Cyhra guitarist Euge Valovirta has released his third solo album, Hardtones out via Gramophone Records. To celebrate, he shares a new single "Flesh From The Bone" (feat. Samy Elbanna); check out the official video below.
About the single, Valovirta had this to say:
"I saw a dream about 'Flesh From The Bone', or actually just from the easy middle section, where the camera is zooming to Samy’s face and he is singing with eyes closed, and just before the song kicks in again he opens his eyes and then we both rock out with our axes like we’d be in a medieval battle. I called director Joel Korhonen / Noisemedia and he was on board, so we did the video. The song is one of the few arranged for two guitars so it seemed natural that we both play guitar in the video."
Samy Elbanna: "I really loved doing this track, because it’s very different from a lot of the stuff we’ve done with Euge before - we dive deeper into a modern metal soundscape and there’s a certain sense of frailty in the track and lyrics that I really like. We wanted something simple and powerful for the video, and the end result absolutely blew me away, it really captures the essence of the song perfectly!"
Tracklist:
"Testify" (feat. Samy Elbanna)
"The Game" (feat. Joonas Kosonen & Ben Varon)
"Gone Without A Trace" (feat. Nico Hartonen)
"Pasadena ’78" (feat. Jules Näveri)
"Rock & Roll Unites" (feat. Jake E)
"Fast Living, Slow Suicide" (feat. Olli Herman)
"Going Down The Hole" (feat. Nico Hartonen)
"Not My Time" (feat. Joonas Kosonen & Ben Varon)
"Wake Up" (feat. Pekka Heino)
"Flesh From The Bone" (feat. Samy Elbanna)
"Road Song II" (feat. Nico Hartonen)
Former Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has shared his weekly cover, this time putting a metal twist on E-Type's hit from 1999, "Angels Crying".
Last week, Johansson shared his performance of the Eros Ramazzotti hit, "Più Bella Cosa".
In this week's episode of their ongoing Sunday Lunch series, King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, Toyah Willcox, perform the iconic Guns N' Roses hit, "Welcome To The Jungle". Watch below:
A message from the couple: "Here at Toyah and Robert HQ, this is one of our faves!"
On a recent episode of Rob Squad And The Creators featuring Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox is available for streaming below. During the episode with Rob Squad’s Jay + Amber Robinson, Fripp and Willcox react along with the hosts to their live rendition of Metallica's "Enter Sandman".
On playing with her husband, Toyah comments: "I also love seeing my husband on stage. It's such a joy because normally we're on different continents. To be on stage together, it's an absolute joy!"
On Fripp’s connection to Metallica, Fripp added: “To link this song with (King Crimson's) "Frame by Frame," which we went through a little while ago (NOTE: reference to an earlier episode of Rob Squad and the Creators). I read an interview where Kirk Hammett of Metallica said how much he enjoyed the double guitar parts of Adrian (Belew) and Robert on the Discipline album and "Frame by Frame."
On who he listens to and who influenced him, Fripp says: "Well, Hendrix, Clapton, Beck, McLaughlin, Page, and Chuck Berry. In the early days, Scotty Moore, Elvis's player, Little Richard. The sheer power of that man was astonishing."
Almost a year after its release, the fourth studio album by Swedish symphonic dark metal sensation Eleine, We Shall Remain, is still on everyone's lips.
Today, the indefatigable five-piece unveil the official video for the track “Suffering” which incorporates huge melodies, crushing riffs, an insane vocal range and orchestral grandeur. The digital version of the single comes with a previously unheard instrumental version as second track.
Vocalist Madeleine Liljestam and guitarist/vocalist Rikard Ekberg explain the profound meaning of the song, "Life is never easy and sometimes it forces you to push forward even when you see no reason to. Your own mind is beating you down and tearing you apart, repeating the past that leaves you in an endless loop of hopelessness and pain. But... you don't give up. You start facing your fears which leaves you torn between staying in a place you know but is destroying you or go towards something unexplored that may or may not give you strength. Eventually you reach a point where you see your old self from the other side. That's when you know you survived."
As they're getting ready for a handful of summer festivals, Eleine have already announced their 2024 We Shall Remain Tour through Europe and the UK for October. Find tickets at eleine.com.
On Wednesday, May 29, GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash visited Amoeba Music in Hollywood, California to play a special acoustic set celebrating his star-studded new album "Orgy Of The Damned". Slash and his blues band vocalist/guitarist Tash Neal performed live at the legendary record store. Fan-filmed video of their appearance can be seen below.
Released on May 17 via Gibson Records, "Orgy Of The Damned" features guest appearances by AC/DC's Brian Johnson, AEROSMITH's Steven Tyler, Iggy Pop, Chris Stapleton, THE BLACK CROWES' Chris Robinson, ZZ TOP's Billy F. Gibbons, BAD COMPANY's Paul Rodgers, Demi Lovato and Gary Clark Jr.Slash is backed on the album by prior collaborators Johnny Griparic (bass) and Teddy Andreadis (keyboards),as well as drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.
Regarding the inspiration for the "Orgy Of The Damned" album title, Slash told Germany's Rock Antenne: "It's the only title I came up with. It was just because blues and rock and roll have always been considered taboo and devil's music and all that kind of stuff. And it's 'hide your kids from that.' And I wasn't raised to think that, but I know society at large has always had that kind of attitude towards it, but of blues especially. And so when I thought about having a collaborative thing with all these different artists doing a blues record — 'Orgy Of The Damned', right? It seems so obvious to me, and I actually Googled it to see if somebody else had already used it, but they hadn't."
