Following the explosive acclaim and surprise release of their first new single in five years, "Burden", Grammy-nominated metallers AS I LAY DYING return with another brand-new single. Coinciding with today's kick-off of their USA headline tour in northern California, the new single, "The Cave We Fear To Enter", is available to stream now via Napalm Records and impacts with a new music video directed by Tom Flynn.
The lyrical concept behind "The Cave We Fear To Enter" began with an idea from bass player/vocalist Ryan Neff, inspiring vocalist Tim Lambesis to develop the lyrical message further. The balladic track begins pensively before charging into an emotive melodic metalcore opus. Like "Burden", the new track was co-produced by guitarist Phil Sgrosso and Hiram Hernandez, mixed by Aaron Chaparian and mastered by Ted Jensen.
Lambesis states about "The Cave We Fear To Enter": "This is the first time I've written lyrics based on an idea started by someone else in the band. Sometimes when we try out different melodies, we'll temporarily use words that just happen to fit as a placeholder. But on this song, Ryan chose words that he felt represented what he had been processing leading up to the demo. It felt right for me leave that therapeutic expression in place. So, when I took over, the imagery of a cave where you face your fears came to mind. While I only know a little of Joseph Campbell's work, the imagery brought to mind a quote of his that I remembered and used for inspiration as well."
Sgrosso adds: "'The Cave We Fear To Enter' may be one of our most adventurous songs to date. We broke out of a lot of old habits and formulaic moves to create something that touches on a lot of emotional elements we haven't explored so deeply before. From its inception, it was instantly a favorite for all of us.
"We really enjoyed collaborating with Tom Flynn on the video to combine the storylines between 'Burden' and 'The Cave We Fear to Enter', continuing the journey of the character through new environments and circumstances. It was a lot of fun to take new creative risks to tell this story visually alongside the somber and uplifting nature of the song."
AS I LAY DYING's USA tour with support from CHELSEA GRIN and ENTHEOS will launch tonight in Santa Cruz, California. This fall, European fans can catch AS I LAY DYING on their "Through Storms Ahead Tour" tour, beginning November 15 in Würzburg, Germany.
During an appearance on the Loaded Radio podcast, Lambesis was asked about the status of AS I LAY DYING's recently recorded new studio album. He said: "We've had this back and forth mixing the record, where the record has been done for quite a while and we're just trying to find the right representation of the sound. With modern music, there's so many… 'Cause classically, as an example, there used to be five or six guys that were great at mixing metal and now you have so many different approaches to it. And we're just really trying to find that sound where it marries together the nostalgic sound AS I LAY DYING is known for with a little bit of a modern twist to it. And for whatever reason, that part's been delaying the process, but the record's actually done. [It] just needs to finish the mix."
As if an album title has already been decided upon, Tim said: "Shoot. I wish I could actually give you the title. Unfortunately, Phil, our guitar player, and I have a slight disagreement over what the album title should be. We both love the same concept and we're just sort of toying with the words a little bit."
Regarding the sound of the upcoming AS I LAY DYING album, Tim said: "I wrote one of the heavy-leaning songs in the record. I feel like it's one of the heaviest songs that's ever been in the AS I LAY DYING catalog, and then Phil wrote a lot of melodic songs that are sort of… Both of us worked on some songs that are sort of in the middle, I guess you could say. And then he worked on a couple, I think, that stretch in a new sense of melody for us. It's not necessarily anything groundbreaking — it's not gonna shatter people's minds, like, 'Oh, my gosh. It barely sounds like AS I LAY DYING.' But just kind of stretch our sound a little bit in each direction."
Asked if working with this new lineup for AS I LAY DYING is "a breath of fresh air" for him, Tim said: "Yeah, a breath of fresh air is really the best way to describe it because you have this situation where Phil and I have been writing songs together for 20 years, or a little more than 20 years at this point, or, actually, about 20 exactly right now. And we have our method down, and that's been the same regardless of who's been in the band in terms of… When it comes to writing an album, the two of us feel a lot of pressures on our shoulders. And then sometimes you get guys in the band that, over time, and it's not a complaint, this just happens, this is natural, it's just, over time, they're not in the primary songwriting role and so they feel a little bit uninterested or fatigued or lose their passion over time because they're not part of the core songwriting. And I think what happens when these new guys have come in, not only are they able to kind of contribute to the way that they put their stamp on each song, but for Phil and I, we're thinking… Knowing how Nick Pierce plays drums, as an example, we can write songs around his ability as a drummer. And it kind of gives Phil and I this excitement for writing again. And then thinking about Ryan's voice, being a voice that's never been on an AS I LAY DYING record before as a second vocalist, and I start to think, like, 'Wow, I can really experiment and try all these different things.' And he's just down to do everything to try… Not all my ideas are good, but he's down to try a hundred different things. And he has just an incredible work ethic. So those are a couple of examples of why it feels refreshed and very exciting for Phil and I, even though the process is sort of the same in a lot of ways as well."
