: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack", mixed by Rich Costey, will be released worldwide on July 26 via Loma Vista Recordings. A fitting 18-song complement to GHOST's debut feature film, the band's first ever original soundtrack will be available on all formats (digital, CD, 2xLP). Pre-orders are live now, and include the brand new studio recording "The Future Is A Foreign Land", revealed to the world during the film's opening night, and the live version of "Absolution" as instant-grat tracks.
Last October, Forge confirmed that footage from the band's September 2023 two shows at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California would be used as part of the film.
"When I first started putting it together, I was, like, 'Oh my god, I'm going to faint because there's so much to think about,'" Forge told Metal Hammer magazine. "Then it was, like, 'No, no, just don't think about it at all.'"
Both GHOST shows at the Forum were device-free experiences. Use of phones and smart watches was not permitted in the performance space. Upon arrival at the venue, devices were secured in individual Yondr pouches that were opened at the end of the event.
"I have never seen a crowd interact the way that they did since I was in a club band," Forge said. "They were the best shows I've ever done with GHOST, just because I didn't have to see those fucking mobile phones."
At the Forum shows, GHOST performed the song "Twenties" live for the very first time live. They also played their cover of Roky Erikson's "If You Have Ghosts", which was originally reimagined by GHOST for their 2013 EP "If You Have Ghost". The band's version of the track at the Forum featured two cellists with a piano playing, and it was performed on a separate stage from the rest of the set.
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