When the interviewer suggested that it must have been a "logistical nightmare" getting all those guest musicians to appear on the LP, Slash said: "It's difficult. I mean, you basically just have to get on the phone, and if they say 'yes', then okay. So that's really the hardest part, is calling people up and asking the question and seeing if they'll do it. And I was fortunate doing this, because I picked songs that… What I would do is I'd have the song and then go, 'Okay, who should sing this?' And whoever came to mind as being the appropriate singer, I would call them up. But, fortunately, I picked the right song for them to sing and so they would identify with it automatically. And so then that would make them feel more obligated to get involved and sing it properly or whatever goes through one's mind. But it was great because all the different artists were so open to the material and it really meant something to them. So, what happened was the vocal delivery really came from the heart; they were really singing from a place of connecting with the material."
Asked if there was anybody he wanted to get to appear on the album but couldn't, Slash said: "Well, the biggest one, really, the one that bums me out was [late MOTÖRHEAD leader] Lemmy. That was because there was a moment there where [I thought], 'Fuck, man, Lemmy would be great.' And I still haven't gotten used to the fact that he's not here, 'cause I'm so used to him being there. So that was the big one. I try not to make a big deal out of it. There's some people that I couldn't contact until after the record was done. And then they showed up, and [I would tell them] the record's done already. But other than that, everybody that I thought of were there."
Although he grew up in England, Slash's American grandmother turned him on to the blues early on and he was immediately taken with B.B. King. At the same time, his parents raised him on a healthy diet of '60s British rock 'n' roll, from THE WHO to THE KINKS. Once he moved to Laurel Canyon, Slash found himself surrounded by rock and folk singers like Joni Mitchell, CROSBY, STILLS & NASH and Neil Young — all of whom eventually inspired his playing and songwriting. It wasn't until he began playing guitar himself that Slash realized all of his favorite musicians had been influenced by the same B.B. King blues records he'd listened to as a young kid.
"Orgy Of The Damned" encompasses a broad range of styles within the blues genre, veering from an upbeat, rowdy take on Robert Johnson's "Crossroads" to a plaintive, twanging rendition of T. Bone Walker's "Stormy Monday". Some of the songs, like STEPPENWOLF's "The Pusher", Charlie Segar's "Key To The Highway" and Albert King's "Born Under A Bad Sign", had been performed by SLASH'S BLUES BALL while others, like Stevie Wonder's "Living For The City", were longtime favorites for Slash. "Hoochie Coochie Man", written by Willie Dixon and made famous by Muddy Waters in 1954, showcases the in-the-moment nature and unrestrained energy of "Orgy Of The Damned", with ZZ TOP's Billy F. Gibbons stepping in on guitar and vocals. The group went into a rehearsal room in North Hollywood and began hashing out soulful, rollicking takes on the classic songs. Everything was played live in the room, with an emphasis on improvisation which resulted in a collection of dynamic, energized songs that are immediate, raw, and distinctly familiar.
As Slash was considering vocalists, he approached his old friend and collaborator Iggy Pop, who had long wanted to record a blues song. Pop suggested Lightnin' Hopkins's 1962 track "Awful Dream", a sparse, drawling number originally laid down on acoustic guitar. The duo decided to recreate that stripped back vibe and recorded their own languid, emotionally-resonate version sitting on two stools in Slash's studio.
Elsewhere on "Orgy Of The Damned", Demi Lovato lends her powerhouse voice to "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone", a fervent, soulful version of the 1972 single by THE TEMPTATIONS that Slash admired as a kid. Although the song veers more towards R&B, the guitarist wanted to give it his own impassioned spin. The album concludes with a soaring original instrumental number, "Metal Chestnut", penned specifically for "Orgy Of The Damned" by Slash.
The first single, "Killing Floor", features Johnson on vocals and Tyler on harmonica.
"Orgy Of The Damned" track listing:
01. The Pusher (feat. Chris Robinson)
02. Crossroads (feat. Gary Clark Jr.)
03. Hoochie Coochie Man (feat. Billy Gibbons)
04. Oh Well (feat. Chris Stapleton)
05. Key To The Highway (feat. Dorothy)
06. Awful Dream (feat. Iggy Pop)
07. Born Under A Bad Sign (feat. Paul Rodgers)
08. Papa Was A Rolling Stone (feat. Demi Lovato)
09. Killing Floor (feat. Brian Johnson)
10. Living For The City (feat. Tash Neal)
11. Stormy Day (feat. Beth Hart)
12. Metal Chestnut
This summer, Slash will bring his brand-new "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival to cities across the U.S. throughout 2024. S.E.R.P.E.N.T. is an anagram and stands for Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N' Tolerance. The festival is a celebration of the blues, featuring an all-star line-up that will vary. On all dates, Slash will perform alongside his blues band featuring bassist Johnny Griparic, keyboardist Teddy "ZigZag" Andreadis, drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.
Slash formed the "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival to bring fans together to celebrate the spirit of the blues, and to perform with other blues artists he admires who share his love of the genre. Slash also has a strong desire to give back to charities that he has supported over the years, as well as to help lift marginalized communities that share his restorative focus of elevating lives for the benefit of all. A portion of the proceeds from each VIP package and "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival ticket sold will directly benefit the following charities that Slash has selected: The Equal Justice Initiative, Know Your Rights Camp, The Greenlining Institute and War Child. "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival has partnered with Plus1.org to support these charitable endeavors.
Joining Slash at various stops on the tour will be WARREN HAYNES BAND, Keb' Mo', Larkin Poe, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Samantha Fish, ZZ Ward, Robert Randolph, Eric Gales and Jackie Venson.
The trek will kick off on July 5 in Bonner, Montana and wrap up on August 17 in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Although Slash's latest LP is his second under the "Slash" banner, he has released a handful of albums with his long-running band SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS, in which he is joined by ALTER BRIDGE frontman Myles Kennedy.
In February, Slash resumed touring with SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS.
SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS' latest album, "4", was released in February 2022 via Gibson Records in partnership with BMG.