Asked if he still sometimes wishes that the classic lineup of AS I LAY DYING had stuck together and managed to move forward, Tim said: "Well, I will always owe a lot to the years of hard work we spent in a van in some of the earlier days and then, of course, in a bus touring together for so many years. And so for that reason, I do appreciate and have a great sense of gratitude for, I guess, what people call the classic lineup. In a behind-the-scenes kind of situation, I do feel like I don't really miss some of the behind-the-scenes stuff, and not because I have anything more to say, but I think over time people just, they can't keep the same sense of excitement about something when they're not putting their stamp on the sound creatively. And it's not that we were ever like closing the door for Nick [Hipa, former AS I LAY DYING guitarist] or Jordan [Mancino, former AS I LAY DYING drummer] to be able to write songs, as an example, but in reality, that just never happened. They weren't really a big part of the creative contribution. I think it just connects people differently. And so Phil and I end up more passionately connected because every song that comes out, there's a huge part of our creative output that's in that song. And I think it just makes us connected more uniquely. And with those guys, I think they lost the connection to the band over time. And then it just became more about like interpersonal issues that every band has. And that's not fun to focus on. So I enjoy this new era where everybody just shows up to the studio shows up to a live show and is just excited to be there. And, it makes me feel like I'm in my twenties again."
Pressed about whether he still communicates with Jordan or Nick at all, Tim said: "We actually all live in the same city — well, the greater San Diego area. And surprisingly, we don't run into each other much. My door is open. I'm probably an overcommunicator [laughs], so if they ever wanted to talk. I'd probably be willing to talk, or listen or whatever — just in terms of just general communication. I'm just interested… 'Cause I think that if you haven't talked to somebody in a year, as an example — I haven't talked to either of those guys in a year, as an example — and so much happens in life. People can have drastic life events and things that have affected them personally. And even if we feel like we've gotten to the bottom of everything, we have no reason to really keep rehashing or talking about old issues, I think there's always something new and exciting to talk about. So my door's open. But we haven't talked in quite a while."
In June 2023, Tim told Graspop Metal Meeting about AS I LAY DYING's upcoming LP: "We partly self-produced [it], and then we also worked with another producer. So we spent about a year working on the album by ourselves before we gave it to the producer."
Regarding how the addition of new members Pierce, Neff and Susi has affected AS I LAY DYING's sound, Tim said: "Well, [Nick, Ryan and Ken are] new for us, but, obviously, the guys have been around playing music for 20 years themselves. We're familiar, just having spent so much time with UNEARTH, and then MISS MAY I having a pretty similar sound.
"The songwriting within AS I LAY DYING has historically been mostlyPhil and I," he continued. "Josh [Gilbert], our previous bass player, helped. But the core of the songwriting is the same. So this additional layer that we get from these new guys is almost like breathing fresh new air… a breath of fresh air."
In September 2022, Lambesis addressed AS I LAY DYING's lineup changes in an interview with Metalshop TV. He said: "I think for our fans, they think that the changes happened all in a very short period of time, but they actually happened over [a period of] two years. The first change was on guitar we invited Ken Susi to fill in for us. And that was [around 2020] that we invited him. But then, of course, the pandemic happened and so we had a lot of breaks until we had a tour again. So Ken's been rehearsing with us, or talking about rehearsing with us, for [a] couple of years. And on drums we have Nick Pierce, who joined us. Nick Pierce was previously in UNEARTH; Ken is from UNEARTH as well. And Nick stopped playing with UNEARTH and coincidentally at the same time we needed a drummer, because our previous drummer hadn't been communicating with us; he went very isolated once the pandemic hit. And so there wasn't an argument or anything like that; it was just a situation where when the pandemic hit, he decided to take a new direction in life and kind of cut himself off from the rest of us. And we decided we wanted to keep going forward. Phil and I had been the ones writing the songs all these years, so when Nick Pierce left UNEARTH, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to have him perform with us. And then Ryan came from MISS MAY I. He was the last guy to come in. And he didn't come in until a couple of months ago. Our bass player, Josh, previously left, and he's with SPIRITBOX now. And when he decided to go perform with SPIRITBOX, we called up Ryan, who was with MISS MAY I. And Ryan Neff was on tour at the time. And then we asked him, 'Can you start touring with us as soon as this tour is over?' And he said, 'Well, I'm only gonna have three days off to rehearse in between tours.' He said, 'If you guys want me to do it, I'll make sure I come prepared.' And he had a lot to learn in three days, but he pulled it together. He's a very, very hard-working guy."
AS I LAY DYING's new album will be the follow-up to "Shaped By Fire", which came out in September 2019 via Nuclear Blast.
In June 2022, Mancino announced that he would sit out AS I LAY DYING's tour due to "a number of ongoing internal issues" that "have not yet been resolved."
Mancino's announcement came less than a month after Josh revealed that he was leaving the band. In a statement, the remaining members of AS I LAY DYING said that Gilbert "decided to exit" the group "to pursue other musical opportunities."
Josh was the second AS I LAY DYING member to leave the band in less than a year. In August 2021, Hipa confirmed his exit from AS I LAY DYING, explaining that he could no longer justify being part of "a superficial pursuit" of the "story and meaning" that the band's 2018 reunion was built upon.
Lambesis was famously convicted in 2014 for his role in a murder-for-hire plot against his estranged wife.
In May 2014, Lambesis was sentenced to six years in jail after pleading guilty to paying a San Diego police officer posing as a hitman $1,000 to kill his wife. Approximately two and a half years later — on December 17, 2016 — he was discharged from a California detention facility and was transferred to the Division of Adult Parole Operations.
In June 2018, AS I LAY DYING played its first show with Lambesis in five years and released a new single. Lambesis also owned up to his crimes in a long apology on the band's Facebook page after his release.
The return of AS I LAY DYING raised some questions, particularly since Hipa categorically denounced the band's disgraced frontman as a "sociopathic narcissist in definite need of rehabilitation" in a social-media post back in 2014.
In September 2021, AS I LAY DYING released a new song called "Roots Below" which was originally a B-side leftover from when the sessions for "Shaped By Fire".