"4" was Slash's fifth solo album and fourth overall with his band featuring Kennedy, Brent Fitz (drums),Todd Kerns (bass, vocals) and Frank Sidoris (guitar, vocals).
DarWin featuring Simon Phillips, Mohini Dey, Greg Howe, and Matt Bissonette, will release their new album, Five Steps On The Sun, on June 7. Today, the band share the video for new single, "One Step On The Sun". Watch below:
DarWin is an ongoing musical exploration driven by Simon Phillips and DarWin (DW). The music seeks to elevate the power of crafted songs, and the collection of songs into an album experience. Groove, energy, melody and harmony are all simultaneously prioritized. The songs should feel both original but somehow familiar.
The duo has collaborated with Matt Bissonette since 2015 as a song writing trio, fusing the diverse interests and experiences of the group. Matt’s vocals provide a soothing sonic resonance over novel rhythmic landscapes.
Follow-up to the critically acclaimed epic albums Origin Of Species and Frozen War, DarWin and Simon Phillips expand on their trademark sound - adding new levels of depth and melody.
The new album features a stellar lineup of musicians - Indian bassist Mohini Dey joins the band bringing her fiery playing, and Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater) and Greg Howe return to the project.
Five Steps On The Sun will beleased on CD and strictly Limited Heavyweight Vinyl including exclusive poster.
Tracklisting:
"Soul Police"
"Inside This Zoo"
"Be That Man"
"One Step On The Sun"
"Five Steps On The Sun"
"The Sun"
"Imitation Suede"
"Seasons Of A Life"
"Hulks & Heroes"
"What Do We Know"
High Desert Queen's sophomore full-length Palm Reader, slated for release on May 31st, is bursting with raw energy and radiates the feeling of 666 diesel horses thundering loud. The album is crammed with cool vibes, ripping leads, and a ton of fuzz with a focus on great songs rather than trying to stay confined within a corral of a particular style.
The Texas natives have released a new video for the title track of their second album. Enjoy the funny, awkward clip in which a fictional manager attempts to get the band in shape to the tune of "Palm Reader".
The video for lead single "Ancient Aliens" was released earlier this year. The “Ancient Aliens” video is a tongue-in-cheek take on John Carpenter’s 1988 cult movie, They Live, that illustrates the difficulties for musicians in dealing with shifty managers.
Palm Reader will be available on Vinyl in transparent green or marbled pink & black variants, digisleeve CD and download on May 31st via Magnetic Eye Records. Pre-order / pre-save here.
Extreme Management Group (EMG) Senior Artist Manager Damien Mitchell would like to introduce and welcome, hailing from, Boys Town USA, genera-melting, melodic, jazz-infused groove, mood and atmosphere inducing, death metal masters, DieHumane, to the EMG roster!
DieHumane, features an all-star line-up of serious heavy hitters: formerly of Anova Skyway, vocalist Garret West, legendary Exodus guitarist, Rick Hunolt, videographer Joshua Vargas on bass, rhythm guitars, piano, and programming, as well as Greg Hilligiest on keys and programming.
Having released their full-length album, The Grotesque, in 2023, on legendary producer Ulrich Wilde's label Wurmroup, DieHumane has now partnered with Extreme Management Group and is debuting a brand new video alongside their single, “Stardust Blues", the final single from The Grotesque.
Commenting on their new video / single: "This is the last music video from The Grotesque. It’s actually the first one we shot, but fits in nicely with the visual and artistic aesthetic established for The Grotesque."
Commenting on the future, Josh Vargas had this to say: "We recently recorded new songs with some guest vocalists for a yet-to-be-titled EP. We’ve got Chuck Billy of Testament, and former Mushroomhead vocalist, Jeffrey Nothing. Will Hunt from Evanescence plays drums on the upcoming tracks. We have a lot of stuff coming up. We've recorded some collab tracks for an EP. We're getting ready to start playing live next year. We honestly haven't ever really stopped recording. There's a lot going on that we can't speak on just yet. The new stuff we've been recording perfectly picks up where the record left off, but has a heavier edge to it and is even more abstract."
Commenting on the partnership with EMG, the band had this to say: "Good managers are one thing, but a manager that’s willing to work with a band and truly assist them in realizing their artistic vision is a whole other. EMG’s commitment to the latter is exactly why we’re here. DieHumane at its foundation is all about doing something with its own artistic fingerprint, whether it’s musically, visually, or our approach to playing live. We believe EMG is the perfect home for us."
EMG Senior Artist Manager Damien Mitchell states: “Excited is an understatement about the opportunity to work with, DieHumane! Working with an all-star band of this caliber is a real ‘pinch-me-is-this-really-happening,’ kind-of-moment in my career. DieHumane wrote an album that feels like a mental breakdown and ends with a glimmer of hope. Their lyrics tackle issues such as loss and isolation during the backdrop of the pandemic, that is where The Grotesque as a concept album thematically came from, so I cannot wait to see what we can accomplish together!”
DieHumane is an absolute must for fans of Paradise Lost, A Perfect Circle, and Nine Inch Nails. This is a band that swims about as far away from the other fish as it gets. Imagine if Celtic Frost got into a car crash with Nine Inch Nails and Type O Negative while listening to Pink Floyd on the radio, and that crash sent them barreling down a hill to plow through a jazz band that was playing in the parking lot of a Gojira concert. That's DieHumane! DieHumane is heavily rooted in mood and atmosphere, from the brooding to the cathartic, from the hopeless to hopeful. Love them or hate them, it's a musical ride that you can only get from them!"