South African extreme metal titans, Vulvodynia, have released their new album, Entabani, via Unique Leader Records. Alongside the album launch, the band has unveiled a visualizer for “Isandlwana”, a track that delves deep into the harrowing tale of the Anglo-Zulu War’s first battle.
Describing the inspiration behind “Isandlwana”, Vulvodynia’s vocalist and guitarist, Lwandile Prusent, shares, "Isandlwana, the first engagement of the Anglo-Zulu war against The British. A brutal and gruesome tale of war, struggle and triumph. Musically we tried to invoke a more tech-death approach in our writing. This song features many signature changes, modulation and mind bending polyrhythms.”
Entabeni marks a pivotal moment for Vulvodynia, as they weave together their most ambitious work to date. The album showcases a fusion of African folklore and extreme metal, a thematic exploration deeply rooted in the band’s heritage and collective creativity.
Reflecting on the album’s significance, Vulvodynia states, “Entabeni is a very important album for us, it sees us at crossroads in our career. We’ve fully embraced the idea of writing as a collective, exploring every member’s ideas, experiences and formed them all together to create what we think is our most ambitious album yet. We wanted to explore the concept of African folklore on this album and based a lot of the songs off of old stories found in poems, books and even through word of mouth from our vocalist Lwandile’s older family members.”
Known for their unique, uncompromising blend of technical proficiency and straight-up deacthcore brutality, Vulvodynia has carved a significant niche in the global metal world. ‘Entabeni’ promises to propel them even further, providing listeners with an innovative blend of visceral intensity and rich, cultural storytelling.
"Imbawula"
"Devil Tree"
"Randlord "
"It Follows"
"Isandlwana" (feat. David Simonich of Signs of The Swarm)
"Mamlambo"
"Adamaster" (feat. Kyle Medina of Bodysnatcher)
"Entabeni" (feat. Damonteal Harris of Peeling Flesh)
"Mangled and Maimed"
"Generational Segregation"
Today, Kayas has unleashed another new single taken from their forthcoming album, By The Moon And The Stars. On "Terminus", the band showcases their strikingly polished, unique brand of melodic death metal.
With a sonic landscape that is distinctly Kayas, but pleasantly reminiscent of bands like Be'lakor, Insomnium, and other big players in the melodeath scene, the aptly titled new single "captures the overwhelming loss brought by the destruction of our natural world,” the band says.
By The Moon And The Stars will see its worldwide release on August 2. Pre-order here, and pre-save here.
Capturing the essence of their sound, By The Moon And The Stars marks the eagerly anticipated full-length debut of Kayas. The record incorporates elements drawn from the full spectrum of metal that imbues triumphant power through melodic movement interwoven with crushing harsh vocals and thunderous basslines. Listeners are taken on a journey through themes of nature, human existence, and fantasy, delivered with compelling melodies and lucid riffs that will make their hearts soar over ancient forests and still valleys.
Tracklisting:
"Tempest"
"Span Of Time"
"The Winter Curse"
"Deadwood"
"For A Star"
"Lightless"
"The Harvester"
"Reflections In The Water"
"Terminus"
"The Grand Magus"
"Reflections In The Water" video:
Kayas is a four-piece melodic death metal band hailing from Vancouver, BC. Channeling influences such as Kalmah and Insomnium, Kayas crafts their music with an emphasis on powerful, harmonized guitar riffs and captivating melodies. Drawing inspiration from the untamed wonder of the Pacific Northwest, listeners are invited to experience the power of the natural world through their art. First emerging in the Vancouver scene in the fall of 2018, they have shared the stage with bands such as Omnium Gatherum, Allegaeon, and Wake.
Known for their electrifying performances, Thunder Horse is set to reignite a cherished tradition with the July 5th release of their latest album, Dead Alive in Texas. Evoking the spirit of rock's golden era, Thunder Horse channels the energy and raw power of live performances into a captivating nine-track record. Get your copy of Dead Alive in Texas on CD and/or Vinyl now at this location.
In homage to the revered practices of the 1970s, where legendary bands would unleash three studio albums before delivering a monumental live experience, Thunder Horse follows suit with Dead Alive in Texas. Recorded live in Cibolo, TX, the album captures the essence of Thunder Horse's exhilarating live shows, bringing fans closer to the heart of the music than ever before.
Dead Alive in Texas offers a visceral, in-your-face experience that harkens back to the glory days of rock 'n' roll. "Thunder Horse is proud to keep the flame of live rock music burning bright," says lead guitarist Todd “The Bird” Connally. "With Dead Alive In Texas, we invite our listeners to join us on a journey back to the roots of rock, where every riff and every beat pulses with the raw energy of the stage."
Artwork and tracklisting:
"Let Them Bleed"
"New Normal"
"Rememberance Demon"
"Demons Speak"
"Song For The Ferryman"
"Monolith"
"Liber Ad Christ Milites Temple"
"Chosen One"
"Ace Of Spades"
Check out the video for "Monolith":
For further details, visit Thunder Horse on Facebook.
Guitarist Lars Eric Mattsson has released his emotional new single, "Feel". a classic rock/melodic hard rock uptempo song about longing for genuine love and happiness.
Fan-filmed video of AC/DC's entire July 3 concert at Wembley Stadium in London, England can be seen below (courtesy of the Room Of Mirrors (ROM) YouTube channel).