The Grotesque artwork and tracklisting:
"The Executively Dysfunctional"
"King Of Nothing (The Bruiser)"
"Standing At The Edge Of Forever"
"Shell Shock"
"The Death Knell"
"Epitaph"
"Oblivion"
"The Vanishing"
"Ghosts"
"Aphasia"
"Nevermind"
"Crossroads"
"The Descent"
"The Devil Sings"
"Sparrows"
"Skeletons"
"Stardust Blues"
"Ride The Flatline" is the latest single from Cleveland death metal outfit, 200 Stab Wounds. The punishing new track comes off the band's Manual Manic Procedures full-length, set for release on June 28 via Metal Blade Records.
A superlative sophomore effort that follows their tour de force debut, 2021's Slave To The Scalpel, Manual Manic Procedures is a brutal slab of old-school death metal with a contemporary edge. Not for the faint-hearted, the record may well be the album that puts classic gore-themed ferocity back into the metal community's collective consciousness.
The album's penultimate track, "Ride The Flatline", is a [bassist] Ezra Cook-penned song inspired by a chemical spill in the Ohio River after a train derailed. Vocalist/guitarist Steve Buhl further elaborates, "All the crazy chemicals caught fire. The Ohio River goes into Lake Erie, which is where our water supply is. So the song comes from that really. But obviously, we put a little bit of animation into it, with someone getting run over by a train in the process and fucking exploding and shit."
Slave To The Scalpel saw 200 Stab Wounds insinuate themselves into the minds of extreme metal fans. Manual Manic Procedures sees the band upping the ante both musically and lyrically.
The album's artwork -- graphically depicting radical surgery on somebody who may or may not be conscious -- is an immediate indicator of what this record is all about. No punches pulled, no holds barred, just blood-soaked death metal.
The songs on Manual Manic Procedures are not safe for work - perhaps unsafe most anywhere. But that's its dark charm in a world where even heavy music can play it too safely. 200 Stab Wounds have crafted Manual Manic Procedures for themselves and like-minded brethren: thrill-seekers, carnage cravers, horror fans, and aficionados of the most extreme metal. Above all, 200 Stab Wounds created a future death metal classic.
Manual Manic Procedures, which was produced and mixed by Andy Nelson and mastered by Brad Boatwright, will be available on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:
Disfigured Face (US)
Septic Remain (US)
Liquefied (US)
180g Black (EU)
Dark Liver (EU - Ltd. 400)
Seaweed (EU - Ltd. 300)
Blood Red Black Splatter (EU - Evil Greed Exclusive. Ltd. 300)
“Hands Of Eternity”
“Gross Abuse”
“Manual Manic Procedures”
“Release The Stench”
“Led To The Chamber / Liquified”
“Flesh From Within”
“Defiled Gestation”
“Ride The Flatline”
“Parricide”
Powerhouse vocalist James Durbin's band, Durbin, have released a video for "The Worshipper - 1897", featured on the band's new album, Screaming Steel, released back in February via Frontiers Music Srl. Watch the clip below:
James Durbin's journey into the music industry gained widespread attention during his appearance on Season 10 of American Idol, where he fearlessly championed heavy metal. On the finale, he shared the stage with legendary metal icons Judas Priest for unforgettable renditions of "Livin' After Midnight" and "Breaking The Law."
Throughout his career, Durbin has collaborated with an impressive array of musicians, including Stevie Wonder, Don Was, Zakk Wylde, Sheryl Crow, Tom Jones, Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe, Bob Babbitt of The Funk Brothers, and Steel Panther, among others.
"Made Of Metal"
"Screaming Steel"
"Where They Stand"
"Hallows"
"Power Of The Reaper"
"Blazing High"
"Beyond The Night"
"The Worshipper - 1897"
"Tear Them Down"
"Rebirth"
"Power Of The Reaper" (Acoustic Version) Bonus Track Japan
"Hallows" video:
"Screaming Steel" video:
- Produced By : Aldo Lonobile
- Recorded By: Aldo Lonobile, Eric J Peterson & James Durbin
- Mixed By: Aldo Lonobile
- Mastered By: Aldo Lonobile
Band members:
Vocals - James Durbin (USA)
Guitars - Aldo Lonobile (Italy)
Guitars - Luca Birotto (Italy)
Bass – Mike Roberts (USA)
Drums – Marco Sacchetto (Italy)
Solos:
“Blazing High” & “Hallows” - Jadran “Conan” Gonzales (USA)
“Tear Them Down” - Taylor Washington (USA)
“Power Of The Reaper” - Jon Yadon Jr. (USA)
“Screaming Steel” & “Made Of Metal” - Dylan Rose (USA)
“Blazing High” & “Beyond The Night” – Moksha (USA)
“Where They Stand” - Aldo Lonobile (Italy)
Northeast based agents of terror, Vomit Forth, are driven to create the most visceral death metal the world has ever experienced. Formed in 2017, the band set out to champion their influences from Internal Bleeding and Suffocation to Deicide, while eschewing the overall genre expectations of death metal at the time. Today, the band is proud to share "Blood Soaked Death Dream”, a brutal new single and harbinger of things to come.
"Blood Soaked Death Dream” is a relentless masterclass in darkness. Clocking in at 2:48 of pure brutality, the song hits hard with churning riffs and a guttural vocal that is as anguished as it is angry. The riffs swirl around the fuzzed out bass, both technically impressive while being effortlessly punishing. The track conveys a message of nihilism and despair that fits into the band’s history of creating music that evokes terror in new and beautiful ways within each song. The official video serves as a visual extension of the hellish nature of the song, merging grainy VHS footage of vocalist Kane into bloody demonic imagery and scenes of human sacrifice and gore.
On the single, the band shares: “‘Blood Soaked Death Dream’ is about how humans are almost parasitic and self hating in nature. We see other people as opportunities and when people see us as an opportunity we feel anger towards them. It’s kind of a walk through that spiritual journey and how we wish we weren’t like that but we are, and as a result there’s an inherent desire to destroy ourselves and everyone around us. In a Blood Soaked Death Dream."
You can watch the video for "Blood Soaked Death Dream” below, and stream the single here.