The setlist for the show was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:
01. If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
02. Back In Black
03. Demon Fire
04. Shot Down In Flames
05. Thunderstruck
06. Have A Drink On Me
07. Hells Bells
08. Shot In The Dark
09. Stiff Upper Lip
10. Shoot To Thrill
11. Sin City
12. Rock 'N' Roll Train
13. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
14. High Voltage
15. Riff Raff
16. You Shook Me All Night Long
17. Highway To Hell
18. Whole Lotta Rosie
19. Let There Be Rock
Encore:
20. T.N.T.
21. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)
The "Power Up" European tour marks AC/DC's first with the band's new touring lineup consisting of singer Brian Johnson, guitarists Angus and Stevie Young, drummer Matt Laug and the latest addition to the group's touring lineup, bassist Chris Chaney.
The 24-date trek will run through August. The trek will make another stop at London's Wembley Stadium on July 7, then moving on to Germany, Slovakia and Paris and winding down at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. The European tour is the first run of gigs since AC/DC's return to the stage at last year's rock Power Trip festival in Indio, California.
AC/DC's last tour took place in 2015 and 2016 and had a $180 million gross, with 2,310,061 sold tickets reported to the Pollstar box office.
Laug is an American drummer who has played with many bands/artists such as Alanis Morissette, Alice Cooper, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT and Vasco Rossi. Matt moved to Los Angeles after graduating from South Florence High School in 1986 and after attending college in L.A., Matt became a sought-after studio drummer.
In 2001, Laug supported AC/DC as part of SLASH'S SNAKEPIT on the North American and European legs of the "Stiff Upper Lip" tour.
In its announcement about Laug's addition to the band's Power Trip lineup, AC/DC offered no explanation for the absence of the band's longtime drummer Phil Rudd, who rejoined AC/DC for the recording of the group's comeback album, "Power Up", which came out in November 2020.
Rudd was ousted from AC/DC when he was sentenced to eight months of home detention by a New Zealand court in 2015 after pleading guilty to charges of threatening to kill and drug possession. He was replaced on the band's "Rock Or Bust" tour by Chris Slade, who had previously served as AC/DC's drummer between 1989 and 1994, playing on the album "The Razor's Edge".
Rudd, who appeared on all but three of AC/DC's 18 previous studio albums, toured in support of his 2014 solo debut, "Head Job". It was the release of that album that led indirectly to Rudd's arrest, with the drummer allegedly so angry at a personal assistant over the way the record was promoted that he threatened to have the man and his daughter killed.
AC/DC postponed the last 10 dates of its spring 2016 North American trek after Johnson was advised to stop playing live or "risk total hearing loss." The band went on to complete the European and North American legs of its "Rock Or Bust" tour with GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose as a "guest vocalist." At the time, Johnson had been AC/DC's singer for 36 years, ever since replacing the late Bon Scott in 1980 and making his debut on the classic "Back In Black" album.
To enable him to perform live with AC/DC again, the now-76-year-old Johnson worked with audio expert Stephen Ambrose, who said he could help resolve the singer's hearing problems.
Ambrose, who invented the wireless in-ear monitors that are widely used by touring artists today, claimed to have invented a new type of ear-bud that would allow Johnson to perform without causing further damage to his eardrums. After three years of experimenting and "miniaturizing" the equipment, Johnson previously said the technology could allow him to tour again.
Chaney is best known as the bassist of JANE'S ADDICTION and as a member of Alanis Morissette's touring and recording band. Chaney was also a member of TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS and CAMP FREDDY, as well as being a prolific and versatile session musician, having played with artists including Joe Cocker, Shakira, Slash and Avril Lavigne to Sara Bareilles, Gavin Degraw, Cher, SHINEDOWN and Celine Dion. Chaney is also a founding member and partner in the all-star supergroup ROYAL MACHINES along with Dave Navarro (JANE'S ADDICTION),Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY),Josh Freese (FOO FIGHTERS) and Billy Morrison (BILLY IDOL).
Bassist Cliff Williams announced his retirement at the end of AC/DC's 2015-2016 "Rock Or Bust" tour, which also saw Johnson leaving. However, Williams — and Johnson — took part in the recording sessions that resulted in "Power Up". Both of them were also part of the AC/DC lineup that performed at Power Trip.
During an October 2020 interview with Dean Delray's "Let There Be Talk" podcast, Cliff was asked if Johnson's departure from the road was what led to his desire to stop touring. Cliff responded: "It was before then. I spoke to Angus about it initially. I was at a point — and this is at the beginning of the 'Rock Or Bust' tour — that I just felt, for me, it was time to hang it up. I knew that I didn't wanna keep doing these two-year tours, and I didn't wanna hold them back, so I made them aware of the fact that this was gonna be my last go-round. It was a tough tour to finish. God bless Axl for coming in and helping us out, finish it up. He did a great job. And at the end of that, I was definitely — that was it for me. Done — just done. That compounded the whole thing."
According to Williams, he wanted to take part in the recording sessions for "Power Up" as a tribute to Angus's late brother, founding AC/DC rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, who died in 2017 from effects of dementia at age 64. Malcolm is credited as a writer on all 12 tracks on "Power Up".
"If 'Back In Black' has [late AC/DC singer] Bon Scott all over it, for me, 'Power Up' has got Malcolm Young," Cliff said. "This is for him. And it's the band that we played together with for 40-plus years. And I wanted to do that — I wanted to come back and do that.
"We did some rehearsals earlier [in 2020] before this darn COVID thing popped up, and we had great rehearsals," he continued. "The band was playing really well. So [they asked me], 'Do you wanna do a few shows? 'Sure'. A few shows. We were planning on doing that. Everyone goes home to their respective homes, and bang, we've been here ever since [because of the coronavirus-related shutdown]."
Cliff went on to confirm that his commitment to AC/DC was only for "a few" dates in support of "Power Up".
"For both [my mental and physical] health," he said. "I definitely have some physical issues, which I won't bore you with the details of. But, yeah, it's tough. I'm very grateful for everything. It's been fantastic. But I just don't wanna do that anymore."
Williams previously revealed that a "terrible" bout with vertigo contributed to his 2016 retirement. He also admitted the return of both Johnson and drummer Phil Rudd convinced him to rejoin the group. "It was like the old band back together," he told Rolling Stone. "It was not like starting over again, but as close to the band that's been together for 40-plus years as we can possibly make it. I didn't want to miss that."
The follow-up to 2014's "Rock Or Bust", "Power Up" was recorded over a six-week period in August and September 2018 at Warehouse Studios in Vancouver with producer Brendan O'Brien, who also worked 2008's "Black Ice" and "Rock Or Bust".
Video of Myles Kennedy's June 28 acoustic performance at Oak City Grille in Royal Oak, Michigan for Detroit's WRIF radio station can be seen below.
Featured songs:
00:00 - Intro / Interview
01:41 - Devil On The Wall
05:56 - Interview
08:11 - Say What You Will
12:01 - Interview
13:54 - Year Of The Tiger
18:21 - Interview
20:20 - Addicted To Pain (ALTER BRIDGE cover)
In a recent interview with the I-Rock 93.5 radio station, Myles — known for his work with rockers ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS — spoke about his upcoming third solo album, "The Art Of Letting Go". The LP marks the return of Myles, backed by his band comprised of Zia Uddin on drums and Tim Tournier on bass. The album is scheduled for release via longtime label home Napalm Records on October 11, 2024, and is available for pre-order in multiple configurations.
Regarding the lyrical themes covered on "The Art Of Letting Go", Myles told I-Rock 93.5: "The first two solo records were, they were kind of concept records. The first, 'Year Of The Tiger' [2018], was a record kind of dealing with the loss of my father as a child. And then the second record, 'The Ides Of March' [2021], was dealing with kind of the state of the world about three years ago. But with this record, I wanted it to be a collection of songs and with a narrative that shifted from song to song. I really like that, because then for one thing there were a handful of tunes I had sitting around for a few years that just didn't have a home and didn't fit the storyline. So I was, like, 'Oh, I can pull that now and use that in this batch of tunes.' But it also just made it so that… I feel like because it's more of a riff-based record, it's more about the intensity of the music. I didn't feel like it lived or died as much by the narrative of the lyric. So it's really about just making a compelling riff and a good vocal melody first and then filling in the blanks with the words. But with that said, I never phone it. I'm not the guy who's like… I hear these stories about really good songwriters who are, like, 'Yeah, he sat in his truck for 20 minutes before he had to cut the vocal and wrote the lyrics.' I'm, like, I'm not that guy. I will obsess and rewrite and re-edit. 'Cause I have to know that if I'm gonna sing and I'm going to go tour it that I'm believing it night after night that it's honest. And I'm happy with the cadence and the rhymes and it's not just a bunch of hoo ha ha."
From the opening guitar riff of the title track "The Art Of Letting Go" to the haunting melody of album closer "How The Story Ends", Myles Kennedy is back with a collection of songs that is sure to cater to old and new fans alike. Songs like "Mr. Downside", "Miss You When You're Gone" and "Saving Face" showcase the memorable storytelling that has become synonymous throughout all of Myles's projects. The debut single — currently impacting radio around the globe — is the upbeat rocker "Say What You Will". The song is now available via all DSPs.
The "Say What You Will" music video was directed by Gordy De St Jeor (MAMMOTH WVH) and tells the story of a bullied and timid student who breaks out of her shell with the help of a teacher, janitor and lunch person portrayed by Kennedy, Uddin and Tournier in the school talent show.
The track listing for "The Art Of Letting Go" is:
01. The Art Of Letting Go
02. Say What You Will
03. Mr. Downside
04. Miss You When You're Gone
05. Behind The Veil
06. Saving Face
07. Eternal Lullaby
08. Nothing More To Gain
09. Dead To Rights
10. How The Story Ends
To celebrate the release of "The Art Of Letting Go", Myles Kennedy and his trio will be hitting the road in support of the new album. A six-date U.K. run with support from Devin Townsend recently went on sale for November and December. Twenty more newly announced dates are being added to "The Art Of Letting Go" tour 2024 all across Europe starting in October. The additional European dates will feature support from BLACK RIVER DELTA and CARDINAL BLACK. The band will also be bringing the tour to North America with dates set for January and February 2025. The 2025 dates will feature special guest Tim Montana.
As a prolific songwriter, powerhouse vocalist, and proficient guitar player, Kennedy tunes into the rhythm of his surroundings and goes with the flow. Fronting ALTER BRIDGE, his soaring vocals, open-hearted lyrics, and airtight riffs have fueled the group's global impact as a gold-certified, arena-filling force of nature over two decades-plus. On the microphone for SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS, his towering range has consistently stunned audiences since 2010. Becoming a celebrated collaborator, he's the rare presence just as comfortable on a track with DISTURBED, HALESTORM and SEVENDUST as he is with GOV'T MULE and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels. It's why he's generated over one billion cumulative streams, earned gold and platinum certifications worldwide, uplifted countless fans, and Kerrang! christened him "one of rock's finest vocalists." It's also why he's carved out his own lane. 2021 saw him deliver his acclaimed sophomore opus, "The Ides Of March". It impressively notched a total of four No. 1 debuts across three countries, toppling the Billboard U.S. Top Current Hard Music chart, the U.K. Official Rock & Metal chart and Official Independent Album chart, and Canada's Hard Music Albums chart. Beyond generating 10 million-plus streams, it incited unanimous critical applause from American Songwriter, Guitar.com, Loudwire, Guitar World and more. RIFF hailed it as "a fantastic and must-listen record," while Classic Rock magazine awarded it "4.5 out of 5 stars," going on to attest, "'The Ides Of March' confirms Myles Kennedy as a musical powerhouse."