Vomit Forth broke out in 2018 with their demo, catching the attention of Maggot Stomp, who packaged the offering plus two additional songs into the band's debut LP Northeastern Deprivation. The band followed it in 2022, joining Century Media Records to release their sophomore album Seething Malevolence. The lauded record demonstrated the band’s dedication to a truly terrifying and singular brand of death metal. Throughout it all, Vomit Forth kept an extensive tour schedule, sharing the road with Cattle Decapitation, Gate To Hell, 200 Stab Wounds, Pain Of Truth, and more.
Vomit Forth has an unabashed goal to make “the most unsettling, brutal and scary death metal record of all time.” Based on their latest release, it’s clear that this precipice is within reach.
Vomit Forth is Kane (vocals), Jett (bass), Bailey (guitar) and Luke (drums).
Thin Lizzy classic, "Whiskey In The Jar", has received its first official music video, more than 50 years after its initial release.
"Whiskey In The Jar", one of the most recognizable rock songs of the 70s, started out with Phil Lynott messing around in Thin Lizzy’s rehearsal studio, as he started busking the old Irish folk song "Whiskey In The Jar", which dates back to the 1700s. Their then manager remarked upon it and insisted that the band record it, against their gut instincts. The single was released in November 1972 and rose to #6 on the UK singles chart. However, the song didn’t sit well with the band, and despite its success, they left it off their forthcoming album.
Since then, the song, in arrangements influenced by the Lizzy version, has gone on to be covered by artists such as U2, Metallica, Belle & Sebastian, The Pogues, Pulp, Bryan Adams, Gary Moore and Simple Minds.
After a two-year struggle for recognition, Thin Lizzy had finally scored a breakthrough hit. It paved the way for the Vagabonds Of The Western World album, the sound of nascent Lizzy finally finding their feet and starting on their journey to be one of the greatest rock bands of the 70s and for Philip to be recognized as one of the best songwriters of his generation.
Thin Lizzy founding member tells Hot Press: "The way it came about was very strange. We were rehearsing upstairs in this pub and we couldn’t get any inspiration. I was actually reading a book I was so bored. Then Phil picked up a Fender Telecaster and started singing all these Irish songs. He was doing, ‘Wild Rover’ and stuff like that, just for a laugh. I’m just thinking, ‘When are we going home?’
"Then Phil started on ‘Whiskey In The Jar’ and I picked up my guitar and played along. Our manager, Ted Carroll, who had come in with a new amp for me to try out, asked what was that song we were playing. Phil said we were only messing about, but it was ‘Whiskey In The Jar’. Ted then said, ‘Have you got a single yet?’ and we said, ‘Yeah, ‘Black Boys On The Corner’ So he said, ‘Why not put ‘Whiskey…’ on the B-side?’
"Anyway, we recorded it – that was the biggest challenge of my life – I didn’t know how to approach it as it was an Irish ballad. We were used to doing rock and blues, not Irish ballads. Myself and Philip played acoustic guitars on it and after that was finished they all looked at me and said, ‘What are you going to do?’"
Read more at Hot Press, and watch the new video below:
To celebrate Vagabonds Of The Western World’s golden anniversary, deluxe CD and LP sets featuring rarities, radio sessions, unreleased music, rare photos, extensive sleevenotes by Mark Blake, and memorabilia were released back in November. The reissue suite also includes the album remixed in Dolby Atmos, a first for any Thin Lizzy record.
Vagabonds Of The Western World 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition tracklisting:
CD1 - Vagabonds Of The Western World
"Mama Nature Said"
"The Hero And The Madman"
"Slow Blues"
"The Rocker"
"Vagabond Of The Western World"
"Little Girl In Bloom"
"Gonna Creep Up On You"
"A Song For While I’m Away"
"Whiskey In The Jar"
"Black Boys On The Corner" (Single B-Side)
"Randolph’s Tango" (Single A-Side)
"Broken Dreams" (Single B-Side)
"The Rocker" (Single A-Side edit)
"Here I Go Again" (Single B-Side)
"A Ride In The Lizzymobile" (Single B- Side)
CD2 - Radio Sessions
John Peel Session November 28, 1972
"Whiskey In The Jar"
"Suicide"
"Black Boys On The Corner"
RTE Radio Eireann Session
"1969 Rock Suicide"
"Broken Dreams"
"Eddie’s Blues/Blue Shadows"
John Peel Session August 7, 1973
"Vagabond of the Western World"
"Gonna Creep Up On You"
"Little Girl in Bloom"
John Peel Session August 16, 1973
"Randolph’s Tango"
"The Rocker"
"Slow Blues"
Bob Harris Session September 17, 1973
"Randolph’s Tango"
"Little Girl in Bloom"
"The Rocker"
CD3 - Live, Rarities, Demos & Outtakes
Radio One In Concert Paris Theatre July 26, 1973
"The Rocker"
"Thing’s Ain’t Working Out Down At The Farm"
"Slow Blues"
"Gonna Creep Up On You"
"Suicide"
"The Rocker" (Take 1 Instrumental)
"Little Girl In Bloom" (Take 3)
"Gonna Creep Up On You" (Take 2 Instrumental)
"Slow Blues" (Take 2 Instrumental)
"Here I Go Again "(Extended Version)
"Suicide" (gtr Needles And Pins Jam) (Lynott)
"Whiskey In The Jar" (Alternate Mix Extended Version)
"Black Boys On The Corner" (Alternate Mix)
"Gonna Creep Up On You" (Acetate)
"Baby’s Been Messin’" (Acetate)
Blu-Ray: Vagabonds Of The Western World
Atmos Mix / 5.1 Mix / Stereo Mix
"Mama Nature Said"
"The Hero And The Madman"
"Slow Blues"
"The Rocker"
"Vagabond Of The Western World"
"Little Girl In Bloom"
"Gonna Creep Up On You"
"A Song For While I’m Away"
Bonus Atmos Mixes
"Whiskey In Jar" (Single A-Side)
"Black Boys On The Corner" (Single B-Side)
"Randolph’s Tango" (Single A-Side)
"Broken Dreams" (Single B-Side)
"The Rocker" (Single A-Side Edit)
"Here I Go Again" (Single B-Side)
"A Ride In The Lizzymobile" (Single B-Side)
"Whiskey In The Jar" (Full Version)
Professionally filmed video of METALLICA performing the song "Of Wolf And Man" at the kick-off show of the 2024 leg of the band's "M72" tour on May 24 at Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany 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.