Professionally filmed video of METALLICA performing the song "Whiplash" on June 26 at the Tons Of Rock festival in Oslo, Norway during the 2024 leg of the band's "M72" tour can be seen below.
In support of METALLICA's latest album, "72 Seasons", the band has been playing two-night, no-repeat shows in each city— first in Europe , then in North America and now back in Europe — as part of the "M72" tour. Each concert sees METALLICA performing on a massive ring-shaped stage, with the Snake Pit in the center, and four drum sets which are equally spaced out around the circular stage so drummer Lars Ulrich can get closer to the audience at various points in the show.
METALLICA frontman James Hetfield spoke about his mindset going into the 2024 leg of "M72", telling "The Metallica Report": "What I'm going into is unknown. I know how big the stage is. I know we have breaks here and there. I know what we're walking into. When we first started with this, with the 'M72' stage, in the round in the stadium, from between setting up cones, walking around thinking, 'Oh, this is how big the stage is gonna be.' 'Oh, this is cool.' 'This'll be great.' 'This is too skinny,' and this and that. And then, between that time and then actually seeing it built, where it's kind of too late, 'Oh shit, this thing is so big.' The anxiety level was off the charts at the beginning of the 'M72' tour. Like, how are we gonna cover this stage? And, of course, my ego saying, 'Well, the other guys don't have to sing. They don't have to run over there. They don't have to do all this. And no one knows the woes I have and all the worries.' But as soon as I share them with the other guys, they're, like, 'Yeah, but I got this and I got this.' It's like, 'Oh, okay. Okay. I want mine back. That's okay.' So it's a known. We know what we're up against and we know what shape we need to be in. And it's just fun. Now it's just fun. We broke that stage in. It's well trodden on and it's worked fantastically. And so we just get to step back into it and do what we do best."
Asked if there have been any modifications to the "M72" stage at all since the 2023 shows, Hetfield said: "There have been a few things here and there that have changed — extra microphones, whatever monitors that we need. And that's typical on any stage, though. The lighting tends to show things that you don't see before: 'Yeah, we need to drape that off' or whatever it may be, just things to make it better. Just like anything we do, you wanna improve on it. So that that was the first couple months of the first touring with the 'M72' stage."
Regarding how he prepares for a METALLICA tour, especially when it comes to performing around 32 songs at each stop on the ongoing "M72" trek, Hetfield said: "Obviously, before heading out on tour, sitting there, trying to remember the myriad of pretty awesome songs we have, and then just trusting that once we get together, it's, like, 'Oh, yeah.' It's muscle memory. But, yeah, over the last month, I will say that the normal thing happens where I start to doubt myself. I start to feel insecure that, 'Whoa, we're old. We can't do this,' and blah, blah, blah, all that bullshit that everyone tells themselves before they go into something that they care about and is important. So having the nightmares of, 'I'm the only one who cares about what we're doing here. Where is everybody?' I show up at the gig. Everyone's goofing off or there's 200 people backstage. And where's my stuff? Where's the setlist? What songs are we doing? And then typical things like the guitar neck is made of rubber, and there's only two strings on it. And where's my roadie? And the guitar cord won't let me get to the microphone. You know, silly stuff like that that has to happen, and I don't freak out over it. All you do is you practice and that comes back pretty quickly."
After Munich and Milan, METALLICA continued touring throughout Europe for the first part of summer, with stops in Spain, Denmark, Norway, France and Poland, among others. Another round of North American dates will begin on August 2 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, with stops in Chicago, Minneapolis, Seattle and Edmonton. METALLICA will close out the 2024 touring season with four shows in Mexico City at the end of September.
According to Billboard, METALLICA's production travels in 87 trucks — 45 for the band and its setup, plus two groups of 21 each for the steel stage and towers. There are 130 people in the band's crew, plus 40 steelworkers, local hires and truck drivers.
METALLICA's manager Cliff Burnstein told Billboard that between 80% and 90% of fans at each concert attend both shows.
The "M72" tour launched in late April 2023 in Amsterdam.
KRYPTOS frontman Nolan Lewis comments: "Take a ride with Kryptos on our latest single "We Are the Night" as we battle through the highs and lows of touring with a never say die attitude and pure metal spirit."
KRYPTOS, who was formed in 1998 in Bangalore, India, have long been considered one of the spearheads of the Indian heavy metal revolution. With six critically acclaimed albums under their belt, they have supported some of metal’s biggest names, like Iron Maiden, Testament, Kreator, Exodus and many more, earning themselves a reputation as a fiery and exciting live act.
The band released their debut album ‘Spiral Ascent’ in 2004 and ‘The Ark of Gemini’ in 2008 before heading out on their first European tour in 2010, making them the first Indian heavy metal band to do so. After signing with AFM Records in 2012, the band unleashed four more frenetically-acclaimed studio albums, are a welcome live act at Wacken Open Air and played their first, extensive European headline tours, including numerous sold-out shows in Scandinavia and central Europe.
Their high-voltage, seventh album Decimator continues where the band left of with their critically-acclaimed, 2021-album ‘Force Of Danger’, and sees them combine crushing riffs, barbwire vocals and powerful songwriting that grabs the 80s by the throat and drags it kicking and screaming into the modern age. If you’re a fan of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Accept and Kreator, this album will snap your neck in half and have you raging into the night like you’ve never raged before!
“Decimator is without question our finest hour so far." Lewis says. "We’ve sharpened our songwriting to a razor point and the album is absolutely exploding with pure heavy metal power and attitude. Once you’ve popped it into your stereo, you’re going to be raising your fist, air-guitaring to the riffs and humming the solos all year long. It’s as perfect a combination of classic 80s metal and caustic thrash sensibilities as you’re ever going to get!
Strap in and bang your heads to the raging new Kryptos album "Decimator". Expect nothing less than pure traditional heavy metal that echoes back to a time when riffs were king and the nights crackled with power!"
Toronto-based powerhouse, Selias, is set to shake the metal world with their highly anticipated debut album Headshot, out today via Sleaszy Rider Records. The band have also released a video for the song "Twisted Path", which can be found below.
Combining elements of melodic death metal, groove metal, and metal, Selias delivers a sonic experience that is as diverse as it is powerful. Helmed by Steve Elias, the band pushes the boundaries of the genre with their dynamic range of skills and unbridled passion for heavy music.
Headshot is a journey through the depths of the human psyche, with each track offering a glimpse into past situations or stories from distant worlds. From blistering riffs to haunting vocals, Selias captivates listeners with their ability to blend aggression and melody seamlessly.
Drawing inspiration from bands like In Flames, Soilwork, Killswitch Engage, and Parkway Drive, Selias creates a sound that is both familiar yet entirely their own. With Headshot, they invite listeners to immerse themselves in a world where metal meets storytelling, where each song is a chapter in an epic saga of sound and emotion.
Sleaszy Rider Records, known for their roster of legendary bands like Motorhead, Def Leppard, and Whitesnake, is handling the release of Headshot. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for Selias as they join the ranks of esteemed artists under the label's banner.
Steve Elias, guitarist for Selias, expresses his excitement about the release: "We've poured our hearts and souls into Headshot, and we can't wait for the world to hear it. This album is a culmination of years of hard work and dedication, and we're grateful for the opportunity to share it with our fans."
Selias stands poised to make their mark on the global metal scene. Prepare for an auditory assault like no other as Headshot explodes onto the airwaves, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.
Canadian roots, rock, blues and soul band Bywater Call release the Southern rock banger “Everybody Knows”, their fourth single of the year taken from their upcoming studio album Shepherd. Stream the song here and watch the video below.
Opening with an infectious guitar riff and a burst of horns, imagine a cross between the swagger of The Black Crowes and Rolling Stones and the soul of Aretha Franklin. “Everybody Knows” is classic Southern Rock with a fierce female vocal.
“Told in three vignettes, connected by the chorus of ‘Everybody knows the bed they sleep in’, this song is about how you can tell yourself whatever you want to hear, whatever makes you feel better,” says Bywater Call’s guitarist, Dave Barnes, “but ultimately, the truth is always waiting for you at the end of the day.”
"Everybody Knows” was recorded and mixed by Bywater Call drummer Bruce McCarthy at The BeatFarm in Toronto, Ontario.
Released worldwide on August 9, 2024, Shepherd features a captivating collection of ten original songs, that showcases Bywater Call’s continual exploration, experimentation, and reach beyond the boundaries of music genres, further developing their own unique voice. The new songs illustrate their growth, while still paying tribute to their historical and contemporary influences. Pre-order links can be found at BywaterCall.com.
Shepherd artwork and tracklisting:
"Everybody Knows"
"Colours"
"Sweet Maria"
"Holler"
"For All We Know"
"Roll"
"Turn It Around"
"Now and Never"
"As If"
"Sign Of Peace"
Often transcending genres, Bywater Call is known for their dynamic, emotional live shows, featuring powerful vocals and exciting interplay between all band members.
The band was UK Blues Award nominated for the 2024 International Blues Artist of the Year. They have toured extensively in Europe where Dutch, German, and UK media praised their shows, with references to Meghan as one of the best female voices in blues and roots today.
Bywater has been busy. In 2023 alone, they played a total of 96 shows in 10 countries, 89 cities, 19 US states and 3 Canadian provinces, including Joe Bonamassa’s third Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea Mediterranean Cruise.
Catch Bywater Call live on their Summer 2024 Tour. Confirmed dates are as listed:
July
5 - Ottawa, ON - Ottawa Blues Fest
11 - Burlington, IA - The Washington
12 - Omaha, NB - Playing With Fire
13 - Kansas City, MO - Knuckleheads
19 - Brezoi, Romania - Brezoi Open Air Festival
23 - Syracuse, NY - Club 443 - SOLD OUT
24 - Syracuse, NY - Club 443 - SOLD OUT
25 - Saranac Lake, NY - Waterhole
26 - Athens, NY - Summer Music Series
27 - New Rochelle, NY - Summer Sizzle
28 - Norwood, MA - Fallout Shelter - SOLD OUT
August
2 - Pomeroy, OH - Big Bend Blues Bash
3 - Nashville, TN - City Winery
4 - Knoxville, TN - Tennessee Riverboat
9 - Nanaimo, BC - Nanaimo Blues Festival
11 - Wheeling, WV - Heritage Music Blues Fest
16 - Norwich, NY - Chenango Blues Fest
17 - Thornton, NH - White Mountain Boogie N’ Blues Fest
18 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
24 - Ontonagon, MI - Porcupine Mountains Music Festival
29 - Pelham, ON - Fonhtill Bandshell Concerts
September
6 - Port Credit, ON - Southside Shuffle
7 - Drumheller, AB - Canada Badlands Roots, Blues And BBQ
Bywater Call is a powerhouse seven-piece Southern soul, roots rock band from Toronto, Canada. The band is comprised of Meghan Parnell (vocals), Dave Barnes (guitar), Bruce McCarthy (drums), Mike Meusel (bass), newest member, John Kervin (keys), Stephen Dyte (trumpet) and Julian Nalli (tenor sax).