In Munich, METALLICA opened the show with "Whiplash" and continued with "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "Of Wolf And Man". The band also performed classic tracks like "The Memory Remains", "Fade To Black", "Nothing Else Matters" and "Master Of Puppets", as well as three songs from "72 Seasons": "Lux Æterna", "Too Far Gone?" and "Shadows Follow".
The setlist was as follows:
01. Whiplash
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls
03. Of Wolf And Man
04. The Memory Remains
05. Lux Æterna
06. Too Far Gone?
07. Fade To Black
08. Shadows Follow
09. Orion
10. Nothing Else Matters
11. Sad But True
12. The Day That Never Comes
13. Hardwired
14. Fuel
15. Seek & Destroy
16. Master Of Puppets
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, METALLICA will continue touring throughout Europe for the first part of summer, with stops in Italy, 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.
Opening acts include FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ICE NINE KILLS, MAMMOTH WVH, PANTERA, ARCHITECTS, GRETA VAN FLEET and VOLBEAT.
A portion of proceeds from the shows go to METALLICA's All Within My Hands foundation, which seeks to assist and enrich the lives of members of the communities who have supported the band and combat food insecurity; provides disaster relief; and bestows scholarships.
Veteran Arizona thrashers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM have revealed the second single and music video from their upcoming 15th studio album "I Am The Weapon", which will arrive on September 13, 2024 via AFM Records.
Following the previously released first single and title track, today we are treated to the official music video for "Primal", which can be seen below.
Talking about the track, the band shares: "We're very excited to once again unleash Flotzilla on to the metal community! This time, he'll take the form of our newest single, 'Primal'. With 'Primal', we tried to capture the 'punch in the face' energy that FLOTSAM AND JETSAM are known for, and blend it with a melody that sticks in your head for days... We hope our fans will embrace it, as we are very pleased with how this song and the new record has turned out, and we look forward to seeing you all very soon!"
Along with the album pre-orders, which are now underway, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM has also announced a repress of its eponymous 2016 album, issued as a strictly limited, gatefold clear 2LP.
"I Am The Weapon" not only takes up seamlessly where its two outstanding predecessors left off but also goes one step further in terms of musical skill and composition. While they fully live out their core competencies such as their aggressive style with fast tempos, "I Am The Weapon" features more surprising moments than ever before. From brutal high-octane tracks like "I Am The Weapon" to the atmospheric but not superfast "Burned My Bridges", each track on the album is convincing in its own way.
The album was once again mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen with the artwork designed by the band's longtime collaborator Andy Pilkington of Very Metal Art.
"I Am The Weapon" track listing:
01. A New Kind Of Hero
02. Primal
03. I Am The Weapon
04. Burned My Bridges
05. The Head Of The Snake
06. Beneath The Shadows
07. Gates Of Hell
08. Cold Steel Lights
09. Kings Of The Underworld
10. Running Through The Fire
11. Black Wings
It's been 38 years since FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, formed in Phoenix, Arizona, released its landmark debut, "Doomsday For The Deceiver", the only album to ever receive a 6K rating from the influential British magazine Kerrang! Bassist Jason Newsted would jump ship to METALLICA while the band released "No Place For Disgrace" in 1988. "Cuatro" (1992),"Drift" (1995),"High" (1997) and "My God" (2001) all still rank extremely high in heavy metal circles. But it was the first part of this unofficial trilogy in 2016's self-titled "Flotsam And Jetsam", followed by the crushing 2019 successor "The End Of Chaos" that a certain rejuvenation and reset was clearly felt.
In 2019, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM frontman Eric "A.K." Knutson told Glendale Star about the band's career: "We've been through a lot of crap. For a while I had a lineup with me who was just together to go out on vacations then have the promoters pay for it. And it's a little different now. We are back to a real band making a stab at growing and becoming a bigger entity in the music industry. Our goal in writing a record is to put out the coolest music we can. 'The End Of Chaos' hits the mark."
Guitarist Michael Gilbert said: "We're making a bit of a comeback. They're starting to revisit and buy the new stuff as well. We're seeing a lot of younger people at the show. They're in the front row, singing songs that were out 20 years before they were born. It gets us all excited. That was happening when we did the self-titled album. There's this spark again. The power metal music fans are digging A.K.'s voice."
According to Metal Journal, a bat landed on the left leg of THE PRETTY RECKLESS singer Taylor Momsen during her band's May 29 performance at Estadio La Cartuja in Seville, Spain as the support act for AC/DC.
After playing the fifth song of THE PRETTY RECKLESS's set, "Witches Burn", Taylor addressed the crowd, saying: "You guys are pointing at something, and I wanna know what you're saying." She then looked down at her leg and noticed the bat, after which she return to the microphone and exclaimed: "There's a fucking flying bat on my leg right now. Can someone help me, please? I must really be a witch."
A stage quickly hang came over a removed the bat, prompting Taylor to say: "Gracias. It's all right. And the bat's fine. He's gonna be my new friend," before adding, "Holy fuck."
Guitarist Ben Phillips then told the crowd: "Well, that hasn't happened before." Momsen went on to say: "I'm telling you. I'm a fucking witch. I attract the bats. Someone, bring out a black cat. It's gonna be great."
Phillips said to the audience, "Gracias for pointing it out," before Momsen added: "I thought you were pointing at my SOUNDGARDEN bracelet. And I was, like, 'Oh. Fucking they like SOUNDGARDEN. Awesome."
During an appearance on the May 6 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Taylor was asked about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for THE PRETTY RECKLESS's fifth album. She said: "I don't have [release] dates for you, but we booked — we've locked up the studio for eight months. It takes us a while to make a record. But it was going amazingly [before we paused the sessions in order to hit the road]. Hopefully when we pick back up in September, it'll be the same kind of flow and everything will just jell. But a lot of it's written. I'm sure that more will be written when these experiences happen and then new songs [arise] out of them. So I'm sure that there'll be some more songs coming. But I don't have dates. But it was going great, and we had just started; we really haven't started at all, but there's written stuff. So that's a start, I guess. But as far as recording, we hadn't really gotten into it yet."
This past January, THE PRETTY RECKLESS shared a photo of Taylor in the studio with Jonathan Wyman, who co-produced THE PRETTY RECKLESS's latest album, 2021's "Death By Rock And Roll", apparently confirming that Wyman has re-teamed with the group for the upcoming LP.
In a May 2023 interview with Ronni Hunter of the 99.7 The Blitz radio station, Momsen revealed that she and her THE PRETTY RECKLESS bandmates had commenced work on the follow-up to "Death By Rock And Roll".
"We're in a great headspace," she said. "We're just having fun with it, and wrapping up the tour cycle of 'Death By Rock And Roll'. And then new record — and it's next chapter. We've already kind of started it… We've gotten into a studio; we've stepped foot into a studio. So that's saying something for us."
THE PRETTY RECKLESS is supporting AC/DC on the legendary hard rock band's spring/summer 2024 European tour. Momsen and her bandmates also opened for THE ROLLING STONES on May 11 at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In November 2022, THE PRETTY RECKLESS released a new collection of music, "Other Worlds", via Fearless Records. The effort saw the group delivering its first proper acoustic recordings, unexpected covers and other reimaginings.
"Death By Rock And Roll" was made available in February 2021 via Fearless Records in the U.S. and Century Media Records in the rest of the world.
Upon release, "Death By Rock And Roll" topped multiple sales charts — including Billboard's Top Albums, Rock, Hard Music, and Digital charts. The record also yielded three back-to-back No. 1 singles — "Death By Rock And Roll", "And So It Went" (featuring Tom Morello of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE) and "Only Love Can Save Me Now" (featuring Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron of SOUNDGARDEN). The band has tallied seven No. 1 singles at the rock format throughout its career.
"Death By Rock And Roll" was THE PRETTY RECKLESS's first album to be made without longtime producer Kato Khandwala, who died in April 2018 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.
THE PRETTY RECKLESS formed in 2009 and consists of Momsen, Phillips, bassist Mark Damon and drummer Jamie Perkins.
In 2021, Momsen — who rose to fame portraying the character of edgy little sister Jenny Humphrey on The CW's "Gossip Girl" — described "Death By Rock And Roll" in an interview with ABC Audio as a "battle cry for life and for hope."
"I think that that's something that we can all use a little bit more of, especially right now," she said. "We could always use a little more hope, and we could always use a little more rock and roll."
Professionally filmed video of METALLICA performing the song "Master Of Puppets" at the kick-off show of the 2024 leg of the band's "M72" tour on May 24 at Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany can be seen below.
The heavy metal giants were met with a sudden downpour in the middle of their performance, as evidenced in the clip.
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.
In Munich, METALLICA opened the show with "Whiplash" and continued with "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "Of Wolf And Man". The band also performed classic tracks like "The Memory Remains", "Fade To Black", "Nothing Else Matters" and "Master Of Puppets", as well as three songs from "72 Seasons": "Lux Æterna", "Too Far Gone?" and "Shadows Follow".
The setlist was as follows:
01. Whiplash
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls
03. Of Wolf And Man
04. The Memory Remains
05. Lux Æterna
06. Too Far Gone?
07. Fade To Black
08. Shadows Follow
09. Orion
10. Nothing Else Matters
11. Sad But True
12. The Day That Never Comes
13. Hardwired
14. Fuel
15. Seek & Destroy
16. Master Of Puppets
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, METALLICA will continue touring throughout Europe for the first part of summer, with stops in Italy, 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.
Opening acts include FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ICE NINE KILLS, MAMMOTH WVH, PANTERA, ARCHITECTS, GRETA VAN FLEET and VOLBEAT.
A portion of proceeds from the shows go to METALLICA's All Within My Hands foundation, which seeks to assist and enrich the lives of members of the communities who have supported the band and combat food insecurity; provides disaster relief; and bestows scholarships.
KITTIE has released the official music video for the band's new single, "One Foot In The Grave". The new track is the fourth to be released from KITTIE's long-awaited new studio album, "Fire", their first in over 13 years, due on June 21 via Sumerian Records.
KITTIE vocalist/guitarist Morgan Lander comments: "The excitement is palpable in anticipation of our forthcoming album release, with the unleashing of our latest offering 'One Foot In The Grave'. It's a feisty, high-energy song about coming back from the dead and rising from the ashes, so to speak, paralleling our real-life experiences as of late. Letting go of the demons of the past to begin anew is something that resonates with us deeply."
When "Fire" was first announced earlier in the month, Morgan said in a statement: "10 years ago, if someone would have told us that we would be releasing new KITTIE music in 2024, we'd have dismissed them right away. It feels like something deeper than fate that's brought us together again, allowing us to create something fearless and magical for you. We've worked incredibly hard over the past year, and surrounded ourselves with the ultimate dream team to make this album a reality. We cannot wait for you to lose yourselves in the passion and strength of 'Fire'."