(Live photo by Marty Moffatt, portrait photo by Juan Perez-Fajardo)
Swedish melodic death/thrash metal band, Bloodcrown, has dropped the video for "Other I". The track is featured on the new album, Sound Of Flesh And Bone“, out July 26th via Gruesome Records.
The band on the new song: "'Other I' is a song about meeting the other self. That part you don't show, that no one else knows about. Who am I when no one sees it? Often it is the part of you inside that you are ashamed of, a voice of darkness and sometimes an action. Sometimes it is so foreign to you that you see it as another person, but it is you, your darkness.”
Watch the video below, and pre-order the album here.
The album revolves around a lot of human existential thoughts. Everything from mental illness, social critical conspiracies, liberation from the slavery of social order to a struggle beyond our physical world. A real darkness that rules spiritually behind the scenes.
Sound Of Flesh And Bone features 11 tracks for over 41 minutes of playing time in the veins of The Haunted, Terror 2000, At The Gates, Entombed, and The Crown.
Tracklisting:
"When Wolves"
"Sword Cut"
"Other I"
"Sound Of Flesh And Bone"
"Hypnotized In Chains"
"Momentary"
"Paralysis"
"Purge"
"Obscenity"
"Evil Pandemic"
"Fire Of Resistance"
"Other I" video:
Bloodcrown is:
Barry Halldan - Vocals
Johan Wold Ylenstrand - Guitar, Bass
Rickard Gustafsson - Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Jachin - Drums
Italy's Secret Rule have released a video for "Time Zero", lifted from their new album, UNInVERSE, released last November via Lucky Bob Records / SPV.
Says the band: "'Time Zero' is an anthem of resilience and rebirth. In a world teetering on the edge of chaos, the song urges you to rise, confront your inner demons, and ignite the fire within. As stars fall and darkness looms, remember that you are forged from the very essence of the cosmos. Embrace the storm of life, find strength in your struggles, and be reborn from the flames. This is your moment to shine, to become immortal, and to conquer the void. Join us on this epic journey of survival and renewal!"
Watch the clip below.
Tracklisting:
"Disorder"
"Equilibrium"
"Shards Of Time"
"Gravity On Us"
"Uninverse"
"I Am"
"Time Zero"
"Multiple Me"
"From Null To Life"
"Black Hole"
"Time Zero" video:
Full album visualizer:
"I Am" video:
Lineup:
Angela Di Vincenzo - Vocals
Andy Menario - Guitar / Vocals
NicK Pedron - Bass / Vocals
Sebastiano Dolzani - Drums
Canadian glam metal band, Gelatin Skelatin, is pleased to announce the release of their new album, Big Trouble, this coming August via SRS/MVD Entertainment. The album contains nine tracks including the lead single / music video "VHS", a song that hearkens back to the summer of '89.
"It makes the listener mentally revisit the days when going to the beach and requesting 80s hard rock on the radio was the way we spent our time. It was some of the best times of my life and I wanted to capture that feeling in song," says frontman/vocalist Brett Kelly.
Also featured on the band's debut full-length are songs "Ship Of Fools" and "Scream And Scream Again", written by Juno Award-winning singer Mike Trebilcock of Canadian band The Killjoys along with mastering by Harry Hess of Harem Scarem fame.
Treating every show like an arena rock show, regardless of size, fans can always expect a lot of running around and lots of leather. The brainchild of Ottawa-based vocalist Brett Kelly. He is joined by guitarists Sebastien Thisdelle and Myles "Slam" Rourke (ex-Annihilator), bassist Billy Jessup and drummer Joel Agnew.
"I had the idea to form an old-school glam metal band brimming for over a decade, and I finally decided to take the plunge around 5 years ago. This record is for the love of the retro glam experience. I want fans to remember the good old days when rock was fun and rock stars looked like rock stars. People who want that arena rock experience should get a kick out of us." adds Kelly.
Recommended for fans of KISS, Alice Cooper, Winger, and Warrant, Gelatin Skelatin's debut album Big Trouble is due out on August 9 via SRS/MVD Entertainment and is available for pre-order here.
Tracklisting:
"VHS"
"80s Ladies"
"Bad Alphabet"
"Ship Of Fools"
"If You See Kay"
"Last Call For Love"
"Scream And Scream Again"
"If You Can't Do What's Right (Do What's Left)"
"That's Rock n Roll"
"VHS" video:
Live dates:
August
10 - Ottawa, ON - Brass Monkey
September
13 - Brockville, ON - Rocking the River Party Cruise
14 - Pembroke, ON - Legends at Finnigans
November
8 - Ottawa, ON - Brass Monkey (opening for Trixter)
Live band lineup:
Brett Kelly - Vocals
Slam - Guitar
Joel Agnew - Drums
Billy Jessup - Bass
Sebastien Thisdelle - Lead Guitar
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