"Fire" is available to pre-order now with a variety of merch bundles including exclusive vinyl colorways, t-shirts, a cassette tape, a sticker pack, guitar pick pack, laminate and two metal lunch box designs.
"Fire" track listing
01. Fire
02. I Still Wear This Crown
03. Falter
04. Vultures
05. We Are Shadows
06. Wound
07. One Foot In The Grave
08. Are You Entertained
09. Grime
10. Eyes Wide Open
Last month, KITTIE announced an exclusive run of North American headline dates. The long-awaited shows will see the band perform in five cities across the U.S. and Canada this July and August, giving fans a very special and rare chance to see the band play a full headline set that will include their recently released singles "We Are Shadows" and "Eyes Wide Open" as well as classic hits and some deep cuts not played live since the band's early days.
Last November, it was revealed that KITTIE was working on a new studio LP with producer Nick Raskulinecz at Nashville's Sienna Studios.
Raskulinecz, who moved to Nashville from Los Angeles around 16 years ago, had previously worked with such acts as RUSH, ALICE IN CHAINS, KORN, RISE AGAINST, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, SKID ROW and the DEFTONES.
Regarding the overwhelmingly positive response to KITTIE's live shows and music since the band's return in 2022, Lander told Metal Hammer: "I just think that the world is ready for us now. A lot of the things that we were doing 25 years ago were still... I don't want to say controversial, but they seemed so new. It definitely has a lot to do with a shift in thinking and acceptance and representation in the years since the very first time that KITTIE came out. Sometimes it just takes the world a bit of time to catch up and appreciate those things."
In March, Morgan told The MetalSucks Podcast about KITTIE's plans for the rest of 2024: "To be honest with you, this all just feels brand new again. I know that we're veterans of the music industry and whatnot, but we've sort of stepped into a new age and a new era of music releasing and record labels and things like that. So I think the goal is just to just enjoy — for us, for sure — enjoy the process and just — I don't know — put some smiles on people's faces, really. All of the things that come along with releasing new music and an album, like new merch and shows, headlining stuff, album-release stuff, all of that is definitely coming down the pike. But I think ultimately the goal for us is just to sort of enjoy the ride. All of those tangible things will come. It all feels so new and exciting again. So, yeah, we're just here to enjoy the ride."
Asked how she views all the platforms, with social media and music streaming services, now compared to how it was when KITTIE last released new music nearly a decade and a half ago, Morgan said: "Well, I feel like in 2011 [when 'I've Failed You' came out] and 2009 [when 'In The Black' was released], those last two albums, I actually really don't know that Spotify and music and streaming platforms were catching on. And so it was this weird sort of interim period where they may have existed but nobody cared and people were definitely still buying tangible CDs. And, yeah, so now we're in this new era of streaming, and I really feel like music is more accessible than ever and I think more people are listening than ever before, because things are just so easy to find; everything that you need is on a streaming platform. And so I definitely think that it does have its benefits. I mean, as far as being an artist and on the serving-the-artist side of things, it doesn't pay great, but I feel like the audience is greater than ever before. Way back, when we were active, I guess you could say the first time, the industry was definitely a different beast. And this time around, I feel like a lot of people, since we put out our last albums, have discovered the band, a lot of young people as well. And so because streaming [is so widely available], they've had this ability to discover and listen to our old catalog and continue to keep those songs popular and alive. And ultimately, it's that sort of simmering growth that's allowed us to have this opportunity that we have today. So, I don't think that it's a bad thing. I'm excited for the weirdness of the future."
In an interview with Knotfest's "She's With The Band" podcast, KITTIE drummer Mercedes Lander and Morgan spoke about the musical direction of the long-awaited follow-up to "I've Failed You". Mercedes said: "I'm gonna say that we are just really stoked to write 1,200 percent bangers. I think that's just where we're at now. We want people to feel good. We want people to feel what we're feeling. I feel like bangers, that's what we're good at."
Asked by host Tori Kravitz about the possibility of KITTIE combining some of the old-school sound from the band's early days and mixing it up with a fresh approach, Morgan said: "I think marrying some of the ideas, 'cause I don't think we're ever going to put our JNCOs [jeans] on again. But, yeah, the idea of marrying some of those ideas — like who we are now with the ideas of who maybe we used to be and kind of being able to meet somewhere in the middle, but in a way that will just create something brand new again. I'm excited for it to be unleashed upon the world."
KITTIE played its first concert in five years in September 2022 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.
Joining Morgan and Mercedes in KITTIE's current lineup guitarist Tara McLeod and bassist Ivana "Ivy" Vujic.
Prior to Blue Ridge, KITTIE had not performed since its reunion show at London Music Hall in the band's native London, Ontario in 2017, celebrating the group's documentary "Kittie: Origins/Evolutions".
Vujic joined KITTIE in 2008 and appeared on the band's fifth studio CD, 2009's "In The Black". She also wrote and recorded bass for KITTIE's sixth album, 2011's "I've Failed You".
In January 2022, the original lineup of KITTIE — Morgan, Mercedes, Fallon Bowman (guitar) and Tanya Candler (bass) — reunited for an online chat to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of its gold-certified 2000 debut album, "Spit".
Candler left KITTIE after the release of "Spit" in order to finish high school and was replaced by Talena Atfield.
Bowman exited KITTIE in 2001 and started her own industrial/electronic project, AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT.
After KITTIE completed the touring cycle for "I've Failed You" album, the band entered a long period of inactivity during which Morgan focused on a marketing job for a chain of fitness clubs while Mercedes worked in real estate and more recently at a software company. The group also began work on a career-spanning documentary, "Origins/Evolutions", which finally saw the light of day in 2018 via Lightyear Entertainment in North America.
"I've Failed You" sold 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 178 on The Billboard 200 chart.
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